Chapter 769: Chapter 770 – Forgotten Mist.

<<Meeting.... Well, it went somewhat "successful" to say the least.>>

<<I’ve managed to get their world to keep quiet about some of the things, while also somewhat gaining the trust as well as cooperation of our allies.>>

<<Still, these news will spread through the world.>>

<<And we aim for that.>>

<<But.... I can’t say I’m not "terrified".>>

<<This game... This world.>>

<<What is it?>>

<<What is Sloth?>>

<<How was she able to affect the real world?>>

<<Is she person from the real world?>>

<<Or maybe, she is something more "unknown" in nature?>>

<<And there is also "benefactor".>>

<<He is moving extremely boldly right now while also revealing all of his cards that he held one by one.>>

<<Is it a trick meant to confuse us?>>

<<Or... He is really THAT desperate to obtain the Forgotten World items?>>

<<...>>

<<There is also the whole thing with Sloth wanting the "benefactor" to be dead as well.>>

<<It really feels like we are not players at the board, but just chess pieces on the board.>>

<<Still, we need to aim to not be just the pieces, but also the players moving them around.>>

<<However, we still lack way too many information.>>

<<Especially regarding the truth of the Forgotten World.>>

<<Based on the assumption, evidence and theories, we are suspecting that the world of Avriones was once "EARTH".>>

<<Specifically the version of fantasy where all the legends, all the myths and stories are real.>>

<<But at the same "twisted", that their "Real story" isn’t the same as the stories we knew.>>

<<And that is it.>>

<<However, we don’t have a direct confirmation that the Avriones is Earth.>>

<<And we also lack many other key information and what not.>>

<<Simple put, we are still "blind".>>

<<...>>

<<And there are only 3 ways of obtaining the truth.>>

<<First – Create the protective barrier.>>

<<If that being from back then was to make sure that the True Sins and True Virtues can’t speak, then that means it is an enemy.>>

<<However, we can silence that enemy by strengthening our defenses against the "special beings".>>

<<And one of these methods is to strengthen our own sins and virtues.>>

<<This in turn could possible block off the "thing" from intervening, allowing Sloth to contact us and reveal the truth.>>

<<Second – We hunt down the ’benefactor’ and extract from him all the information he has.>>

<<Third – We are on our own, we don’t trust anybody and try to obtain the information with our own hands, trying to find the truth with our own effort.>>

<<We are doing all 3 options at the same time.>>

<<We don’t know who is lying, who is deceiving and who is "controlling".>>

<<So yeah... Things are just getting fucked.... And I should prepare myself to not only wage war in military sense.... But also, in political sense as well.>>

[Meanwhile: Oasis]

"..."

"Yeah.... Yeah... Okay." – said GreyHunt as he was using {chat}.

"Thanks for the info. Good luck." – said GreyHunt as he ended his call with Blueberry.

"Hey. Good news you all." – said GreyHunt as he walked towards his team’s camp.

"We gotten the green lights to go."

"About goddamned time." – said Lilium as she was grilling marshmallow.

"...Quick questions... Are things chaotic right now?" – asked the demonic draconic kobold player named Cave.

"Yeah... And this is only the start... Things will end up going to hell... Honestly, I’m bit glad that I’m not in the empire right now, since I would be probably stuck doing paper work."

"But still, once we secure the Forgotten World items here, we are ordered to bring them as soon as possible to the empire in order to have them ’safely leave this place’, without causing another incident."

"Before anybody ask, political situation. Yes, annoying. I know myself. I would want to whatever OP drop out there to be ours, but job is job." – said GreyHunt as his team was about to start complaining.

"..."

(Well... We still don’t know what we will be facing here.) – thought GreyHunt.

(But still... Whatever is inside of that place maybe valuable as Caliburn.)

(But "valuable" in terms of power?)

(Or "History"?)

(Either way, we need to obtain whatever is inside of that dungeon as soon as possible before ’benefactor’ tries pulling another crap like the one he just did.)

(This team.... Well, it does consist of several of our strongest players in the whole guild.)

(And... There is also Lilium.)

[Some time ago before expedition.]

"Wait, you want that woman Lilium joint my squad?" – asked confused GreyHunt.

"Yes." – replied ClownFrog.

"Look. I’m not doubting your strength or anything like that."

"I trust you."

"However, considering what bullshit is going on, we maybe need ’numbers’."

"Honestly speaking, Lilium.... She had been making herself stand out a lot."

