Chapter 10 : This is It

  Now that the battlefield was littered with the fallen, Starday was ready to proceed to the next phase of his plan. With most of the players either dead or too weakened to pose a threat, it was time for him and Bright Resonance to make their next move…

  Escape.

  The monster had served its purpose in thinning the competition, and now they could leave the scene with their guild intact and their rivals crippled.

  Starday glanced around, taking in the carnage one last time. The trap had worked perfectly. With their secret advantage and careful planning, Bright Resonance had survived while others fell hard. Now, there was no reason to linger. The battle had already been won in Starday’s eyes, and staying longer would only increase the risk.

  "This is it, stick to the route we discussed," Starday added, his eyes scanning the surroundings to make sure no one that no one messed up their plan. "We’ll regroup and assess our next steps later."

  His guildmates nodded in agreement, already prepared for the retreat. They had all been briefed on the plan beforehand, knowing this moment would come once enough players had been eliminated. Now, with their enemies severely weakened, Bright Resonance could quietly withdraw, leaving the battlefield and the chaos behind.

  His plan had unfolded, and now Bright Resonance was poised to capitalize on the aftermath. With fewer competitors left to pose a threat toward them, the future was theirs for the taking.

  With the help of the item given by the City Lord, their retreat was practically guaranteed to be safe. The secret item provided Starday and his guild with a shield of protection.

  As Bright Resonance began their withdrawal from the battlefield, the item’s influence ensured they remained safe by both the monster and the few remaining players still struggling to survive basically.

  While the other guilds fought a losing battle, unaware of the true nature of the situation, Starday started to lead his guild away orderly. The path had been carefully designated to not make anyone suspect it easily, and with the item’s effects safeguarding them, no sudden attack or unforeseen threat would catch them off guard.

  "Perfect," Starday spoke with a grin attached on his face as his guildmates followed in silence. "No one even suspects a thing..."

  With most of their competitors eliminated and their retreat secured, Starday knew they were in a prime position to dominate whatever came next.

  Whaaaammm!

  But just as everything seemed to be going smoothly, something unexpected happened.

  Without warning, the monster, as if sensing their retreat, unleashed a massive attack, a frightening fireball that streaked across the battlefield with unnatural speed and force. Starday’s eyes widened in shock as the fireball tore through the air, crashing directly into the core ranks of Bright Resonance.

  The explosion was deafening.

  The screams of his guildmates echoed in Starday’s ears as many of them were incinerated instantly. Bright Resonance’s elite members, those whom Starday had carefully protected and relied on throughout the battle, were cut down in an instant. The guild’s formation, so carefully crafted, crumbled before his eyes.

  "F***!" Starday cursed, his voice filled with disbelief.

  This wasn’t supposed to happen…

  The item he had from the City Lord should have guaranteed their safety, it should have protected them from something like this. But now, the monster had broken through, and the losses were catastrophic.

  Starday clenched his fists as the remaining guild members scrambled to recover from the attack, many in shock, while others tried to regroup. His mind raced, trying to assess the situation. The plan had been perfect, the retreat was supposed to be flawless…

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  …But now they were bleeding members, and morale was looking grim.

  The monster, perhaps sensing its advantage, let out another ear-shattering roar, readying itself for another strike.

  For the first time in the entire battle, Starday felt a pang of panic. The plan had gone awry, and now Bright Resonance was at risk of losing everything they had fought so hard for.

  "What's going on?! How can the monster attack us when we have the item given by the City Lord?" Starday shouted in bewilderment, his heart racing. The chaos around him was overwhelming, and his mind struggled to comprehend how their seemingly foolproof plan had fallen apart so suddenly.

  The item should have protected them, shielding Bright Resonance from the monster’s attacks and making their retreat safe. It had worked very well up until now, so how could the monster suddenly target them with such deadly precision?

  His eyes darted around, searching for an answer. Had they misused the item? Was there some hidden condition or limit they didn’t know about? The more he thought about it, the more questions plagued his mind, and no answer made sense. The City Lord’s item wasn’t supposed to fail, especially not like this.

  One of his surviving guildmates, a different person from the one who asked before, shouted, "Commander! What should we do?!”

  Starday gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him. It wasn’t just that they were being attacked, it was that the monster had perfectly timed its strike, almost as if it knew when their protection would falter. Something wasn’t right. Either the item had limits they didn’t understand, or someone had interfered. But now wasn’t the time to figure it out.

  "Regroup!" he yelled, trying to take control of the spiraling situation. "We still need to get out of here! Don’t panic!" He could see the fear in the eyes of his remaining guildmates, their confidence shattered by the unexpected blow.

  But deep down, Starday knew this was a turning point. If they didn’t act fast, Bright Resonance might not survive this ambush.

  “F******....”

  Starday's mind raced, desperate for answers. His gaze subconsciously fell to the hilt of his sword, where the item had been securely attached.

  But as his eyes landed on it, his heart dropped. His eyes widened like saucers because of the unbelievable spectacle in front of him.

  The item that was supposed to protect them from the monster, an item given exclusively toward him by the city lord…

  The item was gone…

  His eyes widened in horror, as if he had seen a ghost.

  "No... No, where is it?!" he said with rapid breath like an ox, his voice trembling with disbelief. The very object that was supposed to ensure their victory and safe retreat had vanished without a trace.

  Starday's hands shook as he grabed at the empty space where the item had been. How could it have disappeared? It had been there the whole time, securely fastened to his sword!

  His mind scrambled for an explanation. Has it been stolen? Had it fallen during the battle? Or had someone sabotaged them?

  His thoughts spun wildly, but there was no time to process. The reality of their situation hit him like a crashing wave. Without the item, they were vulnerable. The monster could target them just like anyone else. The advantage they had counted on was gone, and the battlefield had turned into a deathtrap for Bright Resonance.

  "Commander! What’s happening…?" one of his guildmates shouted in terror, seeing Starday’s shock. But Starday couldn’t answer. His mind was reeling, and the grim reality set in.

  They were no longer safe…

  Whaaamm!

  Another devastating attack came crashing down from the monster, tearing through the core of Bright Resonance’s formation. More of their elite members were obliterated in the blink of an eye, their avatars vanishing in bursts of light and smoke. The guild that had once seemed untouchable was now crumbling before Starday's eyes.

  "**** me..." Starday muttered, but this time his voice carried a dark, twisted laugh. It was the laugh of someone caught between disbelief and madness. His hands were shaking uncontrollably as the situation spiraled further out of control. He had never anticipated this. His plan, his guild, his carefully constructed scheme, it was all unraveling.

  He couldn’t even muster anger anymore. Instead, a bitter, crazed amusement bubbled up inside him. Everything had been aligned, and now it was collapsing so spectacularly that all he could do was laugh.

  In the midst of the destruction, Starday stood there, grinning like a man teetering on the edge. He had played the game, manipulated others, and crafted a careful strategy. But now, fate, or perhaps something darker, had turned on him. The item was gone, the monster was targeting them, and there was no longer any safety or control.

  The retreat was supposed to be smooth sailing, almost effortless. What had been a chaotic death trap for others was supposed to be an easy escape for Bright Resonance, thanks to the hidden power at Starday’s disposal…

  "Is this it?" he whispered to himself, still laughing quietly as the monster launched its next attack, with Bright Resonance’s members falling apart around him.