"This is it!" I roared. The noise coming from the Elves was getting quite bad.
"Everybody, in there." I pointed, "Do not come out unless you are overwhelmed."
"""Mnn!"""
"Good!"
I spun around in the air to face the oncoming horde. With their elf roots helping them from being too decayed, the scene was a little funny. Tall and lanky figures scrambled over each other as they ran their hearts out towards us.
With the amount of things here, I will probably be spamming all of my skills constantly. So, I had to get a little mad mad.
"Feew~"
*Shua~*
*Bump~ Pmmph~ Tumble~*
"..."
Everything went totally silent. Even those fearless corrupted things felt a bit apprehensive to push forward, almost like the last remnants of their working brain desperately protecting them. 'Hah~ still, doesn't matter.'
+ [Danger Zone] 5x Rage Stacks
The notification acted as the signal to start.
"WWRRRRRAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHH!!!!!!"
My blood was already boiling in excitement and controlled "rage" as I rocketed towards the halted crowd. My movement plus the eye-catching arcs of electricity flowing out of my body seemed to knock them out of their daze.
They responded with their own: "RRRREEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
*BOOM!~*
The scene was crazy, almost looking like a Doom poster. Droves of monsters clambering over each other for a chance to kill one person fearlessly pushing through.
Nothing lasts forever, though, as [Bloodthunder Crash] exploded from the tip of my blade straight through the middle of the tower of Elves. The bodies directly touched by the impact exploded in a chunky pink mist.
Next, the rampage started. Every slash took out at least three beasts, but it was getting faster and faster still.
In the beginning, there was resistance, but all hope was viciously murdered by [Berserkr] as every swing reversed the damage dealt previously. Every nick on my body eased the blade's path. Every horrifying *Chunk!~* of a body being bisected increasing in frequency.
Some seemed to have a hint of doubt as to whether or not they should continue the charge towards me, but they were in the minority. The others came in droves seemingly begging for a chance to die.
"RRRREEEAAAHAHH!!"
Another warcry came from my left flank.
[ Corrupted High Elf Mage
Lv: 15
Type: Enhanced
Rank: Warrior
HP: 1.200
Status: Crazed ]|
Three came out from the treeline. Without hesitation, I ruthlessly forced my way towards them.
*BOOM!~*
- 177 [☀︎ - 4s]
One shot an [Explosive Firebomb] at me without care for its brothers and sisters.
"RRREEEEAAAHHHH!!!"
They screeched once again. This was some sort of order, apparently, as all of the Elves behind me converged to block my path. 'They hold some authority, most likely remnants of past chieftains,' I guessed.
"HAHAHAHAHAAA!"
I taunted the horde and pumped myself up as I took their invitation head on. "CAN'T STOP A FCKING BERSERKER WITH THAT SHIT AIM!!! HORDES ARE MY FRIENDS NUMBSKULLS!!!"
We met with blood. Each swing I made was consumed with destructive blood-red lighting. It seems that [Óðr's War] has a hidden effect where either as the rage meter gets more filled, I take more damage, or get more angry, the skill cooldowns shorten. It's gotten to a point where I can flawlessly connect each one into every combo of swings I pull off (I was too concentrated to notice though).
This is good for me, but not the Elves.
The scene is looking more and more like some sort of hell on earth. A red rain falls everywhere I go as almost every other swing blasts the Elves to pieces. Crazy screeches and horrid gore fly around like candy. The ground splinters up as I run, destroying the last sense of calmness and purity this place had left.
At this point, I really have embodied the storm. After all, an energy heart really can't lose its true nature. Presently a small cyclone of winds has started leading my every move. It's coming out of the now brightly lit tattoos (the scars) acting as conduits for my energy.
However, even an idiot could tell they were being restricted. Same with the lighting. Every few seconds, a little influx of energy could be felt, even seen, around my body as the air got heavy just to return to normal again. It obviously wanted to escape, to let loose, to be free, but the hardware just wasn't ready yet.
*KABOOM!!!~~*
I slammed my sword to clear a final path to the Mages. Some sort of tunnel formed by the flying and eviscerated cluster of Elves leading the rest of the way to them. This I charged through like a mad dog hunting its prey.
My movement was quite odd as I used the weight of my sword to dodge some of the more unruly elves and swift [Fire Bolt]s shot from the Mages which came within centimeters. I dipped and weaved through the last few hail marys before reaching the three stooges.
*Ka-Ka-KaChunk!!~*
Finally, after the third strike, all were cleaved in half by my sword. Nothing more than a few hundred were left at this point, and almost all were converged in my general area.
"COME AT ME!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAAA!!!!"
With a hearty stomp I clambered my way to the middle of the swarm and resumed the killing with full vigor. A whirlpool of death formed with its eye being me. Rushes of lightning charged between each entity they connected with. More mist. More gore. More carnage. more mist. more gore...
...
~
...
"""*Gasp!~ Pant!~ Gasp!~ Pant!~*"""
They were exhausted, obviously. After no less than 1h straight of intense and unrelenting battle, you would be too. Even I was (although, my mental fortitude is much greater than theirs apparently). Through that, I leveled up once. I am now 1 level below the max in this dungeon, which appears at the third and fourth floors. Most likely, people won't even get down there by their 6th or 7th run, let alone reach the level (Lv.18) by then.
'Good pace.'
However, the real freaks of leveling are my teammates. Through this, they have leveled up not once, nor twice, but three times! Three times in one hour! Even as Lv.10s, this would be impossible if not for the nature of this (first floor of the) dungeon and it being the Mercury difficulty level.
"*Pant!~ Pant!~ Pant!~*
Wh-what are you?"
'Uhhh…'
"I'm me!"
"""..."""
"Dumbass answer, man."
I smiled at the little jab. 'I like these people.' Sokka's quiet bluntness. Leena's funny quips and cute temper. And most importantly Apollo's amazing charisma, almost making me want to swing a different way.
All of these traits were brought out after the fight. Even if we weren't fighting "together" per-say… we still are comrades. As soon as I stepped a little out of my shell, the previous friendly flow of their group returned.
"Apollo, you have the leader thing back." I stated while transferring leadership status.
"I'm fine with that… but why bother?"
"I just needed it for that fast one I pulled."
"Heh, yeah. I get ya'. I'll accept it then, but you're gonna still lead us for this one."
"Ya'll, quit jibber jabberin'! I assume yer' ready to continue?" Leena interjected.
"Just finished." Apollo responded.
"Right now, we have to enter that door." I gestured to a quite overbearing 20m high 7m wide rusty metal door leading to the boss room. As stated before, I'm still the leader.
One might ask; "Well why'd you give him the leader status if you still are calling the shots?" The answer is quite simple really.
When a group or player does something significant, they will have their names blasted in accordance to how major the achievement was. For us, we may even be world's first for a Mercury dungeon. This would blast (if I was leader); "Ire's Group has achieved the first… bla bla bla."
You get it.
For me it would bring unnecessary attention. If, however, the group leader is Apollo, he can explain it away with me being the deciding factor without them finding out my name. Only then can I stay out of the spotlight without endangering my new friends.
"Be ready, you guys. I'll obviously be taking the brunt of the boss's attention, but crowds are more beneficial for me. This one we will have to work together for real."