Supreme Lord of Soulnight

Party of Three

Taking advantage of the absence of the player who killed him earlier, Liwan made Blade walk through the North Gate until he reached the stone bridge. Right after the bridge is the abandoned cemetery housing his targets. At the spot where Liwan’s character was standing, he has an impended view of the area. Cursed spiders and cursed hounds lazed here and there.

He scouted for a spot where the monsters are not densely packed. Liwan did not forget to send a message to his friends, checking on them. They can share kills if they’re in a party. Not long before he sent his message, RagingInferno and Shadowstrikes came into view. They came together from Blade’s left side.

“Are you guys ready?” Liwan asked. “Turn your mics on.”

“Ready when you are,” Denver's voice came through their group chat.

“Be the party leader,” Jayson suggested to which Liwan agreed.

He sent an invite to his friends to join his party.

“Follow me, I’ve already picked a spot.”

His friends followed him without further ado. Liwan lead them to the East, following the waterline. The grass thinned as they went further into the abandoned cemetery. Monsters thinned as well, clustered into fives and fours. Liwan stopped when he saw a group of monsters clustered into threes.

“This is the spot,” he informed his friends. Blade brandished his swords.

“What’s the plan? One for each of us?” Denver asked.

Liwan disagreed.

“No. The three of us against one monster. That way, our damage output is maximum, saving us time. Our gears are basically trash. Killing one monster on our own is not advisable.”

“Principal attacker?” Jayson’s RagingInferno slashed his broad sword in the air.

Denver’s Shadowstrikes on the side remained still, one hand on his hip. His long knives were strapped on both sides of his hips. The character has a lazy air around him, as if everything around him is beneath his notice.

“RagingInferno of course. You have the stamina to take on the monster’s damage. My Blade will be supporting you to whittle down the monster’s hit points, and Shadowstikes would deal the finishing blow. To save mana and maximize the use of our skills, our attacks should be coordinated.”

His frustration when he was at the future prompted him to read everything about Soulnight, from official guides to actual player’s blogs. He thought he might find a breakthrough and apply it on his gaming and take back everything that was supposed to be his. But nothing happened. As the game progressed, the gap between him and those people who betrayed him widened.

But he was one stubborn son of a b***h. He did not give up no matter how bleak his chances were of bouncing back from his fall. Little did he know, those readings and endless hours he put into the game would give him an advantage eventually. It’s just that it wasn’t of any use in that lifetime.

“Pray tell how?” Denver asked.

“At this stage, we’re unable to use intermediate skills. We’re only equipped with the basics. Like me, I have the flurry strike, straight stab, and this weapon’s skill which is double s***h. RagingInferno also has two; jumping cleave and rage storm and his broad sword’s skill fiery blow. Lastly, Shadowstrikes’ basic skills that he can use at this level are shade, wind cut and weapon spinning knife. We’ll make use of these skill combinations. I already have a plan.”

Jayson replied immediately. “Let’s hear it.”

“Okay. RagingInferno would attack first with jumping cleave, followed by my straight stab to stun the monster and then RagingInferno would follow up with his weapon skill fiery blow. Shadowstrikes' windcut will follow and my double s***h and flurry strike. By this time, my skills are all on cool down. We'll make use of RagingInferno's rage storm. It will take us two cycles of combined attacks before. It would be enough to leave at least 5% of the monster's hp. Shadowstrikes shall finish with spinning knife.”

“Jump cleave, fiery blow, rage storm. Copy.”

“Be conscious of the timing, Jayson,” Liwan reminded his friend.

“Shall we practice then?”

“Good call, Denver. Let's go.”

They positioned themselves according to Liwan's arrangement; Jayson with RagingInferno at the front, Liwan's Blade and Denver's Shadowstrikes flanking RagingInferno's left and right, both just one step behind.

RagingInferno attacked the monster with a roar, his bulky body tensing before he raised his broadsword and leap. His weapon came down on the head of the cursed hound, slicing through it's body until the tip reached the ground, creating a gaping wound on the earth and grass. The monster roared at Raging Inferno, it's hp lessened by a certain degree.

Liwan carefully watched RagingInferno's blade come down, waiting for the right time to deliver his own attack. The moment RagingInferno's blade landed on the ground, Liwan made Blade thrust one of his sword on the monster's midsection for a stab. The cursed hound was in the moment of releasing another roar, one of it's limbs posed to swipe against RagingInferno. But because of the stun effect of the skill Blade executed, the monster was rendered immobile.

That stun is only effective for three seconds. He must admit, he did not explain that in detail to his friends. He thought he's just let them get the hang of things on their own. After all, experience is the best teacher of all. So it was no wonder that Jayson's RagingInferno stepped in seconds later than Liwan preferred. The monster moved before RagingInferno could deliver his second attack---fiery blow.

But nevertheless, the blow landed. The cursed hound howled again, the hairs on it's back bristling. It jumped on RagingInferno, teeth latching on his muscled arm. RagingInferno's hp started dwindling. It's the bite's damage over time, the bleeding effect.

“s**t. This is why you sent me as the canon fodder,” Jayson complained.

Liwan chuckled.

“As I've said, your RagingInferno can take the monster's damage. Denver, it's a good time for that wind cut od yours. Our rhythm is starting to get messy, man.”

“On it!”

Shadowstrikes grabbed his knives and threw it towards the monster and his magic skill wind cut manifested. From the initial twin long knives, four blades swirled in the air, enveloping the monster fighting RagingInferno one on one. It's agro is currently attached to RagingInferno, thus disregarding other players. As long as RagingInferno's damage remains highest among the three, the monster will solely focus it's attack on him.

Liwan knew wind cut will remain in effect for five seconds. The higher the level of the skill, the greater number of knives will manifest. More knives, more damage. Taking advantage of his knowledge of the skill's duration, Liwan waited for the precise moment the images of knives disappear and released double s***h.