Chapter Sixty-Seven: Command Authority

"Enough, Left-Handed Legend. If you can't control your mouth, get out. Stop spouting nonsense here," Empty-Handed Thief finally couldn't bear it any longer. Left-Handed Legend was far too tactless and clueless about when to advance or retreat. Bantering was one thing, but to actually threaten his invited guest in front of him was simply too disrespectful. Since it had come to this, Empty-Handed Thief no longer cared about slapping Left-Handed Legend's face.

Left-Handed Legend's expression changed slightly. He greedily glanced once more at Nightfall's weapon, then forced himself to say, "I'll give Thief Bro some respect and keep quiet, but... hmph..."

Nightfall stared coldly at Left-Handed Legend, silently adding him to his blacklist. How dare he threaten him and covet his Abyssal Staff? Did he not know that Nightfall always made his fortune by looting others' gear? Seeing Left-Handed Legend decked out in bronze equipment, Nightfall felt he owed it to himself to explode a few pieces off him.

"Alright, it's about time. Both of you join the party. Let's prepare for the dungeon," Dragonblade Star urged as he glanced at the clock nearing midnight. Though he too was annoyed by Left-Handed Legend, for the sake of the guild, he pinched his nose and played mediator.

"No problem." Left-Handed Legend joined the team without hesitation. He was quite looking forward to raiding with Empty-Handed Thief.

Nightfall didn't immediately join. He pondered briefly and asked, "Which difficulty are you planning to tackle in Rock Forest? Do you have a professional raid leader?"

"We originally planned to run the easy mode. Many here are entering Rock Forest for the first time. But with Thief Bro here, we're considering normal difficulty. He'll be raid leader. He's run with the elite squad several times, even cleared hard mode, so he's quite experienced," Dragonblade Star patiently explained. Their third squad wasn't strong enough to attempt harder levels; even the elite squad had struggled to clear hard mode.

Nightfall frowned slightly. Normal mode didn't offer much experience, and the loot wasn't great—barely better than grinding mobs in the wild. It was good for learning the map, suitable for average players, but having thoroughly studied the guides and confident in clearing harder dungeons, Nightfall found normal mode uninteresting.

"What's wrong, Nightfall? Not satisfied?" Empty-Handed Thief seemed to understand Nightfall's thoughts. He smiled wryly. Their elite squad had only cleared hard mode once, relying on special potions Nightfall provided. Leading the third squad through hard mode was beyond his confidence.

"Report your stats. Let me see," Nightfall said impassively. From what he knew, Rock Forest didn't have high attribute requirements for players. If Empty-Handed Thief and his squad struggled so much with hard mode, it only meant their strategy was too crude or they relied solely on brute force.

The dozen or so Dragonblade members glanced at each other uneasily. Nightfall wasn't their superior, and reporting their stats to him felt odd.

Left-Handed Legend seized the chance to oppose Nightfall, jeering, "What's the point of looking? This is our strength, nothing more. You think you can lead them through hard mode? Stop pretending to be a big shot."

"If you don't speak, no one will mistake you for a mute. Nightfall's words are mine—report your stats," Empty-Handed Thief glared at Left-Handed Legend, then addressed the Dragonblade players. In his view, Nightfall wouldn't make empty promises. Although he doubted the third squad could clear a harder dungeon, he decided to support Nightfall.

"Dragonblade Bull, class: Penitent, level 23, HP 1600, defense 210, attack..." The bearded Penitent stepped forward. He was the main tank of the third squad, equipped decently with a mix of rare and fine gear. His attack was pitiful, but Penitent never had to worry about holding aggro—their threat skills were formidable, making it hard for anyone to steal aggro.

"Dragonblade Rain, class: Light Priest, level 22, healing 413."

...

After everyone reported their stats, Dragonblade Star and Empty-Handed Thief also disclosed theirs. Left-Handed Legend, unable to save face, finally reported as well. Nightfall tallied the numbers and silently compared them to the player benchmarks in the guide. They barely met the minimum standard for King-level dungeons. It would be risky, but with his attribute aura, the chances of clearing were quite high.

It could serve as an experiment—let Empty-Handed Thief and the others act as guinea pigs. Anyway, even if they wiped, no one would lose levels...

With this in mind, Nightfall smiled gently and said to Empty-Handed Thief and Dragonblade Star, "If you trust me, let me lead as captain. Let's try a higher difficulty."

"A higher difficulty? Are you confident, Nightfall?" Empty-Handed Thief's eyes lit up. His reason for joining the third squad was to witness Nightfall's expertise in dungeons firsthand.

"Not absolute, but I have sixty to seventy percent confidence," Nightfall replied calmly.

Sixty to seventy percent was already impressive. Even Dragonblade's elite squad couldn't guarantee a clear every time in hard mode. Empty-Handed Thief made the decision at once, "Let's do it. You form the group, we'll join you."

Hearing Empty-Handed Thief's verdict, the squad members exchanged anxious glances. How had they ended up joining another's party and following his lead? They barely knew Nightfall. What if they wiped? The dungeon didn't drop levels or gear, but it did lose experience.

"Thief Bro, isn't this decision a bit rash? Is this guy really up to it? What if we wipe? Rock Forest can only be run once a day—don't waste it," Left-Handed Legend protested, full of reluctance. His distrust of Nightfall was one thing; his hostility was another—especially after nearly coming to blows earlier. He was unwilling to follow Nightfall's commands.

"If you don't want to, don't join. No one's forcing you. With or without you, it makes no difference. You want in, but I don't want to carry you. Who knows if you're dead weight," Nightfall glanced at Left-Handed Legend coldly.

"Dead weight? You're the dead weight! Fine, I'll join and see if you really have what it takes," Left-Handed Legend retorted angrily.

Nightfall smiled slightly—this fool was easy to bait. For King-level difficulty, his powerful healing was actually needed.

"Alright, everyone join the party. Let's get ready to head out," Nightfall checked the time—it was 23:59. Rock Forest was about to open.

...

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