The Guardian System: The strongest Summoner's quest to save his family

Aldric's initial strike had created a crucial breach in the Elder's defenses, and now the full weight of the raid's assault poured through that narrow opening.

Explosive-tipped arrows detonated in rapid succession, each blast chipping away at the thick, bark-like plates shielding the core.

Mages channeled their most potent skills, their effects rising above the battle as fireballs, ice lances, and jagged bolts of lightning converged on the same fractured point.

Reidar directed his remaining bears to intercept a cluster of lashing branches, buying precious seconds for the spellcasters to unleash their salvos.

<C'mon guys… My rewards depend on you!>

Every coordinated strike widened the wound, the greenish fluid now gushing like sap from a felled tree, sizzling where it struck the ground.

The Elder's movements grew erratic. Hitting the ore with all that power must have done pretty high damage, and it also looked like the cores were far more important for these creatures than the raid ought to believe.

In fact, its once-precise attacks, which were avoided just because of mutual help or good skills, grew wild and unfocused, as if the damage was disrupting its connection to the many limbs the creature had.

The raid's momentum surged; everyone noticed that. Aldric had given them the edge, and now they drove it home.

Then the core cracked. A single fracture appeared on its surface, leaking greenish fluid that ran down the Elder's trunk.

The creature's response was violent. Every branch lashed out simultaneously. The attack was indiscriminate, targeting everything within range. Survivors dove for cover. Reidar's bears took the brunt of the assault, but it was damage done by a creature with similar levels.

Circle of renewal worked, but the amount healed wasn't quite the same as the damage they got.

The raid pressed the attack. Powerful strikes penetrated the Elder's defenses. Random attacks were useless.

Kara's archers switched ammunition. They produced arrows that created various effects; most were explosive. All targeted the same point on the defensive branches.

The explosions cleared a temporary opening. The others exploited it immediately, launching their most powerful spells through the gap. A massive fireball struck the core dead center. The impact sent flames spreading across the Elder's crown.

The crack in the core widened. More fluid leaked out. The Elder's movements became erratic, its branches flailing without coordination.

"We are killing it!"

Helga's Ironsides intensified their assault. They hacked away vines and worked to destabilize the entire structure.

Aldric prepared another Solar Lance. The spear blazed with light so bright it hurt to look at directly.

"This ends now!"

Aldric thrust with all his strength. The Solar Lance erupted, wider and more powerful than before. It struck the cracked core with devastating force.

The core at that point shattered.

Reidar observed with a grin, because he knew that was going to give Aldric a lot of C.L.A.S.P. points, and that would mean Reidar got even more.

Green fluid burst from the shattered core, splashing across the battlefield. The Elder froze, its branches stiffening before going completely limp.

They crashed down around the trunk like felled trees.

The trunk split vertically; vine matter unraveled as the controlling intelligence died. The Elder Thorn-Lasher died.

Silence fell over the battlefield. The survivors stood frozen, weapons raised, waiting for a counterattack that never came.

Then someone laughed, a raw, disbelieving burst of sound that tore through the silence. It was a ragged, breathless thing, torn from a throat raw with smoke and exertion, yet it held the purest note of triumph Reidar had ever heard. It wasn't a polite chuckle of relief, but the crack of a dam breaking after holding back a flood of terror.

Others followed, the laughter rippling through the survivors like a wave, infectious and wild.

They clutched their sides, leaned on their weapons, or simply collapsed to their knees, the tension of the battle dissolving into giddy relief.

Some laughed until tears streamed down their faces. They did it. They were alive. For a moment, the world was nothing, but this shared, uncontainable joy.

Even the wounded managed weak smiles, their pain momentarily forgotten in the face of this impossible win.

Yet they won.

The notification appeared in everyone's sight simultaneously.

—[QUEST COMPLETE: Uproot the Crimson Bloom]—

Goal: Slay the Elder Thorn-Lasher and eliminate 2,500 Thorn-Lashers.

Progress: 2,500/2,500 Thorn-Lashers defeated | 1/1 Elder Thorn-Lasher slain

Time Limit: 96 hours

Reward: 200,000 Survival Points, 750,000 C.L.A.S.P. Points, 75 Elder Thorn Essence, Skill Book: Vinecleave (T4), Title—"Briarheart," Rare Seed Cache

Special Conditions: Elites apply stacking poisons; counter with area fire or lightning to prevent regrowth. Group coordination is required for boss phases.

Description: The Crimson Briar Patch has metastasized, its thorny expanse a living trap that strangles wildlife and survivors alike. Hack through regenerating Thorn-Lashers to uproot the Elder Thorn-Lasher at its pulsating core.

Warning: Partial success lets the Elder spread seeds, contaminating nearby soil and spawning hybrid threats.

—[END]—

The rewards flooded in. Light erupted around the survivors as levels increased. Some gained two levels. Others gained three or four, making the Raid stronger. The lower-level participants gained even more because of the level disparity.

Reidar watched from his mount. His own interface showed different information.

—[The Shepherd's Gambit: Progress Updated]—

Collective Raid Success: 40% (2 of 5 major objectives completed)

Average participant level increase: 13 levels

Current Reward Multiplier: 4.1x

—[END]—

The multiplier was climbing. The raid's success directly translated to his eventual reward. Six levels on average meant his final reward might give him 53 levels, possibly more depending on how the other objectives went.

<Worth it. Completely worth it.>

He dismissed the notification and focused on the surrounding celebration. The survivors were embracing, shouting, and examining their new rewards. The mood had shifted from exhaustion to relief.

Helga approached, her face split in a genuine smile. "We did it. We actually did it."

"You did it," Reidar said.

"Your bears gave us the opening we needed." She paused, her expression becoming serious. "God, if you had fought with all your might, this raid would have already been completed."

"Having a change of mind?"

"No," Helga said. Having the survivors do most of the job was her idea.

Aldric joined them. "The Elder is dead. The Briar Patch will collapse without its controlling intelligence. The smaller Thorn-Lashers will either die or scatter."

"I think they will be killed by the fire before anything else," Reidar said. "How's your group?"

"Exhausted but in good shape. We didn't lose anyone during the fight, just suffered a few injuries, and the healers are already on it. Damn, I was so used to losing people that losing no one feels unreal. I have to thank you for that." Aldric glanced around the clearing, taking in the scene.

"Don't worry about it. This was a big win. The C.L.A.S.P. points you gained will make the rest easier."