Chương 112: Chapter 111: The Second Division Advances [INTERLUDE]

The cavern's darkness was broken only by the glow coming from the Mythril Automaton's core. They were deep beneath the southern hills of Serendine county, in a spacious cave system found by one of their lower level players. King's Glade's second division found something here that has been untouched ever since the game began. And as of now, they were on the verge of calling victory. Alice's blade traced an arc of silver through the air as she rolled beneath another hammer swing.

"Denxy, take aggro!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos of combat.

"I'll go for damage now!"

"Yes, Commander!" The Guardian's reply echoed off the walls as he raised his tower shield. The massive rectangle of enchanted steel he had forged himself was way past its prime; the level 15 rare shield was not fit for the best tank in King's Glade's Second Division. That being said, the Guardian's skills were still there, even if his equipment was lacking. Maybe this time I can use some of the mats to craft for myself, he thought. It wasn't selfish of him to want that.

He had been exclusively crafting for the higher ups of the Guild, ever since they were formed. Alice darted in as the Automaton's attention shifted toward the Guardian. Her longsword started buzzing with electricity as she activated one of her many powerful skills, Lightning Edge. Her blade found the gap between two armor plates near its knee joint, the blade sliding through with practiced precision. She twisted the handle, and lightning ran through the body of the steel giant.

"Tanks, surround it!" she called out, already backstepping as the Automaton's arm cannon rotated toward her. A blast of superheated steam erupted from the barrel, scorching the stone where she'd been standing.

"Hammer incoming, north side!" Desirae's warning came from the rear line, her voice calm despite the chaos. The Cleric stood on a slight rise, staff raised, her healing aura falling over the melee fighters in golden light. Denxy didn't need to look. He'd been tanking bosses since day one, and his internal timer for the boss's attack patterns had become second nature. He activated Bulwark Stance, planting his feet and angling his shield. The Automaton's massive hammer crashed down like an avalanche. CLANG!

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through his arms, and his health bar dropped by a quarter despite the block. But he'd held. His boots broke stone, but he hadn't moved.

"Shield bash, now!" Alice commanded, already moving into position. Denxy roared and slammed his shield into the giant's knee. The impact from his Shield Bash sent the boss staggering backward, its massive frame tilting off-balance, exposing its runic core.

"DPS, burn it!" Alice's blade flashed again, this time targeting the exposed weak point. Arrows, spells, and abilities converged on the crystalline heart. The commander's Lightning Chain danced across metal plating as she carved through the Automaton's plating like a knife –no, a sword– through butter. A Ranger's Burning Arrow detonated against the center, and the giant's core flickered, its light dimming for just a moment.

"Fifteen percent HP remaining!" Denxy called.

"Enrage phase incoming!" Desirae called out, her eyes on the boss's status indicators.

"Healers, put Shielding on tanks!" Alice had fought enough Field Bosses to know what that meant. She fell back to the raid's designated safe zone and raised her voice.

"All melee dps, disengage! Ranged, spread out! Tanks, hold!" The Automaton's core suddenly blazed with blinding intensity. Its entire frame began to vibrate, gears spinning faster, steam venting from every joint.

"Here it comes!" Denxy shifted his stance, moving to protect the ranged units clustering behind him. The boss raised both arms, and the cavern floor beneath it began to glow with arcane circles. Clockwork Barrage Dozens of metal spheres materialized in the air around the boss, each one crackling with energy. They hung suspended for a heartbeat, and then launched themselves at random raid members like guided missiles.

"Shields up!" Alice's command was barely audible over the sudden chaos. Denxy's shield caught three of the projectiles in quick succession as he cleverly used Shield Rush to intercept them, each impact threatening to knock him off his feet. His health plummeted. Around him, other Guardians and Paladins scrambled to hold off the barrage, creating a wall of protection for the squishier raid members. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

One sphere slipped through the defensive line, streaking toward a Conjurer who'd been too slow to react. Desirae's staff flared.

"Cheat Death!" A barrier of radiant light materialized around the Conjurer just as the sphere detonated. The explosion was contained, dissipating harmlessly against the Cleric's ultimate spell.

"Healing priority on Denxy and the off-tanks!" Desirae called out, her fingers already tracing patterns in the air. Three beams of restoration magic lanced out, stabilizing the front line before anyone could drop. Denxy felt the warmth of the healing magic wash over him, his health bar crawling back up to survivable levels. He shot Desirae a quick nod of appreciation and re-engaged the Automaton.

"Phase is almost done!" Alice had been counting the seconds.

"Prepare for the final burn!" The barrage ended as suddenly as it had begun, the remaining spheres dissolving into wisps of steam. Eight percent health.

"All in!" Alice's longsword blazed with weapon skill activation.

"Blade Spin!" She became a whirlwind of steel, her blade striking the boss's joints, plating, and core in rapid succession. Each hit was precise, surgical, targeting the vulnerable points she'd memorized over the course of their tries. The raid unleashed everything. Cooldowns that had been carefully managed for this moment all triggered at once. Five percent. The Automaton's movements became erratic. Sparks flew from its damaged joints. Its hammer strikes grew slower, more predictable. Three percent.

