The journey across the tundra was a slog through hell. The snow wasn't just frozen water; it was infused with Cryo-mana, making it heavy and sticky. Every step drained stamina. The wind was a constant, shrieking enemy that tried to push them off the narrow ridges.
They fought their way through packs of [Ice Stalkers], wolves made of translucent blue glass that shattered when they died, exploding into shrapnel. Sebastian didn't waste time with flashy spells. He used [Gravity Press] to crush them into powder or [Dimensional Sever] to slice them apart before they could lunge.
Valerie, to her credit, kept up. Her fire magic was dampened by the environment—her [Fireball] spells fizzling out at half-range—but she adapted, using [Wall of Fire] to create localized heat zones that kept the party mobile.
After two hours of trekking, they reached the base of the mountain. The path upward was a narrow, treacherous switchback carved into the black ice.
"Hold," Wraith signaled, raising a fist. He melted into the shadows of a rock outcropping, his [Stealth] skill engaging.
Sebastian stopped. He didn't need Wraith's warning. His [Eye of the Void God] had already picked up the signatures. They weren't monsters. They were structured, organized, and distinct.
Players.
"Who is crazy enough to be up here?" Valerie whispered, crouching behind a boulder. "This is a Level 50 zone."
"The Iron Covenant," Sebastian said, his voice low. "General Iron."
Wraith materialized beside them a moment later. "It's an army, Boss. At least five hundred of them. They've set up a forward operating base on the plateau halfway up the mountain. Heavy fortifications. Mana shields. They're digging in."
"They're not digging in," Sebastian corrected. "They're sieging. They want the Dragon too."
He looked up at the mountain. The Iron Covenant wasn't a guild of gamers; they were a paramilitary organization run by the Chinese military. They brought discipline and real-world tactics into the game. If they were here, they had done their homework. They knew about the drop.
"We can't fight five hundred elites and a Dragon," Valerie hissed. "Not with these debuffs."
"We don't need to fight them," Sebastian said, his eyes cold. "We just need to kill the Dragon first. Or..." A cruel smile touched his lips beneath the mask. "We let them soften it up."
They moved up the mountain, sticking to the blind spots of the ridge. When they crested the rise overlooking the plateau, the scale of the Iron Covenant's operation became clear.
It was impressive. They had deployed prefab magical bunkers, creating a defensive line facing the dragon's cave entrance. Hundreds of players in uniform grey plate armor stood in formation. Mages were channeling a massive ritual spell, feeding mana into a central crystal. They weren't just attacking; they were preparing to suppress the boss.
In the center of the formation stood a man who radiated authority. He wore armor that looked less like fantasy gear and more like a futuristic exosuit plated in silver. A heavy greatsword rested on his shoulder.
[Player: General Iron]
[Level: 45]
[Class: Paladin Commander]
"Level 45," Valerie gasped. "How? The level cap was supposed to be..."
"He has resources," Sebastian said dismissively. "Power leveling teams. Last hits on raid bosses. The entire guild feeds him XP. He is the tip of their spear."
Suddenly, General Iron turned. He looked directly at the rock where Sebastian was hiding. He didn't shout. He simply raised his hand and pointed.
"Come out, Zero," Iron's voice boomed, amplified by magic. "My scouts saw you ten miles back. Did you really think you could sneak up on a military operation?"
Sebastian didn't flinch. He stood up, walking out from behind the cover. His tattered rags whipped in the wind, a stark contrast to the gleaming steel of the army before him.
"I wasn't sneaking," Sebastian projected his voice, the sound rolling down the mountain like an avalanche. "I was observing. Nice formation. A bit rigid for a dragon fight, though."
General Iron smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Effective enough. You're here for the Heart, aren't you? The City Core upgrade."
"I am," Sebastian confirmed.
"Then we have a conflict of interest," Iron said. "Because I need that Heart. My government requires a Sanctuary. And I intend to deliver it."
The tension in the air snapped tight. Five hundred weapons turned toward Sebastian. The mages shifted their aim.
"We can do this two ways," Iron continued, his tone reasonable, almost friendly. "You turn around, walk away, and live to grind another day. Or, you try to take my loot, and I bury you under this mountain."
Sebastian looked at the army. He looked at the Dragon's cave, where a deep, rhythmic breathing was beginning to shake the snow from the peaks.
"There is a third option," Sebastian said, equipping [Shadowfang].
"And what is that?"
"I kill the dragon," Sebastian said. "And I take everything."