Child of Destiny

...

Due to the large movements of the forces of the HeadHunter Guild, the ordinary players of the game couldn't but become interested in it.

Especially when the other powerhouses were also making their own moves as a response to it.

With a new topic to discuss, the online forums became active once again.

The topics that were being posted on it might not be as big as the previous ones that had been discussed previously. But at the very least, they were able to keep the bored players browsing the internet entertained.

But to the eyes of the large organizations within the game, these kinds of boring topics were something that they couldn't overlook.

After all, the suspicious movements that the HeadHunter Guild was making could only mean a single thing, a war was about to take place at any given moment.

But the question was who would be the target of this declaration of war.

Not knowing who would be the guild that was going to be challenged, the players discussing in the online forums started making their own guesses and deductions. Some even made a couple of predictions about the outcome of the battle once the HeadHunter Guild challenged a particular powerhouse.

Not long after, the targeted guild was finally revealed. And when the players learned about it, they immediately went wild for how crazy the decision that the HeadHunter Guild had made.

In their eyes, the guild was practically committing suicide. The Wing's Alliance was currently one of the hegemons within the Saint Heaven Kingdom yet the HeadHunter Guild dared to challenge them?

For them, the higher-ups of the guild were a bunch of idiots who got blinded by desperation. Naturally, the players of the game were aware that the guild was trying to rebuild their reputation, but choosing a losing battle just for it was literally asking to embarrass themselves.

Due to that, the players started to criticize the HeadHunter Guild left and right. And as if adding oil to the fire, all of the dark past of the guild was also starting to resurface once again.

The executives of the guild would obviously be upset about this backlash. They even started to put all of the blame on Cruelty who suggested this plan.

But despite all of the criticism that they were getting, Cruelty was still able to keep his cool and accept everything. After all, he knew that the only thing that he could do was to prove themselves later in the fight.

...

In the meantime, while everyone was currently criticizing the HeadHunter Guild, the Wing's Alliance clearly knew that this was a very wise move.

They were currently having an internal conflict where each faction was currently pointing a knife at each other's neck.

They might also be seeing this situation as an opportunity for them. They could use this particular war to increase their chances of winning against the other side if they manage to defeat the HeadHunter Guild.

Sabotaging the other faction might have some negative effects; it would definitely hurt their reputation if they sold their fellow guild members just to win the power struggle within their guild.

So, that scenario would surely be out of the question. But it was a different story if it was about not providing the other faction any assistance once their respective territories got invaded.

In fact, they might even thank the HeadHunter Guild if they managed to defeat the other faction.

Both of the opposing factions within the Wing's Alliance were currently thinking the same. They could let the other side be defeated before jumping in the prey and striking the weakened forces of the HeadHunter Guild.

That kind of plan might be pretty obvious. But even if that was the chase, either side could only accept it silently since they didn't have any other choice.

In the midst of this power struggle within the guild, the most affected ones were the elite members of the guild who really cared about the guild.

They were stacked between the colossal forces within their guild where they had no choice but to follow the arrangements made by the people above their ranks.

And one of those teams was the party under S.Tigris' leadership.

Bang!

"Hehe! This is why I keep on telling you to mind your own business, old friend. Do you honestly believe that the people supporting you from behind can save you when times like this come?" said D.Romeo after pushing S.Tigris with a powerful strike.

"Keep on dreaming but there is no one in the guild who can lend you a helping hand in these kinds of situations. All of them have no other choice but to abandon you since their hands are tied," he added with a smirking tone.

In the meantime, S.Tigris picked himself up from the ground while glaring at his opponent. "At least, I am not someone like you who is no different from a hunting dog with no dignity."

Hearing that, D.Romeo started laughing heartedly before refuting. "So what if I am indeed a hunting dog? We are the same. Both of us are just tools that can easily be abandoned. But at the very least, I choose the right master to follow."

"And look! These players that you nurtured really hard are now doing the same!" he added while pointing at the players that were currently surrounding S.Tigris from all sides. "This is how this world works! Everyone is always following the winning side regardless of the circumstances!"

S.Tigris swept his gaze at his surroundings, looking at every player around him. He was very familiar with these players since he personally scouted each one of them.

He couldn't blame them for choosing to betray him since he was also aware of their situations in the real world, especially the ones that were trying to make a living out of the game.

It just pained him really hard to be in this kind of situation. Or he just hated himself more for not being strong enough to take all of them under his wing.

"Hand over the item to us already, S.Tigris! And we will spare a couple of levels on your account," said D.Romeo while wearing a mocking smile.

Hearing that, the expression on S.Tigris' face suddenly turned solemn as he took another quick glance at his status window.

-----------------

Negative Status Effect: Curse of the Death Calling (Highly Effective)

Note: Can only be undone by Archbishops and similar classes of the same rank.

Details: The player that got affected by this will not be able to get killed no matter how many fatal strikes they receive.

Instead, they would continuously lose their levels and experience points for every damage they get after their HP Bars reach zero.

Conversions: 100 Damage = 1 Experience Points Loss

Remaining Duration: 1 hour and 24 minutes.

-----------------

S.Tigris didn't know where D.Romeo got the curse scroll from, but he already lost a couple of levels right after he got ambushed earlier, so he didn't have much time to think about it.

Moreover, he clearly knew that he would continue to lose more levels if he let this battle continue.

No matter how strong he currently was, he was completely aware that he wouldn't be a match for all of these players together. Each of them was on par with the Titled Rankers of the game with some of them being worthy enough to belong to the peak of that rank.

Moreover, he also needed to keep an eye on D.Romeo who had a strength that was on par with him. So, unless S.Tigris was a Godlike Player, he would never stand a chance against this group of players.

Fully aware of his current situation, S.Tigris decided to stop this futile struggle and hand over the item that the opposing side was looking for.

After all, that item was a guaranteed drop the moment he died after exhausting all of his current levels. So, it was better for him to hand over the item now instead of suffering more like this.

Naturally, he was also planning to form a contract with D.Romeo to make sure that the latter was going to let him go right after he handed over the item. He was not an idiot who would trust this cunning wolf and his verbal promises.

He was about to say something when he suddenly received a particular message from a player that he was very familiar with.

Raven: Don't do anything stupid yet, boss! We are already here to save you!

Reading the message, S.Tigris suddenly started laughing which made D.Romeo knit his brow. "You still have the time to laugh in this kind of situation? Have you already lost your mind?"

Unfortunately, the WolfKin Master Hunter didn't get the reply that he was expecting.

S.Tigris looked at him with a smirking smile before saying. "You said that everyone always follows the winning side in this world regardless of anything, don't you?"

"Unfortunately, you are wrong. Because there are people like me who love to pick the side with an underdog story," he added while getting ready for another round of battle.

But this time, he was not alone.

Boom!

Then there was a powerful explosion that occurred on one of the rears of his opponents' encirclement, throwing their formation a little off.

And amidst that explosion, a loud and very energetic voice suddenly sounded. "Boss! We are here! Let's get this party started already!"

Receiving the signal, S.Tigris quickly kicked the ground and started slaughtering his way towards the group that just joined the battle.

Boom!

And while he was advancing forward, he suddenly shouted with a very emotional tone. "These are my final instructions to you as your mentor! So, savor this moment and engrave the experience into your soul!"

....…