At the same time as chaos reigned over Starday and his guild, a man stood at a distance, gazing down at the battlefield with a sigh. From his elevated position, he could see the destruction unfolding below. The once-mighty Bright Resonance, now reduced to disarray, their core ranks obliterated by the monster’s relentless attacks.

  The man’s expression was one of a mild one, as if he had expected more from the situation. His gaze swept over the scene, taking in the fallen players, the panic-stricken survivors scrambling for cover, and Starday’s increasingly desperate laughter.

  "Well, well... how the turns have tabled," the man mused, the smile widening slightly. The once so confident in their plans, was now crumbling before him. The monster they had hoped to manipulate was tearing through their ranks, leaving them in destruction.

  His voice sounded a bit melancholy despite the havoc below. There was no anger or malice in his tone, just a quiet observation of the chaos unfolding beneath him. He seemed to have no part in it, and yet, he seemed to understand it all too well.

  The man's eyes, sharp yet calm, focused on Starday for a moment, watching one of the guild's commanders descend into madness. "So yeah, I guess this is how it ends,"

  Without giving the scene another glance, he turned away from the sight, his mind already moving beyond the immediate carnage. Whatever had just happened to Bright Resonance, he seemed unaffected by it.

  And this man was none other than Aron.

  Shockingly enough, nestled in Aron's palm was the very item that had once been securely attached to the hilt of Starday's sword.

  It gleamed faintly in the light, the small and light looking object that now rested in his hand, somehow looked menacing in his hand.

  “Shake my head…”

  This seemingly insignificant thing had been the cornerstone of Starday's entire strategy. Without it, Bright Resonance had no safeguard from the monster’s devastating attacks.

  Aron’s intrigued smile turned into a pity one as he toyed with the item, rolling it between his fingers with ease.

  "The ace behind your scheme..." he murmured, his eyes a bit playful. "Too bad you never noticed as it slipped away, huh."

  In that moment, it became clear of the previous question asked by Verment. Aron had never needed to join the fray like the others.

  Sadly, Verment was not here to hear the answer of his question…

  Nonetheless, Aron knew just how crucial this item had been to Starday's scheme. Without it, Bright Resonance had been vulnerable to the monster's wrath, and the guild’s elite fighters had fallen like dominos in its onslaught.

  One micro change and the entire world fell apart.

  Starday himself was not even sure of how the item was lost in the midst of the battle, the very reason why he somehow looked crazed at the moment. How could he not when he didn’t even know if there was even a culprit behind it?!

  After all, Aron’s plan was indeed quite subtle. Disguised after looting a fallen member’s armor, Aron had stealthily moved closer to Starday during the height of the battle. The guild’s elites were too focused on leading the charge and managing the chaos to notice Aron inching closer. With a deft hand and perfect timing, in just one immaculate motion, Aron had reached for the hilt of Starday’s sword with his fingers grasping the small but impactful object and easily removed it, detaching from the hilt without anyone realizing.

  Starday, distracted by the fight and the imagination of a prosperous prospect, hadn’t even noticed the absence of the item that was key to his survival at that point.

  Aron had then slipped away, blending back into the confusion of the battlefield. And now, the item was his and with it, he held the fate of Bright Resonance in his hands. The guild had no clue that their ultimate shield was gone, and Aron’s smooth theft had set the stage for their downfall.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "This small thing was all it took to carry a guild’s plan… Or in this case, to topple the guild upside down single handedly, yea… Aight, whatever. Cause now it is time for me to finally see the details. Where did he even get this item anyway?” Aron finally saw that he could finally see the properties of the item and without wasting a minute, he opened it right away.

  …

  [Item Name: Medallion of Arkhma]

  Type: Secret Rarity

  Description: An ancient artifact imbued with protective magic, capable of temporarily disrupting or negating hostile attacks within a limited range. Its effect is tied to the wielder's stats and the artifact's connection to the environment, allowing the user to manipulate the influence of certain external forces, especially those of higher-leveled creatures.

  Effect:

  Monster Shielding: Able to erect a barrier that could tank attacks relative to the power of the attacks.

  Way of the Hostiles: Showing the attack pattern for the wielder and allies within a 50-meter radius from targeted attacks by specific monsters. Duration: 15 minutes per activation.

  Cooldown: 1 hour between uses.

  List of monsters :

  Orc…

  …

  "Medallion of Arkhma," Aron repeated under his breath. He could feel the weight of its significance. This artifact had the ability to turnaround the situation in tricky battles if used correctly. Just like how in Starday's hands, it had been a tool of control and manipulation.

  "So, this is what Starday was relying on."

  His fingers played around the medallion as he scanned the details again.

  The ability to protect against monsters, to shield entire groups from the devastating attacks of creatures, relative to the enemies itself. This skill alone was noteworthy enough, but naturally Aron knew why the guild could survive against that monster.

  Being able to see the attack pattern of monsters would certainly give a tremendous advantage, just like in the previous raid. Proved how their guild was the one that had the most surviving members.

  Only before this item was lost though...

  And the fact that it could be used over and over, with a cooldown, made it an even more formidable asset.

  "No wonder Starday was so bold," Aron said to himself, acknowledgement evident in his voice. In the hands of a player, it could alter the course of any major battle especially against the specific monsters, shielding key players and allowing them to wreak havoc without fear.

  The Medallion of Arkhma was more useful than Aron had initially thought. As he held it in his palm, his mind raced with possibilities.

  "Even though it might not work on every enemy out there," he hummed.

  Just like the description, this medallion didn’t work on every monster. But the fact that it could shield a group from even one specific type of monster made it an absolutely useful tool. Its potential was immense, especially in the right hands, even if the restriction only affected certain creatures.

  “Hmmm… Kinda wild…” Aron brought up the detailed list of monsters the Medallion of Arkhma was effective against, his eyes scanning the names one by one. As he read through the list, a flicker of surprise crossed his usually composed face.

  Though he had seen many powerful artifacts before, this one carried a unique allure. The monster types listed were no more than 5. But that's quite a lot already.

  And now, this medallion granted him the ability to control the suitable battlefield, making him theoretically nearly untouchable in that situation.

  "This is better than I thought," he whispered to himself as his fingers tightened around the medallion, feeling the rush of possibilities unfurling in his mind.

  The idea of acquiring such an extraordinary item with relative ease—it was almost too good to be true. He imagined the shock and disbelief that would spread like wildfire among other players if they ever found out how effortlessly he had taken it from under Starday’s nose.

  "Any other player might lose their mind over this hahah…" Aron thought, amused at the thought of the chaos this revelation would cause. Most players would’ve needed months of planning, elaborate strategies, and a full guild's effort to even only get close to such an artifact. But here he was, standing alone, holding such a relic just because he’d seen an opening and taken it.

  The competitive nature of the game would make this medallion a sought after object to any player or guild, and that knowledge filled Aron with a sense of satisfaction.

  "The stories they'd tell if they knew…" Aron chuckled, knowing full well that the secret of how he obtained it would likely remain his alone.

  Still, now, it all made sense. The Medallion of Arkhma had been Starday’s secret card, the reason he had been able to survive the relentless onslaught of the monster while so many others had fallen.

  The medallion had shielded him and his core guild members, making it seem as though they were invincible. It explained how they had been able to hold their formation and continue their attack while other players were being obliterated.

  Starday had likely known that without the medallion, his guild would have faced the same fate as the others. If Starday knew that such thing like this happen, he would probably not even log in the game for a week.

  "That's why Starday went kinda crazy as he lost this item. Well, too bad for him," Aron thought with a smirk.