Rise Online: Return of the Legendary Player

Chapter 718 Barbarians

Kaizen walked alongside Bloody Lily, his quick steps echoing softly on the uneven ground. As they walked towards where division four should be, Kaizen tried to look away from Bloody Lily, whose presence at his side was intense, but their eyes meeting was inevitable.

The hilly countryside near the south of the city was full of tents, and torches lit the way.

Music and laughter echoed in the air, a bizarre contrast to the tension that weighed on the shoulders of the players who would decide what they would do for the next few hours.

As they approached the Division Four camp site, a murmur resounded wherever they went, walking together. Seeing Blood Lily and Kaizen in the same place was big news for most people and the rumors about them had gained a lot of momentum after the intense final between them in the Special Program Tournament a week ago.

Bloody Lily and Kaizen finally arrived at the camp site where the Wake Barbarians Guild was supposed to be, but there was only a little man there, standing among the tents that seemed to have been overturned.

Bloody Lily approached and asked:

"You're the leader of Division 6, correct?"

The leader of Division 6, called Theron, was a tall, thin man with shrewd eyes that observed the world around him with a mixture of curiosity and caution. He wore elegant armor, adorned with golden details, indicating his status as an experienced and respected player. His bow was firmly strapped to his back, indicating his proficiency as an archer.

"Yes, that's right. We're from the Celestials of Aurora guild," Theron explained as he ran a hand through his dark hair, looking at the overturned tents with a worried expression. "One of our archers noticed that Division 4 was making a lot of noise a little while ago, but suddenly everything went quiet. Something seems to have happened here."

Blood Lily and Kaizen exchanged glances, sharing a mutual understanding of the seriousness of the situation. Bloody Lily then approached the overturned tents, examining the wreckage with a trained eye. "It looks like there was a fight here. The marks on the ground indicate that there was an intense struggle, but I don't see any bodies."

Kaizen approached too. "They're barbarians, they've probably been fighting each other before."

Theron nodded. "Yes, they had a wheel forming and were fighting each other with their fists."

"That's what you expect from barbarians, even players." Kaizen said and gave Theron a friendly slap on the back, allowing himself to get closer to the rest of the camp to examine it.

In general, the camp looked like a zone, with footprints everywhere and belongings thrown on the ground, but that didn't mean there had been a fight, because these were barbarians they were talking about. Kaizen knelt down, touching the marks on the ground with careful fingers, like a detective investigating a crime scene.

"Look at this..." said Kaizen, his voice firm.

Kaizen examined the marks on the ground, tracing invisible patterns with his fingers as his mind worked quickly to decipher the signs left behind. His narrowed eyes were focused on the ground, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"Those marks on the ground aren't random." Kaizen said quietly, more to himself than to the others. "They follow a pattern, a direction. Look at the way they're arranged, as if they're pointing to something specific." He stood up, looking in the direction the marks were pointing. "They weren't running away or being attacked. They were deliberately moving in that direction."

Bloody Lily and Theron approached, following Kaizen's gaze towards a path that lay between two rocks.

Several footprints marked a path on the ground covered in gray snow.

The three players' eyes met, understanding the meaning behind his words. The barbarians weren't in chaos, they were on a mission. A mission that led them towards the city.

"That's not good," muttered Bloody Lily, her fists clenching involuntarily. "They went towards the city on their own, without waiting for the rest of the army. We must catch up with them before they do something impulsive."

"They're known for their recklessness and aggression. If they attack the city on their own, they could die and open a path for the enemy."

Kaizen raised his hand, interrupting the conversation. "There's still hope. Theron, go to the meeting area and warn Jayaa about the situation."

So Theron followed Kaizen's orders and quickly started back the way Kaizen and Bloody Lily had come.

Despite this, Bloody Lily was confused: "Why did you tell him to talk to Jayaa? Do you think he can pass on orders to other people in the army?"

