An hour later, as the preliminaries were about to begin, we made our final position checks.
A white flag bearing a golden eagle crest was planted in the central plaza of Veritas, the city we were to defend. We had to block the entrances as best as we could to prevent the enemy team from capturing the flag.
Once the match started, a gauge would appear at the top of the screen, and the team that filled it first would win. The gauge filled up based on the number of points earned by killing opponents, and stealing the flag instantly gave 40% of the gauge — making it something we had to guard against above all.
Of the four entrances — north, south, east, and west — the northern gate, which was closest to the flag in the center, was assigned to me, Yuchae, Dorahi, ThatCrazyGuy, TheHunter, Haeren, Hwasoun, and thirty other guild members.
Since this was one of the biggest events hosted in Xenoris, there were many guild members present who usually didn't participate in chat or had low login rates — people I didn't even know.
Dorahi, our buffer, took charge of the northern entrance. Meanwhile, the tank Muljom and the healer Haeren covered the west and south sides respectively. Mokabbang, a summoner who could handle multiple enemies, was stationed on the east side.
[Global Chat]
PitbitParangCard: ffs when does this start??
BlackWolf: @@@ Recruiting 2 vets for the Holy War quest @@@
dkandkan: It's at 7
Kaegani: Who's the opponent???
AngryBee: Isn't it Hanmaum?
HersheyChocolate: Selling popcorn~^^
BaeksungEungwang: If it's Hanmaum, Chojunyeok's gonna stomp them lmao
JjaekJjae: Popcorn, please
Watching the global chat flood with players gathering to watch the preliminaries, I turned my attention to our guild members waiting for 7 PM. It was obvious no one was nervous — the opposing guild, Hanmaumhan Ddeut (One Heart One Will), was clearly on a different skill level.
At 7 sharp, field PvP would be disabled everywhere, and only players from the two participating guilds — Chojunyeok (our guild) and Hanmaumhan Ddeut — would be able to fight. This didn't just apply to Veritas, but to every city and village in the game.
[Whisper from Kim Daeseok]
lol
Yujihan, get ready lol
The small-fry squad is coming!
I scoffed at the message from Kim Daeseok, a member of the Hanmaumhan Ddeut guild. Not worth replying to. I turned my eyes back to the game screen, and there was Yuchae beside me, wagging her tail playfully.
[Guild Chat]
Yuchae: Hyung, hyung
Yuchae: Wanna do farming quests after the match?
Jeojolryeoyo: If I'm not too tired?
Yuchae: I wanna come watch too, hehe
Jeojolryeoyo: Yeah sure
Ever since I started doing farming quests seriously, Yuchae had come to visit my farm every day to help out. From giving me items with farm buffs, to sharing quest tips, to even buying fairly expensive decorative items — she was all-in.
No matter how many times I told her to decorate her own farm, she'd always respond with stuff like: "Wasn't your farm supposed to be our newlywed home? Or are you saying we're sleeping in separate rooms now?" Eventually, I just gave up.
[Guild Chat]
Staeric: Someone this close with the guild leader
Staeric: Haven't seen one since Muljom
Hwasoun: lol
Hwasoun: Don't mind them…
Haeren: For real, that's the best move
Staeric: ? lol
CrazyAboutHunting: But Staeric
CrazyAboutHunting: What brings you here today?
Staeric: Got off work on time, hehe
SeseseHajago: Oh~ lol
Staeric: But who knows about tomorrow lol
Staeric: T_T
Staeric was a guild member who had landed a job around the time I started playing Xenoris. Ever since then, his login rate had dropped a lot. According to Muljom, he was actually pretty skilled.
[Guild Chat]
Mokabbang: The life of a working adult…
TakeItForFreeAndGo: Who else here is employed?
Capitalism's Monster: Me lol
Dorahi: I am too, haha
ManaOutGuy: I'm curious about the guild leader tho
ManaOutGuy: Student? Office worker?
Haeren: For real
Hwasoun: Feels like he's a student
Staeric: Maybe a college student?
Hwasoun: Nah, elementary
Haeren: LOLLLLLLLLL
ParkSeungjin99: ROFL
Yuchae: ?
Muljommasyeora: Oh god LOL
Staeric: lolololol
ManaOutGuy: Brooo lmfao
Jeojolryeoyo: LOL
Yuchae: Hyung...
[Guild Chat]
Yuchae: Why are you laughing..? ㅜㅡㅜ
Jeojolryeoyo: Because it's funny lol
Muljommasyeora: LOLLLLL
Hwasoun: Even Jeojolryeoyo's acknowledging it now~
Yuchae: ㅋㅋㅋ
[System Message] Guild member Hwasoun's contribution points have been reset to 0.
Hwasoun: Ah.
ManaOutGuy: ?
Staeric: Whoa
ParkSeungjin99: Judge, I didn't do anything
Haeren: I'm innocent
Hwasoun: Please wait a secㅠ
I couldn't help but sigh at Yuchae's immediate retaliation over a bit of teasing from a guildmate.
Jeojolryeoyo: It was just a joke, why so serious
Jeojolryeoyo: Put it back
Yuchae: Hyung, why aren't you on my side?
