"Hazel Lane has requested to join the Galeforce Squad."
The notification flickered in Ash Valor’s peripheral vision. The little girl he once knew had grown into a formidable Level 121 B-Rank Mage, a cornerstone of the Skystrider Guild. Her Warbrand Aura alone could shift the tide of a war, buffing the entire guild's offensive and defensive capabilities. Most leaders would have considered her presence an honor.
Ash hit the "Reject" button without a second thought.
"Ash?" Hazel’s voice crackled with confusion.
"Stay inside the city walls," Ash said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Bosses over Level 100 have high intelligence. They know how to prioritize high-value targets. If you follow Galeforce out there, you’re just putting a target on all our backs."
Hazel hovered near him, her expression falling. "Are you really heading out there?"
"We'll see. Right now, I can't protect you. Your contribution to the team is staying alive—that's how we keep the buffs running and the XP flowing."
"Fine," she sighed, shoulders slumping. "I was just hoping to leech a little experience."
Ash’s reputation within the guild had skyrocketed recently, making recruitment easy. Within minutes, a group of high-tier support mages filled the slots.
Target acquired: Celeste Quinn casts Blessing of Insight. Mana regeneration increased by 100%.
Target acquired: Ellis Yang casts Mana Amplification. Total Mana +20%.
Combined with the passive effects of The Arcane Font within the guild territory, Ash’s mana pool swelled to a staggering 200,000. At this rate, he could replenish his entire reserve in under ten minutes. While the individual arrows from his Phantom Summoned bows only dealt 10% of his base attack, the sheer volume of Meteor Volley made him a one-man artillery battery—provided he had the mana to burn.
"Celeste, Ellis—keep your distance," Ash commanded. "Focus on staying safe and keep the utility coming."
"Brett Fang, the front line is collapsing! Get moving!"
Ash couldn't wait any longer. A series of rapid Blinks took him to the very peak of a Defense Tower. He was a veteran of the wastes, accustomed to the daily grind of the monster tides, but the sight below stole his breath.
A sea of Level 100 monstrosities hammered against the Ramparts. The guild had no defensive shield; instead, a line of high-tier Tanks had leaped from the walls, forming a living barricade of steel and meat. Despite their bravery, the Rampart’s durability was plummeting.
"Can we actually hold this?" Ash muttered.
Farther back, Level 150 elites were joining the fray. It was a coordinated assault. A high-level Boss was clearly orchestrating the chaos, funneling reinforcements from other sectors toward their position.
"Doesn't matter. Kill them all."
Monsters began scaling the walls. Winged horrors shrieked overhead, diving toward the heart of the territory. The Skystrider Guild had nearly eighty thousand defenders and a forest of Defense Towers, but the pressure was immense.
"Meteor Volley!"
Whish. Whish. Whish.
For the first time since his Awakening, Ash let loose. He chained ten Meteor Volleys in rapid succession, turning the sky into a rain of lethal light.
[-23,597!]
[-24,369!]
A chaotic fountain of damage numbers erupted across the battlefield. It was impossible to count them all.
[Kill Count +981 | Gold +1,172 | Experience +18,746]
One burst, and a massive chunk of the horde was vaporized. With his current buffs, Ash’s effective attack power hit 300,000. Even with the monsters' natural damage reduction, each phantom arrow bit for over ten thousand damage. Against the massive hitboxes of high-level mobs, a single arrow rarely missed.
"One skill and the zone is clear?" Ash frowned, dissatisfied. "No, a few are still standing. That won't do."
He reached into his belt, cracking open a series of vials. Berserker’s Draught for raw power, Swiftness Draught for attack speed, followed by Intelligence and Spirit elixirs to stabilize his newfound skills.
"In for a penny, in for a pound." He downed a high-grade mana potion.
Another volley shrieked skyward. This time, the targeted zone didn't just thin out—it ceased to exist. His increased Willpower had expanded the area of effect, turning the skill into a literal map-wiper.
"Give me infinite mana, and I could hold this entire army alone," Ash whispered.
While his mana recovered, he switched to the Golden Longbow. His arrows became streaks of gold, automatically seeking out aerial targets. It was more efficient than letting mages waste high-tier spells on scattered flyers they might miss anyway.
[-351,598!]
[-361,489!]
Fighting within the territory was a dream. His damage was astronomical, turning Level 100 mobs into scrap. His name began climbing the guild’s contribution leaderboard, cracking the top six hundred.
[Experience +1,139]
[Experience +2,036]
[Ding! One in a Million triggered. Random Stat +20!]
[Your Phantom Summon (Chitin) has been destroyed. Re-summon available.]
"Damn. Even with that armor, it couldn't hold," Ash noted, immediately calling the beast back into existence. Better to lose a summon than a brother. Chitin was a decent off-tank, and its kills added to Ash's tally.
"Holy shit, Captain! Look at that output!"
