《Terra Nova Online: Rise of The Strongest Player》 Chapter 1: Breaking News Chapter 1: Breaking News Breaking News [ Year 2142, Washington DC ] *Rattle* *Rattle* As the ground began to quake, Leo Skyshard nced at the seismic reading on his battered smartphone and muttered, ¡°4.2, it¡¯s okay ¡± almost under his breath. For a moment, as the make-shift tform he was working on began to quake, his heartbeat began to rise rapidly as the project he was working on today was an old construction bar that was facing a risk of copsing, potentially burying him in debris. Thankfully, the number was hardly shocking. 4.2 was not enough to cause significant damage to the structure made with a century old construction method. In this day and age, the once-dreaded natural cmities had be humdrum background noise. Tokyo, Los Angeles, Rome¡ªthey were all gone, swallowed by the Earth or washed away by tsunamis while natural disasters became a weekly urrence. There was not a single city in the world that looked intact anymore as the concrete empire was crumbling. At first it was a yearly affair, then it became bi-annual, then seasonal, then monthly and now finally the frequency had increased to just a few weeks apart. The earth was falling apart and hundreds of thousands were dying everyday. In a world where cities vanished and disasters became mundane, people barely flinched anymore at small events like a 4.2 earthquake. Leo looked at his elder brother, Luke, who was engrossed in cleaning old sses made of oak wood as he gave him a reassuring smile. Both were waiting in a ramshackle bar for their next frence gig, a high-rise window cleaning and restoration, one of the few remaining jobs that could be performed outside aputer screen. It was a risky job in unpredictable weather, but risks were a luxury only the rich could afford to avoid. In this world where disasters were frequent, the ultra rich had already isted themselves in nuclear bunkers with years worth of canned food to survive, however, formoners like Leo and Luke, they needed to work 3 days a week in dangerous environments to ensure the survival of their family which consisted of the two brothers and their mother. Once, this trio belonged to the echelons of urban elite, but that era has long faded, much like their father who vanished without a trace, bequeathing them a mere $500 in their bank ount. Since the abrupt departure of their father a decade ago, the family had grappled with financial hardship, a situation that had deteriorated with each subsequent year. It was only four years ago, upon Luke¡¯s 18th birthday, that he was able to contribute through various odd jobs and lessen the financial burden on their mother, which was further improved two yearster, as Leo joined him in thisborious endeavour. For now, the family of 3 barely made their ends meet but they could be considered as happy as one could be while surviving on the bare minimum. Suddenly then, in a moment that Luke and Leo would probably never forget for the rest of their lives, much like everyone else on Earth, the bar¡¯s dust-covered TV flickered to life, and President Verma¡¯s face appeared on screen. Leo had never liked her. She was stern, severe, and in power not because people admired her, but because she was considered strong¡ªsomething desperately needed in these chaotic times. ¡°My fellow citizens,¡± she began, her voice unusually calm. ¡± As you all must know and experience on a day to day basis, our beloved Earth, a ce we call ¡® Home ¡® is suffering from countless natural disasters and has be unsuitable for the human poption. It¡¯s time for us to move on, it¡¯s time for us to explore news and be a species that has presence throughout the Milky Way gxy. It¡¯s with great pride and joy that I dere today that we have sessfully negotiated with an alien species to allow us to popte their. They are an advanced species with great technological achievements and have been kind enough to send 4 Arc Ships that can carry 250 million people each. In precisely 3 months time from today, these 4 Arc Ships will leave Earth and shall be bound for a called ¡® Terra Nova ¡®. For those who dare to explore a new world and think they have the necessary expertise to be chosen as a member onboard the ship, I implore you to apply for a position and escape this dying. I myself am going to board the ship alongside you all to demonstrate that it¡¯spletely safe and a great opportunity. It¡¯s going to be a fresh start on a lush green and stable, full of new possibilities, and I hope everyst one of us are reunited there someday. ¡± The screen went nk once the speech was over as Luke and Leo were dumbfounded by it¡¯s content. ¡± What the actual fuck? ¡± Luke cursed, as he did not listen to any gibberish beyond the fact that the president was boarding the ship. If that selfish hag was boarding the ship, it was sure as hell not to demonstrate anything positive. If she was boarding the ship it could mean one thing and one thing only and that was the undeniable fact that Earth was done for. It wasn¡¯t just a ¡® Cataclysmic Cycle ¡® that the government imed it was. It wasn¡¯t just a phase that wouldst 20 years and then recede like many ¡® experts ¡® and ¡® pundits ¡® imed it would be. The Earth was dying and these ship¡¯s were the one chance for humanity to survive. ¡± We have to apply, brother. We have to get out ¡± Leo said with conviction in his eyes as Luke nodded. Although the two did not buy into the promise of a fresh start, they understood the urgency to leave. There were 8 billion people on Earth and the ship was only going to carry a billion which meant thatit was going to be incredibly difficult to make the cut but they had 3 months to figure out how to. Chapter 2: A rigged system Chapter 2: A rigged system A rigged system ( A few hourster, The Skyshard family apartment ) Luke and Leo Skyshard entered their small, dimly lit apartment, their faces etched with a mixture of disbelief and cautious optimism. The room, furnished with worn-out sofas and a flickering television set, seemed to contain endless cracks on the ceiling that made it hard to discern if the wall had more ster or more paint as it looked like a jumbled mix of both. In the corner of the room was arge metal table with food packets secured to it with tape underneath. The table was the family¡¯s earthquake protection n, it was sturdy enough to take heavy impact in case the roof began to fall and contained emergency rations to support the family for 3 days in which rescue operators could hopefully find them. It wasn¡¯t the perfect n to survive in these dangerous times, but it was the best that the family could afford. Upon that same table rest a crackedputer from 20 years ago which took forever to boot up. It was a miracle that the old gen15 processor still worked at all as Luke and Leo relied on it to hunt for new jobs. ¡± Mom we¡¯re home ¡± Leo announced, as out of the kitchen walked Elena, their beautiful and kind hearted mother. If one were to ever ask the definition of the word ¡®Housewife¡¯, Leo felt like his mother would be the perfect model. She could cook good food, sew torn clothes, save money while shopping,ugh at silly things and find happiness in the simplest of luxuries. There was no doubt in either of the brother¡¯s minds that without their mother the two of them would not have survived their harsh childhood. She was the pir of their life and they loved her too much. ¡± Mom, The president just announced it. They¡¯re sending Arc Ships to another¡­ Terra Nova. It¡¯s going to be like a new start, it¡¯s a chance to build a new life on hardwork and merit. We finally have a chance to escape all this, but they are only taking 1 billion humans total, so we need to act fast and ensure a seat, ¡± Luke exined. Elena¡¯s eyes widened, but the initial thrill dissipated as quickly as it came as she asked cautiously ¡± That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s wonderful, but how do we ensure we get on those ships? ¡± Determined, the brothers sat down at their oldputer, its screen bearing cracks like scars. After navigating through the application site for the Arc Ships, they discovered a professional ranking system. ording to it, their skills as repairmen ranked them at 9.1, meaning that in the entire world if they picked 10 repairmen at random, Luke and Leo would be the 9th best amongst them. ¡°We¡¯re actually pretty high up, Luke. If this thing is based on merit, we could really get in!¡± Leo¡¯s eyes shimmered with fleeting hope. Unfortunately, that glimmer was snuffed out when they saw their queue numbers: 70,324 for Luke and 70,325 for Leo. ¡°Over 70,000? This can¡¯t be right,¡± Luke scoffed, his fists clenched. There were only 1,500 repairmen needed in each Arc ship, putting the total required number at 4,500. Globally, the system recognised that there were 350,000 ranked repairmen with Luke and Leo ranking at 3500¡¯s. With 4,500 slots being reserved for people of this profession they should have technically had a good shot at getting in, however, their waiting rank itself was over 70,000+ When the brothers clicked on the FAQ on how the slot rankings and waitlist were generated, they got some bull-shit exnation on how they factor in a multitude of factors like age, ethnicity, gender, civil score, etc for a total of 108 parameters total. Basically it was the government¡¯s way of telling them that theypletely controlled the rankings at will and if they did not want you to board, you could never board the ship. In a desperate move, they applied for every avable job, finallynding on waste collection where their queue numberswere the shortest at 3241 and 3242. ¡°Is this our best shot? To be cosmic janitors?¡± Leo snapped as Luke¡¯s face turned even more grim. ¡± We can be pushed back as more and more people apply for the jobs, but we ain¡¯t gonna be bumping up. I think those who applied are already sure that they wanna leave Earth, I don¡¯t think the list is going to move 30 ces, much less 3,000 ¡± Luke said, pouring cold water on Leo¡¯s frustration. As things stood they weren¡¯t even worthy of bing cosmic janitors. It seemed their fate was sealed to remain on the dying Earth. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ( A monthter, 2 months before the Arc Ship took off ) ¡± The whole system is rigged Luke, I¡¯m telling you, I met a shady underground dealer today, who says he can bump us up 1,000 ces in the waitlist for 100,000 dors. He¡¯s connected to the government somehow and apparently the rich are buying out all the slots. The price was only 20,000 a month ago but it¡¯s going up fast, if we somehow raise the money we can all board the ship ¡± Leo said, as he tried to desperately search for ways to board the ship. ¡± Why are you still dreaming about boarding that ship, Leo? We can¡¯t make the cut, just ept it! Our closest waiting number is now at 4972 and 4973. I¡¯m not too good at maths, but these numbers would mean we would need to pay your dealer close to 1 million dors to secure our spots. Mother¡¯s closest waiting number is over 30,000, so that¡¯s 3 million more. We don¡¯t have 40,000 dors in savings, how are we supposed to raise 4 million huh? ¡± Luke shouted as he admonished his brother for harbouring useless hope. Yes the system was rigged and yes it was the rich that were going to leave the, but what could they do about it? When had the system ever been kind to the poor and downtrodden? Unbeknownst to them, their mother Elena had overheard their conversation from the adjoining room. Her heart sank as she felt like she was the anchor holding her children back. Her own queue number was in the 30,000s due to her age andck of what the government deemed as ¡®valuable¡¯ skills. As her sons argued in the other room, her thoughts shifted to a dark option for raising money that she had once read about¡ªa ck market for kidneys. With the growing desperation in recent times, the price had shot up. One kidney of hers could easily fetch 1.2 million dors, enough to secure the future of both her sons¡¯ but it wasn¡¯t an easy decision to make. Naturally, with the boys squabbling amongst each other the atmosphere at home was heavy for the next two days as Elena silently contemted whether or not to make the big move, but ultimately with trembling hands, she filled out the medical consent forms to sell one of her kidneys with the operation scheduled for the next day. Her lips quivered, but her resolve was unshakeable. She hid the form in her dresser and returned to the living room, her eyes aplex tapestry of love, sorrow, and indomitable will. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out,¡± she told herself, her voice barely more than a whisper. ¡°One way or another, you boys are getting on that ship.¡± Chapter 3: A desperate step Chapter 3: A desperate step A desperate step (The next day, Elena over a LIFI call to Leo) Elena : Leo, baby, listen to me very carefully, this is extremely important! I¡¯m going to wire you 1.2 million dors and I am going to need you to secure the arc ship spots for yourself and your brother immediately! Leo : Mom, that¡¯s a lot of money! Where did you get that sort of ie? Elena : T-that¡¯s not important right now, you said the price is going up every moment right? So hurry! Don¡¯t waste time- Leo : Mom why are you breathing so heavy? And what about your ticket? We can¡¯t just leave you behind¡­.. Elena : Leo if I wanted to get myself into an interview I would have called your elder brother. It¡¯s very important to me that you use this money to secure two spots on that ship for yourself and Luke. Everything else, we will talkter tonight. Okay? Leo : ¡­¡­ Elena : Don¡¯t worry okay? Just do as your mother says, promise me you will, okay? Leo : Okay, mom¨C just be safe. Elena : I will, don¡¯t worry *sob* Leo : Mom are you cryi¨C ¡ª¨Cx line disconnects x¡ª¡ª [ Bank Of America ¨C Your ount ending with number xxx4567 has been credited with $1,200,000 in your ount. Please contact your branch manager if you think this is a mistake ] Leo sucked in a breath of cold air looking at the number of zeros in his bank ount, he was worried about his mother and as to where she secured this sort of money from, however, it did feel surreal to him to look at so many zeros in his bank ount. This was an astronomical sum that he would have never thought of earning in a lifetime, yet, it now sat in his bank ount waiting to be spent in one big transaction. ¡°What¡¯s going on Leo? you look paralyzed,¡± Luke said as he took note of his brother¡¯splexion. For a moment Leo wondered about whether or not he should tell his brother about what was going on, but something within his gut screamed at him not to. Unlike him, his elder brother was the ¡®MAN¡¯ of the house, he made all the financial decisions and had the final say in all matters. Although it was always in the best interest of the family, Luke was known to be upright in his morals and Leo knew that in this situation he would most likely refuse Leo the right to buy those two tickets if he could not convince him that they could afford a third for their mother. Somewhere deep down their mother knew this fact too and it was for this precise reason she had decided to contact Leo rather than Luke and wire him the money. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just need some fresh air, I¡¯ll be right back¡± Leo said, lying half-heartedly as he zoomed out of the apartment. Luke frowned but did not think much of it as his 20 year old younger brother was known to have a slight teenage temperament. While on one hand Elena underwent her surgery, Leo negotiated the price of tickets for himself and Luke with the shady dealer and after an intense debate was able to shave off 50,000 dors from the 1 million asking price to secure both tickets for 950,000 dors. [ Team Arc ¨C Congrattions Leo Skyshard, your role as a ¡®Sewage Cleaner¡¯ has been confirmed aboard the Arc Ship#3. You will be flying with us as a ss F passenger. Please make sure you report to the designated boarding station before 20th October 2142 with baggage weight not exceeding 3kg. Clothes and dental kits will be provided onboard but for more details please check the official arc ship website. Greetings, Team Arc ] Reading this message gave Leo an odd sense of relief. If the broker he had contacted did note through and turned out to be a fraud, he would have lost close to a lifetime worth of savings over absolutely nothing. Since there were no government contracts or legal guarantees over such shady backdoor deals, all Leo could do if the guy scammed him was to find a baseball bat and beat him senseless for scamming him. However, nothing of the sort happened, the message on his mobile was proof that the broker had came through on his end of the deal and that he indeed got the spot on the ship. Luke, who also got the same message on his phone, frowned instead of smiling after looking at the message as he immediately called Leo to ask what was going on but his younger brother would not dare pick up. ¡°What have you done Leo? What stupid deal did you make to get the ticket? ¡± Luke wondered as he put on his ragged coat and stormed out of the apartment to look for his foolish younger brother,pletely unaware that it was their mother who had sacrificed a kidney to get the two kids a spot onboard the ship. Chapter 4: Stages Of Grief Chapter 4: Stages Of Grief Stages Of Grief ( That same night, The Skyshard Apartment ) A heart-breaking scene could be witnessed within the Skyshard apartment as the family of three finally got back together after Elena¡¯s big sacrifice. Modern medical science had improved by leaps and bounds beyond what it used to be in the 21st century as with nanotechnology and advanced robotics the recovery period for evenplex surgeries such as kidney transnt did not take more than a few hours, allowing patients to be discharged the same day as they were admitted. Unfortunately, it had not improved enough to rece actual human parts as a mechanical kidney could not rece the actual organic thing within a human while all attempts to grow real tissue cells ended in failure. Luke, who had spent the entire day looking for Leo was covered in dirt and grime as he cried inconsbly after looking at the scar on his mother¡¯s back. His emotional state was a mess as he was in the first phase of grief at the moment which was ¡®Denial¡¯. He did not wish to acknowledge that his mother¡¯s actions were for the better of the family, he did not wish to acknowledge the fact that the tickets they had gotten today were acquired by their mother having to sell her body part and he did not even want to entertain the conversation that Elena wanted to have at the moment about their imminent departure in two months. Leo, on the other hand, looked pale and hadpletely zoned out. He had spent his day avoiding Luke and had returned homete, hoping that his mother would save him from getting an earful from Luke, never expecting that she would have sold her kidney for the money he received today. He hadpletely skipped the first three stages of grief and directly entered the fourth stage of ¡® Depression ¡® as he genuinely believed that this was all his fault. Finally Elena, a woman who had just been through a surgery, felt her heart crumbling from having to look at her kids being so disheartened as coherent sounding words would note out of her mouth. The Skyshard house was a mess and there was nobody to me really except for fate. ¡± You boys are going to go on that ship and that is FINAL!! okay? I have not been able to give you kids most joys in life. I have not been able to take you on expensive vacations around the globe, I haven¡¯t been able to buy you toys or gifts on Christmas, I haven¡¯t been able to feed youvish dinners or a proper turkey for thanksgiving and it¡¯s something I will regret for the rest of my life. For once, I¡¯m able to do something for you boys, and I am HAPPY! You kids are everything for me and I would dly even sell my second kidney for you both if I had to. We have TWO months left together, two months until that arc ship takes off- Please, let me enjoy the final 60 days with my boys as if it were the finest of our lives. I, *sob*, deserve this much okay? ¡± Elena said strongly as she mustered all the strength she had in her body to deliver this message Luke, who understood how much this meant to his mother, got up and put on a fake smile on his face as he hugged her, while Leo kept sitting in his ce as if he were deaf. Dark thoughts like selling both his kidneys and eyes crossed Leo¡¯s mind as he began wondering about solutions on how to make this situation right. ¡® It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s all my fault, if I wasn¡¯t always talking about the arc ship at home, maybe¡­. Maybe mother would not have taken such a drastic step. I¡¯m a horrible son, I¡¯m lower than the lowest scum ¡® Leo thought as his body began shivering involuntarily. *SLAP* A tight p resounded across his face which jolted him out of his dark inner thoughts as he saw his brother looking towards him with a furious look on his face. ¡± Not everything is about you Leo, stop sulking, man up, and go thank mother for her sacrifice. If there is anything that can be done about this situation, we will figure it out TOGETHER ¡± Luke said with an angry undertone as if he could perfectly read his little brother¡¯s inner thoughts. Then by forcefully grabbing Leo by his cor, Luke pulled him onto his feet as he forced him to join a group hug with himself and Elena. A stream of steady tears began flowing down the eyes of all three family members as they shared this painful moment together. What was done could not be undone and one way or another the family needed to move on from this event and get on with their lives as just like working off the security of their bunkers was a luxury for the rich, grieving for longer periods was too. In this unpredictable world where the very next day could be theirst, a day spent grieving was a day wasted horribly. With only 60 days left till the arc ship took off, the family truly had no time to grieve or let this event affect their lives at all. Chapter 5: Goodbye Chapter 5: Goodbye Goodbye Thest two months that the Skyshard family spent together passed by in a blink of an eye. While the brothers did wrestle with emotions of guilt and worry, they did their best to hide them from Elena, with Luke keeping a firm eye over Leo to prevent his younger brother from making any rash decision. To make the most of their remaining time together, Elena took it upon herself to initiate ¡°Memory Mondays,¡± where the family would sit together and recall fond memories. So for two months, every Monday after dinner the family would sit together and discuss fond old memories as although each session ended with Elena in tears, it gave her the closure of having lived a fulfilling life with the children so far. Luke started ¡°Film Fridays,¡± featuring movies from their happier days, as on film Friday¡¯s the family would watch videos captured in poor 4k quality on their old mobile devices andugh about how silly times used to be. Finally, as Leo felt the need to contribute, he created ¡± Weekend Wandering,¡± where they explored their crumbling city onest time, taking photos to keep the memories alive. Outside, theirmunity was in chaos. Public forums turned into shouting matches, neighbours who were once close now avoided eye contact. But amid the pandemonium, the Skyshards found pockets of warmth¡ªgoodbye barbecues, heartfelt hugs, and an unsaid promise to reunite on Terra Nova if things ever took a turn for the better. During these two months Luke remained the rock, always projecting an aura of stoic courage while Leo found sce in quiet moments, sketching imaginaryndscapes of Terra Nova, but both brothers held onto the hope that just like there were four arc ships bound for Terra Nova this year, there would be four more bound for Terra Nova the next year and if they made enough money in transit, they would be able to buy a spot for their mother on that ship next time around. So far, the news about the second round of ships was only an unconfirmed rumour, but for Luke and Leo, it was a ray of hope in dark times. As the date for departing came closer, the family went through their belongings, keeping only the essentials that could fit into their 3kg baggage limit as Elena folded old letters into a small box and gave both kids something to read if they ever felt depressed or lonely while on the ship. There was not much the two could carry with the very limited 3kg limit, but Luke carried some essential tool-kit that maye handy for his job, while Leo decided to pack a sketch-book and crayons amongst other essentials. In a silent agreement between the brothers, they sold everything within the house that they no longer needed and used it to raise money for Elena. Whether it was their more handy high power tools or their bedroom furniture or old clothes, they sold it all to raise a total of 30,000 dors. The family already had some 40,000 odd dors saved prior to the arc announcement and with the 250,000 remaining from Elena¡¯s surgery alongside the 30,000 dors the brothers raised by selling everything they owned, they left their mother with afortable sum of 320,000 dors to survive in the near future. In a show of love and support, they also reinforced their own house by repainting the interior and nailing strategic support beams across the roof so that it could bear a little more weight before it came copsing down. A gesture that Elena was very thankful for. Nheless, the sweet times did fly by and eventually the date for departing finally arrived. On their final night together, Elena cooked a simple meal as the family of three sat around their weathered dining table, eating in silence, until Elena raised her ss and gave a toast ¡°To new beginnings,¡± with her voice tinged with both sorrow and hope. For Luke and Leo, the final good-bye was probably the most difficult thing the two had done in their entire lives, but they braved through the event with a bright smile on their faces only to cry heaps once they were alone. The next morning, the brothers were on their way, undertaking a dangerous 6 hours trek on foot to leave their apartment and reach the Washington airport where apparently one of the arc ships were docked. At first, the journey was safe and smooth as they crossed their own suburban, however, once they were within a five mile radius of their destination, nefarious elements could be seen roaming the streets. Thugs, criminals and all sorts of desperate stragglers gathered around the Washington Airport with the single goal of robbing some rich individual of their ticket to the arc ship and somehow finding a way to escape the dying. If there was one thing that worked in the favour of the brothers, it was their poor and ragged appearance that looked like their skin often saw exposure to the sun. The more dangerous elements considered them to be stranded individuals finding a way to sneak in just like themselves and did not cause trouble for them, however, Leo could have sworn he saw dead bodies of a couple of rich looking families as he passed some dark alleys, reminding him about the dangers of these streets. Once they reached the main hangar bay, there was a military fencing and guard post where their identities and invites were verified and only after everything checked out were they permitted entry in the restricted area. The hangar was a marvel of modern technology, juxtaposed against the decay outside. Screens disyed departure time, and uniformed officials guided people. Yet, the atmosphere was electric, filled with a collective sense of trepidation. Individuals in expensive suits and coats, families with skins as white as snow and extremely expensive gadgets and essories at hand seemed to be the norm as the Skyshard brothers were given a reminder of just howvishly the rich lived their lives once they arrived at the hangar bay versus how they had lived theirs. As they moved through the queues, finally reaching a desk where their identities were confirmed once more, each brother was handed a small envelope with the stamp of the USA government on top. ¡°Instructions and keys to your quarters,¡± said the official, emotionless in her approach as she judged them off their poor appearance but Luke and Leo took no offense. Finally, their baggage was weighed and the two were given an armband that they were not supposed to remove for the rest of their journey. It wasn¡¯t like they could remove it either as the ¡®Armband ¡® was more like a wrist monitor that criminals under house arrest would need to wear and seemed to be a permanent essory, but anyways it did not matter as having the wrist monitor applied meant that the two had cleared all formalities and were now ready to board the legendary arc ship and start a new adventure. Chapter 6: The Arc Ship Chapter 6: The Arc Ship The Arc Ship Luke and Leo¡¯s first impression of the Arc ship was that it was absolutely massive! At a first nce the ship did not look like an airne or a flying vessel at all but more like a small metropolitan district as it spanned several kilometres in all directions. The ship¡¯s exterior was a gleaming expanse of silver and ck, reflecting the sun¡¯s light in a way that made it look like it was shimmering. Several sections of the vessel expanded and retracted almost seamlessly suggesting the presence of advanced adaptable technology that transcended the capabilities of Earth. As they walked inside, the brothers were struck by the stark contrasts that existed within the confines of the Arc ship. Based on one¡¯s ticket, they were housed in different sections from S to E with there being a major difference between the luxury and quality of life within each sections. [ Section S ]was the epitome of luxury. Named ¡®Silver Sanctum¡¯, this housing section hadvish apartments that housed the top1% Residents of Section S had ess to personalized robotic assistants, state-of-the-art health facilities, gourmet dining halls, and personal leisure areas. The people here moved with a sense of entitlement, their faces betraying no surprise at the marvels around them. It was as if they always knew about, or perhaps even expected, this level of grandeur. ¡± Look Luke, that¡¯s the president- ¡± Leo pointed out with his finger as Luke immediately covered his brother¡¯s mouth and forced him to look downwards. Pointing at anyone was not considered good manners and if someone like the president took offense then they could throw small fishes like Luke and Leo out of the ship in an instant. Was it a surprise that she was given housing within the best sector? Not really, however, it still pissed Leo off as in his opinion that bitch did not even deserve a ticket. Walking forward, Luke and Leo passed by Section A. [ Section A ] a.k.a the¡®Aurum Abode¡¯, was a step below the S ranked quarters but still breathtaking. It consisted of high-end apartments with modern amenities. The residents hadmunal gyms, entertainment areas, and advanced medical facilities. After section A came- [ Section B ], known as ¡®Bronze Borough¡¯, was designed for the middle-ss elites. While their lodgings were modestpared to the previous sections, they had ess to basic facilities and shared recreational areas. Families here seemed grateful, their conversations hinting at a mix of anxiety and hope. [ Section C ] was called the ¡®Copper Commons¡¯ and it resembled urban housingplexes. Families had small living quarters, sharedundries, andmunal dining areas. While things were orderly, there was a palpable sense of uncertainty, with whispers about job allocations and the hope for upward mobility on Terra Nova. Uptil this point, the Arc Ship looked like the perfect carrier to live in, however, as the brother¡¯s walked past section C and into section D, they realized that even the arc ship was a ce where severe inequality prevailed. [ Section D ]beled ¡®Dural District¡¯, was more like tenements or dormitories. Several individuals or families shared amon living space and it looked just like the hoodlums and back alleys that weremonly seen in the most dangerous parts of an urban city. They had fewmunal facilities which were clearly overstressed. Yet, despite the challenging living conditions, the inhabitants of these quarters seemed to be ready for a challenge and desperate to improve their living standards. Finally, [ Section E], or ¡®Elemental End¡¯, was where the most downtrodden were ced. It was the lowest of low sections where Luke and Leo were to live alongside other menial workers of society. The facilities were basic and clearly not enough to prevent overcrowding, with long queues for food and essential services. As Luke and Leo passed by shops that werebeled as ¡± Lunch Hall ¡± and ¡± Laundry Hall ¡± they saw extensive lines forming outside these buildings as the brother¡¯s realized that waiting 30-40 minutes for daily essentials was going to be the norm in this ce. The living quarters were cramped, with several families sharing single units leaving no privacy for individuals. The units here were only square boxes with minimal furniture as there was absolutely no distinction between bedroom, hall or kitchen. There was onemunal bathroom shared amongst ten housing rooms that amodated two individuals each. The atmosphere here was a mix of despair and resilience. E-46. As the brother¡¯s entered their assigned quarters they realized that it was a small box spanning ten feet by twelve feet and was barely big enough for both of them to sleep at full length. The flooring used was the same material as the rest of the ships baseframe and the only furniture provided were two sockets for power and a study table mounted on the wall. There was no proper bed and the brothers were meant to sleep on mattresses which had¡® Wee Kits ¡® ced on-top. After viewing the kind of luxury that the inhabitants of the other sections were going to live in, the brothers found it hard to digest their own living quarters as the two of them exchanged no words as they put down their measly 3kg luggage. As they opened their wee kits, they found some sophisticated headgear inside whose purpose seemed unclear at the moment, alongside a fresh set of clothes that would be their uniform from this day forward and a dental essential kit. The clothes they had looked like a medical surgeon¡¯s robe but in orange color with E-46 embroided inrge white lettering at the chest. ¡± Leo, there¡¯s a small booklet given at the end, it apparently exins the rules and regtions of this ship, give it a read first. We don¡¯t want to get in unnecessary trouble- ¡± Luke instructed as Leo looked for the small booklet in his wee kit and discovered it at the very end. He spent the next 20 minutes reading every single rule of the arc ship before realizing that it was extremely absurd and oppressive by design. Apparently freedom of movement, freedom of expression, freedom of speech and such ideals no longer applied within the arc ships as the different housing sections created essentially worked asrge prison cells. Moving from a higher ranked section to a lower section was permitted, however, the reverse was not allowed. Although a D ranked individual could walk freely into the sector E housing, the vice-versa could not be done. Except for two special days in a year, everyone had to necessarily wear their assigned robes to work within the arc ship and could not wear the clothes they came with on the ship. No protest of any sort against the authority was tolerated and at the first action of dissent individuals risked being thrown out of the Arc Ship into the cold dark space. There were a total of 112 such bullet points that explicitly detailed what one could do and could not do, however, many of these points touched on a subject called ¡® Gaming Time ¡® and ¡® Virtual World ¡® which Leo could not fully grasp. Apparently, everyone aboard the ship had to spend a minimum of 12 hours a day ying a deep dive MMORPG game called ¡® Terra Nova Online ¡® but the precise details were missing from the rule book. Chapter 7: Initial Evaluation Chapter 7: Initial Evaluation Initial Evaluation [ Attention Everyone ¨C This is an administrator announcement, please momentarily stop whatever it is that you are doing and pay full attention to what I have to say- ] A male voice said over the speaker as Luke and Leo immediately stopped whatever it was that they were doing and turned their focus to what the administrator had to say. [ I¡¯m d to announce that the boarding of this Arc Ship isplete and that we are ready to take off. We are going to ascend at about 100 times the speed of sound and will bepletely out of Earth¡¯s gravitational influence in roughly five minutes. It means that these shall be ourst five minutes on Earth. Since today is the first day of our journey and thest day of us being earthlings, the alien supervisors have been kind enough to give us all 24 hours of free-time to do as we please before the routine kicks in tomorrow. They have suggested that everyone y the game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ in this free-time and get ustomed to the deep-dive virtual world as it would be the game that would determine what your future on this ship and on our destination Terra Nova looks like! To start ying please connect the head-gear in your wee kits to the socket in your rooms and then fasten the gear over your head as described in the instructions booklet beforeying down t on your back and speaking themand work ¡°Let¡¯s go online¡±. That¡¯s it from my side- All the best, all space travellers May you have a fruitful gaming session ] Luke and Leo looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders at once as they gave up on trying to figure out what this ship wanted from them. There had to be a reason behind the social hierarchy, the gaming rules and the announcement saying that the game would decide their future on Terra Nova, however, at this point in time the brothers did not have enough information to make sense of anything that was happening. As they silently moved to plug in the gaming headsets to their sockets, they felt a slight tremor going across the entire ship as it was an indication that the ship had finally taken off. ¡°Just five minutes, huh?¡± Luke wondered as it was an awfully short time topletely escape the earth¡¯s gravitational influence and be a space wanderer, however, that was the path that the brothers and millions of other earthlings had chosen. Surprisingly, Luke did not feel emotional about leaving Earth behind forever, but he rather felt excited as he gently ced the gaming gear over his head andid down t on his back before ncing over to Leo who had done the same. ¡°You have got this little brother-¡± Luke said as he gave Leo an encouraging smile before uttering the magic words ¡°Let¡¯s go online¡± as the gaming system booted up and pulled his consciousness out of his body. *GAHHH* Luke muffled a scream as he felt like someone was pouring acid down every single neuron in his brain as the process of logging in hurt like hell. Surrounding him was a white expanse of nothingness as just looking at the bright whiteness of his surroundings made his headache a lot worse. [Wee human yer! I¡¯m Gaia, the gaming master created to look over all the yers from Earth! I¡¯m extremely sorry for the pain and inconvenience you are feeling at the moment, however, it is something all first time gamers feel when the electrical current from the gaming headset sends electrical currents down all their synaptic connections. Please be assured, this pain is only beneficial for your brain and not counterproductive and you will not experience it upon your second log-in] A sweet voice that was a little mechanical and a little feminine said as Luke had to control his urge to shout and curse at her. As he focused on the direction of the sound he saw a small ball of pink light floating before him as he wondered if this ball was Gaia? [Your initial disorientation has not yet fadedpletely, cannot start the evaluation-] Gaia said as Luke frowned at the response. A few minutes passed and every time he looked at Gaia, her response would remain the same as she said [Your initial disorientation has not yet fadedpletely, cannot start the evaluation-] As twenty minutes of agonising nothing passed by. Little by little, Luke did feel like his head felt lighter and better as finally after a full twenty minutes Gaia said [yer haspletely recovered from his initial disorientation,mencing the reflex test! Please catch the random balls falling all around you- Test starts in 5¡­4¡­3¡­2¡­1¡­GO!] ¡°What the-¡±Luke cursed as an almost weightless yellow ball slowly appeared in his field of vision prompting him to catch it. BALLS CAUGHT ¨C 1 Although he was not the best catcher, he could easily handle this much as one after another colourful balls of all sizes appeared in his field of vision falling at varying speeds as he caught them to the best of his abilities while letting a few that he could not catch fall. BALLS CAUGHT ¨C 7 . . . . BALLS CAUGHT ¨C 15 Once he hit the 15 balls mark, the balls being dropped suddenly had varying weights as well as one ball could feel weightless but the other ball could suddenly weigh five kilograms despite looking the same and descending at the same speed as the change in weightpletely threw his catching technique off. BALLS CAUGHT ¨C 20, END OF TEST. At the end of 60 seconds, he could only catch 20 balls in total as the test ended when he was just starting to get the hang of his new predicament. [Reflex Test Score ¨C 70/100, B tier] The game master announced as Luke curved his lips downwards as he pushed his eyebrows upwards making the ¡®Not Bad¡¯ expression. Although 70/100 was not a peak score, he had no one topare it to and it did not seem all that bad. In reality it wasn¡¯t bad at all as less than a million yers aboard this 250 million yer arc ship were going to get a score of 70 or above, however, the very brother that Luke was sleeping next to was an iparable beast in this test having a reflex score of 95, putting him in the S tier. Chapter 8: Initial Evaluation (2) Chapter 8: Initial Evaluation (2) Initial Evaluation(2) ( Leo Skyshards POV ) [Reflex Test Score ¨C 95/100, S tier] Leo looked at his score and felt satisfied with himself. He had not dropped more than 3 balls in the 60 second duration of the reflex test and had thoroughly enjoyed himself in the process. His score ced him within the top3 ranks of the arc ship and at the very top of the ranks within Sector E, however, he was not aware about this yet. He had taken about three times longer than Luke to assimte with his head-gear and the process had been extremely painful, however, once the headache faded away and he could move around, he felt sharp and in fullmand of his muscles. There was no pain in a single joint, there was no stiffness, no sticity problem in his muscles as he felt almost reborn. He felt capable of stretching to the utmost limit to catch a ball without having to worry about a potential injury and it was a liberating experience to feel what his body was truly capable of. [Good job clearing the first test yer! Please prepare for the second round now- In the second round, we will read through your memories and evaluate your personality traits. There is no score for this round, but it will help us determine the bestpatible ss for you] ¡°Wait, you want to read my memories? I¡¯m notfortable with that-¡± Leo protested, however, his protest was in vain. He was no longer on Earth and there was no longer a government to enforce human rights. If the aliens wished to read his brain, there was nothing Leo could do to stop them as within the next minute the game master Gaia extracted all of Leo¡¯s memories stored within his conscious brain. It wasn¡¯t the full story of his life, but rather shes of peak moments that he remembered forever. It was the highs and lows of his life that he was the most proud of or the most embarrassed about as regardless of his emotion towards the event, Gaia stored and processed it all. After just a minute, Gaia was done with her evaluation as she was ready to proceed to round three. [I have gathered all the information I needed to determine your future path yer, thankyou for your cooperation. We can now progress to round three, where we shall test your cognitive ability. I shall put you within a room full of objects and you shall have 5 minutes to find 100 knives hidden in the room The test will start in 5 seconds, goodluck!] Leo mentally prepared himself for the next test as after just five seconds his surroundings shifted from white nothingness to a storage room full of objects littered around. Just a quick scan of the room and Leo could pick out five knives in an instant as they were tantly obvious. However, once the initial momentum faded, he started to struggle to find more knives with his discovery speed slowing down significantly. He raffled the room and moved around objects in the hope of finding a new knife hidden from in sight. He worked strategically, starting from one corner of the room and progressing at a steady rate that would give him just enough time to scan the entire room. He discovered all the knives that he could and did not linger or second guess himself to maybe look for more as he progressed through the room. Once the five minutes were up he had no idea as to how many knives he had located, however, in his head it felt like he had found many. [Cognitive Test Score ¨C 101 knives found. Test Result ¨C S grade] Leo was surprised to see the total being 101 when the system told him that there were only 100 knives to find? In reality there were over 160 knives in the room, however, one needed only 100 to get a perfect score. The key to clearing this stage was mentality and focus and Leo performed expertly. [Commencing fourth and final round of the initial evaluation which is practicalbat. Please engage in a fist-fight with all your might against the system dummy] The system suddenly threw Leo from a room full of objects back to the infinite white space with a ck dummy opponent. The dummy had a good height of 6 feet and was by all means a faceless mechanical robot who had undertaken a weird stance that was unlike conventional boxing. Leo did not feel like fighting it, instinctively he also felt a little afraid to punch metal since he knew that punching metal would hurt his own bones. However, he also wanted to get a good score in this test and not chicken out, so in the end he swallowed his reservations and engaged inbat, boxing style, against the dummy. Thankfully the dummy did not punch back, but it only looked to parry or block Leo¡¯s attacks as Leo wildly attacked anything and everything that the dummy left exposed without worrying about whether or not it inflicted any real damage. Leo had not been trained in proper martial arts. Coming from the streets he did know how to throw a punch, however, street fights were all about guts and fighting despite taking a punch while this was a whole other ball game. Nheless he tried his best and put all his strength behind every punch that he could throw as the test ended after about a minute of him engaging inbat, just as he was starting to run out of breath. [Combat Test Score ¨C 72/100, B rank] Leo got a respectable B rank in hisbat score, however, it felt sour after scoring two S ranked evaluations back to back. Nheless, there was nothing he could do to improve his score now as he had given all three tests his best shot. [ Initial evaluationplete! Computing total score ¡­.. Generating yer title¡­. Generating yer ss ¡­.. Generating yer stat panel¡­ Generating wee bonus¡­.. ] Chapter 9: A Unique Destiny Chapter 9: A Unique Destiny A Unique Destiny [yer Evaluation Complete! A Unique ss and Destiny has been decided to be bestowed to the yer] Leo looked at the system screen and was pleasantly surprised by the text that said that he was going to be given a unique ss. Who did not like to think of themselves as the main character of a novel and have a unique destiny? However, little did he know that his new ss was more trouble than good. [Congrattions yer, your overall evaluation is A+ grade! Since the yer has achieved the highest score out of all the individuals in sector E on all four arc ships, the yer will be given the unique ss ¨C Actor. To aid and abet the yer in his main mission, the yer will be given the special title ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ A special wee box corresponding to an A+ evaluation has been prepared for the yer and has been sent to yer inventory. To ess the inventory please speak the words ¡®Open Inventory¡¯ For further information about your ss and title, please click here] Leo felt extremely happy at being informed that he had the highest score of all E ranked passengers aboard the arc ship as this was the kind of skill that made one develop an egoplex. He was grinning from ear to ear as he clicked on the further information option as he did not quite understand what the actor ss or fake it till you make it title was supposed to do? However, all his initial excitement turned to horror once he read the details about his ss. CLASS ¨C ACTOR ( UNIQUE ) This ss has been created as nothing more than a social experiment. The user of this ss can bypass the restrictions of walking down a single focused path, however, it also means that the user will find it harder to master any single art. The user of this ss will be used as an experiment to see if those who pretend to be hidden masters, without having the skill to back it up can actually be real masters if their con is not caught for an extended period of time. When the game officially opens and more than a 10,000 yers reach level10, a levelling leader board will open and the inheritor of this ss will be disyed to be 10 levels above the number2 ranked yer even if that is not the reality. The yer will be issued several quests that he/she mustplete to survive, to keep doing the bare minimum to be called a hidden expert until the actor actually bes one or is found out to be a fraud. NOTE ¨C The yer inheriting the actor ss can never disclose his/her identity or ss to anyone within the gaming world or the real world and must lie about his ss whenever asked. NOTE ¨C The ankle bracelet given to every passenger of the arc ship monitors your activity outside the gaming world and will instantly kill you if you knowingly reveal any information about this ss. NOTE ¨C The yer inheriting the actor ss can never join a guild or any other official organization unless it is for a system generated mission and must always y solo. TITLE ¨C Fake it till you make it. The yer inheriting this title will gain experience points and bonus attributes when acting like he/she is a bigshot. The system strongly suggests that the yer act aloof and lofty to maximize the benefits of the title. ADDED BONUS ¨C You can change your disy panel within a set range of parameters,pletely as per your discretion to help in your act. As Leo read about the ss that he had been given as well as the title and its effects he felt the gaming world spin under his feet as he felt slightly sick. He never wanted to be treated like a social experiment, to y the part of a hidden expert either until he actually became one or until he was caught in the act. What was even worse was the information that the bracelets tracked the activity of all yers in real life as well, which meant that when he and Luke sat down to discuss the game, he could never be truly honest about what ss he was or what missions he was doing. Hidden expert? No ss restrictions? The ability to alter his status panel at will? Leo was not sure as to how he was going to y his character in the future, however, what he was sure of was the fact that he was definitely going to fake it till he made it. Even if it was all a con, in his mind he knew that he was going to y the role of the con-man till the wolves circled in on him as even if he was cornered, he was never going to admit to anyone in a moment of weakness that he was a fraud. Although he did not know it yet, the system by reading his memories deemed him the least likely to crack under pressure and having the most chances to make this acting gig work, which was why he was given this unique destiny, on-top of his extraordinary skills. *********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke received a B grade in the reflex test, a B grade in the cognitive ability test and a S+ grade inbat! His result was a mirror opposite of that of his brother as his S+ grade inbat meant that he went above the conventional grading system and was a rare generational talent when it came to fighting. His overall evaluation also came out to be A+ grade as he was given the highly recognised ss ¡® Warrior ¡®. Unlike Leo he was not given a unique destiny or a title, but amongst the items given to him in his wee bonus kit there was a ¡®Token Of Honor¡¯ which was meant to be shown in the school of battlemages in Crystal City. As for what the token represented or what benefits it gave, there was no information to be essed, however, Luke was happy with how things turned out for him. Chapter 10: The Name Selection Chapter 10: The Name Selection The Name Selection [All initial requirements have been met, please select a character name toplete your initial character profile. Please note- You cannot change the character name once you have selected it, so please be cautious about the name you type in and please double check for all spelling errors] A keyboard appeared before Luke asking him to enter his gaming name as he began wondering as to what he should set it as. The game did warn him that he would not be given a second opportunity to change his name which is why Luke felt hesitant to write something stupid like ¡®Thanos¡¯ or ¡®Ninja¡¯ or some other generic name like those. He wanted a cool yet impactful name that people would remember after just reading once, however, he also wanted it to be original and not something that others were likely to copy. To ensure its uniqueness, he decided tobine two or more words to create a unique hybrid word that could fit his vision for his character profile. Since he was from the warrior ss, he wanted the name to be brave and bold which is why he chose the word ¡®Lion¡¯, since it was the most noble yet powerful creature he could think of. To make it unique he decided to add the ¡®Sky¡¯ part of his surname ¡®SkyShard¡¯ to the word creating a hybrid name ¨C ¡®SkyLion¡¯ Luke, satisfied with how SkyLion sounded, inputted it as his character name as instantly a character panel was generated. ********* SkyLion¡¯s Character Profile Name: SkyLion Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title: [None Assigned] ss: Warrior (Stage: Unawakened) Current Level: 0 [ Vital Stats ] Health Points (HP): 100/100 Mana: Currently Unavable Stamina: 15/15 [ Core Attributes ] Strength(10): Demonstrates significant physical power. Agility(6): Possesses standard mobility and reflexes. Dexterity(13): Exceptionally skilled with precision and control. Intelligence(7): Shows practical, real-world problem-solving abilities. Endurance(9): Has greater than average resilience and stamina. Physique(12): Exhibits a strong and well-conditioned body. UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS¨C 0 **Note- The human average for all core attributes is 6** [ Learnt Skills ] ¨C None. [ Equipment ] Worn Gear:Basic Layman¡¯s Clothes [ Inventory ] Starter Items:Wee Pack (Essentials for beginners) Special Item:Token Of Honor (Rare, signifies great potential) ********** A blue screen popped up in front of Luke as he inspected it in great detail. Growing up, he wasn¡¯t a big gamer since their family did not have the financial ability to support such idol hobbies, however, of what little games that he did y, he had seen this exact type of system screen pop up once or twice. With the average attribute for humans across all categories being 6, Luke realized that he was at least average or above average in all categories with physique and dexterity being his strongest suits. In retrospect it did make sense, since he used to lead an active lifestyle of a repairman back in Washington, where he needed to be nimble and precise with his hands while also requiring the necessary physique to support long hours of manualbor. What he was curious about was whether or not Leo also had dexterity and physique as his strongest attributes or was the evaluation criteria based on something else? ¡ª¡ª-xxx¡ª¡ª- ( Meanwhile Leo ) Just like Luke, Leo also stared intently at his own system panel. ********* The Boss¡¯s Character Profile Name: The Boss Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title: [Fake It Till You Make It] (Equipped) ss: Actor (Unique) (Stage: Unawakened) Current Level: 0 [ Vital Stats ] Health Points (HP): 96/96 Mana: Currently Unavable Stamina: 13/13 [ Core Attributes ] Strength(8): Demonstrates above average physical power. Agility(8): Possesses above average mobility and reflexes. Dexterity(17): Elite! Ranked top1% for precision and control. Intelligence(16): Elite! Possesses natural talent for thinking out of the box. Endurance(9): Has greater than average resilience and stamina. Physique(11): Exhibits a strong and well-trained body. SPECIAL OPTION- Edit attribute panel for disy [clickhereto edit] UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS¨C 0 **Note- The human average for all core attributes is 6** [ Learnt Skills ] ¨C None. [ Equipment ] Worn Gear:Basic Layman¡¯s Clothes [ Inventory ] Starter Items:Wee Pack (Essentials for beginners) ********** Leo had brazenly chosen the name ¡®The Boss¡¯ for his character as after thinking about what to name himself for a while, he decided that he was fucked anyway with the unique ss so he might as well own the personapletely and name himself something bold. He chose the name ¡®The Boss¡¯ because he chuckled at the thought of having a second rate thug run up to his boss and inform him/her that he had been roughed up by ¡®The Boss¡¯. For some stupid reason just thinking about this scenario gave him some form of evil satisfaction as he felt very content with his system name. Apart from the general stat panel, he had the special option of editing his attribute panel for others to see because of his unique title, however, he chose not to exercise that option without having sufficient knowledge about the game mechanics first. Since he was going to be forced to act, he was at least going to be a well informed trickery artist and not a dumb fool who was easy to spot and while he had a much better overall stat panel than Luke, with intelligence and dexterity being in the ¡®elite¡¯ category, unlike Luke, Leo did not feel satisfied with his stat panel at all. In his mind, Leo felt that since he had scored so well on the reflex and knife test he should have gotten a better evaluation, however, it did not ur to him that the evaluation criteria might not have been the initial test. Nheless, he was not given much time to brood over it either as after a minute of his system panel being generated, he got another system notification that announced the start of the game. [ Character panel generationplete! Wee yer- ¡®The Boss¡¯ to TERRA NOVA ONLINE ] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Hey guys author here:- If you¡¯re enjoying the book so far, please drop a review for the book. This book is participating in WSA 2024 and I need all your feedback to help make it great. For every ten reviews recieved, I will even give out a bonus chapter, so please spare the time if you can. /// Chapter 11: The Game Begins Chapter 11: The Game Begins The Game Begins ( Silverpine Vige, one of the many newbie spawn viges in Terra Nova Online ) Leo found himself teleported to Silverpine Vige once his character panel was created, almost immediately, he was engulfed by icy gusts of wind, each one sharper and more biting than thest, sending shivers coursing through his body. [ Random starting point chosen ¨C Silverpine Vige, please use the voice activatedmand ¡®open map¡¯ to know more ] ¡°Open Map¡± Leo used themand and instantly a map of his surroundings opened up as he realised that he was high atop a frosty mountain with Silverpine Vige being the vige located at the highest altitude on the mountain. The mountain he was on was called ¡®Mount Gavon¡¯ and it housed a total of 9 viges at different altitudes. ording to the map, Leo was at an altitude of about 4000 metres above sea level, whereas the summit of the mountain was at about 6000 metres. He was wearing the defaultyman¡¯s clothing that was more suited for a warm climate as it was clear from his clothing that it provided little to no protection against the icy cold winds. Leo noticed how his surroundings felt extremely realistic as although his mind knew that this was only a game, every sensation within the game felt extremely detailed and real. He could clearly feel the direction of the wind and he could feel the difference in temperature as to how the wind felt under his clothing versus how it felt on his exposed skin. He could clearly hear the rustling of dry tree branches and the sound his boots made from walking on ice. ¡°Ouch¡± He felt a numbing sensation on his skin as he pinched it as the area where he pinched himself turned slightly red and swollen which amazed Leo to no end. Even on earth there had been some sort of full dive VR games, however, while they were semi-realistic, this game was like reality itself. Whether it was the surround sound, the effect of having low oxygen in the surrounding air or how different parts of his body reacted differently to the environment as if every inch of his skin was alive was truly mesmerising. [ Alert: Health Decreased by -0.2HP due to Prolonged Exposure to Extreme Cold. Seek Shelter Immediately to Prevent Frostbite. ] Leo was jolted by this notification as he made way towards the vige wall nearby. While he was teleported in the wild, just a few hundred metres from his location was the Silverpine Vige whose boundaries were marked by thick wooden walls with archer towers built behind them at regr intervals. Although Leo was no genius detective, he knew that the only reason why a vige invested in border safety was to either deal with human invasion or to handle wild animals. Since the vige was situated remotely at a high altitude it was unlikely that there would be other humans vying for itsnd, which meant that the protection was most likely put in ce to deal with wild animals. As he walked a bit towards the vige entrance he saw some other newbies inyman¡¯s clothing also making their way towards the entrance as Leo realised that they must be the other yers on the arc ship. From their numbers they did not seem to be more than a few dozen, which meant that there must be countless more newbie viges that were not located in the little map of this mountain. Either there were several such mountains, or there were different terrain for everyone to start and just like he ended up on a frosty mountain it was possible that someone would start on a warm beach or a rainforest. This theory of his could be easily confirmed once he talked to Luke and the others in Sector E, which is why Leo did not pay much heed to it at the moment and shifted his focus to others entering the vige. Although the winds outside were cold, he wasn¡¯t shivering uncontrobly, however, some of the other yers that he observed were somehow facing this difficulty. The one¡¯s shivering also lookednky and like their physique was weak while those who were not shivering looked like they were strong and had severalyers of muscle to keep themselves warm. Could it be the physique stat at y? Leo wondered, but he could not be sure. There were two guards at the entrance of the vige and they seemed to be collecting some sort of a small entrance fee from all yers that were trying to enter the vige. Initially Leo felt surprised as to how everyone had the fee that the guards were asking for since it had not been more than five minutes that most yers had entered the game, when he suddenly realised that it must be something everyone received from the newbie wee kit. He had not yet opened his wee kit, and hence did not possess any coins, which is why the first thing that he did was to open the wee kit. [ Congrattions you have opened the wee kit box and have received- 20x bronze coins. 5x silver coins. 1x gold coin. 1x bloody soldier robe 1x government letter ( sealed ) 1x steel sword (mon ) 1x Virex ck Ops Mask ( Members only)] [ System Notification ¨C ¡®Actor¡¯ ss unique mission triggered! Poise as a government soldier of the Virex ck Ops and ept the Vige Leaders quest. Quest Difficulty ¨C B+ Quest Rewards ¨C +10 levels, + ss unlocking Failure Penalty ¨C You will be imprisoned by the vige for identity fraud. Time limit ¨C none ¨C You cannot decline the mission, goodluck! ] The moment Leo opened his inventory he was immediately bombarded with a mandatory quest. He was handed his first role as the actor ss and was instructed to poise as a government soldier belonging to the Virex ck Ops. While the other yers entered the vige to seek shelter and figure out how to y the game, Leo was going to have to pose as an entity who he had absolutely no information about and if he failed in the quest or was caught for identity theft he was going to suffer imprisonment in this extremely cold vige. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no rest for the fraudster, acting starts day1¡± murmured Leo to himself as he put on the soldier robes and the Virex mask in a ce where he was hidden from the view of themon yers. Unlike how realistic the game felt, it did not make the yer actually undress and put on a set of clothes physically as just by selecting the ¡®Equip¡¯ option within one¡¯s inventory their existing clothes were swapped for the ones they actually wanted to wear. Just like that, Leo changed into the role of the government soldier as taking a deep breath he finally began his journey towards the vige entrance. Chapter 12: Entering The Village Chapter 12: Entering The Vige Entering The Vige Leo felt nervous as he walked towards the vige entrance as not only did the yers take notice of him, but the vige guards did as well. He was limping slightly as he walked in character towards the vige wall as he wanted the vige guards to assume that the reason behind why he was wearing bloody robes was because he was injured and not because he was forced to kill some enemy. Being far from a seasoned actor, his inconsistent limping was a dead giveaway of his inexperience as each step he took varied slightly from thest, a telltale sign to any observant onlooker that his injury was a fake, however, fortunately for him, the attention of the vige guards was captivated not by his gait, but by his mask, which, for reasons unknown, held significant intrigue for them. ¡°SIR! This is Private Ryan here SIR!, US Air Forcemander, SIR!, please tell me if I can assist you anyway possible SIR!¡± A man suddenly shouted as he appeared in front of Leo and began stomping his feet in traditional military salute everytime he shouted SIR! He was wearing theyman¡¯s clothing so Leo knew that he was a yer, but his sudden antics prompted all the nearby yers to pay full attention to this interaction making Leo feel awkward to have been put in a spot. Leo could clearly make out that the man in front of him was lying, his posture was pathetic and his designation was even more ridiculous. He assumed the title of amander after introducing himself as a ¡®private¡¯, because it was probably the only military title he knew about which made Leo sure that he was aplete novice, since nomander would shamelessly introduce themselves first and disy such ackey-like behaviour. Leo was 99% sure that the man was trying to see if Leo issued a quest to him, since this was a game and he did not look like a yer like the rest of them wearingyman¡¯s clothing, but unfortunately, Leo was not an NPC. ¡°Out of my way-¡± Leo said with the same tone as a pissed off old man who was rushing to a convenience store to buy a cigarette as he walked straight past fake Private Ryan, without giving him any face. Audibleughter could be heard as the other yers burst outughing having witnessed the spectacr failure of Private Ryan and even Leo was forced to suppress a chuckle. Thankfully, no other yers bothered him anymore and instead made way for him as he approached the vige guards. ¡± Greetings soldier-, May I know the purpose behind your visit?¡± One of the two vige guards asked, as Leo did not answer immediately but rather waited for a few seconds as he stared directly into the eyes of the two guards. Staring directly into the eyes of someone was an intimidation tactic he had learnt from living on the streets. Those who had something to hide, would subconsciously avoid eye-contact, however, if you stared confidently into someone¡¯s eyes it was more likely that they would believe you. ¡± I¡¯m here to meet the vige chief, I have government business to discuss with him¡± Leo said as he shed the government letter with the kingdom¡¯s stamp on it. ¡°Oh, it seems like you are here on official business, please let me lead the way,¡± the vige guard on the right said, as he signalled for Leo to follow him into the vige. Sighing in relief, Leo followed the man into the vige as he slowly faded out of the curious gazes of the yers outside. He had managed to get into the vige without having to pay an entrance fee like the rest of the yers which was a small constion on its own, however, unlike them he was not free to do as he pleased within the vige, but had to conform to his role as the government soldier. His relief at being able to enter was short-lived as he was quickly guided towards the vige chief¡¯s quarters due to which he did not get much opportunity to observe the vige and it¡¯s beauty in depth, but his first impression of the ce was that it was just like a fantasy town straight out of mediaeval times. Wooden houses with smokeing out of makeshift chimneys, narrow paved roads that had a thinyer of snow covering them and vigers dressed in thick fur clothing mostly made out of wolf skin were some sights that Leo observed before arriving before the chief¡¯s house. ¡°Please wait here while I inform the chief of your arrival¡± the guard said as he politely bowed to Leo before excusing himself for a while. The part of the vige where he was standing at the moment seemed to be the local residential district, whereas the part where the newly spawned yers were resting was the area where the taverns, motels and adventurer guilds were based. ¡°A Virex mask? Are you sure?¡± Leo heard someone saying from a distance as he could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Soon, the vige guard was back alongside another man who Leo assumed was the chief of the vige, as the tall and stout man examined Leo and the mask that he was wearing. ¡°Why is a Virex operative in my town? I hope none of my vigers are on your hitlist¡± The vige chief said with scrutiny as he tried to probe Leo for some information. The vige chief was 6 foot two and built like a literal bear. If Leo was to take him on, he was sure that the man could punch him out unconscious with a single blow, but despite the intimidating stature, Leo maintained his calm. ¡°The business I have in this vige is stated clearly in this letter, however, it¡¯s a conversation we best have in private¡± Leo said as he handed over the government letter to the vige chief who tore open the seal and began reading it immediately. The tense expression on his face eased significantly as he read the letter and by the end of it he was even smiling as he chuckled out loud. ¡°Hahaha, so you¡¯re here to help us with the wolf problem, how rude of me. Please,e in, let¡¯s discuss this in my hall. Have you had dinner yet? Please honour my family by having dinner with us today. Oh- you¡¯re injured? Fayley, go call the healer Miss Shayana. Oh, how rude of me, I forgot to introduce myself, I¡¯m Brahim, the elected chief of Silverpine Vige, and it¡¯s my as well as my vige¡¯s honour to host a warrior of your calibre, esteemed Virex operative sir ¡®The Boss¡¯ ¡± Brahim said as Leo needed a moment to process the sudden 180¡ã shift in his attitude. Leo had no idea what was written in that letter, however, from Brahim¡¯s reaction he assumed that it was something rted to the wolf problem that this vige was facing and not some execution order like Brahim had assumed. Once he realised that Leo was not there to kill anyone, his attitude softened significantly, however, Leo could not help but feel uneasy internally. He had a strong gut feeling that the quest he was going to be forced to undertake would be a wolf extermination mission, a mission that he was not skilled enough to ept. Chapter 13: First Quest Chapter 13: First Quest First Quest Leo was amazed by how detailed this game Terra Nova Online was when he entered the vige chief¡¯s home. Everything from the entrance, to theyout of the house seemed extremely detailed and the items inside were realistic. Leo had no idea how they made a game engine so realistic that the items within a random house of a random man were dusty and scratched from the handle where one would grab it from while also looking like they had been sitting on the same spot for years just collecting dust, just like what one would see in a normal house. The wooden flooring in the house looked fresh in some parts but showed signs of wear and tear in others. Such detail went beyond simple game designing and felt like an alternate reality itself, as Leo was stunned as to how rich the gaming experience was. ¡°Pardon me for my previous rude question, we had the impression that usually when a Virex operative shows up it¡¯s for an assassination. I misjudged your motive toe to my vige¡± Brahim said as he politely offered his apologies to Leo for believing in a stereotype. ¡± It¡¯s okay, vige chief,¡± Leo said as he sat across from the burly man in his living room. Once the two of them were seated, a woman who Leo assumed to be Brahim¡¯s wife shyly entered the room and started the fire inside the hearth before moving out once again without making eye-contact with Leo from start to finish. With the fire burning, the temperature inside the room became morefortable but Leo did not dare slouch as he maintained the tense military posture with the upright back to stay in character. ¡°As you must know, Silverpine Vige is located too high in the mountains for the convenience of life. The second nearest vige is only at 3200m above sea level, but we still stay at such an incredible altitude because of the iron ore mines. 70% of my own vige men are miners and have pledged their service to one of the three big miningpanies, who expect my men to work for 9 months non-stop from the first sign of snow thawing till all the leaves shed in autumn. But while Silverpine Vige is wealthy and numerically strong, our reliance on mining operations is heavy to get through the winter. Currently, it¡¯s winter and spring won¡¯t start for another two weeks, however, this time around, the wolves have made the mines their chosen hibernation den, which means that we won¡¯t be able to resume mining operations once the snow starts to thaw. If the situation of the wolves is not resolved and my men arete to start mining operations by even a week, then they would have to pay about a month¡¯s sries in penalty for not meeting the quota and such a future worries me. Savings of my people, especially after winter usually runs low and forcing them to pay penalty charges would be detrimental to the financial state of most families. As you must have been briefed, the wolves are the biggest threat to the security of this vige. The only reason we live behind such thick wooden walls manned by archers all the time is to stay safe from the attack of wolves, however, with the wolves now making the mines their new home, we are in desperate need of government help to resolve this situation¡±. Brahim said as he exined Silverpine Vige¡¯s peril to Leo. Leo who understood the vige chief¡¯s peril nodded, however, internally he felt his stomach roll over as he realised that his worst fears were probably going toe true and he was going to be forced to face wolves when he actually had nobat experience. ¡°I have already issued a mission to all the adventurer guilds operating in this vige to help us with this problem, however, while they have called over many promising adventurers, so far, all of them have failed in driving the wolves away. You, sir, are thest hope for this vige to return to work at the promised date, so please help us handle the wolf problem¡± Brahim said as immediately a system notification popped up. [ Quest Notification ] [ ¡ª¡ª> You have been issued a mandatory quest by the chief of Silverpine Vige, NPC Brahim. ? You cannot deny this quest ¡ª¡ª¡ª-> Clear the mines by either defeating all the wolves inside or driving them away to make it safe for mining once winter ends. Time limit : 14 days. Failure Penalty : Imprisonment Rewards : Actor ss unlock, +10 levels, +??? Gold, +??? Skill scroll, +???? ] Leo got the mandatory quest notification as he quietly sighed under his mask. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll handle the rest¡± he said as he stood up in character, not putting much weight on his injured leg and extended his hand forward to shake Brahim¡¯s. ¡°Sir, please, stay the night and enjoy my food. I¡¯m sure my wife is cooking some delicious meat for you at the moment. Also I¡¯ve called for the vige healer, she should be here to treat your injuries too-¡± Brahim said as he wanted to insist on Leo not leaving just yet, however, Leo cunningly declined. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I cannot ept your hospitality until I¡¯vepleted the mission that is assigned, such is the Virex way¡± Leo said in a deeper voice than his usual tone as Brahim¡¯s eyes sparkled in admiration. Actually, Leo did not mind eating a meal, but he was worried that to eat a meal he needed to remove his mask and he was not sure if that was a good idea. ording to the description of his mask, it helped him against some inspection spells and Leo wanted to keep that extrayer of protection on. If he removed his mask to have a meal and was found to be a level0 newbie it could create issues and hence Leo did not wish to risk it. Simrly, he was acting as if he were injured, however, if a healer came and inspected him, there would not be a single wound on his body which would also seem suspicious. Since both such scenarios were detrimental to him, Leo felt it best to bail and it was actually the best decision he could have made since if he did not, he would have really failed the mission. Making his way out of the chief¡¯s home, he asked directions for the nearest tavern and headed out towards the tavern to stay the night. Firstly he needed to gather a lot of information about this world and the gaming mechanics, specially about the repercussions of ¡®dying¡¯ in the game. Only after he found out this detail, did Leo wish to engage in a difficult mission such as the wolf extermination as if death was something severe and painful, then Leo did not wish to riskpleting the mission and felt like it was better decision to take his chances somewhere else and escape Silverpine Vige all together. Chapter 14: A jolt of reality Chapter 14: A jolt of reality A jolt of reality It took Leo twenty minutes to find his way to the nearest tavern. In Silverpine Vige, almost all Taverns were concentrated on a single street and were part of the entertainment sector of the vige. Just like what motels used to be on Earth before natural disasters became frequent, the taverns in this fantasy world also used brightly painted signs to attract customers and inform them that the establishment was a ce where they could stay for the night. The tavern which caught Leo¡¯s attention was called ¡®Hill-Side Tavern¡¯ as its exterior looked more elegant than most other taverns on the street. [ Hill-Side Tavern Price List : ¡úOne night stay ( No meals included ) ¨C 2 Bronze Coins ¡úOne night stay ( All meals included ) ¨C 4 Bronze coins ¡úOne week stay ( All meals included )- 20 Bronze Coins ¡úCustom Stay ( Negotiable )- Only for guests staying 3 or more nights ] Leo read the sign board outside the tavern and immediately decided to roam around to find the prices of other taverns before deciding on one, but after his survey he realized that most taverns charged 1-1.5 bronze coins to stay a night without meal and around 3 coins to stay with all meals. While the Hill-Side Tavern was expensive if one stayed only for a day, it wasparable to other establishments if one was nning to stay for a full week and Leo nned to do exactly that. Entering the tavern, he peacefully approached the old man at the front desk and requested to stay for a week. ¡°That will be 15 bronze coins¡± The old man said with a polite bow as Leo could not understand why the price differed from what was written on the outside. ¡°It says 20 on the outside¡± Leo said, sounding slightly surprised as the old man immediately rified ¡°We apply a standard 25% discount for government officials on stay and alcohol, soldier¡±. ¡°Thankyou-¡± Leo said as he handed the old man 15 bronze coins and made his way to the tavern bar to hopefully gain some information about this world by listening to drunk men talk. ¡°My, my, a Virex soldier¡± a woman who wore the same uniform as the man on the front desk said as she guided Leo to the nearest table in the bar. ¡°What may I get you, soldier? While food from the cafeteria is included in your package, let me rify that the alcohol you drink in the bar is not. You will have to pay for this¡± the tavern waitress said as Leo nodded calmly and said ¡°I¡¯ll have your locally brewed beer¡±. ¡°That¡¯ll be one bronze coin, and I¡¯ll bring that right away¡± the waitress said as Leo handed her the one bronze coin. [ WORLDWIDE PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENT ¨C yer ¡®Dark Emperor¡¯ has be the first yer in Terra Nova Online to unlock his ss. Congrattions yer ¡®Dark Emperor¡¯] Suddenly, a worldwide announcement was made as Leo felt goosebumps all over his spine as he read the notification! ¡®How the fuck has someone already unlocked their ss? I don¡¯t even understand most of the game mechanics yet and am sitting in the local bar drinking beer. This won¡¯t do-, if I have to act as the biggest big shot then I need to have at least some form of skill to back it up¡¯ Leo thought as he looked around the room and saw that the other yers seemed bothered by this notification as well. Overall, there were many NPC and two other yers in the bar alongside Leo and while the NPC had no reaction to this announcement, it seemed like the yers did not appreciate being left in the dust. Since Terra Nova Online was only but starting, nobody had put a limit on their personal ambitions yet, which was why they were not ready to see anyone soar higher than themselves. Once the game world was fully explored and the talented distinguished themselves from the rest, maybe after that point such worldwide notifications might be appreciated, but since it was the start, they were a nuisance and an eyesore. Nheless, for Leo this notification was a much needed reality check as although he had no idea as to how someone was able to unlock their ss within the first hour of the game starting, he realized that he could not ck off at all if he wanted to keep up his disguise. This mission to help the Silverpine Vige with their wolf problem was something that was out of his current capabilities, however, it was an opportunity to gain massive levels and unlock his ss. Since hecked the basic information about sses, about the difficulty to unlock them and about the difficulty to gain levels inside the game, he could only assume that the clear rewards for this difficult quest were something favorable to him, which was why he decided to not run away but rather give this mission his all. ¡°We lost Jerry to the wolves yesterday- , while the bigger alpha wolves are getting their winter nap, it looks like the younger wolves are still guarding the caves. We need to somehow exterminate the younglings first to clear the mines,¡±a bald adventurer seated on the table beside Leo said rather loudly as Leo¡¯s ears picked up on this conversation. ¡°Yeah, Jerry was a naive scout. A goodd for sure, but a naive scout. We told him to stay out of trouble, but he just had to go inside that cave¡± another adventurer who had curly hair and nasty scars all over his body said in reply to the bald one. Initially, Leo did not intend to take such a risk so early in the game and did not wish to involve himself in the raid on the wolves until he understood the consequences of death within the game, however, after watching the worldwide notification, he felt uneasy as he decided to take a slight risk. ¡± Excuse me gentleman-, are you talking about the wolf problem in this vige? Pardon me but I could not help but overhear that you might be nning a raid to clear the wolves. I¡¯m a government soldier who has been entrusted with the same mission, do you mind if I join you?¡± Leo said in a deep voice as he could see the two adventurers beside him flinch and shudder as they looked at his Virex mask. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 15: Solo Scouting Chapter 15: Solo Scouting Solo Scouting The adventurers treated Leo with the utmost respect as they seemed to be thrilled that an esteemed Virex operative was willing to attempt a mission with some small time adventurer group like their own. The bald adventurer was called ¡®Kay¡¯ and the curly haired one was called ¡®Jay¡¯ and apparently they were both orphans who had been raised by the same orphanage with a terrible naming sense. Kay and Jay were ¡®E¡¯ ranked adventurers belonging to a ¡®Bronze¡¯ ranked guild called ¡®Mountain Warriors¡¯. The mountain warriors were a small guild consisting of not more than a thousand members and they specialised in taking up missions for the high altitude mountainous areas. Apparently they were seriously understaffed which was why even though the mission of clearing the wolves was a ¡®B¡¯ ranked request, the guild could only deploy five ¡®E¡¯ rank and five ¡®D¡¯ rank adventurers to clear the mission. Usually, such force was only enough to clear a ¡®C¡¯ ranked mission, however, with the guild being short staffed on high ranking adventurers they had no choice but to ept this more dangerous mission which was slightly above their pay grade. The adventurers had been hoping that with the older and more stronger wolves taking a nap they would be able toplete this mission, however, the young guard wolves proved to be more difficult to deal with than what they had expected leading to the death of their one and only scout. Leo, who listened intently to what the two adventurers had to say, gained a lot of knowledge about this world and how it worked, however, the most important piece of news that he learned was the fact that although this mission was ranked ¡®B¡¯ in terms of difficulty, if one acted fast and killed the guard wolves before the stronger one¡¯s woke up from their hibernation, the mission would be much easier than clearing it a weekter when the stronger wolves would start to wake up from their slumber. Time was of the essence and Leo¡¯s artistic mind already began thinking of possible scenarios to tackle this problem. In his mind, Leo thought about dressing Jay up as a big meat steak and covering him with the most aromatic oils as he danced outside the mines and lured all the wolves to chase him. When he brought out the wolves, the rest of the group could head in and kill the sleeping wolves clearing the mission, while Jay would use a vine hanging off a tree to swing above the edge of a cliff while the chasing wolves fell to their death. It was the most cartoonish scenario which was 99.99% impossible to imitate, yet it gave Leo endless satisfaction to think about such perfect victory scenarios. ¡°Tell your group leader to be ready to execute a raid on the wolf den tomorrow. I¡¯ll personally scout the den today ande back with a n of attack. Since I¡¯m alreadypensated by the government, I won¡¯t be taking a share of the loot you guys receive to clear this mission, but I will be counting on your help¡± Leo said authoritatively as both Kay and Jay looked extremely excited to listen to his words as their eyes began to practically sparkle. Although Leo did not understand how big of a deal being a Virex operative really was, ording to the reactions of the NPC of this world, it was apparently a really big deal. If a normal yer tried to order around an adventurer group at this stage of the game then he would probably be beaten ck and blue for his audacity, yet when Leo did the same he was met with almost reverent gazes by Kay and Jay. Although the actor ss brought a lot of headaches with it, Leo could not deny that it had its usefulness too. Leo wanted nothing more than to sit with Kay and Jay and extract all the important information about this world, monopolising it before anyone else could profit from it, however, he was on a tight schedule. With one yer already awakening his ss, Leo knew he needed to start hurrying up as well, as of all the yers in the game, it was only him who could actually not afford being left behind because he possessed the unique destiny of the ¡®actor¡¯ ss. Hoping that the death penalty for dying in this game was not too severe, Leo walked out of the tavern after paying one bronze coin to borrow a jacket and some snow boots as he nned to scout the mines where the wolves were residing. As soon as he left the vige, he began to feel the cold winds brush against his skin, however, unlikest time there was no notification alerting him of suffering a frost bite if he stayed out for too long as a result of the warm clothing that he had borrowed. Using the mini map, he located the mines and slowly made his way towards it as oddly his senses were not on the edge as they would have been had he been in the real world and walking in a snowy deste forest area alone. Somehow, the knowledge that this was not the real world helped him treat his surroundings as an adventure rather than a threat as he enjoyed the thrill of this quest rather than worrying about his life. It took him roughly twenty five minutes to make his way to the mines, however, just as he approached the periphery he could hear the deep growl of wolvesing from within the mine as five pairs of blood red eyes suddenly stared at him from the darkness of the mine entrance as five wolves made their way out of the mine and began circling Leo. ¡°Holy shit -¡± Leo cursed as he inadvertently equipped his shittymon grade steel sword and nted his feet in the snow below taking a wide battle stance. Chapter 16: First Fight Chapter 16: First Fight First Fight [ Young Wolf ] ( Level 5 ) ( HP : 70/70 ) [ Young Wolf ] ( Level 4 ) ( HP : 60/60 ) [ Young Wolf ] ( Level 6 ) ( HP : 84/84 ) [ Young Wolf ] ( Level 2 ) ( HP : 35/40 ) [ Young Wolf ] ( Level 4 ) ( HP : 57/57 ) A system tab shined above the heads of the wolves encircling Leo as he realised the level of opponents that he was facing. The strongest one was a level6 wolf who had mean looking teeth and was drooling saliva, whereas the weakest one was level 2 and looked like it was the runt of the litter. In typical wolf-like fashion, they slowly started to encircle him with one of the six wolves charging at him and then suddenly turning and retreating when Leo turned his attention to the one charging. When Leo turned to one of the wolves, the wolf on his blind side charged as well as Leo had to immediately turn to face the second wolf after chasing the first one away. Little by little, the circle around him shortened and the wolves seemed to be ready to pounce and It was at this moment that Leo decided that he had to take a chance or he would undoubtedly die a horrible death. Luckily, just as he got desperate the weakest looking wolf made its dash and Leo decided to take his chance and face it head on. Instead of letting it turn and run-away, Leo chased after it and managed to poke his sword into the wolves rear hind leg as the weak wolf fell to the ground while the others began pouncing on Leo. -25 A damage notification popped up, showing that Leo had dealt 25 points of damage to the level 2 wolf, leaving it with a pitiful ten points in HP. However, before he could pull out his sword stuck in the wolf¡¯s bone, or regain his posture to fight again, he felt a second wolf mming onto his back as he was forcefully pushed forward. The impact winded him and forced him to take five steps forward as at that moment his survival instincts kicked in and he began to run. At this instant, He could clearly feel blood rushing up from his heart to his brain as his entire face felt flushed and his vision appeared to be more clear than ever before. On his tail were four wolves, snarling and biting the air, and they were catching up to him quickly. In Front of him was the wolf den, as although he had no idea as to how he ended up running towards it, he had no option but to keep running now since stopping for even a moment would spell a gruesome death. He had no weapon on him anymore, as the only sword he had was stuck in the bone of the weakest wolf and he had no idea as to how he was going to get out of this mess either. [ System Notification : You have entered the special dungeon ¡®Silverpine Mines¡¯. You are the first individual to enter this dungeon and will be given an extra reward if you clear it the first time ] A system notification popped up, however, Leo was so absorbed with running away that he barely paid it any attention. Once he entered the cave, light started to fade out real quick as after the first twenty metres or so, Leo lost all visibility and was running blindly. He could still hear the footsteps of the wolves running behind him as from time to time he could feel them trying to bite at his legs from behind, however, Leo only kicked them hard in the face and kept running, hoping that theck of vision affected them as much as it affected him. [ System Notification : Your stamina has dropped below 5, All stats will be reduced by 20% until stamina is recovered ] Another system notification popped up as Leo felt strength leaving his body as it suddenly became much harder to move and his speed decreased significantly. ¡± Shit-¡± Leo cursed as he understood that at his current speed escaping the wolves was going to be impossible and as if things were not bad enough already, he tumbled after hitting a rock which sent him flying towards what he assumed would be the wall. *Crash* -30 Tumble Tumble Tumble Instead of hitting a wall, Leo found himself tumbling down what felt like a slope as although he could see pretty much nothing about his surroundings, it felt like he had found an alternate mining shaft and had luckily evaded the pursuit of the wolves by tumbling down it. ¡± Oh god bless¡± he said as he tried to break his fall and regain his footing, but he still rolled over for several metres before finding his footing as he umted massive damage from this fall. -40 His 96 points of HP were down to only 26, as although he had survived through a miracle, he now found himself in a dark and abandoned mine shaft with low stamina and HP. His body hurted all over and although he could not inspect it, he felt like he had cuts and bruises all over his body and like every inch of it hurt like hell. [ System Notification : The Young Wolf that you stabbed has received internal bleeding damage and will lose 1 point of HP every passing minute if not treated immediately ] ¡°Finally some good news¡± Leo said as he desperately hoped that the young wolf died over the next ten minutes and that it¡¯s death gave him EXP that would help him level up and regain all his lost health and stamina. Unfortunately, Terra Nova Online did not work that way and even if he levelled up Leo was not going to get his HP or stamina restored to full, however, he did not know of this yet. Currently he was only waiting for some good news, while checking theyout of his immediate surroundings through the mini map. Although he could see nothing, if the mini map was to be trusted, Leo felt like he could grab the walls of the mines and walk slowly through its intricate internalwork to navigate back to the exit. Little did he know though, that it was not going to be easy at all. He had entered a dungeon and although the vige head¡¯s quest was just to clear the wolves, there were many other dangers within this dungeon other than the wolves. Chapter 17: A Big Opportunity Chapter 17: A Big Opportunity A Big Opportunity ¡± Oh thank you Lord for this torch, I was feeling blind as a bat-¡± Leo said as he luckily came across some flint and a wall mounted torch while he was walking down the mine-shaft. It was technically the third torch that he hade across, however, it was the first one that had a flint next to it, giving him the ability to actually light the torch and create some fire, but more importantly some light! *Swoop* *Crackle* *Crackle* The torch burned brightly with typical crackling sounds as the sudden light momentarily blinded Leo and forced his eyes to re-adjust. Once his vision returned, he could see that he was indeed inside a miners shaft that was extremely narrow and had very little space for movement. Since he had been moving all this while by hugging a wall, he had not noticed that the size of the entire shaft was only about an arm length wide. Although he could walk inside it upright, the ceiling was barely 5-6 inches above him and there were plenty of pointy rocks hanging from the ceiling. Leo could conclude after a quick scan that the shaft was hastily made and that safety inside this shaft could be considered questionable at best, however, despite how it looked, Leo was happy to at least be able to see again as he made his way down the shaft away. ording to the dungeon mini map, Leo was inside a pretty unique shaft. It was called ¡®Air duct¡¯ and apparently its primary job was to ensure that oxygen rich air moved from the outside to the inner parts of the mine. It was not a particrly big shaft as it was never used for actual mining operations, however, it was the best lit shaft when mining operations were in progress as there were torches at every 5 metre interval inside the shaft. If for any reason the torches stopped burning, the miners working inside the inner parts were immediately evacuated as ack of oxygen was detected early. If the oxygen was enough, the torches kept burning and the operations went on smoothly. [ System Notification :- The young wolf you stabbed has suffered internal bleeding and has slowly bled to its death! You have sessfully killed a (Level 2) ¡®Young wolf¡¯, You gain +50 EXP ] [ System Notification :- You have gained a level! yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ is now level1 ] Leo got two new notifications as he got enveloped in a golden light when his level increased. He gained a level! However contrary to his expectations, the increase in level did not magically heal his injuries or increase his stats. He got 10 unassigned stat points for levelling up but that was pretty much it. There were no other advantages for levelling up. ¡°Agh, Bummer-¡± he cursed as he clicked his tongue. He was hoping for a full refill of the HP bar but it seemed like it was not meant to be. Since groaning was of no use either, he just shook his head and kept moving down the shaft as very soon he reached the other end of it and saw something that absolutely blew his mind. [ Adult Dire Wolf ] ( Level 15 ) ( HP : 700/700 ) [ Adult Dire Wolf ] ( Level 14 ) ( HP : 600/600 ) [ Adult Dire Wolf ] ( Level 16 ) ( HP : 840/840 ) [ Adult Dire Wolf ] ( Level 20 ) ( HP : 1200/1200 ) . . . . . [ Adult Dire Wolf ] ( Level 14 ) ( HP : 575/575 ) About 20 wolves ranging between level 10-20 were hibernating inside the main mining room. Perched atop the oxygen shaft, Leo was a safe distance away from them and as he observed how the sleeping wolves had no reaction to the lighting from his torch, he could not help but feel like he had just hit the jackpot! He was easily twenty feet above the floor level where the wolves were sleeping and even if he did nothing himself but just ry this information to the adventurer group outside, then using this information they could easily use archers and ughter the wolves below as with the right nning this vantage point could change the whole tide of the battle. However, Leo did not want to leave this mission upto the adventurers, not when he felt like he couldplete it himself! ording to the mini-map, the oxygen shaft was critical to mining operations and without it there was a real chance to suffer asphyxiation inside the main room. While humans or even awake animals could probably sense the drop in oxygen levels by feeling dizzy, Leo doubted that hibernating wolves would be conscious enough to feel the difference as he felt like this was his chance! If he somehow blocked the oxygen shaft and the game engine was as realistic as Leo was hoping that it was, then it would mean that he could single handedly kill all those high level wolves below and hog all their kill EXP for himself! ¡°Hahahaha¡­.hohoho¡­. Hehehe¡± Leoughed maniacally as he felt like this was a god sent opportunity! Being a repairman, he knew a lot about structural integrity and how to break rocks, and he was confident that in about 20-24 hours of hard work he could break and gather enough small rocks from the mining shaft to be able to block the other endpletely, effectively starving the wolves below of fresh air! Getting to work immediately, he put all the 10 unassigned points into the strength stat and began looking for rocks hanging off the ceiling that looked brittle and easy to break. Chapter 18: A reincarnator? Chapter 18: A reincarnator? A reincarnator? ¡± Big mistake! Y-you are a dumb man, a dumb dumb man¡­. Dumb ways to die¡­. O there are so many dumb ways to die¡± Leo started to hum as his mind became light and dizzy from all the hard work. Apparently, Leo had not taken into consideration the importance of the ¡®Stamina¡¯ stat and how important it was for movement within this game, as after short bouts of about 20 minutes ofbour, Leo was forced to rest for 10 minutes to regain some stamina and work again. The job of breaking rocks and carrying them was too much for a level1 yer, and although because of his excellent experience in real life as a repairmen, Leo did manage to break chunks of rock, exactly the size that he wanted it to be, he struggled a lot to keep a consistent work rate and was much slower at the job than he had anticipated. Leo was certain that several hours had passed since he started hisbour and although he was eager toplete the task, he also did not want his brother to worry. Thus, he decided to log out at once and continue the quest at ater date. ¡°Hey system, I wish to logout¡± Leo said, hoping to get out of this narrow mining vent ande backter, however, the system denied his request. [ System Notification:- Logout is not permitted within dungeons! Logout request refused! Please escape the dungeon to Logout ] ¡°Motherfucker¡± Leo cursed as he banged his fist against a wall and took -2 points in damage. ¡°Aghh, Dammit¡± He cursed as he blew air over his knuckles in hope of easing the pain, however, it offered little to no relief. He was apparently stuck inside this dungeon with no means to logout as the only way to logout was for him to make his way out of the dungeon entrance that was probably being guarded by several wolves. With no weapon at hand, Leo felt like his chances of evading the wolves and managing to escape were slim to none and hence although he felt like logging out, at the moment he had no other choice but to keep ying the game. Thankfully, the Arc Ship attendants did say before Leo logged-in that since it was the first day onboard the ship, everyone had the full day off from work, which meant that it was going to be fine if Leo yed for a few more hours since he did not have real world obligations to fulfil, however, he was still not sure how Luke would feel about it in the real world. *********** ( Meanwhile Dark Emperor ) Dark Emperor was the yer who had the first worldwide announcement under his belt, achieving a remarkable milestone in the game¡¯s history. In less than 2 hours since the game started, he unlocked his ss, setting a record as the first yer to do so in the entire game. His real identity was Cervantez Divinorum, an individual hailing from the S tier of the Arc Ship, residing alongside the other urban elite. As the sole heir to a prominent business conglomerate in the USA, he was a central figure in elite society who was well known and well liked by all. However, his most guarded secret was his identity as a reincarnator, a fact unknown to anyone else in the world. Sent back in time by four years to the day before the ship took off, he held the knowledge of Terra Nova Online¡¯s secrets and the true agenda of the aliens who made the game mandatory for all humans. He was already aware of all the important events and yers that were going to rise in the future and had his eyes set on creating a guild and recruiting them from the start. PurpleRock SkyLion ckme FirstEmperor RamenKing Andheri BigDaddy He wanted to im all these talents for himself, but most importantly he wanted to get in touch with the strongest yer in the history of the game ¡®The Boss¡¯ who was notorious for being the only solo yer throughout the game. Despite how important joining a guild was since it gave ess to countless guild missions and territorial benefits, The Boss never joined an organisation and nobody was able to figure out his identity in the four years that Cervantez yed the game. In this second life, he was determined to change a lot of mistakes he made in his past life and punish a lot of opponents that stood in his way. Since he already knew the main objective of the game Terra Nova Online, he wanted to prepare for the event that was toe 4 years from now right from the get-go so that unlike his past life, humanity could avoid making a big mistake this time around. This time, he was determined to im all the legendary objects! Monopolise all the hidden quests and speedrun all the important dungeons! He was determined to surpass ¡®The Boss¡¯ as the number one yer and enjoy the benefits of being at the top of the levelling chart! But most importantly he was determined to win over the love of his life PinkJade and prevent her from turning cold and cruel. He was already level 7 and wanted to be the first one to reach level10, however, little did he expect that before his future knowledge even began toe into y, his first worldwide notification would start a chain reaction and a butterfly effect that he would have never anticipated. Thezy Leo Skyshard, who would not have started his first quest till 2 days into the game, made a rash decision to explore a dangerous dungeon solo because of Cervantez¡¯s world notification and as a result he was on the cusp of achieving the impossible and exceeding Cervantez¡¯s calctions. As he determinantly killed the slimes near his spawn vige, slowly levelling up, Leo kept constructing his wall, cutting off the oxygen supply to dozens of high level wolves. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 19: First Global Announcement Chapter 19: First Global Announcement First Global Announcement ( Leo Skyshard¡¯s POV ) When Leo finally ced the final rock to cover thest air hole leading towards the main shaft below, he breathed a sigh of relief and copsed on the floorpletely exhausted. ¡°Too hard¡­.. my lungs, agh my lungs hurt, MOTHER¡­damn I miss mother¡± Leo cursed as he rolled around the floor while clutching his head as if he was suffering from severe vertigo. The game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ was way too realistic! Leo had noticed it first when he logged in and the freezing cold of the mountain winds brushed against his skin and then again when he visited the vige chief¡¯s home, however, those experiences paled inparison to how hard performingbour was within this game. Usually, games were supposed to be fun and easy. Especially the games on Earth were always made around the idea of spoiling the customers with a rich experience where mansions could be built in hours and chopping a tree was nothing more than 20 seconds of animation, however, Terra Nova Online was different. Performing tasks in this game was as difficult as performing them in the real world if not harder since there was a stamina bar always hanging over one¡¯s head. Real life problems like vision doubling, knees trembling and headaches due tock of energy were all a reality in this game and experienced by Leo on the very first day of logging in. Especially once his stamina bar depleted below the 15% mark and the debuffs kicked in, he understood quite clearly that this was more than just a game for pleasure. [ System Notification : You have cut-off the air supply to the main shaft below. If the shaft is not re-opened, all the wolves hibernating in the main shaft will die of asphyxiation in 60 minutes from now ] ¡± YESSS! LET¡¯S GO BAYBAY¡± Leo cheered loudly as he pumped his fists in the air while staring at the ceiling of the shaft that he was in. This was precisely the result he was hoping for and now that it was achieved, Leo finally had the chance to sit and calmly explore the game mechanics while he waited for his prey to suffocate and die. Bored, he noticed things that he had absentmindedly nced over before, such as the chat icon that appeared when he opened the mini-map on the bottom right of the system screen. [ Please select the chat server you wish to join. Private chat- (0) Global chat Guild chat ¨C (0) Regional chat ¨C (0) NPC chat ¨C (0) ] Leo analysed the options and observed that Global chat was the only option avable for chatting at the moment as the other options appeared in light grey and were disabled for selection. Selecting Global Chat, Leo was suddenly bombarded with a series of messages as the chat moved faster than what his mortal eyes could follow. ¡®DarkEmperor Sucks Dick!!!!!!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m going to be the best yer y¡¯all, believe it!¡¯ ¡®DarkEmperor wears my mother¡¯s dirty panties¡¯ ¡®Guys¡­ How to find monsters or weapons in this game? I have logged in inside a rainforest and the NPC vige here has no cksmith shop¡¯ ¡®Hey guys, are the NPC in this game retarded? I tried them to give me a quest, but they just won¡¯t¡¯ ¡®DarkEmperor must be some hidden boss from sector S, I wouldn¡¯t defame him openly because it can be traced back to us¡¯ ¡®How do you unlock your ss though? It shows that my ¡®soldier¡¯ ss is locked in the system panel¡¯ Leo felt his head hurt from reading all those clueless messages as he quickly decided to close the global chat and save himself from themon man¡¯s stupidity disease. He had not spent more than two minutes reading the global chat and what he understood from reading it was that 1) People hated DarkEmperor for no apparent reason. He was arguably the best yer in the game right now, yet he was made public enemy number one. 2) Everyone had spawned from a random starting location that varied greatly from person to person. Some started in rainforests, some in deserts, ice deserts, mountains, small outskirt viges and the like. 3) Many had noticed that this game was way too realistic and were in awe of the graphics, however, most could not figure out how to level up or how to find monsters and kill them. Although everyone wanted to make the most of this starting period and make a name for themselves, almost everyone had absolutely no idea how to achieve it as unlike Leo mostmon yers were not given a quest upon their arrival. ¡°Ha¡­.. stupidmoners¡± Leo smirked as he indulged himself in a fantasy where he believed himself to be above those basic fools. As the inheritor of a unique ss, despite the downsides and the death threat should his identity be revealed, he believed himself to be a yer that was destined for greatness. ¡± DarkEmperor! You¡¯re a fool, you shouldn¡¯t flex in front of jealous mortals when they think they can reach upto you¡­.. you should only do it when the gap between yourself and them is too big to even fathom¡± Leo spoke to himself as he thought that if he was put in the same position as DarkEmperor, he would never announce his aplishments while the game was in its early stages. Just like that, 60 minutes passed by in a sh as a series of system notifications popped up on Leo¡¯s screen. [ System Notification: You have sessfully killed ¡®Adult Direwolf¡¯ (Level 14), You have killed an opponent over 10 times higher than your own level, EXP Reward is quadrupled ] [ System Notification: You have sessfully killed ¡®Adult Direwolf¡¯ (Level 16), You have killed an opponent over 10 times higher than your own level, EXP Reward is quadrupled ] [ System Notification: You have sessfully killed ¡®Adult Alpha Direwolf¡¯ (Level 20 ), You have killed an opponent over 10 times higher than your own level, EXP Reward is quadrupled ] . . . . [ System Notification: You have sessfully killed ¡®Adult Direwolf¡¯ (Level 16), You have killed an opponent over 10 times higher than your own level, EXP Reward is quadrupled ] [ System Notification: You have sessfully levelled up! ] [ System Notification: You have sessfully levelled up! ] [ System Notification: You have sessfully levelled up! ] . . . . . [ System Notification: You have sessfully levelled up! ] [ System Notification: Congrattions yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ to be the first yer to reach the level10 mark in ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ It¡¯s an aplishment that will go into the history books and provide you with a special reward! Do you wish to announce this aplishment via a worldwide announcement? YES No] [ System Notification : Since you possess the actor ss, you cannot deny any worldwide announcements rted to you! ] [ WORLDWIDE PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENT ¨C yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ has be the first yer in Terra Nova Online to reach level 10! Congrattions yer ¡®The Boss¡¯] Leo looked at the slew of notifications and was absolutely dumbfounded. Just moments ago he wasughing at DarkEmperor for bing public enemy number one, yet somehow, just momentster he ended up publishing a worldwide announcement of his own. ¡°WHAT THE FUCK? WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN¡¯T REFUSE ANY WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCEMENTS¡­..?¡± He cursed, as the joy of levelling up 14 times at once was quickly reced by disparaging sadness. ¡ª¡ª- Chapter 20: A big reward! Chapter 20: A big reward! A big reward! ¡® The Boss, even his name is so arrogant¡­.. ughhh, you¡¯re not my boss I¡¯ll tell you that much!¡¯ ¡® How the fuck are people getting to level 10 on the first fucking day of the game? Jeez guys, rx a little¡¯ ¡® The Boss! He must be some S tier elite being used to called The Boss by his employee¡¯s, I think he¡¯s taken that name quite literally¡¯ ¡® You¡¯re the boss? Well then the boss can suck on my balls! These big hairy balls!¡¯ ¡® Lads, How do you exactly level up?¡¯ ¡® Good job reaching level 10 boss, but I¡¯ll be the one to surpass you and reach level 20 first!¡¯ ¡® Yo, what level are you at?¡¯ ( reply ) ¡® Level 0¡¯ ( reply ) ¡® THEN SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU NOOB BAST-¡® ( reply ) Leo opened the chat once more and found it flooded with outrage against him. Usually in works of fiction such as web novels when a yer achieved something incredible, the forums buzzed with words of praise and people trying to cosy up to the big yer. Phrases like ¡®I wanna marry the big boss¡¯ and ¡®Let me warm the bed¡¯ weremon, however, reality was different from web novels. In reality, when you achieved something which others believed to be attainable, you were cursed at and became a target of jealousy and today, Leo had unfortunately fallen headfirst into that same pool of jealousy. The system denied him anonymity and threw him to the wolves and hence from day one his name became public enemy number one. He was sad, yes, however, in the midst of this public outrage scandal, there was a silver lining in the form of the special reward. [ System Notification ¨C You are the first yer in ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ to reach level 10 and are hence bestown with a special reward! -You have received an extra skill slot! -You have received an extra 40 unassigned attribute points ] Leo had received a total of 130 unassigned attribute points for levelling up 13 times and adding the 40 points from the system reward he now had an incredible 170 unassigned stat points! ¡°In the end, the levels and the system reward are the only good thing about today¡± Leo murmured to himself as he let out a deep sigh and began distributing the unassigned points. Since Physique, Strength and Agility seemed like the most important stats, he invested the 30 points each in those three, while only investing 25 each into the rest, leaving him with 5 unassigned points to be used forter. At this point, Leo did not even realise how lucky he was to have gained an extra skill slot, as unlike the free stat points the real reward today was the extra skill slot. ******** ( Meanwhile DarkEmperor ) If there was someone who had an even exaggerated reaction to Leo reaching level 10 than Leo had to the worldwide notification, it was DarkEmperor. ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOOO-¡± He screamed as he fell to his knees and pulled the wild grass below his knees out from its roots. ¡°HOW DID HE DO IT BEFORE ME?¡± Cervantez questioned as he could not understand how he could be beat. Unlocking his ss and iming the special reward first was only the first step of his n, whereas reaching level 10 first was the more important second one. In Terra Nova Online, all yers only had slots avable to learn and use 5 skills at maximum and the opportunity to add a skill slot only came twice in the entire game. Only the first yer to ever reach level 10 and the first yer to reach level 100 got the special reward of an extra skill slot and while it was rumoured that one also got it when they reached level 1000, nobody had reached that threshold in his past life, so that rumour remained unconfirmed. In his past life, it was only on day 3 that the levelling maniac PurpleRock reached level 10 and received the unique reward, yet this time around it was ¡®The Boss¡¯ who achieved it on the very first day! Cervantez knew that this feat should technically be impossible, as unlike the cluelessmon yers, he actually knew about the difficulty of levelling up in Terra Nova Online! While it depended on circumstances and many other factors, in general the rule of levelling up was the same. To go from level 0 to level 1, a yer needed to kill either eight level0 monsters, four level one monsters or two level2 monsters. To go from level 1 to 2, they needed to achieve the same but on a step-up basis. If they achieved it alone, they got the full exp, however, if they hunted that monster in a group, the exp would be divided amongst all party members and hence the number of monsters they needed to kill to level up increased massively. Of Course the exact amount differed from monster to monster, and the exp for killing a wolf was different from the exp that one received for killing a slime, however, for a yer to kill a monster they needed to expend stamina and needed skill moves which most yers did not have at the start of the game. To get to level 10 on the very first day was next to impossible, however, Cervantez was attempting to make it possible by pouring water over high level poison slimes who were extremely allergic to it. He was already level8 and was on the cusp of bing level9, however, he was beaten to level 10 by ¡®The Boss¡¯ who was as mysterious as ever. He had attained level10 and with it the extra skill slot which meant that in this life he could potentially be even more dangerous than what he was in the past. ¡± The Boss, I¡¯m definitely going to make you one of my men in this life¡­.. you¡¯re too valuable to pass on¡± Cervantez said as he strengthened his resolve to find and recruit The Boss into his guild in the future. Chapter 21: Never miss a chance to be a bigshot Chapter 21: Never miss a chance to be a bigshot Never miss a chance to be a bigshot Leo noticed some subtle changes in his body after bing level14. His stamina and HP stat had gone up and he could physically feel the difference in his strength and agility. His body felt like it had just undergone a four hour massage and like every muscle in his body was burning with a sweet pain. He felt the strength of a bear and the speed of a deer coursing through him as his body felt like it had be surprisingly light, allowing him to move with effortless grace. *SHUA* *SHUA* *SHUA* He threw empty jabs in the air and danced lightly on his toes getting a feel of his new improved body. ¡°MUAHAHA¡± Heughed as he punched the wall as hard as he could before regretting it instantly. -5 ¡± Motherfu-, AGHHHHH¡± he cursed as he realized that he had be way too excited and although his body was stronger than before he could not simply punch through walls. Nheless, there were many positive changes in his body that were undeniable as he felt much better than before. ¡°Should I head back? Or should I dismantle the wall and head down?¡± Leo wondered as ording to popr gaming trope, since the wolves were dead, perhaps their dead bodies could be plundered for riches. Although he was level 14 now and felt much faster and stronger than before, Leo knew that the quest was not yet over since there were some wolves still left to kill. Without a weapon to fight them, he was unwilling to face them again and hence he decided to head down and loot the corpses of the dead wolves instead. Slowly dismantling the wall he had built, he threw the rocks straight down the 20 feet cliff leading to the main shaft so that it could soften the impact of hisnding when he jumped. Since the oxygen in the main shaft had depleted, he waited a full thirty minutes for enough air to flow into the shaft and only after throwing a burning torch inside and watching it burn strongly for five minutes, did Leo decide to jump down the cliff and enter the main shaft himself. *THUD* -15 He took a slight fall damage as his knees hurt like hell after the impact, however, overall he was fine, although he was limping a little. [ Dead Level 14 Dire Wolf ] After entering the shaft, Leo walked up to the nearest corpse and once he was close enough, an option to dismantle the corpse appeared before him. [Do you wish to Dismantle the corpse? Yes No] Leo clicked yes and before his eyes began a gaming animation where a circle slowly loaded itself and the wolf corpse was magically dismantled to raw ingredients. [ Congrattions! You have received 2xmon grade wolf skin and 5 bronze coins ] ¡°Wooo! Looks like I¡¯ll make enough to cover rent¡± Leo rejoiced as he quickly moved over to the other corpses and dismantled them one after another. [Congrattions! You have received 1x Rare grade wolf w and 1 silver coin ] [ Congrattions! You have¡­. ] . . . . [ Congrattions! You have received one Bone Sword ( rare ) ] Leo received 10 pairs ofmon grade wolf skin, 5 pairs ofmon ws, 2 pairs of rare wolf skin, 2 pairs of rare ws and a total of 3 silver coins and a staggering 60 bronze coins in total. Finally, as he dismantled the corpse of the level 20 alpha wolf, he received a bone sword! A weapon that he felt very thankful for- [ Bone Sword ( rare ) ¨C A light sword created from the spine of a dire wolf! Currently it¡¯s in pristine condition and can easily cut through flesh and bone, however, repeated use will dull the edge ] ¡± Let¡¯s goo! With this I can finallyplete the quest!¡± Leo eximed as he swung his newly obtained sword like aplete amateur. The decision to enter the main shaft was proving to be a good decision as not only did he get great loot, but he also obtained a weapon that could potentially be his ticket out of the ce. As he prepared to walk down the main shaft with a torch in one hand and his newly obtained bone sword in the other, he heard footsteps approaching his way as he instantly changed his demeanor from behaving like a fool to behaving like an esteemed Virex operative. ¡± CATCH HIM! DON¡¯T LET THE WOLF ESCAPE¡± Leo heard someone shout as suddenly he saw a wounded and limping level 4 young wolf running his way. *Slide* The wolf upon seeing Leo slid on the floor below as it tried to change its direction way too fast but lost its bnce in the process. Not one to waste an opportunity like that, Leo used the opening to strike at its neck as with his newfound strength and sword he sliced through the neck of the injured wolf with ease. -60 CRITICAL HIT! [ System Notification ¨C You have sessfully killed ( Level 4 ) ( Young Wolf ), You have obtained some exp for the kill ] *SPLAT* Warm blood sttered from the dead wolf¡¯s neck and got sprayed all over Leo¡¯s robes as soon the adventurer party who were chasing the wolf arrived at the scene only to see a bloodsoaked Leo stare at them through his Virex mask as he stood over a dead wolf. [ System Notification ¨C You have sessfully cleared the vige head¡¯s quest! The mine has been cleared of all wolves! Please visit the vige head to collect the promised quest rewards ] A system notification informed Leo that the wolf that he killed was thest one left in the entire mine as Leo understood that this was his opportunity to act all cool. ¡± Sir soldier! You¡¯re safe-, since you did not return from scouting for thest 24 hours, we felt like your life might be in danger and hence us mountain warriors came to your aid alongside some willing volunteers¡± Kay from the mountain warrior¡¯s guild said as he stood with Jay and a dozen or so strong looking adventurers and about two dozen yers who looked ready for an adventure. Unfortunately for them however, there was no fun left to be had as Leo had already killed the wolves and looted their corpses. ¡± Yes, I did not return from scouting as after I found out how weak the wolves inside were I decided to take care of the mission on my own. You¡¯re toote, the mine has already been cleared of all threats, the young wolves outside that you faced must be the weaklings that scrambled and ran away when I came in swords zing. Sorry to waste your time¡­. But, the quest has been alreadypleted¡± Leo said as he did not waste this opportunity to act like the biggest big shot when the reality was entirely different. Chapter 22: Throwing a bone Chapter 22: Throwing a bone Throwing a bone Everyone was shocked when they heard that Leo had already killed all the wolves inside the dungeon. ¡°You took them all down? All by yourself? There must be dozens of wolves inside, yet you don¡¯t look injured at all!¡± Kay said, sounding absolutely astonished as the rest of the adventurers looked shocked too. ¡± Captain, captain¡­.. I think he might not be a normal Virex operative, he must be an elite operative¡± an adventurer whispered into the ears of a burly looking man who was almost as big as the vige chief. ¡°As expected of the Virex corps, they absolutely live up to their reputation as the swords of the Emperor¡± another adventurer said as he looked at Leo with stars sparkling in his eyes. ¡°Nothing much, just an honest day¡¯s work. Don¡¯t worry though, even though Ipleted this dungeon all by myself, you can receive the quest reward issued to your guild in full. Consider yourself to have been of assistance to me¡± Leo said, actingpletely like a bigshot which made everyone fawn over him even more. ¡°HAHAHA, Sir soldier is such a kind man, he understands that money is important to us adventures. If sir ever needs to call upon the mountain warrior¡¯s, I, Farim, will always take up any requests from you¡± Farim, who was the leader of the mountain warrior¡¯s party said as Leo tapped on his shoulder before walking past him towards the dungeon exit. He was immediately followed by lots of yers, who had came alongside the mountain warrior¡¯s group and were left dissatisfied about not getting a proper fight or reward. ¡± Sir¡­.sir perhaps you need a disciple to pass down your awesome skills?¡± ¡°Sir¡­. Sir, can you tell us how to join the Virex corps¡± ¡± Hey, you, soldier! Tell me about how this world works?¡± ¡± Hey, are you deaf or something? I¡¯m talking to you-¡± The normal yers all mored around Leo, however, he paid them no heed. Some of the yers were polite, while the others were rude, however, Leo did not care. Just like how elephants walking in a jungle did not care for barking dogs, Leo paid no attention to the yers around him and kept walking calmly. [ System Notification ¨C Are you sure you want to exit this dungeon? If you exit the dungeon now you will lose first explorer rewards ] Just as he was about to exit the dungeon, a system notification stopped him in his tracks as Leo stared at the screen dumbfounded. He had already killed all the wolves and hadpleted the quest assigned to him by the vige head and as far as he knew there were no more regions left to explore within the mine unless there was some hidden passage filled with monsters. ¡®Tch, I¡¯ve been ying this game for too long, I don¡¯t want to continue exploring the dungeon anymore¡¯ Leo thought as although it said that if he left the dungeon he would lose the first explorer benefits, he did not care as he had already made-up his mind to leave. However, seeing as how there was a crowd of yers around him, Leo decided to throw them a bone before he left as right at the exit, he paused for a while and turned to face the swarm of yers around him as he said ¡°You all want to talk with me? Fine. I will entertain one request from anyone who clears this dungeon and brings me the clear rewards. I will continue to stay in Silverpine Vige for one more day¡­.. if any of you have what it takes,e find me within the next 24 hours ¡± Saying those words, Leo left the dungeon leaving the first explorer rewards and the sea of yers behind as he slowly made his way through the snow back towards Silverpine Vige. As of now, he had no idea of what the other yers would do. Would they be able to clear the dungeon? Would they bring him the rewards if they did? Would they even considerpleting his request when it did not even prompt a quest notification? Leo knew none of this, yet what he did know for a fact was that once he reached the vige, the chief Brahim was going to give him a big fat reward that would see his level increase by +10. He also wanted to see if he could sell the wolf parts that he had collected to earn some extra money and then decide on where he wanted to spend the money that he had earnt. Most importantly, he now wished to log-out and talk with his brother before he started to freak out and also to start paying attention to the stuff that mattered in real life as well, such as his job and the role he would fulfill on the ship starting tomorrow. Chapter 23: Big Rewards Chapter 23: Big Rewards Big Rewards ¡°Thankyou-, thankyou so much soldier, you don¡¯t know how much this means to us vigers¡± Brahim said as he enthusiastically shook Leo¡¯s hands while shedding tears of joy. [ System Notification ¨C You havepleted the quest, ¡® Vige Chief¡¯s Request¡¯. You have perfectly yed the role of the ¡®Virex Soldier¡¯ Quest Evaluation ¨C S grade! ( Your execution of the mission was wless ) Calcting Rewards¡­. ] [ Quest Rewards :- You have received +10 levels! By sessfully ying the role of a soldier, you have unlocked the unique ss ¡®actor¡¯. You have received +60 gold coins. You have received +5 MP You have received a Virex government token! You are now officially a government soldier who will receive monthly sry and benefits You have received the unique skill (Mimic) ] Leo got a lot of rewards at once for clearing the quest. Since he had perfectly yed the role of an elite soldier without arousing the slightest suspicion and also cleared the mission within a day of receiving it, the system evaluated his performance as perfect. As a result of his perfect evaluation, apart from the promised rewards, he got more gold and benefits than he would have at a lower evaluation, with everything that he got today being incredibly important for his future. The plus ten levels in itself was a BIG jump as now Leo was actually a bigshot in the game at level 24 when themon yer was not even level one. This gave him some breathing room at the start of the game as he doubted that anyone else would havee as far as he did in thest 24 hours. He also unlocked his ss! Which although he was unaware of was a big deal as only after unlocking the ss could one learn the ss specific skills and truly begin their journey as a yer. Finally, he received an integral skill of the actor ss ¡®Mimic¡¯ which would prove to be a core skill for his future endeavors. [ Mimic ] ( Unique ) ¨C A skill specific to the actor ss, which allows the user to mimic the behavior, voice and walking pattern of a target, or copy an observedbat attack once. Leo read the description of the skill and shrugged his shoulders as he took his leave from the vige chief and headed towards his tavern to crash in and Logout. The first day of ying Terra Nova had been fun, he had escaped being imprisoned, gained a lot of levels and was doing well for himself as a hidden bigshot. However, it was finally time to return back to reality. [ Are you sure you wish to logout of Terra Nova Online? ] [ Yes ] [ No ] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure¡± Leo said as he pressed the yes icon on the screen and logged out of the game. ********* ( Real world, The Arc Ship, Sector E ) ¡°You¡¯re finally awake? I was starting to get worried¡± a voice said, which Leo recognised to be Luke¡¯s. Removing his helmet, Leo looked around the room only to find himself disappointed by the small space where he currently lived. ¡± SAY THE COMMAND, ¡®CHECK MP¡¯ to disy earned MP¡± a voice suddenly said as both Luke and Leo were startled. ¡°Did the ankle bracelet just say something?¡± Luke said, feeling shocked as he pointed towards Leo¡¯s ankle bracelet in surprise. ¡°Check MP¡± Leo said as the ankle bracelet proceeded to say ¡°Current MP owned ¨C Five¡± in a very mechanical voice. ¡°Woahhhh¡± Luke said in shock as he did not understand what Leo had done to earn MP however he found it very cool that he did. ¡°What is an MP?¡± Leo asked Luke, however, it was the ankle bracelet that booted up again and answered for them. ¡°MP stands for merit points, it is the official currency that can be used on the arc ship for various purposes not limited to recreation, escaping punishment or cing special requests. For example, in the shipsmon dining area or the dining area of your assigned sector, you can pay in MP to upgrade your meal or order a drink. MP can be earned both in-game and by performing your job on the ship where MP will be given to you instead of monthly sry¡± The bracelet answered as both Luke and Leo¡¯s eyes lit up at the answer. ¡°Woah Leo! You earned some money¡­. That¡¯s so cool! How did you do it?¡± Luke asked happily as the excitement of getting to know all about Leo¡¯s experience in the game so far was visible in his eyes, however, Leo on the other hand was horrified. He did not want to lie to his elder brother, but he could also not tell him about the actor ss as any slight slip-up on his end would see him being electrocuted by the ankle bracelet which was tracking every word that he spoke. ¡°That err¡­ that, hmm¡± Leo stuttered as his face turned red from trying to think of an excuse while Luke¡¯s smile turned into a frown seeing his antics. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± He asked in his typical elder brother tone as he understood that this was the expression which Leo made when he had performed some mischief. ¡± No, no it¡¯s not what you think! It¡¯s just embarrassing because I was issued a quest that led me to kissing a grandma. That¡¯s how I got these points¡± Leo said as he lied through his teeth. ¡± An old and wrinkly grandma?¡± Luke asked ¡°A toothless grandma¡± Leo replied as Luke immediately made a barfing expression. ¡°Ulghhhh¡± he said before starting tough out loud and p Leo on his shoulders. Thankfully he had bought the lie, much to Leo¡¯s relief, however, it was not without cost as Luke proceeded to make granny jokes for the next five minutes making Leo extremely ufortable. It was a narrow call today, however, for how long could Leo really keep his identity hidden from Luke? Chapter 24: First Day At Work Chapter 24: First Day At Work First Day At Work [ First work shift is beginning, all workers please report to their station for an attendance call. Attendance call will start in 10 minutes from now ] An announcement red over the speakers as both Luke and Leo were jolted awake by the announcement. After learning about MP and talking a bit to their immediate neighbours, the brothers had decided to rest and sleep before the next days shift, however, while it felt like they had only slept for an hour or two, the announcement over the speakers jolted them awake as they wore their work uniforms and rushed outside as to not miss the attendance call. Everyone in Sector E seemed to be as clueless as they were as everyone seemed to have rushed out without knowing where to report or what work were they exactly supposed to do? ¡± LISTEN UP ELEMENTAL END WORKERS, I AM JUDE, I AM YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE AND YOUR BEST FRIEND DEPENDING ON HOW WELL YOU WORK. MYSELF ALONGSIDE, MR. VINICIUS AND MR. CAMA ARE YOUR ASSIGNED SUPERVISORS FROM SECTOR C AND YOU SHALL TREAT US WITH RESPECT. IF YOU DO YOUR WORK PROPERLY, THERE WILL BE NO TROUBLE OR FRICTION BETWEEN US, HOWEVER, IF YOU DO TROUBLE US OR AFFECT OUR EVALUATION BY THE HIGHER UPS, ALL HELL WILL RAIN DOWN ON YOU, BELIEVE THAT¡­. ¡± A tiny man wearing a yellow robe which was different to the orange that everyone in sector E wore said as he shouted those words with an absurdly loud voice despite his small stature. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Vinicius, I¡¯ll be overseeing the sewage workers. So those of you who belong to the sewage worker ss, please report to me¡± Vinicius said as Leo, Luke and a few dozen other men walked towards him. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Mr Cama, but you lot will call me boss man. I¡¯m the odd jobs worker chief and all of you who fall under my purview report to me in a single line¡± Cama a fat and tall man with a protruding belly said as dozens of workers formed a single line before him. ¡°Brats, I¡¯m the repairman chief. All of you repairmen report to me¡± Jude the tiny said as all the repairmen finally reported to him. It was only at this point that Leo realised that all those people who were in sector E only belonged to these three menial jobs and all of them seemed to be people who had either paid shady brokers to secure a spot or were skilledbour who could not afford a better ticket. Of these three, repairmen was undoubtedly the most noble job whereas sewage worker was the worst, however, in the end all of them were still sector E rats and even if Leo had managed to gain an official entry without rigging the system he would have still been a sector E rat only with his mother being forced to work in the odd jobs department. ¡± Alright, the bracelet has automatically recorded your attendance, so let¡¯s head off to your work sites for the day. Please follow me-¡± Vinicius said as he led the sewage workers out of sector E and into sector D where he assigned three workers to clean theirmunal toilets and led the rest into sector C. ¡± Hey, out of all three supervisors our one seems chill no?¡± Leo asked Luke who nodded his head and blessed the gods that he received a polite guy like Mr Vinicius for his supervisor as he could not be forced to tolerate someone like tiny Jude everyday. ¡± You three, you will clean the main sewage pipe in sector C today. It¡¯s only the first day and there should not be much but let¡¯s keep it that way. I want the ship to be as spotless as we found it day one. ording to the manual I¡¯ve received, all the sewage will automatically have been collected in a single ejection pod. All you have to do is scrape off the walls and ensure nothing sticks to it before climbing out and pressing eject. Is that clear?¡± Vinicius asked as Luke, Leo and their third teammate nodded and picked up the gloves and mask that were ced beside a shovel as they wore the safety gear first before gripping the shovel and descending into the ejection pit. While they did so, Vinicius moved on and led the other workers into Sector B The moment when Leo descended into the sewage pit, he was hit with the worst smelling shit as he felt nauseated and ready to barf. The sewage pit was dimly lit, however, even a blind man could see that it was not even 1% full and that even if it was allowed to fill for next one month it did not need any actual cleaning or ejecting. Nheless as they were assigned the job, the three of them gathered their courage and came down into the pile of human shit as their feet made a slight sloshing sound upon impact. *Slosh* *BLURGHHHH* The third man who entered with the brothers instantly barfed and Leo too felt like vomit came up his throat but then rpsed leaving only small bits and pieces in his mouth and a burning sensation all over his throat. ¡± I feel sick¡­.¡± He said as Lukepletely ignored him but went to tap the back of the man who was barfing as he lightly patted him on his back. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­. It¡¯s going to be okay¡± Luke said as he waited patiently for the man to recover and it took him a good ten minutes to do so. ¡°Sorry for that¡­. I¡¯m Hernandez, but you can call me Harry. I just never thought my life would be something like this someday¡± Hernandez said as both Luke and Leo could feel the gravity of his words as currently a million thoughts ran through the brain of the brothers as well. Both of them were from the bottom of the society, both of them were only scraping by barely, however, they were not unhappy back on Earth. They had left everything that they had back on Earth toe on the arc ship, including their beloved mother, only to now scrape shit off walls that did not seem to need scraping in the first ce. Naturally, both brothers wondered about their life choices at this point but were deathly silent as they did their task. However, internally all three of them who had came down in the pit had the same question running through their heads which was whether or not they made the right choice bying to the arc ship? Chapter 25: Reality Check Chapter 25: Reality Check Reality Check Disgusting as it was, Luke, Leo and Harrypleted their duties and flushed out the sewage into space as instructed by their supervisor. It took them approximately two hours of hard work toplete their duties but they were done with their tasks well before lunch break. When lunch break rolled around, Vinicius came back from the other sectors to inspect their work and it was at this moment that the gentle and polite sounding man showed his true colours. ¡± Why are you guys not working? Surely you can¡¯t have scrubbed all that shit off perfectly so fast?¡± He said as Harry taking pride in his speed replied ¡± Oh no sir, we are done, we did it all-¡± Vinicius furrowed his brows as he grabbed a shlight and shed some light into the pit as he inspected the work done. The performed tasks were naturally well done and the sceptic was as clean as it could be, however, ofcourse it was not spotless. After Vinicius saw the condition of the tank he politely smiled towards Harry and then seemingly out of nowhere whacked him with the same shlight that he used to inspect the tank. *WHAM* Luke and Leo instinctively balled their fists and were about to fight back against Vinicius when they suddenly remembered about their ankle bracelets and how this ship wasn¡¯t exactly the same world as Earth. Harry rolled on the floor as he bled profusely from his forehead where he had suffered a horrible cut from the attack. ¡± ARE YOU AN IDIOT OR DO YOU JUST NOT WANT ME TO GET A PROMOTION AND STAY A SECTOR C CITIZEN FOREVER?¡± He shouted to Harry as even though he was clearly bleeding and in pain, Vinicius stomped over his chest and kicked his ribs. ¡± The job you have done will earn me a B grade evaluation at best, but I want nothing less than S. You will take tile cleaners and tissues if you have to, however, you will make this tank spotless every single day of work, got it? We will never let it get stained and we will never let it degrade. Come evaluation day, I will get that perfect evaluation and promotion to sector B¡± Vinicius said as listening to his words Leo could not help but grind his teeth. ¡± What are you two fools staring at? Want me to beat you as well?¡± Vinicius asked tauntingly as Leo felt his left eye twitch at these words. He wanted to beat the shit out of this mannerless supervisor, however, before he could even move a muscle, it was Harry who took action. *m* Taking down Vinicius by tackling him from the waist, Harry brought him down on the ground as he began pummelling down on his face. *WHAM* *WHAM* ¡± I¡¯M NOT A ROBOT YOU BITCH, HOW DARE YOU MAKE ME CLEAN SHIT USING TISSUE PAPERS?¡± Harry shouted in anger and frustration as he could not let go of his pride as a former Earthling who was a happy Garbage Truck Driver. However, while no rms red when Viniciusid hands on Harry, the second Harry touched Vinicius, rms started to re and about ten seconds into his beatdown of Vinicius, his ankle bracelet let out a horrifying electric current that gave Harry unbearable pain. ¡°Aghhh¡­..aghhhhhhhh¡± he screamed as Leo and Luke watched in horror as to how his skin began to sizzle and burn. Millions of volts of electricity were being pumped through his body such that within seconds he turned from an angry bleeding man to a shrivelled corpse. Ofcourse, since he was sitting on top of Vinicius, he too felt some effects of the current flowing through his body and as a result he had passed out cold under the corpse, but the lucky bastard survived the encounter although barely. Soon, medical professionals and ship officials dressed in robes reached the crime scene as it was the first time when Leo looked at someone with such sharp facial features and such deep green eyes. The ship officials looked to be humanoid but not exactly human, their faces were beautiful, but not exactly fitting in the standard of beauty that earthlings had. Somehow, they looked¡­.. alien. ¡± A yer has been eliminated on grounds of hitting a higher tier resident and their supervisor. The yer is deemed unimportant to the project. No major disruptions detected¡± One of the aliens said in an almost mechanical voice that had no high or low notes or no modtion whatsoever. However, listening to this voice, Leo almost had goosebumps as this was exactly how the bracelet watch sounded when it answered his questions. ¡± Clean the area, send these workers for lunch break and tell them to take the rest of the day off. Throw the body into the pit and send the supervisor into the medical bay. Make sure to charge him MP for this treatment and bury him in interest if he doesn¡¯t have any¡± the other alien said as soon a human who was wearing white robes signifying that he was a S tier citizen walked up to Luke and Leo and dismissed them off their duties for the day. Today, the brothers had learned a lot about this ship and a lot about the consequences of their actions should they not obey the authority as if they evershed out like Harry did, perhaps they would meet with the same painful death. Chapter 26: A chance to escape ones fate Chapter 26: A chance to escape one''s fate A chance to escape one¡¯s fate ( Lunch Hall, Sector E ) The lunch hall in Sector E wasn¡¯t a weing ce on its first day. The lights were dim and the walls were covered in shades of grey, giving off a depressing feel. Food was served in a simple metallic tray only once upon entry. As one entered the food hall through its various narrow entrances, their ankle monitor beeped once and a food tray was dispensed with some sort of hot food by a food dispenser. The tables were simple and long with everyone having the same kind of food on their trays ¨C a nd, mushy thing which felt like a potato paste with two slices of bread. It was just enough to fill you up but not enough to make you feel good. Eating it made one¡¯s mouth feel dry but the only thing one could drink to avoid that dry sensation was water as beer, juices and other drinks needed one to pay with MP. People sat in small groups, talking quietly. Most of them seemed upset as they talked about their bosses, about how they were being treated unfairly and how it was so different from back on Earth. On Earth, everyone believed in fairness. It didn¡¯t matter what job you had, you were treated well because every job was important for everyone. This idea of respect for all jobs kept things going smoothly. But here, in this grey lunch hall, it was like they forgot all about treating people fairly and there was a singr reason behind it ¨C Theck ofw and order. On this ship there were nowyers, no rights, on this ship one could not sue their supervisors if they treated them badly or demand settlement in a court. On this ship the only rule enforcing body was the ship administrator and they did not care about the treatment of passengers as long as the job was done. Leo and Luke had witnessed this firsthand, they could see how Vinicius got away with beating Harry, but the second Harry retaliated back he was electrocuted to death. There were no rules broken when a C ss citizen beat up an E ss citizen but the vice versa was not allowed. Everyone had boarded this ship hoping for a better life and a way to restart from scratch on a new, however, the reality was shaping to be something entirely different. The ship was an oppressive ce to be, especially for the downtrodden and it was a ce where the system was rigged in favour of the elite and against the poor. ¡°This food tastes like shit-, but damn these people feel worse¡± Luke said as he stabbed his fork into the food tray and grit his teeth hard. ¡°Why? What happened?¡± Leo asked as he looked around and saw how there was no one sitting around the two brothers, but Leo did not view it as a bad thing. ¡°You don¡¯t get it, we stink Leo¡­ the reason why no-one is sitting around us is because we stink like garbage. For now this hall is only depressed and has some semnce of civilness left, but soon all this is going to hell if there are no rules in ce governing how to live a life on the ship¡± Luke said as Leo suddenly realised the situation that they were in. There were nows on the ship that prevented infighting between inmates. Although they could not cross from sector E to D without permission, they had free movement ess in sector E itself. The lines forundry, for food, for bathing that were proceeding in a civil manner as of now were soon sure to be a breeding ground for gang wars and Luke estimated that the gangs would be formed based on one¡¯s profession with the cleaners undoubtedly facing discrimination. Soon, the strong would monopolise all resources and make life even harder for the weak where sector E would degrade into a back-alley hoodlum where might made one right. ¡± Hmmm¡­. You¡¯re right, the situation here doesn¡¯t feel good at all¡± Leo said as at that moment he had the same idea as the thousands of men within sector E which was to escape this hell at the earliest at any cost. [ Administrative Announcement:- This is the administrator of the Arc Ship speaking. First of all, let me share the progress of our journey. We have sessfully crossed the Sr System¡¯s range of influence and are now officially outside the gravitational influence of the sun. We at the arc ship hope that the journey so far has beenfortable for all passengers and especially for our esteemed TierS guests because things are about to start to be shaken up. On this ship, for every year that it takes for us to reach our destination we shall hold an annual event where the bottom 10% of a performing ss would be demoted and reced by the best performing citizens from lower ss. This means that the bottom 10% of S tier citizens will be reced by top 10% of A tier citizens and bottom 10% of A tier citizens will be reced by top 10% of B tier citizens and so on. This performance data on one¡¯s performance will depend on thebination of one¡¯s work in real life and their progress within the game Terra Nova Online with the first evaluation being exactly 7 days from now. For tierS citizens, it¡¯s a fight for your lifestyle and for tierE citizens it¡¯s a chance to escape your current fate in favour of living a better life! We at the arc ship sincerely hope that this yearly event brings some excitement into your lives and motivates you to perform your jobs better. Your administrator ] Chapter 27: Back in-game Chapter 27: Back in-game Back in-game After the depressing Lunch, Luke and Leo headed back towards their apartment since they had been given the rest of the day off. Since most other sector Eizens rushed back to work, having now found some hope to escape this hell-hole if their evaluation was high enough, themunal facilities such as themon bath andundry were rtively empty which presented the brothers with a rare opportunity to clean up and wash their clothes without having to wait in long queues. Before heading back to the apartment, the brothers bathed and ced their clothes inundry which was rtively advanced and quickly returned their clothes after washing andpletely drying them in under 45 seconds. Cleaned, fed and provided with hope, the brothers were full of motivation to log back into the game and improve their chances to escape sector E with the additional time that they had been provided. ¡± Leo, I will try my best to advance within the game by levelling up and maybe even unlocking my ss. Although as of now I have no idea how to achieve either, I¡¯ll definitely try my best. I¡¯m not ascending from this ce without you though, so either we both make it, or we both don¡¯t¡± Luke said as he gave Leo an intense stare in the eye. Leo could see in his brothers eyes as to how serious he was and today he was as serious as he was when their mother sold her kidney to send them on this ship. The fact that Luke was not going to ascend out of this ce alone was sweet but also slightly worrying for Leo, since it wasn¡¯t his promotion that he was worried about but rather Luke¡¯s that gave him a scare. He was already pretty advanced within the game and could easily ascend to Sector D based on his in-game results, however, since he could not disclose them with Luke he just nodded his head and said ¡± I¡¯ll make the cut, you worry about yourself ¡°. Luke let out a deep sigh before mentally hyping himself up and picking up his gaming helmet. ¡± By the way, what beach are you on? I¡¯m on Candolim beach-¡± Luke said as Leo raised an eyebrow and replied ¡± Beach? I¡¯m on a mountain-¡± It was at this moment that the brothers realised that of all the things the two discussed they never put enough importance behind discussing the in-game events since uptil now they were treating it just as a past-time. The game Terra Nova was important in more ways than one and Luke and Leo were realising it slowly. The game was a source to earn the only eptable currency on the arc ship called MP which could be used to spend on luxury. The game also decided one¡¯s ce within society and for Leo it also held keys to his life and death. The game deserved to be treated like an important aspect of one¡¯s life and the brothers realising it early was a good thing. Once the disparities about their starting location emerged, the two sat down and began talking about their experiences after logging in and while Luke answered everything honestly, Leo made up a bit of false lies mixed with the truth to convey information to Luke withoutpromising his identity. He told Luke about where to find the global chat button about how one could not log out of dungeons and how the prices for lodging and food were within the game in the area where he spawned. On the other hand Luke told him about the beach town of Candolim where he had spawned and how it was called ¡®City Of Knights¡¯ since many legendary NPC had been residents of that town before bing famous. Luke told Leo about how there was a skill scroll shop within his town that sold skill scrolls and how it was priced at 10 gold coins which the average yer just did not have. His short term goal was to gather the money to buy it and then use it to level up against the monsters located nearby. Leo approved of the n and told him that the best way to earn money would probably be to get a quest which would be easier if he found an adventurer association in his town. After this discussion, both brothers logged back into Terra Nova Online, with about 18 hours of gaming time to spare until their next shift. ********** ( Silverpine Vige, Leo¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification ¨C Wee back yer ¡®The Boss¡¯, You have no new messages ] A system notification weed Leo back into the game and it informed him that he had no new messages. He found himself still at the tavern room that he logged out of with the only change in his stat panel being the fact that his stamina had somehow recovered to full in the time where he was not ying. This was a much wee change as Leo felt his in-game avatar rested and refreshed which was a different feel to how he felt ragged and tired while logging out. As he went back out of the tavern after borrowing a new coat he was surprised to see many yers still walking around the entertainment district although it was working hours. Uptil now, Leo had no idea that while sector E yers were forced to work 9 hour shifts a day, yers from Sector C and upwards had significantly less working hours. Sector C yers depending on their job only worked 5 to 9 hours a day, while sector B and upwards only 2 mandatory hours. This gave the yers from higher sectors more time to spend within the game which gave them more opportunity to level up and improve within the gamepared to lower sector yers. Although at the start of the game the difference wasn¡¯t evident, with time passing it was bound to be more and more noticeable. This first promotion was important because it was going to be the only time when the ying field would still be almost on level terms, however,e a yearter and the difference would be enormous. Chapter 28: Selling the loot Chapter 28: Selling the loot Selling the loot ( Silverpine Vige, The market ) After listening to Luke and how there was a shop in his beginner town that sold skill scrolls, Leo decided to explore the market of his own spawn vige in case it offered simr services. The price of skill scrolls in Luke¡¯s vige was 10 gold coins for a ( Common ) ranked skill which made Leo wonder what the price would be for a skill like ( Mimic ) that was unique to the actor ss? He had already learnt the skill, but because he was in a hurry to Logout he never fully explored it as he still had no idea about what exactly it did apart from the system description that gave him a vague idea. There was also the loot that he had gained by killing the wolves that he wished to sell for money and hence the market seemed to be the appropriate ce to start. The market street was located at pretty much the centre of the vige and could easily be considered the heart of Silverpine. It housed many shops mainly selling meat and other essentials, but there were other small shops as well offering services like selling clothes, utensils, weapons etc. When he first arrived at the vige, the environment was dark and it seemed to bete evening, however, it was much brighter now as the day seemed to have changed. As a result, the vige was a much more lively ce in general and Leo could observe the world of Terra Nova in a much more detailed fashion to understand the mechanics of the game. Since he understood now as to how important the game was and how it could potentially help him live a better life, Leo was now even more observant than when he first logged into the game as he tried to look at everything in the world from an objective eye. The NPC in Terra Nova were ultra realistic as everyone of them had varied expressions on their faces with ever so smooth body movement. As he observed a woman haggle over the price of meat with the local butcher, Leo observed how the woman¡¯s facial expressions turned from annoyed to angry to happy as she sessfully saved 2 copper coins in her purchase price. Such detail was impossible to achieve in Earthen games as while the full dive games on Earth had a realistic world experience, the NPC were usually expressionless and had a set line of coded behaviour that they followed, but Terra Nova Online was different. Every NPC in this game seemed to have a personality of their own and disyed a range of emotions just like what a normal person would. ¡± I better treat them as real humans and forget the fact that they are NPC. They are way too real to be called in-game characters¡± Leo murmured to himself as he took a resolution to consider NPC as real people and not bots. Eventually, he found a tailor shop that had the sign ¡°We buy Wolf Leather¡± stered over the entrance and entered it with the intention to sell. *Dadingding* The moment he opened the door a bell attached to the door handle rattled against the door informing the shop keeper that a customer had arrived. ¡°Oh lord Santina- A Virex operative?