Unyielding Mountain's story was one of virtual legend. A prodigy groomed by the Supreme guild, Eternal Glory, he had been their last, best hope. When the previous guild leader retired, taking a generation of veterans with him, the guild teetered on the brink of collapsing into the ranks of Super guilds, its name fading from the annals of gaming greatness. But Unyielding Mountain had not bowed to the pressure. Through sheer will and strategic genius, he had ascended to leadership, steering the crumbling titan back from the abyss and, painstakingly, restoring its Supreme status.
The launch of Ancient Myth was his guild's renaissance. The unprecedented buzz attracted corporate investors, and with fresh capital, Eternal Glory began recruiting new experts and fresh talents, slowly reforging its backbone. They were still the weakest of the seven-star guilds, a shadow of their former glory, but the fire of ambition burned brighter than ever in Unyielding Mountain's chest. This new world was their chance not just to recover, but to surpass.
It was this burning focus that led him, alongside two of his most trusted Elders, Bright Jade and Tiger Overlord—both considered Monstrous Experts in their own right—on a grinding session through the level 7 zones. Their coordination was flawless, their progress smooth, aided by a string of lucky drops that outfitted them in a mix of Silver and coveted Gold equipment.
They were cutting their way back to the village when Unyielding Mountain received the urgent message: a dungeon had appeared. As they changed course, their path led them through a quiet stretch of forest, where they found a lone player.
He was a Swordsman, handsome and in his early twenties, but it was his gear that made the trio halt. His armor was a striking ensemble of pitch-black, etched with silver runes that pulsed with a faint, contained light. But the most impossible detail was the two swords at his hips. Dual-wielding was a level 10 advancement perk. For someone to do it now could only mean one thing: a unique, game-breaking item.
The young man's eyes, cold and assessing, were already on them. Unyielding Mountain felt it then—a faint, razor-edged killing intent that whispered of countless battles. It was cold, merciless, the aura of a humanoid beast barely contained within a human shell. The impression was staggering. For a youth to possess such an aura spoke of monstrous, innate talent.
"Little brother, you don't have to be so vigilant. We mean no harm," Unyielding Mountain said, his voice a calm, friendly baritone meant to soothe.
The Swordsman didn't reply. Instead, his sharp gaze flickered, for just a fraction of a second, to a seemingly empty patch of shadows beside a large oak tree. The action was so subtle, so confident, that it sent a jolt of genuine shock through Unyielding Mountain.
Don't tell me he saw through it… he thought, his estimation of the lone player skyrocketing.
"Since you mean no harm, I'll take my leave then," the youth said, his tone flat. He turned, a clear and pragmatic assessment of the unfavorable odds.
"Little brother, wait a moment," Unyielding Mountain called out, his voice earnest. "Are you affiliated with any guild or group?"
Tiger Overlord and Bright Jade exchanged a glance. They had never seen their leader so visibly ardent in his recruitment. He hadn't shown this level of excitement even when meeting famously established experts.
"Nah. I'm just a lone wolf who prefers freedom above all," came the casual reply.
"Then why not join mine?" Unyielding Mountain's eyes burned with conviction. "I am Unyielding Mountain, the current leader of the guild Eternal Glory."
He paused, waiting for a flicker of recognition that never came. The young man's face remained impassive.
"From the look on your face, it seems you've never heard of our guild before," Tiger Overlord interjected, his voice a low growl of offended pride.
"Yeah, I haven't," the Swordsman said, meeting the Berserker's glare without a trace of fear. "Aside from the insanely famous experts and guilds, I don't know much about the rest." It was the truth. Tony's life for the past five years had been a brutal regimen of training under his master, leaving no time for virtual worlds or their politics.
"I'm happy for your invitation," the youth said, his tone softening a fraction at Unyielding Mountain's good-natured persistence. "I won't join any guild, but if I ever do, Eternal Glory will be the one."
The promise, though non-committal, impressed the guild leader even more. Talented youths were often arrogant, but this one carried his strength with a calm, grounded confidence.
Unyielding Mountain sighed, a flicker of disappointment crossing his features. He could tell this young man was on a different level than the new recruits he had gathered. "It's alright. Even if we can't be guildmates, we can still be friends, right?"
