Kami Kaze remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the throne. Thoughts raced through his mind. Finally, he turned to Yumi.

  "Do you think... any of them will ever come back?"

  Yumi hesitated. For a second, it seemed like even she didn't know. In the end, she sighed.

  "I don't know... but deep inside, I feel like they won’t."

  They both fell silent for a moment. But then, Raiden straightened up, shaking off his heavy thoughts, and nodded at Yumi.

  "Come on, let's check on our guild," he said simply.

  Together, they stepped forward, their footsteps echoing through the dark corridor, where faint light flickered on smooth stone walls. The atmosphere was strange—not suffocating or frightening, but filled with an ancient echo of camaraderie and power shared among guild members.

  The walls were adorned with massive paintings depicting the guild’s historical moments, their triumphs and declines. Among them stood statues—no, gigantic golems—each carved in the likeness of former members. Perfect replicas. Their stone eyes seemed almost alive, as if watching every passerby.

  At the corridor’s end, figures emerged. Maids in magnificent dresses, their steps silent and graceful, moving with an unnatural elegance. Delicate lace and golden embroidery adorned their attire, but their faces… were hidden behind masks. Each bore a unique pattern, a different symbolism, yet they all radiated the same cold detachment.

  Raiden and Yumi passed them by. Without a word, the maids bowed slightly and remained motionless.

  In Eterna Skirmish Online, players could design their NPCs however they wished. There were no restrictions, except that the game adhered to 18+ content bans.

  In Eterna Skirmish Online (ESO), players could choose between three main racial categories: Heteromorphic, Humanoid, and Demihumanoid.

  Humanoid races included elves, half-elves, dwarves, gnomes, aasimars, halflings, and more. They were known for their diversity and balanced abilities. These races excelled in magic, possessed strong talents, and had highly adaptable traits, making them very popular among players.

  Demihumanoid races, on the other hand, were less appealing at first glance and often had distinct appearances. This category included goblins, lizardmen, cyclopes, and others. While they rarely boasted beauty or charm, their combat strength was formidable. These races were known for their resilience, physical power, and survival capabilities, making them invaluable in battle and harsh environments.

  Heteromorphic races were the most unique, often boasting high (especially offensive) stats and abilities that gave them major advantages in combat. However, their exceptional strengths came with significant drawbacks. While their battle prowess and endurance were extraordinary, their monstrous appearances and unique traits made them vulnerable in social interactions and certain in-game situations.

  In total, the game featured a thousand playable races, each with its own unique abilities, lore, and impact on the world of Eterna Skirmish Online. Players had countless options when choosing races, classes, and skills for their gaming experience.

  They finally arrived.

  Before them stood a colossal gate, dark and ominous, adorned with depictions of torment and suffering. Hard wood and cold metal fused to form an enormous entrance, its surface carved with faces twisted in eternal agony. They seemed almost alive, as if trying to scream, their voices lost in endless torment.

  Above the gate hovered a giant skull with massive curved horns. Its hollow eye sockets glowed with a dim red light, giving the impression of an unseen predator watching its prey.

  A thin crack ran between the massive wings of the gate, emitting a dim glow—a crimson line resembling a path forward.

  Thick mist coiled around them, strangely heavy, while distant screams of unknown beings echoed through the air. The atmosphere vibrated with an eerie intensity.

  This gate was not just the entrance to the guild.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Now, with only two of the original fifty-seven members standing before it, the moment felt melancholic. Once, this place had been lively—filled with laughter, arguments, battle strategies, and countless hours spent building something greater than themselves. But now, only Raiden—Kami Kaze—and Yumi remained.

  Yet, they held no resentment. They understood that survival in the real world was more important than a game. Life moved on, and their former comrades had to follow their own paths. Some vanished without a word, others tried to stay in touch, but over time, their messages became less frequent until they stopped completely. It was inevitable.

  They had to accept it. Even though they stood alone, they knew the guild they had built was once a home to many. And as long as they remained, the memories of their shared efforts would not fade completely.

  Raiden and Yumi gazed at the gate for a moment. Then, without a word, they stepped inside.

  The gate they entered was no ordinary entrance—it was a symbol of their guild, their friendships, the result of countless hours of hard work and enormous investments. It had taken them months to complete. Every member had contributed—some with their skills, others with their time, and the most dedicated even with their own finances, sacrificing everything they could spare to construct such a monumental structure.

  The doors were crafted from the rarest materials, obtained from the depths of dungeons. Magical crystals, high-value game items, and other artifacts formed the core of the construction, ensuring not only immense durability but also an overwhelming aura radiating from them. Every stone was meticulously shaped to fit perfectly.

  When the gate was finally finished, they all felt pride.

  During those months, as they worked together, friendships were forged. They weren’t just guild members or players—they were family. The sleepless nights spent planning, mining rare materials, hunting monsters, raiding bosses, countless discussions on how to perfect defensive enchantments—each of them had poured a piece of themselves into this project.

