"STOP!"
A booming voice cut through the tension as a squad of Elven Guards arrived, their silver armor gleaming under the sun.
"Fighting within city limits or its outskirts is strictly prohibited," the lead guard declared. "Since this is your first offense and it occurred just outside Eldrasil, you'll be let off with a warning. However, should this happen again, both groups will be fined 10,000 gold points and possibly barred from entering the competition."
Both sides immediately cooled down at the mention of such severe punishment. Ironfist's fury still simmered, but he bit his tongue as Nightshade, the leader of Veilborne, stepped forward with a smooth smile, raising his hands in a mock gesture of peace.
"We were just having a little fun," Nightshade said, voice dripping with false charm. "Right, guys?"
Horizon and Von didn't respond, their eyes still locked on Veilborne with a deadly intensity.
As the Elven guards dispersed, Nightshade sidled up to Horizon, his smile vanishing as he whispered in a low voice. "You got lucky this time. But this isn't over. Watch your back."
With that, Veilborne returned to their place in line, leaving a trail of cold stares behind them. The Elven guards stood vigilant nearby, ensuring no more trouble erupted. The tension eased, and the other players breathed a sigh of relief as Veilborne's plans to cut in the line were thwarted for now.
"Ah, shit, we're screwed," Lydia muttered, glancing nervously at Veilborne in the distance. "Of all the guilds you could've picked a fight with, why did it have to be a 2nd-rate guild?"
"They started it," Horizon replied calmly, eyes forward.
Von chuckled, completely unbothered. "Dear Lydia, there are moments when a man has to be a man."
"Can you 'be a man' at a different time?" Lydia bit her thumb in frustration. "Now we're stuck. We can't leave the safety of the town or village, or they'll ambush us for sure."
"Alright, I know just the place. Follow me," Von said as he took the lead, guiding them through the bustling streets towards the blacksmith district.
However, shop after shop they visited had only disappointment in store. Every blacksmith and merchant they approached had the same response: all the iron and silver equipment had been snatched up by earlier arrivals. The shelves were bare of anything beyond low-tier bronze gear, and even the most basic iron and silver sets were in short supply.
"How pitiful," Nyx scoffed, hovering lazily. "A grand capital like this, and they can't even keep iron and silver Equipment in stock? Don't get me started on gold or anything epic."
"It's not surprising," Lydia sighed. "The early birds snatched up everything. And the guilds? They're way ahead of us. Most of them probably bought out the market in preparation for the competition. Restocking this kind of gear takes time."
"Good thing we upgraded back in Mappletown," Von said with a grin. "Otherwise, we'd be stuck with trash-tier equipment right now."
"Everyone's panic-buying equipment here," Cappy chimed in, flapping his wings irritably.
"So, what do we do now?" Lydia asked, concern creeping into her voice.
"Where's this Forging Studio you talked about before?" Horizon asked.
Von had mentioned it before when they were still in Sky Talon that there was a Forging Studio in the capital city of Crownjade Wood.
Von's grin widened. "Yeah, this is an Elven capital. They've got an entire district dedicated to forging, crafting, and alchemy. There's bound to be a studio we can rent."
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"Perfect," Horizon said. "Hand me all your equipment later. I'll upgrade them myself."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om