NyxBlade froze the moment she heard his reply.
Her wide, glistening eyes locked onto him, stunned—like her mind couldn't quite process what she'd just heard.
Her heart thumped even harder, the rhythm wild and erratic.
Did he just say… Raen?
For a split second, it felt like the world had stopped moving.
She had come to Echoing Deep with a purpose. After hearing whispers that Everhold Dominion planned to target the Genesis team, she made up her mind to intervene—even if it meant putting herself in danger.
And deep down… she'd hoped.
Just maybe.
Maybe she'd get a glimpse of the man who had quietly become her inspiration.
But this?
This was far beyond anything she'd imagined.
She had set out thinking she'd offer him help—yet in the end, he had been the one to save her.
Was it fate? Or some twisted game played by the universe?
Heat crept into her cheeks. She quickly looked down, feeling silly for reading too much into it. Why am I even thinking like this…?
Before she could gather her thoughts, Kaito glanced her way, his brow slightly furrowed.
"I'm Raen," he said simply. "do you know who I am?"
There was no arrogance in his voice—just quiet curiosity.
To him, the girl standing before him was a stranger. Yet something in her expression… felt oddly familiar.
Before NyxBlade could answer, the Berserker standing beside her—Grizzletooth—let out a breathless wheeze, his jaw practically unhinged.
"You… You're the Raen?"
His voice cracked as pure disbelief turned to admiration.
Grizzletooth had always been skeptical of the rumors. To him, Raen had seemed like another overblown legend—just a guy lucky enough to ride the wave of early fame.
But now?
Now he'd seen it with his own eyes.
One man had just single-handedly wiped out the Everhold Dominion's elite squad—the same squad his own team hadn't even scratched.
No fancy announcements. No flashy title.
Just calm execution. Clean. Absolute.
In that moment, every doubt Grizzletooth once had crumbled.
So the stories weren't exaggerations… if anything, they were understated.
He stared at Kaito with shining eyes, no longer just impressed.
He was a believer.
It was no wonder now—why NyxBlade had admired him so deeply.
Grizzletooth could barely contain himself. "Big Brother Raen, you don't know this, but in reality, Sister NyxBlade is totally—"
Whack!
Before he could finish, NyxBlade delivered a swift kick to his shin. The Berserker winced, nearly toppling over.
When he glanced back up and saw the fire in NyxBlade's glare—one that could burn through solid steel—he immediately slapped both hands over his mouth.
"Is my what?" Kaito blinked, slightly confused.
NyxBlade gave a very forced laugh. "Ah, nothing! He's just… he's having one of his usual nonsense fits. Ignore him."
Trying to steer the conversation away, she stepped forward again.
"Big Brother Raen… will you come with us?"
There was a trace of worry in her voice now. Her tone lowered as her fingers fidgeted unconsciously.
"This time… we might all really die."
Kaito paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
NyxBlade bit her lip and continued.
"Everhold Dominion didn't just send a few scouts. They brought over two hundred players. This entire area is surrounded. And there's something strange going on at the entrance to Echoing Deep—it's like some kind of formation is blocking the path. We can't get through it, no matter what we try."
Her voice trembled faintly.
"And They're not just numbers either. There are powerful players among them. Several are already level 14, and they're all wearing full sets of Mysterious Iron equipment. They've already taken out most of our team…"
She lowered her head. "If they corner us, we won't stand a chance."
She looked up at him again, eyes pleading. "Big Brother Raen, you don't have to fight them now. Let's go—just for now. We can come back after figuring out a plan. But if we stay… there won't be another opportunity."
Kaito listened silently.
Level 14 experts?
In South Glade Town, players who had reached Level 14 were considered the elite of the elite—often leading small guilds or squadrons.
For several of them to suddenly appear here, all under the Everhold Dominion's banner?
That was more than surprising. It was suspicious.
But in the end—
"So what?" Kaito said calmly.
"If they're here to hunt me… then I'll meet them head-on."
His hand rested on the hilt of the Solstice Blade. A faint light gleamed across its edge.
"Actually," he said, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, "this is a good opportunity. I needed something to test my sword on."
He turned toward the distant treeline, where a heavy aura pressed against the edge of his senses.
"You should all get going. I'll stay behind and say hello to these… experts."
After speaking, Kaito silently slipped into the shadows of the inner perimeter of Echoing Deep's entrance, his figure quickly vanishing from sight.
Grizzletooth hesitated, scratching his head. "S-Sister NyxBlade… what do we do now? Should we retreat?"
NyxBlade shot him a sideways glance, exasperated.
"Retreat? Are you serious?"
She turned her gaze in the direction Kaito had disappeared, her voice firm.
"Brother Raen saved our lives. How could we just walk away now?"
Even though she trusted Kaito's strength—more than ever, now that she'd seen it firsthand—she had also witnessed the terrifying power of those hidden Everhold Dominion elites. If they surrounded him with overwhelming numbers, even someone like Kaito might be pushed into a corner.
And if that moment came, maybe—even if just barely—she and Grizzletooth could give him a window to escape.
Without another word, the two of them slipped into Echoing Deep's entrance as well, quietly moving through the shadows in pursuit of Kaito.
…..
Meanwhile, deeper within the tangled growth of Echoing Deep's inner perimeter, where thickets and brambles choked the path, several Level 13 Nether Leopards prowled quietly beneath the cover of the underbrush—waiting for the unwary.
A 50-man assault team from Everhold Dominion was steadily cutting through the area, clearing out the predatory leopards in their way as they advanced toward the inner zone.
Their weapons flashed coldly in the dim light.
Boots crushed leaves and bloodstained earth beneath them.
"Brother Gravemind, wouldn't chasing after that girl—NyxBlade—just waste time? Shouldn't we be focusing on finding Raen instead?" Rhine asked, his tone edged with frustration as he walked beside the center of the team. His brows were tightly knit, his gaze flickering toward the handsome youth who was casually humming a tune as if this were a leisurely stroll through the woods.
That man was none other than Gravemind—the vice guild leader of Everhold Dominion.
Despite appearing no older than twenty-seven or twenty-eight, Gravemind's status within the guild was absolute. Both in terms of strength and influence, he far outstripped Rhine, even though Rhine was the brother-in-law of the guild master. Regardless of blood ties, Rhine had no choice but to respectfully refer to him as "Brother Gravemind."
After successfully trapping Raen's teammates inside an isolation array, Rhine had received an urgent message from the guild leader: Gravemind would be joining the operation. Since Rhine was the holder of the array scroll—the only person who could freely pass in and out—he had been instructed to personally welcome Gravemind upon arrival.
Yet things hadn't gone as planned.
Instead of heading inside the array, Gravemind had insisted on waiting outside, opting to ambush Raen directly should he appear. Worse, Rhine had been told to stay with him and follow orders.
And that—more than anything—was what annoyed him.