Is this really a Game?!

As they navigated through the treacherous streets of the city center, Reign and his companions encountered increasingly dangerous monsters. Tier VI creatures lurked around every corner, their presence a constant reminder of the peril they faced. The group moved with caution, their senses sharp and their weapons at the ready.

As they neared the heart of the city, the group came across a massive fortress-like structure that loomed ominously in the distance. This, they knew, was the stronghold of one of the powerful monster factions that controlled the center of New York City.

The faction was known for its aggressive expansion and ruthless tactics, and they had no intention of crossing paths with them if they could avoid it.

The faction was made out of vampires, just like the one that Reign and the others had come across many months ago back when they were making their trip over to Doncaster.

That vampire, however, could not be compared to these at all.

They were all quite powerful and had enslaved many monsters and humans, becoming one of the overlords of the city that had Tier VII combatants amongst them.

Going against them, or going near their base, could very well be considered suicide.

Even though it was now daytime, and the vampires generally didn't get out of their base at this time, not because sunlight would kill them, that was just a myth.

Sunlight would kill the weakest, the vamps, but vampires would only be weakened in the sun, that was all.

Reign and his companions decided to steer clear of the vampire stronghold, knowing that a confrontation with such a powerful faction would be unwise. Instead, they opted to skirt around the edges of the territory, keeping a safe distance and avoiding any potential conflict.

It wasn't difficult to notice where the territory of the vampires was, mostly because of the dried husks of monsters and people that could be seen on the ground or even some of the buildings.

As they made their way through the city, they encountered other factions and groups of monsters, each with their own territories and agendas. Some were hostile and attacked on sight, while others were more cautious, watching them from a distance but not making any aggressive moves.

Despite the dangers, the group managed to navigate through the city center relatively unscathed, thanks to their caution and skill. They eventually reached the outskirts of the vampire territory, from where they could see the massive walls and imposing architecture that was present in their base.

"We need to find a way around this," Reign said, studying the map they had been given by Shadow's father. "We can't risk getting too close to the stronghold."

"I agree," Shadow replied. "We should try to find a route that takes us around the outskirts of their territory."

"It might take longer, but it's safer than trying to go through."

"At least there's no other powerful faction near us, that alone makes it a bit easier, no powerful Tier VI beings or even Tier VIIs will get close to this place so that they won't be attacked by the vampires," Beast said as they nodded before moving.

The group set off, skirting the edges of the vampire stronghold and keeping a careful eye out for any signs of danger. They encountered a few minor skirmishes with other monsters along the way but managed to fend them off without too much difficulty.

As they traveled, they couldn't help but marvel at the transformation that had taken place in the city. What had once been a bustling metropolis was now a desolate wasteland, overrun by monsters and devoid of human life. It was a sobering reminder of the world they now lived in and the challenges they faced every day.

After several hours of careful navigation, the group finally emerged on the other side of the vampire stronghold, safely outside of their territory. They took a moment to rest and regroup, grateful to have made it through unscathed.

"This will take longer than expected, the center, it's just too dangerous, we have come close to exchanging blows with monsters that are powerful enough to stop us in our tracks for a while, and we even noticed some that were stronger than us."

"We need to continue as we have, we can't risk being in haste and coming across a powerful group, not here, not now."

"How many other factions does New York have other than the vampires, was it two more?" Tank asked, to which Reign shook his head.

"Three other groups."

"One that we are familiar with, orcs, but not the same ones we fought, these are called bone orcs, a variant species that is much more powerful, their bodies are bigger than regular orcs, and they have bones sticking out of their bodies, providing them with more defense and power."

"The other two monster factions are the Inferno Legion and the Nightshade Syndicate."

"The Inferno Legion is a group of fire-based monsters led by a powerful demon known as Pyroclast, they are known for their aggressive tactics and fiery attacks, making them a formidable force to be reckoned with.

"The Nightshade Syndicate, on the other hand, is a group of shadowy creatures led by a mysterious figure known as the Shadow King, they are masters of stealth and deception, often striking from the shadows and disappearing without a trace."

"These two factions are not to be underestimated," Reign warned. "They are both powerful in their own right and have been expanding their territory in the city, we need to be cautious when dealing with them."

"If we come across any of them and come to blows with them, we have to eliminate them quickly and move away from the place of battle quickly, we don't want their factions to come after us."

"Luckily, from what Uncle has told us, we shouldn't be passing through any of their territories along the way, the vampires were the only faction that we were supposed to come across, and we already passed their territory."

As the group continued their journey through the city, they encountered more monsters and obstacles along the way. They had to navigate through narrow alleyways, climb over piles of rubble, and even wade through murky, stagnant water in some places. Despite the challenges, they pressed on, determined to reach their destination.

Of course, not coming to blows with any monsters was pretty much impossible in the center of the city, and soon, they finally came face to face with a small group of Tier VI monsters that noticed them.

Even with all of them doing their best to notice monsters, sense mana, and more, they still couldn't notice this small group of three monsters.

Each of the three monsters was relatively small when compared to other Tier VI monsters.

These were only about a meter high and about 2.3 meters long.

The creatures resembled large, predatory cats, with sleek, muscular bodies and sharp, elongated claws. Their fur was a mottled mix of gray and black, blending seamlessly with the urban environment around them. Their eyes gleamed with intelligence and malice as they stalked towards the group, growling low in their throats.

Reign and the others immediately went on high alert, readying their weapons and preparing for a fight. These creatures might be smaller than some of the other monsters they had faced, but they were no less dangerous.

Before the creatures could attack, Shadow stepped forward, his daggers at the ready. He moved with a fluid grace, his movements almost dance-like as he engaged the monsters.

The monsters were no slouches, however, and quickly dodged out of the way with incredible speed.

Each one was as fast as Shadow, and the others quickly intervened, all of them going all out immediately to eliminate the three monsters as quickly as possible so as to not draw too much attention to themselves.

Reign exploded with his lightning and charged at one monster while Mia quickly used her ice to try and freeze one.

Shadow didn't stop either and attacked one of the cats, throwing one of his daggers at the monster who once again dodged, only for Shadow to suddenly come out of the cat's shadow.

With his free hand, Shadow quickly grabbed the cat's throat and clenched it with full force before bringing his dagger down, stabbing through the monster's stomach with relative ease, which made the cat trash about, almost escaping Shadow's grip.

But he used as much power as he could hold its throat and violently jerked his other hand before slashing down at it, opening its stomach before twirling it around and smashing it against a nearby wall with his other hand.

Reign used his lightning in order to shock the cat he attacked, but the attack was dodged, so he used his light to blind it for an instant, which worked.

He quickly shocked the monster before arriving in front of it and stabbing it down with both of his swords.

As for the third one, Mia's ice didn't freeze it, but Beast's arrows struck it after it jumped. His wind pushed it while it was in the air, allowing his arrows to easily find their marks.