Chapter 840: The Player's Creative Way to Die
Before stepping across the boundary line into the forbidden zone, a few members of the 【Mortal】Guild still harbored deep concern.
“Brother,” one asked, voice trembling, “are we really safe going in like this? The Elite Factions all failed—how can we, mere Civilians, possibly outperform them?”
“Hmph,” replied Worldly Wanderer, unwavering in confidence. “Don’t let their failures shake your spirit. We’ve prepared for this moment. We just needed the chance. Remember our mission—we’re here to crush those arrogant Supremacy elites!”
With that, he pulled from his backpack a stack of Spell Scrolls—purchased at great personal cost, every last Home coin drained, every ounce of pain endured. The scrolls shimmered with radiant, swirling Spell Light, glowing like captured stars.
The sight lit up the faces of the entire guild.
“Guild Leader, you’re a true legend!”
“Unbelievable! No wonder you’re the most powerful being in the Commoners’ Guild!”
“These scrolls must’ve cost a fortune…”
Worldly Wanderer scoffed, though his heart was screaming in agony. By now, Mages were the most sought-after class across all guilds—elitist, expensive, reserved for the wealthy. But 【Mortal】, a grassroots guild with no sponsors, no starting funds, no reserve of Spell Resources, had only two fourth-level half-baked mages—both capable of little more than casting a basic Fireball Spell.
In such dire straits, Worldly Wanderer had spent months working odd jobs, hoarding gold coins, just to afford these scrolls. This was his last hope—the one chance to rise from obscurity.
Suppressing the pain in his chest, he forced a calm, indifferent expression and began activating the scrolls.
First: Group Resistance to Elemental Damage. A nearly invisible, energy-based film enveloped the group, shielding their bodies. The barrier regulated temperature, protecting them from extremes—from -30°C to 60°C—allowing them to walk freely through the harshest climates.
Second: Group Enhanced Resistance. The group’s bodies pulsed with a soft, radiant White Light, granting each member a +3 bonus to saving throws.
Third: Group Protection from Energy Damage.
As more scrolls activated, overlapping layers of Spell Light shimmered across the group, forming a dazzling, multi-layered shield. Though all were basic, utility spells, they gave the ordinary players a profound sense of Safety.
“Brothers, follow me!”
With a burst of courage, Worldly Wanderer leapt forward—enhanced by Jumping Spell and Feather Fall Spell, his body propelled by the strength of a Level 9 Champion Warrior. He soared high into the air, landing gracefully above the River of Lava, dozens of meters above the molten surface.
“Unreal! Our Guild Leader is legendary!”
“Look at that leap—so smooth!”
Two more players, gathering strength, followed suit, floating like leaves in the wind.
Just as he reached the apex of his jump, Worldly Wanderer felt a sudden, crushing Strength slam onto his shoulders—like a mountain pressing down. His body lurched, threatening to plummet straight into the searing river.
With gasps from the others, he tumbled mid-air—but as a seasoned warrior, he reacted instantly. Twisting his body in the air, he slammed both arms against the rocky edge of the riverbank, fingers clawing into the stone. He held on—barely—just inches above the boiling lava.
“Phew… what the hell was that? Was someone attacking me?”
Breathing heavily, he hauled himself onto the far bank, heart pounding. Relief washed over him—but also a lingering dread. Had he died here, his earlier boasts, his confidence, would have become nothing but Sarcasm for the entire playerbase.
Then came a shriek from behind.
A split second later—thud—a heavy impact, followed by the bubbling gurgle of Magma.
“Damn it!”
Worldly Wanderer’s expression turned ashen. He whirled around—two of his strongest allies were gone, swallowed whole by the molten river. Only the slow, endless flow of lava remained.
“Are they serious? Are they joking?”
“Never seen a player die in the initial screen—but this?”
“Legend status? More like tragedy.”
Laughter echoed from the other side—mocking, cruel.
Worldly Wanderer’s face burned red. Rage surged through him, but he was too furious to speak.
“Brother,” one member whispered, voice shaking, “this place… it’s cursed. Two already gone—should we reconsider?”
Worldly Wanderer barked, “No! We press forward! I’ve staked everything—my wealth, my pride, my very life—on this moment. This is our chance as Civilians to defeat the so-called Professional Players!”
His voice rang with fire. The words ignited something in the hearts of his comrades—some even teared up, stirred by the raw Spirit, the unyielding Willpower.
But the rest of the guild just stared, eyes wide—like watching a trainwreck in slow motion. They were there to learn, to gather Experience Points, to grow stronger by watching others fail.
Good thing Worldly Wanderer had prepared for this. He’d anticipated that Flight Spells might fail in this zone. From his backpack, he pulled out a longbow and nocked an arrow tipped with a hook and rope.
He drew the bow with all his strength, aimed—then released.
The arrow shot forward, the hook embedding into the far rock wall. The rope arced through the air in a smooth, elegant curve, bridging the River of Lava.
With a flourish, he sheathed the bow, tied the other end tightly to a boulder, and declared, “You can cross now! It was just a glitch—don’t worry. I’ve got this. I’ll get you all across!”
One by one, the twenty-odd members of 【Mortal】Guild slid across the rope. The crossing went smoothly—no mishaps, no tragedies.
The progress bar in the Experience Point Progress tracker inched upward. Their ranking climbed into the top tier.
“Departure!” Worldly Wanderer cried triumphantly. “We’re not just players—we’re trailblazers! We’re the ones who’ll carve history!”
They pressed deeper into the Apocalypse Zone.
Thick, choking Smoke filled the air—so dense it reduced visibility to mere shadows. After only a few dozen meters, the group vanished from sight, swallowed by the haze.
