The Golden Star Festival was in full swing, and Alex walked through the lively streets of [Star City], the festive energy radiating from every corner.
Every player’s vision showed a countdown though, because out of the four hours, only three remained until the event ended.
That wasn’t much time to accomplish everything he wanted, but it was enough to keep him busy.
The festival offered three main activities, and Alex planned to make the most of them.
[Speed Course]
[Test your parkour and agility by battling other opponents. Winner gets 5 gold coins.]
[Friendly 1v1s]
[Fight a friend or foe without the risk of death or losing levels and equipment.]
[Skill Showcase]
[Display your most impressive skills in front of thousands of spectators.]
And of course, along with those three mains one, there was the secret one that only Alex knew of.
[Kars, The Wandering Merchant]
Yet again, he would bring 1000 [Fate Gift Boxes] and sell them to all the players that want to buy them.
But in comparison to the previous time, where most people thought it was a scam, people now knew that it was the real deal.
They simply needed luck, and if they got it, they could acquire some incredible items.
Needless to say, the boxes would disappear in less than five minutes.
However, he couldn’t ignore the other activities.
Each offered opportunities to test his abilities, gain rewards, and distract him from the ominous presence of the [Hatred Sect] lurking in the shadows.
The first stop was the [Speed Course].
Players gathered in a large, obstacle-filled arena, ready to test their agility and reflexes.
The course twisted through towering wooden platforms, narrow ropes, and spinning traps, promising a grueling challenge.
Alex signed up, ignoring the murmurs and stares from the crowd.
“FateBreaker’s here?” someone whispered.
“Is he seriously joining the Speed Course?” another asked.
The event began with a sharp whistle.
Alex leaped forward, his movements swift and calculated.
His agility and parkour skills had been honed through countless battles, and it showed.
He vaulted over hurdles, slid under low-hanging beams, and effortlessly balanced on narrow ledges.
Behind him, competitors struggled to keep up.
“How is he so fast?!”
“He’s not even breaking a sweat!”
The crowd erupted in cheers as he crossed the line first, securing the 5 gold coin reward.
[Balance/Money: 15 gold coins, 1 silver coins and 85 coppers]
This wasn’t enough to buy even a single [Fate Gift Box], but oh well.
“Easy,” Alex muttered, a faint smirk on his face.
Next, Alex headed back to the [Friendly 1v1s] arena.
But no one wanted to fight him though, as they knew that it would simply be a loss and humiliation.
Instead, the only one that stepped forward was Aurelia.
“I’m gonna show you how much I improved,” she grinned.
“Alright!” Alex nodded.
[3… 2… 1… GO!]
“Demonic Spear!”
Boom!
[Winner: FateBreaker!]
The battle lasted under 10 seconds.
“Oh shit…” he held his forehead, realizing that he maybe shouldn’t have used his strongest spell at first.
It was just that the tension was so high lately it had become a reflex of his.
“You destroyed me…” Aurelia sighed, gritting her teeth, though in her expression you could see that she was excited to see Alex’s overwhelming power.
“My bad,” he sighed, “What about you Alice-“
“Hell no!” Alice backed away, “You think I’m fighting you? Anyone but you! It would be fairer if you were bare handed!”
“Heh~” Alex laughed, “I think one of your [Blood Arrows] would be more than enough to kill me though…”
He wasn’t lying when he was saying that.
In fact, if Alice hit ANY player with one of her [Blood Arrows] in the head, it would be an instant death, even for him.
She couldn’t be underestimated, no matter what.
In the end, he decided not to participate in the [Skill Showcase] since it would be stupid, and also because he already did by showing his [Demonic Spear].
But as Alex exited the arena, he felt a shift in the atmosphere.
A large group of players approached, their presence suffocating.
Clad in dark armor, their insignias marked them as members of the [Overlord Guild].
Leading them was Vex, Daniel’s second-in-command.
“So, it’s true,” Vex said, his cold eyes locking onto Alex. “You’re alive.”
The crowd tightened around Alex, hundreds of [Overlord Guild] members forming a wall of hostility around him.
Their eyes burned with malice, their weapons drawn.
Alex sighed as he let out a slow breath, his patience worn thin.
Continue your adventure with empire
And so, he simply activated his [Aura] skill.
[Aura: you can use your aura to pressure and intimidate weaker enemies.]
Instantly, the air around him grew heavy and suffocating.
A dark, oppressive energy radiated outward, rippling like black flames.
To the guild members, it was as if monstrous shadows emerged from the void, demonic figures clawing closer, their hollow eyes promising death.
Terrified gasps filled the air as many dropped their weapons, paralyzed by fear.
Only Vex stood firm, his jaw tightening. “A cheap trick,” he muttered, “Where is Daniel?”
“Dead,” Alex replied without hesitation. “Gone for good. He came to me, tried to kill me, and so I killed him”
Vex’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes narrowed slightly. “So he’s back in the real world?”
“No,” Alex said, his tone final. “I eliminated him for good. He can’t come back.”
A murmur spread through the crowd as they processed the revelation.
“MartialMage is… dead?”
“FateBreaker killed Daniel permanently? No way!”
Vex’s expression darkened.
The weight of Alex’s words seemed to sink in, and moments later, a system notification echoed in the minds of every guild member.
[The Overlord Guild Leader has been killed, thus the second-in-command, Vex, will take his place.]
A hushed silence fell over the crowd, broken only by the sound of Vex taking a step forward.
Alex braced himself for retaliation, but to his surprise, Vex stopped and bowed low.
“Thank you for your service,” Vex said loudly, his voice steady and composed.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Alex and the others stunned.
The gesture caught Alex off guard.
“What the hell was that about?” he muttered, watching Vex disappear into the crowd alongside his guild members.
Alice and Aurelia exchanged confused glances, their weapons still ready.
“I don’t know,” Alice said finally, “but that was weird.”
“Yeah,” Aurelia agreed, her daggers vanishing into her shadow. “He didn’t even seem angry.”
“Let’s not waste time thinking about it,” Alex said, shaking his head. “We still have things to do.”
The girls nodded, and the trio continued navigating the festival, their earlier tension slowly fading.
[Time until end of the Golden Star Festival: 1:57:36 hours]