Chapter 23: Chapter23-The Monster Tide at the Valley's Edge

Roar—

From within the valley, a mighty roar resounded, immediately followed by the trembling of the earth, a swirl of dust, and an overwhelming aura.

Gazing intently, players saw a horde of monsters radiating a bloody glow.

They bore the stature of majestic lions, their eyes as big as copper bells, and their sharp fangs shimmered with a chilling sheen, charging straight towards them.

[Death Lion]

[Level: 12]

[HP: 1500]

...

At a glance, dozens of monsters appeared in unison.

They rushed forward with a velocity akin to speeding trucks, targeting the frontline warrior team.

The ten players, having never witnessed such a spectacle, widened their eyes in terror. Without a moment's hesitation, they turned tail and fled.

The main force behind them looked on with grim expressions.

At that moment, the guild leader of the Dawn Guild, DreamMaker, shouted sternly, "Everyone, maintain formation! Warriors and knights to the front; everyone else, commence your assault!"

It must be said, this guild leader had remarkable resolve.

The average player had never encountered such a fearsome scene.

The tide-like assault of monsters resembled a massive flood, instilling profound fear in everyone.

But with DreamMaker's call, they were jolted back to reality, promptly executing their roles.

From the North Wind Team, Jason and SubtleSorrow were the first to charge forth.

Jason, as a lightly-armored swordsman, couldn't withstand the initial wave of damage and hence darted to the side.

In contrast, SubtleSorrow, a heavily armored warrior, stood steadfastly at the forefront with other players, faces resolute. Various skills were unleashed, amplifying their defenses to the utmost.

The archers had already initiated their first volley.

Their range was impressive.

The sky was filled with arrows and gleaming blades descending, piercing the vast expanse and presenting a breathtaking scene.

Their aim was to slow and hinder the monsters, buying time for everyone.

Meanwhile, beams of light soared skyward, descending as dazzling pillars, enveloping every player. Their attributes were being boosted one after another.

This was the work of the support players, unleashing their skills.

The primary damage dealers, the magi, began chanting spells, gearing up to deploy their skills.

Roar—

The oncoming monsters were now within striking distance.

They opened their vast, bloodthirsty maws, lunging at the nearest warrior players.

Those at the forefront felt a tingling at the back of their heads, their hearts filled with trepidation.

Faced with the onslaught of dozens of monsters, they couldn't be certain of their own defenses.

"Damn it all, kill them!"

The guild leader of Dragonstrike Guild, DragonPrime, bellowed.

Holding a blood-red greatsword, madness painted his face.

As a berserker, he stood at the forefront like a frenzied beast, fearless in the face of the monster charge.

This act greatly inspired the players, steadying many of the previously fearful hearts.

The initial clash was imminent.

The countless monsters swung their sharp claws, lunging at the frontline warrior players.

Every so often, they spewed scorching flames, exerting immense pressure on the players.

Fortunately, this meticulously selected group of players was no pushover.

Although there was a brief moment of chaos, they quickly solidified their formation, fending off the first wave of monsters and keeping them at bay.

This created the perfect opportunity for the ranged players positioned behind them.

One after another, the magi unleashed their skills.

A myriad of skill effects soared high, painting a dazzling spectacle.

Fiery infernos roared down, causing widespread damage upon impact.

Intense icy winds howled forth, freezing vast swaths of land.

Dark vortexes surfaced from the earth, releasing countless black tendrils that lashed out with fierce attacks.

Various other skills emerged, each unleashing formidable power.

-526!

-619!

-854!

...

Dazzling damage values sprung forth from the dozens of monsters, diminishing their once ferocious momentum.

Among the crowd, Sebastian was also deploying his skills.

However, when he drew his wooden wand, it was met with peculiar glances from nearby players.

They could hardly believe that the renowned big shot ShepherdWind was still wielding a beginner's weapon.

Was he concealing his true strength?

Or did he genuinely have no other weapon?

After the magi, those powerhouses of destructive output, had made their move, the situation stabilized.

Players dove into the fray, their spirits soaring in the heat of battle.

An hour later, under the combined onslaught of a hundred players, the dozens of monsters were wholly vanquished, leaving behind a plethora of luminous reward orbs on the ground.

Players designated to gather rewards stepped forward, pocketing them all.

Once the dungeon was completed, they would distribute the loot based on in-game data.

This monster tide was unanticipated.

DragonPrime's earlier intelligence hadn't mentioned these monsters.

To be precise, there was mention, but they were supposed to appear only deeper inside the valley.

Who knew what prompted this horde to charge out now?

The intelligence lapse left DragonPrime quite embarrassed.

He assured that their guild's players would lead the way into the valley.

Despite the surprise encounter with the monster tide, the massive troop of a hundred players only suffered a few losses; merely four had perished, departing from the dungeon.

But this served as a wake-up call to all, signaling that this dungeon raid would be much more challenging than initially thought.

After all, confronting a monster tide right at the onset was something only expected in large-scale dungeons.

Upon entering the valley, as if on cue, the players once again encountered another monster tide. But this time, the monsters were even mightier.

[Death Lizard]

[Level: 15]

[HP: 3000]

[MP: 10k]

[Skills: Poisonous Breath, Harden Skin, Lethal Bite...]

...

The Death Lizards flicked their tongues, their maws opening wide, releasing a torrent of poison gas that rapidly enveloped the players.

Support players rushed to cast purifying skills, seeking to disperse the poison or at least mitigate its damage.

The lizard monsters, meanwhile, charged ferociously at the main force, their slate-grey skin radiating a sanguine glow, drastically enhancing their defensive prowess.

The new clash had commenced.

However, Sebastian's mind was elsewhere.

[Undead Whispers (Blue): There's a unique secret realm within the Valley of Death. Its key lies at the "skull" mark on the valley's left wall.]

His primary reason for this journey was this secret realm, prompting him to intentionally stay close to the left wall, all the while searching for that distinct mark.

The black stone wall, pockmarked and craggy, resembled a barren land scarred with countless ravines, hardly a place most would cast their gaze upon.

Suddenly, a shrill cry resounded. From the heavens, a vast flock of birds shot forth.