Crimson sun met the horizon as the night drew closer. It was a spectacular sight on the cyan ocean.

  Shores of the Pisces archipelago were filled with fluorescent microorganisms. And when they awoke with the approaching night, it looked like glowing waves were crashing against the golden sand.

  However, the players weren't in the mood to appreciate the nature’s wonder. They could see the hordes of red eyes staring at them from the forest. Nearly a thousand bats were eying the encampment with wild fervor.

  To be precise, they were eying the fluttering flag placed on the red log.

  “Begin the preparations,” Zyrus commanded while drinking the tea he had prepared himself. He hadn’t taken a rest unlike others. The past few hours had been crucial to set up his plan.

  The ophidian warriors were deployed at the borders. With the help of hundreds of players who had released their pure mana, the entire beach was now tainted with the aura of abyss.

  “All set,” Ria replied once she relayed his commands. Shield warriors and trolls formed the first ring of defense behind the makeshift boundary. Swordsman and Spearman stood behind them as the main line of attack.

  Archers, rogues, and assassins were tasked with supportive attacks. Last but not least were the mages who were stationed at the center. It was the safest location since they were protected by the bears and ogres. Their magic spells would be most fatal on the airborne monsters.

  The only mobile units were Zyrus who rode on Franken and the goblin riders. They were tasked with handling any unforeseen situations and providing backup.

  As for the rats and specter scorpions, Zyrus didn’t let them participate. It was more important to monitor the underground. While weak, it was unwise to ignore the hordes of bugs that lived underground.

  *Kiiikiki*

  *Kiiiekek*

  The fruit bats were getting excited as only a tenth of the sun was above the ocean. The players couldn’t help but tremble despite their experience in the first ring. They had become stronger, and that was why they could feel the gap between them and their enemy.

  “Remember what I said, believe in the totem. I want Zero casualties in the battle, so you better not die,” Zyrus shifted his eyes and looked at Jacob and the mages.

  “Release your spell once they come closer.”

  “ “Understood.” ”

  Fruit bats had a huge advantage with their airborne mobility. Thus, Zyrus had to level the playing field before anything else.

  <{Warning! Monsters are attacking your camp}>

  <{Repel the invaders to improve your flag’s tier}>

  <{Additional rewards will be given based on your performance!}>

  The same text appeared before every player.

  *KIkiiiihhi*

  “Fire!” Zyrus shouted from the top of his lungs. Accompanied by his words, fiery arrows soared to the sky from all directions. The united action made it look like a giant behemoth had opened its fiery maw.

  The arrows weren’t enough to fend off the fruit bats, but that wasn’t his goal to begin with. He had created a boundary with wood and dry leaves for a reason.

  [Prairie Fire]

  Walls of orange flame arose at the same instant when the fiery arrows were about to fall. The entire camp was enshrouded in a dome of flame. The mages supported Jacob by using wind blades and fireballs of their own.

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  This was the moment Zyrus was waiting for.

  “Expand.”

  Blue stands of mana surged from his outstretched arms and flew towards the wall of flames. He didn’t have enough mana to form a vortex that could cover their campsite. Nor did he need to.

  Even an incomplete conjuror’s spell had its uses.

  *Swiiiiiish*

  The water droplets in the blue threads were evaporated by the wall of flames. The sudden spike in temperature superheated the gas as white fumes blasted out in all directions.

  Although it was a complex process, Zyrus and his troops had pulled it off in a couple of seconds. Hundreds of bats were unable to stop before they barged into the high-temperature steam.

  *BAAM*

  The players who were closer to the boundary were barely able to breathe under the high temperature and the scent of melting flesh. Most of the bats were incinerated to ashes. The ones who survived weren’t better off as heat burns left them with terrible agony.

  “This is our chance, hit them before they gather again,” Ria took charge with the conductor’s tiara. It was impossible for normal steam to remain in the sky; but the current phenomenon was the result of mana.

  Jacob, Zyrus, and the archers had used all of their MP to launch this attack. It was more than enough to last for half an hour.

  “Go to the center and recover,” Zyrus spoke to Jacob and gave him a mana recovery potion.

  “We can pull off another after in an hour.”

  “It won't work twice,” Zyrus shook his head and chugged down a MP recovery potion.

  The bats weren’t stupid like the monsters in the first ring. It would be a miracle if they killed a hundred more with a cheap trick like this.

  ‘At least the momentum is in our favor.’

  Zyrus ran around the campsite without attacking any bats. He ordered the goblin riders to shoot down the injured bats and rallied the players who were out of sync. They fought well, but he could tell that they hadn’t placed their beliefs in the totem.

  ‘Looks like my plan won't work unless they face a death threat.’

  Compared to weak masses, it was hard for players to trust their lives on something uncertain. If they did that then what was the point of them striving so hard to improve? It was expected to have misconceptions like these. Rather than learning the truth from Zyrus, they had to figure out the crux on their own.

  Having a totem was crucial to survive on the Pisces archipelago. Many would die in the process; such was the cost of war. Zyrus didn’t have any na?ve notions to keep everyone safe while he himself had to risk his own life. All he could do was increase their chance of survival.

  “You’re a real sucmbag, y’know? There are easier ways to win this fight.”

  “Maybe. At least I’m not a bastard who plays with others' fate.”

  “Heh, I wonder how long you’ll keep up your stubborn beliefs,” Franken scoffed while running around the campsite.

  “Do you think my beliefs are stubborn?” Zyrus asked as he thought about the floating shard besides the cube. It was more of an affirmation rather than a question. The easy way Franken spoke of was right in his hand. Even without searching for the shard’s function he could guess what it was for.

  “Honestly, they are not. You’re just too weak to uphold them.”

  While it stung his sore spot, Zyrus couldn’t help but admit his companion’s blunt remark. In the end it always boiled down to strength.

  Half an hour passed by as the duo surveyed the campsite. Looking at the players’ tired faces, he knew that he didn’t have the luxury to think about other matters.

  “Kyle, Lauren, and Shi kun, move out to the front,” Zyrus commanded right before the steam was about to vanish. Due to bat’s interference the duration had shortened by quite a bit.

  The players had performed better than his expectations. Hundreds of bats were killed without a single casualty.

  ‘The real fight starts now,’

  Zyrus led the goblin riders and moved towards the forest. Most of the bats were left unharmed, and now they didn’t have the steam’s advantage.

  This was the reason why Zyrus wanted to organize his army as soon as possible. He could kill dozens of bats with his power, but the low-level monsters moved in hordes. It wasn’t something he could fight without sufficient strength.

  “Shi kun and I will draw their aggro; you two deal with the offense.”

  “Never thought you’d take the tanking role,” Shi kun spoke as he bumped his fists in excitement. Unlike the normal players, all of the crown holders had acquired a special class.

  “It’s temporary. I need to see your skills before we fix the roles.”

  *Kiikieki*

  A loud shriek almost blasted their ears apart. As if they had decided it beforehand, the battlefield quietened down while everyone looked at the gigantic bat.

  *Flap*

  A brown-colored monster was rising from the deep forest. Flapping its 10-meter-wide wings, it flew towards the campsite.

  “Get ready to defend,” Zyrus’s words broke heavy silence. He alone had enough willpower to face the field boss head on.

  ‘Now, they have no choice but to believe in the totem,’

  What else could the players do when faced against someone way above their league of existence? It was just a matter of time before they clutch at the last straw.

  <{Warning! Field boss Camazotz is attacking your base}>

  <{Defeat the invader to obtain additional rewards}>

  <{Each participant will receive an equipment and HP recovery potion upon success!}>