It was Veilborne.
As soon as Horizon saw the mocking sneers on their faces, he knew trouble was coming.
Ironfist, their vice leader, stepped forward, his smirk wide and condescending.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't the low-rank group fetching als from the beggars' hall," he said laughing, eyeing the containers of food in Horizon and Von's hands with disdain.
Von clenched his jaw, but Horizon raised a hand, stopping him. He knew better than to rise to the bait.
If trouble broke out within these walls, they might be disqualified this ti around.
Nightshade and his crew were looking for a fight, but Horizon had no intention of giving them one—at least, not tonight.
"You and that ragtag crew can't even afford a decent al?" Stormcaller sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "And you had the nerve to challenge us before?"
Kael smirked, pointing toward the lavish restaurant, the golden chandeliers gleaming from within. "You know what we'll be feasting on tonight? Dragonfla steaks, smoked wyvern ribs, griffon egg olets, and kraken sashimi—real food, not the peasant scraps you call dinner."
The bronze and iron badge players stood frozen, their mouths agape as they heard the extravagant nu.
Just one of those dishes—like the Dragonfla steaks or the griffon egg olets—could easily fetch up to 1,000 gil or more.
With all the delicacies Kael had listed, dining at that high-end restaurant, especially for a group of five, could easily rack up a bill of 50,000 gil. That was more than most of their entire budget for the competition.
It hit them like a slap to the face—this was the stark difference between them and a second-rate guild. While they scraped together whatever they could to survive and compete, guilds like Veilborne indulged in luxuries they couldn't even dream of.
Val, the only woman in the group, let out a sickening laugh. "Dining in that place costs 10,000 gil per person. But it's not like you could understand that—you couldn't afford it if you sold everything you owned."
They laughed in unison, their taunts echoing through the street.
Lydia, unable to tolerate their arrogance any longer, sneered back coldly. Her fear previously disappeared replaced with anger. "Don't you have anything better to do than pester a 'low-rate' group? It's pathetic."
Ironfist's eyes flicked to Lydia, and for the first ti, he truly saw her. Her skin was pale and smooth, her features delicate yet striking—nothing like the won he usually encountered.
There was an undeniable allure to her, a magnetism that was hard to ignore. And her body . . . it was beyond comparison.
Then there was Silphie—innocent and sweet, with a childlike charm that only deepened his jealousy. How could a low-tier player like Horizon be surrounded by two such beautiful won?
It made him jealous. With a whistle, Ironfist swaggered over to Lydia, a lecherous grin spreading across his face. "You're gorgeous, babe. Why don't you ditch this loser and co with us instead? I'll take care of you, treat you like a queen."
Lydia had heard her fair share of pick-up lines, but this one? This was a whole new level of cringe. Flashing a sickly sweet smile, she bead at him. "Do you have 100 Aurums on you? If not, get lost, dumbass."
[1000 gil = 1 Bullion
100 000 gil = 1 Aurum ]
The crowd around them went silent, and Veilborne's laughter died in their throats. 100 Aurums? That was a kingdom's fortune! Even a 2nd-rate guild like Veilborne, after all their upgrades, barely scraped together 20 Aurums right now.
Dining at fancy restaurants was more than just a status symbol for Veilborne—it was a facade, a desperate attempt to keep up appearances among the higher-ranked guilds. As a 2nd-rate guild, they carried a certain reputation, but behind the glamor was a crumbling empire.
Mismanagent had drained their coffers dry, and their obsession with luxury—indulgent als, designer clothes, and extravagant nights with won—had only hastened their downfall. Veilborne was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. They couldn't even pay their mbers monthly wages right now, and had to layoff so of their mbers due to money constraints.
The competition, with its prize of 100 Aurum and more, was their last lifeline. It wasn't about glory anymore—it was about survival. If they didn't secure the win, their once-proud guild would fall into ruin, nothing more than a cautionary tale of squandered potential. Stay updated through empire
Ironfist's face twisted in anger as the onlookers began to whisper and snicker, his bravado fading. "Woman, you probably don't know who I am—"
"Oh, please. You've been introducing yourself all day," Lydia cut him off, rolling her eyes. "Ironfist of Veilborne, right? You know, for a guy nad Ironfist, you sure have a glass jaw. Bet it's as fragile as your ego."
The crowd erupted into laughter, and Ironfist's face turned red with embarrassnt. He stood there, fists clenched, while Lydia's smirk only widened.
Ironfist's rage boiled over, clouding his judgnt. "Woman, you're asking for trouble. By the ti I'm done with you, you won't be throwing insults with that pretty little mouth of yours," he snarled, lunging toward Lydia with a hand outstretched, aiming to grab her.
But before he could even get close, Horizon and Von appeared in a flash, standing protectively in front of her.
"Hands off our woman," Von said coldly, his eyes narrowing as he cracked his knuckles.
Ironfist let out a harsh laugh. "You think you can defeat ?! You got lucky the first ti? I was going easy on you. I won't make that mistake again."
With a sinister grin, Ironfist activated his skill, [Titan Grip]. His fists glowed red-hot, hardening and expanding as if forged from molten iron. His muscles bulged as his strength surged by 10%, enough to shatter stone.
The sheer force of his next blow could easily crush a man's skull, and he aid both fists straight at Horizon and Von.
But Horizon didn't flinch.
In a fluid motion, he unsheathed his twin scimitars, the blades gleaming under the streetlight. With swift, precise movents, he parried Ironfist's crushing blows, the sound of steel clashing against iron echoing through the night.
Sparks flew as the enchanted blades t Ironfist's mighty fists, sending shockwaves through the ground.
Ironfist gritted his teeth, surprised by Horizon's speed and strength. He actually parried his attack without taking any damage! How did that happen?!
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