chapter 169 command

The atmosphere shifted instantly. The jeers and laughter that had filled the dungeon entrance died in an instant, replaced by tense silence.

Rainbow Solutions wasn't just another guild. They were a powerhouse, a name that carried weight across Mortal Online. Their members were known for their discipline, efficiency, and ruthlessness in clearing high-level content. They didn't tolerate weakness, and they certainly didn't waste time on fools.

Yet here they were.

And at the front of their formation stood Elder Mirsha.

A woman whose reputation preceded her.

Mirsha's eyes, sharp and calculating, scanned the crowd, lingering on Raven for a moment before shifting elsewhere. She wasn't interested in the mockery or the bets. She was here for a reason.

The players who had been jeering at Raven moments ago suddenly found themselves stepping back, lowering their voices, or outright pretending they hadn't been part of the spectacle.

No one wanted to get on Rainbow Solutions' bad side.

But what none of them realized—what even Mirsha herself didn't know—was that she was being played.

Scammed.

By none other than Frost Eye and the so-called Brainless Girl.

While she led Rainbow Solutions with pride, fighting for dominance and wealth in the game, the true beneficiaries of their efforts were hidden in the shadows. The loot, the resources, the hard-earned victories—so much of it was funneled away, slipping into hands she didn't even know were robbing her blind.

And here she was, standing at the dungeon entrance, her presence demanding attention, unaware that every step her guild took was feeding someone else's ambitions.

The tension remained thick in the air.

Mirsha's gaze briefly met Raven's.

For a second, something flickered in her expression—curiosity, perhaps? Annoyance? Whatever it was, she didn't let it linger.

She turned away.

"Move," she ordered, leading Rainbow Solutions forward.

The players who had mocked Raven moments ago were now scrambling to get out of the way.

And just like that, the moment passed.

But as Mirsha walked past him, one of the hooded figures in the crowd—the one who had been silently observing—watched with amusement.

They knew.

They knew Mirsha had no idea how deep she was in Frost Eye's web.

They knew Raven wasn't just some Level 1 fool walking into Hell Mode blind.

And they knew—without a doubt—that soon, very soon...

Everything would change.

Raven stood still, arms crossed, his eyes half-lidded as if he didn't even register the noise around him. The players who had been mocking him moments ago continued their jokes, their laughter, their petty bets.

Then the air changed.

A presence entered the scene, and every experienced player felt it before they even saw her.

Armored footsteps.

Rhythmic. Heavy. In perfect sync.

The crowd's focus snapped away from Raven as a column of Rainbow Solutions guild members marched forward, their gleaming armor and polished weapons reflecting the torchlight.

A guild like theirs didn't need to announce themselves. Their reputation did the work for them.

And at the front—

Elder Mirsha.

Her armor, adorned with intricate silver engravings, was a testament to her rank. A long red cape draped over her shoulders, a symbol of authority within the guild. Unlike the loud, flashy players who talked big but delivered little, Mirsha exuded controlled power—a presence that demanded respect.

The shift was instantaneous.

The players who had been mocking Raven fell silent.

Those who had been sneering at his Level 1 display suddenly took a step back.

Nobody wanted to risk being on Rainbow Solutions' bad side.

Not here. Not now.

The Command That Shook the Crowd

Mirsha's gaze swept across the crowd, momentarily pausing on Raven before moving on as if he weren't even worth her full attention.

Then, she spoke.

And when she spoke, people listened.

"No one joins that party."

The weight of her words settled over the crowd.

It wasn't a suggestion.

It wasn't advice.

It was an order.

The jeering players who had been making bets on Raven's failure froze.

The tank who had been about to throw a sarcastic remark? His lips clamped shut.

The rogue who had half a mind to poke fun? He suddenly had better things to do.

The magician who had been spectating for fun? He quickly turned away, pretending he hadn't been paying attention.

Mirsha's words carried authority, and no one wanted to test her.

To defy Rainbow Solutions was to make an enemy of them.

And nobody was that stupid.

The Reactions of the Team

Liz raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "Damn. She's really putting her foot down."

Ana smirked, tilting her head. "It's cute how she thinks that'll stop him."

Daniel let out a slow breath, his arms still crossed. His voice was flat, but a hint of irritation bled through. "Tch. Whatever. She can talk all she wants."

But Mist Low?

Mist Low grinned.

And he loved it.

He placed a hand over his chest and dramatically sighed. "Ah, what a tragedy! The mighty Elder Mirsha, so wise, so commanding—yet so utterly, utterly mistaken."

His grin widened as he watched the players scramble to distance themselves from Raven.

Mist Low was no fool. He recognized what was happening.

Mirsha thought she was shutting Raven down.

But in reality?

She was creating a legend.

Raven's Response

And the one person who didn't react at all?

Raven.

Not a blink.

Not a twitch.

Not even the faintest hint of acknowledgment.

To him, Mirsha's command meant nothing.

It wasn't worth reacting to.

It wasn't worth his time.

Because whether she approved or not—

Whether the crowd followed her command or not—

Hell Mode was still happening.

And he would clear it.

A Shadow in the Crowd

While most of the crowd was too busy being cowed by Mirsha's authority, there was one person who remained utterly unaffected.

A hooded figure.

They didn't laugh at Raven.

They didn't sneer at him.

They didn't even look at his level.

They simply watched.

Not the crowd.

Not Mirsha.

Raven.

They observed the way he stood—unshaken, unwavering, unaffected.

They saw the way he ignored the jeers, the insults, the mockery, as if none of it even existed in his world.

They noticed the slight smirk that tugged at his lips.

A smirk that knew.

Knew that the moment Mirsha declared no one should join him—

She had done exactly the opposite of what she intended.

Because there would always be people who wanted to see the impossible happen.

There would always be those who defied authority for fun.

There would always be a few who wanted to see how far a Level 1 could go.

And there would always be someone who saw an opportunity where others saw failure.

The hooded figure's lips curled into an amused grin.

"…Interesting."

As Rainbow Solutions moved forward, as Mirsha left the scene, as the players whispered about how Raven's Hell Mode attempt was dead on arrival—

The hooded figure knew one thing for certain.

This was only the beginning.