Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player
chapter-178

Inside the henchmen quarters…

Altair led Nemean and Luna through the Desertborn Henchmen circling to their rear.

Although they couldn't tackle every person, evident by how many enemies flooded Kieran's position, they accomplished what they set out to do—reduce their numbers as much as humanly possible.

"Nemean, hold them back," Altair ordered.

While delivering this order, Altair maneuvered through their rear and picked off the furthest enemies. However, the Desertborn Henchmen soon noticed something wrong with their situation.

"Wait! We're being attacked! There are dead bodies on the ground!" One henchman called out. They were near Altair's general position, but unlike Kieran, whose power couldn't blend in, Altair was the perfect deception.

"Where are they coming from?" Altair asked while sneakily moving his daggers. The blades of his Sand Emperor Thorns lengthened as Altair disguised himself as a genuine member of the brigands.

"I believe it's those people at the back! We need to alert the captains and leaders that there is more than one intrude—!"

Before the brigand could complete his answer, Altair's cold dagger plunged into their neck, and a sand lasso wrapped around and choked the brigand until they stopped convulsing and breathing altogether.

Bang!

Nemean dashed past and smashed another brigand into the wall. But, Luna quickly assisted his movements and created infrequent sand squalls while delivering countless basic attacks.

The Desertborn Brigands' numbers declined rapidly as Sera advanced at a safe distance and supplied heals when needed.

"What is going on?! How are we being attacked like this?" One of the members screeched.

They could tell from the cataclysmic tremors that a heated battle waged on. But, in their opinion, the explosions happened too frequently. So frequently that the brigands suspected it wasn't just one fight taking place but many.

However, this thought begged a critical question. How could so many people infiltrate their otherwise impenetrable hideout without anyone being the wiser? The answer was self-preservation.

The will to live wasn't something that could be overwritten unless an individual's life was incredibly dismal. Even then, regret and unwillingness would arise in an individual just before death.

It was an instinctual response, the want and desire to preserve their life. After all, what did death feel like? It was a question no living human or organism, in general, could answer.

"Agch!"

The hideout descended into a state of disarray as the brigand's movements became sloppy without the guidance of their higher-ups. Furthermore, Altair and the others found the fights to be less demanding.

The additional passive or active skills quelled the upset between players and NPCs, especially if the player was exceptional and understood how to wield their class.

After reaching Lv.40, Altair obtained a skill known as Shadow Strafe, which had two uses. The skill could be used to increase movement in dark places or to quite literally strafe through shadows.

This skill was how Altair appeared behind certain henchmen soundlessly and latched onto them before it was too late.

With the combined efforts of Altair, Luna, and Nemean, bodies quickly piled up in their areas while their Experience Bars steadily increased.

"Altair, should we continue doing this or check on Aatrox? There's no telling if he's okay. After all, he took the most dangerous route." Luna's concerns weren't unfounded. Kieran chose the area closest to the Deep Sands Chamber's entrance, which is why Vidal appeared so quickly.

While his father retired elsewhere, Vidal remained in the chamber, brooding over the death of his beloved.

However, he couldn't brood for long and alarming signs of battle broke out.

"Check on Aatrox?" Altair fell silent and glanced at the party menu.

Because Kieran broke the team up, Altair could only monitor the three other players nearby. But, given the earlier thunderous noises persisting through the mayhem, Altair felt Kieran was fine.

"No, we'll continue with the mission he has given us. There's no reason to disobey a direct order. He'll pull through and accomplish what's needed of him. In the meantime, we'll do the same."

Altair ultimately decided against abandoning their post, and Luna had to respect his decision since Altair was the acting leader of this small party.

"What are you so worried about? Don't you know that guy is a damned monster? I wouldn't be surprised if he collapses this entire place," Nemean joked.

However, worry flashed in both Altair and Luna's eyes. They hadn't thought about that! What if he actually did cause this place's collapse while they were still inside? How would that affect them?

Neither Altair nor Kieran's name had yet to recover from their Third Degree Infamy. Infamy didn't just vanish in thin air. It reduced marginally with every hour spent without criminal incidents.

