The Risk Plan

"Boran... should we really be doing this?"

"Don't worry," said Boran in a calm tone. "This is exactly what we want. The more witnesses, the better."

The guild members began arriving through portals one by one. Each was equipped with flashy armor and weapons. Some looked at Boran and Noemi with curiosity, others with disdain. Soon, the area was filled with nearly 200 people.

"Ah, here comes Archivist Loren!" Edmund said excitedly. "She can record this competition. It will make a fine memory in the guild's history."

An elderly-looking woman in elegant clothing stepped forward. She held a crystal orb in her hand. "Yes, I can record this moment. However..." She looked at Boran and Noemi. "Do you also consent to this?"

"Of course," said Boran with a smile. "In fact, if possible, make this recording available to all guild members. We want everyone to see it."

Edmund let out a nervous laugh. "It's funny how confident you are."

Boran was also new here and didn't know the area well yet, but he had a plan. The rich kids in the guild would probably be careless, relying too much on their equipment, and might even get in each other's way. Boran and Noemi could act more focused and cautiously.

Moreover, the presence of such a large crowd could alter the Poisonwings' normal behavior patterns. In this case, expensive equipment would matter less than quick adaptation ability and tactical thinking.

"What are we going to do, Boran?"

"I want you to do what I'm about to say without hesitation," said Boran, locking eyes with Noemi.

"What is it?"

"When our little competition starts, we'll need to find as large a swarm as possible. I'll run into the middle of them and use my Taunt ability."

"So they'll all try to attack you? Then what?"

"How many Fireballs can you cast before running out of mana?"

"I hope we're not going to do what I think we're going to do..."

"We absolutely are. You're going to cast Fireball at me."

Noemi's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? You want me to cast Fireball at you? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Look," said Boran calmly. "I'm a Tank. My durability stats are quite high. The damage I'll take from your spells will be much less than from a normal enemy." Though it was very likely Noemi would deal much more damage, he had no intention of telling her that.

"But still..." Noemi was hesitant. "What if something goes wrong? What if you take too much damage?"

Boran smiled. "Trust me, I can take this risk. Tell me how much damage your Fireball does."

"150 damage."

"That's... yes, that's quite a lot. But don't worry! I can take three of those. But I'll only use my Taunt ability when there are lots of enemies."

"What about them?" Noemi pointed at the crowd gathering around them. "With all these people watching us, don't you think about how it will look when you attack your own teammate?"

"On the contrary," said Boran, with a clever glint in his eyes. "This is exactly what we want. They'll see this as a failure. They'll think 'These novices are so incompetent they're even attacking each other.' These thoughts will work to our advantage."

Noemi frowned, slowly beginning to understand Boran's plan. "So... you want them to feel superior? To underestimate us?"

"Exactly. They already look down on us. Let's let those thoughts grow stronger. The more confident they are, the more careless they'll become." Boran lowered his voice. "Besides, your Fireball won't just damage me, it'll hit all the enemies around me. When I use Taunt to draw the Poisonwings to me, we can hit many of them with a single spell."

Noemi took a deep breath. "This is a very risky plan. What if we can't get the timing right? What if I cast the spell at the wrong moment?"

"I trust you," said Boran with determination. "You're one of the most talented wizards I've ever seen. You can time it perfectly. Besides, remember, we don't have any other choice. We can't compete normally with these rich kids' equipment. We need to think differently, be creative."

"How many wizards have you seen?"

"Just you."

Noemi remained silent for a while, thoughtfully turning her wand in her hand. Finally, she looked up at Boran. There was still concern in her eyes, but now there was determination too. "Okay," she said slowly. "But on one condition: If your health drops too low, you pull back immediately. Deal?"

Boran smiled. "Deal. It won't drop that much anyway. I'll time my healing potions well." Then he added with a more serious expression: "Also, I'll give you a signal. When I raise my right hand, it means I've gathered enough Poisonwings and I'm ready. Then you can attack with full force."

"What about Kaine?" Noemi whispered. "He's an experienced hunter. He might understand our plan."

"He probably will," said Boran. "But that doesn't matter. He's just an observer. He can't interfere. Besides..." Boran thoughtfully looked at Kaine. "I think he also believes these rich kids could use a lesson."

Noemi laughed softly, her tension easing slightly. "So, what strategy will we follow? You're not just going to run around randomly gathering Poisonwings, are you?"

"No, we need to be more systematic. We'll start from the center of the area first. Poisonwings usually move in small groups. I'll try to combine these groups. My Taunt ability affects a wide area, but I'll still need to be careful. You stay behind me at a safe distance. Your spell range is quite good, so you don't need to get close."

"What if others steal our kills?"

"That's why we need to be fast. They'll probably follow normal hunting routes. We'll focus directly on the most crowded areas. Besides..." Boran grinned. "They have expensive equipment, but that equipment is heavy. We're lighter and faster."

Noemi nodded, now fully convinced. "Okay, let's do it then. But..." She looked at Boran with worried eyes. "Please be careful. I really don't want you to get hurt."

"Don't worry," said Boran in a reassuring voice. "This is just a competition. And we... we're going to play this competition very well."

The crowd around them was getting impatient. Lord Varen stepped forward with a confident expression on his face. "Are you ready? Or do you want to give up?"

Boran and Noemi looked at each other, sharing a silent agreement. "We're ready," said Boran, with a slight note of challenge in his voice. "Let's begin if everyone's ready."