Zikei appeared so suddenly, as if he had just emerged from the shadows, and even the people around him didn't seem to notice him right away.
This time, his face was hidden beneath a black ekai mask, which was curved into a creepy grin. The mask's empty eye sockets glowed crimson, and it exuded a pressing, almost sinister aura.
—D-damn...
I hadn't even noticed that I was gripping the handle of my dagger.
—Can you be a little less... creepy when you appear?
Zikei tilted his head to the side, as if studying my reaction, and then laughed softly.
—Did I scare you? Interesting. I usually only scare my enemies.
Fritte clung to my shoulder and looked warily at the newcomer, her transparent wings fluttering in alarm.
Zikei didn't seem to notice the fairy at all, because she was invisible, and I don't know why I was so nervous. His voice was calmer, but there was a hint of threat beneath it.
—Listen to his offer. You can't handle this alone. Sooner or later, you'll encounter someone you can't defeat.
Do these men really think I'm a weak woman who can't handle things on my own? How naive they are, both of them.
I pressed my lips into a thin line and took a step back, trying to hide my tension. My eyes darted between Elk and Zikei, even though I was pretending to be calm.
—Elk and I have been in the same group for a long time.
Zikei's voice was calm, but there was a sense of pressure behind it. The black mask gave him an even more sinister appearance, as if he were not a player, but a character from a nightmare.
— Elk is right: you can't stand alone against the Coyotes guild. They're persistent and greedy, and they'll flock to a target like you. You'd better join us.
Elk, as if to confirm his partner's words, just smiled even wider and slightly raised the spear, glittering with golden runes.
His calmness was somehow defiant, as if everything around him did not pose any danger to him.
I felt that the trap might not only be in the guild's actions, but also in trusting these two. Too fast, too insistent.
—I'll think about it.
I cut him off dryly, taking my time to open the group interface.
Zikei, as if he hadn't heard my response, tilted his head slightly to the side and changed the subject.
—I'm interested in something else, Leroy45.
His voice lowered, but there was a predatory edge to his words.
—In the letter you wrote, you didn't mention what you did to him that made him so angry.
I felt my body tense. I didn't want to bring up this topic. The memory of that encounter was unpleasant, too fresh and searing, like a burn on my skin.
—I've already said that it was a misunderstanding.
I said, but I noticed that the eyes behind the slits of the black mask narrowed slightly. Zikei clearly had no intention of backing down.
— And that's it?
There was a hint of a smile in his voice.
—If you join our group, I need to know if you're going to cause more problems.
Elk finally intervened, raising his palm as if cutting the air.
—Stop pressuring her, Zikei. We're not interrogating her.
He still spoke lightly, even cheerfully, as if the situation was a game within a game. But I thought that both of them sounded too much alike.
I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, as if gathering my strength. I was well aware that Zikei would not leave until he got an answer.
—I didn't do anything. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I finally spoke, staring directly into the slits of his black mask. I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking back to that day.
—I was exploring the Misty Garden. It was quiet, but that's what set me off. Then Leroy45 and his group appeared on the horizon. They were convinced that all the loot I found belonged to them. They didn't even try to negotiate, they just started surrounding me like I was a bag of gold that had fallen at their feet.
I chuckled, but there was no amusement in my chuckle.
—But they didn't take into account that the Metal Lizard Barnadat was nearby.
I clenched my fists for a moment, remembering the heavy rumble. And I probably shouldn't mention that I fought Barnadat and received a debaff, so I'll keep it a secret.
—As soon as they took a step closer to me, this monster emerged from the fog. With a single swipe of its tail, it knocked away half of their group and then devoured Leroy45 himself. The panic was so great that I barely had time to hide.
I looked up at Zikei and Elk, trying to speak calmly, but my voice was tense.
—All I did was survive. I didn't even touch their belongings. But it seems Leroy45 had a different opinion. For him, the humiliation of being publicly humiliated by a creature became my crime. Since then, he believes I'm responsible for everything.
The moose chuckled softly and narrowed its eyes, clearly amused by the story.
—Ha, that's Leroy... always finding someone to blame but himself.
Zikei didn't move. His gaze remained cold and intense behind his mask, as if he was trying to extract every detail I might be hiding from my words. Please don't ask me any more questions!
I'm not used to this, especially when handsome guys look at me with their eyes, I'm afraid he'll find out everything!
Elk and Zikei exchanged quick glances. Both were clearly trying to decide what to do next, whether to take me under their protection and risk getting me involved in their own plans, or to keep their distance for now.
