chapter 118 path of light or DARKNESS

Lysara's Thoughts – The Path Forward

As Lysara walked away from the Diamond Breeders Guild Hall, she felt the weight of years of effort lifting off her shoulders—only to be replaced by the weight of uncertainty.

> "I walked away. Just like that. No regrets… right?"

She had dedicated countless hours to building the guild's strength, leading players through dungeons, raids, and guild wars. She had secured alliances, forged strategies, and protected her people.

Yet, in the end, the elders had treated her like nothing more than a pawn—a bargaining chip for a political marriage to a first-rate guild leader.

> "Did they ever see me as a leader? Or was I always just a tool?"

She clenched her jaw, her boots pressing firmly against the cobblestone streets.

The Guild's True Nature

For years, she had ignored the signs.

The elders never praised her achievements, only took credit for them.

When she won battles, they said it was due to guild resources, not her skill.

When she secured deals, they called it luck, not her negotiation skills.

Yet, when anything went wrong, they placed all the blame on her.

It had been a slow, suffocating realization.

> "I convinced myself that if I kept proving my worth, they'd acknowledge me. But in the end, I was nothing to them."

And now, she was nothing to the guild members either.

> "No one even spoke up for me."

She had trained many of them, led them in battle, sacrificed time and effort. Yet the moment she stepped out, all she saw was mockery, whispers, and disdain.

"I was never truly their leader. I was just a shield for them to hide behind."

"And when the shield is no longer useful, they throw it away."

Her fingers twitched, resisting the urge to draw her weapon.

Revenge? No… Something Worse.

Anger burned inside her, but she controlled it.

She wouldn't waste her energy on childish revenge. She wasn't some petty fool who would mindlessly attack them.

> "I don't need to destroy them. I just need to make them realize what they lost."

Without her:

Their strategies would weaken.

Their logistics would collapse.

Their allies would hesitate.

And when the next war came, they would fall.

Then, when they finally understood her worth, she would be too far beyond their reach.

The Next Move

But first, she needed a plan.

> "Where should I go? I can't wander aimlessly."

Twinkle Stars? No. That guild leader was just as arrogant as the elders.

A first-rate guild? No. They would see her as an outsider, not an asset.

A super guild? Impossible. Without backing, they wouldn't trust her.

Then a different thought crossed her mind.

> "I don't need a guild. I need power."

The guilds had forgotten something important.

Power doesn't come from a guild. It comes from the player wielding it.

> "If I become strong enough, they won't be able to ignore me. No one will."

She exhaled slowly, her rage cooling into cold determination.

> "They think they discarded me. But in reality, I was just set free."

A smirk formed on her lips.

Her next move would shake the game itself.

Lysara's Call to Magic Flame – A Clash of Minds

Lysara sat inside a dimly lit tavern, the flickering candlelight casting shadows across her face. Her fingers tapped against the wooden table, her mind racing.

She had lost everything—her position, her influence, and the guild she had once led.

> "And all of it… because of one person."

Magic Flame.

A name she had barely paid attention to before.

Yet, in just a single day, he had manipulated the auction, controlled the market, and completely humiliated the Diamond Breeders.

She had been played. Tricked and discarded like a fool.

> "He's dangerous. But that also makes him interesting."

She leaned back in her chair, pulling out her communication crystal.

Her fingers hovered over the surface for a moment before she finally activated it.

A few seconds later, a voice answered.

---

The Call Begins

Magic Flame: "Oh? The former vice guild leader herself? To what do I owe the honor?"

His tone was calm, amused, as if this was nothing more than a passing entertainment.

Lysara: "You must take responsibility."

Magic Flame: "Responsibility? For what exactly?"

Lysara's eyes narrowed.

Lysara: "Because of you, I was kicked from my guild."

Magic Flame chuckled, the sound low and unbothered.

Magic Flame: "Oh? I merely sold potions. You were the one who bought them. Were you truly kicked out just for that?"

Lysara gritted her teeth.

She knew it wasn't just about the auction. The elders had been looking for an excuse to remove her—Magic Flame had simply given them the perfect opportunity.

But that didn't change the fact that he had manipulated her.

> "And he knows it."

A Battle of Words

Lysara: "You planned this from the start, didn't you?"

Magic Flame: "Oh? You give me too much credit. I merely took advantage of an opportunity. If the great Lysara was so easily manipulated, perhaps she wasn't as powerful as everyone thought?"

Lysara's fist clenched, but she forced herself to stay calm.

He was toying with her, waiting to see how she would react.

She refused to give him the satisfaction.

> "Fine. Let's play this game."

Lysara: "Interesting. You act like a mastermind, but you're just another player in this world. You think you control everything, but in the end, you're just a merchant playing with coins."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Magic Flame laughed softly.

Magic Flame: "Perhaps. But tell me, Lysara… if I'm just a merchant, why are you calling me?"

Lysara's expression darkened.

He was right.

She had called him.

Not to threaten him. Not to attack him.

But because she was curious.

He had won, and now she wanted to understand how.

> "And maybe… to see if I can use him for my own plans."

A Proposition

Lysara's voice lowered, her usual arrogance laced with curiosity.

Lysara: "Let me ask you something, Magic Flame."

Magic Flame: "Oh? A serious question? Now I'm interested."

Lysara: "What is it that you truly want?"

For the first time, Magic Flame paused.

Then, his voice came through, smooth and unreadable.

Magic Flame: "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The call ended.

Lysara sat there, staring at the silent crystal in her hand.

Her lips curled into a small smirk.

> "This game just got a lot more interesting."