Due to Everhold Dominion's complete control over Echoing Deep's entrance, the idea of an ambush seemed laughable. The Spellbinder was utterly at ease, never imagining danger could be so close. But that false sense of security was a grave mistake.
In a flash, Kaito's Doppelganger emerged from the shadows. Its first strike pierced straight through the Spellbinder's chant, followed by a clean slash to the head, and then a third—swift and lethal. Though the Doppelganger only had 50% of Kaito's attributes, that alone made it comparable to a level 15 swordsman fully equipped with level 15 bronze gear.
On the other hand, the Spellbinder was only level 12 and wore standard bronze equipment. The disparity between them was night and day.
In the blink of an eye, three damage values floated above the Spellbinder's head: –200, –472, and –283. With less than 800 HP in total, the Spellbinder was instantly slain.
His sudden death sent a jolt through the surrounding mages.
"Enemy attack!" an Elementalist specializing in skill-theft shouted in panic.
All the nearby mages suddenly felt an oppressive pressure. To eliminate a level 12 mage in just three blows—this intruder was no ordinary player. If he got close, their fates would be sealed.
Before they could regroup, the Doppelganger raised its blade once more. Flame Arc Slash!
A crescent of fire swept through the air toward four nearby mages.
Panic struck instantly. Two Elementalists reacted just in time, activating Blink to escape. A Spellbinder without such an escape skill threw himself flat to the ground, narrowly dodging the flame.
The Summoner, however, wasn't so lucky. Closest to the attack, he was a moment too slow. Before he could fully move, the fire consumed him whole. A level 3 Flame Arc Slash—more than enough to reduce his body to ashes.
Although the Doppelganger had only managed to eliminate a single Summoner, a faint smirk still curved across its face. The true purpose of that Flame Arc Slash had never been to secure a kill—but to carve a path forward.
Now, the corridor between Kaito's Doppelganger and the Everhold Dominion's backline healers lay wide open.
Without hesitation, the Doppelganger activated Windveil Steps, its body turning into a blur as it surged forward. If it could eliminate even one or two healers, the entire Everhold Dominion team would collapse like a house of cards.
"Don't even dream of touching our healers!"
A sharp voice rang out as Rhine burst forward, unleashing Gale Slash, a skill that let him strike with wind-infused blades at breakneck speed.
Sparks exploded in the air as their swords clashed violently. Four afterimages followed each of their attacks, blades slicing through air like ghosts in combat.
Rhine gritted his teeth. The momentum of the mysterious swordsman was overwhelming, and he found himself on the backfoot. Every exchange left his arms aching, his grip loosening under the sheer weight behind the Doppelganger's strikes.
What disturbed him more were the sudden, precise jabs aimed at his vitals—each one forcing him to activate Deflecting Edge, a reactive guard skill, just to stay alive.
"Tch… Rhine, you've really gone soft," a mocking voice rang out from the side.
A tall figure clad in silver-gray battle armor stepped forward. The speaker was a level 14 Berserker, muscles taut and blade resting on his shoulder—Grudgehowl, one of the other branch leaders.
"You can't even hold off one average stray trying to reach the support line?"
"Grudgehowl, why don't you come try it yourself if you're so eager?" Rhine snapped back, frustration bubbling over. Being pressured by Kaito's Doppelganger and having his HP steadily chipped away was already bad enough. Now that he was being mocked in front of the elites, his fury nearly exploded.
"So, since you're inviting me—I'll join the dance."
With a cold smirk, the level 14 Berserker, Grudgehowl, activated Rampage, surging forward like a steel juggernaut. The skill carried a Stagger effect, and Kaito's Doppelganger immediately shifted into a defensive stance.
At the same time, the surrounding mages—still in formation—were already midway through their incantations. Arcs of flame and icicles flew like a hailstorm, bombarding the area.
Kaito's Doppelganger also activated Deflecting Edge Lv.2, weaving between the magical projectiles with incredible agility. The skill mitigated much of the damage, allowing him to endure the barrage while inching closer to the Everhold Dominion's healer line.
But Grudgehowl was fast—frighteningly so.
After his initial charge connected, he followed up with a heavy swing using Breaker Slash, a skill designed to slow enemies by sapping their momentum. The Doppelganger's speed immediately plummeted.
"You Three, take care of this nuisance," Gravemind barked his orders at three assassins, pointing, without even turning around. His eyes remained locked on the Nether Leopard King's HP bar.
He couldn't spare attention for some lone fool who thought they could pick off his team of 40 elites.
The trio of assassins, instantly obeyed the command. Like shadows flickering across the battlefield, they zipped toward the Doppelganger from different angles.
Under the focus fire of over a dozen players, even Kaito's Doppelganger—despite its swift reflexes—began to falter.
Though it managed to dodge several of the incoming blows, some attacks still landed. With every hit, its HP visibly dipped. In mere moments, only 30% of its health remained.
"Tch… Turns out it's a fat fish with faulty instincts," Grudgehowl scoffed as he sized up the situation.
Based on the exchanges so far and the impact of each blow, he quickly made a judgment—this mysterious swordsman had incredible gear. Possibly silver-tier, maybe even better.
If they killed him, the loot would be significant.
The reason Grudgehowl thought so was that a single normal attack from the mysterious Swordsman dealt him around -100 damage. Meanwhile, his normal attacks also chipped away 100 of the Swordsman's HP. However, the problem lay in the fact that the mysterious Swordsman used a one-handed sword, while he used a two-handed sword.
In Glory, two-handed weapons possessed significantly higher raw attack power compared to one-handed weapons. On average, the damage output of a two-handed weapon was nearly double that of its one-handed counterpart. Each strike from a two-handed weapon carried immense force, often resulting in devastating blows. In contrast, one-handed weapons dealt lower damage per hit but offered much higher attack speed. Over extended combat, the total DPS (damage per second) between the two weapon types generally balanced out.
However, in this case, Grudgehowl—wielding a two-handed greatsword—had only managed to inflict around –100 damage per hit against the Mysterious Swordsman. This was abnormal. The damage discrepancy wasn't due to Grudgehowl's strength, but rather a clear indicator of the Mysterious Swordsman's exceptional gear. It was a sign that his defenses, resistances, and armor were all top-tier—even among elite players at this stage of the game.
.....
Unfortunately, it's still not enough. I was hoping they'd commit even more players to chase it down.
From a concealed perch within the dense brush of the Echoing Deep's entrance, Kaito observed the chaos unfolding below with narrowed eyes. A tinge of disappointment flashed across his face as he noticed only a dozen or so players focusing their fire on his Doppelganger.
"Tch… Too cautious," Kaito muttered under his breath. "Forget it. No point being greedy. Time to reel in the net."
At that moment, as if responding to its master's silent command, the Doppelganger suddenly surged with violent momentum. Its body flickered, leaping high into the air like a shadow streaking across moonlight.
From above, the Solstice Blade in the Doppelganger's hand erupted with a surge of crimson flame and silver lightning, the twin elements intertwining like a storm barely restrained. In the blink of an eye, the Doppelganger spun mid-air, channeling every ounce of its power into a single, devastating slash—then brought the blade crashing down with unrelenting force.
FWOOOM!
A roaring wave of fire and lightning exploded forth, the elemental blast ripping through the air like a meteor descending from the heavens. It slammed into the heart of Everhold Dominion's formation, engulfing the most crowded cluster of players in a maelstrom of searing flame and crackling electricity.