Desolate World

Lich was the noblest and the rarest job in skeleton job choices. And only ten guardians could get them. And in his knowledge, no lich guardians were summoned to the Grandia continent. It was as expected. As there were dozens to hundred continents in this world, it was pretty normal for this continent to not have any lich. 

He wasn't sure the number of the continents was because at the moment was an age of exploration, as an influential guardian in his former guild had said. So, it was impossible for them to know for sure this world's real condition, at least in a few years in the future.

And the liches from the undead of this world were rare. He only knew a skeleton lord who was a lich and less than ten elite liches in the rank of the undead. And with a lich killed by a monster in the misty forest, its number was reduced. 

But, Hugo was in doubt. He never knew that there was a lich among the skeleton army. But, it was a fortunate turn of events. With this, they would win for sure. What could a few hundred personnel of the enemies could do? So what if they had strong individuals among them? It wouldn't mean anything in front of the overwhelming power of quantity.

As he wanted to turn back to his humanoid form to get some merit, he felt strange. Why were the enemies so calm? It was as if they hadn't realized thousands of skeletons behind them. Somehow, it made him anxious.

'Don't tell me!?' He then thought of something that should not be happening. As he checked the skeletons' information. He found that their name was in red, not green. It terrified him further.

Then he saw the skeleton army rush toward the battlefield of the zombies and the enemies. Some ghoul guardians yelled in enthusiasm. It seemed they thought that they were reinforcements.

But the skeletons just passed the enemies without harming them. Their enemies even gave them ways to the skeleton army. As if it was not enough, the golems that had been stubbornly keeping their formation all the time, at the moment opened it voluntarily. So the skeletons could pass them.

'Run!' It was the only thought that Hugo had, as he made his bats fly towards the South. The only direction that he thought was still safe. 

As he had already gone out of the formation, he then looked at the battlefield for the last time. The two elite ghouls, more than a hundred survived ghoul guardians, and more than 500 zombies were swept by more than ten thousand skeletons. And ironic, they were drowned by the huge wave of skeleton army with dazed expressions. As if, from the stupidest zombies to the two elite ghouls didn't know what was going on.

He didn't doubt that they would die sooner or later. And Hugo didn't want to die with them. He had given up the mission. He wanted to go away from there, came back to Freya and his new group kidnapping some more beastmen to be transformed into vampire servants.

He also saw that Vesper wasn't in his position anymore. He had run away toward the East. Yes, the ghoul lord had chosen to run away, after knowing that this battle was over. And if he didn't go, he would be ganged up by thousands of low-level skeletons to death. Even the unreasonable ghoul would choose a wise choice when he faced an unsolvable situation.

***

Ace was in a good mood. Currently, he was chasing East who was running away from him in the West direction. After he saw that it was impossible for the undead to win the battle, he seemed to realize that he didn't have a chance to run away, if he stayed any longer.

East's HP was only left 15% at the moment. As Ace, the one who was chasing East, continually hit the ghoul's back. 

Although he was chasing the ghoul, he still gave the rest of the guys instruction via the guild channel. 

<The two elite ghouls were killed. And there are no zombies left. What will we do now?> Sampson said.

<Make Doom with the skeletons clean the battlefield. And the rest of the people chase the lord. If he is too tough to handle, give your coordinate to Sofia, so she could call Boss to take care of the ghoul lord himself,> Ace said while continuously throwing his cards. 

<Roger!> Sampson said.

After that, Ace concentrated on killing East. The ghoul sometimes turned his body and attacked back. But Ace, who knew all of his tricks, could avoid them pretty easily.

Five minutes later, finally, East's HP was empty. His body fell and a loot crystal was floating above his body. Ace took his body and the loot crystal without checking it. As he wanted to join the team to fight Vesper, the lord.

After getting the coordinates of the place where they were fighting with Vesper. Ace went in the East direction to meet the rest of the people. Ace didn't want to waste too much time, so he turned himself into bats and flew to the location of the fight at full speed.

Along the way, Ace saw some bats were flying towards the West just South of him. He was sure that they were Hugo's bats transformation. As he couldn't attack anyone when in bats form, he gave up right away his idea of catching the vampire. It was also because it would be impossible to catch up with him, as the vampire was really fast. He had to admit that.

As he passed the battlefield, Doom and the skeletons had finished cleaning the battlefield. He and the other nine elite skeletons were on the way to the place where the others fought Vesper with a lot more ordinary skeletons following them. Ace just passed them, as he couldn't communicate with them with his bats form.

A few minutes later, Ace could already see the fight between Vesper and the night guards and the guardians from the Nightglow guild.

Peter became the main tank. There were also Sampson and other surviving guardian tanks supporting him.

Behind them were the damage dealers, from close combat professionals and many more ranged combat professionals. Ace could see Aiden and other guardians waiting for a chance to strike. While many spell casters like Varel and Hunt bombarded him with low mana cost spells to chipping the ghoul lord's HP little by little.

Further at the back were all shadow priests, guardian healers, and other support professionals like Emily. Other than recovering the tankers' health points, they also dealt double damage to the ghoul lord.

It was not just them. Above them, Geo's pets, Eric, Erica, and the flying turtle showering the lord with various spells.

As a result of the gang-up, Vesper's health was visibly decreasing in real time. He also couldn't do much except for swinging his battle axe bashing Peter's shield. It was such a tragic state of battle. Ace thought that he and the others were bullies.

At the moment, Vesper's HP was only 30%, and it continued to decrease over time. Ace asked himself if he wanted to join bullying the ghoul lord. It just felt inappropriate for him. So he just waited there. 

Three minutes later, Doom came with the skeleton army. They wanted to join the fun, but Ace stopped them.

"Don't! It will be too crowded. Let's see from here," Ace said.

Doom nodded, he then said, "Yes, I also need to restore my mana. As I need to resurrect the dying guys from the war before."

Ace then took East's body, complete with his equipment and blades. He said, "Take it. It was another elite. I believe you have had 4 elites already."

East then took the bones in his inventory. He said, "Thanks. But, you are wrong. As I just have 3 elites here. With this 4. As for an elite ghoul who has the name Lander, he was chased by Uriel and Jordan to the South."

At first, Ace thought that every elite ghoul had been killed. It seemed not. However, he was confident in Uriel's and Jordan's abilities. The two surely could hunt the ghoul down.

Ace then nodded. 

"They must be careful, as a lord's HP has gone down below 30%. Because after a lord's HP between 30% to 10%, he will surely launch an ultimate skill. And it will surely be pretty strong so he can flip the table," Doom said while indicating the people who were facing Vesper.

Ace then looked at Doom. He recalled the crayfish monster that was killed by Mars and the others. Before its demise, it launched a few times of its ultimate skill. The skill could blast away Mars and the others. Even Ace had to suffer more than 1,000 damage from the shockwave.

Ace believed that Vesper's ultimate skill wouldn't deal that much damage. But it couldn't be underestimated either.

Ace then said in the guild channel, <Be careful of his ultimate skill. I believe he will launch a powerful skill before dying. 

So for the guardians and everyone who aren't an elite should leave the battle altogether. Because it will be dangerous for you to stay there. Brother, ma'am, you can tell them to all the people beside you about it.>

Ace then saw the guild members say something to Sampson. Cloud also looked like explaining this to Andrea. Then Ace got a reply from Sampson.

<They refused to move. They said they want to die heroically fighting a lord,> Sampson said.

Ace then saw the tanker become more active attacking Vesper. As a result, the ghoul lord made them his targets. A heavy infantry dwarf then became a fragment of light after getting some quick attacks from Vesper.

***