"Ash! Why the hell are you on top of the tower? If you fall, the monsters won't even need to kill you!"
Brett Fang and the rest of the squad arrived, their voices a familiar, chaotic din in the team channel.
"Shut up and get to the Ramparts," Ash barked, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "Work as a unit of seven. Stay sharp."
"We've got this, Captain!"
"Wait—look at the levels on those things! Pop your pots, boys!"
[Team Effect: Revitalizing Aura — HP +10%, Defense +10%]
[Team Effect: Ward — Brett Fang redirects 15% of incoming damage.]
The defense held, but only just. Orion was frantically spending Contribution Points as fast as they came in, raising new Defense Towers and upgrading existing ones.
"The Bosses haven't even shown up yet," Ash noted grimly.
Suddenly, Caden Marlowe’s voice boomed over the guild channel, electrified with excitement.
"Listen up, Skystriders! We’ve got reinforcements! Give them a welcome they'll hear in the next province!"
[Declan Ward (Assassin) has joined the raid.]
[Sera Ashford (Mage) has joined the raid.]
Ash stared at the level readouts, his heart skipping a beat.
Declan Ward: Level 206.
Sera Ashford: Level 198.
Ash remembered Sera. He'd seen her briefly during his first excursion outside the city. Back then, she was lower level than Caden. Now? She was thirty levels ahead of him. She was a "skip"—a freak of nature. Evan Valor had mentioned that the top five hundred guilds were each assigned a Level 200 powerhouse. Declan Ward was likely that assignment, while Sera was a returning legend of the Skystriders.
"With these two, we might actually survive this."
"Keep the pressure on!" Caden shouted. "But keep the cheers louder! Let them know we're glad they're home!"
The guild channel dissolved into a frenzy of "Goat!" and "OP!" Declan Ward, apparently not used to the fanfare, stuttered a reply. "Uh... thanks. Just... keep killing monsters."
"I'm heading out to hunt the Bosses," Declan added, his voice regaining its edge. "Caden, shut your mouth and come with me."
"On it! Orion, you've got the walls. Sera, you feel the love? You should just take over as Guild Leader. It's great money!"
"This is the team channel, Caden. Shut. Up."
Declan knew the only way to end a siege was to cut off the head. He vanished into the wastes, a shadow seeking blood.
Sera Ashford remained. She stood on the Rampart, a vision in crimson robes. Her face was a mask of cold, ethereal beauty, her presence commanding the air around her. She didn't walk; she drifted, her feet barely touching the stone.
"Orion," her voice cut through the channel. "Pick the ten most promising recruits. Put them in my squad."
She immediately left the main raid group. Ash realized what was happening—the legendary players were going to power-level the next generation.
"Only ten?" Ash muttered, slightly bitter. Then, a private ping from Orion flashed.
"Leave your team. NOW."
Ash didn't hesitate. If he was on that list, he wasn't going to waste a second.
[Sera Ashford has invited you to join the party.]
"Ash," Orion messaged privately. "The other nine are B-Ranks, plus one A-Rank. Sera wants potential. If anyone asks, you're an A-Rank. Got it?"
"I'm not that good at lying, Orion."
"Then tell them you're a high B. Just don't mention the E-Rank thing."
The party was a collection of the guild's future. The lowest was Level 26; none were over Level 100. They were the seeds Sera intended to water with blood and experience.
"Ash Valor," Sera said, looking directly at him. "I’ll be handling the leveling. You’re on overwatch. Cover me."
Ash blinked. "You know who I am?"
"You're on the Planar Broadcasts. Hard to miss. Can you handle it?"
"How am I supposed to cover someone of your level?"
"You have the range. Anything that flies within a hundred yards of me, you kill. Simple."
Ash cursed Orion internally. This wasn't a free ride; it was a job.
"I have twelve hours," Sera announced. "After that, I have a dungeon raid with my primary team. If you can’t keep up for twelve hours, leave now."
Nobody moved. Ash felt like he could go for ninety-six hours if it meant this kind of progress.
"Ten minutes. Prep everything. We move."
Ash watched as a mountain-sized shadow descended from the clouds. A massive golden eagle, its wingspan stretching sixty meters, touched down with the weight of a falling star.
"A summon?" someone whispered.
"No," Ash corrected. "That’s a Spirit Beast. Level 201. 'Goldie'."
Sera had some serious connections.
"Mount up," Sera commanded.
Ash leaped onto the beast’s back, grabbing a golden feather that felt like a cold, serrated blade of tempered steel.
"Don't be nervous, little ones," Goldie’s voice vibrated through their very bones. "The Golden One is the smoothest ride in the world. Just lay back and watch the levels roll in."
Ash ran a hand over the metallic plumage. These feathers would make incredible crafting materials, he thought. I wonder if he’d notice if I pulled one...
