Chapter 167: Impenetrable Fortress (4)

• You have dealt critical damage to DarkRuna Guild Master 'Ilahan'!

• Ilahan's Vitality has been reduced by 10.349.

As his stance faltered, Ly also didn't lose that chance, and he drove through and bit down on Ilahan's shoulder joint.

• Familiar 'Ly' has dealt critical damage to DarkRuna Guild Master 'Ilahan'!

• Ilahan's Vitality has been reduced by 21,554.

In an instant, Ilahan's Vitality Bar had been reduced to below half.

Ilahan quickly stepped back as he got into a defensive stance.

He looked at Ian with a dumbfounded expression as he asked.

"Where did you exactly jump out from? To think that there was a guy that could fight this well in the Luspel Empire..."

Ian smirked as he replied.

"Who knows. More than that, I want to open up your stat window once. I'm curious as to how high your stats are exactly, that is."

Ian, who thought that Ilahan was buying time by talking to him, moved his body without rest even while replying, and he charged towards him again.

However, there was a part that Ian hadn't thought about.

Pu-ung-!

Suddenly an armoured knight, that jumped out from behind, blocked Ian's way as they collided their body with Ian's.

Ian, who narrowly regained his balance and stepped back, checked the information of the armoured knight.

• ??? Lv 175

However, aside from their level, all of their information was set to private, so Ian wasn't able to check the identity of the armoured knight.

The one thing that he could figure out was that they were not a user.

'What the hell is this now?'

Ilahan lightly sneered at Ian, who wore a flustered expression.

"Why do you think you are the only one with a retainer?"

Ian, who immediately figured out the identity of the armoured knight as soon as he heard those words, wore an embarrassed expression as he scratched the back of his head.

The armoured knight was Ilahan's retainer.

And the forms of about five or six NPCs that looked like they were the retainers of Ilahan appeared behind him.

The average level of the retainers was at a point it was almost equivalent to Paulean's level.

"Ahem."

If this was the case, it was definitely beyond Ian's capability to face Ilahan with his strength alone, and Ian began to think of a stunt he could pull.

'In this case, we'll need the help of our gangster-like retainer over here as well...'

Ian slightly glanced at the place where Kaizar was.

Kaizar was jumping around on top of the bronze giant that had turned into a black boulder as he agitated the troops of the DarkRuna Guild.

'Do I need to lure Ilahan to over there?'

However, shortly after, there was no need for Ian to contemplate it anymore.

This was because Ilahan suddenly pulled back his retainers.

His mouth slowly opened.

"I truly never imagined it to unfold like this, but it looks like today, we'll have to leave it here."

Ian sneered at him.

"Who said we're just going to send you off?"

There were still over a thousand troops and high-level users of the DarkRuna Guild, who were over lv 140, remaining.

In a battle that they had won, because they looked the same as EXP and Specialty Point lumps, Ian had absolutely no intentions of just sending them off.

'When leveling-up is just around the corner right now, that's nonsense.'

However, Ilahan looked as relaxed as ever.

"I had no idea that I would even have to use this expensive scroll here, but we'll see each other next time, then."

Ilahan pulled out a scroll that was glowing purple from his chest and ripped it open as he chanted the incantation, and all of the bodies of the troops that were affiliated with the DarkRuna Guild who were on the battleground at that moment began to glow purple.

And rays of purple light surged up into the air simultaneously.

Shwoong-!

The pillars of purple light that filled the air disappeared shortly after, and along with that all of the troops of the DarkRuna Guild disappeared without a trace from the battleground.

Ian mumbled with a dispirited expression.

"Hul, to have used an AoE Return Scroll, this billionaire."

The AoE Return Scroll was a high-priced item that was close to 1.5 million a piece.

Truthfully, in the case of the DarkRuna Guild, it was much more advantageous to use a return scroll instead of getting completely annihilated, but that was because the DarkRuna Guild was the highest-ranking guild, it wasn't from a general situation.

