By the time Kaito stepped out of Viscount Elrick's mansion, night had already fallen over South Glade Town.
He had originally planned to log out early tonight to rest and prepare for the upcoming visit to the Ren ancestral estate, but with several hours of game time still remaining and nothing urgent on hand, he wandered toward the town's tavern on a whim.
The place was nearly deserted.
Most players weren't in the mood to relax or drink. Even the RMB whales were fully focused on grinding levels—having witnessed firsthand just how intense the competition inside Glory had become.
As Kaito approached the tavern entrance, something caught his eye.
"Huh? Black robes?" he muttered.
These weren't the same as the ones sold on the black market—they were actually a level lower. While the black market's cloak often drew suspicious glances from NPC guards, this more common version didn't attract any attention. It could still hide information such as a player's description and ID level, but only against low-tier observation tools—the kind most players carried.
Anyone trained in advanced reconnaissance techniques could easily pierce through its disguise.
In contrast, the black market version was far superior—it couldn't be deciphered even by high-level observation skills.
Still, despite being inferior, this cloak had its uses. Within the town, it could still prove quite effective in avoiding unnecessary trouble.
He walked in cautiously.
Aside from a flirtatious female NPC tending the counter, there was only one figure seated at a far booth—cloaked in black robes, drinking alone.
Strange…
Could be a quest reward, Kaito guessed.
Without hesitation, he strode forward.
"Brother," he greeted casually, "interested in selling that robe? I can pay in gold—or real cash. Just name your price."
The man didn't answer.
Instead, he slowly raised his head—and for just a moment, a flash of black light flickered beneath the edge of his hood.
Kaito's pupils contracted.
That pressure…
Then the man simply stood and walked out of the bar, wordlessly.
"...a NPC?" Kaito muttered, eyes sharp.
The moment their gazes met, he'd felt it—a surge of pressure, one that no player at this stage of the game could possibly exude.
This is Glory's pressure system...
A unique feature in Glory, pressure was generated when the opponent's attributes far outclassed your own, or when their kill count was absurdly high. It wasn't just a psychological effect—pressure directly influenced your brainwave feedback, making movements slower and lowering combat efficiency.
Only high-level NPCs or top-tier players could emit it. And no player was strong enough yet.
A name surfaced in his memory.
The Demon Cult.
A secretive faction rooted deep within the Glory Continent, the Demon Cult was a heretical faction that opposed the rule of any Kingdom or empire on Glory Continent and rejected the faith of the Gods of Light faction. They operated from the shadows—recruiting the disillusioned, the angry, the forsaken.
And crucially—they were a joinable faction, open not only to NPCs… but also to players.
Aside from the major Light and Dark factions, Glory also offered a range of smaller forces: the Death Squad on the frontier, Sea Pirates, and others. These minor factions provided rare equipment, unique questlines, and powerful stat boosts, often faster than regular monster grinding.
"The highest-level Demon Cult NPC excluding the spy, in South Glade shouldn't be above level 15," Kaito murmured to himself. "Do I take the risk…?"
Killing a Demon Cult member dropped a Demon Cult Insignia, the key to joining the faction. But killing another player holding that insignia destroyed it permanently.
This was a rare chance.
Too rare to ignore.
Kaito's decision was immediate. He slipped out of the bar and followed the cloaked figure, who had already turned west—toward the Level 10+ grinding zone on the outskirts of town.
That area was completely deserted right now.
Bold move, Kaito thought. He must think no one would dare follow him.
And to be fair—no one probably would.
Except me.
He tapped his comms and called the one person he trusted to match him in risk-taking.
"Mei Rin. West gate. Now. Help me kill an NPC."
There was a short pause. Then: "Got it."
Mei Rin cut the call immediately.
As expected, Kaito smiled faintly. She knows me too well.
Though PvP was restricted within the starting town, hostile NPCs were fair game. Even if the NPC was inside a protected zone, players could freely engage them. And whoever landed the most damage would receive the loot.
Still, Kaito wasn't reckless.
He couldn't solo this. If no one else held aggro, he'd likely be wiped out in seconds.
The black-robed man and Kaito moved through the central avenue, one after the other. The man occasionally turned to glance back, but Kaito didn't hide. He followed openly—deliberately.
Across the street, Mei Rin was already approaching.