¡± The old tailor said in shock as he looked at Leo¡¯s mask and seemed to be taken aback by its appearance. ¡°I¡¯m here to sell wolf skin¡± Leo said with a straight face and deep voice as he did not let the shopkeeper¡¯s surprise affect him and pretended as if this reaction was normal to him. ¡°Oh yes of course! You must be the gentleman who cleared the wolf problem in the mines¡­. Our vige is much indebted to you¡± the old man said with a smile as Leo felt awkward listening to the praise. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for my previous reaction, we¡¯ve had a slight history with a Virex operative, that¡¯s why everyone in this town is slightly afraid of that mask¡± the old man said as Leo felt intrigued about this old tale. ¡°I noticed that the vige chief seemed reserved as well, can you tell me why is everyone so afraid of Virex Operatives?¡± Leo asked politely as the old man scratched his semi bald head. ¡± It¡¯s because of your nickname of course-, you¡¯re the mad dogs of the emperor who only move on hismand. Previously, about 5-7 years ago, thest time one of you came to this small vige was to assassinate a fugitive who was living in this vige for the past few years under the guise of being a merchant. He was a smart fellow and had integrated himself well into our society, which is why his death came as a shock to us. However, it¡¯s not the fault of your division, of course you were acting under orders. It¡¯s just that the way your predecessor killed him was way too gruesome as his body was left purple from the poison that he used- A truly terrifying affair¡± the old man exined as Leo suddenly understood why the vige chief and everyone who saw his mask on the streets seemed to be so afraid of him. Apparently, the Virex troops had quite a reputation in this vige which made the people prejudiced against Leo from the start. ¡± Hmm it¡¯s okay, I understand¡­. Thankyou for sharing this story ¡± Leo said as the shopkeeper immediately waved him off. ¡± Please, it¡¯s nothing much, you¡¯re our vige¡¯s saviour, I¡¯m sure the reputation of your corps will improve amongst the people once you leave¡± the old man said, but his expression betrayed the words he spoke. There was already a rumour going around about how viciously Leo killed the wolves and how he was bloodsoaked and without a scratch when he walked out of the dungeon which only made the fear that themoners held towards Virex Operatives grow even worse. Nheless, those things had nothing to do with Leo who presented the shopkeeper with all the wolf pelts that he had gathered and offered them for sale. Just like a shopkeeper would in the real world, the NPC in Terra Nova also took his time hand inspecting eachyer as only after a good fifteen minutes did he finally offer a price. ¡± You have really done a good job collecting the wolf pelts, there is absolutely no damage in the removal process. For pelts of this high quality, I can offer you 1 silver piece for themon ones and 25 silver pieces for the rare ones, bringing the total to 60 silver coins. Is that eptable?¡± He asked as Leo who had no idea about the market price of these goods simply nodded in affirmation andpleted the trade. [ System Notification:- You have sold 10xmon grade wolf skin and 2x rare grade wolf skin for 60 silver coins! ] A system notification notified him of the trade and his inventory automatically refreshed. Chapter 29: Learning more about the world Chapter 29: Learning more about the world Learning more about the world ¡± Old man, where can I buy skill scrolls in this vige? Also I have some other crafting materials to sell such as wolf teeth, do you know who might buy them?¡± Leo asked the old tailor who scratched his chin and thought carefully. ¡± As for skill scrolls, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to buy them in this small vige, scroll shops can only be sold in tier3 towns and higher while this is only a tier2 vige. The nearest town from here is at the foot of these mountains and if my memory does not fail me, it does have a skill scroll shop, however, it would be best for you to buy them at the royal capital. As for the other crafting materials, I¡¯m sure any cksmithing shop here would buy them from you as long as they can be used to make jewellery or ornaments¡± the old man answered as Leo learnt new information about the world of Terra Nova. In Terra Nova, the ssification of settlements was done in tiers. A settlement of less than 1000 people was designated as a tier4 vige. The people of such settlements had a very nominal obligation in the form of annual taxation towards the empire and they usually enjoyed autonomy in internal affairs. Tier4 was the lowest evaluation for a vige and it went up to tier1 when a vige had more than 10,000 residents but less than 20,000 residents. When a vige crossed the 20,000 resident mark, it had to formally apply to be a town after which some important government buildings were erected in the settlement and a small garrison of royal troops were stationed inside. The vige was then promoted to a tier4 town and was appointed a mayor who was the government¡¯s point of contact in the settlement. The people of a town contributed more to central taxes and while they still elected local officials, they also fell under government purview. But being promoted to a town was still beneficial to viges as bing a town meant that the government would find infrastructure projects to connect the town to the main roadwork and would invest in the local industries to give them a boost. In 9/10 cases the settlement saw modernization of the economy and rapid expansion that led to the locals bing wealthy and living a better life which was why most tier1 viges pushed to be proper towns. Bing a town was also important because certain businesses were only allowed to operate within towns and could not be opened in remote viges. A skill scroll shop was one such business alongside libraries, government schools and professional universities. This trend continued upwards and the benefits only increased as a tier4 town upgraded to a tier3 town all the way up to a tier1 town which was pretty much the ceiling for most ces. To officially be given the status of a City, a settlement needed to have at least a million inhabitants and a robust economy and even then it took years for most settlements to get that status. Living in a city meant that the security of traders and citizens was guaranteed by the empire itself and it was a hotspot for job opportunities and quality of life. Taxes were high when living in a city and government intervention was direct in its policy making and governance. ¡®Lord¡¯s¡¯ looked over cities and usually they hailed from influential families or were great war heroes. Living in a city was the dream for most and some features unique to cities were ces like auction houses, merchant associations, banks etc. Most well known universities for higher education were located in cities and owningnd inside a city was considered to be prestigious within the NPC social circles. The city tier list also went from tier4 all the way up to tier1 when it was given the title of ¡®Metro City¡¯ of which there were only four in the entire empire. Finally, there was the royal capital itself, the city which was the heart of the empire and housed over 250 million people. It was the residence of the royal family and was responsible for close to 40% of the entire empire¡¯s trade. There was not a single reputable adventurer group or merchant union that did not have a branch office in the capital and the more prominent one¡¯s even had their headquarters there. It was the ce of dreams for mostmoners and the ce where most action in Terra Nova Online was bound to unfold with time. Ofcourse Leo who only partially learnt about this tier system did not understand it fully, however, what he did pick up from the old man¡¯s wordings was the fact that this small Silverpine Vige and all the others on this mountain were too small a ce to give him opportunity for growth. If he wanted to achieve something big he had to head off towards a bigger city and to do so he needed to buy a map of the surrounding areas. ¡°Old man, where can I buy a map that guides me to the nearest city? I¡¯m nning to leave this town tomorrow since my work here is already done¡± Leo said as the old man immediately guided him towards the local shop that sold regional maps. Thanking him, Leo left his store and after selling the remaining wolf parts for 1 gold coin he bought a regional map for 2 silver pieces which was automatically fed into his system map which expanded dramatically after his purchase. [ System Notification ¨C You have acquired a map of the western mountains, since your level exceeds level 10 you are free to leave your beginner vige and travel as you please ] A system notification informed Leo that since he had acquired both the regional map and had crossed level 10, he had satisfied all the conditions to leave the beginner vige and was free to travel as he pleased. Chapter 30: Scamming With A Thick Skin Chapter 30: Scamming With A Thick Skin Scamming With A Thick Skin ( The Silverpine mine dungeon, Unnamed group of yers ) ¡°Watch out! That rat¡¯s tail hurts like a whip¡± shouted a female yer as she warned her friend to dodge the rat¡¯s tail, but despite her warning, her friend was unable to dodge and was pped by the rat tail right in her face. *Skadaadh* The poor girl was hit hard across her face by the rat tail which left a deepceration mark across her chin and prompted her to break down into tears instantly. *Sob* *Sob* Her friend rushed to hug and console her, while the rest of the party tried tobat the massive horse sized rat that was living inside a secret tunnel of the mine. After stabbing it using the beginnermon sword and slowly injuring it to death by attacking from all sides, the group finally managed to clear the dungeon. Apparently, the rat had been scared away by the wolves for the past few months, however, upon their death it returned. The group of yers who were given the quest to clear the dungeon by Leo identally discovered a small entrance to its tunnel which was coincidentally the hidden dungeon which Leo did not clear. It took the yers roughly 10 hours of hard work and a very tough boss-fight against the level 7 rat to clear the dungeon upon which they received a special reward. [ You have received:- 1x Combat Skill Scroll ( Rare ) 1x Combat Skill Scroll ( Common ) 1x Old Map ( ??? ) 5x Gold Coins 120x Silver Coins ] The party of 20 received a lot of rewards, however, split between so many people it wasn¡¯t much. ¡°We can evenly distribute the money, but we can¡¯t distribute the two skill scrolls and the map¡± One of the party members said as he pointed out the problem with the loot distribution. ¡± We are supposed to hand over all the loot to the soldier anyways, but I highly suspect that he might only be after the old map¡± Another adventurer said as an internal strife soon broke out. Some party members did not wish to hand over the loot while some party members wished to do so. ¡± This is not a system given quest, we might hand him the loot and get nothing, I say we give him nothing, that soldier has a lot of attitude for his own good anyways. This map¡­. Let¡¯s use it ourselves and find out what it leads to! If it¡¯s so important for that soldier it¡¯s bound to be something good¡± One of the party members suggested, however, his view was immediately opposed. ¡± This is where you people don¡¯t understand MMORPG games¡­. Fucking noobs¡± The shortest and nerdiest looking guy in the group said as he flicked his hair and garnered all the attention upon himself. ¡± I¡¯ve yed all the popr MMORPG games since I was a small kid and this type of situation where you don¡¯t get a system quest but rather a verbal test are the missions that are the most important in the game. These kinds of missions are usually chain quests and bringing the loot to the NPC usually prompts them to give us a linked second quest. Yes, in the short-term we may have to suffer losses, but in the long term it will pay out to be something legendary!¡± He said as his simple speech convinced everyone in the room that if they contained their greed for a bit longer they will be able to earn much more. Although there was still some opposition, the group eventually democratically decided to hand over all the loot in its entirety to the Virex soldier, not even taking out the gold for themselves, fearing that if they did not give him all the rewards maybe the next quest would not be triggered. ******* ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was not sure whether he wanted tough or cry ofughter at the situation at hand. He had 0 expectations of the adventurers actually clearing the dungeon and bringing him back the loot as the words that he had spoken to them were said only to look cool and he had no real expectation of his bait actually working. Yet here they were presenting him with all the loot including the gold they obtained from the dungeon and Leo could barely hold in hisughter. He was getting ready to move out of Silverpine Vige and begin his journey as a true yer when suddenly this group of adventurers arrived at his tavern and presented him with the loot. From their greedy eyes and mannerisms, Leo could see that they were eagerly waiting for some more rewards to be issued for a job well done, however, Leo was not an NPC and did not have any obligations to pay them. ¡°Sir Soldier, as per your guidance we havepleted the mission, we hope that through our measly efforts, we were able to assist a great being such as yourself¡± The nerdy yer said as he kowtowed before Leo making the entire adventurer group behind him feel awkward. ¡°Yes you lot did a good job¡­¡± Leo said as he moved all the presented loot to his inventory before standing up and looking at all the adventurers in their eyes. Everyone, especially the nerdy leader whose idea it was to present all the loot to Leo looked at him with anticipatory eyes, however, Leo said nothing and presented them with nothing before moving out of the tavern as if they did not even exist. ¡± Hey- Sir Soldier, please wait¡­.. where is our reward for helping you?¡± One of them who was against giving the loot to Leo in the first ce said as he chased after Leo outside the tavern, however, Leo just looked at him and said ¡°Reward? When did I promise any of that?¡± Saying so, he kept walking as at that moment the group of yers realized that they had been scammed! Many of them chased after Leo, demanding that he return their loot, while most others beat the crap out of the nerd whose idea it was to present the loot to Leo. However, despite their pressure Leo did not crumple and acted like he did not even hear them as he kept walking straight out of town. Those idiots had provided him with the loot of their own volition¡­.. it wasn¡¯t his problem that they were scammed. Internally he felt extremely giddy, but to not ruin his image he did notugh till he was well away from Silverpine Vige¡¯s boundaries and was sure that there were no more yers chasing him. Then and only then did he burst outughing as he rolled around in the fresh snow and made snow angels. ¡± HAHAHAHA¡­.. FUCKING IDIOTS¡± he said as he let out all his excitement by ying in the snow, not able to believe his good-luck in how easily he had scammed people to work for him. Naturally, while he enjoyed in the snow, the yers ranted on global chat about the NPC scam, however, Leo did not give a shit. They could curse NPC all they wanted, Leo wasn¡¯t one anyways. Chapter 31: A kind heart Chapter 31: A kind heart A kind heart ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Unlike Leo, Luke¡¯s beginner town was a coastal town which had a very special dungeon in its vicinity. In Cervantez¡¯s previous run, it was this dungeon which gave birth to SkyLion¡¯s legend and just like in his past life, even this time around, SkyLion was the first entrant in the Panjim Town¡¯s ¡®Dungeon Of Waves¡¯. There was a simple reason behind why in the past as well as the present it was only Luke that managed to enter this dungeon and it had to do with Luke¡¯s personality as an individual. As he roamed the streets of Panjim trying to figure out how to earn money just like thousands of different yers, he came across the beggars street where several old people, cripples and orphans begged for money to survive. A normal yer would have ignored their pain, avoiding them like they were the que or mistreating them for information, however, Luke was different. Trulypassionate and level headed, he bought lots of food for the poor using his own money and gave everyone a loaf of bread so that they did not sleep hungry tonight. Some yersughed at his foolishness as they tried to remind Luke that these beggars were NPC and not real while some others pestered him and asked if he was doing a quest to help the poor and what the rewards were? When those people came to know that Luke was genuinely doing this out of good will they deemed him to be insane and moved along, however, while Luke never aimed for any rewards, when he passed the 100th beggar some bread, he met a hidden condition within the game and was issued a secret quest. [ System Notification ¨C You have fed 100 homeless people food with your own money and proved that you have apassionate heart. But to truly help these poor, you must make them independent and provide them with means to earn a consistent living and to do so, you must clear the hidden dungeon ¡® The Dungeon Of Waves¡¯ in Panjim town. The dungeon location has been added to your map, it can only be entered during low tide which willst for the next 2 hours ] [ Quest Notification ¨C Clear the hidden dungeon! Time limit ¨C None. Rewards ¨C ???? + ???? + ???? Failure Penalty ¨C You won¡¯t be able to alleviate thousands out of poverty ] Luke was suddenly issued a hidden quest as his eyes widened in surprise watching the system screen in front of him. He had not helped the poor because he wanted a hidden reward, instead, he had helped the poor because he could resonate with their pain. While Leo was too young to remember the incident clearly, Luke remembered it as quite clearly as to when they had to leave their old mansion and move into the small apartment back on Earth after their father suddenly disappeared. Their mother Elena was not always a housewives who had learnt all sorts of skills but rather an inexperienced noble who did not even understand the basics of cooking food herself. Even then, when their family had lost everything, on the day that they shifted from the urban mansion to the back alleys, Elena donated some 50 dors to the homeless, enough to buy a warm meal as she smiled at Luke and told him to always be kind regardless of their mary circumstances. It was an incident that left a deep impact on Luke and growing up whenever he had money he always made it a point to secretly sponsor a single meal to the poor and it was exactly what he was trying to do today. He had no idea that his act of kindness would turn into a hidden quest but he was extremely happy that it did. Although he had no idea what the quest clear rewards were or if he could even clear it alone, he headed towards the location on the system map which told him to venture deep into the sea shoreline towards a particr point in the ocean. It took Luke about 30 minutes of fast walking to reach his destination and thankfully it was still low-tide so despite being quite far from the safe shore, he was able to find the hidden entrance to the dungeon which was a stone stairwell that suspiciously led one underground although it was constructed on a sea bed. Naturally, as Luke walked just two steps into the stairwell, his feet felt wet as he stepped into sea water which was filled upto the brim in this dungeon. [ System Notification ¨C You have entered the hidden dungeon, ¡®The dungeon of waves¡¯ . Since you are the first adventurer to enter this dungeon, you can get a bonus reward if you clear the dungeon in your very first attempt ] A system notification told Luke that he had entered the hidden dungeon and although Luke did not really want to explore an underwater dungeon, since this mission was for a noble cause and since because he was in a desperate need to improve his evaluation to escape sector E, Luke took a deep breath and dived into the salty seawater and swam downwards into the dungeon. As Luke barely swam two strokes, he realized that there was a guard railing on the side of the dungeon walls and although it looked like the stairwell was leading downwards, it seemed to have a dramatic U-turn after going down about 10 steps which led to a hidden chamber on the other side, essible if one just used the railing to go down and then through the partition to the other side. *GASP* Luke gasped for air as he crossed the hidden partition and swam upwards to catch a breath of air and much to his joy, the hidden dungeon was not actually an underwater dungeon as after entering and swimming through the entrancepartment, one came out the other side on drynd as apparently this dungeon used the principles of air pressure to create a dry air pocket in the middle of the ocean. Chapter 32: No Fear For The Unknowing Chapter 32: No Fear For The Unknowing No Fear For The Unknowing Once Luke entered the dungeon he took a moment to catch his breath and only after recovering his stamina did he begin to explore the inside of the dungeon which despite having a clearck of a light source was surprisingly well lit with the source of the lighting from bioluminescent nts. The dungeon itself was pretty narrow and long and if Luke¡¯s sense of spatial movement was not skewed it was situated not more than 2 meters below actual sea level. The deeper he walked into the dungeon, the more prominent the sound of waves crashing over his head became as he was sure that this dungeon was created off the shore of Panjim town and under the sea bed. It was a mysterious and beautiful ce with amazing carvings all along the hall-ways and although there were no monsters in the dungeon that Luke encountered yet, somehow the dungeon gave him an eerie and abandoned feeling that made his nerves feel on the edge. ¡°Who dares enter the great Oyster Farmer¡¯s workshop?¡± A voice suddenly said, startling Luke as he entered the main hall of the dungeon. The voice sounded angry and the question it was asking was obviously rhetorical, however, Luke fearlessly replied to it as he had nothing but pure intentions in his heart. ¡± I¡¯m SkyLion, an adventurer who¡¯s looking to uplift many beggars out of poverty. I have been given information that this ce holds the key to achieve my goal, am I correct?¡± He said, counter questioning the voice that asked him his identity, speaking in amanding tone which left even the owner of the voice dumbfounded. ¡± You- huh? What?¡± The voice said as soon a thin and scrawny looking man walked out of the shadows, inspecting Luke as if he were some odd being. ¡± You¡¯re clearly human, a species cursed with greed¡­. Yet you im you want to help others?¡± The scrawny man said as Luke raised an eyebrow and retorted ¡°You say these words as if you¡¯re not human yourself ¡°. Once again, the scrawny man was left dumbfounded as he frowned deeply and inspected Luke¡¯s stat panel only to find him to be level 0. Luke was clearly a full grown man and full grown men were supposed to be at least level 10 irrespective of how talentless they were, yet Luke was level 0. Not only that, but he was apparently telling the truth too as it seemed like he had no idea that the man he was talking to was not a human but a mer-man. ¡± No I¡¯m not human-¡± he said as he showed his palm which had webbed interlockings like a duck instead of open fingers like those of a human. ¡± Holy hell! You¡¯re a mermaid!¡± Luke eximed as the man in front of him could not help but p his face in dissapointment. ¡± Hey hey hey, fool, from what angle do I look like a woman? Do I have breasts? Do I have a big plumpy ass? Do I have sexy long hair? I¡¯m a mer-man! Man! Male! Owner of the donger, sword warrior, game changer¡± he eximed as Luke made an ¡®O¡¯ expression on his face, feeling enlightened. Back on Earth the popr fantasies only depicted the mermaids and never talked about the males of the species, so Luke had never imagined that males existed amongst them too. ¡± Apologies¡­. I had no idea¡± Luke said as the mer-man let out an angry sigh, feeling agitated about facing a fool like Luke. ¡± You¡¯re wasting your time here human, this is a mer-man outpost where we farm oysters, it¡¯s off-limits to humans as per our treaty. I don¡¯t know how you found it, but I can¡¯t help you with anything, so it¡¯s best you return¡± The mer-man said as Luke shook his head and wiggled his finger in front of the man. ¡± Nononono, you see, the system would never issue a quest that was impossible. You¡¯re capping, I call it ¡± he said as the mer-man was once again left dumbfounded watching his confidence. System? Capping? Call it? He understood none of those terms and while both of them were speaking English it seemed like both of them were not speaking the same English as the mer-man failed to understand what Luke wished to convey. Judging the confusion on his face, Luke reiterated his pitch as he said ¡± See it¡¯s like this, there are a lot of beggars in Panjim town¡­ the human establishment off the coast. And someone told me that this ce holds the key to teaching them a skill that can uplift them out of poverty¡­.. that¡¯s why I¡¯m here¡± ¡± So what if some humans sleep hungry? What¡¯s it have to do with me? Why should I teach them the pearl collection skill? What¡¯s in it for me?¡± The mer-man argued as Luke immediately walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder as he looked deep into his eyes. This was an awkward scenario as Luke was being way too casual with a level 360 mer-man who had the potential to submerge the entire Panjim town underwater if he lost his mind, yet in his ignorance, Luke did not fear this man at all. ¡± What¡¯s in it for you? Come on now¡­. I thought you were a capitalist! Can¡¯t you see the opportunity? Cheapbor¡­. CHEAP LABOR!¡± Luke said excitedly as now the mer-man truly felt lost, yet intrigued about what this unique human had to say. What followed was Luke exining how the mer-man could teach humans his pearl collection skill and make them work for minimum wage and in-return he could make exponentially more money for himself. Initially the mer-man wondered if the human was a fool, but after he understood the benefits of the arrangement Luke proposed he began tough alongside Luke as well as his hostility towards him dissolved. ¡± Hahaha¡­. I never thought about hiring cheap helpers for practically free, this human tactic is amazing! MUAHAHA¡± Heughed as Lukeughed right alongside him. Chapter 33: Valuable Advise Chapter 33: Valuable Advise Valuable Advise [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ for sessfully clearing the hidden dungeon ¡®Dungeon Of Waves¡¯ and securing an employment opportunity for the underprivileged of Panjim Town. You are rewarded with 50x Gold Coins 2x Water Lily 1x Skill Scroll ( epic ) ] A system notification informed Luke that he had sessfullypleted the hidden dungeon quest! Thepletion condition for this dungeon was different from what Luke had assumed as there was no monster fighting, no puzzle solving, no treasure looting, but it was rather a simple mission where he had to convince a single man to take-in cheapbor. ¡± Hahaha, humans¡­. This race is so shameless, hahaha, I like them so much¡± The mer-man keptughing as he realized that no longer did he need to work hard in his punishment and he could live a life of luxury once more. Although Luke had no idea, the mer-man he had just befriended was actually a hidden bigshot and his real identity was the second prince of mernd. He was royalty who was exiled to the outskirts of their kingdom to reflect on his past misdeeds and was supposed to repent by performing oyster farming in istion, however, because of Luke he once again saw hope in living a life of leisure. ¡± I¡¯m Furlo, from today onwards, let¡¯s be friends, shameless human SkyLion¡± Furlo said as he extended his hand which Luke shaked enthusiastically. [ System Notification ¨C NPC Furlo wishes to form a ¡®Friendship¡¯ bond with yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯. Do you agree? Yes No ] A system notification asked Luke if he wished to form a bond with Furlo or not and Luke epted the request without thinking much of it. [ *DING* , NEW CONNECTION FORMED, SECOND PRINCE OF MER-LAND, FURLO ( LV 360 ) You can now open a private chat with Furlo whenever you wish to- ] Another pop-up informed Luke that the connection had been sessfully established, however, Luke just kept staring at the screen nkly, unable to contemte the meaning behind its words. ¡± WHATT¡­. YOU ARE ROYALTY?¡± he said in shock as he pped his cheeks, and Furlo raised his head high in pride as he enjoyed the awe his stature brought. ¡± MUAHAHA, Bow before me puny human¡± He said as Luke immediately fell to his knees and kowtowed before Furlo five times. ¡± All hail the prince!¡± He said again and again as Furlo keptughing like a maniac as this was the first time someone had shown him this level of respect. Back in mernd, everyone knew that the first prince would ascend the throne and that the king did not wish for his children to get undeserving respect and hence nobody ever really paid much attention to Furlo although he was a noble. Internally, he craved for the same respect as his brother and father got, however, because of his childish antics, his name was associated with that of a troublemaker back at the pce which meant that nobody treated him with proper respect. Getting such attention from Luke, he felt like he was on cloud nine as he truly began to like Luke as a person although he was level 0. ¡± Puny human, since I like you so much, I¡¯ll indulge you and allow you one opportunity to ask me anything you want-¡± Furlo said as Luke stopped kowtowing and looked at Furlo with hopeful eyes. Since he now knew that Furlo was a level 360 noble, Luke had faith that whatever advice Furlo would give him would prove to be invaluable and hence he asked with a shaky voice ¡°Please tell me the mistakes to avoid in the path to be a good warrior¡± ¡± Don¡¯t learn trash skills¡­.. and as long as it¡¯s possible, don¡¯t learn skills out of skill scrolls but always learn them through practical repetition. You can only learn a limited number of skills in your lifetime and mastering a few will always be better than learning many trash skills and swapping them again and again. My only advice for you is to master all the skills that you learn rather than swapping them consistently for better ones¡± Furlo said as Luke nodded his head in understanding. He had no experience regarding learning skills or skill scrolls, he had not learnt a single skill yet, however, he trusted Furlo¡¯s advice on this matter and decided to choose his skills carefully in the future. ¡± Thankyou for the advise, I¡¯ll keep it close to my heart¡± Luke said as Furlo blushed red listening to his words feeling all giddy inside. All his life it was only his elder brother giving him advice and this was the first time when he had the opportunity to mentor someone and because of Luke¡¯s genuine and eager personality, he quite liked the feeling of teaching someone new. The two spent some more time together where Furlo told him to keep in touch and message him often for any doubts that he had and Luke also told him about how he should exploitbor and make the most effective use of their skills. In the end the two parted ways on great terms and a promise to visit each other soon. Luke, having gained the gold that he wished to buy a skill-scroll, now decided against buying amon skill and rather decided to buy a nice weapon with the money instead, but first he decided to visit the slums andplete his mission by convincing them to report to Furlo for guaranteed money and a respectable job from tomorrow. Chapter 34: Learning a skill in Terra Nova Chapter 34: Learning a skill in Terra Nova Learning a skill in Terra Nova Luke harbored some concerns about the reception of his job offer among the residents of the slums as based on his experiences on Earth, he knew that not everyone living on the streets was there due to ack of employment opportunities and that some chose that lifestyle out of an aversion to work. Despite these apprehensions, he was pleasantly surprised to find that his proposal was met with gracious eptance by the people he approached who were more than ted to work for a mer-man if it could ensure them being paid a living wage. In just a matter of hours, Luke sessfully recruited over 30 individuals, meeting the target he and Furlo had previously set as he then led the group and navigated them towards Furlo¡¯s dungeon, marking the beginning of their new venture. Some of the slum people that he guided seemed to be extremely moved by his actions and swore to repay his kindness a hundredfold someday, however, Luke did not take their words to heart. The world was wide and he had already gotten his reward which was why he expected nothing more. If fate permitted, he would surely meet Furlo and the slum people again, or perhaps this might also be theirst meeting ever. [ Skill Scroll ] ( Epic ) ¨C ????? [ yer level insufficient to inspect the scroll, do you wish to learn it anyways? ] [ Yes ] [ No ] Afterpleting his obligations, Luke brought the reward of his skill scroll out of his inventory and into his hands as he tried to figure out what exact skill it taught. Unfortunately, his level was insufficient to inspect the skill scroll which meant that if he wanted to learn it he would have to take a shot in the dark. Luke had no idea about the tier system of items in Terra Nova Online as he had not officially came across that information yet, however, ording to popr gaming logic, since there were (mon ) and ( rare ) grade items, ( epic ) grade had to be somewhere above them both. In the skill scroll shop that he visited, there was not a single skill that was ( Epic ) grade or above which meant that it had to be fairly rare. Furlo had advised him to not learn or waste time mastering trash skills, however, since this skill seemed to be rarer than usual and since he had no skills whatsoever at this point, Luke decided to take a gamble and learn this skill anyways. ¡°Yes¡± Luke pressed ¡®Yes¡¯ and immediately a stream of information surged in his mind. *********** ( Cut-Scene, An unknown battlefield ) On a barren battlefield, amidst the bloody destion, stood a solitary figure. All around him, hisrades seemed to have been impaled by a shower of arrows as his own army seemed to be in a disarray with many soldiers breaking rank and retreating at the face of the charging cavalry. He himself remained motionless, his gaze fixed intently on an approaching army, an embodiment of calm defiance against overwhelming odds as he gripped his sword hard. Luke, who was translucent and floating in the air as he observed the charging army felt pity for the calm swordsman as he seemed to be destined for a painful death. ¡°A knight never retreats, because he fights for more than just a cause¡­.. A knight fights for his honor¡± the man murmured as a golden light enveloped his body and seemed to enhance all his stats. [ Knight¡¯s Honor ] Luke watched in horror as a charging horseman tried to impale the knight with his long spear, however, despite the speed of the horse, the Knight magically sidestepped the spear thrust at thest second and gripped it¡¯s handle to pull the swordsman down from the horse¡¯s back. *sh* Contrary to Luke¡¯s expectations it was the horseman who lost his life and it was not just him who did as the knight went on a rampage and sliced the feet of the next horse, forcibly bringing it down on its knees and killing the rider. One after another the knight expertly killed over a dozen enemies as he swam through their ranks like butter and induced the fear of mortality amongst their ranks. For five full minutes, watching the knight fight was like watching a Spartan battle in the popr Earthen movie ¡®300¡¯ as no matter how many opponents came his way, they were all sent to the afterlife. For these five minutes his strength seemed to beparable to that of the horse and his speed was arguably even better. Despite being on foot, he was not at a disadvantage at all and dominated the battlefield alone. However, once the five minutes were up, his strength faded and his movements became sluggish as it was then that the enemy sliced and diced him up bit by bit until he eventually met his end. ********** ( End Of Cut Scene, Luke¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ you have learnt the skill ( Knight¡¯s Honor ) ] [ Knight¡¯s Honor :- A skill that is restricted to only the warrior and knight ss. When facing a sea of enemies while you are alone, this skill can be activated to improve all stats by 50% for five minutes. Warning ¨C Once the five minutes are up, you will feel severely fatigued. ] Information about the skill move ¡®Knight¡¯s Honor¡¯ flowed into Luke¡¯s brain as he was shown a battle scene to inform him of how the move actually looked. It was a unique way of teaching a skill and Luke was in awe of the power it brought, however, it wasn¡¯t a coolbat skill that he was hoping to gain. ¡± Oh well¡­. I guess I¡¯ll have to fight monsters without relying on abat skill, but hey at least I can buy a great weapon with the money I have¡± Luke thought as he simply shrugged off knight¡¯s honor as a basic move, when it was considered THE core move of most knights and warriors across the continent. Chapter 35: The Mimic Skill Chapter 35: The ''Mimic'' Skill The ¡®Mimic¡¯ Skill ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The first few hours after leaving Silverpine Vige werepletely uneventful for Leo. The scenery around him was beautiful and he kept himself upied by making objects out of tree branches in his mind, but there was not much else to do. Most VR games on Earth followed a scale where a real world kilometer was akin to 10 to 100 meters within the game as this made the overall map of the game rtively smaller to y and distance between uneventful ces minimal. However, Terra Nova Online did not seem to follow that norm. The distance between ces were as big as they would be in the real world and Leo quickly realized that at the rate he was going, he was going to most likely waste 2-4 gaming days on just walking towards the nearest city. While the other yers would be leveling up or doing quests near their beginner vige, Leo would be wasting his time walking and would have no time to improve before the first assessment at the end of the week. ¡°ARGGHHH, I MESSED UP¡± he said, falling to his knees and pulling on his hair as he suffered a short mental breakdown in the middle of his journey. He had already wasted a few hours on walking away from Silverpine Vige and if he decided to turn back now, not only would he have to ditch the Virex mask but also waste the same hours going back that he wasted going forward. ¡°I should have been more prudent¡­. I¡¯m a fool¡± Leo said as he banged his fist on the ground below and let his despair take over him. Usually he was a very happy go lucky guy who would have liked nothing more than to walk from town to town enjoying the natural beauty of the world, doing nothing but just idling in a VR world. However, because of his actor ss he felt like he was under constant duress. The ankle monitor on his real body was constantly monitoring what he said and how he acted and Leo had no doubt in his mind that should his secret ever be revealed, he would die an electric death just like Harry. Not only did he have to constantly improve within Terra Nova, he had to constantly put up an act in the real world as well as he practically had to be an actor in and out of the game. ¡°It¡¯s too much¡­.. the pressure is too much¡± Leo murmured before gritting his teeth and pulling himself together as he decided to take a break from walking and decide calmly on his future ns. ¡± Alright-, I can do this! I am the boss¡± he told himself as he hyped himself up and took a look at his stat panel just to feel good about himself. Looking at that level-24 when most yers had no idea on how to level up, Leo felt a sense of calm wash over him as he realized that even if he did waste a few hours, he probably had a safety that could afford it. ¡°Mmmm¡­. I¡¯m good¡± he told himself reassuringly when suddenly he heard rustling of leaves from a busy nearby. As Leo turned to look, a wild deer jumped out of the bush and onto the walking path created by man and closely behind it was a wild cat looking thing which seemed to be chasing the deer as prey. Leo watched silently as the wild cat lunged to bite the deers rear leg, however instead of jumping forward like it did uptil now, the deer suddenly maneuvered sideways dodging the wild cat expertly. *Slide* The wild cat, upon missing its target, slid on the dirt path but did so while posing to lunge once more as although it missed once, it wished to try once more thinking that the deer could surely not evade it twice. *LUNGE* The wild cat made a second lunge, an even moremitted one where if it missed once more it would most likelynd headfirst, however, while it made a good bet, it ended up losing the gamble as the deer who took its first step sideways now made a slight feint and jumped to the opposite side now, sending the wild cat in thepletely wrong direction before zooming away. *CRASH* The wild cat crashed head first and rolled once in the dirt. When it got up, it already knew that its prey had escaped so it did not even try to pursue it, but rather just walked away slowly as if nothing happened. [ System Notification:- You have witnessed the move ¡®Feint Steps¡¯, do you wish to use the unique skill ¡®Mimic¡¯ to recreate this movement? ] A system notification popped up on Leo¡¯s screen as Leo felt surprised to see its contents. Pressing ¡®yes¡¯ Leo stood up and as he tried to dash he automatically maneuvered in the same mystical way as the deer did to evade the cat as his body seemed to automatically move without instructions from his brain. ¡°COOL!¡± he eximed in excitement as he finally got an idea of how the ¡®Mimic¡¯ skill worked and it seemed like a truly useful skill now. Chapter 36: Anticipation Chapter 36: Anticipation Anticipation Leo figured out a lot of things by using ¡®Mimic¡¯ once. Firstly he figured out that any skill he mimicked was only avable to replicate for a limited number of uses. He could use Feint steps exactly a total of 3 times before suddenly forgetting how to do it and no matter how many times he tried to recreate the movement after that, he could not achieve the same effect. He did get a feel for the movement and maybe if he repeated it enough he could organically learn the move, however, there was no guarantee. Maybe the amount of uses could go up if his mastery of the skill ¡®mimic¡¯ went up, however, for now the limit seemed to be 3 uses. Secondly he understood that he did not have to specially observe a skill or study it intensely to copy it. The skill Mimic was always active passively and anything that he casually observed would be copied for use. As for whether he could copy multiple skills at once or not still remained to be determined and the skill was still untested when copying human behavior. For how long could it replicate a human¡¯s voice? For how long could it replicate their behavior? These were important questions that needed to be figured out before Leo used it in a tense situation but thankfully he still had lots of time to test this skill out. For now the important question was about his immediate future and whether or not he should continue on his journey to reach a big city on foot. Transportation was a real challenge in Terra Nova Online and Leo understood that having a reliable mount would be one of the most important aspects of this game in the future. Just as he was mulling over whether or not he should continue his journey, in the spur of the moment he was reminded about the loot that the naive adventurer group had offered him and about the old map inside. Out of boredom he decided to open and study the map as instantly, just like how the map of the immediate surroundings was uploaded to his interface, the old map was loaded to his interface as it superimposed with therger map he already had and marked an ¡® X ¡® on it which pointed the treasure location that the old map contained. ¡± Whoa-¡± Leo said as the old map slowly vanished in his hands having already been loaded into his interface. ¡± So it¡¯s a single use item¡­.. I¡¯ll have to remember this¡± Leo murmured to himself as he swore to never give a treasure map to anyone while distributing loot. But just as he had this thought he realized that he could not join guilds or form parties anyways which was why this caution was useless for him. ¡± Hahaha, fuck my life¡± he said out loud as he felt disheartened to no limit. The actor ss was truly a curse this way because it brought many problems alongside its obvious advantages. However, if there was a silver lining in this entire affair it was the fact that the ¡®X¡¯ marked location on the map was only about half a day¡¯s march from Leo¡¯s current location. ¡°Please heavens, let this map lead to some amazing opportunity and not some hideous dungeon or some problem¡± Leo prayed before deciding on a whim to head towards the ¡®X¡¯ mark rather than heading towards a city. Although he eventually wanted to reach a city, it seemed to be a big waste to spend this critical part of the game while just walking pointlessly and hence he decided to take a gamble on whatever the ¡®X¡¯ mark held for him. Since the mark was off the conventional road trail, Leo had to wander into the forest and perhaps face wild animals on his way there, but he was not much worried about getting lost since the system map constantly showed him his position rtive to the main road and the destination. With such a robust system to understand his path, Leo was assured that although he had no experience navigating the forest, he would be able to manage and perhaps also level up on his way to some big buried treasure spot. Unfortunately for him however, he had absolutely no clue that the location he was headed towards was not a treasure spot at all, but rather the headquarters of the most influential assassin¡¯s guild in the entire continent whose headquarters was built in a secret location only known to the highest and most important members. By approaching such a location while hoping to unearth treasure, Leo was inviting nothing but cmity upon himself, yet he marched towards his own death while singing Christmas Carroll¡¯s in the jungle. ********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) ¡°Finally I¡¯m level 22! Enough to give me the lead in the top 10,000 rankings! This time, the number one spot should easily be mine¡± Cervantez said as he breathed a sigh of relief thinking that he finally reached a really high level and would shock the world when the top 10,000 rankings opened soon. ording to his memory, it was around the start of day3 in Terra Nova Online when 10,000 yers reached the level10 threshold and the rankings opened. In his past life the highest ranker at the time was level 11, but ¡®The Boss¡¯ sat at an impressive level 21 when the rankings debuted and maintained his lead at the top of the charts for many years toe. This time around, although he missed the achievement to reach level 10 first, Cervantez felt confident that he would debut at the top of the charts and get the leaders benefit, but little did he know that he could never really surpass the big boss. Chapter 37: Second Global Announcement Chapter 37: Second Global Announcement Second Global Announcement Leo was calmly walking on his way to the treasure location when a world-wide announcement sent absolute shivers down his spine. [ Worldwide Announcement:- The first 10,000 yers have already crossed level 10 in the game Terra Nova Online and the global rankings have been opened as a result ] [ System Notification:- yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ has been identified as the number one ranking yer in Terra Nova Online at the moment. Do you wish to announce your position on the global rankings board? ] [ System Notification:- It has been detected that yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ possesses the actor ss and cannot deny a global announcement! It has been detected that the number two ranked yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ is currently level22. Automatically setting your disy level to 32 ] [Global Level Rankings :- 1)TheBoss ( Level ¨C 32 ) 2) DarkEmperor ( Level -22 ) 3) PurpleRock ( Level-13 ) 4) ******* ( Level-12 ) 5) WhiteFlower ( Level-12 ) 6) ******** ( Level -12 ) . . . . 1000) Orion(Level-11) . . . . . . 9999) BigWolf(Level 10) 10,000) LittleSheep (Level 10) ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to actually be ranking number one on the global rankings without relying on the system cheat. For ranking number one, you have been rewarded with :- 3x Death Evasion Token ] ¡°No- No- Noooooooo!¡± Leo shouted on-top of his lungs as he cursed towards the skies. His name was once again thrown into a global announcement and this time it was worse than ever. While even the elite yers of the game were averaging only around level 10-12, some freak of nature ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ was actually level 22! Only and only because of him, Leo could not act as a peaceful bigshot who was hiding his strength and instead of disying a modest level 22 and stunning the world, he was now revealed as level 32 which waspletely iprehensible and a lie. ¡°Why???? Why??????¡± Leo cursed as his illusion that he was sitting safely at level24 and had enough time to improve until others caught up instantly shattered. With trembling fingers, Leo opened the global chat and just by reading the first three messages he felt like his heart was getting pierced by arrows as his pain intensified. ¡± Hacker! The Boss is a hacker¡­.. Please, I request the developers to ban him! It¡¯s not even been 3 days since the gameunched and he¡¯s already level30? Motherfucker, I¡¯m not even level3 yet! ¡± ¡± The Boss you motherfucker! Wait till I get my hands on you in the real world! I¡¯ll beat the shit out of you senseless you flexer! You¡¯ve made a big mistake by making your name public-¡± ¡°Watching someone at level30+ is making me contemtemitting suicide. I¡¯m a verypetitive person as is and worked really hard to get to level8. If everyone was around level10 I would have felt good and worked hard to beat them, however, 32 just makes me want tomit suicide. Curse you The Boss¡± Leo read thesements and instantly closed the global chat. He felt a wave of depression rolling over his body as he wished to find a corner and cry his eyes out. He did not want to attract so much attention and felt troubled by the negativity on the forums regarding his sess, however, while he was depressed there was one individual who was even more depressed than he was and that was DarkEmperor. ********** ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) ¡± How¡­.?¡± Cervantez questioned as he fell to his knees and tried to understand where he went wrong. He was absolutely sure that he had worked extremely hard and reached a level that no other yer should be able to evene close to at the start of the game and yet he was beaten and that too by a huge margin by ¡®The Boss¡¯. The same messages that troubled Leo made Cervantez feel envious as just like hisst life even this time around the spotlight was on ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and how he was miles better than the rest. The texts that felt like haters hating on him to Leo, felt like soul-satisfying jealousy to Cervantez who thrived on such hate. ¡± I must recruit you, TheBoss, you¡¯re too valuable to give up on¡± Cervantez said as he made up a firm decision that if he could not beat the monstrous talent of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ even with his reincarnation cheat then he would try his best to join him. The reason behind why he was working this hard and levelling up as fast as he could was because he desperately wanted the death evasion token that the system gave to the yer that was on-top of the ranking list for earning the top spot. It was instrumental in his future ns as from this point forward he would most likely be unable to level up for a few days as he focused on establishing the first guild and recruiting important talent. Terra Nova Online was more than just levelling up and constantly improving one¡¯s evaluation as the true purpose of the game was something entirely different. Although the levelling boards were cool and it gave a benchmark for how high one needed to be to be considered a top yer, it did not reflect a yer¡¯s actual abilities. ¡± Sigh, it¡¯s too frustrating¡­. But it also goes to show that everything won¡¯t be the same as my past life. If I¡¯m improving faster, then some other monsters will strive to improve faster too¡± Cervantez said to himself as he epted the fact that TheBoss was too difficult to beat. However while he epted his defeat today, his desire to recruit Leo only grew stronger than ever. He was ready to do whatever it took to find his identity and recruit him as in his mind his position as the ultimate talent had been solidified. ¡± Just you wait¡­. One day you will be my Co-Leader¡± Cervantez said as he painstakingly closed the global rankings list and walked towards his next destination. Chapter 38: First Death Chapter 38: First Death First Death After soaking in all the fallout from the global announcement. Leo once again resumed his journey towards the treasure mark with a renewed sense of determination. He had to now get ustomed to this life where he would have to struggle solo and constantly improve his levelpared to other yers for many more months toe. If his actual level slipped too far behind the lie, it would only be a matter of chance before he would be exposed as a fraud and killed by the system. To continue living and to continue acting as a bigshot, he had to ensure that his real level never dropped too far behind the lie on the status board and for that he needed to improve constantly. ¡± JUST BRING IT! I¡¯LL SHOW YOU! I¡¯LL SHOW YOU ALL-¡± Leo shouted as he puffed his chest and began walking with a renewed pump of testosterone flowing through his body. Having just ovee depression, his state of mind was restless and aggressive where he was ready to let all of his frustrations out on the next thing that bothered him the slightest. *Rarrrrrr* A wild cat suddenly appeared before him from the woods, dropping down from a high tree where it was camping. It purred, baring its fangs and shaking its whiskers as it slowly approached Leo. *KSSSSSSS* Leo tried his best to purr back, but ended up making aedic sound as he drew his sword and charged towards the cat like a maniac. For a second it was the cat who was taken aback as it had not expected Leo to suddenly lose his mind and chase it like a deranged killer as because he showed no sense of fear, it was the wild cat who fled first, opening up the path ahead. ¡± That¡¯s right cat, that¡¯s what I thought¡­. Don¡¯t mess with me today cat, today your hands are too short to box with God!¡± Leo said as he thumped his legs and kept on walking like nothing happened,pletely unaware of the fact that the cat that he charged at was a level40 wild cat and could have easily killed him had he tried to run away or not shown this sort of confidence. In a way, he was extremely fortunate, however, in his mind all he could think about was the lost EXP and how if he killed the cat he could have perhaps came closer to leveling up once more. ¡°Lucky cat¡­.¡± Leo said as he grit his teeth and began to lightly jog towards his destination, desperately hoping that he found another wild animal along the way which he could confront and kill. While walking did not put a big dent on his stamina, jogging did and after about 30 minutes of jogging, Leo lost close to 60% of his stamina bar as the rush of adrenaline died down and he once again became calm and reasonable. As a result of jogging for 30 minutes straight, he had covered close to an hour¡¯s worth of march in half an hour and was only a few hundred meters away from his destination. ¡± Tired¡­.. damn, I¡¯m tired¡± Leo said as he sat with his back against a nearby tree and decided to catch his breath for a moment. As he sat against the tree, catching his breath, he waspletely unaware of the storm that he had created in the past one hour as he only felt shock and disbelief as an arrow suddenly pierced his neck out of nowhere. -500 Critical Hit! [ System Notification:- You have lost 100% of your HP, You have died ] [ System Notification :- It¡¯s detected that yer has the Death Evasion Token, do you wish to use it to escape death? ] [ System Notification :- If you don¡¯t use a death evasion token within next 10 seconds, you will die losing 2 levels and shall drop 4 items out of your inventory randomly ] A series of notifications light-up Leo¡¯s screen as he saw a huge ¡®You have been Killed¡¯ animation in the background. While he had no idea as to what was going on, he was not inclined towards losing 2 levels and 4 random items from his inventory as he clicked ¡®Yes¡¯ to the revive option. ********* ( Shadow114¡¯s POV ) Shadow114, an assassin belonging to the Cursed Spider assassin guild was on perimeter duty when he was informed by his pet hawk that a suspicious intruder had entered the forest. As his duty mandated, Shadow114 quickly went to scout the intruder who entered the secretnd controlled by the Assassin Alliance and there he found Leo confronting a level40 wild cat. Being a level 60 awakened assassin, Shadow114 could clearly make out that Leo was nothing more than a level 24 newbie who even gripped his sword wrong, yet that perception of his got shaken up the more he observed Leo. The wild cat which was notorious for never backing away ran away when facing Leo and more than that, as if he had sensed his presence, just as he was about to pierce his back with a dagger, Leo began to sprint in a haphazard manner making it difficult for shadow to take aim. For 30 minutes, Leo jogged non-stop through the forest, expertly avoiding every trap, every pitfall set by the Assassin¡¯s Alliance as if he could see them clearly with his naked eye. Wearing a Virex mask and sprinting through the forest with precision, shadow114 deemed Leo to be a genuine threat and decided to eliminate him at any cost necessary. When the opportunity to kill him eventually presented itself as he rested his back against a tree, shadow114 no longer hesitated and took a neck piercing shot instantly as he killed Leo with one decisive blow. *St* His arrow went clean through the opponents neck as blood sttered everywhere, killing him instantly. ¡± Huh- I thought you already knew I¡¯d attack¡­. Did I overestimate you?¡± Shadow114 said as he jumped down from the tree branch he was on and walked towards Leo¡¯s corpse to inspect it. In his mind, Leo¡¯s death was a done deal and he waspletely rxed when he inspected his corpse, never expecting that once he woulde close enough and try to remove his mask, the corpse would open its eyes once more and plunge his heart with its sword. Chapter 39: A rare opportunity Chapter 39: A rare opportunity A rare opportunity ¡°How?¡± It was thest word Shadow118 could utter with his tongue before his muscles started to lose strength and blood started to ooze out of his mouth. He had clearly seen Leo die before his very eyes. He had seen the arrow pierce his neck, blood spurt out of the wound and his body go limp. Nobody could survive such a puncture of their throat- This should be impossible, yet somehow it was happening¡­.. ¡°Don¡¯t try to kill people you can¡¯t afford to offend¡± Leo said in a cold voice as thest thought that Shadow had in his mind before dying was that Leo was definitely a hidden bigshot that he had underestimated. Was his death an illusion? Was him resting and pretending not to notice him a trap? Was he an assassin himself? These were questions that Shadow118 had to sadly carry to his grave as he died a rather pathetic death in front of Leo. [ System Notification :- You have killed NPC Assassin ¡®Vespa¡¯ a.k.a wanted Assassin ¡®Shadow118¡¯ ( Level 60 ) You have killed an enemy of the state and gained +10 fame. You have killed an enemy more than twice your level and gained tremendous amounts of Exp! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! . . . . . You have leveled up! ] Leo shuddered with fear once his attacker was dead. He had absolutely no clue on what was going on or why was he attacked, however, as he read the level60 tag on the Assassin¡¯s level, he felt shivers running through his entire body as he genuinely felt afraid. ¡°God-damn it, it fucking hurts¡± He cursed as he recalled the brief sensation that he felt as his neck was pierced and he died as that split second pain was enough to give him a life-time worth of trauma. *Trtrtrtrtr* Leo shuddered violently and uncontrobly as for a moment he lost his horses. This was the first time he had ever faced actual death whether it be his life on the line or him taking the life of another human and it was a terrifying experience. *Ulurghhh* He vomited as despite his brain knowing that this was just a game, the whole experience was just so realistic that he could not get over it at all. He was just a regr human child, living a simple life until a couple of days ago and he could not simply just go about killing people as if it were nothing. What shocked him more than the fact that he was attacked was the fact that he did not hesitate at all when stabbing that man in the heart as the second when he came back online after using the death evasion token, he plunged his sword into his unaware opponent¡¯s heart, catching him off-guard and killing him instantly. ¡± I killed a human-like character¡­. With my own hands¡± Leo murmured as he vomited once more feeling absolutely disgusted at his own actions. Because he was wearing a mask, that he awkwardly lifted slightly before puking, while he puked most of his guts out clean, he did make a slight mess off his mask and his clothes which made him feel even more dirty than usual. ¡± It¡¯s just a game¡­.¡± ¡± Just a game¡­¡± ¡± No different from a PC game¡± ¡± No different from shooting someone on a PC with a gun¡± He kept repeating as he tried to convince himself that his actions were eptable because there was no actual loss of life that happened as a result of his actions. This was just a game world where NPC and monsters were just a product of the algorithm and hence killing them was fine. ¡± You¡¯re okay¡­.¡± ¡± You¡¯re okay¡± Slowly, over ten minutes, Leo called down as his shivering stopped and he was able to inspect his own situation better. He was sitting at 20% HP and the arrow that pierced his neck and its wound seemed to have magically healed. He had gained 8 levels by killing the level60 warrior, ironically skyrocketing his real level to 32 just like his fake level on the rankings. It was a windfall achievement, everything considered as if he did not kill his opponent and epted his death silently he would have lost 4 inventory items and 2 levels, regressing to the same level as the number 2 yed. However, more important than his level was the loot that the corpse dropped and what opportunity it represented for Leo. [ System Notification:- You have obtained 1x Assassin¡¯s robes ( rare ) 2x Poisoned dagger ( rare ) 1x Cursed Spider identification token ( unique) 1x Cursed Spider mask ( unique ) 1x Assassin¡¯s Alliance examination entrance token( unique ) ] The dead assassin dropped a lot of items including his fresh robe which was made from rare materials capable of resisting rough wear and tear. Two poisoned daggersced with extremely toxic toad poison. An assassin guild identification token. An assassin guild mask. And an Assassin Alliance examination token that was the most important dropped item off the bunch. [ Assassin Alliance examination entrance token ( Unique ) ¨C This token is given to the bright and promising uing assassins of every guild so that they can travel to the Assassin¡¯s Alliance and get a chance to be selected as trainees under master Assassin¡¯s. This specific token is for an examination that will take ce 23 hours from now and will grant the bearer a chance to participate ] The token was the key to bing an experienced Assassin should Leo wish to be one and a rare opportunity to join the ranks of a faction that could not be traditionally joined by yers of Terra Nova Online. But the question remained as to whether or not Leo was cut out for such a path? Chapter 40: Life altering decision Chapter 40: Life altering decision Life altering decision Leo found himself on a difficult crossroad of life. The token in his possession represented a unique chance, and by a twist of fate, the location it bore matched the ¡®X¡¯ on his map. This revtion made him realize that what he had thought to be a treasure outpost at first, was, in fact, a hiddenir of assassins. If he chose to head there posing as the dead assassin he would have a chance to enroll himself into the Assassin Alliance, but there was also a risk that everything could go south and he could be killed with his identity being exposed. He was not even sure if joining an assassin alliance would be permitted by the system or not? However, all he knew was the fact that he had 24 hours to decide his fate. The token he possessed expired in a day and once it expired, gone would be the chance to enroll into the Assassin Alliance and after that even if he decided otherwise he would not have an opportunity to explore that path. On one hand, his mind reminded him as to how repulsed he felt about killing one man, but on the other it told him that if he wanted to be a yer that was a cut above the rest then he had to utilize every opportunity that presented before himself. Deep down, Leo knew that this was going to be a life defining decision. Uptil now, he had no understanding of what the true purpose of Terra Nova Online was, however, he had a strong gut feeling that this game was not just meant for pleasure and that the aliens forcing every human to y this game needed to have a deeper meaning behind it. While he did not understand that purpose, he felt that walking down the path of bing an assassin might help him realize it and that if he did not take up this opportunity now he would surely regret itter. ¡°What should I do? Mom? What would you say I do?¡± Leo murmured as he put a hand to his heart and tried to think as clearly about this issue as he could. His heart told him to exit the game for now and think about it in the real world so it was exactly what Leo did. Logging out of the game even though he still had 2 more hours of ytime before his next shift, Leo woke up in his small cabin and stared at Luke¡¯s limp body beside him which was still connected to the game. Reaching out to his backpack from earth ced in a corner of his small apartment, Leo brought out a picture of his family and stared intently at his mother¡¯s face. In his heart there was a silent storm brewing as it was one of those moments where Leo felt his entire life and every decision he made so far ovepping with one another as his emotional capacity reached its peak. Everything from his absent father, to his poor upbringing to how acting like a bigshot and being the source of envy for themon yers secretly felt good ovepped in a swirling mess with the sensation of killing a man for the first time trumping them all. *************** ( A couple of hourster ) As Luke woke up, 15 minutes before their next shift, he was surprised to see Leo sitting silently in a corner of the room sketching something in his notebook instead of ying Terra Nova. His eyes were swollen red as if he had silently cried for hours and Luke felt perplexed as to what was going on? He made eye-contact with Leo, who acknowledged his presence, however, there was an anger behind his red eyes that made Luke feel hesitant to converse with his younger brother as although he did not understand what was going through Leo¡¯s mind, he understood that it was better to give him space at this time. Saying nothing, Luke silently began to change into their sewage worker clothes as all his excitement about telling Leo how he bought a sword and was now leveling up in the wild by killing horned rabbits faded away. The duo had agreed just yesterday that both of them would try their best to escape the slum that was sector E and promote themselves to Sector D in the uing evaluation, however, despite that promise Leo was sitting with red eyes in a corner of the room and Luke could not even ask him why. On one hand, he felt worried about his little brother, but on the other he knew that this was one of those moments where he just had to trust him as a man. ¡®Leo¡­.. will you be okay?¡¯ was a question that Luke wanted to ask, however, the words that came out of his mouth instead were ¡°Shifts in 15¡å as Leo nodded his head. Putting his sketchbook aside, Leo too stood up and began dressing up in their cleaned andundered orange work clothes, when an unexpected visitor suddenly entered their small apartment. A young and handsome man with golden hair, blue eyes who looked like a Greek model walked into their room in pure white robes with gold embroidery that had a beautiful ¡®S¡¯ embroided on it. He was clearly a man from the uppermost standing within the ship, an urban elite who belonged to the same circle as the president of USA. However the question in the Skyshard brothers minds was-, why would such a man visit them out of the blue? The man looked around the small apartment, clearly surprised by how cramped it was and then towards Luke and Leo as he said ¡± Hello, I¡¯m Cervantez and I beg your pardon for barging into your small apartment unannounced, but I believe I have a proposition that might pique your interest- I know a way to get your mother onboard this very ship with you. ¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª x x x ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C End of introductory volume! Chapter 41: A shocking revelation Chapter 41: A shocking revtion A shocking revtion ¡± I know a way to get your mother onboard this very ship with you. ¡± As these words fell into Leo¡¯s ears he felt his heart skip a beat as he forgot how to breathe for a second or two. ¡± Sorry¡­.. what did you say?¡± Luke said with an equally surprised face as Leo as he subconsciously took a step towards Cervantez. ¡± I know a way to get your mother onboard this ship¡­ I can share it with you if you want ¡± Cervantez said as both Luke and Leo surrounded him rather aggressively with maniacal expressions on their faces. ¡± Cervantez? That¡¯s what your name is right? ¡± Leo asked, his red swollen eyes and crazed expression making hime off like a druggie. ¡± Yes¡­¡± Cervantez answered confidently, however, he felt awkward because of the reducing distance between himself and the brothers. ¡± So listen Cervantez¡­. I swear on my life, that if you¡¯re joking about this¡­ or if there¡¯s some deception with your choice of words¡­or if this is some form of dark joke, then even if you¡¯re from S ss and even if it kills me to touch you¡­.. I¡¯m going to knock your teeth out¡± Leo said as he banged his arm against the small entrance to their apartment, blocking Cervantez¡¯s only way out. ¡± It¡¯s none of those things, Ie here with honest intentions, please hear me out-¡± Cervantez said, his voice cracking slightly now as this was not the reaction he had hoped for. ¡°Leo, let him breathe¡± Luke said in amanding tone as he urged Leo to back off. ¡± Please ¡­.wee to our small abode, have a seat¡± Luke said as he patiently weed Cervantez to their small apartment. As Cervantez sat with his back against one of the rooms walls, Luke and Leo sat at the center of the room facing him as the two brothers patiently waited for what he had to say. ¡± Before you ask me about how I know about your situation and your mother¡¯s condition, let me tell you that how I learnt this information is of no consequence. What¡¯s important is the opportunity I¡¯m here to offer¡± Cervantez said as Leo frowned instantly at his choice of words. Never had an honest man ever tried to approach a deal while withholding information as Leo instantly began to trust that man less by the second. ¡± What opportunity do you offer?¡± Luke asked as he yed ball with Cervantez¡¯s game and was ready to hear him out. ¡± Which one of you is SkyLion?¡± Cervantez asked as Leo¡¯s frown deepened while Luke nodded his head and said ¡°It¡¯s me, I assume you won¡¯t be telling me how you know my gaming name either, correct?¡± ¡± Yes, I won¡¯t, ¡± Cervantez said as he sized Leo up onest time before turning all his attention to Luke. ¡± I¡¯m creating a guild, an organization consisting of the best talents on this ship and I wish to recruit you as a part of my guild. If you ept, then I promise that within a year, I will help you bring your mother to this ship and if I fail in delivering my promise then a yearter I will cede my position as an S ranked citizen of this ship to you¡± Cervantez said as his answer raised even more questions in Luke¡¯s mind than it provided answers. ¡± Alright man¡­. Enough with the word games¡­. I told you before that our mother is a sensitive topic for us. IF YOU FUCK AROUND WITH IT MORE THEN I¡¯M DEFINITELY PUNCHING YOUR FACE¡± Leo said as he got all riled up and tried to jump on Cervantez as Luke had to hold him down and physically restrain him to prevent him from attacking Cervantez like a rabid dog. ¡°Holy hell that boy is insane¡± Cervantez said as his evaluation of Leo dropped to pit bottom as initially he was thinking about extending an invitation to SkyLion¡¯s brother alongside him, however, watching his behavior, Cervantez lost all interest. ¡± He¡¯s not wrong, sir, it is a sensitive topic for us¡± Luke said respectfully, mustering every ounce of restraint he had in his body as he gave Cervantez onest chance toe clean. Sighing, Cervantez agreed as he realized that his boardroom strategy to strong arm an opponent in a negotiation by holding all the cards did not seem to trante well when talking to real people. ¡± Merit points¡­.. do you know what they are?¡± Cervantez asked as Luke nodded his head and said ¡± Leo earnt some the other day, they are the currency of this ship right?¡± Cervantez was surprised by this revtion as this early in the game even he had not earned any merit points, yet apparently a no name yer had. ¡± You have heard of them? What¡¯s your in game I¡¯d?¡± He said, directing his question towards Leo whoshed out in the most dog-like way possible. ¡°It¡¯s ¡® None of your business¡¯ all capitals¡± he said as he tried to wrestle out of Luke¡¯s grip once more, making Cervantez roll his eyes. ¡± I don¡¯t know how much you understand about them but they are more miraculous than they seem. If you think they are only a currency for the ship then you think wrong as with enough merit points you can request the aliens to do anything for you. With enough merit points you can arrange a video call to earth and talk to your mother live and if you have them in abundance then even her safe transportation to this very ship can be arranged. Ofcourse, for a request this hard, you must work extremely hard and gather an unbelievable amount of merit points for it to be granted, however, it¡¯s not impossible. I know many things about the game and I know many secrets about this ship. Join hands with me and I promise to make your dreamse true. So what do you say SkyLion, will you join my guild?¡± Cervantez said as he made a revtion as to how Elena could be brought to this ship. Chapter 42: Negotiation Chapter 42: Negotiation Negotiation ¡± SkyLion, will you join my guild?¡± Cervantez asked as Luke fell into deep contemtion at this question. He stared into Cervantez¡¯s blue eyes and tried to decipher his intentions, gauging what kind of a man he was and after a few seconds Luke concluded that Cervantez was either the most honest man, or the biggest con man as he had the most pure eyes that Luke had ever seen. ¡± I don¡¯t mean to offend you sir¡­. But by chance is this your first time negotiating for talent?¡± Luke asked as depending on Cervantez¡¯s answer he wanted to understand more about his character as a man. ¡± Ummm¡­. Yes¡± Cervantez replied honestly as this was his first time trying to poach talents. In his past life he had an agency back on Earth which handled the hiring, while inside the game he was a part of a guild himself and not a leader. ¡± I figured. You¡¯re not very good at exining sir. Even if I want to take you and your offer seriously, I can¡¯t, because of how you formte your sentences and how it makes me feel like I¡¯m talking to an astrologer rather than a reliable person¡± Luke said as he finally let Leo out of his grip and patted his brother on the back signalling him to stay calm. ¡± If you want me to join your guild, you have to tell me everything clearly. Why do you want me to join your guild? Why did you specifically choose me? How do you know that with enough merit points we can bring our mother to this arc ship? What would be your expectations from me after joining the guild? Who else will be a part of the guild? These are just some of the basic questions that will help me trust you and understand your motives better for a fruitful cooperation. I understand that you may have your secrets sir and I won¡¯t press you for them, but if you wish for me to join your organisation, I¡¯ll give you onest chance to give me all the relevant information that you can to try and convince me to join. If you don¡¯t wish to, then I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline your invitation. Although it may be tough, me and my brother will definitely find a way to bring our mother to this ship even without your help. But I won¡¯t be joining an organisation under duress or without proper information¡± Luke said as he made his stance on the topic crystal clear. Cervantez¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, he had not expected the conversation between himself and Luke to take such a turn. Uptil now Cervantez had recruited a grand total of 0 members and he had specifically started with Luke because of two reasons. Firstly, he started with Luke since it was a well known fact that SkyLion was a yer who started from E-ss and made it all the way upto S-ss in his past life making him one of the only yers to reach that milestone. Cervantez thought that because he was still an E ss yer as of now, he would be able to recruit him early without much hassle as it was rumoured that all E ss residents were desperate for a way to move higher in society. Secondly, he wanted to recruit SkyLion first because he viewed him as a potential co-leader for his guild. SkyLion was a loyal, responsible and calm yer who had excellent leadership qualities. In his past life, he never left the first guild he joined which was just a rag-tag group of E and D ss yers no matter what sort of offers he got. He was loyal and honourable which was more important than strength to Cervantez while choosing his co-leader. Sighing deeply, Cervantez finally relented, as he realised that even in this conversation Luke was proving his worth by addressing him with the most appropriate words which won¡¯t offend him while also disying his calm and rational reasoning skills. ¡± Fine, I¡¯ll tell you everything I can¡­.¡± He said as he took a short pause and gathered his thoughts. ¡± First let me start by reintroducing myself¡­.. I¡¯m Cervantez, a.k.a DarkEmperor the number two yer in the game currently¡± Cervantez said as both Luke and Leo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at this revtion. ¡± You¡¯re DarkEmperor?¡± Leo asked, pointing his finger rather rudely at Cervantez who nodded his head in pride. ¡°Yes and apart from that freak ¡®TheBoss¡¯ I can confidently say I¡¯m the best yer in the game¡± Cervantez said as Leo once again tried tosh out towards him forcing Luke to restrain him again. ¡± You level 22 bastard! Hacker¡­cheater¡­. Money botter¡± Leo cursed as he finally found out the identity of his most hated enemy who caused him endless anxiety. ¡± Huh¡­ jealous peasant¡± Cervantez reprimanded Leo, thinking little of him,pletely unaware that he was currently flexing before the number one yer in the game. ¡± Wow¡­. You being such an impressive individual does give some credibility to your words¡± Luke said as Cervantez continued with his story. ¡± I know about merit points being able to achieve anything because I¡¯ve been to the merit exchange store within the game when I inquired about forming the first guild. Also it¡¯s not some big secret, you can easily verify this for yourself within the arc ship. As for how I know about your situation and your motivations, that I can¡¯t share because it¡¯s my secret. As for our guild, it¡¯s not something I can form as of now and it will take me at least a few months to formally establish it, however, I¡¯m recruiting members early because soon there will be a frenzy to form guilds and the better yers will all form one for themselves if I don¡¯t hold onto them. I¡¯m telling you this because, I understand that once the yers know about the dungeons and how they can earn merit points, loot, fame and other important assets from clearing them, they will start to team up and band under the banner of a guild. However, while it will seem like doing missions is the best decision in the short term, I don¡¯t want any of my guild members to do them for the next few months and I rather want them all to focus on personal development. There are schools of learning within the game such as warrior school, cksmith school and so on and I want my guild members to join such schools and improve before joining the frenzy toplete dungeons. I understand that to convince people to learn without earning, I have to pay them a sry and I¡¯m willing to do that and provide you with a stipend for your learning if youmit to my guild and the missions I pass on. I¡¯m not kidding when I say I understand this game better than everyone and that I understand it in a way no-one else does. It¡¯s that same cheat which allows me to level up so fast that allows me to ess hidden information. Join me and I promise that you will not only save your mother from a dying earth but also be the best version of yourself as a yer. That is what I offer¡± Cervantez said as he exined as much as he could to Luke and now awaited his final decision. Chapter 43: Negotiation Chapter 43: Negotiation Negotiation ¡± SkyLion, will you join my guild?¡± Cervantez asked as Luke fell into deep contemtion at this question. He stared into Cervantez¡¯s blue eyes and tried to decipher his intentions, gauging what kind of a man he was and after a few seconds Luke concluded that Cervantez was either the most honest man, or the biggest con man as he had the most pure eyes that Luke had ever seen. ¡± I don¡¯t mean to offend you sir¡­. But by chance is this your first time negotiating for talent?¡± Luke asked as depending on Cervantez¡¯s answer he wanted to understand more about his character as a man. ¡± Ummm¡­. Yes¡± Cervantez replied honestly as this was his first time trying to poach talents. In his past life he had an agency back on Earth which handled the hiring, while inside the game he was a part of a guild himself and not a leader. ¡± I figured. You¡¯re not very good at exining sir. Even if I want to take you and your offer seriously, I can¡¯t, because of how you formte your sentences and how it makes me feel like I¡¯m talking to an astrologer rather than a reliable person¡± Luke said as he finally let Leo out of his grip and patted his brother on the back signalling him to stay calm. ¡± If you want me to join your guild, you have to tell me everything clearly. Why do you want me to join your guild? Why did you specifically choose me? How do you know that with enough merit points we can bring our mother to this arc ship? What would be your expectations from me after joining the guild? Who else will be a part of the guild? These are just some of the basic questions that will help me trust you and understand your motives better for a fruitful cooperation. I understand that you may have your secrets sir and I won¡¯t press you for them, but if you wish for me to join your organisation, I¡¯ll give you onest chance to give me all the relevant information that you can to try and convince me to join. If you don¡¯t wish to, then I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline your invitation. Although it may be tough, me and my brother will definitely find a way to bring our mother to this ship even without your help. But I won¡¯t be joining an organisation under duress or without proper information¡± Luke said as he made his stance on the topic crystal clear. Cervantez¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, he had not expected the conversation between himself and Luke to take such a turn. Uptil now Cervantez had recruited a grand total of 0 members and he had specifically started with Luke because of two reasons. Firstly, he started with Luke since it was a well known fact that SkyLion was a yer who started from E-ss and made it all the way upto S-ss in his past life making him one of the only yers to reach that milestone. Cervantez thought that because he was still an E ss yer as of now, he would be able to recruit him early without much hassle as it was rumoured that all E ss residents were desperate for a way to move higher in society. Secondly, he wanted to recruit SkyLion first because he viewed him as a potential co-leader for his guild. SkyLion was a loyal, responsible and calm yer who had excellent leadership qualities. In his past life, he never left the first guild he joined which was just a rag-tag group of E and D ss yers no matter what sort of offers he got. He was loyal and honourable which was more important than strength to Cervantez while choosing his co-leader. Sighing deeply, Cervantez finally relented, as he realised that even in this conversation Luke was proving his worth by addressing him with the most appropriate words which won¡¯t offend him while also disying his calm and rational reasoning skills. ¡± Fine, I¡¯ll tell you everything I can¡­.¡± He said as he took a short pause and gathered his thoughts. ¡± First let me start by reintroducing myself¡­.. I¡¯m Cervantez, a.k.a DarkEmperor the number two yer in the game currently¡± Cervantez said as both Luke and Leo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at this revtion. ¡± You¡¯re DarkEmperor?¡± Leo asked, pointing his finger rather rudely at Cervantez who nodded his head in pride. ¡°Yes and apart from that freak ¡®TheBoss¡¯ I can confidently say I¡¯m the best yer in the game¡± Cervantez said as Leo once again tried tosh out towards him forcing Luke to restrain him again. ¡± You level 22 bastard! Hacker¡­cheater¡­. Money botter¡± Leo cursed as he finally found out the identity of his most hated enemy who caused him endless anxiety. ¡± Huh¡­ jealous peasant¡± Cervantez reprimanded Leo, thinking little of him,pletely unaware that he was currently flexing before the number one yer in the game. ¡± Wow¡­. You being such an impressive individual does give some credibility to your words¡± Luke said as Cervantez continued with his story. ¡± I know about merit points being able to achieve anything because I¡¯ve been to the merit exchange store within the game when I inquired about forming the first guild. Also it¡¯s not some big secret, you can easily verify this for yourself within the arc ship. As for how I know about your situation and your motivations, that I can¡¯t share because it¡¯s my secret. As for our guild, it¡¯s not something I can form as of now and it will take me at least a few months to formally establish it, however, I¡¯m recruiting members early because soon there will be a frenzy to form guilds and the better yers will all form one for themselves if I don¡¯t hold onto them. I¡¯m telling you this because, I understand that once the yers know about the dungeons and how they can earn merit points, loot, fame and other important assets from clearing them, they will start to team up and band under the banner of a guild. However, while it will seem like doing missions is the best decision in the short term, I don¡¯t want any of my guild members to do them for the next few months and I rather want them all to focus on personal development. There are schools of learning within the game such as warrior school, cksmith school and so on and I want my guild members to join such schools and improve before joining the frenzy toplete dungeons. I understand that to convince people to learn without earning, I have to pay them a sry and I¡¯m willing to do that and provide you with a stipend for your learning if youmit to my guild and the missions I pass on. I¡¯m not kidding when I say I understand this game better than everyone and that I understand it in a way no-one else does. It¡¯s that same cheat which allows me to level up so fast that allows me to ess hidden information. Join me and I promise that you will not only save your mother from a dying earth but also be the best version of yourself as a yer. That is what I offer¡± Cervantez said as he exined as much as he could to Luke and now awaited his final decision. Chapter 44: Hostile Environment Chapter 44: Hostile Environment Hostile Environment Luke listened carefully to what Cervantez had to say and after listening to his second exnation, Luke felt much better about the prospect of joining his guild. While there were many parts that Cervantez hid, Luke could respect theck of transparency and consider it to be a trade secret. He did not mind blindly following a leader if that man was capable enough and Cervantez seemed to be a capable man given his credentials as DarkEmperor. However, the offer also felt surprisingly too good to be true and after a lifetime of dealing with humans as a race, Luke understood that when something was too good to be true, it usually came with a pretty big catch. ¡°Leo? What do you think¡­.. Should I join him or not?¡± Luke asked as he looked towards Leo who was sitting with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. Based on his behaviour so far, it was clear that he did not like Cervantez much and that feeling seemed to be mutual. Luke very much expected Leo to suggest against joining Cervantez, However, instead of suggesting that Luke refuse the offer, Leo surprisingly said that he should take it. ¡± I think you should join the pretty boy¡¯s guild. Don¡¯t sign any employment contract, be free to leave the guild at any moment if you feel like you¡¯re being asked to perform unreasonable tasks or feel suffocated by its internal environment. If everything works out, great, join him. If everything goes to hell, take his MP and leave. Either way, we walk away with a win¡± Leo said as both Cervantez and Luke felt impressed by his answer. Leo had thought of a solution that minimised Luke¡¯s risk exposure in a way that both sides were happy with his proposal. ¡°You can join too if you want, but I¡¯ll only pay you half of what I¡¯m paying SkyLion-¡± Cervantez said, as after taking into consideration the close bond that the brothers shared and the intelligence that Leo disyed just now, he offered a role to Leo in his new guild out of courtesy, however, Leo outright refused the offer. ¡± No thankyou, I¡¯ll be this family¡¯s hedge against you- I¡¯ll be trying to gain MP outside your sphere of control so that Luke can quitfortably if he ever wants to¡± Leo snapped back as Cervantez shrugged his shoulders and said ¡°Fair¡±. In the first ce, his offer for Leo was only out of courtesy and not something he was too intent upon anyways. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll join your guild-, but we will have to work out the details regarding my exact pay and duties and like Leo said, I won¡¯t sign any employment contract¡± Luke said as Cervantez nodded his head and extended his hand. *p* Luke firmly shook Cervantez¡¯s hand epting his offer as this was how the deal between them was finalised. ¡°We will draft an official offer letter in theing weeks after the first evaluation isplete and I¡¯ve set up the framework for the guild. However, I¡¯ll be sending you a friend request in-game and will stay in touch with you in the meanwhile¡± Cervantez said as Luke nodded his head and escorted him towards the small room¡¯s exit. ¡°To a happy cooperation in the future¡± Cervantez said as he passed Luke a small bottle of champagne before leaving. Luke stared at the small bottle of Champagne and how it was ¡°Made in Champagne, France¡± and could not help but chuckle out loud. Champagne was destroyed two decades ago by a huge earthquake and everyst bottle of it still in cirction was worth at least a few million dors back on Earth. On this ship where the scarcity of this product was bound to be even more profound, Luke could not help but wonder just how much it would cost? ¡°Damn¡­.. that¡¯s a filthy rich bastard¡± Leo said as he stared at the bottle of alcohol and then at the set of paints which he barely carried to this arc ship. Just what sort of cargo limit did Cervantez have to be able to bring bottles of booze as his cargo to the arc ship? And just how generous was he to share it with Luke just after their first meeting? ¡°He¡¯s a kind man¡­ that much I could see in his eyes¡± Luke said as he stored the ss bottle in their luggage box with extreme care as he decided to save the thing for some special asion. ¡± Whatever¡­.. let¡¯s head to work, it¡¯s time¡± Leo said as he brushed off Luke¡¯s praise for Cervantez and reminded him that they still had sewage work to do. ********** ( The arc ship, Sector E ) Once Luke and Leo exited their small apartment, they were shocked to see that thousands of sector E residents had gathered outside their room and were looking towards them with nasty gazes. ¡°Why did someone from Sector S visit you two? What sort of connection do you have with the bigshot?¡± ¡°Are you two gigolo? Is that ass on you expensive?¡± ¡°What did the bigshot want? Did you two find a way out of sector E?¡± ¡°ANSWER US DAMN IT! OR DO YOU WISH THAT WE BREAK YOUR BONES FOR IT¡± The othermon yers started to cause a ruckus outside Luke and Leo¡¯s apartment as apparently Cervantez¡¯s entry into their apartment had not gone unnoticed. While they never asked for him toe, or never wanted to be put in such a spot, now that a sector S individual had visited sector E, the wolves had started to smell the scent of blood and wanted to find out what just happened. ¡± Let¡¯s head back inside, not go to work today¡± Luke calmly told Leo who was sweating profusely looking at therge crowd gathered outside their room as slowly the two retreated back into their apartment. *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* They heard loud banging noises on their apartment door as through the thick metal door they could hear the crowd outside still shouting. ¡± We have seen your faces, boys¡­. You can stay holed up inside today, but what about tomorrow? You have to eat someday don¡¯t you?¡± ¡± Come on now¡­. I promise we just want to talk-¡± ¡± Hey gigolo, I¡¯m horny, give me a piece of that ass¡± Luke and Leo shuddered everytime they heard someone demanding their ass as they could not help but feel terrified by the outside environment. Although Cervantez hade and left with the best intentions in mind, he had created a shit storm for Luke and Leo to clean up by not covering his presence. ¡± Yep, I don¡¯t like him¡­. He¡¯s an idiot¡± Leo murmured to himself as all the goodwill that Cervantez had created in his heart by sharing the bottle of champagne, disappeared instantly because of the mess he had left. Chapter 45: Newfound Resolve Chapter 45: Newfound Resolve Newfound Resolve ( Terra Nova Online, in the middle of a dense forest ) Leo was not keen on going down the path of violence, however, he was desperate to go down any path that he needed to go down to improve. Violence was one of the central themes of Terra Nova Online. Whether it was in the form of yer versus monster, monster versus yer, yer versus NPC, NPC versus yer, or the ever-present yer versus yer battles, conflict remained the only constant of this world and one¡¯s improvement remained inextricably linked to violence. Levelling up was a big part of the game and nobody could ignore its importance in the process of getting stronger. Even if Leo became a saint who did not harm any human like organism, whether it be NPC or other yers, he would still be forced to kill monsters that resembled animals which was still him relying on violence to improve. Avoiding bloodshed was next to impossible and since that was the design of the game, Leo surrendered to the idea of violence and adjusted his mindset to be more epting of this inevitability. ¡°Join an organisation and train? That¡¯s what you want a yer to focus on, right Cervantez?¡± Leo murmured to himself as he changed his clothes from the ones he was wearing to that of the fallen assassin as he clutched his examination token and his mask and started to confidently walk towards the examination arena. If given an option between growing faster by bing an assassin or a merchant, Leo would choose the path of a merchant anyday, however, since beggars could not be choosers and this was the only opportunity he had, Leo decided to give this Assassin entrance exam his all. ¡°I have 185 free stat points¡­. Since there is no point in saving them when I¡¯m so weak, let me allocate them to grow even a little stronger¡± Leo said as he distributed the 185 free stat points that he had umted to improve his strength to that of an actual level 32 yer. He distributed a bulk of the stats to agility, since it seemed to be the most important stat for an assassin, while evenly distributing the rest amongst the other stats for a more bnced development. Almost instantly he felt much stronger and faster than before as it was almost dizzying as to how improved his body felt just by allocating a few stat points. Distributing stat points was almost like applying oil to machinery parts that had too much friction and were making noise as almost instantly they began working smoothly once the oil was applied. Something simr was felt by Leo while distributing stat points because, as soon as he distributed the stat points, not only did his body feel lighter and his muscles felt stronger, but he also felt endorphins being released all over his body which made him feel like he was on cloud nine. ¡°Agh, this is really rewarding-¡± Leo said as he enjoyed the warm sensation of growing stronger, however, he did not let it consume him as he kept moving towards his destination. In thest 24 hours, Leo had been through a lot and the man that had came out the other side of these 24 hours was not a weak willed child, but rather a tempered man focused on his goals. The Leo that had emerged had decided to train until his bones broke if it allowed him to improve as he was fixated on growing stronger and earning as many merit points as he could as fast as possible. He still med himself for the fate of his mother, however, now that he had a chance to bring her here with him and then potentially arrange a kidney for her as well, Leo swore to himself that he would never waver, or rest until this goal was achieved. Since he was to me for this mess¡­. he felt resolute to not rest until he made it right. ************ ( Meanwhile Luke ) After purchasing a long sword from the local cksmith, Luke headed out into the outskirts of Panjim and began relentlessly hunting monsters with the singr goal of levelling up faster. Slimes, crabs, sea-gulls. It did not matter what he killed as long as he killed them as he gained a level for every 90 minutes of hunting. Luke was naturally talented in fighting. His stance as he swung the sword was natural and his instincts to counter and exploit an opponent¡¯s weakness were skills that could not be taught. For Luke, fighting felt oddly natural. It was almost like he was meant to be a hunter, as he was calm andposed when in a fight. For him, the bigger problem than facing a monster twice his level was finding a monster to fight as a majority of his time went in finding monsters rather than killing them. *SHUA* [ System Notification:- You have sessfully killed a (Common)( Level 4 ) sea crab monster. You have obtained 1x Crab meat ( Common ) +EXP ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ You have levelled up! ] ¡± Alright level 3! Only 7 more levels to go to catch the leaders¡± Luke murmured to himself as he kept grinding away at those levels. If the brothers had learnt anything from today¡¯s incident of Cervantez¡¯s arrival and the toxic environment of sector E, it was the fact that Terra Nova Online was a game with limitless potential. Not only did it control their social standing, but it was also a gateway to fulfil all their wishes as with enough MP anything could be achieved. ¡°I must grow stronger¡­. I must not fail the evaluation in six days¡± Luke said to himself as he resolved to catch up to the ranking leaders and ensure a spot for himself amongst those that were going to be promoted to sector D, effectively dodging this mess of sector E. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 46: Too loud Chapter 46: Too loud Too loud ( The Assassin¡¯s Alliance ) As Leo reached the ¡®X¡¯ marked location on his local map, he found himself staring at an unassuming hut made out of a mound of y and leaves. Outside the hut sat an old man with a scrubby white beard and white hair that werepletely covering his eyes and he seemedpletely uninterested in Leo or his activities. [ (????) Inspection Failed ] Leo tried to inspect the old man, trying to understand his level, however, the inspection spell failed spectacrly as apparently the difference in level between himself and the old man was akin to heaven and Earth. For a very brief moment as he tried to inspect the old man, the old man threw a nce towards Leo allowing Leo to catch a glimpse of his ck eyes, however, the old man became uninterested in Leo once more after looking at him as he returned to smoking his pipe without acknowledging Leo¡¯s presence. Unsure of how to proceed, Leo politely approached the old man and showed him his entrance token- ¡± Umm, I¡¯m here for the entrance exam, can I go inside your hut?¡± Leo asked politely as the old man took a deep drag of the pipe he was smoking and let out all the smoke straight on Leo¡¯s face mask. *Hufffffff* ¡± You¡¯re not an Assassin are you, boy?¡± the old man said as Leo felt rm bells ringing in his head as he feared that his identity had been exposed. ¡± There is no point in lying to me, I can already see from the constriction of your pupil that my hypothesis is correct. What I¡¯m more interested in is how you killed the spider organization boy¡­.. He was much stronger than you- Although he was a fool, he should not have sumbed to you-¡± the old man said as he took another puff of his pipe and awaited Leo¡¯s response. Leo racked his brains wondering what to tell the old man, as telling someone that he resurrected from the dead did not seem like a good option. ¡± I caught him off-guard. You assumed right, I¡¯m not an assassin. But I¡¯m here because I need this opportunity to make myself stronger¡± Leo said as the old man studied his eyes and verified that he was speaking the truth. ¡± It¡¯s a brutal profession, I don¡¯t know why anyone in their right mind would want to be one. However, since you do possess the examination token and I¡¯m just a gatekeeper, I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to the fact that you¡¯re not supposed to be here. Go in, pull the eagle looking statue inside the hut and it will open a hidden flight of stairs going underground. What happens next will be up to you-¡± the old man said as Leo could not believe his luck at being permitted to enter. ¡°Thank You so much! You¡¯re a kind man¡± Leo said as he politely bowed before the old man and started to walk towards the hut entrance. The old man observed his movement and shook his head back and forth as he could clearly see that Leo was walking to his own death. ¡°Wait-¡± he said as Leo paused in his tracks and turned to face the old man once more. ¡± You walk too loud brat¡­. With a step this heavy, even deaf men will make out that you¡¯re not one of us¡± the old man said as Leo suddenly realized his silly mistake. [ Light Steps ] was one of the most fundamental techniques of any assassin¡¯s skill set and Leo had no idea how to walk without making a sound. With such an obvious give away, his disguise was never going to work as he realized his own shoring. ¡± Ummm, I¡¯m sorry to request something so absurd, but can you show me the art of moving without making a sound once? I don¡¯t want to be killed as soon as I walk into that ce¡± Leo requested earnestly as the old man felt rage welling up inside his heart at this absurd request. ¡® What¡¯s the point of me showing it to you once? You speak as if you will be able to learn it by just watching it once¡¯ The old man thought to himself, however, after taking yet another drag of his pipe, he sighed and let go of his anger as he considered this demonstration as fulfilling thest wish of a dying man. ¡± Whatever¡­ watch closely¡± the old man said as he got up from his wooden rocking chair and walked graciously towards Leo. Although he was walking on dried leaves, Leo could not hear a single cracking sound of a leaf breaking under his feet as he walked, especially soundlessly. ¡± Wow-¡± Leo said feeling awed at the old man¡¯s technique as he could see his feet almost gliding over the leaves as he distributed the pressure of his weight over a wide area and walked almost as if he was gliding over the surface instead of pushing against it. [ System Notification:- You have observed the skill [ Floating Steps ] and have the option to copy it to your primary skill ¡®Mimic¡¯ Do you wish to copy the skill ¡®Floating Steps¡¯ ? Yes No ] Leo pressed ¡®yes¡¯ as unknowingly he had learnt the skill Floating Steps instead of themon skill Light Steps which was a grade above themon skill and used by only expert assassin¡¯s. ¡± Oh wow old man! You¡¯re more skilled and nimble than you look-¡± Leoplimented as the old man scoffed at hispliment and shook his head. He was 80% sure that once Leo walked down those stairs with a heavy footing, the leader of the Assassin Alliance, that cruel and unforgiving man would definitely interrogate and kill him and this bright and genuine personality of his would be lost forever. However, never in his wildest dreams could the old man have imagined that Leo would actually replicate his skill by just observing it once, as just seconds after showing him that move, Leo began walking almost perfectly upon the dry leaves, mirroring his own technique. ¡± Impossible-¡± the old man muttered to himself as he recalled the time and effort it took him to learn and perfect this technique and thenpared himself to Leo who learnt it almost instantaneously. He watched as Leo entered the old mud cabin and disappeared from his view and began to suspect if he was actually a trained assassin who was hiding his real strength? He contemted on whether or not he should eliminate Leo as a potential threat then and there, however, there was something about the possibility of him being a monstrous talent that made this old heart of his race with anticipation. ¡± If only he were my disciple¡­.¡± The old man murmured to himself but felt his heart clouding over as soon as he had that thought as he knew that there was no one in this world who was foolish enough to join his already dead Assassin guild which had only one member. If Leo was truly a monstrous talent, he would undoubtedly be scouted by the alliance leader and just like all the other talents before him, he too would be a soldier under the Night guild. ¡± You¡¯re nothing but a foolish old man who¡¯s too kind for his own good-¡± the old man muttered to himself as he once again sat down at his rocking chair and picked up his pipe full of tobo as he tried to take his mind off the affairs of the corrupted world. Chapter 47: Winging it Chapter 47: Winging it Winging it ( Leo¡¯s POV ) After entering the hut, Leo looked around and found that the hut was nothing more than an ordinary looking hut of a hunter gatherer, with meat, hunting tools and animal skin scattered around. There were a few abstract objects ced inside his room at random locations and Leo easily found the eagle amongst them as he patiently walked towards it. Once again, he was blown away by the details and immersive experience of Terra Nova Online as every corner of the room smelt different and it was detail Leo would never have thought to be possible, had he been a game developer. The entrance smelt like burnt wood, however, the central part smelt like blood and rotting meat. Finally the corner where the eagle was ced smelt sweet and fruity for some reason, however, Leo could not find any fruits or potions ced in that area. ¡± Odd-¡± he said as he lifted the eagle sculpture and just as the old man had instructed, lifting it revealed the hidden passage mechanism. A trap door opened beneath the floor and Leo walked straight down it, careful to use the Floating Steps while walking so as to not make a sound. The further he walked, the darker it became, until suddenly there was light and Leo arrived at what seemed to be an entire military base looking structure, built underground. ¡± Whoaaa-¡± Leo gasped in awe as he soaked in the majesty of the Assassin Alliance headquarters, feeling mesmerized by its size and grandeur. Everyone was roaming in fully covered ck robes and almost 90% wore a face covering mask, as the entire area seemed like a Christmas Fair, with there being countless weapons shops, trading stations and poison shops open for business. ¡± Please provide the entrance token-¡± two tall and lean guards told Leo as only after he showed them the examination token did they permit him to enter the Assassin Alliance. ¡± Since you¡¯re here for the examination, head to the newbie scouts, they should have an information desk set up nearby¡± one of the two guards said as Leo politely thanked them and headed inside. The two guards looked at each other and then burst outughing once Leo was gone as they could not believe their ears that someone told them ¡®Thankyou¡¯. There was no room for kindness in the Assassin world and there was no room for emotions. Most Assassin guilds had strict rules for conversation where no honorifics were allowed and any disy of emotions was heavily punished. ¡°He must be from the women¡¯s division. Maybe a bastard son of one of those vixens. His footwork is exquisite, but he won¡¯t survive the entrance exam if he¡¯s a softy¡± one guard said to another as they chuckled some more taking turns to say ¡®Thankyou¡¯. Thankfully, they did not suspect Leo¡¯s identity as an assassin because his footwork was excellent, however, Leo had narrowly dodged a bullet here. He happily entered the Assassin Alliance headquarters and had the opportunity to observe walking techniques left and right. [ System Notification:- You have observed the movement technique [ Light Steps ], Do you wish to forget [ Floating Steps ] and learn Light Steps? Yes No ] [ System Notification:- You have observed the movement technique [ Cloud Steps ], Do you wish to forget [ Floating Steps ] and learn Light Steps? Yes No ] [ System Notification¡­ ] He was bombarded with a series of system notifications, with a majority of them being about the movement technique [ Light Steps ]. There were very few individuals using unique movement techniques, however, there wasn¡¯t a single one who was using the movement technique of the old man called the Floating Steps. ¡®Since I can¡¯t distinguish one technique from another, it¡¯s best not to switch¡¯ Leo thought to himself as he opened his system screen and observed that he still had 2 uses of Floating Steps left, with each usesting him at least ten minutes. ¡®I shall learn another technique when it¡¯s needed¡¯ Leo thought to himself as he decided to stick with his own movement technique for now and turned his attention towards finding the newbie helpers. Just as the guards had said, he soon found a small line before a stall where three hooded assassin¡¯s sat with arge board in front saying ¡®New Assassin¡¯s Registration Desk¡¯. Leo joined that line and patiently observed the behavior and conservation of the other assassins as just by observing them for a while, he picked up on a lot of their habits. The first thing that Leo observed was that everyone within the Assassin Alliance seemed to be in incredibly lean shape as although everyone wore loose fitted robes, Leo could not find anyone who seemed to have a muscr build or look overweight. Ofcourse, he could understand how being overweight or muscr could be a professional hazard in the Assassin line of work, he was still surprised to not find a single overweight individual. The second thing he observed was that the Assassin¡¯s had incredible patience. When standing in a line, the other candidates in front of him did not shuffle from foot to foot and did not make any unnecessary movements. They stood still as a rock and did not even unnecessarily move their heads to observe their surroundings. It was almost uncanny at how calm and reserved they were as Leo immediately tried to replicate their behavior. Usually when he stood in a queue, Leo had the habit of shuffling from foot to foot and talking to others to pass the time, however, he had to control his natural instincts here as for his identity to not be exposed. Thirdly, the final thing he noticed about these assassin¡¯s was that they all talked in extremely hushed voices when conversing with one another as it wasn¡¯t until the candidate in front of him was registering himself that Leo could finally overhear their conversation clearly. ¡® Provide your entrance token-¡® ¡®What is the name of your parent guild?¡¯ ¡®Is your future tied to them or are you unbonded?¡¯ ¡®The first exam is in four hours¡­ if you¡¯rete you¡¯re disqualified. Next-¡® Leo could overhear the chair person asking these questions to the candidate in front of him, as he quickly opened his inventory and memorized the name of the guild the dead Assassin was supposed to belong to. ¡± Provide me with your entrance token¡± the chairperson demanded as Leo produced his invite token. ¡± Name of your parent guild?¡± He asked ¡°Cursed Spider¡± Leo replied ¡°Is your future tied to them?¡± He asked ¡°No-¡± Leo replied ¡± The exam starts in four hours, you¡¯re disqualified if you¡¯rete¡± the chairperson said as he pped an identity number on Leo¡¯s robes and rudely said ¡± Next-¡± Leo walked off from the newbie registration desk and nced at the number pped on his robe. ¡°2501¡± ¡± So there are at least 2500 others eh? Maybe more toe¡± Leo softly murmured to himself as he got a feel for thepetition. So far, he had no idea as to how he was even managing to keep his identity hidden or what the future held for him. However, since death within the game was not real, Leo was taking a chance and aiming for the skies, hoping that his broken mimic skill would help him get through any test that the assassin¡¯s threw at him. Chapter 48: The cruel world of assassins Chapter 48: The cruel world of assassin''s The cruel world of assassin¡¯s ( 4 hourster ) Leo would have almost missed reaching the location of the first test if it was not for another stickered candidate who he bumped into by chance. That candidate was in an incredible rush to reach the test location and it was only because Leo followed him hurriedly that he was able to reach the test location before the gates closed. It was a thrilling experience as for thest four hours Leo was trying to find out the location for the first test relentlessly, however, no matter how hard he tried he could not find the test location as it was nned to be a secret. Information gathering was an important skill for any assassin and the test locations were designed in a way that those who were weak in this department would never reach the test locations in the first ce. Although one might wonder just how big could the Assassin Alliance headquarters be if it was built underground beneath a small hut? The Assassin Alliance headquarters was actually a colossal structure,parable in size to a small city. Despite its subterranean location, it was bathed in brilliant light, making it surprisingly well-lit, but despite the visibility, its sheer size made navigating through its vast andplexyout a challenging endeavor. As the gates closed a mere ten seconds after Leo¡¯s entry, the Assassin who noticed that Leo had piggybacked his way to the test arena openly red at him, however, Leo pretended not to notice his animosity. *Humpf* The Assassin grunted as he got lost within the sea of ck robed candidates, leaving Leo to his own thoughts. ¡± Wee young seedlings! Congrattions for making it to the first testing arena. This year out of 3200 tokens distributed, a record breaking 1200 students have found the test location for the first exam. This is the best ratio in over a decade¡± A man who stood levitating in the air said as Leo rubbed his eyes twice, wondering as to how someone was standing in the air? ¡± I¡¯m the Assassin Alliance leader. I¡¯m the current guildmaster of the Night guild and I¡¯m the person who will personally oversee this test and give your performances a score alongside the other elders. The first round will be a mobility test. The mark of a good assassin is their silent approach and to test this silent footwork, we have set up floating steps over a shallow pond which will sink if excessive pressure is applied to them. Your goal is to cross the pond without sinking into the water and only those of you whoplete the challenge shall be eligible for receiving our scores. Queue up in ascending order of your tag number and approach the pond one at a time. Start now-¡± The man levitating in the air said, as although Leo did not personally know the reputation that came attached to the man called the Assassin Alliance leader, he could clearly notice the awe and worship that the rest of the assassin¡¯s felt towards him as everyone paidplete attention to every word that he spoke. Quickly organizing themselves in a single queue, all 1200 participants patiently waited for their turn as the first challenger attempted to cross the pond which had 21 small floating steps over it. Taking a small run-up, the man skipped over the first, second and third step, before losing his rhythm due to the uneven distance of the steps and falling face first into the water. *SPLASH* Leo barely held in hisughter as he found this failure to be hrious, however, much to his surprise not a single individual in the entire queueughed, as everyone watched on in the same pin-drop silence as they came in. ¡®What a bunch of boring brats-¡® Leo thought to himself as soon the first participant waddled out of the water and the second one made his attempt. Leo did not pay the first Assassin much attention after his failure and was fixated on the second challenger¡¯s attempt when he suddenly heard a peculiar sound and turned his head slightly to see that the first assassin who had failed the test had decided to decisively take his own life. With a dagger plunged into his own chest, the Assassin took his own life in a sad corner as blood spurted everywhere. Leo almost broken character and was about to rush to his side when he realised that nobody here gave a shit about the first assassin and that although he was the first to take his life, suicide was actually amon practice in this profession with many assassin¡¯s already growing numb to it. Since he had failed the Assassin exam and betrayed the expectations of his sect, many chose the easy route out by killing themselves rather than heading back to their sect as a failure and soaking in the embarrassment. At best they would be emunicated, at worst if they brought shame to the guild they would be tortured and forced to starve for days before being granted a horrific death. The world of assassin¡¯s was a cruel ce where death and danger was a currency they dealt in daily and it was a world which was not meant for a pure soul like Leo in the first ce. ¡°Candidate 0012, you pass with a judges score of 7¡± The Assassin Alliance leader said as his voice jolted Leo out of his stupor as he saw that there was indeed someone who had crossed the pond and stood at the other side of its bank. ¡®Damn, I could not watch him cross the pond¡¯ Leo cursed in his mind as he wished to mimic a sessful attempt, however, he missed his first chance to do so. Thankfully, there were still many candidates before him from whom he could copy the footwork necessary to cross the pond, however, he did need to pay attention to their attempts and ignore the suicidal bastards who were giving up their lives after this small setback. Chapter 49: First Test Chapter 49: First Test First Test Navigating the expanse of the pond emerged as a more formidable challenge than what Leo had initially anticipated. Remarkably, only a mere fraction of approximately one in ten candidates, managed to traverse the full length of the pond utilizing their adept footwork, with the others failing spectacrly as they sshed face first into the water. Even among those who seeded, none received a score higher than 6-7 by the judges which baffled Leo who could not understand why there were marks being deducted. In his view, everyone who crossed the pond managed to do it wlessly as except creating the most minute ripples in the pond water for every step they skipped, they did nothing wrong. Surprisingly, the most impressive performance to date was achieved by an unassuming assassin, whom Leo could have easily mistaken for a child, employing an unusual technique known as ¡®Hopping Steps.¡¯ as that approach garnered amendable evaluation of 8 out of 10 from the judges. It was a technique which was silent for sure. However nothing like the other footworks which focused on agility. It was a rxed footwork that could perhaps only work for individuals who had super lightweight bodies as if someone like Leo tried to imitate it, Leo was sure that he would end up in the pond. As Leo observed each participant¡¯s attempt, he was bombarded with prompts urging him to copy their footwork using mimic, Nevertheless, Leo chose to abstain, harboring the desire to replicate only the most exemry technique. Initially, he harbored optimism about discovering an ideal model to copy from, given the lengthy queue before him. Yet, as time swiftly psed, the queue dwindled significantly, and no subsequent performance surpassed the 8 points scored by the kid. Slowly, Leo began to lose hope and started to be desperate when suddenly a participant dropped the best performance of the entirepetition. That assassin¡¯s tag number was 1050 and she was one of the very few assassin¡¯s who did not have a mask on as one could make out from her facial features that she was ady. Extremely focused as she began to skip the steps, her movement was extremely nimble as at the peak of her movement speed she moved so fast that not even the slightest ripple could be seen on the pond. Receiving an exquisite score of 9/10 from the judges, she quickly became the pack leader as Leo took no further chances and immediately copied her footwork. [ System Notification: Do you wish to ¡® Mimic¡¯ the skill [ Silent Steps ] ? Yes No ] [ You have sessfully copied the skill [ Silent Steps ] ] ¡® Hell Yeah¡¯, Leo thought as from that point forward he closed his eyes and focused on recreating the movement of thedy assassin in his head. Although he had copied her skill, it was stillpletely up to him to nail the execution for which he had to envision the movement of thedy and try to recreate it. ¡® One¡­ Two¡­. Three¡­Four¡­¡¯ Leo counted in his head as he set a rhythm in his head for skipping the steps. There were 21 steps in total and for 15 minutes straight, Leo hopped over them on a loop in his head, only opening his eyes when it was finally time for execution. *Ssh* The participant in front of him failed on the seventh step and angrily sshed his hand against the water before waddling his way out. ¡± Next-¡± said the alliance leader as once the previous participant was out of the pond, Leo began his run-up and used mimic to duplicate thedy before him¡¯s movement. ¡® One.. Two¡­ Three¡­¡¯ he thought as he jumped exactly how he had memorized and could not believe his eyes when he started to do it! His heart beat wildly fast and his instincts went into hyperdrive as his mind constantly reminded him to not mess it up. The state he was in currently was the same as someone who had just learnt how to juggle three balls and although they knew how to execute it, they could not believe that they were performing it correctly for an extended period of time. Or how a footballer when juggling the ball felt nervous about not messing it up after juggling it for a long time. He was constantly worried about messing it up, which was probably why his execution was not as smooth as that of thedy. Nheless, Leo miraculously crossed the entire length of the pond without any steps sinking as he passed the first round albeit barely. ¡°Seven¡± The judges decided as although Leo did not get a 9 like the best assassin, he still got through to round two. ¡°And that¡¯s how you wing it¡­¡± Leo murmured to himself in excitement as he felt proud of his own performance. However, as he took a few steps away from the testing arena, to make way for the next candidate, Leo felt a chill go down his spine as the girl without the mask who was the highest scorer was ring holes at him. Leo looked into her eyes for a second then raised his palms up as if asking ¡®What do you want?¡¯ In response thedy pulled out a dagger from her Assassin belt and pointed it towards Leo while the other assassins who had also cleared the first exam looked at this exchange with excitement. ¡± How do you know the secret movement technique of the Mu n?¡± Thedy assassin asked in a sharp tone. ¡± I don¡¯t know any Mu n¡± Leo replied in all honesty as he bumped shoulders with thedy and walked past her without disying an ounce of fear. The woman¡¯s facial expressions clearly showed that she very much itched to kill Leo, however, without knowing how he could replicate her family¡¯s secret technique she could not even risk to kill him. Instead, she took a read of his identification number and decided to follow Leo around until the two could hold a conversation in private. Chapter 50: Unexpected Quest Chapter 50: Unexpected Quest Unexpected Quest Only 125 candidates passed round one and were given the location and the eligibility token to participate in round two. Although they had passed only a single round and there were more toe, every one of those 125 talents were swarmed by recruiters the second they stepped out of the testing arena as everyone wanted these elite talents for their own guild. ¡± The poison daggers will nurture you. We will invest 50 gold coins a month in your poison brewing sses, We will provide you with all our sect¡¯s secrets and make you a direct disciple of the sect master¡± a assassin told Leo as he desperately tried to convince Leo to join his guild. ¡± Sorry, but I¡¯m already spoken off-¡± Leo said as the man backed off and instead of wasting his time on Leo tried to convince another candidate who also rejected this offer, calling the poison dagger guild a joke. The second round started in six hours from now, however, wanting to take no chances, Leo made the second testing arena his immediate destination as he began walking towards it the moment the first test ended. Since the location was provided this time around, there were a few others who thought just like him and were walking in the same direction, however, the majority seemed to be rxed after the first round and dispersed in various directions to pursue personal goals. *push* Suddenly, Leo felt a heavy push on his back as he identally rolled over and found himself to be on top of the Assassin girl whose technique he had copied. She was supposed to be on-top of Leo after pushing him to the ground, however, because of Leo¡¯s special tumble, the odds were reversed and Leo found himself to be in the more dominant position. The girl under him was fair, having a thin beautiful eyebrow and a proportionate beautiful nose. She had dry and cold lips that showed signs of visible tear and had a small mole that was barely visible on her chin underneath her lips. She had Hazel brown eyes and at least a C cup in assets as Leo gave both her pom-poms a nice squeeze. *Yelp* The assassin suppressed a Yelp, as her fair skin rapidly turned tomato red. ¡± Cute-¡± Leoplemented as the woman blushed even more before kicking Leo aside and getting back on her feet. ¡± Ow¡­¡± Leo groaned as the woman pulled a dagger and unapologetically pegged it against Leo¡¯s throat. ¡± How do you know my family¡¯s secret movement technique?¡± She asked, as Leo frowned and said ¡± Who are you again?¡± Technically, she was not supposed to reveal her name, but she identally slipped up and said ¡± I¡¯m Lin Mu, the scion of the Mu n¡± ¡± Aghh, you¡¯re Lin Mu¡­.¡± Leo said as he pretended as if he had heard the name before and that he had heard of Lin¡¯s reputation. ¡± So you do know of me ¡­. As expected, you do know about the Mu n¡± Lin said as Leo nodded his head and yed along. ¡± Yes¡­ Yes¡­ the prestigious Mu n, yep, absolutely rings a bell, yes¡­. Yess¡­. Yes I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve never heard of it before. Bye¡± Leo said as he blew Lin Mu a kiss and began walking away from her once more, leaving her absolutely stupefied. ¡°Wait! What do you mean you haven¡¯t heard of the Mu n, you¡¯re lying-¡± Lin Mu said, as only after saying those words did she notice that her conversation had brought a lot of unwanted attention from the other people nearby, who had now found out about her prestigious identity. ¡± Rule number one of bing an Assassin. Never reveal your real name¡± Leo said in passing as he stayed true to his character pretending to be the biggest big shot as it was Lin Mu who felt like a noob havingmitted a grave mistake. ¡°Wait! We still need to talk!¡± She said as Leo signaled for her to follow him, as the two walked away from the public eye, nning to talk in private. By now, Leo had analyzed that Lin Mu was not a threat. She was a naive young girl, who had no intention of using that dagger that she wielded and she was someone that Leo could potentially befriend in this seemingly hostile environment. ¡± Where are we going?¡± Lin Mu asked in a hushed whisper ¡± I like your nose¡± Leo replied in a hushed whisper as well. Leo¡¯s unexpected reply almost made Lin skip a step as she subconsciously wished to stomp her feet and portray her disapproval of Leo¡¯s brazen flirting. Nheless she withstood and followed him without saying a word for the next five minutes, as Leo found a rtively calm spot for the two to talk. ¡± Okay, what did you want to ask again?¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu puffed her cheeks and repeated the question she had for Leo. ¡± Where did you learn my family¡¯s footwork technique?¡± She asked as Leo shrugged his shoulders and said ¡± Where does anyone learn anything? I watched you use it and I copied you¡± *p* Lin gave a tight p to Leo¡¯s face as she thought he was lying to her face as her expression hardened and some of her assassin qualities began to show. ¡± I¡¯ll ask you again, and if you lie to me again, I¡¯ll p you five times¡± Lin said as Leo threw his arms in the air and said ¡°Agh, damn it, you got me. My real name is Jin Mu, nice to meet you¡±. It was obviously a prank, however, for some absurd reason Lin Mu seemed to believe it as she studied Leo up and down and then nodded her head in understanding. ¡± First branch leader¡¯s son Jin Mu, so it was you¡± Lin Mu said as this time it was Leo who was more confusedpared to Lin Mu as to what was going on? He had thrown the name Jin Mu as a joke as he thought that Jin rhymed with Lin, however, never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined what this small casual statement would do. In his mind he was very much ready to endure the second p before slowly exining his ability to Lin Mu, however, she began to draw conclusions of her own because of Leo identifying himself as one Lin Mu. [ System Notification:- Actor ss quest has been triggered! You have taken the identity of the run-away son of the Mu n. You must now live your life under his name and spread his prestige far and wide ] [ Quest Notification:- You have received a system quest. Quest Objective :- Participate in the Alliance Entrance test with the goal of bing the number one ranked entrant overall! Quest timeframe :- The Alliance Entrance Exam Quest failure conditions :- Real Identity is revealed/ Death. Quest Rewards :- 1)You will progress in your path as an actor. 2) You will be on friendly terms with the Mu n. 3) +??????? 4) +??????? 5) An opportunity to marry Lin Mu 6) ?????? Special Condition Reward :- Unlock the hidden condition of this quest to find out ] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 51: Progress Chapter 51: Progress Progress ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez was a man on a mission as he rode hard from his beginner town towards the royal capital, monopolizing every possible quest on the way. Having secured a horse as a rented mount, he had sessfully cut short his journey time from 4 days to just under two, however, the actual speed depended on external factors such as bandits and road quality more than it did on himself. His goal was to reach the royal capital, the de facto holy ground of Terra Nova Online where 70% of the most important events of the game were going to take ce and there he wished to establish a base of operations before every Tom, Dick and Harry had the same n. Before a yer had enough strength to enter territorial politics and be a Lord, the royal capital was the single most important ce in the entire game because only in the royal capital could one find endless opportunities for growth. There was constantly some small or big tournament on-going winning which could turn one¡¯s fate upside down. Every major NPC trade organization or Guild had a presence within the royal capital with the most important NPC figures such as the Emperor, The Hero and the rest residing in this city. It was the hub where the most important quests were going to be issued in the future and the ce where Cervantez nned on earning enough wealth to be able to run his guild while his members individually developed. To be able to establish a guild, one needed to have 5000 gold, one guild establishment token and at least 100 fame. It was a barrier that would take themon yer several months to ovee, however, Cervantez already knew how to tackle it. He already knew the secret to earning 5000 gold as he knew the winning numbers to the grand lottery. He had already obtained a guild establishment token from the vige chief of his starter vige after clearing all the monsters from the vicinity. Finally, he was umting 100 fame points by clearing bandit camps that attacked solo travelers on the road and had sessfully killed 4 such bandits earning 20 fame points already. If everything proceeded as per his n, he felt like he was on track to establish the first guild within the game in one weeks time. However, while he was closer to establishing his guild, he still had no clue about the identity of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was growing at a frightening pace. Cervantez had a gnawing feeling in his heart which told him that if he was unable to rope in ¡®TheBoss¡¯ within the first week of the game, then he would be untouchable. Time was of the essence to recruit him while Cervantez could still offer him tangible benefits to join his guild, however, his identity was still shrouded in thick mystery as ever. ************* ( Amanda¡¯s POV ) ¡°Strike it here dear, Strike it near the handle, you¡¯re bending the shape of the dagger by hitting it at the center¡­. This won¡¯t do¡± the old granny scolded Amanda who felt utterly exhausted following the old granny¡¯s instructions. It was the seventh failed dagger of the day and let alone learning about metallurgy or the other processes involved with smithing, Amanda found herself stuck at the very basic stage of shaping a weapon which she could absolutely not master uptil her master¡¯s satisfaction. The old granny had weak vision, so much so that she could not tell apple from orange, however, when it came to cksmithing her eyes magically became sharper than a hawk. Metals that seemed perfectly straight to Amanda were bent as per the old granny as she discarded Amanda¡¯s work entirely from the second she made a single wrong stroke. ¡°Here, give it to me. I¡¯ll show you how to hammer with rhythm¡± the granny said as she took up Amanda¡¯s hammer which easily weighed over five pounds and began hammering with it over red hot iron as if it required no effort at all from her part. Unlike Amanda, every single strike from her, molded the iron slightly, giving it a proper shape as she continued to strike it with a single rhythm. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* Only moving the hammer ever so slightly with every strike, granny uniformly ttened the entire piece of iron and formed a t looking sheet of metal with it. ¡± Don¡¯t shape it like a dagger from the get-go, trust the process, first learn to tten the sheet then we fold and tten it again and again and again to form a de from iron that¡¯s stronger than titanium. It won¡¯t work if every sheet is not uniformly t or not uniformly hammered. Have patience and learn to tten the metal first before learning how to shape it¡± Granny said as Amanda took her words to heart and decided to trust the process. Unlike most yers in the game, she was not focused on leveling up at the moment and was instead spending all of her gaming time looking after an old woman or working in the Smithy. Some would call her insane for taking such a path, since she was bound to receive a demotion in yer evaluation a few dayster, however, Amanda did not care. In her heart she knew that if she became a good enough forger then someday her talent would be recognised and respected, however, until then it was only hard work and anonymity for her. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* Slowly but methodically, she began to tten her next sheet of iron, making sure that she put all her focus behind each strike and to do it as evenly as possible. Whenever she made a mistake, she reced the old sheet with a new one, throwing the old one in the furnace for remelting without the old grandma having to point it out as her biggest improvement was the fact that she could recognise failed and sessful products on her own and no longer needed grandma to tell her that she had made a mistake. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Chapter 52: Secrets of the Mu clan Chapter 52: Secrets of the Mu n Secrets of the Mu n ¡°So you are Jin Mu¡± Lin Mu said as because of the system quest, Leo no longer had an option to y it off but could only go deeper down the rabbit hole. ¡± Yes, however, my identity is not to be revealed to anyone,dy Lin¡± Leo said as Lin Mu nodded her head and scanned Leo once more with surprise etched all over her face. ¡± You¡¯re differentpared to the rumors¡± Lin Mu said as Leo pounced on this opportunity to know more about the role that he was ying as he said ¡± What do the rumors say about me?¡± ¡± The usual. They say that you¡¯re a good for nothing that had ran away since he could not master a single technique of the n. Some suggested that you hadmitted suicide in shame, however, it seems that the rumours were wrong. Not only are you alive but you have also learnt our ns footwork that is notoriously hard to master. Good job¡± Lin Mu praised as Leo deciphered some useful information from her words. ¡± I actually would havemitted suicide, but my will was too weak to take my own life¡­ in the end I¡¯m living in disgrace¡± Leo said as Lin Mu¡¯s eyes turned soft at his words as she ced a friendly arm over his shoulder. ¡± My father always says that there is no heroism inmitting suicide and that it is the weak who take their own lives. Never do something so drastic okay Jin? If nothing else you can always be a gigolo for the main n and pleasure the men and women there for a living¡± Lin Mu suggested earnestly, however, the very word gigolo sent goosebumps down Leo¡¯s spine. ¡°No thankyou, I¡¯d much rather die than be a male prostitute¡± Leo said as Lin Mu frowned at his words. ¡± Are you looking down on the Mu n and our brothel workers? Don¡¯t forget Jin Mu, most of our assassin¡¯s are prostitutes¡± Lin Mu said as Leo felt confused as to whether she was defending the honor of her family or tarnishing it. ¡± You must know about the history of our n, yes?¡± Lin Mu asked as Leo pointed towards his face and shook his head in dismissal as Lin Mu genuinely stomped her feet this time in frustration as she said ¡°How can you not know about our n¡¯s history? How can you be so ignorant about your own roots?¡± ¡± Can you please enlighten me?¡± Leo requested as Lin Mu sighed deeply and began narrating the tale of the great Mu n. ¡± Our great matriarch, Sun Mu, was rumored to be the most beautiful woman in the entire empire. She had a luscious figure that all men lusted after and was said to be a master of pleasuring men with her mouth. A single night with her cost upwards of 300,000 gold coins and only the most wealthy clients could afford her services. Back then, the then Emperor had a feud with the Archduke and wished for him to be secretly removed, so hemissioned the Mu n to kill him and the task of his assassination fell on matriarch Su¡¯s shoulders. Under the pretext of serving him, she injected poison in his body through his very own manhood and managed to kill the extremely strong Archduke who could face entire armies alone, immortalizing the legacy of the Mu n forever in the history books¡± Lin Mu said almost romantically as Leo felt horrified to learn the history of the Mu n. ¡® Never visit a brothel-¡® Leo made a mental note as the very thought of someone injecting poison through his manhood while giving oral gave Leo the chills. Unlike Lin Mu, he felt like there was nothing romantic about the story and could not understand why she was being so pious while dictating it. ¡± Wow, our n is quite something -¡± Leo said as Lin Mu¡¯s nose inched two centimeters even higher because of theplement. ¡± Yes, all Assassin guilds respect the Mu family, we¡¯re like royalty around here. Only the night n has a greater history than us¡± Lin Mu said as she could barely contain her smile when saying these words which was quite unlike the emotionless assassin¡¯s Leo had observed so far. ¡± You must also try to gain merits for our Mu n. I¡¯m sure if you pass this prestigious examination, you will be weed with open arms back home. So do your best in all the tests ahead and don¡¯t ruin our reputation, okay?¡± Lin Mu said as Leo nodded his head and gave her a bright smile. He had no idea what the other tests would look like, however, he had full confidence in the mimic skill to help him ovee any challenge thrown his way. ¡®Fake it, till you make it¡¯ Leo thought to himself as those words had quite literally be his mantra in life. ¡± Lady Lin, do you have any idea what round two would be like?¡± Leo asked as the two of them slowly walked towards the second test ground with Lin Mu shaking her head in dismay. ¡± I know round three will be abat round against one of the master assassin¡¯s, however, I don¡¯t know what round two will be like. Every year, round one and round two are different, however, round three is always the same. Nobody knows what they¡¯re in for until the masters exin the rules for the test¡± Lin Mu replied as although Leo did not find out what round 2 held for him, he found out information about the third and final round. ¡± Agh nevermind, I¡¯ll definitely clear whatever challenge they throw at me¡± Leo said in confidence as Lin Mu chuckled heartily at his words. She had never met a clown like Leo all her life who had such a bright and goofy personality as everyone within her n were always stoic and serious. His foolishpany was a refreshing change and Lin Mu quite enjoyed it for now, although it remained to be seen how long it wouldst. Chapter 53: Riots Chapter 53: Riots Riots While Luke and Leo yed their games in peace, there was a massive riot taking ce in sector E that they werepletely unaware about. On the second day of work, the workers¡¯ attendance was much lower than usual with many workers deciding to y Terra Nova and increase their level within the game instead of reporting for work. Out of the people that did not go to work, less than 0.1% substituted their absence with paying MP as penalty as a majority of sector E workers did not show up to work without caring for the consequences. What their absence did for the morale of other workers was that it created a chain reaction where the workers that did show up to work felt like they were fools for showing up for work and that they should have been ying the game themselves as well. By lunchtime, a massive riot broke out as sector E workers refused to return to their duties and rebelled against their supervisors, defying their orders. It only took two working days for the arc ship¡¯s social hierarchy to crumble as the crabs of sector E that were desperate to improve their standing in society began to rebel against the authority to secure their shot at getting a better life. Many failed to understand that their evaluation at the end of first week was not going to be purely based on their in-game performance itself and that their real work evaluation was going to factor-in as well and by not going to work and by not listening to their supervisors, many were toying with their own future. Nheless, fresh off of Earth, they did not understand the changed world that they were a part of now andmitted crimes enmass believing that their crimes would go unpunished ifmitted in a herd. On the arc ship, there was no room for disobedience and there was no mercy for insubordination. Every word that every individual spoke was monitored and even when crimes weremitted in mobs, every criminal was tracked and identified. About 5 minutes after lunch break, riot police or rather riot control robots took the streets of sector E by storm as martial order was ced and everyone who was defying authority or was taking part in damaging public property, began to be beaten down quite terribly by the robots using batons and the ever so present electrocuting anklets. Those who missed their roll call and were ying Terra Nova Online on a whim were forcefully logged out and served with a three day gaming ban. Those who were instigators in this mass riot and took part in convincing others to protest alongside them were given 7-30 days of gaming ban. While those who pped or physically assaulted the sector D supervisors were executed publicly in the middle of sector E streets for everyone to watch. Close to 60%izens of sector E were pped with a punishment either small orrge as they experienced the true horror of living inside the arc ship where they were powerless against the rules. This was not earth, a ce where if enough of them banded together entire governments could be toppled as within the Arc Ship, the aliens cared for no-one. One either had to live on the ship by their rules or not live at all as everyone whomitted a crime was pped with a system notification that exined their crime in length and exactly why they were being punished. It was a horror show, however, if there was one crime that went unpunished even in this mess, it was the crime of hitting a fellow sector Eizen as those who were pped with penalties never had anything mentioned about hitting or engaging in a physical conflict with other sector E individuals, which meant that the higher ups did not care about how the people treated other people within their same ss. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo and Lin Mu reached the location of the second testing arena and began taking a look around the ce to get a feel of what the test might be? The second testing arena seemed to be a ce where there were lots of obstacles and dark spots that seemed to be optimal for hiding, however, apart from it seeming like a huge obstacle course there wasn¡¯t much else that Leo could figure out from just observing it. ¡°What do you think Jin? What will the second test be?¡± Lin Mu asked as Leo shrugged his shoulders and scratched his head. ¡°I guess we will find out when the Alliance leader tells us. No point in racking our brains over it now¡± Leo said as he had his signature rxed attitude which only took life one step at a time. Compared to him, Lin Mu was much more anxious as she exhausted her brain trying to think of what challenge it could be and how she could establish an advantage for herself, however, no matter how hard she tried she was unable to draw a conclusion. Finally, as it was time for the second test to start, the alliance leader and the judges walked into the testing arena and behind them were several animal cages containing either a horned rabbit or a tracker dog. ¡± Alright, it seems like all the candidates that have cleared round one are present for round two, which means we can proceed with the exnation of what this round is going to be¡± he said as Leo frowned at his words that everyone made it as he was hoping that a few fools lost their way or showed upte leading to their disqualification. ¡± We will mark all candidates with special scents. Scents that the tracking dogs have been trained to sniff out, and your task is to evade the tracking dogs within this obstacle course with the passing condition being that you sessfully hide from the tracking dogs and still manage to kill at least 3 horned rabbits within 60 minutes time. Ofcourse, if you wish for extra points, you can kill more horned rabbits, however, be careful that if you are found out by the tracker dogs and they bark at you to reveal your location, you will be eliminated¡± the alliance leader said as Leo felt intrigued at being introduced at such a unique game of hide and seek. ¡± There are only enough rabbits for 64 of you to pass to round 3, however, if one of you kills more than three then that number might drop even more¡± The Alliance leader said as he revealed the information that the supply of rabbits was way lesspared to the number of candidates and that if one only kept hiding from the dogs without taking a risk to hunt the rabbits, they would most likely not proceed to round three. ¡± As assassin¡¯s, we are often required to infiltrate houses or enemy strongholds where we must evade their tracking dogs, a.k.a strong protectors and kill their rabbits, which are targets of our assassination. This exercise recreates that practical environment in a much more tamed manner and is devised to test your skills in practical situations¡± The Alliance leader said before flicking his hand as his assistants began walking towards each candidate and spraying them with a certain pungent smell that the dogs were trained to track. Chapter 54: The second test Chapter 54: The second test The second test ¡°All the best for the second round, I¡¯ll be going my own way since working together will do neither of us any good, I hope that¡¯s okay with you?¡± said Lin Mu before slowly walking away from Leo. ¡°Yeah alright, I had the same idea in my head- stay safe¡± Leo said as he started to rack his brains on how to approach this round as for starters he decided to stay close to other yers, intertwining his scent track with that of others in hopes of surviving longer. ¡± If you want to take positions within the test stage, you have one minute to do so. After one minute, the tracking dogs will be released and after five minutes the rabbits will be released¡± The Alliance leader said as almost instantly many began to scramble to find a ce to hide from the hounds. Leo too began to move, as he carefully intertwined his own scent track with that of other assassins moving haphazardly all over the testing arena to make his trail as obscure as possible. He hid behind arge tree trunk, in a position where he was about a hundred metres away from the starting location but still at a point where he could track the movement of iing hounds if needed. A few other assassins that Leo was able to track either climbed over the tree, or a few dug borrows in the ground as everyone seemed to be avoiding staying on ground 0 at least for the start. It was at this moment that Leo suddenly realized that he was not an NPC but a yer, as he simply swapped his scented assassin¡¯s robes for his starteryman¡¯s clothing, as almost instantly he was able to get-rid of the tracker scent that lingered on his body. ¡± Haha-¡± Leo chuckled as he rolled around in the mud to get rid of anyst traces of the scent that might be on his neck or hair as by the time the hounds were unleashed, Leo felt like he had arguably the best odds of survival of all the candidates in round two. ************ ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) Lin Mu hid herself near poison ivy bushes. She had already singled out the poison ivy bush before the round even started as she had recognised it to be a unique object that could be used to her advantage regardless of what the challenge could be. Although its most effective usage was as a skin poison that induced rashes, Lin Mu also recalled that poison ivy was a nt which emitted a strong sweet smell to attract insects and hence hiding behind it was her strategic approach to masking her scent. Her starting location was much closer to the starting point than Leo¡¯s as she hid at about only 50 meters from the start which was a gamble considering the fact that almost a majority of the hounds were going to be released from her nearby location. *CLANG* A minuteter, as the dog cages opened, the tracking dogs immediately picked up a thick scent trail and began to bark and run towards a singr point, as all twenty dogs ran straight past Lin Mu¡¯s hideout and towards the direction where Leo was supposed to be. Sighing in relief, Lin Mu quietly rolled out from behind the poison ivy nt and using her soundless footwork technique changed her position to one which was further away from the hounds but closer to the starting point, from where the rabbits were expected to be released. *********** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo felt his heart fell out of his chest when he saw the hounds ignore everyone else and all other scent trails and head straight towards the direction where he was hiding. 10 metres¡­.20 metres¡­.. 50 metres. The dogs ran as a pack and ignored all of the stupid oveppings and haphazard marks that Leo had made and kept running straight for the tree he was hiding behind. ¡°Ha- haha¡­.. RIP¡± Leo murmured to himself as he mentally prepared his body to be ripped apart by dogs, but much to his surprise, just 15 meters ahead of him, behind a rock, the hounds began to dig and bark non-stop as they discovered two assassin¡¯s buried in the ground below. ¡± Miracle¡­miracle!