Chapter 645: The Empire of Renais      

Whispers and murmurs rippled through their ranks as they grappled with the shocking reality.

"Did you see that? I lost almost two years' worth of progress!"

"I can't believe this! My character was already in the three hundred, and now I'm barely above a beginner level!"

"It's impossible. This kind of EXP reduction is unheard of in the game!"

Their eyes darted back and forth, searching for answers, and then it hit them like a thunderbolt.

Elena was not an ordinary player character; she was an NPC — a battle combatant NPC!

A collective realization washed over them, and a chilling silence descended upon the group. They began to contemplate the implications of this revelation.

Could Elena be part of a hidden quest or event that Ren was undertaking? Was she a guardian of some sacred treasure or perhaps a gatekeeper to an unimaginable power?