Dark Tusk Boar

Deep within the Amber Woods forest, three corpses of the Elite grade monsters, Ivory Tusk Boars, were laid in a triangle around a live Ivory Tusk Boar. The 9 players from the Fortune Guild's team surrounded them and kept the live Boar within the confines of the formation while Pangu, their leader, tossed a dark purple liquid on the living boar. 

Immediately, the surroundings darkened even though there was a bright sun shining in the sky. The live boar was wrapped in a strange gray light and its body started to undergo significant changes.

The monster shed its flesh and fur, exposing its bones. Corpses surrounding it were crushed into powder and merged with its body, growing new flesh and blood. Its tusks started to elongate and they looked even more fearsome under the eerie red light emanating from its eyes. 

The Elite Grade Monster Ivory Tusk Boar was already a huge beast but now its body could rival the size of an elephant. 

Finally, after a quarter of an hour its metamorphosis came to an end. The Elite Monster Ivory Tusk Boar had transformed into a Field Boss, Dark Tusk Boar!

The newly evolved Field Boss roared and all the Boars gathered around it grunted in response. It was a magnificent sight and we had arrived just in time to witness it. 

"Branch Leader Stivi! You are here just in time. I hope you enjoy the gift I prepared for you."

A gloating voice traveled to our ears from the other side of the Boss. It was none other than the cause of our headache- Pangu and his team of Fortune Guild Elites. 

We had a reason to fear them when the parties were on their own but now that all of our parties were gathered together, appearing before us was nothing short of a deathwish. 

Every member of the Grandeur Guild, including the Trainees, wanted to kill these bastards back to Lv 1 but we had no choice but to watch as they escaped. 

After all, a horde of normal and elite Boars and a Field Boss separated us from them. 

"Bastards!" Stivi cursed as the figures of the 10 players disappeared from our vision but my mind was fixated on the parting words Pangu had spoken.

What did he mean by the Gift? If we did not attack the boss, it also could not do anything to us right?

To confirm my thoughts, I immediately checked the status window of the newly evolved Field Boss, the Dark Tusk Boar.

—

Dark Tusk Boar (Field Boss)

Level 10 [Recovering]

Attack: ★★☆☆

Defense: ★★☆☆☆

HP: 10,000 + 1% for every attacking player. 

Skills: Earth Shake, Bone Armor, Mad Rage, Bloody Glare.

~ A forcefully created higher being using the power of Corrupt Soul Essence. Needs Life energy for sustenance. Will attack any being with Life Energy in its territory. 

—

"Life Energy! This Boss will target Elves above all!"

As soon as I read that word, I shouted in realization, attracting the attention of everyone around me. 

Most of our team had changed their races and became elves. This process included the baptism of Life Energy from the Tree of Longevity which was absorbed by the body of the player to elevate his life rating. 

Hence, in the Dark Tusk Boar's eyes, we, the Elves, were the most nutritious source of Life Energy. No wonder Pangu was so smug and sure of our demise.

"Is it possible to defeat the Boss? Can we survive it?" Stivi immediately came to my side with Zamir and others and asked with a hint of worry. 

I did not have an answer ready for her. 

This was a Field Boss we were talking about, God damn it! The very first of its kind in the entire game! 

Field Bosses had higher than normal stats. One needed a party of at least 30 well equipped players to take down one and we did not fulfill this requirement. 

The only way for us to survive was retreat, yet that was not an option. 

There was no way for us to avoid a confrontation with the Dark Tusk Boar. The entire map was the territory of the Field Boss. 

We could go anywhere in the Amber Woods and the Boss would still chase after us. It was impossible for our teams to escape the map before the Boss could catch up with us.

Things were looking extremely grim but there was a silver lining and I shared that hope with the rest of the team.

"Fortunately, the Dark Tusk Boar was just born and is weakened. We have a small chance of defeating it."

The Trainees despaired at my analysis but the other Veterans were still satisfied with the small probability. 

