Chapter 181 Joking
Since the virtual world was remarkably lifelike, just a slight shiver on Isabella was immediately noticed by Scarlet.
"Isabella, you good?" Scarlet asked, her voice full of worry. "What's up?"
Seeing a few random players pop up on the board was one thing. But seeing Eric's teammates, who were pretty new to Divine Realms: Legends, up there was a whole different story. Still, that alone shouldn't have freaked Isabella out this much.
"It's nothing," Isabella said, waving it off, but her heart was pounding. "Just... thinking."
She wasn't worried about Cola, FlameDancer, or the others making it to the top ten. What really got to her was the missing names: Kai Blackthorn and Tonny. If she was right, their absence was a bigger deal than the others being there.
It meant Eric was playing a bigger game, one with way higher stakes than just getting on the board. He was hiding his real progress, using his teammates as a smokescreen while he and Tonny powered up in secret.
The thought sent a mix of excitement and fear through Isabella. Befriending Eric had seemed like a smart move to get a strong ally for Shadowmoon Guild. Now, she realized it might be the best decision she'd ever made in Divine Realms: Legends.
Meanwhile, ZephyrStrider from Martial Alliance and FlameDancer's old crew were staring at the board in shock. Jealousy was eating them alive, a nasty mix of regret and bitterness.
FlameDancer's old friends were especially crushed. They'd laughed at her for joining Eric's team, thinking it was a dumb move. Now, they were seeing just how wrong they'd been. If they'd swallowed their pride, they could've been enjoying the glory too, envied by everyone.
Desperately, they tried to reach out to FlameDancer and AquaBison, hoping to fix things and get back what they'd lost. But their apologies fell flat, met with cold rejection.
"Thought it was funny back then, huh?" FlameDancer said icily. "We'll pass on the reunion tour."
Their hopes were shattered, leaving them to wallow in their own bitterness.
ZephyrStrider, burning with envy, saw things differently. He remembered the shame of being beaten by Cola and the others, the frustration of falling behind. There had to be a reason, some trick Eric was using to boost his team so fast.
A plan started to form in his mind. He'd expose Eric, reveal his "secret" to everyone. If it was a bug, Eric would get punished. If it was a legit technique, the guilds would do anything to learn it, forcing Eric to either share his edge or face their collective anger. With a smug grin, ZephyrStrider tried to call Eric.
The first call went unanswered. So did the second and third. Though he wasn't about to give up, he turned increasingly furious with each unconnected call. Finally, after what felt like forever, the connection went through.
"What the hell do you want?" Eric's voice crackled through, clearly annoyed. "I've hung up on you a dozen times. Are you that dense?"
Eric had been in the middle of a big deal with Rosewater when ZephyrStrider's calls started. He thought hanging up a few times would send the message, but apparently, ZephyrStrider didn't get it.
"Kai Blackthorn, you..." ZephyrStrider stammered, his face turning red with anger. He expected some pushback, maybe even defiance, but this level of disrespect was infuriating.
Before he could launch into his rant, Eric cut him off.
"Look, I don't know what you want, but I'm busy. Go bother someone else." And with that, he ended the call.
ZephyrStrider stared at the communicator, fuming. He'd been ignored, insulted, and hung up on. This wasn't how it was supposed to go!
Determined to turn things around, he told one of his subordinates to call Eric, this time using the multi-party chat feature.
"Who is this?" Eric's irritated voice filled the chat again.
"Kai Blackthorn, it's ZephyrStrider," his subordinate started, but ZephyrStrider couldn't hold back any longer and grabbed the communicator.
"Listen here, Blackthorn," he snarled, his voice full of malice. "I know your little secret. The fast leveling, the sudden power boost... I know how you're doing it. And unless you want every guild in Silvervale City as your enemy, you'll cooperate."
"I asked who you were, not what you think you know," Eric replied, his tone dangerously calm. "Are you always this slow?"
ZephyrStrider's eye twitched. "Don't play dumb! I'm talking about your little exploit, your unfair advantage. You think you can keep it to yourself? Think again! I'll expose you, Blackthorn. I'll make sure everyone knows what you're up to."
Eric just sighed, a tired sound that said it all. "You're threatening me with exposure? Seriously? That's the best you've got?"
Before ZephyrStrider could respond, Eric ended the call and blocked the new ID. Threats didn't scare him. He'd faced way tougher opponents than a jealous, small-minded guild leader.
He wasn't afraid of a fight. If ZephyrStrider or any other guilds wanted to come at him, he was ready. But right now, he had more important things to deal with.
"Blackflame, it seems you have a minor pest problem," a smooth, melodic voice broke into his thoughts. Rosewater, her elegant form shimmering into view beside him, looked at him with amusement. "Perhaps Echoes of Dusk can be of assistance?"
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