¡± Leo thought to himself as he barely muted his voice and ran away from the tree he was currently hiding behind, tactically changing his location and circling back towards the starting point in a way that he would not be detected by the hounds. It turned out that it wasn¡¯t his trail that the hounds had picked up, but rather the trail of two assassin¡¯s who had teamed up to dig a hole and jump inside as their genius n failed epicly as they became the first ones to be eliminated. Once safely away, Leo turned and looked at the activity of the tracking dogs and discovered that they had started to disperse now, as they followed the multiple different scented trails that they could pick up on and were slowly breaking into smaller gangs. Two dogs were even sniffing the tree that Leo was hidden behind and had Leo not taken his opportunity to run and stayed hidden behind it as a coward, he would have undoubtedly been caught at this point, however, because of a bit of luck and a bit of courage, Leo was still alive in round two. Every few seconds, a tracking dogs barked and a new candidate was eliminated as within the first five minutes until the rabbits were released over 15 candidates were eliminated. With 55 minutes still left in the contest and 3 rabbits to hunt, the second round was only getting started yet Leo already experienced a near knockout experience once. He was clearly out of his depth in thispetition, however, he was thoroughly enjoying everyst second of it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 55: Kill Steal Chapter 55: Kill Steal Kill Steal When Lin Mu spotted a masked Leo running around in an easily spottablemoner clothing that wasn¡¯t even ck, she could almost not contain herughter as she coughed twice trying to hold it in. She knew it was Jin Mu because his mask and body type were distinct and also because he looked like the only one who waspletely unsure of where to hide and what to do. ¡®Yep, definitely the ck sheep of the Mu family¡¯ Lin Mu thought as she believed that there was no way that Jin Mu was going to advance to round three and that sooner orter he was definitely going to get caught. Although Leo did not know it, him acting like a fool yed better for his cover as the retarded young master of the Mu n, as the original Jin Mu was famous for being a good for nothing. If he had suddenly be excellent after being absent from the family, then questions about his identity would have raised in Lin Mu¡¯s heart, however, seeing him behave like a fool, she felt more inclined to ept his story. Just like herself, Leo too circled back to the starting point from where the rabbits were going to be released, however, unlike her he did not seem to n on hunting them using a bow and arrow, but was rather holding a dagger as if he was going to kill the unleashed rabbits by hand. ¡®Only a fool tries to kill a rabbit with their hands, they are agile and hard to catch, it¡¯s always better to shoot them dead¡¯ thought Lin Mu as she stopped paying attention to Jin Mu and instead took aim at the spot where she expected the rabbits to first show up when released. Just like her, many other assassins noticed Leo in his ridiculousyman clothing holding a dagger as everyone had the same question in their mind as to what the fuck was he doing? He wasn¡¯t hiding as an assassin should. He wasn¡¯t wearing the proper attire. And to top it all off, he was trying to hunt probably the swiftest species of rabbits by using a dagger, while being on the hideout against tracking dogs. Everyone failed to understand his strategy as they underestimated him, however, oddly, they could not take their eyes off him either as there was something about his uncanny smile that made them feel like he was up to something. Rightly so, Leo was indeed upto mischief as while these other assassins might not think like a yer, he did! He did not have ess to a bow and arrow, nor did he have the skill needed to aim and shoot it towards a moving target, so all he could do was rely on his daggers. However, his real n was not to kill the rabbits at all, but to rather use a notorious yer technique only known to shameless gamers! *SNAP* Exactly at the five minute mark, the rabbits gates were opened and the rabbits began running in all directions into the testing arena. The second the crossed the starting line, arrows began to rain down on them as a select few hit the target while most of them missed. The rabbits were indeed agile and most of them did manage to evade the iing arrows with incredible reflexes, however, there were a few that fell to the assault who writhed in pain and began slowly bleeding to their deaths. A total of 7 rabbits were shot dead on the floor and there were at least 14 assassins in hidden locations who were contesting for the kill. However, while the rules of the contest did specify that one had to kill at least 3 rabbits, they said nothing about kill stealing as although Leo killed none of the rabbits, he took a quick look at the tracking dogs and having ascertained that they were still far away, he was the first one who made a dash for the kills. 1..2¡­3¡­4¡­ *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* 5¡­6¡­ 7! Kill steal! It was amon practice in MMORPG games back on earth and while it was the archers who shot down the rabbits and immobilized them, it was Leo who went in for the kill using his dagger as he stabbed them all dead before they could die a natural death by bleeding. Mid-way through his killing spree, the other assassins understood what he was upto and began shooting arrows towards him. However, Leo rolled over and dodged the iing arrows with incredible athleticism as before most could reload and get a grasp of the situation, Leo had alreadypleted the job and had hid behind arge rock! ¡°Fuck¡­. Is that even legal?¡± ¡± Hey, hey hey, It¡¯s clearly me who shot it down, do I get no im over this kill?¡± ¡°How fucking shameless? I¡¯ll kill you bastard first¡± Leo caused an outrage amongst the other assassins, however, the judges ruled in his favor as under his number beneath the judges panel, a remarkable ¡®7¡¯ could be seen confirming his kill points. ¡°Booyah¡± Leo said to himself as he could clearly still feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins at achieving this crazy feat. While the other assassins stayed hidden, he took a gamble and cheap shot everyst one of them, reaping all the rewards in return. ¡® HAHAHA-¡® Lin Muughed in her head as she could have never anticipated this move. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that someone would run into the open, between a field of assassin¡¯s holding arrows and have the guts to steal their kills as for a second she was as stupefied as the others. When Leo came out and ran towards the rabbits, even Lin Mu felt puzzled with what he was aiming for, however, it wasn¡¯t until he began plunging daggers in their writhing bodies did she understand his motive. By the time she knocked an arrow, he had already killed 4 and somehow Lin Mu felt merciful towards him, which is why instead of shooting him down, she helped him by shooting her arrow towards the nearby assassin who had a clear shot on Leo. Messing up his aim, she helped Leo as much as she could, however, he still had to face a flurry of arrows for his brazenness. He dodged a few, while some were poor in aim, however, miraculously he killed all the 7 shot down rabbits and managed to escape without a single arrow plunged into his back as Lin Mu suddenly felt a tinge of respect forming in her heart for Jin Mu. The judges confirmed his kills, and Lin Mu could not be happier, however, she also understood that Jin Mu had dug a hole for himself by stealing everyone¡¯s kills. The others were already taking positions to shoot him down as Lin Mu could see how her distant cousin was going to have a big problem at his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s see you get out of this problem¡± she murmured with a smile on her face, as just when she thought that Jin Mu was done for, he pulled off something unexpected once again. Chapter 56: Expect the Unexpected Chapter 56: Expect the Unexpected Expect the Unexpected Leo knew that he was being surrounded by hostile forces. He had just stolen the kills of over a dozen assassin¡¯s and many of them were not happy. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins as the thrill of stealing other people¡¯s kills was making him more excited than he should¡¯ve been. Whether it was a good idea, or a foolish idea, Leo did not know, however, because of the urgency of the situation, Leo still went ahead with it, knowing full well that it could backfire. ¡°AWOOOOOOOO¡± ¡°AUAUAOOOOOOO¡± Leo howled, howled at the top of his lungs as he tried to attract all the tracking hounds to his location. For context, the entire testing arena was as calm as calm could be. There was no sound of anyone even breathingboriously let alone a loud noise such as this, yet Leo howled in such a quiet ce and that too on-top of his lungs. At that moment, everyone who was surrounding him took a quick look behind their backs and towards the tracking hounds as the pupil of their eyes constricted when they saw an entire bunch running in their direction. ¡± Madman¡­.fucking madman¡± one of them cursed as he ditched the idea of exacting revenge on Leo and instead began running for his life. The same could be said for all other assassin¡¯s who wished to do nothing with Leo at the risk of being barked out themselves. Once again, Leo escaped certain defeat narrowly and to the blessing of the lord¡¯s, while he left no scent trail, everyone that had surrounded him did, so when the hounds came near his location, they quickly picked up the trail of the assassin¡¯s who had scrambled and Leo miraculously survived yet again. The judges, Lin Mu and even Leo himself could not determine if Leo was a genius or just a lucky bastard who was blessed with extreme providence as slowly but surely all the hounds dispersed in different directions, but Leo was left unharmed. ¡®Interesting¡­. How interesting¡¯ thought the Alliance Leader who had a rare smile break out on his cold face watching Leo¡¯s antics. ¡® What a lucky fool¡¯ thought Lin Mu who ditched her hiding spot and began to look for the dispersed rabbits as while Leo had already hunted 7, she was yet to im a single kill. ¡®Yep, The Boss, that name suits me¡¯ thought Leo as he calmly changed his hiding location to a new one, blending back into the hiding game seamlessly. 52 minutester, as the final buzzer rang dering the end of thepetition, there was no one who could surpass Leo¡¯s record of 7 kills as shockingly not only did he survive hiding from the hounds, but he also managed to secure the highest number of kills by using an out of the box approach. *************** ( Near the judge¡¯s seating, the end of round two ) Only 42 candidates remained after round two as nearly 80 had been eliminated by the hounds or for not having enough kills. The second highest number of kills was 5 held by Lin Mu, while Leo topped the charts with 7! He had changed back to his assassin¡¯s robes, however, by this point almost everyone remembered his mask and his body shape, as hateful res were being poured at him from all sides. ¡± Once we¡¯re out of this arena¡­you¡¯re dead meat. I¡¯m telling you- DEAD MEAT¡± one Assassin who only had 2 rabbit kills told Leo as he seemed extremely upset that he could only kill 2 and not proceed to round three, only because Leo had stolen one of his kills. Leo ignored the man and pretended to yawn under his mask, which enraged the man even more. ¡± WHY YOU-¡± He cursed as he moved towards Leo with a dagger in hand, however, was blocked by a tall hooded assassin. ¡± There will be no infighting here-¡± the tall assassin said before disappearing almost as fast as he appeared. Although he only said a few words, it seemed enough to deter the angry assassin, as he begrudgingly left Leo alone. ¡°Quite a performance you made,¡± Lin Mu said as she patted Leo on the back. ¡± Nothing much¡± Leo replied humbly although internally he was feeling as inted as a balloon. ¡± Pfft¡­haha¡± Lin Mu chuckled at his reply as the other assassins frowned heavily at their conduct which showed emotions versus the stoic attitude that assassin¡¯s were expected to maintain at all times. ¡± Alright, attention here-¡± The Alliance leader said as he sat up after collecting the sheet containing judges scores for the round. ¡± What¡¯s your name, young man?¡± He asked, looking straight towards Leo. ¡± My name is¡­. Jin Mu¡± Leo replied, staying true to the character he was ying. ¡°Jin Mu¡­.¡± murmurs began to erupt amongst all the other assassin candidates as almost all of them had heard the name of the prestigious Mu n. Although not everyone was privy to their internal workings and how big of a disgrace Jin Mu was in the n, just from his name alone he exuded the aura of a big shot. Beside him, Lin Mu raised her head in pride at the awe that Mu nmanded, however, the next words spoken by the alliance leader made her wish to hide her face in shame. ¡°Cute n full of dangerous whores¡± the alliance leader said, as although he meant it as apliment, both Jin and Lin Mu felt embarrassed by the tag. ¡± Anyways, congrattions kid, you have been scored at 7 points by the judges, and have received 4 extra points for the 4 extra rabbits you killed, bringing your evaluation to an extraordinary 11/10. You rank ahead of your sister Lin for this round who is scored at 10 with 8 being the judges score and 2 being the bonus she receives for her two extra rabbits kills. The next is the assassin from the Hwaja n, Gobi Hwaja who recieves¡­.¡± The night leader said as after addressing Leo and Lin Mu he went on to dictate the scores of all other candidates in descending order. There were two things different about the second round announcement versus the first, which was that this time around the Alliance leader called out everyone¡¯s names and ranks and it was important because based on these rankings their seeding for the third and final round was to be decided. Because there were only 42 candidates instead of 64, most received a bye for the first round of matches, however, those with a higher ranking were given a priority for this seeding. Hence without even fighting a single round, Leo virtually secured his spot in the round of 32 and was sure to be ranked in the top 40 overall, even if he did not win a single fight in round three. This was a dreame true for any assassin as being in top40 meant that every assassin organization would scramble for this talent and that they had a bright future ahead. However, naturally Leo did not n on throwing the towel just yet and had every intention of fighting whatever opponent was against him in round three as seriously as he could. Chapter 57: Bad Working Conditions Chapter 57: Bad Working Conditions Bad Working Conditions ( The real world ) After round two ended, round three was scheduled to be 16 hourster, so Leo rented a room for 2 silver coins within the Assassin Alliance headquarters and logged out of Terra Nova Online since it was time for his next day¡¯s shift. Luke was also awake and logged out by the time Leo woke up as he was already dressed in his work gear and ready to go by the time Leo woke up. ¡± I¡¯ve already reached level 6, I¡¯ll reach level 10 tomorrow¡± Luke said as he gave Leo a status report on his progress. ¡± That¡¯s great! I¡¯ve already reached level10¡å Leo said, lying through his teeth as Luke smiled and praised him for working hard. Since they had already used MP yesterday to avoid work, the brother¡¯s were not keen on repeating it twice in a row as apart from saving MP, there was also the important aspect of their bodies feeling weak and hungry from not having eaten in the past 36 hours. Although both brothers did not raise a singleint to one another, both felt their stomachs caving and rumbling, yet they behaved like everything was okay. Uptil now, they were unaware about the riots that took ce in Sector E and how vtile the environment had be, but they were about to get a massive reality check as they headed out. *SLIDE* ( Door Opens ) It was Luke who first peeked outside their room to check if there was still a crowd gathered outside, and he was delighted to find out that there were no people still waiting for them toe out. The hype surrounding Cervantez¡¯s visit seemed to have died down as Luke and Leo were able to safely leave their house and report for work without causing any major incidents. The first indication that Luke and Leo got that something was wrong was when they observed that all three supervisors- Vinicus, Cama and Jude were having ck eyes and bruised lips as if they had just received a thorough beating not too long ago. Their eyes were filled with perpetual hatred for theizens of Sector E as they seemed to want nothing more than to kill them all if they could. ¡°Something happened yesterday?¡± Luke asked the individual standing in front of him in the attendance queue, however, despite hearing Luke¡¯s question, the man in front chose to ignore him and did not give Luke and answer. Yesterday during the riots, some audacious individuals had attacked the supervisors and caused the police robots to crackdown on everyone. The supervisors had lost grading because they could not assert control over their workers and because work had not beenpleted optimally on day2 due to low worker turnout. Finally, with there being only 4 days left now for the first evaluation, neither the supervisors nor the workers seemed to be willing to take any risks which is why the atmosphere was extremely tense at roll call. ¡± STARTING TODAY, THERE WILL BE SOME MAJOR CHANGES-¡± Mr. Vinicus said as he was an individual who was assaulted on both work days and now rightfully viewed and resented the sector E workers as if they were lesser humans like ves. ¡± STARTING TODAY, YOUR LUNCH BREAK WILL BE DEPENDENT ON YOUR HALF-DAY EVALUATION. UNSATISFACTORY WORK MEANS YOU GET NO LUNCH. UNSATISFACTORY WORK AT FULL TIME, MEANS YOU GET NO DINNER EITHER¡± Vinicus said, as almost instantly and uproar began to spread amongst the sector E workers who felt like this rule was absolutely ridiculous. ¡± You can¡¯t do that- that¡¯s a vition ofbourws! We have a right to nutrition asshole¡± ¡± Oh yeah? I think yesterday¡¯s beating was not enough! Maybe we should rip your head off and eat it instead¡± ¡± Individual E-551, You have threatened a supervisor. Issuing punishment¡± *BZZZZZZ* Luke and Leo watched in horror as the man who threatened to rip Vinicus¡¯s head off and eat it was knocked unconscious by his ankle bracelet, which created an atmosphere of fear and suppression amongst other workers. There were many who wished to voice their disapproval, however, with the knowledge that the ankle bracelet was monitoring everything they said and did, they felt fearful of saying anything. Defiance could be seen in each and every sector E workers eyes, yet for now, they remained silent. ¡± LABOUR LAWS? FAIR TREATMENT? Forget about those concepts now. This is not Earth and if thest two days have taught me anything, it¡¯s that you people are worse than criminals back on Earth. It¡¯s a simple equation from now- Work to eat Work to live. That¡¯s it. There will be no fraternising with the supervisors, no kindness, no mercy. Since you dare raise your fists against us, we will show you how we are worse than circus ringmasters¡± Supervisor Cama said as he absolutely crushed any hope of havingbourws and protective policies amongst the workers of sector E. ¡± YOU HEAR THAT SUCKERS? OFF TO DUTY YOU STINKY PUNKS. BETTER HAVE THOSE SEWAGE TANKS AS SHINY AS SILVER CUTLERY BY LUNCH, ELSE NO FOOD FOR YOU. NOW MOVE IT!¡± Vinicus eximed as the sewage workers began to jog to their work stations in a frantic pace. Tears rolled down the eyes of many, as the transition from a sort ofwful life on Earth to thewless jungle of the Arc Ship now was jarring for many. Even Luke and Leo felt disturbed at the thought of possibly missing lunch today as they had not eaten for 36 hours straight now and had to work a gruelling shift cleaning other people¡¯s bowels from a septic tank. Every passing day, living conditions in sector E got worse, however, while it was bad enough already, unfortunately the worst was yet to start. Chapter 58: Dog Days Chapter 58: Dog Days Dog Days Scraping shit off walls with an empty stomach was a sensation and a half on its own. It was moments like this that made Luke and Leo feel like the myth that all humans were born equal was not true at all. While the elite feasted and yed Terra Nova all day without a care in the world, those at the bottom of society had to work hard and perform inhumane jobs just to fill their stomachs. It was suffering unlike what the young adults had ever suffered before, however, they had no room toin, no room for showing weakness. With their third member Harry dead, their workload had increased as their supervisor did not assign any more members to their team, however, they were still expected to do a perfect job as if they did not, they were likely to not get lunch. Both Luke and Leo worked as hard as they could as fast as they could. Both brothers did not want to drag the other down and be the reason behind why the other missed a meal and by lunchtime they did indeed make the septic tank squeaky clean feeling slightly proud of their work. ¡± SHITMUNCHERS¡­. I¡¯M HERE FOR THE INSPECTION¡± The supervisor Vini yelled from above, as Luke and Leo slowly climbed up thedder and walked out of the tank. Vinicus frowned looking at them, his eyes showing how repulsed he felt for having to deal with septic workers, however, he said nothing. shing a torch at the tank below, he was surprised to see it to be squeaky clean as he almost felt appreciative of their hard work. ¡± Well, the job¡¯s done well, it seems my decision to not allocate both of you a third member was right. You only need two¡± Vini muttered to himself as Leo could not help but grit his teeth at his shamelessness. ¡± We tried our best sir¡­. I hope you will allow us to have lunch today¡± Luke said in the most humble tone possible as Vini nodded his head. ¡°Well, if youplete your work like this at the end of the day, then yes I¡¯ll let you have dinner. But for Lunch? I won¡¯t allow it. Consider it to be a punishment for being teammates with the guy who punched me. Next time if someone attacks me, I expect you to defend me properly, only then will you earn my favour. Chop chop¡± Vini said as Leo could almost not believe what his ears were listening to. After all this hard work, that bastard was denying them lunch and that too for a bullshit reason, as Leo almost lost his cool and felt likeshing out. Thankfully, a firm hand was nted on his shoulder before he couldsh out as Leo stared straight into his eyes with anger as he warned Leo against doing anything stupid without uttering a word. ¡°We understand sir¡­. Thankyou¡± Luke said as Vini nodded and walked away leaving Luke and Leo to deal with their rumbling stomachs alone. Once he was out of earshot, Leo began to curse ¡± That MOTH-¡± But before he couldplete his sentence, Luke ced a hand over his mouth and prevented him frompleting his sentence. ¡± The ankle bracelet hears everything Leo, I know how you feel, but think twice before saying something. Don¡¯t you remember what happened to that guy during roll call today? Do you wish to be electrocuted as well?¡± Luke said as tears began forming in Leo¡¯s eyes at this point. He had the job of scraping shit off walls. His supervisor was a dick He felt hungry as a homeless beggar He could not curse at anyone to vent out his emotions because a stupid bracelet was monitoring everything he said and to make it all worse, he still had to work for 3 more hours until his shift was over to earn the right to perhaps have dinner. This was a new rock bottom in his life without a doubt and his helplessness to get out of this bullshit situation made him feel borderline depressed. ¡°Come on¡­ chin up, we¡¯re in this together¡± Luke said as he gave his younger brother a hug and motivated him to keep pushing through. Internally, even Luke felt like shit, even he was angry and wanted to curse at Vini, however, he knew that he did not have the luxury to behave that way, because if he went off the rails even a bit, Leo would follow him like a train wreck and ruin his own life. Luke knew that he had to keep a cool head, despite everything and he sessfully did so while also keeping Leo in check. ¡± Our time wille brother¡­ I promise. Our time wille. One day, we will be the one¡¯sughing and feasting. One day for sure¡± Leo said spitefully as he got back to his feet, changed his dirty pair of gloves and put on a fresh pair. ¡± Yep, one day for sure¡± Luke affirmed as he followed Leo¡¯s suit and changed his own. Soon, the brothers descended into the septic pit once more ready to concentrate the scraped off shit at the centre and then flushing it out so that they could then focus on cleaning the base. Their minds felt dizzy from the sheer hunger, yet their spirits felt strong. Their anger towards their supervisor helped them make it to the end of the day¡¯s shift ande the end of the day inspection time, they received a perfect grade for their day¡¯s work and their supervisor allowed them the luxury to have dinner. Warm nd mashed potatoes never tasted as good as they did that day for the brothers, as tears streamed down their cheeks with every bite that they took. Although it was food that tasted nder than water, the joy of something warm and heavy entering their stomachs made the two forget all about the taste as they chowed down on it as if it were the most divine dish, even going as far as licking the te when they were done. Chapter 59: A fist fight Chapter 59: A fist fight A fist fight After dinner, Luke and Leo had to wait almost an hour in-line to wash their clothes. It was this hour where the depleting morale of Sector E was on full disy as everyone seemed to be frustrated, angry, anxious, irritated and ready to start a fight. Many of them grumbled about the penalty they suffered disallowing them to y the game for the next 3 days and how it seriously hurt their chances to advance. Some talked about how they too considered selling their body to higher ups as a good choice under these circumstances as the urban myth of a sector S bigshot visiting the slums a day ago was apparently very popr. Thankfully, even as they actively talked about this point, they did not recognise Luke and Leo as the source of this rumour as although the rumour had spread through word of mouth, without functioning mobile phones there was no photo of them in cirction, giving them ayer of anonymity. Keeping their heads hanging low, Luke and Leo quietly did theirundry and headed back towards their apartment without stirring any trouble, when shockingly they found some odd crook sitting in front of their door. ¡± Excuse me? Can you move aside please?¡± Leo asked politely as he felt unsure as to why someone was sitting outside their front door. ¡± It¡¯s you? Are you the brats who live here?¡± He asked in a maniacal voice as Luke and Leo looked at each other in doubt. ¡± So what if we do?¡± Luke replied, his tone stern and strong as he pulled Leo behind him and faced the man himself. The man with red eyes, long hair and a stubble for a beard stood up as he blocked the entrance to the apartment door and confronted Luke and Leo instead. ¡± I couldn¡¯t see your face that day¡­ but I remember this door. It¡¯s this door that the bigshot walked through, and you will tell me everything about why he did and why he wanted to meet you specifically!¡± The man said demandingly as Luke and Leo inadvertently took a step back looking into his crazy eyes. ¡± Whatever business he had with us was private, we¡¯re not telling you jackshit,¡± Leo said as the man wagged his finger in front of the two and made clicking sounds with his tongue. *Tch* *Tch* *Tch* ¡± I waited all day yesterday to see if you two woulde out, but you did not. Initially there were three of us waiting but then because of yesterday¡¯s riots, two of my friends left. UNFORTUNATELY, both of them died in the riots yesterday¡­.DEAD. Forever gone. I¡¯m the only survivor¡± the main said as he absurdly shouted in the middle of his sentence at times, as it was evident that the pain of losing his friends had made him lose his mind. ¡± We were protesting because we are treated like pigs¡­.. we were protesting because we wish to be treated like humans with basic courtesy. However, instead of getting the respect we deserve, we got death. Hahahahahaha¡± he said, as Luke and Leo took a step back from the crazy man yet again, his antics freaking them out. ¡± Yet you know what we found out? Of all the vitions that people were penalised for yesterday, hitting or worse even killing sector E personnel was not amongst them. I can kill you today and leave this ce scot free, yet I can¡¯t fucking curse a supervisor. I want to escape this shit-hole, I want to escape it anyway possible and I know you two pipsqueaks know something that I don¡¯t. So either tell me now¡­. Or I will send you to an intergctic grave¡± the man said as he pulled out what looked to be a makeshift knife. Its head was sharp hard stic, likely broken off from something else and it¡¯s handle was wood, looking like it was once again part of some small woodenb or mirror that was broken to make the knife. While not steel, the edge looked plenty sharp to stab someone and the man looked crazy enough to do it. Luke clenched his fists, he did not wish to be pushed over by a maniac, however, he was not sure about fighting him either. He contemted between telling him the information he seeked and fighting back, however, it was Leo who put a hand over his shoulder this time around. ¡°It¡¯s two versus one brother, it¡¯s not even a decision we need to worry about¡± Leo said as he assured Luke that he had his back. Luke¡¯s eyes sparkled with life when he realised that he did not need to hold back anymore as he lunged towards the maniac with Leo in tow. ¡°DIE!¡± the crazy man shouted as he tried to stab Luke, however, Luke grabbed his stabbing hand and kicked him hard in his abdomen. Leo jumped over Luke¡¯s back and went straight for the man¡¯s chin as he punched him with all his might, knocking a teeth out with his very first strike. *CLANG* Disoriented and dizzy, the man dropped his knife as a result of Leo¡¯s punch as the two brothers proceeded to maul the crazy man two versus one. All the pent up frustration that the brothers had over Vini and their current condition, came out in this fight as they roughed the man up real bad, breaking his teeth and also a couple ribs. ¡°Mercy¡­. Please mercy¡± the man begged as he sprawled on the floor curled into a ball. Tears streamed down even his eyes as he felt unsure of why he chose to intimidate kids or what he was doing acting like a thug. He only wanted information that could help him escape the hell of sector E, but the way he approached the brothers was perhaps the worst choice. Had he genuinely asked them for help, perhaps Luke and Leo would have obliged, but he chose to intimidate and the brothers were not ready to have any of that crap. They were raised in tough conditions themselves and were not afraid of a street fight. ¡± Please don¡¯te back¡± Luke said as he stepped over the man¡¯s body to enter their small apartment with Leo in pursuit. Chapter 60: Round Three Begins Chapter 60: Round Three Begins Round Three Begins ( The underground Assassin Alliance Headquarters ) Leo logged back into the game with only two hours left until the third round of the entrance exam started. Technically, he was not participating in the first round of fights since he had received a direct bye, however, he wished to spectate the first round of fights and copy some nice moves for himself. Lowkey, Leo was more interested to see how a fight between assassin¡¯s looked as in his mind he fantasized it to be something along the lines of those superspy movies that he watched growing up. He expected there to be smoke bombs and ninja warfare, however, he wasn¡¯t sure if that was how assassin¡¯s rolled. The location for the third round was a grand underground arena and unlike the previous rounds where only judges and some handling personnel were present, the third round seemed to have actual spectators. Hooded men in all shades of ck sat in the stands numbering at least two thousand in total with there being designated stands forpetitors, spectators and judges. The judges sat closest to the action, their seats being as big as thrones. Thepetitors sat right behind the judges in a special stand that offered a good view of the fight. And the rest of the stadium was for spectator seating with a rough capacity of around 5000 individuals and the stadium seemed to be at 30-40% capacity with roughly 2000 spectators seated for the first round of fights. The fighting arena itself was t, with there being no obstacles, no dark spots to hide. The floor seemed to be hard tiles and it seemed more like a martial arena rather than something appropriate for an assassin showdown. ¡± I wonder what the rules of the fight are?¡± Leo murmured to himself while being seated in the spectator stands, as Lin Mu who was seated beside him picked up on this murmur and almost instantly pped her forehead. ¡± Jin, you don¡¯t know the rules?¡± Lin Mu asked as Leo shook his head and said ¡°The judges will exin the rules before the fight starts right?¡± ¡°No, silly. The rules for the third round are justmon knowledge, were you not edu-, ugh, nevermind¡± Lin Mu said as she was about to question whether or not Leo was educated properly in his childhood or not, but checked herself mid sentence as to not hurt Leo¡¯s feelings. It wasmon knowledge that Jin Mu was the cksheep of the Mu family who had ran away, hence Lin Mu patiently exined him the rules instead. ¡± The rules of this round are simple. Firstly, there must be no killing. This round is strictly meant to be a disy of skill and nothing more and a fight ends when either you immobilise your opponent or make them submit¡± Lin Mu said softly as Leo listened to every wording out of her mouth with utmost attention. ¡± This round is designed to be a showcase of one¡¯s ability as a warrior more than an assassin, which is why there are no hiding spots and no darkness to take cover. At some point in one¡¯s assassination career therees a time when nothing goes to n and one must fight against multiple opponents at once or their formidable assassination target that did not die cleanly off their assassination attempt. Under such circumstances, no petty tricks help and one must show guts and fend for their life and it is this situation that the third round aims to test. Everyone can be an assassin by relying on potent poisons or stealth techniques, but it takes real skill to be a true assassin who can fight back when times get tough¡± Lin Mu said as there was evident passion in her voice when she said these words. As Leo did not understand the politicalndscape of the Assassin Alliance too well, he did not understand Lin Mu¡¯s motivations, however, Lin Mu was a woman who was driven to change the perception of the Mu n. Currently, the Mu n though respected was seen as a n full of cheats and prostitutes. Many believed them to be subpar warrior¡¯s who were not useful to take out women targets or men who knew how to hold their horses. Nobody took the Mu n seriously in practicalbat and it was this perception that Lin Mu was eager to shatter. Soon, the first fight started as two contestants walked onto the martial arena with a tall refree standing in between. ¡± No killing, No permanent injury infliction¡± he reminded to both participants before the fight and started the first fight. *KYA* *KHA* *HAIYA* Both participants jumped straight into the fight, using abination of dagger arts and martial arts as they made all sorts of noises from their mouth while engaging in battle. Just like Leo expected, their fight seemed seamless and something straight out of a spy movie as they exchanged blows and nged their daggers against each other in a visually beautiful fight. Sadly, there were no smoke bombs and no crazy attack moves either that made Leo feel like he was losing his mind as from start to finish the fight only seemed to be a test of speed and stamina more than skills and creativity. At the start both contestants seemed to be equally matched, however, about 10 minutes into the fight, one of the contestants started to get sluggish and it was evident with his every response that he was at his limit and could not continue. Still through grit and tenacity he hung on for a minute more, however, then one of his dagger flew off his hand and then a roundhouse kick floored him to the ground. As he looked back up, his opponent had a dagger pointed to his throat as the fight reached its conclusion. The referee raised the winners arm and there was some polite pping from the crowd, while the judges scored the match and gave both contestants a score for their performance. The winner got an 8 while the loser got a 6.5, however, both seemed satisfied with the result. The only one unsatisfied with the fight was Leo as although he witnessed the full battle, there was not a single skill that he could pick on which made him feel like watching the whole fight was a massive waste of time. Thankfully, there were a few more fights for him to witness before it was his chance to fight, however, the start to round three was underwhelming at best. Chapter 61: Painted Canvas Chapter 61: Painted Canvas Painted Canvas Leo learnt a lot of things from observing the battle between other assassin¡¯s y out. Just like Lin Mu had pointed out, there were many candidates who were weak in actualbat and relied on their organizations movement technique or poisons to be great assassin¡¯s, which meant that when they were engaged in a close quarter fight, their weaknesses were ringly visible. However, there were a few amongst the group who shone brightly in practicalbat as well with one especially talented fighter being a guy named ¡®Joe¡¯. Joe had mastered the technique [ Feint Step ] to send the opponent in the wrong direction and he followed it up with the move [ Precise Strike ] to finish his match. From start to finish his battle onlysted 6 seconds, however, the judges gave both him and his opponent the same score of 6/10, which came as a big surprise to Leo. His move was the first time that Leo¡¯s mimic picked up on a move that was not purely a footwork technique and was instead an actual offensive move. For theck of better options, Leo chose to copy [ Precise Strike ] and keep it safe in his arsenal for when it was his turn to fight and it proved to be a smart choice since after Joe, no-one else seemed to have abat ability already chosen. ¡°Hey Lin Mu? Why is no-one usingbat abilities? Arebat ability scrolls that rare in our organization?¡± Leo asked innocently after witnessing close to 7 fights where no-one used any real skill. ¡± It¡¯s not that skill scrolls are rare, however, because one can only learn and master a limited number of skills in their lifetime, young assassin¡¯s from prestigious ns like ourselves don¡¯t impart sub-par techniques to their young. Amongst the Assassin Alliance, the two bestbat techniques are the one¡¯s known only to the Night Guild and it is mostly for the right to learn and master these techniques that one tries their best in these entrance exams to be ranked as highly as they can overall. In general, an assassin which has already learntbat moves is seen as an already painted canvas, he/she would never be evaluated to be as important as a pure talent with a nk te¡± Lin Mu said as Leo felt surprised to learn this detail. Looking at the shock on his face, Lin Mu continued. ¡± That¡¯s the reason behind why Joe Jones did not receive as high an evaluation as his predecessor although he finished the fight in 6 seconds. Joe used [ Precise Strike ] which is a (Rare) grade attack skill but nothing too special. An average assassin can learn about four skills in their entire life and if they¡¯re amazing they can maybe learn five. Legendary figures like the Night Guild Master are said to be able to learn upto 6 skills at once, however, that¡¯s the uppermost limit. Joe, having already learnt a movement technique and an attack skill has already learnt two of his four core moves leaving very little scope for future growth and improvement which is why although he may progress further in thispetition, his overall evaluation will never be high enough to join the Night guild¡± Lin Mu further exined as Leo now found himself in a pickle as he could not decide between using a special move in his battle or not? ¡°You haven¡¯t been stupid enough to learn anything besides a movement technique right?¡± Lin Mu asked Leo with ring eyes as Leo gulped a mouthful of saliva and said ¡°No ofcourse not-¡°. Unlike the NPC of this world who could never forget a skill with a tap of their system screen, Leo could learn and forget a skill with rtive ease. He had six skill slots to store 6 different skills at once and it he ever got a better skill in the future, he could always swap it out with the old one, or at least that¡¯s what he understood. Despite acquiring two skill scrolls, Leo had not learnt any of them since the skill scrolls did not disy what sort of ability was stored within. Leo wanted to make sure that it wasn¡¯t something trash before learning it, however, it seemed like his decision to abstain from learning a skill was working in his favor uptil now. The only problem for him now though was the fact that the average level of all contestants in round three was around 50-70 and Leo was at a big disadvantage in this area. At only level 32 and no actualbat experience, he had no real shot of winning the third round tournament without relying on strong copied moves, however, not being a quitter, Leo was prepared to fight with the hand that he was dealt. ¡± Hey Jin, your fight will be next, don¡¯t embarrass the Mu n. Even if you have learnt a skill move, don¡¯t use it. Please?¡± Lin Mu requested as Leo nodded and assured her that he would do his best. Since showing a learnt skill move degraded one¡¯s overall worth, Leo decided that it would be better not to use any attacks and fight based on instincts alone, however, to even the odds he decided to choose sword as his primary weapon. The rules dictated that one could bring in any weapon of choice to their match-up, however, most assassins seemed to choose either a bow or use daggers, which was why Leo decided to choose sword. For the slower and weaker Leo, having a longer range was his only edge heading into this battle as he sincerely hoped that he would at least not embarrass himself in front of all these people. Once the round of 64 came to an end, he was the first one to be called upon the stage to fight as he was the first man to have been seeded and the first rank of the previous round! Anticipation from the crowd was huge for this match as historically it was always the first and second seeded individuals who performed the best in round three. His opponent this time was ady named ¡®Alicia¡¯ who was level 54 and not particrly memorable in her first fight. While she chose to fight with daggers, Leo chose to fight with his bone sword, which immediately prompted the rise of murmurs from the crowd. A sword was not the first choice of weapon for assassin¡¯s who relied mostly on stealth and agility, however, it wasn¡¯t unprecedented either and built up excitement amongst many for what was toe next. Chapter 62: An eye for talent Chapter 62: An eye for talent An eye for talent ¡°The first match of round of 32 will be fought between Jin Mu of the Mu n and Alicia Don of the Poison Frogs guild. Killing and maiming is strictly prohibited and so is the use of auxiliary objects apart from your primary weapon. The match ends when either side is incapacitated or surrenders.¡± The match referee said as Leo nodded his head and clutched his sword with both hands, pointing it towards his opponent. His stance was unusual with many obvious ws as the judges and the more experienced warrior¡¯s in the crowd frowned at his immature disy of swordsmanship. ¡± Tch, the first seeded individual this time around is weaker than I expected, when he picked the sword I was hoping that he would be an expert, however, it looks like he doesn¡¯t even understand the basics of swordsmanship. Having a longer weapon means that you can fight while exposing a lower surface area which is why swordsmen fight while being either northpaw or southpaw. Not only is he standing straight, but he¡¯s also clutching his sword with both hands which can only be useful for chopping wood or splitting someone¡¯s head, however, in a speed based battle it¡¯s arguably the worst stance to choose. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking-¡± said one of the spectators who used a sword as a primary weapon and the people seated around him agreed with his opinion. The judges were pissed off as well, as those old monsters knew that making Leo the first seed was a dumb choice, however, the alliance leader seemed to be interested in his future which was the only reason they scored him that highly in round two. ¡± He¡¯s much weaker than Alicia, he will be devoured alive, the ck sheep of Mu family will not move on to round of 16¡å said one of the judges as everyone except the alliance leader seemed to be convinced that Leo would lose. ¡± Just wait and watch, maybe thisd will surprise you¡± the alliance leader Dem Paltrow said as a soft smile spread on his face. ¡°Contestants ready? Fight!¡± signaled the referee once both fighters had assumed their fighting stance as immediately Alicia moved up on Leo. *SWOOSH* Leo swung his sword in a vertical sh with all his might as the approaching Alicia was forced to block it using one of the daggers in her left arm as she proceeded to use her momentum and turn under the sword to get closer to Leo. *CLANG* Leo¡¯s bone sword collided with Alicia¡¯s metal dagger making a distinct nking sound. Because of his lower level and stats, although Leo was using both his arms and putting the strength of his entire back behind the strike, he wasn¡¯t able to force the dagger out of Alicia¡¯s hands as she proceeded to move closer to Leo¡¯s body using her existing momentum and extended her free right hand towards Leo¡¯s neck, hoping to end the fight fast by immobilizing him. It appeared as a done deal as well as there seemed to be no hope for Leo to maneuver out of that move, however, at thest possible second, Leo ducked causing Alicia to miss her mark. *Stumble* Unfortunately, after thrusting her dagger into nothing but air while being off bnce, Alicia stumbled a bit which awkwardly allowing Leo to lift her atop his back when he stood back up. ¡± Let me go, you creep!¡± Alicia screamed as she could feel her soft mounds bumping against Leo¡¯s hard shoulders, as upon her shout, Leo immediately offloaded, giving her a horrendous backdrop onto the floor. *THUD* Shended t on her back, feeling winded and disoriented as by the time she gathered herself, she found herself staring down the pointy end of Leo¡¯s sword as somehow she had lost this match. ¡± The winner of this match, first seed Jin Mu¡± the referee dered as everyone in the crowd and the judges felt baffled at what they just witnessed. ¡± Oye, oye, oye, what the fuck was that match?¡± One spectator asked the other, as the usually stoic and emotionless assassin¡¯s lost their cool when spectating Leo Skyshards unbelievable luck at work. ¡°This has to be a coincidence right? There¡¯s no way he nned this right?¡± Asked a spectator to the sword master who seemed unsure of what to say? From start to finish, Leo had nothing but utmost calm expressions on his face as he even shook hands with his opponent after his victory. He did not seem surprised that he won and keeping true to his character as the biggest big shot he pretended like it was all a part of his n when it clearly was not. The judges gave him an 8 while giving his opponent a 6 for the match as Leo walked out of the arena after politely bowing to the judges. Out of everyone, the people that were the most happy that Leo won were Lin Mu and the Alliance Leader who had a heartyugh about how Leo won. On one hand the other judges began to doubt if their eye for picking talent was inferiorpared to the Alliance leader and on the other Lin Mu being the second ranked seed increased the poprity of the Mu n by severalfold. Just like Leo, she too won her match in under twenty seconds, however, unlike him she did not use luck as a factor. Thoroughly dominating through dagger mastery, speed and strength, she proved to everyone that the Mu n was more than just a n of seductive beauties and received a high score of 9 from the judges for her dominating performance. Miraculously, both Jin and Lin Mu had made their way to top16, raising the prestige of the Mu n several fold amongst the Assassin Alliance. Chapter 63: Leaving for the capital Chapter 63: Leaving for the capital Leaving for the capital Leo did not get to watch Lin Mu¡¯s match at all. By the time he was back at the spectator stands, her match was already over and the judges were giving her a grade. Nheless, Leo smiled seeing how Lin Mu won and although he did not realize this himself, this was the first time where Leo felt emotional for a NPC. ¡± Well done¡± Leo said to Lin Mu when she came back to the stands, to which she smiled happily and said ¡°Well, Thankyou, I could say the same to you as well¡± The fake cousins sat beside each other and calmly watched the round of 32 proceed as many fighters appeared for the first time in this round and mostly it were the fresher top seeds who took home the victory. Compared to the round of 64, the fights in round of 32 were more technical and were concluded faster with the deciding factor for most matches being the speed difference of the contestants. In 9 out of 10 matches, the faster candidate won and watching it y out this way, Leo felt his stomach turn as he slowly lost hope at progressing any further. Although he had miraculously won in the first round, he saw no chance of winning in the round of 16 as watching others battle, he realized just how slow he was inparison. He felt like he was ying a 90 FPS game in an old device that could support a 60 FPS frame rate at best, however, due to heating issues it was down to 45 FPS. Let alone fight back, he could not see half of the action taking ce and with such shitty gear he could not hope to continue winning much more. ¡± Hey, don¡¯t be too tense, rx, empty your mind¡± Lin Mu said calmly as she sensed her brother¡¯s anxiety. ¡± I know they all look difficult to beat, but you must never tire yourself mentally before a fight. Whatever happens shall happen, but don¡¯t give them an advantage before the fight even starts¡± she told him as Leo took her advice to heart and nodded. His opponents were undoubtedly strong, however, nothing changed for Leo because they were strong. He still needed to do the best he could. *********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ on defeating a Level 12 ¡®Feral Cat¡¯. You have gained some experience. ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯, you have advanced to level 9! ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯, you have entered the top 1 million yer ranks within Terra Nova Online! ] Three notifications shed on Luke¡¯s screen with thest one bringing a big smile to his face. ¡°Top 1 million? That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± He murmured to himself as he put down his sword and tried to catch his breath after a big fight. Over thest few hours he had been trying to raise his level non-stop and finally through great difficulty he had raised it to level 9. ¡± I get it now. I get it why most rankers appeared cluttered around level 10-11 when the top 10,000 rankings opened for the first time ever. There are no high level monsters near the vicinity of a beginner town or vige and to progress beyond this level cap, one needs to leave their beginner vige in favor of the royal capital. After dozens of minutes of looking around, I barely find a level 4-7 monster, killing which provides me with very less HP¡± Luke cursed as he realized that he had been a step behind the rankers from the start. Today was the start of day4 on the arc ship. Meaning that the first week evaluation was due in 3 days. While the rankers had already made their choice on day2 to leave their beginner vige and head for the royal capital or towards better hunting grounds, Luke had been ying catch-up all this time. Now, he had to make a gamble between either sticking to his beginner vige and leveling up slowly but steadily, or take a risk and leave the beginner Panjim Town in favor of the royal capital. It would take him at least one and a half day¡¯s time to travel to the royal capital alongside a merchant caravan, giving him very little time before the first evaluation to raise his level. ¡®Damn it, what to do?¡¯ Luke wondered and because he could not arrive at a conclusion on his own, he decided to open the messages tab and write a message to his future guildmaster, DarkEmperor. { Hello guildmaster, As you already know, I¡¯m from the E ss and the uing evaluation is something extremely important for me on an individual level. It¡¯s only recently that I¡¯ve discovered the limitation of leveling around the vicinity of one¡¯s beginner town and am unsure about the best future course of action to undertake. Should I leave Panjim Town and head for the Capital? Or should I stay put and level up until the first evaluation is over? } Luke wrote as almost immediately Cervantez replied to his message saying { head to the capital, if you leave now, there will still be enough time for you to increase levels } Just like that, Luke felt one of his problems vanish as he purchased a ticket to the capital, riding alongside a secure merchant caravan for 1 gold coins. It was undoubtedly a costly affair and a rip off for a merchant group to charge so much for a single passenger, however, the price of a seat was sold based on the customers desperation and Luke seemed like a customer who was desperate enough to travel to the capital even if it costed him a full gold coin. Hence naturally, being the greedy merchants that they were, they charged him a premium for hisst second decision, however, gave him afortable seat in return for his ride to the Capital. Chapter 64: A cursed Class Chapter 64: A cursed ss A cursed ss [ Leo¡¯s POV ] A short break of two hours was announced once the round of 32 ended and it was during this break where the scouting agents for various big guilds became active. Almost everyone who had made it to the round of 16 received an invitation to join the prestigious Night Guild, with both Leo and Lin being no exception. ¡± Your talents have been recognised by the Night Guildmaster himself!, will you pledge your loyalty to the guild?¡± The talent scout told Leo as immediately a system notification popped up in front of him. [ System Notification:- You have received an invitation to join an NPC Guild, yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ belongs to the actor ss and cannot join a guild. You must reject the invitation ] Leo¡¯s excitement immediately turned to anguish upon reading the system notification as his cursed actor ss would not allow him to join a guild at all. ¡± What are the benefits that he would receive upon joining your guild? Will you promise to nurture him with at least 2500 gold coins worth of elixirs a month and your best techniques? My brother Jin is a bit dumb, but don¡¯t think you can scam him to join your guild without giving him proper advantages¡± Lin Mu said as she rejected this proposal by the scout before Leo could even utter a word. ¡± Ho, ho, ho, what an energetic youngdy¡± the lead scout said as sarcasm was evident in her voice. ¡± NO- the conditions you speak off are excessive. Joining the night guild is a privilege for you younglings, and we won¡¯t be overextending ourselves for above average talent at best. You¡¯re not the night guild leader¡¯s son or a once in a generation talent that we promise you our best techniques before even joining. You must join the guild and earn your way to those scrolls through contributions and merits like everyone else. The best I can do is promise 500 gold worth of elixirs every month, which is a standard practise of our guild¡± the lead scout said as Lin Mu shook her head and rejected her offer on behalf of both of them. ¡± Sorry. The Mu n doesn¡¯t like these terms, let¡¯s talk again with hopefully better terms once next round ends¡± she said as the lead scout scoffed at her confidence. ¡± Very well, however, I shall rescind my offer should you lose the next round¡± the lead scout said before walking away as the second she left. Other scouts swarmed in towards Lin and Leo with offers that were far more lucrativepared to what the Night n offered. ¡± The poison frog guild promises to provide you with 3000 gold coins worth of elixirs every month! Alongside full ess to our top poison making recipes. Please join our organization-¡± ¡± No! The ck mamba guild promises to provide you with 4000 gold coins worth of elixirs every month! But not only that, we will provide you with an expert rankedbat instructor, give you an apartment in the royal capital and even provide you with our guilds famous venom strike technique¡± The ck mamba scout said as his offer immediately caused the poison frog scout to be outraged. ¡± What famous poison strike technique? That¡¯s a ( rare ) ranked technique. Although you¡¯re offering him more money, only a fool would choose your shitty organization, a fool which Mr.Jin is certainly not¡± the poison frog scout said as a verbal spat ensued between the two. For Leo, none of it mattered however, as he could not join a guild anyways. Let alone 4000 gold, even if someone offered him 4 million gold he could do nothing with it as his stupid ss would not allow him to join an organization. ¡®What¡¯s the point of taking part in this Assassin Alliance Entrance exam if I can¡¯t join a guild?¡¯ Leo thought to himself as he felt truly depressed at his own circumstances. He had taken part in the Assassin Alliance Entrance test in hopes of joining a guild and training under them to be an aplished warrior like the stupid DarkEmperor suggested, however, apparently his stupid ss won¡¯t let him join one which defeated the whole purpose of this exercise. ¡®I can¡¯t even run away at this point because it would reflect badly on Lin Mu and would mess up my active quest of ying the role of Jin Mu the ck sheep¡¯ Leo thought as it seemed like he needed to continue participating in this test even if there would be no personal gain for him at the end. ¡± Sorry, I won¡¯t be making a choice about joining any guild right now¡± Leo said as he moved away from the crowd, leaving Lin Mu, who was seriously deliberating her options behind as he headed out for some peace and quiet. Not too far away from the arena, Leo sat atop a small bench as he nted his face in his palms and contemted just what he was doing amongst these NPC assassins. In his mind right now, he felt like thest 24 hours had been aplete waste and although he learnt more about the Mimic skill and had fun, he did not achieve anything tangible bying here. ¡°Why so sad young man?¡± A voice suddenly said as when Leo raised his head, he was surprised to see the old man who was the gatekeeper when he entered the Assassin Alliance sitting beside him now smoking the same pipe as before. ¡± Old man gatekeeper? How did you find me?¡± Leo said surprised as the old man chuckled and took a deep drag from his pipe. *FUUUUU* Exhaling slowly, he let Leo wait for his answer, and only after exhaling fully did he say ¡± I watched your match. Also, you breathe too loud. A dead giveaway that you ain¡¯t one of us¡± Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise but then he too exhaled sharply, sighing more than exhaling as he said ¡± Yeah, I guess the assassin world ain¡¯t meant for me¡± Chapter 65: A forgotten legend Chapter 65: A forgotten legend A forgotten legend ¡± I guess this Assassin world ain¡¯t meant for me-¡± Leo said as the old man beside him could not help but feel frustrated at the words of this youngster. ¡± I have honestly not seen a bigger idiot than you in all 64 years of my life. Your talent for bing an assassin is the highest that I¡¯ve ever seen since that brat Dem Paltrow, yet you say that this world isn¡¯t meant for you. Well, you¡¯re not wrong, your temperament doesn¡¯t suit this line of work. However, your talent? Someone will definitely give an eye and an ear to have your talent¡± The old man said as he could not help but feel like Leo was wasting his potential. ¡± Really?¡± Leo asked innocently as the old man nodded his head and went back to taking a drag from his pipe. This outburst of emotion was rare from the old man, a rare slippage due to old age, something that would be unthinkable should he be in his prime. ¡± If you want my free advice on which guild to join, I¡¯d say don¡¯t join the night guild. Join a smaller guild, you will thrive more in a smaller organization¡± the old man said as Leo pped his cheeks and shook his head in dismay. ¡± I can¡¯t¡­.. I promised someone I wouldn¡¯t join a guild. I¡¯m here to look for a master to tutor me, but I won¡¯t ever sign myself up to a guild¡± Leo said, making up an borate lie at the spur of the moment, never anticipating what this small lie would do for his life. The old man¡¯s eyes, which were cold and lifeless, suddenly shone back to life when he heard Leo¡¯s words. His heart that had not been nervous since he learnt how to control his emotions as a youngster suddenly felt tumultuous as he wondered if there was hope in Leo epting him as his master? His real identity was Ben Faulkner, he was a mythical figure in the Assassin world who had achieved the distinction of being the only assassin ever to kill someone belonging to the imperial bloodline from within the castle walls. He was the founding father of the Night Guild, however, because of a sinister plot by the current guildmaster Dem, he was reduced to the state of a useless old man about two decades ago. Since his physical state was no longer good enough to carry the legacy of the great assassin hero Ben, he changed his identity and began living as a humble gatekeeper waiting for death, however, as the years passed he still held onto one single wish of passing his skills down to a worthy disciple before he died. If he revealed himself to be the legendary assassin, then he could perhaps gather many talented disciples, however, without his name his current state was not anything worth mentioning. He did not have a guild, he did not have the resources or training facility needed to nurture a proper talent and the two people whom he approached before today, offering them a chance to be his students, seemed to mock and detest him which was why Ben had chosen not to try again and humiliate himself by lowering his pride. He had almost made peace with the fact that he was going to die an anonymous death, a death with which his legacy would vanish forever, however, then he met Leo. A fool who did not even understand the basics of being an assassin picked up his movement technique that was impossible to learn without years of practice within seconds. A sensational talent unlike anyone he had ever seen, with a temperament which was unlike anyone he knew as well, he became an object of interest for the retired legend. Since he was not allowed to spectate the first two rounds, he waited patiently for the results and was surprised to see that Leo made it to the third round whereby he lost any hope of recruiting him as his disciple as he knew that the big guilds were probably going top him up. Dejected, he watched Leo being swarmed by scouts, however, to his surprise Leo rejected them all. ¡® Don¡¯t be too excited Ben, he is probably doing it to inte his own self worth¡¯ he thought, however, when he spotted Leo walking out of the arena and sitting by himself on a bench, he could not resist starting a conversation. A conversation which led to the revtion that Leo was not looking to join a guild but was rather looking for a master¡­.. ¡± Young boy, I¡¯ll train you if you want. Do you wish to ept me as your master?¡± Ben asked as Leo felt surprised by the offer. [ System Notification:- NPC Ben Faulkner, Level (????) has proposed to take you in as his disciple. Do you wish to ept? Yes No ] A system notification popped up in front of Leo as he felt genuine joy staring down this heaven sent opportunity. ¡± Okay-¡± Leo said, tapping yes on the system screen as Ben Faulkner burst outughing listening to his answer. His loudughter echoed through the halls of the underground Assassin Alliance headquarters as passing assassins threw the duo nasty res for public indecency. Ben, whose old heart had given up the hope of passing down his legacy, felt about 20 years younger that very instant as he finally found a purpose in life after simply existing aimlessly for so long. ¡± Are you okay, old man?¡± Leo asked as he doubted if the old man had lost his marbles, but Ben only grinned widely showing his nasty brown and rotten teeth as he said ¡± Inform themittee that you won¡¯t be participating in the next round. We depart for Mt.Faulkner today¡± Chapter 66: True colors Chapter 66: True colors True colors ¡± Guildmaster, it is as you predicted, the boy has withdrawn from this contest and looks to be affiliated to the old man you told us to keep an eye out for¡±. ¡± Ha-, I knew it from the second he walked into the Assassin Alliance, that footwork. There¡¯s only one man who knows how to do it. So he chose the Mu family¡¯s brat as his disciple? What an interesting choice-¡± Dem Paltrow said as he revealed his true colors behind the facade of the cool and ever so calm Assassin Alliance leader. ¡± There¡¯s only one reason I¡¯ve spared Ben Faulkner and allowed him to live the life of a wretched old man and that¡¯s because I did not want him to die in an instant, but rather watch him fade away slowly. If he has taken in a disciple, then his techniques have a risk of being passed down. If that happens then he can die as a satisfied old man. Damn it-, I can¡¯t let it happen. Trail them, send one of our finest to kill the boy as soon as they leave this forest. ¡± Dem Paltrow said as he put out a hit order on Leo. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) ¡± What do you mean you¡¯re withdrawing? We need to get in the night guild together, right?¡± Lin Mu said as she seemed seriously agitated that her brother was suggesting that he leave. ¡± What can I say? I found a master, he asked me to withdraw and say my goodbyes-¡± Leo said as he too felt a little emotional saying goodbye to Lin Mu. ¡± Who is this master that you have found? What guild does he belong to?¡± Lin Mu asked fiercely as Leo scratched his head and tried to think of a convincing answer. ¡± It¡¯s the old gatekeeper that sits outside the entrance, as for a guild, I don¡¯t think he has one¡± Leo said as Lin Mu instantly pped her forehead in dejection. ¡± Scammed, you have been scammed brother! Don¡¯t you worry, stay with me, once this contest ends, I¡¯ll help you enroll in a proper guild and they can probably assassinate this gatekeeper for you or buy his mastership out. Now forget about everything else and focus on your next match¨C , your next opponent is¡­¡± Lin Mu said as she tried her best to help Leo, however, Leo only smiled in response. ¡± I¡¯m sorry sister, it¡¯s not a spur of the moment decision, I¡¯m going with the old man¡± Leo said as Lin Mu bit her bottom lip listening to the conviction in his voice. ¡± Are you sure?¡± She asked, and once Leo nodded she sighed before giving him a hug. ¡°I¡¯ll forever remember you as part of my family¡± Leo said as he hugged Lin Mu back. Once the two separated, Leo turned to leave, however, Lin Mu suddenly stopped him. ¡± Wait-¡± she said as she stopped Leo and handed over a brass token with the word ¡®MU¡¯ stamped over it. ¡± You know where to find me,¡± Lin Mu said as Leo clutched the token and walked away. At this point in time, he had no idea whether or not he would ever meet Lin Mu again, however, he certainly hoped that the next time they did, he would be a proper Assassin that could be at her level in terms of skill so as to not be an embarrassment to the Mu family. [ System Notification :- The quest ¡®y the character of Jin Mu¡¯ has been forefit after partialpletion. ] [ Quest Notification ¨C For only partially sessfullypleting the quest, you receive reduced rewards. ] [ System Notification :- You have received 1)You have gained experience as an actor after ying for first role, you have improved as an actor. 2) You have recieved the Mu n¡¯s token and are now considered to be on friendly terms with the Mu n. 3) You have failed to trigger the hidden quest event and have failed at gaining the chance to marry Lin Mu. 4) For partialpensation you recieve:- 1x HP potion bottle ( Basic ) 20x silver coins ] As soon as Leo told his goodbyes, his quest to act as Jin Mu came to an abrupt end and the system judged it to be partiallypleted. For partiallypleting the quest he got way reduced rewards than what he could have gained had he seen the quest all the way topletion and amongst the rewards that he recieved, the first one which said that he had furthered on his path as an actor seemed to be nothing more than a wall of text. Overall the only useful item that he gained from the quest rewards seemed to be the HP potion bottle, which could apparently help him regain lost HP at an extremely fast rate and close up critical wounds to a certain extent. The system notification also said that he failed to trigger the hidden event and had also lost the chance to marry Lin Mu, however, Leo was not too worried about it. Although he liked Lin Mu, it wasn¡¯t on the scale of a full blown love affair, also his love for her was more along the sibling scale and about the hidden event, he had no idea what it was or how much hassle it would be or whether or not he would have been able to trigger it in the first ce. Since there were so many variables, Leo decided to not fret over it and instead focus on his gaming career ahead. Following the old man out of the Assassin Alliance, the duo were headed for a barren mountain with apparently no viges around called Mt.Faulkner. It was there that Leo would begin his training to be a proper Assassin and truly evolve from being a lucky yer to a lucky yer with skill, however, little did he know that a predator was stalking him and the old man, ready to strike them down before they even reached their destination. Chapter 67: The greatest weapon of humanity Chapter 67: The greatest weapon of humanity The greatest weapon of humanity ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Unlike Leo, Luke did not admire simpler things in life like nature, art or poetry. While on a journey, his mind did not work towards how the game mechanics worked or how realistic the world looked, but instead worked towards solving realistic worries that were under his control. Once enroute, his mind wandered towards subjects like what if the guy that he had beat outside his apartment returned with more bad guys to cause trouble? Or what if other sector E workers started to form makeshift weapons out of objects that they had carried from home and used it to form gangs and cause violence? Did he need to possess a weapon of his own for his own and Leo¡¯s security? What if he had to fight an opponent to death someday? Did he really have the guts to take a life for real? These were some of the questions that bothered Luke as he deeply contemted the answers to all of them while being on a journey. If it were Leo instead of him on this journey, what he would have noticed would be just how fast the mounts and caravans moved in this world and how they came engraved with spells that worked like suspensions to give the riders a smoother ride. Although there were no concrete roads and no hard pavements, the journey was incredibly fast and smooth with the carriage maintaining an average speed of nearly 80 km/h. Back on Earth, such speeds were only achieved by proper cars driving on rtively traffic free roads, however, the more important thing was not the speed but rather the distance it represented. It was a one and a half day journey for a merchant group to go from Panjim Town to the royal capital and they were travelling for close to 16 hours off that one and a half day. This meant that the distance between Panjim Town and the Royal Capital was at least 1200 kilometres, if not more, which just went to show just how big the world of Terra Nova really was. Although Luke did not know about it yet, the peak length of the empire he was a part of was close to 3400 kilometres and its peak width was about 2400. The current Emperor controlled a humongous territory which was then divided into four regions controlled by the four Archdukes having four smaller duchies each within them to create the 16 dukedoms. These dukedoms were further subdivided into Counties, Viscounties and Baronies with most Barons also serving as the Mayor of a small town. The real world of Terra Nova was extremely diverse and there were all sorts of ethnicities and people living within it. For now, Luke had note into contact with much of this world and hence he did not care much for it, however, as time passed and his importance to the empire would grow, this would be critical information that he would always have to keep in mind before making any big decision. *BANG* *BANG* *BANG* Suddenly, Luke was jolted awake by the sudden sound of gunshots being fired. At first he thought he was mistaken as guns did not seem to fit into the theme of the mediaeval Terra Nova world, however, he was sure that it was definitely gunshot noises that he heard once more shots were fired. *SCREECH* The carriage he was riding came to a screeching halt, a small slit made into the carriage front helping him see that the horse that was dragging his carriage was down on the ground with his foot seemingly having sustained a gunshot wound. ¡± AMBUSH-¡± ¡± IT SEEMS LIKE THEY CARRY WITH THEM THOSE DASTARDLY DWARVEN WEAPONS ¡± Two different masculine voices shouted as Luke felt worried as to what was going on. ¡± Don¡¯t worry, our protection group will handle this easily¡± the merchant who was riding the carriage alongside Luke said calmly as Luke felt surprised to see his calm demeanour. ¡°The opponent¡¯s have guns¡± he said, as he tried to highlight the importance of their weapons as back on earth a gun was considered to be the greatest equaliser. It did not matter if a gun was being used by a short 4 foot man who could probably not even throw a proper punch, or by a 7 feet muscr guy who could easily eat anyone when it came to a physical brawl. If they shot a bullet against each other, both men would most likely die, when the result would have been vastly different had it been a sword fight or a fist fight. Making a gun and using it to make a hefty profit was one idea that even Luke had when he was wondering how to make money within Terra Nova, however, it seemed like someone else had got to it before him. *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* ¡°Agghhhh¡± *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* ¡± What the fuck? Why are these guys not dying from being shot?¡± ¡°Aghhhhh¡± Luke heard all sorts of screams and shots outside the carriage as it seemed like the protection group that the merchant hired was going after the gunmen trying to rob them. Not being able to hide his curiosity, Luke slightly opened the carriage door and peeked outside, shocked to see how easily the hired mercenaries were dodging and deflecting bullets. A group of three yers, all level 7 or lower seemed to shoot bullets towards a tall well built mercenary who deflected all three shots with an easy flick of his wrist as all three bullets seemed to have perfectly collided with his sword. *sh* *sh* *sh* All three yers were killed in an instant as they stood no chance against the strong mercenary. Luke watched with his eyes wide open as he could not believe what he was witnessing, yet it seemed like the greatest equaliser of humanity meant nothing much in the world of Terra Nova and that the warriors here had reflexes that far surpassed the speed of bullets. ¡°What the fuck did I just witness?¡± Luke questioned, as he realised that he did not even understand 1% of the world of Terra Nova yet. Chapter 68: Ignorance of the fools Chapter 68: Ignorance of the fools Ignorance of the fools ( The attacker¡¯s POV ) The bandits who attacked Luke¡¯s caravan thought that they had a solid n of action. Spawned in a small vige between Panjim Town and the Royal Capital, they were a group of 12 yers from sector D who had bonded with each other on the very first day of the game. One yer amongst them named ¡®Cash¡¯ was an arms manufacturer back on Earth who had the knowledge needed to make all theponents required to make a modern rifle. On the second day of ying Terra Nova, the group of friends with Cash as their leader had this genius n of creating guns and using it to rob passing caravans. To aplish this n, they approached a local Smithy and pooled all the money that they had tomission the manufacturing of guns. Since the skill of the cksmith theymissioned the gun from was limited, they could not create automatic rifles that needed sophisticated machinery, but could still produce revolvers, making which took roughly 2 days for the cksmith. With a gun in hand, the group of friend¡¯s felt immortal. They felt like they had created an unseen phenomenon in a mediaeval world and that with this object in their possession they were bound to be unstoppable. What they did not know however, was the fact that guns had long existed in the world of Terra Nova, however, it was not widely adopted because its practicality was extremely limited. In this game, charms to repel bullets by creating a small veil around oneself were avable for as cheap as 25 silver coins and almost all carriages sold to merchants came with a bullet deflection engraving inbuilt. Apart from such protective measures, there existed a skill move in Terra Nova called [ Time Dtion ], A must have skill for any mercenary and this skill allowed an individual to perceive their surroundings at a much slower pace, allowing them to react to unexpected dangers with ease. A trained mercenary over level 100 who had [ Time Dtion ] under his belt could easily deflect any bulleting his way regardless of the pace. With so many shorings, and the fact that archery remained superior to guns, the weapon was all but redundant in the world of Terra Nova and it was only useful against low level yers and monsters under level 60. In Terra Nova, archery was much more advancedpared to Earth, with archery shots reaching a speed and pration ability that was much higher to bullets and there existed a myriad of spells that made archery even more potent. Archery, especially elven archery had been improved, researched and passed down for generations which allowed them to have skill moves such as [ Power Shot ] [ Triple Shot ] [ Duplicate Shot ] [ Ice Arrow ] [ Explosive Arrow ] just to name a few under their belt. The highest level of elven archers could even shoot one arrow towards the sky and it could duplicate into a 100,000 arrows and rain down upon an army, however, no such spells existed for guns and bullets, which because of their small size were difficult to engraved with special abilities. Hence for a variety of reasons, the field of guns was not researched or adopted heavily with there being hardly any innovation in that space happening if any at all. For new yers who came from Earth, it was probably going to be a hard pill to swallow with many earthlings surely falling for the scam of buying an expensive gun only to find its capabilities limited in the future. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª [ System Notification ¨C You have died and have lost 1 level. You have dropped [ P5 revolver ] and 7 silver coins because of dying ] [ System Notification ¨C Death penalty enacted! You cannot log back into the game for the next 24 hours. Your infamy for trying to unsessfully rob a caravan has increased! You will now have trouble with government unless you repent and improve your social score ] ¡°What the fuck? What is this shit? Who was I even fighting? Those mercenaries moved like prime Spiderman¡± Cashined as he looked at his system screen and could not help but curse his bad luck. He lost a level, lost his revolver, lost hisst bit of money and to top it all off he was not even allowed to re-enter the game for next 24 hours which made it impossible to make up for lost progress with the first evaluation being so close. ¡°Fucking hell, at this rate let alone being promoted, I may get demoted to the shithole called sector E. Fuck no-¡± he cursed as he took off his VR helmet and decided to grind away at his real life job to atleast improve his grading there. With this failed attempt of a robbery, his odds of being promoted had been utterly thrashed, however, he needed to work hard to at least keep his ce in Sector D as he had already begun to hear news about what a miserable ce sector E was. *********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke learnt something new watching the yers fail at their looting attempt. Since he had nothing to do, he decided to create an informative post about the failure of guns and post it on the global forum as he wrote an in-depth analysis of what happened and post it on the forum just out of sheer boredom. After posting, he waited for a few seconds and read a few of the surprised replies, but then he closed down the global chat, not realising the storm that he had left in his wake. Most yers did not even know that guns existed in the world of Terra Nova, however, the fact that they were useless caused a shit-storm to begin brewing in the global chat. Some said Sky_Lion was lying, that the entire event was nothing but a storytale written by a fraud, however, there were a few who took his warning seriously. While Luke did not care if people believed him or not, he had unknowingly created a viral piece that had 2 million reshares and a 20 millionment long subthread started under it in just 7 hours. The name ¡®SkyLion¡¯ entered public domain for the first time ever and many took note of that name. Chapter 69: Regrets Chapter 69: Regrets Regrets ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo helped his old master pack his things from his old hut and although he had the system storage ability, using which would have made the packing process much faster, Leo chose not to use it as he did not know how a NPC would react to it. Carrying a huge backpack over his shoulder instead, Leo physically carried all of his master¡¯s luggage while he walked carefree with a pipe on his lips. ¡± Tell me boy, what¡¯s your real name? I know for a fact you¡¯re not from the Mu n because no Assassin of the Mu n would be allowed to join the spiders¡± Ben said as Leo scratched his head wondering how to answer. ¡°My street name is ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, you can call me whatever you please¡± Leo said as while he did not reveal his true name to Ben, he did give his gaming name. ¡± The Boss? How arrogant¡­. Hahaha, I like it¡± Ben said as he took a deep drag from his pipe and nodded in appreciation. This student that he had picked up, did not seem to becking in both talent and confidence, a trait that Ben appreciated a lot. ¡°I shall call you d¡¯ or ¡®boy¡¯ then, because there¡¯s no way I shall call you the Boss, that¡¯s ridiculous¡± Ben eventually said as Leo nodded his head in agreement. It seemed reasonable that his master did not call him ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo did not mind being calledd or boy. Having grown in the absence of a father, he quite appreciated forming a bond with a positive male figure and did not mind lowering his pride in front of him. ¡± So-, boy, tell me, have you, ever, heard the name, of the legendary assassin, Ben Faulkner before?¡± Ben said as Leo felt worried about why Ben was asking about himself and why he was pausing to take a deep breath after saying two words at best. ¡± Not really no-¡± Leo said, as Ben nodded his head and took yet another drag from his pipe. He was visibly gasping for air; just a few minutes of non-stop walking appeared to have taken its toll on Ben, leaving him breathless in Leo¡¯s view. ¡®Is this guy really a good teacher?¡¯ Leo wondered for the first time ever as he realized that he might have been too hasty in choosing his master. At first, the rush of having a mentor and progressing in the game made Leo blind to the true nature of the deal as he epted the proposal in a hurry. However, as he spent more time with the old man, doubts started to creep in his mind about his ability as on introspecting his body Leo realized that the old man was horribly out of shape. Not only did he have a protruding belly, but he had an excessyer of fat all over his body with his posture being incredibly bad. Even if he was once strong and ripped, his muscles now sat underneath severalyers of fat and were not visible at all when he moved his arms or his neck. To top it all off, he referred to himself in third person asking Leo if he had ever heard about the legendary tales of himself, which made Leo even more worried about his mental state. ¡® Fuck, did I choose a wrong master? Does this old man even know anything worth teaching? Did I make a stupid decision by bing his disciple just because I could not join a proper guild?¡¯ Leo wondered in his head as he began to view Ben in a worse light every passing second. Everything that Ben did, whether it was scratching his hairy stomach, coughing or sneezing, irritated Leo, as he began thinking about ways to back out of this master disciple deal in his head. ¡± Master, just out of curiosity¡­ how long will my discipleshipst?¡± Leo asked, as Ben scratched his stomach and wondered for a while. ¡± Usually itsts for two years. However, it really depends upon the students¡¯ own talent and the master¡¯s discretion. You know what they say right? A master for day, a father for life. I have a lot to teach you, and we will cross the bridge of when you will be ready once we assess your true potential¡± Ben said as he gave Leo a bright smile, showing his rotting teeth and a thumbs up sign. ¡®Yeah I¡¯m fucked¡¯ Leo thought, as he hung his head down in despair. What started off as a journey full of excitement with Leo feeling like he should carry the old man¡¯s luggage and allow him to call Leo whatever he wished, slowly turned into a trip of depression as once Leo began doubting thepetency of his master everything started to feel wrong. The bag over his shoulders began to feel extremely heavy, the mouth of his own which was clean with bright white teeth started to feel dirty and icky just by looking at his master¡¯s teeth as the future which felt bright and glorious just a while ago, now felt breathless and smoke filled as Leo began to regreting along with the old man. ¡®I will run away tonight¡¯ Leo thought to himself as he silently endured their trip together for now, only to ¡®identally¡¯ disappearter. Ben on the other hand, was feeling back to his best as slowly but surely he was setting up a deadly trap for the Assassin that was following him and his student. While pretending to be an out of breath old man despite being supremely fit, he was trying to get the Assassin following them to lower his guard as he was only waiting for a momentary weakness to strike. He had left the Assassin Alliance after all these years and had already expected the Night Guildmaster to send someone after him. Although he was retired, he wasn¡¯t someone born yesterday and knew very well how to protect himself and those he cared for. Chapter 70: The legend Ben Faulkner Chapter 70: The legend Ben Faulkner The legend Ben Faulkner ¡®This bum is the legendary Ben Faulkner? Has the guildmaster identally sent me after the wrong guy?¡¯ Smith wondered as he trailed Leo and Ben silently from a distance. Smith was a trained assassin belonging to the night guild and had carried out many important missions for the guild uptil now. While he was not a part of the top management of the guild, he was not considered a rookie either as hemanded a position of respect within the guild because of his impressive track record of never missing his prey. Today, the guildmaster had sent him to kill a small fledgling who was Ben Faulkner¡¯s disciple, however, while Smith thought that this would be a challenging mission with him shing daggers with the legendary Ben Faulkner, he was disappointed to see howx and unrefined the legendary assassin was. ¡® Ain¡¯t no way this fatso is Ben Faulkner, the guild must be mistaken. *Sigh*, my instructions are to not kill them while they¡¯re in the hidden forest, however, I¡¯m itching to get the job done quickly¡¯ Smith thought to himself as he kept following the two from a distance and controlled his urges to kill them right that instant. For bloodthirsty assassin¡¯s of the night guild like Smith, having a weak target walking with an exposed back and not attacking was like having a chocte addict work in a chocte factory with no supervision. They could just not resist the temptation of the kill, which was why the slower Leo and Ben walked, the more impatient Smith got as he mentally butchered them about ten times every minute. ¡® Just a bit more Smith¡­.. just a bit more¡¯ Smith told himself as it took superhuman self control for him to not attack until the two crossed the end of the forest which wasing up soon. ********** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) As Leo and Ben crossed the forest, Leo was mesmerized by the beautiful ins that stretched before his eyes, as the scene in front of him at the moment looked to be something straight out of ancient earth, with him never having witnessed such natural beauty before. ¡± WHOA- Look at these ins¡­.¡± Leo said in admiration as Ben could not help but chuckle looking at the kids reaction. As a young man, Ben often ignored the simpler things of life like the beauty of nature and in the process of building a legacy for himself he had nearly stopped living as a whole. Watching Leo still being innocent and vibrant made him feel happy as he silently vowed in his head to protect his innocence and not train him to be a monster even if he taught him all his most lethal tricks. ¡°Boy, do you like the view?¡± Ben asked, as Leo nodded his head and said ¡± Yes master¡±. ¡± Then do me a favor and run upto that small bush over there and then look back at the forest line. I bet you¡¯ll like that view even more¡± Ben told Leo as although it seemed like an odd request, Leo jogged over to the bush that Ben suggested and when he looked back towards the tree-line, he was surprised to see Mr. Ben drenched in blood with a decapitated dead body at his feet. ¡± Master, are you okay?¡± Leo shouted as he ran back towards the old man, however, Ben Faulkner had his usual goofy smile back on his face by the time Leo returned. A quick inspection of the assassin¡¯s body told Leo that he was Smith, a level 230 assassin and yet heid dead on his master¡¯s feet as if he were a small fry. ¡± What happened?¡± Leo asked in a concerned voice as the old man rotated his shoulders and corrected his hunch as for the first time ever, Leo saw the true height and glory of the old man. ¡± Nothing much, just a small fry trying to take you out, so I killed him instead¡± Ben said as it was at this moment that Leo realized that he had not made a mistake in choosing his master. Although the old man looked feeble, he was clearly still an apex predator. [ Ben Faulkner ] ( Lv ¨C ???? ) Leo¡¯s detection skill could not even pick up the level that Ben was at as Leo shuddered to even imagine what it might be if the dead Assassin at his feet was level 230. d that he did not create a scene when he first had his doubts, Leo began walking with Ben towards their destination with renewed spirits as he once again felt hope for a bright future. ********* ( Ben Faulkners POV, just a few moments ago ) Once the forest ended, Ben knew that the Assassin would not longer have a cover to operate from and would be forced to reveal himself which was why it would be the moment where he acted. Ben also knew the nature of the night guildmaster and knew that the target of this assassination was most likely Leo and not himself which was why he purposefully asked Leo to run off ahead, knowing full well that the second Leo moved away from his sphere of protection, the Assassin trailing them would make a move. As Leo jogged towards the bush, the Assassin immediately made his move as he ran at a blinding speed towards his target. In his mind, the washed up old man was no threat and Leo was an easy target which was why he never expected anyplications in this assassination, however, to his surprise, as soon as he made his move, the old man intercepted him in his path as if he was already aware of his movements. ¡®Impossible¡¯ is what he thought as he was forced to brandish his dagger and fight back against Ben Faulkner, however, he only hit Ben¡¯s shadow as before he knew it, his head was severed from his body and he died just like that. ¡® So that¡¯s the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner¡­.¡¯ he thought before losing consciousness forever as he died pitifully on a mission he considered to be easy. Chapter 71: The uprising Chapter 71: The uprising The uprising [ System Notification ¨C This is a gentle reminder to the yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ that your work shift starts in 30 minutes. Please logout at the soonest if you don¡¯t wish to be marked absent ] A system notification reminded Leo that his shift was going to start in 30 minutes. Thankfully, the in-game clock and the real world clock seemed to be in perfect sync such that when it was night on the arc ship, it was early morning in the game and when it was night in the game, it was the start of the work shift on the arc ship. ¡°Let¡¯s set camp here for the night, we will continue tomorrow¡± Ben said coincidentally at the same time as Leo received his notification, as Leo quickly helped Ben set up camp in ten minutes, before pretending to go to sleep as he logged out of the game. Luke, on his end also got a simr notification and logged out as well as he did so while still being in the merchant wagon enroute to the capital. ************ ( The real world, Arc Ship ) Luke was already dressed up and ready by the time Leo logged out and he urged Leo to hurry up. While Leo had not been paying any attention to the global level rankings after the initial notification where he was dered to be on top, Luke who had nothing much to do while sitting idle in the carriage, spent a lot of time exploring the rankings and the global chat as he collected new, important pieces of information from the game. ¡°Hey Leo, today at work, remind me to tell you about my findings of Terra Nova. This game is much deeper than we believe¡± Luke said in a serious voice as Leo threw him a confused nce before nodding. As to not bete, the two rushed towards the attendance line once Leo was dressed where they were surprised to see a moderately low turnout for day 5 of work. Supervisors Jude, Vini and Cama came in at their usual time and after taking the roll call assigned everyone their tasks for the day with Luke and Leo getting their same old septic tank cleaning task. The atmosphere amongst those who hade to work was solemn and although there was no chaos at work, there was a collective uneasiness that everyone felt because of therge number of absentees. ¡± What¡¯s going on? I think only about 60% of total workers have shown up for work today, almost all of the working parties of 3 have been cut down to 2 today¡­..¡± Leo said once he and Luke were alone in the septic tank below, shoveling shit as usual. ¡± I wouldn¡¯t have known what was going on either, if I was not snooping around on the global chat. Yesterday, there were this bunch of guys who kept spamming messages like. ¡± Who here is from sector E?¡± Or ¡± Who here wishes to be promoted out of the shithole called sector E?¡± And while 90% of their messages were ignored, those from sector E who did reply to their text were then approached in private by DMs and invited into a secret organization called ¡®The Uprising¡¯.¡± Luke said, as he narrated the tale of what happened in a calm voice. ¡± Yesterday, I posted a message on the global chat about how ineffective guns were in Terra Nova and it became a viral post with thousands ofments and subments underneath. After a while of posting it, and replying to some of thements underneath, I got bored of my own post, however, somewhere I must have replied to someone under it that I was from sector E and it was using this message as a reference that I got approached by one of those people spamming ¡°Who here is from sector E¡± in DMs¡± Luke said as his voice turned serious. ¡± I¡¯ve had thousands of DM requests after my post went viral, yet, I have not epted any DMs from strangers, however, his DM interestingly started with the line ¨C ¡®I have important information for my brother¡¯s from sector E¡¯ which intrigued me and hence I epted it just to humor myself ¡± Luke said as he stopped shoveling shit for a second and turned to face Leo. ¡°The man, whose ID was ¡®FakeArcher¡¯, conversed with me for a full five minutes and tried to convince me to join an organization that went by the name ¡®The Uprising¡¯ which is apparently being led by a yer called ¡®ChaosBringer¡¯. To convince me to join, he asked me what were the three biggest problems that I was currently facing in the game and just to humor him, I told him about how finding prey beyond level 12 was a problem near the newbie towns. I did not expect him to have a solution to it, however, he immediately replied to me telling me how to move beyond level12, suggesting that one could kill yers of lower or same level and be a murderer to progress fast. He exined how there was no shortage of humans in a town and how finding and killing them was a faster way to level up¡± Luke said as now, Leo felt invested in this story as he too stopped shoveling shit and focused on what Luke had to say. ¡± He also knew what Cervantez knows about MP. He told me how to earn them and how to exchange them for anything one wants. He exined to me how with enough MP one could move straight from sector E to sector S and how MP could be exchanged in the real world to not perform any duties for the day without facing penalties¡± Luke said as now even Leo felt surprised as to how well informed the uprising was if they had ess to information which was not public knowledge yet. ¡± Most importantly, he told me that their leader understands the game mechanics better than any other yer in the game and proceeded to exin to me something that not even Cervantez told us. He told me that while the rest of the game was ultra realistic and the NPC within the game behaved in a coherent pattern with emotions, consistent memory and unique behaviors there were 2 points where their memory glitched out and they behaved like coded characters. Firstly, the NPC within the game did not seem to register yer deaths. If a yer died before their eyes, they would act worried and try to save them if such was their nature, however, once a yers body disappeared from before their eyes, so did their memory of them dying. This means that even if a yer died before an NPC andter came back to life, the NPC would forget that the yer had died before their very eyes in the first ce, however, if the same urred for an NPC witnessing NPC death then they would freak out saying that the NPC that returned from dead was a ghost. The second instance of their coded nature could be witnessed when it was time for a yer to logout at night as almost immediately as one received a system notification reminding them of their real world obligations, the NPC around them would start finding a reason to retire for the night¡± Luke said as Leo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as this was something that he had experienced just today. Almost as soon as he got a work reminder, his master Ben asked to camp for the night as Leo did not even realize that this was a coding pattern. ¡± Whoa¡­¡± Leo murmured as Luke nodded his head and let out a deep sigh. ¡± The fake archer yer told me at the end that the creator of the uprising would soon make an official guild and recruit all the downtrodden yers from sector E and unite them under one banner. He told me that if I joined now, I would get ess to many more of such hidden tips and knowledge, however, I declined his offer because I¡¯ve alreadymitted to Cervantez. Although I¡¯m not 100% sure of why so many yers have not shown up for work today, I have a strong hunch that it has something to do with the uprising¡± Luke said as he concluded his story and went back to shoveling shit as he had already revealed a lot for Leo to contemte. Chapter 72: The Conspirator Chapter 72: The Conspirator The Conspirator Luke and Leo had a lot to think about once they exchanged ideas about why there was a lower than expected worker turnout today. They lived in a weird time where being part of an organisation was stressful, however, not being part of one felt even more stressful as you never knew if you were missing out on a once in a lifetime opportunity, or were dodging a bullet. The fact that the uprising had ess to quality knowledge that seemed legit and well researched was the point that bothered Luke the most, while their decisiveness and ruthlessness is what bothered Leo. If there existed an organisation whose only purpose of existence was self service, then it was almost impossible for such an organisation to see anything beyond self benefits. For such a group, there was nothing that was too immoral, nothing that they would not do for their own gain, as they feared now and were answerable to no one. If questioned about their actions by a third party with a moral high ground they could always use the organisation and their poor economic conditions as the perfect cover for their crimes as Leo could already imagine the uprising yers defending their dirty actions and ming it all on the filth of sector E and how they did what they did to survive. With only two days left till the first evaluation, Luke and Leo worked extra hard at their jobs and secured both lunch and dinner for havingpleted their task with perfect efficiency for the day. Afterundry, the brothers logged back into the game with more motivation than ever to improve on an individual level because of the uncertain market conditions outside. ************* ( Meanwhile Cassian ) Leo was not the only yer in Terra Nova Online who was awarded a special ss during the evaluation. A selected few other yers also received special sses and unique destinies, with Cassian being one of them. Cassian, who used the gaming name ¡®ChaosBringer¡¯ within Terra Nova Online, was entrusted with the Unique ss called ¡®Conspirator¡¯. This ss was not just a title but a mission within Terra Nova Online, designed with the sole purpose of disrupting the social fabric of the game. As ¡®The Conspirator¡¯, Cassian¡¯s tasks involved manipting other yers into undertaking actions that would be considered illegal and immoral by thews of the empire that they lived in, which if went unpunished would point out the weakness of the currentw establishment and the ws of the justice system, encouraging more yers to disregard thew, turning the societywless. This role yed into therger narrative of Terra Nova Online, where moral choices and their consequences on the game¡¯s society were pivotal elements. The ultimate end goal that he was given by the system was ambitious and revolutionary as the Conspirator was supposed to build an organisation powerful enough to challenge and eventually dismantle the prevailing empire within the game, toppling the emperor and bing the new ruler. This was a daunting task, considering the empire¡¯s strength and influence across the virtualndscape. However, Cassian¡¯s initial steps were more modest and grounded as he knew very well that toppling the empire was not a one day job and that he needed immacte nning and patient execution to achieve that goal. For now, he took the first steps towards his goal by rallying the marginalised and overlooked individuals of sector E, as he riled up the emotions of those who felt wronged by the system or were simply struggling to find their ce. His goal was to mould these individuals into a cohesive and formidable group, albeit one that operated on the fringes of legality and morality and it was through these efforts that Cassian hoped toy the groundwork for his broader revolutionary ambitions. Cassian¡¯s ability to persuade and manipte was significantly enhanced by his unique skill, ¡®Glib Tongue¡¯. This ability was a game-changer, enabling him to sway opinions, fabricate believable lies, and recruit followers with an astonishing sess rate. The skill essentially allowed him to speak untruths with such persuasive force and authenticity that even the most sceptical listeners might find themselves convinced. This skill with its broken 90% effectiveness rate in convincing others meant that Cassian could almost guarantee that any falsehood he spoke would be epted as fact by the listener and it was with the use of this ability that Cassian had recruited the core members of his Uprising team with them working tirelessly to rope in more members. Since Cassian knew that the best lies were the ones that were partially true, he collected important pieces of news that were true about the game but not public knowledge and mixed them with some believable lies to create a packet of information that he offered to all newbies when they joined his group. By giving them a sense of special treatment in having ess to information that themon masses did not, Cassian made them feel special and loyal towards his cause as although the value of the information he shared with them was not much, the illusion of exclusivity that he created made everyone forget about its authenticity as they cherished Cassian¡¯s manual as the gospel of truth. In his information pack for all new joinees, Cassian promoted murder of yers and NPC to improve one¡¯s levels, knowing full well that once a yer murdered an NPC, they would ruin their future forever. If branded as a criminal by the government, as soon as a yer entered a city or any government building, they would be apprehended and punished for their sins, however, with themon yer not aware of the consequences of their actions, they believed the salvation that Cassian was offering and became criminals. To them, it was the way out of sector E, the route to ensure their promotion out of this filth. However, little did they know that by trusting the Conspirator they were only jumping from mud into quicksand. Chapter 73: The royal capital Chapter 73: The royal capital The royal capital ( Luke¡¯s POV ) By the time Luke logged back into the game, the merchant Caravan had almost reached the royal capital, as a nce out of his carriage allowed Luke to soak in the city¡¯s grandiose from a distance. The imperial capital, known as ¡®Stronghaven¡¯, served not only as the birthce of the current Emperor but also as the pulsating heart of the Unity Empire. The Empire that all yers from Earth were spawned by default from bore the name ¡°Unity Empire¡± in the local lore, because, ording to legend, its founder, the First Emperor, had harbored a vision of creating a realm where beings of all sentient races could converge under a singr governance, thereby fostering an era of coexistence devoid of the horrors of war and unnecessary bloodshed. The First Emperor had been convinced that if the empire¡¯s subjects were all adjudicated by uniformws, recognized as equals, and afforded identical rights, it would naturally erode any tendencies towards oppression and the ingrained sense of superiority that gued certain races, paving the way for harmony. As of now, the Unity Empire was home to a mosaic of cultures, with Elves, Dwarves, Beastmen, and Orcs constituting roughly 11% of its demographic fabric. Humans formed the majority, ounting for about 88%, while a kaleidoscope of other species had made up the remaining 1%. The leaders of the fourrgest non-humanmunities had been bestowed with the ceremonial designation of ¡®King.¡¯ Yet, these titles werergely symbolic, as these monarchs wielded no actual sovereignty. When it came to the governance of their territories, these titr kings oversawnds that, in scale, were akin to those governed by viscounts or counts, all the while remaining subservient to the overarchingws of the Empire and the decrees of the Emperor. Stronghaven itself had been dubbed ¡®Strong Haven¡¯ as it was originally envisioned and erected as a bastion ofst resort. Today, it sprawled over thousands of acres as a teeming metropolis, yet at its core remained the ancient fortress, The ¡®Strong Haven¡¯. Initially conceived as an unassable fortress, the castle now served as the royal residence. With five generations of royals now having lived there as their primary residence. Encircling the castle were abyrinth of settlements, bustling markets, and serpentine narrownes that stretched into the horizon, narrating the city¡¯s evolution from a mere fortress to the grand royal capital it now was, a metropolis, home to hundreds of millions of residents. From a distance, the city looked like ¡®New York¡¯ or ¡®London¡¯ from the 20th century, however, with an otherworldly feel to it. ¡°Agh, I miss home-¡± Luke said as he admired the vast city which oddly reminded him of Washington DC and Earth. Soon, the carriage reached the city gate and Luke parted ways with the merchant group after thanking them for the journey. While the merchants had a union pass, allowing them to enter the city, Luke had to undergo a stringent immigration check since he was a first time entrant. Just like the immigration lines seen on international airports, there were short queues for first time entrants to be vetted before entering the city and Luke joined one waiting patiently for his turn. ¡°Name and native town?¡± the immigration officer asked Luke when it was finally his turn to enter as without having much knowledge of this world, Luke simply replied ¡°Skylion, Panjim Town¡± since it was his spawn town. ¡± Purpose of visit? And how long you n to stay here?¡± The immigration officer asked as Luke shrugged his shoulders and said ¡°Unspecified, Unknown¡± The immigration officer proceeded to draw a temporary entry permit for Luke after checking his identity and his social credit. Since Luke had gained some fame for helping the poor of Panjim Town, he was viewed in a positive light by the immigration officer and allowed to enter although he did not have proper reason to visit. ¡± I¡¯ve given you a one month long entry permit, you can renew it if you wish to stay longer but it will cost you 1 silver for each additional month you n to stay here. Make sure to renew it before it expires, else the local patrol may fine you if they find you with an expired entry permit¡± The immigration officer told Luke who took the officers instructions seriously and thanked him for the permit. For Luke, the entry into the capital was pretty hassle free, however, the same procedure was bound to be a nightmare for a few yers when they would try doing the same. The murderer¡¯s of sector E, when they approached the immigration of any major city, were bound to have their identity confirmed and thrown into jail formitting a crime against humanity. For many other yers who had no fame or infamy, they could be rejected entry for various random reasons as although a city seemed like an easy enough ce to enter, it was really not that simple. The royal capital was the city of dreams for those who were viewed in a positive light by the empire but a nightmare for those who were cancerous to society. The royal capital had many important buildings like the MP exchange centres, High End Spell Scroll Shops, adventurer association, Royal library, universities of various professions and many more. However, before exploring the city, Luke was dead set on levelling up first to make up for time lost in travel. Through his private messaging with Cervantez, thetter told him that there was a ce in the royal capital called the ¡®Combat Arena¡¯ and that by paying 5 gold coins, Luke could ess their iron circuit which would allow him to fight monsters between level 15-40 in a controlled environment. ording to Cervantez, this was the best and fastest way for Luke to level up with there being only one day left until the first evaluation happened. Chapter 74: Iron Circuit Chapter 74: Iron Circuit Iron Circuit ¡°Wee to thebat arena, how can I help you today?¡± A desk attendant said to Luke as he entered the building. For a moment, Luke was speechless as the attendant talking to him was a humanoid shaped rabbit with whiskers for a mustache and tall, fluffy, pointy ears. ¡°Umm, sir, how may I help you?¡± The attendant repeated, as Luke got out of his stupor. ¡°I¡¯m here to try my hand at the iron circuit¡± Luke said, repeating what Cervantez had informed him. ¡°Certainly sir, what time do you wish to enter?¡± the attendant asked ¡°As soon as possible¡± Luke replied. ¡°Very well, we have the circuit empty at the moment, so if you pay the 5 gold fees, we can get started right away¡± The attendant said, as Luke paid the fees immediately. Uptil now, Luke and Leo did not understand the importance of money in Terra Nova or the fact that 5 gold coins was equivalent to the average lower middle ss family¡¯s monthly ie. For one to produce such arge sum with ease usually meant that they came from a very economically sound background. In the capital city Stronghaven, where everything was expensive, a yer¡¯s economic backing could be the differentiating factor between a mid tier and an elite yer as there were several avenues for growth that were only essible by spending money. ¡± Please know that you can exit the circuit anytime you want and if you wish for our team to assist you against a specific monster, you can ask for help, but it will cost you 2 gold coins per help summoned. Thebat arena does not encourage you to battle recklessly or battle till death and does have instructors watching over who will intervene incase of emergencies, however, in case you die, the battle arena will not be liable to paypensation to your family¡± The bunny attendant said as Luke nodded his head in acknowledgement. ¡± Thank You so much for your patronage, please follow me to your circuit¡± The bunny attendant said as she got up from her seat and began walking towards a corridor behind her desk. Her style of walking was weird as she ced one leg in front of the other in a straight line as if catwalking and her slender hips swayed left and right as she walked this way. A perfectly fist sized round tail stuck out of her dress through a perfectly carved hole, as Luke could not help but stare at the fluffy brush looking fur as it jiggled ever so slightly with every step that the attendant took. ¡°What sort of a world am I living in?¡± Luke murmured to himself as he felt his gut tightening and blood rushing to all the wrong areas. He felt flushed, having thoughts that he should clearly not have for a non-human species, however, he could just not help himself. ¡± This way please-¡± the attendant said as she opened a thick metal door and signaled for Luke to enter, who rushed in to hide his tomato red face as he preferred facing monsters over embarrassing himself in public. ¡°I will be closing the door now, goodluck!¡± The rabbit attendant said as she closed the thick metal door once again, leaving Luke inside a small 25 square meter room. On the top right corner of the room, an orc stood with his arms crossed as he looked down on Luke from a small gallery, and on the other end of the room, a trapdoor slowly opened from which a group of four mutated chickens flew out. *Pakakk* *Pak Pak Pak pakaak* [ Mutated Male Rooster ] ( Level 15 ) ¨C A species that¡¯s always horny and looking for partners to mate. They are extremely aggressive and attack anyone that they perceive to be a threat to the flock. All four of them were level15 and were agile and angry. Initially they flew all around the arena, however, soon they zeroed in on Luke as they marked him as an enemy to exterminate. ¡± Four level 15 monsters at once! Sweet-¡± Luke said as he drew out his sword and mentally prepared to strike at the rooster who made the first move. The roosters made loud noises, bobbing their heads forwards and backwards at a high speed as they slowly moved towards Luke, however, Luke was not intimidated. As soon as one of them flew towards him, trying to gouge his eyes out with its sharp talons, Luke swung his sword with deadly precision as he decapitated the rooster with one blow. -250 CRITICAL HIT! [ System Notification ¨C You have killed a mutated Male Rooster ( Level 15 ). You have gained EXP! ] Luke felt proud of his attack, however, he had apparently swung his sword way too hard to decapitate the chicken which made him lose his bnce as he was forced to take a step forward. *PAKAK* *PAKKKKKAAKKK* Taking advantage of his imbnce, the second roosternded on his head and began pecking at his skill, while the other two attacked his sword hand with their sharp talons. -10 -10 -10 Luke rapidly lost HP as although one could not imagine, the strength of these chickens was no joke and their talons and pecks actually hurt Luke a lot, drawing blood with every hit. If Luke was the average adventurer, then at this point he would have either dropped his sword because of the pain, or quit the round, however, Luke had an inherent battle instinct within him, that shone brighter when he was in a peril. [ Knights Honor ] Activating his special skill, Luke suddenly gained a burst of strength and defense as he grabbed one of the two chickens attacking his sword arm with his free hand and snapped it¡¯s neck with nothing but his raw grip strength. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions you have killed a level 15 mutated Male Rooster and have leveled up! ] Running away a bit, he freed himself from the constant bother that the other two roosters were to him and proceeded to kill them both by chopping them down using his sword after a brief battle. ¡± Hell yeah!¡± He said as he managed to clear the first stage of the iron circuit and also level up in the process. Although he lost half his HP in the very first fight and was now bleeding from his skull and arm, Luke was feeling better than ever as he thoroughly enjoyed the thrill of the battle. ¡°Open gate¡± the orc overlooking the fight said, as he gave Luke a polite bow once his fight ended. ¡°Orc Matumba greets the Knight Apprentice¡± he said, as he recognised Luke as someone walking the honorable path of the knight since he used their signature skill [ Knights Honor ] It was slightly pathetic that Luke was forced to use his special skill in the very first round of the iron circuit, which only went to show how weak he currently was, however, it wasn¡¯t important at this stage of the game since there were not even 1% yers in the game who could take on four level 15 monsters at once while only being level 9 themselves. ¡± Greetings from me as well¡± Luke replied, as he bowed back and proceeded onto the next stage, where his opponent was a level 20 Hellcat. Chapter 75: Start of training Chapter 75: Start of training Start of training Luke could not defeat the level 20 hellcat and had to request for the battle to be stopped once his HP fell below the 10% mark. The hellcat was just too strong for him. The iron circuit was designed in a way where he was going to face opponents from level 15 upto level40 with 5 levels increment between them all. It was a circuit meant to be attempted by people between level 20-40 for the most optimal growth, however, being strapped for time, Luke attempted it after Cervantez¡¯s suggestion. Although he did gain valuable experience and a level, Luke did not get thefortable lead that he was looking for to get into the top10% of sector E rankings with less than 16 hours to go for the first evaluation. He had set his personal target at reaching at least level 12 and had roughly 6 hours to achieve it before his final day work shift started. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo reached Mt.Faulkner alongside his master Ben and found an old spider cob covered cave with dusty equipment stored inside as the only sign of human life. Mt.Faulkner was an uninhabited mountain because of its steep slopes, hard rock and wet conditions which made it difficult to form a settlement. One could find all sorts of rare insects, mountain goats, mountain lions and other monsters in the vicinity, however, the nearest human civilization was 40 kilometers away in the form of a small vige. ¡°Clear the cobwebs, and hand me those old tools-¡± Ben told Leo as he got to work to set up Leo¡¯s training camp almost as soon as they reached the old cave. Mt.Faulkner was the same ce where Ben¡¯s father taught Ben how to be an assassin and was a safe retreat away from civilization. It was uniquely adapted to be a ce to strengthen the fundamentals of bing an assassin and Ben felt nostalgic and energetic just by revisiting the ce. While Leo cleaned the cave at the base of the mountain, Ben took his old tools and disappeared for a while. A few minutester, he came back drenched in sweat from head to toe as he grinned happily and said ¡°Come let me show you the training you¡¯re supposed to strictly follow from today onwards¡±. Leo sincerely followed him, mentally ready to see some old school training course that would be physically challenging, however, never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the sort of routine Ben hoped for him to follow. Their first stop was at a point from where the slope of the mountain seemed to be the steepest as it was at this point that Ben had set up arge safety catch, and an old rope hanging from wayy high above. ¡°Watch closely¡± Ben said, as he grabbed the rope and easily climbed the near 90¡ã mountain slope as if it were nothing. He climbed up as if he were walking on a t surface and then at one point let go of the rope all together and still continued to climb without it. ¡± What the fuck?¡± Leo murmured as he could clearly see thews of gravity being defied but Ben did it effortlessly. Once he had climbed at least a kilometer, Ben stopped and started his descent which he did by literally running down the 90¡ã slope andnding beside Leo in the most noise free way possible. ¡± First task of the day, Five sets of rope climbing, you go up, touch the red g I¡¯ve nted ande back down. You do it five times, preferably before sun rises¡± Ben said as Leo¡¯s facial muscles started to twitch at the demand. ¡± What? I¡¯m going easy on you, this requirement will only increase as time passes on. Follow me¡± Ben said as he chuckled heartily and reminisced about the days when his father demanded the same routine from him and he was the one who cursed him in his heart. Next, the two reached the nearby stream that flowed down the mountain andnded down a steep angle to form a small natural waterfall. There were many insects and animals in this area who had came to quench their thirst with some animals even being above level 70. ¡± Every morning around sunrise, you wille here to hunt flying squirrels. They¡¯re extremely agile and can fly from tree to tree which is why catching them while they¡¯re on the run is nearly impossible. The only time you have a shot of killing them is when theye to drink water and you spook all animals once you take a shot with some aggressive goats deciding to ram into you So best to make that shot count ¡± Ben said as although there were no squirrels drinking water from the stream at the moment, he pulled a dagger out of his assassin belt and threw it towards the nearby tree branch. *Catch* Catching his prey before it fell to the ground making a sound, Ben showed Leo how it was done as he said ¡± You need elite level dagger mastery to do what I just did. Some assassin¡¯s prefer learning how to shoot arrows, but we will stick to closebat and daggers. Seed and you will have breakfast after your hard training. Fail and you go hungry till lunch¡± Leo was already spooked about the training that Ben was going to put him through and apparently they had not even crossed the breakfast mark yet. ¡± Hahaha, don¡¯t worry, for the first week, I will give you lunch even if you don¡¯t hunt anything, but my graciousness might end suddenly one day¡± Ben said as he pped Leo on the back whileughing out loud and spooking all the animals near the stream anyways. ¡± What was the point of catching the squirrel if you wanted tough out loud anyways?¡± Leo asked Ben whoughed out louder in response, prompting a mountain lion to roar from afar. Chapter 76: Leos Full Training Regiment Chapter 76: Leo''s Full Training Regiment Leo¡¯s Full Training Regiment The training regiment that Ben had nned for Leo after breakfast was even crazierpared to his training until then. As if climbing mountains and killing squirrels wasn¡¯t enough, Ben wanted Leo to practice weapon arts between breakfast and lunch hours where he would personally instruct Leo on how to be proficient with weapons. In the world of Terra Nova, weapon mastery was considered a separate department to skill moves and one could master as many weapons as they wished to, just like one could learn to speak multiplenguages. ording to Ben, while an assassin needed to have a passable grip on every weapon, whether it be bow, spear or mace, they needed to be masters of the short sword and dagger. For him to impart his actual core skill moves to Leo, the ones that made him the legendary assassin that he was, he first needed to build Leo¡¯s foundation as the current Leocked the strength and explosiveness of muscles needed to learn his moves. First Ben needed to slowly mold Leo physically to be a suitable recipient of his techniques and only then could he begin to teach him the real techniques he wanted to pass down. To do so, Ben had to put Leo through intense muscle training as there was no other way to achieve peak assassin physique without putting in the hard work. Thankfully, Ben intended to give Leo a brief rest after weapon training, allowing him to have lunch and rest for a few minutes, before starting with a flexibility regiment that would improve his range of motion. The flexibility regiment was only partially done through body weight and self will while the majority of it was to be done via torture devices that would painfully hyperextend Leo¡¯s muscles. This painful torture would go on for about three hours after lunch followed by thest excercise of the day which was reflex training as Ben would throw stones towards Leo which he needed to dodge continuously. Finally, to end the day, Leo would have a medicinal bath prepared by Ben and a light snack, going to bed early at around 9pm only to wake up early in the morning and starting all over again with the mountain climbing. Just by listening to this training regimen, Leo felt his head go dizzy as he could not imagine himself living such a stressful life. There were so many things to enjoy in the world of Terra Nova where he could detach from reality and truly enjoy the finer luxuries that the game had to offer yet as fate would have it, he had chosen a torture regiment over a fruitful life as he would be cleaning sewers in the real world and being tortured in the game world. ¡°It¡¯s for mother¡­. I¡¯m doing this to bring her with us¡± Leo murmured to himself as he reminded himself as to why he was going through this torture and why he could not give up in the face of adversity. [ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ¨C A new Quest has been generated! ] [ QUEST NOTIFICATION ¨C A new Quest has been generated. Quest Title ¨C ¡®Learning The Way¡¯ Quest Difficulty ¨C S Quest Duration ¨C 12 months. Quest Description ¨C Earnestlyplete the training regiment suggested by your master and develop into the best Assassin that you can be. Quest Rewards ¨C Weekly Completion Rewards :- +2 levels for training earnestly for the whole week. Monthly Completion Rewards :- 1-5 extra levels shall be rewarded based on progress assessment. Finalpletion rewards :- +1000MP, +???? Failure Penalty- None ] Leo took a look at the system notification and found some extra motivation to follow Ben¡¯s insane training regimen. Although the quest duration was a full year long, there were weekly rewards and monthly rewards which were mostly in the form of extra levels to make sure that Leo did not fall behind on leveling because of his training. The cherry on top was the massive 1000 MP reward plus add-ons, which was what Leo most desperately wanted. ¡± Alright, it may be hard, but I¡¯m ¡®TheBoss¡¯, I will find a way to do it¡± Leo motivated himself as Ben gave him some light training for the first day which included scouting Mt.Faulkner and jogging around its base once. While Leo did go on his jog around the mountain base, Ben set up traps and markers around their base of operations which were non-lethal and only designed to alert him in case and enemy assassin was approaching. He had already killed one Assassin from the Night Guild and it was highly likely that Dem Paltrow sent more of his men after him. Ben had already ensured to leave wrong trails of where they went on track to Mt.Faulkner as he used the spot where Max and he camped for the night and left a wrong trail of footsteps from there that suggested that the two were headed for the Royal Capital. In itself, Mt.Faulkner was an unnamed mountain in the middle of nowhere and was not a ce where one could easily find the master student duo. It was uninhabited, harsh and safe, which was the only reason behind why Ben¡¯s father chose it to be his retreat. Nheless, there was no such thing as being overly cautious in the field of being an Assassin and hence Ben was thorough with his security measures. He sincerely wanted to pass down all his knowledge to Leo and was feeling much more vibrant and alive aftering to Mt.Faulkner than he had felt in years working at the alliance. Leo was innocent, street smart and tenacious, just the sort of student whom Ben could mentor to be more than a purposeless assassin, as what Ben wanted to teach Leo the most was the virtue of mercy. To only kill those who deserved to be killed and sparing the weak. Only someone who walked the world with this ideal deserved to be called an assassin as strong men murdering babies were no different from masked bullies. Chapter 77: First Evaluation Chapter 77: First Evaluation First Evaluation By the time Leo took ap around the mountain once, it was time for him to logout of the game and this was an especially important logout because today was going to be the day where the first evaluation results were going to bepiled and dered. Leo had no idea at what point in the day the results would be dered, whether they would bepiled before work or after, however, he hoped they would bepiled before work started. If everything went well, Leo and Luke would be promoted from Sector E to D and today would be theirst day staying in the shitty small apartment. With his name still on the top of the leaderboard by a fair margin, Leo felt that his promotion was all but guaranteed but he feared for Luke. With the uprising encouraging yers to kill other yers and NPC to level up, there was no saying what would be the safe level to be in the top10% who would be promoted, however, Leo hoped that both himself and Luke would make the cut. *********** ( Real world ) As Leo logged out, he took a look at the small living quarters that he currently lived in and let out a deep sigh. There was no window in his small apartment, no attached bathroom, nopartments. There was one door and two sleeping mats with plugs to plug-in one¡¯s VR headset but that was it. It was more like a jail cell than an apartment and Leo wanted out of this hell hole at any cost. Luke logged out a few minutes after Leo, his face clouded in worry as he took a look at Leo and shook his head. ¡± What level are you at?¡± He asked Leo who cautiously replied ¡°17¡±. ¡± I think you¡¯re good at 17, I¡¯m at 13, I even bought a potion, healed up and tried to level up again, however, I was too weak to go past the second door¡­. 13 is what I could reach¡± Luke said as he rambled on about his own attempt to level up, but Leo did not follow. Without having the proper context about the iron circuit, Leo had no idea what Luke was talking about and hence Leo only nodded and pretended to follow what Luke was saying. ¡± Don¡¯t worry, I think 13 is a fair level¡± Leo said as he tried to keep Luke¡¯s spirits high. ¡± It doesn¡¯t matter, even if I don¡¯t make it, you should get out if you do. I¡¯ll join you when the next evaluation happens¡± Luke said as Leo instantly shut him off. ¡± I¡¯m going nowhere without you-, either we both make it, or neither of us does¡± Leo said as Luke crossed his fingers and awaited the result. [ ShipWide Announcement:- Today marks the day7 of our journey and as disclosed previously, today the performance of all yers shall be evaluated, with the best performing individuals from each section being promoted and the worst performing individuals from each section being demoted. The evaluation will roughly take 5 minutes toplete, at the end of which your bracelet color will depict your new sector. If your bracelet color is ¡®White¡¯ it means you will be a part of the S tier. If your bracelet color is ¡®Emerald Green¡¯ it means you will be a part of the ¡®A¡¯ tier. If your bracelet color is ¡®Sapphire Blue¡¯ it means you will be a part of ¡®B¡¯ tier. If your bracelet color is ¡®Mustard Yellow¡¯ it means you will be a part of ¡®C¡¯ tier. If your bracelet color is ¡®Ruby Red¡¯ it means you will be part of ¡®D¡¯ tier. And If your bracelet color is ¡®Jail Orange¡¯ it means you will be part of ¡®E¡¯ tier. ] The announcement said, as Luke, Leo, and everyone on the ship probably looked at the color of their bracelet with anticipation. The individuals who lived in sector E were already living in the rock bottom, there was no demotion for them so the worst case scenario for Sector E individuals was that they would not receive any promotion. However, for those living in the higher sectors, the fear of demotion was unreal. Those above the B tier were happy as they were and just wanted to maintain their social standing even if it did not improve as what they feared the most was a demotion. [ ShipWide Announcement:- Those who will change residences will be given today off from work as they will be briefed about their new duties on the arc ship. Once the evaluation isplete, they will be given two hours to relocate to their new quarters ] About a minute after the first announcement was made, a second announcement was made which increased the anxiety of everyone on the ship several fold. The wait for the results was excruciating as every second seemed to pass too slowly for those who were awaiting a promotion. Luke felt his heart rate skyrocket as a thousand different scenarios crossed his mind. On one hand, he imagined a life with better amodation, better resources, better food, a more humane job and on the other he imagined his life being the same and even Leo not being by his side. With how vtile and hostile sector E was, Luke desperately wanted to escape it, however, his gamble to move to the city had not really paid off as much as he wanted it to. His personalfort zone was also around level 16-17 where he would have felt confident of making the cut, however, at 13 he could only hope that him showing up for work and doing it earnestly would help him get an edge over those who did not work hard in real life as that coupled with his above average level could maybe propel him into the top10%. [ ShipWide Announcement:- Calctionplete¡­.. Disying results now ] As soon as the announcement was made, Luke and Leo peeked at the color of their bracelets with their hearts racing out of their chests. Leo smiled when he noticed that his bracelet was shining with a bright red hue, but before celebrating he took a look at Luke¡¯s. Chapter 78: True Intentions Chapter 78: True Intentions True Intentions Leo¡¯s bracelet turned the Ruby Red color just as expected. However, before he could celebrate, he took a look at Luke¡¯s bracelet which was also the Ruby Red color! ¡± WE DID IT!¡± Leo screamed in tion ¡± OH MY GOD¡­. WE ACTUALLY DID IT¡± Luke replied as Leo moved in for a bear hug. Even as Luke hugged Leo, he kept staring at the color of his bracelet as he could not believe his eyes that it actually changed to red. He kept closing his eyes and opening them, trying to ensure that his eyes were not ying tricks on him and that the color of the bracelet would not change if he blinked as it took him a full two minutes to ept the fact that he had made the cut. ¡± Top 10%¡­.. Let¡¯s go baby¡± Leo said with joy, as he could not wait to get out of this shitty ce called sector E and move up the social hierarchy. Ship-wide, an atmosphere of excitement and depression enveloped the yers as those who were promoted were happy while those who were demoted were sad. This feeling was most pronounced in sector E where those who escaped this hell were extremely ted, while those who were demoted to it felt like it was the end of the world. ¡°Leo, pack everything up, let¡¯s open that bottle of champagne that Cervantez gave us today¡± Luke suggested as he excitedly started packing. Since there was not much to pack anyways, he was done with packing within five minutes, with Leo also finishing as well. As the brother¡¯s were ready to migrate from section E to D and just about to step outside, yet another Ship-wide Announcement ensued. [ Ship Wide Announcement:- Dear passengers, with the first evaluationplete, I¡¯m sure there are many of you who might be feeling ted with the results while many would be feeling anguished. However, for those who are feeling anguished, let us announce another promotion opportunity so that you can regain your ce in society. 358 days from now, on exactly the first year anniversary of our departure from Earth, a second evaluation will take ce, giving all yers yet another chance to change their social standing. To make the process of selecting the top yers more transparent and inclusive, the arc ship management has decided to give you a sneak peek into some of the criteria that would be taken into consideration during the second evaluation. 1)Skill- A yer¡¯s individual skill will be taken into consideration when evaluating them. Just like the job rankings back on Earth, you will be ranked based on your skill and profession. The most skilled yers of a profession will be given higher gradingpared to a higher leveled yer who might not be as skilled. 2) Value To Society ¨C While you yers might not have realized it, the reason behind why ying Terra Nova Online is such an important part of your routine is because the Terra Nova game is a tutorial that gives you a chance to learn necessary skills that will be valuable on our destination. Just like how developed countries on Earth preferred to let skilledbor enter their country from underdeveloped nations but reject those who they seemed to be a menace to society, the alien society on Terra Nova intends to do the same. yers who have achieved a deeper mastery of their ss and skills will be favorably scouted by factions once wend on our destination in four years, while yers who do not show remarkable talent in both within the game and on the shippleting the tasks assigned to them, will have a low behavioral assessment and a difficulty in being recruited. 3) Individual/ Guild Sess ¨C Any major achievements made within the game, whether it be on a personal level or at an organization level will be evaluated favorably Example:- If an individual/ guild bes widely recognised within the game amongst the NPC they will be given bonus points. If an individual/ guild bes rulers ofnd under the empire they will be given bonus points. If an individual/ guild defects from the empire and liberates a piece ofnd as an independent territory, they will be given bonus points. In conclusion, I would only like to emphasize that going forward, a yer¡¯s levels won¡¯t be the only measure of sess and that bing a model citizen that adds value to society is what one should strive for to get promoted when the next evaluationes around. ] Luke and Leo heard the entire Ship Wide Announcement carefully and felt goosebumps run all over their spines. Cervantez had been trying to tell them this exact thing a few days ago and urged them to focus on individual skill development rather than chasing leveling because he apparently knew this secret about the arc ship and the alien intentions from the get-go. ¡°I think those within sector S must¡¯ve already known about the endgame of the aliens. I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re training us to bebor on theirnds! No-one told us this when we boarded the arc ship first¡± Leo theorized as Luke bit his lower lip. Things had suddenly gotten way moreplicated as although the ship-wide announcement did not cover it explicitly, they did mention that once everyonended, their treatment would vary greatly based on their worth disyed while ying the tutorial. ¡°I think it may be the same old story Leo, the urban elites in cahoots with the aliens. Even on Terra Nova, they will enjoy life as kings while we work as ves. Maybe the promise of a new start was nothing but a farce¡± Luke said as he felt convinced that Cervantez and the other sector S individuals already had knowledge about the inner workings of alien society and them sector E trash did not. What they did not know however, was the fact that this announcement made a bigger uproar in sector S than it did in sector E as unlike their assumption, it was only Cervantez who knew about it while the other elites did not. The judgment of the aliens was going to be extremely fair when it came to who was a high value citizen and who was not and they did not care about generational wealth that the urban elite had built back on Earth as getting better starting seats on the arc ship was as far as their wealth wealth was going to take them. Chapter 79: Moving Up The Hierarchy Chapter 79: Moving Up The Hierarchy Moving Up The Hierarchy As Luke and Leo made their way from sector E to sector D, they were met with gazes full of animosity from theizens of sector E who failed to make the cut. Rather than attributing their failure to secure a promotion to their ownck of skill or effort, these individuals viewed those who had been promoted as the antagonists who obstructed their progress, as their crab mentality did not allow them to be happy for someone else¡¯s sess. Now recognized as citizens of Sector D, Luke and Leo were spared physical attacks, for the residents of Sector E had learned the repercussions of assaulting someone of a higher status by now. Nevertheless, if looks could be lethal, Luke and Leo would have sumbed a thousand times over, as a result of the intense scrutiny of sector E¡¯s resentful eyes. Crossing the boundary between sectors E and D, the brother¡¯s encountered their former supervisors heading towards sector E, apparently reporting for their daily work. Mr. Vini, noting the color of Luke and Leo¡¯s bracelets, offered them a polite smile and for a moment the friendly gesturepletely stunned the two brothers. ¡°I always knew you two were diligent workers, congrattions,¡± he remarked with newfound warmth, his demeanor towards them markedly improving now that they were not far beneath him in status. This shift in treatment was a stark contrast to their previous interactions with Mr. Vini, who now regarded them more respectfully, no longer seeing them as the lowest-tier sewage workers but as fellow humans, albeit still a rank below him. ¡°Thank you,¡± Luke replied, managing a smile despite his urge to express his disdain for Mr. Vini, who remained a tier above him as a resident of sector C. Beyond their encounter with the supervisors, Luke and Leo observed a line of despondent figures d in red, adorned with orange bracelets indicating their demotion to sector E. Passing by these disheartened souls, Luke and Leo observed a silent acknowledgment of defeat as they seemed to walk lifelessly towards their new homes. The demoted, with their heads bowed in resignation, seemed engulfed in self-reflection, questioning whether a slight increase in diligence towards their jobs or a more proactive approach to leveling within the game could have circumvented their fall from grace. Such introspection, however poignant, was bted¡ª with their fates being sealed, leaving them to navigate the consequences of past actions unamended, as they joined the ranks of those condemned to the lower echelons of their society. Crossing the throngs of these dispirited demoted individuals, Luke and Leo arrived in the residential zone of Sector D, where others in orange work attire congregated in themunal area, a new chapter beginning for them in this hierarchical arc ship society. Unlike the depressed faces of the demoted, everyone from sector E who had achieved promotion had their faces beaming with joy as theyughed and congratted each other for escaping the hell that sector E was. The promoted individuals fraternized amongst each other, vowing to never go back to sector E, no matter the cost, while also discussing amongst each other, whether they were fellow yers from ¡®The Uprising¡¯. As it turned out, about 60% of those who were promoted, had some form of an affiliation to ¡®The Uprising¡¯ as their reverence towards their mysterious and all knowing leader seemed to have increased tenfold for having delivered his promise of leading them to a promotion. While Luke and Leo absolved themselves from these discussions, they paid close attention to the chatter in order to get a grasp over the current affairs of the game. ¡± Hello-, I¡¯m Parth Oza, the residential director of sector D and I warmly wee all of you who have joined the sector D family today!¡± A voice soon spoke over the speakerphone as everyone¡¯s attention was drawn towards a single man in red robes who had a speakerphone in hand. ¡± Within Sector D, we believe in having a tight knitmunity which earnestly helps one another and while we might not hail to the upper echelons of society, we take pride in our work and our style of life¡± Parth said as he clutched his fists and spoke with passion. ¡± Now that all of you are a part of this family, I hope you will all help preserve the culture of this ce as best as you can. Within sector D, we have thismunal hall, where we gather every morning for our roll call. Towards the right, we have theundromat, shower area, bathrooms and themon gym. Towards the left we have the food hall, the pantry and the dessert shop, however, the dessert shop only opens once a week on sundays. The residential area covers everything else with every apartment having a small attached bathroom within- For those who are joining us from sector C this may not seem like much, but I¡¯m sure that those that join us today from sector E must understand the importance of having an attached bathroom in your own apartment¡± Mr. Parth said as many from sector E shed a small tear listening to the luxuries that sector D had to offer. A dessert shop to eat something different than just nd mashed potatoes! An apartment that was more than just four walls! An attached bathroom! Amunal gym! These were luxuries that those in sector E would die for and now they got to enjoy them on a regr basis. ¡± The apartments in sector D are all triple sharing and the housing chart has already been prepared. Please tally your name against the housing list attached on the notice board to the left and settle in slowly¡± Mr. Parth said as everyone from sector E rushed to check out the new housing allocation as they felt excited to shift to a bigger housing. ¡°D-420¡± Luke said, as he located his and Leo¡¯s name assigned to D-420, sharing the apartment alongside a woman, named ¡®Amanda¡¯ who had been demoted from sector C. Chapter 80: Small Win Chapter 80: Small Win As Luke and Leo stepped into their new apartment, they were immediately captivated by its unexpectedly spacious interior! The entryway unfolded into a narrow corridor, nked on the left by two distinct doors, each leading to separate bedrooms. At the corridor¡¯s terminus, a modestly sizedmon area opened up, boasting a decent sized lounge for furniture and a door that introduced an in-housevatory. ¡± Finally we can shit in peace¡­.. no moremunalvatory!¡± Leo eximed in joy as Luke firmly ced a hand over his shoulder and disyed his support for Leo¡¯s sentiment. By Earth¡¯s housing standards, their 1BHK abode wouldn¡¯t be considered particrly expansive, yet, such housing was extremelymon if seen from the context of a bustling metropolis like New York, as it represented the pinnacle of what an average individual could aspire to secure. For Luke and Leo who had slowly gotten ustomed to a previous living space where taking ten steps in any direction was practically impossible, this new environment felt HUGE! with its distinct rooms and actual walls offering a semnce ofpartmentalization and privacy which were godly features for them at this point. ¡°Hey guys, I¡¯m Amanda¡­ Please, take good care of me,¡± announced Amanda with a joyous tone, emerging from the first room on the left to startle Luke and Leo with her sudden appearance. ¡°Holy mother of Jesus¡ª¡± Leo eximed, clutching his chest, as Amanda heartilyughed observing his reaction. ¡°I¡¯ve snagged the first room for myself. I hope you guys don¡¯t mind. I know we¡¯re down to two single beds and someone will have to make do with the couch, but I really need my own space,¡± she exined, as Luke and Leo exchanged looks of mutual understanding and silently agreed. While they were amenable to Amanda iming a room for herself, they couldn¡¯t help but think that it would have been better if Amanda had discussed this with them before iming the room, as democracy was key to living peacefully together. ¡°So, which one of you is Luke and which one is Leo?¡± inquired Amanda, as the brother¡¯s immediately felt perplexed as to how she knew their names? For a moment, Leo assumed that she knew it because she must have read the housing allotment list, however, her next statement proved his hypothesis wrong. ¡°I¡¯m Luke¡± Luke said, extending his hand, as Amanda shook it and said ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re my future guildmate! You can call me Kitty,¡± leaving Luke puzzled by her answer. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯re not aware¡­ I¡¯m also joining the guild Cervantez is organizing. In fact, just before the first evaluation, I shared my concerns about my level0 status and the potential for demotion with him and requested him to solve this issue if he could. While the guildmaster could not stop me from being demoted, he did his best to make my demotion housing safe as he spent some MP to ensure that, should I be demoted, my housing would be arranged with you guys and that I¡¯d be safe- He speaks very highly of both of you¡­ Though, to be honest, I think he has a soft spot for you, Luke. He mentioned ¡®the little one bites¡¯,¡± Amanda recounted, prompting an immediate frown from Leo, who retorted, ¡°Well, tell him the feeling is mutual. I¡¯m not exactly fond of him either.¡± ¡°Ahem¡ª¡± Luke interjected, swiftly steering the conversation back to pleasantries with Amanda before they all began to settle in Amanda being a future guild mate of Luke was definitely a wee surprise, as with them havingmon ground to talk about it would be easier to live together. As for the internal housing status, Luke imed the room adjacent to Amanda¡¯s as his own, while Leo, somewhat reluctantly, took to the couch. With minimal luggage between them, it took mere minutes to unpack and arrange their belongings as all three of them were pretty much done setting up their private spaces within fifteen minutes after which Luke and Leo invited Amanda to join them in themon area, where they uncorked the bottle of champagne gifted by Cervantez in celebration. Lacking proper sses, they passed the bottle around, each taking a sip in turn, as they toasted to better times ahead and peace within the household. Before long, the trio had finished the bottle, with Amanda expressing her heartfelt gratitude for being included in their moment of celebration. Just by studying the behavior of the brothers for a while she could determine just how proud they were for having been promoted and how much this bottle of champagne meant to them. Unlike herself who had been demoted, Luke and Leo had fought their way to sector D and they were damn proud of themselves for it. The rich taste of expensive alcohol only served to increase their joy as although the apartment was small and cramped in her opinion, it felt like a big deal to the brothers who seemed to cherish every square inch of it. ¡®Leo look, we can all fit on the couch¡¯ ¡®Brother look, I can take twenty steps in themon hall. It¡¯s huge!¡¯ These were the kind of statements they shared amongst each other as it was clear to Amanda that the brothers were people who had very humble origins. They barely had any luggage to themselves and the bottle of alcohol was by far their most prized possession, yet when it was time to pop it open and celebrate, instead of doing it alone they chose to share with Amanda whom they had met just today, which went to show how pure hearted and kind they were. ¡®Hmm, you were right guildmaster, I¡¯ll be safe with them around¡¯ Amanda thought as she smiled to herself, while Luke and Leo vowed to each other that sector D was not the end, that in the future they would work hard and reach higher sectors and bring their mother to this ship to enjoy a life of respect and luxury. That this was but a small win, while the real struggle started now! Chapter 81: Token Of Honor Chapter 81: Token Of Honor [ Luke¡¯s POV, The Royal Capital ] Havingpleted the first evaluation and with fresh insights emerging about the criteria for the next evaluation set for a year from now, highlighting its significance in enhancing practical skills, Luke now had a clearer understanding of what his next short-term goal needed to be. A brief conversation with Amanda suggested that she was currently learning the craft of cksmithing under an old woman who was once considered an expert and that Cervantez encouraged this arrangement and had asked her to continue down this road, apparently because he already knew about the importance of developing skill before the official announcement was made. Recollecting his own conversation with the man, Luke felt like Cervantez was prompting him to join an organization to develop his skills too and was leaning towards the ¡®Royal Academy for Knight¡¯s¡¯ as the first choice. Although he did not explicitly say it, Cervantez in hisst message to Luke when he asked about the best way to develop skill, exined the benefits of the Academy for knight¡¯s and ended the message by saying that it epted Token of honor as a valid reference. The fact that the Royal Academy was situated in the capital and that it epted the ¡®Token Of Honor¡¯ that Luke received in his wee kit as a valid reference for new enrollment, made Luke strongly believe that Cervantez had deliberately lured him to the capital, with his enrollment into the academy always being his end goal. As for how Cervantez knew about things that Luke had not even revealed to Leo, like the token of honor in his possession, Luke had no idea, however, he trusted the man enough to follow his schemes without questioning them. ******** ( Royal Academy For Knights, Registration Office ) The Royal Academy for Knights, established on the outskirts of the capital city, Stronghaven, upied an expansive patch ofnd, stretching over several square kilometers. This prestigious institution boasted extensive facilities, including a spacious dormitory, a well-stocked library, numerous lecture halls, and a canteen. However, its fame primarily stemmed from the vast training halls and battle arenas that it housed. Aspiring knights from across the empire journeyed to the capital, eager to gain admission to the Knight¡¯s Academy. Securing a ce as a squire knight in training was considered a monumental achievement, akin to winning a grand prize, as guilds throughout the empire eagerly awaited to offer lucrative sries to its graduates. The academy prided itself on a distinguished roster of alumni, many of whom yed pivotal roles in the empire¡¯s administration, serving as royal knights or infantrymanders. This legacy of excellence was the source of pride for the academy¡¯s emblem, whichmanded immense respect among themon folk. Annually, the academy saw tens of thousands of applications, yet only a select few were chosen for admission. The path to enrollment was not easy, except for royals of the Ducal family or higher, for whom entry was assured as all other applicants, including children of counts, were required to pass an entrance examination. The sole alternative to this rigorous admissions process was the possession of a Token of Honor, a rare de bestowed exclusively by ¡®Master¡¯ knights upon individuals they deemed exceptionally talented. With only 15 active master knights throughout the entire Empire, and their endorsements being exceedingly rare, the Token of Honor in Luke¡¯s possession was an extraordinarily precious item, one that money could not buy. Upon arriving at the academy¡¯s entrance office, Luke joined the long queue of applicants who were waiting to secure a date to disy their talent and be vetted to the second round of selections. Because of how popr the academy was, thepetition for each entrance seat was so intense that only the finest talents from across the empire ever made it to the academy, as even fairly talented people failed to make it past the second or third round of admissions. Luke, wasn¡¯t too worried about his admission as with the token of honor in his possession it was almost guaranteed that he would be able to enroll, however, what he did worry about was if the NPC would buy his story regarding how he obtained it. Almost an hourter, Luke finally made it to the entrance office where the officer, a stern-looking individual with an aura of authority, sat behind arge, imposing desk cluttered with papers and scrolls. As Luke approached, the officer¡¯s gaze lifted to meet his, an eyebrow arching inquisitively. ¡°Name and purpose?¡± the officer inquired in a deep, resonant voice. Luke cleared his throat, extending the Token of Honor towards the officer, ¡°SkyLion, sir. I¡¯m here to enroll as a squire knight in training, under the endorsement of a Master Knight.¡± The room seemed to hold its breath as the officer took the token, examining it closely, before looking at the other officers present in the room as he had visible sweat beads forming on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s real¡­¡± he said, as the other officers present in the room gasped collectively as they lost their minds. Many walked into the entrance office with fake tokens of honor, trying to scam their way into joining, however, a real candidate walking with the actual token of honor was almost like a once in a lifetime event. ¡°May I inquire as to which distinguished knight gave you this token?¡± The officer asked as Luke shook his head and said ¡± The owner of this token requested that his name be kept a secret, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able divulge his identity¡± The entrance officer felt even more worried when Luke said this, as he temporarily shut shop and rushed to call for his superior from within the academy, requesting for Luke to wait till his senior returned. Apparently, Luke had grossly underestimated the importance of the token of honor, as what it signified was more than just an enrollment opportunity, as what a token of honor really signified was that a master knight had officially chosen a squire as his disciple! Chapter 82: The great tournament Chapter 82: The great tournament ¡°Lad, you must tell me, which great sire has endorsed you! I¡¯m the headmaster of this great academy, of all the people here, if there¡¯s one individual that you can trust, it¡¯s me¡± Retired Knight John Wood said, as he desperately tried to convince Luke to give him a name. Over thest hour, Luke had shaken up the entire academy by bringing over a genuine token of honor and one by one he was sent to meet higher ups, starting from the professor to the dean to finally the headmaster. Everyone pressured Luke to reveal the name of his sponsor, however, Luke remained steadfast in his answer that he could not divulge his master¡¯s identity. ¡°I don¡¯t understand headmaster, why is me revealing the name of my sponsor so important? Will the academy treat me differently based on who my master is?