Chapter 45: Healthy Competition

Chapter 45: Healthy Competition

Duan Xing perched on a gnarled dead tree overlooking the Crimson Plains, watching distant clusters of players brawl with growing confusion.

Over the past few days, he’d discovered these mysterious beings possessed a unique ability—shifting into monstrous forms during battle. While physically frail, their combat prowess was formidable.

Yet their behavior defied logic.

Observing them, he noted how they frequently gathered in hordes across the plains, hunting malevolent spirits and monsters with relentless aggression. But their fights weren’t about territory or resources. Hunting monsters didn’t yield food. It seemed they only wanted to fight—then depart with satisfied grins.

Today, though, things turned stranger.

An internal conflict erupted within their ranks. Clan infighting wasn’t unusual; even the Abyssal Tide Legion had factions with clashing ideologies. But the abruptness baffled him.

One moment, they’d been queuing orderly outside a cave, chatting and laughing. The next, chaos erupted—brutal, merciless attacks aimed at killing their own kind. This sudden shift from camaraderie to lethal combat left Duan Xing utterly perplexed.

Even stranger was the time they saved his life. After he’d slain thousands of them, they should’ve seen him as an irredeemable enemy. Yet when he faced certain death, they’d risked their lives to rescue him, sacrificing countless comrades.

He couldn’t fathom the logic behind their actions.

“Makes no sense,” he muttered, staring at the rune mark in his palm. His expression soured.

The shuttle that brought him here was intact when he arrived—but now, stranded. Without its signal, he couldn’t navigate back.

He clenched his jaw, frustrated.

The shuttle had reinforced runic armor. Any damage should’ve triggered an alert to his Runic Battle Armor, guiding him to its location. It also had tracking capabilities—even if stolen, he could’ve pinpointed it.

Yet it vanished inexplicably, undamaged and unmoved.

Only these creatures could’ve caused this. Hence his vigil—to uncover their secrets and recover the shuttle.

…

“Banquet Drunk Squad, assemble at Dizhong Village! We’re ripping the heads off Divine Wings Guild’s dogs—nobody messes with our people without paying.”

“Boss, Bricklayer Squad’s on their way. We’ll converge and charge together.”

“Newbie Squad’s already at Crimson Plains, waiting for us.”

The battle for Soulshard Ore escalated into open war. Both guilds rallied reinforcements, transforming the conflict into a full-scale brawl. Even Li Tie, the lone wolf, was recalled to fight.

As Banquet Drunk Squad’s forces gathered in Dizhong Village and marched toward Crimson Plains, spectators flooded the scene. Unaffiliated watchers, drawn purely by spectacle, flocked to forums to dissect the clash.

The hottest topic? Li Tie of Banquet Drunk Squad—known in-game as “Ironforged,” Body Forge Rank #1.

While many players had unlocked second Stellar Veins, Li Tie stood alone at Body Forge Rank 5. In human form, he could fully inherit attributes from five Life Souls simultaneously. His combat performance was staggering.

Each strike of his Spiritforged Weapon-infused battleaxe unleashed armor-piercing, damage-amplifying, and mind-shattering effects. In the chaos, he slaughtered opponents effortlessly—Divine Wings Guild had no contender.

Forum discussions exploded:

Nightlong: “This guy’s insane. Top three players, maybe even #1. Spiritforged Weapon builds hit harder than anything. I’m shaking—literally one-hit kills.”

Darklandsissofun: “Ridiculous output. But he got lucky—entered earlier. Back when Dizhong Village’s primordial monsters were weak, he soloed five. Total grindlord.”

Humanclanascension: “Spare the jealousy. You wouldn’t survive those early bosses. Saw him in other games—Banquet Drunk’s golden boy. Real-world wars? Rumor says he fought in them.”

Iwonthelottery: “Might be unstoppable Irl, but here? Forum norms: Stellar Veins Lv20, Body Forge Lv20. Even 13 Life Souls aren’t enough. (Sarcastic.jpg)”

…

Beyond hype, players dissected Li Tie’s Spiritforged Weapon build—the most aggressive melee Stellar Vein specialization available. His battleaxe combo obliterated foes, turning the tide until Divine Wings Guild collapsed after an hour of one-sided carnage.

Yet victory didn’t ease tensions. Spectators knew this feud was permanent. Future encounters would reignite hostilities.

As expected, Divine Wings Guild members logged back in an hour later—not seeking immediate revenge, but spamming regional voice channels to buy Sacrificial Power en masse.

Intent was clear: boost their strength for a rematch.

The guild leader offered a 200:1 exchange rate, promising even higher prices for bulk sellers.

This sent Sacrificial Power’s market value soaring. Grindstone Workers rejoiced—every monster slain now yielded more real-world profit.

Fans of the rivalry voiced open support.

…

Qi Sheng observed the feud unfold, unseen.

They had no intention of interfering.

Before inheriting the Imperial Omen Ego Core, they’d been a passionate gamer. When designing the Challenger System, they’d studied player dynamics extensively.

In Mmorpgs, nothing fueled players’ hunger for growth more than competition. Many games intentionally introduced scarce resources to spark conflicts, even employing “shills” to incite rivalries and boost spending.

Viewed through this lens, inter-player combat was motivating—not draining.

As external threats like the Black Tide Legion loomed, faction members would inevitably unite.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end