I Can Extract Game Items

One of Xyron's lackeys chimed in with a sneer. "Yeah, don't you know who you're talking to? This is Lord Xyron, one of the richest players in Tagharuim!"

August held back a sigh. His patience felt slightly tested but his face remained calm. "Look, I apologized. Didn't mean to bump into you."

Xyron's eyes narrowed, sizing him up with obvious disdain. "Apology or not, maybe you should watch where you're going. Not everyone is as... forgiving as I am." He smirked, as if relishing his own words.

"Noted," August replied smoothly, refusing to let the man's arrogance rile him up. He gave a slight nod, then turned to walk away.

As he left, he could hear Xyron muttering behind him to his lackeys, "I swear, the game is filled with nothing but amateurs these days. Not everyone is cut out to make it to the top."

August couldn't be bothered, he had to go and grind at the moment.

...

...

August moved with stealth and precision as he approached the Darkspire Caves.

The area seemed eerier than the cave of shadows with pointy rocks, twisted formations and gnarled trees that seemed to whisper secrets in a language only shadows could understand.

The red-hued sky cast everything in a bloody glow, making the towering stone pillars and vine-choked trees appear even more sinister.

The Darkspire Caves were notorious, not just for the high-level creatures lurking within but also for the lawlessness that reigned here.

Being a Red Zone, players could—and often did—attack each other without penalty. It was a place only the confident or the foolhardy would enter alone.

In the distance, August spotted Xyron and his entourage striding confidently toward the entrance of the cave.

He didn't expect to meet them here again. This was a complete coincidence.

Xyron was clad in the same gleaming armor that seemed to radiate a powerful aura. Elaborate engravings adorned them with a lustrous finish that set him apart from the rest of his followers.

His new Greatsword, nearly as tall as he was, shimmered with an ominous, pulsing energy. It was clear that this weapon had cost him a small fortune, and he was eager to test its strength on the creatures within the caves.

"Stay sharp, everyone. We're here to grind, not to lose levels to amateurs," Xyron announced in a voice that echoed with arrogance. His followers nodded with eager and sharp eyes.

"Clear out!" Xyron voice boomed.

Several players who had been cautiously grinding near the cave's entrance turned toward him.

Expressions of annoyance and anger formed as they realized who had arrived.

They had likely already heard of Lord Xyron's reputation and his powerful crew, but a few seemed hesitant to leave their grind spot.

One player, clearly reluctant to lose his territory, stood his ground, clutching a sword that glowed faintly. "We were here first," he muttered defiantly, although his voice betrayed a hint of fear.

Xyron's expression twisted with disdain as he casually approached, leveling his gaze on the player. "I don't care who was here first. Either get lost, or lose a level. Your choice." He grinned as his hand rested on the hilt of his Greatsword.

One of Xyron's followers chimed in, "Yeah, we don't have time for weaklings trying to stand in our way. Move it."

The defiant player hesitated, glancing at his companions who looked just as uncertain.

He exchanged a brief, reluctant look with them before sheathing his sword and turning to leave. "Let's go. It's not worth it," he murmured to them.

Most players took the hint and began retreating, unwilling to risk the wrath of Xyron and his well-equipped lackeys.

A few muttered under their breath and lingered a bit longer before reluctantly leaving.

A handful of players, emboldened by sheer frustration, decided to fight back. They unsheathed their weapons, sending a wave of magic and strikes toward Xyron's group.

But Xyron and his lackeys had no intention of going easy. They engaged swiftly with overwhelming attacks.

Within moments, the opposing players were defeated and forcibly respawned with one level fewer than they had entered the cave.

Xyron smirked with clearly bolstered ego. "That's what happens when amateurs try to stand against the best."

From a hidden vantage point nearby, August watched the entire display unfold. He had witnessed the shameless display of power and arrogance.

"Perhaps it's time to bring back the steal killing ghost," he thought out loud as a sly smile formed.

Moving with stealth and agility, he kept his distance, ensuring he was concealed in the shadows as Xyron and his group ventured further into the depths of the Darkspire Caves.

The deeper they went, the more treacherous the terrain became.

