On the forums, the atmosphere was boiling over once again. The three back-to-back system announcements had already set the community ablaze, but soon after, the first official messages from guilds started pouring in.
The one who moved first was Zephyr. His name carried weight in the Astralis Region, and when he posted, everyone stopped to read.
Zephyr (Storm Life Guild Leader):
"The Storm Life Guild congratulates Genesis on being the first team to clear the King-Level difficulty of the Misty Palace Dungeon. This achievement is unprecedented, and we recognize the strength of Raen and his companions."
Almost immediately after, Velena followed with her own statement.
Velena Ardent (Crimson Rose Guild Leader):
"On behalf of the Crimson Rose Guild, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Genesis and to Raen for their historic first clear of the Misty Palace King-Level dungeon. This victory brings honor to South Glade Town and to the Astralis Region."
Then came more.
Eternal Dawn Guild:
"Eternal Dawn congratulates Raen and his team for their flawless victory. This accomplishment sets a new standard for us all."
Iron Blood Brotherhood:
"We salute Genesis for their King-Level clear. A remarkable feat that deserves every bit of recognition."
Celestial Vanguard:
"Congratulations to Raen and his team. Your names will be remembered for this historic achievement."
Ever Night Guild:
"Ever Night offers our respect and congratulations to Genesis. To clear King-Level so early is something only legends could do."
The feed was filled with praise, but then a message appeared that made everyone stop scrolling.
It was from Silent Reign, the guild leader of Everhold Dominion.
Silent Reign (Everhold Dominion Guild Leader):
"Congratulations to Raen and his team on their King-Level clear of the Misty Palace Dungeon. The Everhold Dominion acknowledges this achievement with respect."
The forum erupted instantly. For Silent Reign, leader of a guild infamous for being Raen's enemy, to post such words was nothing short of shocking.
Anonymous Player:
"It seems from the above that Everhold Dominion was once singled out by the great god Raen!"
Balala Baby:
"One player singled out a whole guild? Are you kidding?"
Another reply quickly followed, and it only fueled the fire.
Balala Baby:
"Holy crap! I saw it on the forum. The Everhold Dominion is famous again. I wonder what Silent Reign feels."
The comments piled up faster than anyone could read them. Some laughed at Everhold Dominion, others mocked, and a few wondered if Silent Reign's words were sincere or just forced politeness in the face of Raen's overwhelming rise.
For many players across the Solaris Kingdom and beyond, the image was burned into their minds: one independent team, Genesis, had risen so high that even their enemies now had to step forward and acknowledge them.
Meanwhile, inside the Misty Palace, Kaito had no time to spare glancing at the forums. While the community buzzed with speculation, shock, and excitement, he was already deep in the hidden mission with Princess Leona. His focus remained locked on the unknown challenges ahead, leaving the storm of attention outside to grow louder with every passing second.
….
Silent Reign stared at the uproar his forum post had caused. Players were mocking Everhold Dominion, some even laughing at his words of "respect." His hands clenched tightly on the armrest of his chair. He wanted to roar, to smash the table in front of him. But he could only swallow his rage.
This is because of those two idiots, he thought darkly Grave mind and Rhine.
If Grave mind had acted rashly in South Glade, and if Rhine hadn't failed so miserably against Genesis, their guild wouldn't have been dragged into this mess. Now, instead of Everhold Dominion standing proud, they were being humiliated across the entire Solaris Kingdom.
But Silent Reign wasn't a fool. He understood that anger meant nothing in the face of profit. His thoughts drifted back to the meeting they had held just hours earlier the one with the other guild elders and the board directors of Everhold Dominion.
The long meeting hall had been filled with tension that day.
One elder slammed his hand against the table. "It's all because of your brother-in-law that we are in this mess!" His glare was fixed on Rhine, who stood stiffly at the side, face pale.
After receiving Grave Mind's message, Silent Reign had summoned Rhine back. He knew very well that the other elders would never let Rhine off easily. Even if Silent Reign intervened, the most he could do was ensure Rhine escaped with only harsh words and insults instead of something worse.
Another elder sneered. "Yes! He provoked Genesis first, and now look. Our guild's reputation is being trampled everywhere."
Rhine wanted to defend himself, but his words stuck in his throat.
Silent Reign raised his hand to calm them, but the storm only grew.
"Why are we even hesitating?" one elder barked. "Raen is just one man. We are Everhold Dominion. If he dares to step on us, we should mobilize and crush him completely."
A second voice cut in immediately. "And risk losing hundreds of players? Did you forget what happened at Blackstone Ravine? He wiped out thirty of our elites single-handedly!"
The first elder spat back. "So what? He's only one person. If we throw enough numbers at him, he'll fall eventually."
Another voice answered coldly. "Numbers? Do you plan to throw bodies at him until we win? Each death means equipment lost, morale destroyed, and resources drained. That's not how a guild survives."
The room grew louder as the arguments piled up.
"Better to kill him now before he grows stronger."
"No! The smarter choice is to compromise. He's already shown he can cripple our elites. If we make him our enemy, he'll bleed us dry."
"He's just an independent player the most he could come up with is 100-200 players!"
"But that independent player already made us a laughingstock! Do you really want to gamble again?"
Silent Reign listened, eyes narrowing. He had to admit, both sides had valid points. The thought of bowing to one player made his blood boil. Everhold Dominion was one of the most feared names in the region lowering their heads now would make them look weak.
But the other option… to continue this fight?
They had already underestimated Raen once and suffered for it. If they escalated again, who knew how much they would lose?
Finally, Silent Reign leaned forward, his deep voice cutting through the noise. "Enough."
The room fell silent instantly.
He looked at each elder in turn, then spoke slowly. "We are not here to argue about pride. We are here to protect Everhold Dominion's future. Raen is not a normal player. He is someone who can threaten our foundation if we continue recklessly."
One elder frowned. "So you want us to bow to him?"
Silent Reign's lips curled in a thin smile. "Not bow. We extend a hand of goodwill. We let him think we are willing to compromise. If he accepts, we avoid bleeding resources. If he doesn't, then at least the world will see we tried. When the time is right, we'll deal with him properly."
The elders exchanged looks. Some were still reluctant, but the logic was hard to refute.
Another voice muttered bitterly, "So all this time, we were roaring about pride, and in the end, we just send him a congratulatory message?"
Silent Reign's eyes hardened. "Better to swallow this humiliation once than to cripple our guild for years."
In the end, none dared oppose him further. The decision was made.
And so, Silent Reign had gone to the forums, typing those words of congratulations with a steady hand. But now, seeing the flood of mockery and laughter from other players, he could only grit his teeth and endure.
Everhold Dominion was a guild built on profit, not pride. He knew that. Yet, as he sat there, he couldn't shake the bitter taste in his mouth.
Raen… one day you'll pay.