¡± Luke asked as the headmaster could not help but pinch his eyebrows. The real answer was ¡®yes¡¯, it did make a big difference as to who Luke¡¯s master was, since there was a big feud ongoing between the various knight masters from the shadows. Only 3 of the current knight masters were once part of the academy with most others achieving their status through the independent mercenary route or via the military. Some were patrons of the academy, while others were not particrly happy with its teaching practices and hence the headmaster wanted to know Luke¡¯s affiliation, since that would give him a rough idea on how much importance he should give Luke. But since he could not outright dere it, he tried toe up with a clever solution. ¡± Of Course it¡¯s important child. Different masters have different styles of fighting and you as their disciple need to be molded as such. We need to know what primary weapon to teach you, whether to focus on agility or strength, whether to teach you dual sword and shield wielding or not- There¡¯s a lot to decide based on who your master is¡± The headmaster said as Luke shrugged his shoulders and said ¡°I would like to perform dual sword and shield wielding and my primary weapon of choice is a sword¡± The headmaster instantly factored in these cues and eliminated 6 knight masters who either used the spear as their primary weapon, or preferred to fight without a shield. It helped him narrow down the possible masters for Luke to a number that could be counted on two hands and he was satisfied with this progress. ¡± Alright, you¡¯re one tough nut to crack¡­. and I won¡¯t press anymore¡± Sir wood said as Luke thanked him for his understanding. With that, Luke¡¯s admission into the academy was officiallypleted and the student robes, badge and dormitory was assigned to him at once. Since he was a knight masters disciple, he was given the finest room which he shared with the son of the West Duke Family, the Crowheads. ¡± Hey, I¡¯m the first son of the Western Duke¡¯s Family, Jerome Crowhead, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you-¡± Jerome said as Luke pleasantly shook his head and introduced himself ¡°I¡¯m skylion, just a humblemoner¡± Jerome, a five feet 11 inch tall guy, with a muscr body and short blonde hair chuckled when Luke introduced himself as amoner as he heartily tapped him on the shoulder. ¡± If you are scouted by a master knight, that means you won¡¯t be amoner for long. History will remember your bravery one day, skylion¡± he said as he warmly weed Luke to the room and joked around with him for a while. This year¡¯s recruitment was likely to go on for a week more with most candidates joining after multiple rounds of selection, with Jermone and Luke being the only two individuals who were given a direct admission. This gave the two an extra week of induction as they got to meet with the professors, have one on one discussions about their future paths and formte a better strategy for their growth. Since their status were notmon, the professors were also more than eager to help them since even the professors wished to be connected to important people. However, with the professors being well above level 300 and their strength being nothing to scoff about, Luke still had to be careful to not piss them off. At first, Luke did not realise how big of a jackpot he had scored by enrolling into the academy, however, as he conversed more with Jerome he realized that he was going to be uniquely poised to learn about the secrets of the empire and the hidden game mechanics via his friendship with Jerome. He had only spent a few hours talking to the guy and he already learnt many important things like the location of the biggest dungeons, the alleged dragonirs, the areas within the empire that were controlled by assassin guilds and necromancers and how the Elven king was not too happy with the status quo. However, the most important hint that Luke picked up from his conversation with Jerome, was an event that would take ce roughly 11 months from now. The Emperor Memorial Cup! A tournament where independentspeted with the students of the four prestigious academies for the greatest reward of having one of their wishes being directly fulfilled by the Emperor! It was a tournament where the students from the knight academy, teamed up with the students of the mage, swordsman and beast tamer academies to challenge the top 100 independent talents of the empire. It was a grand affair, watched by millions and was the biggest young talent tournament in all the empire. Having an impressive performance in this tournament, got one immense fame and fortune as the rewards for winning eachpetition were usually insane. However, the cherry of the tournament was always the fact that the number one performer would be granted one wish by the Emperor and it was this reward that everyone hoped to aim for. Apparently, the knight academy had 25 slots for which students to send to the tournament and Jerome was dead set on winning one of those slots. For him, it was a matter of proving his worth, as if he could make it to the tournament it would send a message to his father and the people of his duchy that he was a talented and strong leader. His position as the next Duke could be confirmed and his name could be extremely famous amongst the noble circles. From day1, this was Jerome¡¯s only goal and listening to his passion, Luke felt a desire to try his best and secure a spot for himself as well. [ Quest Notification ¨C A new chain quest has been generated! Quest Title ¨C Level up to at least level 120 in the uing year and be selected as one of the top25 candidates of the knight academy. Quest Difficulty ¨C SS Quest Duration ¨C Until selectionsplete. Quest Rewards ¨C 5000 Gold Coins, 2500MP, One Epic or higher Knight Body Armour Set. Failure Penalty ¨C None ] A new chain quest had been generated for Luke, with the system giving him additional rewards should he actually make the cut. It was a long road to selection for sure, however, with how fine Luke was positioned, he was set to undergo explosive growth, if only he worked his ass off in the year toe. Chapter 83: First day of training Chapter 83: First day of training ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The hellish training that Ben only introduced to Leo the previous day, became a reality the next time Leo logged in. The very first exercise that Ben wanted Leo to do was to climb a near 90¡ã mountain slope, with nothing but a rope to pull on for support and from the very second that Leo tried to mimic Ben and try to ce his feet on the rock while holding his body via the rope, he crashed horribly onto the floor as his grip slipped. ¡°Bloody hell, this is hard¡± Leomented, as he tried to repeat the process a few times, however made little to no progress with it as he kept crashing down again and again and again. Eventually, he let go of his ambition to ce his feet onto the rock entirely and tried to climb vertically using only the rope to pull on, however, after climbing only a few metres, he felt his arms bing sore from the effort as his stamina bar depleted drastically. Persevering somehow, he climbed a few more meters, however, unfortunately lost his grip once again and slid straight down as his hands suffered a nasty burn due to the friction. -40. ¡°Agh, that flippin burns¡± Leoined, as all his falling and screaming woke Ben up who chuckled heartily watching Leo struggle. If he wanted to, he could have helped Leo understand the technique behind the climb at this moment, but he did not. Enjoying the view from afar, he allowed Leo to fall and fail as he wanted Leo to taste despair before achieving sess. Ben knew in his old age that rather than immediate sess and feel good training, the quality that was most important to inculcate in a student was grit and tenacity. By reinforcing the belief that even if things got hard, if they continued to try their best and not give up, they would eventually seed, Ben wanted to teach Leo something that was more important than the climbing technique, which was to never give up. Much to his joy, Leo never really gave up. Even though his palms burned, his body looked beat and he took some nasty falls, he kept trying his very best until the sun rose as that signaled to him that it was time to change his training. After all the nasty beating that he took, Leo was desperate to eat a nice breakfast as he headed over to the creek and watched the local animals gather there to drink fresh water in peace. His dagger skills were pretty shit, however, he did have poisoned daggers that he received from killing the PoisonSpider n cadet, that Leo thought woulde in handy for killing his target. [ Male Antelope ] ( Level 45 ) Instead of going for the squirrels which Leo knew would be very hard to aim for, he decided to go after a bigger prey. He selected the Antelope that was the nearest to his location and looked to be the smallest and weakest and decided to target it first. Hiding behind arge tree trunk, he waited for the perfect opportunity to strike as he simted a few mock throws in his mind and then decided to take the gamble. His throwing technique was absolutely garbage and it was evident because he chose to make his dagger spin as he threw it, instead of going for a t throw and as a result, the hilt of the dagger hit the antelope instead of the de as it became startled and caused every other animal around it to be cautious. The other antelopes of the herd turned towards Leo and his hiding spot was discovered easily. ¡°Murrooooooghhh¡± The bigger alpha antelope roared as it put its head down, stuck it¡¯s big horns out and charged towards Leo. ¡°Oh fuck me-¡± Leo cursed, as he panicked and started to run away, swerving between trees and desperately dodging for his life. For the first few seconds, it seemed like his n was working, as the antelope chasing him seemed to stumble a couple of times, allowing Leo to pull ahead, but then his luck ran out as he tried to make his way through a thick looking bush vine, only to be stuck in its thorns as he could not go all the way through. -7 -7 -7 -7 He suffered multiple cuts across his body, as a result of being stuck in the thorns and to make matters worse, he was stuck in that bush like a bullseye for the chasing antelope toe and ram straight into. Closing his eyes, Leo resigned himself to the fate of being impaled to death, however, much to his surprise the dreaded horn bash never came as a gentle hand rather pulled him out of the bush. As Leo turned, he saw Ben in tears as he pointed towards Leo and then the antelope as apparently he could not contain hisughter. The antelope was unfortunately dead as Ben killed him with ease, however, Leo was left embarassed as on the very first day of his training he was going to achieve the record of being killed must humiliatingly by bing the first assassin ever to be killed by a herbivore. ¡± I cant- hahahah, oh my god, I can¡¯t¡± Benughed maniacally as this was more entertainment than what he had received in years and he could just not stopughing. ¡± Hey kid, let¡¯s assume, even if you did kill the deer, IF you killed it with poison, how were you nning to even eat it? Were you nning to consume flesh infected with neuropoison? How dumb are you?¡± Ben mocked, as Leo instantly felt his face flush with embarrassment. He hadpletely forgot the fact that he could not consume poisoned flesh, as he was so focused on killing his prey that he forgot that he also had to do it the right way and ended up making a big fool of himself. Chapter 84: Weapons training Chapter 84: Weapons training Dining in Terra Nova offered a gratifying experience. Consuming meals facilitated a yer¡¯s swift stamina restoration and bolstered their HP recovery speed. Neglecting to consume food for an extended period of time, while also not consuming potions as an alternate supplement could trigger a strength penalty, progressively intensifying and potentially culminating in death under extreme conditions. This adverse effect could be mitigated by advancing levels, yet it wasn¡¯t the most dependable strategy for warding off hunger. For Leo, who consistently drained his stamina through rigorous training, nourishment was essential with starvation onlypounding his challenges. Since he failed to secure a sessful hunt for breakfast, he waspelled to endure hunger during weapons training. For his inaugural lesson, Ben opted to instruct him in dagger throwing, deeming it a crucial skill that could help Leo secure breakfast upon mastery. ¡°Watch closely boy,¡± Ben instructed Leo, as he exined the fundamentals of dagger throwing, starting from the very basic lesson of how to hold it correctly. Shifting his stance, Ben held the dagger with a precise grip. ¡°First, focus on your grip,¡± he began, his voice steady and instructive. ¡°Hold the dagger like this, with your thumb and index finger forming a ¡®V¡¯ around the base of the handle. Your grip should be firm but not too tight; you want to maintain control withoutpromising the flexibility of your wrist.¡± He demonstrated, positioning the dagger so that it aligned with his forearm, ensuring a natural extension of his arm. ¡°Alignment is key,¡± Ben continued. ¡°The dagger should be an extension of your arm. Imagine a straight line running from your shoulder, through your arm, and to the tip of the dagger. This alignment will help you throw with precision.¡± Next, Ben focused on the throwing technique. ¡°When you¡¯re ready to throw, lean slightly forward. Shift your weight from your back foot to your front foot as you bring the dagger back beside your head.¡± He mimicked the motion, showing a fluid movement that seemed almost effortless. ¡°Then, as you throw, release the dagger when your hand is pointing directly at your target. The release point is crucial; too early or toote, and you¡¯ll miss your mark.¡± ¡°Remember, it¡¯s not about the force,¡± he advised, his eyes locking onto Leo¡¯s to ensure he understood. ¡°It¡¯s about technique and finesse. Let the dagger do the work. Aim for consistency in your grip, alignment, and release. Practice this, and you¡¯ll find your mark more often than not.¡± Saying so, Ben threw a volley of daggers towards a tree and although he threw almost 10 of them one after another, they all formed an extremely concentrated circle on the tree bark, no bigger than a palm. His throwing technique was such that the dagger did not spin at all. It went straight towards the target. With the rotational motion urring with his wrist instead. He flicked his wrist before releasing the dagger and it seemed to sail effortlessly towards its mark as from start to finish Ben made it look like it was effortless and easy, which made Leo excited as he hoped to reach the same level of expertise someday. With a final nod, Ben stepped back, giving Leo space to try. ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn. Remember what I¡¯ve shown you. Take your time, focus on the technique, and let the dagger fly.¡± Leo took a deep breath, trying to mimic Ben¡¯s confident stance as he picked up the dagger. He carefully formed the ¡®V¡¯ grip around the handle, his thumb and index finger pressing against the cold metal. He aligned the dagger with his arm, just as Ben had shown, and focused on a target ahead. With a flicker of determination in his eyes, Leo leaned forward, shifting his weight and pulling the dagger back beside his head. He tried to remember Ben¡¯s fluid motion, but as heunched the dagger, it spun awkwardly in the air, veering off course and ttering against the ground far from his intended target. ¡°Oops¡± Leo said embarrassedly as the end result was nothing close to what he hoped for, but he didn¡¯t let it deter him. Picking up another dagger, he set up for his second attempt, this time paying closer attention to the alignment and the release point Ben had emphasized. Again, the dagger flew, slightly closer to the target this time, but still far from hitting it. The realization dawned on him; the precision and finesse Ben talked about were not gained in a few attempts but required persistent practice. With each throw, Leo began to notice the subtle nuances of his technique that needed adjustment. The grip that was slightly too tight, the alignment that was off by just a fraction, and the release that was either too early or toote. He started to understand the importance of the bnce between power and technique, how each element of the throw affected the dagger¡¯s flight. With unteral focus and determination, Leo continued to practice, throw after throw. Although he did not seed in hitting the target, he gained valuable insights into the mechanics of dagger throwing. Each attempt brought a slight improvement, a minor adjustment that made his next throw a bit better. It was a slow and painstaking process, but with each throw, Leo felt a growing sense of understanding and control, a foundation upon which he could build his skill. ¡®What a monster-¡® Ben thought as he observed Leo¡¯s unbelievable growth rate, as over the course of just an hour, Leo¡¯s throws seemed much better than when he started as he made about a weeks progress in an hour. Ben always had an inkling that Leo was a genius, however, he had no idea that he was this good! ¡®My disciple is a prodigy, no doubt about it!¡¯ Ben thought, as he watched Leo train with a satisfied smile and nned to make his future training sessions even harder. With this rate of improvement, Ben felt like after 6-8 months, Leo would be capable enough to learn his core moves and just thinking about it made Ben extremely excited. Chapter 85: Stretch Training Chapter 85: Stretch Training After a few hours of weapons training that drained Leo¡¯s stamina to a near all-time low, it was finally time for lunch as Ben cooked Leo a nourishing meal. With nothing but the wilderness surrounding him, Leo had a meat stew mixed with herbs in an old iron bowl which tasted fairly delicious. With birds chirping in the background and the blue sky over his head, Leo felt like he was back to the good old days of humanity, enjoying a nice warm pic in the embrace of nature. He ate voraciously and helped himself to three helpings of food as Ben smiled and encouraged him to eat even more. From here onwards, Leo had to train even harder and he needed energy to sustain himself and for that he needed to feed himself well. ¡± I¡¯m stuffed, this is the best food I¡¯ve eaten in a month. Thank You so much¡± Leo thanked Ben who ced a hand over his shoulder with an evil grin and said ¡°Filling yourself to the brim before stretching? Rookie mistake¡± It was at that moment that Leo realized that there was something seriously wrong and that he had been set up by Ben. As the training shifted to the stretching regimen, Leo braced himself for difort, but what followed was an ordeal that tested the very limits of his endurance. From the very first stretch itself, which was a deep lunge, designed to target the hip flexors¡ªa group of muscles critical for the high kicks and sudden sprints that an assassin might need to execute, Leo felt his mind go numb with pain as while he could perform a deep lunge himself, he could not do it with his second legying t on the ground like Ben wanted him to. Ben instructed Leo to push his front knee over his toes, extending the stretch until Leo¡¯s breath hitched and then he physically applied additional pressure himself once Leo could push no more. ¡°These muscles,¡± Ben exined, ¡°are your foundation for agility. You need them as flexible as the strings of a bow.¡± Leo grunted in response, the sensation teetering on the edge of unbearable. ¡± It feels like you¡¯re ripping my muscles apart. Fuckkkkk¡­. I¡¯ve not even felt this kind of pain when being beaten ck and blue¡± Leo cursed as Ben grinned. Muscle stretching was the most painful process that a man could go through and it was going to be especially hard for Leo in his starting days. ¡°How much longer are you going to hold? It¡¯s already been four hours!¡± Leoined eventually, as Ben told him that it had only been two minutes and forced him to endure for three more minutes before changing the leg and repeating the 5 minutes long stretch. Next, they moved onto a hamstring stretch, with Leo lying on his back while Ben pushed his raised leg towards his head. ¡°The hamstrings,¡± Ben said, pressing Leo¡¯s leg closer to his torso, ¡°they¡¯re what give you the speed. Tight hamstrings are a liability.¡± Leo¡¯s response was a choked curse, his hands wing at the dirt below as he fought the instinct to pull away. The pain was a hot wire, searing through the back of his thigh. They held this stretch for five minutes as well, before moving onto the next one. Next, Ben forced Leo into a split which led to Leo¡¯s inner thighs screaming under the stretch. ¡°Your adductors,¡± Ben intoned, as if lecturing in a ssroom rather than pushing his pupil to the brink of tolerance, ¡°give you theteral movement. Essential for dodging, for weaving through your environment as seamlessly as shadow.¡± Leo¡¯s vision blurred, his teeth ground together so hard he feared they might crack. ¡°I know it hurts,¡± Ben acknowledged, ¡°but think of this pain as the currency for your survival.¡± Ben was slightly surprised as to how pathetic Leo¡¯s body was. It was almost like he had never stretched much in his life before as his muscles had absolutely no flexibility to them. However, he did not let Leo¡¯s starting point deter him as the fact that Leo was holding his screams in and notining was a big positive and hence Ben only focused on his improvement. Next came the stretching of the shoulders and back¡ªmuscles crucial for the quick, powerful strikes of an assassin. Ben had Leo extend his arms in a T-position and then pushed them gently but firmly upwards. ¡°Tension here,¡± he said, indicating the stretch that ran all the way down Leo¡¯s spine to his fingertips, ¡°can mean the difference between a strike that neutralizes, and one that merely warns.¡± Leo¡¯s internal monologue was a litany of disbelief and agony. Each new position introduced a fresh hell that tore gasps and groans from his lips. He cursed under his breath, at Ben, at himself, at the unforgiving nature of his body which felt like it was being dismantled and remade. Yet, with each curse, there was an undercurrent of awe as despite the pain, his body was also releasing a hell lot of dopamine which felt really good. By the end of the session, Leo was more than just sore; he felt remolded, reshaped. Lying on the dirt, every breath was a testament to the day¡¯s trials with Ben¡¯s hand on his shoulder being both afort and a reminder of the ordeal. ¡°The pain,¡± Ben said, echoing Leo¡¯s own thoughts, ¡°is just the body¡¯s way of resisting change. But change is exactly what we¡¯re after.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right old man, I¡¯m sure tomorrow will be better-¡± Leo said optimistically as he thought that the stretching session was over, but actually it was not. ¡°Tomorrow? What are you 7 years old? It¡¯s only been half an hour and only bodyweight stretching, you still have a long way to go boy¡± Ben said as he then introduced Leo to the forced stretches which made the first 30 minutes feel like child¡¯s y. Handcuffing him from a high rod, Ben attacked two 20kg weighted ankle balls to Leo¡¯s feet forcing his spine to dpress under duress. Leo physically felt his arms and legs being ripped apart, applying stretch to muscle areas that Leo would never be able to by himself, throwing him into a world of pain, however, Ben showed him no mercy. He was hung from rods, he had his wrists forcibly taped to his arms at an extreme stretch with his toes suffering the same fate. He had weights attached to his individual fingers and stretched, his neck hung from aplex device and stretched, and as if all this wasn¡¯t enough, he was even forced to stretch his glutes by being tied at odd angles. In the two hours of stretching, Leo felt like cking out twice and puked three times in total as he realized as to why Ben said that stuffing himself up was a rookie mistake. A heavy stomach before such an intense exercise was a mistake Leo would never make again, however, just thinking about going through this hell every single day, made Leo fear for his life. Even more unfortunately, just going through this hell was not enough either as immediately after stretching was reflex training as Leo¡¯s day was far from over yet. Chapter 86: Reflex Training Chapter 86: Reflex Training Reflex training was arguably the training that Leo was best suited at, out of the entire training regiment that Ben had created for him. He had great reflexes, he knew it from the system evaluation and it showed in training as for a good while after his training started, Ben could not flick a single stone onto him, much to the veterans surprise. The training ground that Ben had created for Leo¡¯s reflex training was a maze of sharp, pointy nails protruding from the earth positioned with deliberate intent to limit his mobility, creating a treacherousndscape that demanded not just agility but acute spatial awareness. Sometimes there was only enough area tond one feet amongst the bed of nails, sometimes he could put both, however, the area was always barely enough to correctlynd a feet as even a slice mis-judgment could lead to Leo hurting himself. ¡± Always remember this kid, in real battle, when you are being pressured by a single opponent or multiple ones, there will always only be one correct step that you can take. And a sea of nails, that represent all the wrong steps that will be your doom. You won¡¯t have much time to think, it muste as an instinct to you that ¡®yes¡¯ I have to take this jump, I have to move this way, I have to avoid this strike! Only then can you be an elite assassin¡± Ben said as he tried to exin the importance of this training as best as he could to Leo, knowing full well that although he might hate Ben for it in the short term, in the long run he would thank him for it. Standing on the periphery of this dangerous circle of nails, Ben, with his hands full of a collection of small pebbles, prepared to throw them one at a time towards Leo, testing his reflexes and dodging skills. Each pebble in his hand was seemingly innocuous but, under Ben¡¯s skilled flick, transformed into a deadly projectile. The air hummed with a tense anticipation as Ben¡¯s fingers danced, sending the first pebble hurtling towards Leo at a speed that seemed to slice the very breeze it traveled through. Initially, Leo¡¯s movements were graceful, almost balletic, as he twisted and turned, evading the pebbles with the elegance of a leaf dancing on the wind. His feet barely touched the ground, ensuring he did not disturb the menacing nails thaty in wait as the stretching training had seemingly unlocked a type of mobility in Leo that he was not aware that he could achieve himself. ¡°Haha. Too easy!¡± Leo said cockily, as Ben smiled and increased the intensity of his throws ever so slightly. The early sesses filled Leo with a quiet confidence, a belief in his ability to outmaneuver whatever Ben could throw at him. But as the minutes ticked by, Ben¡¯s flicks grew faster, the intervals between each stone shorter, pushing Leo to the edge of his capabilities. The pebbles soon began to rain down from unpredictable angles, forcing Leo to leap and dodge with a desperation that had not been present at the start. His breaths turned ragged, his movements less precise, and for the first time, the sharp sting of a pebble grazing his arm brought a grim realization of the stakes. -2. Soon, sweat began to drip into his eyes, blurring his vision and making each iing pebble seem like a deadlyet streaking across his field of sight. The nails on the ground which were once avoidable with careful footwork, now seemed to reach for him, as if they too were part of Ben¡¯s arsenal. The psychological pressure of near misses and ncing blows began to umte as Leo felt his heart rate shoot up and the anxiety of failure reduced his performance. The climax of this brutal symphony came when, out of the blur, Leo saw a pebble aimed directly at his eye. Time slowed as his bodyunched into a desperate evasion, a move that, while saving his sight, sent him tumbling onto the unforgiving bed of nails. -30 ¡°Agh fucking shit! Fuck it hurts¡± Leo cursed as he felt his skin being cut, bruised and punctured at various angles. The pain was immediate and intense, a searing agony that eclipsed all others. Hey there, amidst the iron teeth of the ground, feeling the warmth of his blood as it began to ooze out from numerous wounds. Ben approached him with a soft smile on his face, his shadow falling over Leo as he offered a hand to help him up. The lesson was clear, etched not just in Leo¡¯s flesh but in his mind that in the real world, the ground was always full of nails, and one¡¯s enemies would not aim for the ces you were prepared to defend. Today¡¯s harsh lesson was a preparation for a reality where every misstep could be fatal, and only those who could dance on the edge of danger would survive. As Leo limped away from the field, supported by Ben, he knew this training was not just about reflexes. It was about understanding the cost of failure, the importance of awareness, and the relentless pursuit of improvement. The nails, the pebbles, and Ben¡¯s unforgiving training methods were all forging him into a weapon, one that could survive the harshness of the world beyond this training ground. ¡± You performed much better than what I hoped for. Your reflexes are like those of a honed warrior and can put even night guild assassin¡¯s to shame¡± Benplimented Leo, as he tended to his wounds and stopped the immediate bleeding by bandaging them up. What Leocked now, was theposure of a warrior. He did not have the experience to hold his calm for a long time and it showed in his movements. Once Leo learned to hold his calm. He could be unstoppable in the reflex department, surpassing even Ben if he really tried. Chapter 87: Special Bath Chapter 87: Special Bath Finally, the brutal training day for Leo ended with a nice warm supper and a special medicinal bath prepared by Ben with secret ingredients. As Leo approached the barrel that Ben had prepared for him, he couldn¡¯t help but raise his eyebrows in surprise and a hint of apprehension. By now, he had reached his threshold for pain tolerance, his body was winded, bruised, punctured and ached like hell which made him less enthusiastic about turning into human stew. The barrel prepared by Ben for him was filled to the brim with a liquid that was a dirty green in color, its surface emitting a faint mist in the cool evening air. The odor that wafted from it wasplex, a mixture of earth, a hint of sulfur, and an array of scents from the myriad of secret herbs Ben had collected. The consistency of the liquid seemed thick, almost viscous, as if the water itself had been transformed into a healing potion. With a nod from Ben, Leo slowly disrobed, still eyeing the concoction warily. Stepping into the barrel, he felt the peculiar mixture envelop his legs, the consistency more akin to a gel than water. As he lowered himselfpletely, the initial shock of the temperature¡ªsurprisingly warm and not at all unpleasant¡ªgave way to a series of sensations that were difficult to describe. The thick liquid seemed to cling to his skin, seeping into the myriad cuts and bruises with a sweet, tingling pain that was both soothing and invigorating. ¡± Agh yes¡­. Yes! This feels gooooodd¡± Leo said with a sigh as he felt like he was in euphoria. Inside the bath, Leo felt as if the weight of the day¡¯s training was being lifted from his shoulders, the pain from his wounds diminishing with every passing second. The thick, dirty green liquid worked its magic, prating deep into his muscles, easing the tension and fatigue that had built up over the day. It was an odd feeling, being submerged in something that felt alive, as if the bath itself was assessing and healing his injuries with an intelligence of its own. [ System Notification ¨C You have entered a special medicinal bath! Your body is undergoing improvements! Physique has increased by +3! Strength has increased by +1 Agility has increased by +2 ] [ System Notification ¨C You have entered a special medicinal bath! Your HP and stamina are regenerating rapidly! ] Leo was stunned to see his body getting direct stat benefits that were achieved without him improving a level! This was unheard of in the world of Terra Nova, with no one on the global server talking about this phenomenon. It was a truly difficult thing to achieve as usually to see such a direct improvement, one either needed to drink a high quality potion, or repeatedly undergo strenuous training so that gradually their muscles and body saw improvement. What the medicinal bath made by Ben did however was that all the micro-tears, all the strain that Leo¡¯s body had umted over the day, that would impede him the next day and would take several days to heal naturally were healing instantly as Leo gained the benefits of training for a week in a single day. The improvements to his body were almost immediate. The aches from the day¡¯s exertions began to fade, reced by a growing sense of strength and vitality. Leo could almost feel his body absorbing the benefits of the bath, his skin tingling with renewed energy as it almost made Leo forget about all the suffering he had been through. The stat benefits were also a much weed bonus as Leo felt stronger, quicker, and more resilient, as if the bath was imbuing him with qualities that went beyond mere physical healing. An hourter, as Leo emerged from the bath, his skin was tinged with a faint green hue, a temporary mark of the potent herbs and minerals that had worked to repair and fortify his body. The cuts and bruises that had marred his skin were now significantly healed, some of the smaller onespletely vanishing as if they had never been and his muscles feeling supple and powerful, ready for whatever challengesy ahead. Ben watched with a satisfied nod, knowing well the effects of his concoction and the effects it would have on a young boy like Leo. ¡°This bath, will I get to enjoy it everyday?¡± Leo asked as Ben chuckled and nodded his head. ¡°You should thank my master, without him, you would not be enjoying this bath. And yes, you will get to enjoy it for at least a year, however, the effects won¡¯t be as potent as time passes by¡± Ben said as he reminisced about the time when he used to enjoy this bath after training. The secret herbs needed for this bath were collected from the hidden corners of Mt.Faulkner and were unique only to this mountain, where ntations were made several decades ago by his father for the time when Ben eventually took in a disciple. Each herb used in the bath added a unique property to the bath, enhancing Leo¡¯s physical qualities beyond the ordinary and if sold in the open market could fetch several dozen gold coins for each individual herb sold, with Ben using several dozen herbs for concocting each bath for Leo. It was a well-guarded secret, one that Ben¡¯s family had perfected over generations of experimentation and study and was the core secret of his n as Leo was lucky to enjoy something so precious free of charge. Finally, with his workout for day oneing to an end, Leo finally received the notification to get out of Terra Nova as he was supposed to be briefed about his new job today. It was a hard day in the game, undoubtedly, however, for Leo it was soon going to be the new normal. Chapter 88: New Job Chapter 88: New Job (Real World, Sector D) Leo logged out of Terra Nova and was momentarily surprised to find himself alone in his room, with nobody around. In his old ce back in Sector E, Luke would always be right there with him, cramped together with hardly any space or privacy. But here, Luke had his own room, and Amanda had hers. ¡°Great, I¡¯ve got some time to myself to freshen up,¡± Leo thought, pleased at the idea of using the apartment¡¯s attached private bathroom in peace. Soon after, Luke and Amanda logged out too, with the three of them quickly getting ready for work by changing into their newly assigned work robes. The work clothes for Sector D were different from Sector E¡¯s. They were more likefy, red robes and pajamas than the bulky, awkward uniforms from before. They were made from a soft, cotton-like material, and Leo really liked howfortable they felt. However, Amanda wasn¡¯t much of a fan as she thought they were too loose and flowy for her taste, but without any option to adjust them, she just had to deal with it. ¡°Everyone ready for work?¡± Luke asked as Leo and Amanda nodded, and the three of them headed out to the Sector Dmon area for their daily check-in. In the sprawling expanse of Sector D¡¯smon ground, a sea of workers d in the uniform red robes and pajamas appeared to have gathered, as it was only now that Luke and Leo realized that the poption of sector D was much higher than that of sector E. Among them, a discernible majority moved with a purpose, their steps confident, their faces marked by the familiarity of routine. These were the original workers of sectorD,prising about 80% of the crowd, each well-acquainted with their supervisors and the duties awaiting them. Conversely, a small contingent of roughly 20% of the poption stood apart, they kept looking around and chatting to other people who knew what they were doing, hoping to get a grip on the situation. These were the neers, the fresh faces in Sector D who were unversed in their role in society. ¡°Those who are unsure about their duties, follow me!¡± A loud and clear voice cut through the crowd as a man in yellow robes, wearing the same uniform like that of Mr.Vini, came into view as all the neers moved towards him. The supervisor, a robust individual with a keen eye for detail, gestured for the new workers to gather around. ¡°I¡¯m Supervisor Marek,¡± he introduced himself, his voice carrying a note of authority yet jovialness that made it seem like he did not hate his job or those that he worked with. ¡°Today marks the beginning of your journey in Sector D workforce, but rest assured, by the day¡¯s end, you¡¯ll find yourself feeling right at home.¡± He said, as he made eye contact with all the workers under him, like a good leader should. ¡± All of you neers are workers in the hospitality department! Consider yourselves to be extremely lucky as it¡¯s arguably one of the best jobs to have¡± Marek said as he began walking towards the border separating sector D with sector C. ¡± You may be assigned as masseuses to work in sector A or for private clients. You may be assigned to work as a butler for someone in sector S. You may be assigned to be a Gardener for themon park in sector B. Your daily assignment will vary depending on what sort of requests the upper residents have put in forbor, and if you¡¯re lucky enough, you might not have to work for a full day at all! ¡± Marek said, as Luke and Leo looked at each other and could not hide their smile. This was a much easier job whenpared to cleaning sewage tanks and was much more humane too. However, unlike the brothers- Amanda, whose previous job was akin to that of an ountant who had to update inventory reports while working from a fixed sector C office, found this new job role to be much more challenging. She was not too happy about it, but just like the work robe, she had to just suck it up and move on. ¡± Since you will be working off-site, you will be provided with a meal box to take with you and can request an hour¡¯s lunch break anytime between 1-3 pm at your discretion. At the end of your shift just have me tick your name off and drop the lunchbox in the collection bin. Your work rating will only partially be decided by me. While it will be partially decided by the client you service, so just smile and be as polite as possible¡± Marek said, as Luke pped Leo on the back and repeated what he said ¡± Be as polite as possible¡­¡± Knowing Leo well, Luke understood that his brother was impulsive and prone to losing his cool fast and hence Luke, being the responsible big brother that he was, had to keep reminding Leo that he needed to be polite and well mannered. ¡°Alright, that being said, I already have today¡¯s worklist ready, so let me announce it chronologically. Amanda Hawk- Masseuse training, Sector B Ares Shaw ¨C Gardening Sector A. Becky Totes ¨C Housemaid, Sector A, number 53. Chris Lyn ¨C Butler, Sector S, number 4 . . . . Leo Skyshard ¨C Food server, Sector A, house number 51. Luke Skyshard ¨C Male Model, Sector S, House number 3. Both Luke and Leo cringed at their duties for the day, with Luke feeling more afraid for himself than Leo. He had no idea what ¡®Male Model¡¯ was supposed to do, however, if it was some rich individual¡¯s weird fetish of either drawing a naked man or making him crossdress for art, then Luke was definitely in for a hard day. Leo on the other hand was assigned as a food server, and the only imagination that Leo had for that job was to serve some rich people warm food, while they slowly enjoyed it with forks and knives. Both weren¡¯t bad jobs per se, however, Leo was a slight foodie and sucker for good food which was why him being a server would tempt him to taste the food by himself which would most likely not be allowed. Nheless, since their jobs had been assigned, all three of them picked up their lunch boxes and made their way towards their workces as for the first time ever, Luke and Leo moved beyond sector B and got to witness the grandeur of sector A and S. With the duo having assigned different duties, they parted ways at sector A as Leo looked for house number 51, while Luke went onto sector S with nervous steps, wondering what today¡¯s job held for him. However, while he was anxious, there was a soft smile on his face as he was confident that whatever job he was supposed to do today, would be better than cleaning someone¡¯s feces and that although he was not a white cor worker yet and was still doing blue cor jobs, he was at least in a much better ce now, than he was a week ago. Chapter 89: Big Revelation Chapter 89: Big Revtion ( Sector S, House 3 ) As Luke entered the house, he was blown away by the grandeur of the building as weird electric sensations zapped him all over the body once hepared this house to the ce where he lived. The house was a literal vi! At Least upying the same space as the foundations needed to build a twenty storey apartment building, however, it was only a two storey vi. It had a seperate gate for entry, a privatewn that was not synthetic but real. A realwn in space! Luke did not even understand how that was possible, however, this ce had it. A small miniature pool, and some aesthetic sculptures all around the house. Even back on Earth, this was the sort of house that one looked from afar and understood that it belonged to a millionaire and that consistency had been maintained in space as well. ¡°Agh Luke, my man! Come on in¡± A familiar voice shouted from the first floor window of the house, as when Luke tilted his head, he found Cervantez grinning from the window grills. ¡± O, guildmaster you?¡± Luke said pleased, as he felt a huge burden being relieved off his shoulders as upto this point he was genuinely worried about what his ¡®Male Model¡¯ work might be. As he entered Cervantez¡¯s home, he just took a deep breath and decided to ignore his ludicrous wealth asparing his current living quarters to that of Cervantez would do him absolutely no good at all. Just the main hall of Cervantez¡¯s house was three times the size of their three-room sharing apartment, with just hismon bathroom being 75% the size of their entire apartment. Not even mentioning the kitchen, the luxurious furniture or anything else, just the ce itself was insane, however, as if just one floor was not enough, Cervantez was given a second floor in his house which was a pure p to Luke¡¯s face of ¡®Yeah you are poor¡¯. On the upper floor, there were three massive rooms, with Cervantez being the sole upant. One of the rooms was his gaming room, the other one he converted into a private gym and the third was a massive private bedroom that could house 30 sector E people with ease. Dressed in rich people free clothes from Earth, Cervantez casually ate what seemed like a fresh apple as when Luke arrived on the first floor, he tossed one to Luke as well and invited him over to the gaming room. ¡°Come on, I have to talk strategy with you. The next phase of this game has already started¡± Cervantez said, as he seemed preupied with some thoughts, as if he were a man on a mission. ¡°How did you get me assigned to your particr chore?¡± Luke inquired, as he took a bite of a fresh lucious apple, feeling invigorated by its fresh organic taste. ¡°MP¡± Cervantez replied, as Luke nodded his head. MP seemed to be a very powerful currency in Terra Nova that could achieve almost anything, however, in his gaming experience so far, Luke had seldom came across opportunities to gain MP. ¡°So, first things first, tell me about the university you enrolled in and the path you¡¯re on¡± Cervantez instructed as Luke began to tell him everything. Luke had joined the Knight¡¯s Academy just like Cervantez wanted and had done so using a token that apparently marked him as a master knight¡¯s apprentice. For now, he was epted into the university a week before the official semester began and this gave him an opportunity to fraternize with the son of the West Duke, Jerome Crowhead. Luke told Cervantez about his fear regarding how his talent might seem inadequate once training started for the kind of hype surrounding him. He also told him about the system quest that he had received and about the great tournament that was going to take ce a year from now and how Jerome was eyeing a good performance on that grand stage. Cervantez listened carefully to everything Luke had to say. He was a calm listener and did not interrupt Luke¡¯s flow at all when he was talking. Only when Luke was done narrating his side of the events, did Cervantez finally nod and reply, as he praised Luke highly for his achievements so far. ¡°Get closer to the Duke¡¯s son, your friendship with him will be pivotal to our guild¡¯s future-¡± Cervantez instructed as Luke felt a little awkward for ying someone¡¯s feelings like that, however, he reminded himself that Jerome was only an NPC and that it was okay if he yed with the trust of a character in-game. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something today, but you can¡¯t tell it to anyone¡­.. not Amanda and especially not your hot-headed brother Reveal anything, even identally and the bracelet will zap you¡± Cervantez said, as he pressed his own ankle bracelet against that of Luke¡¯s, creating an administrator gratified oath. ¡°Well, this is just so that you don¡¯t get tempted to leak some hints to your brother, please don¡¯t take it like I don¡¯t trust you¡± Cervantez rified as Luke felt confused as to what Cervantez wished to say which needed such a high level of secrecy. ¡°I¡¯m only telling you this because I wish to make you the vice-guild master of my guild and because the future of the guild will be 40% dependent solely on your actions¡­.¡± Cervantez dered ominously as he stared seriously into Luke¡¯s eyes. ¡± The next phase of the game has started and the focus for the next one year will be on skill development. Everyone will rush to improve their skills, however, most won¡¯t know how to? In Terra Nova, a normal yer can only have 5 skill slots and regardless of the quality of skill that you learn from the skill scroll, the mastery of a skill is solely dependent on your own fundamental understanding of the skill and repeated practice. Amon grade skill, practiced to mastery will Trump an Elite grade skill with basic mastery anyday, so the mistake that one needs to avoid is learning unnecessary skills and not practicing with them enough. However, here is what my advice for you will be: Don¡¯t learn skills from skill scrolls¡­.. only learn them via manual repetition, because skills learnt by repetition will be the only skills that you shall be able to use in real life¡± Cervantez said, as Luke felt like his ears were ringing. ¡± What do you mean? What use them in real life? Terra Nova is just a game isn¡¯t it?¡± Luke asked, as Cervantez shook his head. ¡± Just a game? Ha- I wish it were that simple Luke¡­.. Terra Nova is much more than a game. The aliens, their motives and are much more elusive than what you or I believe¡± Cervantez said as Luke was taken aback by the implication behind his words. ¡°One year from now, the arc ships will cross the manaless dry part of the universe and reach the cosmic highway called the ¡®Rainbow Cruise¡¯ Our gaming helmets will be reced by gaming pods. Pods that run on mana and have the capability to slowly reforge our bodies to match the strength of our character. The skills are real. The game is real¡­.. Terra Nova is much moreplex than you understand¡± Cervantez said as Luke forgot how to breathe for a second. Chapter 90: Big Revelation (2) Chapter 90: Big Revtion (2) ¡°The skills are real. The game is real¡­ Terra Nova is much moreplex than you understand,¡± Luke felt it difficult to breathe once Cervantez revealed the future. He always knew that there was something more to the game that the aliens were forcing them to y; however, he never thought it could be this serious. ¡°What?¡± Luke asked in disbelief, as he opened and closed his eyes several times, just to make sure he was not hallucinating. ¡°Terra Nova Online is the aliens¡¯ way of preparing us for joining their and their culture. The game, it has been tailored towards us humans, it follows the same English we speak, it has the same sort of feudal system, the same animals that we know from back Earth, and only a hint of fantasy in the form of the myriad species living within. However, if you look at it hard enough, there¡¯s only Elves, Orcs, Beastmen, Goblins and Dragons in the name of fantasy species. If you think hard about it, these are still the species that we know about, they are part of our folklore and what we arefortable with. Uptil the Arc ships showed up, we did not even believe in aliens Luke, so do you really think, there are only the fantasy species that we know as earthlings that exist in the universe?¡± Cervantez asked as Luke could understand thepelling point that he was making. ¡± It feels like a game set in a medieval world¡­.¡± Cervantez continued ¡°However, if you think about it, if the aliens can build arc ships and possess such technology to build such a profound deep-dive game, would they really be so medieval as depicted?¡± Cervantez said, as he stated facts that were obvious to note, however, were things that Luke never paid much attention to before. ¡°Let me tell you what¡¯s going to happen, Luke. Year 1- The skill year. This is the year they will let us interact with the game, learn its mechanics, have our fun, while giving us time to develop. Year 2- The Asset Rush. It will be dered that controlling property within Terra Nova Online will equate to individuals owning property on the real Terra Nova uponnding, starting the era of asset rush and guild wars. The skills that we learned shall be put to the test now, and the gap between mediocre and top guilds as well as top yers and average yers will widen. It will also be the year that the gaming pods are introduced and by using it little by little our bodies will start to change. Year 3 ¨C After the third evaluation, we will enter the most important year of gaming where the main storyline of Terra Nova Online will start to unfold. A massive war will break out all over the map of the game and every feudal lord/ guild controlling territory will be forced into participation. It will be then that the real myriad species of the universe will be introduced to us, and Terra Nova will slowly transition into the game that it was always meant to be, with the Tutorial reaching its eventual climax. We will be forced to fight a myriad of ugly and abhorrent fantasy species, the likes of which you would have never seen before and the likes of which shall haunt you in your nightmares for years. However, this won¡¯t be just a part of the game as these will turn out to be the species that they will expect us to fight when wend on our destination. Yes, as promised before in year two, we will be givennd uponnding on Terra Nova, however, with thend wille the responsibility of administering and protecting it. A duty they won¡¯t disclose that we would be forced to do uponnding until year three. Once you see the monsters that we are supposed to face, you will realize just how dumb of a decision it will be to im territories that are vast and wife and how the best territories to choose were always the ones at the center of the map, that were geographically hard to target. It should also be around this time that our bodies fully sync with our gaming characters and we be stronger than what you could ever have imagined back on Earth, bing capable of performing the same feats in reality that our characters can perform in-game. And then finally, there¡¯s year 4. The climax, the year where @@#?###¡­..¡± Cervantez said, as suddenly his vocal cords stopped functioning as his bracelet issued a warning. [Warning Passenger ¡®Cervantez¡¯, revealing events of year 4 is forbidden]. The bracelet on Cervantez¡¯s arm said, as Cervantez silently cursed the bracelet, however, Luke did not care. He simply clutched his head, with his eyes wide open as he could not even begin to process the information that Cervantez had just dropped on him. It was almost too much for him to handle, as although Cervantez meant well, he was clearly weak with people skills, not realizing the extent of shock that an individual could take at once. Luke had boarded the Arc Ship, with the hope of achieving a better life¡­.. His mother had literally sold her kidney to ensure that her kids would have a better shot at life, however, now that he was onboard and adrift in space he was realizing that the promise of a ¡®Fresh Start¡¯ was not all roses and sunshine as it was first presented to be. ¡± President Verma¡­.. that bitch¡­. Of Course there was no fresh start¡­. How could I have been so stupid?¡± Luke questioned himself as his mental state deteriorated. The fact that the bracelet stopped Cervantez frompleting his sentence, suggested to Luke that whatever he was saying had to be the truth as if it was not the bracelet would have either not stopped him, or would have zapped him for spouting lies. ¡°Ha- what the hell have I gotten myself and my brother into?¡± Luke questioned, as he felt as if he was slowly losing his mind. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) While Luke was having his mind blown by having a chat with Cervantez, Leo was living his life watching one of his least favorite people suffer in bliss. It turned out coincidentally that the house that Leo had gone to be a food server, actually belonged to President Verma, who was freshly demoted from Sector S to A and was apparently not happy about it at all! Like a true politician, she had arranged a luncheon at her house almost as soon as she was demoted as she wished to fraternize with her fellow sector A individuals who were still very important people to curry favor with themunity, however, while she did host the luncheon, she could absolutely not hide her disappointment at being demoted as it reflected in every sentence that she spoke. Leo, alongside two other food servers allocated to her party, served the guests and got to listen-in on their gossip, as every time that President Verma sighed or said something that reflected her disappointment in being demoted, Leo felt extreme satisfaction as he relished every second of her downfall. Chapter 91: Big Revelation (3) Chapter 91: Big Revtion (3) ( Luke¡¯s POV ) It took Luke a good five minutes to calm down and organize his thoughts, as the bombshell that Cervantez dropped on him was too heavy to handle. Thankfully, Luke had a strong mentality and adjusted to his new reality pretty fast, as if he were a weaker man who was easily stuck in the past, he would have suffered a total mental breakdown by now. ¡°So the aliens are just ying us?¡± Luke asked, as Cervantez scratched his chin and seemed to ponder about that question. ¡°Well, in a way yes- But in a way not anymore than how our own politicians y us¡­.¡± Cervantez replied as he tried to articte his answer better. ¡°We shall get better bodies¡­. Much better than this trash we have right now and we shall be able to perform abilities that seem humanly impossible. So in a way we get superpowers, the kind that humans before us could only fantasize about, however, with those powers we also get dragged into a conflict that¡¯s not exactly ours. The only false promise sold here is that of a fresh start on a new, green without any problems. Only if you believed that your new life would be sunshine, rainbows and farming potatoes are you really in for a big reality check, as if one¡¯s expectations are reasonable then Terra Nova is a fair ce. ording to my Intel, the we are heading to is a war-torn and the aliens helping us escape Earth represent one side of that war. They send their scouts all across the universe with the purpose of bringing fresh fighters andborers back to their home, however, they don¡¯t treat them any worse than how we treat immigrants in different countries. Our top management knew the end-game of the aliens when they asked us to get on the ship knowing full well that we will be turned into fighting force, however, our top brass still epted the proposal because the fact of the matter is that Earth won¡¯t survive another five years. Our is dying and we were running out of options. There is no simple answer as to whether or not what the aliens are doing is nefarious or not, but here¡¯s how I see it. We get trained to fight through their game, giving us more than a fair shot to survive. We getnd, we get money, we get rights as their citizens. Of Course what we get is based on how we perform in the game, but it¡¯s then a fruit of our own efforts. So I say it¡¯s fair, rather than dying miserably on a dying, I¡¯m more than willing to forge my future throughbat on a new one¡± Cervantez said, as Luke let out a deep sigh. Cervantez was one optimisticd for sure and being around him made Luke feel more confident for some reason. ¡± I guess there¡¯s no point in me asking how you know so much, correct?¡± Luke said as Cervantez shrugged his shoulders and replied ¡± Think of my ability as being able to see hidden information in the game. I know more than I should and n to use it to my advantage-¡± Cervantez was clear with his words and actions. There was no hesitation in what he did and this sure-fire way of carrying himself was what instilled confidence in Luke to view him as a trustable leader who knew what he was doing. ¡± Ayy, then. You said 40% of your n relies on me? What do you want from me-¡± Luke asked, turning serious now that he understood the real stakes of this world. ¡°One, you won¡¯t be able to share the information that you have learnt with anyone. Most won¡¯t be able to handle it and even if they can, we are not saints. I intend to exploit my information advantage as much as possible and the more clueless themon masses are, the better it is for us¡± Cervantez said without any shame as Luke nodded in understanding. While noble men would think about the salvation of their species as a whole and along the lines of being a messiah if they had ess to hidden information, Cervantez was a practical man who put his own self interests first. ¡± Two, for us to be in the position to influence our fates, we need to be strong. I need to be strong and as my vice guildmaster, you also need to also be a cut above the rest. The knight¡¯s academy is the perfect ce for you to be as strong as you can and I expect you to absorb everything that you can there like a sponge. Don¡¯t learn from skill scrolls and grind the training hall like a madman. I don¡¯t care that you don¡¯t trust yourself to be special, that you¡¯re worried about your in-game identity being exposed. In the grand scheme of things, none of that matters. What does matter is that you improve, because someday your real life will depend on it¡± Cervantez said, as he revealed how many fucks he gave about Luke¡¯s self doubts. ¡± Three, we need you to get closer to the West Duke¡¯s son. My n is to upy a territory within hisnd when the time is ripe, and your connection with him will be the key to it. This event at the end of the year, the grand tournament, it¡¯s a fight I¡¯ll be participating in myself and if everything goes to n, I¡¯ll be bringing atleast 5 guildmates with me. We have to win that tournament anyhow if we want to establish a massive advantage for our guild, as the winner of that tournament will have one wish of theirs granted by the Emperor himself. ¡± Cervantez said, as Luke could finally see his future goals bing crystal clear. ¡± I say that 40% of the n will be dependent on you because the connections you build at the academy will be the foundation of the NPC army we shall recruit to maintain our territory atter stages of the game. Also when things get tough, it will be your connection with the Duke¡¯s son that will keep us in the loop regarding the most important developments in the game, giving us the advantage we need toe out on top in year two¡± Cervantez said, as Luke understood the full weight of responsibility on his shoulders. ¡± Your future guildmates will include one expert mage, one berserker, one tank, one archer, one tracker and one necromancer. We already have Amanda as our cksmith, and hope to recruit an inscription master as well, however, if everything goes to n this will be our core guild team. My biggest aim, it to recruit the number one yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, he¡¯s an elusive legend that seems to exist outside the loop as he¡¯s the only individual that I¡¯m not confident of recruiting¡± Cervantez said ¡± Will we be okay with so few members?¡± Luke questioned as Cervantez nodded his head. ¡± We will have thousands of members, but this will be our core team. But even amongst our core team, it¡¯s you and me who stand on-top as it will only be the two of us that understand the full picture¡± Cervantez said as he revealed the full n he held for the guilds future to Luke. Chapter 92: Future Plans Chapter 92: Future ns ¡± What are your ns for the foreseeable future? Also, if you have it all mapped out, why do you need someone like me? What do I bring to the table that you don¡¯t already have? ¡± Luke asked Cervantez once he exined his grand scheme to him, as Luke felt curious as to why he was the one Cervantez chose to be the vice guildmaster. ¡± I won¡¯t enroll in a university¡­. I have too many responsibilities tomit to the strict regimen. Part of why I¡¯m gathering MP and gold to pay you guys a stipend to improve your skills in year one is because I know that in year two, we need to band together and leverage our skills to seize assets. I have it all mapped out, but I¡¯m not great with people and that¡¯s where youe in¡­.. I¡¯ve experienced it before and I think my people skills are weak, which is why I need someone charismatic like you to exin my ns to the others and be the face of our guild. But for all that to happen, you need some authority yourself, so I stress again, don¡¯t ck off in training. Naturally. I won¡¯t either as although I won¡¯t be in a university, you can trust me on the fact that every second that I won¡¯t be working for the guild, I shall be honing my skills to be stronger as well ¡± Cervantez said as Luke nodded and promised to work as hard as possible. ¡± Forming the guild is a task and a half in itself. You need fame, you need money, you need permissions from the empire that are not easy to get. But leave all that and recruitment of talents to me, I¡¯llplete everything. Our paths shall merge only when the time for the great tournament draws near and shall be intertwined after that¡± Cervantez said as he pped Luke on the back and started to walk out of the room. ¡± Come dine with me and rx a little. I¡¯m sure your life within the game is stressful enough already and doesn¡¯t need you to take more stress outside as well. Also, stop worrying about why I chose you, and just focus on doing your best. I will treat everyone other than you as pawns, but I won¡¯t ever do wrong by you. That I promise¡± Cervantez said as there was something about the tone of his voice that made Luke trust him although he was spouting controversial stuff like treating everyone else like pawns. Much to Luke¡¯s joy, Cervantez treated him to fresh, vourful crunchy food and beer as the two sat down and talked about random things within Terra Nova and about dumb people on the global server. Just like normal friends on Earth would do, they talked about nothing in particr and discussed controversial stuff like the uprising and what it intended to do. Cervantez had some pretty interesting theories on the purpose behind the uprising, however, he was not too worried about it as a group as he had already seen it fail in his past life. His sole point of obsession remained ¡®TheBoss¡¯, whom he simply could not let out of his mind, as it was an obsession that Luke was made well aware of, after spending a full afternoon with him. Despite all the shocks, Luke ended up having quite a nice time with Cervantez as by the time his shift ended, he seemed to be feeling much more in control about his future, which gave him an odd sense of stability. He preferred to be informed and scared rather than being clueless and happy as at least this way he could prepare for the storm that wasing. Although he could not directly convey all this to Leo, Luke was resolved to definitely try and give Leo the best advice that he could and shape his future path as best as he could without breaching the operator oath. ********** ( Back in Sector D, the new Skyshard residence ) By the time Luke came back, he found Amanda and Leoughing out loud in the living room, as Leo seemed to be mimicking president Verma at the luncheon today. Quickly invited to the mix, Leo proceeded to act like the president once again to bring Luke upto speed, as despite all the heavy things weighing down his mind, when he saw Leo act like the disappointed president, Luke could not help butugh out loud. Internally, he wished to rush into Terra Nova and y the game for as long as possible, however, he held it in as he enjoyed some family time with Leo. ¡°Mr lobo, I can¡¯t thank you enough foring to this luncheon parryyy¡­. *Muah* *Muah* Some S ss businessmen have be so rude as to ignore my invitation as if I don¡¯t matter anymore, but I¡¯m d at least you¡¯re in your senses. Haha- Yes, yes, Mr lobooo, if I talk to the operator of course you shall be the first one that I inform¡± Leo said in the president¡¯s ent as he acted like her for fun, eliciting rollingughter from both Luke and Amanda. ¡± Oof¡­ this dirty small apartment is so downss. The Whitehouse was much better, ya¡­,¡± Leo said while gesturing with his palm and raising his eyebrows to make the same facial expression as the president, as Luke and Amandaughed so hard that their stomachs started to hurt from theughter. ¡± Stop¡­. Please stop, I can¡¯t take it anymore¡± Amanda pleaded as a small tear formed in her eye, as it was only today that Leo and Luke found out that their roommate also shared a distaste for their president. ¡± I¡¯m telling you brother, today was the best day at work! The best¡­. I¡¯m so happy we are in sector D¡± Leo said enthusiastically as Luke could not help but smile sadly. Now that he knew the real stakes at hand, he felt like the sectors did not even matter that much in the grand scheme of things, but he did not have the heart to bring down Leo¡¯s joy or be the mood damper as he followed along and said ¡± I had a great day myself, I drank beer, ate great food, spent time with a billionaire¡± Luke flexed as Leo and Amanda became instantly jealous. The trio proceeded to trade their stories of their workday for a while, before calling it a night and returning to their own rooms. As Luke now put on his gaming helmet, he felt the true weight of the technology that he was using, as the right questions began to pop up in his mind, the kind that he was ignoring before. ¡®If the aliens were advanced enough to build the full dive technology¡­. If they were advanced enough to build the arc ship that could travel through millions of miles in space in months. Could their society really be as medieval as the game depicted?¡¯ It was a question worth pondering about, as Luke only realized it¡¯s weight after his conversation with Cervantez today. Chapter 93: Back to the game Chapter 93: Back to the game ( Back in game, The knight¡¯s academy ) Luke wasted no time once he logged back into the game as he headed straight for the principal¡¯s office and requested a meeting with the headmaster. Sir John Wood- ¡± Agh, Skylion, back again so soon?¡± Sir wood said, as he seemed surprised as to why Luke hade to visit him again so soon. ¡± I wish to start my training, headmaster¡± Luke requested as John scratched his head and contemted Luke¡¯s request. ¡± What¡¯s the problem with that? The semester starts 6 dayster anyways, feel free to train in the academy grounds as you see fit until then¡± He replied as he expected Luke to already have a pretty strict training regimen, if he was the chosen disciple of a master knight. ¡± I wish to receive a new training regimen headmaster, I¡¯m here today, because I feel like you can provide me with a good one¡± Luke said, as John felt like Luke was testing him at this point. ¡® I think the master knight behind him must have instructed him to do so on his first day of university¡­.. maybe he will report back on thepetency of the academy to his masterter this week. Very well, I¡¯ll y ball with you¡¯ John thought as he began to create the most basic yet rigorous training regimen for a knight. ¡± You said you were a shield and sword dual user correct? Very well- I¡¯ll personally draw a training regimen for you, student Skylion¡± John Wood said as he began writing on a piece of parchment paper with a quill and ink. If Luke was a normal student asking for advice, sir John would have not made his training as hard as he did for Luke, as he took a holistic approach to his development by making his training routine hard, but also not forgetting to work on his leadership skills and the like. ¡°The regimen I¡¯ve prepared for you, Student Skylion, will forge you not just into a knight but a paragon of chivalry and martial prowess. Follow it to the T and you shall improve in whatever sphere you¡¯recking¡± John dered as he passed the parchment to Luke for reading 1. [ Sword Training at Dawn (4:30 AM ¨C 6:00 AM) ] : Begin each day with sword training, Focus on perfecting each movement for strength and precision, incorporating weighted gear to enhance muscle endurance. 2. [ Mounted Jousting and Lance Technique (6:00 AM ¨C 8:00 AM) ]: Engage in mounted training, focusing on jousting uracy andnce control. This includes charging at targets at full gallop and maneuvering obstacle courses to simte battlefield conditions. 3. [ Siege Weaponry Training (8:00 AM ¨C 10:00 AM) ] Train in the art of operating siege weapons, such as trebuchets and ballistae. Precision and power are key, as is understanding the mechanics and strategic use of each weapon. 4. [ Shield Defense and Formation Tactics (10:00 AM ¨C 12:00 PM) ]: Master the use of the shield in both individual defense and in group formations. Practice advancing, retreating, and rotating as a unit, simting scenarios you¡¯ll face on the battlefield. 5. [ Hand-to-Hand Combat and Wrestling (12:00 PM ¨C 1:00 PM) ]: Though knights are seldom without their de, proficiency in unarmedbat is essential. Train in grappling, throws, and strikes to ensure preparedness for any form of close-quartersbat. 6. [ Armored Endurance Runs (1:00 PM ¨C 2:00 PM) ]: Don full armor for endurance runs through varied terrain. This will build stamina and limate you to the demands of fighting while fully equipped. 7. [ Battlefield Strategy and History (2:00 PM ¨C 2:30 PM) ]: Study historical battles and the strategies that decided their oues one on one with the academy librarian. ***Lunch*** (2:30-3:00) 8. [ Sword and Shield Live Combat (3:00 PM ¨C 5:00 PM) ]: Engage in livebat drills with instructors, focusing on integrating sword and shield techniques into fluid, effectivebat strategies. 9. [ Knightly Virtues and Ethics (5:00 PM ¨C 6:00 PM) ]: Participate in discussions and lectures on the ethical and moral obligations of a knight and our duty towards the empire. Understanding the weight of knighthood is as crucial as martial prowess. 10. [ Evening Reflection and Physical Recovery (6:00 PM ¨C 7:00 PM) ]: End the day with a period of reflection on the lessons learned and the virtues upheld. This is followed by physical recovery sessions involving stretching, massage, and care for injuries, preparing your body and spirit for the rigors of the next day. It was a very bnced training regimen that did not solely focus on training, but a holistic development as John was not sure what Luke¡¯s hidden master wanted from him and hence gave an all-epassing answer that could never go wrong. Looking squarely into Luke¡¯s eyes, sir John said . ¡°Adhere to this regimen till semester starts, and you will gain more insights into academy life in a week than the other students will in a year¡± ¡± Sir, can you provide me with a list of faculty as well? Who shall be assisting me in each training session?¡± Luke asked, as sir John took out another quill and assigned a teacher to Luke for each of his training activities. ¡± We shall fully support all your training desires student Skylion, I¡¯ll assign the academy¡¯s best teachers to you-¡± Sir John said as he passed yet another list to Luke whereby he assigned one instructor to each other Luke¡¯s training activities. ¡± Thank You so much headmaster, I will remember the kindness you have shown me forever¡± Luke said sincerely as Sir Johnughed out loud. This was the sort of chivalry he wished to see in every knight in his academy as he admired this politeness of Luke. Since it was already 11am, Luke could not perform the first few activities on the list, but willing to waste no time, he did not wait for the next day to start his training as he simply started with the tasks listed after 11 am on his parchment. Chapter 94: Knight Training Chapter 94: Knight Training After receiving his training regimen, Luke set out to find the first instructor who would be avable to train him at this time. ording to the parchment paper, the next training to be done on his list was [ Hand To Hand Combat Training ] which started at 12:00. The instructor that principal Wood rmended for this training was a female knight who went by the name ¡®ra Stones¡¯. With the semester having not yet begun, the academy¡¯s corridors were unusually silent, amplifying the sound of Luke¡¯s footsteps as he walked across the halls looking for Mrs ra¡¯s cabin. Since principal Wood had just created his training regimen, Luke assumed that he would not have had the time to give all the teachers the memo before the day ended, however, since he was eager to start today itself, Luke took the liberty to inform his teachers about the schedule himself. Soon, He arrived at Mrs. ra¡¯s staff room, easily identified by the namete on the door, and knocked. *Knock* *Knock* The door was promptly answered by Mrs. ra who looked surprised to see a student before her door. ¡± Yes?¡± She asked surprised as Luke politely bowed and said ¡± Hello, teacher, I¡¯m Skylion, I¡¯ve been enrolled into the university prior to official admissions because of special reasons, may I have a word with you?¡± ¡± Sure,e in,¡± ra said, intrigued as to who Luke really was and what he wanted with her. Once Luke entered her chambers, the first thing he noticed were the countless trophies and letters of honor that stood framed behind her, a testament to her skill as an excellent knight. The next thing he noticed was the striking appearance that Mrs. ra possessed. She exuded a warrior¡¯s presence with her brown hair being pulled back tightly and being secured in a manner befitting a seasonedbatant. The neck of her robe was slightly low exposing the strong muscle definition of her neck where muscles and veins popped out in ces where Luke had no idea they even existed. Her brown eyes were deep and perceptive as she held a rugged beauty that spoke a tale of a lifetime of rough training. ¡°I¡¯m Skylion. Sir John Wood has rmended I start training before the semester begins and for you to be my hand-to-handbat instructor temporarily,¡± Luke stated, presenting the parchment that detailed his training regimen. Mrs. ra¡¯s expression shifted to one of interest as she reviewed the document. ¡°It¡¯s rare for a student to seek a training regimen directly from the principal and for him to oblige, who exactly are you? Are you the Duke¡¯s kid or the disciple of the master knight?¡± ra inquired, her tone indicating both approval and challenge. ¡°I¡¯d be thetter-¡± Luke said, as ra sized him up really nicely. ¡°Very well, this should be fun, follow me to the training arena¡± she said, as she led Luke through the massive academy to the spot where hand to handbat sses would be held once semester started. It was a nicely built arena with lots of open space and a soft ground tond on should one be mauled over and banged on the floor. The ground was hard enough to not restrict movement, but soft enough to not break bones like training on a hard surface would. ¡°So? How proficient are you in hand to handbat?¡± ra inquired once the two reached the training ground as Luke candidly admitted to having no experience. ¡°I have only been in street fights before, never a proper training environment¡± Luke said as ra smirked listening to his response. ¡± A master knight¡¯s student with no formal training, this will be fun!¡± She said as her aura changed remarkably as sheunched an attack on Luke. Reflexively, Luke fought back, however, his technique was too crude and his strength toocking as within three exchanges he found himself being hit with two t palms on his chest as he was knocked to the ground below. *GAHHH* Luke gasped for air and coughed as he felt the full impact of ra¡¯s blow, however, his instructor seemed to be willing to show him no mercy at all as she yelled ¡°AGAIN¡± Slowly, Luke got back up on his feet and assumed a boxing-like stance. Boxing was the only hand to handbat style that he was remotely aware of, as he knew the basics of how to throw a jab. ¡± Master Tyson¡¯s stance? A poor imitation-¡± ra said as she approached Luke once again, ducked under his jab with inhuman speed, circling around his waist and grabbing him by his ribs from his behind as she hoisted him up for a suplex. *BANG* nted head first onto the matt, Luke felt the dark clouds circling his vision as for a second he literally lost his sight. ¡°AGAIN¡± he heard the devil shout in the background as somehow he got to his feet again. ¡°You¡¯re too stiff, although it¡¯s called hand to handbat 60% of it is footwork. Move! move! move! Always keep moving, you stagnate means you¡¯re dead¡± Mrs. ra instructed as she came at him once more. Luke tried his best to incorporate her advice as he tried to be light on his feet and throw punches where he could, however, ra parried them like she was ying with a child and kept knocking Luke down over and over again. ¡± You have a loooong way to go Student Skylion if you wish to live up to the hype of being a special admission student. With how weak you are, the normal entrants will walk all over you when semester starts¡± ra said, as she gave the facts straight to Luke about his strength. The current him was a joke and he needed to improve a lot and fast. Thankfully, if there was one department that he was notcking in at all, it was grit and determination. He acknowledged the fact that he was weak, however, he had the tenacity to get back up and fight no matter how many times ra nted him down. For the full two hours that their session was scheduled, Luke was absolutely man-handled by her, however, not once did hein, nor did the fire in his eyes ever die as towards the 120 minute mark, it was ra who felt the pressure of those focused eyes falling on her as she was forced to acknowledge Luke¡¯s tenacity. ¡®What a mentality monster! While this kid might not have much of a training background, with a mentality like this he will be much stronger very fast if he can keep this up. It¡¯s too early to be excited, everyone can be motivated for a day or two, let¡¯s see how long hests¡¯ ra thought as she reminded Luke to not bete for the next day¡¯s session as she looked forward to training him again before lessons formally began. Wobbling and feeling disoriented, Luke thanked ra for the day¡¯s teaching before asking her for directions to the weighted west training area as it was the next activity on his list. For this training, he did not require an instructor and only an assistant as it was basically only strength conditioning, as ra guided him towards the correct training hall. Chapter 95: Weight Training Chapter 95: Weight Training Luke¡¯s limbs ached with the memory of his previous training as he arrived at his next training spot, the Armored Terrain ground. This ground was designed such that it improved the conditioning and stamina of a knight by exposing them to the various real life conditions that they might have to face while wearing their heavy armours. For a Knight, their armor was 50% of their battle prowess, as good armor versus great armor often became the deciding factor between victory and defeat. A knight¡¯s fighting style was extremely physical and crude, whenpared to agility based styles such as swordsmanship and hence they needed the extrayer of protection as their fighting style did not necessarily need them to be fast or avoid attacks. This particr training ground was made in a way that there was arge 2 mile track running across its edges that shifted from sand, gravel, mud, grass to obstacle course. Each section presented a unique challenge, waiting to test the mettle of those who dared traverse it. At the center of the training ground stood the armory disy, an array of weighted armor sets meticulously arranged from the lightest to the heaviest and beside it sat the squire knight, who was the assistant running the training ground. As Luke approached, the assistant introduced him to the armor options. ¡± We have several sets that range from 20 kilograms, suitable for beginners, up to 600 kilograms, for those who seek to push beyond the ordinary,¡± he exined, gesturing towards the gleaming metal suits. Luke¡¯s gaze lingered on the 20-kilogram set, it looked to be the one that was made from the thinnest sheet of metal, however, unfortunately his male ego did not allow him to choose the lowest possible weight as he instead chose the 30-kilogram option, even though it was only him and the assistant at the ground. As he put on the 30-kg suit, he felt like his body was being crushed by an invisible force, as after wearing the thick metal armor which has 0 breathability functions, Luke realized that not only did he have to battle the weight, but also struggle with heat regtion as the suit would not let his body naturally cool down, acting like an artificial instor. The assistant¡¯s nod signaled the beginning of the drill, as Luke stepped onto the track and started to run on the normal ground for the first 400 meters. Running with 30kg over his body, made Luke feel extremely ufortable as his joints felt much stiffer for no reason. The armor did not move up and down with his body and it came crashing down on his shoulders every time that he moved as he soon realized that there was a rhythm that he would need to maintain if he did not want the armor to unnecessarily hurt him. Knights did not run with their shoulders moving, knights ran with their body upright and at a much slower pace whenpared to other professions. Without knowing that method, all that Luke did was burn through his stamina faster as while running on solid ground was still fine, once he reached the sandpit, things started to get messy. In the sand, each of his feet sank deep, the weight of the armor turning the soft sand into quicksand, pulling him down and challenging his every step. Sometimes he found himself half a knee into sand, sometimes he jogged off while being ankle deep, however, he could not understand the difference between both those steps as he struggled immensely to move forward. As he transitioned to the gravel, the sharp stones bit into his soles through his boots. Here, the weight of his choices became literal, each step sending jarring shocks through his body as the armor magnified the impact of the uneven ground. The mud was next, a thick, clinging adversary that grasped at his feet with every step. Unlike sand the mud did not suck him in, however, it did not let him move freely either. He could not find a rhythm to jog in the mud and ended up burning even more stamina to get through. Finally, the grass offered no sce. The uneven terrain,rge shrubs and thorny nts forced him to brute force his way through them, however, the basic movements such as jumping, turning, creating force while pushing through, felt different and ufortable with the armor. By the time Luke reached the obstacle course that needed him to climb, jump, duck and performplex actions, he had no gas left in his tank as his initial jog hade down to a slow walk as he barelypleted just one single round of the training arena in 25 minutes. ¡°Wow, that was absolutely terrible¡± The training assistant said, as he put on a 50kg weighted suit out of pity and showed Luke the right way to move. He started off much slower to the pace at which Luke started, however, there was a rhythm to his run that was missing to Luke¡¯s. He maintained an upright posture, his spine straight, minimizing the bobbing motion that had gued Luke¡¯s earlier attempt. This technique reduced the strain on his shoulders, allowing the weight of the armor to distribute more evenly across his body. Luke watched intently as the assistant demonstrated the knight¡¯s running rhythm. Each step was measured, deliberate, with the assistant¡¯s feet striking the ground in a way that conserved energy. As the assistant approached the sand, Luke noticed the careful cement of his feet, avoiding the deep, energy-sapping pits that had ensnared him earlier. The assistant¡¯s steps were wider, distributing his weight more effectively to prevent sinking. It was a dance of sorts, one that respected the sand¡¯s treacherous nature. On the gravel, the assistant¡¯s pace hardly faltered. His steps were softer, absorbing the impact with a slight bend in the knees, a technique that protected his joints from the jarring shocks Luke had experienced. The armor¡¯s weight seemed to work with him, each step a testament to his understanding of how to move within its confines. The mud presented a different challenge, but the assistant navigated it with the same careful rhythm. Instead of fighting the mud¡¯s resistance, he used it, pushing off with more force but fewer steps, preserving his energy for the challenges ahead. Finally, reaching the obstacle course, the actions of climbing, jumping, and ducking were executed with the same precision and rhythm that characterized his run, showcasing a level of mastery over his body and the armor that Luke certainlycked. ¡®7 minutes 40 seconds¡¯ Luke noticed the time as he was beyond impressed by the assistant. ¡°Your turn,¡± the assistant said, his voice steady, his breathing surprisingly even despite the exertion and the weight he bore. ¡°Remember, it¡¯s not about speed. It¡¯s about rhythm, awareness, and efficiency. Let the armor work with you, not against you.¡± Luke stepped up to the start of the track once more, this time with a new understanding. He adjusted his stance, took a deep breath, and began to run, focusing on the lessons demonstrated by the assistant. Each step was a conscious effort to replicate the rhythm he had observed, to move with purpose and precision. The difference was immediate. Though the armor still weighed heavily upon him, Luke found a rhythm that made the burden bearable. The sand no longer felt like quicksand, the gravel less punishing, the mud less consuming, and the grass less obstructive. The obstacle course, while still challenging, felt achievable as he applied the same principles of movement and energy conservation. By the end of the circuit, Luke was exhausted but exhrated. He hadpleted the run in significantly less time of just 16 minutes, improving almost 40%pared to his first attempt. Chapter 96: Insights from training Chapter 96: Insights from training As Luke staggered away from the grueling armored terrain training, his body screamed for rest with his stamina reaching dangerously low levels, however, since his next training was more rted to the mind, Luke pushed himself onwards. [ Battlefield Strategy And History Training ] was the next training on his routine, as Luke pushed himself to the library where his next teacher was supposed to be. The library, a vast chamber of knowledge, was the domain of librarian Aelric, the academy¡¯s only schr knight. A veteran of countless battles, Sir Aelric¡¯s presence was as demanding as the tomes that surrounded him. ¡°Ah, a student so early? Might you be Skylion? The one principal sent a memo for?¡± Master Aelric questioned, his voice a blend of curiosity and sternness, as he peered over his spectacles. ¡± Yes, indeed, I¡¯m Skylion,¡± Luke replied. ¡°What brings you to the realm of schrs and strategists? If you¡¯re only here because the principal asked you to be here, then feel free to leave. I¡¯ll just mark your training as done¡± Aelric said as Luke shook his head and refused. ¡°I wish to learn earnestly¡± he said as Sir Aelric smiled listening to his response. ¡± Very well then, follow me. Even for you we can¡¯t make noise in the library, let¡¯s find a discussion room to talk¡± he said as he led Luke to one of the soundproofed discussion rooms as he sat across from him. ¡± Since it¡¯s your first day, let¡¯s just talk candidly about strategy and how you would tackle various problems that I am about to present to you- The best way to learn battle strategy is to learn from history and then innovate on-top. It¡¯s like ying chess but with yourself. It¡¯s a very fun activity¡± he said as he unfurled a terrain map and started randomly cing small soldiers on it. ¡± Imagine each soldier is a unit of 100 soldiers, and this is the terrain of the battlefield. Your side is outnumbered two to one, how would you fight this war?¡± He asked Luke as the two engaged in an intellectual conversation. Time flew by as Luke tried various approaches and Aelric pointed the ws with each of his approach as he gradually guided Luke towards giving better answers. Only at the end of his session did he reveal the tactic that the real strategist who nned this war used and how he won a fight against a two thousand strong army with only a thousand men, while losing less than 50 of them. The final answer included insights which Luke had just practically experienced in the form of how hard it was to maneuver on certain terrains and how the knight general used all this to his advantage. It was a fun activity overall and Luke thoroughly enjoyed it. [ Lunch Break ] Following his battle strategy session, it was time for lunch as Luke headed to the empty lunch hall and took a seat in the corner. He was served three tes of food, carefully bnced for nutritional value for lunch. Each bite of the hearty, nutrient-rich meal seemed to seep vitality back into his exhausted body as the carefully designed academy diet worked its subtle magic on his drained stamina. [ Sword and Shield Live Combat ] After lunch, it was time for sword training as Luke headed towards the sparring arena. The arena, a stage of countless blood stains and broken teeth was where Luke first met Sir Gareth, his instructor for the afternoon¡¯s sword and shield training. Sir Gareth, a knight of renowned skill and little patience for mediocrity, eyed Luke with a mix of skepticism and challenge. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of, special entry student Skylion¡± Sir Gareth dered, as he disyed Luke no mercy. The ensuing hours were a brutal testament to Luke¡¯s unrefined technique. Sir Gareth, with precise and relentless attacks, dismantled Luke¡¯s defenses time and again, humiliating him and punishing him by giving him serious bruises. ¡± That¡¯s the 602nd time I could have killed you, are you dumb? Protecting your neck is the basic of basics¡± he said, as he tried to teach Luke the importance of guarding his neck, however, his way of teaching was through shaming the student. By the end, Luke was left with a bloody nose, quite a few scratches and a earful of insults as Gareth deemed him as ¡®Irredeemable trash¡¯. [ Knightly Virtues and Ethics ] As the day waned, Luke joined a circle of old knights under the ancient oak for his final lesson of the day. He did not have much hopes for this lesson, however, after a bloody nose, loss of confidence and aching body, he was secretly d that he got to do something simple. ¡± Student Skylion. Listen to this tale and tell us your views on it- It¡¯s a tale of Sir Edmund, one of the very famous master knight¡¯s who lived 50 years ago¡± One old man said as he began to recount the tale of Sir Edmund. Sir Edmund, tasked with safeguarding a vige, found himself torn between his duty to protect the vigers and themands of a corrupt lord who was his employer who demanded the vige¡¯s destruction for its defiance. ¡°Obedience to his lord, or allegiance to the code of knighthood and the innocents it swears to protect? What would you have done? ¡± The old men asked Luke, who felt himself facing a serious moral dilemma. Defying his lord meant breaking his vow to follow him to the ends of the world. Killing innocents meant breaking his vow to live a life of honor. No matter how much he thought about it, it seemed like a lose lose situation. In the end the old knight¡¯s chuckled to see Luke so deep in thought as they told him to think about it over the day and give them the answer on the next day. [ Evening Reflection and Physical Recovery ] The day¡¯s end found Luke in the quiet sce of the academy¡¯s healing chambers, where the gentle hands of the healers offered sce to his battered body. As they tended to his bruises and aches, Luke¡¯s mind wandered through the lessons of the day¡ªfrom the relentless defeats of hand to handbat, to the lessons on his to move as one with his armor, to everything else. Each moment of failure, each hard-won insight, was a step on the path to understanding the true essence of being a knight, but for Luke who understood the stakes that it represented, it was even more. Luke now knew that somewhere down the line, his real body would be capable of performing everything that his in-game body could do, so he wanted to make the most of it and train as hard as he could, to get the best possible bodyter. Right now, the pain was limited to the virtual realm. Although he was feeling out of breath and weak, he was not actually physically feeling those effects. However, the benefits of training this hard would one day be transferred to his real body as well and that was the final goal that he had to aim for. Improvement within the game to improve his teachers was only a very small matter. Improvement for his eventual survival was the main goal. Chapter 97: Progress Chapter 97: Progress ( One Week Later, Leo¡¯s POV) [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions onpleting one week of training to be an Assassin. You have been rewarded with a level increase of +2 levels ] Leo received the notification when he logged back into the game for the eighth day of training. ¡± Huh? It¡¯s been a week already?¡± Leo questioned, as time seemed to be flying fasttely. The training mission that he had been given by the system was for 12 months overall, however, there was a weekly reward of 2 levels, a monthly reward of 3-5 levels and an unknown finalpletion reward depending on how much Leo had progressed. These leveling rewards were more than appreciated by Leo, as he could only hunt a single squirrel in these 7 days which increased his level by only one. With his leaderboard level already being shown as 42 on the global level rankings. Leo had some serious catching up to do and every reward was hence most appreciated. Over thest week, there were a couple of global announcements taking ce that piqued Leo¡¯s interest. The first one was about a yer named ¡®DemonLord69¡¯ who had cleared the first undead dungeon in the game solo. And the second one was about some regional event being unlocked in ¡®Crystal City¡¯ located on the west coast of the empire. Following these announcements there was a rush of yers trying to clear dungeons solo and a rush of yers heading for Crystal City, however, Leo because of his training could partake in neither. ******** Leo saw remarkable improvement across all sectors after the first week of training. The rope climbing which he could simply not perform on day one of training, he could now climb for upto 100 meters as he figured out a lot of the basics of the climb. The first and foremost thing that was needed to climb the mountain was core stability. Leo needed to have the core strength to support himself in a horizontal posture against the mountain and while at day one it was very hard, after his conditioning training and stretch training, by day 7 Leo had the physique necessary to withstand the force. He figured out that the more he leaned away from the surface of the mountain, the harder it became to climb and the closer he moved the easier it became. However, if he moved too close, his feet no longer remained t against the surface and the load on his arms increased as there was a delicate bnce that he needed to maintain to climb up. While he did not reach the summit even once, even climbing 100 meters was a big achievement for him, as everyday he improved a little and went a few meters beyond what he could the previous day. ********** In the hunting breakfast department, Leo became a much better hunter after learning how to throw daggers as just a day ago, he had his first sessful hunt. While his own sole focus was on making the shot, he was also unconsciously learning habits such as- How to hide in the blind spot of his prey How to ambush someone unaware What objects to hide behind to conceal one¡¯s presence. All these lessons were the basics of bing an assassin and most assassins were trained in these arts from childhood. Although Leo waste, he was picking up on it fast, having sessfully hunted his first squirrel just a day ago as he managed to catch one unaware while it was drinking water. He avoided the newbie mistakes of using a poison dagger and revealing his hiding spot to other animals from day two, as the embarrassing incident of him being chased by an antelope never happened again. On day 8, he failed to hunt his target yet again, as his first throw narrowly missed his mark and prompted all animals to scurry away. However, he was getting closer to having a near 100% weapon uracy with every passing day and also bing a better hunter as time passed as Leo was sure that in another week¡¯s time his hunting sess ratio would improve significantly. ********** Just like his hunting skills, Leo¡¯s weapon training skills also saw a massive improvement as he could consistently hit the target tree with daggers even while being 50 meters away. Gradually Ben kept increasing his distance to target, however, anything beyond 100 meters saw Leo¡¯s uracy dropping below 10%. His dagger throwing skills improved so much that Ben slowly began to teach him some tricks such as a double dagger throwing, however, Leo¡¯s uracy with such moves was pretty low and needed more time to improve. ording to Ben, once he mastered three dagger throwing, Ben would then teach him proper close range fighting drills, however, until he mastered three dagger throws for upto 100 meters, it was going to be the same boring routine for him, day in and day out. ********** After puking his guts out after the first training session, Leo learnt his lesson about never stuffing himself up to the brim during lunch, and it was a lesson Leo remembered well for the following days as he only ate until he felt half full. Of all the training that Ben subjected him to. It was only the stretch training that made Leo feel like he was making no progress at all, as every single day the stretch training remained to be equally as painful as before. The stretches kept bing more and more ridiculous and although Leo made some progress with his mobility, when pushed beyond its natural limits, his muscles still hurt like hell which was why stretch training remained to be the most painful part of his routine. For him, the bodyweight stretches were bad enough already, however, the forced stretches were even worse as the angles at which Ben tied him kept getting progressively worse with each passing day. ¡± One of these days, my body¡¯s going to tear apart in half,¡± Leo told Ben, as Ben brushed his concerns off by telling him that he knew exactly how much load Leo¡¯s muscles could handle without being damaged. ******** Leo¡¯s reflex training also saw massive improvement in a week, with Leo no longer falling into the nail pit anymore. The training with stones had slowly evolved into training with old blunt daggers by day 6 and Ben informed Leo that he was nning to shift it to actual sharp daggers when the time was right. In Ben¡¯s eyes, Leo was gically gifted when it came to reflexes as although his conscious movement was slow, when he stopped thinking and allowed his body to make the decision for him, he always seemed to end up achieving speeds that his weak body was not supposed to be capable of. It was undoubtedly this aspect of his training that excited Ben the most as the growth that Leo disyed after each training session was a treat to watch for Ben. Although he did end up getting hit by the blunt daggers one every five to ten minutes, overall Leo was a beast whose instincts were being polished finely by Ben. Chapter 98: The next phase Chapter 98: The next phase ( ChaosBringer¡¯s POV ) ChaosBringer a.k.a Shawn Pollok, was the leader of the Uprising. His organization had now recruited over 70% of the Sector E residents and it had only been smooth sailing until this point for him with many of his group members being promoted to sector D after following his advice. However, it was at this stage that the first signs of trouble started to emerge as more and more yers tried to migrate towards big cities from their spawn viges in search for better leveling grounds and skill development opportunities. Unfortunately, those amongst them who had previouslymitted the crime of manughter and gathered infamy were arrested at the gates and their gaming character was then thrown into a virtual prison and forcefully logged out. Once inside the prison, they lost their privilege to log into the game, as every time they tried to do so, they were met with the notification that their character had been locked and that the cooldown period of their sentence was roughly 1-6 months. This was an unprecedented event, as those who had only killed other yers were given a more lenient sentence of 3-7 weeks, however, those that had killed NPC were given a more severe sentence of 20-40 weeks. The harshest sentence was met out to a yer who had ughtered an NPC family of four and even killed two yers, as his character ID was locked for a total of two years, effectively ending his gaming career and any hopes of future promotions. Questions started to raise, chaos started to brew and once word about this event began to spread, the other criminals who were nning to head towards cities changed their ns and decided to avoid the authorities at all costs. ¡± YOU HAVE RUINED MY LIFE! YOU HAVE RUINED MY LIFE WITH YOUR ADVISE. I HOPE YOU DIE A DOG¡¯S DEATH CHAOSBRINGER. I PROMISE I WILL FIND YOU IN SECTOR D AND BEAT THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF YOU!¡± These were the kinds of messages that began popping up in the internal chat of the Uprising group over thest two days and members began to quit the group by the hundreds everyday. Those that remained, demanded that ChaosBringer give them an exnation, a reasonable justification for this turn of events, however, for every single day that ChaosBringer remained silent, their patience wore thin. ********* ¡± So how long do you n to stay at the Royal Capital?¡± Asked the immigration officer to Shawn. ¡± Not too long, I have a rtive living in the city to whom I have to deliver something very important. I hope to be out in two to three days, but if he insists on me staying, I might stay for a week¡± Shawn replied as the immigration officer stamped his document and granted him two weeks worth of entry to the royal capital. ¡°That will be 50 bronze coins-¡± he said as Shawn paid him up and received his immigration papers. ¡± Good day-¡± he said, as he walked past the immigration officer and into the royal capital, feeling his heart fill with Glee. While his dumb followers suffered from listening to his advice, he himself maintained a spotless record and entered the most important city in the entire empire without a hitch! The reason behind why he did not reply to his followers on the internal group chat for thest two days was because he knew that actions always spoke louder than words. Rather than arguing with them using fancy words, Shawn wanted to crush their doubts by showing them hard proof, as once inside the royal capital Stronghaven, he used the game¡¯s capture image feature to start capturing images at some of the most recognisable ces in the capital city. He took an image outside the Royal library, at the gates of the Royal pce, in front of therge flea markets and most importantly in the capital house of Viscount Feynman, who was one of the hidden noble characters of the game who wished to bring down the current Emperor. Shawn had received a system mission to recruit 10,000 members to his organization and since Shawn was sessful inpleting this mission, he was given the reward of meeting Viscount Feynman who was ready to be his hidden backer. ¡± The previous Emperor, he married my Grand Aunt¡­ The Feynman house was very happy at that time, we hoped that with the political marriage being a sess, our small house would evolve into bing a duchy, however, the previous Emperor never even spared us a second thought! We then hoped that his son, the current Emperor would favor his maternal house, however, even he turned out to be the same indifferent ruler like his father was. *SPIT* No more¡­.. I will wait for their favor no more. If this emperor does not favor us, then his rule muste to an end!¡± Viscount Feynman said as he stared at Shawn with a fervent passion burning in his eyes. ¡± Don¡¯t worry about it¡­.. If you give me the money and the resources I ask you for, I will end the reign of this Emperor within five years! So tell me¡­ just how much are you willing tomit?¡± Shawn said confidently, as he promised to end the reign of the current Emperor, as long as Feynman could give him the money and support he needed. ¡± Show me results, and I shall give you everything I own! For now, follow butler Mike to the underground treasury, he will give you a starting capital to work with¡± Feynman said as Shawn followed the butler to the underground treasury vault, where the Feynman family had prepared over 500,000 gold coins for him to use. ¡± HAHAHA¡­.I can make do with this¡­.¡± Shawn said as he proceeded to click thest and final selfie of his collection in front of the heaps and heaps of gold, before posting them all on the internal group. He was smart, he showed his shoulder with the symbol of an upward pointing finger in every photo, but never revealed his face to maintain his anonymity, as he took the internal group chat by storm. [ Over thest few days, some of our organization members have left the group and called me a fraud. It is true that the authorities won¡¯t let us enter the city, but there are always more routes to enter the city than just the legal road. The traditional way is never going to allow bottom feeding yers like us to reach the top, however, if you believe in me and follow my path then not just the first promotion, we will surely rise from sector E all the way to sector S, by relying on nothing but our wits and strength. Don¡¯t mourn the loss of those that left, they are fools who don¡¯t know what¡¯s best for them, instead rejoice that we have gotten rid of the doubters that couldpromise our mission before the mission ever started. The heaps of gold that you see behind me are not for me. They are for you- Consider them as reward money forpleting missions issued in this internal group as I intend to reward anyone who finds a way around the legal system heavily with gold. ?For every unique entry way found into a major city. I will reward the finder of the new path with 1000 gold coins. ?For every unique route found to smuggle goods in and out of a city, I will grant 10,000 gold. ?Everyday, I will issue anywhere from one to five daily missions with upto 500 gold coins to im as reward forpleting them, revolutionizing this group as an unofficial guild that works for the benefit of each other. For those who don¡¯t believe in me and wish to y this game the traditional way, please feel free to go ahead and quit. However, to my brother¡¯s and sisters who have faith. I will never ask you to do something that I am not following myself and as you can see from my wealth and my influence, I¡¯m a free man walking in the royal capital. My path is not risk free, but it gives bottom feeders like us a chance to reach the heavens. The choice is yours¡­. ] Writing an extremely maniptive message with proof, Shawn threw his internal group chat into chaos. He knew that over 50% of his group members might quit after today, however, those that remained would be his capable rebels that would not hesitate tomit any form of crime that he asked them to. Chapter 99: The Team Chapter 99: The Team ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) This week in Terra Nova was a crucial time for Cervantez, as for the past week, the singr direction that he was focused on was recruitment of talents and ensuring that they got nurtured in the proper environment. Using his future knowledge, he had already collected a considerable amount of MP and gold coins in the first few days of the game by using various underhanded strategies. After reaching the capital city Stronghaven, he had first gone to the underground market and bought the treasures that the street vendors were selling for cheap, but were actually extremely valuable. These were the treasures that were found out by various yers in his past life, who bought them not expecting it¡¯s true value to be too much but got shocked when they had the item appraised. An item that he bought for 4 gold was appraised to be worth 20,000 gold coins and it was only one of many items that he made a killer profit on. If not for him, this would be the opportunity that would be divided between several dozen lucky yers, however, in this life he monopolized all these resources alone. Earning MP was more trickypared to earning gold, however, Cervantez had found a way to exploit the system in this department as well. There was a particr orphanage in the royal capital, where if one donated milk before dawn, they were given 5 MP for their charity alongside some fame points. This was a perpetual MP bank for those who found out about the glitch, however, as of now Cervantez was the only one who knew about it. Using this glitch, he earned 5 MP on a daily basis and he even set it up on auto-mode as he had already paid the milk vendor a year¡¯s worth of sry in advance and asked him to deliver milk on his behalf. This way, Cervantez earnt an assured 5 MP/day, which allowed him to focus onpleting other missions with a free mind. Apart from the daily mission, Cervantez also did some small/ big missions that primarily gave fame in the capital city, as he progressed towards his goal of making a guild, while also amassing wealth in the process. However, now that he had the capital secured, his focus shifted towards recruitment of talents as it was high time for him to expand his guild. This week, his efforts had reached a fervent point, as all the characters that he wished to recruit into his guild had now arrived at the capital, and for him to rope them into his guild, it was a now or never type situation as all of them were still undecided on their future paths. With his ultimate goal being to not only recruit them, but also to guide them as best as he could to be the best version of their ss that they could be, Cervantez was in a race against time to recruit them and guide them before they made some dumb irreversible choice. Recruiting themter would mean that they would have already walked down a less optimal path on their skill gathering journey, which was why time was of the essence for Cervantez. Cervantez hoped to recruit 7 new talented people into the core of his guild, who alongside Luke, Amanda and himself would form the 10 core member team for the guild. The candidates he had in mind for this were 1)Expert Mage ¨C Lysa 2) Berserker ¨C Tor 3) Tank ¨C C 4) Archer- Jex 5) Tracker ¨C Snoop 6) Inscription master ¨C Tony In his past life, Lysa eventually became the best expert mage to have graced the game, being capable of performing multiple crowd control spells that could turn the tide of any battle. In his past life she belonged to a guild of mages and rose to the position of bing a viscount on her own, however, Cervantez believed that in this life with his guidance, she could achieve even greater heights. Simrly, In his past life, Tor the Berserker was a beast whose name itself was enough to send fear into the hearts of any yer army that he faced. A typical alpha male with insane chest hair and rowdy fearless attitude, Tor was the sort of man who put the word man in manliness. A dual ax wielder. Tor was closer to a barbarian berserker rather than a human and he was a talent that Cervantez was keen to have. In contrast, the tank C, was a shy and reserved guy who was a fearless damage taker. He was the sort of individual who would dly sacrifice his life to save that of his teammate and while he was not the best tank in the game, his attitude was the right match for the kind of yer Cervantez was looking for in his guild and hence he became Cervantez¡¯s first choice for this role. The archer Jex on the other hand was one of those generational talents that was just a joy to watch. In his past life. Jex was known as the ¡®Sniper¡¯ although he wielded the bow, as his shots were just that urate and powerful although he used a bow. ¡® One Shot, One kill¡¯ was his motto and rarely did he ever use more than an arrow for an opponent. As a yer who could perform both crowd control and fight one on one, Jex was an extremely valuable guild member of any guild he joined and Cervantez was eager to poach him as well. Next, there was Snoop, the tracker that Cervantez was looking out for, who was a nonbatant, however, just like Amanda, could easily be an invaluable part of the guild. Whether it was tracking fleeing enemies, scouting for enemy positions or disarming traps in dungeon runs, Snoop was the guy for all those tasks and he was one of the best in his job. Famed as a dungeon path finder, his name was the one that stood out the most to Cervantez when he made the choice to scout for a tracker and hence he decided to recruit him as well. And finally, there was Tony the inscription master. One of the top 5 talents in the entire game, and the number one nonbatant yer of all time. Him, just like Amanda was someone that could change the fate and financial condition of a guild single-handedly as his work was just that valuable. For the future that Cervantez had envisioned for his guild, Tony was a must have addition to his ranks and Cervantez was prepared to break his back bending backwards to recruit him, if it was possible. Probably him and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were the only two yers that Cervantez deemed as ¡®Must Have¡¯ in his team, as he was Cervantez¡¯s top priority for recruitment. While this was the team that Cervantez was willing to go forward with, he had always kept a spot open for ¡®TheBoss¡¯, should he ever find the opportunity to recruit him, however, with no information on who he was, Cervantez had little hope to make this dreame true. Chapter 100: Sudden Action Chapter 100: Sudden Action ( Amanda¡¯s POV, An old cksmith forge ) The forge was a world of itself, a realm where fire and metal danced under the watchful eyes of those who knew how tomand them. Within its fiery embrace, Amanda stood, the heat painting her face with the glow of creation, her hands steady despite the inferno that raged before her as they tried to smash the steel she was forging into as thin of a sheet as possible. *CLANK* *CLANK* *CLANK* Beside her, a figure bent with age, yet imbued with an aura of indomitable will, observed with eyes that had seen the shaping of countless legendary weapons. ¡°Watch the metal, Amanda,¡± Edna¡¯s voice was a rasp, a whisper almost lost amidst the roar of the mes. ¡°It speaks, if you listen.¡± Amanda nodded, her gaze fixed on the glowing piece of iron sped within the tongs. Edna, known across thends in her prime as the Master Forger, had taken Amanda under her wing. It was a decision that surprised many, for Edna had been a recluse, her brilliance dimmed by the shadows of amnesia that clouded herter years. Yet, in moments like this, when the fire seemed to rekindle something within her, Edna¡¯s expertise shone through, undimmed by time or ailment. ¡°The tong if you hold it too tight the metal won¡¯t spread thin and if you hold it too loose, the impact of your strike will dissipate with the metal moving-¡± Edna continued, stepping closer. The flickering mes of the forge dancing in her eyes, igniting a spark of the legendary forger who had oncemanded the respect of the Emperor himself. Amanda adjusted her grip, reducing the tension of the tongs, not too much but just enough that it did not hinder her deshaping efforts and almost instantly she could feel a subtle change when she struck the metal. *CLANK* *CLANK* *CLANK* She continued with a steady pace until the tongs were no longer necessary and the iron had been tempered into a thin paper like sheet that covered arge area. ¡± Time to fold¡­¡± Amanda said as she folded that sheet of metal into several uniformly shaped folds, creating a long iron rod in the process. As she picked it up and tried to quench the metal in water, she heard her master speak, which made her pause. ¡°I remember a secret,¡± Edna began, her voice gaining strength, ¡°a technique unknown to many¡­ a technique that made my forgingsst much longer than the average cksmith¡± Amanda looked towards her master with hopeful eyes when she said this, as it was rare that she remembered her true techniques these days. Opening a barrel of stinky oil, she pointed towards it and said ¡± Remember Amanda, the cooling process is as crucial as the forging itself. Quench the de not in water, but in the oil of the dusk rose. It tempers the steel, making it unbreakable. This knowledge¡­ it was my edge, the secret behind my creations.¡± Nodding. Amanda plunged the heated de into the barrel of dusk rose oil instead of water, as immediately she could hear the oil sizzling and bubbling, when it came in contact with the hot de. As it came out of the oil, Amanda could see how the de had very little bubble damage and how it looked extremely smooth and uniform. The difference between this cooling method and that of using water was like heaven and Earth as Amanda felt like she had just opened a new dimension. ¡± Too crude, reshape again¡± Ednained upon inspecting the unfinished de as Amanda winced and put it back into the forge to re-heat. ¡°Your mistake,¡± Edna¡¯s voice dipped, a shadow crossing her features, ¡°is not in the power with which you strike, but that butterflies are hungry in December ¡± The moment of rity faded, and Amanda saw the confusion clouding her mentor¡¯s eyes. It was a sight that wrenched her heart, a reminder of the relentless march of time that no skill could shape nor fire could purge. Edna was on the cusp of pointing out Amanda¡¯s mistake, however, her amnesia began acting up as shepletely forgot the train of thought that she was on, feelingpletely confused as to where she was and what she was doing once the amnesia hit. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Amanda said softly, cing a gentle hand on Edna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m here. We¡¯re forging a de together.¡± Edna looked at her, and for a moment, the fog in her eyes cleared, reced by a depth of gratitude that words could not capture. ¡°Yes,¡± Edna whispered, ¡°together.¡± They turned back to the forge, to the rhythm of hammer on anvil, a melody of creation that transcended the barriers of memory and time. Amanda felt each strike guided by more than her own hand; it was as if the essence of Edna flowed through her, a shared dance of fire and will. Although Edna could not guide her as best as she wanted to, Amanda was a genius that picked up on a majority of her mistakes herself as she kept improving with every subsequent attempt that she made, making her life as a master much simpler. As the day waned and the forge¡¯s glow dimmed, Amanda ced the finished piece on the cooling rack. It was a simple de, but with its gradeing out as [ Rare ], it was a testament to Amanda¡¯s improving skill as she could now forge pieces beyond themon grade. Edna stood beside her, a smile touching her lips, a rare moment of lucidity piercing the veil of forgetfulness. ¡°You have the hands of a true forger,¡± she said, pride evident in her voice. ¡°And the heart.¡± Amanda looked at her, seeing not the frailties of age, but the strength of a legacy that would endure. In that moment she could see the image of her own dead grandmother in Edna, as for a second she tried to believe that she was with her family once again. *********** ( Real world, Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was the first one to logout of the game for the day, or so he believed when he logged out and saw no one else in themon hall. *Sob* *Sob* Leo heard soft sobbing noisesing from down the hall and while he thought that he might be hallucinating for the first couple of times when he heard it, when he continued to hear sobs for an extended period of time, he became certain that someone was crying. Standing in front of Luke¡¯s room first, Leo put an ear to the door to discern if it was him who was crying, however, the room seemed deadly silent as Leo understood that it was probably Amanda who was crying. This was a tricky situation for Leo, as on one hand he was not extremely close to Amanda to interrupt a moment like this, however, on the other hand he did not feel morally correct to let her cry either. ¡± Fuck it¡­ I¡¯ll just go check on her¡± he murmured to himself as since Luke had not yet logged out of the game, Leo decided to tackle this situation by himself. *Knock* *Knock* Leo knocked, hoping for Amanda to stop crying and put on a brave face, however, what happened next was something Leo could never have anticipated. Instead of stopping, Amanda opened the door and gave Leo a tight hug as she began weeping on his shoulder. ¡°I miss my granny¡­.¡± she said in the cutest voice possible, as for a moment Leo was taken aback, but then he ced his hands behind her back, providing her with the warmth that she was seeking in this moment of vulnerability. Minutes passed, and Amanda did not pull away, continuing to sob quietly on Leo¡¯s shoulders as Leo too did not push her away, patiently waiting for her outburst to end. *Creek* Soon, Luke came out of his room, yawning, as he was shocked to see Leo and Amanda hugging each other so tightly in themon hall. ¡± Woah-¡± he said, prompting the two to break up their hug, however one look at Amanda¡¯s red eyes and Luke understood that this was not a romantic link-up. ¡± You okay?¡± He asked Amanda who smiled looking towards Leo and said ¡± Yes, I¡¯m better now¡± ¡± Well, I¡¯m going to use the bathroom first¡± Leo said, as he tried to walk away from this situation as coolly as possible, however, his flush red face betrayed his calmness. He was a virgin¡­.. such sudden action from the opposite gender had absolutely taken him by surprise. Chapter 101: Regaining Focus Chapter 101: Regaining Focus ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo had been trained in the art of giving massages just like everyone else in sector D who worked in his unit. The training had taken ce in phases, however within the first week itself, every member of sector D that had been newly promoted and were working in the hospitality sector, received the necessary training for giving a massage. This particr day marked Leo¡¯s second time giving a client massage, with his first time being a resounding sess which earned him a rmendation, however, Leo was not fully focused on it as thoughts of Amanda and the incident that happened back at the apartment kept running in his mind. Leo knew he was probably thinking too much about an incident that was casual for Amanda, however, even if he did not wish for it, memories kept ying in his head as a soft smile appeared on his face. Perhaps it was just Amanda feeling low from being emotional, however, he could not help but feel mesmerized by the feeling of hugging a woman. She was incredibly soft, unlike Luke and himself, hugging her feltpletely different as her skin was supple and squishy, a sensation that made Leo¡¯s spine tingle every time he thought about it and to to it off, she smelled good too even though she did not apply any scent. Moreover, just the feeling of being the shoulder on which she cried on made Leo feel like he was important to her and that she trusted him and although he did not understand why, that sensation of being important to someone made him feel happy this morning. ¡°For the 100th time mate, be more gentle, you¡¯re pulling my leg hair with how rough you are. Are you deaf or something? I¡¯m telling you to go easy for quite a while now- I¡¯m taking this massage to relieve my pain, not increase it¡± The sector A client that he was servicingined, as Leo was jolted back to reality. ¡± My Apologies, sir, I will be more careful¡± Leo said, as he tried to focus on his job, however, he could not fullymit to it, as he ended up doing a half-hearted service. ********* ¡± Leo, brother, what is this? Your evaluation today is a B! A B! It¡¯s not a good grade at all! The clientined that you were too rough! You know how important Mr. Cho is? Be thankful he did not ask you to be demoted or something, Jesus Christ, what were you even thinking? I¡¯ll never put you on massage duty ever again if you pull this shit twice, you understand? You getting a low evaluation makes me get a lower evaluation, it¡¯s all connected, don¡¯t fuck me with you man¡± Leo¡¯s supervisor reprimanded him, as Leo shook his head and listened to all the scolding without a protest. He knew something was wrong, however, he was sure that it wasn¡¯t just the incident in the morning that made him slip, but rather something else and contemting deeper he realized that it wasn¡¯t just today that he slipped, but thattely he had just not been as sharp as he used to. Working in sector D was a pleasurepared to working in sector E as the job was much easier on the body and not very demeaning. The people lived much more cohesivelypared to sector E as well, with Leo never having felt an imminent danger of anyone rioting or breaking things. But all these things were making Leo lose his edge as he did not feel alert and active without these threats. Crime was low and criminals tended to stick to petty crimes like possession theft even if they didmit a crime and never seemed to do anything serious. The food served in sector D was okay as well, with porridge, bread and a ss of milk being served for dinner and a variety of sds for lunch. On Sundays they could even get dessert from the dessert shop, which was an added bonus. It wasn¡¯t gourmet, but it wasn¡¯t too bad either as Leo felt like he would not be doing much better on Earth if he were still there. To Leo it seemed like there was still an intense desire for people around here to improve their standard of life, however, he did not have that same drive. The people here seemed to possess jealousy, there was a desire to stand out, however, everyone lived by the rules and did not cross a moral baseline, making this sector a slightly better ce to livepared to the Earth that he left. Back on Earth, the society was slightly worse whenpared to sector D and his personal living conditions were about the same. It was the environment where he felt mostfortable since it was this environment that he was born and brought up in and it was exactly thisfort that made Leo realize the dangers of this sector. Back in Sector E, Leo wanted to get out of the ce like a madman. Regardless of what happened, he wished to get out of the sector and the job of cleaning septic tanks, however, that drive to improve was slightly dipping ever since he came to sector D. The initial momentum of wanting to keep up the pace of improvement faded fast, as the monotonous routine of working hard at the job and then within the game began to slowly take its toll on Leo¡¯s mind. Back on Earth, he had never been an immensely disciplined man, and theck of recreation and performing activities that he enjoyed was slowly making him slip, as he was not used to performing like a robot 24/7. When he was in sector E, Leo would ensure to get the best evaluation possible each day of his job, just because he did not wish to do it for much longer, however, ever since he came to sector D and started to like his job, he did not push that hard anymore. His performance at his job, began to dip ever so slightly as he took it just a little more casually than he first did and his pace of improving within the game slowed down just a tad bit as well, as he did not feel the immediate need to improve at any cost possible. He was bing like the toad who got too used to the lukewarm water that he forgot when it began to boil, however, thankfully he received a reality check today, as his work evaluation came out as ¡®B¡¯ after he did a terrible job at giving a sector A client massage. The client gave mildly harshments about Leo¡¯s service and it warranted him a reprimand from his supervisor, who gave him a thorough scolding. ¡® Since when have I taken this so casually? Since when have I be okay with not taking my job seriously?¡¯ Leo questioned himself, as he took this slight reprimand very seriously and vowed to never getfortable and lose sight of his goal, ever again. ¡± I can¡¯t stop here ¡­.. sector D can¡¯t be my final stop, I have to bring mother here and it can only be as the woman who is getting the massage done to her and never as the woman giving the massage. I owe her that much- And to do so, I need to get to sector B or sector A. Even sector C won¡¯t do! ¡± Leo said to himself as he remembered what he needed to work hard for. Chapter 102: Lukes shocking progress Chapter 102: Luke''s shocking progress Chapter 102: Luke¡¯s shocking progress ( The virtual world, Luke¡¯s POV ) A week had passed since principal Wood initially gave Luke his training routine and the academy was now finally in session. With Luke now expected to take part in schooling activities, his initial training n was no longer valid, however, there were a couple teachers who wished to continue their private lessons with Luke after they acknowledged his potential in the past week. From 7-8pm everyday, after school hours, Miss ra held a private hand-to-handbat session with Luke, molding him to be a better grappler. Initially, ra was not sure as to how Luke secured his spot as a master knight¡¯s disciple as unless he was a bastard child of a master, ra did not see anything special about him. However, that view of hers was shattered after a week of training Luke. *POW* *Block* *Grapple* *Block* In just a week, Luke had improved so dramatically that he could sessfully block several attacks by ra as he gained a basic understanding of the various joint locks and how to counter them. *Swish* *Swish* As ra tried to sweep him off his feet, Luke nimbly jumped over her leg sweeps, evading her attack as he remained agile on his feet like ra had wanted him to be. ¡°Haiiiiiyaahhh¡±, ra grunted, as she used all the strength in her body to grab Luke¡¯s wrist and try and dislocate his shoulder, however, instead of resisting, Luke allowed himself to be pulled closer to her as he turned the move into a counter as he head-bashed ra with all his might. *THUD* -50. A steady trickle of blood dripped down from Luke¡¯s forehead as he felt his vision go nk for a second, however, ra felt a tad bit of pain as well as she was forced to rub her forehead with a frown. ¡°Is your head made of metal or what?¡± she asked, as she paused the training session, looking at how Luke had bepletely disoriented by the headbash. ¡± I have to admit Skylion, your talent is the real deal. I¡¯ve been training students for close to a decade now, but you¡¯re twice as talented as the most talented disciple I have ever taught. Your fighting instincts, your foot movement have be so refined in just a week that I can happily graduate you in my subject with a D grade. With the whole semester still left, I wonder how much more you can improve? You¡¯re certainly blessed with an innate talent for fighting, as I¡¯ve never seen anyone grasp concepts as fast as you do¡± ra wholeheartedlyplemented Luke, as she felt his rate of improvement to be rming. The same guy, who could not counter a single one of her moves just a week ago, could now provide her with a fun sparring session, which was a massive improvement in ra¡¯s point of view. Naturally, the fight was fun only because she was facing Luke with equivalent strength to him, as if she used her real strength then Luke would not stand a chance, but the fact that his technique was improving such rapidly was definitelymendable. ¡± Thankyou, Lady ra, I will try and keep this up¡± Luke said, as ra nodded and approved of his attitude which was the second thing she admired about him. Luke was a very humble child without an ounce of arrogance, which made him very likable as a person. ************* ( The academy stables ) At night, after dinner time, Jerome and Luke always headed off to the academy stables together as they worked on forming a bond with their mounts. One of the activities that Principal Wood had given Luke as a part of his training was to learn mountedbat, however, since Luke did not have a mount of his own, he was first told by the stable master to tame his own mount from the wide variety of choices avable at the academy. Coincidentally, on his first visit to the stables, Jerome was there as well, as he came to the stables to spend time with his gorgeous white Pegasus which he had brought alongside him from his family estate. The pegasus¡¯s name was ¡®Storm¡¯ and he was given to Jerome by his father, the Duke on his fifteenth birthday. At the time, Storm was only a newborn and forming a bond with him was easy, as Jerome and Storm formed a strong connection, which was fostered over the years although Pegasus were a notoriously hard species to tame. In contrast, Luke had no mount of his own and had to form a connection with an academy issued mount from scratch, which was why Jerome decided to help him with the selection and bonding process as it turned out to be an area of interest for him. While Luke could have gone for an easy species to tame such as a horse, a direwolf or an ostrich, he decided to go for the only Griffin in the entire stable, for two specific reasons. Firstly, Luke wanted to take this opportunity to bond with Jerome as much as possible, so he chose a mount that was difficult to tame so that the two could spend the maximum time together and that when they finally attained sess it could be something extra special. Secondly, a Griffin was a flying mountpared to justnd mounts and was the most expensive species to tame, costing almost as much as Jerome¡¯s special winged Pegasus Storm. Since the stable master told Luke that one also got to keep their mounts after graduation, Luke was hell-bent on taming his flying mount at any cost necessary. ¡± Hey, BrownPudding, I¡¯m back-¡± Luke said cheerfully as he came back to meet his chosen Griffin who immediately turned away to face the wall once Luke arrived. ¡± Hey, Storm, hey buddy, I¡¯m back-¡± Jerome said, as the second he arrived, his mount neighed in joy and allowed Jerome to pet him lovingly. As Luke noticed the difference in treatment, he could not help but feel slightly jealous as his mount was nothing but a headache to work with. ording to the stable master, Brown Pudding was a mount the academy acquired two years ago, however, she never acknowledged a master and refused to submit to any new student. It was this behavior of hers, that prompted the stable master to warn Luke against trying to tame her, as she was a proven tough nut to crack. ¡± Hahaha, look at her, she won¡¯t even look at you¡­.. you really suck at beast taming¡± Jerome said, as he rubbed salt in Luke¡¯s wounds by making fun of him when Brown Pudding ignored him. ¡± Hey, I¡¯ve brought you a rice cake. I know you like to eat sweets. Come have a taste¡± Luke said as he put a rice cake in his hand and tried to make brown pudding turn towards him, however, even though it was her alleged favorite food, she did not turn to face Luke when he offered it. ¡± Hey Brown Pudding, Skylion here made this himself- ,he actually learnt the recipe from the academy chef and put in the effort to make this himself for you- Don¡¯t ignore him, atleast¡± Jerome said, trying to make a case for Luke, however, just like Luke, his words were ignored too. ¡± Wow man, that¡¯s a tough nut to crack, she won¡¯t even budge for her favorite food¡­.¡± Jerome said apologetically, as he was the one who suggested to Luke to follow this method, however, yet again it yielded no result. ¡± No worries man, we will try again tomorrow¡± Luke said as he put the box of rice cakes down in her paddock and turned to leave. ¡± I¡¯ve made it myself, so give it a try if you wish¡± he said before leaving as he hoped the stubborn beast epted his sincerity. Chapter 103: Bullying Chapter 103: Bullying ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke¡¯s life shifted dramatically once the sses started at the knight¡¯s academy. On the plus side, the system issued missions for him, which gave anywhere between 7-10 levels to him for clearing a subject. Significantly reducing the leveling burden on his head. However, on the other hand, he was forced to learn things that he was not keen on learning such as the historic knights of the Terra Nova lore and their aplishments. As if he were in school all over again, he was expected to mug-up their history and attempt periodic tests, which felt like an unnecessary waste of time to him as it could be time that he spent training. Unfortunately, he could not afford to fail a subject either as it was worth 7-10 levels each and hence had to dedicate time to mugging up their history and keep upto date with lessons, even though he did not wish to. Almost from the very first day since academy started, Luke and Jerome were perceived differently by their peers, as the morepetitive ones who had their brains in their feet, kept trying to provoke the two over and over again. ¡± Hey, reservation boy, why don¡¯t you have a spar with me? Show me some of your master knight techniques-¡± ¡± My father always said, respect is earnt and not given. Why must you get special treatment, just because your father is the Duke? Do you really have what it takes to stand amongst us?¡± Provocations like these were faced by the duo on a daily basis, however, it did not bother Luke one bit. Luke was the definition of Elephants did not pay attention to the barking of dogs, as to him, it did not matter what they thought about him, as he was solely focused on improving himself for the tough times that were toe ahead. As a young child. He was called a lot worse by his schoolmates because his father ran away, hence, he learnt how to deal with their bullying since young age and eventually realized that fighting back only made it worse, while ignoring them discouraged them and eventually made them stop. Jerome however, was not like Luke, and tolerated no insult directed towards him. Jerome, unlike Luke, harbored a sharp tongue, finely honed from years of navigating the treacherous waters of noble society, where a well-ced word could be more devastating than a sword thrust. His patience with the bullies was as thin as the edge on a knight¡¯s de, and he wielded his wit with the same precision. On the third day of the academy, as the duo made their way across the dormitory halls, heading towards the stables, a group of their peers, led by a boy named Thomas who came first in the open selections, came face to face against them. Judging by the state of their muddy clothes and shoes they seemed to have just excited the weighted training hall, however, they did not seem exhausted at all. With his nose held high and a sneer that seemed permanently etched onto his face, Thomas decided to block their path, feeling confident in the strength of the pack behind him. ¡°Ah, if it isn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s dog of a son, Jerome. Come to show us how a real nobleman whines?¡± the boy jeered, his cronies snickering behind him. Jerome¡¯s eyes narrowed, a cold smile ying on his lips. ¡± A dog¡¯s whine? I¡¯d prefer that to demonstrating how a pig wallows, Thomas. But I see you¡¯re already excelling in that. How fitting that you¡¯ve brought your swineherd to watch.¡± Theughter of Jerome¡¯s tormentors turned to gasps. Thomas¡¯s face reddened, his fists clenching at his sides. ¡°And what of you, Oliver? Still trying to wash off the stench ofmon mud from your blood with those fancy clothes?¡± Jerome continued, his gaze cutting to another bully, who looked momentarily taken aback, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Luke watched, a hint of admiration in his eyes as he allowed Jerome to pick apart the bullies as he wished. While he himself chose the path of silent strength, Jerome¡¯s method of defense was equally effective. Their bullies, who weremoners ustomed to physical confrontation, were ill-prepared for a battle of wits as they thought that if they provoked Jerome by calling him a ¡®dog¡¯ he would take a swing at them, but he instead retorted with a wittyeback of his own. As they walked away, leaving a stunned and sputtering group behind, Jerome whispered to Luke, ¡°Let them y in the mud, Skylion. It¡¯s where pigs like them shine the brightest. People like us? We¡¯re born better- ¡± Luke said nothing to thisment as he could not disagree with it more, however, since he was cozying up to Jerome, he kept his disapproval to himself. On the plus side, their path to the training grounds was uninterrupted afterward. The bullies, licking their wounds, seemed to find other targets for their jeers, at least for the time being as slowly but surely Jerome¡¯s reputation as a sharp-tongued nobleman grew, and with it, animosity among his peers. After all, in a world where lineage and legacy mattered a lot, Jerome had mastered the art of defending his honor with nothing but his wits and his words which pissed off those who disliked him even more as despite their best efforts to throw mud on his shining honor, nothing seemed to stick. ************* ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Over thest three days, Cervantez began feeling as if he were on cloud nine as he managed to recruit all the targets that he wished to include into his guild. 1)Expert Mage ¨C Lysa ( Check ) 2) Berserker ¨C Tor ( Check ) 3) Tank ¨C C ( Check ) 4) Archer- Jex ( Check ) 5) Tracker ¨C Snoop ( Check ) 6) Inscription master ¨C Tony ( Check ) Everyone, including the illusive inscription master Tony epted his offer to join his guild against the promise of receiving a fixed stipend and no forced guild missions for next 11 months was too juicy to refuse. With this recruitment, Cervantez was satisfied with the core line-up of his guild as he managed to rope in all the best talents that needed to be recruited apart from ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was as elusive as ever. Even better, Cervantez managed to recruit them before they had finalized their skill development path and managed to guide them in the best direction that would provide them with the best opportunity to grow. Utilizing his future knowledge, he had created a tform for these talents to flourish that had the potential of making them even better than they were in his past life, as just thinking about the ¡®What If¡¯ of them improving even beyond their past limits, gave Cervantez goosebumps all over his spine. ¡± Finally, I can now focus on reaching level 100 before anyone else and secure my extra skill-spot. Once I do that and establish the guild, I can move forward to acquiring the best skills on the market, to leap forward my career as a warrior¡± Cervantez said to himself as he felt excited by his future prospects now that finally things were going as he intended them to go. Chapter 104: Major Milestone Chapter 104: Major Milestone ( One Month Later, Leo¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for earnestlypleting your training for a month. You have gained +4 levels! ] Leo received this notification, the moment he logged into Terra Nova Online for 31st day of his training with Ben. With these +4 levels as reward! He had finally reached level50. ¡± Yes sir! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about¡± he said with a smile as he headed off to train, with the first challenge for the day being the mountain climb. Ever since Leo realized that he wasn¡¯t giving his 100% in training about three weeks ago, he decided to start training as if his life depended on it, as everyday he would push himself to the very limits of his capability to improve as much as possible. Although he wasn¡¯t aware of this, the Terra Nova Online game was designed in a way that rewarded yers who worked hard to acquire skills. Movements that would need to be practiced 10,000 times in the real world to be a part of one¡¯s muscle memory, needed to be practiced only 3,300 times within Terra Nova Online to achieve the same result, hencepared to the real world, even the most average yer was three times faster at grasping concepts within Terra Nova. Leo, however, was 12 times as fastpared to an average yer, with his progress in Terra Nova Online. In just one month, he attained mastery over his tasks which would usually take a year, as by the day 31 mark, Leo could climb up and down the mountain with nothing but the rope to rely on with both his feet touching the mountain slope. Just like Ben could, with his first demonstration of climbing the mountain to Leo, after day 28 Leo too could almost effortlessly scale it, or at least appear to effortlessly scale it, as in reality it needed incredible core strength, bnce and precise muscle coordination to achieve this feat. Within one hour, Leo could climb the mountain and back over 7 times, clearing this stage of his training 6 months before Ben expected him to. If it was only the mountain climbing that he excelled in, Ben would have probably attributed it to the activity being suitable to him, however, like a true freak of nature, Leo was not limited to progress in just mountain training, as he made strides in every training routine across the board. The squirrels that were Ben¡¯s notorious adversary when he was a disciple, were easy pickings for Leo, who could hunt them with his precise dagger throws, sometimes even taking down multiple one¡¯s at once for breakfast. In terms of weapons training, he had perfected the art of throwing eight daggers at once and was rapidly perfecting the continuous throw method, that could turn an Assassin into a short-ranged archer performing rapid shot. Not only were his dagger throws precise, but they prated their targets with power as his technique was nearly wless. Thankfully, his stretch training remained to be one aspect where his progress was within the realms ofmon sense for Ben, as his improvement seemed to be slow and consistent instead of astronomical. By day 31 he could nowy his palms t on the ground while standing without feeling a stretch in his hamstrings and if he really tried, he could also ce about half an elbow¡¯s length more on the ground while standing upright. As for his back and shoulders, Leo¡¯s dormant muscles that had all clogged up together due to neglect andck of use, were now starting to split apart and gain mass as Ben could physically see back muscles popping out of his skin, forming an admirable shape which was previously missing. In Ben¡¯s eyes, this exercise was the foundation for any sessful assassin, as whether it was hiding on rooftops, or the corner of a room, one needed to have flexible joints, muscles and the capability of being bent at odd angles for extended periods of time. As a veteran assassin, Ben understood the importance of this exercise and the reflex training that followed, as he knew that someday Leo would be hiding in the corner of a room, waiting for a target to assassinate, but would then have to face unprecedented danger, suddenly being thrown into a fight, which was why he always followed up stretch training with reflex training, so that it became second nature to Leo and prepare him for the real world. It was undoubtedly the reflex training however, where Leo showed the maximum progress. His reflexes were simply otherworldly as even after modifying the course to a difficulty level where Leo only had two toe¡¯s worth of space to maneuver andnd, he could still manage to block and dodge all of Ben¡¯s dagger throws as his judgment of where attacks woulde from and dodging was simply unbelievable. ¡± Come on, master, you can do better than this, I haven¡¯t even warmed up properly¡± Leo taunted Ben, when after fifteen minutes of reflex training he wasn¡¯t even scratched as Ben then proceeded to show a sliver of his true strength as he bruised Leo left and right. -10 -10 -10. ¡± Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! I yield, I yield¡± Leo said, waving the white g as Ben stopped his assault and allowed Leo to walk out of the reflex training arena. ¡± Your improvement over the past month has been impressive to say the least. So I¡¯ve decided to make two important decisions today¡± Ben said, as he stroked his chin and pondered into the distance. ¡± Firstly, from tomorrow I¡¯ll alter your training routine. Except for stretch training, your exercise routine will change, with the inclusion of more hunting and weapons training. From tomorrow we will start sparring seriously and learning to wield the sword. And from tomorrow, I¡¯ll start imparting my three core techniques to you, the ones that made me the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner¡± Ben said as Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled at the thought of finally getting to learn some real skills, as he too was feeling slightly bored following the same workout routine daily. ¡°Secondly, and this is contingent on you mastering my imparted skills to at least the second stage of mastery¡­ We shall enroll you into the grand tournament held in the capital city as an independent fighter. If my estimations are not wrong, you should be able to single handedly sweep that tournament, winning favor from the Emperor, but for now it¡¯s only a thought. Whether we go or not depends on how fast you finish your training¡± Ben said as Leo felt intrigued about this ¡®Grand Tournament¡¯ which allegedly had the Emperor personally rewarding the winner. ¡°Don¡¯t worry master, I will definitely exceed your expectations¡± Leo said, as he gave the old man a wink as Ben could only chuckle dryly. Truth be told, Leo had already exceeded Ben¡¯s expectations to the point where Ben felt incredibly lucky to have a disciple like him. His rate of growth was so monstrous that it made Ben question his own worth as a master, however, seeing Leo progress so fast he was truly content with life, for the first time since he himself was a disciple under his father. Chapter 105: The hunt Chapter 105: The hunt The next day, Leo¡¯s training routine changed. Instead of going after squirrel¡¯s, Ben wanted him to track and hunt mountain lions, which needed a whole new dimension of hunting mastery. In the area around Mount Faulkner, mountain lions ranged from anywhere between level 100 and level 130, proving to be formidable beasts to hunt, especially for a level50 Leo, but ording to Ben Leo was more than ready to take on the challenge. For now, the mountain lions stayed clear of Ben and Leo only because Ben intimidated them on the first day of their arrival, warning them to not mess with the humans, but in general, they were the dominant species in these parts of the woods being the apex predators of the mountain. However, once Leo were tounch an attack, there was a possibility of the mountain lions stalking the two for revenge, making their future days more challenging. Since Leo himself had no experience in tracking beasts, early in the morning, just as the first rays of sun began filtering through the thick canopy of the forest, Ben led Leo to the clearing where he had spotted the mountain lions before. ¡°The key to tracking a beast, or an assassination target, especially one that¡¯s stronger than you, is understanding its behavior,¡± Ben started, his eyes surveying the surroundings with a keen sharpness as he searched for any clues to pick up on. ¡°Mountain lions are territorial, which means they patrol their domain regrly. This is a general behavior of the beasts, just like a general behavior of humans can be considered going to their ce of work or worship daily. We¡¯ll use this to our advantage.¡± Ben said, as he started to survey the nearby surroundings, pointing out important clues to Leo. Ben demonstrated how to identify the signs of a mountain lion¡¯s passage: marks on the trees where the beast sharpened its ws, tufts of fur caught in the brush, and, most importantly, tracks on the ground. ¡°These are fresh,¡± he noted, pointing to a set of paw prints that led deeper into the woods. ¡°It passed through here not long ago.¡± Leo looked at the prints and did not really understand the difference between how to recognise a fresh paw print from an older one as he asked Ben the difference. ¡°How did you determine these are fresh?¡± Leo asked, as Ben pointed at the outline of the print and exined ¡± Look at the shape, the shape looks sharp, the edges are clear, if wee back an hourter, you will still see the pawprint but the fingers of the paws won¡¯t be as sharp. Come back a dayter and the print won¡¯t look as sharp or deep, that¡¯s what we call old print. Finally,e a dayter and it will be 80% masked, something that won¡¯t even catch your eyes if you don¡¯t look carefully for it¡± As they followed the trail, Ben emphasized the importance of silence and awareness. ¡°In these woods, a hunter must be part of the forest itself. Your movements must be as light as the breeze, and your senses as sharp as the predator you¡¯re tracking.¡± Leo struggled at first, his footsteps too heavy, causing birds to take flight in rm. But under Ben¡¯s patient guidance, he began to move with more grace, his steps bing quieter, his jumps from tree branch to tree branch more agile. ¡± You have to identify where to step and where not to step, just like reflex training. If you step too heavily on a tree branch it will bend and the leaves will make loud noises which will alert your prey. Be quick on your feet and only step on ces where the trunk is strong¡± Ben instructed as he guided Leo on how to create sensory awareness while moving. They kept tracking the paw prints for a few more minutes until suddenly, Ben held up a hand, signaling for Leo to stop. Ahead, through a thick patch of ferns, the outline of a mountain lion could be seen, its coat blending perfectly with the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. [ Mountain Lion ¨C ( Level 102 ) ( Injured ) ] Leo came across a mountain lion which was licking it¡¯s paw from apparently having injured it. Judging by the severity of its injury it seemed to be a beast who would be limping for a few more weeks at least, making it an easy prey to take down. ¡°This is it, Leo. Remember, the hunt is not just about the kill. One on one, if you were in front of it, it would leap onto you and bite your neck off, but we assassins don¡¯t fight fair. Never have, never will. We will be sneaky, attack from angles it never seesing, and never reveal our true position until necessary,¡± Ben whispered, a glint of excitement in his eyes. Leo nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. It was the first time he could use the dagger throwing skills that he learnt for real and he could already see his weapon hitting his target. *Swoop* Gripping eight daggers at once, Leo nced at the mountain lion ahead hiding in the bush with the gleam of a predator in his eyes. His body was concealed behind the tree trunk, however he still had enough area to maneuver and take a shot. *SWOOOSH* *SWOOOSH* Instead of aiming for a singr spot, Leo chose to go for a more scattered shot as the mountain lion, licking it¡¯s wounds was momentarily caught unaware. Leo watched in slow motion, how it jumped up at thest possible second, it¡¯s reflexes kicking in after sensing the attack, however, 6 of the 8 daggers still found their mark, getting buried into its tough skin at various spots. -100 -100 -500 CRITICAL HIT! -200 -160 -450 CRITICAL HIT! Leo dealt a massive 1510 point damage in one strike, reducing the beasts HP to an orange, with one of its eyes being injured by his dagger throw. *RAWRRRRRRRR* The mountain lion roared loudly, as Ben standing beside Leo chuckled as he already foresaw what was toe. Leo, still fully focused on the hunt, jumped onto the tree branch beside the one he just shot from and threw eight more daggers at his prey. This time around, only one of the daggers slightly managed to scratch the beast, as it seemed to have sensed Leo¡¯s presence and began hissing and approaching him with a limp. -60. It was bleeding all over its body, many daggers still remained impaled into its skin, yet it charged ferociously towards Leo. *SWOOSH* . . . . *SWOOSH* This time, Leo only threw two daggers, both at full strength as he took his time to throw the two, as while the mountain lion managed to dodge the first throw, once it hasmitted to moving in one direction, Leo threw the second, giving it no room to escape. -450 critical hit! The dagger went straight into it¡¯s temple, impaling the beast and forcing it to stumble to the ground as it¡¯s HP dropped to a critical red. [ System Notification ¨C Your prey, the mountain lion has suffered brain damage and is permanently immobilized ] A system notification informed Leo that his opponent was immobilized, as Leo rushed to kill it, feeling excited for having taken down such a magnificent beast. Unfortunately, he made a rookie error, as Ben could already see him getting into a world of trouble soon. Chapter 106: A tricky situation Chapter 106: A tricky situation As Leo approached the injured mountain lion for the kill, he felt extremely pumped about how his hunt went. He had managed to take down such a magnificent beast in under 5 minutes, which seemed to be incredible, however, like a true rookie, he had forgotten that mountain lions often roamed in groups. From the second that he missed his chance to kill his opponent silently and allowed it to let out an injured roar. Leo was fighting a battle against time, as Ben predicted that it was only going to be a matter of time before its support arrived. As Leo stood over his conquered prey, pride swelling in his chest, he used his dagger to put it out of its misery, as it¡¯s HP finally hit 0. