The notification arrived at 3 AM, jolting Ji-woo from restless sleep.
[EMERGENCY ALERT - SEOUL REAPERS]
[INTER-GUILD CONFLICT DETECTED]
[CRIMSON BLADES VS. SILVER DAWN]
[INDEPENDENT REAPERS ADVISED TO AVOID YEOUIDO DISTRICT]
[CASUALTIES REPORTED]
Ji-woo's phone exploded with messages. The group chat with Yoon's independents was chaos:
[MIN-SEOK]: Guild war started. Tae-yang killed a Silver Dawn member in a dungeon.
[DR. KANG]: Not just killed—executed. It was a level 6 dungeon, SD member was level 8. No contest.
[HYE-JIN]: This breaks the Seoul Alliance. What the hell are they thinking?
[YOON]: Emergency meeting. NOW. Bukhansan usual spot.
Ji-woo threw on clothes and headed out into Seoul's pre-dawn darkness. His Debt Sense pinged constantly—other Reapers moving through the city, converging on different locations. The system that connected them all was lighting up with violence.
At the Bukhansan meeting point, all eight independents were already there. Yoon looked like she hadn't slept.
"Tell me everything," Ji-woo said.
Sung-min pulled up his laptop. "At 1:47 AM, Crimson Blades member Lee Tae-yang entered Yeouido Business Complex dungeon, level 6. At 2:03 AM, Silver Dawn member Jung Min-ho entered the same dungeon. At 2:31 AM, Jung Min-ho's status went offline permanently."
"They killed him deliberately," Dr. Kang said. "Tae-yang is level 10. Jung Min-ho was level 8. This wasn't an accident or self-defense."
"Why?" Da-eun asked. "The alliance—"
"Is broken," Yoon cut in. "Silver Dawn issued a formal challenge thirty minutes ago. Guild war, effective immediately. All bets are off."
Hye-jin cracked her knuckles. "So what do we do?"
"Stay out of it," Min-seok said immediately. "This is between the major guilds. We're just collateral damage if we get involved."
"But we trained with them," Da-eun protested. "We used their facilities, learned their methods. Don't we owe them—"
"We owe them nothing," Yoon said firmly. "The Seoul Alliance was always temporary. They knew that. We knew that. This was bound to happen."
Ji-woo's phone buzzed—direct message from Tae-yang.
[TAE-YANG]: We need to talk. Red Hall. 6 AM. Come alone.
He showed the message to the group.
"Don't go," Min-seok said. "It's obviously a trap."
"Or it's information," Ji-woo countered. "Tae-yang isn't stupid. If he wanted me dead, he wouldn't warn me first."
"You're too trusting," Hye-jin said. "That'll get you killed."
"Maybe. But I need to understand what's happening. The Convergence is in twenty-five days. If the guilds are at war, the alliance is meaningless. That affects all of us."
Dr. Kang studied him. "If you go, take backup. I'll come with you."
"He said alone."
"Then I'll wait outside. But you're not walking into Crimson Blades territory without support."
At 5:45 AM, Ji-woo and Dr. Kang arrived at the office building housing the Red Hall. The third floor entrance was guarded by two Crimson Blade members, both high-level based on the intensity of their Debt Sense signatures.
"Kim Ji-woo," one guard said. "You're expected. The doctor waits here."
Dr. Kang nodded to Ji-woo. "Thirty minutes. If you're not out by then, I'm coming in."
Ji-woo entered the Red Hall alone.
The training facility was empty except for Tae-yang, who stood at the arena's center. His crimson blade was sheathed, but his posture was tense.
"You came," he said.
"You asked. Now explain why you murdered a Silver Dawn member and destroyed the alliance."
Tae-yang's expression was cold. "It wasn't murder. It was execution. Jung Min-ho was a spy."
"Explain."
"Three days ago, our guild warehouse was infiltrated. Twenty million won worth of equipment stolen. Yesterday, our training schedule was leaked to rival guilds. This morning, we discovered Jung Min-ho had been feeding information to Silver Dawn for weeks."
"So you killed him."
"So I eliminated a threat." Tae-yang's voice was matter-of-fact. "Guild rules are clear. Spies get executed. Silver Dawn knew this. They sent him anyway."
"The alliance—"
"Was always fragile," Tae-yang interrupted. "Commander Baek and Commander Park have been circling each other for months. This just accelerated the inevitable. Silver Dawn wants to absorb Crimson Blades' resources before the Convergence. We're not letting that happen."
Ji-woo processed this. "What about Iron Chains? Where do they stand?"
"Neutral, for now. The Iron King is smart—he'll let us weaken each other, then pick up the pieces." Tae-yang stepped closer. "Which brings me to why I called you here. This war is coming for the independents too. You're level 9, rising fast, trained with us. Silver Dawn will try to recruit you to use against us."
"And if I refuse both sides?"
