The concealed dungeon sat at the edge of a thick underbrush south of Verdant Frontier, partially obscured by mist and entwining vines. Its entrance yawned open like a forgotten cavern, jagged stone teeth lining the threshold.
A faint magical shimmer pulsed along the arch, barely noticeable unless one stared long enough.
Unrest hung around the entryway
Groups of players clashed violently; steel ringing, spells cracking the air in bursts of flame and lightning. Buff icons flickered above heads as healers scrambled to keep their frontlines alive.
Five players held the center like a living barricade. Tower shields locked together, they formed an immovable wall, pushing back anyone who tried to approach. Three archers perched on a ridge above, raining arrows in steady volleys.
Nearby, cautious solo players lurked in the brush, watching, waiting for someone to slip or a formation to break. Counting everyone scattered around, there were at least thirty plus people in the vicinity.
But the heart of the blockade was the top five:
Branik (Shield Fighter, Leader)
The anchor. His massive shield shifted with practiced precision, absorbing hits, protecting allies and controlling space.
Skills: Shield Bash, Guard Wall Lv1 (Physical Defense +20% for allies, 5s).
Maevin (Fighter)
Fast, punishing, always at the perfect angle to intercept flankers.
Skills: Cleave Lv2, Whirlwind Lv1, Riposte Lv1.
Seltris (Mage, DPS/Support)
Calm and surgical—alternating between AoE bursts and pinpoint slows.
Skills: Arcane Missile Lv2, Mana Shield Lv1.
Tavric (Archer)
Controlled the entire clearing from his perch.
Skills: Volley Lv2, Piercing Arrow Lv1, Trap Lay Lv1.
Rylor (Assassin)
Ghost-like, weaving between combatants, maintaining trap lines and crippling anyone who slipped through.
Skills: Shadow Strike Lv2, Poison Trap Lv1, Blink Lv1.
Ten additional players supported them, filling gaps, intercepting stragglers and reinforcing pressure.
From a distance, Zack studied them quietly.
Why bother guarding it? he thought to himself.
They were strong enough to clear the dungeon themselves yet they weren't entering. They were just… blocking it.
And anyone who slipped past wouldn't last long anyway. Branik and Maevin covered every approach, Tavric held the high ground flawlessly, Seltris kept buffs and slows rolling and Rylor's traps were a minefield no sane person would rush through.
He watched their formation shift.
Branik (to the frontline): "Hold. Don't overextend. Just stall. They'll be here soon."
Seltris: "Keep distance. If they get inside, it doesn't matter."
Rylor (checking traps): "Trap triggered. Assassin tried slipping by—didn't make it."
Maevin: "Less chatter. Main party's almost done with the other hidden dungeon. Just a few more minutes."
Their movements made it obvious, they weren't guarding this place for loot or first clear.
They were killing time, waiting for another party that was finishing a hidden dungeon elsewhere.
Once the other party finished their dungeon, these top five would allow them to claim this one, only stepping aside after the first clear then claiming the dungeon for their own EXP grind.
From the ridge, Zack observed every movement. Their synergy, coordination and skill were impressive. Just as he was thinking that, the other group finally showed up.
They were a small but talented team, clearly having completed the hidden dungeon elsewhere and their confidence radiated through the clearing.
From the entrance, they charged in with aggressive precision, swiftly handling the smaller groups of players who had been lingering or attempting to slip by.
Merek (Fighter, Party Leader): "You folks don't stand a chance, down you go!"
Luoa (Mage): Did you even notice that dodge? Ridiculous.
Fenn (Archer): Try that again and maybe you'll live. Haha.
The top five smirked at the dungeon entrance and exchanged knowing glances.
They had anticipated this, the newcomers were the party they had been waiting for, the ones finishing the other hidden dungeon.
Their gloating and playful mockery made for decent entertainment, yet the top five remained together on the sidelines, content to watch without stepping in.
Merek: Ooh, nice attempt, rookie! You'll need more than that to defeat us.
Lyra: Look at them freak out! I could do this all day!
Their arrogance wasn't just obvious, it was boss level aggro, screaming for attention. They paused for a moment after each minor confrontation, laughing and gesturing, clearly relishing the sight of smaller parties struggling to survive.
