Chaos.

Rael and Gale continued grinding Adventure Guild quests, making the most of the event's 2x reputation and rewards. Eclipse was thriving, with Leon setting up a production line that kept the guild mostly self-sustaining. He had even recruited two intermediate-ranked blacksmiths, boosting their resources further.

After turning in yet another completed quest, Rael smirked at Gale. "You know, I should probably make Leon the guild leader."

Gale shot him a sideways glance. "Weren't you a pro? You led ROF. Shouldn't you be more focused on Eclipse?"

Rael chuckled. "Leading a pro team and leading a guild are two different things. I might've led ROF, but I didn't exactly have the leadership skills for a full guild operation."

"Still, not everyone can handle a pro team," Gale said, sheathing his sword. "Guess that's why you're still in charge."

Rael shrugged. "Or I'm just lucky to have you guys."

Their conversation shifted as they walked through Vash'kar's busy streets, sidestepping the occasional NPC peddlers. "Did you see what happened yesterday?" Gale asked, his tone dropping to something more serious.

"No," Rael said. "But Elias told me about it."

Rael's mind drifted back to what Elias had told him. Someone had breached the Church of Sonoros, the Order's headquarters in Vash'kar, and carved runes like the ones from the last incident in the main hall. The audacity of it gnawed at him, especially considering the church was supposed to be the most secure place in the city.

Gale's expression tightened. "That's the most secure place in Vash'kar."

"Yeah," Rael agreed, frowning. "Which makes it all the more concerning."

"Thing is," Gale added, "the security was laxer than usual. The bishop was summoned to the capital a few days ago. A lot of knights went with him."

Rael's frown deepened. "Huh. I've never met the bishop. Actually, the entire time we've been here, I've never seen him go out."

"Exactly. The timing's too convenient."

Rael's mind churned with possibilities, the pieces of a larger puzzle slowly aligning. The cult wasn't just toying with the Order—they were outright provoking them, testing the boundaries of their authority.

"They're messing with the Order," he muttered, his voice low and edged with thought.

Gale nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah. And the Order's pissed. There are knights everywhere. They've been forcefully checking goods, stopping carriages, even detaining anyone who looks suspicious."

The streets of Vash'kar reflected this newfound tension. Patrols clad in polished silver armor moved with grim purpose, their visors down and weapons at the ready. Citizens walked with their heads low, casting wary glances at the knights. Market stalls were subdued, merchants too afraid to draw attention.

When they finally reached the Adventure Guild, it was clear something was off. The usual hum of adventurers planning their next quests had been replaced by a buzz of barely-contained chaos. The guild hall was packed, bodies pressed shoulder to shoulder, voices rising and falling in waves.

"What do you think we'll take today?" Gale asked, his tone casual but his posture anything but. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything.

"Not sure," Rael said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "But it looks like something big."

A group of adventurers nearby spoke in quick, excited bursts. Rael and Gale exchanged a look, a silent agreement passing between them. They moved closer, Rael slipping through the crowd with practiced ease.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice cutting through the chatter.

A young man with a shock of red hair turned to him, disbelief etched into his features. "You don't know?"

A girl beside him, her leather cap pulled low over her eyes and twin daggers strapped to her thighs, leaned in. "Yesterday's incident set off the Order. They've finally had enough."

Rael didn't respond immediately, letting the silence draw more from her. People often filled in the gaps, eager to share what they knew.

"After the cult started getting bolder, the Order started putting up all those recon and info quests," she continued. "They wanted intel on the cult's members, their movements, anything that could lead to a lead."

"I remember," Rael said. "The board's been full of those quests lately. A lot of them paid well, too."

"Well," she said, a grin creeping onto her lips, "someone actually found the cult's location."

Rael's expression remained calm, but beneath the surface, his thoughts raced. Gale's reaction was less subtle, his brows rising in surprise.

"No way," Gale said, his voice a mix of disbelief and intrigue. "Really?"

A different voice cut in, a man with arms crossed over his chest, his stance solid and unyielding. "Yeah. Now there's a quest to hunt the cultists down. They want the leader alive. The Order's planning to make an example of him."

"What are the rewards?" Gale asked, his tone edged with anticipation.

The girl's grin widened, a flicker of greed in her eyes. "An epic-tier holy weapon of your choice and an immediate upgrade to 'Friendly' status with the Order."

The weight of her words hung in the air. An epic-tier weapon wasn't just strong—it was a statement. And 'Friendly' status with the Order could open doors, grant access to restricted areas, and maybe even secure future quests before they hit the board.

Rael's gaze drifted to the quest board, where a cluster of adventurers had gathered, their voices rising as they fought to get a better view. He didn't need to see the details to know this quest was a magnet for every ambitious player in Vash'kar.

Gale exhaled, his grip loosening slightly on his sword's hilt. "You know... maybe we should've started taking these cult quests earlier. We could've had a head start."

Rael didn't respond right away. His gaze remained on the crowded quest board, but his focus was somewhere else. After a moment, he nodded slowly, the motion weighted with thought.

"There's something that's been bothering me," Rael said, his voice just above a murmur.

Gale glanced over, curiosity sharpening his expression. "What do you mean?"

"From the start, we avoided anything to do with the cult. We stuck to regular quests—dungeon clears, escort missions, monster hunts." Rael's tone was measured, every word deliberate.

Gale hummed in agreement. "Yeah, I remember. And usually, even when I said they were just a bunch of roleplayers, you didn't argue."

Rael's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's because I thought something was off. Ever since their first appearance, I had this nagging feeling."