Zamir quickly revealed the cards in hands that I didn't know about and asked, 

"We have opened three treasure chests since entering the Amber Woods and also amassed nearly 40 pieces of White-Wood weapons and equipment in the last few days. Is that enough to tilt the odds in our favor?" 

I looked at the Veteran team, impressed by the wealth they had accumulated. 

I had already noticed that each of them was wearing at least one piece of Black-Stone grade equipment and had taken that into account. Still, I did not feel we had enough firepower to take down the Boss. 

However, 40 pieces of White-Wood weapons and equipment were game-changing. When equipped with these, our trainees would no longer be just cannon fodder and could actually contribute to the battle. 

"Yes! Definitely! Our chances of winning would be as high as 50%!"

50% was a significant improvement from 10%. Stivi and Zamir would've distributed the equipment even if it improved our chances by 5%, much less 50%! 

They immediately started to distribute all the equipment they had collected in the past three days to the Trainees, including the White-wood grade pieces. 

Of course, these equipment were only lent to the players for a limited period of time and would return automatically to the Guild after the time was up. If the Player lost the equipment or sold it, they would have to replace the equipment in stipulated time or pay a hefty penalty. 

With these precautions in place, the Grandeur Guild had no reason to be stingy with their own trainees and risk their lives by withholding advantages at such a crucial moment. 

As I witnessed the gradual upgrade of equipment of the Trainees, cogs whirred in my brain. I started to formulate an optimal plan that would result in the least casualties while increasing our chances of success.

I found one solution after another but continued to fine tune them in order to achieve the best results. The pressure was on but the urgency only became real as the Dark Tusk Boar roared and started to make its way towards our team. 

We only had a few minutes to put my plan into action. I stopped thinking about what I could do more and decided to run with the plan already in my mind. 

"All Non-Elf players, to my right!" I took charge with Stivi's blessings and made my first command. 

The trainees looked confused but they scrambled to get into position. Exactly 8 of the 20 Trainees had yet to complete their race change and I was immensely thankful for that. It meant they would not be targeted by the Boss. 

I first turned to the Elven Trainees and the Veterans and made a brief introduction of my plan. 

"The Dark Tusk Boar is after the Life Energy in our bodies. We will lure it into the dense forest to the west using its greed and use the terrain there to make our stand."

Then with a solemn voice, I explained their role to the Non-Elf Players. 

"Non-Elfs, you have an important but dangerous task. Keep the mobs engaged and do not let them follow after the Boss."

There were nearly 30 to 40 Yellow Tusk Boars and a dozen Ivory Tusk Boars around the Boss. Asking mere 8 players to hold all of them back was a tall ask. 

Everyone felt that I was treating the Non-Elf Players as expendables and it showed on their faces. The Non-Elf players looked at me with anger and hatred and seemed ready to rebel. 

It was indeed true to some extent but I had no other choice. This was the only way to reduce casualties. Fortunately, I had anticipated their displeasure and made preparations. 

"I know this is an incredibly dangerous job. Hence, the Guild has prepared some compensation for you. If the mission is completed successfully, every Non-Elf Player will receive 100 Bezos as a reward." 

"For every Yellow Tusk Boar you kill, you will get 10 Guild CP. After collecting 100 GCP you can exchange it for the equipment you are wearing."

This announcement caught their attention. For profits, men were willing to risk their lives and this case was no different. In fact, the Elf players looked at their Non-Elf counterparts with envy, wishing they had not changed their races so soon. 

The lucrative benefits suppressed all the resistance and the 8 Non-Elf players became warriors willing to put their life on the line against overwhelming odds. 

They did not have time to rethink their decisions as the real threat was almost upon us. The Dark Tusk Boar was just a charge away from reaching our temporary camp. 

I quickly dispersed the Non-Elf Players into surroundings and let Stivi take back the charge. She pointed her sword towards the location deep in the western parts of the Amber Woods and yelled, 

"Grandeur Guild, move!"