Yuchae: That's so mean..
Jeojolryeoyo: Put it back
Yuchae: Sob..ㅠㅡㅠ
[System Message] Guild member Hwasoun's contribution points have been changed to 180.
Hwasoun: Whew, thank god
Hwasoun: Thanks, Jeojolryeoyo
Jeojolryeoyo: Good
Hwasoun: It was 210 before, but now it's 180
Hwasoun: Still better than nothing, hehe
ParkSeungjin99: lmfao
YangnyeomCrabZzup: That positive mindset lol
Staeric: LOL agreed
Staeric: Now I get what kind of relationship you and the guild leader have
Jeojolryeoyo: ?
Jeojolryeoyo: We don't have any kind of relationship
Staeric: ??
Staeric: Isn't she your girlfriend??
Jeojolryeoyo: ???
What the hell is this bullshit?
Muljommasyeora: Oh god LOL
Hwasoun: Girlfriend LOL
SeseseHajago: Whoa, Staeric's already figured it out
ParkSeungjin99: Damn, he's sharp..
TheHunter: Girlfriendㅋㅋㅋㅋ
YangnyeomCrabZzup: What the heckㅡㅡwhy are you two dating behind our backsㅡㅡ
Muljommasyeora: For real LOL
Muljommasyeora: Feeling betrayed lol
Jeojolryeoyo: I'm a guy, wtf..
Staeric: Whoa, really?
Staeric: Then you two are… hmm…
Mokabbang: Staeric's flustered LOL
Jeojolryeoyo: Seriously, there's nothing going on
ParkSeungjin99: So when's the wedding?
Yuchae: Probably soon, hehe
ManaOutGuy: Ooh~~~
Hwasoun: Ooh~~~
Jeojolryeoyo: f** off*
Muljommasyeora: LOLLLLLL
I couldn't hold back anymore and started smacking Yuchae, who was clinging to me in-game, with my staff. But then my character suddenly froze — field PvP had just been disabled. It was 6:50, and the preliminary match's waiting period had officially begun.
Muljommasyeora: Guys, maybe stop messing around now
[Guild Chat]
Muljommasyeora: Focus.
Mokabbang: Roger.
ParkSeungjin99: Yup.
Muljommasyeora: If any entrance looks like it might get breached,
Muljommasyeora: Use a flare without delay.
Muljommasyeora: Especially the central team.
YangnyeomCrabZzup: Got it, got it~
Almost at the same time Muljom said that, about thirty players appeared across the field. They were members of the
[Global Chat]
Unyum: Hello there, hehe
Unyum, whom we had encountered once before, greeted us. He carried two gleaming golden swords strapped to his back.
Now that I thought about it, I remembered Unyum was a Berserker. Berserkers typically wield longer greatswords or two-handed swords than Warlords do.
[Global Chat]
SoeSo: lololol
SoeSo: Heyyy~~~
Behind Unyum, I spotted Kim Daeseok and many other guild members. It looked like
"Looks like they have two or three more people than us."
That meant the key would be to quickly eliminate their healers, buffers, and tanks.
[Global Chat]
SoeSo: Jeojolryeoyo, come at me!
SoeSo: This big bro will take you on!
Jeojolryeoyo: ? lol
[Guild Chat]
TheHunter: Do you know that guy, Jeolryeonim?
Haeren: I think I heard they're real-life friends
A healer talking about dueling me. Please. Healers stay deep in the back, patching up their team. With their low HP and poor evasiveness, the odds of him even reaching me were slim.
Taking down healers and buffers was best left to classes with solid burst and durability — Warlords, Infighters, or even Chain Blades.
"Wait. Isn't Yuchae a Chain Blade?"
I suddenly recalled that she had picked that rare class. I quickly scanned the enemy players' weapons. Only Kim Daeseok was holding a white staff, which meant they had just one healer.
If we could kill Kim Daeseok quickly, our chances of victory would skyrocket. I typed swiftly.
[Global Chat]
Jeojolryeoyo: Kim Yuchae
Yuchae: Yes?
Jeojolryeoyo: Remember that guy we met before...
Ugh… what was his nickname again? I scratched my head until it finally came to me — the alt character of Kim Daeseok.
Jeojolryeoyo: Do you remember a guy named AtchooGatchooItchoo?
SoeSo: ??
Jeojolryeoyo: We saw him in front of the Keyrunt Dungeon.
Yuchae: Yeah, I remember.
Since she'd been outed as CottonCandyFox last time, Yuchae answered honestly now without trying to lie.
Jeojolryeoyo: That's him. That guy, SoeSo.
Jeojolryeoyo: He pretended to be a girl to troll you, lol
SoeSo: ???
Yuchae: Oh
Yuchae: Really? lol
Realizing exactly what I meant, Yuchae drew her golden chain blade. As expected, she was quick on the uptake.
[Global Chat]
SoeSo: Wait
SoeSo: Hey
Apparently, he never expected me to bring that up now. Kim Daeseok was clearly flustered, and I smiled wickedly.
[Global Chat]
Jeojolryeoyo: Go kill him.
Right then, a system message appeared at the top of the screen:
The Guardian Guild Preliminaries have begun!
[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : http://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]