The entrance to Echoing Deep was teeming with players. The entire canyon floor outside the dungeon had become a miniature city—dozens of banners fluttering with guild emblems, merchant stalls set up with potion sellers and gear traders, and players of every level bustling through preparations. Besides the major guilds based in South Glade Town, there were countless temporary parties hoping to challenge the dungeon together.
Some chatted while adjusting armor. Others checked their party windows, reviewing formations and cooldown timings.
Amid the crowd, a group of four temporary players stood watching the flow of guild teams entering the dungeon in tight formations.
"Wow…" one of them muttered, eyes wide. "This is just as intense as I imagined for the first dungeon's clear race. Ever since Genesis beat King difficulty, no other guild's even bothered with Normal. They've all been aiming straight for Elite or Hard."
"Makes sense," another said. "Genesis uploaded guides for Normal and Elite difficulties, right? Those runs have been cleared to death now. Everyone's farming them. But Hard? No one's cracked it yet."
The first player nodded slowly, gaze fixed on the procession of armored guild members. "Look at those guys. Their equipment is insane. Just the shine on their armor makes our ragtag group look like scavengers."
"That's only natural," a third player chimed in. "Check the rankings. Some of these guilds have cleared Normal and Elite over twenty times. Even the weakest of them has at least 7 or 8 Bronze-tier pieces per member."
He pointed across the square. "See that group? That's Everhold Dominion. Every one of their members is geared in full Bronze. And their leader—Rhine—he's wearing the full Ravager Set!"
A fourth player whistled. "Rhine's build is solid for someone in an unrated guild… but look over there." He gestured to a more tightly grouped formation preparing to enter. "That's a third-rate guild—Obsidian Thorn. Their elite team leader, Kael Draven, he is wearing full Shredder Set gear. That's dungeon-exclusive loot from Elite difficulty. And it's not even something you can buy—those are pure clears."
Their voices trailed off as more guild teams passed them, their gleaming bronze weapons and rare accessories sparking envy in the eyes of every under-equipped player.
"Tch… No wonder we can't compete," the first player muttered. "Temporary parties like ours… we're just cannon fodder next to these giants."
The players from the temporary teams gazed at the elite guild members with barely restrained envy. Their eyes scanned every piece of equipment with obsessive detail, listing off item names and set bonuses like scholars reciting scripture. The more they spoke, the more drool slipped from the corners of their mouths.
Only the elite parties of major guilds had managed to clear Elite Difficulty of Echoing Deep. For unaffiliated players like themselves, it was a distant dream—one they could only admire from the sidelines.
Just as the crowd was murmuring in awe over the well-equipped teams, a new group approached, immediately drawing attention.
At the front walked Zephyr of Storm Life, flanked by Velena of Crimson Rose. Behind them were three more players—two from Storm Life, one more from Crimson Rose—forming a five-person squad.
Their equipment was completely unified—Level 10 full bronze sets, polished to a mirror sheen. But what truly seized the crowd's attention were the twin blades at Zephyr's waist.
The weapons shimmered with a unique pale-blue radiance, arcs of silver flickering across the etched runes along their edges.
"Wait… No way…!" a sword fanatic among the temporary teams gasped, his voice cracking with disbelief. "Those are the Twinfang Requiems! The dual swords dropped by the final boss of Elite Mode Echoing Deep!"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Tch, what are you gasping for?" one player snapped, elbowing his stunned friend. "Don't you see who's beside Zephyr?"
All eyes followed his line of sight.
There, walking confidently beside Zephyr, was Velena of Crimson Rose—a name well-known across South Glade's player base. Her silver hair cascaded down in loose waves, catching the morning light like strands of silk. Paired with her crimson-accented armor and icy violet eyes, she was an image of elegance and lethality fused into one. Almost immediately, every male player nearby found their gazes locked on her, some visibly dazed.
The sudden appearance of Storm Life and Crimson Rose, walking in unified formation, had an instant ripple effect.
