The man, bear-like in stature, spoke with his arms spread wide in a gesture of utter abandon, leaning back as if reclining on an oversized, plush sofa, his right foot casually resting atop his left. Yet, in truth, he occupied nothing more than a simple wooden stool. The very air behind him seemed to yield, supporting him as if tamed. It gave the impression that this individual was perpetually honing his power, moment by moment.

Though those around him appeared lethargic, every one of them adopted an attitude of deeply attentive listening. This alone was enough to indicate the speaker’s absolute authority; beneath a veneer of boisterous roughness lay a mind sharp as a razor, remembering every slight offense.

A man with a neatly trimmed goatee picked up the thread of conversation. “Sir speaks truly. Too many Main Tanks (MTs) on the battlefield indeed present a formidable challenge. Each MT possesses abilities capable of instantly saving or bolstering allies. Should an MT seize an opening, a planned rout or even a calculated exchange can dissolve into a complete loss. I have suffered such setbacks more than once in prior engagements. Therefore, in the upcoming group battle, we absolutely must devise a strategy to counter this effectively.”

“Focus fire! Even with just our team’s four heavy sniper rifles, we could eliminate two MTs first!” yelled a man concealed behind dark sunglasses, his voice laced with venom.

“It’s not that simple,” the goatee man replied, clearly unwilling to cross the bear-like leader, yet dismissive of the sunglasses man’s assertion. “Have you ever truly fought against a dominant MT? Snipers are certainly effective against narrative characters, but even the highest attack power is first constrained by the Rule of 40, and then further diminished by the MT’s immense defense—I once saw an MT’s shield that nearly equaled the combined defense of all my own equipment! Finally, that damage is then cut down again by the MT’s inherent defensive Talents. Four heavy snipers focusing fire to take down two MTs? A joke! If we factor in the effect of Honor Potions, four heavy snipers hitting simultaneously would be considered lucky to fell even one MT!”

The man in sunglasses widened his eyes as if hearing the most absurd claim imaginable. “Four heavy snipers can’t take down a single MT? Are you serious! Do you know my current maximum damage output? A critical hit can break seven thousand!”

“Is seven thousand high?” the goatee man sneered. “Firstly, your Perception is a weakness, making your accuracy perpetually problematic. Secondly, truly formidable MTs often possess abilities that suppress your critical hit chance. You likely won't manage a crit against them, so your theoretical damage drops to 3500. After the Rule of 40 reduction, that’s only 2100 theoretical damage. Add in the MT’s high defense, which can easily negate half that damage, and your actual attack power peaks around 1000 points. And don’t forget the MT’s powerful defensive Talents, which could slash that 1000 damage down to perhaps 800! I haven't even accounted for the MT's active skills and Auras!”

“An Awakened MT’s health pool is easily over three thousand! Four heavy snipers hitting simultaneously barely scratches that number! Never forget the existence of team abilities—surely the MT will have an opportunity to consume an Honor Potion, right? Laqifarian, do you still think four heavy snipers can instantly kill an MT? Measuring the clash between Contracted Players using combat experience derived from narrative characters is inherently foolish. Measuring a contest involving an MT-led team using that same experience is a colossal error!”

“Tass is correct. A degree of caution is always prudent,” the Bear Man concluded, bringing the argument to a halt. “We haven’t placed enough importance on the MT role within our team. Scrambling to learn now is likely too late. However, our raw attack power remains second to none, so our role should not be brute-force assault, but incursion!”

The Bear Man’s expression turned fierce, and he slammed his arm down sharply. “A flanking incursion! Once the enemy’s main force is drawn out, we appear, and in one swift push, shatter the barrier they pride themselves on! Tass, you said there shouldn’t be too many MTs, correct?”

Tass smiled easily. “Lord Bill, for an MT to appear, it requires not just power, but fortune. A team having even one is already blessed. Besides, the opposition already suffers from a numerical disadvantage?”

The Bear Man, Bill, nodded with evident satisfaction, grabbing a nearby glistening, roasted pig leg and tearing into it with gusto. “That settles it! Contact Team Five. Their offensive power is lacking, but they excel at attrition. Let them draw attention at the front while we hammer them from the rear! All out!”

Bill’s grinding of roasted meat mingled with his slurred words, lending a doubled crudeness and avarice to his statement: “We’ll blast these bastards’ unprotected arse-holes!”

Fang Senyan and Jiao Shi pushed open the door to Room Fourteen.

