On the same evening, when the battle was over and the team was still processing what had happened, the "Log Apofis" game forum exploded. Notifications were flying like a flock of sparrows from chat to chat.
[ System message]
"Players [Zikei], [Aka-32], [Deer Horns 444], and [Disava] have defeated the Unique Apostle, Nemmorino the Swamp Boar. The first global murder has been registered."
Commentators poured out of the bag:
— Come on! Nemmorino? No one has passed it yet!
— Is this a bug or an event? He was fucked yesterday!
—Zikei is back in business! I knew this psycho was coming back!
Posts multiplied at the speed of a virus, and someone even streamed the moment the notification appeared, and within an hour, the video with this fragment had already received tens of thousands of views.
At the forefront of the discussions, of course, were Zikei and Deer Horns 444. Both were known to be veterans, top raiders, and regular participants in PvP tournaments. Some people wrote that the victory would not have been possible without them, while others argued that it was simply a lucky bug with Nemmorino phases.
In the forum threads, lines appeared:
—These two are a killing machine. I still remember how they dragged Ant Hill on the old settings!
—If Zikei was involved, it's clear that the content has been completed, and I can sleep peacefully.
But not all the messages were about them. After a few pages of discussion, a strange name appeared: [Disava].
This name was familiar to many, but not in a positive way. She had been seen before, either on forums with complaints from newcomers asking, "Why is this weird girl asking us about voices in our heads?", or on the Coyote Guild's blacklist, marked as a "disturber."
Some people were annoyed by her, while others were curious.
—What does she do with people like Aka-32 and Zikei? Is it even legal?
—She's probably baiting for a scandal. It's boring without her, but her head's in trouble. Plus, she's the only one who chose the Toadman race.
However, thirty seconds later, an unknown person posted a video of the fight with Nemmorino (it could be assumed that this was the anonymous Katzu), and comments of a different nature began to appear under the posts with the video of the fight.
The footage clearly shows that Disava was the one keeping the boss's attention, and she was the first to understand the mechanics of the Collar.
Players rewound the video, discussed the timings, and wrote long theories about the hidden conditions of the battle.
—Wait, she didn't just tank, she saved everyone from getting wiped when Nemmorino went into phase 2.
—Yeah, look, she deliberately stood in the poison! It's crazy!
—Maybe she's not as bad as people say she is.
The forum was abuzz. Some considered her a random upstart, others a mechanic genius.
But the fact remained: the nickname [Disava] was now known to everyone.
And even those who had been thinking about her name with annoyance were now wondering if she was really special.
The rumors continued unabated, and of course, they reached those who were waiting at the entrance to Nemmorino's lair before the Coyotes. They were furious.
Valentin squinted angrily as he read the game's forum, his nails digging into his skin as if it were not a game but a personal insult.
Next to him stood Leroy45, both with the same thought in their eyes: to prevent these "lucky" individuals from escaping with victory.
Zike's group emerged from the passageway one by one, the gray moss beneath their feet, and the moist steam rising in clouds.
As soon as the first of them appeared in the [Egg Zone], an onslaught emerged from the shadows, with dozens of Coyote members blocking the exit.
Their usernames hung above their heads like a military salute, red and menacing, with skulls and emblems. Some had crosses flashing in their chat, and others were already placing bets in private threads.
Valentin stepped forward, and his voice fell on the crowd like a boulder.
—You're paying for your insolence, Zikei! How much longer are you going to steal other people's victories? We'll put you on a stake in this game until everyone gets bored!
The words flowed quickly, the gestures were cumbersome. He knew no shame, only the righteous indignation of the leader.
Learoy45 grinned from ear to ear and pointed at me, as if pointing at
—And what about this toad? Let's cut its head off right here, ladies and gentlemen. Put its belongings in the common chest, and let's see who's the hero. Maybe we can even upload a video, haha!
His voice was sharp and mocking, and he was waiting for the crowd to approve. Some of the coyotes were whispering, and some were already preparing commands for a PK or a pure gank.
Valentin approached Zikei, and there was fury in his voice.
—So, hero of the day, do you think that just because you were lucky enough to defeat Apostil, you can do whatever you want?
Zikei replied coldly, without taking a step back.
—I don't think so. I'm just doing it.
It sounded very rude and inappropriate to Valentin.
—Do you know how many times you've sabotaged Coyote raids? How many people have lost rare artifacts because of you? You've stolen loot, broken deals, and escaped when you were almost caught. Now you're embarrassing us in front of the entire network!
