Cloud?!
"No way . . . ," Travis muttered under his breath, his mind racing.
There was no way a player could change their appearance once they arrived here—unless they had so powerful relic or ancient spell that could do so.
Even if Horizon was sohow Cloud in disguise, how could he possibly deflect Ironfist's attack? Ironfist's stats were in the 300-400 range, while Cloud, last Travis checked, was still a newbie like him with stats barely breaching 100.
"Travis, what's got you distracted?" Grimm's voice cut through his thoughts like a blade. "We need to hit the restaurant before the other guilds claim all the seats. While they're caught up in that ss, we've got the perfect window. Let's move."
Travis forced a smile, shaking off his suspicion. "Yes, sir! Coming!" He cast one last glance toward Horizon before jogging over to join his guild.
anwhile, another group had taken notice of the commotion—this ti, from the Kingdom of Stars.
Among them was Trisha, the Kingdom's newest prodigy. She possessed one of the highest proficiencies in magic among the newer players, even rivaling those in the 100-200 range. Her spot in the competition had been a given.
As an S-rank player, she had the potential to ascend beyond a Tier-9 Apex class, aiming for the legendary Supre Class—an evolution said to be attained by only a rare few.
Naturally, the Kingdom of Stars sought to secure her future, binding her to royalty through marriage with none other than Cedrick, the second son of Queen Peredis herself.
It was a political move as much as it was a show of power, centing her place in the kingdom and ensuring her talents remained under their banner.
Cedrick, a Tier-7 Shadow Warlock was currently leading their group. Together, they would ensure the Kingdom of Stars remained at the top of this competition.
But like Travis, Trisha had been watching Horizon closely, her sharp eyes taking in every detail. Sothing about him was different. Sothing . . . familiar.
And she wasn't the only one to notice.
"Trish, let's go," Cedrick said, his voice gentle as he placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her forward with a smile. "We have a reservation with the Elven Prince. It would be a grave insult to keep him waiting."
Trisha blinked, still lost in thought, and murmured, "Ah, yes." She let Cedrick guide her, but her mind remained fixated on Horizon. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease, a shiver running down her spine as thoughts of Cloud flooded back, making her heart race.
She shook her head, as if to banish the past from her mind. Cloud was gone—just a mory. Her future lay with Cedrick. She was destined to beco the future queen of the Kingdom of Stars, alongside the Crown Prince.
Cedrick was royalty, the second son of Queen Peredis, and like her, he was an S-rank player with his fate sealed. The title of "Crown Prince" had already been bestowed upon him. Tonight, they had the rare honor of dining with the Elven Prince, the host of this year's competition—a privilege reserved only for a select few.
Cloud was nothing but a ghost from her past now.
anwhile, the battle between Ironfist and Horizon raged on, but to the crowd, it had beco almost codic. Each ti Ironfist attempted an attack, Horizon simply evaded or effortlessly parried, barely acknowledging the brute force behind Ironfist's blows.
Ironfist's face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassnt. It was clear to everyone that Horizon was toying with him, making a mockery of his every move.
"Motherf—! Fight seriously!" Ironfist bellowed in frustration, but his roar was cut short as a commanding voice bood across the square.
"STOP!"
The crowd froze, eyes darting toward the approaching Elven Sentinels. The mood shifted instantly. Not wanting to be implicated, the spectators quickly dispersed, leaving the combatants to face the consequences.
"You two again?" one of the guards scowled, his voice dripping with annoyance. "Didn't I warn you last ti? Fight here again, and you'll face punishnt."
Nightshade, ever the diplomat, stepped forward with a disarming smile. "It's not what it looks like. They were just exchanging pointers."
Ironfist, still fuming, said nothing but shot a glare at Horizon, who remained composed.
"Regardless, a fight's a fight," the guard continued. "Both your teams will be fined."
Nightshade chuckled, undeterred. "No one's hurt, and there's no damage. No harm, no foul."
Nightshade knew the rules of the competition well. Fines were issued according to the severity of the offense. With no property damage or injuries, the fee would be a re 10 Bullions. Had Ironfist seriously injured Horizon, the fine could've been up to 50 Bullions for Veilborne, and 20 Bullions for Nyx's team for participating in the brawl.
But Nightshade wasn't concerned about the fine—it was Veilborne's reputation that mattered. He couldn't afford to let Nyx's group walk away after insulting one of their own. That would reflect poorly on their guild's strength.
Fifty Bullions was a manageable expense, especially if Nyx's team was forced to pay their share. He doubted they had the funds, and if they couldn't pay, a ten-day stint in jail would be enough to disqualify them from the competition.
For Nightshade, it wasn't about the money. It was about teaching them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget.
The guards surveyed the situation, then nodded, their expressions stern. "Nightshade speaks the truth," one of them said. "Since this is your second offense and no property was damaged, nor anyone hard, both groups will be fined 10 Bullions."
Without missing a beat, Nightshade casually tossed a sack of Bullions into the guard's hands, the clink of the coins echoing in the silence. The lower-ranked guilds in the crowd could only watch with envy, their mouths practically watering at the sight. How they wished they could throw around 10 Bullions like that—without a second thought, without a care.
But the harsh reality was that earning money in Eternia was no simple feat. Beasts rarely dropped gil, and the only true way to amass wealth was by defeating bosses, clearing high-level dungeons, completing high level quests, or selling rare items. For most, that kind of money was a distant dream.
When it was Horizon's turn to pay, he remained as calm and composed as ever. With an unreadable expression, he simply said, "I didn't bring enough with . Mind if one of you accompanies us back to collect the rest?"
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