Even for a decently high-ranking guild, that return scroll was not an item that could be used rashly.

The reason for that was simple. Since it was to the point the scroll cost so much, it was better to just die.

The AoE Return Scroll was an item that even Ian didn't have a need to purchase it for.

"Either way... Then did we win?"

Ian turned his head as he looked around the battleground.

All of the users and soldiers that were standing with their two feet inside the fortress were affiliated with the Lotus Guild.

Ian lifted his bow straight into the air as he shouted.

"We won!"

And as if they had been waiting for it, a loud cry burst out from every direction.

The confused guild members had properly figured out the situation at Ian's shout.

"Whooo!"

"We won against the DarkRuna Guild!"

It was the fruit of grinding with blood and sweat for two weeks for the construction of the defensive fortress.

At the pride that they blocked off the attack of the number 1 ranking guild, the guild members were all deeply touched.

They had received quite a bit of damage but compared to the number of opponents they had killed, it was to the point it could be considered insignificant, and the rewards that they received through this battle was truly tremendous.

For example, the level of Ian, who was at lv 140, had increased by two.

'My gauge was over 90% full from the beginning, but still, to have gained enough EXP for more than one level increase, that's incredible.'

However, just then, a purple energy floated above the corpses that were strewn all over the grounds.

Ian's two eyes shone.

'By any chance, is it possible...?'

The purple energies that could only be seen with Ian's eyes were quickly sucked into his inventory.

Ian quickly opened his inventory and checked the hatching rate of the Karceus' Egg.

• Karceus' Egg - Hatching Rate: 93%

And he lightly licked his lips.

"Tsk, still, it's not hatching yet."

However, as he saw the hatching rate, which was in its early 60s, go over 90%, his mood brightened incredibly.

'Will it be possible for me to see a God Dragon after one or two more defensive wars now then?'

He wondered exactly what kind of loveable Familiar would be inside the Egg of the God Dragon. Ian felt his heart already pound.

* * *

The official community of Kailan was in such chaos to the point that the giant server was lagging.

This was because the full version of the siege warfare video that was broadcasted by YTBC had been uploaded to the main bulletin board of the community.

The title of the bulletin post was the same as the following.

• Goliath, who was collapsed by David.

Subtitle - DarkRuna, who couldn't overcome Ian.

The title was incredibly exciting no matter who saw it.

The guild name 'Lotus' wasn't that famous, but the user name 'Ian' was famous to the point it was no less than a decent high-ranker.

Indeed, if you were a user that played Kailan, it was a title that must be clicked on.

The number of views passed by the million-mark in an instant, and the video even spread out to the Kailan communities of foreign countries immediately.

• Wow, this is crazy! Ian basically just carried this on his own. The title is not an exaggeration, for real.

• No, by any chance, does anybody know what level Ian is at? How can a Summoner fight like that with Ilahan as their opponent?

• If you look there, he's attacking with a lv 170-range knight. It seems off to say that Ian fought him alone.

• I think that knight named Paulean is Ian's retainer...?

• Either way, as Ilahan fought without a retainer, when it comes to a battle between just the two of them, I think it will be more accurate to say that Ilahan won.

• No, why are these people fighting over something so obvious? Ilahan is probably at least 20 levels higher than Ian, so do you think he would be weaker than Ian?

• Oh? Come to think of it, that's true. No matter how high Ian's level is, he probably isn't at lv 140 yet, so how exactly did he fight that evenly with Ilahan?

• Ah, I don't know, Summoner is a cheat class! Development team, nerf Summoners!

• Aye, nerf Summoners!

• What are these idiots talking about?

• No kidding. It seems like they'll have to nerf Ian, not nerf Summoners.

• I agree with the person above. Ian's reflexive senses and his ability to adapt to circumstances are scams. As soon as I saw him kill dozens with the Bbakbbak meteor, I already wet my pants.

• Ha, but, this was shot from so far away that I can't see Ian and Ilahan's battle scene properly. Is Ian's personal battle video not going to come up? I want to see it...

