From Alessio Leone's perspective
Human creativity could never be underestimated. In ten years of Black Tower, Alessio had seen the great guilds invent every possible method to speed up leveling. Secret routes, hidden grinding spots, ambushes against above-average monsters—every discovery was dissected in forums, copied, and turned into meta.
It was one of those strategies he intended to use now.
Originally, this plan hadn't even made it to his initial list. The reason was simple: it required the help of a mage. As a Tank, he simply couldn't pull it off on his own. Until yesterday, Alessio had no one to rely on for that role. But now that Matteo had joined the game—and even if he was still a beginner—he had something far more valuable than experience: reliability.
The duo advanced to the edge of a forest nearly two kilometers behind Eldenwall. The city's bustle faded behind them, replaced by the whisper of trees—twisted trunks rising like dark sentinels. The air was heavy with dampness and moss. Silence pressed in, broken only by the occasional flap of crow wings.
The place was almost deserted.
And it wasn't hard to understand why.
The monsters lurking in those shadows were all above level 15. Enormous red-eyed wolves, boars with dagger-like tusks, even humanoid beasts like goblins patrolling the forest's edge. A dense, merciless, monster-infested jungle. For any rookie, it was a graveyard.
Even Alessio couldn't face the region head-on.Not without a strategy.
That was when an NPC approached, dressed like a simple peasant, holding a rolled-up scroll. He bowed respectfully before speaking:
— Sir, your request has been completed. The dried leaves mark the spot.
Alessio walked to the forest's edge and looked ahead. Just before him stretched a wide clearing, covered in an irregular carpet of dead leaves. The yellowish tone contrasted with the dark green of the woods, forming a distinct patch.
— Good, he muttered. And where's the trigger rope?
— There, tied to that tree. The NPC pointed toward a thick rope dangling from a trunk, discreetly hidden among branches and moss.
Alessio followed the direction of his finger and nodded.— Perfect. You've done well.
Without another word, the NPC turned back to the city. His job was simply to deliver the trap, ready and waiting, and then vanish.
Alessio then called Matteo closer, pointing at the rope.
— Well… the plan is simple. I'll head into the forest and draw the beasts. Once I cross the dead-leaf patch, you untie the rope and trigger the trap.
Matteo's eyes widened, his brows furrowing.— You're going to run through the forest… in that armor?
Alessio took a deep breath and almost laughed at the obviousness of the question.— Naturally, that's impossible.
Without hurry, he began removing the heavy pieces of metal covering his body. First the pauldrons, then the breastplate, bracers, and greaves. Each piece clinked as it was stashed behind a tree, hidden under leaves and branches. The process took minutes, and with each one, Alessio felt lighter—like invisible chains were finally coming off.
When he was done, he wore only simple leather clothes, light enough for swift movements. He adjusted his axe in his right hand, shield in his left, tested the weight, and drew a deep breath.
Before stepping forward, he turned to Matteo.
— Just don't trigger the trap with me still inside it.
The mage pushed his glasses up his nose, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips.— You can count on me.
Alessio held his gaze for a moment.Honestly, he still had his doubts.
But there was no time for hesitation.He turned and stepped into the forest's shadow.
The forest's cold air burned his lungs, but Alessio didn't slow down. Every stride was firm, every dodge calculated. A shallow cut on his left arm left a trail of blood, enough to ignite the beasts' predator instincts.
And it worked.
Behind him, the forest echoed with pounding paws and snarls. Branches cracked, dry leaves burst under sharp claws. A whole pack was already chasing him—wolves, boars, even heavier shadows he couldn't yet identify.
The sight must have been ridiculous. A Tank, sprinting through level 15+ monsters without armor. Any spectator would laugh. On the forums, it would be instant meme material: "Look at that paper tank trying to be a sprinter!"
And honestly, Alessio wouldn't disagree.
But that was exactly why he had invested so many points into agility. Regular Tanks were immovable walls. He would be different. He had to be different.
A wolf lunged from the side, fangs bared. Alessio tilted his body, letting the teeth snap at the air before shoving it back with a sharp blow of his shield. He wasn't aiming to kill—just to provoke, to gather more followers.
Two more closed in behind. A quick sidestep left, a shallow axe slash across another's snout. Not brute force, but economy of movement. Just enough to irritate, just enough to make sure they wouldn't quit the chase.
Shield bashes.Precise parries.Split-second dodges.
All in the same rhythm. Still a Tank—but running like a predator, honed by months of training and discipline.
When the forest's exit finally appeared ahead, that jagged line of light beyond the trees, Alessio couldn't hold back a grin.
Behind him, dozens of eyes gleamed with rage and hunger. Soon, all of them would become what they truly were: invisible experience points.
Alessio burst into the clearing carpeted with dead leaves. Each step felt heavy, but his eyes locked on the imaginary line dividing the trap's safety from the forest's chaos. As soon as he crossed it, he shouted:
— Matteo, now!
The mage did not disappoint.
A sharp snap split the air as the rope was loosed. The false ground opened like a hungry maw, the blanket of dead leaves revealing a gaping void. The beasts, blinded by fury and bloodlust, had no time to react.
The first to fall were greeted by a bed of iron stakes gleaming in the filtered sunlight. Bodies ripped apart with screams, cut short by merciless impalement.
The quicker ones tried to stop themselves, claws sinking into the soil, eyes wide with survival instinct. But instinct wasn't enough against the crushing wave behind them. The herd slammed forward, trampling even those who tried to resist.
In seconds, the trap became a torrent. A flood of beasts tumbled endlessly, a whirlpool of fangs, flesh, and despair. The crash of bodies piled up like subterranean thunder.
For Alessio, each impact was worth gold. Literally.Three thousand gold coins to build that masterpiece. And every single coin already felt worth it.
A rookie might think it strange that one giant trap cost three thousand gold. But it was fair—not only for the trap's quality, but also for the guards hired to protect the villagers digging the pit. NPC guards weren't cheap.
It took nearly a minute before the stream of pursuers ended. The last beasts—smarter or luckier—retreated with shrill cries, vanishing back into the forest. Alessio didn't mind. Whether ten more or fifteen fewer, the difference meant nothing compared to the prize already in hand.
The pit, almost ten meters deep and spanning twenty by twenty, was stuffed with monsters. Not all had died on impact. Some writhed, trying to climb the walls; others screamed in pain with stakes driven through their bodies. A living chaos, trapped at the bottom of an inescapable prison.
Matteo stepped closer, wide-eyed at the slaughter.— So… what do we do now? he asked hesitantly.
Alessio grinned, tightening his shield strap.— Now it's your turn to shine.
In the end, Matteo would carry the team. The bond was sealed: every one of his spells, every beast slain, would grant shared experience. Alessio only needed to stand back and reap the rewards.
And from the predatory smile spreading across his blond friend's face, the message was clear:he understood too.
Mages had neither high defense, nor speed, nor strength.
That was why even the most skilled often struggled one-on-one.
Surviving alone in a forest was its own challenge.But in the right situation, their attacks were devastating… especially against enemies incapable of fighting back.
And before them now were dozens of such foes.
A true feast for a mage.