Chapter 284: Chaotic Black Rock Spire

Marcus found a relatively empty stretch of ground and descended, landing lightly before recalling Blackie back into his Pet Storage Slot. Without lingering, he turned and made his way toward the ever-bustling Black Rock Spire. There were players everywhere, crowding the surroundings, but since his goal was the fourth level, he assumed most of them wouldn’t interfere with him for long.

The moment he stepped inside, his expression shifted.

’What a mess…’

That was his first, immediate impression. The place was packed to the point of absurdity. There were more players than monsters, and the air was filled with noise, shouting, arguing, the constant clash of weapons, and the low hum of chaos. Some players were grinding, some were openly fighting each other, others were yelling insults, and quite a few were simply standing around watching the spectacle unfold. It was a complete circus.

“Hey, bro take me with you… I’m all alone,” a woman’s soft voice called out.

Marcus turned slightly, only to find a provocatively dressed player leaning toward him, her expression playful, her tone syrupy sweet, her gaze practically clinging to him.

He didn’t even need to think twice.

’You’ve got to be kidding me… even here? Gold-diggers, too.’

For a brief moment, he almost regretted coming. At this rate, peaceful leveling felt like a distant dream. Not wanting to get dragged into pointless distractions, he pushed forward without responding, quickly making his way deeper inside and phasing into the second level.

If he thought the first level was bad, the second level was worse.

’This is ridiculous…’

The entire floor looked like a battlefield. Players were clashing everywhere, especially near the entrance to the third level, where a massive crowd had gathered. Tension hung thick in the air, ready to snap at any moment.

“Damn that Inferno Clan! Trying to clear the area? I’ll kill every last one of you!”

From the scattered curses and angry shouts, Marcus quickly pieced things together. Werewolf Cabaro on the third level was about to respawn. The Inferno Clan had arrived early, sending some members ahead while stationing others at the entrance to block access. Their intention was obvious. They wanted to monopolize the third floor.

Naturally, that didn’t sit well with anyone else.

The problem was that the opposing players were disorganized. No one wanted to be the first to step forward and take the hit. Meanwhile, the Inferno Clan, disciplined and coordinated, had already secured control of the entrance, effectively locking everyone else out. All the others could do was curse and wait.

’How troublesome…’

Marcus narrowed his eyes slightly. If he wanted to pass through, there was no avoiding it. He would have to fight his way in. But openly revealing his strength here would only create unnecessary complications. For a moment, he hesitated.

Then—

“Werewolf Cabaro has respawned!”

“It’s up! It’s finally up!”

The shout came from the third level, loud and unmistakable.

The atmosphere instantly exploded.

The players who had been held back surged forward in unison, their restraint snapping all at once. Whether alone or in groups, everyone rushed toward the entrance. For those who had come specifically to challenge Cabaro, there was no way they would let this opportunity slip.

“It’s now! Charge!”

“Kill! If we wait any longer, we’ll miss it!”

Like a dam breaking, the crowd flooded forward. Blades were drawn without hesitation as they clashed directly with the Inferno Clan members guarding the entrance. For the sake of Werewolf Cabaro, for the chance at a Guild Creation Token, no one cared about anything else.

A full-scale Player Killing battle erupted instantly.

Even with their coordination, the Inferno Clan couldn’t hold back such overwhelming numbers. Under the relentless assault, their defensive line began to crumble.

Marcus didn’t waste the opportunity.

He slipped into the chaos like a shadow, his movements clean and efficient as he cut through Inferno Clan players one after another. To him, they might as well have been standing still.

’Blocking my way huh? Then don’t blame me for what happens next.’

Besides, everyone else was killing. There was no reason for him to hold back.

In Black Rock Spire, which lay outside the jurisdiction of the Six Great Cities, killing didn’t generate infamy, nor did it reveal player identities. It was the perfect cover. Moving within the crowd, Marcus struck decisively, each attack precise and fatal. The players he cut down didn’t even have time to react before collapsing.

By the time anyone might have noticed, he was already gone.

Whether he was following the crowd or the crowd was following him, it didn’t matter. In the end, he broke through the collapsing defense and stepped onto the third level of Black Rock Spire.

The moment he arrived, he paused slightly.

’This is even worse…’

The third level was absolute chaos, but not without structure. It had already divided itself into five distinct factions.

The first was the Inferno Clan, the strongest and most organized force present. Their main group occupied the central area, clearly intent on securing Werewolf Cabaro for themselves. Even though they had already established a guild, the Guild Creation Token remained too valuable to ignore.

Marcus quickly spotted familiar figures among them. The Furious Three were still there, commanding their forces with confidence.

The second and third factions were two powerful mercenary groups. One was the Slayer Mercenary Group, which he recognized immediately. The other was unfamiliar, but judging by their formation and presence, they were no weaker. Positioned on either side of the Inferno Clan, they formed a tense balance.

Both groups had been here long before the respawn, grinding while waiting for Cabaro. At one point, they had even considered eliminating each other to secure exclusive control. But the sudden arrival of the Inferno Clan had forced them into an uneasy alliance. Alone, neither could stand against the Inferno Clan’s strength.

The fourth faction was a chaotic mix of independent players and smaller groups, scattered across the hall, each waiting for their own opportunity.