"Not only she completed countless quests that she was given by the empire."

"But she also changed her race to the vampire while also obtaining many new classes."

"She was originally just pure fire user, but after her transformation, she specializes in both fire and blood magic."

"Some witches apparently even took interested in her."

"She may had been once a member of the Red Lions, but she had proven herself more than enough in many different ways."

"..."

"Then do you trust her?" – asked GreyHunt.

"..."

"Not exactly." – replied ClownFrog.

"She had proven herself, yes."

"But I want the truth to be more.... ’Solid’. If you get what I’m talking about."

"..."

"You want to keep me eye on her." – said GreyHunt.

"Yes." – replied ClownFrog.

"She is useful."

"She already proven herself more than enough."

"And she should be perfect fit for the job."

"But I want... Be extra sure and everything."

"If she pulls anything, you know what to do."

[Back to the present.]

(True, she had proven herself all this time.) – thought GreyHunt as he was checking his items alongside other party members, making sure they are all fully prepared for the dungeon raid.

(I’ve checked her just in case, but there is really no problem whatsoever.)

(She may had came from the guild that was once extremely hostile to us.)

(But again, she had not shown any ’betrayal’ throughout all the in-game years she had spent with us.)

(Not only that, she really managed to become one of the strongest players in the empire.)

(Is ClownFrog just overthinking it? I mean, he was under constant stress and pressure ever since that meeting had happened.)

(Or maybe... His instinct are telling him something.)

"..."

"Are you all ready?" – asked GreyHunt.

"Yeb. Everything seems to fine." – said Litle Maniac.

"We all are ready to go."

"Well then, get ready mentally." – said GreyHunt.

"Since I want to conquer this dungeon with only few tries if not just on a single try all together." – said GreyHunt as he began leading his group through the Umil kingdom’s camp which was stationed right outside the Forgotten Fragment dungeon.

"The verdict has been reached." – said GreyHunt as he met up with the sobek knight and explained in details the information.

"Yes. We just received the same report moments ago." – said the sobek knight as he tabbed his spear, giving the signal for the Umil monsters soldiers to move away, unlocking the path to the entrance.

"We will keep the area secured until your return."

"Thank you." – replied GreyHunt.

"...But... I have a question."

"Did any adventurers caused any new incident?"

"Well.... Well, some tried starting something, like sneaking past us and what not." – replied the sobek.

"Some even tried get in with force, but all of them were repelled."

"Still, there was no major incident."

"Don’t let your guard down." – said GreyHunt.

"That bastard is known for scheming and now is actively using ’adventurers’. Watch out for anything weird and suspicious."

"They may not need to be those weird armor monsters."

"I understand." – replied the sobek knight as GreyHunt and his party then headed towards the dungeon entrance, before then entering the dungeon itself.

[You have entered dungeon: Forgotten Mist]

"?"

"Mist?" – said LM.

"I don’t see any..."

"Maybe if we go deeper, we will find some?"

"...Either way, this place doesn’t look that... Old... But at the same time, old?" – said Cave.

(Yes... It is just like entrance.) – thought GreyHunt.

(The walls so far and the structure of the path itself... It doesn’t sounds medieval.)

(Is it-)

"!"

"WAIT!" – shouted LM, alarming the entire party.

"...What is it?" – asked Lilium as LM was using his skills to enchant his vision.

"There is.... The path ahead is blocked off by something." – said LM.

"By a white wall?"

"..."

"Get ready." – said GreyHunt as the entire group started slowly walking down the road, while already applying themselves some buffs.

"..."

"Huh.... This is... Really a white wall." – said Cave as the group arrived at the ’white wall’.

"...Smoke? No.... Its.... I think its mist?" – said Lilium.

"Well, the dungeon did said Forgotten Mist." – said LM.

"Still, it looks like it is only path forward."

"But I can’t say I don’t trust it."

"..."

"Lilium." – said GreyHunt.

"Yeah?" – replied the female vampire.

"Blast it with fire." – said GreyHunt.

"...Okay." – said Lilium as without hesitation, she fired a massive sphere of fire into the wall of mist.... But there was no explosion or anything, the wall just swallowed the sphere of fire, which just disappeared inside.

"..."

"Em... There should be explosion..." – said Lilium while LM was using his skill.

"...I’m not hearing anything." – said LM.

"Maybe it is some kind of teleportation gate?" – suggested Apple Juice.

"Great..." – said GreyHunt.

"...Get into positions."

"We are moving in."