Champion Flavell led Raine, Mel, and Celeste through the front door of the Dry Canyon Town Auction House. Like the outer yard, the first floor was crammed with players. Only a few near the windows and door witnessed the slaughter outside. News rapidly spread though, and curious onlookers pointed in their direction as they crossed the spotless room.

  “That's him! That's the guy who picked a fight with Righteous.”

  “Dammit, look at his women! I hate his guts.”

  “Why can't I see his level? Do you think it's that Rhino guy who’s always fighting with them?”

  “No way. That Rhino guy’s way too weak after getting killed back to zero so many times.”

  A couple of the whispers caught Raine's attention and he noted the people who spoke them.

  Looks like Rhino's in a bad way. Knowing him, it's only making him stronger. Now would be a great time to recruit him since I’m in the area. Between Celeste, Fizgore, Rhino, and Mel I would have an insane core team. If I can get them some ReGen and polish their skills… No point getting too excited just yet.

  Mel and Celeste were on his heels. They were unusually quiet since running into Flavell. For a moment, Raine wondered if the butler hit them with a silencing skill. A quick glance revealed they were merely spamming interface messages back and forth with intense focus.

  What got them so worked up? Probably not used to being surrounded by so many players who want them dead. Or, they’re mad about the introduction to newbbowling.

  Raine flashed his teeth, looking forward to whatever revenge they were planning. He would take their punishment on the chin, and give back double in their next training session. Flavell led them right past the lines of players impatiently waiting for their chance to access the auction house kiosks. Near the stairs to the second floor, there were several private kiosk booths for VIPs, none of which had a line.

  The trio stuck to Flavell’s heels, drawing plenty of attention, “That’s not fair! I’ve been waiting for three hours!”

  “How did they get access to the VIP booths? These damn NPCs won’t even tell us!”

  A particularly indignant young man shook his fist at Raine’s back, “My guild, the almighty QuantumEntanglement, will never forgive this insult!”

  The older man standing behind the young man smacked him over the head, “Shut up, moron! We at QuantumEntanglement are magnanimous and forgiving to a fault! I knew you were bad news from the start and that was the last straw!”

  The young man fell to his knees, his hands clasped in prayer, “No! Please don’t kick me from the guild. Please let me back in! I was wrong. I won’t do it again. I promise!”

  Raine nodded, pleased to see not everyone would allow complete morons to form lifelong blood feuds over such simple matters. He ignored the rest of the crowd’s antics, stepping into the booth before drawing its curtain. Flavell and the girls waited outside.

  Accessing his auction house account, he withdrew the five thousand gold he’d earned for selling the items from Silverlight City, bringing his total wealth back to just under ten thousand. He checked the logs, unsurprised that the Return Stones sold out first. He bought them for one gold each and listed them for five, yet they were gone in minutes.

  I’ve got to get access to the noble’s quarter and empty out those vendors too. Good thing reputation is difficult to grind or someone might beat me to it.

  Raine listed most of the gear he’d earned from Righteous. He was hesitant to sell all of it considering he would be recruiting players for his own guild soon and they would need copious quantities of low-level gear. After thinking about how Righteous was trying to trap him in this town, and would continue to harass him, he realized the donations would keep coming. He only kept what would be useful in the short term and sold everything else. Knowing what he would face leaving town, and the challenge awaiting him in ‘rescuing’ Fizgore, he changed out a few pieces of his gear, too.

  Leaving the kiosk, Raine addressed Flavell, “If possible, I would like to access the second floor’s shop.”

  “As you wish. However, your companions do not have the necessary credentials.”

  Raine nodded, “You two stay here. Don’t get into any trouble.”

  “Really?” Celeste hissed, “I’m not a child.”

  “You think you’re safe here?” Raine fired back, “Since the dawn of auction houses, they have been the breeding ground for feuds that lasted generations.” He leaned forward, a pointed finger in her face, “And you, in particular, are a time bomb waiting to go off. If you do cause any problems, fixing them is coming directly out of your salary.”

  His warnings only mildly soothed her temper. Meanwhile, Mel was downcast. She nodded mutely, leaning against the wall. Raine could see she had a lot on her mind so he let her be. Upstairs, locked display cases littered the floor. Inside each, presented on soft-colored cloth, were a staggering number of goods. They ranged from weapons and armor to consumables and curiosities; the list of available items was staggering. The most expensive contents were protected, requiring high-level scanning skills to see. Raine didn’t even have the basic Identify so he could only see the details of a scant few items.

