The Guardian Lich!

The world announcement echoed across Revolution Online servers, a jarring note of disbelief and envy cutting through the virtual air. [Player Demonic Troll has become the first player to obtain a Transcendent ranked bond partner!]

The news ignited a maelstrom of outrage and accusations. Forums buzzed with heated discussions, whispers of cheating swirling through the digital ether. Players, their virtual fists pounding keyboards, raged about the impossible feat. The Demonic Troll, with his god-grade item and Transcendent bond partner, had seemingly bypassed years of grinding, leaving the rest of the player base in the dust.

"The game hasn't been out for no less than two days yet, he had obtained things that would take months... no years of grinding to obtain... how could this not be cheating!"

"This is so outrageous... outrageous to the point that he's not even a real player anymore," one player scoffed. "He's leagues ahead of everyone, practically a demigod!"

"He could take on all of us alone," another muttered, a tremor of fear creeping into their voice.

A lone voice, attempting to reason with the mob, piped up, "What if he isn't cheating? Maybe he's just incredibly talented and lucky."

"Impossible!" the mob roared back. "Even the best players are nowhere near him. There's no way a nobody like Demonic Troll could be so far ahead without cheating!"

The whispers of suspicion, amplified by the internet's echo chamber, reached a fever pitch. The game developers, under pressure from the outraged player base, were forced to investigate. Cheating in Revolution Online was a serious offense, punishable by hefty fines and even jail time. The developers were determined to maintain a fair and competitive environment.

But Demonic Troll, seemingly oblivious to the storm raging around him, continued his journey, his virtual footsteps leaving a trail of awe and disbelief in their wake.

...

"Lilith... you're so overpowered!" Han Jingzhi's eyes widened upon seeing her character status. He could tell she could destroy him with just a snap of her finger.

"To have a partner this powerful so early on in the game... Isn't this technically cheating?" Even Han Jingzhi himself was starting to doubt whether he was truly cheating or not. He was also aware of the advantage he currently had over all the other players.

'This is perfect,' Han Jingzhi thought. If he could monopolize his current assets, his troubled life might end, and he could be swimming in money soon.

Ever since he had met Lilith, she made him forget his worries and brought something similar to peace of mind to him.

"Don't worry about it, BrotherJingzhi" Lilith said, her voice a soft whisper. "We'll be fine. Let leave here."

...

"Cheating, huh... haha?" The Crimson Fury, clad in his signature crimson armor, scoffed, his gaze fixed on the holographic announcement hovering above them. He kicked a severed zombie head away, a disgusted grimace twisting his features. The crimson energy crackling around his battleaxe pulsed with a malevolent energy, a stark contrast to the dark blood that still dripped from the blade.

"What do you think, Shadow Stalker? Don't tell me you also believe this player Demonic Troll to be some kind of cheater?" He turned to the man beside him, his face obscured by a dark hood, but his aura radiating an icy calm.

Shadow Stalker, his eyes reflecting the shimmering light of the holographic announcement, remained silent for a moment. He stroked the sleek fur of his black panther, a creature that, despite its lack of a grade, possessed the agility and power of a copper rank evolver.

"Whether he is cheating or not is irrelevant," he finally replied, his voice a low rumble. "My interest lies in the god item he obtained and the potential of the partner he has. Such a being would be a force to be reckoned with. I think it's time we find him and bring him into our party. What do you think, Blue Butterfly?"

The lady called Blue Butterfly, dressed in blue armor with two sharp knives by her waist, nodded in agreement and continued typing on the forum.

"Ironclad?" Shadow Stalker asked.

The other man, Ironclad, remained silent, his gaze fixed on the holographic announcement. His gaze was a mixture of curiosity and disdain, a reflection of his stoic personality. His gauntlets, forged from a rare metal, crackled with anticipation, ready to unleash their fury upon any who dared to challenge him.

"Good question, but if he won't join us, let's trample upon him," Ironclad replied, clenching his fist as the others turned to him and smiled a faint smile, their thoughts unknown.

The trio stood in the heart of the Revolution Online battlefield, the air thick with the scent of ozone and the hum of energy. The holographic announcement, a testament to Demonic Troll's extraordinary power, had sent shockwaves through the virtual world. The question of whether he was cheating or not was a matter of intense debate, but for the Crimson Fury, Shadow Stalker, and Ironclad, it was merely a footnote in a grander narrative.

