Chapter 1 The Harvest

The group of mages cast their single-target spells, blasting the Phantom Warriors away. Some thieves began to gather the items dropped by the Phantom Warriors. Nie Yan's Guild was severely lacking level 50 equipment, because many players were starting to rush to level 50, but the supply of level 50 equipment was far from meeting the players' needs.

This time's exploration was quite fruitful. Level 50 elites were rarely seen in other places, and they were difficult to deal with. Who could clear them so efficiently?

A wave of area-of-effect spells resulted in level 50 equipment dropping all over the ground.

Currently, level 50 equipment on the market was generally very expensive, with supply falling far short of demand. Every day, large groups of players in their forties teamed up to grind monsters in high-level areas, hoping to get some high-level equipment. Of course, the equipment they obtained was generally white or bronze grade. Silver grade and above were relatively rare.

This wave of area-of-effect spells was truly a huge profit.

They cleared the area bit by bit. Before long, Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun, Xi Huan Jiangnan, and Xia Chong Yu Bing sent messages saying that they had forgotten some spells and systematically learned some new skills.

Nie Yan walked towards the team's encampment and saw the three of them walking over.

"How are your spells coming along?" Nie Yan asked, having them send over their skill lists. If they weren't satisfied, they could modify and forget skills again, but it would cost some money.

"Forgetting spells and learning new skills is so expensive! The six hundred gold coins I saved up are all gone in an instant," Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun said with a bitter face. However, he had to admit that the six hundred gold coins were very well spent.

The magic tower in Cripps Fortress contained over a thousand kinds of spells, a dazzling array, many of which were quite good.

Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun had just entered the ranks of top players, and he hadn't accumulated much money. Unlike Xi Huan Jiangnan and Xia Chong Yu Bing, a few hundred gold coins wouldn't hurt them at all.

"The guild can reimburse you for the money you spent learning skills. Report to Guo Huai," Nie Yan said. He was very generous to this group of top players. These people would be the pillars of Asskickers United in the future, and it was worth spending more money on them.

Nie Yan listened to Xi Huan Jiangnan and the others describe the magic tower.

The magic tower had a total of six floors, but they could only enter the first and second floors. Inside, there were rows of bookshelves, filled with thick spellbooks and many books describing magic, even a lot of historical data. The administrator of the magic tower was an elderly scholar, who was responsible for teaching magic skills. As long as they paid him a certain amount of gold coins, they could learn many spells from him.

Nie Yan looked at Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun's skill list. He had only learned more than thirty skills. Ice Split, Freeze, Bursting Ice Orb, Ice Shard, Ice Spike…

He was taking the ice magic route. Nie Yan noticed that these ice spells were the simplest and lowest-level spells. They had one thing in common: their magic incantation time was short, their attack speed was fast and sharp, and they emphasized the ice mage's control ability.

Nie Yan glanced at Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun. Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun had his own ideas.

If these spells were used well, they would be very effective, whether in player-versus-player combat or in leveling.

"Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun's damage output isn't enough. After controlling the enemy, you need to unleash burst damage instantly, otherwise it will be easy for them to turn the tables," Nie Yan said, pointing out his shortcomings.

Yu Wangran Zhi Qing Chun scratched his head awkwardly and said, "I only had enough money to learn these skills. Those high-damage skills are too expensive."

"If you don't have enough money, go ask Guo Huai," Nie Yan said with a smile. So that was the reason. Members who had signed contracts could be reimbursed by the guild for learning skills and buying equipment. In the future, after the players in the guild advanced to higher classes, learning skills would also be a huge expense. He deeply felt that no amount of money was enough. After all, Asskickers United had more than sixty thousand members! Besides transporting equipment from underground to the surface, he had to expand his business more, such as fortresses. If he occupied a few more fortresses and developed them, the income from the fortresses would basically be enough to maintain the guild's expenses.

He then looked at the skill lists of Xi Huan Jiangnan and Xia Chong Yu Bing. They were taking different routes. Xi Huan Jiangnan was a Holy Word Mage, learning high-magic-damage spells. High-magic-damage skills usually had longer incantation times and required higher skills. Spells with long incantation times were easily interrupted, so the user had to have good judgment and be good at seizing opportunities.

As for Xia Chong Yu Bing, this guy took an unconventional path. He systematically learned Shadow Arcana, which didn't have strong control or high damage output, but rather shadow corrosion damage. Like a curse, it could corrode the enemy's defense and health. The longer the battle lasted, the higher the shadow corrosion damage.

No matter which tactic, as long as it was used well, it would be very strong.

There was no weakest class, no weakest skill, only the weakest player.

