Chapter 17 – The Gathering Storm

Liam crouched atop a ruined bell tower overlooking Velantir, his gaze fixed on the shifting chaos below. The bounty on his head had transformed the city into a war zone. Guilds, bounty hunters, and mercenary groups clashed in the alleys and streets, turning once-thriving marketplaces into battlegrounds soaked in digital blood. He exhaled slowly, adjusting the grip on his Midnight Fang. The game's tension had reached a boiling point, and he could feel it in every shadow that moved unnaturally against the torchlight.

He had learned early that being a target didn't mean he had to be prey. The Assassin's Code thrived on misdirection and patience, and Liam had perfected both. He watched as a squad of heavily armed players from Eclipse Guild stalked the remnants of a skirmish, their armor gleaming under the dull glow of the setting sun. They were searching, hunting for any trace of him. He smirked. Let them look.

The bounty war had spiraled beyond even Jason's control. What had started as a concentrated effort to flush him out had devolved into a free-for-all where even Eclipse Guild was losing ground. It wasn't just him they were fighting anymore. The arrival of Titan's Wrath and Azure Dominion changed everything. These two powerhouse guilds rarely intervened in petty conflicts, yet something about the current situation had drawn their interest. Perhaps it was the prestige of killing Revenant, or maybe they had bigger plans for Velantir. Either way, Liam had no intention of letting them decide his fate.

A loud explosion rocked the eastern gate, sending a shockwave through the crumbling buildings. The battle had spread even further. He traced the source of the attack, spotting a battalion of Azure Dominion players pushing into the city. Their banners rippled in the wind, a stark contrast to the bloodshed beneath them. Their leader, a towering warrior clad in midnight-blue armor, raised a massive battle-axe and shouted commands to his subordinates. They weren't here just for the bounty. They wanted control.

Titan's Wrath, never one to be outdone, had taken the western sector. Their players were larger than life, most of them wearing enchanted armor that glowed with pulsating runes. They were veterans, hardened through countless sieges, and they fought with the discipline of a professional army. Unlike the chaotic hunters swarming the streets, these warriors moved with precision, cutting through lesser guilds like a scythe through wheat. Their goal was clear, consolidate power before the city fell into total anarchy.

Liam shifted his stance, contemplating his next move. Staying in Velantir was no longer viable. The city was becoming a death trap, and even his stealth skills wouldn't keep him hidden forever. The problem was that every exit was now a battlefield. The main roads were flooded with guild forces, and the underground tunnels were no better, Eclipse had already sealed them off, anticipating his escape. That left him with only one option.

The rooftops.

He moved quickly, leaping from one crumbling structure to another, using Shadowstep to traverse the gaps with near-supernatural agility. Below him, the battle raged on, and for a moment, he was just an observer, a phantom in the night. He didn't need to engage. His goal wasn't to win this war, it was to outlast it.

But even ghosts could be seen if they lingered too long.

A sharp whistle cut through the air. Instinct screamed at him to move. He twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the arrow that would have pierced his skull. It struck the stone beside him, embedding itself deep into the ancient masonry. He landed in a roll, immediately scanning for his attacker.

A figure stood on the opposite rooftop, bow drawn and poised for another shot. Unlike the armored soldiers below, this one wore a sleek, dark cloak, his face hidden beneath a hood. The insignia on his chest marked him as a high-ranking member of Azure Dominion, but what caught Liam's attention was the faint shimmer surrounding the bowman's form.

A stealth user.

Liam smirked. "So, they finally sent someone worth my time."

The bowman didn't respond, but his actions spoke volumes. Another arrow loosed, this time trailing with a faint green glow, poison-tipped. Liam activated Phantom Reaver, his clone splitting from his body just as the arrow made impact. The shadowy figure dissolved into mist, buying Liam the split second he needed to reposition.

He surged forward, closing the distance between them with rapid movements. The bowman abandoned his long-range advantage, drawing twin daggers in a seamless motion. Their blades clashed, sparks flying as the two assassins engaged in a deadly dance of steel and shadow.

Unlike the brute-force warriors of Titan's Wrath or the disciplined formations of Azure Dominion, this enemy fought like Liam did, fast, unpredictable, ruthless. He countered Liam's attacks with precise parries, weaving in and out of the fight with an almost unnatural grace. The realization sent a thrill through Liam's veins. Finally, a real challenge.

They exchanged a flurry of blows, each strike measured, each step calculated. Liam's daggers flashed under the moonlight, seeking openings, but his opponent was just as skilled. Every attempt to break through the assassin's defense was met with a counterattack, forcing Liam to constantly adapt. But adaptation was his specialty.

He feinted left, baiting the bowman into a predictable dodge, then activated Shadow Rend. His dagger flared with Shadowflame as he twisted mid-strike, reversing the direction of his attack. The assassin realized the trick too late. The blade cut deep, carving a searing wound across his side.

The bowman staggered, but instead of retreating, he lunged forward, driving a poisoned dagger toward Liam's throat. At the last second, Liam's Phantom Reaver activated again, his clone taking the lethal blow while he maneuvered behind his foe. One clean slice across the neck ended the fight.

[You have slain an Azure Dominion Elite!] [EXP Gained: 5,400!]

The body dissolved into pixels, leaving behind a rare loot drop. Liam scooped up the spoils, his mind already shifting to his next move. If Azure Dominion had elite assassins in the field, Titan's Wrath wouldn't be far behind with their own champions. And then there was Eclipse, still watching from the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Velantir wasn't just a city anymore. It was a battlefield where legends were being made and erased in the blink of an eye.

He had to move faster.

A distant horn echoed through the air, signaling another wave of reinforcements arriving at the gates. Liam didn't wait to see who they were. He vanished into the night, knowing that the real war was only just beginning