SWDnovel Chapter 340 Emily's Belief
Chapter 340 Emily's Belief
But the altar hall was silent, with only the three people's slightly heavy breathing and the faint sound of holy light and frost energy slowly dissipating.
Emily put away her warhammer and shield, raised her hand to wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead, and a hint of fatigue flashed in her blue eyes, but more so a determined and calming light.
She first looked at Helena, whose face was still somewhat pale, and asked with concern, "Helena, are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"N-nothing, Emily." Helena shook her head, still shaken. "Thanks to you, that was...too dangerous."
"It was my carelessness; I got distracted by the announcement." Karl pounded his shield with a remorseful thud. "I almost got Helena killed."
"No, Brother Karl, it's because I'm not strong enough..." Helena quickly said.
"Alright, let's not dwell on the past." Emily gently stopped their mutual blaming, her voice warm yet comforting.
"The important thing is that we have once again overcome the trial together under the guidance of the Holy Light. Now, let us first see what revelation the Lord has given us."
She was referring to the system announcement and the subsequent preliminary rules.
The three of them each summoned their system interfaces and began to read them carefully. Only the soft sounds of breathing and the subtle swiping of fingers across the screens remained in the hall.
A few minutes later, Emily was the first to close the interface.
She closed her eyes, clasped her hands together in front of her chest, and bowed her head slightly, as if she were offering a brief prayer.
A moment later, she opened her eyes, which were now clear and understanding.
"Karl, Helena," she said, looking at her brother and friend, her tone calm yet firm, "what do you think?"
Karl frowned and spoke first: "The rules... are cruel, almost designed for killing and elimination."
The chaotic battles across hundreds of zones, the point system, the shrinking circle... make survival extremely difficult for small elite teams like ours, especially in the later stages of the chaotic battles and when we have to move around.
Furthermore, our class composition lacks strong, instantaneous crowd control abilities, making us vulnerable to being overwhelmed in large-scale melee battles.
Helena added, "Environmental factors are also a big issue. If the map is randomly assigned to a location with abundant fire or dark energy, Emily's Holy Light will have an advantage."
However, if we randomly get thrown into an ice field or a poisonous swamp, my ice magic might be limited, and everyone's survivability will be tested.
Emily listened quietly, and only spoke slowly after they had finished:
"You're all right. These rules do indeed maximize the pressure of chaos, killing, and survival."
She paused, then changed the subject, "But, Karl, Helena, are you only seeing 'elimination' and 'pressure'?"
The two were startled and looked at Emily.
"What I see is an unprecedented, enormous opportunity to spread the belief in the Holy Light and to practice the way of protection and redemption."
In Emily's eyes, there seemed to be a gentle yet firm flame burning. "You see, the rules allow for temporary teams, with a maximum of ten people."
In such a chaotic, dangerous, and pervasive environment, how precious would a stable, reliable team be, capable of providing healing, buffs, and strong frontal defense?
Karl pondered for a moment: "The captain means...we can recruit other skilled but isolated players within the region to form a paladin squad centered around us?"
"It's not just about absorption," Emily nodded. "It's about protection, unity, and leadership."
We can become a "land of order" amidst chaos, a fulcrum that players who do not wish to succumb to endless slaughter and yearn for cooperation and survival can trust and rely on. The Path of the Holy Light is not a solitary pursuit.
Lighting lamps in the darkness to guide the lost and shelter the weak is our duty and our source of strength.
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sacred quality that touched people's hearts.
"But... points are calculated independently, and the final ranking depends on individual performance." Helena said with some concern, "Won't protecting and helping others create competitors, or even... at the last minute?"
Trust needs to be built on shared goals and bottom lines.
Emily had thought about this beforehand. "Our primary goal in uniting with others is to 'survive together until the later stages of the game.' Before the safe zone shrinks and the battle intensifies, the collective strength is far greater than that of the individual."
As for the later stages... if the situation really evolves to the point where internal competition is necessary, I believe that partners who are truly inspired by the Holy Light and agree with our ideals will make a wise and fair choice.
Even if there are a few traitors... Karl, your shield and my hammer are not just for show.
Her words contain both tolerance and ideals, as well as inviolable bottom lines and strength.
"I understand." Karl nodded emphatically, admiration in his eyes.
"Captain, you're right. Blind fear and scheming will only put us at a disadvantage from the start. Playing to our strengths, uniting those who can be united, and establishing order amidst chaos—that's the most powerful tactic!"
Helena was also inspired by Emily's conviction and nodded vigorously, "Yes! Sister Emily, I'll listen to you! We'll be the 'lighthouse' of our region!"
"More than just a lighthouse," Emily smiled, a smile as warm and powerful as sunlight piercing through the clouds, "it's also a sword."
To those worthy of salvation, we are a sanctuary; to those destined for purification, we are the most merciless judge. The holy flame can warm hearts, and it can also burn away evil.
She began to make specific plans: "Over the next seven days, we will adjust our preparation focus."
"First, level and equipment. Prioritize improving your survivability and protection, and look for shields and trinkets with group damage reduction or support effects."
Helena, you need to replenish your spell repertoire for dealing with non-ice environments and learn some general protective or dispel spells. I, on the other hand, need an off-hand item that can enhance the area of effect or duration of Holy Light.
"Second, prepare supplies. Stockpile large quantities of group healing scrolls, area dispel potions, holy resistance (to deal with possible dark environments), and fire resistance (to deal with possible hot environments) items."
And... communication magic items, to facilitate quick regrouping and contacting potential allies within the competition area.
"Third, tactical drills. We need to practice maintaining formation while moving, practice how to quickly build initial trust and cooperation with unfamiliar but potentially promising players, and practice breakout and counter-attack tactics when surrounded by a large number of enemies."