"Almost there!" someone shouted. One percent. The core's light flared one final time, so bright it forced several raid members to look away. And then, after a dramatic pause, the Mythril Automaton collapsed. Its massive frame hit the cavern floor with enough force to shake loose stalactites from above. The core shattered, fragments of crystal scattering across stone. Field Boss defeated: Mythril Automaton The cavern fell silent save for the heavy breathing of thirty exhausted adventurers.

Alice let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Her arms ached, her mana was nearly depleted, and her armor looked like it had seen better days. But they'd done it. Second Division's first Level 25 Field Boss, down after seven tries.

"Good work, everyone," she said, her voice carrying the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.

"Loot distribution in five." Raid members began to relax, some sitting down right where they stood, others chugging water and eating their well deserved snacks while talking about the fight, the close calls and the impressive plays. Denxy planted his shield in the ground and leaned against it, letting the adrenaline slowly drain away. His arms felt like lead. That last phase had pushed him to his absolute limit. I need to forge a better shield.

"Nice tanking, Denxy." Alice appeared at his side, her blade already sheathed. Even in the dim light, he could see the approval in her eyes.

"Those blocks in the final barrage were clutch."

"Just doing my job, ma'am," he replied, though he couldn't quite hide the pleased grin. Praise from Alice wasn't handed out freely. Desirae joined them, looking remarkably composed for someone who'd been managing healing for an entire raid.

"No deaths on this run. I'll take that as a win." She glanced at Denxy's shield, eyebrows rising.

"Though we might need to get you a new shield. That one's about to expire." Denxy looked down at the battered tower shield. The top edge had cracked clean through, several steel rivets had popped loose, and the enchantments etched into its surface were flickering weakly. Desirae was right. Too bad they added item durability with that first patch, he thought. At first I thought that would just mean more cash to crafters, but half the time I have to repair my own shit now.

"I'll forge a new one," he said automatically. Then, almost to himself, "Maybe with materials from this boss..." The thought had barely formed when the system chimed, announcing the loot distribution was ready. Alice accessed the raid interface, her eyes scanning the list of drops.

"Alright, we've got... three Rare pieces and four Epic pieces, including an Epic skill rune and a really good warhammer." Several raid members looked up at the announcement. Four epic items from a level 25 Field Boss was really good luck. No Guild Tablet, though.

"The skill rune is for Arcanists," Alice continued, "so that'll go to–" But Denxy wasn't listening anymore. His attention had locked onto the wreckage of the Mythril Automaton, specifically the shattered fragments of its core. Without thinking, he activated a skill he recently unlocked. It was one of his hidden achievements as a blacksmith, unlocked after being the first one in his county to craft an Epic item; the sword still hanging on Alice's waist.

"Appraisal of Entity." His vision shimmered, and suddenly he wasn't seeing the wreckage with normal eyes. The system notification appeared. DING! Personal Quest Available: Legacy of Steam You have identified materials of extraordinary quality and historical significance. The Mythril Automaton's components contain secrets known only to the lost Artificers of the Old Kingdom. Harvesting and studying these materials may unlock secret rewards and bonuses.

Quest Objective: Collect materials from the Mythril Automaton Reward:??? Note: This is a hidden quest chain. Completion may unlock additional objectives. Denxy's breath caught off. A hidden personal quest! And from a Field Boss, no less. He looked up to find Alice watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"You alright? You zoned out there for a second."

"I..." He hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"I just got a quest notification. Personal quest. It was triggered by the boss' materials." Alice's expression shifted from curiosity to interest. Personal quests were rare, and ones triggered by Field Bosses were way rarer. More importantly, they tended to lead to powerful rewards.

"What's it asking for?" she asked.

"Materials from the Automaton. I have to… harvest it?" He paused, not knowing whether to state or ask.

"I know the Guild has dibs on them, but maybe–""Take them," Alice interrupted.

"If the system's offering you a quest chain, we'd be fools not to see where it leads." She glanced at the other raid members, most of whom were still recovering.

"Besides, King's Glade's strength isn't just in our gear. It's in our people. If this makes you stronger, it makes all of us stronger." Desirae nodded in agreement.

"Plus, you're already our main equipment supplier. Whatever you learn will benefit the entire guild." Denxy felt a wave of gratitude. He'd expected having to negotiate, maybe even to bid on the materials against other guild crafters. Instead, Alice had given him carte blanche regarding the mats without hesitation.

"Thank you," he said simply.

"Don't thank me yet," Alice replied with a slight smile.

"I'm expecting a new weapon with whatever you discover." Denxy grinned.

"Yes, ma'am." He moved toward the boss's corpse. Around him, the Second Division of King's Glade settled into the comfortable routine of post-boss cleanup; joking, sharing stories, already planning their next challenge. But as Denxy's hands started processing the first Mythril Alloy, feeling its weight and quality, he couldn't help but wonder what was to come next. Legacy of Steam. Whatever that meant, he intended to find out.