Chapter 525 Love-struck Fans
Villain Ch 525. Love-struck Fans
Despite the jovial atmosphere enveloping the hall, Allen couldn't shake the sense that not everyone shared in the mirth. As laughter echoed and banter continued, his gaze fell upon Vivian, Bella, and Shea – the trio that led the assaults against Sanctuary, Ironclad Legion, and Celestial Vanguard.
Vivian's usually vibrant demeanor was overshadowed by a palpable disappointment, her eyes reflecting a sense of dissatisfaction with the outcome of their recent battles. Bella, standing nearby, wore a similar expression, a subtle downturn of her lips betraying her unspoken sentiments. Shea couldn't completely mask the slight furrow of her brows. The expectations they held for themselves and their role might not have aligned with the reality of the recent events.
In Allen's perspective, the disappointment etched on Vivian, Bella, and Shea's faces didn't weigh as heavily. He understood the unique challenges each guild presented, acknowledging the distinctive advantages of Celestial Vanguard's financial prowess, Sanctuary's influx of talented newcomers, and Ironclad Legion's strategic organization.
Celestial Vanguard, with its pay-to-win players, boasted resources that often tipped the scales in their favor. Sanctuary, a guild brimming with new and innovative gamers, injected a fresh and unpredictable element into the gaming landscape. Meanwhile, Ironclad Legion's leadership exhibited a knack for orchestrating effective strategies, making them a formidable opponent.
"You know, rather than opening a counseling service for players, I could start by opening a free counseling service for you," said Allen, a grin playing on his lips.
Jane immediately greeted Allen's statement with a mischievous smile. "Okay, what kind of counseling are we talking about?" she asked in a sweet voice, leaning in with a playful glint in her eyes.
"A kind of counseling where my patients are the villains who feel annoyed since something didn't happen the way they wanted," said Allen with his eyes fixed on Vivian, Shea, and Bella. He punctuated his words with a wink, as if to emphasize that he had a plan up his sleeve.
The others immediately caught what Allen meant and fell silent. Their gazes were fixed on the three culprits - Vivian, Shea, and Bella - who exchanged nervous glances. It was as if a spotlight had been cast on them.
"Are you guys okay?" Allen asked with genuine concern, his gaze softening as he looked at Vivian, Shea, and Bella.
Shea was the first to respond, taking a deep breath before expressing her disappointment. "You can say that. But, to be honest, I'm disappointed with my own performance," she admitted, frustration evident in her tone. Holding her thumb and index finger close together, she emphasized, "I was this close to killing the last one." The small gap between her fingers highlighted the near miss. "Yet the time is up," she added with a hint of annoyance. "That's very disappointing," Shea concluded, wearing a faint frown.
Bella shook her head from side to side, a look of disbelief on her face. "I can't believe that Warlord guy managed to trick me," she shared, referring to the Sanctuary Guild leader. Her frustration was palpable, as though the deception had personally offended her.
"What happened? Tell us," Allen asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.
Bella sighed in frustration, unfolding her arms to explain. "He used a group to lure me into a room and trap me there. It took me a long time to get out of there, so I didn't have enough time to clean them all up," she recounted, annoyance evident in her tone.
Alice chimed in with surprise, "Wow! That was a smart move."
"Yeah, I didn't expect that," Bella admitted, her annoyance lingering.
"Warlord, huh?" Allen muttered, his mind already racing to piece together any information about this player. However, Warlord was a relatively new pro player who had gained recognition only recently, leaving Allen with little to no background on him. "Guess I have to find out more about him," he concluded, determination evident in his tone.
Allen flicked his gaze at Vivian, who had been notably silent throughout the conversation. "What about you, Vivian?" he inquired, his eyes searching for her thoughts.
"That Ironclad Legion guild is filled with crazy members!" Vivian burst out in annoyance, her frustration apparent.
Allen's confusion was evident. "What happened?" he asked, eager to understand the source of her irritation.
"They all didn't hide or anything. But they straight up looked for me even when it was my turn to slaughter them. They confessed their love to me and tried to hug me. Some even called me 'Darling'. It was so scary," Vivian explained, shivering as the horror of the experience lingered.
"Huh?" Allen and the rest of the group couldn't help but express their shock at the unexpected turn of events. The idea of an entire guild behaving like a horde of love-struck fans was certainly outside their realm of expectation.