Zikei just shrugged:
—Maybe you should just be faster, asshole.
—Are you kidding? I'm going to make sure you're surrounded! The PK murders will be watching your every move! Every time you log in, you'll be greeted with steel blades and poison!
—Sounds like an invitation to a party.
Zikei suddenly burst out laughing, so loudly and unexpectedly that even the nearby fighters from the Coyote guild were momentarily taken aback.
—Did you hear them, boy?
He turned around, nodding in the direction where I was standing.
I nodded slightly, my eyes flashing behind the interface mask. Before we left Nemmorino's lair, I had told Zikei that Elk and I shared a friend, someone who had been in contact with me through video calls.
I didn't mention that this "friend" was actually my brother. In a game where betrayal was more valuable than rare artifacts, revealing such information could be a mistake.
I said he was just a friend, I whispered softly just before I left. But he was writing everything. Every conversation, every threat.
Now, facing Valentin, who was seething with rage, I slowly lowered my hand to my belt and activated the transparent menu.
For a moment, a recording flashed in the air: Guildmaster Valentin, his voice distorted by anger, shouting about "PC scammers" and "hunting."
The Coyotes' crowd fell silent.
—The plan works. I said calmly, looking at Zikei.
—It's all recorded. He buried himself.
Zikei chuckled and stepped closer to Valentin, whose eyes darted between the screen and his own fighters.
—You know, Valentin, sometimes the best way to defeat a monster is just to let it talk.
He turned to me.
—Tell your friend that this video will be worth more than all their trophies combined.
—I already have. He's sending a copy to the general forum.
And as the words reached Valentin's ears, a look of realization crossed his face.
Notifications flashed somewhere in the interface: "Topic created: [Record: Valentine's Confession, Coyote Guild]."
Valentin couldn't take it anymore. His face contorted, his fingers turned white with rage, and he drew his sword, roaring:
—Kill them, Coyotes!
His band of thugs charged forward, their footsteps echoing through the [Egg Zone].
But suddenly the ground beneath my feet shook, and a glow erupted from beneath it, and a familiar miniature figure in a cabbage-leaf cloak emerged from the swirl of light.
—I am with you again, my friend!
Fritte said in a ringing voice, stretching out his arms. A magical circle with teleportation symbols bloomed around him.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Before leaving Nemmorino's lair, I had agreed with Fritte to quickly head to the Fairy Kingdom's inn, and if the situation got out of hand, he would pull them out through a hidden portal.
As promised, the little spirit did not let me down.
—Everyone, come here quickly!
Fritte shouted, flapping his wings.
—Before the portal collapses!
Aka-32 grabbed Zikei's hand and pulled him into the circle. Elk was dragging his equipment behind him, cursing.
—Hurry up!
Zikei, the last in line, stopped at the edge of the portal. He slowly turned to face Valentin, who was already charging at him with his sword raised. A smile was frozen on his face.
He gave him the finger.
—If you're going to try and catch us, do it right, Valentin. Your guild just crushed all the local eggs... and raised the noise level.
—What are you talking about?
—Enjoy the Swarm...
He stepped back into the portal, which immediately collapsed, leaving only a trail of glowing dust.
System notifications flashed on the screen of the Coyotes guild members:
[ Attention: You have increased the noise threshold to 100% ]
[ Attention: You have crushed all the ant larvae eggs! ]
[ Attention: The Swarm event has been activated ]
[ Attention: you cannot escape until you have survived the event ]
A second of silence and the ground exploded with movement. From cracks, pits, and damp nests, creatures emerged.
Armored ants the size of humans, with green carapaces and gleaming jaws. There were thousands of them.
—Zikei, you're a bastard!
Valentin growled, choking, as he fought off the first wave.
The next day, the entire "Log Apofis" forum was ablaze. The video of Valentin's confession, posted on the public channel, had over three million views in a day.
There were so many comments that the server temporarily slowed down.
"That's why their guild was called the Scavengers. They ate themselves."
"Zikei is a legend. This moment will go down in history!"
"Disava is back in action... and it looks like she was on the run for a reason."
By the evening, the developers had officially confirmed:
Valentin and all members of the Coyotes guild were permanently banned for their toxic behavior and violation of the game rules.
Aka-32, looking at all this, just chuckled:
—It seems that you won again this time, my friend.
And I just smiled wearily and whispered:
—No... we just survived.
(To be continued in Tom 2 )