  As Raiden and Yumi stepped inside, they were greeted by a vast, grand hallway of black marble. Each step on the polished floor echoed, reverberating against the massive, decorated pillars lining the space.

  At the center of the hall stood a long, dark table, its surface as smooth as obsidian. And upon it rested a Black Crown—a divine-tier item that once symbolized control over the guild.

  Along the hall’s sides stood twenty-one massive doors, each leading to a different guild floor. Every gate was guarded by mighty beings.

  Seventeen doors were protected by demons from the Books of Solomon, nightmarish entities with eyes burning with hellfire and bodies shifting between matter and shadow.

  The remaining five were guarded by angels with beast-like faces, creatures embodying the highest celestial orders, their flaming wings casting a dim glow upon the cold stone corridor.

  Each floor was unique, a world of its own with its own rules, landscapes, and lethal defenses. Carefully designed to reflect the styles and visions of the guild members who had created them. Most importantly, each was guarded by powerful NPCs, ranging from level 500 to 560.

  Some mirrored reality, like:

  A boundless grassy field, filled with fragrant flowers and an eternally clear sky.

  A replica of grand cities, capturing the architecture of real-world locations, from ancient temples to bustling streets.

  A serene ocean realm, its waves glistening like gemstones under the moonlight.

  Others, however, were born from darkness:

  A hellscape, where flames devoured ruins, rivers of lava oozed through the charred land, and the sky was a void of endless darkness.

  A prison of eternal suffering, where chains rattled, black iron bars loomed, and despair lingered like a ghost.

  Each floor was a masterpiece.

  As Raiden and Yumi observed, Yumi smirked.

  "Surprising... I expected the sentinels to be gone, either dismissed or slain by former members," she mused.

  She decided to try it. Only the one who created these creatures could give them orders, but each of them was programmed to obey the commands of guild members as well. She raised her hand and, in a clear voice, issued the command: "Depart."

  The figures didn't move. They simply dissolved into the air, as if their existence had faded into nothingness. And yet, they hadn’t truly disappeared—they were NPCs, bound to the system, their essence not so easily erased.

  Raiden and Yumi moved to a long, dark table and sat in ornate chairs. As soon as they settled in, a blue screen with elegant gothic lettering appeared before them:

  "Lords of Kuro no Tenshi. Glory!"

  It was a greeting they had once created as part of the guild’s system interface. A small but pleasant reminder of old times.

  Without hesitation, they began clicking through the status menus.

  First choice—Guild Status.

  100% intact.

  Raiden nodded slightly.

  "At least something hasn’t changed."

  Then they clicked on Territory Management.

  The Kuro no Tenshi guild controlled multiple territories. It was the result of hard-fought wars against players of other races in the past. However, these conflicts rarely ended in the guild’s favor—despite possessing several divine and even world-class items, their armies were small, poorly coordinated, and often unprepared for prolonged warfare.

  While individual guild members were among the most powerful players in the game, their territorial conquest strategy had been chaotic. Attacks were uncoordinated, lacking clear leadership, and often ended in crushing defeat.

  That changed when Raiden proposed a complete reorganization of the army and a new system of warfare. After weeks of testing and adjustments, the guild finally gained a strategic advantage over their enemies. With the new command structure and refined battle plans, Kuro no Tenshi managed to conquer several key territories.

  Among the most valuable were mines containing rare materials for forging legendary weapons and artifacts. These mines provided a steady supply of resources, allowing for massive military reinforcement and guild fortifications.

  However, their rule did not last forever. As time passed, many members stopped playing, leaving only a handful of active players. Sensing an opportunity, alliances of human and other-race players launched coordinated assaults on the weakened Kuro no Tenshi territories.

  Despite desperate defenses, the guild lost one stronghold after another. In the end, only a few fortresses remained, and the once-glorious empire dwindled to a mere shadow of its former self.

  Yumi blinked and tilted her head in surprise.

  "Wait… we still control all our original territories?"

  The number didn't make sense. During wars against human players and raids on bosses, they had lost several key fortresses and strategic points. So how was it possible that all the territories still belonged to the guild?

  Kami kaze pondered for a moment.

  "Maybe some territories automatically regenerated? Or the system classified them as permanently owned?"

  Yumi, however, was far from calm. If the territories were regenerating on their own, and if the system still considered them active, that meant one thing—something was wrong.

  "This has never happened before…" she muttered, her fingers nervously tapping the interface menu.

  "Lost territories never returned automatically. We had to reclaim them, invest resources, upgrade defenses… But here, it looks like the guild’s land is restoring itself, as if it's some kind of indestructible system element."

  Kami Kaze furrowed his brows.

  "But that would mean our territory isn’t following standard game rules… If it truly regenerates on its own…"

  Yumi pressed her lips together.

  "Then there’s a chance that the guild system is operating under different laws than it should. And if it's behaving differently…"

  Both of them stared at the Guild Status bar. 100% intact.

  Yet, only one question echoed in their minds.

  What the hell is going on?