MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 323: The Loot Showdown
Victor had previously asserted that Hilda was on par with their levels and possessed considerable strength, but it seemed that his assessment might have been inaccurate.
Even Lord Scrooge, whom Victor had vouched for, didn’t appear as significant a force as they had anticipated.
As Ignis pondered, a hint of doubt crept into his mind.
"I hope he was right," Ignis thought, realizing that their success in the quest hinged on Grey Smoke’s judgment.
Or they might have to change players in order to compete for the Golden Tail Kistune.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Hilda grappled with her strength, and was holding back. Lord Scrooge had specifically instructed her not to reveal her true power until given the signal, so she didn’t know how much strength she would insert.
The creatures here were so feeble that a single strike from her meant instant demise for them.
However, to avoid arousing suspicion, she skillfully pretended to engage the enemies with her hammer, secretly adjusting her strength to merely weaken them without delivering a knockout blow.
"This . . . this is so troublesome," Hilda lamented inwardly, a conflicted expression on her face.
Despite the internal struggle, she was fidgeting and giggling, attempting to conceal her true intentions. "Anything for Lord Scrooge. Teheeheehee . . ."
Caught up in her own thoughts, a sudden attack from an enemy landed a sharp scratch on her cheek.
Startled and overcome with a burst of anger, Hilda retaliated instinctively, delivering a powerful blow with her fist that knocked the creature out into nothingness.
"What the hell are you doing?!" she roared, her frustration evident, as she effortlessly incapacitated the guardian with a single strike.
"Are you okay?" Ignis’s concerned voice resonated in Hilda’s ears, snapping her back to reality.
"Oh my, yes. Ohohoho. Don’t worry about me. That beast is strong but I had managed to kill it," she lied, her laughter masking the brief lapse in her focus.
A sweat tickled on the side of Ignis’s face. Was it a fluke or did he just glimpse of her real power? But then his attention was stolen with the remaining leaders of the guardians.
"If you’re alright then let’s end this," Ignis said.
"R-right."
The battle against the Guardian leaders reached a crescendo, with the group exerting every effort to overcome the foes.
The air crackled with magical energies, the clash of weapons, and the occasional roar of the Guardians echoing through the forest.
Victory was within reach, and the party readied themselves for the final push.
Just as the group was on the verge of finishing off the Guardian leaders, a sudden strike emanated from a distance. A barrage of projectiles rained down upon the Guardians, interrupting the party’s assault.
Bewilderment swept across the faces of Xin and the others as they tried to discern the source of the unexpected attack.
Emerging from the shadows of the trees were additional groups, seemingly hidden until now.
Laughter and banter echoed through the air as these newcomers reveled in their apparent stroke of luck.
"Lucky, we’ve acquired the loot of the Guardian leaders."
The triumphant declaration cut through the tension like a knife.
Luna, with a scowl forming on her face, protested, "Hey! That’s our kill!" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂
The other players glanced at Luna’s group and responded with mocking laughter. Their leader, a smug expression playing on his face, stepped forward and raised the corner of his mouth in a sardonic smile.
"Yours? I don’t see your name in this forest. And it was us who killed the beasts, so it’s our kill."
Luna’s frustration was evident as she retorted, "You stole our kill! We’re the ones who’s fighting it in the first place and reduce its HP! Give us those loots!"
Ignis maintained a calm demeanor but with a grave expression added, "Look we’re fighting those monsters first and you’ve stole our kill and loots."
The other group burst into laughter once again, dismissing the concerns of Ignis and the others. "Is this guy just played yesterday? Of course, Kill Steal is normal here."
Heavy tension descended. The Guardian leaders’ loot became a point of dispute, and tensions flared between the two groups.
The leader of the interlopers, undeterred by their accusations, continued to taunt. "Maybe you should read the guide a bit before challenging this forest. This is the law of the world, and you idiots need to learn it sooner rather than later."
It seemed like a PvP fight was on the brink of erupting, and Xin braced himself, ready to summon his golems at a moment’s notice.
Tension filled the air, and everyone in Xin’s party tensed, preparing for a potential confrontation.
However, Ignis, demonstrating remarkable restraint, managed to diffuse the escalating tensions.
Suppressing his anger, Ignis addressed Xin and the rest of the party, "Let’s not waste time with them. Our real goal is the kitsune. Let’s go."
"But what about our loot?" Luna voiced her discontent.
"We’ll encounter more beasts as we go deeper, so it’s no big deal," Ignis reasoned, attempting to shift the focus back to their primary objective.
The other group responded with laughter and mockery.
"That’s right! It’s better for you losers to run away!"
"Nice choice, you get to live another hour!"
"A bunch of losers."
"Man, targeting these players is easier than I imagined."
Xin stole a brief glance at the other group, noting their ten players and levels comparable to their own. Despite the provocation, he begrudgingly admitted that Ignis’s decision was the most sensible at this point.
Engaging in a PvP fight would only deplete their HP, MP, and resources, ultimately serving no purpose. The Kitsune was their true goal, distractions wasn’t welcomed here.
"Let’s go, Lord Scrooge. Don’t mind them," Victor urged.
"I don’t mind, but . . . what about our leader?" Xin pointed out, drawing attention to Sylvan.
"Leader?" Victor was momentarily baffled before realizing that Sylvan had taken matters into his own hands.
The young master was already on the ground, facing the ten players from the opposing group with his head held high and the confidence befitting a young master.
"Give us back our loots, you hooligans!"
