Robbery in Broad Daylight

"I finally... caught you!"

Crimson had cornered Lucienne in the midst of an alleyway with nowhere to run.

"I'll make you pay for that, you bastard!" Crimson rolled up his sleeves and curled his hand into a fist, slowly approaching the demon with his sinister grin, "You made me taste that shit without my consent, so I'll make you taste the dirt, it's only fair, right?!"

"Pfft, it's just you being a big baby as always, Crimson!"

"Shaddup!" He swung his fist forward but Lucienne ducked underneath, managing to get past him.

"H-Hey!" Crimson cried, visibly shaken up by Lucienne's superior agility.

She turned around, sticking out her tongue in a teasing manner.

Crimson just stood there, frowning.

"Tsk..." He closed his eyes, huffing a sigh, "Damnit!!" He lifted his leg, kicking the dumpster next to him, "You lucky son of a bitch! Curse your fighter class, Lucienne!"

He repeatedly kicked the dumpster, leaving multiple indents inside of it.

"I don't have time for this, I'll get my payback later. I have work to do."

"Item acquired."

"Huh?"

Crimson looked next to him, hearing some unfamiliar voice.

Before he could react, they took off running, escaping the alleyway at incredible speeds.

"...Wait a second-!" Crimson would pat his pocket a few times, realizing something, "She took my Phantom Mutiny's badge, shit!!"

CLOMP—CLOMP—CLOMP!

The sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the streets as a blur streaked across the road.

Players and NPCs couldn't notice the blur.

It was too fast.

Crimson chased after it, visibly anxious in his face as they separated distance from him.

"I'm not gonna let you get away from me!"

Crimson shouted, managing to keep up with the hooded figure.

"!!!" They turned around, noticing Crimson's unearthly speed, gasping at the sight.

("Looks like I caught em' off guard. They didn't expect for me to be so fast from when I was chasing Lucienne... but now I'm actually trying!")

"Hmpf!" The hooded figure jumped into the air, lunging over dozens of buildings.

"Haaaaa!!" Crimson did the same, leaping into the air, and shouting, "Flight!" His body flew through the sky, chasing them throughout the Main Lobby, "Give me that back!" He stretched his arm forward as he closed the distance, but they only managed to get faster, "What... the... hell?"

The figure would create dozens of afterimages, confusing Crimson as to which one was the original.

He could only stare at them, until he extended his arm to the side, chanting, "Azure Crescent!"

A beguiling light illuminated the sky, catching the attention of hundreds of players in the lobby.

Everyone stared in awe.

Some couldn't believe the extraordinary amount of mana being rained upon them in its glorious radiance.

It was as if another sun had covered the Main Lobby itself.

"This... mana, is that Crimson?" Kuma looked into the sky, widening his eyes in shock.

"Woah, that's the power of a Supreme Grade Weapon!" Proclaimed Lucienne as she covered her eyes.

"Uwaaaa..." Mona could only stare at the light from afar, amazed by its sight.

"I said... I'm not gonna let you escape me!!"

A moonblade appeared in his hand, taking the form of a longsword. Crimson held it with both hands, twirling himself around in midair, and swinging it with all his might, "Horyaaaa!" He released a wave of energy in the shape of a crescent, slicing through the afterimages, and exploding on contact with the original figure.

The explosion traversed across the sky for kilometers as people covered their eyes, blocking the blinding light.

"I got her!" He floated in midair, waiting until the smoke around him cleared, "Where is she? I didn't see her fall... nor did I hear her connect with the ground."

"...Ngh... guhhh...hugh!"

"No way..." Crimson widened his eyes, seeing a damaged player hover in front of him.

They were bloodied, and their HP dropped below zero.

"I'm... dying..."

They muttered, stumbling back and forth... until they fell to their death.

"How?! How did this happen?! You aren't the person I was trying to kill!! What the hell is going on??" Crimson deactivated his summoning, sending the moonblade back into his Personal Hub, "Goddamnit, did she switch herself with some random player?!"

"Crimson, what's going on?!" Kuma and everyone else came running towards his location, using Flight to fly towards him.

"I... killed somebody."

"What?!" Kuma flew in front of him, grasping his shoulders, "What did you do? And why?!"

