Chapter 41: The Action Begins
"After I got this [Holy Healing Staff], my increased mental strength activated a talent skill." Vicky explained.
As a support mage specializing in healing, she didn\'t possess significant combat abilities. However, aside from buffing skills like [Healing Art], she could also cast some debuffing skills.
For instance, the skill she had just used: [Mental Chaos].
"Because this skill is still at the beginner level, its casting range is limited, affecting enemies within a ten-meter radius." Vicky explained, pausing briefly before continuing. "The specific effect is to cause enemies to fall into a brief state of confusion, making it difficult for them to distinguish between friend and foe.
However, the effectiveness of this skill is influenced by the enemy\'s strength.The weaker they are, the more likely they are to be affected. If the opponents are too strong, they can easily shake off this debuff. Additionally, this skill has a cooldown period, allowing it to be cast only once every five minutes."
Hearing the skill description, Irving\'s expression grew increasingly complex. These skills were actually not as powerful for Irving. But this skill was still very powerful for Vicky, a beginner.
A range of ten meters was significant.
For Vicky, it meant enemies would have a hard time getting close to her during battle.
The skill [Mental Chaos] not only allowed her to launch attacks but also provided self-defense capabilities in critical moments.
"Her talent is even stronger than I initially thought..." Irving murmured to himself. He had envisioned Vicky\'s role similar to a "healer" in other games, someone who stood at the back casting buffs.
Without self-defense capabilities, bringing her along to deal with the unknown enemies who seized the mine posed a significant risk.
"Irving, can I go with you now?" Vicky quickly added, "Even if I can\'t help much, with that skill... those bastards won\'t be able to get close to me."
"When we get there, you must follow all my orders. Understand?" Irving said calmly, then turned and started walking ahead without looking back.
Vicky was thrilled and hurriedly followed closely behind Irving.
In the forest, the two Pigmen eventually lay dying in pools of their own blood.
Nearby, two figures swiftly moved past them, followed by a cute, entirely black furry beast.
…
In the dense forest, one kilometer from the mine.
At this moment, James was hiding here with the remaining players of the Green Ivy Group.
"Guild Master, those bastards are over there. Not only have they taken over the mine, but they\'ve also stolen all the materials we\'ve gathered over the past two days! Besides a large amount of [Black Iron Ore] and [Gold Sand Ore], they\'ve taken eight [Black Obsidian] stones..."
A player who had narrowly escaped from the mine clenched his fists tightly.
As he looked toward the mine, a fierce rage burned in his eyes.
James nodded, his expression equally grim.
The death of fifteen guild members was a significant blow to the newly established Green Ivy Group. After all, recruiting players with sufficient strength to join was not an easy task.
"Besides that mage, are there any other formidable opponents in their group? How many of them are there in total?" James asked.
"There are no more than twenty of them, and only seven or eight are warriors. The rest are just regular players who haven\'t changed their classes." the player who had barely escaped replied, frustrated. "If it weren\'t for that mage, they wouldn\'t have been able to take the mine from us..."
James nodded, gaining a clearer understanding of the enemy\'s strength.
In the Other World, many players had successfully changed their classes by now. However, about ninety percent of them were warriors, and mages were extremely rare. Major guilds offered enticing incentives to attract mage players due to the immense power of their skills.
Of course, mages had their weaknesses too, primarily their poor close combat abilities. But this was easily remedied by assigning more warrior players to protect them.
"Mr.James , give the order. We have over thirty brothers here now! I refuse to believe we can\'t reclaim the mine!"
The player who had escaped was burning with the desire for revenge, eager to avenge his fallen friends.
Other guild members quickly chimed in.
"Yeah, Mr.James, we have so many people. Let\'s kill those bastards and avenge our dead comrades!"
"It\'s just one mage. I don\'t believe he can be that invincible. I\'ll be the first to charge and see how tough he really is!"
"Give the order, Mr.James. We\'re all waiting for your command!"
These thirty players had dropped everything to rush here upon hearing the news about the mine being taken. They had only one goal—revenge for their fallen brothers.
All eyes were on James, waiting for his order to attack.
"Let\'s wait a bit longer. There\'s one more person who hasn\'t arrived yet." James said coldly.
The guild members were confused.
They looked at each other and quickly checked the headcount. The escaped player then said, "Mr.James, it seems like everyone is here. Who are you talking about?"
Some players were growing impatient. "Mr.James, we have so many people here already. We don\'t need to wait for one more. By the time he arrives, it might be too late."
Others agreed.
"Who is this person? Could it be that without him, we can\'t take the mine?"
"Yeah, it\'s just one person. Whether he\'s here or not won\'t make much of a difference. He might not even be as strong as us."
James\'s expression darkened. His sharp gaze swept over the players, and the chatter immediately ceased. Everyone fell silent.
As the president of the Green Ivy Group, James was not only backed by his family\'s influence but also a formidable warrior, far surpassing the other players within the group.
"We must wait for him before we can take action!" James said slowly. "It\'s not just you. Even I stand no chance against him."
The words hit the guild members like a thunderclap, leaving them collectively silent, their hearts boiling with tumultuous emotions. Besides shock, there was also a sense of anticipation building within them.
The reason these players joined the Green Ivy Group was not only because the group\'s benefits surpassed those of other guilds, but also due to their admiration for President James\'s strength. They never expected, however, that James would admit he stood no chance at all against that person...Just how formidable could this presence be!
Under the scorching sun, they waited in the dense forest for what felt like an eternity until suddenly, they heard hurried footsteps behind them.
Two figures emerged, accompanied by a cute creature.
It was Irving, accompanied by Vicky and little black, finally arriving.
James quickly stood up, excitedly exclaiming, "Irving! You\'ve finally come."
At that moment, all eyes turned to Irving.
However, within the guild, a wave of disappointment swept through the players\' hearts.
To them, Irving appeared as nothing more than a young lad, holding what seemed to be a broken stick coated in darkness.
"Is this the powerful figure you mentioned, Mr.James?" one player dared to ask, disbelief evident in his tone.
Others began to grumble, questioning the strength of the young man before them and even casting a hint of challenge in their gazes.
"Enough with the chatter."
James intervened, leading Irving directly in front of the guild members. "From now on, everyone must obey Irving\'s orders, including myself. Do you all understand?"
A deafening silence fell over the crowd.
"Do you not hear what I said?" James was about to continue his stern reprimand when Irving stepped in, halting him.
Having lived through an entire lifetime, Irving could easily discern what these players were thinking. After all, in the cutthroat world of "the Other World," no one wanted to be commanded by someone weaker than themselves.Because the weak are always the weak, the strong can dominate this world, and the strong will always be above the weak.
Irving saw all of this clearly and understood everyone\'s thoughts very well.
Sometimes, words are useless.Often, actions are the best proof.
Gently patting James on the shoulder, Irving spoke softly, "For now, you will lead these people. I will enter the mine directly, and you just need to support from the sidelines. Time is short, so we must act swiftly."
"But..." James looked awkward, knowing Irving\'s strength better than anyone. He wanted to explain something to the guild members behind him. Those players seem to understand nothing, only by explaining it clearly to them can they continue.However, Irving had already started walking towards the mine.
"Let\'s get moving! If you don\'t take action again, it will definitely be too late. The earlier you take action, the better."