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have killed a level 103 mountain lion! For killing a prey more than twice your current level, you have been awarded with extra EXP ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯. +You have leveled up! +You have leveled up! . . . +You have leveled up! ] Leo leveled up a total of 8 times from hunting the level 103 mountain lion, taking his level from 50 to 58 in the blink of an eye. Smiling, he looked towards the tree where Ben was hiding behind, hoping to see a face of approval on his master, however, he only saw a face full of worry. ¡® What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ he wondered, as only then did he begin to notice the warning signs over his thumping blood. The forest around him was giving warning signals of growls and snapping branches. His heart, still racing from the thrill of the hunt, plummeted instantly as the reality of his situation dawned on him. Turning swiftly, Leo saw them¡ªmore mountain lions emerging from the shadows, their eyes glinting with predatory interest. There were at least four, each appearing more formidable than the one he had just taken down. [ Mountain Lion ¨C Level 122 ] [ Mountain Lion ¨C Level 120 ] [ Mountain Lion ¨C Level 132 ] [ Mountain Lion ¨C Level 107 ] The injured roar of the dead mountain lion had called for support, and now, Leo found himself surrounded by a silent circle of predators, who seemed keen on avenging the fall of their pack member. The pride he had felt moments ago quickly dissolved into a rush of adrenaline and fear. He realized he had made a rookie mistake; in his eagerness for the hunt, he hade out in the open, putting himself in a position where he was vulnerable to attacks from all sides. Ben, who had been watching from a distance, ready to intervene if necessary, now hid his presence entirely. If the situation got tough, he was willing to intervene to save Leo¡¯s life, however, for now he wished to see how his student would tackle this perilous situation that he found himself in. ¡°Grrr¡­..¡± The beasts growled as they circled Leo and slowly closed their distance on him, reducing the chances of Leo fleeing every passing second. Taking a deep breath, Leo steadied his racing heart. He knew he couldn¡¯t outrun them, and fighting them head-on was suicide and hence he knew he needed to use his wits to get out of this situation, as his mind became instantly active, trying to think of what to do. With a quick scan of the area, Leo identified a narrow passage between tworge boulders. If he could maneuver one of the lions to follow him there, he might be able to use the terrain to his advantage, limiting how many could attack him at once. Without another moment¡¯s hesitation, Leo pulled out a dagger and hurled it towards the closest mountain lion, provoking it. As it charged, Leo dashed towards the boulders, leading the enraged beast into the trap he had envisioned. The sounds of the forest faded into the background as Leo focused solely on the beasts around him, moving with a precision and grace where every step he took evaded the lunges of the hungry beasts very closely, just as he trained in reflex training. The lessons Ben had ingrained in him, the countless hours of practice¡ªit all came down to this moment, a dance on the edge of life and death. *HUUP* Leo twisted and turned his body, forcing his muscles to stretch at extreme angles as he tried to slide across the minor gap between the boulders to the other side. *RAWRRR* Leo could feel the chasing mountain lions pausing right before the boulder, unlike him they could not squeeze through, as they first looked to climb the boulder, but when they found it to be too high, they tried to circle around it. Leo, Having sessfully slid through to the other side and having gained an extra five to seven seconds, climbed a tree and began jumping from branch to branch as if his life depended on it. Every step he took, was at the perfect spot, his feet nimble and the sound he made minimal, as a few minutester he could not longer see the mountain lions on his trail, as he managed to sessfully shake them off after a thrilling run away. ¡± Hahaha, good job¡± said Ben, who followed all this action closely and shook his head in approval over Leo¡¯s skills. Today, he had disyed the ability to think under pressure, getting out of a perilous situation by relying on nothing but his wits and for Ben that was more important than any talent he showed while training. One could have all the talent in the world, but without a spine and the ability to trante it to real world skill, that talent was worthless, however, Leo was not only talented in training, but in practical situations as well, bringing immense pride to Ben as a master. Of Course Ben pointed out the mistakes that he made. The areas where he could have been better, such as the spots he targeted while throwing his dagger first time and never going in for a manual kill if it could be avoided. But overall, he was happy with Leo¡¯s performance, as he cooked him a nice meal and decided to impart his first core technique to him after lunch. Chapter 107: First Skill Chapter 107: First Skill After lunch, it was finally time for Leo to learn the first one of Ben¡¯s three core skills as he felt especially excited for this session. Usually, all assassin¡¯s had a simr type of move-set, even if the specific skills differed. Of the five skills that one could learn and master, usually ¨C One would be a footwork technique, something light and agile that would help an assassin move without making a sound and conceal their movement trail after they left a crime scene. Second would be a stealth technique, something to mask one¡¯s presence by blending into the surroundings, usually darkness and shadows. Third would be a killing technique, something precise and deadly that could take out an enemy with a single shot as assassin¡¯s did not prefer a long drawn fight. Fourth would be a weapons skill move, the specifics depending on the type of weapon the assassin mastered. And finally fifth was a utility move, something like being able to jump high or feint step, basically something that could be used in practical situations as well asbat. While the specific moves learnt under this wide bracket depended from case to case, usually all assassin¡¯s operated under this structure, however, Ben Faulkner was different in this regard. Well atleast, sort of different. ********* ¡°Today boy, I¡¯m going to pass down to you my stealth skill¡± Ben said with a smile as he casually strolled towards the nearby tree. With the sun over his head and Leo¡¯s eyes strained at him, Ben said ¡°Watch closely¡± as he stepped into the shadow of the tree, his figure disappearing immediately from Leo¡¯s line of sight, as the second he stepped into the shadows, Leo could no longer make out his outline. It was as if Ben had vanishedpletely, his sillheute disappearing from Leo¡¯s sight almost instantly as he stepped into the shadow. ¡± Nah, I¡¯m not behind that tree anymore¡± Ben said, as he walked out a few degrees to the left, from a few trees beside the one he disappeared into. ¡± How?¡± Leo felt stunned as while the shadow behind the tree was hard to spot, the gap between the trees were still easy to notice if Ben moved through them. Leo did not understand how he missed Ben¡¯s movements through the trees with how focusedly he was watching the whole area. ¡°Misdirection kid, but this much is what any assassin can do. Give them a shadow and even the night guild assassin¡¯s can blend into them and disappear from in sight, it¡¯s quite easy and once you understand it¡¯s fundamentals, I think you will be able to master this part of the skill easily, however, the skill I wish to pass onto you, is more nuanced¡± Ben said as he now walked into the open sunlight, and stood before Leo in an open field with no obstacles to hide behind. ¡± Watch me closely now-¡± he said as he did nothing much but pulled out a dagger and threw it towards Leo¡¯s face, prompting Leo to dodge. It was not even a split secondter that Leo looked back at the spot where Ben was supposed to be, however, Ben was no longer there as the split-second that Leo was focused on the dagger, Ben disappeared from infront of him. *Tap* *Tap* Leo felt someone tap on his shoulder behind him, as he was rmed, only to see Ben now standing behind him, as from start to finish Leo did not even sense anything. ¡°You¡¯re dead¡± Ben said, reminding Leo that should he have been targetting him, Leo would be dead by now. ¡± Again¡± Leo demanded, as he felt like if he did not take his eyes off Ben, thetter would not be able to use this skill, however, at that moment Ben just dropped a smoke-bomb out of his robe, which quickly covered his surroundings. *Boom* *SWOOOSH* The thick grey smoke restricted Leo¡¯s visibility to barely a meter infront of him as he once again lost sight of Ben. He tried to sense Ben through the smoke, however, he failed miserably in doing so as Ben did not leave any obvious movement trail. By the time the smoke cleared out, Leo found himself on lettering spelling out ¡®DEAD¡¯ , as it was only then that he realised that Ben had drawn this using a dagger on the ground below him and he never even realised it. ¡°Distractions, will help you master my move, it will give you the tool you need to master it without the use of mana. However, add mana to it, and you can do it without any distractions as well¡± Ben said, as he finally disyed the true might of his move. In broad daylight, with no obstacles nearby, Ben waved his hand, and disappeared into thin air right infront of Leo¡¯s eyes. Even without a smoke bomb, a distraction, Ben disappeared from Leo¡¯s sight in a way that Leo could no longer track him as a secondter he once again felt a dagger ced over his shoulder as Ben whispered ¡°Dead again¡±. Leo felt goosebumps all over his spine when he realised the true potential of the move that Ben was teaching him. Usually, ¡®Mimic¡¯ would have picked up on this move, giving Leo the ability to copy it, however, even mimic could not copy what it could not see as this move of Ben was something that not even his supreme cheat could replicate. ¡± While the Average assassin can only hide using shadows, the move I¡¯m going to pass onto you, can help you disappear from in sight. It¡¯s called ¡®Vanish¡¯, and it¡¯s one of my three core techniques¡± Ben said, as he exined the sheer importance of the move he was about to teach Leo. In the entire Assassin world, it was only Ben who had this technique, the most feared move ¡®Vanish¡¯ that had allowed him to enter and exit the royal pce in broad daylight during his assassination of the royal prince. ¡± There are threeponents to this skill, the first one is misdirection. At the basic level of skill mastery, you won¡¯t be able to vanish from in sight like I do, but if you get your enemy to take their eyes off you, you can achieve the other effects. Misdirection can be introduced most easily by a smoke bomb, but like I demonstrated, it can be done via a dagger or any other object too. The second part is explosive speed. There are two main maneuvers here. The first one being high jump and flip, the second one being sheer pace. But we will get into the detailster. The final part is to remain hidden in the enemy¡¯s blind spot. Unless they are a species born with 360¡ã vision, they will have a blind spot, and moving within that range will help you approach them from behind¡± Ben said as he exined the basics of the skill. ¡°To learn this skill, I will first teach you the part of blending with the shadows to conceal your presence. That way you can atleast use it properly with a smoke bomb, turning you into a somewhat useful assassin¡± Ben dered as he escorted Leo to the nearby tree. Chapter 108: Shadow Blending Chapter 108: Shadow Blending Ben led Leo to arge tree that stood out in the training area. With the sun high, casting a deep, well-defined shadow beneath the tree, it seemed like the perfect spot for their next lesson. As Leo watched, Ben stepped into the shadow. Almost instantly, his silhouette became much harder to see as his form faded significantly, bing 90% less visible. Leo could just barely make out Ben¡¯s location, but only because he was standing so close. ¡°Now, pay attention,¡± Ben began, his voice steady and clear. ¡°Blending into the shadow isn¡¯t just about physical presence. It¡¯s about minimizing the perception others have of you while you¡¯re within it.¡± He moved slightly within the shadow, his movements slow and deliberate, showing Leo that by adjusting his stance and minimizing his movements, his visibility decreased even further. ¡°It¡¯s about controlling your breath, minimizing your movements, and bing a part of the shadow itself. Your goal is to reduce your presence, to limit any sign that you¡¯re there.¡± After ensuring Leo grasped the concept, Ben continued, ¡°Now, let¡¯s add ayer ofplexity¡ªmana.¡± Focusing intently, Ben then channeled a subtle flow of mana around himself. ¡°By manipting your mana, you can further distort how light interacts with your body, effectively bending the perception others have of you.¡± As he did this, Ben becamepletely invisible to Leo. Although Leo knew Ben stood right in front of him, there was no visual evidence of his presence. ¡°This,¡± Ben¡¯s voice floated from the empty space, ¡°is the result of finely controlling your mana to distort vision, making yourselfpletely unseen, even to those who are looking directly at you.¡± Ben¡¯s demonstration provided a vivid, step-by-step guide on blending into shadows and enhancing this with mana maniption. ¡± The basic principle behind blending with the shadows is simple. We perceive in the light, and it¡¯s hard for us to perceive in the dark. Only objects that reflect light to any degree can be perceived. So if you hide your presence such that you reflect little or no light, it will always be hard to see you. Since you cannot physically make your body not reflect any light, the first step of achieving 60-80% shadow blending is just understanding the angle from which your enemy is perceiving you and not reflecting any light to that area. The remaining 20-40% is mana distortion which will be the stage two of this mastery¡± Ben exined as he stepped out of the shadows and encouraged Leo to try himself. ¡± Go, try doing what I just did, I¡¯ll help you adjust your posture from the outside¡± Ben said as he walked out of the shadow and switched ces with Leo. Leo, although having many doubts about how to achieve shadow blending, tried to follow Ben¡¯s instructions as he tried to emte Ben¡¯s earlier demonstration, adjusting his stance and attempting to make his body as inconspicuous as possible. Ben observed Leo¡¯s efforts from outside the shadow, offering guidance. ¡°Rx your shoulders,¡± he advised. ¡°And tilt your head slightly. Good. Now, hold your breath for a moment. Feel how stillness enhances your ability to blend.¡± Leo focused intently on Ben¡¯s advice, trying to understand the subtlety of manipting his presence within the shadow to reflect the least amount of light possible towards where an enemy might stand. He adjusted his position, experimenting with angles and postures that minimized his visibility. ¡°Think about where the light ising from,¡± Ben instructed from the edge of the shadow. ¡°Now, position yourself in a way that you cast the smallest shadow possible towards where your enemy might be. It¡¯s like bing a part of the shadow itself, minimizing the contrast between you and the background.¡± Leo shifted his weight, slightly turning his body. He noticed that certain positions made him feel as if he was almost merging with the shadow, his outline blurring with the surrounding darkness. ¡°Good, that¡¯s it,¡± Ben said, noting Leo¡¯s adjustments. ¡°By understanding how light and shadow interact, you can control how much of you is seen. It¡¯s not just about hiding; it¡¯s about deceiving the eye, making it harder for someone to focus on you, or even better, to overlook you entirely.¡± Leo continued to practice, moving slowly within the shadow, each subtle adjustment helping him grasp the concept of minimizing his visibility by controlling how he reflected light. It was a delicate bnce, requiring awareness of his surroundings, his body, and the source of light. Ben watched closely, offering asional pointers to refine Leo¡¯s technique. ¡°Remember, the goal is to make it difficult for your enemy to perceive you as a distinct entity. You¡¯re learning to manipte perception, using the shadow and your understanding of light to your advantage.¡± As the lesson progressed, Leo felt a growing sense of achievement. With each adjustment and movement, he was learning to control his visibility in a way he hadn¡¯t thought possible,ying the foundational skill of blending into the shadows without relying on mana, purely through physical positioning and understanding of light. Ofcourse, unlike Ben he was only sessful in reducing his presence by 30-40%. He still needed to pick up on a lot of the basics such as covering all of his body with dark cloth like assassin¡¯s did and refining his technique, however, he was at least understanding the concept behind it. The road between this and skill mastery could only be traversed by consistent practise and ording to Ben¡¯s estimates, he expected Leo to learn the non mana part in 3 days and theplete mana distortion in darkness in four more days. *********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) [ 06:44:00 ] Luke looked at his score on the weighted armor training and smiled. He had finally managed to surpass the training record of the assistant that helped him the very first day. ¡± I did it!¡± He told the assistant excitedly, who just like everyone else in the room, stared at Luke¡¯s running score with mouths agape. ¡± What sort of a beast are you? I¡¯ve been performing weighted west training for 2 years now! Two years, you¡¯ve thrashed my record in one and a half months, what rate of growth is this?¡± The assistant questioned as he checked if Luke was indeed wearing the 50 kg Armor, which he was. ¡°Oh god no, this makes no sense¡± said the assistant as he categorized Luke as a beast that he could not fathom. Luke¡¯s growth rate was absurd to the point that everyone in his batch already viewed him as a different sort of beast. Being a yer, he was already improving much fasterpared to the NPC, however, his own natural talent in fighting and situational awareness was also nothing to scoff about. There was not a single subject that Luke did not improve dramatically in as a monthter he was already as good as the best in the ss for each subject, cementing his ce as the student acknowledged by a master knight. Because of his shining talent, Jerome faced less bullying as well as nobody wished to mess with Luke who was most likely going to overshadow everyone in theing months, giving Jerome much needed peace of mind as his bond with Luke strengthened. Chapter 109: Sensing Mana Chapter 109: Sensing Mana In his initial month at the academy, Luke demonstrated remarkable progress in all areas of his education, except for one specific field- The mountedbat practice. His chosen mount, the Griffin ¡®Brown Pudding¡¯, showed absolutely no signs of epting Luke as it¡¯s master, as despite his month long efforts to get into the good graces of the mount, the only progress he seemed to have made was that Brown Pudding now ate the food Luke brought for it directly from his hands. Luke firmly believed that patience and persistence were key to building a bond with the creature, yet despite his dedication, sess remained elusive. He spent at least an hour each day beside Brown Pudding, talking to it in soothing tones, trying to establish a connection. He read books on griffin behavior, hoping to find some insight that would help him bridge the gap between them. Luke even sought advice from the academy¡¯s seasoned mountedbat instructors, Jerome and some other students applying every tip and technique they shared, from the way to approach Brown Pudding to specific foods that might appease the griffin¡¯s discerning pte, but progress in winning over its trust remained slim. Finally, a monthter, Luke decided to give up on trying to win over the beast as he stopped treating it like a beast to tame and started to treat it like a friend he trusted. Being an elder brother and the strong male character in the family, Luke hardly ever had anyone he confided his true feelings to as he always maintained this facade of strength and resilience, however, there was something about Brown Pudding and it¡¯s nature, that made Luke feel like he could confide in the beast. Maybe it was the fact that Brown Pudding could not speak, maybe it was the fact that it was a virtual character or maybe it was the fact that Luke just had too much going on in his mind, as Luke started to talk to the beast daily, as if the two were the closest of pals. Everyday, Luke would sit beside Brown Pudding, feeding it snacks as he talked about Earth, how he missed his mother, how worried he was about Leo and how life was going in general. He told the mount things that he had never told anyone before, such that how he often got dark thoughts that their mother might be dead, buried under rubble, or how there might not be an Earth by the time the brothers managed to save her. He also talked about how he trusted Cervantez but did not trust him fully and how he worried about the direction in which his life was going. At times, Luke could see the beasts usually ferocious eyes bing softer as he narrated his sad stories to it, however, those moments were generally short lived as it became indifferent soon after. Every once in a while, Luke attempted to mount Brown Pudding, hoping that their shared talk had strengthened their bond, however, whenever Luke made a mounting attempt Brown Pudding bucked wildly, refusing to let Luke anywhere near its back. Disheartened, Luke would sit at a safe distance, watching as Brown Pudding calmed down, as he felt a mix of frustration and sadness, feeling as if despite his best efforts, the gulf between them remained. The realization that he might never earn Brown Pudding¡¯s trust was a bitter pill to swallow. He understood that building a rtionship with such a proud and powerful creature was a monumental task, one that couldn¡¯t be rushed or forced, but theck of progress sometimes made him feel like he was banging his head on a brick wall. ¡°Choose a different mount-¡± ¡°That one is born odd-¡± ¡°You¡¯re wasting your time and will fail your subject at this rate-¡± These were the advice that people gave Luke daily as with the semester progressing fast, Luke needed to start training with Brown Pudding to not fail his subject. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Just as Ben expected, Leo learnt how to blend with the shadows within three days to an eptable degree. He understood the principles of minimizing light reflection and creating the perception of blending into the darkness. The idea was not to literally blend in the darkness, but to be perceived as such when looked at from a certain angle. If at the same time, someone else also gazed upon Leo from some other angle, they might be able to see him as clear as day, however, that was not the purpose behind the technique. To achieve real camouge in the dark, was the second step of the move which was to use mana to distort vision and it was at this step that Leo needed to learn the basics of mana maniption and mana utilization. Being aplete novice, Leo had never tried to manipte mana before and had no idea on how to do it either as unlike physical exercises and movement that he was doing since birth, manipting mana was a whole new concept for a human from Earth. ording to Ben, mana was the invisible, vital force that sustained and interconnected all elements of the universe. It was akin to the air around one¡ªever-present, yet unseen, a source of energy that could be harnessed and directed by those attuned to its presence. Toprehend and manipte mana, one had to first acknowledge its omnipresence and learn to sense its subtle flow through all living and inanimate things. Usually, young ones were taught to meditate and sense mana from a young age but as Ben realized that Leo was not given the same education, he gave him a mana ball that had many tangled threads within. Ben told Leo that he needed to untangle the threads using mana maniption and left him with the ball to practice. Although it was a bit crude, Ben was assured that by the time Leo untangled the ball, he would learn a lot about the mana and mana control. Chapter 110: Sensing Mana Chapter 110: Sensing Mana For two days, Leo practiced with the mana thread ball, but saw no visible results. Each attempt left him more puzzled than thest as no matter how he tried to mobilize mana, without having even a basic understanding of the force he could not grasp how to wield it. It was like solving a math problem without knowing what the signs meant, however, Ben kept encouraging him to keep trying as he was confident that Leo would suddenly gain enlightenment one day. Leo practiced for hours daily, yet the ball remained a tangled enigma, unresponsive to his silent pleas and focused stares. Then, on the third day, something shifted. As Leo sat in quiet desperation, his mind wandered back to an old memory from Earth¡ªa parlor trick of trying to bend a spoon through sheer will. As a kid, he had seen a child¡¯s TV show about how someone with psychic abilities could bend a spoon with just their thoughts and following that show, Leo remembered spending countless hours trying to bend a spoon with an imaginary force that simply did not exist. Naturally, he never seeded, however, that memory remained vivid in his brain till this day. Back on Earth, it was an impossible task, as no psychic powers actually existed.But here, in this realm where magic breathed through the very fabric of existence, Leo¡¯s thoughts lingered on that memory, drawing a parallel that felt almost absurd in its audacity. He closed his eyes, envisioning the spoon from his memory, feeling its weight, its solidity, and the invisible force of his will pressing against it. He then redirected that focus onto the mana ball, imagining the tangled threads as the spoon, bending to his will. It was a ludicrous idea, treating the intangible as if it were tangible, manipting something as if it were physically there under the press of his fingertips. But then, it happened. A faint sensation, like a whisper against the edge of his mind¡ªa thread within the ball shifted. Startled, Leo¡¯s eyes snapped open, staring at the ball. The change was imperceptible to the naked eye, but he felt it, a tingle along the bond between his consciousness and the ball. Encouraged, he concentrated on the threads on the ball, deepening his focus. He imagined his will as a gentle force, coaxing the threads apart, untangling them not with hands but with thoughts. It was like trying to move water with a wish, to shape air with a hope. Yet, under the guidance of his concentrated will, the threads began to respond. Slowly, painstakingly, they moved, guided by the invisible force of his intent. The breakthrough was monumental. Leo managed to untangle a small section of the ball, and with that sess, a rush of exhration flooded through him. It was a tangible victory, achieved not through physical maniption but through the power of his mind interacting with mana. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have managed to perceive and manipte mana and have unlocked the mana stat! ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have became the 9822nd yer within the game to unlock their mana stat and since you are within the first 10,000 yers to do so, you have received a bonus +10 points of mana ] Two system notifications alerted Leo that his mana stat had been unlocked as a bright smile spread on his face! ¡® I did it!¡¯ he thought as he opened his stat panel and took a look at the newly unlocked mana stat. He had 150 points of Max mana of which 120 units were avable for him to still expend. The sensation of being able to feel mana was unlike anything he had ever experienced; it was as if he had reached out and touched the intangible, learning a way to interact with a force that he did not understand how to interact with before. Surprisingly, it was just like handling a psychic power, like imposing your will into existence. But while it was impossible on Earth, it was very real on Terra Nova. Unfortunately, Leo could only impose his will upon the special mana threads within the mana ball as he could not actually move physical objects with it, however, just being able to sense that imaginary force was like unlocking a new dimension for him. After the initial breakthrough, Leo¡¯s progress with the mana threads improved significantly. He could slowly sense all the individual threads within the ball, each one appearing as a distinct presence under the influence of his focused thoughts. This new ability allowed him to approach the task of untangling the ball with a methodical precision that was previously impossible, as his speed of untangling each thread improved significantly. By the end of day3, he managed to untangle the ball in full as Ben congratted and praised Leo forprehending mana so quickly. From not understanding how to move the threads at all, to untangling the ball in a single day, was remarkable progress. On day 4, with more practice, Leo found that not only could he untangle the threads, but he could also manipte them in increasinglyplex ways. The mana responding to his intent, bending and flowing under hismand as Leo could feel his control over the mana improving with each passing hour which reflected in the form of his mana stat improving after every few hours of practise. [ System Notification ¨C Your mastery over mana has improved, mana stat increases by +10 ] Apparently, unlike the physical stats that only improved after rigorous practise or leveling up, the mana stat improved rapidly with slight practise, encouraging Leo to practice controlling it harder. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Instead of doing arge time-skip that shows no details of how each character developed, I have decided to depict everyone¡¯s training progress in a fast paced setting. This is not usually how I show these scenes, so your feedback on this matter would be most appreciated. Are you satisfied with the pacing or should I show if faster/ slower? /// Chapter 111: Learning To Vanish Chapter 111: Learning To Vanish Once his mastery over mana threads reached an eptable degree, Ben introduced Leo to the next phase of his training which was learning to use mana to interact with his surroundings, starting with the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯. This skill was a practical application of mana, requiring the practitioner to extend their control beyond themselves and manipting the ambient mana in the environment. The transition from manipting mana within a contained object to influencing the invisible forces around him was akin to the transition from being a human from Earth, to bing a being of the cosmos as once Leo understood this principle, he could grasp a new dimension that was impossible for humans from Earth. Just like when manipting the mana threads, initially, his attempts to extend his control outward were met with frustration. The mana slipped through his mental grasp like water, unwilling to be shaped by his unpracticed will. The threads of mana, which he had begun to understand within the mana ball, now seemed like child¡¯s y aspared to shaping the ambient mana of the world, as shaping the threads seemed a thousand times easier. Leo¡¯s struggles were not forck of trying, but more because hecked a very basic understanding of manipting mana and learning how to do so was learning a newnguage from scratch. Right now, he had just learnt the alphabets of thenguage, however, he was still far from stringing sentences together. Although he had figured out how to guide the threads inside the ball, when he tried to use the same principle to guide the mana around him, he felt like the mana of the world did not bend to his will, not moving as he wanted it to. Ben, observing Leo¡¯s efforts, offered insights to guide him. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too rigidly,¡± he advised. ¡°Mana in its free state is fluid, not bound like in the threads. It¡¯s like a stream of water, you cannot forcefully shape it, what you need to do is guide it. Brute forcing your control over the environment will never work¡± Ben exined how mana in its natural state flowed freely through the world, much like air and water, moving in subtle currents that were invisible to the naked eye. He further emphasized that individuals possessed mana both within and around them, and it was the skillful maniption of these two aspects of mana that enabled the casting of spells. At its core, casting a spell involved two critical steps: Firstly, there was the internal maniption of mana. This step involved the spellcaster channeling mana through their own mana veins in a precise sequence. This internal process allowed the caster¡¯s mind to influence and direct the external mana in their surroundings, setting the stage for the spell¡¯s effects to manifest. Secondly, came the external expression of the spell. In this phase, the spellcaster extended their will outward, shaping the surrounding mana into specific patterns and infusing it with the desired properties to create the spell¡¯s effect. Whether the goal was to control elements like fire, water, light, or air, the fundamental technique remained the same, which was to bend the external world to the caster¡¯s will through the maniption of mana. Ben stressed that understanding these foundational concepts was essential for Leo to progress in his training, especially as he prepared to learn how to give shape and elemental affinity to the mana around him, to help him camouge better in darkness. Initially, Ben had not expected Leo to be so weak when it came to understanding mana as hispleteck of even foundational knowledge baffled him. However, his rate of growth more than made up for it as Ben felt that as long as he guided Leo properly, he grasped the concepts he did not know very fast. ¡°Come here, take a look at this-¡± Ben said, as he drew the human body on the ground below using a dagger and then proceeded to create various lines inside it, drawing a general diagram of a human¡¯s mana circuit. From a first nce, it seemed like a diagram of all the major veins inside the body, however, it wasn¡¯t really so. ¡± The mana inside your body. Should be concentrated the most around your belly. Near your navel. Although it exists in small amounts throughout, it¡¯s mainly stored near that spot. From there you have to imagine drawing the mana outwards and for ¡®vanish¡¯ specifically, you need to guide it upwards towards your heart, then towards your neck, going to your brain to your left eye, then to your right eye, bringing it down, down towards your right arm, all the way to the tip of yourrgest middle finger. Roughly when you follow this path, your body will create an internal resonance which when coupled with the desire to reshape the air molecules around you, shall create the effect of them clustering around you in a way that reflects light backwards, giving an illusion of your body merging into darkness. While moving the mana inside your body is easy, once you do it and start guiding the external mana is when the process gets harder as shaping light with your will needs patience and practise to understand it¡¯s nature¡­. I really wish I could exin this concept any better than this to you, but it is one of those things that you have to experience for yourself boy and cannot be taught by me.¡± Ben said as he gave exining the concept of how to cast a spell his best shot, hoping that his insights into understanding it would help Leo find his rhythm. For Ben, manipting mana was as easy as breathing. If asked how to teach someone how to breathe, Ben could exin the general theory of breathing, but actually learning how to control the diaphragm and the lung muscles was something that one needed to do themselves and cannot really be taught. Learning how to shape mana was sort of same, as it could not be exined but only experienced and learnt with patience. Nheless, his exnation gave a lot of rity to Leo, who persistently practised for days, slowly gaining new insights into how to manipte mana. Moving mana inside his body was aplex process that initially felt unnatural to Leo. He had to focus deeply, envisioning the mana flowing from his navel up through his body, following a specific path to his heart, brain, and finally to his fingertips. Just like how he guided the mana strings inside the ball, he guided the mana inside his body through the intricate mana pathway inside his body, however, remembering the exact path was not easy at all. Every few centimetres it felt like there were countless junctions in his body and taking a single wrong step led to his mana reaching the wrong part instead of the path it was supposed to take. However, gradually, through persistent practice, he began to memorize the exact path he needed to take, as the mistakes reduced and he felt the movement process to be smoother and easier. Another remarkable change that he noticed was that once he was able to sessfully cycle the mana inside his body in the path that Ben wanted him to move it in, he began feeling a connection with the light particles in his surroundings as he could sense their flow, realising how it hit his body and how it¡¯s flow needed to be changed for him to be able to camouge into darkness. Just like Ben said, it was a sensation, something that could not be taught but only experienced as only through repeated practise and relentless reflection did Leo slowly learn how to shape the external mana flowing around him to his will as he targetted the light element and guided it to evade his position and bend around him, allowing him to merge with the darkness, attaining the desired effect of the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯. Unlike Ben who had mastered the skill, Leo could only divert about 30-40% of the light particles falling on him, which was why he could only obtainplete camouge in absolute darkness, while his form was slightly visible in less dark shadows to hide in. However, the road between 30% and 100% could only be traversed through practising and now that he understood the basic premise, Leo felt confident to shorten that gap fast! Approximately two weeks into his training with the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯, his proficiency of diverting light around him finally reached the 50% mark, as it was at that time that he was finally rewarded with the system notification that acknowledged his mastery over the skill. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have attained ( Basic ) mastery over the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯ through natural understanding! Since the skill has been naturally obtained it¡¯s effects have been enhanced by 20% upon use. ] Chapter 112: Lukes massive improvement Chapter 112: Luke''s massive improvement Chapter 112: Luke¡¯s massive improvement Learning skills for Luke was apletely different experiencepared to learning skills for Leo. While Leo had to understand the basics of mana and mana maniption to cast spells, the type of spells taught to Luke had apletely different casting process. The spells used by a knight leaned more towards physical reinforcement rather than manipting the surroundings and hence its casting process was much different as well. While Leo had to cycle mana in his body along a particr path to create resonance with his surroundings, Luke only had to imagine sending mana to his body part that he wished to reinforce. Unlike Leo who first drew mana internally and then influenced his surroundings, Luke first drew mana from the surroundings into his body and then guided it towards the body part or weapon he wished to reinforce. To run with more weights, the spell taught to him was [ Body Reinforcement ] an all body reinforcement spell that increased strength, physique and agility by 20-50% depending on skill mastery. At basic mastery, it could increase the strength of the user by 20% and the duration was 20 minutes. This went upto 50% boost with a 2 hour spell duration at highest level of mastery, however, Luke was still a far cry from it. Another spell that Luke was taught was a weapons skill called [ Weapon¡¯s Reinforcement ] a versatile skill that could bebined with any weapon. This skill reinforced the weapon in use with mana, increasing its durability and damage output significantly. The better the weapons grade, the better were the effects of the reinforcement and it also helped in performing moves such as air shes. At the basic stage of mastery for weapon¡¯s reinforcement, Luke could project a sword sh powerful enough to slice through a boulder, provided it was within 20 meters of striking range. ording to popr legend, at the highest level of mastery, the sh could be powerful enough to slice through entire sections of an army, however, just like body reinforcement, Luke was a far cry from achieving it. While the grade of the skills wasn¡¯t too high and they were skills that weremonly avable to purchase via skill scrolls, the fact that Luke learnt them naturally, gave his version of the skill much more strength whenpared to someone who learnt it from a scroll. In just two months after joining the academy, Luke became a formidable knight squire who topped almost all sses in the academy, being known as a freak. As his conditioning andbat awareness improved, his natural talent for fighting also began to shine as he fought so technically, leaving no gaps in his defense, that even the instructor¡¯s found it hard to fight Luke on equal footing, often needing to use superior strength to suppress him. The brighter he shined, the better his bond became with Jerome as well, as Luke developed beautifully, just like Cervantez hoped that he would. ************* ( The iron circuit, Luke ) On his day off at the academy, Luke decided to try his hands at the iron circuit once more now that he had improved so much as a fighter, just to see how much further he could get now,pared to before. As he entered the establishment, he saw the familiar bunny assistant who smiled sweetly when Luke entered. ¡°Hello sir, how may I assist you today?¡± She asked, as her bunny ears wiggled in happiness. ¡°How long before I can use the iron circuit?¡± Luke asked, looking down, as he felt like if he looked at the bunny assistant for too long he would get caught up in her cuteness. ¡°We have the iron circuit empty at the moment, would you like to try it now?¡± The assistant asked as Luke forked out 5 gold coins and said ¡± yes please¡±. epting his money, the bunny assistant turned to lead the way, as once again, Luke was mesmerized by the sight of her perfectly round tail sticking out of a small hole in her skirt as she opened the heavy gate to the iron circuit. ¡°Please be safe and have a good time, Please know that you can exit the circuit anytime you want and if you wish for our team to assist you against a specific monster, you can ask for help, but it will cost you 2 gold coins per help summoned. Thebat arena does not encourage you to battle recklessly or battle till death and does have instructors watching over who will intervene incase of emergencies, however, in case you die, the battle arena will not be liable to paypensation to your family¡± she said, closing the door as once she left the floor manager asked Luke if he was ready or should he wait before starting the challenge. Luke asked him to wait, as he put on the gear he borrowed from the academy on, suiting up in full knight¡¯s armor and shield while using his own sword for offense. ¡± Okay I¡¯m ready¡± Luke said, once he was in full gear which weighed nearly 30kg, but he was able to move in it like it was nothing much after two months of training. Once Luke gave the signal, the floor master opened the monster gates, as a familiar foe came out. [ Mutated Male Rooster ] ( Level 15 ) 4 mutated male rooster flew out of the their cages and immediately identified Luke as their target. *PAKAAK* *PAK PAKPAKAAK* The roosters screeched, as they flew in towards Luke from odd angles. *sh* -55 CRITICAL HIT *sh* -55 CRITICAL HIT *sh* -55 CRITICAL HIT *Block* The speed of the flying chickens, which once seemed like a difficult task to handle, felt like nothing much to Luke now, after two months of training as he was able to kill three chickens one after another in single shes, while having to block thest one with his shield, as he killed him after. *sh* -55 CRITICAL HIT. Within ten seconds, Luke made short work of the four chickens as the fight started before it even properly began. ¡± Onto the next stage then¡± Luke said, as he walked towards the next gate that opened for him. ¡± With your strength you¡¯re wasting your time in the iron circuit, you should go for bronze¡± the floor master said, however, since Luke had already paid for the iron circuit, Luke continued to the second round. [ Hellcat ] ( level20 ) As the familiar beast prowled before Luke, he felt the pressure for the first time as this was the enemy where he faltered the first time around. This was the beast that was much more agile whenpared to the mutated roosters, its sleek ck fur gleaming under the arena¡¯s dim lights, muscles rippling with each silent step it took as it eyed Luke with a predatory gaze. Luke, feeling the intensity of the moment, steadied his breathing and focused, recalling his training and the skills he had honed. Without hesitation, Luke activated [Body Reinforcement], feeling the surge of mana boosting his physical abilities, his muscles tensing with increased power. He then poured mana into his sword, using [Weapon¡¯s Reinforcement], making the de shimmer with a subtle glow, ready to withstand and deliver powerful blows. The Hellcat pounced, a blur of speed and fury, but Luke was ready. He dodged to the side with agility that belied his armored form, thanks to the body reinforcement. As the Hellcatnded, Luke counterattacked, swinging his enhanced sword in a wide arc. The Hellcat, agile as it was, could not fully evade the powerful sh, receiving a significant wound along its nk, evidenced by the -120 CRITICAL HIT shing above it. Angered, the Hellcatunched a series of rapid attacks, ws and teeth seeking to prate Luke¡¯s armor which Luke met with precision, blocking with his shield and countering when opportunities arose. His movements were fluid, a dance ofbat honed through rigorous training, leaving no opening for the Hellcat to exploit. As the battle reached its climax, Luke found an opening as the Hellcat overextended. With a powerful shout, he unleashed a full-powered [Weapon¡¯s Reinforcement] sh, the de cutting through the air with a sound like tearing cloth. The sh connected, and the Hellcat was thrown back, defeated, with a final -200 CRITICAL HIT sealing its fate. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ you have defeated a level 20 hellcat and have leveled up! ] Luke leveled up to level20, feeling proud that he was able to defeat the Hellcat without receiving a single point in damage where he could not beat it just a few months ago. While unlike Leo, Luke had not leveled up much, his stats and skills had undergone a massive improvement which was evident with his sess today. Although he wasgging behind on the leveling department, Luke was not too worried about it as passing each subject was going to give him a lot of levels, as he expected to gain 70-120 levels by the end of the year, catching up to the leaders when the time came. ¡± Nice skills, you¡¯re not made for this circuit, should¡¯ve chosen the bronze tier¡± said the floor supervisor as he opened the gate and allowed Luke to progress to the next phase. His next opponent was a level 25 mechanical golem, which had exaggerated defensive capabilities, however, under Luke¡¯s reinforced sword, it became as weak as paper as Luke made short work of it. The fights against the level 30 Great Wolf and Level 35 me Lion were much more intense, however, in the end Luke cleared the entire iron circuit while taking only minimal damage, as he gained 7 levels in the process, leveling up to 26 with ease. Chapter 113: The start of something new Chapter 113: The start of something new ( The real world ) Leo and Amanda¡¯s friendship progressed steadily in the months following their transfer together to sector D. They became increasingly closer to each other as often the two of them would talk about their lives on Earth and about their past to each other once they returned from work. Ever since she cried on his shoulders, Leo began feeling a sense of protectiveness for Amanda as he began to look out for her in his own way. He would check on her task that she received for the day and ensured to ask about how it went at the end. He would ask her if she ate properly and ask if anyone bullied her, showing daily that he cared, slowly building on her trust which she had in him. Although he ensured that he would not let her thoughts distract him at work, having already made that mistake once, he also did not rush to log back into the game immediately after work like Luke did, and spent a healthy 30-40 minutes each day after dinner with Amanda, as the two would talk about nothing in particr. It was this time spent with Amanda that Leo felt de-stressed him from his hectic life, as he thoroughly enjoyed herpany which left him rejuvenated everytime. Today was one such day as well, as with Luke already logging back into the game, Leo had some alone time with Amanda who kept insisting him to draw a sketch of her, since he imed to be so good with his sketching skills. ¡°Come on, Leo, you¡¯ve been bragging about your sketching skills since we met. I want to see if you can really capture someone as beautiful as me or if your sketching skills are a sham!¡± Amanda teased, her eyes gleaming with a mix of curiosity and challenge. Leo hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck with a half-smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Amanda. It¡¯s been a while since Ist sketched a person. Landscapes are more my thing,¡± he tried to deflect, not wanting to disappoint her or, perhaps, afraid to confront the intensity such a task might bring. He was actually very good at sketching people, however, he had only live sketched his mother and Luke before, so he was not sure if he could do justice to Amanda as back on earth he would usually only sketch from still photos. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen your work; your sketch of your mother and Luke looks so good! You¡¯re clearly amazing at it. Please can¡¯t you sketch me too?¡± Her voice softened, and she tilted her head slightly, giving him a look that was hard to resist. It was that innocent yet persuasive expression that always seemed to break down his defenses. *Sigh* He sighed, a resigned chuckle escaping him as he looked into her hopeful eyes, so full of trust and expectation. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s give it a try,¡± he conceded, unable to deny her this simple request. ¡°Yay!¡± Amanda said cheerfully, as she sat on the only lounge/ sofa of the living room with her one leg tucked under the other and her hands resting lightly in herp. She turned her head slightly towards Leo, affording a view that blended her profile and frontal features in a way that was both intriguing and charming and aimed for an expression that was rxed and genuine with a soft smile ying on her lips with eyes full of life and a hint of mischief. The arc ship light bathed her in a warm glow, entuating her features and casting a soft shadow that added depth to her visage. *Gulp* Leo observed her for a moment, taking in the scene before him. The warmth of the light, the yful yet serene expression on Amanda¡¯s face, and thefortable silence that wrapped around her felt surreal to him as he had goosebumps all over his arms observing the scene. ¡®Gorgeous¡¯ is what he thought of her as she posed for him, feelingpletely mesmerized by her charm. As he began to sketch, his pencil moved with a tentative sureness as he captured the curve of her cheek, the gentle fall of her hair, and the sparkle in her eyes. With each stroke, he found himself more engrossed in the task, his initial hesitation reced by a focused determination to do justice to the model before him as he ensured to do his job with extra precision today. As he sketched, the atmosphere between them shifted subtly. There was a sense of shared vulnerability and trust, as if this act of creating art was a bridge connecting their minds. Amanda¡¯s gaze asionally met Leo¡¯s as he gazed up from his notebook and took a look at her and in those fleeting nces, the two began feeling things that they usually would never have. Amanda tried to hold her pose, but her eyes often drifted towards Leo, watching his focused expression, the way his brow furrowed in concentration, and the asional soft smile that crossed his lips when he nced up at her. ¡®Why is he smiling? What is that look with which he is seeing me?¡¯ was what Amanda thought as her heartbeat increased slightly and her face began to flush red. The longer Leo took to draw, the greater her anticipation for the end result became as a million different thoughts crossed her mind with most of them making her heart race faster. The process of sketching was slower and more painstaking than either of them had anticipated, but it was in this slow dance of nces and smiles, of Leo capturing Amanda on paper, that subtly changed their dynamic forever. After an hour that seemed to suspend time itself, Leo finallyid his pencil down, a soft sigh marking thepletion of his work. He looked at the sketch for just a moment longer, as if to memorize every detail and ensure there was no mistake, before turning the sketchpad around to show Amanda. The reveal was a moment of vulnerability for Leo, he personally felt that the drawing had turned out great, however, it was ultimately a sketch and not a camera photo, which was why Leo was not sure how Amanda would feel about it. The drawing captured not just the physical likeness of Amanda but also something intangible, a spark in her eyes, the warmth of her smile that spoke volumes of the depth of their connection and Amanda¡¯s reaction to seeing it for the first time was exactly as Leo hoped it would be, as her eyes widened and her mouth was left agape. For a moment, she was speechless, her eyes shifting between the paper and Leo. ¡°Leo, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s beautiful,¡± she finally whispered, her voiceced with emotion. The sketch was more than she had expected, revealing a side of Leo¡¯s talent she hadn¡¯t fully appreciated before. But more than that, it was the feeling it evoked, a sense of being deeply seen and understood. ¡°Really? You think so?¡± Leo asked, a hint of relief and pride in his voice, eager yet hesitant to ept her praise. ¡°Yes, absolutely. You¡¯ve captured something¡­ something very special here.¡± Amanda said, her eyes shining with satisfaction as she hugged the sketchbook as if treasuring its contents. ¡°Can I¡­ would you mind if I keep this? I¡¯ve never had anything quite like this before.¡± She asked nervously as Leo felt a warmth spread through him at her request, a smile tugging at his lips. ¡°Of course, you can keep it. I¡¯m d you like it so much.¡± He said, as he tore the page off and handed it to her. As Amanda carefully took the torn page, holding it as if it were a precious treasure, afortable silence settled between them. The act of sketching, which had started as a yful challenge, had transformed into a meaningful exchange, silently shifting the terrain of their friendship. They both stood up, their movements slow, as neither wanted to break the spell of the moment. ¡°I guess I should head back to my room,¡± Amanda said first, her voice soft, almost reluctant. ¡°Thank you, Leo, for this. Today was¡­ it was great.¡± ¡°Yeah, it really was,¡± Leo agreed, feeling a sense of aplishment and connection he hadn¡¯t anticipated. ¡°Happy gaming, Amanda.¡± Leo said, as Amanda took the page and walked towards her room. ¡°Happy gaming, Leo.¡± She said, before closing the door to her room. Once alone, both felt energized for no particr reason as for a moment they forgot about the arc ships, their training and work life and just felt alive and happy for no particr reason. Then, as they realized they werete to log-into the game, the spell binding them finally broke as they put on their VR gear and logged into Terra Nova and to their hectic training lives. Chapter 114: Moving Like An Assassin Chapter 114: Moving Like An Assassin [ Leo¡¯s POV, The virtual world ] With his mastery over ¡®vanish¡¯ improving, Leo slowly began to move like a proper assassin, as he naturally began to prefer moving in areas where shadows were avable to hide. Whether it was the influence of staying with Ben for too long, or perhaps it was psychological, Leo found himself picking up on some of Ben¡¯s behavior and vocabry as he started to seem like a mini version of Ben the deeper he progressed into the path of an assassin. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions on killing the level 120 mountain lion, you have +Leveled up! +Leveled up! +Leveled up! +Leveled up! ] ¡°Level 65? Not too bad!¡± Leo murmured to himself, as got out of the shadows where he was hiding and picked the dead mountain lion¡¯s corpse over his back, as he was apparently on lunch duty today and Ben wanted to eat lion meat for lunch. Unlike the first time where he faced significant challenges while taking on an enemy like the mountain lion, once Leo mastered vanishing in darkness and his mastery over the dagger improved, he felt like taking down a level 120 mountain lion was not that much of a big deal as he took them down without much hassle whatsoever. He had learnt the importance of striking at the right moment, understanding the anatomy of the beast you were hitting and the importance of being patient while taking your first shot. These were qualities he oncecked as a newbie, but once he understood the importance of getting the first shot right, he never rushed it again. Another big change that happened to him was the way he dressed and the tools he carried with him. Initially, he only wore the looseyman clothing or the dead spider assassins robes, however, he did not bother covering his full body from head to toe and never wore a ck face mask. However, once he realized how much easier it was to use ¡®Vanish¡¯ when your body naturally camouged with darkness, his obsession with ck objects became real. Just like every other assassin inside the assassin alliance, he began dressing from head to toe in ck gear, painting his footwear ck and tearing hisyman clothing into shreds and turning them into ck hand cloth that could be used to wrap one¡¯s hands. He also began wearing a makeshift utility belt that could carry at least 40 daggers, with 4 daggers being stacked against each other in 10 distinct pockets. Leo realized that the time it took for him to retrieve daggers from the system inventory was much longerpared to just pulling it from his waist and throwing, which was why he preferred keeping them on him physically so that in actual emergencies he could be ready to fight at any time. He also began carrying smoke bombs in his inventory, which Ben taught him how to manufacture. While in the open market, such smoke bombs that broke upon impact rather than being set off by a fuse went for as high as 2 golds a piece, Ben taught him how to manufacture it for under 2 silver coins, using the mostmon ingredients, provided that he already possessed a mold for making the shell. If he had the mold then filling it with any quality iron scrap was fine, as the idea was to make a thin sheet for the outeryer, almost as thin as paper that could break easily upon hard impact but could still hold the contents reliably. This particr type of smoke bomb that Ben used, did not require a me to ignite. Instead, it was designed to activate upon impact, breaking apart on the hard ground and releasing its concealed smoke. The filling process began with filling the shell withmon, salt-like powder extracted from red lily flowers that grew like weeds throughout the empire forbustion, mixed with sugar to ensure the mixture burned slowly and produced plenty of smoke. Baking powder used in making bread was then added to make the smoke dense and longsting, a crucial feature for creating a temporary veil of invisibility, while the gray color of the smoke, essential for blending into the shadows, came from a small addition of dark powder which was basically wood ash mixed with bone ash. These smoke bombs were the Equalizer for him to hide in open spaces where there was no shadow to hide in, however, to use it efficiently, he needed to learn the trick on how to sense one¡¯s enemy in the dark, which took him about a week to grasp. The trick to sensing the enemy in the dark was to apply the principles that he already learnt about hiding in the dark but in reverse, as he was supposed to look for clues and objects that reflected light to locate them. While for normal people who did not understand the concept of darkness and how to hide in it, it was a difficult task, for assassin¡¯s who used darkness as their best ally, it was not much as with a bit of practice Leo was able to learn it adequately. With his body¡¯s sticity also improving under Ben¡¯s intense training, he was also learning to perform Ben¡¯s maneuver of dropping a gas bomb and approaching the enemy from the behind as his muscles got used to producing explosive speed that they were not capable of creating before. Within a month, his mastery over the move reached such a level, that Ben felt satisfied enough to move onto the next phase of teaching his three core moves, the second move : The Kill Strike! The kill strike was the legendary technique that Ben had learnt from his master and refined personally to the ( Legendary ) grade as it produced 1000% critical damage when used, ignoring all armor effects when mastered to a certain degree. It was with this move itself that Ben had managed to kill the royal prince who was always protected by several charms and treasures. Chapter 115: Next Core Move Chapter 115: Next Core Move ( Leo¡¯s POV ) ¡°Alright, starting from today, I¡¯ll be making a slight change in your training routine. You can drop the stretching training from now and reduce the time for practicing vanish, as from today you shall focus more on learning my second core technique¡± Ben said, as he brought Leo to apletely new training ground where several targets made of thick 16 inch tes of steel were made in the form of humanoid boundaries. ¡°My second core technique is called ¡®The Kill Strike¡¯ it¡¯s the main attack move that I use to kill any enemy I target and it¡¯s one of the most powerful one shot moves I¡¯ve ever seen in my life¡± Ben said as he put some hype behind his own stock, as he was clearly extremely proud of the techniques he possessed. ¡°For an assassin, mastering the art of the kill isn¡¯t just about eliminating targets. It¡¯s about doing so efficiently, without error. This technique¡­ it¡¯s the pinnacle of what we do.¡± He said as he took a dagger in his hand and pointed towards one of the targets in the training range. ¡°First you go and try making a dent in the target dummies, assume they¡¯re wearing a thick te of armor and you wish to pierce their heart. Give it your all¡± Ben said, as he let Leo try and fail first. Gripping his dagger, Leo tried to plunge it deep inside the dummies heart, however, in front of the 16 inch thick te that seemed to be imprable all his efforts were pointless. He tried everything from stabbing, to throwing to plunging with all his might, yet except a few scratches on the surface he wasn¡¯t able to make a dent as he simply did not have the necessary strength to prate 16 inches of armor. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me¡± he eventually said, as Ben nodded, acknowledging the fact that at his current strength it was indeed impossible for him to plunge the dagger through 16 inch thick tes. ¡°Alright, allow me then¡± he said as he walked towards the dummy with a dagger in hand, appearing to prepare to stab it, just like Leo did. Then, in a move that shocked Leo, he dropped the dagger in his hand and stabbed with only two fingers as the second his finger came into contact with the te a clean bullet wound like hole appeared in the 16 inch thick te, as a loud *SCRUNCH* sound could be heard. ¡°Sheesh, I¡¯m rusty¡± said Ben, as Leo could not help but feel amazed by his strength as whatever that was, he definitely wished to learn doing the same. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Leo said honestly as Ben burst out intoughter. He was very proud of his techniques and seeing Leo being blown away by them gave him immense satisfaction. It was no secret for Ben that Leo viewed him as a father figure, as the longer the two lived together, the more he seemed to be like him as Ben was not oblivious to the changes in him. His affection for Leo became deeper with each passing day and he was very proud of him as a student. His old lifeless eyes and body that seemed to be rotting for years was rejuvenated in just a few months spent with Leo, as Ben knew that if it was for him, Ben would probably even assassinate the emperor if he really needed to. ¡°How did you do it?¡± Leo asked, looking at the gaping hole in the te, as Ben once again picked up his dagger and started to exin the fundamentals of how it worked to Leo. ¡°So basically, you have to channel the mana in your body to the tip of your dagger and thenpress it to a single point. The tinier the point, the better. Then you thrust it into the object you wish to prate and release the condensed mana upon impact. Essentially what this will do is that it will clear the path ahead of you like a mini explosion, allowing you to ignore armor effects and prate much deeper than normally possible. It can literally prate through dragon scales and at higher levels of mastery you don¡¯t even need a dagger to do it¡± Ben exined crudely as just like ¡®Vanish¡¯ while he could exin the premise of the move, the specifics were something that Leo had toprehend himself. ¡± Compressing mana to explode it?¡± Leo murmured in confusion as he did not understand how to achieve this effect, however, the theory was clear in his mind regarding what the move was supposed to achieve and how. ¡± Well, you have 120 targets here. The goal is to puncture their skull, neck and heart. So I want 3 precise punctures on each. Get on it-¡± he said as he left Leo to practice on his own. Compared to vanish, this move was going to be much harder to master, however, Ben wasn¡¯t too worried that Leo might not be able to learn it. Leo was definitely talented enough to pick this move in a month or two, however, the initial progress was bound to be difficult for him until he grasped the concept ofpression and explosion of mana. ********* ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) ¡°Finally I¡¯m level 67!¡± he eximed, as he looked at the global ranking leaderboards and grit his teeth to see that his forever opponent, the enigma ¡®TheBoss¡¯ still remained number one at level 77. ¡°Does that guy even train his skills? Why is he constantly leveling up?¡± Cervantez wondered as he shook his head and resolved to beat him to level 100. ¡± I need to work harder, I need to catch up, seems like I wasted too much time on recruitment and doing useless quests to earn fame¡± he murmured to himself as he decided to not be distracted anymore and reach to level 100 before anyone else to get that extra skill-slot given by the system. Chapter 116: Frustration Chapter 116: Frustration For seven days, Leo practiced ¡®The Kill Strike,¡¯ yet he made no progress whatsoever. Each morning brought a fresh wave of determination, but by dusk, frustration and fatigue clouded his spirits. He followed Ben¡¯s instructions to the letter, attempting to channel andpress his mana into a focused point before releasing it into the heart of the steel targets, however, despite his best efforts, the results were disheartening; his attacks barely left scratches on the surface of the steel achieving nothing close to the devastating impact Ben had demonstrated. [ System Notification ¨C You havepletely depleted your mana reserves, you cannot use mana for 2 hours now ] [ System Notification ¨C Mana deficiency is affecting the hormonal bnce of your body, you will feel aggravated bouts of anger for next 60 minutes ] ¡°Why can¡¯t I understand this? Why is this so hard?¡± Leo cursed out loud, as he kicked the steel dummy hard and dropped the dagger because he could not train anymore. ¡°What am I missing? Why can¡¯t I do it when it seems so simple for Ben?¡± The questions gued him, swirling in his mind like a relentless storm. Everyday he depleted his mana to 0 in just under an hour, yet he made no progress as once his mana was depleted beyond a certain point, he began feeling agitated and angry for no reason as his body underwent hormonal instability. ¡°It¡¯s okay, take a break for now¡± Ben would shout, whenever he noticed Leo acting out, as being a veteran he knew exactly what he was going through and the challenges that came with learning the kill strike. Everyday as he saw Leo sitting by himself, questioning his ownpetence, he was reminded of himself during the same training phase, as he suffered even worse mood swings when he trained under his dad, having to face the same questions as Leo did. ¡°Am I just not cut out for this? Is all my effort worth nothing?¡± These thoughts weremon for Ben as a student, often overshadowing his initial enthusiasm and determination for training. Nheless, Leo was much better than him in this department as unlike him who would fight with his father daily, Leo at least kept his frustrations to himself and did not fight or disrespect him. ********* Two hourster, as Leo recovered mana and his debuff was removed, he trained again, however, in just half an hour, his mana reached the rock bottom once again, as he expended it all at an exaggerated pace, but without any tangible sess. [ System Notification ¨C You havepletely depleted your mana reserves, you cannot use mana for 2 hours now ] [ System Notification ¨C Mana deficiency is affecting the hormonal bnce of your body, you will feel aggravated bouts of anger for next 60 minutes ] Once again pped with debuffs, by the end of day7 his frustrations reached their peak as his control over the dagger in his hand slipped and it went flying out towards a tree in this distance. ¡°UGHHHHH WHY IS THIS SO HARD¡± He cursed, letting out a roar of annoyance as he tried to release weeks of pent-up frustration and disappointment, but did not feel any better after doing so, rather feeling like a whiny kid who couldn¡¯t hold his horses. Ben, who had been observing from a distance, felt a twinge of sympathy for Leo. The boy¡¯s dedication was clear, but so was his anguish over theck of progress. He truly wished that he could help Leo by giving him mana potions which would improve the pace of his learning. However, constantly depleting and refilling his mana reserves was the best way to naturally improve them, while dealing with the hormonal imbnce was important to temper the mind which was why despite Leo suffering, Ben let him suffer anguish daily, as he knew it was for his own good. However, everything changed on day 8. On day 8, as Leo¡¯s mana capacity improved slightly through repeated cycles of depletion and replenishment, he attained a minor sess in denting the target, which appeared to have a very slight but visible dent upon his impact. ¡°Ho¡­.. it really worked!¡± He said excitedly as he could not believe that the frustrated workaround that he had decided to try at the spur of the moment, would allow him to see a glimmer of sess for the first time ever. This dent was not the result of mastering the technique that Ben had demonstrated, but rather a workaround that Leo had inadvertently discovered. He realized that he couldpensate for his current inability topress the mana effectively by imbuing the dagger with more mana than what was strictly necessary for the technique. This realization came after countless attempts that had ended in failure, prompting Leo to experiment with the variables under his control. While this approach was less efficient and more taxing on his mana reserves, the result was a tangible improvement over his previous attempts as Leo realized the area where he needed to improve the most to learn kill strike was mana control. The significance of this sess did not lie in the technique¡¯s perfect execution but in the understanding that there were multiple paths to achieving a desired oue. For Leo, this small dent resulted in him gaining a critical insight into the nature of mana as he realized that ack of control over mana could bepensated by usingrger quantities. Instead of using 1/10th of his mana and trying topress it for more attempts, Leo realized that using half his mana reserve at once was more beneficial as at least then he couldpress it to an eptable degree that could create an ever so small dent. Although this would limit his practise to just two moves per two hours, he still felt it was better than having 10 failed attempts. As a result of this breakthrough, although the quantity of his practice decreased, the quality improved as by day 10 he was sessful in prating to about 4 inches into the steel te. Chapter 117: Secrets Chapter 117: Secrets ( One monthter, Leo ) After a full month of practicing the ¡®Kill Strike¡¯ Leo was able to finally grasp the essence of manapression. The problem had lied with him trying topress mana as if it was a solid object all along. In his mind, he tried topress mana like one would try topress a ball of dough, trying to make it aspact as he could, however, that was a mistake. Ben always told him, that mana was like a stream of water, that mana was ever flowing, however, Leo never understood the importance of these words until one day it suddenly made sense. After repeated failures, constant reflection andprehension, Leo realized that topress mana on the tip of his dagger, he needed topress it not as a solid, but rather like channeling and narrowing a stream of water through a tight passage, focusing its flow to achieve a more potent force at a single point. This epiphany marked a turning point in Leo¡¯s training. He began to approach his practice with a newfound perspective, treating mana as an extension of the natural world around him. Instead of forciblypacting it, he learned to guide and concentrate its flow, harnessing its inherent properties to enhance his ¡®Kill Strike¡¯. *BOOM* As he managed to pierce the entire 16 inch te for the first time ever-, Leo felt like he was hallucinating, as for a moment no words came out of his mouth. [ System Notification : Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have attained, (Basic) mastery over the move (kill strike), since the move is naturally obtained, it¡¯s effects will be more potent when used ] ¡°YES!¡± Leo screamed, however, his own voice was not even audible to him, as before he could even scream ¡®yes¡¯, a much bigger scream came from behind him, as his washed up master ran towards him with visible joy on his face. ¡°YESSSSSSSSSS¡± he screamed as he lifted Leo over his shoulder and danced in joy, as even Leo could not help but chuckle. Everyday, as Leo faced frustration and failure, Ben watched him closely and although he did not say anything, he suffered just as much. He wanted Leo to seed and understand the basics of his core move more than Leo wished to seed himself as the second when Leo achieved his firstplete sess, he was the first to lose his mind as he lifted Leo over his shoulders and danced in joy. ¡®Kill Strike¡¯ was a (Legendary) grade technique. Something that could not be learnt unless one had exceptionalprehension and it was the move that Ben was afraid he would never be able to pass down to a student ever. Two years¡­. That was how long it took him to gain basic mastery over kill strike, yet Leo did it in just over a month as in Ben¡¯s eyes Leo was a generational talent that defiedmon sense. ¡± Haha, Leo, sometimes you have no idea how proud you make me feel¡± Ben said, as by this point his and Leo¡¯s bond had been solidified forever. For Leo, Ben was the father figure that he never had growing up, while for Ben Leo was like the child he never had. While both never acknowledged this to each other, the warmth of the bond they shared needed no acknowledgement in the first ce. ¡°Tell me, what gift it is that you want from me. For one time only, for attaining mastery of the kill-strike, I¡¯ll indulge you¡± Ben said, as he ced Leo back on the ground below, his face still full of smiles. ¡± Really? I can ask you for anything?¡± questioned Leo as Ben nodded in affirmation. ¡± Very well then, I want to know how a great and powerful assassin like you was reduced to a door-guard outside the assassin¡¯s alliance. No matter how much I think about it, I can never make any sense of it¡± Leo said, as he felt Ben¡¯s bright smile dampen at the question. ¡± Hmmm, that-¡± he said, as Leo protested before he could even say anything as he reminded Ben that he had just said that Leo could ask him for anything he wanted and this was what he wished for. ¡°You said anything old man, and this is something I really want to know¡± Leo said as Ben pped his head and chuckled. ¡°Very well. I did say I¡¯ll indulge you¡­¡± he said relenting, as he walked back towards their primary camp, with Leo in tow. ¡± It¡¯s a very sad story, boy, are you sure you want to hear it?¡± he asked onest time as Leo replied with gusto ¡± Yes, I do¡±. Starting a small fire, Ben sat at his usual spot for cooking dinner, as he ced a pot over it and began boiling the water. Leo sitting across him patiently waited for him to start narrating his tale as he could see Ben¡¯s facial expressions changing rapidly as he tried to recall the events that led to his downfall. Anger, hatred, despair, these were some of the emotions that shed past his face as taking in a deep breath he began his story. ¡± The Evanus family¡­. How much do you know about it?¡± Asked Ben as Leo tilted his head in confusion, not knowing anything about the Evanus family at all. ¡± The Evanus family is the current ruling family of this Empire. The current Emperor, Julien D Evanus is the 4th Emperor of the Unity Empire, however, he was never supposed to seed the throne¡± Ben said as he educated Leo about the royal family, as Leo immediately understood that this story had some connection to Ben¡¯s greatest feat as an assassin. The murder of the royal prince. ¡± The one who would have became crown prince was Marcus D Evanus, Julien¡¯s elder brother, however, after I famously assassinated him, everything changed¡± Ben said, as a pained expression gripped his face, almost as if he regretted that assassination. ¡°Let me roll a bit back so you understand better. From before I became the greatest assassin to ever live, to before I met Julien¡­¡± Chapter 118: Bens past Chapter 118: Ben''s past Chapter 118: Ben¡¯s past ¡°My father was one of the closest men of the second Evanus emperor, Augustus. His designation wasmander of the Virex ck Ops and he carried out the most difficult political assassinations for the emperor¡± Ben said with a deep sigh, as he began chopping the lion meat they had dry aged and adding it to the cooking pot. ¡°Back then, I was only a small kid, growing up in the capital with my mother, however, one day, due to some illness my mother passed away and since I was only 7 at the time, my father quit his job and his position and decided to take up the task of raising me, as he brought me here to Mount Faulkner and raised me his own way¡± Ben said, as he looked at his surroundings nostalgically. ¡°Everything you have went through, I went through as well, but I wasn¡¯t as talented as you, kid, it took me several years to master just one of the techniques he wanted to teach me¡­..¡± Ben said a small tear forming in his eyes. ¡± 14 years, that¡¯s how long I trained here in total, as 14 yearster, my father brought me back to the world, enrolling me into the grand tournament as an independent candidate-¡± Ben said, as he remembered those exciting times. ¡°I was strong, almost too strong and my techniques were those that were practiced by only the top brass of the Virex guard, as my identity was revealed quickly as the son of Gary Faulkner, the ex-chief of Viex forces¡­..¡± ¡± I managed to make my way upto the semifinals of the tournament. No-one could oppose me, and it was there that my opponent became Julien D Evanus¡­.. the second prince of the Empire, the crowd favorite to win the tournament, although he had nothing that he could have wished from the Emperor anyway¡± said Ben, as he grit his teeth and began adding the herbs to the boiling pot, to make a delicious stew. ¡± I had asked my father, if I could win that fight? Not because I was unsure if I could defeat him or not, but because I was unsure what would happen to me if I defeated him¡­.. a prince?¡± ¡°But father said, I could¡­.. that I must not kneel before anyone!¡± said Ben as by now he was no longer looking at Leo, being fully absorbed in his own old memories. ¡± I obliterated Julien! The dazzling swordsman was not even able to scratch me once in the fight as I took him for a wild ride. The crowd, the Emperor, everyone watched the fight. Most booed me, but I did not care. I won convincingly and it was on that day that the name of Ben Faulkner spread throughout the masses¡­..¡± ¡± After the fight, I still remember clearly the disappointment in Julien¡¯s eyes, as I gave him a hand and asked him ¡®What might you wish from the emperor in the first ce, you already have everything¡­¡¯ ¡± ¡± The throne of course, he said, as he dusted off his clothes and took my hand to stand up-¡± Ben said, as he looked into Leo¡¯s eyes once more and ensured he was following the story. ¡± That man was fixated on getting the throne, boy, he had everything but the throne, but he was ready to sacrifice it all to get it¡± Ben said, as he emphasized the character of the current Emperor Julien D Evanus. ¡± I won that tournament, it was the proudest moment for my father that I won it, and a p across the face of the universities and academies of the empire who prided themselves for having the best talents, yet lost to an independent candidate like me¡­.¡± ¡± For my reward, I was permitted to ask for anything from the then emperor Augustus, but since there was nothing I wanted for myself, I asked him to reinstate my father as the chief of the Virex corps. It was a dumb mistake, since I could have asked him to be made a noble, but somehow I always felt like my father missed his old life and hence I decided to try and give it back¡± Ben said, as worry lines clouded his face. ¡± Once my father was reinstated, we no longer met much at all since he was always at work, however, it was a sort of blessing in disguise as it allowed me to tour the entire empire at will. For 3 years I journeyed across the empire, picking up official bounty and assassination missions handed out by the government, as I made a name for myself in the open world¡± Ben said with a tinge of happiness in his voice, as those were the final good years of his life. ¡± But then, everything changed when my father was suddenly sent to the gallows, for the crime of conspiring against the crown prince¡­.¡± Ben said, as he poured out the stew he was cooking into two bowls, handing one to Leo and taking the other one for himself. ¡± Crown prince Marcus¡­.. he was the one who sent my father to the gallows, with a trial date pending¡­¡± ¡± No matter how much I appealed, nobody let me see him. I did not know if my father was dead or alive, I did not know if I would be permitted to meet him or not, I did not know if hemitted the crime he was used ofmitting. I did not know anything. I was powerless. And then, Julien came looking for me¡± ¡°In exchange for killing Marcus, Julien promised to release my father. Apparently, Emperor Augustus was sick and approaching his death fast, and the time was ripe to assassinate Marcus for Julien to take the throne. I was not dumb. I knew that entering into a shady deal with the second prince was never going to work out for me, however, I had to give it a shot. It was my father afterall. So I made sure to gather evidence against Julien as well, made sure that if I was implicated in the assassination, the world would know that it was him who hired me¡± Ben said as he drank the boiling hot stew in three big gulps. *Aghhh* Sighing, he let out steam from his mouth as he came to the climax of this story. ¡± I took on the impossible task of assassinating Marcus. I prated the royal castle, managed to take out his royal guards, and plunged a dagger into his heart without being caught as I managed to sneak back out as well. I did the impossible, killing the crown prince, as the entire Empire was thrown into disarray as to who did it?¡± Ben said, standing back up as he looked towards the sky. ¡± That night, my father was released as promised by Julien, but instead of thanking me, he just cried on my chest, calling me a stupid boy, as he urged me to leave the capital immediately. Back then I could not understand what happened, however, he insisted I join the night guild, the same organization that he once sought to weed out as the leader of the virex core, as the next day, he surrendered himself as the assassin that killed the crown prince and was publicly executed by Augustus by hanging. It turned out that Julien had yed everyone. My father was apparently in the gallows to gather information against an enemy of the state who was imprisoned there as well, as he was merely under cover and never actually imprisoned. The foolish me who did not know about this killed his biggest political rival and in the end out of fatherly love he sacrificed his own head to save me. A few monthster, Augustus did die and Julien did take up the throne and the first thing he did was to send for me as he wished for me to be the head of his virex core, but I refused. Joining the night guild instead, I became an enemy of the state and it was then that the truth about Marcus D Evanus¡¯s assassination was made public as I was dered to be public enemy number one¡± Ben said as he looked into Leo¡¯s eyes with pain. ¡± Gary Faulkner¡¯s son, one of the best fighters of the empire and part of a prestigious bloodline of elite assassins, became a rogue and a disgrace in one generation. The legacy of Mount Faulkner, disgraced forever¡± Ben said, as he seemed to regret his choices immensely. If only he never trusted Julien, if only he was never manipted by his schemes. Perhaps his life could have beenpletely different¡­.. ¡± I took the name and I took the fame, however, my heart was never into assassinating the innocent. I¡¯m not a sell sword. I¡¯m not mercenary, I¡¯m not even a dirty assassin as those from the night guild, and hence I never found my ce amongst them as well¡± Ben said, as he came close to concluding his story. ¡± My presence in the night guild propelled them to bing the top powerhouse of the assassin alliance. However, I never really became an active member. The night guild leader was young and ambitious, while I had lost my soul. So he proposed that I stay in the alliance in any capacity that I chose and let the night guild use my name and fame as they deemed fit. In return he promised to subsidize my living and save me from government persecution¡± ¡± I became a humble gatekeeper, since I never really wanted to kill the innocents and using my name they kept growing decade after decade. I smoked, drank and tried my best to lose the memory of seeing my own father hanging dead, but I never forgot that image. Soon, I no longer resembled him as theck of training turned me into a sorry slob¡­ Until finally, I met you kid. You saved me¡­. Gave me a reason to live again¡± Ben said, concluding his story, as a small tear escaped Leo¡¯s eyes listening to it all. Chapter 119: The next Ben Faulkner Chapter 119: The next Ben Faulkner Ben¡¯s backstory was sad. He was not a filthy assassin like the rest in the assassin¡¯s alliance, but was more of a victim of destiny. If life had yed out differently for him, maybe he would¡¯ve been a reputed Virex Operative like his father and have a family in the capital. But because he killed the royal prince, his legacy was forever tarnished in the eyes of the masses as his crime could simply never be forgiven. It was a story where Julien D Evanus was one of the obvious viins, however, more than him, it was the Assassin Alliance which bothered Leo. The Assassin Alliance did not have an Assassin of the caliber of Ben Faulkner and although they evolved into a massive organization after the death of the prince, as various nobles and businessmen approached them with missions. It was an empire that was made on the reputation of Ben Faulkner, a man who refused to kill innocents. Even after Ben stopped his assassin work, taking up the job of a humble doorman, whenever difficult assassination missions were brought to the Night Guild, they were epted with the promise that Ben Faulkner would be leading them, which was simply not true. On one hand, Dem Paltrow had done an amazing job to turn the opportunity that Ben¡¯s reputation brought into a series of sessful missions. However, because of the missions being sessful and being sessful under Ben Faulkners name for the client, the night guild only dug themselves deeper and deeper into the vicious cycle of using his name to get more missions. This was the reason behind why Ben could never be allowed to leave the guild, this was the reason behind why Dem Paltrow sent the assassin to kill Leo but not Ben, as they needed Ben. Ben Faulkner was 90% of the Assassin Alliance¡¯s reputation, without him the survival of the alliance would be difficult aspetition for employment would increase amongst the various guilds. ********** ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) ¡± Guildmaster, our assassin¡¯s and trackers have tried to find the whereabouts of Ben and the Mu n boy for over 4 months now. There is no trace left to uncover, I¡¯m afraid they have vanished into thin air-¡± Sunny, one of Dem¡¯s most trusted underlings reported as Dem Paltrow grit his teeth in anger. So far the news that Ben Faulkner had left the alliance was known to only a select few and since Ben was not actually involved in performing any missions, the working of the guild remained unaffected. However, his absence was like a ticking time bomb as if it were not handled as soon as possible and the news broke out that Ben Faulkner had quit the assassin alliance, then the roof was bound to fall over the alliances heads. ¡± DAMN IT-¡± Dem cursed, as he wondered if he should have personally killed the Mu n boy when he had the chance? He only wanted Ben to taste despair, to warn him against making such stupid decisions again, however, his decision seems to have backfired. The cat was out of the bag and into the woods, catching it again was going to be difficult. Massaging his forehead, Dem thought long and hard about what he could do to salvage this situation, but after thinking a lot he realized that there was really not much that they could do if there was no credible trail to be traced. ¡± If you can¡¯t find him, it¡¯s okay. We need to focus on a contingency-¡± Dem said, as his eyes sparkled with interest as he thought about something amazing. ¡± Ben Faulkner made his reputation by first winning the Grand Tournament right? Let¡¯s prepare one of our finest talents to enter that tournament. Once he wins it, we willbel him as the next Ben Faulkner, making him the face of our organization and sending him on a challenging mission to gain reputation¡± Dem said, as he thought about repeating history and creating a new icon for their organization. Ben was getting old anyways, so it was about time to make this shift. Perhaps his disappearance was a blessing in disguise as now the night guild could finally build their reputation separate from his, working on their own legacy. ¡°Winning the Grand tournament? That will surely not be an easy task guildmaster, over thest 25 years, only two candidates have won it independently, while the other 23 winners were from the academies¡± Sunny said as Dem shook his head and emphasized the importance of this event. ¡± I don¡¯t care sunny, we have to win this anyhow. Train them with the best resources. Give them the best techniques we have. Buy drugs to artificially boost their performance But potions if it helps. Cheat if necessary in the tournament. I don¡¯t care, we must win this at any cost-¡± Dem said as he decided to put all his chips on creating the next Ben Faulkner, someone who could be the new face of the assassin world and the first stop was for this individual to win the grand tournament. ************** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez was inside a hidden five man dungeon clearing which would not only help him level up faster, but also obtain a rare skill scroll that was not avable anywhere else. A [ Semi- Legendary ] level skill worth over 5,000,000 gold coins was possible to obtain by clearing this dungeon. However, since he was taking on the 5 man dungeon alone, the risk of failure was pretty high as well. At this stage, where ¡®TheBoss¡¯ already had a big lead over him to the race the level100, Cervantez knew that if he failed the dungeon run even once and lost his life, it would undoubtedly spell the end of his race to 100. Dying would mean he would lose levels and gear, plus he would need to restart the dungeon run from scratch, which would waste even more time which he did not have. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to fail here¡­. I simply can¡¯t¡± Cervantez told himself as he adopted a very cautious approach to clearing the dungeon. Chapter 120: A big incident Chapter 120: A big incident (The knight¡¯s academy) Roughly a full 120 days after regrly visiting Brown Pudding and spending at least an hour a day with her, Luke finally managed to achieve a breakthrough due to the most unexpected circumstances. Before his usual time to visit the stables, there were a bunch of academy students who were washing and taking care of their mounts, when a small incident broke out in the stables. ¡°How is that Skylion guy so good at everything? Studies, Exercise, Combat, Discipline, hell he¡¯s even so refined, I just hate him so much!¡± Said one of the academy students who had a buzz cut, named Chen. ¡°I know right? To make matters even worse he¡¯s chummy with the Duke¡¯s son, damn I hate both those special admissions. The fact that both of them would have probably cracked the entrance exams anyways, makes me more pissed. I thought special admissions were bums, but these guys are actually good¡± Said another guy with spiky hair called Ren. ¡± Well at least we know that monster is never going to be top of the ss, because despite all his strengths that Skylion fool has chosen Brown Pudding as his mount. He¡¯s alreadygging in mountedbat and will probably fail the course during final evaluation in 3 months. Despite all his brilliance, his arrogance will get the best of him¡± Chen said, as he snickered while cleaning his horse. ¡± Yeah! Even the stable master says he¡¯s a fool,ing here everyday and sitting while taking to the mount like it can understand it? He doesn¡¯t get that these are just beasts¡­ he¡¯s aplete fool to talk to them¡± Ren said, as the two of themughed at Luke¡¯s foolishness. Then, as a few moments of awkward silence passed, Chen said ¡°But what if he does tame it before the end of the semester? Won¡¯t that spell the end for us normal admission students, ain¡¯t no way anyone is getting a higher final evaluation than him if he passes all subjects?¡± At this question Ren flinched, as he looked towards thest mount in the stables who was intently sleeping at this moment, the Griffin, brown pudding. ¡°Maybe we should thank Brown Pudding, offer it the food Skylion brings, make his value even lesser in front of the beast so that his chances of ever taming him be even slimmer¡± Ren suggested, as Chen¡¯s eyes brightened at this proposal. To him it made perfect sense to sabotage all the progress Luke had made, as for them, good food and treats was the only lovenguage the beasts spoke. Running over to the pantry, the two of them made the most sugary dish that they could as they quickly brought it back to the stables, cautiously approaching Brown Pudding. ¡°Here Griffin, here, eat this¡­.eat this to your heart¡¯s content¡± said Ren as he threw the surgary cake they had baked into his cage, as Brown Pudding angrily woke up at the sensation of food being thrown to her face. For a few moments she kept her calm, not making any noise as she silently stared down the two students who were messing with her. ¡± Here Griffin, here! Who¡¯s a good boy? We will feed you all you want! No need for you to eat the food Skylion brings¡± Chen said as he kept throwing chunks of food into Brown Pudding¡¯s stable which Griffin did not touch. ¡± Is this Griffin dumb or something? Why is it not eating the food we made with so much effort?¡± Asked Ren to Chen, as momentarily Chen lost his calm as he scolded Brown Pudding. ¡± Hey stupid beast, this cake is for eating! Now eat it before we shove it down your throat¡± he said angrily, as it was at this moment that Brown Pudding lost her cool. *SCREEEECH* Unleashing a loud screech, that made every other mount in the stable to be restless, Brown Pudding spread her wings and thrashed against the boundaries of her cage. ¡± Oh shittttt, she¡¯s lost it, run, run,run¡± said Chen as he was terrified of the massive size of the beast when it spread its wings and screeched at his face as he began to run towards the exit. *NEIGHHHH* *HRHRHRHRHR* *WOOOOOO* All sorts of animals within the stable began to bash against their cages and make loud noises as the stable master was forced to rush in to check the situation. ¡± What¡¯s going on here?¡± He asked, as he saw two terrified students running towards the exit, and an angry Griffin breaking free of its cage behind them. ¡± Oh no¡± he said, as his hands began to tremble and fumble as he tried to reach for his belt where he kept his tranquilizing dart for emergencies. *SWOOSH* Brown pudding swooped across the entire length of the stable within a second as it picked up the running Ren from his robes and soared into the sky with him hooked to it¡¯s talons. ¡°Aghhhhhhhhhhh-¡± Ren screamed in panic, as the stable master helplessly fiddled with his dart which was now nothing more than a showpiece since the Griffin was in the sky. ¡°The principal¡­.. I need to tell the principal¡± thought the stable master as he began sprinting towards the principal¡¯s dormitory. ¡± Rennnnn!!!!¡± Screamed Chen, who felt his heart beating out of his chest as he looked at his friend being carried high up in the sky. If the Griffin decided to drop him from that height, Ren was most likely bound to be dead, as only now did Chen realize the consequences of their actions. ¡± Stupid beast, how dare you fly away with my best friend¡­. Booohooo¡± Chen cried, as it was at this moment that Luke approached the stables alongside Jerome for their end of the day ritual. As soon as Chen saw Luke, he rushed towards him, falling on his feet crying as he said ¡± Skylion! Your pet, the brown pudding Griffin, it, it, it flew off with Ren. Please save his life, I beg you, please-¡° Chapter 121: Acceptance Chapter 121: eptance As Luke and Jerome casually walked towards the academy stables, Chen, ovee with panic, copsed at Luke''s feet, his voice trembling with urgency. "Skylion! Your pet, Brown Pudding, the Griffin, it took Ren. Please, you have to save him." Luke''s gaze immediately shot towards the sky, locking onto the sight of Brown Pudding soaring with Ren in her grasp. Fear clenched his heart, not just for Ren''s safety but also for the dire consequences that awaited Brown Pudding if she harmed a student. The height she was flying at, would spell instant death for Ren if she dropped him and if brown pudding killed a student then she herself would be facing death or the cruel punishment of having her wings clipped by the academy, as the very thought of her facing such a grim fate disturbed Luke immensely. Without hesitation, Luke dashed across the academy grounds. His pace fuelled by panic and the desperation of saving two lives as he left Jerome behind in dust who shouted some iprehensible words, which Luke paid no attention to. '' I can''t let Brown Pudding harm Ren. I won''t let her fate be sealed by such a tragedy,'' he thought, pushing himself faster as he soon found himself running below the Griffin at speeds he did not think he could ever run at. "Brown Pudding, listen to me!" Luke shouted, his voice desperate to bridge the distance between them. "You must not harm Ren, if not for him then for yourself. Before doing anything stupid, first consider what will happen to you if you be a killer- " " Oyeeeee, Brown Pudding, I know you can hear me you big dummy. LET REN GO! DON''T BE STUBBORN" " BROWN PUDDING COME DOWN, COME DOWN RIGHT NOW-" His shouts, repeated and earnest, slowly seemed to reach the Griffin. Brown Pudding began to lower her flight, circling closer with each pass. It was as if Luke''s genuine concern had finally resonated with her. Finally, from a safe height, Brown Pudding released Ren. The boy plummeted butnded in a heap on the soft earth, more startled than injured, as snot covered his entire face as he thanked the gods for being alive. "Sk-skylion, thankyou skylion, I will never talk bad about you Skylion, I love you Skylion, boohohoooo" Ren mumbled and cried like a baby, but Luke did not give a solitary damn about him, as his eyes were left trained on Brown Pudding, who was ring back at him. *SCREEEEEECH* *SCREEEEEEEECH* Brown pudding screeched loudly to Luke''s face uponnding, as she expressed her frustration at being yelled at by Luke as while she has released Ren, she had most definitely not calmed down yet. " Momma, I want my momma" In the background Ren trembled and wet himself listening to the Griffin''s screech, however, Luke was not even slightly scared, if anything he felt angry. With tears of frustration forming in his eyes, Luke emotionally said "I understand why you''re upset, and I''m sorry," Then as tears streamed down his cheeks, Luke kept looking at her as he said " I did not yell at you because I think you did something wrong, I yelled at you because I don''t want to lose you. I might be a fool who does nothing but yap about my day to you. But to me you''re my friend. A true friend. So yes, I did my best to keep you safe, even if it was from yourself-" Their standoff was charged with emotion, a silentmunication that spoke volumes. Seeing him cry, Brown Pudding''s aggression softened, even she could understand that Luke was only concerned for her as unlike what fools like Ren believed, Griffin''s were a highly intelligent and sentient species who understood emotions very well. In the first ce she was only upset because she had overheard Ren and Chen talking foul about Luke and felt slightly guilty about it even before the food incident took ce. However, once they began throwing food at her, she absolutely lost it as she grabbed Ren and took him for a ride. However, she never really intended to kill him in the first ce. *Prrr* As Luke wiped his tears, in a move he never sawing, Brown Pudding gently nudged him, her actions softening as if epting his apology and acknowledging their bond. Embracing her, Luke allowed his tears to flow, creating a moment of vulnerability and connection as Brown Pudding shockingly did not push him away but epted his embrace and reciprocated in kind. [ System Notification - Congrattions yer ''SkyLion'', the Griffin ''Brown Pudding'' ( Lv -190 ) has been moved by your care and has epted you as its sole master. You have sessfully obtained an Aerial mount! ] A notification baffled Luke, who could not believe that Brown Pudding finally epted him as his master. However, as he saw Brown Pudding lowering herself, inviting Luke to climb onto her back, he realized he wasn''t dreaming as he immediately climbed on her back with joy. *SCREECH* Brown Pudding yelled in joy, as she stomped her feet and took off into the air with mighty wing thrusts, as Luke held onto her back tightly as the two went airborne for the first time ever. Waves of tion washed over him, as he felt like a small kid whose dream of flying had juste true, as when the fresh air washed over his face, he could not help but giggle non-stop. " Whoa¡­.whoa¡­whoaa" Luke felt his stomach clench up as if he were in a rollercoaster as Brown Pudding zoomed through the air, taking high rises and dips as she disyed her aerial maneuverability. By the time Principal Wood and the stable master arrived, bracing for the worst, they instead found a scene of joy and awe as they saw Luke and Brown Pudding sailing the sky alongside Jerome and his flying Pegasus ''Storm''. With Ren safe and the incident concluded, they watched on with wide smiles as Luke achieved the impossible by taming a beast that was several fold stronger than himself. "Principal Wood, did that boy really tame the untamable Griffin?" Asked the stable master as Principal Wood smiled and said " I guess so¡­. Afterall he is chosen by a master knight, of course he''s special" Chapter 122: Exposed Chapter 122: Exposed ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo had be an unstoppable menace after mastering both ¡®kill strike¡¯ and ¡®vanish¡¯. Not a single monster in the wild was safe against him as he even one-shot mountain lions when he took them down using the kill-strike. In just a week after he mastered the move, his level shot up from 65 to 85 as he rapidly gained strength. However, despite his rapid increase in level, he was stillgging behind by a whole 20 levels to his expected level on the leaderboard, as somehow DarkEmperor sat on level 95, prompting the leaderboards to disy his own level as 105. ¡®Does this DarkEmperor guy have no skills to train in? Why the fuck does he keep levelling up like a maniac?¡¯ is what Leo wondered whenever he opened the rankings, however, there was nothing much he could do about it. ************* ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez was heartbroken when he realised that despite his best efforts, someone eventually reached level 100 before him as just before his boss fight of the dungeon, he looked up the global rankings to find that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was level 105, beating him to his goal. However, there was one thing that he found very odd about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reaching level 105, which was the fact that there was no global announcement made when he breached the level 100 threshold. Ofcourse, the global announcement could be denied if a yer did not wish to announce their achievement, however, based off TheBoss¡¯s personality, Cervantez seriously doubted if he would reject such an announcement or not? ¡®Something feels off here, I can¡¯t determine what, but something feels off here-¡® Cervantez thought, as while he could not put his finger down on what felt fishy to him, his gut feeling told him that something was bound to be wrong here. ¡± *Sigh*, I¡¯ll worry about it after the boss raid¡± he said, as he moved into the final room of the dungeon, the boss fight room where a giant horned bull monster, ( Level 140 ) awaited him. *Stomp* *Stomp* ¡°MMOOOOOOOO¡± The bull said, its snorts sending puffs of steam into the air, thick and heavy with the scent of battle. As it charged, Cervantez calcted its movements, his mind racing through countless strategies in the blink of an eye. *Trrr* *Trrr* The tter of the beast¡¯s hooves against the stone floor echoed like thunder, a foreboding drumroll to the sh that was imminent. With a swift, practiced motion, Cervantez sidestepped the initial charge, the bull¡¯s horns slicing through the air mere inches from his cloak. Cervantez knew better than to engage the bull head-on, knowing full well that the bull¡¯s strengthy in its momentum, its ability to crush and impale with its deadly horns. Instead, Cervantez aimed to outmaneuver, to dance around the behemoth, striking with precision and agility like a matador. As the bull turned, its massive body surprisingly nimble, Cervantez darted in. His sword struck, a sh of silver that connected with the bull¡¯s hide. -24 Yet, the beast¡¯s skin was thick, tougher than any armor, and the sword barely left a mark. ¡°Tch¡± Cervantez cursed, looking at the pitiful damage as it became clear to him that this would not be a battle of brute force but one of endurance and strategy. Cervantez retreated, putting distance between himself and the bull as he reassessed his approach. He could not afford to tire, nor could he allow the bull to dictate the pace of the battle as with each charge of the bull, he observed, learning the creature¡¯s patterns, noting its strengths and, more importantly, its weaknesses. As the fight dragged on, Cervantez¡¯s sword found its mark time and again, each strike more precise, each maneuver more daring as he single handedly tired down an opponent that normally needed a three man team to take down. The bull, enraged, fought with the fury of the wild, its attacks relentless, yet with each passing moment, it began to falter, weariness seeping into its limbs. In the final moments, as the beast lunged in a desperate attempt to end the battle, Cervantez executed a perfect roll, evading the deadly horns and positioning himself behind the bull. With all his strength, he drove his sword into the Bulls hind legs, injuring it¡¯s legs and also it¡¯s privates. -450, CRITICAL HIT. *Amooooooooooooo* The bull cursed, dropping to its knees, as Cervantez swiftly finished the battle by chopping off its head. -400! Critical Hit! As the Bulls head dropped on the dungeon floor, Cervantez stood over the corpse in a heap of sweat and exhaustion as he relished the feeling of a hard fought victory. As the bull faded, dissolving into particles of light, Cervantez¡¯s attention was captured by the series of system notifications in front of him, as he was shocked to see what it said. [ Congrattions yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ you have killed a level 140 dungeon boss and cleared the hidden horn dungeon! +You have leveled up! +You have leveled up! +You have leveled up! +You have leveled up! +You have leveled up! ] [ Congrattions yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ you have reached level100, bing the first yer in Terra Nova to reach this milestone! As a reward for being the first to reach this monumental milestone you have been rewarded with an +Extra Skill Slot! ] [ Congrattions on reaching level 100! Do you wish to announce your achievement globally? ] [ Yes/ No ] As a result of killing the boss monster, Cervantez gained 5 levels, pushing him to exactly level 100. However, while he thought that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was already level105, the system not only gave him the extra skill slot that was only given to the yer that reached level100 first but it also offered him the chance to make a global announcement to publicize his achievement. However, the question was, if he had just reached level100 and was the first, then how was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ already level105? It made no sense? As rm bells went off in Cervantez¡¯s brain. Chapter 123: Crisis Chapter 123: Crisis [ Congrattions on reaching level 100! Do you wish to announce your achievement globally? ] [ Yes/ No ] Cervantez stared at this screen nkly, before pressing the ¡®Yes¡¯ button after much internal debate. In his mind, uptil now ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a revered figure, a mythical genius unlike any other. However, now he felt like that untouchable aura was crumbling, as Cervantez began doubting his credibility. [ Global Announcement : Congrattions to the yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for bing the first yer in the game to reach level 100! ] A global announcement reflected in front of the screens of every yer in Terra Nova, however along with it came a wave of unnecessary noise. When one opened the Global Level Rankings, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was disyed to be at level 105, having achieved this de a day before Cervantez, then how could ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ be the first to get to 100? This was a question that even Cervantez was not sure about. At first he doubted if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a fake ount, something made by the administrators as a game character that appeared to be a yer but was not one, however, then he remembered how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was the first one to reach level10 and im that aplishment. Back then, there was a global announcement being made about him and the skill slot award had gone away with it, which only made understanding the truth even more difficult for Cervantez who could not wrap his head around what all this mess meant. And he wasn¡¯t the only one who could not either¡­ The global chat servers were a mess as well with all sorts of conspiracy theories popping up on them. ¡® How can ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ be the first to reach level 100, when we were talking about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reaching it a day ago? I mean, is the system tripping?¡¯. ¡® I think, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was the first yer to reach level100, but he did not publicize his achievement, whereas the showoff DarkEmperor did¡¯. ¡® I think this confirms it, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is a fraud. His ranking on the leaderboard is a fake! It¡¯s either padded up to be disyed as higher than what it really is, or his ount is fake entirely¡¯. ¡® I think ¡®TheBoss¡¯ may be an administrator ount, like that of someone who is beyond a normal yer, maybe that¡¯s why he was not included in the announcement?¡¯ ¡® I don¡¯t understand? Can the global rankings be hacked? Can false data really be disyed?¡¯. Questions began arising about Leo and his legitimacy as his identity as an ¡®Actor¡¯ fell under threat. ************* ( Meanwhile Leo ) [ Global Announcement : Congrattions to the yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for bing the first yer in the game to reach level 100! ] As Leo saw the global announcement, the first words that came out of his mouth were ¡®Shit¡¯. As he understood that he was screwed. ¡°Fucking DarkEmperor, why the fuck do you keep levelling up like a madman you freak, get a life man¡± he cursed, feeling absolutely livid at the fact that someone reached level100 before him as a majority of his time was being taken by the skills that he was perfecting. However, the bigger problem for Leo was not that someone reached level100, it was that because of his global announcement, his real identity was at a threat of being exposed. With trembling fingers, he opened the global chat, and immediately he saw a buzz of posts that called him out as a fraud as Leo felt his heart beating faster. ¡®Is this it? Is this how I die?¡¯ is what he wondered, as his heart almost jumped out of his chest and into his mouth when a system notification suddenly popped up in front of him. [ System Notification ¨C An emergency quest has been issued! ] [ Quest Notification ¨C Save your identity! Quest Description- Due to an unprecedented situation arising, your identity as the supreme yer is under threat. Within the next 100 days dispel all doubts regarding your legitimacy and restore public confidence in your skills as the number one yer! Quest Rewards- You will unlock an additional skill slot. Failure Conditions ¨C Failure to convincingly dispel all doubts/ Falling 20 levels behind your disyed level on the leaderboard. Failure Penalty ¨C Death ] An emergency quest was issued for Leo which basically told him that if he did not convincingly put all the rumors surrounding his position as a true supreme yer to bed in the next 100 days, he would literally die- To top it all off, he also needed to always be within 20 levels of his disyed level on the leaderboards as failure to do so would lead to his death as well. It was a horrendous situation, considering he still had to train hard and learn thest of Ben¡¯s three core moves, which would arguably be the hardest of them all. He could not ck off on that training either as failure toplete that quest would make him lose out on lots of MP that he desperately needed to bring his mother here. ¡± I¡¯m fucked, I¡¯mpletely fucked¡± he said in despair as he realised that he had 100 days to live at best and even less at the worst. If Cervantez kept leveling at the speed he was, Leo was bound to die in theing week as the gap between them was bound to widen beyond the manageable range. If by some miracle that did not happen, even then, Leo had no idea how to convincingly dispel all the doubts regarding hispetency as either way he felt like his death was confirmed in 100 days time. ¡± Damn you Cervantez¡­.. I knew I should have strangled you when I had the chance! I swear I¡¯m beating the shit out of you if we ever meet face to face again¡± Leo said in agitation as he meant every single wording out of his mouth. ¡®The tournament¡­. That¡¯s in about 2.5 months from now isn¡¯t it? If perhaps I win it¡­. Maybe I can dispel the rumors surrounding me?¡¯ Leo wondered, as after a lot of thinking, the only major event that could help him clear his name convincingly, seemed to be the Grand tournament. Chapter 124: Desperate Times Chapter 124: Desperate Times ( The real world ) Leo was downright depressed when he logged out of Terra Nova at thest possible minute. He was hunting everything in sight like a madman, everything from squirrels to deers to mountain lions, raising his level up, just so that he could have some margin of safety, until he was forced to logout to report for duty. ¡°Hey Leo, you¡¯re toote today,e on now, roll call is in five minutes, we got to run¡± Luke said, as he seemed surprised as to why Leo logged out sote. However, Leo kept sitting where he was, almost as if he was rooted to his spot as he kept staring at his ankle bracelet that could electrocute him at any moment, sending him to the afterlife. ¡± Leo! Hey- Leo! The hell? Are you even listening to me?¡± Luke shouted, feeling worried as to why Leo was not responding to him, as his shouts made Leo reflexively nce towards him. The moment Luke looked into Leo¡¯s hollow eyes, he realized that something had rattled Leo to his core, as his brothers usual mischievous eyes did not have their usual lusture to them today. ¡± Hey? You okay? Leo? What happened?¡± Luke asked as he walked over to Leo, as Amanda peeked into the hall as well, all themotion taking her by surprise. ¡°Huh? I¡¯m okay-¡± Leo said, when he saw Luke walking over to him, as he instantly stood up and rushed to the bathroom. ¡°Shit- it¡¯s sote, you guys head over, I¡¯m right behind you¡± Leo said, as he urged Luke and Amanda to leave as he realized that him beingte might lead to those two missing their roll call as well, if they waited for him anymore. ¡± What happened?¡± Amanda asked Luke, as Luke shook his head in dismissal. ¡± I don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s probably had a hard day in the game¡­.¡± Luke said, as he nced towards the bathroom and then towards Amanda as he let out a deep sigh. ¡± We should probably go, Leo will run and catch-up. It¡¯ll take us atleast 3 minutes to join the queue for roll call¡± Luke said, as he and Amanda left the room, leaving Leo alone with his thoughts. ************** Leo knew that his situation right now was not the best, on one hand he knew that he needed to tell Luke about the fact that he may die anyday now. However, on the other hand he also knew that he could never exin his story to Luke without revealing his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, which would lead to him recieving instant death. Regardless of how he tried to y this, it seemed like all roads lead to death and once again the only way out for him was to ¡®Fake it till he made it¡¯ as he he could only pretend that everything was okay as he struggled for survival daily. Dark thoughts about how Luke and Amanda would feel once he abruptly died did cloud Leo¡¯s mind, however, despite the dark thoughts, he did not let them distract him while at work, as even at his worst he recieved an S evaluation for his workday. If anything, by the end of his workshift as Luke and Amanda met him once again, he was cheery and normal as he stepped up his actor facade to the next stage. Like a true artist, he suppressed all his psychological fears, all his doubts internally and presented a perfect facade on the outside which even his brother failed to see through. Although he did ask Leo about what was bothering him when he logged out of the game, Leo conveniently lied his way through it, making up some borate story as Luke bought it and made a light joke about it to make Leo feel better. Chuckling with him, Leo dismissed the worry as he asked Luke about his progress in the game, as Luke proudly told him about how he had managed to tame the mount he was trying to tame since very long and how happy it made him feel. Luke also told Leo about his preperation for the uing Grand Tournament and reminded Leo that the open round selections were going to start in two and a half months. Luke really wanted his younger brother to take part in the open tournament, however, Leo kept dismissing the idea, telling Luke that he would definitely think about it. Just like that, another day passed, as Leo entered the game once again. ************ ( The virtual world, Terra Nova ) Once Leo logged back into the game, he rushed off to hunt with the sole objective in his mind being to level up as much as possible. He was currently level 90, however, his disyed level was now 110 since Cervantez hit level 100 yesterday. He was tethering at the edge of elimination and needed to save his life anyhow, as he made it his goal to gain atleast 3 levels daily. Combining the skills ¡®Vanish¡¯ with ¡®Kill Strike¡¯, he pretty much one-shot all the prey he wanted to take out as he gained 3 levels in a matter of two hours, returning on-time for his daily skill training session. ¡± Master Ben, I think I¡¯m ready to learn thest technique. I feel like my grip over the first two core moves has reached a satisfactory level, please proceed to teach me the third move-¡± Leo said, as Ben shook his head in disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re too hasty, boy, you need to have more patience, you¡¯re already learning too fast. Take some time to consolidate as well¡± Ben suggested as Leo begged him with desperate eyes. ¡°I want to take part in this year¡¯s Grand Tournament, and I will only feel prepared for it if I know all 3 of your core moves. Please master Ben, guide me towards mastering the third move before the tournament starts¡± Leo requested as Ben fell silent by his strong request. Internally, Ben felt like it was the story that he told Leo that was making him behave this way, as he felt like Leo did not need to fight his battles for him. However, on the other hand he also felt Leo¡¯s hunger to learn behind his desperate plea as he wondered if teaching him the move now would help him learn in an expedited way. ¡°Arghhhh, fine¡± he relented eventually, mostly because Leo was always such an obedient student that him strongly requesting something made Ben feel like he should relent for once. Chapter 125: The last core move Chapter 125: Thest core move ( Leo¡¯s POV, Mount Faulkner ) ¡°My third core skill is my most treasured one. It¡¯s not a skill passed down to me by my father, but rather my own creation. I¡¯ve named it ¡®Mirror World¡¯ and its applications are endless¡± Ben said as he prepared a demonstration for Leo to witness. ¡°This move takes the concept of light, darkness and reflection to the extreme and needs you to learn a very precise control of external mana to perform¡± Ben said as he stood approximately 20 meters away from Leo as he began his demonstration. ¡°Mirror World-¡± he said, as immediately the single body of Ben that Leo¡¯s eyes were trained at, divided into at least a dozen doppelgangers who spread out across the entire nearby field. A total of 14 Ben¡¯s looked at Leo from different angles, their bodies moving in perfect synchronization as they reached for their pocket and pulled out a dagger. ¡°Dodge-¡± All fourteen of them said at once, as Leo could hear Ben¡¯s voiceing from all sides as 14 daggers came flying his way, targeting parts all over his body. Reflexively scrunching up, Leo protected his vitals, however, although all the illusionary arrows looked real and made the same sound while moving through the air, they were not actually real as upon impact against Leo¡¯s body, they passed through his body without doing any harm. *Shua* *TRR* Only one of the daggers was real, which Ben seemingly purposefully aimed to fly by beside his ear as it notched itself onto the tree behind Leo. ¡°This¡­.. is Mirror World¡± Ben said, as all his fourteen forms re-merged with his true body, ending the illusion. ¡± Woahhh!¡± Leo said, mesmerized as he never expected Ben¡¯s final technique to be an illusion. In principle he understood how it worked. Ben was creating a 3D hologram of himself through precise light reflection, taking the concept of a 2D mirror and implementing it to the third dimension, however, he did not understand the nuances of it, as the detail on the technique was insane. The fake doppelgangers all had shadows, their eye positions all looked towards Leo, with each doppelganger having their pupils perfectly trained in the direction Leo was standing, giving the illusion a higher level of realism. Also when Ben spoke, his voice seemed to being from all the doppelgangers and not only one which made the illusion indiscernible to the naked eye. Not only that, but he could also use the technique to replicate daggers and moving projectiles as apparently there was no end to what this technique could mirror. It was undoubtedly a technique of the highest order and Leo had no doubt in his mind that it was going to be incredibly difficult to learn it, but he could also see its possible applications in a wide range of situations. ¡± This technique can help you retreat, it can help you break through the defense of an opponent you just can¡¯t seem to break through with your technique and it can add ayer of unpredictability to your style ofbat. If the kill strike is my great equalizer. The mirror world is my move to turn the tide of any battle in my favor¡± Ben said, as he looked at Leo with a proud expression on his face. He had developed the mirror world from scratch, it was a move he had created on his journeys as an independent adventurer and was the move that eventually allowed him to kill the crown prince. Now, Leo was going to be the second person in the world to learn the move if he could grasp its nuances. ¡± How do I learn this technique?¡± Leo asked Ben, who fell into deep contemtion as to how he should exin to Leo the process of learning this technique. Since it was a technique he created himself, he did not remember any training that he underwent to practice it with his father and hence he had no proven methods to pass it down to Leo. Instead he now needed to rely on his own intuition as a teacher to guide Leo, as he began exining the thought process that went in his mind as he perfected this technique. ¡± Well to master this technique the first stage is definitely you learning to create 2D images of yourself, like a mirror reflection. Don¡¯t add any depth to it yet, but learn how to manipte light in a way where you can create multiple projections of yourself¡± Ben said, as he exined the first step to learning the mirror world. ¡°Then you need to give it depth, you need to understand the process of adding that dimension and realism to an object creating a true illusion¡± Ben said as he stroked his chin, contemting. ¡°Then the next step would be to perfect the illusion, learn how to add individual details to it like shadows and independent pupil locations¡±. ¡± Finally, learn how to duplicate moving projectiles to grasp a basic mastery of the technique¡± Ben said as heid out a four step process for Leo to master the move. ¡± You will need to control a lot of ambient mana in the surroundings to learn this move and it will be extremely taxing on your mana reserves to learn it. While I would usually have allowed you to deplete yourself and wait for hours to replenish to build up your mana reserves, since you seem determined to make it to the grand tournament, I will help expedite your training through mana potions. However, even with mana potions this won¡¯t be easy. I had a natural knack for figuring out this move. It was something that was constantly in my head. Something I refined a little daily. I don¡¯t know if it wille naturally to you, so don¡¯t be discouraged if you don¡¯t grasp it as fast as the other techniques¡± Ben said, as Leo nodded his head and thanked him for his teaching. Failure now was not longer an option for Leo. He did not have the luxury to not perfect this technique in a short time. As if he could not make a big impact on the grand tournament to clear his name, he would be a dead man. Chapter 126: Making Waves Chapter 126: Making Waves Leo¡¯s mind worked in hyperdrive. Ever since the system announcement that gave him a deadline on life, he became aware of the importance of every second of his life as he did not rest for a second. Ben saw it too, the maniacal frenzy with which Leo trained and although he could not understand the reason that wouldpel a human to go to such insane lengths, he watched on in amazement as Leo made unbelievable progress everyday. About a week into his training, he mastered the first phase of his training, by learning how to cast multiple reflections. It was by no means a small feat with a lot of his sess being because of his ownprehensive ability and deduction, as Ben had no proper path for him to follow and Leo was pretty much on his own. Everything from light angles, light sources, environmental maniption, creation of artificial mirrors and image projection, he figured out in less than a week, as after a week he could create an illusion of himself being present as a 2D image in seven different spots at once. Although reaching this phase of mastery was already a great achievement, the most difficult part of his training unfortunately only began now. The core of the ¡®Mirror World¡¯ technique was to understand the difference between 2D projection and holographic projection and it was making this leap that was the hardest. Ben guided Leo in this step, teaching him the exact pathway in which he needed to circte mana to create environmental resonance, as well as some concepts to make that leap, but while he could draw him a map to the treasure, it was ultimately Leo who needed to traverse and find it. For 10 days, Leo immersed himself deeper into the concept of light and reflection, extending his understanding of mana and its intricate connection with the natural elements to create a theoretical base for the technique that he was attempting. Emptying his mana to debuff levels and regaining them via potions that Ben made for him again and again, Leo kept training like a freak as he tried anything and everything that came in his mind, as he adopted the approach of learning through a thousand failures, rather than cautious training. His epiphany came when he realized that mana could be woven not just around objects but through the very fabric of space, manipting the perception of those who gazed upon it. This understanding was the cornerstone of his holographic projections as he began to practice channeling his mana in precise patterns, mimicking the way light behaved in the physical world but applying it within the realm of magic. Once he understood this concept, he grasped the key to mastering holographic illusion which lied in the harmonization of his mana with the natural energies around him, creating a sort of live feed of his movements. It was such aplicated concept that if Leo himself was a teacher teaching it to Luke he would not be able to exin it, as it was literally something that could only beprehended and not taught as Leo realized why Ben could not outright teach him the technique only once he gained this epiphany. As a result, he was able to create 7 iplete holograms that had the same physical properties as him, but did not have the finer details such as a shadow, proper eye positioning etc. In a week more, Leo learned to infuse his illusions with a life-like essence, making them not only visually three-dimensional but also capable of interacting with the physical world in minor ways, such as casting shadows or reflecting light. This was the phase that he found the easiest to master as with Ben¡¯s guidance and just a little modification to the holographic projection process, he learnt how to give them physical properties as he made his holograms almost indiscernible to his real self. Over the next week, his mastery of holographic projection improved even more when he discovered the concept of ¡°mana echoes.¡± By carefully controlling the release of mana and allowing it to resonate with the ambient mana current of his surroundings, Leo realized how to do the trick that Ben did with his daggers which was to imbue his illusionary properties on moving objects that were not reflecting off him. This technique gave his holograms a level of depth and realism that he had never achieved before,pleting the third phase of Ben¡¯s training in just over month! Finally, the culmination of his efforts came when he mastered adding sound to this illusion technique as well, learning the basics of sound maniption as he gained aplete mastery over Ben¡¯s self created move, as the system acknowledged his efforts. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for achieving (Basic) mastery of the (Legendary) move ¡®Mirror World¡¯ Since the technique has been learnt naturally, it will be more effective when usedpared to those learnt via a skill scroll. ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for mastering 3 legendary moves and bing the first yer in the game to have mastered 3 legendary techniques! You have been given +(????)( Legendary) Skill-Scroll ] [ System Notification ¨C Do you wish to publicize your achievement of having mastered 3 legendary techniques? Yes/No ] [ System Notification ¨C Detected, yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has the special ss ¡®Actor¡¯ and cannot deny any global announcement. The yes option is automatically selected ] [ Global Announcement ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for having achieved (Basic) mastery of three different legendary grade skills! Bing the first yer in the entire game to master three legendary moves! ] A series of notifications blinded Leo, as things quickly escted out of his control. The fact that he had mastered three legendary skills was made public as the global chat that was already suspicious of his identity, became even more suspicious of him now, as the additional announcement only served to add fuel to the fire. Chapter 127: Delusion Chapter 127: Delusion ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez could not believe his eyes when he saw the global announcement regarding ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡®This can¡¯t be real? No way, it¡¯s true¡¯ was his initial reaction to the news as apparently not only did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ manage to get his hands on one legendary technique, but he managed to get his hands on THREE legendary techniques and managed to learn them to basic mastery! ¡°This is impossible, in the entire game there are only a few legendary NPC who possess three legendary moves in their arsenal and unless you be a direct disciple of one of them, it¡¯s impossible for one to get their hands on so many legendary moves¡± Cervantez said, as he became even more suspicious about TheBoss¡¯s identity than he already was. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a legendary NPC to take a new yer in as a disciple, no matter how talented they are. No new yer will ever have the foundation necessary to qualify as a disciple and even if they did, it¡¯s impossible to learn three legendary techniques from scratch in such a short time¡± He murmured to himself as the more he thought about this event, the more he felt it was ridiculous as the probability of something like this being true was next to zero in his opinion. ¡± He¡¯s managed to hack the system¡­. That¡¯s the only conclusion I can reach. He has managed to hack the announcement and leaderboard system, but overall he¡¯s a fraud¡± Cervantez said, as he was convinced that either TheBoss was an entity who was stronger than his wildest imagination, or he was a fraud and a cheat, and as per his current gut feeling he was leaning more towards the fraud side. ¡°No wonder, he rarely shows up, even in my past life he rarely showed up despite being a top yer. It all makes sense now¡­.. Him not joining a guild. Him not making public appearances. He¡¯s a fraud and his con would be exposed if he shows up ¡­.¡± Cervantez concluded as he became assured of his theory and decided to no longer bother with finding or recruiting TheBoss, who he deemed as a waste of breath. ¡°Even with my future knowledge, I barely have two semi-legendary skills under my belt. If I can¡¯t hack it with my future knowledge, there¡¯s no way anyone else can¡­.¡± Cervantez said in conclusion, as he put this matter to bed in his mind. ************* ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) ChaosBringer and his group ¡®TheUprising¡¯ had started to gain poprity once more in the past two months as they established a base of operations within the royal capital Stronghaven. Although it took ChaosBringer some time, he managed to find multiple entry points into the royal capital from where rogues could enter and leave the city as well as transport of illegal goods could take ce. Using the money of the marquis, he quickly established an informationwork and a coalition of yers who were involved in all sorts of illegal activities, as his organization ¡®The Uprising¡¯ became a sort of illegal guild, involved in all sorts of anti-social missions and distribution of illegal substances. He himself was rolling in money, however, his followers were also making a killing from the illegal business as they then used that money to buy expensive gear and improve their levels as although their infamy increased, their standard of living also increased a lot, giving them a better shot at promotion and bing a top yer. By now everyone who was still a part of the uprising epted their roles as an anti-social group that ruled the shadows and nobodyined about the kind of missions that ChaosBringer expected them toplete on a daily basis. Recently, ChaosBringer had been following the drama surrounding the top yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ quite closely and since he hadplete faith in the system, he decided to lean into the opinion that his doubters were all wrong. However, as he noticed how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ never gave a public statement despite all the controversy surrounding him, ChaosBringer decided to make use of this opportunity and his fame, as only in the internal group chat of ¡®The Uprising¡¯, he typed a message saying ¡± As for the rumors surrounding yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, it¡¯s to be known that he is a perfectly legitimate yer and a close friend of the organization¡­..¡± It was apletely false message, one that was written with the sole purpose of creating chaos, as once the news spread amongst the thousands of members of the uprising that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a yer affiliated with them, the morale of the group increased tenfold, as they became Leo¡¯s most loyal defenders online. While what ChaosBringer said waspletely untrue, his words began a chain reaction so chaotic that even he himself would never have imagined it taking such a direction. From being a ¡®Close Friend¡¯ the rumors made it so that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was one of the top management of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ as recruiters began using him as the bait to join more people under their banner. New joinees joined with the belief that ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the number one yer on the leaderboards was a part of this group and the prestige and reputation of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ skyrocketed. Although ChaosBringer knew that the rumors were untrue, he did nothing to stop them, as he instead fanned the mes even more by sometimes pretending to have consulted ¡®TheBoss¡¯ on major organization decisions, as hepletely yed into the rumors of him being a part of top management. By the time the announcement about him mastering three legendary moves came out globally, the atmosphere within the uprising chat became so delusional that people began congratting him and celebrating inside the chat like they were a part of his sess somehow. They were so sure that he was reading their messages, that they talked about how big bosses like him never replied to small fries but still read everything as by this point the delusion had taken an almost physical form with everyone believing him to be a part of the organization for real. Chapter 128: Preperation Chapter 128: Preperation ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Around the eight month mark, academy exams officially began for Luke which were not only going to give him a huge level boost, but were also going to be instrumental in deciding which candidates were going to represent the academy in the uing Grand tournament. The atmosphere within the academy became increasinglypetitive, as everyone began training extra hard and putting in the extra work needed to stand out from the rest. Unfortunately, it was toote for most at this point as while they had only began putting in the extra efforts now, there were monsters like Luke who had been working hard for the entire semester and had now created a big gap between himself and the rest. With his bond with Brown Pudding also improving, Luke was now confident of getting good grades in even the Mounted Combat ss, as everyday he and Brown Pudding learnt a lot of aerial maneuvers and about fighting as a team, making up for the lost time in training for the past few months. In and of herself, Brown Pudding was a battle machine on her own. A high level Griffin who could tear apart knights of Luke¡¯s caliber with her talons with ease and could swoop in and out of any fortress even if it was guarded by a hundred archers. Not only was she swift and agile, but she also had the strength to carry a roughly 100 kg rock on her feet and drop it at any designated target, giving her the capability of destroying enemy archer towers and siege weapons. Although she herself was a battle machine, coupled with Luke she became nearly unstoppable as with Luke defending her from arrows and other attacks, she could solely focus on destroying enemy lines, making her aplete killing machine. Alongside her, Luke was pretty much unstoppable in the mountedbat training ss, as the only mount who could rival Brown Pudding¡¯s prowess was Jerome¡¯s Storm, but while he could fly and was fast, he did not have the same lethality as Brown Pudding as he was a defensive type mount unlike Brown Pudding who was a battle mount. The othernd based mounts could not even hold a candle to brown pudding as most shuddered and ran away in her presence, with even the better trained one¡¯s avoiding her sharp talons and not daring toe close. At this point, it looked certain that Luke would clinch the first ce in the academy rankings, iming one of the academy¡¯s reserved seats, while thepetition for the rest remained intense. With exams starting next week and continuing for 14 days total, everyone¡¯s focus was on doing their best, but in their hearts they already gave up on being number one. ************* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Once Leo mastered the ¡®Mirror World¡¯ move, Ben finally agreed to him participating in the grand tournament whose open selection rounds would begin in about one month¡¯s time, as he took Leo¡¯s practicalbat training more seriously. It had been only about 7-8 months since the duo started training together, however, in these 8 months Leo managed to learn all three of his core moves and mold his body from that of amoner, to one suited for an Elite assassin. The difference in his skills nowpared to before was like heaven and Earth, however, if there was one thing Leo stillcked, it was practicalbat experience, as he did not have much experience of sparring. While he did kill strong beasts on a routine basis, driving the poption of local mountain lions to a near extinction point, the experience of killing a beast was different from experience of sparring against a human as at this point, Ben felt like that was Leo¡¯s only shoring that he needed to work on as a master. ¡± I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any talent in the empire that can stop you from winning the Grand tournament, however, you can still be defeated because of your inexperience, so starting today, we will only focus on real sparring¡± Ben decided as he finally began to train him for winning the tournament. ¡°Prepare to spar with me for real! For now you can¡¯t use any resources or skills, as we will focus purely on your hand to handbat-¡± Ben dered as Leo nodded and held his daggers tightly. ¡°Here Ie-¡± Ben dered, his figure turning into a blur as his exaggerated speed was too much for Leo to follow even after months of rigorous training. *BLOCK* Sparks flew as Leo managed to block Ben¡¯s first attack, purely on instinct as although he managed to block the dagger, he soon felt his feet being swept from under him, as he mmed face first onto the ground below. ¡± You know how to throw daggers precisely, you know some tricks, you have a flexible body¡­. But what you don¡¯t know is how to fight hand to handbat, so when you find a skilled opponent in this department, you are screwed without your skills¡­¡± Ben exined as Leo got back on his feet and dusted the sand off. ¡± You should never fight a frontal battle¡­. We assassins are not made for it, however, you should at least know how to defend yourself in frontal battle until you have the chance to unleash your skills, as that is the only way I see you losing¡± Ben exined, as his words oddly made perfect sense to Leo. ¡± Again¡­. Let¡¯s work on your hand to handbat skills until they reach an eptable level¡± Ben said, as he encouraged Leo and helped him gain some much neededbat experience that hecked, as he picked up a different weapon each round and exposed Leo to all sorts of enemies and fighting styles. ¡°Based on the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent, you need toe up with a unique battle approach each time, as there is no single method to fighting all opponents and you need to learn to be creative¡± Ben instructed, as he began working towards eliminating Leo¡¯sst evident weakness. Chapter 129: Forceful Coercion Chapter 129: Forceful Coercion The final month of training that Leo had with Ben was easily his favorite of their entire duration together. All the pieces, all the techniques that he had worked hard to individually master, slowly began to connect, taking a form as he finally birthed a fighting style that he could call his own. If before, his hunting method was focused on him hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. He now found himself creating his own opportunities to strike as he charged at mountain lions in the open, took on entire packs and still managed to walk out scratchless, as he no longer did he simply rely on one single skill, but learned how to enhance all of his abilities through synergy. Illusion, Deathly Precision and Untraceability became the backbone of his fighting style, with his hidden ace being the ¡®Mimic¡¯ skill which added ayer of unpredictability to him. While it was useless against Ben, whose techniques he had already mastered, against new and varied opponents, it could be used as a hidden surprise that was sure to catch every opponent he faced off-guard. ¡ª¡ª- [ Learned Skills ] ? ( Mimic ) ( Unique ) ( Beginner ) ? ( Vanish ) ( Legendary )( Beginner) ? ( The Kill Strike ) ( Legendary) (Beginner) ? ( Mirror World ) (Legendary) (Beginner) ? ( empty ) ? ( empty ) ¡ª¡ª¨C Out of the six skill slots avable to him, he had one unique skill and three legendary skills, giving him a robust base. However, with two skill-slots still being empty, Leo wondered if it was wise to use one of the system rewards and learn the mysterious semi-legendary skill scroll he had recently received or not? On one hand, he did not wish to learn unknown skills that could be trash, however, on the other hand, he saw no advantage in keeping two of his skill slots empty, especially when he was heading in towards such a big tournament. To learn or To not learn? It was a dilemma that Leo found himself facing, everyday after his training with Ben ended, as while he understood that he was no match for Ben, the constant losing against him made Leo doubt if he was truly as unstoppable as Ben described him to be amongst peers his age. ¡®There are still fifteen days to go before I leave Mount Faulkner and head off towards the Royal Capital. No point in worrying about this right now. I¡¯ll worry about this when we reach the city¡¯ Leo eventually decided, as he did not wish to take the gamble of learning an unknown skill, unless he was absolutely desperate and forced to learn it. ************** ( Meanwhile Lin Mu ) Lin Mu was chosen to be one of the three Night Guild¡¯s candidates chosen to participate in the grand tournament as she was fed all sorts of elixirs and forced to undergo hellish training to get stronger. She was forced to train under inhumane conditions, where her sleep and rest waspromised, supplemented by refreshment potions, as she was forced to keep training for 72 to 100 hours non-stop before being given a slight break. Because she disyed talent that was a cut above the rest of her peers, she was forcefully subjected to drinking horrendous medicines and underwent atrocious bone strengthening procedures that sapped the soul out of her will to be powerful. Her eyes lost their usual lusture, her training performance dipped as she became a frustrated test subject rather than the vibrant assassin she once used to be. ¡± I don¡¯t want this¡­. I don¡¯t want to train like a madwoman. Please let me grow at my own pace¡±. ¡± I want to sleep, I need to sleep¡­. My mind hurts, my muscles hurt, the refreshment potion won¡¯t let me sleep, please don¡¯t force me to drink it. Please-¡± ¡± It hurts, my bone hurts, why must you do this to me? Am I not enough already? I¡¯m already the best amongst my peers, why subject me to this pain?¡± Lin Muined relentlessly, however, all herints fell on deaf ears as her instructors simply did not care about her well being. The guildmaster had decided that the next champion of the grand tournament had to be from the Night Guild, the pressure to create the next Ben Faulkner was mounting and unfortunately Lin Mu was the prime candidate. While her training was nothing less than torture, the training of the other two selected candidates was even worse. Steroids, performance enhancing drugs, monster blood, life essence burning pills. These were the sort of things that they were forced to consume as even at the cost of personal health and a long healthy lifespan, they were forced to grow stronger in a short time as the night guild groomed them for the grand tournament. They never wanted these other candidates to be the face of the guild, however, they were being prepared as hidden weapons, who would break the bones off serious opponents, or silently kill otherpetitors that Dem Paltrow deemed too dangerous to be left alive. They were simply the convoy that was supposed to clear the road for Lin Mu to win and were treated as the disposable assets that they were. ¡°This is too cruel ¡­.. you need to stop, I won¡¯t take part in this madness anymore. I¡¯ll take my own life if you don¡¯t stop¡± Lin Mu said eventually, when she reached a point where she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, as that was the day Dem Paltrow showed his true colors and suppressed Lin Mu for once and for all. Walking upto her, he pped Lin Mu hard, as he grabbed her chin and stared straight into her eyes with there being not an ounce of mercy within them. ¡± I¡¯ve tolerated your whining long enough¡­. You will not disobey the will of this guild anymore. Do you even realize the sort of resources we are using to nurture you? Do you even understand that there are thousands of talents that will kill for this exact same opportunity that you reject? You have this opportunity because you are the best and because we are nurturing you to be the future of this organization! But if you want to die, then sure, go ahead, kill yourself. But know this well, if you die, or if you disobey your instructors anymore, I will personally ensure that the ENTIRE Mu n, every branch and the main family will join you in the afterlife¡­¡± Dem Paltrow said, as he left Lin Mu in her pool of tears with a poisoned daggers, letting her make up her mind for once and for all today. Chapter 130: Acing Exams Chapter 130: Acing Exams ( Luke¡¯s POV ) As Luke looked around the examination hall, he found all sorts of students doing all sorts of funny pre-exam rituals. Today was the written final test for the course Battlefield Strategies, a topic that Luke had spent a long time understanding alongside the academy librarian, who continued to tutor him throughout the semester in private. He himself was not worried about the test at all, as he had thoroughly enjoyed the subject. Attended all lectures, performed well on the quarterly assessments, as even if he failed the finals he was still assured to pass the subject with the rest of his grades. However, there were many in the ss who were scratching their heads and losing their brains as they seemed very nervous to attempt this paper. Some could be seen biting their pencils. Some were scribbling the knowledge they had barely crammed on the answer sheet even before the test paper was distributed, while there were some who discussed theories with their peers, trying to pass time by making conversation. ¡± Hey, Lion, leave the second spot for me will you?¡± A voice said as Luke looked behind to see a smiling Jerome who was almost as rxed as he was. Being a noble, battlefield strategy was one of those subjects that Jerome was taught extensively as a kid and it was a subject that held a lot of personal interest for him as well. His grades were always very close to Luke¡¯s in all exams, as the two buddies absolutely aced the studies. Towering above their peers in the educational aspect of their learning. ¡± I don¡¯t know Jerome, I saw you sneakily studyingtest night. I think you n to take the top spot¡­.¡± Luke said yfully, as Jerome burst out chuckling. The two of them had made a pact not to study after 10pm when the lights were called off in their dorm, however, as Luke logged back into the game, he found Jerome sleeping over an open book, which made him believe that he was studyingtest night. Over the semester, while Luke improved a lot as a fighter and made the most of his opportunity to grow as an individual within the academy, he never forgot the mission Cervantez gave him to be close acquaintances with Jerome, as after spending 9 months together, the duo was almost inseparable as Jerome considered Luke to be his long lost brother. Despite Luke being the more talented of the duo, he never let Jerome feel inferior as in private he always ensured to talk about the two of them as equals as he focused on dragging Jerome up with him, rather than pushing him down. Jerome, who also understood how humble and talented Luke was, understood the value in befriending him as the two developed a deep bond of mutual trust and friendship that was easily going to withstand the test of time that was sure toe ahead. ¡± Alright students, time for the test-¡± Professor Wood said, as he walked into the examination hall with a set of papers, which he distributed to all the students. ¡°All the best¡­.¡± He said, as the clock struck 8, signaling the start of the 3 hour long written test. [ Exin in 500 words, the best strategy to hold a narrow valley without having archer support Exin how to strategize a two versus twenty fight when you are outnumbered against spearmen. What mistake did Fon make in the battle of Kevinocish ¡­.. ] Luke read the question paper and immediately a big smile spread over his face. ¡® I know all the answers¡­..¡¯ he thought as he knew all the answers from 1 through 12 as the only challenge for him now was to articte them and finish on time, as overall him acing this exam was a given at this point. ************** ( After the exams ) [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯, you have sessfully passed the subject Knight¡¯s Battlefield Strategies with flying colors. You have been awarded with +8 levels! ] The moment Luke walked out of the examination hall, he was instantly rewarded with 8 levels, the maximum possible for clearing a subject as a big smile spread across his face. Over the year, he had improved in every department. However, if there was only one area where he wascking it had to be his level as Luke was only level 65. Falling a full 50 ranks behind the top rankers. ¡± This will change soon ¡­.¡± Luke murmured to himself as he expected to gain another 30-40 levels in the next week as he cleared one subject after another, as he hoped to join the top50 level rankings as a yer by the time everything was said and done. ¡± Yoooo, top ranker, how did your exam go?