Leo let out a sigh, brushing Penny’s theatrical complaints aside with the practiced patience of someone used to traveling with chaotic energy. Once the group had settled down again, he turned toward the rest of them.
"We’re heading south," he announced, voice steady. "There’s a suspected orc nest past the outskirts of the village. I checked the map at the Adventurer’s Guild earlier. It lines up with a new Guild Quest that just posted. Our job is to investigate the area and report any signs of orc activity. If we run into any, even better."
Greg’s eyes lit up with interest.
"An orc nest, huh?" he said with a grin. "Now we’re talking. That’s more my speed. It’s been a while since I had something solid to punch."
"Didn’t you just punch Uncle Horo a couple hours ago?"
Greg’s face fell as he replied hastily, "That was different."
Leo raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Different how?"
Greg scratched his arm awkwardly. "That was a duel. I held back. It wasn’t about killing."
Penny rolled her eyes. "Seriously? From what I saw, you two were trying to kill each other. It looked way too serious to be just a friendly duel."
Greg’s smirk faded for a moment but he quickly recovered. "We both knew where to stop. It wasn’t about killing a human being."
Crystal shifted slightly, silent but attentive as the conversation went on.
Leo cleared his throat. "Focus, everyone. This is a guild quest. We investigate the suspected orc nest near the village outskirts. If we find orcs, we handle it carefully but efficiently."
Greg’s grin returned. "Sounds perfect to me."
The group moved onward, Greg eager for a real fight but still aware of the limits when it came to people.
As they left through the south gate, the Original Party consisting of Luna, Lily, Adam and Rachel remained seated at the table of the tavern.
"So what are we going to do now~?"
Rachel asked with a smile on her face as she took a swig of her drink, a mysterious black liquid that somehow smelled of vanilla.
"Well I heard something interesting while I was waiting for Rose in the town square"
Adam remarked, the name Rose fell off his tongue somewhat awkwardly.
Lily looked up from her drink, curiosity piqued. "Oh? What did you hear?"
Adam shifted in his seat, lowering his voice a bit. "There’s been talk about a Player Killer lurking in the Goblin Forest. It’s been going on for a while, even before the last patch. People are saying the victims might be in the dozens, maybe even hundreds."
Rachel’s smile faded slightly. "That’s a lot of lost players. The Goblin Forest is dangerous enough without someone hunting others."
Luna nodded thoughtfully. "If this is true, it’s more than just a nuisance. It could throw the whole area into chaos. We need to find out who this is before things get worse."
Lily tapped her fingers on the table. "Do we know anything about the Player Killer? Class, appearance, anything?"
Adam shook his head. "Nothing solid. Just rumors and whispers. But some survivors have reported seeing a shadowy figure striking without warning, disappearing before anyone can react."
"That’s not much to go on"
Luna remarked with a scowl but nevertheless, she stood up and stretched.
"But we should still go. Probably could get a reward if we catch the guy."
"Or woman" Lily chimed in
Adam nodded. "Right. No matter who it is, stopping them would definitely help the community and boost the reputation of our guild."
Rachel leaned forward, eyes sharp. "So what’s the plan? Just head into the Goblin Forest and find this Player Killer?"
Luna stood up suddenly, her voice firm and determined. "We don’t wait around. We go now. The longer this goes on, the worse it gets. If we want to boost Chaos Pantheon’s name, we have to act."
Lily raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. "Bold as always, Luna."
Adam looked at her with a mix of respect and caution. "Just be careful. We don’t want to become victims ourselves."
Rachel nodded. "Agreed. Let’s get moving. Chaos Pantheon’s reputation depends on it."
The group gathered their gear and headed out, ready to track down the shadow that threatened the forest and boost their guild’s standing.
The midday sun poured through the windows of the tavern as Luna, Lily, Adam, and Rachel rose from the table. Their chatter quieted, replaced by a shared sense of purpose.
Rachel adjusted the circlet on her head for a brief moment as she remarked. "The Goblin Forest isn’t a place to rush into. We need to be smart about this."
Luna cracked her knuckles, a fierce grin spreading across her face. "Smart, sure. But no hesitation. We make our move now and make sure everyone knows Chaos Pantheon is the guild to watch."
Lily adjusted her gloves, eyes sharp. "We’ll split up once we reach the forest edge. Cover more ground that way, but stay close enough to back each other up."
Adam checked on his dagger that was strapped to his belt and nodded. "Agreed. Close quarters and quick strikes. That’s how I work. We can regroup at the clearing where we faced that first Boss. If anyone finds something, that’s where we meet."
Rachel glanced toward the window, the village bustling with life unaware of the danger lurking nearby. "This is our chance to show the server what Chaos Pantheon is really capable of."
Luna led the way out the door, the midday light casting long shadows behind them. The four moved through the streets, the noise of the village fading as they approached the dense tree line marking the Goblin Forest.
The air grew cooler beneath the canopy, the quiet broken only by the rustle of leaves and distant bird calls.
Luna halted for a moment, eyes scanning the shadows. "Stay sharp. This Player Killer won’t wait for us to be ready."
Lily nodded, voice steady. "Let’s find them and end this."
Together, they stepped into the forest, each footfall bringing them closer to the shadow that could make or break their guild’s rising fame.