The Player's System

Third Street

They understood the meaning behind the words of the team head. The street was empty but not empty for the advancement. They were limited to it unless they clear it. The ground was as usual lush with the green grass. 

The team could take fresh breaths. The overall atmosphere changed bit of normal. The creepers on the various walls of the cottages no more looked poisoned. Other than the eyeless serpent they did not spot any snake until now. It was good sign for Albert. He felt disgusted to see so many crawling creatures in the first colony. 

It was bad experience since he disliked snakes. Orin after knowing that his newly made friend disliked snakes was secretly sending texts in the groups for gossip about it. Hell knows what would happen when Albert would come to know this gossip. In various games, he tried his best to keep this fact hidden. 

Orin liked gossip though he was sincere as friends but no one could help his nature of gossip. He already imagined Albert would beat him up half dead when he read through the group text. For now he was safe because they were focused in clearing the district. 

Junan stopped and surveyed his surroundings. They were in the middle of bunch of cottages literally nowhere leading them. The half visible heads of the enemies were failed in hiding properly. The second eyeless serpent restricted their advancement. 

"See we are going to battle in the open. This one seems courageous. Does anyone need to pee first?" Junan chuckled knowing that they could not actually use toilet during game. "Tell us why you are always deficient to use toilet? Can\'t you handle it?" Orin spoke up. 

He knew that the team head was only joking around yet he came up with the mocking. As the game was advancing, the players were getting familiar with each other in a friendly manner. "I can also handle your tongue, wait you there." Junan ran toward Orin waving his sword. 

Suddenly the plain ground turned soft. Junan barely hold on it and saved his stature. The ground got slippery because of the gluey substance. Their light and easy mood turned one hundred and eighty degree turn. The underground creatures on the third street were forced. The eyeless serpent ordered them to show on the surface if they did not want to face sudden death. 

Well the threat was enough to scare them. No one can live on the surface or under surface of this third street without the permission of the serpent. "Could they be little sensible?" Sashi complained. The corner of her gaming gown got tainted with the gluey substance. 

"If they were to be sensible then they would no more be my enemies." Hammer boy chuckled. Everyone tried to stand away from the central part of the street in order to avoid the gluey substance. "What hell is this?" Albert retorted. 

They did not notice however they were separating in different directions by stepping rear. Each one of them stood back facing the cottages. The cottages were not empty. Few eyes kept glancing waiting for the right time. Sashi was not standing still instead trying to clean her gown. 

Meanwhile the sharp blade rushed past from her shoulder. She hurriedly looked around and forgot about the gown corner. By knowing the direction, it was not difficult to tell the source of the attack. The cottage at her rear and those flickering eyes were glaring at her. 

Sashi furrowed her brows and turned to see others. She was surprised that unknowingly the whole team separated from each other. All of them were standing at some distance. This brought sense of danger. "Beware of the sneak attacks all of you." She shouted her lungs out. 

The fifth player was lazy to react, the sharp blade brushed past the corner of the ear leaving small dotted scar. He was lucky to save his ear as well as skull. The warning of the girl helped them get attentive. Meantime Jake got the warning of the system. [You are under the range of attack] 

Jake felt his hair stood on root ends with this warning. He hurriedly looked back slightly moving his head down. The blade was aimed at his skull. Perhaps the eyeless serpent had been thinking this plan from ages and did not want to let go the player no matter what. 

The consequent warnings let all of them get alert. Now they were no more in the form of team instead standing separately. They were responsible for their lives. The street was filled with the gluey creatures wading in the leafy color gluey substance. They were done fulfilling the order of the serpent by separating the players. 

Team members could see that they could not join each other in the presence of this gluey substance. The wading creatures were visible. At front this street and at the back the shameless ogres hiding for sneak attack. 

They were seriously caught in difficult situation. Jake observed the opening of the cottage, it was empty. Then his eyes fell at the rear window, two eyes were sneaking with the attack blade. It was aimed at him. Jake understood why and how he was in the attack range. 

"Come in front and battle like honorable NPC. Else face my gun." Jake fired his bullet. It did not kill the ogres however it destroyed the attacked blade in the middle. The other players were going through same situation. 

The ogre wanted to ambush and kill as per the orders nevertheless it was not cake time easy-peasy party. The players were experienced and their movements were agile. The lazy ogres in no way could match with the movement of the players. 

All thanks to the sharp and fast reaction speed. Other than Jake they all were familiar how to tackle such situation. No one immediately or recklessly entered in the cottages to kill the ogres because they were clueless about the population inside. 

It was possible that they might miscalculate the numbers of the enemies and end up regretting.