"Jayaa gives orders? No, of course not, even he wouldn't want to."

"Then why did you choose him?"

"Because he knows me well and knows how to buy time."

The icy wind whispered between the rocks, carrying with it the omen of an imminent battle.

So Bloody Lily and Kaizen exchanged determined glances before following in the barbarians' footsteps, guided by the marks on the ground that indicated the path the barbarians had taken. The path was full of natural obstacles, such as sharp rocks and frozen tree roots. Nevertheless, they advanced with determination, their careful but quick steps showing their experience in navigating the difficult terrain.

As they walked, Bloody Lily wondered what could have driven the barbarians to act so impulsively. She knew the barbarians' fearless nature, but something else was driving them now. Was it impatience? She wondered if perhaps they had discovered some crucial information about the enemy, something that would prompt them to act before anyone else.

Kaizen, noticing Bloody Lily's thoughtful expression, spoke up:

"Don't think too much about something we don't know."

Blood Lily nodded, pondering Kaizen's words. It was true that the quest for glory and the desire to prove their worth often led players to make reckless decisions.

As they continued to follow in the barbarians' footsteps, they reached a hill from where they could see the city up close. The scenery was dark and majestic at the same time, with the lights of the moon flickering in the darkness. However, the atmosphere was imbued with tension and uncertainty, as if the earth itself was waiting for the inevitable confrontation to come. From this spot, they spotted the barbarians in the distance, a small group of brave players marching towards the city gates. Their faces were determined, their weapons ready for battle. Among them was the leader of Division Four, a barbarian called Garuk, whose eyes burned with the flame of courage and determination.

At that moment, Kaizen floated up and also raised the Bloody Lily.

"Whauy! Hey, what are you doing?" She asked, trying to keep her balance.

Kaizen put her down again. "Well, it'll be quicker to reach them if we go flying."

"But at least first let me know if you're going to lift me up like this." She said, a little flushed.

The black-haired boy smiled with the corner of his mouth. "All right, my lady." He held out a hand to her. "Take my hand, then you'll have more balance."

She hesitated a little, but took his right hand and was surprised at how warm it was despite the cold. 'How warm...'

Bloody Lily and Kaizen silently approached the group, flying and they landed in front of the group, preventing them from advancing any further.

"You've come far." Said Blood Lily, crossing her arms after Kaizen made them land on the ground.

"Why are you here?" asked Garuk, his deep voice echoing in the silence of the night. "This is our fight. We barbarians will face the enemy with courage and honor first."

Blood Lily raised her hand in a pacifying gesture. "We understand your courage, Garuk. However, this is not a battle you should fight alone. There needs to be a plan, otherwise you'll provoke something that can be avoided."

Garuk looked at her for a moment, but gritted his teeth. "You don't understand. We're not going to obey orders or tactics from knights in armor like you, we're used to battles, to hunting Mythic and Epic-ranked creatures, we're not going to tremble with fear and leave our hunting to these army goons."

"Mythic and Epic? Tell me something else." Kaizen replied, turning his face away with disdain.

"What did you say?" One of the barbarians took a step forward, but their leader stopped him.

"Is there a problem with the level of our hunts, honorable hero Kaizen?" The leader asked, frowning with a little restrained anger.

"It's not that. Hunting creatures of this level is already admirable... for solo players, but for large groups like yours it's not enough, don't you think?" Kaizen said flatly.

"Say that again, you stuck-up son of a bitch." Another barbarian said.

Bloody Lily took a deep breath and stepped in front of Kaizen. "What my friend means is that the level of the creatures inside the city is even higher than mythical, so even you will have problems."

"Higher than mythical? Are they legendary creatures?"

Bloody Lily denied it with her head and turned fully towards the city. "In reality, according to the information, there are only nine creatures in the city and all of them are on the same level as an Evolved, so we can't provoke them or attack them without a plan, otherwise the whole army not only can, but will collapse if something like that happens."