Zoe chimed in, "Well, at least they went for a unique strategy. Love over fear, right?"
Jane added, "Maybe we should try that next time. Instead of frightening them, we make them fall in love with us."
Alice cringed, "Now that's a plot twist for the ages!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Bella interjected, her confusion evident on her face. "We are talking about the recent in-game event, Vivian. Not your fans," she clarified, wanting to ensure they were on the same page.
"I'm talking about the in-game event that just happened, Bella," Vivian explained, emphasizing the context.
"And they chased you around in the event? Like came to you like a bunch of crazy fans?" Larissa asked in shock, a hint of disbelief permeating her tone.
Vivian nodded in affirmation. "Exactly! It was absurd. I couldn't focus on anything. They kept following me, declaring their love, and some even tried to hand me virtual flowers. It was a mess."
Alice burst into laughter. "Well, that's one way to play an event. They went from battlefield mode to romance mode real quick."
"Also, rather than the fans, they look like a bunch of hungry zombies," Vivian said in disgust, vividly describing her pursuers.
"But doesn't that mean you can kill them easily?" said Zoe in confusion, trying to find a silver lining in the unusual situation.
"Yes. But that's only if they just come. They came to me, but used their skills to trap me. They wanted to catch me. There were a lot of healers there. And they all used their barriers to lock me in," Vivian grumbled in annoyance. She huffed. "I managed to fight them, though, but it was difficult for me to kill them all. Some took advantage of the chaos to hide. I had a hard time finding them," she admitted.
"Also…" she shuddered again. "Some pretended to be hidden just to trap me, two of them even said that they wouldn't mind marrying me if I was a real person," said Vivian in horror.
Others cringed. "I can't imagine if they knew that you are a real person," said Jane in horror, contemplating the potential consequences outside of the game.
Vivian's shivering intensified, and she instinctively hugged herself. "No… Don't let them know that I am a player. They must think I'm an NPC. I can't imagine them stalking me," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and repulsion at the thought.
"What about Arcana?" Shea asked curiously, her interest piqued. Arcana was the Ironclad Legion guild leader.
"I didn't find him at all. Seems like he was hiding from the start," said Vivian in annoyance, her frustration evident in her tone.
"It seems like all the guilds that managed to get a draw are the guilds that put everything on offense," Allen opined, analyzing the situation. It was apparent that those who took a more aggressive approach fared better in the event, avoiding the unexpected complications faced by those who leaned toward a defensive strategy.
"Or filled with crazy people," said Shea, cringing at the thought of the eccentric tactics used by Ironclad Legion.
"Yeah, that too," Allen admitted with a chuckle. "They use a bold strategy rather than the conventional one," he added, recognizing the unconventional yet effective methods employed by various guilds.
"But what I don't understand is, why is the Order of Valiance still in first place?" Bella said in confusion, voicing her perplexity. "They lost to Allen. Are the players blind or something? Or does that Elio guy have an army of fans outside his guild," she complained, unable to grasp the reasoning behind Order of Valiance's continued top ranking.
Larissa shrugged. "Maybe they appreciate the effort Elio put in defending his guild. It's not always about winning or losing; sometimes, it's about the journey," she suggested, offering a more nuanced perspective.
"Or maybe because he looks like a typical hero in the fantasy story," Alice added playfully, mimicking a dramatic gasp.
"Either way, it's just a game. Rankings change, and new events will come," Zoe said, trying to downplay the significance.
"I think the reason is not because of Elio or even the Order of Valiance itself," Shea analyzed, leaning back comfortably. "The one that put that guild at the top was because the emperor kept targeting that guild," she explained, sharing her insight.
"So it's because of Allen's reputation?" Alice clarified, seeking confirmation.
Shea nodded. "Exactly. The emperor is like a magnet for chaos. It's not about the guild; it's about creating the spotlight."
"Told ya, I should target another guild. We can't keep giving Elio the spotlight," said Allen with a huff, half-complaining. However, he couldn't deny that the recent events served his purpose of exposing Sophia to Elio, making him feel a bit satisfied.
"Well, next time you can take on another guild," Shea suggested nonchalantly, as if discussing the most ordinary of things.
Allen smirked. "That's the plan. Shake things up a bit."
The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on fre(e)webno(v)el.𝒸𝑜𝘮