"Then you become a target for both. In a guild war, neutrality is just slow death." Tae-yang pulled out a contract—actual paper, legally binding. "Crimson Blades is offering you full membership. Standard terms: twenty percent cut, mandatory participation, protection from all external threats. In return, you get access to everything—equipment, information, high-level dungeon coordination."
"I'm not joining a guild."
"Even if refusing means Silver Dawn hunts you? Even if it means losing access to training facilities?" Tae-yang's voice hardened. "Ji-woo, you're a good fighter. But you're naïve about Reaper politics. Wars don't have neutral ground."
"Then I'll make my own ground."
"With what? Eight independents against two hundred guild members?" Tae-yang shook his head. "You'll be dead in a week."
"Maybe," Ji-woo said. "Or maybe there's a third option you're not seeing."
He left before Tae-yang could respond.
Outside, Dr. Kang was waiting with news. "Silver Dawn contacted me. They want a meeting. All independents. Noon today."
"Let me guess—they're offering protection in exchange for alliance against Crimson Blades."
"How did you know?"
"Because that's what I'd do if I were them." Ji-woo checked the time. "Gather everyone. We need to make a decision before we meet with Silver Dawn."
By 11 AM, all eight independents were in a private room at a Gangnam PC bang—one of Seoul's internet cafés that offered private rooms. Sung-min had swept it for bugs. They were secure.
"Here's the situation," Ji-woo laid it out. "Crimson Blades and Silver Dawn are at war. Both want us to pick sides. If we refuse both, we become targets for both. If we pick one, we become enemies of the other."
"So we're screwed either way," Min-seok said.
"Unless we don't pick either side," Yoon said slowly. "Unless we use this war to our advantage."
Ji-woo nodded. "Exactly. Right now, both guilds are focused on each other. That's our window. We use the next twenty-five days to prepare for the Convergence independently, then we emerge after the event as a unified force."
"But how do we survive twenty-five days with both guilds as potential enemies?" Da-eun asked.
"We don't fight them," Dr. Kang said, catching on. "We make ourselves too valuable to kill. Both guilds need numbers for the Convergence. If we position ourselves as neutral arbiters—not allied with either side, but willing to coordinate on mutual threats—we become more useful alive than dead."
"That's dangerous," Hye-jin said. "Playing both sides."
"It's survival," Ji-woo corrected. "We tell both guilds the same thing: we're independents, we don't take sides in internal conflicts, but we honor the Seoul Alliance for the Convergence. After that, we reassess."
Sung-min was already typing. "I can set up communication channels with both guilds. Encrypted, monitored by us. We control the flow of information."
"What about Iron Chains?" Min-seok asked. "The Iron King is staying neutral too."
"Then we coordinate with them," Yoon said. "Iron Chains has the same interests we do—survive the guild war, prepare for the Convergence, maintain independence. We're natural allies."
They voted. Unanimous agreement.
At noon, they met with Silver Dawn's representatives at a neutral café in Gangnam. Commander Park Joon-ho himself attended, flanked by Ha-yoon and two other high-ranking members.
"Thank you for coming," Park said, his scholarly demeanor unchanged despite the circumstances. "I assume you've heard about the unfortunate incident with Jung Min-ho."
"We heard Crimson Blades executed him for spying," Ji-woo said bluntly.
"A fabricated charge. Jung was investigating dungeon patterns, not stealing secrets. Crimson Blades used it as pretext for aggression they'd been planning for weeks." Park adjusted his glasses. "Which brings us to our proposal. Silver Dawn will offer the eight of you temporary guild membership—no long-term commitment, no twenty percent cut—in exchange for coordination during this conflict."
"You want us to fight Crimson Blades," Yoon stated.
"We want you to survive. Crimson Blades is hunting independents. You trained in their facility, learned their methods. They see you as potential threats. Silver Dawn can protect you."
"At what cost?" Ji-woo asked.
"Information sharing. If you encounter Crimson Blades in dungeons, you report their positions, tactics, patterns. That's all. No direct combat required."
It sounded reasonable. Too reasonable.
"We decline," Ji-woo said.
Park's expression didn't change, but Ha-yoon's eyes narrowed. "You're refusing our protection?"
"We're refusing to take sides. The independents will honor the original Seoul Alliance—cooperation for the Convergence, neutral on internal guild politics." Ji-woo met Park's gaze steadily. "We're not your soldiers or Crimson Blades' soldiers. We're Reapers trying to survive."
"Noble sentiment," Park said. "But impractical. In a war, neutrality is just a target painted on your back."
"Then we'll paint our own targets," Yoon said. "Thank you for the offer, Commander Park. We'll maintain communication channels for Convergence coordination, but that's all."
They left before Silver Dawn could respond.
"That was risky," Dr. Kang said once they were outside.
