Game’s Dogma

Empyreon appeared to have united as one to destroy Yoda, but that was just a charade. They only agreed to take part under the condition that Empyreal Spire paid the initiation cost of one hundred million gold coins.

Although Chau Yu’s enthusiasm had waned due to Mask’s disappearance, he wasn’t being careless. He had to completely demolish the so-called Yoda alliance once and for all. Everyone thought Yoda was impenetrable, but he knew that the alliance formed around Mask’s charisma alone would disintegrate into dust upon a single loss.

If Mask was present, he wouldn’t dare take the risk. After all, he could bring the entire Yoda together. The ‘Three Days of Crazed Wolves’ incident had proven how terrifying a single guild could be under his lead. Such unity wasn’t present in Empyreon where powerful guilds engaged in deception and espionage behind each others’ backs.

Empyreal Alliance did well to blockade intel on their intention of initiating a City War. By the time the system notified everyone in Yoda of the impending war, they only had fifteen minutes to come up with a plan.

It struck Yoda as a bolt from the blue. Everyone started panicking no matter how much the four major guilds tried to calm them down; all they asked for was Mask to step forth and reassure them that he was with them.

The four major guilds could do nothing but laugh bitterly. If there was another Mask of the Hidden Dragon, they could still buy some time by getting someone to act as Mask, but almost all epic outfit items were unique.

As time went by, the players in Yoda got more restless because Mask was nowhere to be seen. Chau Yu observed the chaos ensuing in Yoda through Clairaudiencer’s access to the Heavenly Handlers network. He said lightly, ‘It’s time. Spread the news.’

The City War was commencing in five minutes when shocking news was leaked to the public: ‘Mask is stuck in a forbidden place and unable to break free. He likely has to delete his account and start over!’

Mister Unfettered had mentioned Mask’s situation a day ago, but his words were disregarded as the crowd thought it was a ploy to discourage them. However, it was strange for Mask to not make his appearance when the city was under such great danger.

The small to medium-sized guilds all gave the four major guilds the cold shoulder for they had no intention of taking part in the war. While the alliance brought them profits, they also didn’t have much of a choice back then under the four major guilds’ pressure. With Mask no longer around, the four major guilds’ alliance would crumble, creating a free-for-all situation. They’d rather preserve their strength and prepare for the new dungeons to come instead of engaging in the hopeless war.

Just when Yoda was about to break apart before the war even began, an announcement grabbed everyone’s attention.

‘Aid me in war to defend Yoda from the invaders!’

The player who made the announcement was none other than the lady who was imprisoned yesterday—Idyllic Poet.

Chau Yu furrowed his brows. ‘How did that woman get out of jail?’

Clairaudiencer didn’t know either as he replied, ‘Not sure… Do you want me to investigate it?’

Chau Yu stayed silent. Things weren’t going as smoothly as planned.

Many players adored Idyllic Poet after yesterday’s incident. She was willing to go to jail for the sake of defending Yoda, and that unreserved attitude paired with her charming beauty had rocketed her popularity to just below that of the four major guild masters and Mask.

Now that Idyllic Poet suddenly revealed that she had been freed from jail, many of the players who had already given up regained their morale and decided to participate in the city defence. Still, many continued to observe how things unfolded on the sidelines. They’d stay out of it if the battle was unfavourable, only joining to earn a favour if there was a chance to win the war.

Chau Yu looked at the bystanders in the plaza and snickered. ‘The evilness of human nature. Everyone wants to swoop in for the prize, but they never consider if they’re well qualified. Idyllic Poet’s power to rally the crowd is a lot worse than Mask also.

‘The result will remain the same despite the minor setbacks.’

Players from the four major guilds now gathered at the plaza. Every single one of Drako Yau’s close aides from Howl of the Tempest Wolves was present: Sasaki, Idyllic Poet, Greenstone, Zephyrwolf, Dumbgirl, and Windstrider.

Hexen brought several thousand players from Corrupted Officials. Hot-Blooded, Assassination Coalition… with several dozen guilds gathered, the defenders numbered roughly thirty or so thousand!

Still, those from the four major guilds glanced at one another; their gazes were full of disappointment. Yoda had a player base of almost a million, yet only thirty thousand of them were willing to fight.

Zephyrwolf took a step forward. With Mask absent, he was the true guild master of Howl of the Tempest Wolves. The role of giving the pre-battle speech naturally fell onto his shoulders. Amplified by magic, his voice resounded throughout the plaza.

‘To everyone who stands here! I, Zephyrwolf, am grateful for your presence. All of you are good-hearted men and ladies for not cowering before the bastards from Empyreon!

‘They say Mask is trapped in a forbidden land. What they say is true.’

‘Woah…’ The crowd started discussing among themselves upon hearing what Zephyrwolf said.

Rumours, in the end, were just rumours. But things were different when Zephyrwolf admitted that the rumour was true. Some players who originally planned to join the fight were already reconsidering their decision.

Zephyrwolf looked at the players who were ready to engage, then glared at the bystanders. A myriad of emotions flooded his head. Ever since encountering that masked man, his life had changed completely. He suddenly remembered what a mysterious person had once told him.

‘You will come across a man in the future. A man whom you’ll follow for the rest of your life.’

Before encountering Mask, he could never have imagined that he would be qualified to give a speech to so many players.

‘You all know what sort of person I used to be. A robber, a thug! It’s Mask who has granted me a second chance at life! This rotten life of mine is his forever!

‘No one knows if Mask is alive or dead! Those cowards only dare to invade when we’re weak—when Mask isn’t around! They want to destroy our city, sabotage the fruits of our hard work!

‘We might get our asses whooped in this war. Yoda might end up as Empyreon’s foil once more. Yoda might no longer be the number one city.

‘Even so! I will give it my all and fight! Only then can I tell myself, “I’ve tried my best!”’

Zephyrwolf tossed his summoning token. A streak of purple appeared and gradually morphed into the demon wolf king, Nene. It stood behind Zephyrwolf, its pair of ferocious eyes glaring down at the crowd. Zephyrwolf then swept his cold gaze at the bystanders as he radiated a dominating aura, making them divert their stares and drop their heads.

‘This Zephyrwolf will die standing rather than kneeling alive!

‘To war!’

Nene pointed its snout to the sky and howled, the vicious howl resounding throughout the plaza.

‘To war!’ Zephyrwolf lifted his crescent-shaped scimitar as Nene howled.

The tens of thousands of players, motivated by his speech, all cried in synchrony with their faces and ears flushed red, ‘TO WAR!’

They all charged into the teleportation array once the war commenced.

Chau Yu had a complicated gaze as he oversaw the scene at Yoda.

How did I let such a talent slip from my hands? Just how did Mask gather so many talented people under his wing?

Tripurity, Slyfox, and Hau Ngai were all great at battle. However, while they were great warriors, none could step forwards as a charismatic general. On the contrary, Zephyrwolf and Idyllic Poet both shone brightly on their own despite being supposedly overshadowed by Mask’s greatness.

‘Move out. Destroy them,’ Chau Yu waved his hand and gave the order.

Clairaudiencer nodded and relayed the order through the alliance channel.

‘Strike now!’

Countless players streamed towards Empyreon’s teleportation array. A stark contrast to Yoda’s serious atmosphere of making a last stand, those from Empyreon were rather light-hearted. They were chatting leisurely as they headed to war, some even joking among themselves that they’d bet on who’d get the most kills.

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