Clearing a path through the cave corridors, Lucas and Leo stepped into a 2,000-square-foot hall. Torches lined the circular walls, and a massive bonfire blazed in the center—hundreds of Orc Brutes patrolled the space, packed tight.
"They're packed like sardines! How do we take this on?" Leo panicked. In Forsaken World, NPCs had sharp AI—hitting one would aggro dozens more.
"See that boulder in the left corner?" Lucas said. "It's a glitch spot. I'll pull aggro. When I yell 'run,' dash there and jump behind it."
"How do you know about this?" Leo asked.
"I was a beta tester," Lucas lied smoothly. It was the easiest explanation for his knowledge.
"No way! That's why you're top of the leaderboard!" Leo exclaimed. Lucas nodded. "Stay sharp—one mistake, and you're dead. Death penalties are harsh here, and the nearest respawn is three hours away."
"Got it," Leo said, eyes locked on the boulder. "What about you, Boss?"
"I'll handle it." Lucas activated Free Movement, his reflexes sharpened by past experience. He studied the Orcs' patrol patterns, calculating distances, then nodded to Leo—signal to get ready.
Lucas lobbed a Pyroblast at an Orc Brute 10 yards from the boulder. The brute roared, pulling all Orcs within 10 yards of the rock. Lucas darted deep into the hall, luring the horde away—clearing a clean path to the boulder.
"Run!"
Leo sprinted forward, his Warrior gear weighing him down but his resolve pushing him. Thanks to Lucas's flawless aggro management, not a single Orc stayed behind. He reached the boulder and scrambled up.
"Boss! Hurry!"
Lucas was already in a tight spot. He'd pulled aggro from every Orc in the hall, and their movement speed inched past his. Trapped between oncoming Brutes and the pursuing horde, he dodged bone clubs left and right—each near-miss slowing him down.
Cornered against the right wall, dozens of clubs descending, Lucas chanted a quick spell. "Blink!" A flash of white light swallowed him, leaving the Orcs swinging at thin air.
Confused, the horde hesitated—until one spotted Lucas racing for the boulder. It roared, rallying the others. With Blink on cooldown, Lucas had no escape if they caught him.
He sprinted the final 20 yards, leaping as Leo grabbed his arm and hauled him onto the boulder. The closest Orc Brute slammed its club into the rock—sparks flying—just as Lucas landed.
"Jump!" Lucas pulled Leo into the crevice behind the boulder. It was spacious enough for two, but Orc clubs stabbed through the gaps. Lucas yanked Leo to safety as a club whistled past his ear.
"That was too close," Leo panted, grateful. Lucas nodded. "Never let your guard down until it's over."
Leo vowed to remember those words. "Now what?"
"Now we grind," Lucas smiled. "Take out the Venom Orb. I'll show you how to use it."
He'd envied this relic in his past life—now, with it in hand, he was about to unleash chaos. Hundreds of Orc Brutes surrounded the boulder, oblivious that they were about to become XP fodder. As Leo raised the orb, Lucas tensed his grip on the Firestarter Staff—ready to turn the hall into a slaughterhouse.
What they didn't know was that the Orcish Outpost held more than just grunts. A hidden elite lurked in the shadows, its axes thirsting for blood—and it was about to spawn.