"Forget it," the party leader, a calm-eyed Elementalist, shook his head. "You're forgetting what kind of situation we're in. Everyone from Everhold Dominion has a bounty on their head now. One silver coin per kill. Do you have any idea how many players are itching to make that trade?"
"But since when did you turn into a coward?" the Berserker snorted, his lips curling into a smirk. His skin had a faint, unhealthy pallor, but his tone was bold. "Back then, when we were robbing elites and snatching drops from others, you never backed down. What's changed? We're Everhold Dominion—one of the top guilds in South Glade Town. You think anyone has the guts to come at us?"
The Elementalist hesitated.
Truthfully, the Berserker had a point. Everhold Dominion was feared in South Glade—known for crushing anyone who dared stand against them. Why should they cower now?
After a brief pause, the leader finally nodded. "Fine. Once we finish off these last two Shadowfurs, we'll head toward the Duskhorn Cubs' territory."
"Hell yeah!" the group shouted in unison, their morale instantly reignited.
The Shield Warrior grinned fiercely as his shield slammed into one of the Shadowfur Wolves, sending it hurtling backward. Before it could even hit the ground, he spun and struck the second wolf with a booming Heroic Strike, draining its remaining HP in a single blow.
With the final Shadowfur falling lifeless, the Everhold Dominion party barely had a moment to breathe before an eerie shift filled the air.
Figures emerged from the shadows—more than twenty players, surrounding them in a wide, silent circle. Every single one of them had red names hovering over their heads—a clear sign they had killed many players before.
"Well, well… luck's on our side today," a sultry voice purred.
A red-named female assassin appeared from stealth, stepping forward with a lazy confidence. Her movements were fluid, her body wrapped in tight, matte-black gear that accentuated her deadly grace. A wry smile tugged at her lips as she eyed the Everhold Dominion squad.
The Dominion members froze, an instinctive chill crawling down their spines.
They hadn't sensed her at all.
She must've been hiding in the shadows the whole time—acting as the advance scout for the ambush. That level of stealth was no joke.
"What do you want?" the Elementalist party leader demanded, his tone icy as his gaze swept the perimeter for weaknesses.
The assassin laughed softly, twirling a curved dagger between her fingers. "What do we want?" she echoed playfully. "Just here for a little… entertainment."
"Sister Nyxblade, why waste your breath?" a nearby ranger interrupted, impatience lacing his voice. His bow was already drawn, the arrow aimed straight at the Dominion cleric's chest. "Let's wipe them out and move on."
The Shield Warrior clenched his fists. He could tell from their formation and gear that these weren't amateurs.
They were elite—and they were outnumbered. Badly.
Even so, he raised his voice, trying to intimidate. "You'd better think this through. If you make Everhold Dominion your enemy, you won't live to regret it. We're already handling Orion. Once that's settled, we'll make an example out of every rat that dares lay a hand on us."
"Everhold Dominion?" Nyxblade echoed mockingly, tilting her head.
She tapped the flat of her dagger against her cheek, her smirk deepening.
"Funny. Weren't you the same 'mighty guild' that got your faces stomped in by my idol, Raen?"
She took a slow step forward, eyes gleaming with mirth and menace.
"And now, you're daring to go after him again? Tsk. That's not just reckless—that's personal."
Her expression darkened, voice sharp like a blade.
"And when you mess with him... you mess with me."
She raised her hand.
"None of them leave alive. Go!"
At Nyxblade's command, the encirclement closed in with ruthless efficiency.
In a blink, the assassin herself vanished into stealth—only to reappear behind the Elementalist leading the Everhold Dominion squad. Before he could even register the threat, her icy gold dagger sliced clean across his neck. A flash of critical red numbers burst into view as she immediately followed up with a backstab and precise evisceration.
The party leader collapsed with a dull thud, his health bar vanishing in an instant.
The rest of the Dominion party stood frozen in horror.
