Transcendent Resurgence: Regressing on an abandoned Earth

[Zubry Solleret (Rare)]

Shoes made from the hooves of Tauranox. They contain a trace of minotaur blood, giving them the skill of a hell beast.

Durability 50/50

Agility +5

Once per day, the skill “Infernal Tread” can be used. At the end of the skill’s Duration, the wearer's stats will be halved for 1h.

Infernal Tread: 1m of land around the user will be turned into a field of lava. The effect will remain for the duration of the skill.

Duration: 30 min

Note: The skill can take effect on top of any material. The results will vary depending on the environmental condition and the resistance.

He equipped them immediately since it was the first leg equipment he had gotten. Although the stat penalty was troublesome, there weren’t many fights that he couldn’t win in half an hour.

That night, Zyrus held another meeting with Ria and Shi kun. They had to change their plan as the present conditions were no longer the same.

The main goal of the crown hunt was to gather more players under one’s rule. Strictly speaking, what they had done so far had placed them at the back of other competitors.

“So, you’re saying that you’ll go with Jacob and goblin riders, while we subdue human players?”

“That’s the gist of it,”

“Isn’t that a bit too rash?” Shi kun followed up with Ria’s question as he looked at Zyrus.

“We must conquer these plains before hitting lv 15. The contest for the golden crown will be held at another location."

“How do you- No, Nevermind that. Do you know where other humans might be?”

Ria would be a fool if she couldn't figure out that Zyrus knew a lot more than he let out. The field boss’s location, the treasure chests, and now this.

If not for the ogre’s ambush, she would have believed him if he said that he had clairvoyance skill as well.

“Go to the east. We don’t have to regroup once again. As long as I obtain the silver crown, we’ll be teleported together.”

“Are you trusting us on this?”

Zyrus didn’t reply as he stared at Shi kun with a calm gaze. It was possible that they would subdue more players on their own to get the crown for themselves.

It was a gesture of sincerity and a test. Of course, he wasn’t stupid enough to believe them completely.

‘They won’t be able to get the silver crown without me anyway,’ Zyrus chuckled inwardly as he observed the duo.

“We won’t let you down.”

“Haha... Good then. See you on the other side,” Zyrus waved at them and flipped the tent's cover. Cold breeze hit his face as his gaze landed on the vast plains.

“You’re going now?” Shi kun asked as he looked at the front of the campsite.

“Mhm. We can’t afford to waste any more time”

“Good luck,”

“You too.” Zyrus waved for the last time and joined the party ahead. The 100 goblin riders sat on their wolves with torches in their hand.

The flames blazed in the night wind, mirroring Zyrus’s ambition to rule these plains and everything that lay beyond.

…

Just like Zyrus, there were a lot of leaders who held the same ambition. One of which was the man responsible for the ogre’s ambush.

“Hoh, so you’re telling me that the plan failed?”

“Yes boss. Their leader single-handedly killed the ogre,” A burly man replied with a tremble.

“How interesting...” the golden-haired man spoke as he swirled the cup filled with vine. He stood out like a sore thumb in this dark environment.

Apart from him and the burly man, there were beasts of all kinds lying around as far as the eye could see.

Bears, wolves, cows, and tigers, all types of animals wandered around without bothering anyone. Of course, they weren’t like the animals on earth.

Each and every one of them had their special traits.

“What about the other scouts?”

“Three of them returned,”

“Hmph, it seems I’ll have to move personally.”

The burly man squirmed in fear as he looked at emerald eyes gazing down at him. Even as a lv 15 swordsman, he couldn’t keep his calm in front of this monster.

“Do you know what I, Aiden Martinez, hate the most?”

*Shatter*

“N-no boss,”

“I hate useless tools.”

*Hoowl*

*Rooar*

“It wasn’t m-my fault,”

“Scram.”

The burly man didn’t even waste a second to do as he was told. He had seen no less than 100 players who were eaten alive by these beats.