The various team leaders and upper echelon members of surrounding guilds began casting sidelong glances at the group. Conversations quieted. Eyes narrowed. But no one voiced their thoughts.
Still, the implication was obvious:
Had Storm Life and Crimson Rose formed an alliance? Were they planning to challenge Hard Mode together?
They didn't say it aloud—but they all thought it.
Even so, few truly believed they could succeed. The Hard Mode of Echoing Deep was a different beast entirely. No amount of coordination or flashy weapons could make up for the sheer brutality of its scaling difficulty.
Still… the name Storm Life carried weight. And Crimson Rose was no slouch either. For a pair of second-rate guilds, they had made history.
"As expected of them," one guild officer muttered. "They were the first to clear Elite Mode… and their record still sits at the top of the leaderboard."
The massive ranking panel just outside the dungeon entrance shimmered in confirmation. Line #1 glowed:
[Echoing Deep: Elite Mode Clear Time – Storm Life & Crimson Rose – 00:47:39]
Nearby, Kael Draven, crossed his arms and sighed.
"Hmph… so what if they were first? Our team has cleared Elite Mode ten—no, twenty times now. A single fast run doesn't prove anything."
A few feet away, Rhine, captain of Everhold Dominion, said with wrinkled brows and let out a snort of disdain.
"Zephyr's not some untouchable genius," he muttered, mostly to himself. "My techniques are just as sharp. If I hadn't been ambushed and dropped those levels…" his eyes darkened, "...our team would have already cleared Hard Mode."
The various guilds present stood in uneasy silence. Though some exchanged brief nods, there was no camaraderie—only veiled hostility.
Glory had only just begun, and the future was a blank canvas waiting to be painted with victories and defeats. No guild wanted to yield an inch to another. Even now, Storm Life and Crimson Rose enjoyed a head start only because of their strong initial foundation—prior connections, coordinated investments, and early equipment rushes.
But that alone wasn't enough.
The first layer of Hard Mode in Echoing Deep couldn't be conquered simply by leaning on early-game advantages. It demanded synergy, reflexes, strategy, and sheer resilience. At most, Storm Life held a minor edge over the others. Nothing more.
And that was what made today's challenge so pivotal.
The first clear of Hard Mode wasn't just about loot or rankings—it was a symbol. A declaration. Whoever seized it would gain massive prestige across South Glade Town, reshaping the local power hierarchy and dramatically accelerating their guild's growth. With player numbers swelling every day, reputation had become the most valuable currency. The first clear would act as a beacon, drawing new recruits like moths to flame.
Everyone knew it.
Eyes turned to the dungeon's dark entrance, where magical runes still sealed the gate.
A glance at the system clock told them the same thing: 30 minutes remained until today's opening of Echoing Deep.
And so, they waited—shoulders tense, weapons gleaming, hearts racing.
"Sister Velena, this place is really lively today," a cheerful voice chimed.
The speaker, Lyra Nox, giggled as she gently tugged on Velena's delicate arm, her eyes sweeping curiously across the crowded canyon. Clad in Crimson Rose's signature red-and-silver armor set, she radiated youthful energy—an obvious contrast to Velena's stoic elegance.
Lyra was the second member of Crimson Rose in the five-player team, known more for her light-healing agility and deadly timing as a Cleric than her playful demeanor.
Velena gave a soft nod, her gaze cool and unreadable. Her expression was like frost—beautiful, distant, and unmoved.
She didn't spare even a glance at the gathered guilds.
Instead, her eyes moved through the crowd, searching silently.
For someone.
Though she, Zephyr, and the rest of their squad had entered the area quietly, without banners or announcements, they failed to avoid attention. The mere presence of Storm Life and Crimson Rose was enough to stir ripples.
All around them, conversations dulled. Movements slowed.
Unconsciously, the gazes of players and commanders alike drifted toward their group.