What's with the noise?

The group made their way to the inn; the scent of ale and savory stew wafted through the air. Jimmy led the way, his staff strapped securely to his back, as Sensei followed closely behind, his armor clinking softly with each step.

Sensei turned around and saw a group of players surrounding Rage and Varon. Rage usually doesn't like crowds, but to Sensei's surprise, he stepped forward, greeting them and shaking hands. Sensei noticed an amused grin on Rage's face and understood that he was intentionally diverting everyone's attention towards him. he probably did this to ensure that the group could book rooms at the inn before it was fully occupied.

"Good day" Sensei greeted the Innkeeper warmly, "How are you doing miss..?" Sensei paused, waiting for the Innkeeper's name.

"Evelyn" The young girl replied, "But you can call me Eve, handsome" she continued, tapping Sensei's nose.

Sensei felt a slight warmth rush to his cheeks. He swiftly composed himself, determined not to give his companions any reason to tease him. "Ehm" he cleared his throat, gathering his composure, "We'd like to book a few rooms for the night, Eve" he requested, trying to maintain his focus despite finding it difficult to take his eyes off her.

Eve looked them up and down, scanning their gear and clothing; she noticed that their attire was too delicate to be that of an adventurer; upon closer inspection, she caught sight of a family crest on their chests. This detail piqued her curiosity, hinting at a background beyond the usual adventurers who frequented the tavern.

"Are you from the capital?" Eve inquired, her tone carrying a note of curiosity. "Your attire speaks of luxury beyond the norm for adventurers" she observed, slamming some tankards on the table and pouring some drinks.

"We can assure you we aren't from the capital" Sensei replied with a smile.

"Now that I think about it, I never saw your family's crest before. Are you from outside the empire?" she asked again; her talkative nature flowed effortlessly as she chatted with Sensei and the group. There was a charm about her, and Sensei found himself captivated by her energetic and engaging demeanor.

As Sensei tried to answer her, a sudden clamor erupted outside the tavern, "Shit! Did Rage do something stupid?" Jimmy's concern cut through the commotion. Sensei glanced apologetically at Eve, promising to resume their conversation later. "We'll catch up later" he assured her before hastening outside with the rest of the group.

Outside, a large crowd stood by the town's gate, this time a familiar figure appeared confronting the guards; Sensei quickly recognized her to be Seraphina, one of the leading figures of the Eternal Vanguard, the biggest scumbag in Swordmasters' history surrounded by her goons.

The Eternal Vanguard were infamous for their narcissistic tendencies, often harassing players and NPCs in beginner zones. Despite being forcibly regressed to level 1, Seraphina appeared to cling to her old habits.

"Make way, you piece of shit" a player barked from behind Seraphina, brandishing a shabby sword as he directed its tip towards one of the guards. "Do you know who we are?" he spat out, his voice reverberating angrily. At the same time, the contingent of guards remained steadfast, unmoved, and unresponsive, blocking any passage.

Sensei decided to observe first; while Seraphina wasn't among the top rankers, she was still P3, meaning she likely possessed armor and gear around level 40. Judging by how the gate guards looked she probably thought that the max level guard in the town would be level 25, making them easy targets in her eyes.

"Enough barking, you'll bust my eardrums!" Madeen's voice cut through the chaos, directed at the player causing the commotion. He walked toward the gate, summoning his scythe into his hand. "Seems old habits never change, Seraphina," he quipped, a smirk playing on his lips as he positioned himself before the guards, indicating that he wouldn't allow anyone to enter through the gate.

Sensei and the rest of the group followed suit, letting Madeen take the lead; he was equally as insane as Seraphina and probably the only player she ever feared.

Seraphina's expression changed; realizing the presence of Highthorn, she thought to herself for a second, a sly smirk curved her lips.

Seraphina's approach took a sudden turn, her voice dripping with a false veneer of familiarity. "Well, well, Madeen, fancy meeting you here, sweetheart" she taunted, closing the distance between them. Her words oozed with a deceptive charm before her tone abruptly shifted to aggression.

"Let me enlighten you, we've been dispatched by the master to establish a headquarters in the first shithole we encounter and count me lucky, we cross paths here" she boasted, her voice rising in volume. "And look, a hundred of us have hit level 10" she announced, her tone brimming with hostility. "So why don't you scram before we paint this town red with your blood and every other pathetic piece of living garbage here" she spat out, her threat aimed to intimidate him.

Seraphina weighed the odds, contemplating the advantage of their numbers against the seemingly disadvantaged state of Madeen and the Highthorn group, all regressing back to level 1. Yet, as Madeen's sinister grin widened, a palpable tension seeped into the air. His unsettling smile hinted at the impending chaos, a foreboding sign recognized across Swordmasters, a bad omen.

In Seraphina's mind, the potential for a swift, overwhelming assault loomed large. She considered the difference in equipment between their prestige levels. Still, she remained convinced their sheer numbers could overpower Madeen's group. Despite this, a determination to wipe away Madeen's grin at any cost fueled her, even if it meant sacrificing a few players.

"Rage isn't here; he might be off leveling like the guild master; his ability to manipulate a battlefield through comms is insane; if he was here, we wouldn't stand a chance," she thought.

"Fuck it! Let's zerg it" She yelled, pulling out the whip that was hanging on her belt.

