In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the outer area of the Dungeon immediately turned tense and chilly.
"What are you doing!?" Elwin gripped Kaeran's collar, questioning his actions.
Kris and Shanon shot deadly glares at Kaeran.
On the other side, players in this area noticed a player getting killed, and it was from the Fireflayers Guild!
Instantly, Venix's location became the main focus for players in the area!
Fireflayers Guild members, witnessing their comrade's death, rushed towards Venix.
Other unrelated guilds casually observed the unfolding spectacle.
"Big Brother, what is your friend doing?" Yuna looked at Venix and asked.
Venix frowned, unsure of how to answer.
Kris moved swiftly, attacking Kaeran, who was currently restrained by Elwin.
Kaeran grinned, and in an instant, his body turned into a shadow, teleporting five meters away.
Slash ~
Kris aimed for Kaeran's neck, but because Elwin was holding Kaeran's collar, Kris's attack injured Elwin's hand.
Elwin frowned but chose to remain silent and not complain.
After all, they found themselves on the wrong side of the conflict.
Kris focused solely on Kaeran. When his target teleported, Kris disregarded Elwin and the others, swiftly giving chase.
Clang! Clang!
Suddenly, the sounds of battle erupted.
Darkness enveloped Kaeran's body as his two swords gracefully danced in combat against Kris.
On the other side, Kris emitted a blue aura, skillfully wielding one sword to match Kaeran in swordplay.
"Stay back!" Venix sensed the escalating intensity of the battle as his narrowed eyes surveyed the scene.
Venix held Yuna's body, swiftly guiding her away from the unfolding battlefield.
Promptly, Elwin and the others reacted, distancing themselves as Venix instructed.
Almost simultaneously, everyone distanced themselves from the battle area.
Boom!
Suddenly, a darkness bomb erupted from Kaeran's body, enveloping a 20-meter radius with a dark, shadowy mist, creating its own battle arena.
Simultaneously, Kaeran's shadow mist engulfed two of Yuna's friends and dozens of other players, trapping them within its dark embrace!
Venix halted after moving 70 meters away, his gaze fixed on the shadowy mist in front of him.
"Strange... What's happening to that guy?" Venix wondered to himself, furrowing his brow.
Subsequently, Venix left Yuna behind and cautiously approached the black mist.
Elwin had mentioned Kaeran's occasional dark side. But observing him now, why does Kaeran appear like a madman?
Due to Kaeran's dark area shrouding everything within, Venix and the others were unable to witness the events unfolding inside.
Only occasional clashes of swords and fleeting glimpses of light hinted at the powerful attacks unleashed within.
After a minute, Elwin approached Venix, standing by his side.
"It's been a minute, but the people trapped inside Kaeran's dark mist haven't emerged." Elwin turned to Venix: "Is something amiss?"
Venix furrowed his brow; he wasn't sure either.
"Clone!" Venix invoked his Cloak skill.
Instantly, a humanoid figure crafted from lava materialized from the ground, standing beside Venix.
Venix sensed the ability to transfer his consciousness to the Clone. Moreover, he could control the Clone by sending part of his consciousness to it!
"Strange... Can this truly occur in a game?" Venix wondered to himself, furrowing his brow.
Venix then directed his fire Clone nearer to the shadow mist.
At the same time, several members of the Fireflayers entered the shadow mist, joining Venix.
United by curiosity, they all shared the same goal — understanding what transpired within.
Guided by the awareness of his fire Clone, Venix descended to the ground, observing the surroundings saturated with dark shadow mist.
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"Is there a way out?" Venix pondered.
Subsequently, his fire Clone retreated. Although it hadn't ventured too deep initially, taking a few steps back should have allowed it to escape the range of the shadow mist.
Yet, despite Venix retreating dozens of steps, he remained within the area shrouded by the shadow mist.
"Am I unconsciously wandering inside this mist?" Venix speculated.
The abilities in this game were extraordinarily peculiar. Venix couldn't fathom how the game developers crafted such intricate game data.
While Venix contemplated, his fire Clone suddenly perceived a shadowy figure materializing in front of it.
"Kaeran!" Venix could immediately identify the figure.
However, what Venix hadn't anticipated was the sudden onslaught of two sword attacks, resulting in the instantaneous demise of his fire Clone!
Venix's real body outside the shadow mist opened his eyes, deep in contemplation.
"What did you encounter?" Elwin asked, curious.
"Not good." Venix shook his head. "My fire Clone was attacked by Kaeran and perished. I'm concerned that everyone inside might have faced a similar fate."
Hearing this, Elwin sensed that the problem was escalating!
