Chapter 165 A Foolish Choice?
Eric, ignoring all the crazy offers from different guilds, headed straight to the inn where he was supposed to meet up.
He'd been stockpiling sturdy stones forever, even buying up almost all of Silvercrest Dominion's supply. Selling them cheap now? No way.
The current gear durability crisis was just the beginning. As players leveled up and ventured into tougher areas, durability—and the Whetstone of Precision—would become super important. Without it, their leveling speed would tank, and they'd fall behind. Soon, the demand for Whetstones would be as high as for health and mana potions.
And what was the main ingredient for these Whetstone of Precision? Sturdy stones. As more players joined and guilds fought for every edge, the price of these stones was bound to skyrocket.
In the previous life, the highest purchase price for sturdy stones had reached three silver coins per bundle, a tenfold increase. Now, due to the evolution issues in Divine Realms: Legends and the early entry of major conglomerates, resources had become even scarcer. The current price of 80 copper per stack was just the calm before the storm.
Meanwhile, over at the Obsidian Rose Lounge in Willowbrook Town's Trade District, FlameDancer's team was plotting their next moves.
The Obsidian Rose Lounge was their unofficial HQ, a hidden bar where other players rarely went. It was their spot to celebrate wins, whether it was beating a tough dungeon or snagging some rare loot.
"FlameDancer, we get it, but we're not changing our minds. We're here to have fun, not chase some big dream. We like our freedom and don't want to use Divine Realms: Legends to achieve greatness. Joining Kai Blackthorn's team? Not happening."
"Exactly! Maybe any other time, we'd think about it. But Kai Blackthorn has pissed off the Martial Alliance, and now we're caught in the middle. They've made it clear: cut ties with him and apologize, or face the consequences. They'll make sure we never level up, never finish a quest, and hunt us down the second we step out of town. Joining his team would be like throwing gas on a fire."
"The Martial Alliance is a big deal right now. Kai Blackthorn doesn't stand a chance in Willowbrook Town. If we side with him, we're done for."
"Look, our levels have already dropped. We're barely hanging on at level 5 on average. If we want to survive here, we need to make peace with the Martial Alliance. Joining Kai Blackthorn's team is a death sentence."
"My sources say the Martial Alliance in Willowbrook Town is now under ZephyrStrider's control. They've pulled in forces from five nearby towns and are focused on taking over here. They're stronger than ever, with tons of skilled players and new recruits. I hear they've got over a thousand members, with more than two hundred elite players."
"They have the resources and the manpower to make our lives miserable, stopping us from leveling up at all. We can't afford to piss them off."
"Even if we somehow hit level 10 and make it to Silvervale City, the Martial Alliance will be waiting with an army of ten thousand players. It'll be like trying to outrun a tsunami. We should never have crossed them. Our only option now is to swallow our pride and apologize."
"We're just here to have fun, not get caught up in some epic showdown between Kai Blackthorn and the Martial Alliance. If you want to join him, FlameDancer, that's your call, but don't drag us down with you. We don't want to be hunted 24/7."
The bar buzzed with dissent as each member of the FlameDancer team voiced their reluctance to join Kai Blackthorn. They begged FlameDancer to rethink, to put their survival first over some misguided loyalty.
"I get where you're coming from," FlameDancer said, her voice heavy with disappointment. "But I need to ask one last thing."
"Anyone willing to stand by me and join Kai Blackthorn's team, step forward."
FlameDancer understood their fears. They were all seasoned gamers, but nothing had prepared them for the scale and intensity of Divine Realms: Legends. In their past games, even the biggest guilds rarely had more than a few thousand members. But Divine Realms: Legends, with its billions of players worldwide, had blown their minds.
This wasn't just a game; it was a massive, living digital universe.
They had underestimated the power and influence of big guilds, not realizing the sheer terror they could bring. A single town could have over a thousand members, and that number was only going to grow. In a city like Silvervale, the number would easily surpass ten thousand, a force way beyond what casual players like them could handle.
And this was just a minor guild. The thought of facing a second-tier, third-tier, or even a top-tier guild was terrifying.
Despite the overwhelming presence of the Martial Alliance, FlameDancer couldn't shake off the impact of Kai Blackthorn's skill and determination. It had sparked something in her, a desire to experience the world of elite players. All her previous gaming experiences now felt insignificant, pale imitations of the real thing.
"FlameDancer, snap out of it! We're not following you down this path. Apologizing to the Martial Alliance is the only way out. You've always wanted to be a top player in Divine Realms: Legends, right? Well, this is the wrong way. Don't throw away your future."
As FlameDancer finished speaking, only AquaBison stepped forward, a lone figure in a sea of disapproval. The rest stayed put, heads down, convinced FlameDancer had lost it, seduced by Kai Blackthorn's charisma into making a suicidal choice.
"Alright then. Looks like it's just the two of us," FlameDancer said, her face a mix of disappointment and steely resolve. She had expected some pushback, but being reduced to just two members was a tough pill to swallow.
Opening her friends list, she contacted Eric. She had promised to update him once they made a decision, and the time had come.
"Eric, we've made a decision," she said, her voice tinged with dejection.
"Great! How many are we talking? If the numbers are good, we can hit that dungeon soon."
Eric had just wrapped up a meeting with Cola and the others, finalizing their core team. He had sent them to the auction house to get bigger backpacks and stock up on potions and rations for an intense leveling session with Violet Mistflow and Tonny. FlameDancer's message couldn't have come at a better time.
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