South Glade Town — Lower District, The Scarlet Tankard Tavern
On the second floor of the dimly lit tavern, in one of its private rooms, laughter and boisterous voices echoed.
Inside, Rhine of Everhold Dominion and several of his close subordinates were in the middle of a drinking party. The air was thick with the rich, smoky aroma of Shadowfire Mead—a dark, spicy in-game wine known for its quick stamina regen and brief intoxication debuff. They gulped down mouthfuls one after another, the heavy mugs clinking against the hardwood table.
Just half an hour ago, Rhine had made a bold move.
He'd posted a public guild announcement across the official Glory forums—a direct bounty placed on the head of the player known as Raen. It wasn't subtle. It was a declaration of total war.
The impact was instant.
In mere minutes, Everhold Dominion had become the center of attention across the Astralis region. Players flooded into threads and channels.
"Who the hell is Raen?"
"You don't know? He's that swordsman who cleared Echoing Deep's King-level!"
"No, not just once—multiple times! With his own team and even with big names like Storm Life and Crimson Rose!"
Raen's name now stood etched at the top of the Echoing Deep Dungeon Leaderboard, burned into public memory. People no longer questioned whether his earlier victory had been a fluke.
He had become a verified threat.
The forum even saw video replays of Raen's battle against Rhine—showing how the swordsman had dismantled Everhold's elite. These clips quickly became training material, circulated among swordsman forums and guild boards alike.
Raen wasn't just a target anymore.
He was an icon.
Beyond that, rumors were already running wild.
Many players speculated that Raen's relationship with Zephyr and Velena wasn't just one of simple cooperation. Whispers of an affair circulated rapidly—after all, why else would a top-tier goddess like Velena, instead of choosing elite members from her own guild, choose to accompany an outsider like Raen into Echoing Deep?
To the wider player base, it didn't make sense.
Jealousy and dissatisfaction had long since taken root. And now, with Everhold Dominion publicly placing a 10,000 credit bounty on Raen's head, countless players were already itching to make a move.
It wasn't just about the money.
Killing a publicly acknowledged expert—someone whose name topped the Echoing Deep King-level leaderboard—would be the ultimate trophy. Such a feat would instantly skyrocket the killer's fame, proving they weren't just another nameless player.
And timing couldn't be more perfect.
Global corporations had begun to eye Glory with growing interest. Some were already investing heavily—forming their own guilds and studio, quietly recruiting rising talents. For ambitious players, this was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Prove your strength, and the world might just come knocking.
So why wouldn't they try?
"Boss Rhine, this move of yours is brilliant!" a subordinate praised as he took a hearty swig of his drink. "With that bounty announcement, Raen's as good as dead! And even if he somehow survives, the constant pressure will drive him mad. Players will be hunting him day and night—he won't even get the chance to level up!"
"Humph!! Now that that son of a bitch is hiding, no one can find him," Rhine sneered, slamming his mug onto the table. "But it doesn't matter. His teammates—we know where they are once we get a hold of them."
A sinister grin curled on his lips.
"We'll grind them down to Level 0 if we have to. Let's see how long he keeps hiding then. And when he finally dares to show his face…" Rhine's voice dropped, deadly cold, "Nightshade Vale will finish what he started. That'll be his end."
Just as Rhine let out a chilling laugh, far away in South Glade Town, Kaito's system alert blinked with a communication request—it was from his friend list.
"Are you alright?" Velena asked abruptly.
Kaito was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected even Velena to show concern for him. Shaking his head, he replied, "I'm fine."
"If things become too troublesome, I can mobilize Crimson Rose in the Astralis City region to deal with Everhold Dominion," Velena offered calmly. "That way, they'll be forced to back off quickly."
Though her tone remained understated, Kaito was well aware of just how terrifying Crimson Rose could be if they acted with full force. Just the tens of thousands of fans who followed Velena were enough to pressure Everhold Dominion into submission—let alone when the guild's elite members got involved. If Crimson Rose truly took action, Everhold Dominion wouldn't last a few days before crumbling.
"Thanks. I'll be careful," Kaito replied sincerely.
Soon after ending the call with Velena, another communication request popped up.
"Brother Raen, are you alright?" Zephyr asked the moment the call connected.
"I'm fine," Kaito answered with a smile. Hearing Zephyr's concern gave him a strange sense of déjà vu.
"That's good to hear. I saw the bounty Everhold Dominion posted. Ten thousand credits for killing you even once—what a ruthless move. They even included your teammates, offering a thousand credits each," Zephyr said, his tone heavy. "Plenty of the experts I know have taken interest in the reward. They'll definitely come for you."
Zephyr paused, then added, "It'll be a real hassle if you get targeted all day. If you're not planning to hide for a while, you could always level with us. Stormlife's reputation will keep most hunters away. And if anyone dares to cause trouble, we'll deal with them for you."
Kaito felt a genuine warmth from Zephyr's concern.
"Thanks, but I'll handle this myself," Kaito replied. Then, smiling, he added, "On another note, would Brother Zephyr be interested in buying some high-level equipment? I've got a few pieces I can let go at a good price."
He had also brought up the same offer to Velena. After all, he still had plenty of gear from recent dungeon runs. With equipment prices currently at a peak, it made more sense to sell now rather than wait for depreciation. Better to turn those items into gold while their value remained high.
"With the surge of new players joining lately, our guild is running short on equipment," Zephyr admitted. "If you're willing to sell at a lower price and accept full payment in credits, I'll buy everything you've got."
Interestingly, it was the exact same response Velena had given him earlier.
Currently, the demand for equipment on the market was intense, with every piece being fiercely contested. Zephyr and Velena both understood that Kaito likely had a significant stockpile. After all, he had already cleared the King-level difficulty of Echoing Deep—meaning the lower-tier party dungeons were likely a breeze for him now. And with only around fifty members in Genesis, he'd certainly have plenty of surplus gear.
If they could secure all the extra equipment from Kaito, it would be an incredible boost for both Stormlife and Crimson Rose.
"I'm a bit tied up at the moment," Kaito said. "How about we meet at the trade hall in the hotel? Velena will be there too."
"That works," Zephyr replied with a grin. "I'll need a little time to gather the credits anyway."
After ending the call with Zephyr, Kaito quickly sent out a message to Mei Rin and the rest of his team, urging caution. He warned them to remain alert for ambushes from other players. Given the current strength and gear of the Genesis team, a handful of average players wouldn't pose any threat. However, the real danger came from elite players—those with skill, coordination, and intent. If any such groups decided to act, Mei Rin's squad could find themselves in real trouble.
Taking his warning seriously, Mei Rin immediately relayed the message to the rest of the team. She instructed everyone to avoid lingering near the Echoing Deep's entrance and to continue grinding efficiently within the dungeon itself. There was no need to offer enemies any easy openings.
"Everhold Dominion," Kaito muttered coldly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "You want a war? Then war it is."