Right now, both Kieran and Altair's names fell to the precipice between Third and Second Degree Infamy. Death at this point would potentially reset all of their progress.

Luna and Altair looked at each other grimly.

"We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen," Altair said.

"Agreed," Luna nodded.

…

Inside the corridor before the Deep Sands Chamber…

Kieran slid back, and so did Vidal after their earlier clash. Kieran shook off the dizziness felt after the impact and grinned.

'This Predator Hunt ability isn't too shabby. I'm fast. No, that's an understatement. My speed right now isn't inferior to an Advanced Being. However, the duration....'

Kieran looked at the rapidly declining timer in the corner of his eyes.

Although killing the straggling Desertborn members rewarded double the Hunt stacks, Vidal wasn't an opponent he could kill instantly, especially with the items on his person.

'That spear and gauntlet aren't normal. I didn't take him as someone who wielded a weapon, but looks can be deceiving. I guess he's a medley of all the brigand faced thus far,' Kieran thought.

The variations in Vidal's attack style resembled many of the brigands Kieran killed up until this point. Weapon-wielding ones, distant sand-controlling ones, and martial arts users.

Although Vidal was a difficult opponent, Kieran's battle thirst bubbled over. He couldn't contain his excitement when the prospect of growing stronger filled his mind.

'A strong opponent,' Kieran beamed. He then looked past Vidal. 'I'll extend this state as long as possible.'

Whoosh!

Kieran charged at Vidal while an unusual change happened on Crimson Ashrune's exterior. Bubbles formed but didn't pop as the blade's edge gained a texture similar to roiling water.

This change was Kieran activating another ability he had yet to use thus far, Blood Boom. A skill that increased his destructiveness on a large scale and his damage in general

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The large greatsword and spear clashed against each other several times, but Vidal's expression soured when he felt his spear recoil. 'What is that feeling?'

-2,885

The damage might seem inconsequential when compared to Vidal's whopping 3.1 million Health, but it was damage caused by Blood Boom's residual effect, not Kieran's actual attack.

'It isn't bad. With my current attack speed….'

Kieran believed to have found his route to victory—overwhelming speed. Berserker's Burden, Predator Hunt, and Tormented Beliefs worked together to neutralize and enhance Kieran's attack speed to a level that betrayed his identity as a "slow" Berserker.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Kieran swung his blade three times in an instant. Vidal's spear blocked one, but the last two were performed at such an odd angle that Vidal didn't know how to approach.

-6,739

-10,705! [Critical Hit]

Two cuts opened on Vidal's shoulder as a bleeding icon appeared in Kieran's vision. Sanguine Slashes successfully inflicted Bleed upon Vidal, especially after reaching its current level.

"What tricks are you playing here?" Vidal felt something was amiss. Those attacks weren't strong enough to make him bleed, yet they did.

"Tricks? No tricks. You will learn what happens when you're in the presence of a superior individual," Kieran answered coldly.

Clang! Clang!

Kieran repeated the same movement, but his last attack birthed an eruption of blood this time. It was evident Kieran was becoming more skilled at using his class abilities because he used Crimson Ashrune as a medium to unleash his Wrath Eruption.

-88,948

Boom!

The Wrath Eruption slammed Vidal through a wall but not before bulldozing countless Desertborn Henchmen as if he were a human-sized bowling ball.

Vidal rattled his head while pressed against a wall before spitting on the ground with an amused gaze. "You call that power?"

Oom!

An ominous hum surrounded Kieran as he felt the sand beneath his feet vibrate. He retreated instantly while the ground erupted.

"?!"

Kieran's expression changed when he noticed that attack. 'He just copied by Wrath Eruption.'

"I am the Quelling Sand, you fool. I can accomplish anything I wish while in my domain."

"Unfortunately, those lofty claims usually lead to one's untimely demise," Kieran ignored Vidal's grand statements. A title didn't mean they were omnipotent, and Kieran would prove this.

The desire to thoroughly crush this opponent sprouted in Kieran as he strolled through the corridor with a slow, measured gait.

Kieran inhaled deeply as his heart rate accelerated. The blood flowing through his body hastened and boiled as if in accordance with his thoughts.