  “Is there a list? I’m looking for consumables that can resist and cure basic demonic debuffs.”

  Flavell frowned, understanding Raine’s intentions, “That place is dangerous. Since you’re clearly aware, I shall refrain from hindering you and merely offer the services of a particularly adept mercenary company.”

  Until becoming a noble himself, it would be impossible to hire a mercenary Vaaterran. The offer was tempting since it would be difficult to reach Fizgore without putting the girls in danger. Raine tapped his chin in thought, “How much to only protect my companions? I plan on leaving them outside.”

  “In that case, I suggest a band of recruits. The going price for a light escort is fifty gold,” Flavell’s eyes narrowed negligibly and his voice dropped an octave, “I’m afraid their contract will stipulate that they don’t go inside.”

  Raine waved off his concern, “Two recruits is plenty. I had no intention of abusing them. Any contractual stipulations to ensure that won’t be an issue are acceptable.”

  Pleased, Flavell produced a cigar and stuck it between his teeth, displaying a wide smile around its girth, “In that case, I’ll make the arrangements.” He produced a sheet of paper from thin air and handed it to Raine.

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  “Thank you,” Raine browsed the list, finding the items he would need and purchased them for under two hundred gold. By the time he was done, Flavell presented him with a contract for a pair of level twenty-five mercenaries. Raine scanned the contents, then signed and paid twenty gold. While expensive, especially for normal players, they were well worth the cost.

  A regular Vaaterran started as an elite, meaning they had the combat standards of a class three martial. Additionally, their attributes were on par with five players of equal level. A typical player without an extensive martial background wouldn’t stand a chance against a Vaaterran. At higher levels and class evolutions, the disparity only grew wider.

  Bowing, Raine bid farewell, “Champion Flavell, thank you for your service and time. I’ll be sure to mention your impeccable management skills when I meet Mrs. Stonewhall in Silverlight City on Feastday.”

  Flavell grunted, then winked in the way only dads could pull off with ease, “You’re all right, kid. May your travels bring immeasurable wealth.” Flavell left at his normal movement speed, vanishing almost instantly up the nearby stairs.

  Raine watched him go, wishing now was the time to utilize his one free pass to enter the third floor. He earned the ticket after clearing the bonus question in the VIP test, but he wasn’t ready. The cheapest items up there likely cost in excess of a million gold. Sighing, he headed downstairs to find Mel and Celeste circled by a dozen men firing non-stop questions. Seeing him, the boys scattered. He lifted a brow at Celeste and she had the decency to break eye contact with a blush.

  A blond young man with a longsword at his hip and a shield on his back was the only one to not immediately retreat. He squared up on Raine, looking a little too noble and handsome for comfort. After the previous nonsense ended without incident, Raine’s hackles were raised, knowing his luck wasn’t strong enough to avoid a second.

  Kid better not start some typical protagonist nonsense. Let me guess, you want to buy my women for a night? Or my favorite, I don’t know who your father is and you’ll never forgive me because I cut you in line.

  When the young man opened his mouth to reveal straight, white teeth, Raine was already cringing. The boy’s voice was curt, holding a tinge of sophistication that only came from those born with a golden spoon, “My guild, Enders Fall, seeks to enter negotiations regarding access to your VIP kiosk. Or more preferably, purchase information regarding the acquisition of our own.”

  Wow. Polite. Okay, unexpected. Enders Fall, huh? I’ll remember that name.

  Raine adopted a slick, welcoming smile, “Information trade it is. If you know the current whereabouts of a player named Rhino, I can tell you how to get the access you’re looking for.”

  “Rhino? The very same individual causing a ruckus for Righteous? Considering your… avocations, prudence in your preference of companions makes a certain sense. Very well. I shall set my associates upon this task with utmost rapidity. In exchange, you will inform me of the method to access the VIP kiosks.” The kid’s superfluous way of speaking left Raine wanting to scratch at his ears. He extended a hand and Raine shook it.

  A few clicks later and they had a basic contract signed. They exchanged Ncodes, then the man went on his way with a cheery smile. Mel slid past him on the way to the door, her nose in the air, “He was rather charming.”

  Raine quickly outpaced her, directing a sharp side-eye her way. She turned away with a huff. On his other side, Celeste snorted in amusement, “She’s mad because she thinks you have something going on with that woman you sounded so familiar with earlier.”

