Chapter 89: Guests

FreshwindElara had just reached Level 20. The Shadow-Stained Gryphon King was a respectable Level 15, and the Three-Winged Dark Gold Bat King was already Level 18. Marcus, however, remained stubbornly anchored at Level 28. He watched their progress with a mixture of pride and a healthy dose of envy.

Still, the experience from fighting monsters above his level was nothing to sneeze at. In this short session, he had already chewed through 30% of his current level. At this pace, hitting Level 30 was less a challenge and more a matter of clocking in the hours.

“Hey Stone, check that out. Absolute unit, isn’t it?”

Marcus followed FreshwindElara’s gaze. Lumbering toward them was a stone giant, easily twenty-five feet tall, hefting a massive, spiked club that looked like a prehistoric baseball bat. It was leading a small, shambling crew, advancing with the slow, terrifying confidence of a freight train.

“No kidding. Alright, hang back.”

He instinctively stepped in front of FreshwindElara and hit the stone behemoth with Insight.

Stone Golem Captain: Level 30 (Intermediate), Health: 6500. Assigned to patrol the outer perimeter of the Stone Carving Forest and aggressively crush any intruders.

Skill: Stone Skin (Active): Defense increased by 30%.

Skill: Golem’s Triple Slam (Active): Swings its club three times in rapid succession, with a chance to Stun or Knockdown.

Skill: Power Slam (Ultimate): The Stone Patrol’s finishing blow, with an 80% chance to knock the target back.

A glorified combination of the Stone Monsters and Bronze Golems. No sweat. He quickly checked its eight smaller companions.

Shaker Golem: Level 30, Health: 3000.

Skill: Stone Skin (Active): Defense increased by 30%.

Skill: Meteor Strike (Active): Summons a giant rock to ruin your day.

A thousand more Health than the regular mobs, but otherwise, just more cannon fodder.

“It’s manageable, Elara. Standard patrol group. Let’s clear it.”

FreshwindElara refreshed his buffs and settled in behind him. Marcus and their two pets, both affectionately nicknamed Goldie, charged the Stone Golem Captain simultaneously.

A moment later, Marcus just stared.

“….”

’Well, that was anticlimactic.’

“Stone, that was… completely insane,” FreshwindElara breathed, her voice filled with awe.

Before Marcus could even cover half the distance, the Shadow-Stained Gryphon King spread its wings and unleashed a flurry of Great Storms. At the same time, the Three-Winged Dark Gold Bat King flapped its wings, emitting strange sonic pulses that instantly summoned over thirty Level 15 small bats. The swarm descended on the Stone Golem Captain and the Shaker Golems.

By the time the Captain and its crew reached Marcus, the Captain was already down a quarter of its Health. The Shaker Golems were in even worse shape, having lost more than half their life bars.

His pets were absolutely broken. He made a mental note: next time, they were definitely going to the Star Valley to torch those Poisonous Red Wasps, or maybe even a dungeon where the mobs were actually a threat.

Marcus was now fully committed to exploiting his pets’ power, maximizing their potential until they were nothing short of walking, flying engines of destruction.

“Stone, these pets are just too strong. With them around, is anyone even a threat to us?”

FreshwindElara watched the carnage. They barely had to lift a finger. With two such devastating pets, she, a non-offensive Cleric, felt like a secret weapon.

“They’re a massive advantage, but they’re not a free pass,” Marcus said, his tone matter-of-fact. “Early game, pet stat growth is huge. They’re a crutch, honestly. But once players start stacking powerful gear and high-tier skills, that raw power evens out. You still need your own build. Unless you luck into a true Divine Beast. Then, yeah, you can probably coast a little.”

As he spoke, he hit the approaching Captain with Taunt to lock its aggro, then promptly ignored it. He began carving up the surrounding Shaker Golems, saving the Captain for the grand finale.

His blade flashed, “Shing! Shing!” Two quick strikes and a Shaker Golem crumbled. It was effortless, and the sheer efficiency was intoxicating.

“Stone, we’ve got company.”

FreshwindElara was healing him while keeping a lookout for respawns, but she spotted three figures approaching and quickly gave the warning.

“Pull your pet back, Elara. Keep it low-key. Get on my six.”

Marcus glanced back. Three blurry figures were closing in, gradually sharpening into focus.

“Got it.”

FreshwindElara dutifully moved behind him, letting him take point. They both refreshed their buffs and skills, just in case.

Kill-stealing was practically an Olympic sport in this game. He remembered the Firewind Trio trying to pull that stunt back in the Newbie Village. Better to be ready than get blindsided.

Just as Marcus and FreshwindElara recalled their pets and he finished clearing the last of the Captain’s entourage, the three players arrived. The group consisted of a Knight in the lead, flanked by an Archer and a Sorcerer.

They were all decked out in full Level 20 gear, which gave them a decent look. The fact that they had made it this deep into the Barrens meant they weren’t total scrubs. The Archer’s longbow and the Sorcerer’s staff looked particularly high-end, suggesting they weren’t running simple quest rewards.

“Stone, they’re just… watching.”

FreshwindElara, following his orders, was glued to his back, watching the three players stop a few yards away, staring at them with unnerving silence. She was clearly tense.

“Ignore them. Stay sharp. If this goes south, you disengage immediately. Run, and don’t look back. No heals on me; just go.”

Marcus knew exactly what was happening. They were kill-stealers, waiting for the perfect moment. They were either going to wait until the Captain was nearly dead to swoop in and claim the loot, or they were sizing him up for a quick, coordinated assassination.

He was a veteran. He’d seen these cheap tricks a thousand times. Back in the day, the Threeleaf Clan had learned the hard way not to mess with him.

Of course, that was then. Now, things were different. This was the second group of players who had tried to steal his kill in this game.

“There’s three of them! You can’t take them all without heals!”

FreshwindElara was frantic. The idea of him fighting a three-on-one alone made her stomach twist.

“I’ve handled worse. If you’re in the mix, I’m worried about crossfire. You staying clear is the help I need right now.”

“Stone, come on…”

“Trust me on this.”

Marcus cut her off, his voice calm but leaving no room for debate. He saw the conflict in her eyes; the loyalty warring with fear. He offered a quick, confident smirk.

“Relax. I’m the top-ranked player in Dominion for a reason. These three are just more trash to take out.” He turned back to the Captain, deliberately increasing his attack tempo.

“Awooo…”

“Power Slam!”

“Stone, look out!”

-500.

Seeing its Health dip below the ten percent mark, the Stone Golem Captain roared, gripping its massive club for its ultimate attack, Power Slam. The blow dealt 500 damage and, thanks to the knockback effect, sent Marcus tumbling backward about six feet.

As FreshwindElara cried out, the three players finally moved. It was the perfect opening; they’d have been fools not to take it.

’You’ve got to be kidding me,’ Marcus thought, shaking his head as he scrambled back to his feet. Another group of kill-stealing trash!

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