The canyon’s narrow throat hummed with tension as the convoy snaked into view—twenty armored wagons emblazoned with the Solarian Empire’s phoenix crest. Level 200 Imperial Sentinels marched in lockstep, their halberds crackling with holy enchantments.
Tactical Overlay:
? Convoy Composition:
- 15x [Reinforced Cargo Wagons] (HP 50,000)
- 5x [Battle Sanctums] (Mobile spell turrets)
- 1x [Celestial Vanguard] (Lv250 Paladin Commander)
Ah Wei gulped audibly. "Old coot said they’d run! Those look ready to crusade!"
I activated [Eclipse Veil], our forms dissolving into the canyon’s shadow. "Stick to the plan. Phantom—scramble their comms."
The psionic entity rippled across the mental spectrum, triggering cascading system errors:
Sabotage Log:
? [Phantom] casts [Neural Static] → Imperial coordination -75%
? [Phantom] activates [Echo Mirage] → False ambush markers
Chaos erupted as the Sanctums pivoted wildly, holy fire scorching empty air. The Vanguard roared orders drowned by Phantom’s interference.
Phase 1: Cargo Acquisition
Fortune dive-bombed the lead wagon, obsidian claws shearing through adamantine locks. I lunged into the breach, [Soulwarder Blooddrinker] humming with stolen divinity.
Loot Priority:
<ol start="1">
<li>
Phoenix Caskets (Glowing gold sigils)
</li>
<li>
Starbound Reliquaries (Pulsing blue containment fields)
This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
</li>
<li>
Shadowmesh Crates (Oozing void residue)
</li>
</ol>
Ah Wei proved unexpectedly adept, his [Witherthorn Staff] siphoning sanctified wards. "Boss! The third wagon’s got a Celestial Core—that’s our jackpot!"
Phase 2: The Betrayal
As Phantom’s illusions frayed, the Vanguard’s gaze locked onto Fortune. "Abyssal filth! You dare?!" His greatsword ignited with Cleansing Pyre—a Lv300 Holy Execution skill.
"Now!" I triggered the [Ring of Astral Passage], teleporting the core crate to the Soulbinder’s coordinates. The remaining wagons detonated in chain explosions—too clean, too convenient.
Aftermath:
<ul>
<li>
Acquired: 18/20 Phoenix Caskets | 3/5 Starbound Reliquaries
</li>
<li>
Lost: 2 Shadowmesh Crates (Self-destructed)
</li>
<li>
Debuff: Mark of the Phoenix (All Holy NPCs Hostile)
</li>
</ul>
Back at Watermoon, the Soulbinder cackled over his spoils. "Magnificent! Now, choose your poison—"
Hidden Class Unlocks:
? Soulreaper (Requires Lv200 | +2 Companion Slots)
├─[Expungement]: Steal 1% XP per hit (PVP)
└─[Abyssal Harbinger]: Summon Voidspawn (1/day)
? Veilwalker (Requires Lv150 | Charm 10+)
├─[Doppelgate]: Mirror enemy abilities
└─[Soulforge]: Craft legendary gear from stolen essence
Ah Wei gaped at the Ascendant Necromancer option—its icon a screaming soulbound constellation. "We just broke the meta..."
Strategic Implications:
<ol start="1">
<li>
Faction Warfare: Solarian Empire now tracks via [Mark of the Phoenix]
</li>
<li>
Gear Optimization: Soulforged items scale with assassination count
</li>
<li>
Ethical Threshold: Hidden classes escalate PVP lethality
</li>
</ol>
As dawn broke, the first bounty hunters appeared—Lv180 Judgment Zealots with our faces on their warscrolls. Fortune’s roar shook the citadel gates. The true game began now—not for glory, but survival.
<hr>
Epilogue: The Shadow Calculus
What the Soulbinder didn’t mention—every stolen relic contained a sliver of the Solarian Godking’s essence. Our "heist" wasn’t theft; it was a coup. And somewhere beyond the veil, a dethroned deity began to stir...