Chapter 125: The Price Of Pride

"Coffermaster is right."

Another vice-leader, responsible for the guild's day-to-day management, finally spoke up. His expression was grim, and his voice carried unmistakable frustration.

"The guild is in a state of panic. Our elite members are complaining that supplies are running short, death compensation remains unpaid, and they no longer dare venture into the wild to level up for fear of being ambushed by the Abyss Squad."

He paused, glancing around the table before continuing.

"The situation among our peripheral members and affiliated teams is even worse. Discontent is spreading, and some have already begun secretly contacting other factions, presumably to secure a way out."

His shoulders sagged slightly.

"Sir, we're losing our foundation!"

"Losing our foundation?"

Damien abruptly raised his head, his bloodshot eyes flashing with fury.

"Then root out everyone who's wavering! Make an example of them! The Dragon Sovereign Guild has no place for cowards!"

"Damien!"

Selene's voice rose sharply, cutting through the conference room.

"Now is not the time to make examples of people! Our morale has already collapsed! Garrett's death has made everyone question whether following you—or even remaining in the guild—has any future. To them, the Dragon Sovereign Guild is no longer a path to glory. It's a dead end!"

She took a breath, forcing herself to maintain her composure.

"What we need right now is reassurance, tangible benefits, and a reason for our people to believe we can still win. We need to restore their confidence, not crush what's left of it through more iron-fisted suppression!"

Her words struck directly at the heart of the problem.

For a moment, Damien had no response.

How could he not know that morale had collapsed?

He had seen the reports. He had heard the complaints. He knew how badly the guild had suffered.

Yet his pride, reinforced by the almost paranoid arrogance that accompanied his [Sovereign of Fate] class, made it nearly impossible for him to accept retreat or compromise.

In his mind, the root of every problem was the Abyss Squad.

As long as he could eliminate Aiden and his people, everything else would eventually fall into place.

The problem was that, despite his repeated attempts, he had yet to accomplish that.

And with every failure, the price of his obsession continued to rise.

"Resources! Money!"

Coffermaster spoke again, his agitation evident.

"Sir, do you even know how much liquid gold remains in our treasury? Or how much high-value material we can liquidate immediately?"

He didn't wait for an answer.

"To cover our previous losses, fund the operation to seize the mining site, and pay compensation to the families of fallen members, we've already burned through more than seventy percent of our strategic reserves!"

His voice grew louder with every sentence.

"Several planned dungeon expeditions have been suspended. Equipment upgrades for our elite teams have been postponed, and acquisitions of crucial skill books have been put on hold because we simply can't afford them!"

He slammed his palm against the table.

"If this continues, we'll soon lose the equipment advantage that has helped keep our elite teams ahead of the competition. When that happens, how are we supposed to compete with Ironhelm and Valkyr? And if the Abyss Squad attacks again, what exactly are we going to use to stop them?"

The room fell silent.

The economic pressure that had been building beneath the surface had finally erupted under the strain of the guild's successive defeats.

The loss of valuable mining sites, combined with the financial damage inflicted by the Abyss Squad's earlier economic attacks, had left the Dragon Sovereign Guild dangerously exposed. Its remaining reserves were dwindling, its planned expansion had stalled, and its ability to maintain its military strength was beginning to deteriorate.

The guild's once-formidable financial foundation was now little more than a crumbling pillar supporting an increasingly unstable structure.

And if that pillar gave way, everything built upon it could collapse.

Damien felt his temples throbbing.

An unfamiliar mixture of irritation and helplessness welled up inside him as he surveyed the faces around the conference table.

Some looked anxious. Others appeared openly disappointed. A few couldn't entirely conceal the resentment in their eyes.

Even Seraphine, who had consistently supported him through the guild's previous difficulties, was watching him with undisguised concern. She seemed to want to say something, yet hesitated, as though afraid of making an already terrible situation worse.

Damien understood the truth behind Coffermaster's words.

The guild's finances had deteriorated to a dangerous point.

To preserve its reputation and maintain the appearance of strength, the guild had continued spending heavily despite its mounting losses. It needed to compensate fallen members, cover medical expenses, replenish lost equipment, and ensure that its remaining elite forces received sufficient supplies.

The death compensation was particularly important. Failing to honor those obligations would destroy whatever trust remained among the guild's members.