"...Some goddamn thief stole my Phantom Mutiny's badge somehow!"

"Say what?" Lucienne jolted her head back in shock, "How the hell do you let someone steal something like that?!"

"I was distracted from chasing after you! If I noticed that they were following us sooner... then maybe I could've done something about it."

"They were fast enough to even outrun you, and you're level 100. That's not something you see every day... unless they had some level 5 haste potion." Said Kuma, crossing his arms in thought.

"No, I doubt it. I saw no special buffs active—they were mysterious, concealing their game avatars name, and identity."

"Was it a girl? Boy?" Asked Lucienne.

"I don't know... but their figure was oddly feminine."

"It's hard to really decipher who's a man or woman in the game, considering Emperor has a very feminine build, yet he's a guy." Lucienne wrapped her arms behind her scalp, tilting her head to the side, "But there's one thing we know for sure; that person who took your Phantom Mutiny Badge is a Ninja Class player. They have the intrinsic ability to take equipment and items from other players' Personal Hubs if they aren't paying attention... but... the stuff they take must be in their range of level."

"Right, definitely a Ninja Class player," Said Kuma, "However, a Guild Badge doesn't necessarily require any level, since it's open to everyone."

"Damnit..." Crimson clenched his fists.

"Calm down, I'm sure there's a solution to all of this." Kuma patted his friend's shoulder a few times, nodding his head, "We'll get it back!"

"But we'll have to make it fast. Those with a Guild Badge can have access to our treasury, group chat, and GP (Guild Power)!" Proclaimed Lucienne.

"Yikes... hearing that out loud does make the situation sound worse, huh?"

"I fucked up..."

"Don't be so hard on yourself." Mona approached Crimson, holding onto his arm, "I never expected to see you out of all people talking down on yourself! We all learn from our mistakes, so take this as a lesson in life!"

Crimson glanced at Mona with saddened eyes, closing them to form a grin.

"What gives the masochist a right to tell me about not talking down on myself?"

"You definitely shouldn't! It doesn't suit you at all." Shouted Mona.

"She's right, it doesn't." Announced Kuma, grinning.

"I guess if I'm gonna be the Guild's tank, I gotta learn mental endurance as well, huh?"

"Yup! We're counting on our best defender to save us in our time of need!" Lucienne winked at Crimson, reassuring him that he was the best defender that they could ever have.

He took it to heart, nodding his head.

"Alright then... I appreciate the motivational speech."

"Of course my man! After all, you're part of the dragonic race, they're known for their resilience."

"Hell yeah, we're, brother!" Crimson extended his arm forward, dapping up Kuma, "That's why I'll become the best defense user in Isekai World Online if I'm not already the greatest!"

"We're counting on you!" Kuma nodded his head before they gave each other a high-five.

***

"Did you manage, Astoria?"

"Yes… here is the Phantom Mutiny Badge, as you requested, Lady Lilith."

The hooded figure pulled out the badge, holding it with two hands.

"Oh?" The aristocratic vampire took the item, examining it with her glowing red eyes, "Very good," She extended her hand, patting Astoria back and forth, "You've done an excellent job so far, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you, Lady Lilith, it's an honor to hear that from you." Their cheeks turned red as they glanced at the ground, losing their breath for a moment.

"This will do quite well, I'll use this as the key to success." Lilith stuffed the badge into her inventory, holding her umbrella over her head, "Emperor is in for a surprise—he will never expect me out of all people paying him a visit."

"What do you plan on doing?" Asked Astoria.

"I plan to destroy the Phantom Mutiny's guild, as Lucifer plans to destroy Angelica. We both have our motives at work."

"You're working with Lucifer?"

"Indeed. We both have grudges against the other Great Kings; Lucifer despises Angelica for her lies and from his jealous heart… while I despise Emperor for his betrayal against me, in the past."

"Emperor… betrayed you, Madam?"

"Naturally…" Lilith turned around, scowling, "That tyrannical fool threw it all away, so he could become the sole protector of the humanoid race." Lilith's voice became deeper than usual as she clenched her teeth together, "I'll make sure he pays for it, tenfold."

("Queen Lilith is… frowning? I never seen her angry before… just what did Emperor do to make her mad?")

"C'mon Astoria, let us be off. We have places to be."

"R-Right!"