"Ash Valor," Goldie said, startling him. "Get your level up. That Death Strike of yours is a god-killer. Once you're strong enough, I’ll introduce you to the real heavy hitters."
"Thank you... sir," Ash managed.
"Don't thank me yet. I knew a guy once with a similar ability. The first time he progged it on a high-level boss, the damage reflected. He turned into red mist instantly."
Ash’s blood ran cold. No skill was perfect. If Death Strike did the boss's entire health pool in damage, a 10% reflection would kill Ash ten times over. He needed more HP. He needed more defense.
Sera was busy loading up on supplies—thousands of epic-tier mana potions and specialized consumables. "Caden’s paying for this," she muttered, clearly annoyed by the price tag. "If we don't make a profit, I'm taking it out of his hide."
While they waited, Orion messaged Ash again. "Add the others. Learn their builds. These people—Gareth, Roan, Nina—they’re the third generation. Caden, Sera, Declan... they won't be around forever. If the guild is going to survive, you ten have to be ready to take the reins."
"You sound like you're giving a funeral oration, Orion."
"In this world, every day is a funeral oration. I’m just being realistic. Follow Sera. Grow fast. You’re the one we're betting on, Ash."
Ash looked at his new teammates. "Name’s Ash Valor. A-Rank Archer. Let’s get through this together."
The lie about his rank slid out easily. Nobody doubted him; the Planar Broadcast was all the proof they needed.
"Gareth Stone, B-Rank Warrior. Frontline DPS."
"Roan Vance, B-Rank Lightning Mage."
"Nina Fang, B-Rank Summoner."
"Marcus Steele, A-Rank."
"Aldric Voss, A-Rank."
It was a powerhouse squad. Even another Archer, Cole Ashford, was a B-Rank.
Sera vaulted onto Goldie’s neck. "Ash, watch the sky. Goldie, anything gets close, eat it. I'm going full offensive. My life is in your hands."
"No pressure," Ash muttered, bracing himself.
"Don't worry," Goldie chirped. "Nothing Level 200 or below is stupid enough to touch me. Hold on!"
The takeoff was violent. The G-force slammed Ash against the eagle’s back as they streaked into the sky. The wind howled, a freezing gale that threatened to rip them off, but Ash stabilized himself, already nocking an arrow.
"You're focused, kid," Goldie noted. "I like that."
"We're starting from the bottom," Ash shouted over the wind. "We have to work harder."
"An A-Rank with Death Strike? You're hardly at the bottom. But stay humble. It’ll keep you alive."
Sera turned back. "Ash, the Void Rift you found... it was near here, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. Just ahead."
"You did a good thing there. If that had stayed open, Southhaven would be a graveyard. You've got guts."
Ash didn't mention he'd been seconds away from using a Displacement Talisman to flee. "Luck," he said simply.
"Well, let's see if that luck holds. I'm going to drop a few levels on you. Get ready."
They were twenty miles out now. The monsters below were Level 170. For a Level 30 or 40 player, the XP from a single kill here was astronomical.
"My primary skill is Meteor Convergence," Sera said, her voice turning icy. "It costs one million mana. It drains me completely."
Ash’s jaw dropped. A million mana?
Sera raised her staff. The air around them began to shimmer and warp. The temperature skyrocketed.
"Meteor Convergence... descend."
The sky didn't just change; it broke. Hundreds of massive fireballs, each the size of a cathedral, tore through the atmosphere. They covered a ten-mile radius, a literal rain of stars.
Boom. Boom. BOOM.
The earth shook. The horizon turned a blinding, apocalyptic red.
[Experience +23,651]
[Experience +18,268]
[Experience +20,369]
Gold light exploded from the new recruits as they leveled up multiple times in seconds.
[Level Up! All Stats +20 | Free Stats +40]
Ash leveled up without even firing a shot. Below, the wasteland was a sea of fire. Elite monsters were being snuffed out like candles in a hurricane.
"Is this... is this what Level 200 looks like?" Roan Vance stammered.
"How long does it last?" Ash asked, his eyes fixed on the carnage.
"Thirty minutes," Sera replied, her face pale from the strain. "But it can be interrupted. That’s why you’re here. Don't let anything touch me."
"On it."
Ash drew his bow. A swarm of Crimson Bats—Level 170 flyers—streaked toward them, sensing the source of the magic. Ash loosed a flurry of arrows. They didn't fly straight; they curved in mid-air, threading through the chaos to find their marks.
"Homing arrows?" Sera glanced back, impressed. "Not bad."
"Compared to you? I'm just throwing toothpicks."
"Don't sell yourself short. I can only do this twice a day. The cooldown is twelve hours. That’s why we’re here for the duration. When this ends, we move to Meteor Rain—less damage, but better efficiency."
Ash didn't care about the efficiency. He watched his experience bar move like a stopwatch. In the shadow of a god, the climb was easy.