(Zerg: attack with overwhelming numbers)

Seraphina was taken by surprise, a dagger whizzing past her neck and swiftly finding its mark in the player behind her. Startled and slightly taken aback, she instinctively glanced toward the gate, her eyes widening.

There stood Rage alongside an elderly man, a peculiar boy clad in wolfskin armor; the unexpected appearance of this trio left Seraphina and her group momentarily stunned and reevaluating their position.

"Long time no see" Rage smiled, approaching Seraphina, gesturing for Elder Oakbrook and Cedric to stay back.

Seraphina was not just surprised by the sudden appearance of Rage but also his polite manners. He is known to curse like a sailor and be extremely toxic. Still, his demeanor was unexpectedly courteous, far beyond what she had anticipated. The stark difference between his reputation and his actual behavior left her puzzled.

"Varon, what is the punishment for disrespecting the head of the clan?" asked Rage, a subtle smile playing on his lips as he maintained eye contact with Seraphina.

Varon drew his sword, leveling it towards Seraphina but keeping a controlled stance. "Death, my lord" he replied firmly.

"W-W-Wait, Varon! I-I was only joking! just joking!" Seraphina's voice quivered with fear as she turned toward her fellow guild members, urging them to intervene. "DO SOMETHING YOU BASTARDS!" Her plea was frantic, the anxiety evident in the trembling of her guild members, all feeling the weight of Madeen's unsettling grin as he eyed them all down.

"Tell you what" Rage gestured to Varon, indicating for him to lower his sword. "Here is the deal" he began, "Leave this place, go do whatever you wish to do anywhere else, whether it be the forest or the imperial capital for all i care, but if you dare return to this town, I won't be as forgiving" he continued, turning his back and moving away.

Seraphina took the chance; she pulled out her whip and attempted to go for Rage. As soon as he turned his back, she dashed towards him, raising her whip to strike him down; a moment after she jumped, she couldn't command her body, her limbs felt numb, her vision blurred, and her mind struggled to focus, in a second her head fell off her neck, with Varon sheathing his sword after the quick response to her sudden move.

The remaining Eternal Vanguard members trembled in fear at the sight of their leader's motionless body on the ground.

"Madeen, let them be" Rage gestured to Madeen.

"You're no fun" Madeen grumbled, sighing and stowing his scythe back in his inventory.

"Let it be known!" declared Rage, projecting his voice for all to hear. "Oakbrook town now falls under the guardianship of Highthorn. It remains a sanctuary open to all players seeking refuge. But mark my words, any intent to harm a player or a resident in this land will face direct consequences from us."

The gathered players erupted in cheers for Rage and his companions. Thaddeus and Cedric both bowed deeply in gratitude. "Shall we return, Elder Oakbrook?" inquired Rage.

"Yes, Your Majesty" responded the elder.

Sensei and the rest of the group returned to the inn while Rage accompanied the Elder to the town hall. The Elder insisted on bringing the rest of the group along. Still, Sensei politely declined, stating their preference to remain at the inn.

"So you are of a noble family as i expected" Eve said to the group as they entered the tavern.

"It's a long story" Sensei replied rubbing his head.

"Is what Rage did back there okay?" Phoenix said, chatting with Jimmy on one of the tables as Sensei preferred to stay by the bar for some reason, "What if the major guilds decide to join hands against us? I know Rivershade won't stand still after Seraphina's death" he continued.

"Except they can't" Jimmy replied with a grin.

"Huh, how?" Phoenix replied visibly confused.

"It's simple" Jimmy explained. "Rage has a unique buff that caused our rapid leveling; it's exclusive to him, given that the rewards given to the top 3 players were unique." he continued, "Now considering Seraphina and her goons, most of them were at level 10 and keep in mind they have been hunting for half a day longer than we have", Jimmy took a sip of his beer, "Coupled with the equipment we possess from our prestige levels, it's clear why our progress has been swift."

"Moreover" he continued, "Rage is trying to gain favor with the elder. Did you notice the young boy standing by him? If he's not the elder's son, then he holds considerable importance. He was wearing the shadow-pelt armor we obtained from the boss fight; it's an exceptionally valuable piece that the town couldn't afford. Chances are, Rage presented it as a gift."

"But why do we need the favor of a small town's elder?" Hunter questioned.

"Simply because this is the first town after the gate, it can act as a trade hub between our world and this world and as a fort to protect the gate; also, it will take a long while for any player here to be on par with the guards, Seraphina was just confident in her numbers, but she would have lost a little more than half her goons if she actually attempted a zerg."

"He's actually thinking far ahead" Phoenix said, looking at Sensei, who's still talking to Eve at the bar.

As they were chatting a sudden quest suddenly appeared on their status window:

HIDDEN QUEST (A+) - DEVELOP OAKBROOK

DESCRIPTION: YOU HAVE GAINED THE FAVOR OF THE ELDER OF OAKBROOK TOWN, HELP HIM DEVELOP HIS TERRITORY TO LEVEL 10 .

CURRENT TERRITORY LEVEL: 3/10.

REWARDS: AUTHORITY +2000

AUTHORITY CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE LAND AND TITLES IN THE EASTERN CONTINENT.

They all looked at their status windows intently, "Well, things just got interesting" Jimmy said, a slight smile on his face.