The group that had finished their hidden dungeon drifted toward the entrance, still catching their breath from the run and the quick scuffle they'd dealt with moments earlier.
Merek exhaled, still riding the post-dungeon adrenaline. "Hey… appreciate you holding the line here. We wouldn't have made it without you keeping the area clear."
Fenn, the archer, flashed a lopsided grin. "Yeah, I was half-expecting someone to get bold and ruin our run."
The top five at the entrance simply nodded, their role had been straightforward: stall for time and maintain control until the main party finished.
Even though the raid and guild systems weren't active yet, the major clans were already functioning, operating in smaller squads.
They moved strategically, aiding the main party to secure first clears, enhancing both their stats and reputation.
Simultaneously, they farmed for resources, leveled up their professions and expanded their influence.
The laughter and chatter from the main party outside the dungeon echoed across the clearing.
They were busy congratulating the top five for holding the dungeon, joking and exchanging playful jabs, completely immersed in their own celebration.
***
Obi's party crouched behind the ridge, ready.
Haze: So… what's the plan?
Obi The Limit-Breaker (grinning, shrugging his massive shield): "Beat this bunch of wannabe pros. No fancy talk. Just… hit."
Before anyone could ask more, he charged forward, shield raised, boots kicking up dirt and leaves.
Haze: …That's it? Just run in?
The moment their feet hit the open clearing, the battlefield exploded into motion.
Obi The Limit-Breaker smashed his shield into the nearest enemy; staggering them with Shield Bash Lv2, sending Branik sprawling backward. Damage numbers flashed above his head: 345.
As the enemy teetered, he leapt forward, drawing his mace and unleashing a booming battle cry:
Obi The Limit-Breaker: "BRRRAAA—KHHHH!! FOR GLORY AND HONOR!! I AM THE LIMIT-BREAKER!!"
The elongated shout ripped through the clearing and for a heartbeat, everything stopped.
Zack and his party, who had followed Obi to provide support, froze as well.
They instinctively took a few steps back, as if silently saying, we definitely don't know this guy— their secondhand embarrassment practically visible.
The defenders blinked, jaws slack, unsure of what had just happened.
In that frozen instant, Haze darted forward, PointAndShoot unleashed Arcane Bolt Lv2.
Zack (thinking): Rin would probably team up with this guy in a heartbeat… they'd make a solid duo.
IrisVale (sighing): I swear, one of these days he's going to get us all killed with theatrics.
PointAndShoot: Ignore this stupid guy! Don't let him steal all the fun.
Haze darted around the flank, twin daggers glinting. Dual Strike Lv2 hit a distracted mage: -320, -338
IrisVale muttered a quick chant, casting a Holy ward around Obi The Limit-Breaker and Haze, the shimmering shield absorbing a volley of arrows from Tavric.
IrisVale: Don't die before I even get to heal you!
Obi The Limit-Breaker (grinning, blocking another strike): Relax! I got this.
PointAndShoot lifted her staff, unleashing Arcane Bolt Lv2, chaining across three targets in quick succession. Damage popped: 382, 395, 388.
Seltris (shouting, trying to regroup): What the— who the hell are these guys?!
Merek (drawing his sword): Don't let them get through!
The enemy team's tanks were just about to step forward to protect their party when Zack moved forward, crouching slightly as he scanned the expendable wall of tanks in front of the top five, shields braced.
Zack (whispering): "Let's see how sturdy you really are…"
His staff traced a swift arc through the air as Arcane Surge flared, magic energy crackling along his arms.
Lightning leapt from his staff in a single, fluid motion— Chain Lightning Lv2 struck the five expendable tanks simultaneously.
Numbers exploded above them:
Tank 1: 990
Tank 2: 1002
Tank 3: 1015
Tank 4: 1008
Tank 5: 1020
Before they could even react, they disintegrated into streams of glowing light, scattering through the air. The battlefield fell silent once more.
Zack's teammates froze, staring in disbelief, while the enemy party panicked outright. All eyes—friend and foe alike, turned towards him, as if expecting him to say something.
Zack blinked, tilting his head slightly, misreading their expectant stares as a call for a war cry.
…Are they seriously asking me to do that?
