Shadow Seer (Rogue Merchant Book #3): LitRPG Series by Roman Prokofiev (english reading book TXT) 📗

With my teeth clenched, I waited for them to come closer so I could take no chances.

I released the second and the third Bolides almost at pointblank range. It was a horrifying sight, the riders burning together with their protodragons in the blinding bursts of True Fire. Two of them died almost immediately, and I gripped hold of my bow, preparing to attack the third one, but he turned back and fled.

The battle around Atrocity continued. The black citadel belched lava from all of its bastions. The fleets of NAVY and Pandorum blended together, peppering each other with arrows, cannon fire, and deadly spells. Everything burned and smoldered as players fought each other in the air on the decks of flying ships. It was an impressive display. It crossed my mind to check the battle report in the morning. Morning, however, felt impossibly far away.

In the meantime, the Pandas summoned a huge eyeless snake to fight Ananizarte. It had grey, steel-colored scales, a serrated spine, and a size comparable to the goddess’ draconic form. I had no idea from what depths of hell they released that creature. The snake coiled around the fire dragon, strangling it in its grip. They were surrounded by a host of various spell effects used by Pandorum mages. Juggernauts, including the one damaged by the goddess, rapidly retreated a safe distance away. One of them slowly spun around and suddenly expelled a huge pillar of scarlet light that immediately reminded me of the Ancient Colossus’ deadly glare. I realized that Panda flagships had played their trump card: Colossus, the super raygun with an hour-long cooldown. The goddess clearly didn’t like that; the sonic waves emanating from the writhing dragon were almost visible in the air, rippling throughout the distorted space.

“Cat! We’re almost there!”

We were hovering high above Atrocity, the two grappling giants, and the dome-surrounded juggernauts slowly spreading apart. Right below us was the vessel crewed with just forty players, the dark green behemoth belonging to the clan called Oblivion.

The time had come, now or never. I took a deep breath, squeezed Weldy’s hand, and reached for two items. I gave one to Borland: the epic skillbook, a gold title engraved on its brown cover.

“Control Astral Juggernaut?” the Octopus asked, surprised. “For me? Why? It’s worth a fortune, man!”

“Learn the skill and trust me,” I said, running up the bowsprit and looking down, one hand holding the rigging. The dome of the enemy juggernaut loomed right underneath us. Keith followed its course down to a T.

In the game, just like in life, people came in two types: predators and prey. It was important to sense when you turned into the second type and change back into the first. That’s what I was going to do.

HotCat: Are you ready?

 

Tao: Yes. Tired of waiting.

 

For the second time that day, the Signal Horn trumpeted. The vortex of an Astral Portal flashed into being just a stone’s throw away and spat out a swarm of mounted fliers in full gear—one hundred and seventeen players, each emblazoned with the PROJECT HELL tag.

Tao: I thought you were joking about Atrocity.

 

HotCat: Sense of humor is one thing you can’t take away from me, seeing as it doesn’t exist. I hope the Pandas aren’t your buddies.

 

Tao: Pandas have no buddies. But...

 

HotCat: Then follow me!

 

Without giving him a chance to think, I kicked off the pliant bulwark and swan-dove into the open air, as if jumping off a cliff.

My hands stretched forward as I plummeted through the pink mist of the Astral Plane right toward the bluish glow of the juggernaut’s protective dome. It was considered almost indestructible; only the coordinated efforts of an entire fleet and several raids could bring that shell down. But there was nothing impossible in Sphere. The only thing I was afraid of was miscalculating the timing of Blazing Warrior.

The dome drew closer and closer, and I could make out the players through its translucent veil. It was time. Still in the air, I unfolded a scroll of Slow Fall and immediately activated Blazing Warrior.

Flames ran down my body, and my hands turned bright blue, the same color as Aelmaris in my hand. The impenetrable membrane of the dome flashed before my eyes. The crash was supposed to kill me on the spot—if not for one thing.

You dealt 19998756 True Fire damage to the Ragnarok astral juggernaut (Oblivion)! Juggernaut’s protective dome is destroyed!

Just as I had planned, as soon as the dome collided with Blazing Warrior, it overloaded, losing all of its hit points at once. I hoped the reactor remained undamaged—I needed the ship intact and able to move.

Slowly, as if gliding down, I landed on board the juggernaut. The deck flooring turned black and crumbled under my feet, and messages about damage dealt to the ship flooded my log. Good thing I didn’t burn through the hull. Standing up in the center of a scorched circle, I waved my sword at the frozen Pandas, inviting them.

Saying that they were stunned would be an understatement. Just a minute before, they had felt completely safe, lazily peeking out from behind the protective dome capable of withstanding twenty million hit points of damage. Then it was all gone while dozens of enemy birdies swooped in on the deck, squawking hoarsely.

The first few players rushed at me, drawing their weapons. I was happy to oblige. While Blazing Warrior was active, all of them, no matter how powerful, were whipping boys to me.

The battle aboard the Ragnarok was short and insanely violent. I spun around in a combat dance, turning into ash any and all Pandas who dared to open their throat to the flaming sword. An avalanche of PROJECT birdies descended on us from above, smashing everything in their path. Tao led the charge—I recognized him by the white wings of his King Sildo’s