“God, this smoke is unbearable,” one player muttered, frowning. “Can’t see a thing.”
The guild’s mage raised his staff and cast Wind Generation Spell, but the wind only cleared a small patch in front of them—nothing more.
The ground was a nightmare: rivers of Magma, hardened lava fields, ash-choked air, and Scorching Steam rising from every crack. The temperature was unbearable. The air itself seemed to Distort, shimmering like heat waves.
Yet thanks to Elemental Resistance, they were shielded—safe from the immediate heat.
Worldly Wanderer was tense, but exhilarated. He gripped his Longsword tightly, whispering, “No fear. We’ll meet every threat head-on—war comes, we bring water; flood comes, we bring earth.”
Sweat poured down his forehead. He could hear the others’ breaths—growing heavier, more urgent.
Then—a scream.
From behind, a Druid player had stepped on a cracked section of ground—and the earth gave way beneath him. He teetered, about to fall into a Subterranean Lava Pool.
A Warrior reacted instantly, lunging forward and grabbing his arm just in time. The rock beneath them shattered, debris plummeting into the lava. Scorching Magma erupted in violent sprays, carving craters into the walls.
The Druid screamed, clinging to his friend. “Holy crap—this place is full of traps! Pull me up!”
“Saved your life—call me father, not too much to ask, right?”
“...Father!”
“Good boy. I’ll pull you up now.”
Worldly Wanderer scowled. “Now’s not the time for jokes. We’ve got a mission!”
But deep down, something twisted in his gut. A premonition. Something was wrong. He felt it. And beneath the surface, the Magma in the pool was churning—not naturally. The sound… it was too rhythmic, too deliberate.
“Watch out! Something’s beneath you!”
“What—?”
Before they could react, the ground exploded.
Boom!
A monstrous Shadow burst from the lava—massive, terrifying. The Lava Pool erupted into a tidal wave. A Colossal Entity, jaws wide like an Abyss, snapped shut—swallowing both players whole.
The creature leapt—tumbling through the air, smashing through the ceiling, sending debris flying, rising to a height of ten meters—before revealing its true form.
A Fish-like Monster, over ten meters long, its body a deep, pulsing red, armored with jagged, stone-like scales. Cracks in the armor wept Scorching Magma.
It loomed over the group, eyes blazing with Fierce Glint, flames roaring from its maw.
> 【Lava Fish Dragon】
> Challenge Rating: 9
Worldly Wanderer froze. “It’s a Fire Elemental Creature! Retreat—now! It’s not just after those two—it wants all of us!”
The beast twisted in midair—clumsy, but devastating. It slammed down like a Hill falling from the sky.
“No—!”
Boom!
The ground split open. A massive crater formed. Three players who didn’t dodge in time were crushed into the lava—consumed instantly.
“Run! It won’t spare us!”
The players fled in panic. But the Lava Fish Dragon kept leaping—cracking the earth, shattering the ground. More fell.
Only when the survivors cleared the Subterranean Lava Pool did the beast finally stop. It stood atop the ruins, jaws open, Bloody Maw bellowing to the heavens.
“Damn it!”
Worldly Wanderer slammed his fist into the rock, fury boiling. “I told them to stay alert! They died stupidly—and dragged down their comrades!”
Eight players lost. Eight. Add the two who fell into the River of Lava earlier, and nearly half the guild was gone.
And they’d only traveled hundreds of meters—in less than fifteen minutes.
Then—a new sound.
The players’ SoundShake trembled, filled with pure Fear.
“G-Guild Leader… you… you need to get out of there!”
Worldly Wanderer groaned, annoyed. “What now?”
But then—something felt off. The rock beneath his hand shivered. It grew hot—fiercely hot—glowing red.
A shadow engulfed him.
“Shit.”
With a deep, earth-shaking Roar, the ground heaved. The “rock” beneath him rose—not a rock at all, but a Giant, a Behemoth, forged of molten lava and fire. Its body radiated Extreme Heat, warping the air, spitting Ember Sparks, steaming with Scorching Steam.
> 【Fire Elemental Behemoth】
> Challenge Rating: 15
ROOOOOOAR!
The beast roared, flames spewing from its eyes. Its massive fist swung through the air, distorting space, coming down like a meteor.
Boom!
The earth shattered. Debris rained down. A crater the size of a house formed in an instant.
But Worldly Wanderer reacted—faster than thought. He dropped to the ground, rolling aside—just in time. His Longsword flew from his grip, spinning through the air before plunging into the earth.
He lunged forward, trying to grab it—only to recoil. The hilt was red-hot, glowing, impossible to touch.
He gritted his teeth, dropped the sword, and sprinted into the darkness, shouting over his shoulder:
“Run! This is its territory—we can’t beat it here!”
“Move!”
“What kind of hell is this?! Why are there Boss monsters everywhere?!”
But the Fire Elemental Behemoth had awakened—enraged. It slammed the ground with a Voice-Shattering roar, unleashing torrents of Elemental Power.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From below, Magma Flame Columns erupted—scorching, unstoppable. They tore through the air, destroying players in an instant.
One player exhaled in relief—he’d survived.
Then—a burning rock came hurtling from the sky, screaming down like a meteor. It crushed him, turning his body into a charred, lifeless Meat Pulp.
For players without formal Battle Training, without tactical discipline, this Level 15 Boss was Invincible.
The once-vigorous, confident 【Mortal】Guild was now reduced to a handful of survivors.
Worldly Wanderer turned back—watching as his fellow Civilians, those who’d shared his dreams, fell one by one. Tears welled in his eyes.
“Why?” he whispered, voice breaking. “Is it really true… that Civilians can never rise?”
(End of Chapter)
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