Chapter 6: Assembling the star regiment
Star… could he be the one who won the most first kills in Beast World-3, the president of the top-ranking Star Guild?"
"No way… Isn't that the OP expert?"
"Boss no, he was more like the owner "
Several players recognized the ID the moment they saw it, and their eyes lit up in awe.
After all, in Beast World-3, every boss-level monster was abnormally powerful, and the leader of the team that had snagged the most first kills for two consecutive years was naturally an expert among experts.
"You all might've guessed who I am, but I'll reintroduce myself," Star spoke calmly, his voice steady, without even a hint of arrogance.
"I am Star, as in the Star from Beast World-3, the president of the Star Guild. I once led my guild members to kill every new boss,and we were the first to do so, for two straight years."
He wasn't boasting. He was stating a fact.
But to the others who had not heard of him, it was like a bomb had gone off in their heads.
Beast World-3, one of the most popular virtual online games a few years ago, had a daily player base of over eight million. For someone to stand out among so many players, to claim every single first kill—this person with the ID Star was without a doubt a top-tier expert.
"According to my deductions, this mission doesn't seem to have a limit on the number of participants."
"Besides, this should be an open-world game with no fixed combat routines!"
"Believe me,let's form a team! We can ambush the War Hunchback Beast with group attacks!" Star waved his hand, confidence radiating off him.
Haha, no matter how strong the boss was, once the battle system's limitations were understood, it would be nothing more than a large, oversized beast!
Hehe, look how many people I have lined up, ready to die for me.
For Star, the challenge was exhilarating. Beast World-3 had become dull,its bosses predictable. But this game? The difficulty of this War Hunchback Beast, the fact that it had wiped out players already, had reignited his fighting spirit.
A new world. A true challenge.
And nothing excited him more than a challenge.
"No one can fight empty-handed. Everyone, the sect's facilities are open! Split up and search for weapons or anything that can be used as equipment. If we can't find any, we'll use materials from the War Hunchback Beast that the NPC just killed!"
Star's words immediately set the players into motion.
"That's right!"
Realization dawned on them, and the crowd dispersed, scouring the area for anything remotely usable.
The sect didn't restrict exploration, so they had full freedom.
One player ran into a storage shed and began throwing open jars and crates.
Another lifted lids off water vats, rummaging through them as if expecting to find hidden treasures.
A few players climbed rooftops, scanning the sect for anything they might have overlooked.
Some gathered broken wooden planks and began carving them into makeshift shields.
One particularly resourceful player pried out the teeth from the dead War Hunchback Beast, tied them to wooden sticks, and created crude bone spears.
In no time, an elite squad of ten had been formed.
"Everyone did great," Star nodded approvingly as he examined them.
Each squad member had a fur jacket fashioned from the beast's hide. They gripped bone spears in one hand and wooden shields in the other.
At a glance, they truly looked like an organized fighting force.
"Damn!"
"As expected of Star! He formed an assault team in minutes!"
"Formidable!"
"I can't wait to see how he dominates the boss!"
The other players could only watch in admiration.
This was what it meant to be a big shot.
Star turned around, his fur-made cape fluttering behind him, cutting an imposing figure.
"Everyone, follow me! We're taking down the War Hunchback Beast!"
"Yeah!"
The ten elite players roared in excitement, their morale soaring as they followed Star down the mountain path.
Naturally, the other players trailed behind to spectate.
"What are they planning?"
He Yiming, who had just stepped out from a quiet corner of the sect, glanced at the commotion with interest.
He saw eleven Body Tempering Realm players, wielding self-made weapons, marching forward with conviction.
Could it be…
Were they actually going to try hunting a War Hunchback Beast?
For a second, He Yiming thought he was overthinking things.
Surely they weren't that reckless?
But reality would soon prove him wrong.
Gaga!
A War Hunchback Beast stood at the foot of the mountain, its hooves pounding into the earth as it let out a deafening roar.
Star narrowed his eyes, gripping his spear tighter.
Alright, let's see just how powerful this thing is.
"Charge!!!"
The ten-man squad rushed forward in unison.
The War Hunchback Beast moved.
No warning, no hesitation.
Its body tensed for a brief moment, then.
Boom!
The beast kicked.
The air split apart.
The lead three players vanished from sight.
Their bodies twisted mid-air.
Before they even hit the ground… they were already dead.
Silence invaded the area.
The remaining players barely had time to process what had happened before-
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The corpses landed, lifeless.
Star's pupils shrank. Impossible…
"Shields up! Hold the line!" he roared.
The next three players rushed forward, stacking their wooden shields together.
"This is the power of unity! Invincible Shield Wall!!!"
Their expressions were filled with passion, their shield alignment perfect.
Boom!
The War Hunchback Beast trampled over them like insects.
The wooden shields shattered instantly. The three players exploded into white light—deleted from existence.
One remaining player, eyes bloodshot, roared in defiance.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!!!"
He lunged forward, bone spear aimed at the beast's belly,its supposed weak point.
Crack!
The bone spear snapped in half.
The War Hunchback Beast didn't even flinch. It whipped its head around—and with a flick
Boom!
The player's body bent at an unnatural angle as he was sent flying, crashing lifelessly into a tree.
The War Hunchback Beast stomped once more. Three more players fell, their bodies obliterated.
The last remaining fighter barely had time to react before the beast's hooves came down on him.
Crunch.
A second later, there was nothing left.
Ten elite players.
All wiped out in seconds.
Star stood frozen, face pale.
This… This can't be real…
He had gathered ten players, fully armed them, formed a solid strategy,and yet they had been annihilated before they could even land a single hit.
The War Hunchback Beast snorted, its crimson eyes locking onto him.
Star took a step back. "I can't—"
Boom!
The War Hunchback Beast stomped once more.
The world blurred,then it turned black.
Star was dead.
The spectators were silent.
What the fuck?!
Wasn't this supposed to be a novice village?
Then why the hell was the first monster this strong?!