Gale opened his mouth, the question forming on his lips, but Rael cut him off with a raised hand. "I'll explain later. Right now, I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

Rael's expression sharpened, his eyes holding a glint of purpose. "Gather a twenty-man team, including the core members. Meet me near the cult's location—I'll send you the coordinates."

Gale's casual demeanor shifted, replaced by the disciplined focus of a warrior. "You think we're going straight for them?"

"If the Order wants to make an example out of their leader, then we're not going to sit on the sidelines." Rael's tone was cool, decisive. "But we do this smart. No rushing in without a plan."

Gale nodded firmly. "Understood. I'll get them ready."

Rael watched as Gale disappeared into the crowd, his form swallowed by the sea of adventurers. The commotion of the guild hall faded into the background as his mind raced ahead.

* * *

The wind whispered through the tall grass as members of Eclipse gathered atop the small hill. The spot offered a clear view of the ruins below—a crumbling camp nestled within the remnants of an ancient town. Stone walls lay half-buried, and tattered banners flapped listlessly. The camp itself was a hive of chaos, with players and cultists clashing in a chaotic melee.

Rael stood at the edge, his silhouette sharp against the dull sky. As the last of his guild arrived, he turned to face them. His expression was calm, but his eyes held a razor's edge.

"Here's the situation," he began, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "The Order issued a quest to take down the cultists and capture their leader alive. As you can see, there are already a lot of players here."

Kazan hefted his massive axe onto his shoulder. "Then why are we wasting time? We should be down there, fighting!" His voice was a low growl, his muscles tensed and ready.

A few others murmured their agreement. Tension simmered in the air, eagerness mixed with impatience.

Rael didn't flinch. "Look closer. What do you see?"

The group turned back to the battle. Swords flashed, spells erupted, and bodies hit the ground. It seemed like a typical skirmish—until Mira narrowed her eyes.

"Wait... The cultists who die are disappearing." She pointed, her finger tracing the vanishing forms.

"Exactly," Rael said. "Which means these cultists aren't NPCs, they're players."

A wave of confusion rippled through the group. Kazan scowled. "What? But every cultist before this has been an NPC. How does that make sense?"

"It doesn't," Leon muttered, his brow furrowed. "Unless... the cult's not just a game faction. Maybe they're actual players, organized like a guild."

"It doesn't matter right now," Rael said firmly. "The Order's reputation is what we need. We can sort out the details later. For now, we focus on earning the most contributions."

One by one, the doubts faded, replaced by the resolve etched into their faces. Weapons were drawn, spells began to hum, and Rael could feel the collective heartbeat of his guild—steady and strong.

"Let's move," he commanded.

The guild surged forward, descending the hill with practiced precision. As they reached the ruins, chaos engulfed them—steel clashing, magic crackling, and the shouts of combatants echoing off the crumbling stone.

Kazan led the charge on the left flank, his hulking form a battering ram that broke the cultists' defensive line. His axe swung wide, scattering foes, while Leon supported him from a distance, launching ice shards that froze cultists in place. Kazan's axe shattered them with brutal efficiency, ice shards scattering like glass.

To the right, Takane and Elias moved in tandem. Her swordplay was a blend of precision and artistry, her Blade Phantom technique leaving a trail of flowery afterimages with each swing. Each time she disrupted a spellcaster, Elias capitalized by triggering hidden traps, explosive runes, or snaring wires. His rapier found gaps in armor, and when cultists fell back, Takane dashed forward, her blade delivering swift, surgical strikes.

Mira and Gale held the center, maintaining the pressure. Mira conjured wind gusts and water streams, her magic guiding enemies into Gale's path. His sword was both shield and spear, deflecting blows and retaliating with powerful slashes. When a cultist attempted to flank them, Gale shifted, blocking the attack and allowing Mira to create a slippery ground that sent the attacker skidding into an archer's trap.

Lupus and a small group of Eclipse members maintained the rear, his wolves weaving through the chaos. Their howls layered debuffs on the cultists, making them sluggish and vulnerable. Shieldbearers held the line while mages cast support spells, barriers shimmering as arrows and spells deflected off them. Rogues harried the cultists' backline, daggers flashing in the dim light.

The battlefield churned with chaos, but Eclipse moved as a single, fluid force. When Gale pushed forward, Mira amplified his momentum with a wind current. Kazan and Takane coordinated, her swift strikes creating openings for his heavy blows. Elias's traps turned narrow alleys into deathtraps, forcing cultists into kill zones where mages and archers waited.

When a cultist raised a barrier, Leon switched to fire magic, his flames burning through defenses. Lupus's wolves darted through the mist, marking targets for ranged fighters. Explosions rippled through the field as traps detonated, and arrows whistled through the air, finding throats and knees.

The cultists fought back fiercely. One smashed a staff into the ground, stone spikes erupting from the earth. Gale grunted as one grazed his side, but he retaliated immediately, his sword carving through rock and flesh. Kazan and Takane moved in tandem, her feints setting up opportunities for his crushing strikes.

Leon's mana was running low, his spells shifting to efficient ice barriers and small fire bolts. "Pull them toward me!" he called. Gale responded, driving enemies back with wide slashes. The cultists stumbled into a tight cluster, and Leon unleashed a frost nova, freezing them in place. Kazan ended it with a sweeping attack, shattering ice and bodies alike.

Even after fifteen minutes of battle, the coordination remained seamless. Shieldbearers braced against charges, mages layered spells for defense and offense, and rogues turned any gap in the cultists' formation into an opportunity.

Amid the shifting lines, Leon glanced around, his brow furrowing. "Where's Rael?" he muttered, the question hanging heavy in the smoky air.