The Vanguard's Challenge

Reed, dealing with Tina, finished up and made his way outside where he saw four other players standing in front of him.

It was already evening; a cool breeze swept through the village, the rustling leaves carried the faint sounds of laughter from the tavern.

The group of four looked somewhat imposing. One of them, a tall, muscular man with a greatsword slung across his back, stepped forward.

"Hey, Reed, right? We're the Arcane Vanguard," the man said friendly. "I'm Marcus. These are my companions: Lyra, Rolf, and Gwen." He gestured to the others—a lithe archer, a stout warrior with a heavy axe, and a slender mage with bright, inquisitive eyes.

Reed eyed them warily, his hand instinctively brushing against the hilt of his dagger. He wasn't one for company, especially not after the recent events that had soured his view on trust.

"What do you want?" Reed asked, his tone guarded.

Marcus turned and exchanged a glance with Lyra, then she stepped forward with a beautiful smile. "We've been watching you," she said. "You seem quite skilled. We could use someone like you in our party. Join us, and we can make a lot of progress together."

Reed's eyes narrowed. Those words gave off the same vibe as his previous party, and working with people like them usually came with strings attached, so he said coldly,

"Do yourself a favor and get out of my way," he replied rudely. "I work alone."

Marcus felt a slight hint of frustration, but before he could say anything, Gwen, the mage, spoke up next. "We're not here to trick you or cause trouble. We've seen the number of cores you bring to the tavern and thought we could all team up and work together."

Reed's sighed; he now knew all they wanted was some quick cash and to find out how he killed that many monsters. "I'm not interested," he said flatly, turning to walk past them.

As he moved to leave, Rolf, the warrior, muttered under his breath, loud enough for Reed to hear, "Arrogant prick."

Reed paused, clenching his fists, deciding not to cause a scene, then continued walking, hoping to avoid further delay of his plans. But it seemed the party wasn't going to let him leave that easily.

"Wait," Marcus called out, slightly desperate. "Can't you give us a shot at least?"

Reed stopped again, but this time he turned slightly, his eyes cold. "I've heard enough. Find someone else."

Gwen sighed and exchanged looks with her companions. "We tried being nice," she said softly. "But we need to finish our quest, and you're the best shot we have. So, if you aren't willing to come, we will make you."

How you may ask? through a duel, It was all of them against Reed.

They all readied for battle. Marcus stepped forward, drawing his greatsword from his back. Lyra nocked an arrow, while Rolf tightened his grip on his axe. Gwen's staff crackled with faint magical energy.

Reed glared at them intensely, his hand gripping his dagger tightly, wondering if they would rethink such a dumb decision.

"Think carefully," Reed warned. "I wasn't planning a bloodbath."

But the Arcane Vanguard seemed satisfied with their decision. Marcus's eyes were hard, and Lyra's bow was steady, aimed directly at Reed's chest.

"We're not backing down," Marcus said. "You are just a greedy bastard who knows something and doesn't want to tell anyone."

Reed sighed inwardly. He didn't want to do this, but since they challenge him to a duel, he would give them one. With a swift motion, he drew his daggers.

The battle began with a tense silence, each party member eyeing the other, waiting for the right moment to strike, the conditions were simply: winner tells the loser what to do, Just once.

Marcus was the first to act, his greatsword slicing through the air in a powerful arc aimed at Reed.

Reed ducked low, the blade whistling just inches above his head. With a swift motion, he rolled to the side, then rushed towards Lyra.

Lyra saw Reed heading towards her with a grin on his face. Immediately she released an arrow, but Reed was already too close. He swung his dagger, slicing through her bowstring.

Lyra gasped, stepping back in shock as her primary weapon was rendered useless. "How did he close the distance so quickly?"

Rolf charged next, his heavy axe swinging down vertically with brutal force. Reed deftly stepped to the side, his black dagger glinting as it clanged against the axe head, deflecting it just enough to unbalance Rolf.

Reed used the momentum to spin around, delivering a cut to Rolf's leg with the red dagger. Almost immediately, Rolf's muscles seized as the paralysis effect took hold. The warrior fell to the ground, his face frowned in pain and frustration. "How the hell did he move so quickly," he thought.

Gwen, seeing her companions falter, raised her staff, chanting a spell. Arcane energy crackled and formed into a bright sphere of light. She hurled it toward Reed, but he was already expecting her move.

With a quick leap, he evaded the blast, the ground where he stood moments before erupting in a burst of magical energy.

Reed landed on the ground, then dashed toward Gwen. She attempted another spell, but Reed was too fast. Swinging his black dagger, he cut a shallow line across her forearm. Gwen cried out, losing concentration, and dropping her staff.

Marcus, seeing his team completely disoriented, roared and charged again, "Bastard!," this time with a series of quick strikes. Reed parried each one with ease, his daggers moving in a blur.

With a quick burst of speed, Reed slipped past Marcus's defenses and struck with his red dagger, slicing off Marcus's arm. The effect was immediate; Marcus's body went stiff as his greatsword clattered onto the ground.

Lyra, in a last desperate attempt, drew the dagger from her belt and lunged at Reed.

But Reed, glancing backward, saw it coming. He caught her wrist, twisting it sharply until she dropped the weapon.

Then he gave a swift kick to her midsection, sending her sprawling to the ground, gasping for breath.

Reed, standing amidst the fallen members of the Arcane Vanguard, looked down at them with a cold expression, then sheathed his daggers.

"I told you," he said quietly. "I wasn't planning a bloodbath."

The members of the Arcane Vanguard struggled to move, finding their bodies resistant due to the effects of Reed's red dagger. Gwen, clutching her arm, managed to speak.

"You... you really are as skilled as they say."

Reed, getting bored, began walking away. The battle was over; he had already won, but there was something he needed to say to those found weaker than him.

He paused, turning his head, gazing back at them with his piercing purple eyes. "Remember this next time you try to pull something this stupid, I will straight up murder you all."

Those words sent shivers down their spines; none of them dared say a word. It was like looking down into the jaws of a wild beast.

Although Reed wasn't ready yet to become a PK player, he was willing to risk it if they were stupid enough to try this again.

"So long." Reed left, leaving them to carry the weight of defeat.