  Woman? Vaneese? Really? I degraded her in public and Mel’s jealous? How does that even begin to make sense?

  Raine didn’t respond to Celeste’s comment right away. He opened the front door for the girls, then directed them to a marked loading entrance to the side. It was sectioned off with a short wall decorated in clear signage not to intrude. He led them in any way.

  Out of prying earshot, he pinned Mel with an imperious glare, his voice iron, “I do have something going on with her. She’s an enemy. Whether it's here, or outside, if I see her and it's possible, she dies.”

  “You would kill her in real life?!” Mel blurted, mouth agape.

  “Is there a reason I shouldn't be ruthless with my enemies?” Seeing them unconvinced about the severity of the problem, Raine continued in more detail, “The people she works for have already spent billions to enact their plans in Carter City and ZL. Anyone who affects their bottom line will be swiftly, and permanently dealt with. I never finished telling you. The organization that took your cafe calls themselves CronGate. She’s one of their top executives, as well as an assassin they use to deal with people like us. If you want to go easy on them, be my guest. But don’t expect the same nonsense from me.”

  The girls weren’t given a chance to respond. Two Vaaterrans exited from a nearby servant’s door. They appeared around thirty years old and were well-equipped in half-plate armor. One had a halberd strapped to his back, and the other wore a hammer and shield. They nodded to Raine and the hammer wielder spoke, “Anatollies Foot, reporting for duty, sir.” After the brief introduction, they took up positions behind the girls.

  Raine returned their greeting, “Pleasure to have you. These two will be in your care.”

  “Aye, sir. Our life before theirs.”

  “What’s going on? Who are these two?” Celeste questioned.

  Raine was already walking to the street, “Members of Anatollies Foot—a mercenary company. They’ll be protecting you for a while.”

  Mel’s head swiveled between the two newcomers, “Are we going somewhere that dangerous? C-can we take a break first?”

  “Yes, and no,” Raine responded to both her questions curtly, leading them into the crowded streets.

  Unsurprisingly, the main forces of Righteous were nowhere to be seen. Their many spies were painfully evident, watching from windows and dark alleys. Vaneese wasn’t stupid, and she had a knack for adapting to situations on the fly. Losing an extra fifty players at the auction house wouldn’t have happened without that fool of a captain making a mess of the situation. All too likely, he was some scion to a subsidiary company promoted based on blood rather than intellect. With the way he embarrassed her today, Vaneese would definitely find a way to kill him. Considering Raine never met him in the past, he didn’t last long that time either.

  The spies followed as the group pushed through Dry Canyon Town. By the time they exited the north gate that led toward craggy hills, nearly three hundred players were waiting for them. Vaneese wasn’t among them. There was no way she could have known in advance which exit they would take and was likely rushing over.

  Standing behind Raine, Mel shot an uncertain glance at Celeste and quickly typed her a message, “Are they all here for us? Look, more are coming around the outside of the walls! Why is this happening?”

  “I told you to stop underestimating the lengths people will go to when credits are on the line. If he gave them enough time, I bet thousands would show up.”

  Content to wait for Vaneese, Raine crossed his arms, standing a few feet outside the gate. He motioned with his chin and the mercenaries took up defensive positions between the exit and the girls. He wasn’t about to let them fight though. Now wasn’t the time to reveal how powerful the Vaaterrans were. He would credit in that chip when there was more to gain from the surprise.

  Three captains stepped forward from the encirclement, weapons drawn, “Here I thought we’d have to chase you for days. Thank you for being so dumb!” Raine knew the speaker. He was a well-known sycophant who managed to maintain a higher position in CronGate than Raine, despite having few accomplishments.

  Looks like CronGate already has their fingers deep into Righteous. I suppose this is proof enough that they were always one and the same. Too bad things aren’t going to go so easy for them this time around.

  “You know what. Just for you, I changed my mind,” Raine held out his hands to the sides. His aggression soared, releasing a microburst of bloodlust. He'd been constantly practicing to master the subtleties of the mental ability while training the girls. It took nearly four hours, and several blinding headaches until he could use it without creating the obvious red wave of energy.

  A flash of light in his hand coalesced into a long, two-handed sword. The tip of the weapon trailed in the dirt behind him as he approached with steady, unwavering steps. His muscles ached to let loose the first armsman skill he’d purchased. This wouldn’t be his first time seeing it, but something told him it would be an entirely different experience being on the distributing end of its destructive power.

  Raine doubted the members of Righteous would enjoy the experience.

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