"It was necessary," Ji-woo replied. "If we'd accepted, we'd be Silver Dawn assets. This way, we maintain independence."
His phone buzzed—the Iron King.
[IRON KING]: Heard you told both guilds to fuck off. Ballsy. Come to Bukhansan tonight. 8 PM. Let's talk about independent survival.
That evening, the independents met with the Iron King and about fifteen Iron Chains members at their mountain hideout. The Iron King stood like a mountain himself, arms crossed, evaluating the eight newcomers.
"You've got guts," he rumbled. "Both major guilds want you, and you said no to both. That's either brilliant or suicidal."
"Time will tell which," Yoon said.
"Indeed." The Iron King gestured to the assembled Reapers. "Iron Chains has been neutral from the start. No participation in guild politics, no mandatory loyalty, just mutual benefit. You eight want the same thing. Makes sense to coordinate."
"What are you proposing?" Ji-woo asked.
"An alliance within the alliance. Iron Chains and the independents work together for the Convergence. We share information, coordinate on dungeons when beneficial, and most importantly—we watch each other's backs against guild aggression."
"No membership required?" Hye-jin asked suspiciously.
"No membership. You stay independent, we stay independent. We just acknowledge that twenty-three independents working together is stronger than twenty-three working alone." The Iron King pulled out a simple agreement—one page, clear terms. "No contracts, no binding obligations. Just good faith cooperation. You in or out?"
The independents huddled briefly.
"It's the best offer we'll get," Dr. Kang whispered.
"Iron Chains has been straight with us from the start," Min-seok added.
"And we need numbers," Sung-min said. "Twenty-three coordinated Reapers can clear dungeons the guilds can't ignore."
They agreed.
"We're in," Ji-woo said.
The Iron King smiled and extended his massive hand. "Welcome to the independent coalition. First order of business—survival training. The guilds might be at war, but we've still got the Convergence in twenty-five days. Let's make sure we're ready."
Over the next week, the guild war escalated. Crimson Blades and Silver Dawn clashed in multiple dungeons, turning PvP-enabled instances into battlegrounds. The casualty count rose—three Crimson Blade members dead, four Silver Dawn members dead, dozens injured.
The independents stayed out of direct conflict, but they felt the pressure. Both guilds sent recruitment offers, veiled threats, and "accidental" encounters in dungeons that felt suspiciously like tests.
Ji-woo threw himself into training. He had one more level to reach before level 10—the threshold where everything changed. Iron Chains provided access to level 9 dungeons with coordination support, and Ji-woo cleared three in one week.
[EXPERIENCE: 487/800]
Almost there. One more dungeon would do it.
But the notification that arrived on day seven of the guild war changed everything.
[SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT - GLOBAL]
[GUILD WAR PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED]
[SEOUL REGION: CRIMSON BLADES VS. SILVER DAWN]
[SPECIAL DUNGEON GENERATED: THE BLOODIED ARENA]
[ENTRY: MANDATORY FOR ALL SEOUL REAPERS]
[OBJECTIVE: GUILD WARFARE]
[TIMEFRAME: 72 HOURS]
[REWARDS: MASSIVE DEBT REDUCTION]
[PENALTY: NONE - PARTICIPATION EARNS REWARDS REGARDLESS OF VICTORY]
The system itself had recognized the guild war and created an official battleground.
Ji-woo read the details with growing dread. The Bloodied Arena was a special event dungeon where all Seoul Reapers would be transported—independents included. It would be a massive PvP battleground where guilds could fight without collateral damage to the real world.
And participation was mandatory.
"This is bad," Yoon said at the emergency meeting that night. "The system is forcing us to choose sides."
"No," Ji-woo said, reading deeper into the announcement. "Look at the objective. It says 'guild warfare,' but the rewards are individual based on contribution. The system doesn't care who wins—it just wants to see us fight."
"So what do we do?" Da-eun asked. "We're independents. We don't belong to either guild."
"Then we fight for ourselves," the Iron King said, appearing at their meeting uninvited. "The Bloodied Arena is a free-for-all. Guilds vs. guilds, independents vs. everyone, chaos and opportunity. We use it to prove that coordinated independents can compete with organized guilds."
"That's suicide," Min-seok protested.
"That's survival," the Iron King countered. "You think after this event the guilds will leave us alone? No. They'll remember who fought, who hid, who contributed. We need to make them respect us."
Ji-woo looked at the countdown timer.
[THE BLOODIED ARENA OPENS IN: 68 HOURS]
Less than three days to prepare for the biggest PvP event Seoul had ever seen. Two major guilds, twenty-three independents, and a system that rewarded violence.
"Alright," Ji-woo said. "We fight. But we fight smart. Twenty-three independents, coordinated tactics, one goal—survive and prove we're not prey."
The Iron King grinned. "Now you're thinking like a survivor. Let's prepare for war."
[END OF CHAPTER 15]