?


    "Feel free to voice your opinions," Invayne sneered, a hint of derision in his tone. "But the reality remains crystal clear. If we don''t put a halt to Ren''s ascension now, he will single-handedly dominate this game. We''ve all seen his power.


    "No solo yer, regardless of their skill, could pull off such feats. Even the oldest names among the top yers acknowledge it. What chance do we have?"


    Sylvia''s frustration tinged her voice as she spoke up. "But he hasn''t done anything to warrant this treatment. He''s not evenpeting for ranks. He''s not on any leaderboards. Are we truly resorting to a collective attack simply because his name happens to be Ren?"


    Isolde remained uncharacteristically silent. Deep inside, she knew the truth — that Ren was indeed the cloaked yer — but she struggled to muster the words. The fear of revealing this knowledge inadvertently kept her lips sealed.


    Scar''s nonchnt shrug followed. "If your guilds choose not to partake in the effort to bring down Ren and World Conqueror, so be it. But do not obstruct our path."


    "And what if we do?" Isolde''s gaze bore into Scar''s, challenging his implication.


    Scar''s gaze bore into Isolde''s as he smiled, undeterred. "Then be prepared for the bacsh. The major corporations won''t hesitate to turn their influence against you and your family."


    "This isn''t personal, you understand," he continued. "Trillions of dors are at stake within this game. We have a responsibility to eliminate this threat before it bes an unstoppable force, a cancer that ravages everything in its path."


    Isolde''s retort was quick and fierce, her voice carrying an unwavering edge. "Funny, the only cancer I see here is you and your cronies, spreading like a disease that thrives on greed."


    A hushed silence settled over the room, broken only by stifledughter from Angelica and the more unabashed chuckles of Joker.


    Excusing herself, Isolde rose from her seat, her resolve unwavering. The room''s atmosphere seemed charged with tension, especially as Xian struggled to contain his cousin''s unexpected outburst.


    "Isolde!" Xian''s protest fell on deaf ears as she headed for the door, determined to distance herself from the group.


    Scar''s voice halted her, his wordsden with a veiled threat. "Remember, your choices can have far-reaching consequences for your n."


    Isolde paused her hand on the doorknob and shot a piercing re back at Scar. "I''ve already made my choice, and it''s to curse every step you take."


    With a resounding bang, the door mmed shut behind her, leaving an air of tension lingering in the room.


    Xian felt lost, torn between the escting confrontation and his loyalty to the n. His eyes darted from one face to another before he finally made a decision and hurriedly followed Isolde out of the room.


    Sylvia rose from her seat as well. "I see no reason to stay here any longer."


    Her departure was met with silence, and as the others watched her leave, Angelica, too, stood up, clutching her teddy bear tightly against her chest.


    "Angelica?" Cang Lu was taken aback by her sudden move.


    "I won''t have any part in this," she dered, her voice surprisingly steady. "Regardless of whether the cloaked Ren is the same person or not, he saved my life. And Joker too. We owe him."


    Her gaze shifted between Cang Lu and Scar, her expression unwavering. "In fact, you owe him as well, Cang Lu. If it weren''t for him sparing us, our stats wouldn''t be what they are now. We owe him our positions."


    Scar''s lips curled into a smirk, an almost amused glint in his eyes. "I''ll make sure to express my gratitude when I see him, then. In fact, I have a proposition for him. If he returns all our lost items,pensates for our losses, and hands over any legendary-grade equipment he acquired in the Fey Realm, we might consider leaving him alone."


    Cang Lu''s brows furrowed, and he exchanged a wary nce with Angelica. It was clear that Scar''s offer came with strings attached, strings that would no doubt tighten as they engaged in this high-stakes game.


    Angelica stared at Scar, a glimmer of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Really? Well then, I wish you all the best of luck with that."


    With a parting smile, she exited the room, leaving behind a sense of uncertainty.


    As Angelica left, Cang Lu felt a sense of desperation settle in. Without their ace, what strategies could they possibly employ now?


    With a hurried apology, he followed Angelica out of the room.


    Amidst the dwindling group, Scar''s gaze shifted, his scrutiny falling upon everyone. "Anyone else?"


    Joker hesitated for a moment, his hand lifting as he scratched his head. Slowly, he rose to his feet, his tone nonchnt. "Actually, I owe Ren a favor too. So, I think I''ll have to pass on this one."


    Scar''s eyes narrowed, his voice tight with irritation. "You do remember you''re the guild leader, right?"


    Joker''s grin remained unshaken. "Oh, that? Just temporary, my friend. I don''t mind handing over the leadership. Feel free to take it anytime."


    Scar''s patience appeared to be rapidly dwindling. "This isn''t a joke, Joker. This is a serious matter."


    Joker''sughter echoed in the room as he turned to leave, his grin wide and confident. "Serious? Oh, you haven''t seen the half of it."


    With those enigmatic words, Joker departed, leaving the room in silence, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air.


    "What''s up with him?" Erica asked, her brow furrowing in concern.


    "Don''t mind him. Let''s proceed with the n," Invayne responded dismissively.


    Erica''s expression remained thoughtful. "But, shouldn''t we at least attempt to talk to Ren first? We shouldn''t iste him if this can be resolved throughmunication."


    Eric nodded in agreement. "We do owe him for helping us clear those dungeons."


    Invayne shook his head. "You paid him for a service. No need to oveplicate things."


    The attention of the room shifted as someone from another guild inquired, "So, what''s the next step?"


    "We''ll begin by sending a letter to Ren," Scar answered calmly.


    "And if he refuses our proposal?" another voice chimed in.


    Scar''s lips curled into an unsettling smile. "If he doesn''t agree to our terms, then we''ll have no option but to crush him and his little group."


    As the gravity of Scar''s words hung in the air, the guild leaders exchanged determined nces, the path ahead clear but riddled with uncertainty.