• Won't Sojin edit that soon and upload it? I noticed that Sojin, Ian's video uploader, took full charge and continuously uploaded them.

• Ah, really? Good, good. I should go immediately to watch that as soon as it comes up.

Through this siege warfare, Ian had reformed into a complete celebrity now.

Up until now, if he was considered an existence that only received adoration from Summoner-class or new class users, now, the ID Ian began come out here and there even from the mouths of established users.

It was to that extent that the loss of the DarkRuna Guild had come as a shock to many people.

* * *

"Ugh, this restoration process is also a task itself."

Ian was sweating hard to restore the destroyed defensive towers along with his guildmates.

This was because, although it was much easier than when they first built it, and it was possible to re-build it quickly, the amount of labour was still incredible.

Herz, who was next to him, laughed as he spoke.

"Yo, still, isn't this seriously a profitable business?"

"What is?"

"Even if we just change the Specialty Points that we obtained with this siege warfare to resources, it's to the point that we've earned more than we lost. On top of that, amongst the defensive towers, there were even quite a bit that had filled up on EXP and had leveled up."

Ian nodded his head as he replied.

"That's true. Since this was my plan from the beginning."

The War Trading Post that was within the domain was indeed a goose that had laid a golden egg.

Since the more battles they went through, it would immediately turn into resources and return to them.

Every time the Pyro Domain succeeded in defending, their defensive power will continue to become stronger.

As time passed, they would be able to create more technical defensive towers, and when they had enough resources and funds, they would even be able to raise the facility level of the Combat Unit Production Building.

As time passed, the Pyro Domain would continue to reform as a sturdier impenetrable fortress.

"Speaking of which, for us to have really won against DarkRuna, I didn't even dream that a day like this would come."

Ian smirked as he opened his mouth.

"It's too early to relax yet."

At those words, Herz grumbled.

"Who said they're relaxing? I'm just expressing my mood since for now, we've won."

Ian's words continued.

"However, if we just block them for sure a couple more times from now, then I think we'll actually be able to relax."

"A couple of times?"

At Herz's question, Ian nodded his head.

"That's right. However, the next couple of times may be an even harder battle than this time."

"Why? Because of the Kaimon Empire Army?"

Ian nodded his head.

"Correct. As the DarkRuna Guild has failed the siege and returned this time, it's most likely that normal guilds won't try and attack our fortress so rashly."

"That is true. Since at this point in time, a guild that has a stronger fighting power than DarkRuna doesn't exist."

Ian's words continued.

"It will probably continue to be quiet for a few more days, and once they've occupied all the other bases that are at the front lines, our domain will probably become their target again."

Herz, who figured out what Ian's words meant, let out a deep sigh.

"Hoo, opponents will probably be pouring in from all directions then."

For this defensive war, it was still at least a war where they just needed to face the opponents that poured in from the front.

As that was the case, the Lotus Guild also stationed all of their defensive towers at the front, and even focused their troops at the front and blocked the attack of their opponents.

However, if it was after all of the bases of the front lines were occupied, the Pyro Domain will indeed just be left alone in the middle of the enemy camp, and they will have to receive endless attacks from all directions.

Ian opened his mouth again.

"We still have time until then. We need to do everything that we can before then."

At Ian's words, Herz nodded his head with a stern expression.

"Alright, just like you said, this is truly an opportunity that doesn't come twice."

"That's right. If we just guard this fortress until the end, we can also develop the guild to the point that we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Titan or DarkRuna."

They were not empty words.

If they continued to obtain victories while facing the Kaimon Empire Army, which boasted an outrageous level range and size, in the central continent, the Lotus Guild would be able to grow at an incredible speed.

The two people, who were finished with their conversation, moved their bodies for the defensive tower repair operation again.

By looking at the movements of their opponents, it didn't look like there would be a situation where they would be attacked for a while, but still, they had no idea when there would be a raid, so they needed to finish building the line of defense as soon as possible.