Cloud?!
"No way . . . ," Travis muttered under his breath, his mind racing.
There was no way a player could change their appearance once they arrived here—unless they had some powerful relic or ancient spell that could do so.
Even if Horizon was somehow Cloud in disguise, how could he possibly deflect Ironfist's attack? Ironfist's stats were in the 300-400 range, while Cloud, last Travis checked, was still a newbie like him with stats barely breaching 100.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"Travis, what's got you distracted?" Grimm's voice cut through his thoughts like a blade. "We need to hit the restaurant before the other guilds claim all the seats. While they're caught up in that mess, we've got the perfect window. Let's move."
Travis forced a smile, shaking off his suspicion. "Yes, sir! Coming!" He cast one last glance toward Horizon before jogging over to join his guild.
Meanwhile, another group had taken notice of the commotion—this time, from the Kingdom of Stars.
Among them was Trisha, the Kingdom's newest prodigy. She possessed one of the highest proficiencies in magic among the newer players, even rivaling those in the 100-200 range. Her spot in the competition had been a given.
As an S-rank player, she had the potential to ascend beyond a Tier-9 Apex class, aiming for the legendary Supreme Class—an evolution said to be attained by only a rare few.
Naturally, the Kingdom of Stars sought to secure her future, binding her to royalty through marriage with none other than Cedrick, the second son of Queen Peremedis herself.
It was a political move as much as it was a show of power, cementing her place in the kingdom and ensuring her talents remained under their banner.
Cedrick, a Tier-7 Shadow Warlock was currently leading their group. Together, they would ensure the Kingdom of Stars remained at the top of this competition.
Nightshade, ever the diplomat, stepped forward with a disarming smile. "It's not what it looks like. They were just exchanging pointers."
Ironfist, still fuming, said nothing but shot a glare at Horizon, who remained composed.
"Regardless, a fight's a fight," the guard continued. "Both your teams will be fined."
Nightshade chuckled, undeterred. "No one's hurt, and there's no damage. No harm, no foul."
Nightshade knew the rules of the competition well. Fines were issued according to the severity of the offense. With no property damage or injuries, the fee would be a mere 10 Bullions. Had Ironfist seriously injured Horizon, the fine could've been up to 50 Bullions for Veilborne, and 20 Bullions for Nyx's team for participating in the brawl.
But Nightshade wasn't concerned about the fine—it was Veilborne's reputation that mattered. He couldn't afford to let Nyx's group walk away after insulting one of their own. That would reflect poorly on their guild's strength.
Fifty Bullions was a manageable expense, especially if Nyx's team was forced to pay their share. He doubted they had the funds, and if they couldn't pay, a ten-day stint in jail would be enough to disqualify them from the competition.
For Nightshade, it wasn't about the money. It was about teaching them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget.
The guards surveyed the situation, then nodded, their expressions stern. "Nightshade speaks the truth," one of them said. "Since this is your second offense and no property was damaged, nor anyone harmed, both groups will be fined 10 Bullions."
Without missing a beat, Nightshade casually tossed a sack of Bullions into the guard's hands, the clink of the coins echoing in the silence. The lower-ranked guilds in the crowd could only watch with envy, their mouths practically watering at the sight. How they wished they could throw around 10 Bullions like that—without a second thought, without a care.
But the harsh reality was that earning money in Eternia was no simple feat. Beasts rarely dropped gil, and the only true way to amass wealth was by defeating bosses, clearing high-level dungeons, completing high level quests, or selling rare items. For most, that kind of money was a distant dream.
When it was Horizon's turn to pay, he remained as calm and composed as ever. With an unreadable expression, he simply said, "I didn't bring enough with me. Mind if one of you accompanies us back to collect the rest?"