Almost every player in the city, including the natives who had made the stronghold their home, rushed toward the [Requiem Plaza], which was the largest space in the entire stronghold and the only area capable of holding such a massive gathering.
It was a massive plaza made of cobblestone, with a giant platform in the middle that had been constructed specifically for important announcements and ceremonies like this one.
By the time Leon, Emilia, Celeste and Violet arrived, there were already tens of thousands of players and natives packed into the space, making it very hard to look around and find a decent spot to observe from.
"I have a better idea," Leon grinned as he looked around, then he pointed toward a tall building on the edge of the plaza, "Here!"
He used the [World Map] to teleport them all at the top of one of the buildings around the plaza, appearing on the rooftop in a flash of light.
Of course, hundreds of people thought like him as most of the roofs were filled with spectators seeking a better view, but at least it gave them a clear line of sight to the platform below.
The minutes ticked away just like this, with the group talking amongst themselves to pass the time and calm their nerves.
"Do you truly think we stand a chance," Violet asked with a grim expression, her voice filled with doubt, "I mean you surpassed 14 million combat power and have many maxed out skills, while me, Emilia and Celeste all have our own power that allows us to defeat opponents but..."
"...We still can’t defeat the Requiem Guild yet," Leon completed with a smile, his voice calm and reassuring, "I know."
Perhaps a few guild members could be defeated by them if they caught them off guard, but if the entire Requiem Guild attacked at once, especially Cavin and the Empress girl, they would stand absolutely no chance of survival.
The main issue Leon had was the fact Cavin could use soul attacks, which bypassed all of his defenses and could kill him permanently.
He didn’t know about any of the other members and their abilities, but he still felt like it was mainly Cavin who could use them, which gave him a massive advantage.
That meant he could bypass Leon’s [Life Vessel], his many [Resurrection Stones], and even kill Celeste in her flame form, making him the most dangerous threat on the battlefield.
"But..." Leon continued, his voice growing more confident, "The Level 6 Monster Tide, its bound to have hundreds of extremely powerful enemies, right? Which means that with my talent... we may be able to get exactly what we need to level the playing field."
"By that you mean..." Violet trailed off, waiting for him to finish.
"What are the chances one of the strongest monsters in the Monster Tide doesn’t have a sub-talent or item to protect against soul attacks," Leon smiled, his eyes gleaming with possibility, "Due to the nature and strength of these things, I believe its possible, and even if it isn’t, this Monster Tide as a whole will help us grow stronger through the sheer number of enemies we’ll face."
"Alright," Violet nodded, believing in Leon’s plan, "We have to grow stronger by the end of it though, otherwise we’ll be in serious trouble."
"I have the feeling that the moment we’re done, those bastards will come for us," Celeste shivered, her voice filled with unease, "S-So if we’re still not strong enough, I say we escape while we still can!"
"I agree!" Emilia nodded frantically, her eyes wide with concern, "As long as they don’t give another stupid quest, we can take our time and figure things out properly!"
"...Yeah," Leon replied, though he had a feeling it wouldn’t be this easy, that the guild would have other plans for them.
Either way, they continued waiting, with more players and natives arriving by the minute, the crowd swelling until it felt like the entire stronghold was packed into the plaza, until finally, the announcement came.
Ding!
[The time has come.]
Right in the middle of the plaza, on the platform, a puff of smoke appeared, and once it dissipated, the 20 members of the Requiem Guild stood in formation, their presence commanding immediate attention.
There was a thunder of cheers and applause at the sight of the strongest and most respected people in this stronghold, the crowd roaring with excitement and anticipation.
"Calm down people," Cavin shouted as he released a shockwave of aura, making everyone quiet down instantly, "Today is not the day for celebration, quite the opposite actually."
"Today is the day of our greatest challenge yet, and for some of you, the greatest challenge you’ll ever face in your entire lives."
This single statement made many people gulp, the weight of his words settling over them like a heavy blanket.
"The Level 6 Monster Tide is not a joke, and I would be foolish to say that there would be no casualties among our side. Some of you will fall today, and that is the harsh reality we must accept."
"But still..." Cavin grinned, his voice rising with fervor, "I know for a fact that at the end of it all, we WILL prevail, allowing OUR stronghold to grow even larger and stronger!"
"So who is with me?!"
Everyone in the crowd except for Leon and the girls shouted "US", their voices rising in a unified roar that shook the very foundations of the plaza, and hearing this, Cavin seemed extremely satisfied with the response.
"Then it is time."
He summoned the 100 Stronghold Crystals from his Storage Space and placed them on the ground before him, the glowing items forming a neat circle on the platform.
The atmosphere grew tense as Cavin closed his eyes and began to channel his aura through all 100 crystals, the energy flowing through them like a river of light, making them pulse with an intensity that forced everyone to shield their eyes.
The crystals began to rise into the air, spinning faster and faster until they merged into a single, blinding beam of energy that shot straight up into the sky, tearing open a massive vortex that swirled with an ominous, crackling power, and a giant panel appeared above the plaza, its letters burning with golden fire.
[Do you wish to evolve your Stronghold to Level 6?]
[Yes] [No]
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