506 Into the Portal

"Welcome to Verdant Woods, in the popular monument of the three statues in an area in which the elves called Yil'Quessir Ayin," Ren announced to the others.

Ren felt like he was a tour guide. But he had to explain some things so the others wouldn't feel that they got scammed. He had to at least introduce some things since these were all new to them. It was all part of the payment.

Verdant Woods, the land of the elves, was a magical and wondrous place where the natural world was alive and vibrant, filled with ancient trees that towered high into the sky and crystal-clear streams that flowed through verdant meadows. The air was sweet and fragrant with the scent of wildflowers and the hum of bees, and the sunlight dappled the forest floor in warm, golden hues.

Since Ren had already cleared the quest, the Yil'Quessir Ayin was back to its usual beauty.

Ren gave the players some time to take in the view and the surroundings. "I'll give you one minute to take in the view before I open the portal to the Fey Realm."

The players scarcely heard him. They were busy looking around, taking in the sights and sounds of this new world. They were filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement, eager to explore this new realm and all that it had to offer.

The leaders of the guilds, however, had other plans. They checked their map, eager to see what lay ahead. But their excitement was overshadowed by disappointment when they found their map blotted with blank ink. This meant that the areas were not yet explored, and until Ren himself gave them his map, it would stay that way.

Ren was ignorant of their thoughts while playing with the stone in his hand, contemplating whether to summon Princess Elena now or wait until the players crossed to the other side.

In the end, Ren decided on the latter. If the Princess had to grace them with her heart-skipping presence, he would like it if she did so after they had crossed to the Fey Realm so not many would notice her presence by then as all their attention would be consumed with the lands of the Fey.

"Hey, you!"

Ren looked over at Hugo, Fern, Roni, and Greta from Great Dynasty. Hugo was leading the front, and the first thing that he did when he was in front of Ren was pointing a finger at him.

"It's you, right? That guy from Maze Forest. I know it's you. You're the reason why we got wiped out. We thought that you were an NPC, but you're a player, right?" Hugo accused, drawing little attention in their direction, for the others was still busy admiring the scenery.

Ren did not rise to the bait and asked with just a hint of a smile, "Do you have proof?"

Ren could see the tightness around Hugo and Roni's mouths, the barely suppressed anger in their eyes.

"That cloak and name are proof enough," Roni barked. "We knew that it was you. Stop pretending that you don't know us."

"All of this couldn't be just a coincidence," added Hugo. "You were just in Maze Forest days ago, and now you have access to Verdant Woods which could only be accessed in Maze Forest. How many players with the name Ren with the same cloak, and loitering around in Maze Forest could there be in this world to just pass this out as a coincidence?"

Ren shrugged and said dully, "I don't know. Dozens maybe? You clearly got the wrong guy."

Roni's mouth gave a bitter twist. "Got the wrong guy, my ass! We know that it's you!" That event had cost him his year's pay and a demotion in the ranks! Either that or he was out from the guild. He would be dammed if he couldn't get his revenge!

"Pay us the trouble you have cost us! You fooled us into that trap, and don't forget that you have killed me!" Roni wouldn't settle for less than a million gil.

"Are you sure that you wanted to make an enemy of me right now?" Ren said with wry amusement.

Roni paused and pried for Ren's face with no success. "What do you mean?"

Hugo hunched over his shoulders, silent and sullen, when he got what Ren meant. The contract clearly stated that they could be replaced as long as they hadn't entered the Fey Realm.

"I could easily kick you out of the group if I wanted to."

Roni's throat dried in dread. "You can't do that. We had paid you!"

"You didn't read the contract, I see." Ren faked a disappointed sigh. "Why don't you ask your leader if I'm telling the truth or just making things up?"

Roni's insolence turned tail at the face of Hugo's grumpy look.

"Let's go," Hugo said after a brief silence and breathed out from his mouth in a long hiss of curses as he retreated.

"Egh?" Roni was lost, and he shifted his attention from his retreating group and Ren. Under his wounded pride, he gave a final snap to save what was left of his vanity.

"We're not over," he said with loathing and exited.

Ren didn't rise to the jibe and decided to break the stone that Queen Eleanor gave him. Even when the other players were still stuck in their amazement at the place, he was impatient to enter the Fey world.

The stone on his hand broke with a crack, and the three statues glowed with an otherworldly light that stole the players' attention to the portal that soon appeared in the center of the three statues.

"Everyone, if you're ready, enter the portal, and once you're in the Fey Realm, you're on your own. You can start exploring as soon as you step foot in the land of the Fairies if you want," Ren said, half bored and half unbothered.

He hadn't finished talking when everyone raced towards the portal to get to the other side, nervous with excitement. The competition had started, and whoever dillydally would get left behind.

Ren held his silence when Roz passed him with a strange beast in tow. In comparison, Isolde tried her best to ignore Ren but failed miserably as she kept peeking at him at every chance she got. He ignored her, though.

It even looked like she was ready to bolt in his direction if not for Ren's silent warning stares.