¡± Jerome asked, as Luke smiled and said ¡°Good¡± While the other students walked out of the examination hall having shed a few hundred strands of hair, Luke and Jerome walked out of the hallughing and smiling as they both knew that they had aced this exam. ¡± Onwards to Hand to Hand Combat I guess, that should be a fun test¡± Jerome said, as he teased Luke knowing full well that Miss ra had threatened to beat Luke ck and blue if he did not secure the first rank in her ss. ¡± I hope to do my best¡± Luke said honestly as Jerome waved him off for being too modest. The final exam for hand to handbat was going to be conducted as a mini-ss tournament, but everyone already knew who was eventually going to win. ¡± I just hope I¡¯m not matched with you on the very first round¡­.. that would absolutely suck-¡± Jerome said as he inadvertently shivered at the thought, knowing full well that Luke would pound him in a face to face matchup. Chapter 131: The guild members Chapter 131: The guild members ( Amanda¡¯s POV ) *SHING* *SHING* *SHING* Amanda hammered down on the dagger she was making, folding theyer of thin reinforced titanium as precisely as she could. ¡®What is the primary weapon you use in the game?¡¯ She recalled asking Leo once, to which he replied ¡®Dagger¡¯ as since then Amanda had decided to surprise him with the best set of daggers she could make. Ever since he had made that sketch for her, the way she looked at Leo changed subtly as she looked at him less as a friend and more as a potential future partner. He was funny, he was handsome, he was caring and most importantly, he understood Amanda and her ambitions on an intimate level, as whenever she was around her, she felt extremely happy for no reason, as he was the anchor saving her from depression onboard the small arc ship. ¡°Focus, my dear child, don¡¯t let your mind wander when you are crafting¡­.¡± An old voice said, as Amanda broke away from her daze, realizing that she had been hammering on muscle memory for thest few seconds, as her mind darted towards images of Leo these past few days. For the past few days, Leo looked extremely troubled. He did not smile as much, he did not talk about his day as cheerfully as he used to¡­.. something big was bothering his mind and it affected Amanda as well. ¡®I have tried asking him what¡¯s wrong in so many ways, but he won¡¯t say¡­. Damn macho men and their insecurity about opening up! Hmpfh¡¯ cursed Amanda as she hammered down on her dagger she was forging angrily, putting in more power than before. ¡°Easy my child, hammering too hard is as bad as hammering too light. What is with you today?¡± Granny said, as Amanda felt her cheeks flush red. This was unlike her. She was usually very focused, yet when it came to Leo, she increasingly felt her emotions getting the best of her these days. ¡± I¡¯ll focus now¡­.¡± She said, as she returned her focus to the job at hand. ¡± Huuu~ young love¡± grannymented, as although she had started to lose her memory and she wasn¡¯t as sharp as she once used to be, she recognised the distracted look on her disciples face very well. *********** ( Meanwhile Lysa ) Lysa eagerly awaited the results of the royal mage academy¡¯s internal selection for who would represent them at the uing Grand tournament. When she arrived at the Royal Capital as a rtively new yer, she had met the number 2 ranker on the leaderboards, DarkEmperor himself, who recruited her into his yet to be established guild with big promises. Not only did he help her be a better mage, by helping her enroll into the royal mage academy, as he revealed all the entrance test questions and criteria prior to the exam to her, helping her crack it. But he also paid for her tuition in full, as all he wanted in return was for Lysa to try her hardest to be an aplished mage and be her academy¡¯s pick to enter the grand tournament. ¡® That man has helped me way too much for me to disappoint him now-¡® Lysa thought as the more she got to learn at the academy and grow as a mage, the more she realized how privileged she waspared to other mage ss yers who were struggling for every skill scroll, every book of knowledge. While the tournament itself was a month away, today was the initial selection round, where the top10 picks were going to be finalized, out of which 3 would eventually be selected to get the university¡¯s reserve spots. This was an important round, as after monitoring the performance of all the mages for 9 months, this was the most important screening that would separate the elite from the rest. ¡± The list is out! It¡¯s posted on the notice board-¡± a student screamed loudly in the halls, as everyone including Lysa rushed towards the notice board to check out the list of final candidates. [ List of selected candidates :- 1. Mary Rodriguez 2. Lysa Johnson 3. William Brown 4. Robert Krude 5. Patricia Johnson 6. Jennifer Davis 7. Barry Gon 8. Jane Martinez 9. Patricia Jones 10. James Brown ] Lysa checked the list and beamed with tion when she found herself on the number two spot! ¡®YES!¡¯ She eximed in joy, as she instantly typed a private message to Cervantez, informing him of her sess. ************ ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) ¡± I have topped the written round of ss exams¡± ¨C Skylion ¡± I feel ready to participate in the open selections¡± ¨C Tor ¡± I have been shortlisted as one of the ten candidates that will get the mage academies reserved spot ¡± ¨C Lysa ¡± I have secured the guaranteed spot for the Ranger academy¡± ¨C Jex Cervantez received one good news after the other in his dms, as finally the seeds that he had nted months ago and was nurturing through sries and MP seemed to be sprouting the flowers that would eventually be fruits. Congratting them all, Cervantez smiled widely as he saw how he needed just a little more fame before he could establish his own guild,pleting his objective to set-up his guild before the grand tournament and shocking the world by having top tier participants of each professionpeting as members of his guild. ¡± Very soon¡­.. It¡¯ll be time to make a big wave very soon. With ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being a fake, I¡¯ll be the top yer, and my guild will be the de-facto number one in this game¡± Cervantez said to himself, as he honed his skills in preparation of entering the grand tournament as an open candidate. Unlike those with reserved spots from the academies, their selections started prior to the tournament officially beginning, as before the grand tournament, there was going to be the selection for the open candidates 15 days from now, where Cervantez hoped to clinch the top spot. ¡± The time for waiting is now over. The time to dominate starts now¡± he dered boldly, as the time to assemble the guild seemed to draw nearby. Chapter 132: Luke The Freak Chapter 132: Luke The Freak ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Professor ra had high hopes from Luke, who was her star student. She had personally mentored him right from pre-semester all the way to the end and while it was frowned upon in the teachers circle to show open favoritism to one student, ra did not hide it at all. Luke¡¯s growth had been simply remarkable throughout the year and in terms of ability, he was miles ahead of his peers. If despite this advantage Luke did not clinch the number one spot in the ss¡¯s final evaluation, then ra had the right to be disappointed. The final evaluation was done in the form of a knockout style tournament, where every student drew randomized lots to pick a number, which would then be matched up against a random opponent. With there being a total of 120 students in the ss, a few got lucky and got a direct bye into the second round, with Jerome being one of those lucky few. ¡± Haha- looks like I won¡¯t be facing you in the very first round at least¡± said Jerome as he pped the back of Luke in joy, who was not lucky enough to get a bye and was supposed to fight a rather underperforming student named Anderson Silva. The fight was technically over before it ever began as the moment Luke threw a nce at his opponent, he stiffened up and shrunk back, as Luke understood that his opponent wanted no part of him. Having mostly only sparred with instructor ra all year, Luke was infamous for breaking a students ribs in practise when one day he sparred with a student daring enough to take him on. Luke, having no idea about the level of the general ss, put his usual strength behind his maneuvers, as he identally gave the guy a belly to belly suplex that was too harsh and ended up fracturing two ribs. Although he was extremely apologetic and the sparring opponent did forgive him, since that infamous incident no other student dared approach Luke anymore as his reputation as a rough fighter began to propagate. Clearly, Anderson was one of the students who had heard such rumors about Luke and was not impressed at all at the prospect of facing him in the very first round. *********** As the fights began one after another, an hour passed by in a blink of an eye, as students came out to test whatever they had learnt throughout the past year. There were many interesting conflicts where the difference in skill was marginal, while there were many that ended swiftly because the gap in skill was toorge. Since Professor ra had decided to create an out of bounds concept for the final fight, anyone pushed outside the 4 meter ring of action was to automatically lose the fight as many lost the fight by being creatively forced out of bounds as well. Finally, as Luke¡¯s name was called, cheers went up from the crowd as despite how people were jealous and wary of him when he was their opponent, when he was not, everyone liked Luke as a person as he was humble and talented. ¡± Please, don¡¯t break my bones-¡± requested Anderson before the fight began, as Luke smiled softly and replied ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle¡± Professor ra then looked into both the contestants eyes as they took their starting spots, giving Luke an extra wide grin as she said ¡± Start!¡±, signaling the start of the fight. Luke immediately went for his opponent¡¯s waist, trying to get him down in a wrestling style tackle as Anderson tried his best to defend against Luke¡¯s strength by getting over him and trying to push him down t on the mat. Unfortunately for him, the moment he applied downward pressure, Luke slipped to behind his back, hoisting him up from his waist for a German Suplex, just like how ra had did to him countless times during sparring. *CRASH* nting his opponent headfirst, Luke won the match by scoring a physical down, however, although he was extra careful to provide his opponent with a softnding, the sound of bones snapping could be heard through the arena, as apparently Luke broke a bone in Anderson¡¯s neck. *Crack* ¡± AGHHHHH, MY NECKK¡­. AGHHH¡± Anderson screamed and writhed as Luke watched in horror as the medics rushed in and carried him out of the arena and towards the emergency dorm. Luke looked towards his hands, and then wondered as to why it turned out this way, as he could have sworn that he had not even used 30% of his full strength! ¡± I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± He murmured, although his opponent could no longer hear it as he nced across the audience who flinched back at his gaze as everyone regarded him as a monster. ¡± I¡¯ll just forefit if Ie face to face with him¡­.¡± ¡°Yep, this guy might identally kill us¡± ¡± Life over marks, that¡¯s for sure-¡± Were what students said to each other, as after that round, all his opponent¡¯s from round of 64 to the quarterfinals refused to fight him at all, surrendering without a fight, as Luke became the only student to enter the quarterfinals while having only fought a single fight. Jerome was one of the otherpetitors who made it to the quarters, however, his right eye fluttered every time an opponent of Luke surrendered without a fight as while he got a lucky bye in one round, he had to tooth and w his way in all the rest, while Luke only fought in one round, and got a sort of bye in the rest. ¡°Not fair¡­. This is absolutely not fair¡± He murmured, as he gave the semifinals his best shot, but lost, his fightsting a whole 3 minutes, while Luke won his semi finals round in just under 6 seconds, albeit without a student breaking bones this time. Finally, in the finals match, Luke got a semi-decent fight, having to put some real strength behind his maneuvers, as his opponentsted a full 14 seconds against him, however, after 14 seconds he too received an amazing belly to belly suplex, ending his ambitions ofing out on top. ¡± Winner! Skylion!¡± Said ra with pride, as she approved of how her favorite student dominated the final tournament,ing out on top in convincing fashion. Chapter 133: End Of Training Chapter 133: End Of Training ( Ten dayster, Leo¡¯s POV ) *Pahh* *Pahh* Leo panted while looking towards the sky, his body had been pushed to his utmost limit, his mana capacity and stamina had depleted to below safe levels, inducing a state of debuff and yet, even after all his efforts, Ben stood above him, without a scratch on his face. ¡°Hahaha, you may win the grand tournament kid, but there¡¯s still a long way before you catch up to me-¡± Ben said in a happy voice as he reminded Leo that although he had grown strong, there was still a long road for him to cover. ¡± Damn geezer¡­. Today was thest day of training, could¡¯ve let me get a shot in to boost morale-¡± Leo said, as Ben waved his demands off. ¡± I¡¯ve already given you my knowledge, now I have to give you confidence too? What¡¯s next? Spoonfeeding?¡± Ben taunted, as he dismissed such absurd demands of helping boost morale. Leo waspletely exhausted, to the point he could not even talk back, as he simply closed his eyes and thought about the mistakes he made in their final spar before the tournament. ¡® I didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡­.. he¡¯s just so much faster and more clinical than me. My illusions don¡¯t work on him. Every technique I can do, he does better. He¡¯s the worst match-up for me¡¯ Leo thought, as he opened his eyes and tried to inspect Ben¡¯s level. [ Ben Faulkner (Lv :???? ) ¨C A mysterious assassin, and a legend amongst the people of the empire ] ¡® yep, still not even close enough to be able to inspect his level-¡® Leo thought as he epted the fact that despite all his training in the past year, the gap between him and the living legend Ben Faulkner was still toorge for him to actually be able tond a shot. ¡®I just hope my actual battles don¡¯t end so humiliatingly. My life rides on this-¡® Leo thought, as he got back to his feet and slowly walked towards their camp. ¡± Rare meat and herb stew. For sessfulpletion of your training-¡± Ben said with a proud smile on his face as he passed Leo a bowl which had absolutely delicious aroma wafting out of it. ¡± Thanks¡± he said, epting the meal, as immediately a system notification was triggered. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions! You havepleted a quest! ] [ System Notification ¨C You havepleted a 12 month long quest in only 9 months! Adjusting rewards¡­. ] [ QUEST NOTIFICATION ¨C You have sessfullypleted the Quest, ¡®Learning the way¡¯. Quest Difficulty ¨C S Quest Description ¨C Earnestlyplete the training regiment suggested by your master and develop into the best Assassin that you can be. Quest Rewards ¨C Weekly Completion Rewards :- +2 levels for training earnestly for the whole week. (Already Given) Monthly Completion Rewards :- 1-5 extra levels shall be rewarded based on progress assessment. (Already Given) Distributing finalpletion rewards :- +1000MP +25 levels ( Early Completion Bonus ) +20,000 Gold Coins. + 500MP ( Additional Completion Bonus ) ] Leo received a tonne of rewards forpleting his long-time system quest, propelling his level upto a massive 145! Putting him +17 levels clear of DarkEmperor at second spot. *Hufffffff* Leo exhaled deeply as he blew at the stew trying to cool it down as he ate it with a big smile on his face. ¡°Delicious-¡± This was the first time, Ben had made a meal this special and Leo could see the care he put into it. He not only used rare herbs for the stew, but he also dry aged premium lion meat for this, which he seasoned generously with herbs. It was a one of a kind luxury dining experience, something much better than the mundane meals the duo shared everyday. ¡± Tomorrow, we leave for the capital city Stronghaven. It¡¯s going to be a two day journey on foot, but we should easily reach a couple days before the grand tournament starts. Register for the open round and have a days rest before the preliminaries¡± Ben said, as Leo nodded his head in acknowledgement. For the next 5 days, his leveling was about toe to a grinding halt, which was why this massive 25 levels boost was so important to him, as it gave him some breathing room and credibility as he headed into the tournament. Not only that, with 25 levels also came a massive amount of undistributed stats, which when used would make him faster, stronger and better. While at the start of the game, Leo felt like leveling up was everything as even a single level gained felt like a massive increase in strength, the stronger he grew, the lesser its significance seemed to be, as the importance of skills became more prevalent. While an unskilled Leo at level 60 could perhaps never kill a level 130 mountain lion alone, a skilled Leo at level 60 could take on 3 level 130 mountain lions at once and still kill them effortlessly. Skills yed a more major role in this game, whenpared to levels, however, having the physical prowess to enhance one¡¯s skills did help a lot as well. Also, while uptil now Leo lived a secluded life where he had no need for gold or silver, now that he was going to return to civilization, the 20,000 gold coins given to him by the system forpleting his training was going to undoubtedly y a big part in his future career as a yer. 1,000 gold/annum was the sry of new professors starting in the royal academies and it was considered to be a healthy sum. 20,000 gold then, to put into context was a massive sum that could even buy one a mansion in the royal capital befitting the status of a noble, however, more importantly it could buy information, potions and influence. But most importantly for Leo, even more than the money was the 1000 MP! The currency he required to call his mother to the arc ship, as the first thing that he wanted to do after reaching the royal capital was inquiring about how much MP it would take to bring their mother here. Chapter 134: Goodbye Mount Faulkner Chapter 134: Goodbye Mount Faulkner As Leo finished his meal, he could not help but feel slightly emotional. Mount Faulkner had be like a sort of second home for him, and just like he left Earth, he was going to have to leave this ce tomorrow, perhaps forever. Thankfully, Ben had agreed toe with him to the capital and watch over all his matches as the old man did not n on abandoning Leo just yet, however, Leo still felt slightly emotional about saying goodbye to this training ground. As he and Ben wound everything up, Leo could not help but smile when he passed over the reflex training field, the stretching ground, the boiling pot where he was given medicinal baths everyday and the various trees that still had his dagger marks from all his practices. ¡°Don¡¯t worry kid, maybe one day you bring your own disciple here to train. Pass on the legacy. You never know-¡± Ben said with a soft smile, as 25 years ago even he did not know if he would ever return to Mount Faulkner again or not, but he did with a disciple and had the best time of his life grooming him. As Leo unscrewed the rope Ben had set up for his vertical climb training and the safety within, he could not help but nce at Mount Faulkner with awe. This piece of rock had seen several generations of Faulkner family train here, yet it remained unmoving, immortal and always standing. Unlike his first day, Leo no longer even needed a rope to scale the mountain as his muscles were stic and strong enough to allow him to climb the mountain while hopping like a mountain goat, just like how Ben could, however, he could still vividly remember the days where he struggled with the rope andined how it was too hard. Finally, as he said goodbye to his hunting stream, the ce where he had single handedly drove down the poption of antelopes, squirrels and mountain lions, Leo hoped that they re-popted again, as he walked back to their base cave, where Ben had packed up everything just how he found it at the start. ¡°Well before we go to sleep for the night kid, I have onest surprise for you, a sort of graduation gift, but I¡¯m not sure if you would want it or not, but if you do, this is for you-¡± Ben said, as he awkwardly handed over Leo a set of Assassin robes, gloves and boots. Leo looked at his own gear and realized how battered and torn it was. After 9 months of intense training, Leo had reduced the once pristine robes to rags as he was indeed in need for new robes. ¡± Thankyou-¡± he said, as he graciously epted the neatly folded robes Ben passed to him, as once he opened them up he immediately realized that it had been refurbished, and that they were not a fresh pair. [ Ben¡¯s old Assassin robes ] ( Epic ) The item description said, as a wide smile spread on Leo¡¯s face upon reading it. ¡± It¡¯s my old robes kid, you don¡¯t have to wear them if you don¡¯t want, I¡¯ve tried to mend them as best as I could since yours are so tattered, but we can buy you a new one once we are at the capital. As a master I should have prepared graduation robes for you, but the silly me never thought this day woulde so fast. I expected you to take at least a few years to hone my craft but-¡± ¡± It¡¯s perfect old man, thankyou-¡± Leo said, cutting off Ben¡¯s speech as he saved the old man from the embarrassment of having to exin himself. Putting it on, Leo wore the shoes, the robes that came with an in-built belt and the gloves, as he smiled brightly once he geared up. ¡± You were quite fit in your youth, old man, this fits nicely¡± Leo said, as Ben looked at him with a small tear in his eye, as Leo looked like a proper handsome assassin in them. For Leo, this gift was more precious than any newly tailored robe as for him the sentimental value of this robe meant more than what mere money could buy. While Ben was embarrassed, for Leo there could not have been a better graduation gift. ¡± Alright, sleep well now, we leave at dawn¡± Ben said, as he turned away from Leo, barely saving himself from shedding a tear in his presence as he slept in his bed with a warm heart, feeling proud of what the two had aplished here in the past few months. Leo too slept on his bed, before hitting logout, as he woke up in the real world. ********* ( The real world ) As Leo woke up, he found a smiling Amanda sitting on the lounge looking at him wake up, as she yfully said ¡°Good Morning-¡± As Leo heard her sweet voice, he could not help but chuckle for the first time in a while as he replied ¡°Good morning¡±. ¡± Whoa, someone looks happy today ¡­. Something good happened in the game?¡± Amanda asked, as Leo scratched his head and said ¡± Yeah, something nice did happen¡± pping cheerfully, Amanda seemed genuinely happy for Leo, which made Leo happy as well, astely Amanda was the only bright spot that was helping him hold his sanity while his life was literally on the line. ¡°What did I say? Bad times don¡¯tst forever, there is something good bound to happen every now and then! But no¡­. You just worry too much silly!¡± Amanda said, as she genuinely hoped Leo would smile more and be happy. ¡± Yep, you were right¡± Leo said, as the bathroom door opened at that moment, as a dressed up Luke walked out, seemingly ready for work. ¡± Morning Leo, d you¡¯re notte to logout today¡± Luke said, as he walked out of themon hall and into his room, giving the two love birds privacy. Over thest month, although neither of them had expressed it explicitly, Luke noticed the growing closeness between the two, and hence did his best to not be a third wheel. Although it was impossible to giveplete privacy in such a small space, he did his best to give them as much as he could. Chapter 135: Registering The Guild Chapter 135: Registering The Guild [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ on securing the first spot in the mounted battlebat evaluation! You have gained +8 levels! ] [ Congrattions yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ forpleting the quest ¡®Level up to at least level 120 in the uing year and be selected as one of the top25 candidates of the knight academy¡¯ ] [ Quest Notification ¨C Congrattions for sessfulpleting the chain quest- Quest Title ¨C Level up to at least level 120 in the uing year and be selected as one of the top25 candidates of the knight academy. Quest Difficulty ¨C SS Quest Duration ¨C Until selectionsplete. Quest Rewards ¨C + 5000 Gold Coins + 2500MP + White Knight Body Armour Set ( Semi- Legendary ) ] ¡± Hahaha, I did it-¡± Luke murmured to himself as he stroked Brown Pudding¡¯s back for a great final performance. The two of them together were a menace fornd mounts to face with their only realpetition being Jerome and Storm, however, on the final evaluation day, Luke and Brown Pudding even got the best of those two and clinched the first spot! Luke had only expected to reach level 105-110 once all the exams ended, however, he received perfect scores in all the subjects and continued his streak of +8 levels, reaching the fabled 120 levels mark that the system quest wanted him to reach at the start of the year. As a result, Luke received windfall rewards, which most importantly included a whopping 2500 MP, that would be crucial in bringing Elena to the Arc ship. Ofcourse, the other rewards in the form of 5000 gold coins and the semi-legendary knight armor set could not be ignored as both those items were also going to help Luke big-time. A semi-legendary armor set was pretty much as good as gear got in the game, as even if Luke earned a tonne of money, he was not going to find a better Armor set, as legendary full body armor sets were only sold to master knight¡¯s afterpleting custom requests for master cksmiths. It wasn¡¯t something that was avable in the open market, making a semi-legendary set being the best gear money could buy, and for a rtively new yer like Luke, it was more than enough. ¡± Congrattions brother Skylion, I think both our selections are a given at this point-¡± Jerome said as he flew beside Luke who was silently smiling to himself. ¡± Yes, let¡¯s celebrate¡­. Today¡¯s treat is on me-¡± Luke said, as Jerome excitedly replied ¡°Damn right it is! You aced all the exams, you machine-¡± While the semester itself was not yet over, with the final exams concluded, this was pretty much it for the studying season for the knight academy students as from now on would begin a season of guild recruitment and offers as the squire knight¡¯s were given the title of official knight¡¯s and were allowed to make a name for themselves in the wide world. A student like Luke who had came first in all subjects and was the brightest prospect the academy had seen in years was bound to get some great offers, however, unfortunately he was alreadymitted to a guild that had not yet officially formed. At this point, Luke had everything in the game. A great level that wasparable to the top rankers. A great skill education and pedigree by graduating from one of the top academies. A guaranteed guild membership and a role as co-leader. An amazing aerial mount, the kind that was impossible to tame even for stronger NPC¡¯s within the game. A lot of money, MP and great gear, as he could easily be considered as one of the top yers in the game. While he did not have the brightest of starts, as he struggled to make it past the first evaluation¡­ However, once given a good environment to grow where only hard work and skill mattered, he blossomed like the flower that he was, outshining everyone with his innatebat talent and hardwork. His current self now, was more than worthy of being the vice guild master of whatever guild Cervantez was building as Luke¡¯s self confidence reached a new high now that he reached this pedestal. ¡® I¡¯m going to win the grand tournament¡­.. I owe it to the guildmaster -¡® Luke thought, as he resolved to win the grand tournament, putting an emphatic statement to his career as a yer. ************** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez waited inside the Royal Guild Registration Office as his documents and credibility were inspected by the royal officials. While in the world of Terra Nova, registering as an adventurer guild was easy, requiring only money to file as one, bing a State Acknowledged Guild was hard. One needed to have performed considerable charity work, have a reasonable amount of fame, a clean track record and some aplishments under their belt to register as a state acknowledged guild and it was only because Cervantez wanted to establish his guild with a state acknowledgment, that he waited this long to form one. The reason behind why he wanted this recognition was because only State Acknowledged Guilds were allowed to administer territories legally, giving them powers akin to that of a lord, while adventurer guilds could not be territory administrators. ¡± Mr.DarkEmperor, it seems like your paperwork is in order. You seemed to have performed some exemry deeds in helping uplift the poor from the slums in the capital and have cleared a ¡®B¡¯ ranked dungeon as a solo adventurer, saving the empire from a minor outbreak. This is indeed enough for us to ept your guild registration request, however, we must still charge you a registration fee of 20,000 gold coins and additional fees of 30,000 gold coins for a three year lease on the prime real estate you have chosen within the capital to serve as your base of operations. So in total, you must pay us 50,000 gold coins, will that be okay?¡± The royal official asked, as Cervantez winced and looked up at the coin number in his inventory. -49,980 gold coins. -2,420 silver coins. -6,640 bronze coins. He was only expecting to pay 40,000 but the price came out higher than he expected. ¡® This will bankrupt me¡­. Literally¡¯ he thought, before coughing up the required gold coins and paying the 20 coins that he was short on, embarrassingly in silver. ¡± Hahaha, you¡¯re quite a wealthy man to have so much gold on you-¡± said the royal official, who was surprised to see a non-noble in possession of so much gold at once. ¡°Onest thing¡­..What would you like to name the guild? Also would you be serving as the guildmaster?¡± The official asked, as he stamped the guild registration letter with the royal seal and was ready to fill in the name of the guildmaster and the guild into it. ¡± Yes I will indeed be serving as the guildmaster¡­. As for the guild name, please register it as¡­¡± Cervantez said, as he finally registered his state acknowledged guild,pleting a major milestone in his Terra Nova ambitions. Chapter 136: Entering Stronghaven Chapter 136: Entering Stronghaven ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The next morning, Leo and Ben said good-bye to Mount Faulkner and began their journey towards the capital city. The two of them were in high spirits and unlike how they came here while walking slowly because of Leo being untrained, their return pace was much faster as they were able to stride at a moderate pace for long durations. Leo had now mastered the art of moving as an assassin, silent and fast, as he was able to follow Ben closely as the two made their way towards the capital. asionally the duo would stop to have some water and catch their breaths, but overall it was a very smooth journey with no major problems. Although it was a slightly longer route, Ben deliberately avoided moving through popr merchant trails or venture too close to viges as he did not want unnecessary interrogation as to why two darkly robed men were moving through the empire alone, but in-case they came across other humans, Ben and Leo concealed their presence nicely as they movedpletely undetected for the full two days of their journey. *********** ( Two dayster ) Approximately two dayster, the duo found themselves staring at the ever sprawling capital city, as Leo was mesmerized by the sight of Stronghaven. A majority of yers had either already migrated to the capital or to some other big city as the current capital was the hotspot for millions of yers/ NPC and a myriad different races. ¡°Wow, this ce had expanded a lot since Ist came here, it¡¯s almost unrecognizable-¡± Benmented as it has been roughly 20+ years since he wasst here, and the city had changed a lot in his absence. ¡®Luke should be in here somewhere as well-¡® thought Leo, as he knew that Stronghaven was where his brother lived as well. ¡°They won¡¯t let us pass through the official immigration channel. Well not me atleast¡­. and I don¡¯t remember the people who control the illegal immigration into the city. So I guess, I¡¯m going to scale the wall and move in with the wind. What about you?¡± Ben asked Leo, as Leo rubbed his palms and grinned. ¡± Of Course I¡¯m climbing the wall, you¡¯ve made me climb that stupid mountain so many times now, of course I want to put it into action¡± Leo said, as Ben chuckled heartily. ¡± That¡¯s my boy! The Emperor ain¡¯t getting a penny of my money-¡± Ben saidughing as he began running towards the wall with Leo in trail. Since the duo was moving full speed, they did catch the eyes of many who were curious to see as to why two fools were running full speed towards a wall, however, in broad daylight, with guards, NPC¡¯s and yers watching, Leo and Ben scaled the vertical entry wall of Stronghaven like it was nothing as they two reached the summit and jumped into the city like wind, disappearing without a sound once they were on the other side. ¡°What the fuck¡­..?¡± Questioned some yers who witnessed the scene as well as the wall patrol guards, who looked at the height of the 40 feet high wall, it¡¯s 90¡ã slope and then tried toprehend as to how one could simply run up the wall like it was nothing. ¡± Illegal migrants! What are you all looking at? Someone go and find them-¡± one of the patrol officers shouted, but his men hopelessly shrugged their shoulders as Leo and Ben were long out of sight. Now, to find two robed men within the capital was like finding a needle in a haystack and without having seen their faces clearly, it was going to be impossible to identify them as well, as this was already a lost cause. Looking at their example, there were a few brave yers who tried to run towards the wall from the exact same spot that Leo did, hoping to climb it the same way as him, however, they failed miserably when trying to do the same as after taking one or two steps, gravity caught on to them and they fell back first onto the ground. ¡± Motherf- how did they climb it then?¡± The yers questioned, as they began discussing some wild conspiracy theories as to who these people were and wondered if they were the legendary ¡®ninja¡¯ ss NPC/yer. Once inside, Ben and Leo walked calmly through the bustling streets of Stronghaven, as they searched for an inn to rent for a month or two, blending in nicely with the crowd, as Leo experienced the bustle of a busy street for the first time in a long time. Feet moring, people shouting, a variety of smells wafting in his nose. This was a different sensation for Leo, where a lot of information was being fed into his brain at once, which was much differentpared to the calm countryside that he had gotten used to. ¡± Apples¡­ buy apples! 2 bronze coins only! Sir, do you wish to buy juicy apples? It seems that they have caught your eye¡± an energetic street vendor told Leo, who smiled and tossed him one silver and picked two apples in return. ¡± Keep the change-¡± he said, as the vendor smiled brightly, taking off his hat and thanking Leo. ¡± Thankyou, good sir-¡± he said, as Leo took a bite into one apple and gave the second one to Ben. After spending much time in the wild where they could not enjoy the simple luxuries of life such as eating fresh fruits, Ben too enjoyed the juicy apple thoroughly, as he was reminded about the benefits of living with a civilization. ¡± Economy and free market¡­. What a beautiful thing¡± Benmented as he chomped down his apple, as it blew his mind as to how fresh fruits would find their way to a bustling city everyday and not only the farmer, the distributor and consumer would be happy from this service as well. Chapter 137: The DarkSky Guild Chapter 137: The DarkSky Guild ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) ¡°Yes I will indeed be serving as the guildmaster¡­. As for the guild name, please register it as ¡®DarkSky¡¯ ¡± Cervantez said, as the royal officialpleted filling out the guild registration document, officially establishing ¡®DarkSky¡¯ as a guild. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for having sessfully established a state acknowledged guild ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for bing the first yer in the game to establish a state acknowledged guild. Rewards :- +5,000 gold! Do you wish to publicize this result? Yes/ No ] Cervantez received the eagerly awaited notification, along with a bonus of +5000 gold coins, effectively offering him a 10% rebate on the guild registration fees he had just incurred. ¡°Whew, I¡¯m not broke anymore,¡± Cervantez mused, feeling a newfound sense of financial security with the 5000 gold in his inventory, as just a moment ago he was reduced to a fortune of mere pennies. Nheless, money did not matter right now as tapping, ¡®Yes¡¯ on his screen, Cervantez awaited the global announcement. [ Global Announcement : Congrattions to yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for establishing the first state acknowledged guild, ¡®DarkSky¡¯ within Terra Nova Online! ] As the global announcement appeared on his screen, Cervantez took a moment to breathe deeply and smile. The moment hade for the world to recognize the arrival of ¡®DarkSky¡¯. ************* ( The forums ) ¡± A state acknowledged guild? What the hell is a state acknowledged guild? Even I¡¯m part of a guild, but it¡¯s just a normal old guild¡­ someone please exin-¡± ¡± DarkEmperor again? I swear him and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ monopolize like 60% of global announcements¡± ¡°A state acknowledged guild is basically a guild that is given rights equal to that of a lord, should they choose to govern a territory. It¡¯s incredibly hard to be acknowledged as one as not only do you need an extensive social work background, but also insane sums of money and fame to be given a license. It¡¯s next to impossible for a normal yer to establish a state acknowledged guild, but I guess it¡¯s not impossible for DarkEmperor¡± (ReplyToAboveUser) ¡± Whoa- I had no clue establishing a state acknowledged guild was so hard! But I guess it¡¯s worth it if you can be administrators of territory with it- Damn is DarkEmperor hiring? I wanna join the guild he founded for sure¡± ¡± The name, DarkSky¡­.. is it a coincidence, or is this because the guild is co-founded by DarkEmperor and the yer ¡®Skylion¡¯ who has been shooting up the rankings thest few days like aet?¡± The global chat became aze with discussions of DarkEmperor and the first ever state acknowledged guild, as everyone now wanted to establish one, just because DarkEmperor did. Those who did not wish to establish a guild of their own, wanted to join ¡®DarkSky¡¯, as many yers tagged Cervantez and begged him to put out an enrollment form for his guild. On the very first day of creation, the DarkSky guild made all the waves that Cervantez hoped it would. ************* ( The guild members POV ) The second Luke saw the global announcement, a soft smile spread over his face as this was the moment he had been waiting for a long time. While him and Cervantez had never discussed the guild name, the fact that he named it ¡®DarkSky¡¯,bining elements of both their gaming names, touched his heart as he was extra grateful that he took this step. A quick nce over the global forums told him that this was probably going to be the hottest topic for a while now, however, just as he opened his personal chat with Cervantez, to congratte him, he was instead met with a guild invite. [ Guild Invitation ¨C You have been invited to join the guild ¡®DarkSky¡¯ in the position of the ¡®Vice Guildmaster¡¯. Current guild members ¨C 1 Do you wish to ept this invitation? Yes No ] Clicking ¡®Yes¡¯, Luke officially joined the ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild, as he was automatically transferred to a guild chat, where his role was disyed as ¡®Vice Guildmaster¡¯. Soon, many more yers joined the guild chat one after another. [ Chief Mage Lysa has joined the guild! ] [ Chief Assaulter Tor has joined the guild!] [ Chief Tank C has joined the guild! ] [ Chief Archer Jex has joined the guild! ] [ Chief Scout Snoop has joined the guild! ] [ Chief Craftsman Tony has joined the guild! ] [ Chief cksmith VainKitty has joined the guild! ] Before Luke could even congratte Cervantez in private, many guild members joined one after another, each with a unique designation that described their role within the guild in the best way. ¡± Wee all! As promised, the guild that I had envisioned has finally been established and I¡¯m proud to say that I havepleted gathering the core team that will be the future cornerstones of this guild. First and foremost, the vice guild master Skylion. He is someone who holds authority, second only to me in this guild and is an unparalleled warrior, leader and yer. If you have doubts regarding anything and I¡¯m not avable, he will be the one you should approach. After him, all the rest of you are equal, but since you have not met each other yet, let me give a brief introduction of all members. Lysa is a mage studying at the royal mage academy and is in my opinion the best mage in the game currently. In the future, she will be our AOE support in dungeon runs and will be the leader of the mage division of this guild. Tor is the chief Assaulter. Being trained by the Orc Chieftain Khumkatutuk, Tor is learning to be a warrior that¡¯s unlike any other human and he is the one who will lead this guild from the front in future battles. C is our chief Tank, training under a Expert Knight and is a damage and aggro taker. He¡¯s slightly shy, so treat him with kindness. Jex is currently training at the Royal Ranger Academy, he¡¯s the best archer in the game by far and will be this guild¡¯s long range sniper/support. Snoop is the head of information and scouting, while Tony and Amanda( Vain Kitty ) will be the economic backbone of this guild. While new members maye or go, this will be the core structure of the guild, the people with whom I wish to write the history of DarkSky with. So let¡¯s all get along-¡° Chapter 138: Registering Into The Grand Tournament Chapter 138: Registering Into The Grand Tournament ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was just checking into an inn with Ben when a global announcement showed up on his screen. [ Global Announcement : Congrattions to yer ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ for establishing the first state acknowledged guild, ¡®DarkSky¡¯ within Terra Nova Online! ] It was a very interesting announcement for Leo, as it concerned his brother Luke and his adversary DarkEmperor. He was not shocked that DarkEmperor was sessful in creating the first ever guild, but the thought that he might have gotten levels for this achievement made his gut roll, as he immediately checked the ranking leaderboards to see if there was any change- Only when he did not see any immediate change did Leo sigh in relief as he really did not have energy to keep up with the leveling demands of the leaderboards with the Grand Tournament drawing near. He was sort of happy that Cervantez named the guild DarkSky, including their pedigree as the Skyshards in its name, however, he was not sure if it was a wise decision or not as if the guild became as big as Cervantez hoped it would, then someday this fame was going toe and bite him and Luke in the ass, that much Leo was sure of. That aside, Leo already knew that Luke was participating in the grand tournament on Cervantez¡¯s direction. That meant that it was highly likely that the two woulde face to face with each other, alongside other members of the DarkSky guild. ¡± I guess I¡¯ll see all DarkSky members in the grand tournament, alongside Cervantez and Luke-¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he moved his attention from the global announcement and focused on reserving a room for a month instead. Since he was not short on money, Leo reserved the most premium rooms of the inn for himself and Ben as he insisted on paying, assuring Ben that he was rich and could afford it. Ben found it weird to let his disciple pay, but he did not protest much as despite his excellent strength, in the end Ben was not a ¡®rich¡¯ man and could not afford to buy the rooms that Leo booked for the two. Quickly settling in, the duo took a total of five minutes to change into more moderate clothing that did not make them stand out from the crowd, with Leo once again adorning theyman¡¯s clothing. They did so, to not stand out from the crowd as they went out to register Leo for the uing Grand Tournament, which was the first agenda of the two in the capital. ******** Registering for the grand tournament was more or less a very simple process for yers. Regardless of their real life age, all yers were eligible to enroll into the tournament, while for NPC entrants there was an age cap of 20 years. One needed to only show their age, identity and choice of weapon to register for the open category, after heading over to registration centers that were temporarily built all over the royal capital for this week only. Thousands of young NPC applicants and yers queued outside each registration booths, with the waiting time to register reaching an average of two hours for each booth. Since there was no other option, Leo patiently waited in the queue, however, Ben who did not have such patience tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to follow him, as using ¡®Vanish¡¯ the duo minimized their presence and cut the queue such that they reached all the way to the front with only a few candidates ahead of them. Leo wisely used the [ Edit Profile Disy ] option before joining the queue as he set his disy level to [65] and lowered his stats, in case anyone sent detection spells his way. This was a very wise decision on his part, as detection spells rained down on him when it was finally his turn to register, however, interest in him waned when they realized that Leo was a low leveled yer that was slightly under average. ¡± Please state your name and choice of weapon-¡± the registration officer asked Leo, when his turn came to register. ¡± TheBoss, Dagger-¡± Leo replied in a hushed voice, ensuring that his voice did not propagate to unwanted ears. Having already mastered ( Mirror World ) Leo had already developed an understanding of how to conceal his voice when needed which came in handy in this public setting as except for the registration officer no-one else could hear his name. ¡± Please pay a one time entry fee of 20 silver coins-¡± The booth officer requested as Leo paid him instantly. ¡± Alright, your first round match will be in two days¡¯ time. Should you win, you will have three more qualification rounds before being dered as an official open candidate. This is your token number and a guide map to your first eliminator round arena, all the best-¡± the booth officer said in almost a mechanical voice as it was a dialogue she had been speaking for the past three days non-stop and was now bored of it. ¡± Thankyou-¡± Leo said, as he and Ben moved out of the line as Ben was impressed as to how Leo was not called out for being a criminal by the authorities. ¡± Do you really have no criminal background?¡± He asked, surprised as he expected the booth officer to scrutinize his identity, however, she did nothing of the sort. ¡± No, I have no criminal record. In Fact I have merit with the government¡± Leo replied with a grin, as Ben pped him on the back with joy. ¡± That¡¯s my disciple! It¡¯s always good to have them by the balls-¡± Ben said with a smile on his face as it was a big relief for him that at least of them two, Leo had a shot at living a civilized life. ¡± Umm master Ben ¡­ I have something urgent to take care of in the capital. Do you mind if I join youter?¡± Leo asked Ben, who stroked his chin and nodded in understanding. He too wanted to visit his father¡¯s cemetery alone since he was in the capital, so it was understandable that Leo wanted some alone time as well. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s meet at the innter tonight¡± Ben said, as he and Leo parted ways. Chapter 139: The Cost Chapter 139: The Cost The MP exchange hall was the only building within the entire game that was restricted for everyone beside yers to ess. NPC¡¯s walked past it without ever developing a desire toe inside as to them the ce simply did not exist. As Leo entered this building, he felt extremely emotional as he felt his usualposure go up in smoke. When he left Earth alongside Luke, the two brothers had decided to say good-bye to their mother, forever. However, then they met Cervantez, who gave them hope that perhaps with enough MP the two brothers could bring their mother over to this arc ship. Hope¡­ It was like an addictive poison, as ever since Luke and Leo had the hope of reuniting with their mothers, they worked harder than ever before, not spending a single MP for the luxuries of life, but rather saving it all for potentially calling their mother here someday. While Luke could have visited this building sooner, since he lived in the capital, Cervantez told him that there was no point in him visiting without having a significant collection of MP, as his request was bound to cost tens of thousands of MP. Believing the guild masters words, Luke did not visit the building, however, on his very first day at the capital, Leo did make a visit there, for the sole purpose of knowing the cost of bringing her mother here. As he entered the building, he found it to be 90% empty, as there were several telephone booth-like slots made inside the building and the few people that were inside, all seemed to be cing a call on one of these booth phones. There were no NPC inside the building, no-one to guide Leo on what to do, as just by observing others Leo assumed that walking up to a booth and picking up a phone was what he was supposed to do, as everyone else seemed to be doing exactly that. Walking up to an empty booth himself, Leo picked up the telephone, as immediately he heard a semi-human ent speak from the other side of the phone ¡°Operator speaking, what request do you wish to have fulfilled today?¡± Immediately, Leo matched this ent with that of the arc ship announcement that he heard sometimes, as Leo understood that the individual on the other side of the line was either the only, or at least one of the many ship operators in real life. ¡® Alien¡­.I¡¯m talking to one of the aliens¡¯ Leo realized, as his breathing quickened. ¡°I have a mother back on Earth, her name is Elena. I want to inquire how much MP it will take to bring her to this ship. I also wish to know if there is an organ regrowing method avable, for her to regain her lost kidney. Finally, I wish to know if it¡¯s possible to bring her to this ship and not have her face the cruel living conditions of sector E or D-¡± Leo said, his voice slightly emotional as he put forward his three pertinent questions. For a moment, the individual on the other side of the line was silent, but he then said- ¡± Do you wish to pay 3 MP to reveal the answer of the three questions that you have asked?¡± Leo frowned, he did not want to pay MP to have his question just answered, but since he did not have any option here to decline, he silently epted the cost. ¡± Alright, please tell me the answer¡± he said, as 3 MP were deducted from his bnce. ¡± The cost to bring your mother to this particr arc ship will be 26,500 MP for this month and shall go up by 1000 MP for every month that you dy making this choice. If you don¡¯t wish to bring her to this particr arc ship, but just on Terra Nova, then her simple extraction from Earth will only cost 12,000 MP, which will also increase in cost by 200 MP for every one month that passes by. To regenerate a kidney, within an arc ship, it will cost you 500 MP, but should you wish the operation to take ce on earth, it will take 5000 MP. Finally, for her to not start her life on the ship as a Sector E worker and a new yer, you need to pay 200 MP a month in rent, to allow her to reside in whatever sector you are living-¡± The ship operator answered, as Leo felt his eyes widen in surprise at hearing these prices. On the positive side, Leo was happy that bringing his mother to this ship was indeed possible! That Cervantez had not lied to them and with enough MP she could be brought here. However, the cost of bringing her to this ship itself was very costly for some reason. In hindsight, Leo could see it as to how their distance from Earth was increasing every passing minute and hence the logistical cost to bring his mother here should increase as well, however, under such conditions Leo felt as if no matter how hard he worked, he would never be able to collect the money needed to bring his mother here. Bringing her directly to Terra Nova was another option, that way they could reunite on that, however, Leo felt like even that was a risky choice to make, as he did not know if her mother would receive the same sort of training that him and Luke were getting on these arc ships, and whether she would just be a useless relic of old times on Terra Nova if she did not receive the yer training of an arc ship. Finally, the cost of recing her lost kidney was very reasonable if the operation was performed inside an alien ship, which was a big relief since Leo still felt extremely guilty for her losing her kidney to send them kids to space. ¡± Is there going to be a second round of arc ships departing Earth? How long will the still survive?¡± Leo asked, as his brain began racing fast, trying toe up with creative solutions. ¡± The question will cost you 2MP, do you wish to pay?¡± The operator asked, as Leo confirmed with a yes. ¡± Yes, four more arc ships will leave Earth in about 3 months from now, around the one year anniversary of the first round of arc ships leaving. That will be thest round of ships to leave Earth as about 4 months down the line, Earth will be a lifeless with a 99.99% wipe-out cataclysmic event looming over the horizon¡± the operator answered, as Leo felt his heart jump into his mouth when he heard those words. Just moments ago he was thinking about how he would gather the necessary MP to bring mother here in the next 6 months to One year, and just now he realized that he did not have the luxury of waiting 6 months to save her. In four months time, Earth was going to be a dead, with almost all sentient life going extinct. The end¡­. Was near. Chapter 140: The Stage Chapter 140: The Stage ¡± How much will it cost me to secure a spot for my mother on one of the uing arc ships? Is there even a functioning government left on Earth that will decide who gets to leave and who does not anymore?¡± Leo asked, as given the time constraint he realized that sending a private vessel to transport her to Terra Nova, or calling her on this ship to reside with them, would both be not possible, as his best option now was to secure a spot for his mother aboard the next round of Arc Ships. ¡°Do you wish to pay-¡± ¡± Yes-¡± Leo already knew that the greedy bastard wanted more MP to answer his question, so he immediately said yes even before he quoted a price. ¡± To secure an S ss ticket for her, you will need to pay 6,500 MP. To secure an A ss ticket, it shall be 4500. To secure a B ss ticket, it shall be 2500. To secure a C ss ticket it shall be 1500. To secure a D ss ticket it shall be 1000. To secure a E ss ticket it shall be 500. As for there being a functioning government? No- society has already descended into anarchy ever since the top officials fled. The second round selections are going to be done on the basis of survival of the fittest, with the strongest survivors being given a chance to change their fate. However, for a low-low fees of 300MP, a private transport can be arranged for your mother to carry her from her location on Earth to the nearest arc ship safely¡± The operator said, as Leo felt the gears in his head spinning fast. He was never going to take the risk of buying a ticket for his mother in an anarchy and expecting her to make it to the nearest ship without support. So the 300 merit points for security was a must. He had about 1000, MP saved now, after all these rounds of questioning, give or take, which meant that he could at least secure an E ss ticket + protection for his mother on his own. However, depending on how much MP Luke had gathered, the two could pool their resources and buy a better ticket for their mother, giving her a nice starting point. Once on the ship, they could also buy a recement kidney for her with 500 MP and that way they could save her from dying on Earth! While also putting her in a good spot to begin her journey as a yer. Although they would be unable to physically meet for 4+ years, until she too reached Terra Nova, at least this way they would still have hope to reunite someday. ¡± Alright, thankyou-¡± Leo said, hanging up the phone as he walked out of the building with a heavy burden on his mind. He was unsure if he himself would survive past the grand tournament or not, however, he knew that regardless of him surviving past the tournament, their mother needed to be saved at all cost. *************** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Both Luke and Jerome were officially selected to be the representatives of the knight academy, given confirmed slots, while the other 23 candidates were asked to undergo a special second round of selections to decide the best 3 fighters from amongst them. Principal Wood had already estimated that this would be how things would turn out at the end of the semester, however, had he announced Luke and Jerome as the two permanent seat candidates at the start, the entire university would have called him out for having shown favoritism, but that was not the case. Jerome was being trained as a fighter ever since he was a seven year old child. His foundations ran deep and he had the attitude befitting a high noble which constantly strived to improve. Luke was a master knight¡¯s apprentice, had astronomical talent and was the most promising candidate to have graduated from the university in the past 25 years. With him at the helm, Principal Wood hoped for a knight academy victory in this year¡¯s Grand Tournament as for thesest few days while the other candidates were being selected, he and some other top professors individually mentored Luke and Jerome as those two were the pride of the academy. This special training, helped Luke sharpen his senses, as battling high level knight¡¯s gave him the battle experience that he wascking, improving his abilities as a fighter. *********** ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) Lin Mu, under the pressure of the Night Guild, registered for the Grand Tournament from the open category. Having reached the Royal Capital Stronghaven, through illegal ports of entry alongside other night guild contestants, Lin Mu hadpletely be a part of the assassin alliance at this point, having even umted a small amount of infamy. For her to sessfully register for the tournament, she needed to use a hypnosis charm that made the official overlook her background, as without it she could not even register in officialpetitions anymore. At this point she was a shadow of her former free and happy self, as her self-confidence and free-will had been suffocated, turning her into an obedient soldier that was a killing machine. Her goal now was to simply win the grand tournament at any cost necessary, while failure to do so was going to mean the end of the Mu n. Having undergone hellish training for the past few months, she had now fine-tuned into bing a peak assassin, as everything from her technique, her reflexes and her uracy was absolutely spot on. Hypothetically, had she have participated in the Grand tournament from just a year back, she would have had no problem winning it with an arm tied behind her back as she was just miles betterpared to the average genius. Nheless, this year¡¯s tournament was not the average grand tournament, with freakish generational talents that were all way above the average genius gathering under the banner of the samepetition. For Lin Mu to win thispetition, she definitely would not have it easy, however, she was undeniably one of the favorites to win. Chapter 141: Bens unconventional methods Chapter 141: Ben''s unconventional methods Chapter 141: Ben¡¯s unconventional methods ( Real World, The sector D apartment ) Leo confronted Luke about his findings at the MP exchange store when he logged out of the game. While they had to report to work in a few minutes and needed to get ready, Leo did not waste a single moment of their time together as he said everything in a single breath. He exined how Earth was going to end in four months time and how there was going to be a second round of ships leaving the soon. He also exined how Earth was turning into anarchy and how for mother to reach the arc ship they needed to hire protection for her that would cost 300 MP. He said everything non-stop, as Luke digested the information with a straight face, as in the end he revealed that he had 3000 MP roughly, which when added to Leo¡¯s 1000, gave them abined wealth of 4000 MP to spend. Leo was pleasantly surprised when he found out that Luke had umted close to 3,000 MP which was three times the amount that he did, as his respect for his elder brother increased significantly after this. With this wealth, they could afford to buy a B ss ticket for their mother, alongside a new kidney and protection to get there, which was already a very favorable oue, however, if they pushed just a bit more, they might be able to buy an A ss ticket for her, which would be apletely different experience. In the end, because they were short on time, Luke told Leo to calm down, that he would talk to Cervantez about this and then they would video call their mother using some MP to first talk to her and exin to her the choices she had, as only then would they make a decision. Since even in the worst case, the two brothers had enough wealth to secure a B ss ticket for their mother, Leo felt slightly reassured as he stopped panicking. Since he had conveyed everything he needed to, he was now assured that Luke would handle the rest. ************* ( Leo¡¯s POV, back in the virtual world) After a hard day at work, Leo logged back into Terra Nova Online at the end, as Luke assured him that he would be the one doing the investigations today during game time, while Leo should focus on other stuff not involving their mother. Since the grand tournament selection round was tomorrow, Leo decided to get his head back into training, as he followed Ben¡¯s instructions on what to do for the day. Instead of physically training him, or making him undergo any crazy exercise, Ben allowed Leo to haveplete rest as he merely brought him to the market, to observe people. Leo did not understand what observing people would do for him? However, he did not doubt Ben or his teachings, havingplete faith in him. Since Ben instructed him to sit tight and watch the flow of the market, that was exactly what Leo was going to do. Positioning himself on a wooden bench near the bustling center of the market, where the throngs of people flowed like rivers merging at a delta, Leo observed the cluster of voices, the clinking of coins, and the myriad scents wafting through the air from stalls selling everything from exotic spices to freshly baked goods. As he watched, Leo began to notice the rhythm of the market, realizing that there was a pattern to the chaos¡ªa merchant haggling with a customer, a mother shepherding her children through the crowd, a group of performers drawing an audience with their dazzling disy. Each individual was a thread in the fabric of daily life in Stronghaven. Ben joined him after a while, holding two cups of something steamy and aromatic. ¡°Observation is the first step to understanding,¡± he said, handing one of the cups to Leo. ¡°What have you noticed?¡± Leo took a thoughtful sip, the warm liquid a pleasant contrast to the crisp air. ¡°Everyone has a role, a ce they¡¯re heading to. It¡¯s like¡­like a dance.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ben replied with a nod. ¡°In this dance, each step, each movement, is driven by purpose. And just like inbat, predicting your opponent¡¯s next move by their current stance, in life, understanding people¡¯s actions gives you insight into their next steps.¡± Leo pondered Ben¡¯s words. It wasn¡¯t just about the fight or the physical prowess; it was about understanding the world around him, predicting oues, and being steps ahead of the rest. This lesson wasn¡¯t about physical strength; it was about predicting the future. Once he had observed enough people, he could already see the path that a mother walking with a child was going to take. While the child was to her right while she was walking, once she observed the street begar in the market she would move to the right, shielding her child away from the beggar as she ignored his pleas for money. This scene, Leo could see unfold, even before it unfolded itself as just on intuition alone, he learned how to predict movement. Then, as his vision merged with reality,ing true exactly as he hoped it would, he felt satisfied, as everything did indeed y out like he thought it would, making him feel amazing. ¡°As a warrior, your greatest weapon isn¡¯t the dagger in your belt but the knowledge in your head and the wisdom to use it,¡± Ben said, his gaze taking in the flow of people around them. ¡°Every person here is living a story, facing their battles, just like you. Learning to read those stories, to see beyond the surface, that¡¯s a skill you¡¯ll need both in and out ofbat.¡± He said, as once Leo took in the meaning behind his words, the market around them no longer seemed just a ce to buy and sell goods but a living ssroom, with each passerby a lesson in disguise. Once again, Leo felt a newfound respect for Ben¡¯s unconventional methods. There was much more to being a warrior than he had initially thought. However, unfortunately, even if there was a skill behind this move, he would not be able to master it as starting tomorrow, the preliminary round of the grand tournament was beginning for him. As the sun began its descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Leo and Ben rose from the bench. Walking back through the market, towards their inn, as Leo felt thoroughly refreshed and content with the days training. Although he did not train physically, giving his body aplete rest, his mind was pretty much exhausted and feeling sharper than ever. Chapter 142: Start Of Preliminaries Chapter 142: Start Of Preliminaries ( Luke¡¯s POV ) After Leo came to Luke in a frenzy, Luke confronted Cervantez about his brother¡¯s findings in the game the next day over private chat. While Cervantez did not remember what happened to Earth, as after leaving the in his past life, he had never really bothered to check what happened to it, but he told Luke that if an operator had given Leo the information, then it was bound to be right as he advised Luke to act at the earliest and bail their mother out of the dying while they still had a chance to do so. While Luke did not get any official system quest exining how much reward he would get should he win the uing Grand Tournament, Luke knew that if he got the win and became the lord of a territory, he could certainly leverage it with the right people to gather more MP, as in his mind he had decided that once the grand tournament ended, he would contact their mother and try bail her out of Earth. He was also thankful that Leo brought this to his attention before the cataclysm ended Earth, as Luke himself was not nning on visiting the MP exchange store any time soon. ¡± Since Leo visited the MP exchange store, he must be in the capital right? We should definitely meet up-¡± Luke wondered, as he made a mental note to meet Leo within Terra Nova Online and visit the MP exchange store togetherter, to make a video call to their mother back home, if it was possible. He also wanted to meet Leo as it is, as he had never met his brother inside the game, nor did he have any idea what his gaming ID was. ¡± Is he here for the grand tournament as well?¡± Luke wondered, as Leo¡¯s arrival to the capital, oddly coincided with the open round preliminaries, as Luke could not help but think he might be here because of it. ¡°Well, whatever it is, I must hold afortable talk with himter-¡± he murmured to himself, as he threw this thought to the back of his head and headed out alongside Jerome to observe the preliminary rounds of the open qualifiers. ***************** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) On the qualifier day, Leo, apanied by Ben, made his way to their assigned martial arena, using the map that the registration official had given him. Martial arenas, each about half the size of a football field, had sprung up across the city and its outskirts to amodate thepetition¡¯s open round. These arenas evenly distributed the participants, with each hosting qualifiers for around 750 contenders and drawing spectating crowds of thousands more. The qualification¡¯s first challenge was an over the top battle royale, where without the use of any weapons or harmful techniques, 250petitors would enter the arena and attempt to push out one another outside the martial stage. There were no points for eliminating a candidate, however, there were points for survival as the goal was simple! One only needed to push opponents out of bounds, with only thest 10 individuals standing advancing to the next round. Each martial arena was set to conduct three rounds of this challenge, each round featuring 250 participants and ending with 10 advancing further. Leo, whose martial arena was within the city, near an essible market, was set topete in the day¡¯s first round, as he walked on to the stage and found himself surrounded by all sorts of differentpetitors. NPC humans, NPC non-human characters like elves, orcs, Beastmen. yers of all sses. It was a mixed pool of every kind ofpetitor. Yet Leo felt no fear as he looked into the eyes of hispetition. He was wearing his full assassin gear today, adorning Ben¡¯s old robes and the ck painted spider n¡¯s mask, but was not carrying any smoke bombs or daggers around his waist, since the use of external items was illegal in this round. With his disy information set to mislead his opposition, Leo yed the role of a tiger hiding in pig skin, as he desperately hoped that his opponents underestimated him. Ben¡¯s only advice for him in this round was for him to not disy more abilities than he needed to as ording to Ben, even if Leo only used his wits and agility, he could easily win this round without breaking a sweat and that was exactly what Leo hoped to do. While there was no proper viewing stands constructed around the martial arena for the preliminaries, there were still a few thousandmoners gathered, who watched the contest from behind a safety rope as they hoped for an entertaining contest. The favorites to advance to the next round seemed to be a sumo-sized human who had the mass of five Leo¡¯sbined and a super tall orc, who seemed to be pulsating with insane muscle strength. Even before the round began, those two intimidated everyone, as people subconsciously moved away from those two opponents, maintaining maximum distance with them. As for Leo, he had a minimal presence of the stage, as he casually stood with his hands behind his neck, as he knew that while ¡®TheBoss¡¯ needed to make a big wave in this tournament, the time for it was not ripe yet. Just as Ben said, showing off his skills in preliminary rounds with a crowd of 2000moners was going to do him no good whatsoever, hence Leo kept his cool and did not mind when some people with nefarious intentions surrounded him, as with a single nce, Leo realized that those four yers had teamed up to survive the first round and had singled out Leo as a target. Smiling under his mask, Leo awaited the officials to dere the start of the first round, as the tournament officials made the final preparations like checking the headcount, ensuring that all participants were at least 2 meters away from the edge of the arena and that nobody had brought any weapon onto the stage. Once they were satisfied and all referees were in position to check if one had fallen off or not, the head tournament official announced the start of the first round, as immediately the coalition of four yers went after Leo, trying to eliminate him first. Chapter 143: Cleaning House Chapter 143: Cleaning House Four guys rushed towards Leo, the moment the match official signaled for the start. To them, Leo looked like easy pickings and since he was standing at an area more close to the edge rather than the center, they felt as if pushing him out would not be a hard task. Leo watched them approach him calmly, with his honed reflexes, he could have easily avoided their clutch and backflipped behind them if he wanted to, however, he allowed them to get their hands on him, as four men pushed him back with all their strength. ¡°That¡¯s itd, this is game over for you-¡± said the one who was at the very front, having the tightest grip over Leo¡¯s shoulders, while the rest were only pushing along. For a few steps, Leo yed their game, being pushed back as if he were a powerless small guy as he dangerously allowed them to push him near the edge. Then, just as the guy at the very front loosened his grip on Leo¡¯s shoulders, attempting to make a final push so that Leo would fall down but not him, Leo disyed a little bit of his agility and body flexibility as he rotated his upper body at an unnatural left angle, making the guy nearest to him slip while trying to push. ¡°Whoops¡± he said, as he stumbled one step forward, his teammates holding his robes from behind to ensure he didn¡¯t slip. But just then, Leo kicked the arms of those holding him in ce to force them to loosen their grip, while another kick to the man¡¯s rear, to send him flying off the arena stage. ¡± Noo-¡± shouted the man who hit the floor face first, while his teammates were shocked to see him be eliminated. ¡°Where did he go? The ck robed guy? Where did he go?¡± A second team member of the four suddenly said, as while all eyes were tracing the fall of their teammate, Leo had apparently disappeared from in sight, as they could not longer locate him on the edge. *Kick* *Kick* *Kick* Three powerful kicks to the rear of the other three men left, sent them flying over the arena edge as well as Leo¡¯s power coupled with the perfect kicking technique left them no chance to regain their bnce this close to the edge. For the four men who chose to take on Leo, their hopes of winning the Grand Tournament ended before they ever started as their elimination was met with lots of publicughter and humiliation. ¡®HAHAHAHA-, Look at these jackasses, could not eliminate a dude four on one¡¯ ¡®Oh my god, of my god, did you see how theynded face first? Hahahaha, one even has a nosebleed¡¯ ¡®Too funny! This way of elimination is too funny!¡¯ Everyoneughed and mocked the four fools who got eliminated, rubbing salt over their wounds. Unfortunately for them, the only thing they could do after facing such humiliating elimination was to look at the domineering back of Leo who eliminated them, as they reflected on their mistake of picking on the wrong guy. Thankfully, they were not the only ones who were eliminated, many people began to be eliminated right as the round started. Some were outright picked up and dumped out, some were pushed out, some were kicked out, but more or less 30-40 people faced elimination within the first minute of the round itself, with the opportunist¡¯s striking next. A good portion of people, who had stayed near the center only attacked when they saw an opening in the enemy¡¯s defenses, ying the waiting game of an opportunistic snake. When they saw someone eliminating another wayy close to the edge, they would strike from behind, eliminating them both as the next two minutes that saw another 40-50 eliminations were mostly of such a trend. It was only after the number of participants went down to 100-120 that the real fight began as with the newly opened up space, disys of proper martial arts could be seen. Ben observed all the candidates from the crowd carefully. For his veteran eyes, picking out the good fighters from the trash was not hard, however, he wasn¡¯t impressed by anyone. The giant sumo, who was suited perfectly for this round had too much rigidity in his movements. While he managed to push out a lot of contestants, should he have faced Leo, he would have been easy pickings. The same could be said for most Non-Human species contestants, as despite their racial advantages, none had a foundation that could impress Ben. In contrast, he was most pleased with Leo¡¯s disy, as with both his hands in his pocket and not doing anything shy, Leo knocked out quite a few opponents with a kick to the neck and tossed them out like the trash they were. About five minutes into the fight, after anyone who approached him was being knocked out cold, the entire fighting field understood that Leo was not to be messed with, as after that point, until the very end, nobody dared pick on Leo. Finally, as only 15 contestants were left, Leo felt utterly bored and took the responsibility of eliminating the giant sumo, the hulkish orc, two prideful elves and a narcissistic human, as he cleaned house on his own, without breaking a sweat. The audience was left mouths agape watching Leo¡¯s performance, as nobody had expected him to dominate the way he did, as while the other 9 qualifiers quaked in a corner, Leo walked off the stage once the selection round was deredplete. ¡®Oye oye oye, who is that guy? He¡¯s got some mad skills-¡® ¡®The way he dresses, is he a shadow mage?¡¯ ¡®Shadow mage? He might be a petty thief, his fighting style is like that of a gangster¡¯ ¡®Wooo, I¡¯m a fan! I¡¯ll be rooting for this kid, what¡¯s his name?¡¯ Praises rained down upon Leo, who received the second round token and a map to the second preliminary round that was to be held the next day, as Ben watched him seed with a big smile on his face. ¡± That¡¯s my boy-¡± he murmured, as he truly felt 40 years younger, watching Leo fight so beautifully with his techniques. Chapter 144: Round One Qualifiers Chapter 144: Round One Qualifiers ( Meanwhile, at other arenas ) Lin Mu was assigned to the same preliminary venue as the other night guild members and had to not even lift a finger to clear the first round. Standing at the center with both her arms folded, she watched calmly as herckies handled everything for her as from start to finish she was needed to take no personal action. Themon contestants were of course no match for the juiced up night guild fighters on steroids who not only had excellent technique, but also enhanced strength, as they were mauled like a child when facing them. Overall, Dem Paltrow was very satisfied with the performance as Lin Mu and the rest all progressed to the second round. ********** The arena that Jerome and Luke went out to spectate, just happened to be the arena where Cervantez was trying to qualify from, as the duo was treated to a top performance from the guildmaster of DarkSky guild. This was the first time that Luke saw Cervantez in action and he did not disappoint at all! Even without a weapon, anyone could see the difference between him and the other contestants easily, as whether it was positional awareness, explosive speed, or impressive strength, Cervantez was miles ahead from the rest as just like Leo in his round, Cervantez wiped house in his. ¡°Hmmm, this DarkEmperor guy is strong-¡± Jeromemented, while observing the fight as he felt genuine threat from Cervantez, as hemitted him to memory for the future. While Luke and Jerome watched all three qualification rounds on that venue, no other individual stood out as much as Cervantez, as in the end, he was the only fighter that genuinely worried Jerome. Other DarkSky members like Tor also managed to qualify, but with hundreds of NPC and yers qualifying to round two of preliminaries, this small win was nothing to write home about yet. With there still being two more stages of preliminaries to cross, the road between now to the start of the grand tournament was still long. ********** ( The Uprising, core members group chat ) ¡°I think the grand tournament brings with it a grand opportunity to start a betting ring. We observed the crowd across all arenas today and have realized that the official betting channels are too expensive, taking 20-25% cut off the winnings. If we can undercut them, offering a 10% margin, we can make hundreds of thousands of gold coins¡± a core member suggested. ¡°I think just taking part in illegal betting is too risky, what if we are caught and our funds are seized? We should instead leverage our bet by using the illegally obtained money, and cing a bet on the official channels. That way we can potentially earn double the money while also evading official scrutiny¡± another core member, who was incharge of smuggling people into the city said, as his suggestion was warmly epted by many. ¡°I think what we need is set-up inside men. We need people who can help us rig the fights and eliminate the risk of gambling. I think we need to approach those fighters who have no hopes of winning the tournament overall and then buy them over for small sums of money. This way, we can make maximum profits while taking minimal risk¡± suggested a third core member, responsible for running the ck markets as ChaosBringer who was reading this chat could not help but feel impressed by their ideas. At first when he set up the uprising, it was a rag-tag bunch of hooligans, however, over time it had evolved into a more solid organization with actual smart people in it. These days, everything from smuggling people in, buying arms, property, running ck markets, bribing public officials, urred in a smooth way without ChaosBringer needing to personally do much, as the core members of the uprising had turned into reliable mob bosses. The organization grew on its own and relying on the fake news that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was one of their own, the group managed to expand their lower management by a lot, as the prestige of the top yer brought a lot of names to the organization. ¡°I agree with the approach that buys the fighters out before the fight. However, I want to know if any of our organization members have made it to the second round? I mean, rather than buying people off, I would first buy off people in our own organization as that would definitely be more reliable¡± another core member said, as discussions broke out about the point that he put forward. Some suggested making a public announcement within the uprising server to ask if any of their members were participating, while the others suggested lurking in global chat and catching people who were flexing their wins there. Finally, someone asked if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was participating in the tournament or not, as if he was participating then they did not even need to rig the fights as because he was the best yer, they could simply ce all bets on him to win, as once again discussions broke out about TheBoss, and demands were made that he address the guild chat. ¡°To be honest I¡¯m tired of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ always being silent. Like at some point you need to talk-¡± ¡°Yes, leader ChaosBringer, please ask him to address this crowd-¡± ¡°We wish to talk to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡± Wild demands started to be made, as ChaosBringer frowned watching this situation develop. He hoped that the demands to talk to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ would fizzle out after a while like they usually did, however, today seemed different as he was forced to make a public statement. ¡± TheBoss is an erratic entity, he¡¯s not someone that even I can get a hold off easily, however, as far as him performing in the Grand Tournament is concerned, I think it will be open for all to see. Just wait till the tournament officially starts-¡± ChaosBringer typed, as he wrote aplete lie to silence the crowd. As for how it was going to y out, only time would tell. Chapter 145: Second Round Begins Chapter 145: Second Round Begins If the first round of the preliminaries was considered to be a round aimed at removing the weeds and weaklings, then the second round of the preliminaries was designed to eliminate the average from the elite. From thousands of participants in the first preliminary round, only a few hundred survived to the second preliminary round, however, only 7-10% of them were going to move forward into round three, with roughly only 128 candidates moving forward, total. Four testing arenas were created to hold round two qualifiers, in the four biggest open grounds in the city, with a spectator limit of 15,000 individuals each. Approximately 250-300 candidates were assigned to each testing arena, with Leo¡¯s arena being the West End Arena, near the Knight¡¯s Academy. Thankfully, with Cervantez being assigned to the North End Arena and Jerome wishing to keep an eye on him, Luke and Jerome had gone to the North End to watch the second round preliminaries, leaving Leo alone. ¡± The second round is nothing much, boy, it¡¯s a simple disy of physical prowess. The tests here are, strength punch test, standing long jump, standing high jump, weapon mastery, etc. There is no immediate sess or failure here, you just have to be better than the rest with the toppiled scores moving onto the next round. You can either take the test this way, or if you consider yourself to be a special talent that doesn¡¯t specialize in physical aspects, then you can take a judge¡¯s evaluation test, where they will score you based off your abilities and candidates with an 8/10 or higher score shall move onto the third round. For you, both the tests are open for the taking, however, I¡¯d suggest the physical attributes test as it¡¯s more low-key¡± Ben said, as he suggested that Leo take the physical attributes test to keep his skills hidden. Leo scanned the arena and looked at all the testing apparatus that the officials were setting up as he nodded towards Ben, acknowledging his advice to go for the physical prowess qualification. With there being proper viewing stands for the second round audience, the atmosphere was starting to get rowdy as Ben took a seat in the front row after knocking out a guy who was pping amusedly. There was still about an hour left till the second round testing started, however, the 15,000 strong arena was already filled 90% with the remaining seats sure to be filled within the next 5-10 minutes as the craze amongst the masses for the grand tournament was just that strong. This was also the stage where media attention was brought to yers as amongst the crowd were manymon yers who were posting screenshots andments live on the global chat. As Leo patiently waited in the contestant stands, sitting with every inch of his body covered in ck, he drew a little attention, but nothingpared to the big guy sitting with bright blue robes, with a golden embroidery behind saying the words ¡®DarkSky¡¯. Although Leo did not personally know him, He knew that the man was ¡®Tor¡¯, the berserker that Cervantez had hired for his guild, a core member of the faction. It was a genius marketing move, to brand the guild members in luxurious guild robes as Leo appreciated the chosen color and design, however, attention was a double edged sword, as if Tor did not perform as expected, the guild name could also go down the drain. What Amazed Leo was how many yers recognised the name ¡®DarkSky¡¯ , as he personally saw over 50 yers who had qualified for round two, striking up a conversation with Tor, asking him what the requirements for entering his guild were. Apparently, the guild that Cervantez had built was a much bigger deal than what Leo could have imagined as everyone seemed desperate to get in even though the guild had not achieved anything significant yet. ¡®If the guild¡¯s hype is so strong now, I wonder how strong it will be as time passes?¡¯ Leo wondered as he felt proud of his elder brother to be the vice guild master of such a guild. *********** An hour passed by in the blink of an eye and the officials were done setting up all the testing equipment, ready to begin the second round selections right on time. There were a total of five tests in this round, should a contestant go for physical assessment, which included, punch force strength, standing long jump, standing high jump, 100 meters dash and finally weapons proficiency. A total of five contestants were called at once for testing, with one contestant being assigned to every test as the second roundmenced with five random contestants being called up at first. ¡± First up, on the punch strength test, we have ¡®Goyle!¡¯ ¡± ¡± Up on the 100 meters sprint, give it up for ¡®HornyYash¡¯ ¡± ¡± Up on the standing long jump pit, we have ¡®FeyNord¡¯ ¡± . . . ¡± Up on the standing high jump, we have high elf, ¡®Jareem¡¯ ¡± An announcer announced the names of all participants as they walked up to their testing sites as the crowd roared in approval. Two of them were yers, whose yer name was called up while the others were NPC whose real name was called up. Leo gulped when he saw this, as he understood that if an announcer was taking names, then his gaming ID as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was bound to be called out, which meant that it was game-on from this very round itself. Initially, he had nned to observe the scores of each category carefully and only put in the effort that was needed at bare-minimum to qualify, but with his reputation on the line, he could not do that anymore. He now had to give his 100% in round two itself as he could not afford a single question to his identity as the number one yer. As the first group of contestants took their positions, the crowd¡¯s anticipation visibly thickened, a mix of excitement and scrutiny in the air, as everyone wanted to see what the level ofpetition was this time around. The arena, now fully packed, echoed with the sounds of cheers and chatter, a palpable sense of expectation hanging over the proceedings. ### Punch Strength Test: Goyle Goyle, a burly figure with muscles that seemed to bulge out of his skin, stepped up to the punch strength machine. With a roar that matched the intensity of the crowd, he delivered a thunderous punch. *BAM* The machine¡¯s readings skyrocketed before settling at an impressive figure of 180, which Leo had no idea whether was good or bad as he politely pped at the disy. The crowd¡¯s reaction was immediate, a mixture of awe and loud apuse, setting a high benchmark for the contestants to follow. ### 100 Meters Sprint: HornyYash On the track, HornyYash positioned himself, his expression a blend of focus and determination. He looked like a lean build type yer, but his running stance was all wrong and his muscles were too stiff. With a single nce, Leo could determine that his body¡¯s muscles were not in bnce as he identified him as an average yer. As the signal was given, he exploded forward with his best speed, his legs pumping furiously as he covered the distance. The timer stopped at a sort of impressive time of 10.05.21, eliciting a wave of excitement and disbelief from the audience. Cheers and whistles filled the air, marking the opening performance with praises. ### Standing Long Jump: FeyNord FeyNord approached the long jump pit with a calm demeanor that belied his inner focus. Taking a deep breath, he surged forward, converting his speed into a powerful leap that carried him an incredible distance across the pit. 4.5 meters. A very average performance from Feynord, aspared to the others he received barely any praise at all. ### Standing High Jump: Jareem Jareem, the high elf, brought a different kind of attention to the field. Unlike the human contestants he was not widely liked or supported, however, the women in the crowd seemed to go crazy over his good looks and fair skin, which was probably the reason behind why the men disliked him. With a graceful squat contracting his muscles, he pushed up with power as he took to the air, his form perfect as he mmed his hand on the height stick above, with the final stick he hit being at an impressive height of 9.1 meter. The elegance and efficiency of his jump left little room for Leo to criticize him as he truly thought this was an impressive performance. ### Weapons Proficiency Finally, over at the weapons proficiency disy, the young NPC holding a sword was asked to cut through as many wooden poles as he could with one sh, as of the 20 poles lined up for him, he managed to cut 4, disying a disappointing performance. His score was noted by a judge and once everyone was done taking their tests, they were asked to switch positions as the same five contestants took positions at other tests, whose equipment was reset by the testing officials. Within fifteen minutes, all contestantspleted all five tests, as a massive leaderboard screen came to life within the testing arena, as thepiled scores of all five tests were disyed on the board. At this stage, the highest rating was held by Jareem who was given a score of 8.2/10 overall, whereas the lowest was HornyYash with 6.9/10. However, Leo understood that this was only the start as soon the next 5 contestants were called over for the test, with each now having an understanding of what benchmark they needed to beat. Chapter 146: The Boss Arrives Chapter 146: The Boss Arrives Hours quickly passed for Leo as he waited patiently for his turn in the second round qualifiers. While waiting, he watched other contestants strive for a decent score, gaining an understanding of the average needed for qualification. The top score was currently an 8.9 overall, achieved by a yer named ¡®Nico Paz,¡¯ with the qualifying mark for the top 10% appearing to be around 8.5-8.6. Leo noted that many yers excelled in one or two tests but failed to maintain consistently high scores across the board. He felt confident in his ability to surpass them all and achieve the highest score, yet he was troubled by the attitude of ¡®Tor,¡¯ the berserker who was sitting a few rows ahead of him in the waiting stands. ¡°Trash-¡± ¡°Weak-¡± ¡°You call that a punch?¡± ¡°Only 4 wood blocks chopped out of 20? What are you, a seven-year-old child?¡± Tor constantly belittled the performance of other contestants, exuding confidence in his ability to outperform everyone. Initially, Leo thought Tor was merely a loudmouth seeking attention, but upon closer observation, he realized Tor did not even speak with the intention of being heard by others. He talked to himself, never looking to see others¡¯ reactions to his words. His posture, tone, and excitement led Leo to understand that Tor wasn¡¯t just boasting; he genuinely believed himself to be superior to the others, which made Leo feel a small pinch of doubt. ¡®What if I¡¯m not as good as I think I am? What if that tank like man is better than me?¡¯ Leo wondered, as while Ben had told him that he was the best, having notpeted with colleague¡¯s his age, Leo did not know for sure if he were. The crowd had gotten much milderpared to the start by the four hour mark, as unless someone did something fabulous, there were no big pops or cheers from amongst the crowd anymore. ¡°Next up- Bilony, Javed, Tor, Fenix and The Boss¡± Thementator announced as the moment these five names were announced, the yers in the crowd went wild. ¡°The Boss? Hey, did I hear it right? Did he really say The Boss?¡± ¡°The Boss as in the number one yer? That guy? Who is The Boss? Where is that scammer?¡± ¡°WE LOVE YOU THE BOSS! SHOW THEM YOU¡¯RE NUMBER ONE!¡± ¡°Oh look- the DarkSky guild member got up as well, seems like he¡¯s in this round as well¡± The crowd went absolutely nuts, when the name ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was announced as even Tor paused for a second and looked at the four peers amongst him to determine which one of them was ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Thankfully, the moment Leo realized that this round would see his identity being revealed, he swapped his spider¡¯s mask for his Virex mask, while adjusting his level and stats to that of a true top yer, as he covered all his bases. Just as he expected, a shower of inspection spells befell him the moment he walked out into the testing arena and while almost all of them failed, with the identities of the other four yers being confirmed, everyone pretty soon figured out which one of the five Leo really was. ¡°Heiii, you are the boss? The legendary number one yer? Haha, why are you covering your face son?¡± Tor said as he tried to pick a fight with Leo, whopletely ignored him. ¡°Hahaha, this should be fun, I will expose you for the fraud that you are-¡± Tor said, as he clenched his fists and flexed his bulging veins. ¡°I TOR OF THE DARK SKY GUILD, VOW TO OUTPERFORM THIS JOKER, LET¡¯S SEE HIM TRY HIS BEST TO BEAT ME¡± Tor said loudly, as he issued an open challenge to Leo, riling up the crowd to even more levels of excitement than it already had. ¡°Oh my god! The Boss makes his first public appearance!¡± ¡°That¡¯s him! That¡¯s the boss-¡± ¡°DarkSky? Huh- you¡¯re nothingpared to the uprising! We are with you Sir Boss!¡± Camera¡¯s shuttered, photos were taken, as the global chat was flooded with the images of the number one yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯. For a long time, he had been a subject of countless debates and discussions. Now that he was finally out in the public, this was being treated as a historic event, which was only made more exciting by the challenge issued by the DarkSky guild yer. *Tor! Tor! Tor! Tor!* Chants in support of Tor rang throughout the arena as he too yed in on the hype and waved his hands upwards with passion as he rallied the crowd to his support. For the first time since the second round started, the crowd became extremely electric as even the NPC in the stands who did not understand what the yers were hyping on about, enjoyed the upturn in the atmosphere. ¡°Huh, that brute sure has a bigmouth on him-¡± Ben said, as he grit his teeth in anger, but watched on patiently. ¡°Bilony, standing long jump, Javed, standing high jump, Tor strength punch test, Felix, Weapons test, TheBoss, 100 meters dash¡± The ground official dered as the five contestants walked over to their respective testing spots. All eyes were on Tor and Leo though, as although there were five of them in the testing arena, the other three had be invisible at this point. ##### The punch test. ¡°Please punch here, with your best shot-¡± the official said to Tor, who stood one arm length away from his target spot and steadied his breathing. [ Shield Breaking Punch ] Using a special punching martial arts that he had learned as a Berserker, Tor rotated his hips and channeled the mana from within his abdomen to deliver a punch with devastating strength. *BAM* The punch impact was so loud that the sound permeated throughout the arena as the crowd went absolutely wild at Tor¡¯s performance. 980! The machine showed an absolutely wild score of 980 points! A full 400 points above the second highest punch at 580, as Tor absolutely obliterated thepetition with this punch. ¡°GAAAAAAA¡± He yelled in tion as he flexed his muscles to Leo who was taking position on the starting line of the sprint track, trying to intimidate him with his presence. ¡°That¡¯s it! The Boss is done for, 980 holy shit! That¡¯s absolutely insane¡±. ¡°Yo this DarkSky guild member looks like he¡¯s the real deal. That punch could smash through mountains man, what the fuck was that?¡± ¡°Yeah, the machine only takes readings up to 999, there is no way anyone is beating his score on this machine¡± Everyone was beyond impressed by Tor¡¯s performance, making it seem like it was the biggest deal, while Leo only secretly scoffed at the fool. [ System Notification ¨C Your special skill ¡®Mimic¡¯ has copied the technique ¡®Shield Breaking Punch¡¯, do you wish to temporarily save this move? Yes/No ] Clicking ¡®Yes¡¯, Leo thought ¡®Thankyou very much¡¯ as he shook his head and focused on his sprint ahead. ¡°On your marks, Set¡­..Go!¡± *SWOOSH* 05:59:09. From the second the official said go, Leo¡¯s incredible reaction speed kicked in as he used the power of his explosive muscles to the fullest to propel himself forward. Having an absolutely insane agility stat, Leo¡¯s pace was beyond blistering fast as hepleted the 100 meters dash in just under 6 seconds setting up a new record. ¡°WHAT? WHATTTT?¡± Screamed the NPC¡¯s in the crowd as they covered their heads and stared at the disy screen with awe. While the yers did not understand what having a time under 6 seconds signified, however, the NPC did very well. ¡°THAT¡¯S A NEW NATIONAL RECORD-¡± Someone shouted, as it was only at that moment that the yers realized just how blisteringly fast Leo was. ¡°Woah! I¡¯ve not seen anyone score less than 7.5 and most of them were using mana techniques to move-¡± ¡°Under 6 seconds? As expected of the number one yer!¡± ¡°Boss! YESSS! WOHOO!¡± Once again the crowd erupted in cheers as Leo did not disappoint with his score at all. Living-up his reputation every bit as the number one yer, he set a national record instead. ¡°Bahahaha- that¡¯s right, that¡¯s my boy-¡± Ben shouted in joy as he was extremely proud of Leo¡¯s performance, and although he had instructed Leo to not overdo it, he still felt good when Leo brought in results that no-one expected. At this moment, as Leo threw a nce towards Tor, it seemed like the expression in his eyes had undergone a shift. While before he believed Leo to be aplete fraud, he now saw him as a challenger, someone worthy to be defeated as Leo scoffed internally at this idea. ¡®Just wait till the end my friend, these eyes will turn to despair soon enough¡¯ Leo thought, as the referee gave the order to swap machines, with Leo confidently walking towards the punching test. Chapter 147: Showing Levels Chapter 147: Showing Levels As Leo walked up to the punching test arena, he crossed Tor who was walking towards the 100 meters dash line. ¡°Don¡¯t break your arm trying to punch too hard ¡­.tiny¡± Tor mocked, as Leo chuckled at hisments, replying to him rather savagely. ¡°Only a fool would show his full strength in these tryouts, you can try your best to beat me, but I¡¯ll still crush you with only 20% of my true strength¡± Leo replied, as Tor paused and threw Leo apetitive nce. ¡°What did you just say?¡± He questioned, as he could not believe that Leo just said that he would beat Tor with merely 20% of his true strength. ¡°Well it¡¯s not my problem if you¡¯re partially deaf, I¡¯m not going to repeat myself¡± Leo said as he walked away from Tor without a care in the world. ¡°Why you-¡± Tor said angrily as he felt an urge tond a cheap shot on Leo¡¯s back, however, he decided against it. He had promised the guildmaster to win this tournament and could not get himself disqualified here. For Cervantez, he needed to endure this humiliation, even if he thought that Leo was clearly talking smack. Amidst the roar of the arena, nobody could hear what Leo and Tor talked about, however, just looking at the two exchange words the crowd went wild. As Leo took his position on the punching test arena, Tor took his position at the start of the 100 meters dash, however, his eyes were still trained towards Leo as he awaited the result of his punching test first. ¡°The Boss is finally at the punching test! Do you think he can beat Tor¡¯s score?¡± ¡°Impossible- everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and The Boss certainly looks like a yer who is more suited for agility drills. I don¡¯t think he can beat Tor in a strength contest¡± ¡°Boss! I¡¯m a big fan! I talk about you in the group chat all the time!¡± The crowd discussed Leo¡¯s punching attempt as anticipation was high for whether or not Leo could beat Tor¡¯s score. Leo himself enjoyed the attention, as he knew that the only way for him to get out of this mess that he was in and save his life was to silence all the haters, which was why he did not mind the attention at all. Looking into Tor¡¯s eyes, Leo ensured that he was paying attention to his punch as only after he made sure that Tor was watching, did he finally unleash his blow. [ Shield Breaking Punch ] Mimicking the same technique as Tor, Leo delivered a devastating punch on the strength testing device, as a loud *BAM* sound cut sharply through the arena noise. ¡°IMPOSSIBLE!¡± Tor eximed as he recognised his technique instantly, however, seeing Leo use it so wlessly sent shivers down his spine. 999! *CHEERS* *WHISTLES* The crowd absolutely lost their minds when Leo scored the absolutely maximum possible score of 999 points as his natural strength, high stats and incredible core strength when coupled with a punching martial art delivered a blow even stronger than Tor¡¯s. ¡°999! THAT GUY MAXED OUT THE MACHINE-¡± ¡°HOLY HELL! WHO THE FUCK IS THAT GUY?¡± ¡°IT¡¯S REAL! TheBoss is the number one yer-¡± ¡°HE OUTSCORED TOR! HE OUTSCORED THAT TANK-¡± The reactions of the crowd to Leo¡¯s score were absolutely wild as for a moment even Leo felt surprised at how high he scored. He knew that every move that he made, every score he got here was now being uploaded on the global forums in real time, so he just tried his hardest at each test. However, having no reference point topare to, he did not actually know how much he would get and could only hope that it would be enough to change the public opinion in his favor. As he looked into Tor¡¯s eyes after the punch, he could see his eyes shifting from that of a challenger to that of a confused man as he could not understand how Leo learnt punching techniques unique only to a few sses. ¡®That puny guy is a berserker?¡¯ is what he was wondering at the moment, feeling distracted before his dash. As the official said ¡°Go¡±. His reaction time was slower than it would have been had he been at his sharpest, nheless, he scored an impressive score of 07:02:21, finishing his dash in just over 7 seconds. While he could not beat Leo, for a guy his size to be moving so fast, it sent shivers down the spine of many. Although he lost two head to head contests, nobody could mock Tor for being a loudmouth as everyone could see that even his strength was the real deal. As thepetition advanced, Leo shattered national records in both the standing high jump and standing long jump, showcasing techniques and athleticism unmatched by any other contestant. Unlike others who depended solely on muscr explosiveness, Leo, with his remarkably flexible body, was able to execute moves like a double forward flip during the standing long jump, propelling him far beyond hispetitors. As thepetition unfolded, the disparity between him and Tor became clear, particrly in events like high jumping, which did not suit Tor¡¯s heavy and massive physique. By the time Leo transitioned to the weapons test, the look Tor gave him shifted frompetitive to one of genuine fear, as he realized the sheer magnitude of gap between them. Leo, enjoying the look, decided to put a nail to his coffin in the weapons test as he walked over and chose a dagger as his primary weapon. Choosing a dagger as his weapon¡ªa preference typically associated with assassins, not berserkers¡ªLeo yed mind games with Tor, who began visibly twitching when Leo chose daggers as he underwent a mental breakdown. ¡°Why is he choosing a dagger?¡± Tor pondered, along with the majority of the spectators, as everyone expected Leo to pick up a sword. ¡°Just what ss yer is he?¡± Tor murmured as he could not get a grasp on Leo¡¯s skills as by this point he wondered if his ims of only using 20% of his strength were true? As Leo hit all 20 targets intended to test proficiency with bows and arrows or dagger throwing, he achieved a perfect score in the weapons training test as well, silencing his critics that spected him choosing the dagger to troll. With the score of 9.9 on the leaderboards overall, Leo outshined Tor by a full 0.9 points as the berserker could only get an overall score of 9.0. Screenshots of Leo¡¯s score went viral on the global forum as all his haters received a resounding p on their faces when they saw it. Not just one department, Leo dominated in all five physical tests as he cemented his position as the top yer once more. ************ ( Meanwhile Lin Mu ) Lin Mu did not go all out in the second round qualifiers as the Night Guild did not see any strategic value to gathering attention so early. Achieving a good score of 9.3 overall, Lin Mu topped the charts of the East Hall qualifiers as well, but she did not go as wild as Leo. The other two members of the night guild also performed well with scores of 8.9 and 8.8 respectively, as with the rest of thepetition being around the 8.4-8.6 mark, all of them felt confident in moving onto the next round. ************ ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke and Jerome had gone to the North Arena to watch Cervantez¡¯s qualification, as they missed Leo¡¯s performance at the West end. Cervantez did not go all-out in the qualifiers as well, but he did try hard. Achieving a score of 9.6 overall, he did maintain his reputation as the guildmaster of DarkSky and the number two yer, however, little did he know that he was being outshined by Leo in real time. Wearing the guild robes, he tried to gain as much prestige for the guild as he could, however, once the round was over and he nced over the forums, he realized that no-one was talking about him, as the only news that the forums were flooded with were the first sighting of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his domineering performance. ncing over one of the images, Cervantez recognised ¡®TheBoss¡¯ instantly as he dressed the same as he did in his past life. ck robes, ck gloves, ck boots and the virex mask. It was the same yer as before, however, if there was something different this time then it was his enrollment into the Grand tournament as he had not done so in his past life. ¡°A 9.9 score? Humiliated Tor?¡± Cervantez frowned as he read the forum discussion, feeling concerned over what this meant. ¡®Did I make a mistake in judging him previously? Is he not a fake? But what about the system announcement then?¡¯ Cervantez wondered as he felt as baffled as Tor. The more he thought about TheBoss, the more confused he felt as just like hisst life, that man remained an enigma in this one as well. Chapter 148: The Boss Fan club Chapter 148: The Boss Fan club (The royal capital, after the second round) After the second round qualifiers, Tor had a sit-down with Cervantez and Luke in one of the Royal Capital¡¯s restaurants as the trio discussed the emergence of ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the videos on the global forum and I¡¯ve never seen anything like him. A double front flip from a standing position? My spine would break before I could generate that kind of momentum. That guy is insane-¡± Luke said as he acknowledged The Boss as a worthy opponent. ¡°He said to me and I quote ¡®Only a fool would show his true strength here, I¡¯m only using 20 percent¡¯¡­.. 20 percent? THAT is 20 percent?¡± Tor said surprised as he still could not believe the wordsing out of Leo¡¯s mouth. ¡°A full score in punching test, full score in weapons proficiency, national records broken in all of the rest. He¡¯s a cut above even us, no doubt-¡± Cervantez said in a serious tone as he stuck a fork into the food they ordered rather violently. ¡°Between leveling and picking up skills, just how much could he have trained? We know he has not enrolled in any of the royal institutions because he is contesting in the tournament from the open category. So could it be that he focused all his time on enhancing his physical attributes while ignoring his skills?¡± Luke wondered, as Cervantez shook his head in dismay. ¡°No-, the global announcement said that he has mastered three legendary skills! Three fucking legendary skills¡­ if anything, it might be his strongest suit, not the weakest¡± Cervantez replied as Luke was reminded of the global announcement that was made not too long ago. ¡°This makes no sense to me, how can one man be so powerful? We are all yers here who have not wasted a single second ever since this game began, so why is he a cut above us?¡± Tor asked in dismay as he could not grasp how Leo could outshine them when all of them had worked equally as hard as him. ¡°To be fair, I think we can¡¯t judge that man the same as other yers. He has been different from the very first day. I was a fool to stop my pursuit of him while I still could have recruited him-, I was convinced that he was a fraud, I was convinced that nobody could be as good as he showed he was, but I was wrong¡­.that man¡­.. he¡¯s clearly the real deal¡± Cervantez murmured in regret as silence engulfed the table. While Tor had no idea just how obsessed Cervantez was with recruiting The Boss, Luke knew how much it meant to him. Since the very first day, it was one of his biggest goals alongside establishing DarkSky and now he regretted not having fulfilled it. ¡°Well, individual strength can only take you so far in this game. The tournament is long and I don¡¯t think him winning is a guarantee yet. But even if he does, so what? This game is more than just about one person and together we¡¯re ten times stronger than him¡± Luke said, as he tried to break the depressing silence and motivate the group. ¡°You¡¯re right! The tournament is indeed long and he is not guaranteed to win. I for one will love to smash his rude face in the dirt should I get the chance¡± Tor said as he absorbed some of Luke¡¯s motivation and fired up. ¡°Yup, it doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s the real deal or not, from here on out we treat him as just another opponent. DarkSky is going to win this grand tournament and we will run straight through him to get it if we have to-¡± Cervantez said, as he decided to move past his regret of misjudging The Boss and looking forward now. ¡°But, isn¡¯t it weird that he uses a dagger while being a Berserker? Like who chooses such abination?¡± Tor said scratching his brain as he still could not wrap his head around Leo¡¯s choice of weapon. ¡°Maybe he learnt how to use multiple weapons, maybe he did it to throw us off? Who knows-¡± Luke said as he shrugged his shoulders and decided to not think much of it, while Cervantez made a mental note to remember it. In his mind, Cervantez believed that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had six skill slots. Three of them were legendary skills, One was the Shield Breaking punch, while the other two were unknown. If he could grasp what the others were, he could probably think of a way to counter those skills inbat when they eventually faced one another. But for him to figure out the rest of The Boss¡¯s moveset he needed to keep a close eye on his future matches, which was exactly what he intended to do. ************** (Meanwhile The Uprising) Cervantez wasn¡¯t the only one keeping an eye on The Boss and his moves, as the uprising was doing the same but for entirely different reasons. The few people from the crowd that shouted slogans like ¡°Boss I love you-¡± or ¡°The Boss I¡¯m a big fan!¡± Were mostly all from the uprising, as within that organization Leo was everyone¡¯s role model. ¡°Did you see that? Did you all see The Boss showing levels in the second round? That¡¯s why he¡¯s the goat! The goat! Our representative is in the tournament!¡± ¡°Oh big boss is so cool! He¡¯s so cool! Breaking the punching machine- kyaaa¡± ¡°We must propagate his great feats all over the global forum. How dare some fools use him of being a fraud? It¡¯s time for us keyboard warrior¡¯s to assemble and bash them all-¡± ¡°It¡¯s official, us uprising members will form a support club and attend every match of his from here on out. While he may be cold and aloof, everyone needs that crowd energy once in a while and if we don¡¯t support one of our own, who will?¡± Chats like these flooded the uprising internal group chat as it got converted from an illegal group of shady yers to a temporary The Boss fanclub. Chapter 149: Dilemma Chapter 149: Dilemma ( The real world ) Leo was in a good mood after the second round was over as he sensed a shift in global opinion regarding him after his ster performance. Criticism of him being a fake ranker was remarkably reduced, while wild theories that he wasn''t a real yer but a system NPC gained momentum. He couldn''t help but smile by himself looking at his progress. Feeling as if maybe if he kept this up, he could really dispel all doubts regarding his identity. "Someone is in a good mood today-" Amanda said, as she caught Leo smiling silly to himself as a deep blush appeared on Leo''s face when he heard her voice. "What were you thinking about? Were you thinking about how beautiful I look this morning?" Amanda teased flirtily as Leo was left red faced as he gazed at Amanda suggestively running her finger up her long legs. "Uh? That- no-" he said, gathering his thoughts as he wiped the silly smile off his face. "Pfft, so cute," Amanda said, throwing her arms around Leo''s neck and giving him a peck on his cheek. As if he wasn''t flustered already, Leo turned tomato red after this, as while the closeness between himself and Amanda seemed to have increased over the days, he wasn''t used to her randomly touching him. "I''m also very happy today, like very very happy¡­.. ask me why?" Amanda said, as Leo looked into her eyes and asked "Why?" "I''ve finally forged a great dagger set! 12 daggers of pristine quality, hand crafted by yours truly for you!" Amanda said as she did a small twirl as if trying to say ''Ta da'' "Oh?" Leo said surprised as Amanda excitedly nodded her head. "Yes! It''s a return gift for you! Although I''m not as talented as you to draw a painting in real life, I can make good items within the game, so I''ve made this for you because you told me you use daggers" Amanda said, as Leo''s face brightened for a moment. He had only once fleetingly mentioned that he used daggers as a primary choice of weapon, however, Amanda not only remembered his choice, but she also forged a set for him! Leo couldn''t help but feel touched by this gesture, as it was small things like these that really showed him that Amanda truly cared for him and thought about him even when he was not around her. "Thankyou-" he said earnestly as Amanda''s bright smile became even brighter. "You''re in the capital right? Well I''m visiting Stronghaven soon because I have to buy supplies, I''ll give you the set then" Amanda said cheerfully, as Leo nodded his head in excitement, forgettingpletely that he could not do so. "You know, I thought you''re a weirdo for choosing daggers as your primary weapon, but then I saw The Boss using it today in a video on the global forums. The number one yer uses daggers? Can you believe that- Immediately made me think of you, haha, I guess you''re both weirdos" Amanda said jokingly, however, Leo stiffened up at this joke. It was only now that he realized that he could not ept Amanda''s gift even though he wanted to, because it couldpromise his hidden identity. If Amanda saw him in a global forum video, using daggers gifted by her, his identity would bepromised instantly which would lead to Leo losing his life. "Anyways, where are we meeting? It can be a fun outing... some may call it a date" Amanda said sheepishly as she giggled to herself, however, Leo was not listening to her speak anymore. Afraid of the consequences of his identity being revealed, Leo went into self contemtion mode as hepletely zoned out of the conversation he was having with Amanda. "Leo¡­.Leo? Leo-" a male voice eventually said, zapping Leo out of his stupor as when Leo regained his focus he found himself staring at Luke. "What are you and Amanda doing man, we are gettingte for work. Look at the damn time, what were you two doing not getting ready? Come on now¡­. Hurry!" Luke said in an angry tone as he was disappointed in the love birds. Thankfully, his entry saved Leo''s ass from having an awkward conversation with Amanda, however, the inevitable had only been dyed and not avoided as if not today, then Amanda was going to pose this question to him again tomorrow and Leo would be required to reply. Eventually, he had to meet either Luke or Amanda within the game or share his gaming ID with them as he could not keep avoiding that question forever. This conversation with Amanda today while heartwarming, reminded Leo that he had to remain an actor within the game as well as outside in real life as the almighty bracelet was listening to everything he said. While within the game he could fool the global forums into thinking he was a bigshot, his biggest challenge was not within the game, but in hiding his identity from the people closest to him as lying to Amanda or Luke and breaking their trust was something that Leo was not keen on doing. "Alright I''m ready, your turn Leo-" Amanda said,ing out of the bathroom as she winked at Leo and apologized to Luke for the dy. As Leo got ready for the days work, he took a deep break and calmed his nerves trying to search for a creative solution to this problem. He knew this day was going toe eventually and the only way he saw himself getting out of it was by creating a fake gaming identity, but he wasn''t sure on how he might pull it off. ''Damn it, now aside from clearing the third round, I also need to focus on my meeting with Amanda? When will I ever catch a break?'' Leo wondered, as he changed into work robes and headed out alongside Luke and Amanda to report for duty. ------- Chapter 150: DarkEmperor meets TheBoss Chapter 150: DarkEmperor meets TheBoss ( Virtual World, Terra Nova Online ) As Leo logged back into the game, he found himself sleeping in his motel bed with Ben sitting on a chair adjacent to the bed. "Morning-" Leo said, waking up as Ben nodded in acknowledgement to his greeting. "Morning", he said, yawning, as he seemed to have spent the entire night staying awake. "What happened? Why are you in my room?" Leo asked Ben, who got up from the chair he was seated in and began stretching his body. "Night guild. I spotted their members at the second round qualifiers yesterday. I think they were scouts and haven''t recognised you yet, however, you can never be too careful" Ben said as although he did not borate fully, Leo understood the meaning behind his sentence. Since the night guild was scoutingpetitors, there was a big chance that Leo was identified to be Ben''s student and the assassination mission that was left iplete before, was resumed again. It was also true that one could never be too careful when dealing with a n of assassin''s, as Leo secretly thanked Ben for keeping the night''s watch. "The third round of the qualifiers is in two hours, this is the final hurdle before the tournament officially starts, are you ready?" Ben asked Leo, who nodded his head and gave him a thumbs up sign. "That''s my boy, give your opponent hell, whoever it may be" Ben said, as Leo cheerfully replied "Aye sir". *********** The third round of the qualifiers was held in the prestigious Grand Arena. The arena was built at the heart of Stronghaven city, an architectural marvel that could hold a total of 120,000 spectators at once. Today, for the third round qualifiers 16 martial stages were built side by side in this grand arena, as the third and final round for open qualifiers was a one on one martial arts fight. Out of the 128 candidates who had cleared the second round, only 64 would now advance as the official open candidates with the rest being eliminated at the third and final round. With the fighting slots selected based on their overall score during the second round, the strongest were matched against the weakest opponents, while those near the middle faced a pretty even contest. As Leo reached the waiting area designed for contestants, he found all eyes trained on him, as he found many familiar figures within the crowd. For one, he recognised DarkEmperor, the number two yer wearing his mboyant DarkSky guild robes as just his presence in the room irked Leo. Beside him stood Tor, a brute whom Leo had humbled just yesterday, as looking into his eyes today, Leo could not find the same level of defiance or arrogance. Then there was the famous ranker ''RamenKing'' standing in the room with his long pointed spear and shy red robes, standing beside ''PurpleRock'' another top ranker who was the guildmaster of a big guild called ''PurpleSmokers''. Finally, there was Lin Mu and the night n assassin''s, as while Leo was not happy to see anyone else, he was very happy to meet Lin Mu. Walking up to her, Leo wanted to strike up a conversation, however, before he could reach her, DarkEmperor blocked his path as he extended his hand forward. "Hello-, I''m DarkEmperor" he said, his tone soundingplex as Leo let his hand hang in the air as he did not bother reciprocating. "The Boss" he said, authoritatively as he stared into Cervantez''s eyes, making him realize that the hand-shake he was waiting on was nevering. "Well, I''m a fan, sort of, I''ve been wanting to meet you forever" Cervantez said, as he smiled and nced at Tor standing behind him. "I''m just here to wish you the best of luck in your uing fight, I know you''ll make it to the main tournament-" Cervantez said, as Leo suppressed a scoff. "Well, just pray you don''t face off against one of the DarkSky guild members in the main tournament, Bossy boy, because if you do, that''ll be the end for you" Tor chimed in from behind Cervantez as Leo rolled his eyes at thement. "We won''t be taking any more of your time, excuse us" Cervantez said, moving past Leo but deliberately brushing his shoulder as he let the hostility be known. Leo was an asshole, he did not even respond to basic courtesy and hence by the end of their brief conversation Cervantez did not feel the need to maintain any fake niceties either. Initially he was wondering if he should make an offer to recruit The Boss into his guild or not, however, from the second their conversation started he knew that the man was not interested in anything he had to say. Cervantez knew in his heart that there was nothing that he could offer The Boss to consider his offer and that trying to do so would only make him lose honor. It was unfortunate, but whether it be the past life or this one, it seemed like recruiting The Boss was a mission that was going to be left upleted for Cervantez. "That guy..." Cervantez murmured once he was out of Leo''s earshot range as Tor nodded andpleted his sentence "Yep, asshole, but also so different from the rest, like a regal asshole". "Not just a regal asshole, but more like a deliberate regal asshole, he knows that his behavior will piss people off but he doesn''t give a fuck. Gosh, he''s so irritating" Cervantez said, as he felt a rage bubble build inside him. Although the duo had only hardly exchanged a few nces and words, they feltpletely riled up by Leo''s attitude which viewed them as mere peasants in the presence of true royalty. ¡ª----- Chapter 151: Preliminary Round Three Chapter 151: Preliminary Round Three Leo walked towards Lin Mu, hoping to surprise her with his presence as she did not seem to have recognised him, however, before Leo could do so, the match official came inside the contestant locker room and announced the start of the third round. " Okay, I''m sure all of you must already be aware of the third round rules, but in case you don''t already know, let me re-read them to you now. 1)The third round will be a one versus one duel with the winner being decided by either pushing your opponent out of bounds, forcing them to surrender or knocking them out. 2)Killing and maiming is prohibited in this round and should any contestant wilfully maim the opponent, they shall be disqualified. 3)Every contestant is allowed to bring a choice of one weapon to the battle stage, however, the weapon selection must be done via the official array of weapons avable for choosing and cannot be a personally carried weapon. 4)Should there be no conclusive winner after 15 minutes of the fight, the match will go into judges scores where a panel of three judges will decide the winner based on skills disyed during the match. Please note- Offensive skills will always be valued more than defensive skills so just surviving the match won''t work. Finally, regardless of whether or not you can enter the grand tournament, for participating in this third round of qualifiers you will all be awarded with 5 gold coins each and a certificate of honor for those who lose this round" The match official said, as he re-read the rules that were already distributed to each contestant after the second round. "The seed number 1,2,3¡­.8 and the seed numbers 128,127¡­.121 will be having their fights first and are required to move out in two minutes, all the best" the official said, as his eyes were drawn to Leo, who had a big ''1'' stered over his chest. He was the first seed of this tournament, with Cervantez being 3, Lin Mu being 5 and Tor being 11. The ranker RamenKing was 2 while his friend PurpleRock was 7, with the other positions being upied by NPC''s Leo did not know. *Sigh* Leo sighed as he looked towards Lin Mu who seemed lost in thought, as he realized that this was probably not the best time to strike up a conversation since she might be mentally preparing for battle. ''Well, I can always talk to herter'' Leo thought as he walked out of the locker room, stretching his muscles, as the deeper he walked down the tunnel, the louder the noise of the crowd got as by the time he emerged on the other end, he could hear a deafening roar from the fans in attendance. The grand stadium was unlike anything Leo had ever seen before with a jam-packed crowd of 120,000 fans cheering from the stands. The sheer size of the stadium, coupled with the raucous cheers of the audience, was both exhrating and intimidating, as fighting at such a stage, with so many people watching was like every child''s dreame true. Leo took a moment to soak in the atmosphere, letting the energy of the crowd wash over him and bolster his resolve, as he smiled under his mask and chose two random daggers as his choice of weapon for the round. This was the moment he had trained for, the reason he had pushed himself to the limits, while he did not expect a very tough fight today, the thought of facing off against the best of the best in such a grand arena eventually, made his heart race with anticipation and a hint of nerves. As he approached the center of the stage, the announcer''s voice boomed throughout the stadium, introducing him to the spectators. "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the number one seed of the tournament, holding the current national record for standing long jump, standing high jump, 100 meters dash and having the highest ever individual evaluation with a score of 9.9, the formidable youngster¡­..THE BOSSSS" The crowd erupted into an even louder cheer at this introduction, as Leo raised his fist in the air, acknowledging the energy. As he scanned through the faces of the crowd the initial fear and anxiety faded away as he basked in the adtion of the fans. This was his stage. This was his moment to shine. Looking across the stage, he saw his opponent making his way out. It was a nervous looking yer with a clumsy walking style and low self esteem as he could not even look Leo in the eye while he walked out. With a sword in hand, he was visibly trembling while standing inside the grand arena as without Leo even doing anything, the man was pressured by the sheer size of the crowd alone. Leo contemted talking smack to the kid, however, looking at how terrified he was, Leo worried that he would pee himself if Leo tried to intimidate him as in the end he shook his head and decided against making any snarkyments. Unlike Leo who enjoyed the cheers and boos of the crowd, his opponent seemed to have social anxiety as the urban elite from Earth who had spent most his life in secluded istion, could not handle the sudden attention. "Seed one ready? Seed 128 ready?" The match referee asked, as both Leo and his opponent nodded, taking their respective starting spots on the martial arena. The referee, a seasoned veteran with an imposing presence, stepped forward, reiterating the key rules for the duel, and only when he was convinced that both parties would not kill one another did he signal for the fight to begin, stepping back swiftly to give them space. "Fight!" He said, as Leo dashed straight for the finish. Chapter 152: End Of Preliminaries Chapter 152: End Of Preliminaries At the referee''s signal, Leo exploded into action with a burst of speed that seemed to catch even the wind around him off guard. His opponent, already overwhelmed by the atmosphere, could barely react as Leo closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. *sh* The nervous fighter managed a feeble attempt to try and stop Leo''s advance by swinging his sword in a wild swing, but Leo slipped through it like a ghost, as he circled being him, a blur of motion and intent. With a swift, practiced move, Leo executed a kick on his opponent''s sword hand, knocking his weapon out of his opponent''s grasp, leaving him utterly powerless to retaliate. "No, my sword-" he said sheepishly as he bent forward to pick up his dropped weapon, exposing his back and neck to Leo. The crowd, sensing the imminent end, roared in anticipation as Leo, with a precision born of countless hours of training, knocked his opponent t on his belly as he pointed a dagger straight to his neck. "You''re dead¡­" he said, as his opponent immediately shrieked "I surrender", bringing the fight to its end. The action was over almost as soon as it had begun. The referee, having barely moved from his spot, signaled the end of the match. "Winner, The Boss" he said, raising Leo''s hand in victory as Leo tried to find Ben within the big crowd. Unfortunately, because of the sheer scale of the crowd, he could not find where Ben was seated, however, Leo hoped that he was watching this and smiling wherever he was. "Wow that was a disappointing fight, I feel like I could have defeated that weakling-" "Well nobody expected him to beat the boss but isn''t that Ryan guy just too weak? Like how did he even make it to the third round?" "Bo-hoo, I''ve spent 5 copper for this ticket, I wanted to see more blood and gore-" The crowd was disappointed that they did not get to see any of Leo''s skills in full disy, however, it couldn''t be helped as the skill difference between him and his opponent was just toorge. Leo''s opponent Ryan, now back on his knees, looked more relieved than disappointed, perhaps even grateful that the ordeal was over without any real harm being done. Leo offered a hand to help him up, a gesture of sportsmanship that elicited cheers from the audience. The defeatedpetitor, now regaining some of hisposure, epted the help and managed a shaky smile. "Good fight," Leo said, with a reassuring nod, knowing well that the fight had been anything but even, but he still said it for the sake of not breaking the kids morale. While Leo enjoyed putting powerful pricks in their ce, he did not like trampling over the weak, as the way he saw it, for Ryan, a socially introverted guy toe out here and fight, it was a big win for him as well. It was clear to everyone that Leo had deliberately held back, choosing to end the match without inflicting unnecessary humiliation on his clearly outmatched opponent, but he did not gloat such things to Ryan as he only offered encouragement to him. As he walked back to his corner, the announcer''s voice filled the stadium,uding Leo''s swift victory and remarkable skill. The crowd''s cheers were deafening, a testament to the spectacle they had just witnessed and the respect they held for the number one seed''s prowess and sportsmanship. Leo, with his heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight, paused a moment before entering the locker room tunnel as he took a moment to observe the other on-going fights. Apparently, Lin Mu, Ramen King, Purple Rock and Cervantez had all also won their fights, as the referee was either dering their results or checking on their fallen opponents. Infact, all the top seeds managed to defeat the bottom ones as there was no major upset here in this round. Apparently, Leo had finished his fight in the fastest time with a match time of just 8 seconds, while the longest fightsted 48 seconds. Every single bottom seed was so clearly outmatched that regardless of what fight the audience chose to spectate, they were only greeted with a thorough squashing as all fights ended with under 20 moves exchanged. Turning towards the exit tunnel, Leo knew that fun time was over, that after the preliminaries only tougher challengesy ahead, but for now, he had once again proven why he was the top contender in this tournament, as although everyone else also won their fights, he was once again the fastest to do so. The journey to winning the grand tournament was still long, but the stage was already set for Leo, who had distinguished himself as one of the favorites to win to continue building on the momentum he had generated and cement a legacy of being an untouchable yer so that nobody doubted his identity in the future. With the third round qualifiers now over for Leo, the next stop was the official tournament itself, as it would be there that he would cement his legacy as Ben''s only disciple and the number one yer in the game. ********** ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) "The first ranked seed, take him out when the opportunity is right-" Dem Paltrow ordered his direct subordinate as the man looked surprised to receive such an order. "Isn''t it too early to act this way? Should we not wait until the grand tournament is properly underway?" The subordinate asked, as Dem looked towards him with wrath evident in his eyes. "That boy is Lin Mu, Ben Faulkner''s disciple. While you fools don''t see it, I recognise him instantly. That agile body, that confidence¡­.. he''s a threat that needs to be eliminated at the earliest, I''m very sure about this-" Dem said, as the subordinate bowed and took his leave. If Dem Paltrow thought it was necessary to take the boy out, the he needed to be taken out immediately, no matter the cost. Chapter 153: Ambush Chapter 153: Ambush The third round itself went on for many hours, with the fights getting more and more interesting as time progressed as the difference in skill between opponents reduced, however, Leo did not linger enough to enjoy them. Collecting his participation token and instructions for the grand tournament opening ceremony, Leo took his leave as he reunited with Ben who was waiting for him at the exit. "How did I do?" Leo asked him with a smile, however, Ben did not reply and instead looked at him with a serious expression. "You''re being tailed, someone has ced a tracking spell on you, It''s fight time-" Ben said as he passed Leo a handful of smoke bombs and began looking around for any signs of assassin''s. Leo had no idea as to who ced a tracking spell on him or when, as he was pretty sure that he had not let anyone approach him after his match ended, however, he did not doubt the wordsing out of Ben''s mouth. Since Ben said there was a tracking spell ced on him, there must be one¡­. He was just too low leveled to detect it. Almost instantly, Leo turned serious as he equipped his utility belt and restocked it with daggers and smoke bombs, as he prepared himself forbat. Dem Paltrow had ced a hit order on him after watching his third round qualifier performance as although he wore a mask, Dem had managed to identify him as Ben''s disciple and singled him out as a target to take out. "What''s next?" Leo asked Ben, who seemed to be focusing on the sound of footsteps near them, trying to see if they were facing any immediate threat. The grand arena was built at the heart of the city and outside the actual stadium there was a few dozen meters of fenced ground whose boundary was being guarded by royal soldiers. While Leo had exited the grand arena itself, he and Ben were still standing within the guarded vicinity as their immediate environment felt safe for the time being. "They won''t attack us while we are in the building, too many guards- if a fight breaks out, they will be at a disadvantage, however, the moment we step out they will try and take us out. Usually, I''d suggest waiting for preliminaries to be over and the crowd to disperse so that we can use the masses as a cover to escape, however, I don''t think we should use such solutions today as sending a clear message first is important. Since you have been marked as prey, it''s important to show the consequences of trying toe and kill you, as if we run away now, we will have to remain running like cowards everyday from here till the tournament ends. However, if we kill them all today, Dem will have to think twice before sending more men to be sacrificed" Ben said as his eyes turned ice cold. Although unwillingly, Ben had been a part of the Assassin Alliance for a long time so he knew how it functioned. Running away from assassin''s was akin to trying to outrun time as it was impossible to avoid them forever. The only viable option was to eliminate them through lethal means, as portraying oneself as a formidable adversary capable of ending their lives was the sole method of evading them. "Alright- we fight them" Leo said, as he agreed with Ben''s assessment on the necessity to fight, as the duo began to slowly move out of the arena. Without making any suspicious movements that would reveal the fact that they knew they were being pursued, Leo and Ben made their way out of the arena bounds with calm. Soon they walked out of the grand arena''s rtive safety, their steps casual, betraying none of the urgency that pulsed like a hidden heartbeat between them. They chatted like usual, however, both their senses were really in hyperdrive as they tracked the movements of the shadows behind them. The city sprawled around them, abyrinth of light and shadow under the setting sun, its beauty lost to the two men with a darker purpose at hand. To any onlooker, they were just two more faces in the crowd, moving with the flow of the city''s life. But beneath their calm exterior, Leo and Ben were acutely aware of every nce, every shift in the crowd that might indicate their pursuers closing in. Theymunicated in subtle gestures, anguage formed in the crucible of their shared past, each turn and pause measured and deliberate. The route they took was a deliberate winding path through the bustling streets, leading their pursuers away from the main thoroughfares and into the older parts of the city where shadows clung closer to the ground. Once they entered the impoverished slums, where the alleywaysy twisted and unnned with the public lighting dim and sanitation questionable, they found the perfect stage for what was toe. While the other assassin''s thought that Leo and Ben were walking to their own graves by entering dark alleys, little did they know that unlike themselves who merely adopted the dark, Leo and Ben were masters of it. With a final turn, Leo and Ben stepped into a dark alley, seemingly a dead end and a perfect ce for an ambush. But this was their chosen battleground. The duo instantly used ''vanish'' and blended into the shadows on opposite ends as they awaited their pursuers to follow. *Step* *Step* *Step* *Step* Four assassin''s moved like the wind as they silently entered the alley, hoping to find Leo and Ben there, however, they found no-one. "It''s a dead end, where did they go?" One of them whispered, however, before the others could reply, Ben and Leo emerged out of the shadow they were hiding as both took out one target each using the ''Kill Strike''. *SPLAT* *SPLAT* Blood spilled as two assassin''s had their hearts pierced within a second, leading to instant deaths, while the two others turned with visible horror etched on their faces. Chapter 154: Prepare for War Chapter 154: Prepare for War ¡°AMBUSH-¡± One of the assassin¡¯s screamed as ironically the tables had turned on them. Instead of being the hunters they had be the prey as Leo and Ben reversed their roles and began hunting their pursuers instead. As Leo pulled out the plunged dagger from the heart of his enemy, he felt the hot blood of his prey soak his hands, as for the first time ever, he killed someone using proper technique. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have killed the infamous Assassin ¡®Big Toto¡¯ (Lv195) from the Night Guild, you have gained :- +20 Fame +2 levels! +12 Gold Coins ] [ System Notification ¨C The enemy you have killed has a government bounty of 150 gold coins on his head. If you submit it to authorities you may gain additional +50 fame +150 gold coins ] *THUD* *THUD* The two assassins that Leo and Ben had stabbed from behind hit the ground dead as after the Kill Strike, their hearts had been destroyed beyond repair. Their other two partners immediately turned and tried to attack the master disciple duo, however, they were no match for Ben¡¯s speed. Disarming the first assassin with his own dagger and ramming his elbow against the jaw of the second, Ben made short work of both enemies as their defenses were blown open. *SHUA* *SHUA* . . . . *SHUA* Making no mistake, Leo threw his daggers with deadly precision as he pierced the neck, heart and forehead of his opponents just as Ben had taught him, as within a split second, Leo made the most of the opportunity that Ben created for him, taking down both their remaining opponents at once. -450 Critical Hit! -450 Critical Hit! -700 Critical Hit! . . . -750 CRITICAL HIT! Both remaining assassin¡¯s hit the ground dead as well after Leo¡¯s attack, as despite their higher level, once their vital organs were pierced they no longer had any chance of survival. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have killed the infamous Assassin ¡®Grim Wind¡¯ (Lv205) from the Night Guild, you have gained :- +22 Fame +2 levels! +14 Gold Coins ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have killed the infamous Assassin ¡®Green Viper¡¯ (Lv193) from the Night Guild, you have gained :- +19 Fame +2 levels! +11 Gold Coins ] [ System Notification ¨C The enemy you have killed has a government bounty of 170 gold coins on his head. If you submit it to authorities you may gain additional +60 fame +170 gold coins ] [ System Notification ¨C The enemy you have killed has a government bounty of 130 gold coins on his head. If you submit it to authorities you may gain additional +40 fame +130 gold coins ] A series of notifications flooded Leo¡¯s screen as he gained 6 levels and lots of fame in quick session. ¡°Hooo- ur brutal boy, for your first kill, your deadly brutal¡± Ben said as he walked away from the bloody mess they had created in the dark alley and put his arm around Leo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Thanks?¡± Leo asked questionably as Ben smiled and walked along. ¡°This is a scouting party¡­.. none of them ced the tracking spell on you¡± Ben said, as Leo felt surprised to learn this information. ¡°A tracking spell ends when the user dies, but the spell is still on you which means the real mastermind behind this attack is still not acting himself. In any case, I¡¯m guessing this scouting party was sent to confirm if I¡¯m with you or if you¡¯re moving alone, as my presence wouldplicate things for them a lot¡± Ben said, as he made sense of the whole situation in his head. The way Ben saw it, the night guildmaster had identified Leo but not found Ben in the crowd. To confirm if he was with Leo or not, he sent a weaker scouting party to their deaths, with a 50% probability of sess. He knew that if Ben was with Leo, they would all lose their lives, however, if Ben wasn¡¯t with Leo, then these four were strong enough to take him out by themselves. Because they were killed here, the enemy now knew that Leo was being watched over by Ben, which would mean that the next time they attacked, they would be ready for war. ¡°So what does this mean?¡± Leo asked Ben, as he did not understand the bigger picture like his master, however, Ben only patted his shoulder and told him to not worry. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. Unless Dem Paltrow acts himself, there is not one Assassin in town that can match Ben Faulkner. I may be old, but this new generation doesn¡¯t have what it takes to bring me down. It will at least take them a few days to mount the next mission to take us down, however, I shall be making preparations of my own in the meantime¡­..¡± Ben said, appearing lost in thought as his eyes zed with bloodlust and anger. ¡± In simple words, prepare for war boy, not just within the Grand tournament but outside as well¡­ For as long as we are in the capital, I¡¯m sure we won¡¯t get a moment¡¯s peace anymore. Random attacks aimed at disrupting our sleep. Injuries inflicted even at the cost of life- Our motel bombed or the use of mass destruction spells. Expect everything¡­.. Dem Paltrow will try and wear us down until we are weak enough for him to kill, however, I¡¯ll ensure that it won¡¯t be easy for him to do so¡­.. yes, it definitely won¡¯t be easy¡± Ben said as he seemed to speak with conviction when he said he won¡¯t make it easy. A master assassin himself, Ben knew all the tricks in the book and knew exactly how to counter them. To him, Leo was his beloved disciple and he was going to do everything in his power to keep him safe, no matter how hard the night guild was going to try. *Sigh* Letting out a deep sigh, Leo rxed his tense body as he finally wiped his bloody hands against his robes. His life seemed to be a whirlpool of mess at the moment, however, he was not scared to face it. Chapter 155: Rejecting Offers Chapter 155: Rejecting Offers ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke was a prime student of the Knight Academy and was sought after by various top NPC guilds, merchant unions and even the royal army. After the final exams were over and before the grand tournament started was the recruitment period within the various big academies where graduates got their first jobs in big organizations. A usual royal academy graduate knight was paid an annual starting sry of 4000 gold coins a year + benefits like housing, food subsidies, gear benefits etc. Apart from the base sry they even got a bonus or a % ofmission for every special mission or dungeon run that they took part in as an average knight could easily earn 7-8000 gold coins a year, which was a very high starting sry. However, Luke was offered ludicrous deals worth 20,000 gold coins a year base, plus really good incentives for dungeon raids and more, as looking at Luke¡¯s grades and performance there was not a single organization within the royal capital that did not wish to hire him. Leading this recruitment drive was of course Jerome who wanted to directly appoint Luke as a legionmander in the Duke¡¯s army, as he gave him the most lucrative offer of them all and was adamant that Luke ept it. ¡°It is 30 goddamn thousand gold coins as a base sry my friend, 30 thousand base! Low ranking barons don¡¯t make such money a year you understand? This is literally me breaking the bank for you-¡± Jerome said, as he tried to drive his point home on how big of a deal this offer really was. Whether it was respect that came with high ranking position, gear, housing or sry, Jerome gave Luke the best offer amongst everyone, however, unfortunately Luke declined. ¡°I have alreadymitted to a small guild my friend, I hadmitted to them even before I enrolled into the academy. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t wish to ept your offer, but it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t. It¡¯s a matter of my honor as a man¡± Luke said as Jerome stomped his feet in frustration. ¡°How much is your release use? 30k 50k 100k? I¡¯ll pay for it. I¡¯ll pay it out of my own pocket, just name it man. I¡¯ll buy your honor guilt free¡± Jerome insisted as a soft smile spread on Luke¡¯s face. He could see just how much this meant to Jerome and had he not already been the vice guild master of Cervantez¡¯s guild he would have epted this offer in a heartbeat, however, since he was alreadymitted, he could not. ¡± I¡¯m sorry my friend, I swear toe to your aid whenever you need me, however, you need me. If your territory is ever attacked, I¡¯ll be there alongside Brown Pudding on the front lines. However, I¡¯ll have to decline your offer filled with goodwill. My honor is everything to me¡± Luke said, as Jerome let out a deep sigh. He had tried his best to recruit Luke, however, it seemed like it just wasn¡¯t meant to be. ¡°Who the fuck even is your master Luke? Which asshole of a master knight allowed you to sign with a small-time guild? Does he not care for you at all?¡± Jerome spouted in frustration as he could not understand how Luke even ended in such a situation in the first ce. ¡°Whatever man¡­. I¡¯ll just recruit Gilbert then, he will at least be a knight captain¡± Jerome said as he decided to settle for Gilbert, the seventh ranked student in the academy. ¡°How much are you gonna pay?¡± Luke asked with a teasing smile as Jerome returned it back ¡± 7.5k¡± he said as both Jerome and Luke burst outughing. Despite Luke not signing with Jerome, he handled the situation well enough for their friendship to not be affected, as although he was disappointed, Jerome epted Luke¡¯s decision considering it a matter of honor. *********** ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) ¡°So¡­. What happened?¡± Dem said, looking at his right hand man who had his head hung down in shame. ¡°You were right about Ben Faulkner being with the boy guildmaster, the four B ranked assassin¡¯s we sent after them were killed in under 30 seconds once the fight broke out¡± Hord, his right hand man, who had ced the tracking spell on Leo reported. ¡°I told you so, Hord, Ben Faulkner is in the city, he would never send the boy alone¡± Dem said, as he grit his teeth in annoyance. Only once in his life had Dem ever met a warrior that was superior to him in every aspect and that man was the prime Ben Faulkner. Before he subjugated him and offered him a ce in the Night Guild, he tried to im the bounty on his head, however failed miserably, getting a huge scar on his abdomen and barely surviving. It was the only time in his entire career as an Assassin that he suffered a defeat and although he had grown a lot since that defeat, the psychological horror of it remained. ¡°Ben fucking Faulkner¡­..I hope you¡¯re ready for war. Because after you left the Assassin Alliance, there is no way I¡¯m going to let you live as a free man¡± Dem Paltrow said with a voice full of spite as he knew the repercussions of the news breaking out that Ben Faulkner had left their group. Although he did not like to admit it, this Assassin Alliance was only held together because of the legend of Ben Faulkner and his sessful assassination of the royal prince. Without his prestige there are no nobles willing to shield and protect the various assassin¡¯s ns operating in their territories and should the news ever break out that he left, the entire organization would be brought to its knees in a year or two. ¡°You know what to do next Hord. The time for hunting has begun. Injure them, maim them, exhaust them. Until they be easy pickings. Assign this mission as priority and involve the A, S and SS ranked assassin¡¯s in this. The boy and his master both need to be killed before the grand tournament is over¡± Dem Paltrowmanded as he gave the order to prepare for war. Chapter 156: Leos Never Ending Troubles Chapter 156: Leo''s Never Ending Troubles Chapter 156: Leo¡¯s Never Ending Troubles ( The real world ) As soon as Leo logged out of Terra Nova Online, his heart started to beat faster at the thought of having to confront Amanda and picking up the conversation the two were having thest time they were together. To avoid this fate, he quickly dashed into the bathroom and changed into his work clothes, intending to head out to work early by himself anding up with a detailed excuse for his early departureter. However, the moment he exited the bathroom, he was greeted by Amanda, who was standing directly in front of him at the bathroom door, wearing a big smile. ¡°Good Morning! Someone¡¯s up early today-¡± she said as Leo chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Good morning¡­. I got ready early so that Luke doesn¡¯t scold me¡± Leo said, lying nervously as Amanda bit her lip slightly and adjusted his red robe cor. ¡± You haven¡¯t even dried up properly after washing your face, there is water trickling down your neck to your chest¡­..¡± she said sensually as she tried to tease Leo by running her finger down his neck. Gulping, Leo tried to calm down his racing heart as his face made a very weird expression. ¡°Pfft. Hahaha, move silly, I need to get ready as well¡± Amanda said, enjoying Leo¡¯s reaction to her teasing thoroughly as Leo awkwardly moved to the side for Amanda to enter. Once she had gone inside, Leo released a deep sigh and fixed his gaze on the exit door of their apartment, located across the hallway, with a determined look. ¡°This woman will be the death of me¡­. Better run away before shees back out¡± Leo thought as he began making his way down the hall, when Luke opened the door to his room at the very worst timing. ¡°Oh? Ready already¡­.¡± Hemented looking at Leo, as Leo was forced to stop dead in his tracks. ¡°Good Morning brother, yes I¡¯m ready early today¡± Leo said, as Luke nodded his head and looked towards the door to Amanda¡¯s room which was also wide open. ¡°Amanda?¡± He asked vigntly as Leo pointed silently towards the bathroom. Luke nodded, letting out a soft sigh as he said ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you in private for a while now, but never get the chance, good thing I got it today¡± ¡®Uh-Oh¡¯ thought Leo, as he nervously gulped down some saliva. ¡°What do you want to talk about brother?¡± He asked, as Luke immediately uttered the words that Leo wanted to hear the least. ¡°It¡¯s about Terra Nova Online¡­.¡± He began as instantly dread settled in every cell of Leo¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ve done some of my own research within the game and I think we should both meet up tomorrow and go to the MP exchange store tomorrow. First and foremost let¡¯s make a call to mother, talk to her after a long time and then let¡¯s set a deadline to collect as much MP as we can to give her the best ticket we can. You¡¯re in the capital already right?