Doom Star Guild

Thud Thud Thud Thud

Creaaaak...

"Guild Leader Demos, sir. Deputy Leader Phobos has sent word that he found a clue regarding the Manticore symbol on the treasure map!"

A high-ranking member of the Doom Star Guild, who had become Demos' temporary close aide, reported the progress to Demos, who was feeding fresh meat to his pet harpy eagle in the meeting room.

"Oh, thanks a lot... Alright, Ery, that's enough for now. If you eat any more, you'll get too fat and lose your charm,"

Demos nodded in acknowledgment before stopping the feeding. The eagle seemed slightly displeased but complied nonetheless.

"Continue. I'm listening,"

Demos said while washing his blood-stained hands with a bottle of water by the window.

"Yes, Deputy Leader Phobos reported that he found a large stone sculpture of a manticore on Agaz Valley, which is home to demonic beasts. Beneath the sculpture, there's an entrance that has been sealed. Deputy Leader Phobos has sent word and is awaiting your command, Guild Leader,"

the man relayed all the details Phobos had sent without missing a beat.

"Excellent. Alright, Velan, please take care of the guild while I go join Phobos,"

Demos decided.

"Are you sure about this, sir? Wouldn't... it be better to let Deputy Leader explore first? If there's nothing significant there, it would save you from a wasted trip,"

Velan suggested cautiously, fearing Demos' wrath.

"No, I'm very confident that there will be significant clues there. Soon, the Pirate King's treasure will belong to us, the Doom Star Guild,"

Demos said with a confident smile. Seeing that arguing with the volatile guild leader was unwise, Velan quickly agreed.

"You have the qualities I like, Velan. You're smart and resourceful. How about becoming my right-hand man?"

Demos suddenly offered, leaving Velan speechless. The promotion was appealing, but being the right-hand of someone so ruthless that demon would shy away like Demos was daunting. This left Velan reluctant about how to reply.

"Uh... Isn't Deputy Leader Phobos already your right-hand man?"

Velan asked nervously.

"Phobos is my friend and the person I trust the most,"

Demos replied with a cold, unsettling smile that also seemed oddly melancholic.

"I'll let you think about it while you oversee the guild in my absence. I'll get your answer once I return from Agaz Valley,"

Demos offered before leaving the room. He needed no preparations for crystals, food, or water. His pet eagle, Ery, flew out the window, leaving Velan to sigh in relief. Talking to Demos was quite stressful.

.....

Dark Horse Guild

Aswa sat in the meeting room surrounded by his confidants. They were discussing the reports sent by a spy who had been ordered to follow Phobos. The spy reported that Phobos had discovered a cave on Agaz Valley on Europa Island. He seemed to place great importance on the stone sculpture of a manticore above the sealed cave entrance. Another spy embedded within the Doom Star Guild reported that Demos had left in a hurry to join Phobos, alone and without any followers.

"Everyone, what do you think?"

Aswa tapped his fingers on the table and asked.

"Could it be the treasure cave of the Pirate King?"

Merlin's Top Protege, suggested.

"Unlikely. It seems more probable that it's something else. If it were the treasure cave, they'd bring more people,"

Ma countered, reasoning that the treasure cave of the Pirate King would be incredibly dangerous. Even with Phobos and Demos' high levels, it would be nearly impossible for just the two of them to reach the treasure room alive.

"I think they have the map now and are likely searching for the key next..."

Boron stated in a calm voice. Given Boron's track record of rarely being wrong in his analysis, the others began to lean towards his idea.

"He makes sense. First the map, then the key, and only then the treasure cave!"

Lost Martial Artist chimed in. Aswa nodded and added,

"So, a map without the key is almost worthless."

"And what about the other maps we've been searching for?"

Merlin's Top Protege inquired.

"We need the map first and foremost. The map will likely provide clues about the key, just like how the Doom Star Guild is chasing the manticore symbol. Plus, Phobos found a massive manticore sculpture at the location!"

Ma analyzed, and everyone nodded thoughtfully.

"Regardless, we need to get our hands on the Pirate King's map. Once we have it, the mysteries will unravel. Meanwhile, instruct our agents to keep a close watch on Phobos and Demos. We must find out what they're after in that cave,"

Aswa commanded before standing up and leaving the room, signaling the end of the meeting. The others dispersed to carry out their respective tasks.

Chang Long and her entourage traveled south towards the city of Troy, a city embodying ancient Greek civilization. Hulu pleaded to be let out to walk alongside Kitsune, as it did not want to endure the loneliness of the bracelet any longer. Seeing its pitiful state, Chang Long allowed it, causing Hulu to jump for joy, temporarily forgetting its usual haughty demeanor.

On their journey, Chang Long tried to find a beast to become her first demon puppet but found none to her liking, leading her to sigh in frustration repeatedly along the way.

"There are so many players around here. Anya, you better return to me for now. Hulu..."

Chang Long began to notice groups of players hunting beasts, making her worry that they might panic upon seeing Hulu and Anya. While she could have Anya return to an embroidery on her outfit, she had just promised Hulu that it could walk freely. And when she turned to see its pleading eyes, she found herself unable to say anything.

"Would you like me to help?"

Kitsune offered, giving Chang Long an idea of how to make Hulu less conspicuous and avoid drawing attention as a rare creature.

"Go ahead, Kitsune,"

Chang Long agreed wholeheartedly. Kimhant and the three spirits watched them with puzzled expressions, unsure of what they were planning.

"Alright, Secret Technique: Transformation!"