‘What a waste,’ Aiden Martinez scowled as he watched his pathetic servant. With his beast army, he was able to get over 800 players as his subordinates. If not for the ogre’s failure, he would have obtained a silver crown by now.

“Get ready boys, it’s time to hunt.”

*Awooo*

*Chirp*

*Rooar*

Hundreds of beasts roared at his command as he stood above a large cliff.

…

At another place a thousand miles away, a group of players were huddled together in a forest.

*Krreeee*

“Shields in the front,”

*Bang*

The meter-long claws of the pterosaur collided with the shield as it dived down from the air.

“Taunt it NOW!”

*Krreeee*

A man in golden armor banged his shield against the pterosaur’s head. Even the gigantic monster was forced to tumble with the impact.

“Hold it down,”

At his command, all of the remaining players jumped on the pterosaur with their shields. They bashed its wings one by one and each time, the beast was stunned for a couple of seconds.

More than a hundred shield warriors attacked the pterosaur in this manner. Of course, they weren’t the only ones doing so. A rain of arrows fell down on the monster’s wings, making it unable to fly.

“Stand back and hold the line, let the archers finish,”

From start to finish, not a single player had made any sound. Their discipline was comparable to that of a first-class army.

*Keek*

The pterosaur squealed in pain as it flapped its wings to no avail. After half an hour of gruesome fighting, the monster finally fell.

However, the man in golden armor wasn’t all that pleased with the outcome.

‘We’re not the first one to defeat the field boss,’ The man frowned as he recalled a team of three he had met in the tutorial.

'Could it be them?'

He was none other than Hajin Choi, the man who will be known as the “Divine Shield.”

…

Similar events were occurring all over the first ring. Some fought against other players to get more subordinates, while others fought against fearsome boss monsters.

Everyone tried their best to get more power. The frightening aspect of mankind’s adaptability was shown to its full extent.

Thousands of players died each day while the surviving ones became stronger. Just as Zyrus had said, the final stage of the crown hunt was getting closer.

“We’ll rest for the night,”

“Wouldn’t a night ambush be better?”

“The rats will chew us out before we even see them. Don’t underestimate their camouflage and swarm tactics.”

“Whatever you say,” Jacob shrugged his shoulders and left the tent.

‘He’s definitely not suited to be a leader,’ Zyrus sighed as he looked at his departing figure.

Originally, he wanted to test Jacob to see his reaction in different scenarios. However, apart from his amazing magic skills, he was average in every other aspect.

Zyrus knew that he wouldn’t be able to get the achievement of getting the first silver crown. His main goal in the crown hunt was to get reliable subordinates.

There was no way he was going to ally himself with someone as strong as him, not after experiencing the betrayals in his past life.

Thus, in order to prepare for the future, he had to nurture talented individuals that worked under him. He wouldn’t allow them to grow to a point where they could threaten him.

And to act on his plan, he had to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

As they fought together he was getting closer to them as well. He liked the bonds of friendship they shared, but that didn’t mean that he was going to let down his guard.

‘Kyle, Lauren, Ria, Shi kun, and Jacob… they all have the potential to become strong,’

Zyrus slept on his makeshift bed as he recalled their fighting styles and characters.

It was his job to assign them the roles where they could bloom their potential.

The night passed by and the dawn arrived, marking the day of their next battle.

It didn’t take them long to eat breakfast and get ready for battle. Zyrus wore a satisfied smile as he looked at the scene in front of him.

They had reached the location that the scouts had reported. And with his mana, it was a piece of cake for him to figure out the rat’s approximate location.

He gave them orders, and one by one, the goblin riders left in groups of 20.

At last, he gave Jacob detailed instructions before he left as well.

His plan was simple.

He was going to smoke them out.

*FUAAAA*

Zyrus released a poison breath filled with half of his mana at the ground.

Well, 'smoking out' might not be the best way to describe this.