Chapter 350: Alliance and Reward
[Safe zone shrinking...]
The crimson corruption advanced faster now, forcing players closer together. Those who lingered too long in the outer zones were consumed by the entropy.
The Entropy Titan finally collapsed after absorbing hundreds of attacks, its body dissolving into a shower of loot. Players scrambled for the drops, fighting each other over every piece of equipment.
Caelus saw his opportunity.
"Now."
They dropped from their hiding spot and charged into the chaos. Caelus activated Swift Strike and moved through the disorganised players like a blur.
His fists connected with throats, temples, and spines as he disabled opponents before they could react.
[+0.03 Combat Score]
[+0.05 Combat Score]
[+0.04 Combat Score]
Notifications flooded his vision as he cut through the weakened fighters. Sylvia fought beside him as well.
She grabbed one player’s arm and snapped it backward before using his body as a shield against incoming attacks.
[Core Shard Obtained: 1/4]
Caelus snatched the glowing fragment from the boss’s remains and immediately retreated.
"We have one," he called to Sylvia.
They broke away from the chaos as the remaining players realised what had happened.
"Get them!" someone screamed from behind.
A group of survivors gave chase, but Caelus and Sylvia had already gained significant distance.
[Current Combat Score: 0.89]
Their power had increased dramatically from all the extraction during the boss fight.
[Special Announcement]
[Player "ChaosDragon" has obtained a Core Shard]
[Location broadcasting...]
Caelus’s expression twisted with annoyance as his position appeared on everyone’s map.
"Of course there’s no way to get a shard without becoming a target," he muttered.
The first hunters arrived within minutes. A team of five players surrounded them in a rocky clearing.
"Hand over the shard, and we might let you live," the leader demanded.
Caelus did not bother responding.
He charged directly at the speaker and drove his knee into the man’s stomach. The impact folded the leader in half as Caelus grabbed his head and slammed it into the ground.
[Opponent Defeated]
[+0.12 Combat Score absorbed]
The remaining four attacked at the same time, but their coordination was sloppy. Sylvia intercepted two of them with a spinning kick that sent both crashing into each other.
Caelus blocked an incoming punch and countered with an elbow strike to the attacker’s temple.
[Opponent Defeated]
[Opponent Defeated]
The last two tried to flee, but Caelus caught up to them in seconds.
[Opponent Defeated]
[Opponent Defeated]
[Current Combat Score: 1.34]
[Sylvia’s Combat Score: 1.21]
More hunters approached from multiple directions, drawn by the bounty on Caelus’s head. They fought wave after wave, each victory feeding their growing power.
[Entropy Wave: Phase 3]
[Safe zone critically reduced]
The arena had shrunk to less than a quarter of its original size. Survivors were now forced into close proximity, making avoidance impossible.
[Remaining Participants: 127]
The initial 847 players had been reduced to barely over a hundred in just a few hours.
Caelus spotted a familiar username floating above a distant figure.
[BigDaddyOrc (Planet Grulmar)]
The massive green-skinned warrior stood over a pile of defeated opponents, his body covered in battle scars. Their eyes met across the battlefield.
BigDaddyOrc grinned and started walking toward them with his enormous axe resting on his shoulder.
"So you’re the newcomer from Earth." His deep voice rumbled across the clearing.
"And you’re the orc who laughed at my combat score," Caelus replied, rolling his eyes.
"Don’t take it personally, kid. I laugh at everyone." BigDaddyOrc chuckled.
[BigDaddyOrc’s Combat Score: 2.47]
He was significantly stronger than both of them.
The orc’s expression turned serious as he surveyed the shrinking battlefield. "Listen, Earth boy. This event isn’t going to be easy for anyone. If we want to win, then we can’t be greedy. We should form an alliance."
"Hence, we should form a temporary alliance." BigDaddyOrc planted his axe into the ground. "We pool our resources, watch each other’s backs, and the rewards we get at the end will be the same. Everyone walks away alive as well. What do you think?"
Sylvia glanced at Caelus, uncertainty flickering in her crimson eyes. Through their bond, he could sense her hesitation.
But after some thought, the offer was not bad.
"Fine." Caelus nodded slowly. "But if you betray us, just know that I know black magic."
BigDaddyOrc burst into laughter at his words. "I like you, Earth boy. You’ve got spine."