They exchanged contact information. As the Swordsman made to leave again, Bright Jade stepped forward, a playful, seductive smile on her lips. "Little brother, dungeons have started appearing near the villages. Why don't you follow us to explore one together?" Her mature charm was a weapon in its own right, deadly to most men.
It had no effect. The young man's eyes remained as clear and undisturbed as a mountain lake. He simply shook his head. "Dungeons, huh?" he muttered, as if checking a notification. "Your offer is generous, but some of my friends are waiting for me. I can't join you. In the future, if the opportunity arises, let's clear one together." With a final nod, he melted into the forest.
"What an interesting young man," Bright Jade murmured, her interest now genuinely piqued.
"What we saw was only the tip of the iceberg," Unyielding Mountain said, his gaze still fixed on where the youth had vanished. "He's more frightening than you think. Am I right, Silent Dawn?"
The air beside him shimmered, and a man materialized as if stepping from a fold in reality. He was middle-aged, with a slim build, a refined appearance, and an expression of utter indifference. Bright Jade and Tiger Overlord started; he had been within five yards of them, and they had sensed nothing. This was Silent Dawn, the guild's hidden dagger, their strongest member, and the sole reason more powerful guilds hesitated to move against them.
"The moment we got closer, he saw through my stealth," Silent Dawn stated, his voice as calm as his features. A rare note of astonishment colored his words. "That kid is better as a friend than an enemy. Especially if Ancient Myth is truly the first game he's playing seriously. His raw talent is… astonishing."
The trio fell silent. To be praised by Silent Dawn was a rarity in itself. The last person he had praised was now a legend known for his inhuman combat capacity.
Tony didn't dwell on the encounter. The group had been professional and held no hostility, which was why he had pointedly ignored their hidden guardian. After a thirty-minute sprint, he arrived at his destination.
The Wolf Den was a chaotic symphony of noise and ambition. A sea of players, from level 2 newbies to level 6 veterans, swarmed the area before a gaping cave entrance. It was one of several dungeons reported to have appeared, serving five different starting villages. Elite teams from large guilds, marked by their coordinated uniforms and superior Iron and Bronze gear, carved out their territories. A few individuals even sported the glint of Silver or Gold, drawing envious stares.
Tony's own arrival turned heads. His Faceless Mask, now with a blood-red demonic sigil that seemed to writhe, and his twin swords marked him as either a madman or a force to be reckoned with. Many smaller parties looked his way with a mix of desire and fear, while the established guilds ignored him, their rosters already finalized.
A sudden commotion erupted to the southwest. The crowd parted as a new group arrived, drawing excited whispers.
The newcomer was a woman whose beauty was ethereal. Dressed in a suit of gorgeous silver Plate Armor that accentuated a fine, curvaceous figure, she moved with an otherworldly grace. Her angelic features and commanding temperament captivated every onlooker. This was Gentle Breeze, the second Vice Guild Leader of the Supreme guild, Amazon Lily—a guild comprising only women, yet widely considered one of the strongest, with rumored potential to reach the coveted Exalted rank.
Another wave of murmurs announced the arrival of the Temple Knights, led by their own famous Vice Guild Leader, the immovable Guardian Knight known as Eternal Knight.
The level 5 dungeon had become a magnet for the server's early elite. Tony's sharpened senses prickled with the threat auras emanating from dozens of individuals in the crowd. Some he could pinpoint—experts radiating confidence and power. Others were complete voids, their presence so perfectly contained that his [Reality Eye] itched to be used. He mentally marked those as the most dangerous.
"Never thought Eternal Knight himself would come!" a player exclaimed.
"Hmph, Temple Knights is just a Super guild. Look, even Amazon Lily's goddess is here. That Guardian Knight with them, Happy Soul, is a top-tier tank, no weaker than Eternal Knight!"
The air was thick with speculation and optimism. With over a dozen guilds present, the chances of a first clear seemed high. But Tony also overheard the grim reports from the scouts: loosely organized elite parties were being wiped out before even reaching the first boss, even on the lowest difficulty. The main guild teams weren't rushing in blind; they were patiently sending their reserve members into the meat grinder, gathering intelligence for the decisive push.
Tony stood at the edge of the chaos, a silent predator observing the gathering wolves, waiting for his own pack to arrive. The true hunt was about to begin.