MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 352: Clash of Convictions

"Are you sure you want to make an enemy out of Doombringers?" Nightshade warned Sylvan.

Instead of getting scared, Sylvan only raised a brow, crossed her hands, and asked in a bored tone, "Doombringers? What’s that?"

Nightshade caught his tongue, and the others gaped at him.

"You’re kidding!" Drakoon shouted, doing his best to lick Doombringers’ metaphorical shoes in hopes of securing a spot in the top two guilds.

As a solo player with no ranking, it was only a dream to belong to such a prestigious guild. "You should know who Doombringers are if you’re playing Guildbane! They’re the top two guilds in the world, you know!"

Drakoon was practically yelling, attempting to drill the significance of Doombringers into Sylvan’s head. However, Sylvan remained unperturbed, and his serious demeanor stayed impassive.

"I know what that face means," Victor commented at the side.

Xin nodded. "He really doesn’t know who Doombringers is?"

Victor was torn between commending Sylvan’s lack of knowledge and lamenting the fact that he only entered the game because of the Yokais.

"Just how much of a Yokai fan is he?" Victor muttered. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Anyway, he can’t take on the hundred force of Doombringers’ army alone," Xin said.

"What do you expect us to do? Aid him and jeopardize our lives for his cause? We’ve severed ties with Sylvan’s group, remember?" Victor reasoned.

"Even if he offered payment, no amount of money could compensate for the repercussions of making an enemy out of Doombringers. They have the power to make our gaming experience a living hell because guilds can be very pity. It’s better to focus on our own objectives and not get entangled in unnecessary conflicts."

Xin didn’t comment and instead warned Sylvan. "Hey kid, you better not stand in their way. No matter how rich you are, you can’t stand against multiple corporations backing Doombringers."

Sylvan remained steadfast and turned to Lord Scrooge with a resolute tone. "I’d rather die standing up and protect what I want to protect than submit to others and live a life of shame and regret!"

Xin pursed his lips and looked defeated to the side. "Why do I feel embarrassed as an adult?"

As Sylvan stood firm in his decision, the tension in the air grew thicker. The distant sounds of the ongoing conflict between Doombringers and the Yokais underscored the urgency of the situation.

Sylvan’s unwavering determination clashed with the reality of the game, where the powerful guilds held significant sway over individual players.

Everyone couldn’t help but feel a twinge of respect for Sylvan’s principles, even if they seemed naive in the cutthroat world of Guildbane.

While Sylvan’s commitment to his ideals was admirable, Victor couldn’t shake off the fact of the real world. The vast difference in strength and influence between Sylvan and Doombringers was a stark reality.

Still, Sylvan’s insistence on protecting the Yokais brought a certain respect for him for the kid.

Victor snickered and addressed Lord Scrooge. "He did you real good there. That kid has more backbone than us."

He snickered a bit more, but then his face turned serious. "However, I wonder how long he can keep up that bravado. It’s easy to talk about protecting things, but without the strength to back it up, it just sounds like stubborn childishness."

On the sidelines, Nightshade had had enough and released a heavy sigh. "Let’s proceed. You guys handle him."

Ignis, Drakoon, and Luna exchanged uncertain glances. Ignis hesitated, Luna furrowed her brow, and Drakoon nervously bit his claws in frustration.

Drakoon wanted to fight alongside Doombringers just to showcase his abilities, but he found himself stuck here, tasked with taking care of a seemingly headstrong kid.

As Nightshade led the way towards the village entrance, Sylvan bravely met them head on.

Xin and the others watched from a distance as Sylvan confronted Nightshade and the Doombringers.

However, Sylvan found himself cornered as Ignis, Luna, and Drakoon singled him out, while Nightshade continued into the village.

"Hey, face me if you’re a man! It’s a duel! Winner takes all! Face me in a duel, you coward!" Sylvan shouted with all his might.

Nightshade threw a smirk his way. "Ahahaha. Do you think that I will fall for that? You have much to learn, kid."

He nudged his glasses and proceeded into the village, leaving Sylvan with Ignis, Luna, and Drakoon.

"Give it up, Sylvan," Luna said. "As my former employer, I’ll give you a once-in-a-lifetime deal. If you give up now and walk away, I won’t kill you."

Sylvan scoffed. "Yeah, just like you didn’t betray me by selling that map. I can sue you, you know, for breaching our contract."

Luna rolled her eyes. "Go ahead. You won’t win. Don’t you know who bought that map? Your claim wouldn’t even reach court. That’s why we’re confident to sell you out."

Sylvan frowned. "No way. Justice will always prevail. If not, then this world is doomed."

Drakoon and Luna exchanged a look and burst into laughter. "What a kid!"

"I can’t believe what I’m hearing!"

"Was he just born yesterday? Ahahaha!"

"Did you heard what he said?! Justice?!"

"Ahahaha. Kid, justice is power and money!"

Ignis sighed and looked to the side, not releasing any comment or showing any relish in the situation.

Sylvan’s scowl deepened, and his face contorted like he was about to cry.

At that point, they had crossed the line.

"I think you guys are the idiots here," Xin said, unable to contain the anger in his voice. Bullying a kid was over the line. "You really think that Doombringers would stain their names for you guys?"

Luna and Drakoon frowned, while Ignis asked, "What do you mean?"

Seraphim chuckled. "I know that you two are idiots, but I had better expectations for you, Ignis."

"Huh?!" Luna’s frown deepened. "Are you calling me an idiot?!"

"You are," Victor confirmed. "Who would break a contract in favor of a top two guild? Think about it; Doombringers would never stain their name for you. Instead of helping you, they will wash their hands and put all the blame on you since you’re the one who sold the contract.

"And I assume that you didn’t even think about it when they offered you money and promises, right? I bet you didn’t even sign any contract with them to bail you out in case something like this happened."