NABC Chapter 701: Chapter 701 - When the Dust Settles
Chapter 701: Chapter 701 - When the Dust Settles
Chapter 701: Chapter 701 - When the Dust Settles
The evacuation went on for hours. Players who had stayed behind volunteered to help, their earlier fatigue replaced by a newfound sense of duty. They carried the wounded, cleared rubble, and guided civilians to safety, working tirelessly to keep things running smoothly.
To everyone's relief, Knight Lionell, who had miraculously survived the brutal battle, stepped up to lead. He began organizing the efforts, directing knights and troops.
The operation stretched late into the night, lit by the quiet determination of those who had endured the chaos. Amidst the ruins, a fragile hope persisted. For now, they had won. And together, they would rebuild.
As the battlefield settled and calm returned to the city, players began to log out one by one. But before they disconnected, many made sure to collect their hard-earned loot, sharing it with others and celebrating their hard-fought victory.
This was a triumph for everyone involved, a monumental win in the face of overwhelming odds. Those who survived and fought gave their respects to every individual who had played a part in the massive battle, whether they had fallen or emerged victorious.
Tora and Max, who had overseen and broadcasted the event from start to finish, now sat slumped in chairs within the fortress. The exhaustion was evident on their faces, but so was the lingering sense of disbelief that it was finally over.
"This has been our longest broadcast, Tora," Max said, letting out a weary sigh. "And wow, the ups and downs, the chaos, the triumphs-I still can't believe it's done. What do you think, Tora?"
Tora nodded slowly. "Yeah, Max. Everyone's confirmed it now. No demons left in the city. The troops, knights, and guild members have spread out and cleared every corner. All the demons have been killed."
"And Tora, I have to admit, even though this war took a huge toll, we still managed to save a lot of people. That's something worth celebrating."
"Yeah, Max, but now we wait to see what the kingdom does next," Tora replied. "The city needs to be rebuilt. And also..."
"The ascension of Princess Alora to the throne?"
"Yeah," Tora said with a nod. "I'm curious to see how that's going to play out too."
Broken, along with several members of the Vensalor Guild and Princess Alora, gathered that night to discuss unresolved matters that couldn't wait any longer.
"We can't wait until tomorrow. We need to search the city again. That bastard Demian can't have gone far," Jovina said firmly.
"Any news from the Shadow Wolves?" Goldrich asked.
Freya shook her head. "No, and they've refused to explain anything either." She turned her gaze to Broken. "Can you contact Marlene, Broken?"
"I already messaged her, but she hasn't replied," he answered.
While strategizing on how to locate Demian, Broken took a brief moment to focus on the powerful ability he had gained after marrying Princess Alora-the Summon Golden Paragon skill. It was undeniably extraordinary, but the skill's description was unusually lengthy, far more detailed than most abilities.
Determined not to overlook anything important, he decided to carefully note down all the critical details.
[Summon Golden Paragon (Conditional Active Skill)]
[Unleash the ultimate celestial guardian-Golden Paragon, a divine avatar that embodies unmatched might and grace. The Golden Paragon is an extension of the summoner's will, amplifying their power and fighting with blinding radiance. It inspires allies, devastates enemies, and stands as an unyielding bulwark against darkness.]
[Summon Mechanic:
[Termination Conditions:
Divine Favor Gauge reaches 0%.
Manual cancellation by the summoner.
5-minute hard cap: The summon automatically ends, regardless of remaining gauge.]
[Cooldown: 48 hours.]
He then examined the Termination Condition: the summon's duration was capped at five
minutes.
Not bad at all. Even with what seemed like a short time limit, the raw power granted during those five minutes was incredible. It had the potential to completely shift the outcome of any battle, no matter how grim the situation.
And honestly, in the heat of a critical fight, five minutes was far from a short duration.
[Penalties:]
[Mana Lock: After summoning ends, the user's Mana is completely drained and remains unusable for a recovery period ranging from 2 hours (if active for 1 minute or less) to 12 hours
(if active for 4-5 minutes).]
[Stat Reduction: After the summon ends, the user's base stats are temporarily reduced. The reduction scales with the duration of the summon, starting at 10% for short durations (under 1 minute) and increasing to 50% for the maximum duration (5 minutes). This penalty lasts for
a fixed period of 3 hours.]
[Stamina Drain: While the Golden Paragon is active, the summon rapidly drains the user's Stamina. Stamina regeneration is halted, leaving the user fatigued and vulnerable if sustained
for too long.]
But then came the penalties. When the summon ended, the aftermath was brutal: Mana Lock, which would completely block him from using any mana-based abilities; a sharp drop in his overall stats; and Stamina Drain so severe it would leave him almost completely incapacitated.
As Broken mulled it over, he realized just how much of a high-stakes gamble activating this skill would be. The power it offered was undeniably game-changing, but the price left him vulnerable, unable to recover quickly.
It was clear-if he ever decided to unleash Golden Paragon, it had to secure absolute victory. Because once those five minutes were up, there would be no coming back from the cost. The discussion continued, with knights and troops-along with reinforcements from neighboring cities-beginning their search of the areas surrounding the capital to locate their
target.
Then suddenly, a notification popped up in the guild chat.
[Forev]: "Looks like the target we're after has decided to show themselves. And yes... it's
round two."