Not even a second passed before they turned and fled, sheer panic overruling any sense of strategy.
But escape? That was never an option.
Thick earthen walls suddenly erupted before them—conjured by the enemy Elementalists. Before they could reroute, a barrage of frost lances rained down, slowing their movements to a crawl. Then came the Berserkers—charging in from multiple angles, each one slamming their targets and following up with Brutal Breaks, chaining crowd control like clockwork.
Their escape speed dropped to a crawl—slower than a tortoise dragging a wagon.
The members of Everhold Dominion were slaughtered within moments.
"Sweep the field. Don't miss anything," Nyxblade ordered coolly, already turning to scout their next target.
"Damn, these guys were loaded," muttered a lean Berserker as he crouched beside a corpse. He held up three glowing items. "Three pieces of Bronze-grade gear from one squad? Makes you wonder what kind of loot Raen's team must be hoarding…"
He gave a low whistle, clearly impressed—and a little too eager.
Nyxblade's gaze sharpened.
"Oh?" She smiled, eyes narrowing slightly. "Grizzletooth, don't tell me you're eyeing my idol's team now?"
The Berserker known as Grizzletooth flinched so hard he nearly dropped the gear. He scrambled up with a nervous chuckle.
"Me? No way! Just daydreaming a little. I wouldn't dare touch Raen's crew. If I did, I'd end up as minced meat before I could blink."
Nyxblade gave a satisfied snort.
"At least you're self-aware."
She turned on her heel, vanishing into the breeze as the others followed—leaving behind the bloodied remains of Everhold Dominion.
Their hunt had only just begun.
....
South Glade Town — Lower District, The Scarlet Tankard Tavern
Crash!
The sound of glass shattering rang through the tavern's private chamber as Rhine hurled a bottle against the wall, his face twisted in fury.
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!" he roared. "Why is it that only our people are dying while not a single one of Raen's teammates has shown up on any death log?!"
The room fell silent.
Moments earlier, Rhine had received a grim report from his subordinates. In less than two hours, over fifty Everhold Dominion members stationed in South Glade Town had been wiped out at least once. Among the dead were nine of their core elites—the so-called upper echelons of the guild.
Each death came with a steep price: a loss in level, dropped equipment, and more importantly, a massive blow to morale.
The South Glade Town branch of Everhold Dominion was bleeding—and fast.
And Rhine? He was expected to compensate them for the damages.
To make matters worse, panic had begun to spread among the ranks. More and more members were questioning their allegiance, unwilling to be cannon fodder in this escalating bounty war. If this went on, the branch would collapse from the inside.
"Brother Rhine," one of his officers finally spoke up, his tone cautious. "Raen's teammates aren't easy targets. They either come out directly from the dungeon's respawn point or head straight back inside. They don't linger near the entrance at all—it's like they're turtles, hiding in their shells. Ordinary players don't even have time to activate skills before they vanish again."
He hesitated for a second before offering a suggestion. "Maybe… we raise the bounty? That might lure in some real experts."
Rhine's eyes narrowed, but he gave a curt nod.
"Fine. Increase the bounty across the board."
His voice turned cold, calculating.
"I don't care how strong they are—someone out there can deal with them. Once any of Raen's team is taken down, make sure we reward the killer immediately. Let people see that it's possible. It'll boost their confidence."
He paused for a moment.
"And contact Nightshade Vale again. I want him back in play."
"Leave it to me, Boss," the subordinate replied quickly. "I'll get the word out."
Rhine didn't respond.
Just as Rhine was about to bark his next order, a quiet ding echoed in his interface.
He glanced down at the message notification, and his expression stiffened.
[Incoming Message – Guild Leader]
You better come out on top in this.
Just seven words.
But the weight behind them hit harder than any insult. Rhine's jaw clenched as he read the message again.
There was no offer of support. No resources. No questions.
Just pressure.
A warning wrapped in expectation.
He closed the message window slowly, his gaze hardening.