Meanwhile, the guild's income was shrinking.

Important mining sites had fallen into enemy hands. Collection efficiency across several resource-rich areas had declined as demoralized members became increasingly reluctant to venture into dangerous territory. Meanwhile, prices for crucial materials on the black market remained stubbornly high, as though an invisible hand were deliberately squeezing the guild's finances.

The situation was becoming unsustainable.

Could it be... that I'll have to use my own reserves?

Damien's expression darkened.

As the guild leader and its largest shareholder, he possessed considerable personal wealth and resources. Those assets had been accumulated through years of effort and formed the foundation of his rise to power.

They were also his ultimate safety net.

No matter what happened to the Dragon Sovereign Guild, his personal fortune would give him the means to recover, cultivate his strength, and establish himself elsewhere if necessary.

More importantly, his private reserves represented a degree of independence from the guild itself.

Using them to cover the guild's losses meant sacrificing his own resources to sustain an organization whose members were increasingly losing faith in him.

To Damien, the thought was almost unbearable.

Yet the alternative was even worse.

If he refused to intervene, the guild might collapse from within before the Abyss Squad even struck another blow.

And if the Dragon Sovereign Guild fell apart, what would become of him?

Even with his formidable strength and [Sovereign of Fate] class, he would be little more than an exceptionally powerful individual without the organization, resources, and manpower necessary to support his ambitions.

How could he compete with the truly powerful factions then?

How could he achieve the supremacy he had always envisioned?

For the first time in a long while, Damien found himself trapped in a dilemma with no easy way out.

"The resource issue..."

When he finally spoke, his voice sounded noticeably more subdued.

"I'll find a way to resolve it. The guild's basic operations must continue, and our core teams must receive the supplies they need."

He didn't explicitly mention his private treasury.

He didn't have to.

Everyone around the table understood what his words implied.

Coffermaster's expression softened slightly, though the concern in his eyes remained.

"Sir, even if you use your personal reserves to cover the shortfall, that will only buy us some time. It isn't a sustainable solution."

He paused before continuing.

"We need a stable new source of income, and we need it quickly. At the same time, we must put an end to this pointless war of attrition with the Abyss Squad."

His expression grew more serious.

"We have two choices. Either we strike hard enough to eliminate them once and for all, or we suspend the conflict temporarily and concentrate on rebuilding our strength. Continuing to bleed resources without achieving anything is the worst possible outcome."

Suspend the conflict?

A cold glint flashed through Damien's eyes.

The mere suggestion was enough to reignite his anger.

Back down before the Abyss Squad?

Absolutely not!

Garrett's death remained unavenged. The guild's reputation had been trampled upon, and its authority had been challenged before the entire player community.

If Damien retreated now, he would be admitting that Aiden and his people had defeated him.

He would never accept that.

"I understand."

Damien raised a hand, cutting off any further discussion. His expression hardened, and his voice regained its familiar, commanding edge.

"I'll handle the resource issue. As for the Abyss Squad, I have my own plans."

His gaze swept across the room.

"This meeting is over. Dismissed."

The leaders exchanged uneasy glances.

They had more to say, but Damien's tone made it clear that further objections would accomplish nothing. One after another, they rose from their seats and filed out of the conference room, their expressions heavy with concern.

Soon, the room was nearly empty.

Only Damien and Seraphine remained.

"Damien..."

Seraphine approached him from behind and gently placed her hands on his tense shoulders, massaging them as she spoke in a soft, soothing voice.

"Don't push yourself too hard. You've been under enormous pressure lately."

She hesitated before continuing.

"Perhaps Selene has a point. We could suspend our operations against the Abyss Squad for a while. Give the guild some time to recover, stabilize our finances, and rebuild our strength before making another move."

"Seraphine!"

Damien abruptly caught her hand, stopping her mid-sentence.

His eyes burned with an almost feverish intensity.

"We cannot afford to slow down!"

He tightened his grip, his voice growing more impassioned.

"If we take one step back now, we'll be forced to take another, and then another, until there's nothing left of us! Everyone is watching the Dragon Sovereign Guild. Our enemies are waiting for us to show weakness, while our own people are already questioning our strength!"

He released her hand and rose to his feet.

"What about the brothers who died fighting for us? What about Garrett? Are we supposed to abandon his revenge and pretend none of this happened?"

His expression twisted with anger.