[Alliance Formed: ChaosDragon + BloodQueen + BigDaddyOrc]
Just then, a beautiful and curvaceous figure approached from the east, her elegant robes flowing despite the chaos around her.
[MoonlitQueen (Planet Seraphel)]
"Room for one more?" she asked with a faint smile.
Her combat score read 2.31, nearly as high as the orc’s.
BigDaddyOrc glanced at Caelus before shrugging. "The more hands we have, the better our chances. You in?"
"I already have two Core Shards." MoonlitQueen revealed two glowing fragments. "We need one more, and we can get our rewards."
[Alliance Updated: ChaosDragon + BloodQueen + BigDaddyOrc + MoonlitQueen]
[Special Bonus Activated]
[Alliance members now receive enhanced extraction rates]
[Combat Score absorption increased by 50%]
"Oh?" Seeing this, BigDaddyOrc rubbed his chin. "Not bad. There was a hidden feature like this, huh?"
Soon, new notifications appeared.
[Entropy Wave: Phase 4]
[Safe zone entering critical state]
[Remaining Participants: 89]
Non-allied players began falling rapidly as the entropy consumed more territory. Entropy Fiends poured from every corrupted boundary, their numbers overwhelming isolated fighters.
The alliance moved as a unit toward the centre of the arena, engaging every opponent they encountered along the way.
[+0.18 Combat Score absorbed]
[+0.21 Combat Score absorbed]
[+0.15 Combat Score absorbed]
The enhanced extraction rate was making an enormous difference. Their combat scores climbed rapidly with every defeated opponent.
[Caelus’s Combat Score: 2.89]
[Sylvia’s Combat Score: 2.76]
They had already surpassed MoonlitQueen’s combat score and were rapidly approaching BigDaddyOrc’s level, thanks to clearing fiends and players before the other two.
[Remaining Participants: 43]
The alliance had claimed another Core Shard during the chaos, giving them a total of four. It was enough to activate an exit portal.
"The portal is over there." MoonlitQueen pointed toward a massive structure in the distance.
A glowing archway stood at the heart of the arena, surrounded by the strongest remaining fighters.
Among them stood StarforgeEmpress, her combat score reading 3.12 after absorbing countless opponents.
StarforgeEmpress noticed their approach, and her expression twisted with anger.
"You." She pointed directly at Caelus. "The brat who called me expired."
"Hello, Miss StarforgeEmpress." Caelus smiled. "How about you move along and give the new generation a chance?"
"As they say, the old generation has to sit out certain things to give the new generation more room to grow."
StarforgeEmpress immediately erupted with anger.
"I’ll kill you, kid. Argh. I’m not old."
She launched toward him with devastating speed, her combat score giving her an overwhelming physical advantage.
But unfortunately for her, she was one person and they were four.
"Don’t hate the player, hate the game, Empress," BigDaddyOrc replied as he pushed himself forward.
He arrived in front of Caelus in an instant, and with one thrust of his hand, a sonic boom erupted and sent her flying.
A few moments later, the empress began dissolving into light as her body rapidly broke apart.
"Moonlit and Orc, just you wait. I’m going to BOMB your planets."
Orc and Moonlit merely laughed at her words.
[Opponent Defeated]
[+0.78 Combat Score absorbed]
[Current Combat Score: 3.67]
[Remaining Participants: 12]
The final survivors had gathered near the exit portal, all of them watching the alliance warily.
BigDaddyOrc placed the final Core Shard into the portal’s receptacle.
[Exit Portal Activated]
[Countdown: 60 seconds]
[All alliance members may enter simultaneously]
The remaining non-allied players realised their chance was slipping away.
They attacked desperately, throwing everything they had at them.
Caelus fought with everything he had. Swift Strike increased his speed as he weaved between attacks.
Fire Bolt launched from his palm and created openings in the enemy formation. Energy Shield absorbed damage that would have otherwise disabled him.
[30 seconds remaining]
[Remaining Participants: 7]
Only the alliance members remained standing.
BigDaddyOrc laughed as the portal began to glow brighter. "Not bad for a newbie, Earth boy."
[10 seconds remaining]
The entropy closed in around them, crimson corruption consuming the last patches of safe ground.
[5... 4... 3... 2... 1...]
[Exit Portal Activated]
Golden light consumed them as they stepped through together.
[Genesis Arena Complete]
[Calculating Rewards...]