He held up a hand in mild protest.
Zack: "No. Absolutely not. I'm not doing that"
His teammates stared, speechless. The enemy party froze, utterly baffled.
Enemy Mage: "W-what… five tanks… just vanished?!"
Archer: "Is this even possible?!"
Eyes wide, they scrambled, muttering:
Enemy Fighter: "This can't be real… are we being punked?!"
As if to answer their disbelief, Zack calmly unleashed Ice Lance Lv2 and Judgement Ray, taking out a mage and a fighter. Damage numbers popped above their heads:
Mage: 738 - Frozen 2s,
Fighter: 1050 Damage
The newly arrived party, stood behind them, wide-eyed and tense, watching the frontline collapse in utter disbelief. Their collective thought echoed louder than Obi's roar: "What the hell is going on?!"
Haze(whispering to her party): "He's insane—You can see it on their faces"
IrisVale (muttering): "And he's a priest too… like me. Seriously -.-"
Not to mention, it had only been a day since they last fought alongside him and already, he was stronger than they remembered.
With their mage already down, only four of the top five were still standing, each with dangerously low health and the newly arrived party brought the total enemy count to nine.
Obi The Limit-Breaker: Alright, Mr. Field Boss, that's enough. Step back and let us see what they're really capable of.
Point: Yeah… the boss can chill and support for once.
Haze (thinking to herself):"Watching him one-shot everything… you never really get used to it."
Zack froze for a moment, completely speechless.
Support like a priest…? He stared at them for a moment.
After a pause, he exhaled lightly and simply nodded. Finally, Zack pulled back, letting the remaining enemies catch their breath.
He left the frontline to his teammates, while he provided quiet support from behind.
The remaining players charged forward but Zack's party hardly flinched, sizing them up as if they were nothing more than a warm-up.
Benediction Aura glowed around the group.
Zack's healing bonus made every tick far stronger than it looked. Even when the top-four unleashed AoE's and heavy combos, his subtle, continuous healing kept his party stable:
Healing pulses ticked every 2 seconds, restoring 30 × 1.65 = 49.5 HP/sec extra from his ring and weapon passive:
Obi The Limit-Breaker: 49.5 (DEF +10%)
Haze: 49.5 (DEF +10%)
Blessing of Resolve shimmered across Obi like glowing energy — DEF +15%, RES +15% (Elemental resistance buffed).
With his fighter skill set, he was practically a walking fortress, shrugging off blows that would've floored most players.
A quick Purify from Zack wiped out every slow, burn and poison effect in an instant. Obi's HP bar barely even twitched. Meanwhile, Haze darted through the fray, impossible to pin down, a blur of movement and blades.
Her damage numbers flared violently: -342, -389, -401, each strike landing before her enemies could even react.
PointAndShoot, left completely unchecked, unleashed spell after spell without pause, turning herself into the perfect artillery powerhouse.
Zack's Momentum Shift triggered with a faint blue glow, instantly refreshing Benediction Aura's cooldown.
The aura reignited, its golden light coating the team, maintaining flawless uptime on both regeneration and defense buffs.
His Heal II only restored about 132 HP, nowhere near Iris's 298, he noted but that was fine. He wasn't built to be a pure healer anyway.
Meanwhile, IrisVale matched his support stride for stride:
Sanctuary Field pulsed +60 HP every 2 seconds, empowered by her own gear effects.
Cauterize burst through with +120 HP, cleansing debuffs mid-combat.
Holy Ward shimmered before bursting like glass, blocking a fiery AoE.
Haze's Shadow Mirage clone appeared beside her, a perfect double, carving through an enemy's flank.
-555! -431!
Two critical hits before fading into Stealth mode.
Obi The Limit-Breaker let out a thunderous roar, plunging into the fray. "Molten Charge!"
The ground cracked beneath his boots as he slammed into two opponents: -400! -390!
Both were knocked flat, weapons scattering.
From the back, PointAndShoot's Frost Shard cut through the air, icy light trailing its path -470!
The player froze mid-motion before shattering into particles.
The battlefield became a blur of numbers, damage and healing ticks -410, +298, -389, +130, -400, +60 flashing just above their heads faster than anyone could register.
Then, suddenly, it all stopped.