Despite the demoralizing system notification, many righteous faction players, undeterred by the debilitating debuff, continued their pursuit of Leo, refusing to accept defeat.
Resigning to their fates was simply not an option for these players, who saw stopping Leo as their last chance to restore balance to the heated war between the righteous faction and the rebels.
He was turning from being the undisputed strongest player, to becoming the undisputed strongest force within the game, which was very concerning for many.
With him still needing to cover a significant distance before reaching the safety of rebel-controlled territories. His pursuers clinged on to the glimmer of hope, that with coordinated efforts they could definitely intercept and neutralize him even in their weakened state.
Based on his last known location outside StrongHaven City, many assumed he would retrace the same route he had used to infiltrate the capital and hence preparations were swiftly made to intercept him enroute to the next minor town.
Ambushes were prepared and righteous faction players waited with weapons in hand for any signs of his arrival, only to be disappointed when he never showed up.
Unfortunately, it seemed like their plans had unraveled spectacularly when, two hours later, system updates revealed a new location for Leo—one that indicated he was taking an entirely different trajectory.
The sudden change in direction rendered their efforts so far useless, as his new path was not one that they had expected him to take, leaving them scrambling to adjust as they questioned if they could ever outwit their elusive target.
However, while the majority players only bothered themselves with catching Leo, there were a few who were focused on the bigger picture.
***********
(Meanwhile ChaosBringer)
For ChaosBringer, the constant stream of system notifications that he received just after logging in were like Christmas Gifts coming early, as he nearly doubled over with joy.
"Holy shit… TheBoss did it, that madman! He somehow killed the Emperor! Oh how glorious! That man's a god… A GOD! His capacity for chaos is unprecedented! Ohh… I think I'll orgasm, I've never felt such joy serving under a man ever before"
"It's not enough…. I must not let him down, he's created this opening and we must not let him down…" ChaosBringer murmured, as he barely grabbed a hold of himself and began planning the steps ahead.
The Emperor was dead, which meant that it was time for 'The Uprising' to activate their partners in the North and West and launch an assault against the Empire's forces.
With the righteous players debuffed 35% and the NPC's 50%, this was a heaven-sent opportunity for the rebels to run a riot, and ChaosBringer did not wish to let a single second of this debuff period to go to waste.
Cracking his neck, he instantly began typing a command for the Uprising, to coordinate mobilization, as he decided to launch an attack to unify the south and march towards the central regions, right from this very moment.
[Brothers and Sisters of the Uprising,
The moment we've dreamed of is finally upon us. The Emperor is dead, struck down by none other than 'TheBoss,' the champion of rebellion and the greatest force Terra Nova has ever known.
His actions tonight have shaken the very foundation of the righteous faction, and has carved open a path for the rest of us to capitalise on…. And we cannot let him down!
With the righteous NPCs weakened by 50% and the righteous players struggling under a 35% debuff, the scales have tipped in our favor.
This is the time to act, to take what is rightfully ours, and to show the world that The Uprising cannot be stopped, so listen to my directions carefully.
Here is the plan :-
1. Prepare for March: All active units in the South are to regroup immediately. Stock up on supplies, weapons, and potions and prepare to capture the key regions in the south that we still don't control.
2. Secure Key Points: Hit the towns and resource hubs along the way. We're not just marching to fight; we're marching to conquer. Leave no righteous stronghold untouched.
3. Coordinate: Squad leaders, make sure your units know their roles. Stick to your designated routes, and report any unexpected resistance. Remember, the weakened state of the righteous faction is temporary—we must capitalize now, and hence every unit that is not stationed in the south will march towards StrongHaven, as we must take down that city, to cement our control.
Unless we fuck things up big-time, the righteous faction players will have no answer to our strength for the next thirty days and hence victory is all but assured.
This victory belongs to TheBoss, to us, and to the future we're building, so make sure to march with pride, for every step forward is a step toward OUR REBEL Empire.
For The Uprising! For The Boss!
Glory will be ours—]
The second ChaosBringer dropped this message, the guild chat erupted with a blend of fiery determination and reverent praise for TheBoss and the rebel desire to win the faction war.
"Thanks to TheBoss, we actually have a shot at flipping this faction war on its head!"
"Let's be real—if TheBoss is leading the charge, our victory is practically guaranteed."
"This is the game-changer we've been waiting for. It's time to show those righteous faction dogs who are the real bosses around here!"
"Conquer the South, take the Central. It's time we win this war!"
"The Emperor is dead. The Uprising is alive. Let's get it done!"
Players scrambled to ready themselves, their morale sky-high despite the immense task ahead, as the uprising squad leaders began to immediately organise their groups for the March ahead. Coordinating every small detail in smaller internal group chats.
"We can't waste this opportunity. TheBoss gave us the opening—we have to finish the job."
"Grab your supplies! Stock up, people! Chaos isn't kidding; time is short!"
"You think the righteous faction can recover from this? Nah, man, their days are numbered!"
The rebels were roaring to fight back, and their chance to shine had finally come.
—-------
/// A/N - Bonus chapter counter 3220/2500, hence a bonus chapter will be issued today! And the counter resets to 720/2500.
Special shoutout to patrons Cervantez91 and patron Huuhhhhh for the 1000 and 2000 coin donations respectively! ///