NOVEL NEXT Chapter 95: Extortion ?
Just give me half of the stuff in your backpacks, and I'll let you go. But the apology stays—mandatory."
The players exchanged uncertain glances, still locked in combat with the relentless wolves. Sweat dripped from their brows as they fought to hold their ground.
"You're insane!" one of them shouted, his voice filled with frustration and panic.
Ignoring Arthur's ultimatum, a few players broke from the group, deciding to make a run for it.
Their hope was unfortunately short-lived.
Borak barreled through the trees like a wrecking ball, and Hank descended from the skies. Screams echoed as the rogue players were swiftly cut down.
[You have killed a level 5 Player!]
[You have killed a level 5 Player!]
[You have killed a level 4 Player!]
Arthur let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Tsk, tsk. That's unfortunate," he said, his voice dripping with fake sympathy. "They just signed your deaths. Since they died before handing over their goods, that means I lost the items they could've given me. Now…" He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. "It's either you give me everything or you...die."
The remaining players hesitated, their resolve crumbling under the weight of Arthur's demands and the unrelenting attacks from the wolves. "Damn it!" John spat, his mind racing. He glanced around at his dwindling team and the impenetrable wall of wolves blocking every escape route except one—the north.
'The wolves are fewer and weaker than his summons up north,' John thought desperately, his eyes flicking between Arthur and the goblins. 'I don't believe that his summons can catch up to me, i was faster than that hawk a few days ago after all. It couldn't have gotten much stronger in just a few days.'
His decision came in an instant. John gritted his teeth, pulled a potion from his inventory, and chugged it down. The shimmering effect of his speed talent enveloped him again as he shouted, "I'm out of here!" Without waiting for a response, he bolted north, leaving his comrades behind.
Arthur didn't even flinch.
Instead, he watched John's figure retreat with a calm, almost lazy expression. "Hank," he called out, his voice steady but firm. "Kill him."
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Hank let out a piercing cry and shot into the sky like an arrow, his wings slicing through the air with deadly precision. John's enhanced speed carried him far, but Hank's was greater. The hawk swooped down, talons extended, and struck John squarely in the back.
-40HP
John staggered, nearly falling forward, but managed to keep running. His heart pounded like a war drum as he chanced a glance over his shoulder. Hank circled around, preparing for another dive.
"Shit! This can't be happening! How is it so much faster"
He kept pushing his legs harder. He darted through the trees, trying to use the forest as cover. But Hank was relentless. The hawk's sharp eyes locked onto him, and with another deafening screech, Hank dove again.
-30HP
John's vision blurred as his health dropped to a sliver. "No, no, no!" he yelled, stumbling forward. He could hear the faint cries of his remaining team members in the distance, still locked in battle. Desperation clawed at him as he whispered, "I can't die again… I can't fall behind…"
But his plea fell on deaf ears. Hank's final strike came swiftly and without mercy. His talons tore through John's back.
John's body slowly turned to particles.
[You have killed a level 6 Player.]
Arthur, still standing in the south, smiled faintly as the notification appeared in his mind. "Well done, Hank," he said softly.
Hank flew back toward Arthur, his wings gliding gracefully as he landed on Arthur's shoulder.
Arthur wasted no time. "Hank, deal with the rest of the wolves with Borak. He can't handle them all alone. Work together."
The hawk screeched in response, immediately taking to the skies again. Together, they moved like a team, Borak breaking through the wolves' formations while Hank swooped down to deliver powerful strikes, that left the wolves heavily injured. There was a large difference in their levels after all, Hank was level 9 whereas the wolves were level 5 to 6.
Arthur turned his attention to the group of players standing frozen, their weapons hanging loosely in their hands as fear radiated from their expressions.
"Now," Arthur said, his voice carrying a calm tone, "your leader has betrayed you, leaving you here to deal with the wolves—and me. What are you going to do?"
The players exchanged glances, desperation flickering in their eyes. One of them, trembling, finally spoke up. "We…we surrender our items to you, Sir Fateless."
Arthur's lips curled into a smirk. "That's what I like to hear. Spread them out on the ground. Don't worry about the wolves—they'll be gone soon."
The remaining four players hesitated briefly before complying, kneeling to empty their inventories. A pile of items began to form—potions, basic weapons, and armour. Arthur inspected the pile, his expression quickly souring.
"You don't have much," he remarked, crossing his arms. "This isn't enough. Since you can't provide decent items, I'll need you to compensate with coins. One gold coin per person, and you can keep your stuff."
The group winced. Two of the players immediately stepped forward, begrudgingly handing over a gold coin each. Arthur's grin widened as he placed the coins in his inventory. "Pleasure doing business," he said smoothly.
The two remaining players hesitated. "We apologize," one said, his voice cracking. "We can't give you a gold coin. We're just poor players. The most we have is twenty-five silver coins each."
Arthur's smile didn't falter. "Ask your friends to loan you the rest. It's okay. We're all civil here."
The players froze, exchanging uneasy looks before glancing at the two who had already paid.
Arthur's gaze sharpened. "Right?" he pressed, his tone leaving no room for argument.
The two paying players sighed in resignation. "R-right," they stammered, reluctantly agreeing to pool their funds. Within moments, Arthur had collected two more gold coins. He tucked the loot away with a satisfied smirk.