They were the elite, the apex predators of Revolution Online, and they were drawn to power, to the thrill of the chase, to the challenge of pushing the boundaries of what was possible. Player Demonic Troll, with his Transcendent ranked bond partner, had become a beacon, a symbol of the ultimate goal they all sought - to dominate the virtual world and rise to the top of the power pyramid.

The question of cheating was secondary. It was the power itself, the potential it represented, that truly captivated them. And as they stood there, their eyes locked on the holographic announcement, a silent understanding passed between them. They were all players in the same game, and the stakes had just been raised. The chase was on.

The air hung heavy with the scent of decay as they stepped into the graveyard. Skeletons, their bones bleached white by time, shuffled about like clumsy puppets, their hollow eyes fixed on the intruders.

"Let's quickly finish this," Crimson Fury said, his voice laced with disdain. "I'm feeling sick just from their presence."

"You willingly followed us," Shadow Stalker pointed out, a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Only because we happen to have accepted the same quest," Crimson Fury retorted, his battle axe cracking like a whiplash.

"Let's go. They have already noticed us," Ironclad said, his eyes scanning the graveyard.

As they moved deeper into the graveyard, a strange energy began to hum in the air. The skeletons, normally sluggish, seemed to stir with renewed vigor, their movements becoming more fluid and their eyes burning with an unnatural light.

"What's going on?" Crimson Fury asked, his voice laced with unease.

"Something's… different," Shadow Stalker said, his brow furrowed.

Suddenly, a towering structure emerged from the mist, its stone walls covered in intricate carvings. The air around it crackled with energy, and a sense of ancient power hung heavy in the air.

"A dungeon?" Ironclad breathed, his eyes widening in awe.

"It's not on the map," Shadow Stalker said, his voice filled with wonder.

The skeletons, their attention now diverted to the ruin, began to gather around it, their movements becoming more frantic.

"This is… unexpected," Crimson Fury said, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Perhaps this is the true objective of the quest."

"Let's investigate," Ironclad said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "This could be something truly special."

Shadow Stalker nodded in agreement, his black panther, Silver Shadow, padding silently beside him. The three players, their weapons ready, approached the dungeon, their hearts pounding with anticipation. They had stumbled upon something far more significant than they could have imagined, a discovery that could change the game forever.

But as they drew closer, they heard a sound that sent chills down their spines. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the graveyard, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

"What was that?" Crimson Fury whispered, his eyes wide with fear, but still maintaining his composure.

"I don't know," Shadow Stalker said, his voice tight with apprehension. "But it doesn't sound good."

Suddenly, a figure in black tattered robes emerged from the shadows of the dungeon. It was tall and imposing, its form shrouded in darkness, its eyes glowing with a malevolent red light. At its side were two skeleton orcs, probably its bodyguards.

Above the figure's head was a flickering red translucent screen.

[Aluta Lich (Guardian)

-Rank: Gold (Stage 4.)

-HP: 201,446/201,446

-Description: After the death of its forefather, Lich Arch Gamer, took over the skeleton grave as the new commander... kills humans in the most gruesome way and absorbs their life force to advance]

"Aren't we fucked?" Blue Butterfly asked, clutching her magic staff tightly.

"I hope not. A Guardian, related to the legendary Arch Gamer," Ironclad breathed, his voice filled with awe and dread. "And a powerful one at that."

The Guardian Lich raised its hand, and a wave of energy surged forth, knocking the four players back. As it did, it began to summon its skeletons. While the four players scrambled to their feet, their weapons at the ready, the Lich began to speak in a voice that seemed to echo from the very depths of the graveyard.

"You have trespassed upon sacred ground," the Lich boomed, its voice a chilling blend of malice and power. "And for that, you will pay the ultimate price."

The Guardian Lich's words echoed through the graveyard, sending a shiver down the spines of the four players.

As the skeletons began to close in, the four players exchanged a look, their faces a mixture of fear and determination. They knew they had to fight, but they also knew that they were facing an enemy unlike any they had encountered before.

And as the battle commenced, the fate of the four players hung in the balance.