Ten Minutes Earlier – Outside the Isolation Array...
Gravemind stood in the shadow of the fading Nether Leopard King's domain, his face grim as he surveyed the damage. Around him, hundreds of Everhold Dominion players had regrouped in disarray, many still in need of a regeneration potion, some trembling from the close brush with death.
…
At that moment, the Nether Leopard King still had 20% HP remaining—a tempting target, but also a costly one.
He had clenched his jaw.
Raen had vanished.
They didn't know if he had gone to regroup with his team or circled back to ambush them again. But Gravemind wasn't willing to take the risk.
"Let him have it," Gravemind muttered, signaling the retreat. "If we stay, he'll come back and finish what he started—and then claim the loot on top of it. Not this time."
Gravemind's mind worked quickly. Whether Raen returned to attack them or ignored the boss altogether, they couldn't win here—not with their healers gone and players scattered. Sacrificing the boss was the only move that kept control in his hands.
But the Nether Leopard King had other plans.
As soon as Everhold Dominion began pulling back, the beast let out a thunderous roar. A pulse of violet light spread through the air—and in the next breath, two Elite Shadow Leopards materialized, eyes blazing, lunging at the fleeing players.
Panic spread.
Gravemind's voice cut through the chaos. "Shield Warriors, slow them down! Buy time for the rest to escape. Anyone who can hold it off for even a minute—I'll personally compensate your losses!"
Dozens of players hesitated. Some, seeing an opportunity for favor or reward, charged forward to intercept the leopards.
It worked—but at a heavy cost.
Dozens fell. The beast's pursuit was relentless. Even Gravemind hadn't expected the boss to hold a grudge like this.
....
Gravemind had only managed to escape after sacrificing more than half his team, retreating with a tightly clustered group of core members toward the dungeon entrance. Seven minutes later, those who had fallen in battle began reappearing—resurrected by the guild's healers and gathering behind him once more.
The scale of Everhold Dominion's investment was evident in this moment. Obtaining resurrection skills at this stage of the game was already a major achievement—acquiring three or four of them had likely drained nearly all of their liquid funds.
Of course, the death penalty remained unchanged. Resurrection didn't negate the EXP loss or weapon damage. Its only advantage was speed—instantly bringing a player back into the fray. In contrast, those who respawned at designated revival points had to endure a mandatory cooldown of at least thirty minutes before they could return to battle.
At this moment, Gravemind's expression was dark.
He had paid out generous compensation to those who volunteered—but it was a calculated investment.
"Raen's team has gear," he muttered to himself. "Strong gear. Rare gear. Once we kill them, I'll get every copper of it back."
He turned toward the Isolation Array barrier in the distance, where a ripple had just begun forming.
"Time to collect."
When the ripple flashed across the Isolation Array, the shimmering barrier dissolved, leaving behind only a faint residual aura.
Gravemind's eyes narrowed as he gazed into the space that had just been sealed off.
Initially, he had believed there was no way to know what had happened inside. Players who died within an Isolation Array couldn't send messages after thirty minutes had passed—so there was no intel, no updates.
All he knew was that nearly 200 of Everhold Dominion's players had entered that dome. And as strong as Raen was, Gravemind had confidently assumed it would still take him time to turn the tide against such numbers. With only around 50 Genesis members on Raen's side, their odds had seemed slim.
Earlier, he'd confirmed with Rhine that the Isolation Array would vanish in ten minutes. A one-time consumable—once it dispersed, there would be no second chance. That was why he'd devised a pincer strategy: hit Raen from behind the moment the barrier fell, while his internal team continued the full assault from the front. They'd crush Genesis from both directions.
But now, as the shimmer faded and the battlefield came into view, Gravemind's heart sank.
Only fifty or so players remained standing—yet every single one bore the Genesis emblem.
The field was eerily quiet, littered with corpses and glowing equipment drops. Not a single Everhold Dominion tag was left in sight.
Gravemind stared in disbelief.
He didn't need anyone to tell him what had happened. The silence was the answer.
