The Achievement Junkie

A hole started to open up in the clouds as a lone figure descended to face Lorwynn with a twisted grin.

But Argyle only glanced at the two men as the lightning stopped raining down on the city for the time being. He understood that the two men were now conversing for only their ears, however, he had no time to focus on that situation.

The Fact Goose was already in view. All they had to do now was cross the city market, but Argyle dashed in front of the other three, blocking them from going further.

"Hey! What are you--"

Just then, an echoing thud resounded as a figure fell from the sky and landed a few meters in front of Argyle. It was a huge mountain of a man wielding a greataxe who tilted his head from side to side, letting Argyle hear the crackles as the man loosed his neck.

"You're Argyle, right?" asked the hulking figure, looking down on Argyle from half a meter up. "Join us!"

"I decline!" shouted Argyle. "Now let them through or I'll kill you on the spot."

"Oh, I like that plan! Let's have a go!" snickered the man, lunging forward with his greataxe.

Argyle would normally sidestep the attack, but that wasn't in the card due to the three people hiding behind him.

"Then die!"

A sword appeared in Argyle's hand. It was then coated in a sharp aura, like the rest of the Argyle's body. Since he wasn't able to see through the attacker's strength and he was warned they might be from the syndicate which Daruun had warned Argyle of recently, Argyle went all-out from the very start.

"Go!" Argyle shouted as he parried the greataxe, proking the thee people behind him to get moving.

Those three took action and started to run, but that man didn't dare stop them. Instead, the wicked grin on his face turned serious as he looked to his weapon. A large crack was now formed in the rod supporting the axe head, in the very spot that Argyle had swatted at.

Now on guard, the man asked, "What sword is that?"

"My murder weapon!"

Not caring to speak, Argyle pushed ahead with a flurry of strikes. They were either blocked or dodged by the uncharacteristically quick man. But Argyle was gaining more and more momentum as the fight started to pick up its pace.

More and more figures were dropping from the sky. Many landed in the market but dozens were still scattered across the city.

However, none approached the three running toward the Fat Goose.

The men and women who dropped from the sky all had a target in mind, entering nearby shops or influential buildings. Most of those people darted toward the Adventurers Association, earnest in drawing out the strongest combatants. Rather than give up their pawns, the syndicate dropped some of their more powerful warriors first to keep their pawns alive for as long as possible.

Marisha and her parents were at the front steps of the Fat Goose when they looked back to Argyle's assault on the man that had blocked them. They could hardly keep up with their eyes, let alone imagine how strong those attacks were between both combatants.

"Marisha!"

Relief filled Marisha's heart as she heard her husband's voice. "There you are!"

Zariff dashed up the stairs, completely exhausted while at the same time entirely on guard due to the situation. When he saw Argyle holding back that man, Zariff grabbed his wife by the hand. "Hurry! Let's get inside!"

Hearing Zariff's shout, Argyle stepped back for a moment and smiled to see them out of sight.

"What? What happened to your fury? Your rage?!" That man started to gain more confidence again. "You don't know this, but I've been training for over a century. There's no way you can--"

"Three attacks."

Infuriated to be cut off during his intimidating back story, the man grunted. "You! If you're so cocky, then--"

"You'll die in three attacks, regardless of how long you trained," stated Argyle, amping up his sharp aura ridiculously. "Now die!"

Bursting forward at his full, unbridled speed, Argyle thrust his blade forward with precision.

Knowing all too well that Argyle's sword was somehow damaging his mythic-tier weapon, the man didn't dare let Argyle's strike hit its intended target. Dark red energy covered the man as he startled to cackle wildly.

The first strike didn't even glance the axe-wielding man. But Argyle's blade only changed directions, resulting in a slash blocked by the man's axe.

"Two attacks till your death."

"Shut up and fight!" shouted the man, growing to hate Argyle more by the second.

Argyle's second attack was already underway, though. His blocked slash led to Argyle turning in the air to use the recoil of the block to his advantage, launching a diagonal slash with even more energy poured into it.

Unwilling to take the attack and unable to back away after already evading the first attack, the man launched his own attack to meet Argyle head-on in a full power clash.

As the piercing light blue energy clashed with the dark red energy, the greataxe suddenly lightened in the man's hand. Speechless, the man saw the head of his greataxe get sliced off by Argyle's attack, leaving the man wide open to the fear that was finally setting in.

"Send more for Argy--"

The man tried his best to call other warriors and warn them about his defeat, but Argyle's blade pierced through the man's full-plate armor and carved into his throat. His words were cut short, just like his life.

Argyle immediately dashed toward the Fat Goose, not daring to stay any longer as more and more fights were breaking out between high-level combatants. Some neighboring buildings were already being razed to the ground from the effects of battle. Other warriors soon noticed the fall of Argyle's opponent, both shocked and giddy at the outcome.

While a few more men started to target Argyle and the Fat Goose, Argyle shouted in his mind, 'Tralon, has my guild already escaped?'

'Nearly everyone is through, just hurry!' replied the mage.

'But if I draw others to the circle, then--'

'Even better! Do that, but escape the moment you're able!' replied Tralon, confusing Argyle. 'Now hurry!'

'Fine!' Argyle shook his head in disbelief by Tralon's plan but he followed along anyway. However, since the guild house was empty, Argyle broke through the building to reach the circle in a straight shot.

In the marketplace, Hurmot was already battling his own opponent to keep him away from his guild house, but he was amazed to see Argyle carve through his opponent so cleanly. And when Argyle rocketed into the Fat Goose without caring for the building, Hurmot wondered what Argyle might be up to or what he might know. And with that in his mind, how could Hurmot not start imagining Jack as a cause of that?

The managers of the Celestial Crane were also outside, but opponents quickly arrived for them after they aided Hurmot in overwhelming his foe.

Golden Haven was having a terrible time. Their owner was still absent on an anonymous leave and the managers were struggling to hold back the opponents trying to raid their guild.

Yet when no managers of the Fat Goose came out, it was eerily suspicious. Then Argyle destroyed his own guild house in a rush to flee from more combatants, something that Argyle would never do under normal circumstances. Hurmot was having a hard time understanding what the younger auction house owner was thinking. He wondered if Argyle was actually going to allow the invaders to take his riches, something an auction house owner would never do.

With Argyle supposedly fleeing, Hurmot decided to make a bet. While his mangers stalled the invaders, Hurmot destroyed his way into the Celestial Crane, as Argyle did with the Fat Goose. However, Hurmot was heading toward his restricted storage.