Is this really a Game?!

"You suspect they were lying in wait?" The man that previously spoke asked before he chuckled.

"That isn't a bad guess, after all, you were going up against many Tier V combatants, their numbers alone are higher than the total number of Tier V combatants we possess, and that is just based on that one group you came across, there is no saying whether or not they have more in their base."

"Your choice of using the scrolls and leaving was the correct one, had you not done that, you would have been killed or captured, there is no doubt about it."

"Still, losing two transport scrolls is no small blow, each one costs 200 000 S Coins, and as if that wasn't bad enough, it's very difficult to buy more, the demand for them is much higher than the supply, so their price usually goes up by quite a bit as other territories and players do their best to bid for them."

"They're a lifesaving item that can be used anywhere at any time, alas, they are items that are meant to be used, so there is no use crying over spilled milk."

"Now, I do wonder how our guests feel about this, after all, you've been here for quite some time, why don't you join us?" The man suddenly asked as he stared straight at where Reign and Shadow were located, causing both men to furrow their brows.

"You have not done anything to show that you are hostile to us, and from how you are standing there and listening, I presume that your goal was the same as ours, to gather more information."

"Since we have already gotten acquainted with one another, even though it wasn't in the best way possible, why not sit down and talk with us?"

The entire table was silent as the two men that had just arrived, as well as the Tier Vs that Reign and Shadow followed showed nervous and solemn expressions after hearing their leader speak.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed as Shadow and Reign removed their cloaking and appeared from the side before walking over to the table at which two new chairs suddenly appeared from the floor.

The two sat down, seemingly unbothered by the fact that there were 12 Tier V combatants present right next to them.

"My name is Ishmail, I am the leader of this territory." The man who had noticed Reign and Shadow said as he smiled at them.

He was a man of Middle Eastern descent and had long black hair that fell down to his shoulders. His eyes were brown and seemingly filled with knowledge as staring for too long would make one seemingly hypnotized.

He had a short beard that was neatly trimmed and a sharp jawline. His muscles were obvious even when he was wearing a robe and from the way he spoke, a certain calmness and authority were present and felt by others.

"Reign, I'm the leader of the group you were following." Reign stated calmly as the people who had been following them glanced at him with concern.

None of them had sensed Reign and Shadow follow them, and they were mostly Tier V combatants. Even if they weren't able to sense the two, at least their two comrades who stayed and continued following the group should have been able to notice something, and yet even they were certain that Reign and Shadow had simply gone ahead of the group before finding a good spot to lie in wait for them.

Even then, they should have sensed something after entering the enclave, after all, their strength, as well as their senses, would be boosted upon entering their territory, and yet, they still failed to notice a single thing.

That alone was enough to make them all wary of Reign and Shadow who seemingly had better stealth capabilities than even the two men that followed after the group, who were the best amongst them in such matters.

"I do understand your concern, after all, being followed by someone is never a pleasant feeling, but you must understand why we had done such a thing, after all, you had done the same as well," Ishmail said as he smiled at Reign and Shadow before leaning into his chair.

"When coming across a new group in this new world of ours, caution is of utmost importance, we have come across multiple in the past, and some had proved to be scheming bastards or crazed lunatics that weren't planning on cooperating with us, but merely wished to control everything."

"We had to assume the worst when seeing a new group, such as yourself, and without gaining more information about you and seeing how you act, we can't establish contact and simply hope for the best before being certain of how the other party is like."

Ishmail then stood up and walked toward Reign and Shadow.

He stopped right in front of Reign before extending his hand toward him.

"I hope we can put what happened behind us and start anew."

Reign glanced at Ishmail before standing up and shaking his head.

"Likewise, after all, it seems you guys had suffered more than we have." Reign glanced over at the two men as he said that, causing both to clench their hands slightly. They were a bit angry at what happened, but mostly embarrassed that they were not only found out, but also attacked and forced to immediately flee in such a manner.

"You noticed us from the very start, haven't you?" Reign asked Ishmail who chuckled before moving back to his chair.

"Not exactly, I only noticed you mere seconds before the two of them arrived back, your group attacked them, and as you are members of the group, you were deemed as an enemy by the system which allowed me to sense you, after all, you are in my territory, it is incredibly difficult for one to hide inside of it."

"Of course, we are grateful that you were cautious rather than overly trusting. It's a tough world out here, and we all need to prioritize our safety," Shadow added, his voice composed as he tried to ease the tension a bit.

The tension in the room seemed to ease as the acknowledgment of the importance of caution was made. The remaining members of the group still felt a bit uncomfortable, but they understood that what happened before was not a deliberate ploy that the rest of Reign's team had concocted, after all, they were indeed being followed and simply attacked because they thought that an enemy was trying to ambush them.

Ishmail nodded in agreement. "Indeed, it's a difficult environment for newcomers. We have faced many threats, and we had no choice but to be careful. However, now that we have clarified our intentions, we can move forward."

Reign and Shadow had spent enough time in the enclave to realize that the players in it were indeed living a normal life, well, as normal as life during the game could be.

"Your situation is unique," Wolf interjected. "Your group is far more advanced than others we've encountered. You've established a well-organized territory in the heart of the jungle, why, why use the jungle when it is so dangerous, only the 12 of you are powerful enough to hunt there."

"You probably noticed the tunnels that are present, and as you have certainly thought, they do connect with the outside world, to multiple areas around the jungle, so we are fine when it comes to hunting in lower-leveled areas."

"Not to mention, this is not the only territory we own," Ishmail said with a smile.

His words were not just there for boasting, but to make Reign and Shadow know that even if they had any hostile intentions and attacked them, they had more places they could quickly go to and save themselves.

Reign nodded at Ishmail and didn't continue asking more questions. He knew that it wasn't really polite to try and pry more from the man, after all, they had only just met.

Depending on how the conversation would continue and what their following interactions would be like, the group present here might become a valuable ally for them or a potential threat that they would need to eliminate.

Still, right now, there was no need for them to act with hostility, after all, Ishmail had extended an olive branch to them by inviting them in and talking with them. Since he had sensed them earlier, if he truly had hostile intentions, he would have most likely attacked them with the rest of the Tier V combatants.

Reign was powerful, and with his transformation, he was in a league of his own, but even then, to fight against 12 Tier V players and tens if not hundreds of Tier IVs who were all boosted in their own territory while he was weakened was almost suicidal.

He couldn't be certain that he would be able to flee easily, if he was alone, then he might be able to do so, but Shadow was there with him, which presented a bit of a challenge.