A New World, an immersive game experience

Hearing the lich's words, Eldrian smirked. Its intentions were clear from the fact that the entire horde of undead had stopped.

It wanted him, perhaps even Elizabeth. "Perfect." Eldrian murmured, too quiet for Elizabeth to overhear.

'Tier 9. I wonder if it will be enough,' Eldrian mulled, looking at the lich's entourage. The scarlet vampire was there, along with a draugr.

'She seems livid. Probably taking everything in her to not charge me right now. She'd probably be in the same state as that Zonthan if her brother hadn't survived.'

Eldrian found it invigorating to know he had caused them so much pain. But it wasn't enough. The Zonthans behind the main entourage had to die. They had to pay for what they had done.

He blamed that everything on them. If they hadn't attacked him next to their estate, nothing like this would have happened. Their child would still be alive, and so too would be Two.

"Elizabeth. Log out." Eldrian said, his tone unnaturally cold.

"Eldrian..." Wishing to argue, Elizabeth turned to Eldrian and faltered. His expression was dead cold.

"I don't want you to get hurt." He said, and then repeated. "Log out."

While hating the idea, Elizabeth recalled Eldrian's warnings. A lich was certainly a creature capable of injuring the souls of players. The extent, they could not hazard a guess. It was too dangerous to try.

Eldrian was also aware of the lich's trump cards. His attack would be something that can leave lasting damage, if not outright kill the lich. If she got caught by even the aftermath of such an attack...

'I'm just in the way,' Elizabeth realized. Despite her growth, she could not stand next to Eldrian on the battlefield. Then again, no one could. Even Ceph had been sent away.

That thought helped Elizabeth rationalize things and accept the reality of the situation. And it wasn't like Eldrian was going to fight them. He was going to use one of his tricks, like always.

"Don't die."

"Mmm. I was planning to." Eldrian said with a teasing smile. "But I won't." He wasn't daft enough to miss the meaning behind her words. She naturally didn't care what happened to his avatar in the game.

"Enough of your squabbling. You will surrender and come with me." The lich declared. A slave collar, far more complex and oozing mana, appeared in his hands. "Put this around your neck, or I will ensure everyone you tried to save dies."

'So, that's its angle?' Eldrian felt relieved. The lich didn't understand him. It believed he actually cared for everyone he saved. Doing so was insanity. Doing so would only cause you to lose your mind. It was a trap he had already fallen for before.

This was war. War had casualties. The only question was how many. He would no longer wish for miracles. They came with too great a cost.

"Is that why you stopped your army?" Eldrian asked, moving to cover for Elizabeth. Since they were facing a horde of enemies, her avatar would be left behind. Naturally, it would collapse to the ground once she logged out. Logging out mimicked sleep, after all.

She was going to die and lose some levels. But at least she would be safe.

The trick now was their timing. Once she logged out, the lich would know they had a plan. While Eldrian did not care how many of the rescued slaves survived, he still wanted to buy them some time. He also hoped to gain some information from the lich.

"I am magnanimous. If you surrender, I will allow those who are running to leave unharmed." The lich said, believing it had a bargaining chip in its hands.

"I see. And what is to become of me? Will you let my friend go too?"

"You will serve as a wonderful experiment. Do not worry, I guarantee that the experience will not be unpleasant."

'Yeah, because I'll be dead,' Eldrian thought, filling in the blanks.

"As for the woman..." The lich paused. It was clearly interested in her, but Eldrian's worth seemed far greater. Deciding it would simply capture her after, the lich promised her safety.

"Wow, that is magnanimous of you indeed. Then let us seal it with a contract." Eldrian said, producing a piece of paper where he swiftly formed the terms.

Due to his state, he couldn't inscribe the words via mageia as he would normally. Instead, he used his own blood to write the contract. This naturally took far longer.

"That won't be necessary. You can trust me." The lich said, wishing to stop Eldrian from wasting its time.

'Oh, so it is afraid of a contract?' Eldrian smiled, having gained a wonderful piece of information. It might not mean much, but it at least told him that contracts worked. Even against being specialized in soul manipulation.

"I'm afraid I can't take your word for it. It's a simple contract. You guarantee my friends' safety in exchange for my willing surrender." Eldrian said with a smirk.

As if sensing the ploy Eldrian was attempting, the lich sighed. "I had hoped you would be reasonable." Those behind it ready themselves.

While they had been forbidden from killing Eldrian, cutting off another of his limbs wouldn't be out of the question.

"And how am I not?" Eldrian asked, [Now!]

As soon as Elizabeth collapsed, Eldrian produced his Mov Crystal and called upon wrath. This time, it came much easier than ever before. He could feel the growth he had gained, though it had come at too great a cost.

"This trick again?" The lich asked, waving dismissively at Eldrian. But nothing happened.

Eldrian did not throw the Mov Crystal as the lich had expected—as he would have with mana crystals. The Mov Crystal was an order of magnitude more plentiful with mana. There was no need.

This was a near large Mov Crystal that had started to catalyze into a magic crystal. The explosion it would bring would be unimaginable. Half a million mana was contained within the palm sized crystal. And flames of wrath were fighting to get at it.

Eldrian's focus was so high that he unknowing called upon all his powers. Time slowed down as his mind entered a hyper focused state. His only focus: To direct the blast towards the city.

To this end, Eldrian manipulated the flames. Weakening the front of the crystal while enforcing the back with ice. A dozen milliseconds later, it happened just after Eldrian's soft whisper.

"Super nova."

With its structure ruined in only one direction, like a cannon, the crystal exploded. Eldrian was the first to disappear, followed immediately by the lich and his entourage. The shockwaves even reached the group who had stayed to stall. Decimating their ranks.

Elizabeth had warned the players before logging out, but only those from Phoenix had listened. While only the shockwave had reached them from a few kilometers away, not one survived.

As for the undead. They were no more. The city walls were in ruins and only the dark towers still stood. Their barriers quivering from the blast.

Everything within a kilometer was completely disintegrated. As if it had never existed, leaving not even ash behind. The next five kilometers were completely flattened, everything aflame.

Further away, the shockwave still wreaked havoc through the city and surroundings. Flattening everything, shattering glass, and bringing death to no small number of undead and living alike.

Conservatively, a quarter of the city had been destroyed. Damage, however, spread throughout the entire city.

AN: Hope you enjoyed the chapter.