### Chapter 93: The Battle of Giant Wood Canyon
After rallying the players for the new quest, Su Yu led them to the palace gates.
Upon reaching the gates, he instructed the players to wait outside while he followed Kelderon into the palace alone.
"Is the convoy for Her Royal Highness's journey fully prepared, Kelderon?" Su Yu inquired as they walked toward the main hall.
Kelderon nodded respectfully. "Master Nemesis, everything is ready. The convoy will be departing shortly."
Su Yu gave a small nod in response, saying no more.
---
A few minutes later, five opulent carriages bearing the royal insignia emerged from a side gate, moving swiftly. They were escorted by a contingent of 100 imperial guards.
Among the five carriages:
- The first was led by Foreign Secretary Hill, who was responsible for diplomatic negotiations.
- In the second carriage was Xifan, a formidable Tier-7 Dark Beast Master.
- The queen herself occupied the third carriage, flanked by two additional carriages carrying essential supplies and provisions.
The convoy had been organized for speed and efficiency. Equipped with horses and carrying rations and water to last for seven days, the princess's escort traveled light to expedite the journey.
Su Yu sat alongside the princess in the third carriage.
As soon as the convoy left the palace, Su Yu sent a message through the chat room to rally the players and instructed the nine guild leaders to mobilize their teams.
The guild leaders relayed the command, and the players quickly mounted their steeds. A portion of these mounts had been obtained through hidden quests in the novice village, while others were regular horses rented or purchased from the city's stables. Being experienced players, all had acquired mounts upon entering the city.
With the princess's convoy leading the way and nearly a thousand players following close behind, the impressive procession advanced toward the north gate.
Inside the third carriage, Su Yu sat facing the princess, who occasionally glanced out at the players riding behind.
Watching Su Yu seated in close proximity to the princess, the players couldn't help but voice their thoughts:
"Look at Boss Nemesis—sitting so close to Princess Elize! Meanwhile, we're all relegated to the rear. The princess hasn't even given us a glance!"
"Right? Feels a little unfair."
"Just accept it! We're listed as 'assistants to Nemesis' in this mission. To the NPCs, we probably seem like insignificant followers tagging along."
"Forget 'probably'—we are definitely the insignificant ones here."
"Don't let it bother you. Our chance to stand out comes in the next skirmish. Maybe we'll impress the NPCs and trigger some hidden quests."
---
In the carriage, Princess Elize turned to Su Yu, commenting with curiosity, "These adventurers you recruited seem quite spirited."
Su Yu nodded. "They are indeed dedicated and resourceful. Each of them is well-prepared."
The princess continued, "Recruiting such a capable force must have cost you a fortune. It's rare to find such loyal followers during troubled times like these." Her admiration for Su Yu grew, and a system notification subtly appeared:
> **[Princess Elize's Favorability +1]**
Su Yu, having experienced massive favorability boosts before, barely registered the modest increase. Keeping his composure, he said, "Your Highness, according to last night's astrological divination, I foresee that Duke Lantilus's men plan to ambush your convoy disguised as bandits."
The princess's face tightened in anger. "Lantilus would dare? Doesn't he know that Master Xifan is traveling with us?"
"What if he plans to distract or trap Xifan?" Su Yu replied, meeting her gaze seriously.
A look of concern flashed across the princess's face. "Where do you believe they'll strike?"
"Giant Wood Canyon, Your Highness."
---
After a 20-minute journey, the convoy approached the narrow, rocky passage of Giant Wood Canyon.
"Prepare yourselves, everyone! We're reaching Giant Wood Canyon," Snow Leopard called out, alerting the players.
In the chat room, guild leaders issued their final orders, organizing the players into a protective circular formation. Tanks took up the outermost perimeter, with assassins and damage-dealers scattered among them. Behind them, archers and magicians stood guard, protecting the healers at the core.
"This is our first battle with NPCs observing us! We need to make a strong impression," Red-Eyed Black Dragon urged.
However, the player Cloud Nemesis, with a skeptical tone, replied, "NPCs? Just code. If you take them too seriously, you're bound to be disappointed."
Snow Leopard countered, "Not necessarily. Pay attention, observe, and maybe you'll see it's more than just code."
Cloud Nemesis considered Snow Leopard's words seriously, suspecting there might indeed be something hidden in the game.
At that moment, the princess's convoy entered the canyon.
Suddenly, shouts of battle echoed from the hills on either side of the narrow passage.
"Attack! For the glory of Lantilus!"
Dozens of soldiers disguised as bandits charged down the slopes, weapons drawn. Above, layers of lethal area spells formed in the air, aimed directly at the convoy.
But Xifan, ever vigilant, was prepared.
"[Shadow Canopy]!" he intoned, raising his dark purple staff.
Instantly, the Tier-6 defensive spell [Shadow Canopy] enveloped the entire convoy within a dark, protective barrier nearly 100 meters in diameter. The spells descending toward them fizzled as they made contact with the shield, dissipating harmlessly.
Then, a figure bathed in holy light descended from the clouds, her radiant energy blasting a mountain ledge in two as she landed with a crash.
"Xifan! Your fight is with me!" declared Madeline, a golden-armored female paladin, brandishing a two-handed sword that shimmered with divine power.
Xifan smirked. "Ah, Madeline. I should have known."
With a flicker, he transformed into a shadow, soaring toward her. Their clash sent shockwaves through the canyon as their powers collided in a fierce aerial duel.
Meanwhile, the players had moved into defensive positions to protect the convoy's core.
Within the circle, tanks braced against the incoming attackers, while archers and magicians rained down spells, covering the healers who kept everyone in fighting shape. The [Shadow Canopy] could shield them from magic, but physical enemies were free to breach it.
Bandits poured into the shaded protection, assaulting the players and imperial guards.
With a battle cry, the tank players held the front lines, intercepting the bandits' attacks with their shield walls. Archers and spellcasters launched Area of Effect (AoE) attacks, blanketing the enemy in fire, ice, and arrows, while single-target attackers focused on high-level foes that threatened to break through.
Healing lights pulsed as clerics tended to the injured on the frontlines.
While most bandits were lower level, around level 10 to 20, a few were significantly stronger, some even above level 50. These stronger bandits managed to pierce the defenses, forcing the imperial guards to engage them in close combat.
Fallen players quickly respawned beside Su Yu, rejoining the fray with renewed determination.
With precise coordination and clear commands from their guild leaders in the chat room, the players maintained their positions, effectively repelling wave after wave of bandits.
In this first grand battle witnessed by NPCs, the players proved their mettle, standing as a united force under Su Yu's command.
*(End of Chapter)*