Mages who had undergone advanced studies at the magic tower would be very formidable. Even Nie Yan had to be very careful when encountering an advanced great mage.

These people all had their own tactics. They were all outstanding players in their previous lives. They had some unique understanding of their skills. Nie Yan could only give them some advice based on his own experience. He couldn't really teach them.

When they grew up and became familiar with their respective skills, Nie Yan might try to player-kill them. In his previous life, Nie Yan was definitely no match for Xia Chong Yu Bing and his group, but in this life, Nie Yan had already undergone a complete transformation.

Nie Yan had nearly ten years more gaming experience than them, so he naturally had a great advantage. However, as time went on, they would definitely improve.

Nie Yan said that after the area-of-effect spells of the magic-based players on the buildings had cooled down, he would continue to attract the Phantom Warriors.

After about three hours, the Phantom Warriors around Blackett the Black Bear were all cleared away.

Only the giant Blackett the Black Bear remained. Nie Yan, Sun, and Yi Chui Ding Qing had disturbed this guy several times while attracting monsters, and they were lucky to have run fast.

Nie Yan reorganized the team. This square could only accommodate seven or eight hundred people at most. If someone in front died, the players behind could replenish the ranks.

At this time, teams of players were clearing the streets of Cripps Fortress and converging towards this side.

"I need five hundred people: one hundred warriors, three hundred mages, fifty priests, thirty paladins, and twenty thieves!" Nie Yan said, asking Shui Se Yantou, Cui Can Daoguang, and others to help organize a team, but the numbers were slightly off.

Five hundred people in the front, and if there was enough space in the back, adding some mages wouldn't hurt.

Under the coordination of Shui Se Yantou, Cui Can Daoguang, and others, the team began to enter the square.

Cui Can Daoguang led more than twenty of Asskickers United's top shield warriors, beginning to surround Blackett the Black Bear.

Blackett the Black Bear quickly noticed Cui Can Daoguang and the others approaching. It let out a heavy roar, like a landslide or tsunami, causing the earth to tremble.

Cui Can Daoguang took one step after another, slowly approaching Blackett the Black Bear. The surrounding warriors also gathered around.

The mages were already in position, scattered in various places, waiting for Cui Can Daoguang's signal.

Cui Can Daoguang and the others were about fifteen yards away from Blackett the Black Bear, close to the limit that Blackett the Black Bear could tolerate. Just then, Blackett the Black Bear let out an angry roar, ran a few steps, and charged towards Cui Can Daoguang.

Heavy Shield Bash!

A shield warrior next to him quickly rushed up, and the heavy shield in his hand slammed into Blackett the Black Bear's body.

With a bang, the shield warrior was undoubtedly sent flying.

Instant kill!

However, he also slowed down Blackett the Black Bear's charge, reducing its speed.

Taking advantage of this moment, Cui Can Daoguang shouted in a low voice and activated Charge, rushing towards Blackett the Black Bear. With a Shield Bash, he activated the Savage Strength state skill, managing to block Blackett the Black Bear's charge.

Looking at Blackett the Black Bear's health, Cui Can Daoguang gasped. A full one million!

What a powerful mutated lord!

Blackett the Black Bear paused for a moment, raised its paw, and swept it towards Cui Can Daoguang.

Cui Can Daoguang quickly switched to a defensive stance. With a dull thud, he took a few steps back, and a damage value of -1573 floated above his head.

Immediately, beams of white light fell on Cui Can Daoguang's body, and Cui Can Daoguang's health was immediately restored to full.

Cui Can Daoguang fought steadily and charged up again.

While Cui Can Daoguang was fighting Blackett the Black Bear, the surrounding warriors all gathered around. More than twenty shield warriors used their shields to hold Blackett the Black Bear's feet firmly, making it very difficult for Blackett the Black Bear to move.

Blackett the Black Bear waved its bear paws, smashing the warriors away one by one.

Some were instantly killed, while others were blown away, landing on the ground, crawling up, waiting for the priests to heal them, and immediately rushing back up.

"All mages, attack! Mages with high magic damage, pay attention to controlling aggro!" Nie Yan said in the regional chat.

The mages were scattered everywhere, forming a encirclement around Blackett the Black Bear. Spells streaked through the air, landing on Blackett the Black Bear's body, and damage values floated above Blackett the Black Bear's head.

More than 60% were misses, but the other damages were not bad, around three or four hundred. However, Blackett the Black Bear's health regeneration speed was also quite amazing, regenerating more than ten thousand health points per second.

After a long time, Blackett the Black Bear's health bar would drop a little, and you had to look very carefully to see it.

There was a good reason why Triumph Empire and Radiant Sacred Flame had been wiped out here so many times in the previous life.