Meanwhile, Aymar and the others approached Venix and Elwin. Their faces turned pale as they heard Venix's words!
"We're done! Making enemies with the Fireflayers Guild? Isn't that akin to severing our future in this game?" Aymar complained.
"What if we remove Kaeran from our team? Could that save us?" Loya suggested.
"We can consider that later. Right now, we need to address this situation." Elwin rubbed his forehead, fatigue evident.
Despite Kaeran's solo actions, Elwin was concerned that resolving this problem wouldn't be straightforward, and those associated with Kaeran might not be spared easily.
Venix glanced to the side and noticed a man at a distance, clad in silver armor with a shield and a one-handed sword in both hands. The man was observing Venix and the others.
"Luck isn't on our side today." Venix shook his head slightly.
At the moment, there seemed to be no recourse; even Venix himself wasn't certain if he could confront Kaeran in a situation like that.
The shadow mist functioned like a domain, granting Kaeran agility and freedom of movement. It enabled him to appear anywhere and strike at his blinded enemies.
Ultimately, five minutes elapsed just like that.
"The shadow mist is shrinking!" Naesa observed as the shadow mist gradually diminished in size.
"No, it's not shrinking. But... The mist will disperse because it lost the core that held them together in one place." Venix calmly stated.
As Venix described, the shadow mist appeared to detach like a magnet released, ascending into the sky and gradually dissipating.
Within 30 seconds, the black mist entirely dissipated. Venix observed the figures of Kris and four others from the Fireflayers Guild.
In total, approximately 7 Fireflayers Guild members, including Kris, and dozens of other players who inadvertently entered the black mist's area—two of them being Yuna's friends—remained.
Now, only 5 people remained. Did that imply Kaeran had eliminated the other players?
"Kaeran has been defeated. Do you have a concrete plan to resolve this situation?" Elwin inquired of Venix.
"No." Venix shook his head.
Subsequently, Kris, with slightly torn and dirty clothes, turned and gazed at Venix and the others..
Venix and Elwin remained composed in their positions, with no intention of fleeing.
"Are you associated with that player?"
While Venix and Elwin awaited Kris's approach, a sudden voice emerged from behind them.
Elwin displayed minimal surprise, but Venix, with a pain level of 60%, was startled by the abrupt voice from behind!
As the pain level rises, a player's senses become keener. It's akin to immersing a player in the body of a superhero with heightened perceptions.
Venix hadn't anticipated the sudden arrival of this person, signaling significant power!
"Yes, he is a part of our hunting team." Elwin answered calmly.
Subsequently, Elwin and Venix turned around, encountering the handsome man who had been behind them. The man wielded a shield and a one-handed sword, prompting a frown from Venix.
Upon closer inspection, Venix's instinct whispered to him, suggesting that the man before him was formidable.
"Just by observing him, I can't shake the feeling that he's an imposing figure I can't fully grasp..." Venix thought silently.
Conversely, akin to that individual, the man could discern that Venix was not an ordinary player.
Silently contemplating, the man mused: "This kid possesses the Seed of Assault? I wonder, is he interested in recruiting him?"
"I'm already aware of all that transpired from Shanon. Your meeting wasn't without its conflicts and disturbances. However, if you intend to assist that person, you'll inevitably become entangled in this matter as well," the handsome man said with a thin smile.
Venix and Elwin exchanged glances, realizing that they wouldn't be the targets of the Fireflayers Guild members.
Becoming a target of a large guild in the game is akin to severing a player's future. Numerous cases exist where individuals provoke such guilds, only to find themselves unable to progress and forced to create new characters.
Particularly in the game Nine Heavens, where players are restricted to a single character creation, this issue becomes significantly more severe than usual.
"We understand."
Venix and Elwin said simultaneously.
"In that case, everything is settled," the handsome man declared. "Oh right, occasionally, some members of our Guild might seek revenge for their own reasons."
Upon hearing that, Venix offered a thin smile and responded, "Certainly."
The handsome man arched his eyebrows slightly, as if Venix had transformed into a different person.
Having spoken, the handsome man departed and vanished in front of Venix and Elwin, returning to where the Fireflayers Guild members were.
Venix then released a slight sigh and directed his gaze to the system interface before him.
[ Bravery Swordsman: Invites you to join Guild Hidden One ]
[ Additional Note: Confirmation received from the Investor. Funding secured. You will represent our branch in Indonesia. ]
Upon seeing this, Venix experienced mixed emotions.
Within his Chat Group, Bravery Swordsman, Versitalise, and Rainflow were not ordinary individuals.
