"Dammit… I took a massive loss this time," Nightshade Vale muttered under his breath, gripping the bottle until his knuckles turned white. "Sooner or later, I'll have my revenge."
It wasn't the loss of a level that weighed on him—levels could be regained with time and effort. What gnawed at him was the equipment he'd lost, especially the Assassin's Blade. Top-tier gear wasn't something you could replace in a day or two. Such equipment could only be obtained through high-difficulty monster hunts or rare, high-level quests—and even then, it took opportunity and luck.
And that flame… that clear silver flame.
Nightshade Vale's jaw tightened as the memory surfaced—Kaito's weapon engulfed in that strange, searing fire, tearing through his Mysterious-Iron armor as if it were paper and even chipping away at the durability of his precious silver daggers. The image alone sent an involuntary shiver down his spine.
For any player, the destruction of equipment was far more devastating than death. Death was a temporary setback. Losing hard-earned, painstakingly acquired top-tier gear? That was a nightmare. The thought of facing Kaito again, knowing that each encounter carried the risk of his prized equipment turning to scrap, was enough to make even a seasoned assassin hesitate.
"Brother Nightshade Vale, long time no see. Still drinking your troubles away, I see."
The voice cut through his thoughts. A short-bearded man in a black cape slid into the seat opposite him, his tone casual, but his eyes sharp.
"Grim shade, why do you have time to come looking for me?"
When Nightshade Vale turned toward the speaker, his usual indifference vanished.
"Of course, it's to congratulate you," Grim shade said with an easy laugh. "Didn't you always want to join Underworld? Well, the higher-ups have already acknowledged your potential. You now have the right to become one of Underworld's outer members. In the future, you'll officially be part of the organization. I think you understand what that means, don't you?"
"What? I passed the test?!" Nightshade Vale nearly leapt to his feet in excitement. The frustration and resentment he'd felt over being killed by Kaito earlier instantly evaporated. Even losing the Assassin's Blade no longer mattered—nothing could compare to the joy of finally being accepted into Underworld.
He had spent four long years enduring more than a dozen grueling assessments and trials just for this opportunity. Now, at last, he had gained Underworld's recognition, officially stepping into its ranks as an outer member.
Underworld was an enigmatic and terrifyingly powerful organization in the real world. Its resources rivaled those of a Gold-ranked power, and it commanded Rank 6 martial artists among its core forces. Publicly, only three Rank 6 experts were known, with the strongest reaching mid-stage Rank 6. Yet everyone knew that was only the tip of the iceberg. The influence, resources, and intelligence network Underworld possessed were beyond what outsiders could even begin to imagine.
Nightshade Vale himself had been awed just by learning the true identities of a few other outer members.
For reasons still unclear, Underworld had begun investing heavily in virtual reality games around a decade ago. Determined to join them, Damon Kray—known in-game as Nightshade Vale—had then taken up VR gaming as part of his long-term strategy.
Now, with Glory attracting unprecedented attention from Underworld's leadership, Damon had resolved to devote himself entirely to the game.
And today… he had finally succeeded.
"Nightshade Vale, weren't you Level 15 the last time I saw you? Why are you Level 14 now?"
Grim shade swirled his drink lazily, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't tell me you were killed by another player. That'd be hard to believe."
He knew exactly how strong Nightshade Vale was. As one of the top-tier assassins in South glade Town, Nightshade Vale's strength was unquestionable. His equipment was of exceptional quality, his arsenal even boasting silver-grade weapons. On top of that, he had mastered several rare, advanced skills—making him a nightmare for most opponents.
There were only a handful of players in South glade Town who could face him head-on, and even fewer who could hope to win. Against most of them, Nightshade Vale's chances of victory sat well above 60%. And in all of South glade, there were perhaps only two players—Velena and Zephyr—who could push that win rate down to 20% or less.
Even then, if Nightshade Vale truly went all out to escape, not even those two could guarantee pinning him down.
Which meant… losing a level could only be the result of a dangerous, high-difficulty quest gone wrong.
Or so Grim shade had assumed—until he caught the storm brewing on Nightshade Vale's face.
"…Wait. You were killed?" Grim shade leaned forward, his tone shifting from playful to stunned. "Who was it? Don't tell me you actually went and provoked the goddess Velena… or Zephyr. You wouldn't be that foolish, right?"
But the silence, paired with the assassin's darkened expression, told him everything.
Grim shade's eyes widened. Then, without warning, he choked mid-swallow and sprayed his drink across the table.
"I'm no fool. Why would I dig my own grave by provoking them?" Nightshade Vale shook his head.
"Then who killed you?" Grim shade pressed, narrowing his eyes. "I doubt there's anyone else in all of South glade Town who could match their level. If it wasn't Velena or Zephyr, then who?"
The assassin's curiosity was genuine. Based on everything he knew, South glade's roster of true experts could be counted on one hand. If it wasn't one of the top names, then the appearance of another high-caliber player without his knowledge was… unsettling.
His probing struck directly at Nightshade Vale's pride. The assassin's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles whitened, nails biting into skin hard enough to almost draw blood. He had spent weeks planning, laying out every measure with precision. By his calculations, Kaito's death had been guaranteed—a perfect 100% chance.
Yet the rate at which Kaito's strength had soared had shattered every expectation.
Grim shade noticed the silence and let a slow, knowing smile curl across his face. "Interesting… very interesting. You know what my line of work involves, don't you?" He leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a low, deliberate tone. "If a new expert has emerged in South glade Town—one capable of killing you—then I need to know who they are."
Nightshade Vale's expression darkened. The last thing he wanted was to share this humiliating defeat—especially with Grim shade. For four years, he had maintained an unbroken record, never once falling in a player duel. And now, on the very day he was accepted into Underworld, that record had been shattered… by an unknown swordsman named Raen.
The timing couldn't have been worse. An incident like this would inevitably tarnish his standing within the organization.
"I can understand how you feel," Grim shade said, his voice even but edged with authority. "You finally claw your way into Underworld, only to be blindsided by something like this. It's enough to sour anyone's mood. But this is my job. If you, as an outer member, refuse to cooperate, you risk being expelled from the organization. Think carefully before you decide."
Nightshade Vale's jaw tightened. The words stung, but he couldn't refute them. Forcing down the fire in his chest, he finally muttered, "The person's a swordsman… calls himself Raen."
"Raen?" Grim shade's brow furrowed. "Swordsman Raen? The same one who cleared King Mode of Echoing Deep… first with his team, Genesis, and later with Zephyr and Velena?"
Nightshade gave a slight nod.
Grim shade leaned back, thoughtful. "I've seen the battle footage. I've analyzed his style. He's good, but only at a normal high-player level—nothing near Underworld standards. I doubt he's even entered the martial path yet. And if he has, it's probably just basic martial arts."
His tone hardened as he continued. "As for Genesis… we've already investigated them. The guild is nothing more than a newly formed, unranked studio based in Silvercrest City, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kaelas family. An unranked organization—led by Raen, who is most likely just some brat with no real talent."
Grim shade's eyes narrowed. "And yet… he managed to kill you. That means he's been hiding more of his strength than we realized. We'll need to reassess his threat level."