—You're certainly a strange girl.
Elk muttered, tossing his spear in his hand and catching it easily.
—But you're in the middle of things at the wrong time.
Zikei, on the other hand, was serious. His black mask made it difficult to read his emotions, but his voice was coldly interested:
—I saw that video of you fighting outside the pub. Not every rookie can handle that. Maybe you could tell me about the Unique Offer?
I almost choked on my own breath, about to respond with a joke or the truth, when our conversation was interrupted by a voice three meters behind us.
—There you are...
The familiar, annoyingly smug tone made me instantly tense. Elk frowned, and Zikei turned towards the sound.
Leroy45 was standing on the road. He was recognizable from afar: short dark hair, a smile too wide for his face, and a smug squint. Despite his reputation as a dim-witted bully, he looked as if he was enjoying the moment.
—Well, look who's here.
He stretched out, his hands behind his back, and lazily took a couple of steps forward.
Zikei and I instinctively tensed, our fingers sliding closer to our weapons, and Elk stopped playing with his spear. The air was filled with tension.
But Leroy45 only raised his hand, indicating that he had no intention of attacking.
—Calm down. I'm not here to fight... I have a message for you.
—From whom?
Zikei replied sharply.
—From our boss, he's not ready to meet in person yet, but... he asked me to tell you that this is just the beginning.
I felt my fingers go cold. My chest ached unpleasantly: so this was just a prelude. The Coyote leader was still in the shadows, but he was clearly watching my every move.
Elk whistled softly, as if trying to lighten the mood, but even he knew that the games were over.
Leroy45 theatrically pulled a scroll out of his inventory and unfurled it, as if it were not just a message, but an imperial decree. His smile grew even wider as he began to read aloud, emphasizing each condition:
"You shouldn't have offended one of the Coyote Guild members. If you, dear players, want the charges to be dropped, you need to follow three simple steps..."
Leroy45 raised three fingers and smirked.
"First, publicly apologize. Second, hand over all the items, weapons, and materials you currently possess. And finally, thirdly, the player named Disava is required to reveal everything she knows about the Unique Offer."
The words hung in the air, and even the brightest glowing mushrooms around the castle seemed to dim.
For a second, my heart sank as the rumors that the Coyotes were after my secret information were confirmed. They knew about my "offer" and they weren't going to stop.
Elk frowned and restrainedly struck the ground with the shaft of his spear.
—What scoundrels. It's not enough to rob and humiliate us, they want to shake us dry.
Zikei, on the other hand, looked directly at Leroy, his head tilted slightly to the side. His voice was as cold as a blade:
—And what will happen if we don't agree?
Leroy45 stopped feigning good-naturedness. His smile became thin, almost bestial.
—Then... you're officially on the hunt. The Coyote Guild declares you enemies. From now on, every player will know that there's a reward for your head. And believe me, few will resist the temptation of easy prey.
These words sounded like a death sentence. The first system notifications immediately flashed in the chat:
[ Announcement: The Coyotes guild is hunting for players: Disava, Zikei. ]
The crowd around them froze. Players who had previously just glared at each other began to whisper louder. Some were already opening the reward list, while others were looking for Disava, as if deciding whether to attack right away or wait for a better opportunity.
I felt the tension in my chest turn to anger. I knew there was no turning back now.
I bit my lip. My heart was beating so loudly that I thought everyone could hear it. I almost decided to tell the truth about the Unique Offer right there in the square.
I thought, If I tell them, maybe it will all be over. Maybe the Coyotes will leave me alone...
But at that moment, Elk could see everything in my eyes, I felt his heavy hand on my shoulder, and his voice was quiet and firm.
—Don't even think about it! They'll take your information for free and wipe you out anyway.
Zikei nodded, folding his arms across his chest. His black mask reflected the glow of the mushrooms, and his voice was like a sentence:
—A Unique Offer is too valuable a card. If you give it up, you'll have nothing left. It's better to face a dozen hunters than to reveal the secret they're after.
The words of these guys brought me back to reality. Yes, even if the truth could have saved me from the chase, it would have been foolish to trust the Coyotes. They weren't looking for negotiations, they were looking for weakness.
The crowd around me was already whispering louder. Someone brave even stepped closer, testing whether it was worth attacking right now. The system notification about the bounty on their heads was still glowing above their eyes.
I gripped the handles of my daggers.
—Good, then we'll fight.
Elk chuckled as he spun his spear.
—That's the right attitude.
Zikei only gave a short chuckle, but his gaze said more than words:
—We can do this.