"Kaito," she whispered through the party line, "I saw you. That guy—he's giving off weird vibes. Are you seriously planning to fight him?"
"Use Observe," Kaito replied.
"I did. Nothing. Blank screen. No name, no level. That robe must be special."
Her voice tightened. "Even worse, I felt pressure from him. It's real."
"Good," Kaito said coldly. "That means he's the real deal. We can't let him get away."
"But listen carefully—before the town guards will intervene, we have to get his health to below 50%. Otherwise, we won't get any EXP… or drops."
...
Kaito was already panting heavily, his stamina running low after chasing the black-robed figure across most of South Glade Town.
"Alright!" Mei Rin's voice came through the party chat.
Without hesitation, she sprinted forward and locked onto the target.
She could attack!
In the town, friendly NPCs were protected and cannot be attacked. But once inside a real city, there were no such safe zone protections. This is also designed to prevent newcomers from entering the game and messing around.
Without delay, Mei Rin raised her bow and fired.
An arrow shot cleanly across the night air—
–1!
"What the—?!" Kaito's heart dropped. "Careful! Don't get too close. Touch and go—don't get one-shot!"
The result confirmed his suspicion.
This NPC was definitely above level 15. The overwhelming level suppression had reduced Mei Rin's damage to a measly 1 point—the system's minimum forced value.
Kaito gritted his teeth.
"I don't even know if I can break through his defense… but humanoid monsters always have one flaw."
He narrowed his eyes.
"No matter how strong they are—their HP is never that thick."
He wasn't giving up just yet.
"Brother Kaito, I saw the damage log," Mei Rin called out, her brow furrowed. "Demon Cultist. HP: 1,200!"
Thankfully, the ambush effect had still applied—confirming the target was hostile.
Meanwhile, commotion began brewing nearby as curious players gathered around.
"Wait—what's happening over there? I thought PK wasn't allowed in town?"
"Is that an NPC he's attacking? Who'd be crazy enough to pick a fight with an NPC?"
"Hold up—isn't that Raen? Seriously?! The game's only been out for a week, and he's already in the middle of another major event!"
Kaito's expression darkened slightly.
With so many people spectating, interference was a real risk. If even one opportunistic player threw in a hit, they'd gain loot rights.
In Glory, the system clearly stated:
"Any player who contributes damage to a monster or hostile NPC is eligible to roll for item drops."
It was a rule that had already sparked countless bloodbaths.
I can't let anyone else touch him.
Kaito sprang forward.
In one smooth motion, he drew his blade and executed an Aerial Claw Slash, each strike aimed squarely at the cultist's vitals.
Vital Strike!
–13 HP!
Vital Strike!
–19 HP!
Vital Strike!
Critical Hit!
–26 HP!
The cultist reeled, stunned from the initial blow. Kaito seized the opportunity and followed up with another clean Cut before the NPC could even react.
The Demon Cultist—dazed and defenseless—was the perfect target.
Vital Strike! Critical Hit! –58 HP!
Kaito's attack landed with overwhelming force—so powerful that the surrounding onlookers couldn't help but gasp in awe. His sheer offensive power left everyone speechless with admiration.
"Who's causing trouble here?"
The town guards arrived swiftly—each one an elite NPC between levels 20 and 30, their armor gleaming under the torchlight.
"The guards are here! Why isn't Raen running away?!"
"Run? Hah. What 'great god'? You guys just worship anyone with a flashy move!"
"Keep watching. He's dead meat this time."
Mei Rin's eyes darted between Kaito and the approaching guards, her voice tight with urgency. "What do we do now?"
"Go," Kaito replied without hesitation. "Walk up and tell the guards he's a cultist. Keep your voice low—don't let the crowd overhear. Just stall them... buy me enough time to deal more damage!"
Kaito frowned. So far, they had barely chipped away just over a hundred points of HP—not nearly enough. The guards wouldn't step in until the cultist's health dropped below 50%, and time was slipping away.
Just then, the Demon Cultist stirred and snapped back to awareness. His eyes flared with rage as he lunged forward, throwing a punch straight at Kaito.
He's a hidden class user... and those movements—
Pugilist.
A rare hidden combat class known for its brutal close-range fighting style, relying solely on fists to deliver devastating blows.
But fists or not—Kaito had a sword.
Instead of retreating, he surged forward, blade flashing in the moonlight as he drove it straight toward the cultist's face.