Each of them had intricate backgrounds, and they all held the potential to become Professional Players based on their individual abilities.
Regrettably, despite their ample skills, they were essentially casual players. The strict rules and required training schedules for Professional Players didn't align with their preferences.
The game's Guild system operated globally, without restricting players based on their race or region.
Despite the existence of a Race system and inter-Race battle events, Nine Heavens did not impose restrictions on guild members based on their race or region.
Venix accepted the invitation from Guild Hidden One, and swiftly, Bravery Swordsman sent him a message.
"An hour later, we'll have a meeting. Find a comfortable place in the city to rest. Be prepared with the discussed topics... You should already be aware of this," Bravery Swordsman messaged Venix.
"Sure." Venix replied.
With the resolution of the Kaeran issue, Venix turned his gaze to his sister Yuna, a guilt he couldn't conceal etched on his face.
Gradually, time elapsed, and the atmosphere outside the Dungeon reverted to normal.
Unexpectedly, Kris approached Venix, Elwin, and the others, extending an invitation to feast at a restaurant in the city.
Venix wore a perplexed expression; it seemed like this person was showing interest in his sister Yuna?
Since Venix and Elwin didn't mind, both of them eventually agreed.
Subsequently, Venix and the others pressed the teleportation button, returning to the city of Caria and leaving the Dungeon area.
❄️❄️❄️
After 30 minutes, Venix and the others found themselves in the VIP room of a restaurant in the city of Caria.
Each person elevated their pain levels to 90% and savored the dishes adorning the table!
Yuna and Kris engaged in conversation, growing seemingly closer. As Yuna's older brother, Venix refrained from intervening too much in his sister's personal life unless circumstances warranted.
Two friends of Yuna, who fell victim to Kaeran, also joined them. Venix, Elwin, and the others offered apologies, even though they were not to blame.
Naturally, Yuna's two friends were displeased. Nevertheless, their apologies were received quite graciously.
Approaching Venix, who sat with Elwin and the others, Kris initiated a conversation.
"I heard Brother Venix managed to defeat Kaeran a few days ago, right? Honestly, that guy is not simple and quite formidable! If you can conquer him, I'm confident you can easily join the Fireflayers Guild! How about it? I'll assist you in navigating the process smoothly to join our Guild!" Kris extended a generous offer to Venix.
"Thank you, I'll consider it later." Venix smiled slightly and added: "Honestly, that happened a few days ago. If I were to face him in that shadow world again, I'm not certain I could defeat him once more."
"Nevertheless, you stand a better chance! Many professional players aren't as remarkable in this game currently. The higher-ups in the Guild are contemplating an overhaul of their members," Kris remarked.
"Certainly. I'll reach out to you in a few days through Yuna," Venix responded with a slight smile.
Subsequently, Venix mentioned that he would meet with his friends to discuss matters and would be in 'AFK' mode during their meeting.
Players could convene in astral form regardless of distance in this game, a unique feature that enabled large Guilds to expand their reach to other areas and convene in one place despite the geographical separation.
As time elapsed, Venix's system interface displayed a meeting invitation from his Guild.
[ (Name Hidden) Member of SSS Tier Guild Hidden One: Invites you to the Guild Hidden One meeting ]
"Huh? Names can be hidden? And he's an SSS Tier Member? Doesn't that imply he holds a prominent position in this Guild?" Venix sensed that Guild Hidden One was not an ordinary Guild.
In this game, Guilds had positions ranging from Tier F to Tier SSS, facilitating a player's influence within the Guild and dividing it into hundreds of small branches, akin to a company.
Accepting the invitation, Venix felt his consciousness instantly pulled into the sky, heading towards an unknown destination.
In reality, Venix's in-game character became motionless. All its colors dimmed, rendering it gray and devoid of its usual vibrancy.
This indicated that Venix's consciousness had departed from his character's body.
"Eh? Did Brother really go away?" Yuna observed Venix's character, which appeared to have turned into stone.
Kris, on the other hand, furrowed his brows. Operating a Guild was not inexpensive; monthly to yearly fees had to be paid in real money in this game.
The Fireflayers Guild followed a similar model. However, Guild subscriptions came in various levels, ranging from the most affordable to the most expensive. The lower the cost, the more basic it was, with limited features.
Observing Venix's body seemingly petrified, it indicated that the meeting's confidentiality level was high, harboring secrets not easily accessible to ordinary individuals!
"I recall seeing Captain Lucy attend a meeting in this game; her body simply became stiff, unlike Venix, as if his in-game character was encased in stone," Kris mused.
The notion started to form in his mind that Venix might not be just a regular player!