Chapter 491: DarkSky Guild’s Exploits
( Luke and Cervantez’s POV )
While Leo was deeply engrossed in his intense, isolated training, the DarkSky guild found themselves caught in the throes of a brutal Demon War.
In the past month and a half, they faced two fierce demon waves but managed to repel them both, largely due to their advantageous strategic position behind fortified walls and their ruthless use of common players as a meat shield.
During this period, Cervantez gained 14 levels, and Luke gained 18, narrowing the once-significant level gap between themselves and ‘TheBoss’ to just under 30 levels, while Cervantez’s gap to the number two player, ‘Leo Skyshard’ was down to just 20 levels as he reclaimed the number two spot, with Luke now occupying number 5.
The demon war was like a leveling mine for the guild, as with each passing demon wave not only did the guilds average level increase significantly, but so did the strength of their rankers, as with each successful demon wave repelled the DarkSky guild became an even more formidable force to reckon with.
But, while the DarkSky guild reaped the rewards of their strategic positioning, their success was not without controversy.
To win so convincingly, they employed a ruthless tactic of leveraging eager but unaffiliated common players as human shields.
These adventurers, drawn to the battlefield by the allure of glory and the promise of rapid growth, were deployed beyond the fortified lines, where they bore the brunt of the demon onslaught.
Unbeknownst to many, these common players served as a buffer, absorbing the initial wave of demon attacks, as their real role was to hold the line, buying time and space for the guild’s archers and mages to rain down destruction from a distance.
While the common players believed that they were given a chance to chase after glory, and to gain dozens of levels by fighting the demons, this notion was quickly busted when they first encountered the demons, as without an organized shape or the necessary leadership needed to fight demons, they never really stood a fair chance.
The harsh reality of war, quickly set in for most, as contrary to their dreams, Demons, far more powerful and battle savvy than any enemy these players had faced before, decimated their ranks, cutting through their lines like butter.
The forums soon buzzed with the grim tales of those who survived. “We all dream of fighting demons,” one post read, “but unless you’re level 220 or above, you’re not ready for what awaits you on the front lines.” This sentiment echoed throughout the community, a stark reminder of the dangers lurking beyond the guild’s protective walls.
Horror videos were posted on the forums, and many were quick to criticize the DarkSky guild’s ruthless tactics to send the common players ahead to fight the demons, while they themselves fought from behind the shelter of walls.
Another notable feature of these two demon waves was the absence of the Demon Count on the battlefield.
His non-participation in the last two demon waves was a significant factor in the guild’s continued hold over the Silver Pine Barony, as without his overwhelming presence leading the Demon Army, the guild had managed to fend off the demon hordes, a stark contrast to their crushing defeat at Stonebridge Hill.
Yet, uncertainty over their future loomed large, as although Luke’s scouting missions revealed that the Demon Count had vanished from the enemy camp, there was no guarantee of when he would return.
While his absence allowed the DarkSky guild to fortify their defenses and level up, they knew it was only a matter of time before he returned and without a solid plan to counter his power, their control over the barony was tenuous at best.
However, despite the looming threat, there was a silver lining. The relentless waves of demons provided an unexpected opportunity for growth.
The guild members, now more battle-hardened than ever, had gained valuable experience and significantly increased their levels, with the constant warfare forging them into a formidable force, setting them apart from any other guild in the game.
Those willing to join their ranks only increased in numbers and as a result the guild was able to poach the best talents in the game from rival guilds and factions as simply the opportunity to level up over a dozen times on a regular basis was enough to pull many top rankers to their base.
The guild provided its members with top notch gear, top leveling opportunities, and an industry standard salary, making it an irresistible destination for many.
However, while the guild did have a lot of room for expansion, the guild had no room for upward mobility, as regardless of how many members joined, Cervantez kept his core team unchanged, promoting no-one to the core circle.
This move was unpopular amongst some guild members, who had been shining brightly in the demon war and were starting to gain some fame for themselves.
In every demon wave, there was a new star born, who pulled off an incredible series of moves to kill an opponent and went viral on the forums, however, while the DarkSky guild appreciated it’s talents, it did not provide them with the appropriate amount of respect needed to retain talents.
Thankfully, Cervantez was aware of this issue and was planning to make structural changes to the guild so that the guild members had some room for upward mobility, but the core concentration of power did not change too much.
However, he was in no hurry to implement them, as although there were a few players within the guild who were feeling slightly discontent, things were still relatively stable within the guild with the majority of the guild members feeling happy with the status quo.