Night had fallen, and under the dim glow of the moon, the Black Wind Bandit camp stood quietly on top of a small hill, its position usually giving it a natural advantage over the surrounding terrain, but tonight that advantage meant nothing.
From all sides, in the darkness beyond the hill, figures had gathered as the forces of two rival gangs surrounded the entire area, their presence hidden but undeniable, forming a silent encirclement that left no path for escape. Among them stood the leaders of both gangs, their expressions calm yet focused as they observed the distant camp.
A little further away, separated from the main forces, five figures stood together, their presence distinctly different from the others, their aura restrained yet dangerous. They were members of the Ghost Claw Clan, and they had come personally, not just to assist but to ensure annihilation.
"They're all inside?" one of them asked.
"Yes," one of the gang leaders replied. "No movement so far."
Another Ghost Claw member spoke calmly, "Good. Then we finish this quickly."
The gang leaders exchanged brief glances, understanding the implication clearly, because once the attack began, there would be no room for hesitation.
"…No survivors?" one of them asked cautiously.
The Ghost Claw member looked at him before replying indifferently, "…That depends on how useful they are."
Silence followed, heavy and cold.
Not far from them, hidden even deeper in the shadows, four more figures watched the entire scene without making their presence known. These were the same four from the Origin Clan, and among them, the black-clothed man stood silently with his gaze fixed on the hill where the Black Wind Bandit camp lay.
"They've come," Veyron said quietly.
Kaelvar nodded. "Five of them."
Sylreth added calmly, "And two gangs' worth of forces."
The black-clothed man remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, "…Good."
The others looked at him.
"…We let them act first."
Kaelvar's eyes narrowed slightly. "…And Dharan?"
The black-clothed man answered calmly, "…They will kill him."
There was no doubt in his tone.
Veyron crossed his arms. "…And then?"
There was a brief pause before the black-clothed man continued, "…Then we intervene."
The plan was simple, cold, and calculated.
Sylreth spoke slowly, "After the battle, there will still be survivors."
Kaelvar nodded. "…There always are."
The black-clothed man continued, "…We don't wipe them out completely."
The others understood immediately.
"…Half," Veyron said.
"…At least," Kaelvar added.
They needed people, not just corpses.
"…Once Dharan is dead," the black-clothed man said, "…we step in, take control, and assign new leadership."
Sylreth's gaze shifted slightly. "…And the ore mine?"
"There is none," the black-clothed man replied calmly, a faint smirk hidden beneath his hood. "…And we will make sure everyone understands that."
Veyron let out a quiet breath. "…So the conflict resolves itself."
Kaelvar added, "…And we might even gain something from it."
The black-clothed man nodded faintly. "…Compensation."
Sylreth's eyes flickered. "…For being attacked without basis."
Silence followed once more.
Below them, the forces continued to gather, unaware of the layers of schemes unfolding above. To them, this was simply a battle, a chance to gain resources, power, and territory.
But in reality, they were all pieces.
The Ghost Claw Clan believed they were about to eliminate a rival proxy, the two gangs believed they were about to gain control over a valuable resource, and the Origin Clan's agents believed they were about to eliminate a threat and stabilize the region.
At the center of it all, the Black Wind Bandit Gang remained completely unaware.
On the hill, the camp was still quiet, torches flickering gently in the night as if nothing was wrong.
From the darkness surrounding the hill, countless eyes watched silently.
The attack was only a matter of time.
Fire, Fear… and Escape
The attack came without warning, and it came fast. Before anyone in the Black Wind camp could properly react, the night sky lit up with streaks of fire as flaming arrows rained down, tearing through tents and wooden structures and setting everything ablaze within moments. Chaos erupted instantly as shouts, screams, and the clash of weapons filled the air while enemies poured in from all directions, cutting down anyone in their path without hesitation.
Roma rushed out of his room, his mind still trying to process what was happening as he looked around and saw nothing but disorder. Fires spread rapidly, shadows flickered wildly, and everywhere he looked, people were fighting, running, or dying.
"…What the hell…"
His heartbeat sped up. This was real, and for the first time, he was in the middle of it.
He froze for a moment, his body tense and his mind blank. "…I haven't fought anyone yet…" The realization hit him hard. He had power now, but no experience and no real combat.
Then, right in front of him, he saw a familiar face—the same guy he had met in the ruins. For a split second, their eyes met, and in the next instant a flaming arrow shot through the air and pierced straight through the man's chest.
Roma's pupils shrank as the man collapsed instantly, dead.
"…Faa—"
His breath caught in his throat. "…No…"
This wasn't a story or something distant. People were dying right in front of him.
"…I can't die here…"
The thought exploded in his mind as fear took over completely.
Roma turned and ran.
He rushed back inside and found Arun immediately. "…We're leaving. Now."
Arun didn't hesitate. "…Alright."
There was no need for explanation, because the situation outside said everything. Arun stood up fully, his condition completely recovered, and as his aura stabilized it was clear that he had regained his cultivation—sixth stage.
Roma glanced at him briefly. "…Good."
They moved quickly, step by step trying to pass through the battlefield without drawing attention, avoiding direct fights and slipping through gaps whenever possible, but every direction they tried led to the same result—people, enemies, fighting.
Roma turned one way and found it blocked, then another direction only to be blocked again.
His breathing grew heavier. "…No way…"
Arun's expression also turned serious. "…We're surrounded."
That was the truth. From every direction, there was no escape.
For a moment, despair crept in, but then Roma heard someone shout nearby, "…Call the leader!"
His eyes widened slightly. "…Leader…"
Without wasting time, he turned toward the direction of the main tent. "…Let's go."
They rushed toward Dharan's tent, pushing past the chaos, dodging fights, and avoiding attention until they finally reached it. Roma pushed the entrance open and stepped inside.
It was empty.
He froze. "…What?"
Arun stepped in behind him. "…No one?"
Roma's expression twisted. "…Where the hell is he?" Anger flashed across his face as he muttered, "…That bastard…"
For a moment, he genuinely thought Dharan had run away, but then he noticed something else.
"…Not just him…"
No high-level members were present either.
Roma's heartbeat rose again. "…This is bad…"
Outside, people were still dying, while inside there was nothing.
"…What do we do now…"
Then a thought flashed in his mind.
"…The map…"
His eyes widened. "…Riz."
He immediately opened the system panel and focused on the map, locating Riz's position, which clearly pointed to this exact tent.
Roma froze. "…He's here?"
He looked around again. Empty.
"…That's impossible…"
The system didn't lie.
"…Then…"
His gaze slowly moved downward.
"…Underground?"
Without wasting another second, Roma began searching frantically, moving things aside and checking every corner until he found it—a hidden opening under the bed.
A tunnel.
Roma didn't hesitate. "…We go in."
Arun nodded.
Together, they entered the tunnel as the sounds of chaos, fire, and death continued above them.
As they disappeared into the darkness below, Roma took a deep breath.
"…This might be the only way out."