Finding a single player in the vast world of Arcadia was a fool's errand. Finding a high-level guild actively trying to maintain the secrecy of their quest was nearly impossible. For anyone but Lucas, that is.
He didn't wander the wilderness searching for footprints. He went to the heart of the player economy: the Auction House in Whispering Pines Crossing. He ignored the flashy listings for gear and potions, his focus entirely on the raw materials tab. He wasn't looking to buy; he was looking for data.
He sorted the listings by level, scrolling to the high-tier monster parts that only a well-organized guild could farm. He found a recent sale of [Gravewood Bark], a reagent from a Level 16 monster. He activated his [System Insight] on the seller's anonymous ID.
[Seller: Helios Guild Provisioner]
[Hidden Note: Material harvested in the Shrouded Weald. Guild is currently operating in that region to secure a key objective.]
He had them. The Shrouded Weald. It was a high-level, notoriously dangerous zone on the far side of the mountain range, infamous for its perpetual mist and aggressive undead. It was exactly the kind of place a top-tier guild would go to avoid the prying eyes of their rivals.
The journey took the better part of a day, a grueling trek through territories filled with monsters that could have killed him instantly just a week ago. But Lucas and Kael were a different beast now. They moved as one, Kael's senses detecting threats long before they were visible, and Lucas's [Designate Target] skill allowing them to surgically eliminate any lone sentinels that blocked their path with ruthless efficiency.
He arrived at the edge of the Weald as the in-game sun began to set, casting long, eerie shadows through the thick, unnatural mist. The air was cold and smelled of damp earth and decay. Glowing fungi pulsed with a soft, blue light on the trunks of gnarled, ancient trees. It was a place that felt hostile to life itself.
Lucas didn't venture in. He found a high, rocky outcropping, the same strategy he'd used at the quarry, and began his observation. For an hour, he watched the treeline, his eyes scanning for any sign of player activity. He finally found it: the brief, tell-tale flicker of a high-level fire spell, followed by the distant, muffled roar of a powerful monster. A battle.
He moved toward the sound, a ghost in the encroaching darkness. He found the Helios encampment an hour later. It was a fortified, professional operation, set up in a defensible clearing. But the mood was tense. He could see players arguing, their faces illuminated by the campfires, their frustration clear even from a distance.
He waited, his patience a practiced, weaponized stillness. He knew Evelyn wouldn't remain in the camp for long. A leader of her caliber would need space to think, to strategize away from the disappointment of her guildmates.
His patience was rewarded.
Evelyn emerged from the camp alone, walking to a small, secluded cliff that overlooked a misty valley. She stood there, her back to the forest, staring into the gloom. She was a silhouette of frustration, the proud Blademaster clearly at her wit's end.
This was the moment Lucas had engineered. He and Kael stepped out of the thick mist behind her, their footsteps making no sound on the damp moss.
"The Shrouded Weald is a long way from home, Evelyn," he said, his voice calm and quiet in the oppressive silence.
She spun around, her hand instinctively flying to the hilt of her sword, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief. The sight of him, the Tamer she'd last seen in the Grotto, appearing behind her as if summoned from the mist itself, was a profound shock to her system.
"Thorne!" she gasped, regaining her composure and narrowing her eyes. "Are you stalking me?"
"Your guild is making a lot of noise for a secret operation," Lucas replied, ignoring the accusation. He took a step forward, Kael a low, menacing shadow at his side. "You're hunting for Elder Moss, and you're failing. The respawn timer on the Grove Guardian is a nightmare, and the attrition is wearing down your members. You've hit a wall."
Every word was a hammer blow, a demonstration of his complete and total understanding of her situation. She was speechless. He knew her location, her objective, and her precise point of failure. The power dynamic, first established in the Grotto, shifted even more dramatically in his favor.
"I can help," Lucas stated simply.
"I'm not interested in another one of your deals," she retorted, her pride still a formidable shield.
"I think you are," Lucas countered, his voice losing its casual tone and taking on a sharper, colder edge. "I need to find a Sunpetal, or at least the information on where to find one. This region is known for its rare flora. You need the Elder Moss to complete your quest. It seems we have a basis for a transaction."
He let the offer hang in the air, then delivered the final, inescapable checkmate.
"Or... I could just call in that debt you owe me. And your guild can spend the next week helping me search this entire forest, bush by bush. Your choice."