¡± Luke asked as Leo felt his voice being stuck inside his throat. ¡°Yes, yes I¡¯m inside the capitol¡± Leo said, as Luke nodded his head and ced a hand over Leo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You didn¡¯t make it to the third round of preliminaries, did you?¡± He saidpassionately as Leo shivered at the question. ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t make it, how did you know?¡± Leo lied as Luke smiled kindly and ruffled his hair. ¡°I was there in the stands watching the entire thing you dummy, you think I wouldn¡¯t have recognised my younger brother if he walked out there?¡± Luke said, as heughed and tried to make the atmosphere lighter. ¡°It¡¯s okay, chill out, having progressed to the second round is also not bad. There will be more of these things in the future¡± Luke said, trying to encourage Leo as by the time the two brothers had this conversation, Amanda too came out of the bathroom. ¡°Oh? Good morning Luke. What are you two talking about?¡± Asked Amanda after walking out of the bathroom as she felt curious on what the two brothers were chatting about and why Leo appeared so stiff. ¡°Nothing, me and Leo are going to spend some time together within the game tomorrow, aren¡¯t you going to reach Stronghaven as well?¡± Luke told Amanda, whose eyes sparkled at the question. ¡°Of Course I¡¯m going toe and it¡¯s perfect that you got a hold of Leo¡­ I¡¯m going to the central market to buy stuff, meet me there before the scrap metal selling shop, okay?¡± Amanda said, as Leo¡¯s worst nightmare finally came true. Not just Luke, but he was supposed to meet Amanda now as well as the two took turns to instruct Leo on where to meet them and how they would spend their day together. ¡®Screwed¡­I¡¯m screwed¡¯ thought Leo, as he nodded and agreed to all their ns, having no idea as to how he would follow through with themter. ************ ( Meanwhile, back on Earth, The Skyshard residence ) *Hum* *Hum* *Melodious Singing* Elena sang a song happily as she cooked dinner at the Skyshard residence. Ever since Luke and Leo left Earth, things had only be progressively worse for her. She had to lie to the neighbors about Luke and Leo having died at their job, rather than informing them that they had left Earth, as if the jealous people around her found out that Luke and Leo escaped this hell hole, they were more likely to pin their frustration for being stuck on this on Elena. Thankfully, with them pitying Elena for having lost her children, they did not bother her much as survival conditions became much harder than before. Whatever semnce of government that was left before the first arc ship departed, crumbled within a month of its departure as military outposts were overrun and government stores that sold food and supplies were raided. Thankfully, the boys had stashed enough food and rations for Elena to survive for a while in these conditions as finding new rations in this world now was next to impossible unless one joined street gangs that had taken control of the food supply. *Door Opens* *Creaks* *Door closes shut* ¡°I¡¯m home¨C¡± a manly voice said as Elena who was cooking dinner smiled, replying ¡°Wee home-¡° Chapter 157: Meeting Amanda Chapter 157: Meeting Amanda ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) ¡°Boy, I usually never reprimand you, however, what you¡¯re demanding today sounds utterly foolish to me-¡± Ben said as he was disappointed in Leo for requesting to go out alone in the market today. ¡°Trust me master, I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have a choice. This is something I must do¡­.¡± Leo replied with frustration evident in his voice. He really did not wish to go, however, he had no other option. Neither Luke nor Amanda were people he could afford not meeting with today. ¡°What part of ¡®we are going to war¡¯ did you not understand boy? The night guild is out there hunting you like hounds, your first grand tournament match is in two days!, is this really the best time to be loitering around?¡± Ben asked angrily as he did not understand why Leo was behaving so disobediently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master¡­.. I would never willingly go against your instructions¡­..if you absolutely forbid me from going today, I won¡¯t- However, this is very important to me. I would not request you to let me go if it wasn¡¯t. I understand that the environment out there is not good, however, I have to go. I really do¡± Leo said as Ben clutched his head in disbelief. Since Leo had now said that if Ben absolutely forbade it, he would really not go-, all the burden of deciding was now on Ben¡¯s shoulders. If he forbade it, he would be denying Leo to do something very important to him, but if he agreed, he would be exposing Leo to unnecessary risk. It was a great dilemma, but eventually Ben relented as he said ¡°Alright, you can go, but I will be shadow tailing you from a distance¡± Leo grimaced, he did not wish for Ben to see him spending his day with Amanda, however, without theck of a better alternative, he epted his instruction. ********** For the entirest work day, the only thing that Leo kept thinking about was how he could get away with meeting Amanda and Luke without exposing his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ The first and obvious solution that came to his mind was to change his appearance, which was why the first thing that he did after logging back into the game and getting Ben¡¯s permission to head out, was going to a nearby clothing store and buying a new outfit. Instead of the ck overalls and Virex face mask that he always adorned, Leo shifted to wearing a loose t-shirt like local garment, baggy lower garment and some wack sunsses. He splurged 7 gold coins on the entire set and bought clothing that was considered designer wear. He then proceeded to buy an inspection blocker device which looked like a pocket watch for 1500 gold coins, paying a ridiculous sum of money for the best detection blocking device that he could get his hands on quickly. The item¡¯s description indicated that no one below level 250 could inspect his stat panel, offering Leo a measure of tranquility, especially since he was still quite far from achieving level 250 himself. With this, his transformation from ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to ¡®Leo¡¯ was finalized. Yet, he remained unable to share his gaming ID with Luke or Amanda, even if they requested it for private chats. Although he seeded in changing his overall appearance, if they were to request his gaming ID, he would be exposed immediately¡ªa vulnerability Leo needed to be particrly cautious of in today¡¯s meeting with them. ¡®Sigh, Ben must think I¡¯m a clown¡¯ Leo thought, as he gazed over his shoulder and noticed a man inconspicuously walking a few feet behind him. He was sure that Ben would think that he was a fool for dressing the way he did as his current dress was hard to camouge with and had no space for carrying concealed weapons, however, he had his reasons for doing what he was doing. ********* ( Outside the scrap metal shop ) Amanda waited patiently for Leo to show up outside the scrap metal shop afterpleting her work with the shop owner. She too had gone dress shopping beforeing here today, but for entirely different reasonspared to Leo. She had gone shopping because she considered this meeting to be her first official date with Leo as while this was in the virtual world, with them being stuck on the arc ship, this world was the only space that the duo could travel freely. She wore a pretty white dress and even put on some white flowers in her hair to look extra cute as she patiently waited for Leo to show up to their meeting spot. When she finally saw him, Amanda could not help but chuckle as in her eyes he looked like aplete hipster. ck shades, loose t-shirt and baggy jeans with a pocket watch hanging out, he looked like a 20th century gangster as Amanda could not help butugh out loud when she saw him. ¡°Oh my god¡­. What the hell are you wearing?¡± She said excitedly as sheughed out loud pointing at his outfit. ¡°Ummm¡­. It¡¯s designer okay? Costs 7 gold coins!¡± Leo said proudly, as Amanda onlyughed harder after hearing this. ¡°No way you paid 7 coins for this silly, you got scammed! And hard! Tch, I have to take you shopping with me today¡± Amanda said as she leaned in and got up on her toes to match Leo¡¯s height. ¡°Usually, the guy brings flowers whening to meet a girl and then takes her out shopping when it¡¯s their first date¡± Amanda said teasingly as Leo¡¯s face reddened immediately. ¡°D-date?¡± He said, not expecting her to use suchnguage. ¡°Of Course silly. You think I¡¯ll dress this pretty just to meet a friend?¡± She said pinching his red nose as Leo felt his heart flutter wildly. Although this was within the game world, Leo¡¯s character still looked a lot like the real Leo, especially from his facial looks. However, his trained and toned body within the game world was nothing like his real world body, which was why his overall charm went up by several levels when Amanda gazed on him within Terra Nova. ¡± Despite your outfit you look very handsome today¡­ I approve of you as my date!¡± Amanda said as she very much took the lead in breaking the ice. ¡°I ept you as my date as well, you look beautiful¡± Leo said coyly, looking towards the sky as Ben who was listening to this conversation from afar felt like he was going to puke some blood. He had expected Leo to have something extremely important to attend today, however, it turned out that he was going out to meet a girl! To make matters worse, his student who took on mountain lions like they were kittens became a kitten when talking to women as he could not even look into the girls eyes when he gave herpliments and instead gazed towards the sky. ¡°I have failed as a master¡­. I¡¯ve raised a beta wolf as my disciple, the girl is more manly than he is-¡± Ben murmured in disappointment as he could not believe that Leo was so clueless that the girl had to take lead amongst those two. Chapter 158: A date with Amanda Chapter 158: A date with Amanda (Stronghaven Central Market, The Virtual World) Leo and Amanda wandered through the bustling streets of Stronghaven central market, looking every bit the image of a young couple in love. Leo, ying the part of a doting boyfriend to perfection, didn¡¯t hesitate to buy any small trinket or item that caught Amanda¡¯s eye, showering her with gifts in a grand disy of affection. Amanda, for her part, seized the opportunity to upgrade Leo¡¯s wardrobe, dragging him into several cozy, little clothing shops scattered across the market. After having Leo try on a myriad of outfits¡ªranging from the sleek and modern to the bold and adventurous¡ªAmanda finally settled on a look that captivated her the most. She decided that Leo looked absolutely stunning in ck, so she chose for him a ck overall robe. This particr robe had a tastefully low neckline and was tailored in a way that it draped over his shoulders perfectly, entuating his well-toned physique that he had achieved through hard-work within the game. Within Terra Nova, Leo¡¯s avatar was remarkably toned, making the garment look even more striking on him as Amanda couldn¡¯t help but admire how handsome he looked; the robe enhanced his natural appeal, making him a sight to behold. ¡®What an eye candy¡­¡¯ she mused, her thoughts tinged with affection. Leo¡¯s charming personality,bined with his new, sophisticated appearance, made him the epitome of the ideal man in Amanda¡¯s eyes. The duo continued to explore the markets for roughly two hours, meandering without any particr goal, fully immersed in the joy of each other¡¯spany. For Amanda, this simple, unstructured time spent with Leo represented the pinnacle of happiness¡ªsomething she hadn¡¯t felt in months. Amidst the virtual market¡¯s hustle and bustle, she found a momentary escape from theplexities of social hierarchies of the arc ship, and the various constraints of her current life. For a fleeting period, she felt as liberated and carefree as she once did back on Earth, a truly free citizen unbound by the constraints of her reality. On the other hand however, behind their freedom and joy was an extremely worried Ben, as while Leo enjoyed his time with his girl, Ben silently eliminated any wandering assassin of the night guild, looking to find Leo in the open market. Ben was absolutely brutal, if he suspected anyone to be a safety threat, they were either knocked out cold, or outright killed, depending on how big of a threat he considered them to be. The cost of Leo¡¯s peace was Ben¡¯s sacrifice and vignce as it was only because of him that Leo was able to enjoy his day in rtive freedom when the entire night guild was out looking for him like hounds throughout the city. Finally, as thete afternoon sun began to cast long shadows across thendscape, it was time for Amanda to embark on her journey back to the quaint vige and the wise grandmother she was apprenticing with. Meanwhile, Leo had an appointment to keep with Luke, signaling the end of their shared adventure for the day. ¡°Well, I had lots of fun today, we should do this more often¡± Amanda said as Leo nodded his head in agreement. This was quite the change from his usual life and it did feel quite rxing, plus having Amanda act so intimate around him did make him feel good. Leo had never had a serious rtionship before and while he could not call Amanda his girlfriend yet, he could also sense that the two were not too far away from reaching that stage either. A few more of these good dates and they could definitely enter into amitted rtionship, an idea that Leo was absolutely thrilled for. ¡°Before I go, here is my parting gift for you¡± Amanda said as she retrieved a heavy package from her inventory and ced it in Leo¡¯s hands. As Leo opened the package he saw 12 gleaming daggers inside them with the name ¡®Leo¡¯ written on the hilt, as he was starstruck by the craftsmanship. The daggers were a marvel of cksmithing, with each de being a testament to the skill of an unseen artisan within the world of Terra Nova. Forged from the strongest steel blended with other ores, the des shimmered with an otherworldly glow, their edges honed to a razor-sharp finish that promised lethality with every stroke. The hilts were wrapped in a dark, sturdy material, offering afortable yet unyielding grip, ensuring that they would not slip even in the most treacherous of battles. Intricately designed, the guard of each dagger bore delicate patterns that seemed to dance in the light, merging both beauty and function in a seamless disy. Each dagger, with its perfect bnce and weight, felt just right in his hands, as he was blown away with how good this gift was. ¡ª¡ª- [ Daggers Of Love Set ] ( Epic ) ¨C Daggers crafted by an unknown artisan for her lover ¡®Leo¡¯. When wielded by the person they were crafted for Durability +10% Damage +5% Critical Damage +10% ¡ª¡ª- ¡°Thank you-¡± Leo said, storing them in his inventory as Amanda smiled and pecked him on his cheek. ¡°We are even now, and I¡¯m gettingte, byee¡± she said, as Leo waved her good-bye. Thankfully, Amanda did not ask for his gaming ID while parting as this perfect date was not ruined with Leo having to lie at the end. ¡°One down, One more to go-¡± Leo said, as after waving off Amanda, Leo rushed to the designated meeting spot where he was supposed to meet Luke, near the MP exchange store. As he reached their meeting point, he saw a very handsome man standing outside the MP exchange store, dressed in ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild robes, as his attire drew lots of attention to him. ¡®Talk about behaving low-key¡¯ thought Leo, as he smiled and approached his brother, who was absolutely horrified to see Leo. ¡°What the fuck? What the hell are you wearing? Why is the neckline of your dress so low? Are you a male stripper?¡± asked Luke, the moment he looked at Leo, as he absolutely disapproved of the dress Amanda had selected for him. Chapter 159: Calling Home Chapter 159: Calling Home ¡°What the fuck? What the hell are you wearing? Why is the neckline of your dress so low? Are you a male stripper?¡± Luke asked Leo, looking absolutely terrified. Looking at his naked shoulders, Leo covered his exposed parts with his hands¡­.. making a cross as if trying to defend his honor. ¡°You went to meet Amanda in that? Seriously?¡± Luke asked Leo, sounding disappointed as Leo opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words woulde out of it. *Sigh* Sighing, Leo eventually relented as he said ¡°Give me a second¡±. Going to a nearby alley he quickly changed into the baggy jeans and baggy designer t-shirt as Luke gave him a thumbs up sign when he returned. ¡°Now you look like a decent man! Atta boy¡± Luke said, pping Leo on the back as he intimately put a hand around his brother¡¯s shoulder. ********** ( Ben¡¯s POV ) Ben had no idea that Luke was Leo¡¯s brother, from his perspective, Leo had just gone on a date with his female lover, however, after finishing his date with a female lover, he went on to meet a dude? That dude also addressed him affectionately as if he knew him since ages, ordering him around like a boss and even wrapping a hand around his back¡­.. ¡®No..no¡­.nooooo¡­¡¯ thought Ben as he pulled at his cheeks. He did not want to believe what his mind was trying to tell him, however, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense to him. ¡®My disciple is ying both sides? The woman wasn¡¯t enough so he has a boyfriend as well? And he¡¯s a beta in this rtionship as well?¡¯ Ben wondered as he felt like his brain was ready to crash at this point. He knew that Leo was too good of a disciple to be real. Such talent¡­. Such obedience¡­.. Ben thought he struck the goldmine with this one, however, it just turned out that while Leo was the perfect student, his wy in his dating life. ¡®Well the times are changing¡­.. this sort of stuff is no longer punishable byw, however, this tant shamelessness of dating two individuals at once does still bother me¡¯ Ben thought, as he kept protecting Leo through the second half of his date albeit begrudgingly. ************* ( Leo¡¯s POV ) As Leo and Luke entered the MP exchange store, Leo could notice from the corner of his eye how Ben suddenly glitched out and for a moment seemed to forget where he was. It was a sudden reaction, as he could not follow Leo into this building, reminding Leo that in the end, this world was a game, no matter how realistic it looked. Within the MP exchange store, the hustle and bustle was still as low as the first time Leo visited as soon the brothers were able to find a quiet booth to make a call from. ¡°Let me be the one to pay-¡± Leo suggested, however, Luke scoffed and patted him on the head. ¡°Maybe some other day¡± he said, as he became the one to pick up the phone. ¡°Operator speaking, what can I do for you today¡­.?¡± said a familiar sounding voice from the other side of the phone as Luke cleared his throat and replied ¡°We need to make a video call to earth, requesting to speak to one particr Elena Skyshard, living in Washington DC, street no 423¡± ¡°You will have to pay a cost of 2MP for this call service, plus an additional fee of 50MP per minute the call drags on for. The cost is deducted per sixty seconds, so if you terminate the call at 61 seconds, it will still cost you 100 MP¡± The operator said, as Luke nodded his head and requested that the connection be made anyhow. Both Leo and Luke felt their hearts beating faster when the caller tune began to y and a nk screen was disyed before their eyes, as the anticipation of getting to talk to their mother after such a long time made the two brothers bubble up with ecstasy. ¡°Smile-¡± Luke reminded Leo as both the brothers put on a smile waiting for the call to connect to Earth, and their mum to see them for the first time in months. *************** ( Back on Earth, Elena¡¯s POV ) *TRRING TRRING, You got a space call!* *TRRING TRRING, You got a space call!* A loud noise shook up the entire Skyshard residence as Elena was shocked to see a floating screen in the middle of her living room, popping up out of nowhere. She already knew that there were only two people in the entire universe, who would ever give her a space call, as through nervous fingers she pressed the ¡®Green¡¯ floating call ept icon avable. *Twua* The space call connected and immediately the face of two goofy smiling Skyshard brothers was avable for Elena to see. ¡°Oh my god¡­. Oh my god¡­.b-boyss¡± Elena said, unable to control her excitement as tears came flooding out of her eyes. Uptil now she had no idea that space calls were something that were even possible, as in her heart she had epted the fact that she would never be able to see her children again, however, now they were calling her! ¡°Hey ma-¡± said Luke, his voice gentle as he cracked up as well looking at Elena cry. ¡°L-luke, my boy¡­ Leo! My baby!¡± Elena said, crying profusely as she showed a face full of genuine joy that only a mother could show. On the other side, Luke and Leo teared up looking at her make this face as well as the brothers tried their hardest to not shed a tear and look happy, but failed. How could they not cry? They had missed Elena equally as much as well. ¡°Elena? What happened, why are you crying?¡± Said a male voice in the background as a tall man walked into the video frame. Chapter 160: Not leaving without him Chapter 160: Not leaving without him As soon as the bearded male guy walked into the video frame, both Leo and Luke¡¯s facial expressions turned from that of joy and emotion, to suspicion and frown. ¡°Hey, who the hell are you? What the hell are you doing in our house?¡± Leo asked, his voice unlike his usual calm self, but rather sounding like the top yer, ¡®TheBoss¡¯. The man raised an eyebrow, looking at Leo with a frown as he wrapped his arms around the crying Elena, trying tofort her. ¡°Oye, oye, oye, don¡¯t touch our mother¡­what the hell! Mom, who is this guy?¡± Leo said once more as he did not recognise the man at all, however, apparently Luke already did. ¡°Long time no see¡­.Father¡± Luke said, with spite audible in his voice as the man on the other side of the frame grinned ever so slightly. Leo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, for a moment he could not believe it. But then as he superimposed the bearded guy¡¯s image to that of their dad, Leo realized that he was the same dude. ¡°No way¡­.. ain¡¯t no way¡­..¡± Leo said in disbelief as his brain froze for a moment. ********* It took their mother a few seconds to calm down as she sat in front of the screen alongside her lover and long missing husband, who also sat in front of the screen with her arms wrapped around Elena. A thousand different emotions came bubbling out of Leo¡¯s inner self, however, his eyes were trained on the video call duration clock 01:01. It was already past a minute mark and was costing them a lot of MP. ¡°Luke, Leo, are you two okay? Why do you look so thin? Have you been eating properly? How is the job there? Have you been fighting with each other?¡± Elena asked a lot of different questions at once as she became extremely excited to see her children for the first time in a long time. ¡°We are doing good mom, don¡¯t worry. Also, this call costs too much money so we don¡¯t have too much time for idol chatter. There is something very important we need to tell you first¡± Luke said, regaining hisposure as hepletely ignored the presence of the man sitting beside their mother. ¡°Oh-¡± Elena said, her mouth opening and shutting multiple times as she really wanted to talk with her children for hours if possible, however, from the urgency in Luke¡¯s tone she understood that it would not be possible. ¡°Mom, there will be a second round of arc ships leaving Earth in roughly three months from now. Me and Leo have earned a lot of money and can buy you a really nice seat onboard that ship. Our n is to buy you a guard that will help you make it safely to the ship and a nice ticket so that you can safely leave Earth before it¡¯s destroyedpletely. So stay safe till then mother, if you leave 3 monthster, we can all meet on Terra Nova again in three years time while video calling each other often in the meantime¡± Luke said, as he cut straight to the chase and conveyed the most important information to Elena for which he scheduled this call. ¡°What? My children have became so rich that they can buy tickets for me now? But doesn¡¯t an arc ship ticket cost too much? Leo, Luke, have you sold a body part to get me this ticket?¡± Elena said emotionally as the first thing she suspected was that her dumb children made an emotional decision like her to try and get her a ticket. ¡°No mother, we haven¡¯t done anything of the sort. Me and Luke are sort of a big deal here now, we make lots of money, we can afford this. You just need to be ready to leave mother, once you¡¯re on another arc ship we can even pay for an organ regeneration surgery for you. You will get your kidney back mother, we promise¡­.¡± Leo said, as he assured Elena that they had done nothing wrong to earn the money for her ticket. ¡°Oh¡­*sob*¡­*sob*, you hear that honey, you hear that? Luke and Leo are going to get us both out of here! They will help us leave this dying, our children have be so capable!¡± Elena said, as Luke and Leo grimaced at her choice of words together. ¡°No honey, I didn¡¯t hear them say that they will get us out. I just heard them say, they will get YOU out¡­..¡± said the man, as he tauntingly looked into the video screen, making both Leo and Luke feel the blood rising to their faces. ¡°No, of course they will get us both our honey. Right kids? Surely you won¡¯t leave your father behind to die will you?¡± Said Elena as she desperately looked towards Luke and Leo with pleading eyes. As much as both the kids wanted to scream and say ¡®No-¡®, as much as they wanted to abandon their father the same way he abandoned them all those years ago, they felt themselves being powerless against those eyes of their mothers as they hung their heads low and did not say a word. ¡°Know this Luke¡­.. I won¡¯t leave this ce without him¡­.. send two tickets or don¡¯t expect me to board that ship¡± Elena said authoritatively, as she talked directly to Luke knowing that he was the decision maker amongst the two brothers. ¡°I understand mother¡­. We shall send two tickets¡± said Luke obediently as he grit his teeth and stared into their father¡¯s eyes with vengeance. ¡°We could have afforded an A ss ticket for mother if she were alone, but because of a dead weight like you, we can¡¯t. Remember this¡­ You! Are holding this family back¡± Luke spat angrily as he picked up his finger and was ready to disconnect the call which was at 02:55:00. ¡°Well it¡¯s good to at least be acknowledged as family¡± said the man shamelessly, as Luke disconnected the call. Chapter 161: A tragic past Chapter 161: A tragic past 300 MP¡­ that¡¯s how much the call cost Luke and Leo. If it had been a heartwarming conversation with their mother, the two would not feel disappointed about it, however, with their dad suddenly reappearing, things became moreplicated. After the callpleted, for a moment, the brothers said nothing to one another as they stood in silence trying to process the fact that their father was back. ¡°I thought that guy was dead¡­.. I really thought he was dead¡± Leo said in an angry voice as he clenched his fists and grit his teeth. Leo was only nine when their father abruptly disappeared one day, leaving only 500$ behind to the family name. In the first ce he did not have too many happy memories of being with the man, however, as a kid after suddenly losing him, Leo made peace with his absence thinking that he must have died. The fact that he was alive but never came to check on the family for 12 years made Leo¡¯s blood boil in rage, as he could not help but wonder what sort of scum did that? ¡°The question now is not about whether he was alive or not, the question now is why is he back in mother¡¯s life? I for one would never ept a grade A asshole like Jacob back in our life¡± Luke said, as he was genuinely worried about why their dad was back in their mothers life again? ¡°Did she forgive him? Do you think she really forgave him after what he made us suffer?¡± Leo asked Luke, in disbelief as he could not wrap his head around how their mother let that man walk back into their lives? Images of him having his arms wrapped around her and a smug smile on his face, reappeared in Leo¡¯s mind, as he felt like he needed to puke. 12 long years¡­.. that was how long it had been since their fatherst saw his kids, yet the man did not even apologize once for leaving the way that he did while on a video call. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t remember it Leo, maybe you don¡¯t know what it was like when we were kicked out of our apartment in uptown DC because we could not pay the mortgage. But I do¡­.¡± Luke said, his eyes quivering as he recalled their sad past. ¡°Saint Theresa¡­.. that was the school we used to go to, but our mother could no longer afford the 40,000 dor tuition and we had to shift to a government school. I still remember her begging the school principal of Saint Theresa for our sake. Begging that he gives us a schrship. Begging that our future is not ruined because of her not being able to pay for our tuition. I still remember the day when she had to sell off her beloved jewelry for pennies on the dor, just so we could buy the ragtag apartment we now live in and buy groceries. It wasn¡¯t easy¡­ It wasn¡¯t easy at all¡± Luke said, as he remembered the old days and felt extremely bitter about their father¡¯s sudden departure. His abrupt exit had flipped their entire life upside down, they had gone from being a part of the urban elite to bing a part of the downtrodden, and it was only because of their mother that the two of them were still alive. ¡°You may have forgotten Leo, but I still remember how pretty mum was¡­.. How many guys wanted to date her after our father left her¡­.. Some made in-appropriate approaches to her, promising her money and sustenance if only she agreed to sleep with them. Father¡¯s old friends, people in power, they all wished to exploit her. There were even individuals who suggested that she give us up to the government. That she send us to a military camp or an orphanage, instead of supporting us like she did ¡­.¡± Luke said, a tear forming in his eye. ¡°But mum did not. She did not give us up and supported us for 7 years till I became 18 and was able to start earning some money. For 7 years we lived off mother doing odd chores and selling her priced assets. Without her sacrifice we would be either on the street doing drugs or dead. And all this happened because Jacob disappeared to God knows where¡± Luke said, his voice full of spite as Leo felt his blood boiling in anger. ¡°Of Course I remember brother, of course I do. I wasn¡¯t 3, I was 9, I remember everything as vividly as you do¡­.¡± ¡°I still remember the sports day at themunal schools before they were shut down. The events where everyone had both their mother and father attending, however, we only had our mom. I was not sad because our father wasn¡¯t there, however, I still remember the harassment that the other parents did to our mother for having her husband leave her. The other women were the most nasty, making the most dirtyments to hurt mother. I still remember how mother cried for hourster at home that day ¡­. And how much I hated father for leaving us alone¡± Leo said, his voice cracking as he felt incredibly emotional. ¡°I thought he was dead, I thought that could be the only justification for his sudden departure. That¡¯s what I told all my friends and that¡¯s what I believed all these years as well. However, it turns out, he wasn¡¯t dead! He was very much alive and well-¡± Leo said as he mmed his fist over his own thigh, beating himself up for being stupid. ¡°He was alive¡­.. and he still abandoned us. I don¡¯t know the reason behind why mother epted him back, but I never will. Our father is dead to me, I¡¯m sticking with that story forever¡± Leo said, looking straight into Luke¡¯s eyes with hatred burning within them. ¡°He¡¯s dead to me as well. He was dead to me 6 months after he left and never came back. You and mother are my only family¡± Luke replied, as he brought Leo in for a bear hug. ¡°We will send mother two tickets if she insists, however, we will just consider it as if she is saving a friend. Maybe with that guy around, mother won¡¯t feel too lonely within the Arc ship. Maybe he can help her get to Terra Nova where her real family is waiting on her¡­.¡± Luke said as Leo hugged his brother tight and wiped off his tears. This was not how the brother¡¯s hoped things would turn out, however, for the sake of their mothers happiness and safety they decided to roll with it for now. They could have probably gotten together enough MP to buy an A ss ticket for their mother, should she be the lone passenger, however, now between buying two tickets and her safety, the brother¡¯s would need to work hard to even secure two C ss ones. While Elena did not know how much a downgrade in a ss meant within the Arc ship, Luke and Leo did! They knew exactly how much it meant and this only fuelled their hatred towards their father even more. Chapter 162: Ambush Chapter 162: Ambush The brothers spent quite some time feeling emotional in the MP exchange store. However, they had to depart eventually since their hugging made other yers look at them strangely, thinking it was suspicious. As soon as the brothers exited the MP exchange store, having not even taken more than five steps, a sudden change overtook Leo. His instincts, honed by countless hours of Ben¡¯s rigorous training, screamed a warning of impending danger. In a fluid, almost rehearsed motion, he drew a pair of gleaming daggers, one in each hand, his entire demeanor shifting to one of intense alertness. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luke¡¯s voice was tinged with confusion and concern. He hadn¡¯t sensed anything amiss, and the sight of his brother, suddenly armed and vignt, took him by surprise. *SHIING* Without warning, a dagger cut through the air, aimed directly at Leo from an unseen assant. It was a blind spot attack, meant to catch him off guard. But Leo, with the instincts of a warrior forged in battle, parried the de with his dagger, an action as reflexive as it was graceful. ¡°What the¡­¡± Luke¡¯s initial surprise morphed into heightened awareness. Realizing the gravity of their situation, he quickly essed his inventory, his fingers closing around the hilt of his own sword. With practiced ease, he drew it, standing back-to-back with Leo. Luke tried to gaze into the darkness of the alleys surrounding them, attempting to spot their attackers. But unlike Leo, his skills in navigating the veil of night werecking. The shadows around them held secrets his eyes couldn¡¯t unravel, giving him an unsettling realization that they were surrounded by unseen foes. ¡°We¡¯re not alone¡ªthey¡¯re specifically after me, I count at least 8 men¡± Leo¡¯s voice was calm, almost eerily so, given the circumstances. Luke¡¯s mind raced with questions, the foremost being who their assants were and why were they targeting Leo. Yet, as he stood there, adrenaline coursing through his veins, he understood that pondering such questions amidst a brewing fight was futile. Because of how the MP exchange store was designed, being a sort of glitch within the game, the moment Leo entered that building, Ben seemed to forget about him, feeling confused and lost as to where Leo went. For a while he tried to locate him in the vicinity, however, when he could not do so, Ben began moving to other areas, searching for Leo at a frantic pace. This gave the night guild members the opportunity to wait for Leo at hisst known location, as the moment he walked out of the MP exchange store, they surrounded him and were ready to take him down. Leo knew something was wrong the moment he emerged from the MP exchange store and noticed that there was absolutely no pedestrian traffic in the busy street. Their surroundings were eerily calm to be normal and hence he began scanning the dark spots nearby where assassin¡¯s could blend in and hide. 1¡­2¡­.5¡­7¡­8! A quick scan revealed 8 assants hiding from him, which was the reason behind his sudden vignce as he prepared to fight, before they could mount their ambush. ¡°Jin Mu¡­.. this is not a fight you can win, surrender now ande with me to the Assassin Alliance. While the night guildmaster wants you dead, I see the worth in keeping you alive. With you as a barter chip, Ben Faulkner can be controlled as an obedient puppet-¡± said a voice from the shadows as both Luke and Leo frowned simultaneously at his choice of words. Leo frowned because he would rather die than surrender since in this game dying was only penalized with a loss of levels and gear drop. Luke frowned because of what they called his brother, as the name ¡®Jin Mu¡¯ did not sit well with him. ¡®Of all the gaming names avable, Leo chose a Chinese style name? What are we from Chinatown or something?¡¯ Luke thought as hepletely disapproved of Leo¡¯s character naming choice. He had always wondered what Leo¡¯s gaming name was, he had asked his brother once or twice about it, but Leo always avoided the question and Luke now understood why he did so. In aedy of errors, he either picked a name already imed by another yer and, in a fit of keyboard-smashing fury, ended up with ¡°Jin Mu,¡± or he was just goofing off and identally hit confirm. Either way, he was now eternally stuck with a name that sounded less like a fearsome warrior and more like a disgruntled panda. This was of course a big misunderstanding, however, it was a misunderstanding that Leo would kill to maintain since any name was better than his real name ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as for the sake of his facade he could even bear the name Jin Mu. ¡°We don¡¯t have all day here, what will be your response?¡± the man in the shadows said as Leo sighed and nced at Luke who was standing behind him. If not for his elder brother, he would have thrown a smoke bomb here and used ¡®Vanish¡¯ to escape, however, with Luke now involved in this mess he could no longer do so. ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, I¡¯ll get us out of here, we just need to hold on for a few more seconds¡± Luke whispered into Leo¡¯s ear, as while Leo did not understand what Luke was ying at, he agreed and decided to stall for time. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll surrender peacefully¡­.. However, before I do, I need to know if Jin approves of this n. Does she know you guys are here to get me?¡± Leo asked, obviously stalling for time. ¡°Those questions do not concern you- just be d we are sparing your life and lower your weapon¡± The man replied as he did not fall for Leo¡¯s tricks. Nheless, the n of the assassin¡¯s was spoiled nheless as a loud screech filled the air. *SCREEECH* ¡°Hold tight-¡± Luke said as Leo he gripped Leo from his waist, awaiting the arrival of his mount. Chapter 163: Great Escape Chapter 163: Great Escape *SCREECH* Luke¡¯s Griffin Brown Pudding swooped into the alley that Luke and Leo were in, taking everyone including Leo by surprise. In the academy, one of the maneuvers that they taught all students inbat mount training was how to get out of a tough battleground with the help of one¡¯s mounts. It was an integral part of Luke¡¯s course and hence Luke had learnt how to call for Brown Pudding and use her to escape in these exact situations. As Brown Pudding swooped in andnded beside Luke and Leo, Luke immediately lifted Leo from his waist and tossed him onto Brown Pudding¡¯s back, before climbing on it himself, like he had rehearsed countless times before. ¡°Don¡¯t let them go! Attack!¡± The assassin party leader shouted as daggers began raining down on Brown Pudding while a few assassin¡¯s left the shadows they were hiding in and charged towards the escaping party. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Brown Pudding, it¡¯s time to evacuate¡± Lukemanded as he used his sword to deflect some of the daggers aimed towards Brown Pudding¡¯s body. *SCREECH* Brown Pudding screeched loudly as she dodged a few attacks on her own while being scratched by a few that Luke could not deflect. Although she was a high levelbat mount, in such a narrow alley where the opponents were attacking from cover, she could not disy her prowess as an attack mount as the terrain was disadvantageous for her. The moment she received the order to take flight, Brown Pudding began pping her wings and trying to take off, however, before she could build enough momentum for flight, a few assassin¡¯s were already upon her. ¡°Definitely not happening!¡± Leo eximed, his voice echoing with determination. In a swift motion, he began throwing a flurry of sharp daggers at the attackers, each one aimed with deadly uracy at their most vulnerable points. With his eyes narrowed and focused, Leo utilized his unique skill, the multi-throw technique, to its fullest extent as his hands moved in a blur, expertlyunching up to ten daggers simultaneously, creating a fearsome disy of precision and speed, forcing the approaching enemies to halt in their tracks and defend. This was the first time that Luke and Leo fought together as a pair, so neither knew what to expect from one another, however, the brothers had a natural synergy that could not be replicated even within teammates who had been fighting together for years. While Leo was impressed by Luke¡¯s mount and his mountedbat abilities, Luke was impressed by Leo¡¯s dagger throwing skills as he had never witnessed anything like it before. If Leo threw ten daggers at once, six of them were aimed at the vital spots of his opponents, exactly at their forehead, neck and heart, while the other four were precisely aimed at deflecting iing daggers that would have hit Brown Pudding otherwise. Not only did Leo attack his opponents, but he also defended them from attacks at the same time, which was a testament to the level of skill he had attained. Such aim, such precision that too at such spectacr speed was not something that even professors at his academy were capable of, as it was only today that Luke realized that his brother was an Elite level warrior just like himself. Not only did he sessfully stop the approaching enemies, buying enough time for Brown Pudding to take flight, but even after they began their aerial escape, Leo helped cover their exit, ensuring that they had a smooth get-away. ¡°We can¡¯t let them escape, tail them at all costs-¡± the Assassin leader said, however, only secondster he realized that his demand was unreasonable. Brown Pudding was not a regr aerial mount, she was a Griffin and a fast one at that, hence once she took flight, she was out of sight within minutes as it became impossible for the assassin group to tail after them onnd anymore. ¡°Who the fuck is that guy who helped him escape? We must report this to the guildmaster. He was wearing guild robes with the symbol ¡®DarkSky¡¯ written on it. Find everything about this guild that you can¡± The party leader instructed, as he begrudgingly epted his loss for the day. ********* ¡°Hahaha, wooooo, I¡¯m flying-¡± Leo said as he spread his arms wide and thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of fresh cold air hitting his face at high speeds. With the adrenaline rush of the previous battle still fresh, this ensuing escape felt even more satisfying, as Leo felt his heart fill with joy and excitement. ¡°Hahaha, who the hell were those guys? What the hell sort of gaming life are you living?¡± Luke asked Leo, as he too felt the rush of their escape, feeling happy at how things turned out. ¡°Hahaha, I could ask you the same brother, what is this mount? What sort of a life are you living?¡± Leo replied, as both brothers began chuckling happily. ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­.. I¡¯ll tell you some other day¡± Luke said as Leo epted the answer and did not probe anymore. ¡°But what the hell were those dagger throwing skills? Also Jin Mu? What sort of a gaming name is Jin Mu? Hahaha, it sounds like a panda who has erectile dysfunction¡± Lukemented, as at this moment Leo understood that Luke had contracted a misunderstanding but did not bother correcting him. ¡°Oh brother, we need to log-out soon! There¡¯s hardly five minutes left, drop me off anywhere so that I can find a motel quickly and log out. Else we will bete for work¡± Leo said, trying to avoid this conversation as Luke nodded his head and epted. They were indeed gettingte for work and hence he decided to conclude their adventure for today. Although Leo had no idea how he managed it, somehow, his first meeting with both Luke and Amanda within the game concluded without his identity being leaked. Chapter 164: Trolls Chapter 164: Trolls ( The next day, Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo reunited with Ben the next day after going back to the tavern that was supposed to be their base of operations. ¡°Where the hell were you?, I have been killing night guild members left and right since yesterday for you-¡± Ben asked Leo, as Leo blinked twice, feeling confused. ¡°Where the hell was I? Where the hell were you? I got attacked yesterday by a swarm of night guild members and you were nowhere to be found-¡± Leo said as now Ben blinked his eyes in confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Both said together, sounding surprised, as they recounted each other¡¯s experiences in detail. ¡°A flying Griffin for a mount, your boyfriend is sure resourceful¡± Benmented, as Leo¡¯s face twitched at his choice of words. ¡°Boyfriend? He¡¯s my brother¡­. Bound by blood¡± Leo rified, as Ben took in a big breath of relief. ¡°Oh thank god, I was worried you were ying both sides¡­¡± Ben said, sighing in relief as Leo opened and closed his mouth several times, but could not find any words to retort. In the first ce, he had no idea how Ben even received such an impression as the misunderstanding was just so far from the truth. ¡°Not that there¡¯s anything wrong with it, but I don¡¯t swing that way¡­¡± Leo further rified as Ben pped his shoulders in joy. ¡°That¡¯s my boy! Hahaha, the girl was clearly more pretty, but even if you love her, I hardly ssify going on a date with her as an emergency! Boy, for you right now, survival should be your only priority-¡± Ben said, as he expressed his disapproval of Leo for heading out on a date yesterday when he was being actively hunted by the biggest Assassin organization in the entire Empire. ¡°Well¡­. You¡¯re not wrong master, I¡¯ll keep that in mind going forward¡± Leo admitted his mistake as he decided to not take any more of such dates in the future. He really had no choice this time around, however, now that he had met both Luke and Amanda within the game once, he could avoid such meetings in the future without arousing too much suspicion. ¡°Since we still have one day before the Grand Tournament opening ceremony tomorrow, let¡¯s go on a light hunting spree today. Nothing too dangerous, just enough to sharpen your skills for the tournament-¡± Ben said as Leo smiled rather evilly. Putting on his Assassin robes, and equipping his mask, Leo shifted to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ character once more as he headed out alongside Ben to hunt his prey and level up before the Grand tournament began. *********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez was having mixed feelings as he nced at the global forums. On one hand, captivating attention worldwide, a photograph captured a man adorned in the distinctive robes of the ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild, soaring through the skies atop a majestic Griffin mount. This remarkable image generated an immense buzz and elevated the guild¡¯s mystique and allure. However, on the other hand, Tor was involved in a bad PR scandal on the global forums as he engaged in aments war against trolls that called him ¡®too mid to be a part of DarkSky guild¡¯. While anyone with half a brain could see that Tor was an exceptional warrior. Someone purposefully created a narrative andpared him with ¡®TheBoss¡¯,unching clips of their encounter during the open round qualifying in such a way that Tor looked like a loudmouth and a weakling. A sensible man would have avoided this mess, however, Tor openly debated with his haters on the forums, calling them slurs that turned into a PR nightmare for the guild. Cervantez sighed as he scrolled through thement section, witnessing the unfolding disaster. Tor, ever impulsive, had leaped into the fray without a second thought. ¡ª [ Tor ] : ¡°Seems like some people can only feel tall when they stand on their pile of lies. Watch me in the uing Grand Tournament. You haters will all eat your words.¡± [ Hater1 ] : ¡°Loud as a lion but fights like a kitten. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ wiped the floor with you in the open round, Tor, he will most likely finish you off in seconds if you meet him. While it¡¯s okay to be arrogant, know when to kneel in front of mount Tai.¡± [ Tor ] : ¡°A kitten? At least I don¡¯t hide behind a screen. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ got lucky in the preliminaries. Next time, I¡¯ll show what a real fight looks like.¡± [ Hater2 ] : ¡°Real fight? You don¡¯t mean running your mouth do you? Cause that¡¯s the only thing you¡¯re good at.¡± [ Tor ] : ¡°Running my mouth? The only thing I¡¯m running towards is the top. Keep watching, hater.¡± [ Hater3 ] : ¡°Top of what? The most delusional yer rankings?¡± [ Tor ] : ¡°Jealousy¡¯s a curse. Stay cursed, my friend.¡± [ Hater4 ]: ¡°Curse? The only curse here is your gamey. Go back to training wheels. The global chat is your people with brains, not barbarians like you- ¡± [ Tor ] : ¡°Are you implying I¡¯m dumb? I can school you all about the Englishnguage.¡± [ Hater5 ]: ¡°Only thing you¡¯re schooling us in is how not to y. #TorFails¡± [ Tor ]: ¡°Hashtag this, #VictoryComing. Bookmark it.¡± [ Hater6 ]: ¡°Bookmarking for when you fall t again. Can¡¯t wait.¡± [ Tor ] : ¡°Keep waiting. I¡¯ll be busy winning.¡± [ Hater7 ] : ¡°Winning at being the worst? Yeah, you¡¯re acing that.¡± [ Tor ]: ¡°At least I¡¯m acing something. What have you dely?¡± ¡ª Despite his attempts to defend himself, Tor¡¯sments came across as arrogant and shortsighted, further tarnishing his and by extension, the DarkSky guild¡¯s reputation. Cervantez realized that damage control was not just necessary¡ªit was urgent. It was only a matter of time before someone connected Tor¡¯s behavior to that of the guild and that would be a serious problem for Cervantez¡¯s future ns. He needed to attract the best talents towards his guild and the only way to do so was to project a ssy and strong image. An image that Tor and his haters were hell bent on destroying. What Cervantez did not know however was that all of Tor¡¯s haters were members of the uprising who were solid ¡®TheBoss¡¯ fanboys and that winning a war of words with them on the forums was impossible. Chapter 165: The opening ceremony Chapter 165: The opening ceremony Leo and Ben were an unstoppable team when they went hunting together. In a city full of hiding spots and dark alleys, the duo felt right at home. In just one day, they took down over 20 members of the Assassin¡¯s Alliance, both old and new, facing no real difficulty in doing so. They kept moving, never staying in one ce for too long. As the battle continued over the day, it looked more and more like Ben and Leo wouldn¡¯t be the ones getting tired or hurt as the night guildmaster intended and Instead, it was the Assassin¡¯s Alliance that was getting weaker, losing so many members. Leo leveled up twice because of this and managed to sharpen his senses before the grand tournament opening ceremony, scheduled for the next day. ¡°Alright boy, I¡¯ll keep the first watch, you go have some rest since tomorrow will be a big day for you-¡± Ben instructed around nightfall, as Leo was able to log out of the game thanks to Ben. *************** ( The next day ) The first day of the grand tournament was always one of the most exciting days for the general people of Stronghaven City in any calendar year. Although it wasn¡¯t an official holiday, the city wide atmosphere made it feel like one, as the excitement for the opening ceremony was extremely high. Every year during the opening ceremony, prominent figures and academies made a grand disy to rile up the crowd for the uing festivities. Master knight¡¯s, Grand Magicians, Popr Adventurers all made public appearances and took part in the grand parade, while the various ArchDukes, Counts, Nobles and even the Emperor and his family made one of their very few annual public appearances on this day. The opening ceremony began on ¡®Warrior¡¯s road¡¯ where the various royal academies began their march from. They walked through the public street leading to the grand arena, marching in tight formations, while the crowd cheered them from the sides. The first academy to make its grand entrance onto Warrior¡¯s Road was the Royal Mage Academy, the air itself seemed to shimmer with anticipation upon their arrival. Robed figures, their attire a kaleidoscope of colors that represented different fields of magic they mastered, moved in a mesmerizing sync. Each step they took left a faint glow on the cobblestones, a testament to the enchantments woven into their garments. From their ranks, spectacr disys of magic burst forth into the sky, painting it with ephemeral, brilliant colors, which drew cheers from the crowd. Sometimes they would create water figures and spray the crowd with a gentle mist and sometimes they would create gentle mes, as they marched down the road with dignity and grandiose. The Knight Academy followed next, their attire being a stark contrast to the mage academy as they moved in a disciplined and unadorned way. d in gleaming armor that caught the morning sun, they moved as one formidable unit. The rhythmic nk of their gauntlets and the steady thump of their boots on the road resonated like a war drum, evoking an air of indomitable strength and unity. Led by Principal Wood, the march had almost all the academy teachers participate in it with even Luke being a part of the procession. However, with his body in full armor and head covered by a thick ceremonial helmet, not many could recognise him on an individual level. asionally, a knight would break formation to demonstrate martial prowess, brandishing swords ornces with expert precision, each disy earning roars of approval from the crowd. Next came the Ranger Academy, a fluid, almost ethereal presence amidst the more structured groups. Their attire blended with the natural elements ¨C greens, browns, and grays ¨C mirroring the forests from which they hailed. They moved with a grace that belied their lethal skills, each step being silent and purposeful. Archers among them carried bows of exquisite craftsmanship, asionally unleashing arrows skyward that burst into spectacr patterns or targets that appeared seemingly out of nowhere, showcasing their unmatched uracy and agility. After them many other academies also made their presence known, the royal naval academy, the royal army academy, the craftsmanship academy, the swordsmen academy etc. All of them tried their best to project a grand image of their institution as they made their way towards the Grand Arena. ********** ( Within the grand arena ) The grand arena was filled to the brim from early morning as getting a ticket to the stands was next to impossible. Leo, alongside all the other open qualified contestants were made to stand in three neat lines on one corner of the arena while the other academies made their entrance. One after another the various royal academies made a grand entrance to the arena, being met with loud cheers from the crowd as they took their designated spots within the stage. Somewhere mid-way, The Emperor Julien D Evanus showed up as his arrival to the arena made for the loudest pop. Escorted by the four ArchDukes, he stole the thunder of many academies making their entrance at the same time as himself, but from the smile on his face it was clear that he did not care about such stuff. Waving his hands and charging the crowd, he yed his part as the Emperor to perfection as Leo chuckled at his antics. [ Level ???? ] [ Julien D Evanus ] ¨C All inspections blocked because of a special item. While Leo could not check his level, the Emperor did not have the aura of a strong man around himself, as it was clear to Leo that he wasn¡¯t a warrior. His movements were too rxed, his hands looked too soft as Leo ssified him as a career politician rather than a warrior emperor. Regardless, his poprity spoke volumes for itself as the crowd seemed to adore him. The Empire was prosperous under his reign and his taxws were quite liberal. Although Leo hated the man for how he yed Ben in the past, he had to give him credit for having built such a sessful political career and such a good public image. Behind him stood the four ArchDukes. The West Duke ¨C James Crowhead, an excellent warrior and Jerome¡¯s father. The East Duke ¨C Victor Orban The North Duke ¨C Denver Willow The South Duke ¨C Nico Paz All four of them were dressed like nobility. Luxurious yet perfectly fitting robes adorned with ornate and expensive essories. Ceremonial weapons hanging from their waist, as they appeared in public as the protectors of the Emperor and the Empire. One nce at them and Leo could confidently make out that all four of them were true warrior¡¯s and that unlike the Emperor, these were the men who were actually going to lead a war should one ever break out. However, if one talked about presence, the presence exuded by individualsbeled as ¡®Masters¡¯ was on a whole another levelpared to even the Emperor. The first to step into the light was Master Ethan, a swordsman renowned across the empire for his unparalleled skill and grace with the de. He walked into the arena alone, with arge sword hanging behind his back, and although he made no shy moves, nor did he attempt at making a grand entrance, his presence alone made the crowd go wild. ¡®IT¡¯S HIM! THE WIND SWORD ETHAN, the man who ughtered an entire beast tide in the northern region alone!¡¯. Internal discussions broke out as Ethan made his entrance, as he only bowed to the Emperor and did not attempt to entertain the crowd at all. Following him was Master Knight Sir Gareth, a towering figure encased in armor that gleamed like the sun itself. Despite the heavy armor, his movements were neither sluggish nor cumbersome; instead, they exuded a powerful grace. Sir Gareth¡¯s reputation was built on his unbreakable will and indomitable courage, qualities that resonated with every step he took. With a shield that bore the emblem of the kingdom and a sword that had seen countless battles, he was the embodiment of the knightly virtues of honor, duty, and protection. The crowd went wild for him as well and unlike Ethan he banged his sword against his shield and acknowledged the crowd¡¯s excitement, giving them a cause to cheer for. Finally, Lady Vivienne, the master sorceress made her entrance. Cloaked in robes that seemed to absorb the light around her as she walked with an air of mystery and power. With a wave of her staff, the arena was filled with a breathtaking disy of arcane fireworks, illuminating the sky with a kaleidoscope of magical energies. Together, these masters stood as paragons of their crafts, their presence a vivid reminder of the heights one could achieve within the empire¡¯s martial and magical disciplines. As they took their ces of honor within the arena, the crowd erupted into apuse, not just in admiration of their skills, but in celebration of the spirit of excellence they represented. Each, in their own way, was a legend, and their participation in the grand tournament lent an air of gravitas and excitement to the proceedings, setting the stage for a day that would long be remembered in the annals of Stronghaven City. While Leo was not educated about their legacy, he could feel the strength of their aura. They were as strong as Ben, if not stronger as unlike the Emperor who had to sit at the center of the arena and have all the spotlight fall on him to be relevant, one¡¯s eyes naturally gravitated towards these three individuals who were paragons of their craft. [ ?????? ] Unable to inspect any of them, Leo understood that the gap between him and the zenith was still too wide for him to have a big head. Chapter 166: The start of the tournament Chapter 166: The start of the tournament Once all the academies and prominent individuals had made their entrances, thest individual to enter the grand arena was the crown prince, who marched into the arena with a decapitated wild boar head. *Boooo* *Boooo* At first Leo thought he was hallucinating, however, heter realized that he was not. Nathan D Evanus, the crown prince of the Empire and the firstborn son of Julien D Evanus was being boo¡¯d by the general crowd. An odd smile spread on Leo¡¯s face, in the entire opening ceremony there wasn¡¯t one institute or individual who had faced the jeers of the crowd, however, Nathan broke that norm. While Leo did not know why he was so unpopr, themoners seemed to vehemently disapprove of him as he marched to his father offering him the freshly ughtered boar head. ¡°Looks like you are the winner of the boar huntingpetition this year as well, my son¡± Julien said, as Nathan fell to his knees, surrendering the boar¡¯s head to his father. Picking it up, Julien disyed the boar head to the crowd as he spoke the same old speech that he spoke every year to signal the start of the grand tournament. ¡°250 years ago, Stronghaven city was nothing but a small vige. A small vige where on the fourteenth moon of the ninth month, all the vigers gathered together to hunt the local boars and hold a grand feast. At that time, the warrior who killed the biggest boar was given the most honor at the night¡¯s feast and had one of his requests fulfilled by the vige chief¡­..¡± Julien said, as he paused and scanned the crowd. ¡°250 yearster, although we don¡¯t hunt boars anymore, continuing with our ancient tradition we do hold a festival, beginning on the fourteenth night of the ninth month. While there is no longer a vige chief in Stronghaven, I Emperor Julien D Evanus, do still promise to fulfill one reasonable wish of the victor of this grand tournament!¡± Julien said, as his speech made the crowd go bananas although it was repeated every single year. ¡°The youth is the future of this Empire, and for the youth participating in this grand tournament this year, my only advice to you all is this- Try your best, so that you don¡¯t have any regrets in your heartter! While this is not the end of your life even if you lose a fight, don¡¯t lose it by ack of effort at least as such a failure will torment you even after decades will pass¡± Julien said in a serious voice as he scanned the crowd of contestants standing before him. ¡± Royal Academy Students¡­.. History shows that you are always the better performing group of fighters. You are the pride of this Empire and I expect you all to perform well this time around as well. Open qualified contestants, you have made it to this stage with your grit and hard work alone! You have no institute to support you, however, your passion burns the brightest! Give the Royal Academy students a run for their money, and don¡¯t back down-¡± Julien said, as he yed both sides by encouraging both the academy students and the general masses. ¡°That said¡­.. I, Julien D Evanus, the 4th Emperor Of Unity Empire, now dere the 252nd annual Grand Tournament Open!¡± Julien eximed as the crowd erupted into cheers. What followed was the procedure of lots being picked as the academy students and the open qualified candidates were first seeded into appropriate pools and then lots were drawn to decide the overall structure of the tournament. With a total of 256 fighters participating, the Grand Tournament was a long formatpetition with lots of battles taking ce in varied terrain. While all the fights were in a 1 vs 1 battle format, from the round of 256 uptil the quarter-finals, the match conditions and stiption in every round was unique. For example, in the previous year, the round of 256 was held within abyrinth, where the goal was to destroy the opponent¡¯s illuminated crystal, before the opponent destroyed his. Two illuminated crystals were ced in two corners of the maze and both fighters had to traverse the maze and reach the other end, destroying the opponents crystal to win the round. In such a round, it wasn¡¯t a guarantee that the better fighter would win and hence the biggest surprises always happened in this phase of the tournament. While nobody knew where the round would take ce or what sort of stiption they would be facing, the one thing that was sure was that victors had to fight a new round every single day. The round of 256,128,64,32,16 was to be held back to back in five straight days starting from tomorrow and hence if one picked up and injury in the early rounds, the chances of them winning in subsequent rounds reduced drastically. Lots of ¡®idents¡¯ also took ce during this phase as contestants tried to eliminate future rivals using underhanded means. Since the lots were drawn, everyone had a clear idea as to who they would be facing if they won every match. For Cervantez, his eyes were only on the lots of himself and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as he mentally calcted a collision course for the duo. ¡®The semi-finals¡¯ Cervantez thought as he realized that should him and The Boss win every fight from now until they eventually meet, their showdown would take ce in the semi-finals of the grand tournament. Leo on the other hand did not care who he was facing as regardless of who he was facing or under what conditions, Leo had the confidence in his own skills to find a way to win. Such was his pride as the number one yer! ¡°The lots are nowplete!¡± The official announced as he wrote thest name on the board. With a quick scan, Leo searched for his first opponent and found it to be some yer/NPC named ¡®Lysa¡¯. Chapter 167: Mentors Chapter 167: Mentors ( After the opening ceremony ) Leo met up with Ben after the opening ceremony in their predetermined spot as the two used the cover of the thick crowd to escape from the night guilds radar. There were several individuals tracking Leo, however, with Ben¡¯s expert guidance the duo was still able to slip away much to the dismay of the night guild as they reached a safe spot where the two could gather their thoughts. ¡°Did you look at the Emperor, what a phony that guy is, career politician I¡¯m telling you, not an ounce of physical presence-¡± Leomented as he felt pissed off at how weak the Emperor was as an individual. ¡°The most dangerous kind of opponent¡­.. for sure. Fighters have honor Leo, when you see a super sessful weak guy, that¡¯s the individual you need to fear the most, because he¡¯s ruling over the strong without having power¡± Ben said, as he gave Leo a piece of genuine advice. ¡°But the other masters¡­. Oh my god, those people are the real deal-¡± Leo said, sounding like a fanboy, as Ben instantly frowned. ¡°Them? Nah, your master is better, I¡¯d kick any of their butts in my prime¡± Ben said, sounding slightly jealous as Leo almost chuckled at his insecurity. ¡°Well of course, my master is the strongest, I¡¯m just saying they were cool too¡± Leo said, toning his appreciation down as Ben nodded in agreement. While Leo liked teasing the old man, he knew what topics to tease him at and what topics to avoid. ¡°Anyways, your opponent for the next round is a mage¡­.¡± Benmented as Leo found his ears perking up. ¡°Oh?¡± He said, sounding surprised, as Ben rubbed his nose in pride and continued. ¡°Your opponent is a mage from the royal mage academy, she¡¯s ranked fifth in the ss, thest seed for her academy, however, she¡¯s frighteningly talented to make it here as a first year, as unlike knight academy, the course for mage academy students usually run for two years¡­.¡± Ben said, as he gave Leo important insights into his opponent. ¡°The round of 256 this time around is going to be held in a special arena called ¡®Ice Field¡¯. The ground is going to be frozen solid and extremely slippery with the only way to win being to knock your opponent out of bounds¡± Ben said as he gave Leo hidden information that was not avable to other contestants. ¡°How do you know all this master? Aren¡¯t details of the next round supposed to be a secret?¡± Leo asked, as Ben smiled and gave him a ¡®V¡¯ sign. ¡°You do your best to win, although I¡¯m not from a big organization I¡¯ll do my best to support you. Whether it¡¯s scouting your opponent, scouting round stiptions oring up with strategies to win. I¡¯ll do it all!¡± Ben said proudly as Leo could not help but grin widely. Ben was an extremely reliable master when it counted and it was moments like this where Leo truly appreciated Ben and all that he did for him. ¡®Yep, he¡¯s the father I never had. Definitely not that bearded geezer back home¡¯ Leo thought, as he gave Ben a spirited thumbs up. ************* ( Lysa¡¯s POV ) After noticing that ¡®TheBoss¡¯s¡¯ first opponent was none other than Lysa, Cervantez invited Lysa to have a chat with him before her match the next day. ¡°Facing him in the very first round? Well it¡¯s definitely not optimal but I¡¯ll do my best¡± Lysa said, as intimidation was written all over her face. Currently there was not one sensible yer in the world of Terra Nova who was not afraid of facing The Boss. If anyone imed that they had no fear of him, they were either lying or were a meathead with no sense of fear in general. ¡°Well, while I agree it¡¯s not optimal to face him this early, I don¡¯t think this next match will be within favorable conditions for him¡­.¡± Cervantez said while rubbing his chin as he tried to remember how the round of 256 yed out in his past life. ¡°What do you mean guildmaster?¡± Lysa asked curiously as Cervantez began exining his n to Lysa. ¡°The round of 256 is going to be held in an ice field and to win you need to knock your opponent out of bounds. It¡¯s a terrain that will be advantageous to you as a mage who has learnt the levitation spell and unfavorable for him who has to run on the slippery field. While victory can never be guaranteed when you are facing such an opponent, I do think you have a fair shot to pull it off if you know strong wind spells that can knock him off¡± Cervantez exined as Lysa¡¯s eyes widened with hope. ¡°Guildmaster, you already know about tomorrow¡¯s match conditions? Not even my academy knows this information yet¡± Lysa said in surprise as Cervantez threw her the ¡®V¡¯ sign. ¡°You do your best trying to win, I¡¯ll handle things like gathering information, as your guildmaster this is the least I can do-¡± Cervantez said as Lysa nodded her head feeling moved by howpetent her leader was. ¡°Well if the fighting conditions are favorable to me, then I do have the confidence of taking him down- I will strategize well for tomorrow¡¯s battle and will definitely not let you down¡± Lysa said as she resolved to not let Cervantez¡¯s inside information go to waste. ¡°Good, don¡¯t worry too much even if you can¡¯t win, just do your best. Regardless of the oue of the battle, your ce within the guild will remain unchanged¡± Cervantez said, as he acknowledged her resolve but also assured her that the results of the match would not alter her position within the guild and that it was okay even if she lost. ¡°Thank you so much guildmaster, your support means the world to me¡± Lysa said, as at this moment she felt truly blessed to join an organization like the DarkSky guild. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 168: Leo Vs Lysa Chapter 168: Leo Vs Lysa ( The next day, Round of 256, The Grand Tournament ) The round of 256 was not held within the grand arena with hundreds of thousands of people watching. It was rather conducted just like the preliminaries in different parts of the city simultaneously. Just as Ben and Cervantez had predicted, there were special ice fields created for this round, with the slippery ice surface posing a challenge to all agility type fighters. While everyone tried to gain information about the next round in advance, not everyone was sessful in doing so. The members of the DarkSky guild knew about the terrain because of Cervantez, while Leo found out because of Ben, however, most contestants only found out about the special ice fields, a few minutes before their fights began. ¡°Betting, betting, betting! 2:1 odds, 2:1 odds, ce 20 silver coins on The Boss winning, Win 30 if he does. ce 10 silver coins on Lysa winning, win 30 coins if she does¡­..¡± The uprising guild members loudly said as they advertised their illegal gambling before the match amongst the gathered spectator crowd and began to collect the bets. ¡°The news from the higher ups are to collect all the illegal gambling money and then cing a bet within the official channel for The Boss winning, ording to their prediction there is no chance of him losing this match-¡± One bookie collector whispered to another as the orders from the higher ups within the guild were clear. They wanted to make a lot of money from gambling during this tournament and their strategy for doing so was clear. First collect money from themoners promising them better odds than the official channel. Then ce all the collected money on The Boss winning. This way they could collect arge pool of money and still have a big profit margin left after paying people their money back. In case they lost the bet, they still would not lose a single cent as they could just scam themoners off their money and never return. Since there was no binding contract in illegal gambling to pay them back anyways, this was the most secure form of betting. However, in the long run, if they did not pay the customers back even once, their reputation would be tarnished forever and they would no longer be able to scam people this way. Nheless, since the concept was still fresh and their reputations had not been tarnished, they were able to raise a lot of money before Leo¡¯s fight, cing a full 120,000 gold coins on him winning his match. If they won this bet, they would win 150,000 gold coins, of which approximately 130,000 needed to be returned to customers as winnings, however, the remaining 20,000 gold coins was a profit margin! ( Note ¨C This calction is based off the fact that off that 120,000 gold total, a decent chunk is also ced on Lysa winning, which will go bust ) It was an absolutely insane business strategy, giving insane returns on every run, however, going bust even once with a wrong bet would force them to close shop. Nheless, all bets had been ced for the first match, with the only thing left for the uprising members to do now, was to cheer for The Boss while he won his fight. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Ben and Leo had discussed a brilliant strategy to counter the ice terrain in his first fight. The designated arena for this fight for Leo, was East-Park Arena, where a crowd of roughly 7,000 spectators had gathered to watch a total of four fights taking ce in the round of 256. Leo taking on Lysa was the very first match of the day, which would have sucked for Leo if he did not know about the terrain conditions in advance as he would have literally got no time to prepare for it otherwise. ¡°The only way to win a match is via knocking your opponent out of bounds. The use of weapons is allowed, however, crippling or killing your opponent is not. Are the instructions clear?¡± The match official exined to all the fighters before they walked out of the contestant warm-up area and into the East Park Arena. ¡°Yes it¡¯s clear-¡± Leo replied as the match official nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Alright, I expect a nice and clean fight, the first two fighters can now make their way to the arena¡± The match official said, as Leo cracked his neck and began walking out towards the arena with no regard for Lysa who was standing right beside him. Although the two shared the same warm-up room for 25 minutes before the start of the match, not once did Leo acknowledge her or any other contestants presence as he simply closed his eyes and focused on himself. He was not interested in fraternizing. He was not interested in making friends. He was here to win and to win only as victory was the only thing on his mind. ¡°IT¡¯S THE BOSS!¡± ¡°BOSS! I¡¯M YOUR BIGGEST FAN! KICK YOUR OPPONENT¡¯S BUTT TODAY!¡± ¡°SHOW THEM THE PRIDE OF THE NUMBER ONE PLAYER, LET¡¯S GO-¡± *Boss! Boss! Boss!* Leo walked out to his arena amongst a frenzy of chants. By now his poprity had reached sky high levels, especially amongst the yers, which was why most yers that were watching the round of 256 as spectators, chose to watch his match live in particr. As Lysa walked out, she was met with Boo¡¯s and Jeers from the crowd mixed with a few anti feminine insults. Despite the hostile crowd, Lysa did not seem to be affected as after walking out to the arena, she waited patiently for the ground cover to be removed and the ice ring to be exposed. *Swoosh* ¡°BEHOLD, THE FIRST ROUND ARENA¡­.. THE ICE RING¡± The match announcer said, as the crowd collectively gasped at the revtion. ¡°This arena is made from pure frozen ice, with ayer of oil spread evenly on the top. It¡¯s the slipperiest of surfaces and a disadvantageous ground for the agility type fighter-¡± The match announcer said, as Leo carefully mounted the arena and took his starting spot, while Lysa levitated in the air above hers. Chapter 169: Leo Vs Lysa (2) Chapter 169: Leo Vs Lysa (2) Lysa¡¯s attention had been locked on Leo¡¯s eyes the moment the arena was revealed. She had been eager to catch his surprised reaction to the unveiling of the ice ring, but Leo had remained notablyposed. In the first ce, it was tough to read any expression on his face because of his mask, however, even the eyes that Lysa could see had shown little surprise at the arena¡¯s reveal. She wondered whether he could have known about the arena in advance, like her? Or whether he was simply indifferent by nature? With these thoughts in her mind, she had used a levitation spell to float above her spot in the ring, while she observed Leo and the referee climbing to theirs. Describing the fighting arena as slippery didn¡¯t fully capture its nature; it was almost entirely frictionless, making any movement a challenge. This was beyond mere ice; it was as if the surface had been purposefully designed to negate any grip or traction. Attempting to exert too much force on this surface was sure to result in self-elimination by sliding uncontrobly to the arena¡¯s far side as once one began sliding there was not much that could help them stop in terms of grip. Having seen Leo and the referee struggle just to reach their spots had confirmed Lysa¡¯s theory that she indeed had the upper hand on this treacherous terrain. Smiling to herself, she realized that her familiarity with ice magic and her ability to control her movement through the levitation spell would be her key advantage in this battle. ¡°BOO-, BOO-, THIS IS BULLSHIT! THE MAGE CAN FLY! HOW IS THAT EVEN FAIR!¡± ¡°NOOO¡­..Look how hard it is for The Boss to even walk in that arena¡­. Oil over ice is just cruel¡± ¡°Shit, can I change my bet from The Boss to Lysa, ain¡¯t no way he¡¯s winning this fight¡± The crowd boo¡¯d the referee non-stop as he exined the rules of the match to the crowd, however, despite the noise, both Leo and Lysa remainedser focused on the fight ahead. Lysa stared right into Leo¡¯s eyes, a defiance visible in her re as although Leo never personally intimidated her, his aura as the top yer cast a psychological pressure on Lysa when they were matched against each other. ¡®I can do this¡­. Even if he¡¯s the top yer I can do this¡­. I can beat him¡¯ Lysa thought as she red into Leo¡¯s eyes defiantly. So far, Cervantez had invested a lot in her and had shown her a lot of faith. Now was her chance to pay that faith back, as adorning the DarkSky guild robes, she wanted to beat The Boss in this round and send an emphatic statement to the masses about how superior their guild was, having even beat the number one yer in the very first round. ¡°How pathetic¡­..¡± Leo spoke in a deep voice as Lysa identally said ¡°Huh?¡± Not being sure as to what Leo spoke. ¡°I SAID HOW PATHETIC¡± Leo screamed this time, as his voice cut through the crowd¡¯s chatter and forced everyone to go silent at once. Not sparing a nce towards Lysa, Leo gazed towards the crowd, running his eyes through the audience around him. ¡°You guys groan like little bitches¡­.. you think I can¡¯t hear you?¡± Leo said rather aggressively, as the crowd was shocked that Leo was addressing them instead of his opponent before his fight. ¡°This ground is unfair to me?¡± ¡± I might lose?¡± ¡± She knows the levitation spell, while I don¡¯t?¡± Leo said, sounding agitated as he pointed his finger at the crowd and then curled it into a fist. ¡°Ice ring, fire ring, air ring¡­.. doesn¡¯t matter. Nobody can defeat me¡­¡­So stop groaning like little bitches and just shut up and enjoy the show I¡¯m about to put forward. I am the number one yer¡­.. nobody can defeat me¡± Leo said authoritatively as he made a bold deration. For a moment, the crowd remained silent before breaking into wild cheers as people lost their minds over Leo¡¯s speech. How domineering! Hold bold! How arrogant of him to im that nobody could beat him! ¡°Hey yo, did you hear that? Did he just say what I think he did?¡± ¡°Too arrogant, he¡¯s going to be defeated hard. I can see it-¡± ¡°Too cool! The boss is too cool!¡± The crowd went absolutely nuts for Leo, as Lysa felt her blood boil at theck of regard that Leo showed her. ¡°Do I not exist for you?¡± She asked, as Leo looked into her eyes and shook his head. ¡°Weak people like you can¡¯t enter my eyes¡± he replied as now Lysa was irked. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll show you how weak I am¡­.¡± Lysa said, feeling fired up as the referee signaled the start of the match. ¡°Fighters ready? Fight-¡± he signaled, before sliding out of the arena as straight from the get go, Lysa used strong wind spells to knock Leo out of bounds. [ WIND CUTTER ] Sending shes after shes of wind towards Leo, Lysa bombarded him with attacks as Leo leapt into the air, dodging her initial flurry of attacks using his excellent stic body, while scattering 10 daggers across the entire arena as they nted firmly into the ice. *CLICK* Landing back down, Leonded upon the hilt of his nted dagger using one foot as just like that he created a footing for himself in this impossible to maneuver arena. *SHUA* *SHUA* Using 20 more daggers, Leo covered almost the entire arena evenly with daggers as just like that he neutralized whatever advantage Lysa held over him as he hopped from one dagger top to another, being able to maneuver once more. ¡®Shit, I never thought he would use those daggers as support points¡¯ Lysa thought, as she tried to use her wind spells to dislocate some of the nted daggers, however, Leo did not allow her the luxury to focus on anything but himself, as he charged towards her with incredible speed. Chapter 170: Leo Vs Lysa (3) Chapter 170: Leo Vs Lysa (3) ¡®Shit, he¡¯s too fast¡¯, Lysa thought as she saw Leo leaping over dagger to dagger and closing down the gap between the two. [ WIND CUTTER ] Using a wind cutter she tried to force him to change direction, however, Leo acrobatically dodged the move by leaping over the attack as he spun extremely fast while in the air. *SHUA* *SHUA* Sending two daggers towards her while in mid-air, Leo reversed the roles of the attacker and the attacked, as it was Lysa now who was forced to go on the defensive. [ Protection Barrier ] Using a protection barrier, Lysa blocked the two daggersing her way, however, because of the urgent need to defend, she lost sight of Leo for a moment. ¡°Fuck, where is he?¡± She wondered as by the time she refocused on the battlefield in front of her, Leo was nowhere to be found. Panicking, she looked behind her and just as she feared, somehow Leo had reached behind her and had jumped close to 7 meters off the ground as the moment Lysa turned, she was met with a tight punch to her jaw. *BAM* -20. [ System Notification ¨C Your opponent has been dazed and will be immobilized for 2 seconds ] Instantly losing control over her levitation spell, Lysa fell to the ground below as her mouth began bleeding because of the punch she had just received. *Crash* Crashing onto the icy stage, Lysaid down t on the ice as she tried to regain her muscle control after the shocking impact she had just received. ¡°Ahahaha, that¡¯s my boy¡­.. the blind side punch. That¡¯s my move-¡± Ben said cheerfully, looking on from the crowd as he was a very proud master at this moment. *CHEERS* The crowd, showing their barbaric nature on full disy, cheered wildly for Leo to have punched ady hard in her face as his supporters went wild with celebrations. ¡°Did you see that? Did you see that? Oh my god, he put the bitch back in her ce-¡± ¡°DarkSky guild?, more like DarkJoke, The Boss pockets them all¡± ¡°Once you get close enough to a mage, it¡¯s game over. Well done Boss for closing down the gap on this icy terrain-¡± ¡°What was that vertical leap? Who the hell jumps that high?¡± The crowd was impressed by Leo¡¯s performance as they excitedly talked amongst each other, while Leo stood patiently on one leg on top of one of his dagger supports as he waited for Lysa to get back to her feet. Struggling to find grip on the icy terrain, Lysa struggled to get back to her feet as she had to rely on one of Leo¡¯s imnted daggers for support to get back to her feet. The speed at which this battle progressed dumbfounded Lysa as she had not expected to be facing such a scenario. Yesterday, ever since she got to know about the terrain she had made ns about how to fight Leo, however, from the moment the referee signaled the start of the fight, nothing seemed to be going her way. As she got back up, she found The Boss staring down on her with eyes devoid of any emotion as just like the start of the fight, those eyes seemed to deny her very existence. While she was fighting tooth and nail to beat him, her opponent did not even seem to view her as a serious opponent which made Lysa feel unreasonably angry. ¡°Who the hell are you to look down on me? I¡¯m not some charity case, I¡¯m a damn talented mage-¡± Lysa snapped, as she conjured her strongest spell and tried sting Leo with it. 1¡­.2¡­.3¡­..4¡­. Leo patiently waited for her toplete her chant and gather enough mana to use her best move, as he simply observed it all indifferently without trying to stop her. ¡°Let¡¯s see you take this-¡± Lysa said,pleting her best spell as sheunched a powerful Fire Spell towards Leo. [ Amber Tide ] Launching a wall of fire that looked like an ocean wave, Lysa tried taking down Leo who observed the attacking towards him and shook his head in disappointment. ¡°What a brainless idiot-¡± Leo said in disappointment as he simply evaded the attacking towards him by jumping over it andnded right behind Lysa by nting a new dagger at his desirednding spot. ¡°This field is ice covered by oil¡­. The same oil that is mmable, the same oil that you have all over your clothes from falling down and trying to get up-¡± Leo said as only then did Lysa notice that while Leo dodged the attack easily, the fire spell she cast was igniting the oil on the surface and spreading extremely quickly. [ Levitation ] Trying to cast levitation, Lysa tried to escape the fate of being cooked alive, however, she found herself out of necessary mana to cast the spell. The previous attack had depleted her mana reserves significantly and she no longer had the necessary mana to cast a levitation spell which required a lot of mana to maintain. ¡®Shit-¡® she thought as she saw the mes approaching her, the hear from the mes already making her extremely ufortable. ¡°KYAAA-¡± She screamed in panic as she closed her eyes and tried to move away, however, failing to get any grip on the slippery surface she simply fell into Leo¡¯s arms. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do it princess style¡± Leo said as he carried Lysa in his arms and jump over the sea of fire using the nted daggers as jumping points as he carried Lysa right to the edge of the arena. ¡°You¡­ Why are you saving my life?¡± Lysa asked emotionally, as in her head she thought this was her moment with her unlikely prince charming, as for a moment she forgot that they were still in an ongoing fight. ¡°Save you? Girl wake up, I¡¯m dumping you-¡± Leo said as he dumped Lysa over the edge to knock her out of bounds. *THUD* Falling t on her back outside the arena, Lysa immediately felt winded as her dreams of a charming prince were shattered. ¡°The Boss you asshole-¡± she cursed, clutching her back as Leonded right beside her and raised his hand in victory, as the mes engulfed every inch of the arena. ¡°THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH¡­.. DEFEATING THE MAGE FROM THE ROYAL ACADEMY. THE TOP SEED OF THE OPEN ROUND¡­..THE BOSS-¡± The match official announced as Leo was greeted by mad cheers from the crowd. ¡°Boss! Boss! Boss!¡± ¡°He is too cool! Too cool!¡± ¡°So domineering, not only with words but with actions! He actually saved his opponent mid-fight, but dumped her still like he did not care. The perfect hero!¡± ¡°The gap was too wide for the mage to even stand a chance, however, shepletely lost it when she used the fire attack, even elementary school students understand that fire and oil don¡¯t mix¡± ¡°What a wild fight¡­.what a great finish¡± ¡°HAHAHA, I BET 10 GOLD COINS ON THE BOSS WINNING, I¡¯M RICH, I¡¯M RICH¡± The crowd had mostly positive reactions to Leo¡¯s win as he raised his hand and acknowledged their cheers. Even after winning, he did not check for his opponent¡¯s reaction, as from start to finish his attitude towards her remained consistent. He did not ignore her to be rude or conceited, he ignored her because she could truly not enter his eyes. Although she felt humiliated by this defeat, she also understood the gap between him and his opponent. If the match conditions were not as favorable to her as they had been, she would have probably lost even faster in a traditional duel, as at least this way the fight went on for over a minute and a half. ¡°Good win¡­. You were the better fighter today¡± Lysa murmured to herself, not expecting Leo to pick up on it, but he did. Turning towards her, he nodded his head as he said ¡°Good fight, you definitely have the talent to be a great mage. It seems like all the fighters from the DarkSky guild are formidable¡± Lysa was shocked to hear these words and so was the crowd. They did not expect Leo to offer any words of sce to his fallen opponent, but he did. Despite his perception, Leo wasn¡¯t a bully and did not like kicking people when they were down. His attitude as The Boss was a carefully crafted persona so that his real identity would not be revealed. However, he wasn¡¯t arrogant at heart. Hence, once the fight was over and he no longer needed to put up a front, Leo let some of his real kindness project outwards as heforted his fallen opponent. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll definitely be stronger the next time we meet¡± Lysa said as Leo showed her a thumbs up sign. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it then¡­¡± he said, before walking off as he collected his winning money and the token to advance on to the round of 128. ************** ¡°Good win-¡± Ben said to Leo after the fight as Leo grinned under his mask. ¡°Good strategy-¡± Leo said back as Ben grinned widely now. It was Ben who had came up with the strategy to nt daggers as footholds on the ice field and Leo had executed his n to perfection. ¡°Hahahaha, you¡¯re a crowd favorite! Just like your master was back in the day¡± Ben said with pride as he wrapped his hand around Leo¡¯s shoulder and began talking about how things used to be back in his day. Chapter 171: Lukes Debut Chapter 171: Luke''s Debut Chapter 171: Luke¡¯s Debut ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Leo wasn¡¯t the only contestant participating in the round of 256. While there were many eyes on him, there were many eyes on other yers as well, especially the ones who had qualified from the royal academies and were only making their public debut now. Luke was one such yer, who was rtively unknown until now, however, after his performance in the round of 256, he was not going to be unknown for much longer. Just like Leo, he too had to fight on the ice arena that was disadvantageous to agility type fighters, however, Luke wasn¡¯t an agility type fighter at all. Wearing a bulky armor set that he got as a reward from thest system mission, Luke brandished his sword and shield and stood like a solid tank on the slippery ice. With his white Armor gleaming under the sunlight, Luke looked like a noble warrior from the get-go and against his opponent who was an open qualified warrior with a free-style swordsmanship background, Luke held the distinct advantage. ********** Luke¡¯s opponent was called Caden, he was a swordsman who had made a name for himself in the open qualifiers by disying amazing swordsmanship in the weapons test. As he walked onto the stage, he was cheered by the crowd as he raised his arms and tried to y hero. ¡°You¡¯re dead, academy boy¡­.. this brother will eat you raw-¡± said Caden, as Luke did not respond to his threat using vain words and instead banged his sword against his shield and said ¡°Come-¡± ¡°Go-¡± The moment the referee signaled the start of the match, instead of charging at his opponent, Luke used his sword and nted it with force beneath his feet as he used the power of [ Basic Strength Reinforcement ] to create an ice crater under his feet for better grip. The ice cracked around him, giving him a small circle of grip and it was within this circle that Luke was determined to fight from. ¡°Kyahahaha, trying to stay still? Won¡¯t work against me-¡± his opponent said as he slid towards Luke with his sword in hand and used his weapon to stop his momentum when he found himself within striking range. *sh* Jumping, he used an [ overhead sh ] to outmuscle Luke, however, to his absolute surprise, against his powerful strike, Luke easily defended using his shield as he could not press him down. ¡°What?¡± He said shocked, as the impact of his overhead sh was usually strong enough to split boulders, yet against Luke it seemedpletely ineffective. *Pushback* Using his knight training, Luke pushed back against the enemy sword using the reinforced strength of his knees to blow his stance open. The enemy staggered backwards, finding it hard to maintain bnce as if this were a real fight, Luke would have used this opening to pierce his guts, however, since killing was not allowed, Luke dropped his sword and shield and hugged the guy belly to belly. ¡°Eh?¡± The crowd was surprised to see Luke suddenly hugging his opponent as they wondered if he were a panda? However, what happened next stunned the entire arena. Within that small circle of ice which Luke had carved out for feet grip, he used his strength to give his opponent back to back belly-to-belly suplexes. *Pha-* *Pho-* *Gah-* *Choke-* After the first suplex, his opponent waspletely winded, feeling the air leave his lungspletely. After the second suplex he lost the grip on his weapon and felt his mind go dizzy as he was barely conscious. After the third suplex he felt his respiratory system failing as darkness began clouding his eyes. After the fourth suplex he was as good as unconscious as he hung like a limb body against Luke¡¯s shoulder. Using his strength to lift him over his head, Luke lifted his opponent as if he were a sack of potatoes and threw him as hard across the floor as he could as his opponent slowly slid out of bounds without the ability to retaliate at all. *Thud* As his opponent crashed out of bounds, the audience burst into cheers as they had never witnessed anything quite like this fight ever before! Luke literally hugged his opponent and gave him suplexes like a demon to neutralize his threat! And the audience was aplete fan of his brutality. ¡°Holy hell, SkyLion? Where did this demone from? Bloody hell he¡¯s strong¡± ¡°Crazy Suplex Panda¡­. This guy¡¯s insane¡± ¡°Did you look at his back arch as he did those suplexes? Perfect 180 suplex, bam, bam, bam¡± ¡°Damn, I just found out, this guy is a top30 ranker! This guy¡¯s a top yer!¡± ¡°Suplex Demon! This is the birth of the suplex Demon!¡± Everyone became frantic about Luke as before today nobody had heard anything about him, however, the more they searched about him the more impressive he looked. The boiling point came when after winning, Luke removed his knight¡¯s helmet and dropped his armor to reveal his ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild robes, as the crowd went wild to discover yet another member of that guild. ¡°DarkSky! He¡¯s from DarkSky!¡± ¡°The DarkSky guild really has some strong rankers within them. I want to join that guild too-¡± ¡°Hmph, what¡¯s so special about DarkSky? I¡¯m sure The Boss will pocket him just like everyone else when the timees¡± Although there were some negative reactions, Luke revealing himself as a DarkSky guild member, did bring a lot of positive attention to the guild, exactly the kind of publicity that Cervantez was hoping for. ********** Tor, Cervantez, Jex, Lin Mu, and the Night Guild henchmen all won their respective matches in the round of 256 as well, with Cervantez and Tor having extremely strong disys. However, because of the incident surrounding Leo and Luke, where Luke wearing the ¡®Dark Sky¡¯ guild robes saved Leo a few days ago, all the members of the DarkSky guild were ck gged by the Night Guild, with an unwanted mess on the horizon for them. Chapter 172: Unwanted Troubles Chapter 172: Unwanted Troubles ( A motel bar, after the round of 256 ) Everyone within the DarkSky guild, except for their craftsmen Amanda and Tony assembled after the round of 256. It was a day of mixed results for the guild. Tor, Jex, Cervantez and Luke won their respective matches, while C lost surprisingly and Lysa was unfortunate to face off against The Boss. The atmosphere was hence bitter-sweet as it was not the optimal day for the guild, however, they still had a strong start overall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for failing to meet your expectations everyone¡­.. I don¡¯t think I performed uptil my potential. The massive crowd surprised me and the nerves got to me. I made some silly mistakes that could have been avoided, but I can¡¯t change them now.¡± C said as he apologized for not winning his match sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The fact that you made it to the round of 256 is also great in itself. There are only 70 odd yers within these 256 participants. Winning and losing is bound to happen¡± Luke said, as he tried to cheer up C. ¡°But you though, vice guildmaster, hahaha, look at what the forums are calling you, ¡®The Suplex Demon¡¯, that¡¯s a dope name¡± Tor said, as heplimented Luke on his extraordinary win. ¡°Yeah, Skylion, you made quite the impact today, good job¡± Cervantez said as everyone raised their sses to Luke in appreciation. ¡°Thanks guys, hopefully I can lead this guild into future rounds as well¡± Luke said as he humbly epted thepliments. ¡°So how was it, facing The Boss?¡± Jex asked Lysa as Lysa shook her head in exasperation. ¡°Too domineering, too strong¡­.¡± She said as although she did not want to admit it, she was forced to admit the fact that The Boss was a cut above the rest. ¡°I saw the clips. The guy moves like a ghost¡­ so fast, so precise. It¡¯s clear that whatever training he went through was not normal¡­. That guy¡¯s unreal¡± Jex said, as he frowned deeply. ¡°The special thing about him is that he knows he¡¯s good. He¡¯s not humble about it, but it¡¯s frustrating for us as his opponents. The way he fought me was like he was toying with a kid. I couldn¡¯t force him to take me seriously and that¡¯s what bugs me the most¡­.. The fact that this wasn¡¯t even close to his 100%¡± Lysa said, as a depressing atmosphere settled over the guild table. ¡°Guys it¡¯s okay¡­. None of us are scheduled to meet him until the round of 32, which is still far away. Let¡¯s observe his matches and make a n to counter him. If we can find out the cards he¡¯s hiding, we can definitely make a strategy good enough to beat him¡± Cervantez said as he tried to cheer up the atmosphere. ¡°By the way, guildmaster, what¡¯s tomorrow¡¯s round going to look like?¡± Asked Tor, as Cervantez looked around to make sure nobody was listening and then spoke in a hushed voice. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s round will be a mountain top challenge¡­¡± Cervantez began, as everyone listened to him intently. ¡°There will be a steep mountain created in the middle of the arena with a circr path leading to the top. The size of the mountain will be like a ten storey building, but the peak will only be about four feet wide. To win the round you must reach the peak and stand there undisturbed for 30 seconds. So the idea is to immobilize your opponent somehow and reach the top¡± Cervantez revealed as everyone was surprised by this next round set-up. ¡°Oh? That¡¯s quite a unique set-up that will require a solid strategy from us to win¡± Jex noted as he began thinking about the various scenarios that could take ce in such a terrain. ¡°Alright, we don¡¯t have a lot of time, let¡¯s quickly nce over the clips of the opponents we are going to face tomorrow and make a strategy collectively¡± Cervantez suggested, as the group began following his instructions when they were suddenly interrupted. ¡°Kekekeke¡­.. everyone except those blue wearing the guild robes, get out-¡± a ck robed man spoke as he threw daggers left and right. *Panic* *Screams* *Stumbling* ¡°Nonono, you guys must remain seated¡­.. unless you want to be killed ofcourse¡± the robed man said, as when Tor tried to get-up he immediately warned him otherwise. ¡°Who is this joker? What does he want?¡± Asked Lysa as she looked towards Cervantez asking for directions, however, Cervantez felt unsure on what to do. ¡°I know them jokers, they attacked me and my brother in a dark alley¡­. I have no idea what they want from us though¡± Luke said, as once he revealed that the man was hostile, all the DarkSky guild members unsheathed their weapons and prepared for war. Within seconds the entire bar was emptied, as a group of ck robed assassin¡¯s walked into the bar, surrounding the DarkSky guild members. ¡°Who are you? What do you want from us?¡± Asked Cervantez, as the leader of the group sat on-top of one of the bar tables and faced the DarkSky guild members. ¡°What I want from you is simple¡­. Reveal the location of Jin Mu and withdraw from the Grand Tournament. If you do so, we won¡¯t kill you. If you don¡¯t cooperate however, we will butcher you right where you stand¡± The assassin leader threatened as Cervantez sighed. ¡°SkyLion, your brother is causing unnecessary trouble for us¡­.. but I don¡¯t like how these assholes talk to our guild, so I¡¯m inclined towards teaching them a lesson¡± Cervantez said as once he made his intentions clear, his guild was ready for the signal to fight. ¡°You¡¯re making the wrong choice¡­.. we are from the night guild you know?¡± The assassin group leader said as Cervantez chuckled at his words. ¡°I won¡¯t waste my time with words, you want us to withdraw from the Grand tournament and that¡¯s never going to happen¡­. So let¡¯s get this over with¡± Cervantez said, as the Assassin¡¯s began their assault. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 173: The Strength Of DarkSky Guild Chapter 173: The Strength Of DarkSky Guild The moment the assassin¡¯s began their assault, the guy who immediately jumped in front was C. Being a tank ss, he used the move [Concentrate Aggro], which forced everyone else to attack him first as if they did not, they would immediately face a huge debuff. ¡°Shit, they have a tank in the group-¡± shouted one of the assassin¡¯s, as a tank was basically the nemesis of assassin¡¯s. *Stab* *sh* *Stab* -120 -150 -170 C, without his full body armor and only a guardian shield in hand tried to absorb as much of the aggro as he could, however, his HP began to deplete rapidly as despite him trying to cover his vitals, he took hits in the non-vital parts of his body. He wasn¡¯t the best yer by any stretch, and was probably the least talented individual amongst all the core members of the DarkSky guild, however, Cervantez still chose him to be a guild member for one simple reason. ¡®Heart¡¯ C had Heart and when it mattered the most, he showed more courage than anyone else, as even at the cost of losing his life and levels, he was the first one to take damage for the team. [ Knight¡¯s Honor ] The moment Luke realized he was outnumbered, he immediately used Knight¡¯s Honor and boosted his stats. With a 20% stat boost. His level 120 yer profile, became like a 150 yer as he disyed agility and strength unlike a traditional knight. *Punch* *Parry* *Knee kick* *Decapitation* Thanks to C taking the aggro, Luke was able to punch a guy who was stabbing c in the face and force him to stagger backwards. Once the man staggered backwards, Luke tried to sh down on him using his sword, however, the Assassin parried his strike barely with his short sword. Unfortunately for him, the moment he blocked Luke¡¯s sword, it left his lower half vulnerable as Luke kicked on his knee-cap which was a vulnerable joint in humans, forcing him to buckle over and lose his posture. *Shua* His head rolled over the floor the second he buckled over as Luke showed his opponent no mercy. On the other side, Jex, Tor and Lysa worked as a team as while Tor attacked from the frontlines with his berserker power, Lysa used an immobilizing ice spell to freeze his opponents while Jex shot arrows after arrows at their vital spots. Together, the three of them managed to kill two enemies in a short interval as they established momentum early into the fight. Finally, Cervantez also came swords zing as the guildmaster took down two assassins alone. Alleviating the pressure off C, he pushed back the two remaining attackers bothering him and fought them both off at the same time. [ Speed Burst ] [ Dominating Sword Dance ] Using two semi-legendary moves, Cervantez made short work of his two opponents who were no match for his superior technique, as within 40 seconds of the fight breaking out, the night guild assassin¡¯s lost a total of 5 members at once, in a turn of events that they never sawing. ¡°What? We have miscalcted the enemy¡¯s strength, retreat-¡± the assassin leader said, as he issued the order to retreat once his 10 men team was reduced to only 5 members. Since the fight turned from 10 on 6 to 5 on 6, the assassin leader thought that it was best to retreat first as their opponents seemed to be more formidable fighters than they had been prepared to face. In reality, the assassins group were slightly stronger than the DarkSky guild,posed of members between 140-180 levels, however, while they were all assassins that were best suited for stealth assassinations, the DarkSky guildposed of various ss fighters were better suited for a group battle. Thatbined with the fact that all of the DarkSky guild members were elite warriors capable of fighting opponents higher than their personal level, they were able to fend off the threat of the assassin¡¯s. ¡°Should we chase them guildmaster?¡± Asked Tor as the assassin¡¯s retreated, however, Cervantez decided against it. He had heard about the Night Guild in his previous life and he knew that while the party that attacked them tonight were not as strong, the Night guilds top management were some of the most formidable fighters in the Terra Nova world, with their leader being the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner. ¡°No, let¡¯s not chase them, theye from a faction that¡¯s led by the Kingyer. He¡¯s not a man we can antagonize¡± Cervantez said, as he instead turned his focus to healing C and his injuries. This impromptu attack, while it ruined the discussion they were having, helped the guild members grow closer to one another, as after they faced a true crisis together, their bonding as a team increased several fold. If before today their gratitude towards Cervantez was the only thing binding them together, after today they began to like each other as well. C especially, became the group¡¯s hero, as although he was weaker than the rest, his courage won everyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Guildmaster, what if they return and find more trouble with us? While we fended them off today, if they return with a stronger group, we would be facing an uphill challenge-¡± Tor asked Cervantez, who fell into deep contemtion. ¡°While I don¡¯t understand why we have suddenly sparked the ire of the Night Guild, I know a ce where they won¡¯t be able to touch us. The guild headquarters we have purchased inside the capital is a building whose ess can be restricted to outsiders. If we all stay within that building we would be safe. Although it¡¯s inconvenient, let¡¯sy low there till we understand why we are being asked to step down from the grand tournament by the Night Guild¡± Cervantez suggested, as the group huddled over and left the tavern in favor of the guild headquarters. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) While the Night Guild hunted Leo, like hounds throughout the city, Leo and Ben spied on the match officials of the grand tournament to gain insights into the next round. With Ben around, Leo was not worried about Night Guild Assassin¡¯s finding him, as even if they roamed in the open, with Ben and his superior detection skills, they never walked into an ambush and could hide in whichever shadow they chose when enemies were nearby. Although they had to be alert, it wasn¡¯t like his life became like that of a rat, as with Ben around, Leo still lived like a human. ¡°It¡¯s not too hard to find out what they are nning for the next round if you¡¯re smart-¡± Ben said as he and Leo silently tailed a match official from a distance. ¡°To maintain secrecy, they usually build the match arenas a day before the match, however, the location where they make the arenas can be easily found out by tailing match officials¡± Ben exined, as he patiently tailed one official with Leo for a full hour, before the man cautiously entered a tall grain storage building. ¡°It¡¯s the same every year. The match officials think they¡¯re soo smart, loitering a million ces before approaching a shady building, but I can see right through that crap-¡± Ben said as he and Leo used their wall scaling technique to scale up the grain storage building and cut off a small hole from the rooftop, to peak below. Instead of there being grain within the tall grain storage building, there seemed to be an artificial mountain under construction. ¡°What is this? Why is the circr road leading to the top not constructed yet? Also, who will put the massive boulder that blocks the contestants path at the mid-way point? The round of 128 is tomorrow! Not in a week- chop chop!¡± The match official said, as he seemed livid that the construction was notpleted yet. ¡°Agh, so it¡¯s going to be the mountain top arena-¡± Ben mumbled, as Leo looked towards Ben in confusion. ¡°Basically boy, you and your opponent will start from the base and make your way to the top. If you look at the top it¡¯s a space barely four feet wide and to win you need to stay on the top for at least 30 seconds uninterrupted. It¡¯s a ssic match arena, hasn¡¯t been used in a decade though¡± Ben said, as he got all the information he needed for the next round. ¡°Next round is basically a free pass for you boy, your opponent is a swordsman, that guy won¡¯t even reach the top in 30 seconds but you will scale it like it¡¯s nothing¡­.. finally the vertical climb of Mount Faulkner will pay its due¡± Ben said as he patted Leo on the back andughed heartily. ¡°Well, well¡­.. I¡¯ll be damned!¡± Leo eximed, his grin widening at the unexpected boon as it appeared that his relentless training¡ªthose countless tumbles and falls while scaling the treacherous inclines of Mount Faulkner¡ªwas about to yield dividends far beyond his anticipation. ¡°Well just to be sure, you can climb up and then y a game of darts with your opponent from the top. He won¡¯t even know what hit him! Hahahaha-¡± Ben said as heughed out loud just thinking about how Leo¡¯s enemy was going to suffer tomorrow. ¡°Hehehe, I can even try and throw down a smoke-bomb out of the blue. My opponent won¡¯t be able to see the road ahead and might slip off the edge hriously- hehehe¡± Leo said, as he went a step ahead of Ben and thought of even more nefarious ns to execute. Chapter 174: Confrontation Chapter 174: Confrontation ( Real World ) Leo was living the life both within the game and in real life after his meeting with both Amanda and Luke within the game ended smoothly. He no longer hid away in the halls and was back to his jolly old self. On this particr day, however, it was Luke who emerged from the game, with a distinct scowl on his face. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s got you down, brother?¡± Leo inquired, noticing Luke¡¯s preupation and the stormy expression clouding his face. For a brief moment, Luke¡¯s gaze met Leo¡¯s, hinting at an internal struggle before he opted for silence as he offered a strained smile instead. ¡°It¡¯s nothing significant,¡± he managed to say, before heading towards the bathroom. At this juncture, Leo could sense an invisible weight on Luke¡¯s shoulders, however, he wrestled with the dilemma of whether to delve deeper into this subject or to respect his brother¡¯s apparent wish for privacy. ¡°Good morning, Luke,¡± greeted Amanda, her cheery voice slicing through the tension. ¡°Morning,¡± came Luke¡¯sckluster response as he went into the bathroom for a change of attire. Amanda turned to Leo, her brows knitted in concern. ¡°What¡¯s troubling Luke today? He seems¡­ different¡± she asked, as Leo could only offer a nomittal shrug in response, his own uncertainty mirroring hers. ¡°If you¡¯re so clueless, why not just ask him? Dummy, you¡¯re his only support system here. If you won¡¯t step up, who will?¡± Amanda chided, her words spurring Leo into considering a more direct approach. Feeling as if Amanda¡¯s advice made sense, Leo resolved to confront Luke once he came out of the bathroom, however, as Luke came out, he himself started the conversation, without Leo needing to push him for it. ¡°Hey Leo, those assassins that attacked us that day¡­.. I mean, why were they after you in the first ce?¡± Luke asked, as Leo found himself in a tight spot when facing this question. ¡°Oh¡­ that-, why do you ask?¡± Leo counter questioned as Luke let out a long sigh and said ¡°Well, us DarkSky guild members were attacked today by those same people, they demanded for us to reveal your whereabouts and step down from the Grand Tournament¡±. ¡°What? The guild was attacked today? What happened?¡± Amanda said in shock, jumping into the conversation as well. Driven by her innate curiosity, Amanda pressed for details, prompting Luke to delve into aprehensive ount of the earlier skirmish at the tavern within the game, with this narrative interlude affording Leo a precious window of time, enabling him to carefully formte his response. ¡°Well, they are chasing me because of an item brother. I have an item that I found from a dungeon raid, it¡¯s a cloak which when activated helps one be nearly invisible in shadows¡­. It¡¯s a valuable item for the Assassin ss, but if it causes you problems I can hand it over¡­¡± Leo said, lying through his teeth as he tried toe up with a believable story as to why the assassin¡¯s were chasing him. ¡°Ohhh, so it¡¯s because of an item¡­¡± Luke said, as he nodded in understanding. ¡°Well, no, ofcourse I¡¯m not going to make you give up your item. It¡¯s fine, I was just asking because of curiosity¡± Luke said, as being the good brother he was, he did not doubt Leo¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing trouble for you and your guild¡­¡± Leo said in a gullible voice as now Luke felt bad for bringing up this topic. ¡°Guys, I hate to interrupt your bromance, but we are gettingte for work, let¡¯s talk about thister-¡± Amanda reminded as her timely intervention ensured that the three of them did not miss roll call for the day. ********* ( That same day, The S ss Abode, Cervantez¡¯s house ) Cervantez had specifically requested Luke¡¯s services, assigning him to work exclusively for him throughout the entire duration of the Grand Tournament week. He had made this request because he wanted to spend more time analysing uing fights even outside the game, however, on this day a different topic dominated their conversation. ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s because of an item¡­.. must be a semi-legendary or legendary grade item if the Night Guild want it. Your brother seems to have struck gold¡± Cervantez said, as he tried to remember if any such item existed in his past life, however, he could not think of anything in particr. ¡°You also said your brother¡¯s fighting skills are top notch? Is that your bias speaking or is that your frank opinion-¡± Cervantez asked, as he did not have a nice image of Leo in his mind ever since their first encounter. Unlike Luke, Cervantez thought that Leo was impulsive, dumb and emotional. He wasn¡¯t the type of yer Cervantez wanted for his guild, however, listening to Luke praise him he was rethinking his offer. ¡°He¡¯s excellent¡­. No weaker than C or Tor atleast¡± Luke said as he thought about the fight that unfolded in the dark alley and how Leo responded to it. ¡°Well if he is a thief or assassin ss yer in possession of a legendary item, we can maybe recruit him¡­.¡± Cervantez suggested as Luke beamed at the idea. ¡°Well, I¡¯d be happy if we could. I don¡¯t think he has joined any major guilds yet¡± Luke replied as Cervantez pondered about this proposal deeply. On one hand, he had not heard about any prominent yer named Jin Mu in his past life, however, one¡¯s fate could change because of the most minute things. If in this timeline, he was a formidable yer, then Cervantez was open to recruiting him. ¡°Alright then, send him an invite to meet me here tomorrow. Let¡¯s talk outside the game after the round of 128. If his personality doesn¡¯t seem like a big problem, I may offer him the role. However, we already have one Tor in the guild and I can¡¯t afford another PR nightmare, not atleast at this stage of the game¡± Cervantez said, as Luke nodded his head in understanding. ¡®I will make sure he¡¯s on his best behaviour¡¯ Luke thought, as he resolved to prepare Leo for the meeting tomorrow. Chapter 175: Round of 128 Chapter 175: Round of 128 ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) Early morning the next day, the massive arena base, constructed within the granary, was covered using a ginormous cloth and transported usingplex inscripted devices. A total of four such identical arena¡¯s were constructed in four different parts of the city and were brought to the fighting arena¡¯s only on the morning of the fight. ¡°Today¡¯s round will be a climb the mountain challenge. The twopetitors will start on opposite ends of the mountain base, equidistant to the path leading upwards and will have to scale the mountain up till the top. Once on-top, one needs to stay there without their opponents getting a foot on the top base for 30 seconds. Once a challenger can stand on-top of the mountain uninterrupted for 30 seconds, they will be deemed winner of the round. If they are interrupted, the count will reset from zero¡± The match official exined in real time as the arena was being set up and unveiled in the background. Today for Leo, the arena he was fighting in was the West Park Arena, as opposed to the East Park Arena that he participated in yesterday, however, even across the other side of the city, the support for him remained undiminished. *Boss! Boss! Boss! Boss!* ¡°Whose number one? Boss! Boss! Who¡¯s gonna win? Boss! Boss!¡± Even when the round of 128 had not officially begun and all the contestants were still within the warm-up zone, the boss¡¯s chants reverberated throughout west park arena as his poprity seemed to be climbing every single day. Not only did the yers seem to support The Boss, but themoners NPC did too, as Leo came from the open rounds and represented the masses unlike the Royal Academies where usually only nobles enrolled. Even Leo himself was shocked as to why the people in the arena were cheering so strongly for him when he was not even out there fighting, however, behind his mask nobody could read his surprise. To his opponents it seemed like he was standing in the corner with a smug smile on his face as the entire arena chanted his name. ¡°First fight, The Boss versus Faizal Lombror, please move to the fight stage¡± the match official instructed as Leo cracked his neck and loosened up his shoulders before walking out of the warm-up room. *Cheers* The crowd erupted into cheers when their favorite contestant walked out, aspared to him, the support for the sword academy student Faizal was next to none. ¡°Introducing first¡­.. The number one draft of the open round. The man with the third preliminary round score of 9.9. The mysterious enigma ¡­.. THE BOSS¡± The match announcer said, as Leo raised his hand in the air and basked in the cheers of the crowd. ¡°And his opponent, the number 3 ranked graduate of the Royal Sword Academy. The man who formed a sword intent at the young age of 17. Faizal Lombror¡± The announcer said as Boos began raining in from the crowd. ¡°Shut up- shut up! Your boos don¡¯t affect me¡± said Faizal as Leo chuckled under his mask to see his opponent feeling heckled by crowd reactions. ¡°Guys, how many father¡¯s do you think Faizal has?¡± ¡°Two? Five? Or the whole town?¡± ¡°Look at his tight ass under his robes, I¡¯d pay to tap that¡± ¡°Come on now, introduce this brother to mama Faizal if she has as beautiful golden hair as you-¡± The degenerate members of the uprising spoke from the crowd, as they used popr Earthly insults to get under the skin of Faizal before the fight. Although Leo had never asked for such extra support, he was d for it as even before the match began, his supporters helped him establish a psychological advantage. ¡°You- don¡¯t behave too smug just because you have the crowd on your side, I¡¯m going to crush you in this fight, you hear me? I¡¯m going to crush you!¡± Faizal said, trying to sound threatening, however, Leopletely ignored him. ¡°Please don¡¯t maim or injure your opponent if possible-¡± the match referee said before the start, as once both contestants took their appropriate starting spots, he issued themand for the round to start. ¡°Begin-¡± he said, his voice cutting through the crowd¡¯s chatter as it prompted both contestants to leap into action. ¡°I¡¯ll show you¡­.. I¡¯ll be the first to reach the top¡± thought Faizal as he only focused on his path ahead and ran with all his strength without looking back. In his mind, he ran at his top speed, going round and round the mountain trail as he slowly ascended towards the top. ¡°Shit-¡± he said, as around the mid-way point, his path to the top was blocked by a massive boulder, as it was only then that he paused and looked behind his shoulder. ¡°Huh? Hei? Where is he?¡± Faizal wondered as he looked behind and then on the trail below for any signs of Leo, however, he could find none. He was shocked, his enemy seemed to have disappeared into thin air. ¡°Well, where he is, should not concern me¡± thought Faizal as he unsheathed his sword and used the move [ Boulder Splitting sh ] to st open a path for himself. *Shua* *Crash* Sessfully splitting the boulder in half, Faizal opened a path for himself as one half of the boulder slipped down and crashed onto the floor below with a loud crash sound. ¡°5¡­.4¡­..3¡­2¡­..1¡­.0!!!!!!!¡± The crowd seemed to count in the background, as while Faizal paid no attention to it, he was stunned to see the match official appearing out of nowhere before him, as he signaled for Faizal to stop. ¡°Stop-, it¡¯s over¡± the match official said, as for a moment Faizal felt confused as to what was going on. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s over? I haven¡¯t even reached the top yet¡­. Did my opponent forfeit?¡± Asked Faizal, when a dagger came flying down at his feet. *Snap* nting into the ground with a snap sound, the dagger alerted Faizal, as he looked up to see his opponent casually sitting at the top with his legs dangling. ¡°What? How?¡± He wondered, as only then did he realize that the fight was over before it ever started. Chapter 176: Easy Wins Chapter 176: Easy Wins From the word ¡®Begin¡¯, Leo scaled up the mountain like it was nothing. His opponent, consumed in his own thoughts, never even bothered to check where Leo was, nor did he pay attention to the crowd¡¯s cheers. By the time his opponent had climbed close to 10% of the mountain, circling round and round like a fool, Leo was already on the top, prompting the 30 seconds timer to start. By the time his opponent was halfway and found himself blocked by the boulder, 17 seconds had passed since Leo was on the top. Leo even had daggers ready in his hands to try and create problems for his opponent, however, looking at him searching for him like a buffoon, it did not even seem necessary at that point. Not once did his opponent bother checking above him, as by the time he split apart the boulder, only 5 seconds were left for Leo to win the match. *Sigh* Sighing, Leo decided not to throw a dagger below, as he could already foresee the humiliation his opponent was bound to feel once the match ended. Leo¡¯s prediction was perfectly on point too, as once the match referee stopped his opponent from climbing anymore and dered the match to be concluded, there was visible confusion on his face. The poor guy even asked whether his opponent surrendered? As only at that moment did Leo choose to shed light on his opponent¡¯s oblivion. *Snap* With a snap sound, Leo¡¯s dagger nted into the ground below, as only then did his opponent look upwards and realize the gap between himself and Leo. ¡°How?¡± He murmured in shock, as he tried to think of the moment when Leo passed him in the sprint, however, could not think of any. Leo wanted to wish him the best, however, from what he understood about his nature, he did not seem to be the kind of opponent that would take well to his words now that he was defeated, and hence Leo just let it be. Shocked, humiliated, and disgraced, Faizal found himself unable to face the hostile crowd, undoubtedly spiraling into an existential crisis. Disbelief was clearly etched on his face, as he was gently escorted back to the warm-up area by the match official. He seemed so overwhelmed and lost in his thoughts that without the official¡¯s guidance, walking back on his own seemed an insurmountable challenge. Hailed as a genius by his ssmates, Faizal felt confident in himself to not be worse than any talent around. Had he gone down after a tough fight, maybe he would not have felt as shook as he did, however, the fact that he never even saw iting was what got to him. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even close¡­..I-I was too weak, was I really even talented to begin with?¡¯ were the thoughts going on in his head, as because of the nature of the defeat, Faizal doubted his own potential as a warrior. Although Leo never wanted to crush his opponents morale, he wasn¡¯t too worried about it either. To him it made no difference if his opponent was walking out with a satisfied state of mind, or a broken one. All he cared about was his image and his survival, and looking at the fans adoration, both of them seemed intact. ¡°Boss! Boss! Boss!¡± The fans chanted, as Leo found himself one step closer to removing any doubts surrounding his image as the top yer. Once could be a fluke. Twice could be a lucky coincidence. However, if he dominated time and time again, then even his haters were bound to be forced to acknowledge his greatness at some point. *********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Just like Leo, Luke also had a ster performance in round of 128. After confirming with the match officials that it wasn¡¯t illegal to summon your mount after the round had begun, Luke simply summoned Brown Pudding who he had already brought to the North Arena¡¯s vicinity before the fight. In came Brown Pudding with a swooping gust of wind as she carried Luke to the top within seconds. The crowd, stunned by the sudden entry of a Griffin mount, began cheering wildly, as Luke¡¯s poprity instantly sky-rocketed. ¡°Aw hell, this is BULLSHIT¡± his opponentined as after dropping Luke on the top, Brown Pudding also swept down on him with her talons bared, as she made it impossible for him to climb anymore. ¡°Dirty¡­. SkyLion you y dirty¡± his opponentined, however, Luke did not care. Winning the fight with ease, he won not only the adoration of the crowd, but also the hearts of many women spectators with his treatment of Brown Pudding after his win. Although he waspletely natural, the show of him hugging his mount and messing around with it, made the women spectators¡¯ hearts melt as to them Luke was the image of the perfect man. White Armor, great smile, good with animals. He was the idol marriage candidate as while Leo was cool, he could not mobilize the female supporters the way Luke began to. ¡°SkyLion! I¡¯m only 23 and single! This big sister can cook, clean and warm the bed¡­. Please ept my love-¡± ¡°Shut up you fat bitch, you probably weigh more than his Griffin mount! And you can¡¯t even fly-¡± ¡°SkyLion! Ride me! Ride me like I¡¯m your mount-¡± ¡°Hug me too! I want to be embraced by your strong arms¡± The women in the crowd shouted wildments towards Luke, who was taken aback by the profanity of some of the words being thrown at him. Old women, young women, married women, all seemed to collectively simp over Luke, in an image shift that he had not expected. ¡°Alright, I hate the Suplex Demon¡­.. such adies man he is.¡± ¡°Using a mount in a man¡¯s fight? Despicable-¡± ¡°Oh my god, Latisha just confessed to him¡­.. welp, he¡¯s my sworn enemy from now¡± Since the women began cheering for him, the men became jealous, as on that day Luke gained a cult-like following, however, also lost an entire section of the fanbase forever. Chapter 177: Suspicious Resemblance Chapter 177: Suspicious Resemnce ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Up till now, Cervantez had not really paid any attention to the non-yer characters taking part in the Grand Tournament. However, the name ¡®Lin Mu¡¯ drew his attention. An open round qualified NPC just like himself, Lin Mu was highly rated and bore a suspicious resemnce to the name ¡®Jin Mu¡¯ that was adopted by Luke¡¯s brother. Dressed in dark robes, cheered by suspicious looking men in the audience, Lin Mu definitely seemed to be an Assassin that was under training with the Night Guild or was at least affiliated with them. Her footwork was stealthy, her mastery with the dagger unparalleled, and her agility andbat prowess appeared almost supernatural. In the round of 128, she was scheduled to fight in the same East Park Arena as Cervantez, with her match scheduled before his. This provided Cervantez a prime opportunity to observe her closely. Not only did she win her bout with ease; she did so with a grace and finesse that set her apart from even the most skilled members of the DarkSky guild. Observing her in action, Cervantez couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of admiration and apprehension, contemting her potential triumph in the grand tournament as he was seriously unsure of whether or not even he could take her down in a one versus one fight. ¡®Jin Mu¡­.. Lin Mu¡­..¡¯ Cervantez kept thinking, as although he was not sure, he felt that there was a deeper story to uncover here. ¡®After logging out today, I¡¯ll ask Luke¡¯s brother about it-¡® Cervantez thought as he decided to let go of the matter for now, since he was scheduled to fight next and needed to focus on his bout. Just like Lin Mu, he too won his fight in a convincing fashion, getting a lot of eyes on himself, including the Night Guild hierarchy that gged Cervantez as a potential future problem. With the tournament now heating up, and all the various contestants disying their worth, the real off-ground battles were about to start now. From this point onwards, all the promising candidates were sure to be tailed by spies belonging to a myriad different organizations. Guild spies, Academy spies, Night Guild Assassin¡¯s, Royal Capital spies, Duke/ Count/ Viscount spies. All these different factions were sure to burst into action post the round of 128 and Cervantez was ready for the challenge. ************ ( That same evening, the DarkSky guild headquarters ) The mood inside the DarkSky guild headquarters was aplex blend of joy and tension. Remarkably, every member had triumphed in their bouts in the round of 128, leading to a day free of eliminations for the guild. Tor, Jex, Cervantez, and Luke all secured victories in their respective matches. Yet, from the moment they left the arena to the time they stepped into the guild building, a lingering sense of being followed cast a shadow over their relief and this unease seemed to be permeating amongst all the guild members. On one hand, the presence of multiple factions tracking them meant that no single group couldunch an overt attack without facing consequences, offering a peculiar form of protection. On the other, the sheer amount of attention was unnerving. ¡°What next guildmaster? How do we handle being followed by so many people? Also, what are the challenges that we will be facing in the next round?¡± Jex asked Cervantez, as his question mirrored the overall sentiment within the guild. ¡°Well, this much is to be expected. All of us belong to the same faction and all of us are performing too well, so naturally there will be eyes on this guild and its members¡± Cervantez said, as he tried to dispel the fears that the guild members may have. ¡°No-one can spy on us within this guild building, so we are safe inside here. Since the guild building does have lodging facilities, we can temporarily all stay here until the tournament is over, after which I expect 90% of this problem to already be solved¡± Cervantez said with solidarity in his voice. ¡°There is a history of contestants being hurt bypetitors, so the administration provides protection to all candidates that make it to the quarter-finals. So all we need to do is weather the storm till then. We still have 3 days of continuous fights left, in the round of 64,32 and16 and all of those fights are a must win for us. If, and I don¡¯t actually mean if, but when¡­. So when we win our bouts for the round of 64 and 32, we need to increase our vignce as the probability of us being attacked and taken out will increase dramatically after those rounds. Ofcourse, we are yers and even dying won¡¯tpletely cripple us, however, in this grand tournament, a loss of gear or a few levels can be the difference between victory and defeat, so we need to be on our toes¡± Cervantez spoke with gravity as he scanned the eyes of all his guild members. ¡°We head to the arena together if we are scheduled for the same spot, and back together if we can. Tomorrow, me and Luke have the same South Park arena while Jex and Tor have East and West respectively. So I say, Lysa goes with Tor and C escorts Jex from this building to the arena and back. We go straight from here to the arena and back, avoiding small alleys and not walking too close to pedestrians. Got it?¡± Cervantez instructed as everyone nodded in understanding. There was not much they could do against the established organizations within the game at this point, so their best course of action was self preservation. They could only keep their heads low and weather the storm for now, until the administration offered them legal protection from the quarter finals onwards. ¡°Alright guildmaster, so what is the challenge tomorrow?¡± Asked Tor, as he was eager to know the kind of arena they would be fighting at the next day. Chapter 178: Awkward Situations Chapter 178: Awkward Situations ¡°So what will the next round look like?¡± Inquired Tor, as all eyes turned towards Cervantez. ¡°Next round will be a tricky one¡­. It¡¯s the round where I feel the probability of us witnessing an upset victory is the highest¡± Cervantez said, as his ominous introduction made everyone nervous. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a new arena, one that has never been tested in the history of the grand tournament before¡­..¡± ¡°Nicknamed the ¡®ramming pole arena¡¯ and the ¡®pendulum arena¡¯, it¡¯s a ground where massive bs of metal weighing about 600-650 kilograms each, would be swinging at threatening velocities in a pendulum like motion across the fighting floor¡± Cervantez began exining as he opened a traditional paper and ink and began scribbling on the sheer in front of him. ¡°Imagine you are standing in the middle of the arena. Around you, there are six battle ram sized poles spanning the width of the field. They oscite at a steady pace,pleting a full swing every seven seconds. Assume that as I start the clock, these poles have just reached one end of their arc, ready to swing back. Then for the first two seconds, they are harmless to us, as their movement backwards will probably be away from us. For the next three seconds, the danger is imminent, as it will take the poles this long topletely pass from one end of the field to another. During this time, anyone struck by the poles faces the risk of severe injury, possibly even death, or being ejected from the arena. Then for the next four seconds, they pose no threat as it will take two more seconds to reach the other extreme end and then two more to oscite back. Basically, we have to time our fights and moves, in equilibrium with the movement of these hands. However, while the six horizontal hands are away, the three vertical hands will swoop in, doubling the danger. Essentially, there will be not a single second where the arena ispletely empty and the fight will have to take ce between a weave ofplex battle ram patterns¡± Cervantez exined using a diagram, as the first to pull out his hair after looking at it was Tor. ¡°What the hell is this arena? Which sadist designed this thing?¡± He questioned as just dodging the battle rams alone seemed like a task and a half, but one had to focus on battling too. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely not an ideal arena to fight in, but the Emperor doesn¡¯t care about things like that. It¡¯s going to be a crowd favorite, and that¡¯s probably what he¡¯s angling for¡± Cervantez said, as a deep frown spread across every guild member¡¯s face. ¡°Can we block it?¡± Luke asked, as Cervantez shook his head in denial. ¡°These things will hit like a truck traveling at 40 kmph, it¡¯s not something we can stop with bare hands at our level¡± Cervantez replied as he made sure that Luke did not try to foolishly stop the battle ram. ¡°How high will it be? Like, can we just duck to avoid it, or no?¡± Jex asked, as he tried to understand the dimensions of the battle ram to formte a counter strategy. ¡°The battle rams should fly in at about my thigh height, if wey t on the ground, we should evade them easily, however, I¡¯m not sure about Tor, it may graze him even if heys down t, the man is huge¡± Cervantez said, as Jex began contemting his strategy for the fight next day after getting the information he needed. ************* ( Meanwhile Leo and Ben ) As the master-student duo spied on the swinging pendulums, the duo could not help but burst intoughter. ¡°Hahahahaha¡±ughed Ben ¡°Hehehehe¡± giggled Leo. ¡°This is perfect!¡± Said Leo, as he remembered the difficult reflex training that Ben put him under at Mount Faulkner. Back then, Leo sometimes struggled against Ben¡¯s fast and unpredictable dagger throws, however,pared to it. This constant paced pendulum arena was easy. ¡± These fools don¡¯t know how to design a proper arena, hahaha, what is this garbage, at least make the swings irregr and unpredictable¡± Ben fakeined, as he had a heartyugh looking at the construction. ¡°I mean, non-agility type builds will struggle with this one¡± Leo said as he tried to be fair to the arena design, however, still couldn¡¯t help butugh at how perfect it was for him. ¡°If they struggle they struggle, what¡¯s it to do with us?¡± Ben said, as Leo nodded his head and agreed with Ben¡¯s sentiment. What did it have to do with them? Absolutely nothing- ¡°Your opponent tomorrow is a magic swordsman right?¡± Ben said, as he reconfirmed who Leo was facing. ¡°Yeah, he seems to be one¡± Leo said, as Ben smiled evilly at the information. ¡°Toy with him then¡­. Let¡¯s give the audience an entertaining performance they won¡¯t forget for ages¡± Ben suggested as Leo brought his right hand to his forehead and replied ¡°Aye Aye¡±. ********** ( Real World ) Leo had just logged out of the game after a tiring day, when Luke came looking for him in a hurry. ¡°Get ready fast, we are both going to work in sector S today¡± Luke said, as Leo frowned at this sudden turn of events. ¡°Oh you¡¯re both going to sector S? Why? Does the guildmaster want to recruit Leo too?¡± Amanda asked excitedly as Luke nodded his head in acknowledgement. ¡°If this fool doesn¡¯t annoy Cervantez too much, he might recruit him, yes, as a core member too-¡± Luke said as Leo felt his heart sink at this exchange. It wasn¡¯t that he did not want to join the DarkSky guild, however, more like he could not. If he were not a special ss yer who could not join guilds, he would have probably wanted to join the same guild as Luke and Amanda, and DarkSky looked like a solid guild too, however, under his current circumstances, this was not a conversation he wished to have. ¡°Oh my god! I¡¯m so happy! Leoooo, kyaaa¡± Amanda said excitedly as she hugged Leo, however, Leo himself was in a gloomy mood as he was about to be thrown into a difficult position yet again. Chapter 179: Tough Questions Chapter 179: Tough Questions ( Sector S ) Leo was awestruck by the grandeur of Cervantez¡¯s mansion when he reached the ce in sector S. While he had been to sector A several times before, the luxury of the A ss and S ss seemed to be on apletely different level altogether. Not only did Cervantez¡¯s arc-ship mansion have actual Greenery and nts in his garden, but his house was massive and multi-storeyed too, however, he was the only one living in such a massive space. Leo did not really want to travel to sector S and have a private conversation with Cervantez, however, with Cervantez having already paid for his services, this wasn¡¯t a meeting that Leo could decline without it affecting his annual evaluation report. Albeit begrudgingly, Leo did sit down across Cervantez, who studied him with great interest. ¡°You seem more tame today,pared to before¡± Cervantez said, as Leo controlled his urge to snap back, as he nced nervously at Luke who was sitting beside him. Luke gave him the death smile, which tranted to ¡®If you argue back, I¡¯ll kill you¡¯, as Leo held the urge to snap back and replied politely. ¡°Yes, you have been treating my brother well and have kept your word, so yes, I¡¯m grateful for all your help¡± Leo said patiently, as he actually meant these words. Everything else aside, Cervantez had indeed kept his word regarding making a state acknowledged guild and providing money and MP to Luke during his education. With how well the DarkSky guild was developing and with Luke¡¯s position as Vice Guildmaster within it, Leo was very content with how things were going for his brother. ¡°Well, tell me about this item that you have procured that the night guild is after¡­¡± Cervantez asked, as Leo nced towards Luke who nodded his head to signal that it was okay to tell Cervantez. ¡°The item I have procured is an assassin¡¯s robe with a great stealth ability which helps the yer blend in with any shadow that they step into and be almost invisible. Usually, assassin¡¯s have to use a special skill to achieve such an effect that costs mana and upies a skill slot. However, with the robe you need neither of the two. It¡¯s a great item that¡¯s especially important for long term assassin missions and that¡¯s why the night guild wants it¡± Leo exined, as he expanded upon his initial story about the assassin robe to make it sound more believable. ¡°Oh? Sounds like a great item¡­.. its uses can be enormous if it¡¯s not ss restricted. Maybe I can turn invisible with it, no?¡± Cervantez asked, as Leo only smiled politely and said nothing. For a while there was awkward silence, however, then Cervantez asked another awkward question to Leo, which he was not prepared for. ¡°Your in-game ID, it¡¯s Jin Mu right?¡± Cervantez asked, as Leo frowned as to where this question wasing from. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Leo questioned, as he looked in perplexion towards Luke. ¡°Well I¡¯m asking because there is an NPC from the night guild within the grand tournament, with the name Lin Mu¡­.. quite the coincidence don¡¯t you think?¡± Cervantez asked, as Leo felt his heart race faster at this line of questioning. He had to be very careful now, as even the slightest slip up could lead to his fake identity being busted, putting him in a precarious position. *Gulp* Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Leo shrugged his shoulders as he said ¡°I have no connection to any NPC named Lin Mu¡±. Letting out a disappointed sigh from his mouth, Cervantez turned towards Luke who found nothing wrong with his brother¡¯s answers. ¡°Do you believe the wordsing out of your brother¡¯s mouth, Luke?¡± Cervantez asked Luke, as Luke nodded his head in confidence. ¡°Of course, Leo would never lie in my presence¡± Luke said confidently, as he had full faith in his brother. ¡°Well, I did a quick search within the game beforeing here. I tried searching for any and all ID¡¯s with the name ¡®Jin Mu¡¯, however, I found no yer name such as Jin Mu. There is no Jin Mu, there is no Mu Jin, there isn¡¯t even a Jin_Mu. There exists no such yer¡­.. simply put, that name is a fake¡± Cervantez said, as Luke seemed surprised by this revtion. ¡°There is no Jin Mu? Then what is your in-game ID Leo?¡± Asked Luke, as it was this question that truly put Leo on the spot. It was with great difficulty that Leo had created this illusion that his in-game name was Jin Mu, however, Cervantez ruined everything today. ¡®I take my gratitude back, you¡¯re nothing but a backstabbing bitch who is hell bent on killing me¡¯ Leo thought as he resisted the urge to smack the shit out of Cervantez then and there. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering Leo? What is your in-game name?¡± Luke asked again, as Leo snapped and decided to invalidate the very authenticity of Cervantez¡¯s words. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if you know it or not, but there is a setting within the game, which if you activate then nobody apart from individuals added to your friend list can find you¡­.¡± Leo said, as he began talking about some random setting he had seen a few users talk about on global chat before. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you have set your ount to private, but your name really is Jin Mu¡± Cervantez asked, as Leo nodded his head. ¡°I am indeed Jin Mu, the one and only¡­. However, I¡¯ll never ept friend request from the likes of you-¡± Leo said,ing back to his original form, as his brash nature involuntarily came out. Luke and Cervantez immediately frowned at thisment, as Luke stood up from his seat and smacked Leo on the back of his head. ¡°I told you to talk to him properly did I not?¡± Luke said angrily, as Leo decided that he had enough of this nonsense. ¡°Why should I talk to him properly brother? You have dragged me to this ce, I haven¡¯te here willingly¡­ I don¡¯t even want to join the DarkSky guild even if you offer me the Guild Master role. I¡¯m doing well by myself and I would never put all our eggs in one basket. You¡¯re already affiliated with the guild and are growing nicely. Maybe I¡¯ll grow slower than you, however, we will at least not be exposed to one organization. Plus, I can¡¯t tolerate talking to this rich man nicely for 20 minutes, there¡¯s no way I can work under him¡± Leo said, as hepletely dismissed the idea of joining the DarkSky guild. ¡°That¡¯s it¡­. That¡¯s the Leo I remember, the brash kid who doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s best for him-¡± Cervantez said, as he seemed extremely disappointed in Leo¡¯s outburst. Up till now, although he was asking Leo tough questions, he was secretly impressed by his attitude, however, that changed image went down the drain the moment Leo decided to bite back. ¡°And¡­. The DarkSky guild will never be a ce for rogues like you, even if you were as good as The Boss as a yer, I would still not hire you based on your personality¡± Cervantez said, as the negotiations crumbled down horribly, much to Luke¡¯s dismay. Chapter 180: A Brotherly Feud Chapter 180: A Brotherly Feud The rest of the day was awkward for Leo, as he hung out at the lower floor of Cervantez¡¯s house, doing basically nothing, while Luke and Cervantez stayed above. Thankfully, Cervantez was not the kind of man who was going to be petty and give Leo a low evaluation for his work just because they had a disagreement, as being the gentleman that he was, he gave Leo an S rating for his work despite their differences. The problem for Leo however wasn¡¯t Cervantez but Luke, as his elder brother was seriously disappointed in Leo after their shift was over as he made his anger evident on their way back home. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything today Leo, this was a great opportunity for you and you ruined it. There are things I can¡¯t tell you because I¡¯ve signed documents, but the DarkSky guild is going to be the biggest deal in the game and you missed out on it-¡± Luke said, sounding absolutely furious as Leo kept his calm and listened to his rant, although he did not agree with it. ¡°I told you to keep your attitude to yourself right? That man is the number two yer in the game! He¡¯s DarkEmperor¡­.. why won¡¯t you show him some respect?¡± Luke asked, sounding agitated, as still Leo kept his head down and said nothing out of respect for his brother. ¡°Sometimes I just can¡¯t with you Leo. I just can¡¯t¡­.. I¡¯m very grateful to him, even if you might not be. That man has done a lot for this family¡± Luke said disappointingly as he seemed to run out of energy. ¡°You see this wrong brother ¡­..¡± Leo said, confidently as he felt like he had heard enough. ¡°He¡¯s lucky to have you and all the guild members and not the other way around. We both know brother, that he knows more than what he shows. Nobody randomly picks yers from all sectors based on a hunch. The fact that he wanted you specifically for the guild, means that he knows you are worth as much. A few months ago you were a nobody but now you¡¯re top 30 in the rankings. Any guild would be lucky to have you brother, never forget it. We are not here to be anyone¡¯s servants, we don¡¯t owe anyone our sess because we goddamn fought for everything we have. If you really want to be grateful, then be grateful to our mom, because she is the one who sold a kid-¡± Leo said, as his voice choked beforepleting his sentence. ¡°This¡­. This venomous mentality is why you haven¡¯t joined a faction yet Leo. Learn to be grateful to people who are kind to you in life. You can¡¯t take on the entire world alone-¡± Luke admonished him, as Leo wagged his finger at Luke in denial. ¡°I agree with you brother, that he has helped us a lot, however, it wasn¡¯t out of the kindness of his heart. If he did it without hoping for any return, then yes it would be kindness, however, Cervantez is only nurturing you as a talent. He¡¯s investing in you and hoping to reap massive returns from that investment. That¡¯s not kindness, that¡¯s just business¡± Leo said, as he gave Luke a dose of reality. ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you over this Leo, else I might end up punching one of your teeth out¡± Luke said in anger as he was visibly frustrated with Leo. ¡°And I¡¯m not going to apologize for something that I don¡¯t think I did wrong. Yes, sure, join the DarkSky guild and ride it¡¯s wave to the top, however, let me do my own thing. Our family doesn¡¯t need to put all our eggs in one basket¡± Leo said as both brothers looked away from each other and walked with a solid gap between one another. Both knew that this was only a momentary burst of anger that would subside after half an hour, however, for that half an hour, they wanted nothing to do with one another. *********** ( Back inside the game, Terra Nova Online, Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was seriously pissed when he logged back into Terra Nova Online after his fight with Luke. ¡°Good morning¡­. Why so cranky today¡± Ben asked Leo, as he was apparently on night watch. ¡°Nothing much, did not sleep in peace, guess I¡¯ll just bash my opponent to vent¡± Leo said, as Ben studied his students face for a while but then smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen such predatory eyes¡­.. I pity your opponent, whoever he is today¡± Ben said, as Leo put on his face mask and stretched his body lightly to prepare for the journey from the motel to the arena. ********* ( Same time Luke ) ¡°Woah, why the big frown?¡± Cervantez asked Luke after logging back into the game, as the two of them were scheduled to head to the same arena together today. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk, I¡¯m pissed, let me channel my anger into the fight ahead please¡± Luke requested, as he came off rather more strongly than he intended, showing a side of himself to Cervantez that the guildmaster did not know existed. ¡°Alright man, but don¡¯t ruin your fight over your mood, this is a hard one and needs you to be patient and focused¡± Cervantez advised, as Luke gave him the death stare. For the first time in his life, Cervantez realized that there was a time to speak and a time to shut up, as looking into Luke¡¯s eyes he got the hint that he did not need to be patronized. Walking in silence, the two made their way to the arena and although they were tailed by scouts throughout the way, nobody attacked or interfered with them this morning. Chapter 181: A danger filled arena Chapter 181: A danger filled arena ¡°ce your bets, ce your bets, who will win? The Boss or Prince Of Magic? ce your bets, ce your bets¡­.¡± ¡°Safe bet, safe bet, ce your money on the boss, number one pick of the open round, guaranteed semi finalist. Safe bet, safe bet¡± ¡°All bet amounts epted up to 10,000 gold! No receipt needed. 100% trusted, better returns than the official channels¡± Before the fight began, the uprising guild members began doing their work within the crowd, gathering betting money from audience members and cing them all on The Boss in official channels. The amount of money they gathered and bet with seemed to be steadily rising alongside every round, as more and more people seemed to be trusting their illegal betting channels. Those who got a taste for winning, now gambled with more money for a better kick, while those who lost money gambled to cover their losses. Overall, business was booming and so was their reputation in the underworld circles. Today¡¯s fight was an interesting one, as The Boss was scheduled to face a magical swordsman as an opponent. A magical swordsman was a student who got epted in both the royal swordsmanship academy and the royal magic academy and had a dual course ongoing at the same time. Hailed as geniuses, these individuals were rare and considered national treasures and the opponent that Leo was especially facing today was a man named ¡®Boni¡¯ who was hailed as the ¡®Prince Of Magic¡¯ within the magic academy for his immeasurable talent. For the first time ever, the bets made against The Boss winning surpassed the bets made in favor of The Boss winning, as if Leo won, the uprising stood to gain nearly 600,000 gold coins from this single fight alone. ¡°The Boss will win right? I mean¡­. We won¡¯t lose all our money today right? The popr sentiment seems to be against him¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the opponent is an NPC, ain¡¯t no NPC beating The Boss, he¡¯s the GOAT¡± ¡°We will be fine, just enjoy and count the money¡± Some of the Uprising members were anxious about this fight, while some were confident in The Boss¡¯s skill to win, however, for the wider audience, this was one of those fights that they were the most excited to see. ********** ( The warm-up area ) Everyone could sense The Boss¡¯s murderous intent within the warm-up area, as although he was cold and aloof in general, today he seemed especially unapproachable and on the edge, as if he were ready to kill anyone that annoyed him. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Boni, your opponent today. I¡¯ve seen one of your fights in the round of 256, I¡¯m a big fan¡± his opponent said politely as he came to shake hands with Leo before the fight, however, Leo was not interested. ¡°Fuck off-¡± Leo said without a hint of emotion in his voice, as Boni¡¯s face visibly soured. He wanted to fight his opponent without having any hard feelings, however, it seemed impossible to do so when his opponent was being such an asshole. ¡°Alright, please pay attention here¡± the match referee said, entering the room, as he began exining the rules for the fight today. ¡°There will be swinging battle rams within the stadium and while being hit by it won¡¯t mean automatic elimination, should you be knocked off the arena by the swinging rams, you will lose the fight. Apart from being knocked outside the ring, you can also lose the fight by incapacitation and submission, as you are allowed to duel without restrictions. Although injuring or maiming your opponent in this round won¡¯t mean automatic disqualification, killing will. So beware of how far you take your attacks. Also, in my personal capacity as a referee, I must say that I won¡¯t appreciate attacks aimed at permanently maiming an opponent, you get it?¡± He asked, as all the contestants present within the warm up area nodded in understanding. ¡°The battle rams are big and heavy and shall swing throughout the fight at a constant pace. To give you an estimate of how dangerous they are, let me tell you that a master knight tried to block it¡¯s blow using his shield and even a master was forced to take a step back to mitigate theplete impact. Trying to block and iing Ram will be almost suicidal, so don¡¯t try it¡± The match official warned, as Leo scoffed in his head listening to this warning. If Leo really wanted to disable the battle rams, he would not try to block the rams themselves but would rather try to break the high tensile rods holding them in ce. While stopping the rods is difficult, snapping the cords holding them is not impossible and can be done tactically when necessary. ¡°Does anyone have any questions?