Archive of Our Own

The midnight rain on the Wisp SMP was relentless, a freezing downpour that blurred the lines between the towering dark oak trees and the pitch-black sky. Nufuli crouched low behind a thick trunk, his fingers slick against the cold handle of his mace. He kept his breathing shallow, his eyes entirely locked on a sight that made his blood run cold.

Fifty blocks away, a full set of netherite armor was drifting smoothly through the trees.

There was no head visible beneath the helmet. There was no exposed skin at the joints. The player model was completely transparent, but the dark, heavy plates of enchanted steel bobbed up and down with the unmistakable, aggressive rhythm of a player sprinting under the effects of an invisibility potion.

Mugm.

Nufuli’s jaw tightened so hard it ached. For weeks, Mugm had been a literal plague on the server. He was a ghost who bypassed base security, cleaned out storage chests, and left a trail of griefed alliances in his wake. He always wore his high-tier armor while invisible, an arrogant display of confidence, assuming no one could land a hit on him anyway.

But tonight, Nufuli had tracked him. The floating armor was heading straight toward the faction's main storage vault under the perfect cover of the storm. This was the one shot to end the threat, to protect their home, and to finally put Mugm in his place.

Nufuli didn't hesitate. He took a quiet breath, stepped out from behind the trunk, and threw a wind charge sharply at his own feet.

The explosive blast detonated against the mud, launching him violently upward into the freezing rain. He peaked over the treeline, gravity stalling him for a split second at the apex of his jump. Gritting his teeth, Nufuli swung his arm back and brought the mace down with everything he had, aligning the heavy-core weapon perfectly with the floating helmet below.

The mace connected with a brutal, sickening crunch of metal shattering against bone, maximizing the massive height damage calculation.

The invisible figure collapsed instantly, the heavy netherite armor hitting the muddy earth with a dull, heavy thud.

Nufuli landed perfectly beside the fallen gear, his chest heaving as the rain washed the blood from his hands.