Raen had done the unthinkable. He had slaughtered every last one of them.
And now, as Gravemind's eyes locked onto Kaito—still standing, still gripping his swords amidst the carnage—one thing became painfully clear.
This threat could not be allowed to grow any further.
Raen had to be destroyed.
Here and now. Before the flower fully bloomed.
And No matter how hard he tried, Gravemind couldn't calm down. Rage surged in his veins like wildfire.
"Kill him! Wipe them out!" he bellowed, his voice cracking with fury.
At his command, the Everhold Dominion players surged forward from all directions, forming a tightening noose around the battered Genesis team. Waves of crowd-control skills flew toward them—freezes, snares, stuns—each meant to lock down the group and leave them defenseless.
But Kaito barely glanced at them.
Instead, he calmly activated [Elemental Guard], the arcane shield shimmering faintly around him. His priority wasn't to fight—at least, not yet. First, he had to claim what was theirs. The battlefield was still littered with loot from the fallen Everhold Dominion players, and Kaito wasn't about to leave it behind.
Even if they were overwhelmed, even if they all died here, he needed to secure these spoils. It was a matter of principle.
Bolstered by regeneration and mana potions taken moments before the clash, the Genesis team stood firm—battered, but not broken.
Streaks of magic struck Kaito from all directions—fireballs, shadow lances, frost arrows—but they were either blocked by his passive resistances or absorbed by Deflecting Edge. With [Windveil Steps] and [Mana Steps] used in seamless tandem, Kaito darted across the battlefield like a shadow in a storm. Within seconds, every last item had been swept into his bag. Not even a single coin remained.
Watching this unfold, Gravemind's fury boiled over.
"Raen!" he roared, his eyes bloodshot. "You're still picking up loot while fighting me?!"
The sight of Kaito dancing through their ranks, calmly collecting drops, ignited something primal in Gravemind. He'd spent so many resources—sacrificed so many teammates—all to trap Raen once and for all. Yet everything he did had only paved the path for Kaito's rise.
His composure shattered.
"I'll kill you back to level zero!" Gravemind screamed.
With that, he yanked a cluster of jet-black [Mana-Piercing Arrows] from his quiver and loosed them one after another. Each arrow carried his full power, fired with such speed and precision that it seemed impossible to dodge.
But Kaito didn't even slow down.
And just then—movement appeared beyond the treeline.
Multiple groups emerged behind Everhold Dominion's formation. Their banners fluttered in the breeze—one bearing the mark of the Stormlife Guild, the other the crimson crest of Crimson Rose. Dozens of players surged into the clearing—men and women alike—but most of the Crimson Rose contingent were elite female players, known for their ruthless coordination and tactical prowess.
Leading the charge were Zephyr and Velena,
Without so much as a word, the two dashed straight toward Gravemind, unleashing a barrage of attacks the moment they entered the fray. Wind-infused blades and binding spells tore through the battlefield as they advanced, cutting through Everhold Dominion's defensive line like paper.
Gravemind barely had time to react.
Startled by their sudden aggression, he threw himself into a desperate defense, narrowly dodging a pair of Zephyr's crescent wind slashes. As he slid back, feet digging into the dirt, he forced himself to breathe and settle his boiling emotions.
Then, narrowing his eyes, he called out, "You Both! Why are you interfering in my business?!"
Of course, he already knew the answer.
Before ever coming to South Glade Town, Gravemind had done his research—mapping out the power dynamics between guilds, assessing threats and potential allies. Stormlife Guild and Crimson Rose had stood out immediately. Their fame from previous games, their rising influence, and their recent exploits in Glory had marked them as a group to watch.
And now, here they were—standing in his way.
He had also heard from Rhine that Stormlife Guild and Crimson Rose was rumored to be aligned with Raen, though it hadn't been confirmed.
Now it was.
Seeing Zephyr and Velena rush in without hesitation, Gravemind's heart sank. He understood in that moment—his plan to surround and eliminate Raen was crumbling before his eyes.
The tide had turned.