chapter 167 arrived

After stepping out of the warehouse, Frost Eye opened his character menu, staring at his name for a brief moment. With a deep breath, he selected "Change Identity", and in an instant, his name flickered, transforming into RAVEN.

His appearance didn't change much, but now, instead of the infamous Trickster of Chaos, he was once again the cold and calculating assassin of the shadows. The Soul Reaper Dagger pulsed faintly at his waist, a reminder of his newfound strength.

With a smirk, Raven checked his map. The dungeon entrance wasn't far.

His party—Liz, Ana, Mist Low, and Daniel—were already waiting inside. He could imagine the chaos that had already unfolded in his absence.

At the Dungeon Entrance

The dungeon was located in a dark canyon, with jagged rock formations and mist rolling along the ground. The entrance was a towering stone archway covered in eerie, glowing runes. The Serpent Dungeon - Hell Mode shimmered on the system display above it.

The entrance to Serpent Dungeon was packed with players shouting, forming teams, and trying to secure spots in groups strong enough to clear Hard Mode. The sound of clanking armor, unsheathing weapons, and players haggling over party slots filled the air.

A Level 4 warrior in heavy armor barked, "Looking for a healer and DPS! Only Level 4 and above! No exceptions!"

A desperate Level 3 rogue tried to slip into the group. "Come on, I can dodge! Skill matters in Mortal Online, right?"

The warrior laughed. "Sure, skill matters—until you get one-shot by the boss. Get lost."

Nearby, a group of mages was arguing.

"We need a tank, or we're screwed."

"No way, we just kite the boss. The AI is different here. We don't need a tank, we need more ranged DPS."

Another party leader yelled, "No free carries! If you're not Level 4, don't even try."

Despite the tension, the air was electric—players were excited, ready to test themselves.

The Hell Mode Barrier – Fear of the Unknown

While Hard Mode was now the new goal, Hell Mode was completely ignored.

Even though Mortal Online didn't enforce a strict level requirement, players still followed traditional MMORPG logic—assuming Level 5 was the minimum for even attempting Hell Mode.

A small group stood near the Hell Mode portal, whispering.

"So, do we try it?"

"Are you crazy? No one has even beaten Hard Mode properly yet."

"We don't even know what changes in Hell Mode."

"Exactly! That's why we should wait. Grinding to Level 5 is the safer choice."

The group hesitated, then turned away. No one dared to be the first to attempt it.

The Reality of Hard Mode – Struggle Begins

As teams finally formed, the first Hard Mode runs started.

From inside the dungeon, screams and angry shouts echoed back.

"What the hell?! These snakes are way faster!"

"The boss has an AOE poison attack now?! Since when?!"

"We need more antidotes! Who has a spare potion?"

One party barely made it out alive, stumbling back to the entrance.

Their tank collapsed, his HP bar flickering dangerously low.

"We got wiped at the final room," he groaned. "It's nothing like Normal Mode."

A healer sighed. "Hard Mode is no joke. We need better coordination."

Raven's Arrival – A Different Perspective

Amidst the chaos, Raven arrived, walking calmly toward the dungeon. His presence was like a ripple in a still pond—while the other players were caught up in their own struggles, his group stood apart.

Liz, Ana, Mist Low, and Daniel were waiting on the side, watching the madness unfold.

Liz raised an eyebrow. "Look at them. They're struggling so much over Hard Mode."

Ana grinned, flipping a dagger in her hand. "Well, for them, this is a big deal. For us? It's just the warm-up."

Daniel adjusted his bow. "So, what now? Wait for them to realize Hell Mode exists?"

Mist Low smirked, watching the Hell Mode portal, still untouched. "Let them enjoy their moment. The real fun is just beginning."

Raven took a step forward, eyes locked on the Hell Mode entrance.

"Forget Hard Mode," he said, his voice cutting through the noise. "We're going for the real challenge."

Ana practically bounced with excitement. "Hell Mode it is, then!"

Without hesitation, they moved forward—while everyone else was stuck fighting over Hard Mode, they were about to take on something no one else dared to touch.

As they reached the Hell Mode portal, Mist Low grinned.

"I wonder how long it'll take for them to realize… we were never competing for Hard Mode to begin with."

As Raven and his group stood before the Hell Mode portal, a glowing system message appeared in front of them:

> [System Message: Minimum 6 players required to enter Hell Mode.]

Raven smirked. He had anticipated this.

Liz crossed her arms. "Well, that's annoying."

Ana tilted her head. "So, we need one more player? Who's our lucky victim?"

Daniel sighed, already knowing Raven had planned for this. "You've already decided, haven't you?"

Mist Low stretched lazily. "Of course he has. The question is—who?"

Raven glanced at the crowd of players shouting, forming teams, and trying to enter Hard Mode. He scanned the area, looking for someone useful.

"We need to invite one more player," Raven finally said.

Liz smirked. "Oh? And here I thought we'd just force Mist Low to count as two."

Mist Low dramatically placed a hand on his chest. "I am flattered, truly, but even I cannot break system mechanics."

Daniel crossed his arms. "So, who do we get?"