Game’s Dogma

While Level 40 maps weren’t available yet, the current world map was already plenty large, many of which were zones for leisure and recreational purposes.

This was a game after all. It provided plenty of areas where monsters didn’t spawn for players to build their houses and enjoy life here in the game. Most combat players chose to live in cities for convenience’s sake, while leisure players weren’t too bothered by that, though some would still fight monsters for the thrill of combat.

In Real World, players’ physical capabilities weren’t limited by their actual body in the actual world. Even the elderly could move around like a healthy youngster despite their aged appearances. A notable example was Gramps Got Migraine, a first-rate elderly player known for his exemplary combat skills as a tormentor.

The Tea Party of Swords quest was held at one of those monsterless areas. The region was somewhere close to the fallen Terrafirm, now a demon city. Players familiar with the place were sure that nothing but an ordinary hill existed at the announced coordinates.

However, an endless staircase that went up a seemingly endless mountain stood right before their eyes. Both the staircase and mountain reached the clouds; just how tall were they? Some players tried to climb the stairs, but an invisible wall barred them from entry.

Drako Yau looked around him. The area was swarmed with players, some of which he knew and more of which he didn’t. The lineup was grand to say the least: Chau Yu and his Empyreal Alliance elites, Evergrand’s combined forces of Bloodless Bladester, Chan Ka Lok, Ying Tin, Soulsmith and many more, led by none other than Hades, and the new Myriad Blooms alliance led by Florate and Redhound. Guildless players including Phoenyx, Man Hing Yau, Collis, Firefly, and way too many others to count were also present. Almost every top player in the game had gathered here—the inheritance reward was too alluring for them to give up.

Drako Yau then looked behind him. Danting, Idyllic Poet, Greenstone, Zephyrwolf, Sasaki, Dumbgirl, Yim Ho, Windstrider—not one less. His alliance members such as Hexen, King-Hit, Goemon, and Judge Chui also made sure not to miss this grand feast.

After a long wait, noon finally struck.

The system’s voice rang in everyone’s head.

“Time is up. The region will be blockaded. All players within range will automatically enter the first stage of the quest.”

“Stage 1: Reach the designated coordinates to enter Stage 2.

Coordinates: XXXXXX

Time limit: 1 hour.”

Drako Yau glanced at his minimap. The coordinates weren’t that far, but it was beyond the clouds past the staircase, and that was all he needed to know—Stage 1 was a contest of running up the stairs.

Despite being a game, prolonged activities in the game still caused fatigue to players’ actual bodies because those signals were directly connected to their brains. The red alert existed as a reminder for players to take a break whenever their helmets or game pods detected that they had reached their limits. If players refused to rest despite receiving the alert, the system would forcefully log them off.

Everyone’s limits varied as well. Some said it was related to the Constitution attribute, others said the person’s mental fortitude in the actual world mattered. Either way, no one knew for sure; the only thing everyone agreed on was that they could continue playing the game once the red alert was gone.

So the first trial is a test of our limits, huh?

Time was up, and the crowd of players charged up the hundred-metre-wide stairs. However, Drako Yau only walked forwards slowly, completely unaffected by the horde of players surrounding him.

Why is the alliance master going so slowly? Members of the Dragon Alliance thought anxiously.

Drako Yau smiled and said to them, “Brothers and sisters of our alliance, there is no need to follow me. Go ahead if you want to.”

Once he gave them the nod, many of them joined the charge as they didn’t wish to fall behind. Even Zephyrwolf, who had always been hasty, asked, “Boss?”

Drako Yau replied calmly, “Do you really think it’ll be as simple as running up the stairs?”

The race up the stairs was a favourable event for warriors. With the Dash skill that allowed them to sprint until they received damage, warriors were best suited for travelling long distances speedily among the four basic classes.

One warrior who had always been in obscurity rose to the top as he led the race. He glanced behind and grinned as he thought, It’s time for me to get famous!

Although the stairs were very slanted, the warrior had much of his stamina left despite his slight gasps. Suddenly, a shadow flashed before his eyes.

“What’s that!” He shouted and subconsciously unsheathed his sword.

Bam!

He soared through the sky. Looking downwards, he found countless players returning his gaze before he turned to look at the shadow. A giant ape stood where he was struck, its arms still in a slapping position.

A loud boom resounded throughout the stairs when the player slammed into the ground and lost a great deal of Health. The giant ape’s attack didn’t hurt him a lot, but the fall damage surely did.

Groups of giant apes emerged from the trees lining both sides of the staircase. They slapped their muscular arms at any player within their sights. Interestingly, their slaps dealt minimal damage, but they had a significant knockback effect that activated every time. Once struck, players would be thrown back down the staircase with great momentum, making them roll down like a snowball.

Apparently, the giant apes were the real challenge of this part of the quest. They kept knocking players back, but not enough to kill them. It was a test of the players’ technique at overcoming the apes and reaching the apex.

The top players all made their moves against the giant apes’ attacks. Some chose to use control skills on the apes, some straight-out attacked the apes whenever they got close, others used their agility to bypass them—all sorts of techniques and manoeuvres were at full display.

A giant ape charged towards Drako Yau as it shrieked and swung its fan-like arm at him with great momentum. He calmly shifted himself to the left, evading the slap, and countered with a light push to the ape’s elbow.

“Geee?” The giant ape’s swing struck nothing and instead hurtled itself down the stairs.

“Everyone, time for you to make your moves.” Drako Yau laughed. “Show me the fruits of your hard work.”

Since Drako Yau had improved a lot recently, he couldn’t put his skills to full use when sparring with his comrades, and that also made them refrain from going all-out. As such, Drako Yau was somewhat unfamiliar with his companions’ true skill level, apart from Greenstone and Yim Ho who both took part in the quest not too long ago.

“Ahaha! Boss, ya think these blockheads can stop us? Nice joke!” Zephyrwolf chortled. He tossed his summoning token into the air and spawned in Nene the demon wolf king.

Did Nene get bigger? It looks a lot more intimidating now that it’s over three metres tall, thought Drako Yau.

“Off I go! Nene, let’s go!”

Zephyrwolf leapt onto the Holy Wolfrider Saddle on Nene’s back. It howled and shrouded its purple fur with a thin layer of green aura before charging up the stairs so quickly that the apes couldn’t react at all.

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