Re: Apocalypse Game

Chapter 178 Casualties

The unconscious state was a result of a massive blow to the head, a knockout that occurs when both health points and stamina were in critical condition. In Alan's case, he had been slammed to the ground by the giant and suffered a head injury, but it took a few seconds for the effects to fully manifest. During that brief transition, his perception of events was reduced to blurry, fragmented images.

[You are incapacitated]

The duration of this state could vary widely, lasting anywhere from a minute to an hour depending on the severity of the injury and the resilience of the individual. During this time, assistance and healing spells were critical in expediting the process of regaining consciousness.

"Alan!! Alan!! Oh my god, his arm!!! Is he alive!" 

"He's fine… he's not dead!!" 

"Pull him out… Milo! Carry him!" 

In the span of those few seconds of disorientation, the world outside of his consciousness started to make sense again. He was no longer in the immediate danger of battle, but the aftermath was still reverberating around him. The clash of steel, the crackling of firearms, and the tumultuous chaos of the battlefield returned to him.

When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself lying on damp grass. A beautiful brunette girl knelt beside him, and her eyes showed genuine concern. Her voice wavered with emotion as she spoke, "Alan, you're back."

The jarring sounds of the ongoing battle served as a stark reminder of the dire situation. Alan quickly rose to a sitting position, his senses returning, and he scanned his surroundings. It appeared that some of his Wolverine units had arrived, engaging in a fierce struggle with the undead army to secure the area.

With a sense of urgency, he turned to the brunette girl "Rose, Merle!!" he inquired, worry etching his features.

"They are fine, we got them!" she replied with a reassuring nod, her expression a mixture of relief and determination.

As Alan began to formulate his next question, his focus was abruptly diverted to a looming figure that stood menacingly about a dozen meters away. 

A terrifying, boss-level monster had emerged, its presence casting a shadow over the battlefield. The confusion welled up within Alan, his mind racing to comprehend the sudden reappearance of such a formidable foe. He had assumed that he had already vanquished the Dreadnought.

However, as he scrutinized the nightmarish figure, he quickly realized that this was not the same 4-meter barbaric giant he had faced earlier. Instead, it was a fully armored knight, clad in menacing black armor. The knight wielded an enormous sword that gleamed malevolently in the dim light.

A sense of dread washed over Alan as he muttered in disbelief, "No... no!!"

His Game Link flashed an information panel before him

[Artorius the Abyss Knight]

[Type: Inhuman]

[Rank: B]

With a heavy heart and a deep sigh, Alan came to terms with the grim reality that he had failed. The monstrous creature before him was none other than the undead form of Artorius. Once a revered and legendary NPC, Artorius had now fallen to the undead side and wreaked havoc upon the battlefield.

"Be careful!" Alan shouted out, his voice strained with worry, as he observed the chaos unfolding before him.

Lieutenant Summers and his veteran special forces had engaged the massive knight with a relentless barrage of firearm attacks. Marcus and Jason, in their werewolf forms, were doing their utmost to hold the Abyss Knight down.

Alan's anxiety was somewhat eased when he saw a group of veterans from the Bangkok and Cairo servers join the fray. One player wielded a massive shield, using it to block the knight's deadly sword strikes, while another had transformed into a massive bear, attempting to tackle the knight to the ground. It was a fierce and demanding battle, but with multiple veteran players working in coordination, they stood a fighting chance against the formidable Abyss Knight.

The central battlefield became a hub of frenetic activity as more players flocked to the scene, each hoping to deal some damage to the formidable Abyss Knight.

To everyone's amazement, a veteran French player descended gracefully from the air using a kite and wielded a massive bazooka-like energy cannon. The cannon unleashed a powerful blast that knocked the Abyss Knight off its feet, generating cheer among the players, all eager to secure a bonus for defeating the mighty foe.

However, in the midst of this triumph, a strange and eerie mist began to envelop the battlefield, casting a veil of uncertainty and tension over the players.

A shrill and ominous sound echoed from a nearby hill, adding to the growing anxiety. But just as quickly as it had materialized, the mist dissipated, and with it, the entire undead army, including the Abyss Knight, vanished into thin air. The battlefield was left in an eerie silence, and the players stood bewildered and puzzled by the sudden turn of events.

"MERDE! It escaped!" cursed the blonde French girl who had descended from the sky.

Alan surveyed the battlefield, his gaze falling on the thousands of lifeless corpses that littered the ground. In stark contrast to the grim scene, players cheered in triumph, having successfully defended their position against the undead threat.

As the night gave way to morning, players from all four servers regrouped and began their march south toward the walls. They encountered a few scattered groups of undead along the way, but the morning light brought them a clearer view of their numbers and allowed them to assess the situation.

[You have passed the third night]

[4 more nights to survive]

[Updating current players]

[New York Server: 2,869 (2,858)]

[Paris Server: 1,322 (1,118)]

[Cairo Server: 1005 (752)]

[Bangkok Server: 882 (741)]

The night had taken a heavy toll, with over 600 players having perished during the intense battle. Among the servers, the Cairo server had suffered the most significant losses, with 250 casualties. The victory had been achieved, but it left a lingering question in the minds of those who had fought valiantly: was the price they had paid truly worth it?