Ren made quick mental calculations. They still have Roxy, Nikolai, and the Swordsman, who could attract the aggro and had the skill to escape. But without the [Smoke Duds], the best distraction they could give was about one minute long or thirty seconds at their worst.

“Try to delay the aggro on you,” Ren instructed Roxy. “Don’t use your [Blink] if you can avoid its attacks first.”

Roxy heard Ren, and she knew she had to stall for time. But her fear won in the end, and she immediately used [Blink] when Gorm merely flexed its weapon.

“Idiot, what are you doing?!” Rox berated his sister.

“I’m sorry! I panicked!”

Gorm seized the opportunity and bolted in Roxy’s direction, kicking dust as it did.

The zooming ball of massive metal seemed like a giant meteor in Roxy’s eyes, and it felt like it would pulverize her from where she stood that all she could do was scream.

“Hey! I’m over here!” Nikolai shouted and saved Roxy in the neck of time with its [Taunt]. A good thing that Gorm only did a regular attack or Roxy might have been the first to perish from their group.

Gorm released a loud grunt; this time, a fume of smoke rose from all the orifices in its helmet. It seemed like he was tired of playing games and giving chase. As more time passed, its grunts grew louder and louder while its angry fumes grew thicker.

Ren found it funny, and despite their situation, he let out a chuckle.

When it was Nikolai’s turn, everyone was surprised that the kid was very nibble on his feet, and it appeared to be like he was just playing with Gorm.

His small size also worked to his advantage. His body twisted in exaggerated arc mid-air as he avoided all Gorm’s normal attacks.

“Tsk. I can believe a kid beat you. Look at how calm he is. Why didn’t you even give us five seconds? As an adult, you should be ashamed of yourself. And you call yourself our guild leader?” Rox criticized his sister.

Roxy was embarrassed red, and she had nothing to say but, “Shut up!”

Nikolai managed to give the group at least twenty seconds with Gorm before the Swordsman took the aggro from him when the kid escape using [Blink] after Gorm unleashed its skill.

But it was nowhere near enough. They still have at least forty seconds, and in that short time frame, someone would definitely get killed now that they have nothing in their list of spells that let them escape from Gorm’s skills.

Gorm’s normal attacks were slow and could be avoided. But its skill had a hundred percent success hit. A good thing that Gorm only used its skills after it made two to three times its regular attacks.

They couldn’t also cancel Gorm’s skill mid-casting with their Agrro-related skill, so it was important that they escaped when it unleashed its skill. Once that was over, another player would take the aggro until Gorm released another skill.

That was how the strategy worked for them.

The Swordsman in their group was a novice, and just like Roxy, he panicked under pressure and from the intimidating giant before him. He made the mistake of docking from Gorm’s blow and unconsciously struck it with his sword.

“Idiot!”

“Don’t fight it!”

Everyone’s warning came too late when Gorm’s passive skill activated, and a vicious blow from above cleaved the Swordsman in half.

The last thing that was heard from him was his shaking shrieks before he burst into particles and disappeared into thin air.

Everyone lamented at their comrades’ passing, but Ren only sighed in relief that the Swordsman was among those who got the [Smoke Duds] and already used it.

So his death wasn’t that big of a deal.

Rather, Ren would have told the guy to sacrifice himself later to save the others. But since he was already gone, Ren thought of the next member who he would throw against Gorm to drag the time.

It might sound cruel, but it was part of the plan. It was just like the game of chess. Sacrifice some pieces to corner the king.

In this case, the only one Ren thought was the perfect candidate to stall Gorm until the timer was done was . . . either Tor or Nikolai since they were both Monks.

“Not my brother!” Sumeri gnashed her teeth when she noticed the evil glint in Ren’s eyes directed at Nikolai. She would fight Ren tooth and nail if ever he made Nikolai a cannon fodder.

“I’ll do it!” Tor stepped in.

“Leader, no!”

“You’re the leader of this guild. You can’t be the first to die!”

“In this case, the second to die!”

Tor’s members growled their discontent and worried for their guild leader.

Tor only faced them with a wide grin and said, “Unless one of you take my place?”

“. . .”

“. . .”

The two thieves turned serious. “Leader, you will be missed.”

The Sniper saluted. “We will carry on even without you.”

Tor’s eyelid twitched, and he muttered, “Bunch of assholes.”

“Hurry up, or I’m going to die here,” Ren said, avoiding a slash from Gorm. “And don’t forget to give your items to anyone with a free slot!”

While Roaring Tigers were busy saying their farewell to their leader, Gorm was already engaging Ren to death, waiting for no one to grab another kill.

Lucky for Ren, Gorm wasn’t unleashing any skills. But it was only a matter of time.

After giving his items to his members, Tor immediately engaged Gorm, taking off the pressure from Ren’s shoulders. He could chose not to, but he felt like Ren was needed more than him and he already gave his words to follow his command all for the sake of victory.

Besides, he couldn’t possibly call himself a man if he let a kid die in his place.

“Come here, you overgrown ball of metal!” Tor used [Taunt], and another irritating cry shot out from Gorm’s mouth.

Thick smoke rose from its head as it dashed towards Tor with a vengeance. Tor didn’t do anything but evade, being careful not to counterattack Gorm like the Swordsman did accidentally.

While Gorm and Tor were engaged in the fight, Roxy asked Ren.

“Why didn’t you send one of the thieves? We already lost our Swordsman. Now our DPS will suffer if Tor died. Or . . . you can even send my useless brother.”

“Huh?!” A vein popped in Rox’s neck.

“Rox doesn’t have any aggro-related skill. If he attack Gorm in hopes to steal the aggro, he’d be dead before that could happen,” explained Ren and added, “and we need those two thieves.”

Rox crossed his hands and smirked at his sister.

Roxy only batted her eyelids at him and asked Ren, “For what?”

“. . .” Ren flashed a grin in Roxy’s way. “You’ll know.”

Roxy grumbled under her breath before she shut her mouth and watched the battle raging on while repeatedly taking a glimpse at the timer flashing above them.

Only fifteen seconds left.

Maybe Tor could survive the fight after all.

Their hopes were ignited until Ren doused it with his cold words.

“Nikolai, get ready to steal the aggro if Tor dies before the timer ends.”

“Y-you . . .” Sumeri was about to interfere again when Nikolai stopped her.

“It’s fine, sister. Amongst us left, me, Leonel, and Roxy have the aggro stealing ability. We can’t have Roxy die since she’s the last remaining leader. She has to be in the group until the end. While Leonel is needed in the last fight, if ever it’s a battle between guilds.”

Ren nodded in Nikolai’s way while he smirked at Sumeri. “Your brother has a calm head. I wonder who’s the pro gamer between the two of you.”

“Shut up.”

“You should practice what you preach before about being level-headed. You’re an experienced player Sumeri, don’t let your emotions interfere with our victory.”

“. . .” Sumeri only fisted her hands before she released a deep breath. Ren was right. But she was a sister before she was a gamer. She couldn’t help it.

Something that Ren would never understand since he was an only child. Sumeri thought.

—-

A/N (Doesn’t consume coins)

If I can’t post another chap it means that its blackout since we have a storm in the country. I publish two chapters first before that happens. Third chapter is still in writing (I’m so slow) 😭

Thank you to Darted_Table for the super gift! �

And everyone for all the support �

No. of Bonus Chapter Left = 6 🤣

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