Chapter 56: Shift in Allegiance
Moonlight Beauty stood at the edge of the battlefield, her health bar hanging by a thread. She looked defeated—stunned not just by the outcome, but by how easily it had come about. What she’d expected to be a close and thrilling duel had turned into a one-sided massacre. And worst of all, her opponent hadn’t even seemed to try.
She had entered the match with confidence, maybe even a little arrogance. In her mind, Featherlight was just another lucky scrub who had stumbled into a Glorious Achievement by chance. Surely, with her skill set and high-tier gear, she could hold her own. But from the very first exchange, it was clear she’d underestimated him. Badly.
Ryan hadn’t even broken a sweat. He opened with a Judgment Hammer, stunning her on the spot, followed by a Judgment and then a Fist of Light. That combination alone was devastating—but it was his weapon that made it lethal. Command, his enchanted hammer, guaranteed a critical hit on stunned targets when used with Judgment. In seconds, 420 health points vanished from her bar.
And that wasn’t all.
Judgment’s impact also triggered Command’s passive effect, tacking on an extra 26 damage. Fist of Light didn’t crit this time, but it still landed with its bonus for another 200 damage. Just like that, Moonlight Beauty’s already limited health pool evaporated. She had about 600 HP total—impressive for a warrior specced for burst damage—but nowhere near enough to stand against the raw durability and consistent output of a tank Paladin like Ryan.
Even more humiliating? He hadn’t even used basic attacks. He didn’t throw his Avenger’s Shield, either—one of the signature abilities in his Protection build. No, he beat her effortlessly, holding back. And still, she’d lost.
There was no strategy she could point to, no excuse to cling to. No lag, no unfair item, no fluke. Just raw, overwhelming power. Worse still, her armor had done little to mitigate his Radiant attacks. She might as well have been fighting naked.
"Guild Leader, you’re crazy strong! I definitely made the right choice joining this guild."
Moonlight Beauty’s frustration lingered for only a moment before she pulled herself together. It was the kind of loss that stung deep—but she was too proud to sulk for long. She turned to Ryan, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Guild Leader, are we moving on to other quests?"