Chapter 826 - Rematch With the Lava Titan (1/2)

Every movement of Asskickers United was being closely monitored by all the major guilds. Something as big as their 1,000-man elite expedition team setting out would naturally attract their attention.

Both Angel Corps and the Century Financial Group assumed Asskickers United were going to enter the World’s Edge. They immediately picked up the pace with their own exploration and started making various preparations to thwart Nie Yan and company.

However, what caught them by surprise was that Nie Yan’s expedition team didn’t head to World’s Edge but rather teleported to Calore instead.

Kiln Fire Woods. This was a low level map, only frequented by new players hunting monsters for quests and experience. There was still a thin layer of volcanic ash blanketing the ground, a vestige of the huge battle that previously took place here.

This was where Nie Yan first stepped into the limelight. This was where the world first met Nirvana Flame the invincible. The video of that battle was still up on the forums. Countless players watched this classic to this day. The scene of the crime had become quite famous, too.

The trees that were destroyed in that battle had grown back more lush and vibrant than before.

The 1,000-man expedition team advanced forward, interrupting the serenity of this place. Each member wore top-of-the-line equipment. The low level players levelling in the vicinity dropped what they were doing and gawked in shock. Were these the elites of Asskickers United they’d heard so much about? Those legendary existences they could only watch on stream or video? The onlookers were completely baffled. What were these people doing here of all places? Suddenly, that first video starring Nirvana Flame came to mind. There were two monsters in it. Nie Yan and the Lava Titan! Could this expedition team be here for the Lava Titan!?

Shortly after Nie Yan and his 1,000-man expedition team arrived, Asskickers United’s other forces sealed off the Kiln Fire Woods, driving away all non-guild members. No one dared to challenge their authority. So, they quietly left.

News of Asskickers United challenging the Lava Titan quickly spread, causing an uproar on the forums.

One had to know, the Lava Titan was a Level 200 Lord. Even though it wasn’t a Variant or Demonified Lord, it was still an extremely frightening existence. The memory of it slaughtering tens of thousands of players from Unhindered and Victorious Return was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

Asskickers United was actually taking on the Lava Titan! This left everyone baffled.

Nie Yan and the others scouted the area before finally finding a good spot to take down the Lava Titan.

This place was filled with enormous boulders on an otherwise flat ground. The bigger ones reached over a dozen meters high. Others were only around five to six meters high. By standing on these boulders they could avoid taking damage from the lava. With enough boulders to hold several thousand people, there was ample space.

“I’ll draw the Lava Titan out of the cave and lead it up here first. You guys wait for me,” Nie Yan said. He activated Gale Step and dashed toward the underground cavern below Kiln Fire Woods.

The caverns were pretty much the same as before, a maze of winding tunnels.

After reaching the heart of the caverns, Nie Yan spotted the absolutely stunning beauty Countess Alicia floating above the lava.

Her appearance hadn’t changed at all, looking like a portrait frozen in time.

Luring out the Lava Titan was fairly simple. All Nie Yan had to do was approach Countess Alicia, and it would detect his presence.

Nie Yan gazed at large stalactites hanging from the chamber ceiling. He leaped onto one of them before activating the Crawler skill, sticking to the rocky surface like a lizard. After he made his way to the area right above Alicia, he shot out a web line and slowly lowered himself toward her.

Hanging only one meter above Countess Alicia, Nie Yan could clearly make out her beautiful face as well as sense the formidable fire elemental energy undulating around her.

At this moment, Countess Alicia suddenly erupted with vitality.

This didn’t happen last time!

When Nie Yan was momentarily dazed, Countess Alicia’s eyebrows wriggled as she slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils were like the most beautiful sapphires, sparkling with an azure radiance. She locked eyes with Nie Yan. Her expression was calm and tranquil, almost otherworldly.

Fair skin and a picturesque face, Countess Alicia didn’t contain the slightest hint of anger. She didn’t look of this world. She was even prettier than Xie Yao, a flawless creation made by the system. Nie Yan had seen many virtual beauties before, but he never felt anything for them. No matter how beautiful they were, he knew they were fake.

Countess Alicia’s awakening caught Nie Yan completely off guard. Her bright eyes seemed to be trying to tell him something, but she couldn’t speak.

Suddenly, the entire chamber started shaking violently. Cracks started spreading all over the walls as the stalactites broke off and dropped into the lava below.

The lava started roiling and bubbling as pockets of hot air rose up.

An enormous creature slowly emerged while Countess Alicia sunk into the lava.

The Lava Titan!

Nie Yan hurriedly retreated. However, he didn’t lose his head in fear like last time. He took out his Cavalry Crossbow and shot out a volley of bolts.

The chamber started quickly filling with lava. Nie Yan swiftly retreated. He outran the lava.

Put put put! Five bolts struck the Lava Titan.

“GROAGH!” the Lava Titan bellowed and started pursuing Nie Yan.

One big one small, two silhouettes quickly traversed the caverns.

Meanwhile above ground.

“I wonder how the boss is doing right now,” Undying Scoundrel muttered. They’d been waiting for quite some time already. They were starting to get anxious.

“Don’t worry. It’s Nie Yan. The Lava Titan can’t threaten him!” Bladelight said confidently.

While they were in the middle of chatting, the ground started violently quaking, causing them to almost lose their balance.