666 Veil of Darkness

[Side Story]

[Ragnar, Sumeri, Nikolai]

Within a fraction of a second, its trunk thickened, its bark turning a deep, rich brown. The branches multiplied, forming a sprawling canopy that stretched across the room. The leaves, now fully formed, shimmered white and sparkling.

Within moments, what had once been a tiny seed had become a majestic and towering Yggdrasil tree. Its branches arched overhead, casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the ground below.

The air was infused with a fresh, rejuvenating scent as if the very essence of life itself emanated from the tree.

Under the protection of the three, the players would find themselves enveloped by Yggdrasil's magical aura.

Taking shelter beneath its fifty-meter-wide canopy, the

players' health points and magical reserves would begin to recover rapidly, a thousand points every five seconds.

Furthermore, the Yggdrasil's magic wove a protective barrier around them, reducing the damage from both physical and magical attacks by half.

Black Lion guild members halted in their tracks, their expressions a mixture of awe and apprehension as they witnessed the Yggdrasil tree.

They didn't know what trick World Conquerors were up on their sleeves, and this made them cautious.

"What are you doing?! Attack them! Kill them!" Invayne gave the command. "It's just a fucking tree!"

The tension in the room reached its breaking point as the battle between a hundred players of the Black Lion guild and the trio of The tension in the room reached its breaking point as the battle between a hundred players of the Black Lion guild and the trio of Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai erupted into chaos.

The players from Black Lion charged forward, their confidence soaring because of their numbers.

Ragnar, Sumeri, and Nikolai knew they had to choose their position wisely to avoid being overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of their enemies.

They backed into a corner, their backs against the walls, ensuring they wouldn't be flanked from all sides while the tree protected their right side.

"Stay under the tree's canopies!" Ragnar bellowed, taking charge of the situation. He and Nikolai formed a protective vanguard, their armor, and weapons imposing as they prepared to defend against the onslaught.

Sumeri, positioned slightly behind the two defenders, readied her spells, her eyes scanning the battlefield for the perfect moment to strike.

"Let's finish this quick," she reminded them.

Yggdrasil would only remain standing for about five minutes. They had to eliminate as many members of Black Lion before that time ended.

The players from Black Lion, initially confident that they would easily overpower the trio, soon realized the error of their assumptions.

Their attacks, when they struck, barely made a dent in Ragnar's massive armor and impressive defense. Their mouths widened in disbelief as they witnessed the futility of their efforts.

But what truly defied their expectations was the incredible regenerative power of the Yggdrasil tree.

Under its protective canopy, Ragnar's wounds began to close at an astonishing rate. A thousand hit points of health were restored to him every two seconds, rendering him nearly invulnerable.

It was a sight that left the Black Lion players in awe and frustration.

Frustration turned to desperation as they struggled to land effective blows on their seemingly invincible opponent.

Spells and attacks were deflected or absorbed by Ragnar's defenses. The battle raged on, with the trio standing firm against the relentless assault.

In the midst of the chaos, Sumeri unleashed her spells, striking down Black Lion members with devastating magic.

The room echoed with the clash of steel, the crackling of spells, and the shouts of combatants as the battle between a hundred players and three World Conquerors raged on.

"This is hopeless! Our mana is exhausted, and we've lost half our members, but World Conqueror is still in top condition!"

"As long as that tree stands, we won't stand a chance."

"I quit!"

"Me too!"

"It's not worth it. It's too much trouble!"

The opposing group's morale was diminishing fast, and Invayne's anger boiled over. "A bunch of cowards! Get back here and fight!"

"Shut up!"

"How about you go fight then?!"

"Yeah! You're just hiding in the back of your troops!"

A vein popped on Invayne's face. "What did you say?!"

"It's no use, Invayne," one of the Black Lions said. "We can't expect anyone except the Black Lions to risk their lives in this battle. We have to think of a strategy to win."

"In case you haven't noticed, we're losing. What more strategy do you want to employ?"

"All our items have cooldowns. We'll just have to play this smart and wait for them to finish."

"Wait?!" Invayne screamed in disbelief. "While they pick us off one by one?"

"World Conqueror would never leave the shadows of the canopy. Once they do, they know we'll descend upon them like a storm."

Invayne paused and considered the words. Then she smiled. "Good thinking. Tell the others to wait, then. Hold the position and cease-fire. Retreat, and let's maintain our position!"

Sumeri and Ragnar stood amidst the chaos of the battlefield, their eyes reflecting the tension that hung in the air.

Their enemies were retreating, waiting at the edge of the canopy for them to make their first move.

Sumeri turned to Ragnar. Her brow furrowed in concern. "They seem to have found out about the loophole in our strategy. They initiated the retreat," she said, her voice laced with amusement.

Ragnar replied calmly, "Took them long enough."

Nikolai voiced his concern. "What are we going to do now?" he asked, his eyes flickering towards the diminishing protection of the ancient tree.

Ragnar, however, remained composed, his voice calm but authoritative. "Now that they aren't coming at us, Sumeri is the scroll ready that Ren gave you," he ordered, his gaze fixed on Sumeri.

Sumeri's lips curled into a smirk, a glint of confidence in her eyes. "It's ready," she replied, her fingers tracing the scroll at her side. "Just need two minutes, enough time for the tree to disappear."

Sumeri's hands moved with speed as she unraveled the scroll, her eyes scanning the ancient symbols etched upon it.

She began chanting an incantation under her breath, her words resonating with power. Time seemed to stretch as they waited, each second feeling like an eternity.