"And what happens to the dignity of the Dragon Sovereign Guild if we simply bow our heads and walk away?"

He shook his head fiercely.

"No! I must win this war! I must use the blood of the Abyss Squad to restore our glory and remind everyone that the Dragon Sovereign Guild is not something they can trample upon!"

With that, Damien strode toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

Below him, Ashford City remained as bustling as ever. Players moved through the streets, merchants advertised their wares, and the city's various factions continued their daily activities.

From this height, everything appeared peaceful.

But Damien knew better.

Beneath that seemingly ordinary bustle, the balance of power was shifting. His enemies were growing stronger, his allies were losing confidence, and the organization he had worked so hard to build was beginning to show signs of fracture.

He stared out over the city, his hands clenched at his sides.

"Aiden... Reaper..."

His voice dropped into a cold, venomous whisper.

"No matter what methods you've used, and no matter who's backing you, I'll make you pay a hundredfold, a thousandfold, for everything you've done!"

His eyes narrowed.

"I swear it by my name, Damien Bale. The Dragon Sovereign never yields!"

Behind him, Seraphine remained silent.

She watched his rigid back, noticing the tension in his shoulders and the barely concealed anxiety beneath his furious determination.

Her concern deepened.

Damien had trapped himself in a dead end.

His hatred for the Abyss Squad, combined with the humiliation of his repeated defeats, had blinded him to the dangers gathering within his own organization.

He could see only the enemy he wanted to destroy.

He couldn't see the growing resentment among his subordinates, the weakening foundations of the guild, or the consequences of exhausting his resources in a conflict that had yet to yield a single decisive victory.

And even if he poured his entire personal fortune into the Dragon Sovereign Guild, how long could it sustain an organization that was losing blood, money, and confidence on every front?

Worse still, would the Abyss Squad give him enough time to recover?

They had already demonstrated their ability to strike where it hurt most. There was no reason to believe they would simply stand aside while the Dragon Sovereign Guild rebuilt its strength.

For the first time, Seraphine felt a genuine flicker of doubt toward the man she had once believed destined to stand at the pinnacle of the world.

Was Damien Bale truly destined to rule?

Or had his belief in that destiny become the very thing leading him toward ruin?

Meanwhile, far away in the Howling Wind Valley, Aiden was receiving reports through Marcus's secret intelligence network.

News of the Dragon Sovereign Guild's internal dispute had already reached him, along with details of its worsening financial situation and the growing possibility that Damien would be forced to dip into his personal treasury.

Aiden read through the intelligence report, his expression gradually shifting into one of quiet amusement.

When his gaze settled on the words Damien's personal resource reserves, the corners of his mouth curled into a cold smile.

So, he's finally considering using his own wealth to plug the holes in his sinking ship.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Aiden leaned back, his fingers lightly tapping the report.

The conflict was developing almost exactly as he had hoped.

The Dragon Sovereign Guild had initially relied on its superior manpower, resources, and reputation to pressure the Abyss Squad. But instead of overwhelming them, each confrontation had cost Damien more than the last.

Now, the consequences were beginning to spread beyond the battlefield.

The guild's reserves were shrinking. Its members were losing confidence. Its leadership was turning against itself.

And Damien, unwilling to accept defeat, was preparing to sacrifice his own wealth to keep the organization afloat.

Aiden couldn't help but find the situation amusing.

Go on, Damien.

Dig deeper into your own pockets. Pour every last resource you have into that guild of yours.

A faint, mocking smile spread across his face.

Let's see how much longer your personal fortune can sustain an organization I've already begun dismantling from the inside.

He had no intention of allowing Damien the breathing room he desperately needed.

The Dragon Sovereign Guild had spent far too long throwing its weight around, relying on its reputation to intimidate opponents and its resources to crush anyone who dared challenge it.

Now, Aiden intended to make it pay for that arrogance.

And he was in no hurry.

After all, the most satisfying victories weren't always achieved by destroying an enemy in a single decisive battle.

Sometimes, it was far more entertaining to watch them exhaust every option, sacrifice everything they possessed, and only then realize that they had been walking into a trap from the very beginning.

Aiden's smile widened slightly.

He was genuinely curious to see the expression on Damien's face when he finally realized that even his last private reserves couldn't fill the gaping hole the Abyss Squad had opened beneath his feet.