Kitsune responded, pointing his thumb, index, and middle fingers at Hulu. A bright light flashed, transforming Hulu into a tall, well-built young man with long, pristine white hair, fair skin, sharp golden eyes, and striking rainbow-colored boxers. Like Kitsune, he had slightly visible white fangs.

"Wow!"

Hulu exclaimed, staring at his transformed body in astonishment.

"Kitsune, lend him one of your spare outfits. Once we get to town, I'll buy you both new clothes,"

Chang Long said, smiling with satisfaction. Kitsune agreed and handed Hulu one of his prized outfits, knowing that walking into town, full of people in just boxers might cause quite a stir, especially among human women.

Kimhant looked at Chang Long's two pets with envy. Both were incredibly handsome in their human forms, making him, who was already not very noticeable, even less likely to catch the attention of the ladies.

Hulu on the left and Kitsune on the right flanked their beloved master, who became the focus of attention from men along the way, thanks to her clear, unadorned face. Meanwhile, her two pets were ogled by female players to the point where their eyes almost popped out, feeling envious of Chang Long walking in the middle and silently wishing she would trip and fall. If Hisa-chan and Devi-chan had also appeared, a riot might have ensued. Fortunately, Devi-chan was too busy ogling the girls to think about this, and Hisa-chan did not like drawing attention, so Chang Long's group was not mobbed by the ladies.

Chang Long's group traveled without engaging much with the beasts, arriving at the gates of Troy at dusk. Just seeing the city gates hinted at the grandiosity awaiting inside. Excited, Chang Long and her followers entered the city immediately.

Beep beep beep beep

The sound of her watch-phone interrupted, making Chang Long, who was admiring the Greco-Roman artistry, glance at the caller ID on her watch's display and softly exclaim, realizing she had forgotten to call him.

"Siegfried,"

she said, answering the call.

"Hi, Chang Long. Am I bothering you?"

The man asked gently, sounding pleased she answered, though he did sound a bit tired.

"Not at all. I just arrived in Troy. It's beautiful here, you know. You should have come with me,"

Chang Long replied, walking slowly along the city's main street, allowing her pets and spirits to explore at their leisure, reminding Hulu to stay close to Kitsune at all times.

"Wow, you've already reached Troy? That's great. I've never been there before. It would have been nice to travel with you,"

Siegfried replied excitedly, though there was a hint of regret in his voice for not being able to join her.

"We'll come together next time. You sound tired though,"

Chang Long said, her eyes still on the beautiful Corinthian columns with their intricate carvings.

"I just got a break from all the chaos at the Starting Town. The Doom Star Guild and the Dark Horse Guild have mostly pulled out, so the island is peaceful once again,"

Siegfried explained, lying back on his bed, which felt cold after being away for days.

"If you're tired, you should rest. Don't push yourself just to talk to me,"

Chang Long said with concern, worried that he might overexert himself.

"I was just about to sleep, but I wanted to hear your voice. Well... well I... I miss you,"

Siegfried's voice softened to a whisper, his cheeks reddening like tomatoes. Luckily, he was alone in his room, or his friends would surely tease him.

"Mmm... hm!"

Chang Long replied, her voice just as soft, her own cheeks flushing slightly with embarrassment.

She waited for him to continue, but he fell silent. She glanced at her watch, thinking the call might have been disconnected, but his name was still displayed. Listening carefully, she heard his gentle snoring.

"You silly... So tired yet still pushing yourself. Sweet dreams, Siegfried!"

Chang Long said, hanging up with a smile.

Chang Long strolled down the street, feeling at ease. The road was paved with large, beautiful stone slabs, and the columns and streetlights on either side had a charm that captivated her. She could look at them all day without getting bored, as such sights were impossible to find in the real world. Kitsune and Hulu, both incredibly handsome, attracted the attention of many girls who followed them and batted their eyes at them sweetly. But the two paid no attention, too engrossed in exploring various shops.

"Master, master, come here quickly!"

Hulu called out, waving for Chang Long to join him. She walked over, curious about what he wanted to show her so badly that he kept calling her.

"What's this? Isn't it just junk items?"

Chang Long asked, looking at the various pieces of limestone of different sizes that a player was selling cheaply, as they were considered useless items with no known purpose.

"No, these are elemental gems, just not yet extracted from the limestone. Once they're extracted, their value will be many times higher,"

Hulu whispered excitedly in her ear.

"Really!"

Chang Long looked up at Hulu, whispering excitedly.

"If you don't believe me, buy one of these stones and I'll unseal it for you myself,"

Hulu whispered back, making the shopkeeper eye them with suspicion.

"Can you really do that?"

Chang Long eyed Hulu doubtfully. Hulu lifted his chin proudly and spoke with arrogance.

"Hmp! Master, I eat elemental gems as my food. If I couldn't do something this simple, I'd starve!"

Hulu did not just speak but reached out to grab one of the elemental gems, ready to prove his ability to Chang Long.

"Hey, wait! Here's the money, mister!"

Chang Long quickly exclaimed, handing over two coins to the young shopkeeper. She then dragged Hulu to a spot away from other players, with Kitsune and Kimhant following curiously.

Hulu held the limestone piece loosely in his hand, then started to squeeze and gently manipulate it. Gradually, bits of limestone began to flake away until only a gleaming red gemstone remained. Chang Long, Kitsune, and Kimhant stared at the elemental gem in Hulu's hand with eyes wide in disbelief. They never imagined that such an ordinary, seemingly worthless piece of limestone that no player would bother to keep in their pockets could transform into a rare, valuable elemental gem.

"Let's go back to that shop and buy them all!"

Chang Long declared loudly, walking quickly back to the shop that sold the limestone. Meanwhile, Hulu swallowed the red elemental gem contentedly.

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