26: Collusion with Monsters?

The Empress looked a bit surprised at Orson's directness but replied simply, "I don't like to see people ganging up on one person."

Orson's face remained impassive. After everything he'd been through, he didn't trust in random acts of kindness—especially not from a player as formidable as the Empress.

She maintained her cool demeanor and added, "Just remember, you owe me a favor."

"Understood."

Without further words, Orson headed into the lord's banquet hall. Lord Cain sat on his throne at the far end, surrounded by lavish tables brimming with rare delicacies and lively entertainers meant to welcome the players.

One by one, the top-ranked players entered the hall, and Orson scanned the crowd, searching for any trace of Blank, the elusive assassin. Disappointingly, however, about half of the players had chosen to hide their names, and with rogues famously inclined toward secrecy, identifying Blank by appearance alone was nearly impossible.

"Orson, you better get ready to start over from level zero! You're about to become the biggest joke in Infinite Dimensions!" 

"You killed us. Don't think you're safe just because you're hiding in the safe zone."

The players Orson had previously killed were arriving from the respawn point, with Usher and his furious guildmates at the forefront. But since they were within the dungeon, where player killing was disabled, they could only glare and curse at him.

"Count your blessings that you hid under that S-tier shield. Next time, I'll strip every last piece of gear off you," taunted Madman, slinging an arm around Orson and the Empress with a sly grin.

"Get lost," the Empress snapped, unceremoniously tossing Madman aside with a swift motion that left no room for argument. He twisted mid-air, landing gracefully despite her forceful dismissal.

"Don't get cocky, Empress. As soon as I awaken my class, your armor is the first thing I'm tearing off," Madman retorted, his smile a mixture of confidence and mischief.

Orson chuckled, "You'd better watch out, Empress—he means it."

"Buzz off, you pest!" shouted a warrior at the Empress's side, glaring daggers at Madman.

"Ooh, looks like the Empress's little bootlicker's got some fire in him," Madman mocked before snatching food off the banquet table and digging in.

Ignoring Madman's antics, the Empress turned to Orson and spoke quietly. "What do you make of this dungeon? Just a banquet doesn't seem enough to warrant a high-difficulty rating."

"Look around at the NPCs," Orson said, nodding toward the edges of the banquet hall, where four robed figures were inscribing peculiar symbols on the walls. "Those robed figures are temple mages."

The Empress frowned, her respect for Orson's keen perception growing. "Temple mages? But they wouldn't normally attack players…"

"Exactly. Let's see what happens," Orson replied, his gaze landing on the young girl seated beside the lord—Hazel, the very NPC he'd recently escorted back to the city.

As the banquet began, Lord Cain delivered a stirring speech, praising the arrival of the brave adventurers. Orson settled into his seat, grabbing an apple and taking a bite. The food in Infinite Dimensions was astonishingly realistic; it couldn't truly satisfy hunger, but it was convincing enough for a player's senses.

Feeling a hostile gaze, Orson glanced up, his eyes meeting Usher's across the room. Usher visibly flinched, taken aback by the sheer animosity in Orson's expression, wondering what he could've possibly done to earn such hatred.

"Have we met in real life?" Usher messaged.

Orson hesitated briefly before replying, "No."

"Then what do you gain from this hostility? Tell me."

"No gain at all," Orson replied, adding a dark smile. "But given the chance, I'll still kill every last one of you."

Usher's face darkened. Though he considered himself tolerant and ambitious enough to conquer Infinite Dimensions, Orson's disregard for any consequences challenged his self-control.

"An ignorant fool!" Usher seethed, his anger stirring at Orson's blatant defiance.

Usher took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I look forward to meeting you in the real world, Orson," he messaged coolly.

Orson's expression froze, his eyes hardening. Unlike in the game, Usher's real-world resources were vast, and removing a mere nuisance like Orson would be simple. But he had no idea that taking down a veteran of apocalypse trials would demand a far higher price than he expected.

Just then, Lord Cain's booming voice cut through his thoughts. "The protective barrier around Pontnolyn City has weakened, and it's possible demons have slipped through. I ask all of you to lend your strength to avert this crisis!"

The tension in the hall mounted as a sense of foreboding spread.

Prince from Dragon's Kiss Guild spoke up. "And how exactly do you want us to 'help' with that?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this," muttered Madman, shifting uneasily. The top players immediately sensed something amiss as the air grew heavy and ominous.

Orson glanced toward the back of the hall, realizing the four temple mages had vanished without a trace.

"Night Banquet Quest Part 1: Survive at all costs."

A system notification appeared, and a chill ran through the hall as the players realized the safe zone had been disabled.

"Valiant adventurers, this will be your hour of glory!" Lord Cain's laughter echoed chillingly.

Usher reacted first, standing up and drawing his Heroic-grade longbow, aiming it squarely at the lord.

Swish!

In a matter of seconds, three arrows flew in a straight line, aimed at the lord's forehead.

"Is that a Ranger skill? No… That's just insanely fast manual attacks."

Orson's eyebrow lifted in admiration. Without class awakening, Rangers had a maximum attack speed of 1.5, yet Usher's was at least double that. Even at this early stage, Usher's attack rate and precision set him apart, earning him his reputation.

Lord Cain remained unfazed. Hazel stepped forward, raising a Sun Shield to block Usher's arrows with ease. Orson's brows furrowed as he noted the conflicted expression on her face—she was clearly reluctant to be part of this ambush.

"Enjoy yourselves, my honored guests!" Lord Cain sneered, his laughter ringing ominously.

Suddenly, a dozen figures shrouded in blood-red mist appeared in the banquet hall, their faces eerily beautiful, eyes gleaming with an insatiable hunger.

[Vampire Minion: Level 20] 

HP: 50,000/50,000 

Attack: 380 

Skills: Soul Bind, Blood Feast, Basic Blood Magic

"What the hell? The city lord's colluding with vampires? This plot twist is ridiculous!"

"These creatures are stronger than Level 10 Elite Bosses! How are we supposed to fight when there are so many?"

Some players, realizing the danger, attempted to forfeit the quest and make a run for the door. But when they reached the exit, they found it sealed with a powerful magic lock.

"Screw it, we'll fight our way out!" shouted a Level 15 warrior, rallying his party members.

In an instant, a red shadow flickered before him. A vampire's claw shredded his armor effortlessly, and its fangs sank into his neck, draining his life. His face paled, his body petrified, and, moments later, he was transformed into a stone statue, his final expression frozen in terror.

[Soul Bound: Target's soul is bound. Resurrection possible in 48 hours.]

Players gasped in horror as a countdown appeared above the statue. A bite from a vampire meant a two-day lockdown, a devastating setback during this crucial early phase of leveling.

"This explains why so many first-wave players disappeared from the rankings after the banquet quest in the previous game." Orson's mind reeled as everything clicked into place.

For first-tier players, even a two-day delay could set them leagues behind in levels and gear. The fear and despair in the hall were palpable as twenty more players were reduced to lifeless stone.

"I'm pleased with this feast, Lord Cain," a woman in a red robe announced as she emerged from the bloody mist, her gaze delighted at the massacre before her.

[Keril the Butcher: Level 20] 

HP: 1,200,000/1,200,000 

Attack: 770 

Skills: Mass Bind, Blood Dragon's Roar, Super Armor, Blood Sacrifice Enhancement