And the fifth…

Werewolf Cabaro itself.

Freshly respawned, the massive werewolf led the monsters of the third level, roaring as it clashed with the invading players.

Thousands of players filled the hall. In theory, if they all attacked at once, Cabaro wouldn’t last a single round.

But no one made the first move. Because in this game, the ownership of drops was determined by the first attacker.

Right now, that player was Blaze001, a Mage from the Inferno Clan, heavily protected within layers of his guildmates. As long as he remained alive, everything Cabaro dropped would belong to his party, regardless of who dealt the killing blow.

So everyone waited. They were waiting for Blaze001 to die.

Once he fell, everything would descend into true chaos. Ownership would become uncertain. It could go to whoever dealt the final hit, the highest damage dealer, or the next person to strike after his death. In some cases, it might even turn into unclaimed loot, free for anyone fast enough to grab.

If not for the constant pressure from Level 28 Skeleton Warriors and Bloodlust Worms roaming the area, players would have already rushed in to kill him. Instead, they had to divide their attention, dealing with both monsters and each other.

On top of that, recent system adjustments had made things even more complicated. The more players involved in killing a boss, the lower the chance of high-tier drops. With this many people present, even getting blue equipment would be considered lucky. As for golden gear or a Guild Creation Token, the odds were practically nonexistent.

So they waited. And while waiting, they killed.

If an opportunity appeared, players would strike down anyone nearby, thinning the competition little by little. After all, there were no penalties here. No infamy, no exposure.

There was no reason not to kill.

The Inferno Clan, in particular, showed no urgency. They were steadily eliminating other players, reducing numbers before finishing off Cabaro at the optimal moment, maximizing their chances at better rewards.

Meanwhile, Blaze001 kept moving, carefully maintaining his position as the first attacker. Whenever Cabaro’s health dropped too low, their Clerics would step in and heal it, deliberately prolonging the fight.

Marcus watched all of this unfold, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

’Not bad…’

For a Silver-tier boss to cause this level of chaos, Dominion truly lived up to its reputation. If this was the reaction to Cabaro, then encounters with higher-tier bosses would be on an entirely different level.

Even just watching was entertaining.

For many players, this kind of Player Killing was the real thrill, far more exciting than simply grinding monsters.

This game really is something else…

Still, the situation was shifting.

The Inferno Clan’s advantage was becoming more obvious by the minute. More and more players were falling, and the balance was beginning to tip.

“Everyone, focus! Let’s take out the Inferno Clan first and reclaim the area!”

The leader of the unfamiliar mercenary group shouted, trying to rally the scattered players.

It was a good idea. Unfortunately, no one moved.

Most players here were only around Level 28, barely stronger than the surrounding monsters. Breaking away to challenge the Inferno Clan head-on wasn’t something they could do lightly. More importantly, no one wanted to be the first to take the risk.

Even the group that shouted the command held back, waiting.

Marcus let out a quiet chuckle.

’So that’s how it is…’

His gaze drifted toward the Furious Three. If no one else was willing to act, then he would.

After all, it had been a while since they last met. It would be rude not to greet old acquaintances properly.

“Sanctuary Covenant.”

With a soft activation, his Temple Knight, Pebble, appeared beside him, clad in the Cabaro’s Werewolf Set. Since Pebble looked nearly identical to Marcus himself, no one paid it any special attention amidst the chaos.

Marcus was just about to move when several familiar figures suddenly appeared nearby.

“DragonBlade!”

“Cleaver!”

He blinked in surprise. They had come too.

“Stone! You’re here as well!”

“Brooo, what a coincidence!”

DragonBlade, Cleaver, Fate’s Trial, Drunkard, Gloomy Arrow, and Invincible Strong all gathered around him, clearly excited.

Marcus quickly switched systems, closing the Monarch Squad interface and activating the Mad Lion Mercenary System. The emblem on their arms shimmered faintly as they were pulled into the same system.

“Why are you all here? Something going on?” he asked.

“We just logged in and were heading out to level,” Drunkard said eagerly. “We passed by and saw all the chaos, so we came to take a look. Didn’t expect to run into you here!”

“Exactly!” Invincible Strong added, glancing around with excitement. “The first Guild Creation Token in Dominion came from here, right? We just wanted to see the place where Stone made his name!”

Marcus shook his head slightly.

“I was heading to the fourth level to grind,” he said. “Just happened to run into this mess… and a few familiar faces.”

“Familiar faces?” Drunkard’s eyes lit up immediately.

Marcus smirked faintly. “Those ones over there. The Furious Three.”

Understanding dawned instantly across their faces.

“Say no more,” Drunkard grinned.

Marcus led them toward the entrance to the fourth level, clearing a path as they went.

“Stay here for now,” he said once they arrived. “After I deal with them, things are going to get messy. Be careful and don’t get caught up in it.”

They were under-leveled for this floor. Most players here were Level 27 or higher, while Drunkard was only Level 25. They could easily get caught in the crossfire.

Without waiting for a response, Marcus turned. His gaze locked onto the Furious Three.

Then, with Pebble at his side, he began moving forward, slipping into the chaos once more.

It had been a while since his hands had tasted a proper fight. Now, they were itching for it.

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