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The path twisted through caverns draped in thick, hanging moss that glowed faintly, casting an eerie greenish-blue light across the walls.

Pools of stagnant water collected in depressions along the path, and the air was thick with the acrid stench of sulfur and decay. Occasional wisps of mist floated just above the ground, giving the entire cave an unsettling, haunted feel.

Xyron grinned as he spotted a Level 26 Shadow Serpent slithering nearby. It's scales reflected the faint bioluminescent glow of the moss.

With a confident swing, he raised his Greatsword and struck the creature.

His lackeys flanked him to provide support with ranged and melee attacks. The Shadow Serpent hissed, baring its fangs, but its health bar was dropping quickly under their combined assault.

Just as the serpent's HP hit a critical sliver, August, hidden in the shadows, activated his Lightning Spell. With precise timing, a bolt of lightning shot forward, striking the creature and delivering the final blow.

[ System Notification: You have dealt the final blow. EXP granted. ]

Xyron froze, staring at the vanishing corpse of the Shadow Serpent in disbelief. His Greatsword had been mid-swing, ready to claim the kill.

He whirled around while scanning the shadows.

"What the hell just happened?" he barked as his face darkened with frustration.

One of his lackeys looked around nervously. "I—I think someone stole the kill, Lord Xyron."

Lord Xyron's eyes narrowed in anger. "A kill stealer, huh? Let them show their face. No one does that to me."

However, August had already slipped away. His form melded into the shadows as he repositioned to another spot. He watched with amusement as Xyron and his crew tried to find him but to no avail.

They pressed on, encountering a group of Level 27 Warped Spiders.

Their spindly legs twitched as they skittered toward the players. Xyron and his crew attacked with renewed fervor.

"Earth Splitting Swing!"

Each swing of his Greatsword sent a powerful shockwave reeling forward.

Just as they were about to finish the largest of the spiders, August once again unleashed a Lightning Bolt, landing the final blow.

[ System Notification: You have dealt the final blow. EXP granted. ]

Xyron's frustration turned visible as he screamed into the darkened cave. "Show yourself, you coward!"

In the distance, August couldn't help but chuckle, though he kept it silent.

"You bastard! When I catch you... I'll skin you alive!"

August ignored the threats and continued tailing. Each time Xyron's group weakened a creature, he moved closer, positioning himself for the perfect moment to strike.

With every kill he stole, Xyron's frustration only grew, and his lackeys exchanged worried glances.

"Maybe it's... the Kill Stealing Ghost. I think I heard of a player like that at the cave of shadows once..." one of them whispered.

The nickname August had earned previously rang fearfully in his voice.

"Don't be ridiculous," Xyron snapped in anger. "It's just some weakling who thinks they're clever."

August continued to bide his time, observing Xyron's movements as he prepared his next kill steal.

After a while, Xyron and his followers encountered a massive Level 27 Abyssal Lurker. Its sinewy, serpentine body coiled around the cavern floor while it's red eyes glared menacingly as it hissed.

It's claws raked against the stone upon spotting the weaklings that dared crossed it's path.

"Perfect," Xyron muttered while gripping his Greatsword as he lunged forward.

His lackeys supported him with magic and ranged attacks. The Abyssal Lurker's HP bar dropped steadily, though it put up a fierce fight. It's tail lashed out occasionally, knocking some of Xyron's men off their feet.

August crept closer with his custom staff in hand. With a quiet incantation, he activated Ethereal Storm, summoning a dark vortex above the Lurker.

Suddenly, a bolt of energy shot down from the void, slamming into the creature and obliterating the last of its health.

[ System Notification: You have dealt the final blow. EXP granted. ]

Xyron's face contorted with rage as he whirled around, glaring at the shadows. "Enough! Whoever's doing this, come out and fight me like a man!"

By now, Xyron was livid, practically seething as he stomped around the cave. His lackeys trailed behind him in confusion and frustration.

One of his followers, trying to calm him down, said nervously, "M-Maybe we should move to another spot, Lord Xyron. It seems we're... being targeted."

Xyron clenched his fists with barely restrained anger. "Fine. We'll move deeper into the cave. But if I find this kill stealer, I swear, they'll regret it."