MMORPG: Rebirth of the Shadow Mage

149 The ‘Vikings’

Leo quickly ran into the forest without pausing to glance back at the members of the ‘Cross’ guild. He had conveyed all he wanted to say and was now focused on finding a secure hiding spot.

He knew that the enemy would soon be upon them and that made him slightly nervous, but excited at the same time. Leo had already planned out how to wipe out all of them, if the fight really broke out.

Robin had requested Leo to refrain from attacking the ‘Vikings’ unless they initiated the fight, instead opting for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Leo shook his head in dismay as he observed Robin anxiously surveying the north. If what he had heard was accurate, there would be no chance for peace and the guilds would inevitably clash. Even if the ‘Cross’ guild offered to compensate for accidentally killing Martin with gold coins, they would still be met with attack.

As he looked ahead, Leo spotted a tall tree standing out among the others. It would be an ideal vantage point for him to survey the battlefield, as he would be able to see the lake from the top.

Quickly climbing the tree, he made himself comfortable at its top, before revising his plan. As soon as he’ll notice that the situation is getting out of hand, Leo will cast the Shadow Realm that will cover the whole vicinity, obstructing the vision of all the living beings nearby.

Leo had already discussed this with Robin and instructed him to retreat his guild as soon as the Shadow Realm was cast.

Leo had planned to use all of his spells and tactics while hidden in the shadows, as no one would be able to spot him. He was even intending to summon his Shadow Soldiers to hasten the killing process and lower the possibility of being wounded.

Killing an entire guild is not typically easy, but as the opposing force was composed mostly of low-level Orcs, with no mages who could dispel his realm, Leo felt confident in his ability to defeat the blind players.

.....

Looking towards the North, Leo noticed several fast-moving silhouettes, likely scouts sent by the ‘Vikings’ guild to check for any ambushes set up by the ‘Cross’ guild.

He frowned observing how stupidly clumsy their movements were, indicating that they’ve started playing the game only recently and were yet to get used to their bulky orc bodies.

‘Should I just eliminate them?’

Even though Robin asked him to keep his weapon sheathed if there was a chance for peace, Leo couldn’t shake off a suspicion that the leader didn’t truly believe in his own words.

Leo considered using his Lightning Bolt spell to strike down the scouts, but he didn’t want to risk allowing the ‘Vikings’ guild to retreat. If he killed one of their members, they would likely inform their leader.

Leo pinched the bridge of his nose as he watched the Orcs pass by his tree, heading towards the lake.

He soon noticed a larger group marching towards him.

Leading the group was a muscular Orc, with a broad chest and horns engraved into his forearms’ skin. He held a massive Battle Axe, which was slightly bloodied, suggesting that he had recently fought some monster or encountered a scout from the ‘Cross’ guild.

Leo couldn’t help but let out a whistle as he examined the Orc’s equipment, which was on par with Robin’s, who already had gear above the average player. Fortunately, Leo’s own equipment was much superior, being among the best in the early game.

As the players in the group were above level 15, they had already unlocked the Sense Attribute, which enhanced their senses beyond normal. Leo was aware of this and remained still as they passed by his hiding spot.

As the fight approached, Leo felt his emotions growing numb. His purple eyes fixed on the lake where the guilds would soon engage.

“Let’s make a fortune...”

***

The muscular Orc gazed into the forest, his Axe tightly gripped in his hand. He felt a mix of annoyance and twisted pleasure as he recalled the events of the day.

He had sent one of his henchmen to spy on a guild that had become an annoyance, as it was constantly growing and posed a potential threat to their dominance in the long run.

The henchman, of course, had been killed, but that was his mission from the beginning: to get killed without raising a weapon, making it seem as if the ‘Cross’ guild had initiated the fight.

Previously, the ‘Vikings’ guild had to hold back from attacking the ‘Cross’ guild openly, due to their sponsors who didn’t want to damage their public image. But now, they had a justification for attacking- revenge.

A savage smile spread across the Orc’s face, which he quickly concealed with his green arm.

After controlling his expression, he gestured for a few of the Orcs standing behind him to go scout ahead.

As he waited for their report, he heard someone speaking behind him.

“Uzul, I don’t question your decision to attack the ‘Cross’ guild, but since Martin was killed by an unknown mage, wouldn’t it be wise to strike them as they exit the forest, to prevent any ambushes from being preplanned?”

Uzul shifted his head slightly to the side and saw a male orc with a sharp jawline and a large broadsword hanging from his hip. Despite being one of his most trusted allies, Uzul felt annoyed as if the orc was belittling his plan.

“Zarfu, I’m the leader... The sponsors had also agreed to do this, we will not change the plan!”

Uzul attempted to speak in a more calm and composed manner, but his words were infused with visible annoyance and anger. Zarfu, who was on the receiving end of Uzul’s frustration, could only look at him for a moment before shaking his head and backing away, his own mood now visibly worsened.

Uzul let out a derisive snort as he watched the orc walk away from him. He despised cowards, and Zarfu was always the first one to express doubts about his plans and take extra precautions to avoid fighting whenever possible.

If it weren’t for the sponsors keeping a close eye on the progress of the ‘Vikings’ guild, Uzul would have removed Zarfu from the group a long time ago. However, Zarfu’s combat abilities were formidable and his personality, although cowardly, was barely acceptable for the goals Uzul had in mind.

Ring...

Upon receiving a message from the scouts that the path ahead was clear, Uzul let out a battle cry signaling for the entire guild to move forward.

The sight of 200 orcs marching in unison was intimidating, their synchronized steps causing the ground to tremble. Uzul had brought nearly all of his forces to engage in battle against the ‘Cross’ guild and even if they offered thousands of gold coins, he was determined to annihilate them all.

As he entered the forest, Uzul heightened his senses, preparing for any unexpected events that could occur while moving through the unknown terrain.

He could hear his guild members whispering amongst themselves, but a stern glance from Uzul silenced them immediately.

‘Idiots...’

Uzul muttered under his breath, deliberately making it loud enough for the orcs nearby to hear. He didn’t care about the opinions his guild members held of him, all he needed was absolute obedience, which he could gain through fear or respect.

Hearing the unending whispers behind him, he felt blood rushing towards his head.

Swish...

With little effort, Uzul swung his massive axe, striking a nearby orc and leaving a deep cut wound in his abdomen.

“DON’T SPEAK YOU FUCKERS! HOW CAN I SENSE ANYTHING IF YOU KEEP MAKING NOISE!!!”

Uzul had shown mercy by leaving the wounded orc alive, who was now lying on the ground, trying to consume a potion to heal his wounds.

Kneeling before his wounded guild member, Uzul whispered something into his ear which made the orc pale in fear. After his wound was healed, he quickly rejoined the ranks of the guild, sweat running down his forehead.

Feeling multiple gazes filled with fear directed at him, Uzul let out a snort before moving forward. He didn’t even bother cleaning his axe which was now stained with blood.

...

The atmosphere became heavy and silent as they moved through the forest, which only served to increase Uzul’s irritation.

‘How long do we have to walk?!’

Fortunately for his guild members, they noticed something reflecting light ahead. It was the water from a lake.

Upon seeing the water source, Uzul froze in place, the entire group following suit. A few silhouettes emerged from the bushes, revealing themselves to be orcs as they removed their hoods.

“We couldn’t estimate the number of the ‘Cross’ guild members, but it’s not more than 100...”

One of the scouts reported to Uzul who nodded his head in response, before turning to his guild members, all of whom were holding heavy weapons that seemed to be weighing an abnormal amount.

“Get ready... We attack only on my command!”