"No wonder that guy was so willing to let go of the stronghold. Turns out he knew there was a hidden one all along. Where the hell did he get that strategy guide?"
"Celestial Fortress... my god, even the name sounds ridiculously epic."
"From now on, I don't want to hear anyone comparing Dragon's Kiss Guild or any of those other clowns to Godslayer. Just stop embarrassing yourselves."
Players on the world chat were stunned, and guild leaders suddenly felt that their newly acquired strongholds weren't so impressive anymore. Compared to the massive city floating in the sky, their few wooden buildings looked like outhouses.
Madman: "Man, I've been so short-sighted. Who needs a bicycle when you've got a Celestial Fortress?"
Female Dorm God: "I knew hugging this thigh would pay off! Thick, hairy, and with the best grip!"
Rumors spread that the Celestial Fortress contained untold treasures, attracting the greed of dragons. Over a dozen dark dragons had once besieged the fortress, only to be slaughtered by the five legendary War Saints, with a few severely injured dragons barely escaping.
The dragon whose skeleton lay in the cave was likely one of the few survivors of that ancient battle. Its unyielding spirit compelled it to guard the activation point until its natural lifespan ran out.
Orson knew that merely unlocking the Celestial Fortress wasn't enough. The stronghold still needed to be conquered—a feat that, in his previous life, hadn't been achieved until over a year later. Even the mighty Dragon's Kiss Guild had repeatedly failed, a testament to the difficulty of the challenge.
Still, now that the hidden stronghold was open, how could Orson not give it a try?
Riding the Crimson Lizard King back to Bone Dragon Stronghold, Orson gathered everyone and explained the situation.
"Who wants to join me for a battle in the heavens?" Orson asked, smiling.
Bradley: "Hell yeah! Don't just talk about battles in the heavens; I'd join you for a battle underground, too!"
Iron Cavalry: "Count me in! I'll punch a hole in the sky if I have to!"
Wild Gale: "I'm in as well!"
The war-hungry group roared in excitement, still full of energy even after 24 hours of non-stop combat. The sight of the massive fortress floating in the sky was too tempting. They were terrified that some other guild might claim it first. After all, how else would they impress the ladies?
Their worries were unnecessary. At this stage of the game, the only way to approach the Celestial Fortress was via the Bone Dragon Stronghold's teleportation array or with a flying mount, which very few players had.
For now, other guilds could only watch helplessly as Godslayer made their move.
Conquering a stronghold of such extreme difficulty wouldn't work with sheer numbers alone. Orson had Madman assemble a small, high-level strike team. The goal of the initial attempt wasn't to claim the fortress outright but to gather useful information.
"Everyone else, log off and rest. Balance your work and play. Enjoy yourselves," Orson said with a smile, tossing another thousand gold coins in bonuses.
"Nice! The boss is the best!"
"With a boss like this, life's great!"
The players cheered, and Orson nodded, satisfied. He knew the good times wouldn't last forever. All he could do was let them enjoy themselves while they could.
"Dancing Giant Boobs, your secondary class is gardener, right? Take this and plant it in the most prominent spot in the stronghold," Orson said to a female archer.
Dancing Giant Boobs: "Boss, you remembered my secondary class? Are you secretly paying attention to me? I'm single, you know."
Orson couldn't help but chuckle. "You're always teasing my little Kai. How could I not notice you?"
Orson had access to the secondary professions of all life-skill members. Dancing Giant Boobs's secondary class was relatively basic, specializing in growing herbs and accelerating their growth—perfect for nurturing the Tree of Rebirth sapling he had.
"Max out your skills. If you need funds, talk to Madman," Orson added. "Also, head to Violet Thunder Fortress and find someone called the Nameless Master. He'll teach you how to upgrade your secondary class."
Dancing Giant Boobs: "Secondary classes can be upgraded?"
The life-skill players lit up with excitement. Most of them were casual players or gold farmers, trying to make a bit of money from the game and unaware of the potential of their professions.
