MMORPG: Rise of the Peerless Pumpkinmancer

They swarmed toward the army akin to locust…nightmarish ones, their gallop making the land tremble. Yet, the allied Centaur troops didn't cower one bit.

"KILLLLL!!"

The mighty shout was so powerful that it made the corrupted bluejays twitch so hard in surprise that they lost feathers.

Then came the charge, piercing through the dark bluish feathery rain, the entire world seemingly moving aside, not daring to stand in their way!

— Woosh! —

The Centaurs were suddenly gone. They were so coordinated that they all seemingly blended into one magnificent arrow of death. A second later, they were reaching the enemies!

— CRASH! —

The sea of dark beings parted, the creatures flying all over the place, some even reaching the birds above!

The ones standing out of the way hadn't been forgotten either. "STRIKE!" The deadly sharp spears came along with Jack's shout, all targeting the heads and hearts!

— STAB! Stab! Stab! —

But the enemies knew no fear. They were already collapsing on the allied troops, resolved to tear them to shred. "You stop, you die! Show them the Centaurs' pride!"

They kept running, even as enemies blocked them, even as they shed blood, and even as some of their brethren fell. But it barely took a few instants for the whole formation to collapse.

The Centaurs were hunters, not soldiers, and without the formation all that awaited them was a dog's death. The players realized it quite fast. They had a front-row seat to it all.

The hive mind-controlling the Ephials would win this fight, the future grim for humans and Centaurs alike. "It's over. We're doomed, so utterly f—" One said only to eat his words.

"32! Three steps to your right!"

"12! Faster, keep up with us!"

"Player on 57, shockwave!"

After the training, they all reacted on instinct, following the directives. Even that player unconsciously used an AoE ability right in allies' midst! Oh crap! He'd kill all allies!

But just as the player was turning pale, corrupted jaybirds appeared out of nowhere, attacking his Centaur from all directions…only to take the magic head-on!

"Screeeee—" The flying creatures exploded in a puff of feathers, absorbing all the damage. The allies remained utterly untouched.

All that saw this couldn't help but gulp. What the heck was this godly timing? A second earlier or later, and it would have been a friendly-fire massacre! He had even taken into account the player's reaction time!

But before they could rejoice, a new obstacle stood in their way. Before them, plenty of Ephials stood with large towering spiked shields! At this rate, they'd impale themselves!

"Sir, where to go?!" Many asked in shock.

"Straight ahead! Get ready, you all! Hehehe!" Jack's mad laughter filled the battlefield.

The arrow kept flying through the battlefield, straight toward their deaths, only courage in their hearts. They even found themselves smiling: god, their new leader was INSANE!

The Ephials looked on the fools that thought they could challenge them in a direct head-on fight. Ridiculous! Time seemed to slow down, and then…

"Everyone, jump!"

For a short instant, the Centaur army not only seemed like an arrow but actually flew! Time seemed to freeze as they passed right over the enemies' heads.

Even the supposedly emotionless Ephials could be seen shaking. Whoever was controlling them hadn't planned for that…at ALL!

All the creatures turned toward one weak human, one they had already killed before, one that was somehow back. It was all his fault. ALL OF IT!

Jack felt the gazes, smiling and brightly and winking. He replied to the looks with one word "Stab!". That's when the massacre began.

Mid-air Centaurs stabbed right below them while the players rained CC magic on the enemies. The Ephials fell one after the others, Jack still cackling in the background.

"Good job, now we're leaving, hahaha!"

The allied troops left the battlefield right before a complete encirclement could be done. Jack led them through a flaw in the enemy's formation, only increasing the casualties.

Once outside the dead zone, the Centaurs glanced behind them with shock. Ephials all over, dead, injured or in disarray. They had caused so much destruction?!

They were still in awe when a playful voice resounded.

"Well, that was just charge #1. Let's keep going, shall we?"

"YES!!!!"

For the first time since coming to this world, the Ephials weren't the hunters. Unending Centaur charges continued until the entire plain turned dark with their blackish blood.

All along, the Centaurs committed countless mistakes. Still, every time a shout would bring them back to order, keeping the formation intact, no matter what.

All they had to do was follow him, nothing else. At some point, they were so confident in their leader that they wished the enemy would use more tricks so that they could see his brilliance.

Raining Stones From the City? Separating into four smaller charge formations soon meeting again.

Covering the plain in a tar-like acidic substance? Charging at the perfect angle to turn the enemies into their footholds.

Dropping Ephials from the skies with a flying army? Let them drop! Instant Ephial-skewers. They finally understood why he had told them to bring spare disposable spears…

At this moment, they felt like an invincible army of veteran soldiers that nothing could stop… yet they had no damn clue what they were doing! #Follow the leader #Amazing Boss

They simply kept obeying and slaughtering until the Ephials finally gave up trying to fight them all together, fleeing back to the City.

[Acquired Title: Invincible General! +25% Troops Power!]

[Killed 237 Ephials and 1337 Birds!]

[Drove Enemy Army Back!]

[Lost 11 Soldiers]

[Leadership ++]

Victorious shouts echoed on the battlefield, all celebrating happily. They were jubilant for they had all expected to die in this battle.

"We did it!"

"Praise the leader!"

"Hehe, those Ephials never stood a chance!"

But said leader wasn't rejoicing, far from it. Jack knew that the true challenge hadn't even begun. He stared at the City's darkness, knowing full well it could very well devour them all...