Ethan told Celia he'd be there soon.
He had logged out near the Life Greenhouse the previous day, planning to start grinding mobs as soon as he logged back in. But Jade's situation had delayed him until now. He had hoped to jump straight into farming, but now this guild crisis had erupted.
Celia explained that as soon as she logged in today, ReaperX, FrozenYears, Cupid's Wrath, VoidKnight, and TheActor had immediately submitted their exit requests. More applications had followed in quick succession.
Knowing Ethan, Slashblade, and the others had important matters to attend to, she had been stalling for time. Now that Ethan was back, she finally felt some relief. Still, she continued trying to persuade the five leaders to reconsider.
It didn't take long for Ethan to reach the guild headquarters.
The headquarters existed in its own independent space. From the outside, it didn't look large, but inside, the training grounds could accommodate thousands of players. This was a feature available only to Level 6 guilds. At Level 5, entering the headquarters would have taken players directly to the guild hall.
As Ethan stepped inside, he saw over a thousand Renegade Alliance members gathered in the square.
Celia stood at the front with over a hundred loyal members behind her. Beside her were familiar faces like Skyblade, Slashblade, SeraphWarrior, and Meatball.
Facing them were ReaperX, FrozenYears, Cupid's Wrath, VoidKnight, and TheActor, leading a group of six to seven hundred players—presumably those who had submitted exit requests.
Ethan recognized ReaperX and FrozenYears from the time he led the expert-level raid in Howling Caverns. The others were less familiar, but he still remembered them.
"ReaperX," Skyblade spoke up, his voice firm. "Since you joined Renegade Alliance, I've always let you have first pick of tank gear during raids. Does this really sit right with your conscience?"
ReaperX was a Shield Tank. Before the guild split into multiple teams, he had served as the off-tank. Whenever tank gear dropped, Skyblade had always let him choose first, taking whatever was left for himself. Skyblade, with his high-tier gear, didn't need the lower-level drops as much.
"FrozenYears," Skyblade continued, "last time you said you were in a tough spot in real life and needed an advance on your guild salary. I vouched for you, didn't I? And all of you…" He pointed at the six to seven hundred players standing opposite him. "Think about what you're doing. Does this really not weigh on your conscience?"
FrozenYears looked ashamed and opened his mouth to speak, but ReaperX grabbed his arm, stopping him.
ReaperX stepped forward, ignoring Skyblade, and addressed Celia directly.
"Honorary Leader," he said firmly, "I've been with Renegade Alliance for a long time. If I haven't contributed, I've at least put in the effort. Skyblade's right—you've treated us well. But let's not forget that Renegade Alliance's success is also thanks to our hard work. Now we want to leave. People have their own paths to follow. We're not here to ask for permission. We're here to inform you, out of respect. That's all."
Skyblade took a step forward, but before he could respond, a calm voice cut through the tension.
"Oh? Just informing us, are you? Fine. Then go ahead and break your contracts."
The crowd turned as Ethan walked through the parted sea of players.
The members greeted him with a mix of relief and anticipation.
The players who wanted to leave hung their heads in shame. They were traitors to Renegade Alliance, and they had prepared themselves for a scathing reprimand from Ethan. Even ReaperX, who had been so defiant moments ago, avoided Ethan's gaze.
The others looked equally guilty, their respect and fear of Ethan evident. Though their guild leader wasn't always present, they knew that Renegade Alliance's success was entirely his doing. Their current status and benefits were all thanks to Ethan. And yet, here they were, ready to betray him for a fivefold increase in pay from another guild.
Ethan walked through the crowd, his path cleared by the members. He wore a calm smile as he spoke, but his eyes were sharp and calculating. He knew this wave of defections was only the beginning. If handled poorly, it could devastate the guild's morale and invite a flood of external criticism.
"Brothers and sisters," Ethan began, his voice steady, "I know some of you are leaving Renegade Alliance for personal reasons, while others have been swayed by outside influences. Whatever your reasons, I understand. People always seek greener pastures. But…" His smile faded, and his tone turned icy. "No matter the reason, everyone must take responsibility for their decisions.
And as for the promises Steele Consortium has made to you—don't think I'm unaware of them. Let them pay for your betrayal. But let me ask you this: how many of you have actually dealt directly with Steele Consortium? For those who haven't, do you really believe they'll honor their promises? To make such a choice based on hearsay—is that smart, or is it foolish? Think carefully."
At this, ReaperX suddenly interrupted, "What Steele Consortium? Don't you—"
Before anyone could react, Ethan's hand shot out, striking ReaperX across the face and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Please don't interrupt me," Ethan said calmly, still smiling as he looked down at ReaperX.
The crowd erupted in murmurs, and some of the defectors glared at Ethan with open hostility. Even Slashblade and Celia stepped forward, concerned. Slashblade grabbed Ethan's arm and whispered, "Ethan, maybe let Celia handle this."
Slashblade was worried Ethan might lose his temper and slaughter the defectors on the spot, which would only worsen the situation and fuel damaging rumors.
Ethan waved him off. "It's fine."
With a flick of his hand, Ethan pulled up a video from the game's recording function and projected it for everyone to see.
"TheActor," Ethan said, turning to the player in question, "I remember you know lip-reading, right?"
TheActor, caught off guard, nodded. His ability to read lips was no secret in the guild.
"Then please translate what's being said in this video," Ethan instructed before hitting play.
The first run of the video left everyone confused. There was no sound, only visuals. The background showed a snowy landscape, clearly a grinding zone with players fighting monsters in the distance. A man lounged in a rocking chair, looking relaxed. Then, a familiar figure entered the frame.