The person they found, currently lifting a liquor bottle to his lips for a swig, was utterly unexpected by both Fang Senyan and Jiao Shi! This individual was neither the first person they had speculated might be hosting the gathering, nor even a backup candidate.

“Skull…?” Fang Senyan asked, surprised.

Skull drained the last of the contents from the bottle, then bit down hard on the glass with a crunch. “Yes, surprised, aren’t you?”

Fang Senyan managed a wry smile. “A little… though your fondness for eating bottles is more astonishing.”

Skull let out a loud laugh. “This is a spatial specialty—Crystal Chocolate Liquor. The bottle itself is flavored like chocolate. Did you think I enjoyed gnawing on equipment? So, I don’t even spare the liquor bottles.”

“Is that so??” Fang Senyan couldn't resist snapping his fingers and demanding a bottle. Sure enough, he discovered that while biting the bottle yielded a distinct crunch, the texture was like thin shards of ice, accompanied by a sweet chocolate flavor—far superior to the liquor inside.

This small misunderstanding quickly closed the distance between the three. Moreover, although Skull held a high opinion of himself, Fang Senyan and Jiao Shi were also formidable MTs, figures worthy of his attention. In the Nightmare World, fighting and killing were routine occurrences, so dwelling on past grievances held little value. The present was what mattered, and moving past it with a laugh was no great effort.

The three began discussing their recent experiences. They learned that Skull’s team had suffered a severe blow, leaving them nearly wiped out. At that critical juncture, Zeus had introduced him, pulling him into Nightmare Space C. Naturally, both Zeus and Skull had benefited considerably from the arrangement.

Zeus, being ambitious, introduced Skull partly out of envy for the dual-MT configuration. However, the dual-MT model wasn’t something easily established.

The bond between Fang Senyan and Jiao Shi had been built up painstakingly over time, coupled with Jiao Shi’s own growing disillusionment. Skull, however, was not the type to settle for a subordinate role, or perhaps Zeus’s capabilities were simply insufficient to earn Skull’s willing deference as a second-in-command.

Thus, conflict was sown between them from the very beginning. Eventually, both maintained enough rationality for an amicable separation. Skull had since raised a new team, even acquiring a chosen successor, but to encounter the Bloodshed World at the most crucial, nascent stage of his new team’s formation could lead to instantaneous disintegration if they weren't careful.

Conversely, if they weathered this period, massive team expansion would surely follow.

This is why Skull had thought of Fang Senyan. The dual-T configuration from their previous battle had left a deep impression, and Skull was nothing if not pragmatic: his primary goal was the preservation of his team, with advancement coming second.

Fang Senyan raised no objections to this cooperation. With his own planning and foresight, he wasn't particularly worried about Skull attempting treachery. After discussing terms and ironing out the specifics of their alliance, the conversation drifted toward other matters, mostly revolving around their shared anxiety about being outnumbered.

“We still don’t know what the battlefield will be. They only said it’s a choice between the Siege of Helm’s Deep, the Siege of Minas Tirith, or the Final Battle of Mount Doom—it hasn't been decided yet,” Jiao Shi suddenly mentioned.

“Regardless, since we are at a numerical disadvantage, we should logically be assigned to the side with the geographical advantage, right?” Skull asked, looking at Fang Senyan with a flicker of hope. “I actually favor the Final Battle of Mount Doom. Frankly, that’s our closest shot at the One Ring. If we could secure the Ring, even if we lost on the Bloodshed Battlefield, it wouldn't have been a wasted journey.”

Fang Senyan’s expression grew serious. “An item like the One Ring—the more potent its power, the greater the price exacted for its use. It’s much like the Sky-Piercing Halberd used by the most formidable generals in our nation’s history—a true divine weapon. But for an ordinary person to wield it would only result in shooting themselves in the foot. What suits you best is always the best fit.”

Jiao Shi then began inquiring about MT Auras again. Jiao Shi’s MT Aura remained dormant, a persistent source of worry for him. However, Skull’s response was to congratulate Jiao Shi. It turned out that the earlier one awakened an MT Aura, the better; but awakening it later also had its advantages.

Awakening early provided immediate support, true, but this ability required constant upgrading, consuming staggering amounts of Merit Points. Awakening later carried the possibility of waking up directly at LV3 or LV4, saving a considerable expenditure.

For Jiao Shi, since the MT Aura was not an immediate necessity, there was no need to have it appear now just to gild the lily; it was better to let it accumulate power for a while longer.