chapter 188 thinking

Raven stood in the depths of the Serpent Dungeon (Level 3, Hell Mode), gripping his weapon tightly, but his mind was elsewhere.

The call from Cute Mist still echoed in his head.

She was kicked from Rainbow Solutions.

He hadn't expected that. Not in a million years. Cute Mist was one of their strongest players. So why would they throw her out? Was it politics? A betrayal? Or did she do something reckless?

For the first time in a long while, Raven found himself in a daze.

The cold, damp air of the dungeon didn't register. The distant hissing of serpents didn't bother him. Even the faint glow of venom dripping from the ceiling didn't break his focus.

What was she planning now?

Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with him. Or so he told himself.

Shaking his head, Raven exhaled sharply and forced his focus back on the dungeon. He couldn't afford distractions. Not here.

Raven stood still, gripping his weapon tightly. His mind wasn't on the dungeon anymore.

The call from Cute Mist kept replaying in his head.

She had been kicked from Rainbow Solutions.

That single sentence refused to settle. It didn't make sense. Cute Mist wasn't just any player.

She had a reputation. A history. In previous games, she had been a legendary Berserker. The kind of player who dominated leaderboards, crushed entire guilds, and walked away untouched.

And yet… Rainbow Solutions threw her out?

That fact alone sent a ripple through the dungeon.

Then, Mist Low broke the silence.

"Oi, Raven. What happened?"

His voice was casual, but the impact wasn't.

Everything stopped.

The players around Raven—his party, challengers, even strangers—paused mid-action.

The monsters lurking in the shadows hesitated, their movements slower, almost cautious.

The dungeon air, once filled with distant hissing and dripping venom, grew unnaturally silent.

Even Cute Boy, who rarely engaged in drama, tilted his head slightly, his interest piqued.

Then there was Daniel, Liz, and Ana.

They had been chatting moments ago, but now—their reactions were pure shock.

Daniel, normally unbothered by chaos, actually froze, his bow half-drawn. His grip tightened as if bracing for bad news.

Liz, the usual sarcastic observer, had her mouth slightly open, struggling to find words.

Ana, always hyped for drama, looked… unsettled. A rare sight.

Mist Low, noticing the shift, narrowed his eyes. "That bad, huh?"

Raven exhaled, then finally muttered, "Cute Mist was kicked from Rainbow Solutions."

The reaction was instant.

Whispers spread like wildfire.

Some players cursed, some looked around in disbelief.

Even the monsters, as if sensing the change, moved more cautiously.

Mist Low blinked, his usual confidence flickering for a split second. Then he scoffed. "You're kidding."

But one look at Raven's face told him there was no joke.

Liz finally spoke, her voice unusually sharp. "Wait—Cute Mist? The same Cute Mist who dominated PvP in every MMO she played? The one who wiped guilds solo? That Cute Mist?"

Ana swallowed hard. "And they kicked her? Rainbow Solutions actually threw her out?"

Daniel muttered, "What the hell happened…?"

Because everyone knew her history.

In past games, Cute Mist wasn't just strong—she was a monster. A Berserker feared by entire guilds. A player who walked into PvP battlefields alone and walked out with hundreds of kills.

And now, in Mortal Online, she had joined one of the strongest guilds—only to be thrown out?

Which meant something serious had gone down.

Cute Boy finally spoke, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. "Hmph… I didn't think she was the type to get betrayed. But if Rainbow Solutions kicked her…" He trailed off, his gaze sharp. "Then what did she do?"

Mist Low let out a low whistle. "This just got interesting."

Raven, however, wasn't amused.

Because deep down, he knew—this was just the beginning.

Raven's thoughts were still tangled around Cute Mist's sudden expulsion from Rainbow Solutions when he caught something—

A smirk.

It was faint, almost unnoticeable, but Cute Boy was smiling.

That alone was enough to make Raven's eyes narrow.

Then, as the pieces fell into place, realization struck him like a blade to the gut.

This… was because of him.

Or more precisely—because of Cute Boy.

Raven's voice was quiet but sharp. "You made Elder Mirsha kneel."

Silence fell again, heavier than before.

The players around him who had been trying to make sense of the situation froze once more. Even the monsters hesitated, as if the very dungeon itself was listening.

Cute Boy's smirk didn't fade. If anything, it deepened slightly, his gaze calm—as if he had been expecting Raven to figure it out.

Then Mist Low chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, that's rich. That's so rich."

Liz furrowed her brows. "Wait. You're saying Cute Mist got kicked because of… that?"

Ana's voice was incredulous. "No way. She didn't even do anything. She didn't attack Cute Boy. She just stood there!"

Daniel let out a slow breath. "And those brainless fools kicked her?"

Raven knew the answer. They did.

Elder Mirsha of Rainbow Solutions had been humiliated. Forced to kneel before Cute Boy in front of countless players.

And Cute Mist—the intelligent one, the strategic one—hadn't reacted.

She didn't attack.

She didn't try to "defend" the guild's honor.

She didn't make a move at all.

And in the eyes of those brainless fools in Rainbow Solutions—that was unforgivable.

She had been labeled a traitor.

But Raven wasn't convinced that was the whole story. His gaze flickered back to Cute Boy, watching him closely.

There was more to this.

Cute Mist wasn't someone who got thrown out just like that. If politics were at play, then someone in Rainbow Solutions had used this as an excuse to remove her.

And Cute Boy… he knew it.

Raven exhaled slowly. "Still… I think there's more politics involved."

Cute Boy let out a soft chuckle, as if amused. "Obviously."

Mist Low crossed his arms. "Well, well… this just keeps getting better."

Daniel finally lowered his bow, muttering under his breath. "What a mess."

Liz scoffed. "Rainbow Solutions is full of idiots if they think throwing her out makes them stronger."

Ana was still in shock. "So… what now?"

Raven didn't answer.

Because if Cute Mist had truly been cast aside…