"Yes," Orson said, smiling. "I'll put together a guide and upload it to the guild storage for you to reference."
The group looked at him with newfound admiration. Who wouldn't love a bigshot willing to help out the rookies?
With a wave of his hand, Orson produced a vibrant green sapling and handed it to Dancing Giant Boobs.
"Whoa! A divine item?! This is incredible!"
"No way! I've never even seen a holy artifact, and now there's a divine one?!"
The group gathered around in awe. The tiny sapling, barely the size of a pinky finger, was apparently a legendary divine item.
Orson wouldn't casually hand over such a valuable item. The sapling's usage was bound to specific guild members, and as the item's owner, Orson could reclaim it at any time. This was a safeguard to prevent theft—something common in other online games, where guild warehouses often fell victim to unscrupulous players.
If life-skill players weren't crucial for developing strongholds, most guilds wouldn't even accept them.
Madman: "You're a freak. How do you know everything?" He narrowed his eyes at Orson. "You're not… a time traveler, are you?"
Damn it!
Orson nearly froze at Madman's words, struggling to keep his expression neutral.
Madman: "Or maybe… you're the secret love child of the AI company's CEO?"
"This game was created by AI, so it's totally plausible you'd have insider knowledge!" he added, nodding to himself.
Bradley: "Enough of your nonsense!" he snapped, smacking Madman on the back of the head. "Do you even understand the level of game knowledge a triple-crown champion has? It's way beyond your comprehension."
Madman: "What the hell? You can't stop me from speaking my mind!" he grumbled, clutching his head.
Bradley smirked at Orson. "Still, I'm starting to think my brother here is a walking cheat code."
With a dark expression, Orson kicked both of them away. "Stop wasting time. Let's head to the sky!"
Godslayer's small strike team stepped onto the teleportation array. In a flash of light, their surroundings changed.
They found themselves in an overgrown graveyard filled with crumbling tombstones. Rusty weapons were embedded in the ground around each grave.
"You've discovered—Black Iron Maze Entrance: Resting Place!"
A voice, low and eerie like a demon's whisper, echoed in the air.
"The Celestials watch over all things. You cannot escape, adventurers."
A thick fog enveloped the group. Madman felt chills down his spine as he noticed movement beneath him. "Weapons ready! We've got company!"
A skeletal hand burst from a grave, the chilling environment and haunting background music nearly scaring them out of their wits.
Madman instantly dashed behind Iron Cavalry, shoving him forward. "Don't chicken out, buddy!"
Iron Cavalry: "What the hell, man? Of course I'm scared—who wouldn't be in a place like this?!"
Bradley: "Come on, dude. You're an A-ranked Holy Knight. You're longer than most Holy Knights—show some dignity!"
A towering, armored undead warrior emerged, its armor covered in fatal battle scars.
[Celestial Legion · Hero Spirit Warrior: Level 10]
HP: 150,000/150,000
Attack Power: 900
Skills: Eternal Warfire, Beginner War Saint Swordsmanship
"My god! A level 10 elite monster with those stats?!" the group gasped.
More undead warriors began rising from their graves, quickly numbering fifteen.
Iron Cavalry: "Give me buffs!"
The healers sprang into action, casting shields, attribute enhancements, and resistance buffs on Iron Cavalry.
Bradley: "I'll tank some too. My gear can handle it."
"Focus on kiting them. They're slow, so keep moving to avoid being surrounded," Orson instructed.
As the undead warriors charged, Iron Cavalry used mass taunts to draw their attacks. Bradley pulled four monsters away to ease the pressure, letting the healers stabilize Iron Cavalry's health.
The battle was fierce. Just as things seemed under control, a bronze coffin in the distance began to move. A massive green hand emerged, followed by a towering figure nearly five meters tall.
Its muscular frame was covered in greenish-blue veins, and it wielded a giant axe the size of a door. Two ghostly flames flickered in its eye sockets.
"1.5 million HP? A level 10 boss?! You've got to be kidding me!" Bradley exclaimed, stunned.