¡± The referee asked, as he waited for any doubts to be raised, however, there were none. ¡°Alright, since there are no doubts, contestants Fang Po and Tin Tin head to the fighting arena. The two of you are the first one¡¯s scheduled to fight today¡± the referee said, as two contestants walked out to the arena amidst a thunderous apuse of the crowd. For the first time ever, Leo was not fighting first and had the luxury of observing the new arena and others fighting before him, as he marveled at theplex pulleys and lever system that slowly put all the battle rams into a sync motion after the contestants had taken their designated spots. Once all the battle rams began swinging at full speed, the visual was indeed very concerning as one mistake could see one being ttened like a pancake, however, the danger of the arena kept the crowd on their feet as they absolutely loved this concept. In this way, humans were an odd creature, because for as long as they were not the ones forced to put their own lives on the line, they enjoyed watching others do the same. Chapter 182: Leo Vs Bonucci (1) Chapter 182: Leo Vs Boni (1) Leo observed the first match unfold with great interest. Both participants looked really wary of the swinging battle rams at the start and were only making cautious movements to avoid the battle rams mming into them. By observing them, Leo realized that there were small square patches of arenand which werepletely safe pockets. Neither the horizontal, nor the vertical rams hit those spots and if one stood there, they could perpetually wait for their opponent to approach them without any fear. Of the two opponents fighting, one of them identally found such a pocket and only realized that it was a perpetual safe spot after noticing that neither the horizontal nor the vertical rams were reaching his location. ¡°Well, well, well¡­. This is sweet¡± he said, waiting for his opponent to approach him as he decided to not move from this location at all. Compared to him, his opponent struggled a lot. He did not find a safe spot and was constantly moving to avoid the rams as he slowly yet steadily made his way towards his opponent standing still. ¡°Woah¡­.woah¡­.oooooooooo¡± ¡°Woah¡­.woah¡­oooooooooo¡± The crowd thoroughly enjoyed the battle ram swings, as they cheered for every swerve, every close dodge that one of the contestants was forced to make. To Leo, it seemed like they wished to see someone being hit by the rams more than they wished for a good fight as even after the two fighters became embroiled in a close ranged fight, all the audience seemed to care about were the battle rams. Once the fighting between the two fighters began, the whole dynamic changed as fight timing coincided with battle ram timing. One had to pull back attacks mid-way to dodge the iing rams in time and then try to re-engage in what seemed to be a never ending struggle. There was no possibility of creating any real momentum as by the time one exchanged two moves, it was already time to dodge, before jumping back in and exchanging two more moves. Within a few minutes of the match starting, it became apparent to the two fighters that the only way to end the fight was to force a collision between their opponent and a battle ram as it slowly evolved from a contest of who timed their attacks first, to who could dodgest. The two fighters began progressively dodgingter andter, putting both one¡¯s own life and the opponent¡¯s life in danger as the crowd absolutely went wild for this show. Soon it became apparent that something had to give and something did give when one of the opponents could only dodge the iing battle ram slightly and was hit hard in his right shoulder. *Crunch* The sound of bones pulverizing and cracking permeated loudly throughout the arena as the man hit by the battle ram spun several times in the air beforending with a heavy thud on the floor. From one look, anyone could see how his right arm was only hanging to the side of his body as a blob of flesh and how his shoulder and connective bones were all destroyed. Passing out cold from the impact, the contestant was knocked unconscious, however, his opponent still pointed his weapon to the fallen enemy¡¯s throat, just to be sure. ¡°I win-¡± he dered, amidst the cheers of the crowd as the match referee quickly swooped in and carried both contestants out of the arena to safety, while brakes were applied to the swinging rams by its operators from the outside. ¡°The winner of this match, fighter Tin Tin!¡± The match official dered as Tin Tin celebrated with the crowd while his opponent Fang Po was carried out on a stretcher. This was the first time when a contest was actually critically injured during a Grand Tournament fight, and Leo felt slightly sympathetic for the fallen contestant. These themed arena fights depended highly on luck and auxiliary skills rather than pure fighting skills and Leo did not think that this was the best way to determine who was the best fighter amongst the next generation. He could acknowledge that from an entertainment perspective, having the same boring fights again and again did not make for a great viewership experience, however, if one truly wished to determine which fighter in the next generation was the best, then fighting the traditional way was the most sure-fire way of finding the answer. ************ ¡°Next up, Boni and The Boss¡± The match official announced, as Leo cracked his neck and stretched his muscles before heading out. Just like how his attitude had always been, he did not nce back at his opponent at all, as the crowd weed him with thunderous apuse. ¡°YEAHHH BOSSS IS HERE-¡± ¡°BOSS! BOSS! BOSS!¡± ¡°CRUSH THE ENEMY! FOR THE PRIDE OF THE PEOPLE¡± Despite the betting odds being against Leo, the public opinion was definitely in his favor as the vast majority of the crowd cheered him on. His opponent, showboating on his way to the arena blew a kiss to the audience which turned into a ming bird that flew into the sky. It was a cheap parlor trick, however, got the women in the crowd excited as the more shrill voices in the crowd seemed to be cheering for Boni. As the two contestants took their starting spots, the battle rams started to be cranked up to speed, as the two had a few minutes of time to shit-talk before the fight began. ¡°All the best to you as well, but I¡¯m going to win this one¡± Boni said, as he did not seem arrogant but rather confident in his ability to win. Leo, remaining silent only gazed deep into his opponents eyes as he did not utter a single word. ¡°Not the talking type, I see-¡± Boni said, as he drew his long sword and held it with both hands as the start of the match drew close. *Swa* *Swa* Gripping two daggers from his belt, Leo gripped them in battle stance rather than a throwing one, as he prepared to charge once the match started. ¡°BEGIN-¡± The match referee announced once the battle rams were cranked to full speed as both contestants charged towards one another at full speed. Chapter 183: Chaos Chapter 183: Chaos ¡°Begin-¡± Leo charged towards his opponent at blinding speed the moment these words entered his ears. With his eyes trained towards his opponent, who was also charging towards him, Leo counted the steps he was taking in his head, as theyout of the arena and the position of battle rams yed out in his head. Unlike him, after two seconds of rushing forwards, Boni paused as he reached the safe-spot that was used by Tin-Tin in the previous match, waiting for the first wave of battle rams to pass. However, to his surprise, Leo kept charging even when it became apparent that the horizontal rams wereing in sharply from his side. One step, two, three¡­..fifteen, JUMP. With immacte timing, just before the horizontal ram mmed into him. Leo jumped over it, flying into the air, as he came down daggers out at his opponent. ¡°Fuck-¡± Boni cursed, as he blocked Leo¡¯s attack with his sword. *SHINGG* Leo¡¯s dagger collided against Boni¡¯s sword, and to Leo¡¯s surprise, he discovered that he could not push his opponent backwards, suggesting that he hadparable strength to Leo himself. *Step back* *Dagger throw* Taking a step backwards, Leo threw one of his dagger towards the opponents eye, as Boni was forced to block it using his sword, however, because the dagger was aimed precisely at his eye, in the process of blocking it, he also blocked his vision, as by the time he regained his vision, Leo had vanished from in front of him. *Stab* Leo came in from Boni¡¯s blind side, hoping to stab him in the back with two daggers, injuring his shoulder muscles, however, an invisible veil protected Boni and prevented Leo from injuring him. [ Protective Veil ] A defensive spell that took a heavy toll on one¡¯s mana, however, acknowledging Leo¡¯s threat early, Boni had activated the spell before the fight began, hoping to avoid this exact injury. *sh* Responding with tremendous speed, Boni swung his sword, trying to injure Leo¡¯s upper chest, however, Leo ducked underneath, before rolling backwards to avoid impact from the iing vertical rams. *Shua* A battle ram passed between the two contestants, as they locked gazes, however, the second it passed away, Boni unleashed his first offensive spell of the fight, as he utilized the interval in between to cast it. [ Veil Bind ] The arena ground under Leo¡¯s feet suddenly trembled as nts began to shoot outwards trying to bind Leo¡¯s feet, however, the spell was too slow to take effect on Leo, as the second he felt the ground beneath his feet trembling he back flipped into the air above, evading the attack. *Shua* Landing precisely on top of the passing horizontal ram, Leo began riding the construct, while Boni was forced to dodge it by diving to a side. *Body Roll* Boni rolled on the floor, however, before he regained his footing, Leo was somehow back upon him as he stomped his head into the ground below and kicked him hard into his guts. *PHA-* A mouthful of saliva escaped his mouth as he never saw this attacking. He was sure that Leo was riding the battle ram and would take time before returning to this location, however, he was back on him before he could even get to his feet. Such speed, such precision was not something Boni couldprehend, as he made apse in his defensive judgment. Leo already knew that he could not prate Boni¡¯s [ Protective Veil ] with a weapon, which was why he shifted to using blunt force attacks to wind his opponent as even his protective veil could not protect him against it. It was a genius move by Leo as once Boni became winded, his grip over his sword loosened momentarily, giving Leo the opportunity to kick it out of his hands and out of bounds of the arena. ¡°OOOOOO-¡± The crowd gasped collectively when Boni lost his sword as from that moment onwards the dynamics of the fight changed from a fight between a magic swordsman and an assassin, to a mage and an assassin. *Kick* *Kick* *Kick* Kicking repetitively into his enemy¡¯s rib cage, Leo ensured that he could not get back to his feet as hisck of hand to hand battle training experience began to show at this moment. Had Leo tried to give an opponent like Luke this treatment, Luke would have countered and injured Leo badly by now, however, as a magic swordsman who was learning a lot of things at once, Boni never strengthened the fundamentals of how to protect himself without a weapon or spell and found himself helpless. Like a tiger without ws or teeth, Boni was helpless when Leo gripped him and tossed him into the path of an iing vertical battle ram, as Boni suffered one of the most brutal eliminations the crowd had ever seen. Sent flying across the arena and into the side wall over 25 meters across, Boni was knocked unconscious by the impact with blood spurting out of his mouth. Leo, unfazed, stood at the center of the arena with his fist raised in victory as he brutally dominated his opponent who was one of the favorites to win this tournament. ¡°BARBARIAN-¡± Screamed one of the spectators, who happened to be the principal of the swordsmanship academy, who lost his temper after watching his favorite student being defeated so brutally. In his fit of anger, he broke thews and jumped within the arena grounds, his sword pointed towards Leo. Before the match referee could stop him, he appeared before Leo, ready to attack him when a shadow passed from behind Leo and decapitated the principal of the swordsmanship academy like it was nothing. For a moment as the principal was charging towards Leo, he felt fear creep up in his heart, however, as the warm blood of the man spurt on his face through his mask, a soft smile spread on Leo¡¯s face. ¡®Your student is nothing infront of me, and you¡¯re nothing infront of my master-¡® Leo thought as although he could never catch a glimpse of Ben besides a shadow, he knew that it was his master who had dished out this justice. Chapter 184: Round of 64 Chapter 184: Round of 64 *KYAAAAA-* The entire crowd erupted into chaos when the decapitated head of the swordsmanship academy principal rolled on the floor. Leo was swiftly brought off the arena and to safety by the match official, while all the other tournament officials scurried in panic. Most of themon crowd did not even see the blur shadow that was Ben when he decapitated the principal, as all they could see was the principal rushing towards Leo with murderous intent and then him losing his head suddenly. Nobody expected Leo to win as brutally as he did against his opponent, as tossing him into the iing battle ram was just inhumane. However, what followed his win was even more pandemonium as one of the most esteemed fighters of the kingdom broke protocol and attempted to attack a contestant in front of a full crowd, but was instead killed by an unknown assant. ¡°Someone track the killer! Someone track the killer!¡± The on ground officials said, as they scurried towards the end where Ben seemed to have disappeared from, however, as Leo looked in the opposite direction, he could clearly see Ben smiling in the crowd, showing him a double thumbs up sign. Leo chuckled under his mask as he realized that there was not one official here that possessed the ability to track Ben, as while they looked for him in the wrong direction, Ben had already rejoined the crowd on the other end. While his fight and the scandal afterwards were sure to be talking points throughout the kingdom after today, Leo did not care about such things as he looked coldly into the eyes of the match official beside him and said ¡°You haven¡¯t dered me as the winner of this fight yet-¡± ¡°Oh, that, yes¡­.¡± the match official said in shock, as while he seemed surprised by this sudden turn of events, Leo seemedpletely unfazed. ¡°The winner of this match, THE BOSS¡± The match official dered as he raised Leo¡¯s hand in victory, however, because of all the chaos, nobody from the crowd seemed to be cheering. Walking off, Leo collected his match winning fees and token to appear in the next round, as he left the ground officials to deal with the mess of an academy principal¡¯s death. ******** Only once the fight was over, did Leo realize that he had been fighting wayy more aggressively than usual. He did not need to be this barbaric, however, because he was in a bad mood after his fight with Luke, he let himself be carried away in the fight. ¡°Gosh, I really need to keep my anger in check. Ben saved me today, but it could have ended horribly¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he made a mental note to not be overly brutal when he could help it. Although he didn¡¯t vite any match rules with his actions, the ensuing bacsh was significant. While no one could criticize the manner of his victory¡ªsince the bout¡¯s rules permitted his actions¡ªthere was no doubt in his mind that he had inflicted a deep,sting impact on the genius Boni. The incident left two possible futures for Boni, where it could either forge Boni into a fearsome warrior, burning with hatred for Leo, or it could shatter him beyond repair and somehow, Leo had a foreboding that he had made a permanent enemy. ¡°Well whatever happened, happened, no point overthinking it now-¡± Leo said to himself as he decided to take this fight as a lesson and focus on his future. *********** ( Meanwhile, Luke ) Luke also headed into his fight with a rotten mood. Unlike Leo he wasn¡¯t a fighter possessing inhumane reflexes, nor did he possess great agility, which was why this ground in particr was not suited for him. Nheless, his defensive capabilities were superb and against his opponents onught, he could hold his ground pretty easily. Even in his angry state of mind, Luke was forced to fight a long and patient battle where neither him, nor his opponent were in a position to casuallymit to making a major move. Both were forced to be methodical and tried to wait for the other to make an error that they could exploit, however, found no openings to do so for a long time. Finally, Luke found his opportunity to attack, when in trying to dodge a battle ramte, his opponent side stepped at thest possible second, however, tripped in the process. Pouncing on the opportunity, Luke grabbed his opponent on the ground and put him into a choke-lock. With another battle ram fast approaching and his opponent having nowhere to run, he tapped in panic, surrendering, as Luke pushed himself and his opponent out of the battle rams path and won the fight in style. ¡°The winner of the fight¡­. SkyLion¡± the match official said, as Luke nced towards Cervantez who was pping from the warm-up tunnel. His fight was up next after Luke and he was d to see that Luke had won his bout in style. Although Luke¡¯s anger did not subsidepletely even after the fight was over, Luke did feel happy and content with the bout he fought and was able to get rid of 70% of his frustration, returning to his usual calm andposed self. ¡°All the best in your fight-¡± Luke said to Cervantez as the two crossed paths as Cervantez smiled endearingly towards Luke. Just like him, Cervantez also won his fight and that too with rtive ease as the DarkSky guild had another great performance today as well. Progressing on to the round of 32, the guild master and vice guild master duo were only 2 fights away from fighting at the grandest stage of them all¡­.. a stage where everyone from master knight¡¯s to the emperor would take notice of their skills. For Cervantez¡¯s future ns involving Duke Crowell, it was important that the DarkSky guild had a good performance even into the quarter-finals, however, reaching that stage was the first priority. Chapter 185: Street Thugs Chapter 185: Street Thugs ( Outside the arena, Cervantez and Luke ) Luke and Cervantez were in rtively good moods after their fights ended, however, they could not enjoy their wins until they reached the guild back safely. From the second that they stepped outside the arena boundary, there were various agents trailing them, as the two constantly felt as if there were a dozen eyes on them. There were a few individuals who did not even bother hiding themselves and followed them around brazenly, as regardless of what street the two turned into or how fast they walked, they kept following the duo at a constant distance. ¡°This is going to be more troublesome than we imagined-¡± Cervantez sighed and told Luke, as he noticed that the men chasing behind them had taken out short knives and were now concealing them with their hands. This was a clear attempt to hurt them. As soon as they could, the attackers were ready to stab Cervantez and Luke, who were now feeling concerned for their own safety. ¡°What to do now?¡± Luke asked Cervantez, who checked their surroundings and realized that although they were on a busy street, there were at least 15 men who were keeping an eye on them. ¡°Well, we definitely can¡¯t take the route ahead to our guild, they probably already know our path by having trailed us in the morning and could have set up an ambush. We can¡¯t fight them here either, as attacking them first will mean that one of these onlookers will report us to the local authorities and we will be jailed as criminals. Being jailed would undoubtedly be the worst oue as with a criminal record we would immediately be disqualified from the grand tournament¡­..¡± Cervantez said, as he exined to Luke how they could neither proceed on their current path, nor pick a fight with their opponents. ¡°I have a skill that allows me to call out to Brown Pudding if she¡¯s within a one mile radius of me. But for it to activate we need to change directions and move towards the Knight Academy, because Brown Pudding is currently at the academy stables. If we can call out to her, then she can fly us away from prying eyes and to the guild headquarters.¡± Luke said, as Cervantez contemted his offer for a while. While not the ideal strategy, desperation had set in for the duo as it became apparent that a certain group had deliberately hired street thugs, with the intention of using them to intimidate and harm promisingpetitors. Currently it was impossible to shake them off if they kept walking down the path to the guild, while starting a fight first wasn¡¯t an option either, which was why despite Luke¡¯s n not being an optimal one, Cervantez decided to go with it. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s keep walking normally for now, then at the first left, we turn directions and sprint. Let¡¯s give these bastards a good jog if they want to try and keep up with us¡± Cervantez said after covering his lips with his palms as Luke looked into his eyes and nodded. The duo walked normally for a few steps, before the street broke off into a crossroads and then suddenly changed directions to turn left, and immediately dashed. [ Body Reinforcement ] Luke activated the skill body reinforcement, boosting his physical stats by 20% as he tried to run at his top speed. Since he was a bnced knight ss yer, Luke had mostly distributed his stats evenly, meaning that while his overall stats were good, his agility stat in itself was not very high. Hence, even with his 20% speed boost, Luke could barely keep up with Cervantez, who despite not using any abilities was slightly faster than Luke. The moment they sprinted, their followers realized that their initial n of setting up an ambush down the road was foiled as they improvised and chased behind the escaping duo with naked des in hand. *Gaaaaa-* One of the pursuers screamed as he ran with a de in his hand, looking like an absolute maniac as themon NPC¡¯s screamed and stuck to one side of the road, moving out of his way. Some onlookers chased the duo from the nearby building walls, as they ran on-top of ledges and parkoured their way through the chase, while the local thugs chased on foot. For 15 minutes, they yed this game of cat and mouse as Luke and Cervantez were able to shake off 50% of their pursuers who were either too slow or did not have the stamina to carry on. However, after 15 minutes as they came very close to the Knight Academy, the duo finally stopped running, as Luke made his call for Brown Pudding toe pick them up. ¡°How *pant* long *pant* will it take for your Griffin toe here?¡± Cervantez asked, panting, as Luke looked at his surroundings, before roughly calcting the distance from the academy. ¡°2 minutes at the maximum¡± he said, as Cervantez grinned and took out his sword. The enemies chasing them were also visibly winded as they clutched their knees and tried to catch their breaths, however, despite their rough shape, they seemed resolved to continue this fight. ¡°You made a big mistake by making an enemy out of the uprising. Boss ChaosBringer is not an opponent you should have picked on-¡± said one of the street thugs that attacked Cervantez, as Cervantez easily disarmed him and broke his nose by hitting it with his elbow. ¡°ChaosBringer? Since when does he control the underworld?¡± Cervantez asked, as he felt confused about what was going on. He knew about the uprising, it was a small time underground faction in his past life that was involved in a lot of criminal activities, however, he had no idea as to when their influence spread over to controlling the NPC underworld of Stronghaven. As of now, Cervantez had no idea on how rapidly the uprising was expanding, nor did he know how ChaosBringer had put a hit order on every single contestant not named ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Chapter 186: Furious Cervantez Chapter 186: Furious Cervantez ( The DarkSky Guild Headquarters ) Cervantez was furious with how things were shaping up to be once he returned to the DarkSky guild headquarters. After being cornered in an alley and fighting the street thugs off without fatally hurting any of them, Luke and Cervantez got a bit of breathing room when Brown Pudding reached the alley and scared their attackers off. Jumping on her back, the duo sessfully evaded all the spies and onlookers deployed to keep an eye on them as they safely made it back to the guild headquarters, however, they were met with some very concerning news once they returned. Jex¡¯s battle in the round of 64 concluded in defeat today, a setback that could be attributed to the ambush that he and C encountered en route to the arena in the morning. Being stabbed by paralyzing poisonced daggers, even after staving off his enemies and drinking potions to stop the bleeding, Jex faced a 40% stat debuff due to the poisons effects leading to him losing the round. However, the bad news did not end there as on their way back, Tor and Lysa met with a tragic ident as well, losing their lives in an unforeseen incident. Members of the same street gang that cornered Cervantez and Luke went after Tor and Lysa as well, as after Tor won his match in the round of 64 he became a prime target for their heckling. On their way back, the duo were surrounded and ruthlessly killed by the street gang, causing both yers to lose two levels each. ¡°It¡¯s not just my levels that I lost either, I¡¯ve lost my greatsword as well, my epic ranked weapon was dropped upon my death, so I have no suitable weapon left for my fight with The Boss tomorrow¡± Tor said in frustration, as Cervantez felt furious at this turn of events. ¡°The Uprising and ChaosBringer have crossed a major line this time. As if the threat we faced from a rogue assassin organization like the night guild wasn¡¯t enough, we now need to worry about a yer leading the underworld being after us too. This is uneptable¡­.. when facing an opponent like The Boss, every stat point, every level, every equipment matters. You losing levels will impact your chances to win big-time¡± Cervantez said, as the atmosphere within the guild became incredibly tense. Despite all the advantages that the DarkSky members had with Cervantez¡¯s future knowledge and guidance, only three yers of the DarkSky guild had made it into the round of 32 and with Tor scheduled to face The Boss in the next round, Cervantez had little hopes of him advancing to the round of 16. At this rate, Cervantez feared that the only two members representing the guild in the actual grand tournament would be him and Luke, which was not how he hoped the Grand Tournament would y out at all. While the rounds before the quarter-finals were good to gain acknowledgement from the crowd, Cervantez knew that the real battles that mattered were the ones that would be spectated by the bigshots in the quarter-finals and onwards. Cervantez¡¯s initial n was for him, Lysa, Tor and Luke to all reach the quarter-finals and shock the world by having one member of the guild fighting in all four quarter final matches, however, that n seemed like a pipe dream now. If he had been sessful in achieving his initial goal, Cervantez was confident in securing a lucrative defense contract with the West Duke Family, however, those ns were now on the brink of ruin because of unexpected interference by third parties. ¡°Oh god I¡¯m pissed. I want to teach the uprising a lesson, but we don¡¯t have time to focus on anything but the grand tournament for now. We still have two rounds to fight for two consecutive days and we can¡¯t afford to be distracted now¡± Cervantez said, as the guild members could hear the frustration behind his voice. Cervantez was so pissed right now that should his schedule had permitted him to, he would have dered a war on the uprising right this moment. However, the grand tournament certainly took first priority for now, as Cervantez was forced to swallow his anger and focus on the match that was to happen tomorrow. Luke felt like this was a wise decision by Cervantez, as while he too felt frustrated at this turn of events, just like Cervantez he too acknowledged the fact that the grand tournament took precedence over everything else at the moment. ¡°So what is the arena that we are going to be fighting in tomorrow?¡± Luke asked Cervantez who took a moment to steady his breath before answering. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s fight will take ce in a quicksand arena, one of the toughest arenas to fight in¡± Cervantez said, grasping the attention of everyone as he took up a pen and paper and began drawing a construct. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s arena will be 70% quicksand that¡¯s impossible to stand on for long without sinking into and 30% a water pond. At the center there will be a circr pond with a terrifying level 150 crocodile monster within, however, the edge of the pond and the pond itself will be the only two safe ces to fight from if you don¡¯t want to sink into the quicksand. While technically there will be no safe areas within tomorrow¡¯s fight. It will be a fight to incapacitation or surrender as for there will be no arena outs. It¡¯s a dirty arena, designed with the sole purpose of entertaining the crowd and there is not much in terms of strategy that can help you win. It¡¯s a dog-fight to the win, however, almost every time the stronger fighter will win in this arena as the chances of there being an upset are slim to none¡±. Cervantez said, as Luke frowned upon the arenayout. He was no stranger to quicksand, it was one of the terrains that he extensively trained on as an academy knight. However, because he was ustomed to it, he understood just how stupid it was to fight in an arena full of it. Fighting on quicksand drained one¡¯s stamina fast and while dealing any big blows became hard with the ground absorbing a lot of shock and impact. Those same big blows caused one to sink deeper within the quicksand making it a nightmare for defense type builds. ¡°Isn¡¯t this perfect? If it¡¯s a dog-fight I can take down anyone. If there was ever an arena where I had a shot of taking down The Boss, this has to be it¡± Tor said after thinking for a while, as although Cervantez did not agree with his analysis he said nothing for the sake of keeping Tor¡¯s confidence intact. While this arena favored no-one, being a nightmare for both agility and defense type builds, what Tor seemed to misunderstand was the importance of long ranged attacks in such an environment. While Tor was a strictly close ranged fighter, The Boss couldunch attacks from range with his dagger throws which could be the edge that could guarantee him victory. Had Jex made it to this round, then Cervantez would have felt confident that his archery skills could help him propell to the next round, however, unfortunately both Jex and Lysa had been eliminated from the tournament now. ******** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo and Ben spied on the arenayout for the next day, as for the first time ever even they frowned looking at the type of ground the match officials were constructing. ¡°Add more sand here! It¡¯s too thin and watery. We need to make it thicker¡± ¡°Has someone fed the crocodile monster? We need to feed it well so that it doesn¡¯t unnecessarily leap out of the pond and disrupt fights tomorrow¡± The match officials said as they prepared the ground, as Ben especially felt disgusted by thisyout. ¡°I want to find out which sick freak is incharge of ground selections this year. What are these dangerousyouts that can lead to loss of life? All the contestants who have made it to the round of 32 are the future of the empire, there is no need to expose them to such unnecessary risk for public joy¡± Ben ranted, as Leo silently agreed with his analysis. Whoever designed this arena was undoubtedly a sick bastard, however, that did not change the fact that Leo still had to fight in it the next day. Chapter 187: Blatant Animosity Chapter 187: tant Animosity ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) Luke decided to take no risks in reaching the match arena after the incident yesterday as he flew all guild members to the fight location on his Griffin. First, he dropped Cervantez to the North Arena andter flew himself and Tor to the south arena, as they were both scheduled to fight there. For the first time ever, Luke came face to face with The Boss as he found the enigmatic yer lurking in one corner of the warm-up room by himself. ¡°That¡¯s the boss?¡± Luke asked Tor, who kept ring holes in his direction. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him¡­. The number one yer¡± Tor said, as Luke studied him intently. Currently he was leaning against a wall with his arms folded and his eyes closed, however, although he seemed to be asleep, his aura felt as if he were alert. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look as intimidating in real life¡± Luke muttered, as somehow he did not feel awestruck in the presence of The Boss. The way others talked about him, especially Cervantez and Tor, gave Luke the impression that The Boss was some sort of a mythical fighter, however, now that he actually stood in his presence, Luke did not think that he was all that special either. ********** ¡® *Sigh* Why is brother here?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he closed his eyes and leaned against a wall. While he could be arrogant in front of anyone else, he could not be rude in front of his brother even if it were an act. He wasfortable in shrinking anyone else down to size, even if that anyone was the Emperor, however, when it came to his brother and mother, Leo knew that he would fumble up his act. However, while he silently pledged to avoid his brother, the big brainless oaf alongside his brother seemed to have other ns. ¡°It seems like we meet again¡± Tor said as he walked up to Leo and ced his hand on the same wall Leo was leaning against, trying to intimidate him. ¡°Your breath stinks¡­.. move away¡± Leo replied, as he lightly tapped Tor on his chest. Taken aback, Tor embarrassedly moved back, as Leo moved out of the corner he was leaning in. ¡°Hey I¡¯m talking to you-¡± Tor said, however, true to his nature, Leo did not respond to him as he walked over to the other corner of the room and leaned against it, closing his eyes once more. ¡°You see that? You see that Skylion? That¡¯s why I hate him¡­. His attitude sucks¡± Torined to Luke, as Leo momentarily opened his eyes as if intending to say something, but then closed it back again. ¡°Calm down Tor¡­.. he¡¯s just trying to get in your head¡± Luke said as he tried to calm down the barbarian, who seemed worked up about Leo¡¯s attitude before the fight even began. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to get in his head¡­ I already live there permanently, rent free-¡± Leo said, adding fuel to the fire as now Tor actually felt enraged. ¡°Do you even realize what a mega star you are? Do you even realize how many low level kids look up to you? Whenever I say anything against you on the global forums, your fanse hound me in thements. You are the biggest star in this game, yet your attitude is not worthy of them. I pity the weaker yers who have you as your idol, because the day they actually try to talk to you, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t even spare them a nce¡± Tor said, venting his anger in front of Leo, who chuckled listening to his words. ¡°So that¡¯s why you hate me¡­.. because I¡¯m more popr than you? Hahahaha¡± Leo chuckled, as Tor felt on the edge of popping a vein. ¡°When did I ask for fans? When did I ask for fame? To me those things don¡¯t matter. Just like how you as an opponent don¡¯t matter to me. I owe nothing to my fans, so spare your morality lecture for someone who cares¡± Leo said domineeringly, as before Tor could respond to his jibe, Luke did. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but, you¡¯re wrong. Feel free to hide behind the mask you¡¯re wearing. Feel free to make arrogant remarks because you¡¯re strong. But do yourself a favor and don¡¯t think you¡¯re fooling anyone by your speech. I atleast can see through you¡­ The way you hype up the crowd, the way you celebrate with them. You do care about what they say. You care a lot¡± Luke said, as Leo smiled under his mask when his brother said this. He wasn¡¯t wrong at all, Leo did really care about what the crowd thought about him but not because he cared for the crowd itself. He cared what the crowd thought of him, because his survival was linked to it, however, despite not knowing the reason, his brother¡¯s analysis was on point. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never seen him so speechless, SkyLion you are awesome!¡± Tor said in joy as he was shocked to see The Boss having shut his mouth. However, Luke only shook his head and patted Tor on the back asking him to calm down. Soon, the match official entered the warm-up room as he dered the rules of the match today. ¡°Today¡¯s match is going to be fought in the new quicksand arena. This arena is designed to be a five foot deep quicksand, so don¡¯t worry even if you start sinking as at worst you will be buried up to your chest in it, however, you won¡¯t drown and die¡± He said, as both Luke and Leo squinted their eyes when the match official dered that the arena was non lethal, knowing full well that the quicksand was not the only feature of this ground. ¡°At the center of the quicksand arena will be a pond, with approximately one meter thick boundary walls that are made of solid brick. A sort of safezone that you can go to if you don¡¯t wish to fight on the quicksand, however, beware that although the edge of the pond is solid, within the pond itself lurks a dangerous crocodile monster¡± The match official warned as both Luke and Leo pped their foreheads at the same time listening to this exnation. If there is an alligator ready to jump out and eat you, then of course the pond boundary can¡¯t be considered safe, however, the dumb match officials could only follow the script they were given. ¡°This match cannot be won via an arena out, and can only be won by incapacitation or surrender. There is no penalty for killing your opponent, however, restraint is advised¡­¡± The match official said, looking towards Leo in particr. In his previous match, Leo had brutally injured his opponent, a situation that had led to the death of the Principal of the swordsmanship academy. ¡°Please show restraint, contestant, the whole swordsmanship academy is sitting in the stands today, ready to chop you down. The Emperor had to deploy the Royal Guards to ensure your security. I don¡¯t nearly get paid enough for this mess¡­¡± the match official personally requested Leo when he noticed that Leo did not adequately respond to his first subtle warning. Nodding, Leo took note of his warning, prompting the match official to let out a deep sigh. He had been unfortunate enough to be the one officiating Leo¡¯s previous match and had been reprimanded severely by senior government officials for his inability to find the assassin that killed the Principal. ¡°Anyways, the first fight is between contestants The Boss and Tor. So please make your way to the arena one at a time¡± The match official said, before turning to leave the warm-up tunnel. ¡°You¡¯re going down¡­.¡± Tor said confidently as he walked out of the warm up tunnel first, amidst a mixed reaction of heavy Boo¡¯s and Cheer¡¯s from the crowd. ¡°All the best-¡± Luke said, looking at The Boss, as Leo loosened his shoulders and prepared to walk out as per his usual routine. ¡°Thanx-¡± Leo replied, as he walked out to the South Park Arena, amidst a deafening reaction from the crowd. *Boss* *Boss* *Boss* One section of the crowd, filled with themoners cheered for him as usual as Leo waved towards them in acknowledgement. ¡°I¡¯LL KILL YOU! PRINCIPAL GARP WAS LIKE A FATHER TO ME. I¡¯LL KILL YOU, YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SCUM¡± ¡°HOW DARE YOU INJURE BONUCCI, HE IS OUR ACADEMY¡¯S GENIUS- HOW DARE YOU LOWLIFE HARM HIM?¡± ¡°BONUCCI IS MY ONE TRUE LOVE, I CURSE YOU WITH A BROKEN HEART, MAY YOU SUFFER AS MUCH AS HE IS RIGHT NOW¡± An entire section of the crowd was filled with only sword academy students today, who were holding massive banners in protest of The Boss. They wanted him to either lose humiliatingly or be disqualified from the grand tournament, as they med him for the death of their Principal. Yesterday a massive delegation of Sword Academy Professor¡¯s and other nobles had requested an audience with the Emperor to convince him to disqualify The Boss, however, once the Emperor¡¯s closest advisors told him about how Leo was extremely popr with the masses and how disqualifying him when he broke no official rule would lead to bacsh, the Emperor refused their request and even sent Royal Guards to ensure Leo¡¯s safety within the tournament. This decision enraged the sword academy to no end, who decided to show their protest by filling out an entire stand with students and professors, however, while they aimed to intimidate Leo, they unfortunately failed spectacrly in doing so. Laughing while pointing towards them and blowing kisses at people who were cursing him the loudest, Leo behaved in an unruly way as he outright mocked the sword academy. ¡°Madman¡­.. even after I specifically requested him to not endanger his life and mine by taunting the crowd, he¡¯s still doing it¡± the match official murmured as he shook his head in dismay. He could see the sword academy students losing their temper. Ready to draw their swords and start a riot. However, despite their tant animosity, The Boss remained unaffected. Chapter 188: Leo Vs Tor Chapter 188: Leo Vs Tor ¡°Wow, they sure hate you¡­.¡± Tor said, chuckling as he noticed the animosity the swordsmanship academy students had towards The Boss. ¡°Good for you I guess, this evens the odds. Seems like we¡¯re fighting inside a neutral arena today¡± Leo replied as the match official urged both fighters to take their starting spots within the quick sand. The moment Leo entered the quicksand arena, he sensed his boots submerging into the sandy depths, making each step aborious endeavor. It was as though a 20-kilogram weight was tied to his feet, hampering his movement and unnecessarily dragging him down. Covering the first 10 meters to the starting point felt like a major struggle for Leo, as he came to grips with the challenge of fighting in this tricky arena. Thankfully, Tor did not seem to be doing much better than him either, as he seemed to struggle in the quicksand, equally as much, if not more. Tor¡¯srge frame made maneuvering through the quicksand more challenging for him, a struggle that Leo observed keenly as Tor tried to brute-force their way through to the starting spot. Once both fighters had taken their initial positions, The match official brought out a big piece of deer meat and slowly made his way through to the center pond. *Toss* The moment the match official tossed the deer meat into the air, out came the giant crocodile monster as it leapt into the air and caught the whole deer meat within its jaws. *Ssh* Re-entering the pond with a massive water ssh, the crocodile disappeared to the depths of the pond, however, its momentary appearance made the crowd go absolutely ballistic. *CHEERS* The wider crowd absolutely loved the giant monster hiding within the pond and if it were up to them, they would like nothing more than to see their least favorite candidate being eaten alive by the monster. ¡®Boss! I hope the crocodile gets you-¡® ¡®Eat him! Eat The Boss¡¯ Leo could hear a few swordsmanship academy dogs barking in the background, however, while he did not pay any attention to them, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he could take the crocodile down? If he could somehow lure the crocodile outside the pond and into the quicksand then it wasn¡¯t impossible to defeat it, however, dragging it out of the pond was definitely easier said than done. ¡°Begin!¡± The match official shouted once his crocodile demonstration was over as the bout officially began. [ Berserker Style ¨C Boulder Splitting sh ] Tor initiated the attack, skillfully wielding the greatsword he had acquired just the day before. This new weapon was a recement for his original gear, which he had lost when he died to the street thugs yesterday. While not as good in grade, it was the best that Tor could acquire before this fight. *Swoosh* His sh traveled quite a long distance of 25 meters, however, the power wasn¡¯t enough to reach Leo¡¯s location across half the battlefield as once the attack passed over the central pond, its effects dissipated big-time. To the onlookers, it appeared as though Tor had misjudged the extent of his attack, overestimating its reach in a critical oversight. Yet, Leo saw the situation differently, recognizing that there was no error on Tor¡¯s part. Instead, Tor was deliberately gauging the reach of his attack and now, with a clear understanding of his weapon¡¯s range, he strategically positioned himself, waiting for Leo to initiate the first move. His usually brute opponent was using his head today and had not rushed to ughter Leo from the word ¡®Begin¡¯ like Leo expected him to. *Shua* *Shua* . . . . *Shua* Throwing several daggers towards Tor, Leo began his offense from long range as he slowly made his way towards Tor, without expending too much stamina. *Block* *Block* *Block* Tor adeptly parried Leo¡¯s assaults, yet his choice to remain stationary, unlike Leo¡¯s dynamic movements, proved to be a tactical misstep. The longer he focused on dodging without relocating, the deeper his ankles sank into the quicksand beneath him. *Block* *BOOM* Suddenly, as Tor blocked a routine looking dagger it exploded right across his face after he blocked it, as apparently it wasn¡¯t a dagger but an explosive dagger. -70. Feeling dizzy and disoriented, Tor was taken aback by the sudden attack as by the time he regained his vision and insight, Leo was nowhere to be found. ¡°BEHIND YOU-¡± Someone screamed from the crowd, as Tor instinctively fell t down to his chest into the quicksand. *Shua* *Shua* . . . *Shua* Ten daggers that would have otherwise been nted into Tor¡¯s backframe, missed their marks because of the crowd warning as Tor rolled around in the mud below to try to regain his footing. *SHINGG* As Tor regained his footing, Leo was already upon him, forcing Tor to block his dagger that Leo was trying to plunge straight into his chest. Tor was extremely lucky here as Leo¡¯s speed was reduced significantly when trying to bridge the gap between them due to the terrain. Had he been on full speed, Leo would have concluded this match by now, however, the quicksand helped Tor still stay alive in this fight. Pressing down against Leo with all his might, Tor tried to establish dominance using his superior strength, however, to his absolute surprise, just like how he could not outscore Leo in the punch test, he could not push him back in an actual fight as well. Despite his lean and small looking frame, Leo was incredibly powerful and was not overwhelmed by Tors strength at all. ¡°What monstrous strength you have¡± Tormented with a grin on his face as he genuinely began enjoying this bout now. *SHINGG* *SHING* *SPARKS* Sparks flew as his greatsword was parried by a small Leo wielding daggers, as the two fought a simple strength battle with minimal foot movement. On any other ground Leo would try to outpace Tor to create openings, however, on the quicksand where he was 20% slower than usual, there was a genuine risk of him being caught up in a counterattack while trying to change positions, which was why even Leo was forced to engage Tor in a dog-fight. A dog-fight where only strength mattered. Chapter 189: Leo Vs Tor (2) Chapter 189: Leo Vs Tor (2) Chapter 189: Leo Vs Tor(2) ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is The Boss not finishing this fight early like he usually does? What¡¯s taking him so long?¡± ¡°I hate that DarkSky guild so much, I hope their yer gets humiliated by The Boss, but the opponent seems to be fighting well today¡± ¡°Has The Boss finally been humbled? Is the quicksand arena his bane?¡± Comments like these began to be circted within the crowd when the match between Tor and Leo passed the three minute mark. Up till now, Leo had effortlessly dominated his opponents, wrapping up each contest decisively in less than two minutes. This remarkable streak had naturally led the audience to anticipate yet another swift andpelling victory from him in this match as well, however, his usual magic seemed to becking in today¡¯s fight. Today, Leo did not seem to be attempting any shy moves, he did not seem to be trying to do anything out of the park and even his usual aggression seemed slightly tame. Although he did not go all out, he did maintain the upper hand in the battle, as he slowly but surely pushed Tor back. To Tor¡¯s credit, he sessfully avoided taking significant damage beyond a few minor scratches as he managed to effectively hold his ground, demonstrating resilience and skill in the face of adversity. ¡°Hahahaha, isn¡¯t this fun? A legendary bout that will be remembered for ages¡± Tor murmured, as in his mind he thought he was having a very strong disy and was containing the threat of The Boss sessfully, dragging him to deep waters. Unfortunately for him however, what he thought was far from the truth. Leo was purposefully taking this fight slow, strategically pushing Tor towards the pond and not making any major mistakes. If Leo really tried hard enough, he could conclude this fight in the next five moves, however, that would expose some of his core secrets that he was saving forter rounds. Without his usual agility, he was forced to take this fight deep but he wasn¡¯t fighting aimlessly either. ¡°Watchout! Watchout! He¡¯s pushing you towards the pond! He¡¯s nning to kill you-¡± A swordsmanship academy professor shouted when he eventually figured out Leo¡¯s ploy as it was at that moment that Tor realized that while he was fully absorbed in the battle, he had gradually covered a lot of ground and was now near the edge of the pond. ¡°Shit-¡± As he turned to look behind him, trying to gauge the distance between himself and the pond, Leo exploited the opening in his defenses as within a split second he buried 7 daggers in his opponents front Torso. -100 -100 -100 -100 -100 -100 -100 *Pah* A mouthful of blood escaped Tor¡¯s lips as he fell to his knees with his HP tethering at dangerous red levels. ¡°Surrender now, or lose a few levels-¡± Leo said, issuing the ultimatum as it was at that moment that Tor realized that this was never a close fight. Leo had strategically yed it slow, pushing him towards the pond in the hopes of this exact opportunity. Ever since the crowd warned Tor of his first ambush, Leo had realized their desire to intervene and had crafted this n on the fly. Never actually intending to push Tor into the water, Leo was only waiting for the moment where the audience members helped Tor, prompting him to look back, as from the start, Leo was only aiming for this one single opening. ¡°I-I¡¯ll never surrender¡± Tor said, as despite his heavily injured body he tried to swing his great sword wildly, trying to take off Leo¡¯s neck, however, Leo ducked underneath it and pierced Tor¡¯s heart with a final dagger plunge. ¡°Good fight-¡± Leo said, as Tor¡¯s yer screen cked out, having lost his life. -260 CRITICAL HIT! [ System Notification ¨C You have sessfully killed the yer ¡®Tor¡¯ (Level 124 ) You have gained +1 level! You have gained +0 infamy since the murder was allowed by city rules. ] ¡°MONSTER¡± ¡°HOW DARE HE BLATANTLY KILL ANOTHER CONTESTANT¡± ¡°THAT SCUM DOESN¡¯T DESERVE TO LIVE¡± The audience, especially the swordsmanship academy section was in absolute uproar once Tor died, as they hurled a mountain of insults on Leo. ¡°Shut up! He lost his life because one of you fools distracted him mid-fight. Have some shame-¡± Leo said, pointing fingers towards the crowd, gaslighting them into believing that they were the problem. ¡°How dare you say that! Enough is enough! If the city won¡¯t deal with this criminal. I will-¡± said one of the swordsmanship academy professors as he tried to jump into the arena. ¡°What are you doing sir? Injuring a contestant is a punishable offense, if you don¡¯t go back to the viewing stands immediately, we will be forced to arrest you¡± The royal guards deployed to maintain order said, as they warned the swordsmanship professor against making any rash decisions. ¡°Shame on you for saving a criminal¡­. Come do your worst¡± The swordsmanship professor said as many of his students joined him in the assault on the guards as a proper riot broke out. ¡°I really don¡¯t get paid enough for me to handle this mess-¡± the match official said, as he threw a bitter look towards Leo, who was staring down at him with cold eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t dered me the winner of this bout yet¡­.. do I have to remind you of your duties after every match?¡± Leo asked the match official, who shivered under his gaze. ¡°The winner of this match by incapacitation¡­.. The Boss!¡± The match official dered raising Leo¡¯s hand in acknowledgement, as themoners section of the crowd cheered for Leo. Without sparing a nce at the riots happening on one end of the stands, Leo walked over to the official desk, collected his victory token and money and walked back inside the warm-up tunnel. ¡°Good fight¡­.¡± Luke said, as Leo returned, however, Leo ignored hisments, staying true to the character of The Boss. Chapter 190: Unexpected Win Chapter 190: Unexpected Win After enjoying the fight between The Boss and Tor, the audience got to enjoy the brawl between the royal swordsmanship academy personnel and the royal guards, as they cheered for the royal guards non-stop. Although the swordsmanship academy professor¡¯s were formidable, the students were no match for the royal guards and hence when the brawl eventually broke out, except for a few adept professors that could hold their ground, the other students were beaten ck and blue by the authorities and taken under arrest. Eventually, the swordsmanship academy professor¡¯s were subdued by the royal guards as well as in a move that was sure to shock the entire empire in theing days, even the professor¡¯s were taken into custody by the royal guards for causing civil unrest and inciting rebellion. The Emperor¡¯s orders were clear¡­. ¡®Do not touch the people¡¯s champion¡¯ and since the royal swordsmanship academy tried to take down The Boss, they had to be stopped by the royal guards. It took a whole 40 minutes for the match officials to restore order and re-tten the match arena, as for forty minutes Luke was left alone in the South Park Arena with his opponent. His opponent today was a throw-away member of the Night Guild who was juiced up to his brain and was explicitly instructed by the guild to kill his opponent in this round to advance. Adorning a slightly different style of ck robes aspared to The Boss, the man looked bulky and expressionless, as he had prominent green veins popping out of his neck. As Luke studied him, he seemed to be fazing in and out of consciousness as his pupils were dark ck and focused at moments, however they rolled back up inside his head at times leaving only white eyes behind. ¡®Creepy¡¯ That¡¯s what Luke felt looking at his opponent, as he did not try to make any conversation with him or get under his skin. Patiently waiting for his turn to fight, Luke kept cool till the match officials came to call them. ¡°SkyLion, Jamal, you both are up next-¡± The match official said, as Luke walked out first, weed by a crowd of cheeringdies. ¡°Oh my god! SkyLion I love you-¡± ¡°SkyLion my hero-¡± ¡°Marry me Skylion! Or at least let me warm your bed, my virginity can only be taken by you-¡± Shrill female voices filled the arena while the males visibly frowned at this reception. While they did not hate Skylion himself, they surely hated his poprity amongst women, as being the jealous men that they were, they disliked Skylion for the sole reason that he was popr with women. In contrast, his opponent did not get any cheers or boo¡¯s as Jamal walked up to the arena in rather uneasy silence. *********** The difference in Luke and Jamal¡¯s ability was obvious from the get-go as while Luke walked easily through the quicksand to get to his starting spot, Jamal struggled significantly more to do the same. Within the Knight Academy, training movement on different terrains was a part of the curriculum and hence Luke was already well versed in how to move on difficult terrains like quicksand, by maximising surface area and using a walking technique that mirrored a snake¡¯s movements. Jamal on the other hand, was never taught to move on quicksand and hence found it extremely difficult, as by the time he reached the starting spot, he was panting heavily. ¡°Aiyaaa! This fight looks to be over before it even began, look at the poor Jamal guy, he¡¯spletely winded by this little bit of movement¡± ¡°His panting might be a bait¡­. I¡¯m sure someone who is strong enough to reach the round of 32 can¡¯t be weak enough to be winded by something so petty¡± ¡°Oh yeah, that makes sense¡­. Maybe it¡¯s his gamen¡­. Well, Skylion definitely needs to be on the watch, his opponent is sneaky¡± The crowd believed that Jamal was putting on an act, however, before the referee could even signal the start of the match, Jamal¡¯s gut began to convolute as he bent over forwards and began to puke. *Blurrghhh* Puking his guts out, Jamal let out a lot of yucky green coloured vomit alongside a healthy portion of blood. *Crowd mours* ¡°Is he poisoned? What happened?¡± ¡°Did SkyLion poison him? Or was it someone else?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The crowd became confused on what was going on as it seemed like Jamal¡¯s condition kept deteriorating every minute. ¡°Candidate Jamal, are you okay? Candidate Jamal?¡± Asked the match official, however, Jamal did not respond as he kept puking his guts out, before falling face first into the pool of his own vomit. ¡°MEDICS¡­..CALL THE MEDICS¡± The match official shouted as he made his way through the quicksand towards the fallen body of Jamal. Luke, watching this from a distance, sighed. He was itching for a fight today, however, his opponent did not seem to be in the best of health. He had noticed the signs even before the match began as Jamal was acting weird, however, Luke did not expect him to fold up before the match began like he did. Shrugging his shoulders he began scanning the crowd for any signs of Principal Wood, before eventually finding him in the crowd, showing him the sign to stay calm using both his palms. While Luke did not stay within the academy grounds during the tournament, preferring to stay with the DarkSky guild, he was still a student of the academy on whom the hopes of the institution were riding. Regardless of which arena he fought in, Principal Wood and a few other instructors were always there to cheer him on as sometimes after the fights ended, he went over to talk to them for their insights. Currently as the medics checked up on Jacob, Principal Wood asked Luke to stay calm, however, Luke was already very calm and not worried at all. He had not poisoned Jacob nor did he have anything to hide and hence he stood at his starting spot unfazed, ready to face any interrogation that he might be subjected toter on. ********** ( Principal Wood¡¯s POV ) Principal Wood felt worried about Luke once his opponent passed out in the middle of the arena, as whether Luke was involved in him passing out or not, the rumours about him being a dirty fighter were sure to spread amongst the masses. ¡°Oh boy¡­.. I hope this situation can be resolved quickly¡± Principal Wood murmured to himself, as the middle aged man sitting beside him in the arena stands smiled and pointed at Luke. ¡°That¡¯s your student?¡± the middle aged man asked, as Principal Wood turned towards him before nodding his head. ¡± The pride of our royal knight institute¡­. SkyLion¡± Principal Wood replied, as the middle aged man extended his hand and said ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Ben¡±. ¡°John Wood, it¡¯s a pleasure¡± said Principal Wood, as he shook the man¡¯s hand, without realising that he was shaking the hand of none other than Ben Faulkner the legendary assassin. Ben recognised Luke from the second he saw him as the guy he mistook as his disciples boyfriend. Until now, Ben never felt the need to spy on Leo¡¯s uing opponents, having full faith in his students abilities, however, with the quarter-finals drawing near, today was the first time that Ben decided to hang out after Leo¡¯s match was over to watch another bout. While he could not witness the fight, he instead witnessed an assassin overdosing on steroids as Ben immediately recognised Jamal as being a night guild pet project. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your student. This is not a case of poisoning. The Jamal kid did this to himself¡± Ben said, as Principal Wood was shocked by his words. ¡°Oh?¡± He said in surprise as Ben pointed towards the medical staff and said ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing but Jamal kid is already dead. I think they should dere it soon enough¡±. Principal Wood furrowed his brows at thisment, as the confidence with which Ben said those words made it seem like he was absolutely certain that Jamal was dead. ¡°Sorry,dies and gentlemen¡­. It seems like Candidate Jamal is dead! Today¡¯s bout has beenpleted and SkyLion is your winner by automatic qualification¡± The match official soon announced, as Principal Wood was left extremely surprised by this turn of events. The crowd was visibly frustrated as they had paid money for these seats to see a bout, however, nobody could have predicted Jamal dying and hence although they were unhappy, they could not do anything about it. ¡°How could you have possibly known he was dead? Are you perhaps a medical doctor?¡± Principal Wood asked Ben in surprise as Ben chuckled and nodded his head ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sort of like a medical healer¡±. ¡°Then I must call you Doctor Ben¡­. It¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you¡± Principal Wood said, reintroducing himself as he shook Ben¡¯s hand once more. ¡°The cause of his death is a steroid overdose. Poor guy was juiced to his neck, I don¡¯t know how his condition slipped past the match officials. This guy should be abusing drugs for a while now-¡± Benmented as Principal Wood was shocked by this piece of information. If true, it could absolve Luke of all me and hence Principal Wood felt excited by this news. ¡°I¡¯m sorry doctor, you must excuse me. I need to hold an urgent conversation with the match officials¡± Principal Wood said, as Ben smiled and graciously let him take his leave. Chapter 191: Bail Application Rejected Chapter 191: Bail Application Rejected ( Dem Paltrow¡¯s POV ) Dem was furious with the report that he received after the round of 32 ended, as both of the Night Guild¡¯s burner candidates seemed to have lost their respective fights without fulfilling their purpose. Amongst them, Yamal had tried his best to win his bout, however, was not strong enough to take down his opponent named ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ despite his best effort, whereas Jamal had puked and passed out before his fight even began, experiencing a seizure and dying on the spot. ¡°The match officials have noted his cause of death as a steroids overdose, they are not even doubting SkyLion for attempted poisoning but rather investigating Jamal¡¯s background. This doesn¡¯t look good for us guild master, if the link between the Night Guild and Jamal is established then it would be bad for our future ambitions¡±. Hord, his right hand man reported as Dem clenched his fists in frustration. ¡°I knew it from the start¡­. Both Yamal and Jamal were good for nothing¡¯s! After all the resources the night guild spent for their nurturing, they failed to even injure Lin Mu¡¯s two future opponents. Absolutely Disgraceful¡­.*spit* ¡± Dem Paltrow said as he was livid that Cervantez and Luke escaped the clutches of the guild unharmed. ¡°About that¡­.. after the match ended, we tried to find an opportunity to corner and ambush both SkyLion and DarkEmperor, however, there were too many eyes on them constantly. It seems like we are not the only factions keeping an eye on them, as SkyLion came out of the arena today surrounded by dozens of Knight Academy teachers and The Knight Academy principal, while DarkEmperor seems to have secretly slipped out with the crowd. So unfortunately, we were unable to hurt both of them after their fights ended¡± Hord reported, as Dem Paltrow stomped his feet in frustration. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! What are we even doing, Hord? Has the assassin alliance been reduced to such a pathetic state that it can¡¯t even take down academy level kids? Give me at least one decent piece of news a day¡­. Not too much to ask for, is it?¡± Dem Paltrow said as he buried his face into his palms. ¡°Tomorrow is the round of 16¡­. Whoever wins tomorrow¡¯s fights will be granted royal protection and escorted to the pce, bing unreachable afterwards. This means that injuring them enroute to tomorrow¡¯s arena is ourst chance to take them out. You understand the importance of this opportunity, right Hord?¡± Dem Paltrow asked, as Hord nodded his head in acknowledgement. He understood the importance of taking out Lin Mu¡¯s futurepetition and had taken note of deploying the strongest men avable for this job tomorrow. ¡°What about those two?¡± Dem asked, as although he took no names, Hord understood exactly who Dem was referencing. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to find them in the capital city, there are infinite ces for them to hide and with Ben Faulkner returning to his cautious best¡­.. our men can¡¯t track them¡± Hord reported as Dem Paltrow let out a deep sigh. For decades the reputation of the night guild was built on the name of Ben Faulkner, so much so, that if the news leaked to the masses that Ben Faulkner had left the night guild, it would no longer have the authority to lead the Assassin Alliance by themselves, which would fragment into smaller groups immediately. Although Ben was not involved in official assassination missions for years, the most difficult missions carried out by the Night Guild were all officially achieved under his name, and hence, Dem felt like a toothless tiger once Ben left. Over the years, Dem had convinced himself that Ben Faulkner, reduced to a broken old man and a shadow of his former vibrant self, was too loyal and frail to ever leave the night guild or contemte betrayal. But he was sorely mistaken in this belief. The second Ben got the chance to start a new life after finding a suitable disciple, he abandoned the night guild without a second thought. Not only did he raise his student to be a future tiger, just like himself, he also brought him to the city to participate in the Grand Tournament. In Dem¡¯s mind, the only oue that he feared more than Lin Mu losing the Grand Tournament and his future ns to turn her into an assassin world star, was that Ben¡¯s disciple won the grand tournament and the world found out that Ben Faulkner had left the night guild after. That was his absolute worst nightmare as if Ben¡¯s disciple won the grand tournament, then not only would the narrative be that Ben Faulkner raised another tiger just like himself, but it would also highlight the Night Guild¡¯s ipetence on raising a Ben Faulkner caliber talent on their own. And hence, in Dem¡¯s mind the assassination of Ben Faulkner and his student was top priority. For once he could ept some random academy student winning the Grand Tournament over Lin Mu. However, he could never ept Ben¡¯s disciple winning the same. ************* ( Meanwhile The Emperor Julien D Evanus) ¡°My Lord, you must listen to our plea. The Boss is not a morally upright citizen. He¡¯s a barbaric monster who has brutally injured one of the Knight and Mage Academy¡¯s brightest prospects while also going on to kill another candidate in the round of 32. He¡¯s a monster who revels in the misery of others. Does the Unity Empire really wish to promote such fighters?¡± One of the swordsmanship academy professor¡¯s, who were not part of the protest before, said, as he begged the king to release his students and fellow teachers while also punishing The Boss for his misconduct. ¡°Professor George. I¡¯ve already told this to you several times¡­.. whatever the candidate did, was within the rules of the contest. If no rules are broken. Then we can¡¯t arbitrarily punish him! The royal army is not an institute working on your whims. It works on an established set ofw and order-¡± Counselor Dwight said, as he reprimanded the professor for raising the issue of The Boss¡¯s disqualification when the more pressing issue was the bail of his institution teachers. ¡°But how can his barbaric actions go unpunished? I remember four years ago, when the son of the East Duke was injured in the Grand Tournament, My lord you ordered the opponent to be disqualified and publicly whipped. Then why can¡¯t The Boss suffer the same fate?¡± Professor George asked as Julien made a long face listening to thisment. Him taking the side of the East Duke was tant political favoritism. That time the opponent that injured his son was from the barbarian tribe, a non-human who was not very popr with the crowd and whose punishment was well received by the masses. On the other hand, The Boss was a crowd favorite. A promising human candidate rising from the open category, punishing whom would make the Emperor seem like a tyrant. ording to the scouts deployed on the streets, there were already praises of the Emperor being sung throughout the city of Stronghaven for him deciding to arrest the Swordsmanship Academy personnel, as him taking this step against a royal academy gave themoners the perception that his justice was absolutely and unbiased. Under such a political climate, Julien had long decided to not grant the Swordsmanship Academy personnel bail for today¡¯s riot, however, for the sake of giving the institute some face, he decided to meet with one of their professors. ¡°That was a different case, professor. The barbarian from back then broke the rules of brutally injuring an opponent in a fight that prohibited injuring or maiming. It was a ring out fight, however, he still proceeded to break the opponents bones. Whereas The Boss killed his opponent today, in a bout that permitted it. There is a big difference¡­.¡± Counsellor Dwight said, as he tried to make it sound like the Emperor was unbiased. ¡°B-but my lord¡­¡± Professor George protested, however, Julien raised his hand mid-way, signaling George to stay silent. ¡°I have heard your concerns today, professor. However, let me share with you a few concerns of my own¡± Julien said, looking straight into George¡¯s eyes. ¡°The name of the institute is the ROYAL swordsmanship academy. Not George¡¯s swordsmanship academy. Not Late Sir Peter¡¯s Swordsmanship Academy. But ROYAL swordsmanship academy. That Royal in the title, is linked to the dignity of this crown on my head. However, that honor has been sullied by your professors and students, who took part in a rebellion against authority, trying to sabotage a grand tournament match¡± Julien said furiously, as George felt the color drain out of his skin when he heard these words leave Julien¡¯s mouth ¡°I won¡¯t brand you as traitors, because I respect the history of the institute and the quality of alumni it has given this Empire. However, I must receive a written public apology by everyone who took part in this rebellion before I can grant them pardons¡­.¡± Julien said as he shifted his nce from George towards Dwight. ¡°Counsellor Dwight, please exin to the professor in depth as to how I feel about treason..¡± Julien said, as he stood up from his throne and left the room, leaving a sweating George alone with Dwight. Walking into the throne room, George felt confident in not only saving his fellow processors and students but also securing a punishment for The Boss, as he thought that the Emperor would always pick the side of a royal academy principal over a random nobody. However, he was sorely mistaken. Not only did the Emperor refuse to release the individuals involved in the rebellion without a public apology, but he also threatened to brand them as traitors. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 192: The next fight Chapter 192: The next fight ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) Following their usual routine, after his round of 32 match, Leo and Ben shadowed the match official to discover the arena type for their uing match. Just like always, the match official was moving in a haphazard way, making it difficult to tail him as per protocol, however, Ben and Leo still managed to stay on his tail regardless. However, midway, Ben abruptly called off their pursuit when he noticed several strong yet unfamiliar figures also following the match official. ¡°Why have we stopped chasing him, master? We¡¯ll lose him soon if we don¡¯t keep up,¡± Leo protested, but Ben stood firm in his decision. ¡°We can¡¯t continue the chase, boy. There are at least seven strong fighters nearby who are also tailing the official today. It¡¯s too risky,¡± Ben exined as Leo scanned his surroundings, trying to spot the fighters that Ben mentioned, but he could not find anyone suspicious. ¡®Where?¡¯ Leo wondered as he tried his best to locate them, but failed. Since Ben said there were 7 strong men tailing the match official, Leo had no doubt that there would be 7 men tailing the official, however, it was his inability to spot them that felt frustrating. It was moments like these where Leo realized that although he had managed to grasp all of Ben¡¯s core skills, the gap between him and Ben as a fighter was still very wide. ¡°So what now? Do we give up on spying for the arena and go in blind for tomorrow¡¯s match?¡± Leo asked, as Ben contemted this question for a moment, before nodding his head. ¡°Your opponent tomorrow is Jerome Crowhead of the West Duke Family. If my guess is not wrong. Then the men tailing the match official should be from the West Duke Family. A knight against an assassin is a match up that you should win. But with things like these you can never be too sure¡± Ben said, as he tried to factor in how much importance they should ce on the arena. ¡°Spying on the arena is a crime. You could get disqualified if you were caught. I would have gone spied on him alone, however, with the night guild searching for you as wild hounds, leaving you alone tonight also seems extremely dangerous¡­¡± Ben said as he made it clear that leaving Leo alone tonight was also a risky choice that he was unwilling to make. Leo could see the inner turmoil in Ben¡¯s expression as he considered their limited options, something that he felt himself responsible for and hence tried to contribute towards solving it as best as he could. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s another way to find out about the arena without directly spying on the official,¡± Leo suggested, trying to ease Ben¡¯s burden. ¡°Could we possibly gather information from some of the other contestants who might not be as closely watched as us?¡± Ben looked at Leo, a spark of approval in his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s a good thought. There are always ears less guarded than eyes. We might find someone who¡¯s heard something. But we need to be discreet. The West Duke Family isn¡¯t known for their forgiving nature.¡± Ben said, as a n started to formte in his mind. ¡°Should we split up then, or stick together?¡± Leo asked, understanding the risks but also the potential need to cover more ground. ¡°We¡¯ll stick together. With the night guild possibly on our tail, it¡¯s safer. We¡¯ll make casual rounds in themon areas where the West Duke Family stays in the capital¡± Ben directed, his n forming more solidly now. As they headed towards the areas controlled by the Crowhead family in Stronghaven, Leo felt a renewed sense of purpose. While just lurking and hoping to catch an important piece of information was not the best way to gather information as it was not guaranteed to seed. Even if they did not seed in gathering the information they wanted, Leo felt like being kept on his toes and alert amidst enemies would help keep his senses sharp for tomorrow¡¯s battle which in his opinion was equally important. *********** ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) ¡°So the match arena tomorrow is going to be the pir arena. Another ssic from old times, where the entire arena is covered with thickrge white pirs, blocking one¡¯s line of sight constantly¡± Cervantez said, as he drew theyout of the match arena tomorrow for Luke to study. With even Tor being eliminated in the round of 32, the only two DarkSky guild members still left in the grand tournament were himself and Luke and hence Cervantez was now doing his best to ensure that Luke safely made it to the quarter-finals. ¡°This ground is an assassin¡¯s paradise, so many ces to hide ¡­. So many shadows to use¡± Lukemented after studying the battlefield as he realized that the type of fighter that this arena would least favor is the long ranged fighter like mage, archer etc. While as a Knight he wasn¡¯t at a tant disadvantage at this arena, it did not favor him either. ¡°Indeed, You can expect The Boss to have a field day tomorrow against your best friend Jerome¡± Cervantezmented as Luke let out a deep sigh. After having met The Boss in person, Luke still did not think he was as special a fighter as the other guild members made him to be, however, he kept that opinion to himself. ¡°Well my opponent is a mage. Not just any mage, the number one mage academy graduate, so I think the arena this time is ying out in my favor¡± Lukemented, as Cervantez nodded his head. ¡°Just make sure to close down the distance between yourself and your opponent using the obstacles and you should be good,¡± Cervantez said, as he went on to discuss Luke¡¯s battle n for the next day in depth with him. ¡°You can¡¯t lose tomorrow Skylion¡­.. I need you to make it to the quarters¡± Cervantez finally said when it was almost time to logout, as Luke gave him an assuring thumbs up. ¡°I won¡¯t fail you-¡± he said, as Cervantez sighed in relief. Chapter 193: Meeting Jerome Chapter 193: Meeting Jerome ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) Leo failed to gain any useful information by hanging out around the area that the West Duke Family controlled in the Capital. Instead, he spent a few hours filled with anxiety where him and Ben had to constantly run from one ce to another to avoid being detected by strong individuals that Ben deemed to be a threat. In the end, it turned out to be a stealth exercise more than an actual information gathering exercise, however, Leo was still happy with how things turned out as shadowing Ben under such circumstances helped him learn a lot. Although he walked into the North Park Arena,pletely unaware of the type of conditions he was going to have to fight in, Leo felt confident in making it onto the quarterfinals regardless. ************* ( Within the warm-up room ) Only Leo and his opponent Jerome were present within the North Park Arena warm up room today as they were the only contestants scheduled to fight here today. Of the 16 contestants now left in the round of 16. 12 were humans while 4 were from the myriad different species in the Empire. The support for humanspared to non-humans was overwhelming as although the Empire was called ¡®Unity Empire¡¯, Leo could notice the underlying racial tensions the longer he stayed within society. Humans were a majority in the empire and the bias they held towards non-humans was visible. The vice-versa was also true as the non-human species also seemed to hate humans with a passion. Although this was currently an era of peace, Leo felt like he would not be too surprised if one of the non-human factions rose up in rebellion against the Emperor in the future, as beneath the facade of unity, there was no real bonding between the myriad different species. Of the 12 human candidates, only 4 were from open qualification while the other 8 came from royal academies and were some form of royalty, with Jerome also belonging to such a faction. Apart from Luke who was a yer and an exception to the rule, the other 7 academy candidates were all high nobility, being sons of either counts, viscounts or Duke¡¯s, with Jerome being the most prestigious candidate this year as the son of the West Duke Family. While he wasn¡¯t as formidable a fighter as his bloodline would make him seem, the only advice that Ben gave Leo while dealing with someone of his stature was to not unnecessarily humiliate him or kill him, as ording to Ben, while he could get away with killing the son of a non-human King, the four major Duke families were the strongest political faction in the Empire after the Emperor. While the West Duke was known to be an honorable and just warrior, if it was a matter of his son¡¯s life and death, Ben wasn¡¯t sure if he would make the rational choice of sparing his opponent considering that killing wasn¡¯t mandatory to win in this grand tournament. ¡°So you¡¯re the infamous open candidate, the crowd favorite to win this year¡­.¡± Jerome said, as he extended his hand for Leo to shake in the warm-up room as the two of them waited for the match official to show up. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet the West Duke¡¯s son¡± Leo replied, as he kept his arrogance in check and gave a decent reply to Jerome, unlike his usual personality. ¡°Oh? You actually shook my hand? So you¡¯re not as arrogant as rumors make you seem¡± Jerome said, as Leo did not reply to this jibe. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not confident in beating you in this round, ording to my father I¡¯m nowhere near your level as a fighter¡­.¡± Jerome said as Leo chuckled silently under his mask. ¡°But I¡¯ll try my best to beat you,¡± Jerome said, shrugging his shoulder. ¡°I wish you the best of luck¡± Leo said, as Jerome chuckled, covering his eyes. ¡°Well, I¡¯m only fighting in this grand tournament for the pride of my family and I¡¯ve done a good enough job by reaching the round of 16. But while I might not be able to beat you in this round, I disagree with my father¡¯s assessment that you¡¯re winning this tournament all the way. I think you may advance to the semi finals or even the finals, however, my best friend SkyLion will definitely win it all¡± Jerome said, as a genuine smile formed underneath Leo¡¯s mask when he heard his opponent say these words. ¡°I¡¯ve met him¡­. He seems like a good fighter¡± Leo said humbly as Jerome chuckled out loud. ¡± I wanted to recruit him into my faction so badly, but I was toote. The other reason behind why my father sent me to the royal knight academy was to recruit talent, however, I failed in getting the best¡­..¡± Jerome admitted candidly as Leoughed a dryugh. ¡°Well, my dad seems to have high hopes for you¡­. So if you can beat me here today, I¡¯ll consider offering you a nice post in my army. What do you say?¡± Jerome asked, as he offered Leo a position in his army. ¡°I¡¯m ttered that the West Duke thinks highly of me, and yes, I will try my best to beat you today. However, as far as the question of me joining your army is concerned, let¡¯s talk about it after I win the grand tournament¡± Leo replied, as some of his natural cockiness inadvertently came out. ¡°Hahahaha, that¡¯s the infamous Boss I¡¯ve been hearing about¡± Jerome said sportingly, as he did not take Leo¡¯s words for pointless arrogance and instead took it with mirth. ¡°You¡¯re an interesting guy, young Duke Jerome¡± Leoplimented as he genuinely found the easy going attitude of Jerome Crowhead to be praiseworthy. In this day and age where nobles seemed to have ego¡¯srger than mountain peaks, Jerome seemed like a humble guy who was very grounded in his opinion of himself. A rare but necessary virtue within those who hoped to lead the masses someday. Chapter 194: Lasting Legacy Chapter 194: Lasting Legacy ¡°Okay candidates, please pay attention to what I have to say¡­.¡± The match officialmanded, his voice cutting through the cordial discussion Leo and Jerome were having as he offered a warm, reassuring smile to Jerome before his gaze shifted,nding on Leo with a look of palpable distaste. ¡°Today¡¯s match will be fought within the revered confines of the Pir Dome¡ªa ssic arena where legends have been made and dreams dashed. Here, victory will be imed not through the death of your opponent, but by their incapacitation. Remember, killing is explicitly forbidden,¡± he announced, his eyes narrowing as he directed his stern warning towards Leo. ¡°Contestant, did you hear me clearly? Killing¡­ is¡­ NOT¡­ allowed,¡± he reiterated, emphasizing each word as if carving them into stone, ensuring there was no room for misunderstanding. ¡°Got it, no killing,¡± Leo replied nonchntly, his voice steady despite the match official¡¯s barely contained fury, evident as he mumbled under his breath. ¡°Alright then,¡± the official continued, regaining hisposure. ¡°Please make your way to the arena one at a time. However, before you proceed, let me outline the protocol for after the match¡­¡± He paused, his expression softening as he detailed the post-match procedures. ¡°Once a victor is dered and I raise the winner¡¯s hand, know that you will not receive your prize at the judge¡¯s desk. Instead, for your safety, you will be escorted by Royal Guards directly to the Royal Pce. This measure is in ce due to past incidents where top candidates faced harassment¡ªor worse, fatal attacks¡ªbefore their significant matches,¡± he exined, his voice tinged with solemnity. ¡°At the pce, you may choose one person to apany you. However, only the victorious candidate will have the honor of attending tonight¡¯s grand g hosted by the Emperor for all quarter-finalists. It is there, amidst the splendor of the g, that you will receive your prize money and token for the next round, directly from the Emperor himself,¡± he announced, his eyes twinkling with a blend of excitement and reverence for the uing event. ¡°After the g, feel free to explore the Royal Pce at your leisure. There will be no matches tomorrow, providing you a day of respite before the quarter-finalsmence the following day at the Grand Arena. Is everything clear?¡± The official concluded, smiling affably at Jerome, who seemed every bit the part of a favored contender before shifting his eyes back to Leo, giving him the look of wary suspicion, as if questioning whether such a rough-edged fighter could properly conduct himself with the dignity required at an imperial gathering. Though Leo remained silent, he could almost hear the official¡¯s thoughts and echoing doubts about whether a fighter of his raw, unpolished nature belonged in the refined setting of the Emperor¡¯s g. To many, simply reaching the quarter-finals was a milestone, as it presented a chance to mingle with the greatest warriors and the highest nobility, an opportunity that could redefine one¡¯s destiny. Yet, the match official seemed unsure if Leo, who he perceived more as a brawler than a decent warrior, was suited for such illustriouspany. ¡°Anyways, you can head out-¡± he said, shaking his head in dismay as he desperately hoped that Jerome won this match. ¡°Please allow me to head out first-¡± Jerome said as Leo gestured for him to go ahead as Jerome walked out to a thunderous reception. Amongst all the Archdukes, the North and West Duke Family were very well received by the general masses as they were the ideal examples of nobles trying to create welfare states. Neither were the Dukes leading these huge Duchies arrogant, nor did they ever belittlemoners and hence they were extremely popr amongst the masses, making Jerome one of the rare nobles that themoners rooted for. However, despite all the cheers that he got, the ovation that Leo received when he walked out was on a whole another level. Word on the streets was spreading fast that there was a mad open qualified contestant that the whole swordsmanship academy tried taking down but failed. Branded as a rebel and a Messiah of the poor, Leo was gaining unprecedented poprity as themoners became idolizing him and what he stood for. 99% of themon poption could not make it to the Royal Academies even if they tried their hardest, however, in their hearts they refused to believe that they were inferior to the rich borns who were tutored since childhood by private teachers. For the past two decades, there had not been a single promising candidate from the open qualifiers that had a real shot at winning the grand tournament, making the general masses feel depressed about their existence, however, Leo¡¯s performance this year gave hope to many. It was after decades that there were four open qualified candidates fighting in the round of 16, however, with Cervantez being the guildmaster of a major guild, Lin Mu not being a mboyant fighter and the third candidate being an Elf, the only open candidate that the crowd rallied behind en-masse was Leo. With the swordsmanship academy¡¯s attempt at disqualifying him and rumors of their greatest talent in over a decade being crushed by Leo in the round of 32 spreading, the crowd were now all-in in their support for Leo, as the second he walked out to the fight stage, the arena erupted like a god had just descended to mortal realm. ¡°Boss! Boss! Boss! Boss!¡± The chants of the crowd were so strong that the entire North Park arena vibrated through their collective voice alone, giving Leo a surreal feeling that made his hair stand over his skin. ¡°WE LOVE YOU BOSS! SHOW THEM NOBLES WHAT US COMMONERS ARE MADE OF!¡± ¡°WE WON¡¯T LET THEM DISQUALIFY YOU! I WILL BURN THIS CITY DOWN IF THEY DO¡± Leo had no idea how, but judging by the crowd¡¯s reaction he felt as if they were ready to rebel against the Emperor himself if Leo asked them too, as for the first time ever, Leo truly felt as if he was creating asting legacy. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 195: Leo Vs Jerome Chapter 195: Leo Vs Jerome ¡°Both contestants ready?¡± The match official asked as both Leo and Jerome nodded their heads after taking their starting spots. ¡°Begin!¡± The match official said, as immediately Leo sprung into action, dashing straight towards his opponent. He had no prior idea about today¡¯s match venue, however, when he looked at it for the first time, Leo felt as if this was an arena that was tailor-made for him to show his true skills. Tall thick pirs that all casted a dark shadow against the bright morning sun were littered evenly across the battlefield¡ª as in such a terrain Leo knew that he could practically be a ghost if he wanted to. Although slightly different, this arena reminded him of the training he did with Ben in the dense forests of Mount Faulkner. As just like the forest where he could hide behind thick trees and attack from anonymous shadows, he could do the same in this battlefield too as let alone Jerome, not even five Jerome¡¯s fighting together could take him down in this map. Jerome, having already received information about today¡¯s arena through his spies and having devised a strategy to take down Leo in the same, rushed towards the pirs near him, tying a trap wire around them as he created a square of extremely sharp trap wire in the four pirs surrounding him. Standing at the center of this make-shift trap, he prepared himself for Leo¡¯s assault, waiting for him to show up. Jerome¡¯s makeshift fortress of wire traps glittered menacingly in the sunlight, a clever countermeasure to the elusive assassin¡¯s skills. At first sight it only seemed like a square of metal threads that could be evaded simply by jumping over it, a foolish defense. However, the trap was actually much more profound than it appeared. Apart from the visible metal boundaries, there were countless invisible threads that could cause major injuries to anyone that would foolishly jump over the main trap and not be mindful of the invisible threads, as Jerome hoped that with this contraption he would be able to lure Leo into the domain he controlled and fight him on his terms. But Leo being a master of shadows and deception, was hardly deterred. He vanished into thin air as he approached the shadow cast by the towering pir, just outside Jerome¡¯s fortress blending seamlessly with the darkness. [ Vanish ] For the first time ever, Leo used a skill move in an actual fight, as the second he used vanish, he disappeared from the sights of Jerome and the crowd, who collectively gasped at this scene. ¡°Where did he go? Can you see him?¡± ¡°Did The Boss just disappear into thin air?¡± ¡°Where the hell is he?¡± The crowd wondered, as even Jerome narrowed his eyes, scanning the battlefield for any signs of Leo. His heavy armor clinked softly as he shifted, sword ready, turning slowly to cover every angle. The crowd held its breath, watching the seemingly empty arena where a deadly dance was about to unfold. From the shadows, Leo watched Jerome¡¯s cautious movements. He needed only a single moment, a singlepse in the knight¡¯s vignce to conclude this battle, however, since the goal was to incapacitate him and not kill him, Leo could not unleash a barrage of daggers aimed at his neck like he usually would when sparring with Ben. Silently, he moved from one shadow to another, circling the perimeter of Jerome¡¯s trap, while toying with his opponent¡¯s mind. With a flick of his wrist, a dagger whistled silently through the air, aimed not to hit Jerome, but to cut one of the wires of his trap. The wire snapped loudly, the sound echoing off the pirs as Jerome spun, his sword shing through the air where he thought Leo might appear. But Leo was already gone, slipped into another shadow, his presence as transient as a whisper. Feeling the rush of control, Leo darted towards another pir. Another dagger flying off his hand slicing through a second wire. The trap was weakening, and Jerome¡¯s strategy was crumbling. The knight¡¯s frustration was palpable as he realized his preparations were being undone by a foe who had seen through his schemes. Leo¡¯s confidence surged. He had mastered the art of fighting without being seen, and this arena was his domain. He appeared briefly from behind a pir, another dagger ready, but this time, he aimed it directly at Jerome, the dagger spinning through the air with lethal precision. Jerome, anticipating the attack this time, raised his shield just in time. The dagger struck with a metallic ng and fell harmlessly to the ground. Yet, before Jerome could advance, Leo vanished again, leaving a trace ofughter echoing around the arena. Realizing the futility of his passive defense, Jerome abandoned his central position, deciding to take the offensive as he carefully came out of the trap he made to keep Leo away from himself. Charging towards thest ce he¡¯d seen Leo, he hoped to find his opponent hiding in the shadows behind the pir. However, with his heavy armor slowing him and making constant noise, Leo could anticipate his position even with his eyes closed. shing behind the pir, Jerome hoped to catch Leo off-guard but Leo had already moved away from behind that pir, as Jerome¡¯s attack only sliced through empty air. With a graceful leap, Leo sprang from his hiding spot,nding silently behind Jerome and before the knight could turn, Leo pressed a dagger gently against his armored back¡ªa non-lethal touch, but a clear end to their match. ¡®This was too easy¡¯, Leo thought as he shook his head in dismay, the match ending before it ever properly began. ¡°I yield,¡± Jerome announced reluctantly, knowing he was defeated without a chance to properly engage his opponent. The crowd erupted in cheers for the spectacr disy of skill and cunning. Leo bowed slightly, his face betraying a satisfied smirk that was hidden behind his mask. In this game of shadows and strategy, the assassin ss was king, however, although Jerome knew he would be at a disadvantage, he did not think that he would lose this fight without having the chance to even engage his opponent. Chapter 196: Reaching The Royal Palace Chapter 196: Reaching The Royal Pce ¡°The winner of this match! THE BOSS-¡± The match official announced with fake enthusiasm as he raised Leo¡¯s hand with visible distaste. *p* *p* *p* The audience appreciated his victory by showering him with ps, cheers and whistles as even Jerome pped for Leo, as he amiably shook hands with him after the match was concluded. ¡°Yeah, I think my father was right. You¡¯re definitely a generational talent worth recruiting, I¡¯m not even close to you in terms of skill-¡± Jerome said as he shook Leo¡¯s hand and candidly admitted that Leo was the superior fighter between the two of them. While Leo¡¯s superiority was no longer a debate after how convincingly he defeated Jerome, he still found the other party¡¯s humbleness in admitting it to be admirable. ¡°Thank-you young Duke¡± Leo said, as Jerome shook his head and gave Leo a folded paper scroll. ¡°This is the initial offer that the West Duke Family is prepared to offer you should youe work for us. Think about it before tonight¡¯s banquet dinner. My father would be keen to discuss it with you- ¡± Jerome said, as Leo clutched tightly to the paper that Jerome handed him and nodded. ¡°While I still don¡¯t think you can win against my best friend, you¡¯re definitely the second best fighter I¡¯vee across in our generation. Anyways, since the royal guards are here to escort you, I can¡¯t chat much¡­So, Congrattions on your win, and I hope to hear your reply over dinner tonight¡± Jerome said, as he took a step back. As soon as he moved back, a group of royal guards with massive shields and weapons at ready covered Leo from all directions, as theypletely concealed him from any hidden attacks that might beunched his way. ¡°Congrattions on making it to the quarter-finals, contestant. I¡¯m Captain Denver Willow and I¡¯m here to escort you safely to the royal pce¡± said a short man, who was the only one inside the protective cover that the other royal knights had prepared around him. ¡°Please lead the way,¡± Leo said as he was slowly escorted out of the North Park Arena and led into a horse carriage waiting for him outside that was guarded heavily by royal guards on horsebacks from all sides. ************ ( Ben¡¯s POV ) Up until Ben found out that the Arena that Leo was to fight in was the ssic pir arena, he felt a bit anxious on whether or not Leo could make it to the quarter finals. Having given up on the scouting mission yesterday night, Ben felt guilty of failing Leo as a master, as dark thoughts clouded his mind about Leo losing his fight because he did not have prior information about the arena like his opponent did. Although he hadplete faith in Leo as a fighter that he trained, he could not help but worry about him for the overprotective master that he was, however, his worries vanished once he took his ce amongst the audience members and witnessed theyout of the pir arena. Ben knew immediately that while Leo could have lost the fight in an arena unfavorable to him without having prior knowledge about it. If there was one arena that Leo was never losing any fight in, it had to be the pir arena that was so close to the dark forest where he and Leo trained daily. With so many shadows to hide in and so many obstacles to vanish behind, Ben knew that this was the ideal arena for Leo to fight in as regardless of what his opponent pulled off, there was no way Leo was losing a fight here. Eventually, as the fight began, Leo dominated the fight from the start to finish just as Ben had anticipated, as amongst the cheering and pping audience members that enjoyed Leo¡¯s performance, Ben became one of them as well, as he pped silly when his student won. ¡®He does have what it takes to be the champion of this grand tournament¡¯ Ben thought as he genuinely felt awestruck by the talent of his disciple that he had chosen on a whim. He wanted to go and congratte him, however, he could not, as after his round of 16 win, the royal guards swarmed around Leo, escorting him to the royal pce. When he saw Leo being escorted by the royal guards, Ben had a shback of how things used to be different back in the day, when he had just won his fight in the round of 16. Back then, it was his father, the chief of Virex ck Ops, who alongside his closest friends protected him when his round of 16 fight ended. Ben still remembered clearly as to how there were several nefarious forces who wanted to hurt him after his round of 16 win, especially the noble houses who felt threatened by the talent of amoner, however, the aura of his father and his reputation as the Virex Chief was so strong that nobody dared to raise their weapons against him. While he could not provide the same level of security and warmth to his disciple, today Ben felt genuinely proud of everything that his student had achieved as a small tear formed in his eyes. ¡®Take care of yourself, the ce you¡¯re going is much more dangerous than any battlefield-¡® Ben murmured to himself, as he hoped that Leo would find his feet in tonight¡¯s royal g just like he did for his tournament fights. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Sitting inside the luxurious Royal Carriage, Leo was awestruck by its beauty and functionality. On the outside, the carriage was iid with inscriptions that protected it against surprise attacks from arrows, battle rams etc. While also providing smooth suspension for a bump-less ride. Just these inscriptions alone made the carriage more valuable than a semi-legendary Armor set, however, the inscriptions were only the tip of the surface as the real grandeur was in its interior. Crafted from polished cherry wood, its interior gleamed under the touch of the sun, adorned with intricate gold leaf patterns that danced along the panels and window frames. The seats were made with plush velvet in a deep crimson color that cradled himfortably, while a group of delicate crystal chandeliers suspended from the ceiling swayed gently with the motion of the ride, casting prismatic light around thevishly decorated interior. As the carriage rolled out from the north arena, it made its way toward the Royal Pce nestled at the heart of StrongHaven City, with Captain Denver and Leo being the only two individuals inside the carriage, while the others followed from the outside. The journey was a spectacle in itself as people lined the streets wherever the entourage passed, their faces alight with excitement and curiosity. Children tried to catch a glimpse of the victor by jumping up, while adults pped and waved, some shouting encouragement and praises. The route to the royal pce was meticulously guarded, with checkpoints manned by guards in gleaming armor, scrutinizing each passerby with vignt eyes, ensuring the safety of the procession through the bustling city. If there was any doubt in Leo¡¯s mind as to how seriously the empire took the safety of the quarter-finalists, they were dispelled now, as he became acutely aware of just how serious the empire was about the safety of these contestants. Let alone a night guild, even if an entire invading army tried to take down this procession, they would have a hard time in doing so with how many armed checkpoints there were enroute to the pce. Somehow, this incredible treatment made Leo feel special, however, when he thought that nothing else could blow his mind like the grandeur of his carriage, upon approaching the pce entrance, the grandeur only escted. Massive gates, wrought from iron and gold, slowly swung open, revealing the splendor of the Royal Pce¡¯s gardens, which were a vivid mosaic of colors, thanks to meticulously maintained flower beds and ornate sculptures. If before the scent within the carriage was like that of dirt and soot, the scent in the air as they entered the pce bounds changed to a rich one of blooming jasmine and rose, creating an almost ethereal atmosphere as Leo¡¯s carriage passed under archways of blooming wisteria. Looking out of his window, Leo observed the Royal Pce up-close, which in itself was an architectural marvel, a testament to the kingdom¡¯s power and artistry. Towering spires reached towards the sky, each capped with golden domes that reflected the sunlight brilliantly with the main structure being constructed from white marble that shone like a beacon, with tall, stained ss windows that depicted the valiant history of StrongHaven¡¯s rulers. Every inch of the building spoke of luxury, from the sprawling courtyards with their elegant fountains to the grand balconies that offered breathtaking views of the city all around. As Leo stepped out of the carriage, he was met with a sight that was at once awe-inspiring and intimidating, a pce designed not just as a home to royalty, but as a fortress that had yet to be conquered by any enemy. Chapter 197: The Quarter Finalists Chapter 197: The Quarter Finalists ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Just like Leo and Cervantez, Luke also won his match in the round of 16 and was escorted to the Royal Pce in a grand carriage. Unlike Leo, Luke was not blown away by the grandeur of the carriage itself, but was more amused by the reactions of themoners when his carriage passed by. Somehow, children running beside his carriage trying to get a glimpse of who was sitting inside made Luke feel like he was a prince or someone equally important, as he felt warm on the inside when treated this way. As he reached the pce, he found five other contestants already standing there, seemingly waiting for everyone to arrive as he seemed to be the sixth one to reach the party. On the far left corner, with his arms crossed stood ¡®The Boss¡¯, looking as cold and unapproachable as ever. As Luke nced towards him, their eyes briefly met for a moment, as The Boss nodded towards him in acknowledgement before closing his eyes once more. Luke chuckled when he saw this, however, he only shook his head and let it slide. The next individual that he noticed was Cervantez, as his Guild Master was grinning ear to ear. ¡°I knew you would make it!¡± Cervantez said as the two shook hands like best buddies and began talking in a muted voice. ¡°That girl Lin Mu made it to the quarter-finals too?¡± Asked Luke in a hushed voice to Cervantez as the Guild Master nodded and covered his lips before giving his reply. ¡°I expected her to make it. I sent Tor to spy on her match and it seems like she fights in a very in fashion but her speed and reflexes are top notch. However, it¡¯s the others that I did not expect, especially that elf and that tiger- beastman¡± Cervantez said, as Luke¡¯s eyes shifted from Lin Mu towards the two non-human candidates to have qualified to the quarters. The Elf was an open qualified candidate having top-notch archery skills that could put even the instructors of the Royal Ranger Academy to shame, however, in his past life despite her talents she had failed to make it to the quarters. Taken out before the quarterfinals by unknown assants, The Elf fighter named ¡®Tracy¡¯, failed to go past the round of 16, however, that future seemed to have changed this time around. Although Cervantez did not know the reason behind the future changing, it still bothered him that things were developing in a way that he never expected. In his past life, the Night Guild had taken out Tracy before the round of 16, however, with them having to focus on The Boss, Ben Faulkner and the DarkSky guild this time, the Night Guild failed to take out other threats such as Tracy, altering the future. However, while Tracy was a candidate that Cervantez was remotely aware about, the tiger beastman Troy was apletely unknown variable for him. At 7 feet 8 inches, he was a mountain of a man, muchrger than any human around and had a regal fur coat covering his body. A royalty of the beastman tribe and an excellent bare knuckle fighter, Troy was the opponent that Luke was scheduled to fight in the quarter-finals, however, Cervantez had no solid prior information about him. In his past life, with The Boss not participating in the Grand Tournament and the talented magic swordsman Boni not sumbing under him early, the quarter-finalists looked much more differentpared to now. There was no The Boss, Tracy, Troy, Luke, Lin Mu or he himself in the quarter finals in his past life, as the only two quarter finalists that weremon in both timelines were Adam the ranger from the Royal Ranger Academy and Randy the magic prodigy. In his past life, Adam and Randy had an epic showdown in the finals where Adam barely came out on top, clinching the victory at the Grand Tournament. However, this time, with Adam being matched against ¡®The Boss¡¯, Cervantez doubted if he could make it into the semi-finals, as in Cervantez¡¯s mind, the only fighter he had to look out for was the number one yer, while he felt confident in defeating everyone else. *********** ¡°Wee all quarter-finalists to the Royal Pce, I¡¯m Butler Brook, and I¡¯m in-charge of taking care of you all this evening¡± A man dressed impably in ck formals and a white shirt said, as he gathered everyone¡¯s attention towards him with his weird yet smooth ent. ¡°The G Dinner is scheduled for tonight, sharp at 7 pm and is expected to go on for roughly four hours. Since it¡¯s 1pm currently, that gives us exactly six hours to prepare custom outfit¡¯s for you esteemeddies and gentlemen, so let¡¯s not waste a second more. We have recruited the best tailors within the royal capital to prepare your robes for the evening, so please follow your guides and give your body dimensions to the tailors to work on first¡± The butler said, as Leo immediately frowned listening to his words. He wasn¡¯t interested in dressing up for anyone and liked his clothes just fine. Unfortunately however, the decision of not wanting new clothes did not seem to be up for debate as a few excited royal maids pulled Leo by his arm and rushed him to get his dimensions recorded. As Leo looked around, he saw that everyone was being dragged away in a different direction, while two royal guards seemed to be escorting each contestant even when they were within the safety of the pce grounds. ¡°After giving your dimensions, you will be fed in your private rooms while the hair stylists style your hair¡­. Please keep that in mind! I shall also be visiting you all soon¡± the Butler shouted, hoping that everyone heard his voice, however, while The Elf woman seemed to be excited by this turn of events, everyone else, especially the men, all had a deep frown over their faces. ************** In the measurement room, the royal tailor, a woman of middling years with spectacles perched precariously on her nose, unfurled her measuring tape with a practiced flourish. Leo stood rigid, his expression unreadable behind his mask, as she began to take his dimensions ¡°What color would you prefer for your evening attire, sir, may I suggest maroon to go over your beautiful skin?¡± the tailor asked, her voice a gentle murmur against the quiet backdrop. Leo¡¯s response was cold and clipped, breaking his usual silence only out of necessity. ¡°Make all my clothes pitch ck, I absolutely don¡¯t want anything remotely of color in my attire¡± hemanded, his voice leaving no room for argument. The tailor nodded, making a note on her pad, and swiftly continued her work, her hands deft in their task. Leo¡¯s thoughts wandered, though his body remained a statue with only his eyes flickering slightly under his mask, he wondered as to what the old woman was doing, especially when she was taking dimensions of his inner thighs and rubbing her hands against the wrong organ. Thankfully, she did not seem to be doing it on purpose but only on a professional capacity to get the right dimensions as her expression remained unchanged even when her hand touched Leo¡¯s privates. Once the measurements were taken, Leo was escorted out of the room by a young pce servant whose jumpy and haphazard steps made his own cadence imbnced. They passed through opulently decorated hallways, Leo¡¯s focus was drawn by thevish adornments of the pce casting golden and shadowed patterns on the floor. However, unlike the bright pce around him, Leo with his pitch ck presence seemed to swallow the light, his figure standing out too much in the well lit halls of the pce which were purposefully designed in a way that made it impossible for assassin¡¯s to hide within. As they arrived at a modestly furnished guest room, where Leo was to prepare for the evening, the servant girls left Leo to rest, however, before he could even sit on the soft bed, a hair stylist entered his room, with a kit ofbs and scissors clinking softly by his side. The stylist, a chatty young man with an easy smile, seemed undeterred by Leo¡¯s imposing demeanor as he guided Leo to the make-up chair infront of a giant mirror. ¡°Good afternoon, sir. May I?¡± he gestured towards Leo¡¯s mask with a motion to remove it. ¡°The mask stays,¡± Leo replied sharply, his tone ice cold as the stylist¡¯s hands paused, and he nodded. Although his eyes shined with a touch of curiosity, he respected the boundary set by his client and did not attempt to forcefully remove the mask. ¡°Of course, sir,¡± he said, adjusting his approach. The stylist worked around the mask, skillfully managing Leo¡¯s hair, trimming and styling it with an expertise that bespoke his years of training. Throughout this, Leo sat perfectly still with the only sounds in the room being the snipping of scissors and the asional soft directive from the stylist for Leo to adjust his neck posture. The air was thick with unspoken questions, the stylist¡¯s nce often caught by the unyielding mask, but no further attempts were made to breach the topic. As the stylist worked, Leo¡¯s thoughts remained guarded as he focus inward, preparing himself for the battles toe¡ªnot just in the arena, but also within the intricacies of this high-stakes social gathering tonight. When the stylist finally packed away his tools, Leo¡¯s appearance was immacte, though his mask remained a stark barrier to any attempt at personal connection. Chapter 198: Royal Gala (1) Chapter 198: Royal G (1) ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Dressed in the ck and ck themed clothes that the old tailor sewed for him, Leo looked like a Hollywood celebrity ready to walk down the red carpet. Although he had explicitly requested that his suit have no ssh of colors that stood out, the tailor still went ahead and stitched golden buttons for his outfit that gave him a polished and regal look, although foiling his camouge abilities should he wish to hide in a shadow. Nheless, although he was given golden buttons, Leo loved how he looked overall, as the luxurious fabric and well fitted clothes elevated his looks from that of a street assassin to a dark mafia lord. In what was a first, he received a notification from the Terra Nova Game, informing him that he did not need to log out of the game or report for his work duties today and could continue enjoying uninterrupted gaming for the next 24 hours. [ System Notification ¨C It has been detected that the yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has been invited to the ¡®Special Event ¨C Royal G¡¯ and hence does not need to report for arc ship duties for the day. Please enjoy an uninterrupted gaming experience for the next 24 hours ] Before this, Leo had never seen or heard about such a provision within the game, as thest time that he yed the game for 24 hours straight was when he entered the Arc Ship for the first time ever and was allowed to y for a full day before reporting for duty. Nheless he was very happy for this break as he was prepared to skip work and use MP otherwise. But while the system notification saved Leo from having to spend MP on work leave, he was still forced to spend 5 MP to resolve two questions that he had. The letter that Jerome gave Leo after his match ended, outlined two proposals for Leo to ponder about. In the first proposal, the West Duke Family was prepared to pay Leo a sry of 80,000 Gold Coins a month for being an intern at the family, learning subjects such as Battle Strategies, Military Communication etc for a period of 6 months. After these 6 months, based on his performance, the West Duke Family was prepared to offer him a raise of 50 to 100% in his monthly sry and a job as a Captain or a Legion Commander within their army. It was a very lucrative offer where the West Duke Family hoped to develop him into a propermander that could lead their forces into battle in the future. However, they also attached a second proposal below the first one for Leo, where they promised to give him a starting sry of 170,000 gold coins a month and the position of Legion Commander, if Leo felt that he was already proficient in things such as battle tactics. While Leo was an excellent fighter on his own, the West Duke Family were unsure about his skills as a troop leader and hence offered him a dual offer to either develop him into a propermander or directly ce him as one, depending on his experience. For them, they did not require a pure brawler or an assassin that Leo was, but rather wished for more well rounded talents such as Luke that could adopt the role of a proper battlefieldmander. Unfortunately, with Luke already pledging allegiance to a guild, the West Duke Family now wished to search for back-up candidates, where Leo¡¯s excellent battle skills caught the Duke¡¯s eyes. Initially, Leo did not know what to make of the offer as he felt unsure as to whether or not he could even join the West Duke Army, however, after spending 5 MP to ask his doubts to the system administrator, Leo received the answer that he was free to join any faction as long as he did so as an individual entity forming a mercenary contract with another organization. In other words, while Leo was not officially allowed to be a member of any guild or organization, he was free to sign official mercenary contracts with them for a specific role. With this newfound rity, as Leo made his way to the Royal G, he had only one clear goal in mind for the dinner tonight which was to find the best organization to sign a mercenary contract with in the future. ********** ( The Royal G ) The royal g before the start of the quarter finals was a grand affair attended by all of the most important individuals in the Empire. Annually there were only two grand banquets organized by the Emperor. Firstly on his birthday and secondly for the quarter finalists of the Grand Tournament, so it was an important social event on the yearly calendar for all nobles. While this seemed to be a charity event, where the Emperor felicitated and acknowledged the top uing talents of the Empire. In reality the banquet was anything but a charity event with tant power ys and dirty politics taking ce. Attended not only by Masters, Major Nobles, Prominent Artisans, Guild Leaders but also by the Leaders of Non-Human factions such as the Elf Kingdom, The barbarian tribe etc, it was the one event which brought together all the biggest heads of the Empire under one roof. Under such a tense social setting, everyone tried to rope in the most excellent uing talents of the Empire for their own cause, trying to strengthen their faction to prepare for a major shake-up when it urred. Just a single master level warrior could dramatically change the oue of a major battle and hence warrior¡¯s with the potential to be masters in the future were highly sought after by all factions. Amongst such tense social settings, Leo was supposed to hide his identity, negotiate future prospects and align himself with the right faction, all without disrespecting or making enemies with other factions in what was sure to be an impossible task. Chapter 199: Royal Gala (2) Chapter 199: Royal G (2) When Leo entered the Royal G, he captured the attention of many. Uptil now, his fights had been witnessed by numerous scouts and countless analysts who had prepared a report for their faction leaders, as the second Leo walked into the G in his all ck robes and his signature Virex mask, he was immediately marked for conversation by many. As he took a look around the room. Everyone seemed to be dressed impably with there being countless extremely strong individuals present within the room whose levels he could not even read. Some of them he recognised immediately such as ¡®The Wind Sword¡¯ Ethan, Master Magician Vivienne and Master Knight Gareth. They were the masters who had taken part in the opening ceremony and left asting impression on Leo¡¯s mind. Apart from them there were also the four Duke¡¯s that Leo recognised, however, everyone else seemed new to him. As he scanned the room, Leo realized that the Emperor Julien D Evanus had not yet entered the G, as the Royal seat made for the King and Queen seemed empty. The Butler had been insistent that all the candidates must enter the Royal G before 7:05 at thetest, as by the time Leo entered it seemed as if everyone else had already arrived. Just like him, it seemed like Lin Mu had insisted on wearing an all ck outfit as well, as she stood with a ss of wine in her hand, looking dangerous yet beautiful. Apart from the nobles, Leo also wished to interact with Lin Mu in this g, as he wanted to catch-up with his virtual sister. ¡°Would you prefer some wine? Gentleman?¡± a waiter asked Leo almost as soon as he entered, as Leo politely declined and moved a bit further into the room that reeked of tension and awkwardness. Soon, he spotted Luke and Cervantez, who were wearing matching clothes sewn in the colors of their ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild, with the guild emblem and name visible in their dresses. Because of this look, there were many nobles who felt disappointed as with two of the six quarter-finalists having alreadymitted to a faction, they had less talents to potentially recruit this time around. The two of them seemed to be engaged in an intense discussion with the West Duke James, with the young Duke Jerome seemingly also being a part of the debate. ************* ¡°There is no question in my mind that the Guild you are building is going to be an excellent force in the future. I know about the talents you have under your banner that have not made it to this g, however, even if you have a handful of talented individuals, I cannot give you the Oakhill barony for administration¡± Duke James said shaking his head, as he felt taken aback by Cervantez and Luke¡¯s proposal. Almost as soon as the G began, the two sought him out and began discussions on the prospect of him handing over the administration of Oakhill barony to them, however, James was not keen on doing this. The Oakhill barony was the economic life blood of the West Duke ArchDuchy. Located at the center of the Duchy, it was a trade hub through which all major merchant routes passed, however, apart from being well connected and well located, the Barony was also the only ce in the entire Empire where the SpriceWood Oaks grew, whose sales contributed directly to 10% of the Duchy¡¯s annual budget. It was the single most important strategic asset for the West Duchy and James was not willing to give it up under any circumstances. Although, the offer that Luke and Cervantez gave him of the DarkSky guild bing a sword subsidiary of the West Duke Family in return for the barony¡¯s administration rights was a tempting one, especially since epting this deal would give the West Duchy ess to all of DarkSky guild talents and the right to order them to march into war, James still did not think that the DarkSky guild was worth as much as the Oakhill barony. ¡°Father please reconsider, they are only asking for administrative rights for five years and have even agreed to even negotiate the tax rate. I genuinely don¡¯t think we should let a talent such as SkyLion walk over when such an offer is on the table. I do genuinely believe that he can be a master knight in the next five years¡± Jerome requested, as the connection that Luke made with Jerome via the academy finally began to pay off. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous Jerome. For the price of OakHill barony, I can recruit two master knights today. For about ten million gold coins a year, I can recruit Master Gareth to our cause, but it will still be 40 million cheaper than the 50 million gold coins profit that the Barony generates every year. Even if I tax them at a ridiculous 70% tax rate, we will still make a huge loss. I can negotiate with the DarkSky guild for the control of any other Barony, but Oakhill is out of the question¡± James said emphatically, as Cervantez frowned at this conclusion. If both Tor and Jex also made it to the quarter-finals, maybe Cervantez would have had a shot to sessfully conclude this deal, however, with only him and Luke present in this G, it seemed like they were not worth the price that Cervantez was hoping they were. In the future war that was bound to happen, the Oakhill barony would be an extremely important strategic asset as the SpriceWood Oak wood was the number one choice to produce high quality arrows. It was a territory that was not only easy to defend because of its strategic location, but also a goldmine to administer, as with the revenue that the territory generated, Cervantez would gain enough funds to transform his guild into a superpower. However, unfortunately it seemed like Duke James was unwilling to part ways with it under present circumstances. Chapter 200: Tough Negotiations Chapter 200: Tough Negotiations ¡°If you cannot provide us with the OakHill barony, which other domain might you be willing to cede, Duke James? We have little interest in military engagements and would significantly prefer administrative responsibilities,¡± Cervantez conceded, a hint of resignation in his voice as he acknowledged that their top priority, the Oakhill Barony, was currently out of reach. ¡°Why this fixation on administrative duties? I fail toprehend your motives,¡± Duke Jerome interjected, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°If it is wealth you are after, I could offer each member of your guild a substantial sry, far surpassing what you might umte through bureaucratic roles, and spare you the myriadplexities that apany such positions.¡± ¡°May I interject, Duke?¡± Luke interposed, bridging the conversation between Duke James of the West and Cervantez with a respectful tone. ¡°By all means, Vice Guildmaster,¡± Duke James granted, nodding slightly as Luke exchanged a reassuring nce with Cervantez, blinking twice to signal his confidence in handling the negotiations from here on out. ¡°Our preference for administrative over military roles stems from a desire to expand our guild¡¯s influence alongside nurturing the assigned territory. We envision establishing a robust operational base, diversified not solely in martial endeavors but also inmerce, trade, and other varied sectors,¡± Luke exined, his voice steady and persuasive. ¡°By assuming administrative control of a barony, we aim to erect an academy not only for drafting and training baronial soldiers but also for cultivating our guild¡¯s members and private forces. This dual-purpose institution would serve as the cornerstone of our future ambitions, providing us with a stable tform to foster both our guild and the region¡¯s prosperity.¡± ¡°Moreover, we aremitted to a symbiotic rtionship with the locality, enhancing life there as we fortify our own position,¡± Luke continued, his exnation resonating with an air of sincerity, albeit deviating from Cervantez¡¯s original intentions. ¡°Hence, if we can be granted administrative rights over a region rather than a military contract, it¡¯s our understanding that we will be able to develop our guild better and it shall align better with our future ambitions. However, we would also not neglect the local life, turning this into a win-win for both parties involved,¡± Luke said, concluding his speech as Cervantez gave him a wide grin. The reason given by Luke was far from the truth, however, it sure sounded convincing to hear. Duke James, feeling impressed by this answer, remarked warmly, ¡°No wonder my son holds you in such high regard, Knight Skylion.¡± To which Luke responded with a modest bow, appreciating thepliment. ¡°I believe we should award them a barony, Father. Even if their primary role is administrative, we can still summon their forces in times of conflict. They would be Oath and Contract bound to support our duchy¡¯s defenses in times of need,¡± Jerome advocated, earnestly persuading his father to endorse the proposal. ¡°A visionary leader apanied by a skilled deputy¡ªindeed, the prospects of the DarkSky Guild appear promising,¡± Duke James mused, his gaze thoughtful as he contemted an appropriate barony to assign for their administration. ¡°What about the Wheat Fields barony?¡± he suggested tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s a smaller domain,cking significant industries, yet is abundant in manpower, which could align well with your developmental ns, provided you are willing to invest in the necessary infrastructure.¡± However, Cervantez promptly dismissed the idea. The Wheat Fields barony, under the stringent tax regtions of the duchy concerning agricultural produce, generated minimal revenue. Assuming control over such a financially stunted territory would require years to cultivate into an economically viable state¡ªyears that they simply did not have. Cervantez paused, his mind racing as he swiftly recalibrated their strategy. He knew that the sess of their guild hinged not just on administrative control but on securing a territory that offered both economic potential and strategic value, which was why he fancied his shot with the Silverpine Barony, a region known for its rich mines and bustling trade routes. Unlike the Wheat Fields, Silverpine had the infrastructure and resources that could immediately bolster their guild¡¯s coffers and influence and it was a territory which could be defended properly when the major war broke out. ¡°Your Grace, might I propose an alternative?¡± Cervantez began, his tone measured yet confident. ¡°The Silverpine Barony offers both the resources and the strategic location essential for our ns. It boasts active silver mines and is situated on key trade routes that connect several major cities. Administering Silverpine would not only ensure a rapid growth in our guild¡¯s wealth but also allow us to significantly contribute to the region¡¯s prosperity.¡± Duke James raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the shift in discussion. ¡°Silverpine, you say? It is indeed a valuable territory, but it¡¯s also crucial to our duchy¡¯s economy. What guarantees can you offer that the prosperity we currently enjoy from Silverpine will not only continue but expand under your administration?¡± Cervantez nodded, understanding the Duke¡¯s concerns. ¡°We are prepared to invest heavily in the local infrastructure and expand the existing mining operations. Furthermore, by improving the trade routes and increasing security, we can enhancemerce, which will lead to an increase in revenue not just for our guild but for the entire duchy. We would also maintain and possibly increase the current tax contributions to the duchy¡¯s treasury.¡± Duke James considered this, turning to his son Jerome for his input. Jerome nodded as he thought that the proposal made by Cervantez was very fair. When a guild entered an administrative agreement with a territory, the guild became the ¡®Lord¡¯ of the territory, however, it also came with significant responsibilities. ording to the Empire¡¯sws, if it was detected that the guild did not properly administer the territory, then they could be stripped off the lordship and forced to pay heavy penalties, with the top management facing criminal charges. Plus, an administrative agreement came with a defacto military understanding which made the Barony liable to answer any war calls if the situation demanded it. Under such circumstances where the administrative rights of the guild could be stripped away by the Duchy at will, they really did not have much to lose by trusting the DarkSky guild for once and letting them prove their worth. ¡°It sounds like a promising venture, Father. With the DarkSky guild¡¯smitment, Silverpine could indeed thrive more than it currently does.¡± Jerome said, supporting his dear friend Skylion in his future endeavors, as Luke shed him a thankful smile for the support. After a moment of contemtion, Duke James leaned forward, offering a decisive nod. ¡°Very well, Guildmaster DarkEmperor, we will grant you administrative rights over the Silverpine Barony. Let this be a test of your guild¡¯s capabilities andmitment to our duchy. Should you seed in enhancing Silverpine¡¯s prosperity, it will prove beneficial for all involved.¡± Cervantez bowed deeply, a subtle smile ying on his lips. ¡°Thank you, Your Grace. We will not disappoint.¡± ¡°Indeed I hope you don¡¯t¡­. Let¡¯s discuss the specificster though, there are already too many ears trying to discern the details of our private conversation¡± Duke James said, as he tacitly stopped Cervantez from discussing anything more in this setting. Cervantez smiled at the Duke and slowly took his leave alongside Luke as he had already aplished his goal from this Royal G. While the guild could not get their hands on the Oakhill Barony which was their first priority, they did get the second best Barony afterwards in the Silverpine Barony. While the silver mines in the region were slightly harder to expand, Cervantez felt that with the right increase in manpower mixed with the surge in silver demand during times of war, the guild could definitely fulfill all their ambitions with proper management of Silverpine Barony as well. ¡°Well done Luke. You and I make for a great team. Without you having coaxed Jerome months ago and your timely exnation about why we want administrative rights, this deal would have genuinely fallen through¡­ Your quick thinking is what saved us today¡± Cervantez said, feeling extremely proud of Luke as he gave him a double thumbs up. ¡°Of course, DarkSky is my guild too. I¡¯m the vice guild master after all¡± Luke said, as Cervantez¡¯s grin only widened listening to these words. Of all the members he recruited, only Luke was the one who did not fail him so far. Not only did he manage to foster a healthy rtionship with Jerome and end up top of the ss in knight¡¯s academy, he also managed to qualify up till the quarterfinals of the guild and help enhance the social image of the guild on the forums. There were many things that Cervantez wished to control in his second life but failed to achieve. Even with his future knowledge there were many events that did not y out how he hoped they would, however, his appointment of Luke to the position of the Vice Guild Master was not one of them. Feeling as if it was the best decision that he could have made, Cervantez felt extremely satisfied with Luke and his development within the game so far. Chapter 201: Royal Gala (3) Chapter 201: Royal G (3) ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo waited patiently for the conversation between Duke James and his brother to conclude before approaching him, however, while he was waiting for Duke James to be avable, he was surprisingly approached by a noble that he did not know. A frail man with a bushy beard and unttering hairstyle approached Leo with the kindest of smiles as if they were old acquaintances. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Viscount Feynman, it¡¯s nice to finally meet you-¡± The man said, extending his hand as Leo shook it curiously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you?¡± Leo asked, as the man seemed to know him, however, Leo apparently had no idea as to who he was. ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think we have met directly before, I haven¡¯t had the pleasure of meeting you directly yet¡± The viscount said, as Leo raised an eyebrow beneath his mask, waiting for the man to exin more. ¡°But while we have not met directly, we do share amon friend¡­. Someone who works closely with both of us- ¡± Viscount Feynman said in a hushed voice as he moved slightly closer to Leo. ¡°I¡¯m the financier of ChaosBringer¡­. The noble who supports the underworld from the shadows¡± Viscount Feynman said in what was barely an audible whisper. As he said this, goosebumps ran down Leo¡¯s spine as he had no idea as to why this man believed that he knew ChaosBringer or had any sort of ties to the underworld. While Leo knew who ChaosBringer was, as during hisst days inside the Sector E, ChaosBringer and his ¡®Uprising¡¯ group was all that people talked about, he did not have any personal contact or connections with the man, as whatever this viscount Feynman thought of him was clearly a very major misunderstanding. ¡°It¡¯s okay! No words need to be spoken here, there are too many eyes and ears on us. I was just here to introduce myself anyways and tell you that you¡¯re doing a ster job in the grand tournament! If you find any trouble or require any assistance within the capital, feel free to look for me as I¡¯ll always amodate a talent like you-¡± Viscount Feynman said, stepping back and taking his leave with Leo as he disappeared into the social crowd and began chatting with other nobles. ¡®What a weird man¡­. There is no way in hell I¡¯m gonna associate with him or the underworld, I don¡¯t even know who is propagating such rumors¡¯ Leo thought, as he decided to steer as clear of Viscount Feynman as possible in the future. ¡°Please pay attention! His majesty! The sun of the Empire! The symbol of unity! The king of kings! The protector of peace and the punisher of evil, Julien D Evanus, is entering the room, alongside his wife, The first queen Martha Evanus and First Son, Nathan J Evanus¡± All hail-¡± Suddenly a loud announcement was made, dering the entry of the Emperor Julien D Evanus, as everyone immediately fell to one knee, putting their right hand to their hearts as they bowed respectfully. Following the crowd, Leo also bowed respectfully as Julien entered the room with his wife, the empress¡¯s hand in his arms and son Nathan walking behind. Noticeably, while the entry of the first wife and son was announced, the other royal members, such as the second wife and third wife and their children did not get the same treatment, as they followed the trio without any introduction. If it was unclear to anyone as to who was on-top of the session race, after this entry it became clear that Nathan Evanus, the first son, was the current favorite to go on and be the crown prince. [ Nathan J Evanus ] ( Level 160 ) Leo tried to scan the power level of the first prince and was surprised to see that he was a level 160 warrior. Considering his age was only 20, this was not a bad score at all as he had the potential of growing much stronger with time. As the room settled back into a dignified murmur following the grand entrance of the imperial family, Leo continued to observe Nathan from a distance. Despite the regal posture and polished demeanor, there was an air of ambition in the young prince¡¯s eyes that Leo found intriguing. He spoke with a fake smile and greeted everyone with fake enthusiasm that was easy for Leo to spot, as a soft smile spread on his lips observing the behavior of the prince. ¡°You¡­. Kid¡­.¡± Suddenly a hoarse voice said behind Leo, startling him as he turned to see a tall man inpact Armor standing behind him. The man had the same Virex mask as Leo and had storm gray eyes that seemed to stare into his very soul. ¡°Yes?¡± Leo said, maintaining hisposure as despite his surprise, he did not back down from the intimidating figure and instead stared right back into his eyes [ ????? ] ( Lv ????? ) Failing to read either his name or his level, Leo understood that the gap between himself and the man in front of him was significant, yet despite the power gap his gaze did not weaken one bit. ¡°Why do you have a Virex mask on you? I don¡¯t remember recruiting a single candidate like you in my organization¡­.¡± The man said threateningly as his pupils constricted. ¡°Let me tell you, that stealing the identity of or killing a member of the Virex branch is a criminal offense. If you have obtained that mask through nefarious means, then I¡¯ll have to confiscate it here and charge you for criminal activity¡± The man said, as he tried to threaten and intimidate Leo, but failed. ¡°The mask belonged to my Grand-Master, it was given by him to my master, who now gave it to me. It¡¯s not obtained illegally, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me being a criminal¡± Leo said, as the man against him was forced to back off. ¡°Very well, if it¡¯s a memoir of an old member, I guess I¡¯ll allow you to keep it-¡± he said before disappearing into the same crowd from which he surprisingly appeared from. Chapter 202: Royal Gala (4) Chapter 202: Royal G (4) After experiencing two bizarre encounters with two unexpected people within the Royal G, Leo finally found his opportunity to interact with Duke James, as Luke and Cervantez seemed to have concluded their discussions with him. There were a lot of eyes on him, especially after his heated discussion with the Virex operative, as he began giving off the aura of a shady individual, involved in a lot of political mess. As Leo approached the West Duke, he seemed to be engaged in conversation with another ArchDuke, The East Duke, Victor Orban, who spotted him walking towards them from a distance and chuckled aloud. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of you James, you had those two kids already seeking you out at the very start of the banquet and now you have this one looking for you too! Seems like you and Jerome have worked hard in roping potential talents this time around before the banquet even began¡± Victor joked as he pped James hard behind the back. Momentarily, Duke James developed a deep frown on his face when he was pped so hard on the back, however, he was quick to mask it off with his usual indifference, as he gave the East Duke a cordial smile. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing, it¡¯s all Jerome¡¯s work. He¡¯s friends with the quarter-finalist SkyLion and he¡¯s also the one to prepare a preliminary offer for this kid here after he defeated Jerome in the round of 32. I¡¯ve had no hand in this-¡± James said, diverting the credit on to his son so that his social image improved, even though it was actually him who had masterminded both moves. ¡°Young Jerome is growing up just like his sly father. Hahaha-¡± The East Duke joked, however, there was an audible undertone of jealousy in his voice when he said these words. Leo could see it on his face that the East Duke seemed very jealous of the West Duke and it was a type of jealousy that Leo could benefit from. ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve misunderstood East Duke, I¡¯m actually here to meet you and not the West Duke¡± Leo said, as his sudden deration caught everyone off-guard. ¡°Here to meet me?¡± The East Duke said in surprise, before grinning widely. ¡°Of course, of course, I¡¯m always happy to indulge a talent. Pleased to meet you¡± He said, extending his hand for Leo to shake, which Leo shaked happily. ¡°It seems the two of you might wish to discuss business, I¡¯ll let you be then¡± The West Duke said before politely taking his leave as being the true noble that he was, he did not wish to pry into the private matters of others. Although he was taken by surprise when Leo said that he wished to talk to the East Duke and not him, heter smiled widely looking back at it, as he realized that Leo had picked his opportunity well to leverage a better deal than what he could have gotten with the West Duchy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry father, I did not think that he would disrespect us like this¡­.¡± Jerome said, apologizing to his father, as the West Duke smiled and waved it off. ¡°It¡¯s fine, just goes to show how smart he is¡­.. so there¡¯s nothing to hold against him¡± James said, as he did not take this matter to heart at all. ************* ¡°Let me be frank with you, East Duke. I¡¯ve received an offer from the West Duchy to join their army as amander, but frankly, it holds no appeal to me¡­¡± Leo began, carefully gauging the East Duke¡¯s reaction. He knew the Duke valued respect and admiration, and Leo tailored his words to leverage these preferences, aiming to engage the Duke¡¯s favorable attention by subtly dismissing the rival faction. ¡°I¡¯m not an army type of fighter, I¡¯m a rogue, I¡¯m more of a unique fighter that can sneak into an enemy fortress and kidnap the enemy princess or assassinate the enemymander type of guy. But open warfare is not my speciality¡­.¡± Leo said, as he candidly admitted that he was not a military man. ¡°While the West Duchy that¡¯s known for being traditional can¡¯t utilize my talents properly, I¡¯ve heard that the East Duke is different. I¡¯ve heard about how creative the East Duke is and hence have hope that if it¡¯s you¡­.. you can surely find an appropriate use of my talents¡± Leo said, as a wide smile spread on the East Duke¡¯s face, when he grasped what Leo was suggesting. Basically, Leo had offered the East Duke to be his mad dog, the dirty mercenary that would handle the filthy jobs for him, however, do so under the official banner of the East Duchy. ¡± *cough*, well indeed you have approached the right man. The stringent and traditional James could never find a proper use for your talents, but I surely can¡± The East Duke said, as he felt excited about roping in a talent like Leo. ording to the report he had received, Leo was either an assassin in training or definitely had links to some underworld organization as his fighting style and skill set was very close to that of an assassin. Such a talent, while useful in one vs onebat, was not very useful in an open Battlefield as amander, which was why Leo was not approached by many major factions that were looking for future pirs of their army. Luckily for him, The East Duke was exactly the sort of man who did not care about such stuff, as for him, as long as he could use Leo to kill civil unrest movement leaders, assassinate rebels and threaten subordinates, he was a talent worth picking up, as he was extremely interested in roping him in. ¡°What sort of a sry structure are you looking for? Or are you perhaps seeking a Barony?¡± Victor asked, as he put an idea into Leo¡¯s mind that initially did not even exist. Chapter 203: Royal Gala (5) Chapter 203: Royal G (5) ¡°Or are you perhaps seeking a Barony?¡± Victor asked, an idea dangling in the air between them like a ripe fruit. Leo¡¯s thoughts raced as he processed the unexpected proposition. ¡®A Barony?¡¯ he wondered as a smile spread underneath his mask. The notion hadn¡¯t even brushed the edges of his mind until this very moment, yet the allure of such status was undeniably tempting. While the system did not allow for him to join any faction officially, bing a noble was a whole another deal. While he had not confirmed with the system administrator if he could or could not ept the role of a Baron, he felt excited by the thought of bing the lord of and. ¡®But is it allowed?¡¯ Leo wondered, as the second this thought entered his mind, a system notification sted in front of him. [ System Notification ¨C Does yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ wish to spend 2MP to find out if his special ss is permitted to take up a noble title or not? Yes No ] The system notification asked, as Leo silently chose ¡®Yes¡¯. [ System Administrator Response ¨C Yes, yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is allowed to ept a nobility title within the Unity Empire ] A system response notified Leo that he was indeed allowed to ept a nobility title, as Leo felt very excited about the prospect of bing a noble. He had walked into this conversation hoping for a hefty contract, something that would affirm his worth in gold and silver, but a nobility title¡­ that was a different game altogether. It was a leap from mere financial gain to a permanent stake in the realm¡¯s fabric. The surprise of it was thrilling, and a calcting part of Leo couldn¡¯t help but be excited about the broader implications. ¡°Well, East Duke, while a Barony wasn¡¯t what I initially had in mind, I must admit the prospect holds a certain appeal,¡± Leo responded carefully, his tone measured to convey interest without seeming too eager. Victor¡¯s eyes lit up, a predatory glint of satisfaction flickering through them as he sensed Leo¡¯s interest. ¡°I thought it might,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°You see, son, a man of your¡­ unique capabilities should not merely bepensated. He should be invested in, rooted in thend he serves. A Baron in my Duchy isn¡¯t just a title; it¡¯s a statement, a deration of trust and power.¡± Victor bullshitted, as although he offered Leo a Barony, he wasn¡¯t being 100% faithful with his words and offer either. Unaware of the intentions of the other party Leo nodded, his mind still whirling with the rapid ascent his fortunes seemed to be taking. ¡®From a mercenary to potentially a Baron¡­ the stakes are higher than I imagined, but so are the opportunities¡¯ Leo thought, as he did not seem to suspect anything beyond the unconventional offer. ¡°I appreciate your confidence in me, East Duke. I believe I can serve your interests well, and a Barony would certainly provide the necessary influence and resources to do so effectively,¡± Leo said, his voice steady, projecting the assurance he hoped would seal this unprecedented deal. Victor leaned back, a satisfied expression creasing his features. ¡°Excellent! I¡¯ll have my people draft the necessary documents. We¡¯ll need to formalize this quickly, ideally before the end of the Grand Tournament. After all, there¡¯s no time like the present to solidify such promising alliances.¡± Victor appeared overly enthusiastic while saying this, as it was now that Leo started to feel skeptical about his offer. ¡°As for your duties and the scope of your authority, we will detail that in theing days. But rest assured, you will have ample opportunity to deploy your¡­ special skills,¡± Victor added, a hint of sarcasm underlying his words. Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel goosebumps down his spine, as the game seemed to have changedpletely for him. If what Victor was offering now came true, then he was to transform from being amon yer doing quests to a Lord managing a territory and carrying out hidden missions for the Duke. As Victor signaled for an aide to approach and whispered some instructions in his ears to begin the process of formalizing the offer, Leo allowed himself a moment to scrutinize the offer that sounded too good to be true. Unlike Cervantez, who was well-versed with the geography of thend and knew exactly which baronies were worth administering and which were not, Leo had no idea about such stuff. When bing a lord it was extremely important to choose the correctnd to be a Baron of, and while Leo agreed to the East Duke¡¯s offer, he was not cautious enough to specify as to which Barony he was to get. Being the sly man that he was, Victor offered Leo Barony instead of a mercenary contract for the specific reason of scamming him, as within his region he had a Barony called the ¡®CrestHill Barony¡¯ which was currently inplete shambles. Overrun by bandits and rebel groups, it was a Barony merchants seldom passed by and the overall tax revenue it generated did not even cross a million gold coins a year. By assigning such a Barony to Leo, Victor was to save more money than paying him a mercenary contract while also gaining a loyal ve and a regional administrator for free. Under such circumstances, if Leo somehow magically transformed the Barony into a proper liveablend, Victor nned on seizing it back in the next 2-5 years. But if he failed to do so and also failed to carry out the ¡®side¡¯ missions assigned to him during his tenure as Baron, then Victor nned to cast him aside, citing poor administration as the official reason. Either way, he stood to lose nothing from this deal and was hence very satisfied with its terms. Chapter 204: Royal Gala (6) Chapter 204: Royal G (6) About half an hour after the entry of the Emperor to the Royal G, the proper felicitation ceremony began, as quarter-finalists were introduced to the wider crowd and called up by the Emperor to receive their match winning token and money. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* The second prince of the Empire, son of the second and less favored wife of the Emperor, rang a spoon over his wine ss as he tried to gather everyone¡¯s attention for the speech his father was about to make. ¡°May I have everyone¡¯s attention please? Emperor Julien D Evanus will now make a speech¡­¡± the young second prince said in a shrill teenage voice, as he tried hard to calm down the crowd and funnel their attention towards his father. While his poor attempt at ringing the wine ss did not work well, the moment Julien D Evanus stood up from his make-shift throne seat and stepped forward, his authority as an Emperor immediately made the crowd go absolutely silent. His voice, both rich andmanding, filled the grand hall as he addressed the assembly. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and brave quarter-finalists,¡± he began, his gaze sweeping across the room, making each individual felt seen and significant. ¡°Tonight, we gather not only to celebrate victories in battle but to recognize the strength and potential of those who will shape the future of our empire.¡± He paused, allowing his words to resonate among the audience, then continued, ¡°Each of you who have reached this stage of the grand tournament have demonstrated exceptional skill, courage, and determination. You are not merely fighters; you are leaders and visionaries who will inherit the legacy of this greatnd.¡± With a warm smile, the Emperor concluded, ¡°I wish each of you the very best as you continue to strive for excellence. May your endeavors bring glory to your families, your race, and our beloved empire. To the future!¡± He raised his ss, prompting a thunderous apuse and a sea of raised sses in response. ¡°To the future¡­..¡± Everyone replied, finishing their drink as was the custom. One by one, the quarter-finalists ascended the stage to receive their des from the Emperor with Leo being the first one to be introduced and called up. ¡°Our first quarter finalist is a man shrouded in mystery behind his Virex mask. A man of the people who has shattered all the previous open qualification records and has been hailed as a once in a lifetime genius by many. Winning all his matches with rtive ease and crushing what many considered generational talents on his way to bing a quarter finalist, this man is as infamous as he is loved¡­..¡± The announcer said, as all eyes automatically turned towards Leo. Some of those gazes were friendly, some were filled with hatred, however, most were just curious. Curious about his real identity, curious about how far he could go in the actual grand tournament and curious as to how he became as strong as he was. Walking up to the stage, Leo shook Julien¡¯s hand in a firm handshake as the Emperor smiled amiably towards him. Internally, Leo was disgusted by the Emperor and how he yed his master in the past to be the Emperor. However, externally he did not let it show at all. With not an ounce of his killing aura leaking, he behaved perfectly normally with Julien and even engaged in a sporting conversation with him. ¡°Agh, the infamous man ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡­..¡± Julien said, with a fake chuckle as he looked towards his counselor. ¡°Just a day ago, I was meeting a teacher from the swordsmanship academy¡­. Poor guy wished to disqualify you from the tournament, however, I told him tantly that I¡¯m a ¡®TheBoss¡¯ supporter! Can¡¯t eliminate the winner of the Grand Tournament early¡­. Can I?¡± Julien said jokingly, as although he did not really believe Leo could win the Grand Tournament, he joked around about it like the sly politician that he was. Had Leo been a local NPC of the game, who had never seen politician¡¯s lie to seem amiable, he would have maybe fallen for the Emperor¡¯s words, thinking that the Emperor was genuinely rooting for him, however, he was a man who had witnessed the presidency of the fake bitch Verma on Earth. He already knew how untrustable the ruling ss was and hence knew exactly how worthless the Emperor¡¯spliments were. Nheless, maintaining the nice mood, Leo chuckled at his joke and replied with a ¡®I hope not to disappoint the sun of the Empire¡¯ as he collected his grand tournament token and prize money and walked off the stage. Not disying any shock, or fanboy behavior, Leo cordially met the Emperor and left without trying to especially strike conversation as his behavior perplexed many. Usually when grand tournament candidates met the Emperor for the first time ever, they tried their best to get in his good graces and converse with him as long as possible, however, Leo did not. Curt and to the point, he went up,ughed at the Emperor¡¯s joke and walked down, as the lesser nobles gathered at the G mocked him for not understanding the importance of the opportunity he had at hand. To them, an opportunity to get acquainted and leave asting impression in the mind of Emperor Julien was invaluable, hence, they could notprehend Leo¡¯s behavior at all and branded him a fool. After Leo, the Elf candidate was called up next, and the Emperor¡¯s smile was visibly less bright as he talked with her. Although still cordial and fake, the warmth of his tone and the shine in his eyes were noticeably gone, as anyone with enough observation skills could discern what the Emperor really felt towards members of non-human species, especially when his tone and mood only worsened when talking with the Tiger Beastman candidate next, with whom he did not even try and crack a joke. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 205: Royal Gala (7) Chapter 205: Royal G (7) After felicitating the Tiger Beastman and the Elf, it was Luke who went up on the stage and the Emperor¡¯s smile instantly returned. ¡°Ho? Aren¡¯t you the one called SkyLion?¡± The Emperor asked in a pleasant surprise, as Luke felt mildly intrigued as to how the Emperor knew his name. ¡°Have you heard about me, my Lord?¡± Like asked curiously as the Emperor looked towards his counselor and nodded. ¡°What do you say counselor? Do we know the child Principal Wood has been describing as the best talent he has seen in thest 20 years?¡± The Emperor asked jokingly, before looking towards Luke andughing. ¡°Your Principal talks very highly of you¡­. He expects you to uphold the honor of the Royal Knight Academy by winning the Grand Tournament, so do your best!¡± The Emperor said, as he awarded Luke with his token and prize money. ¡°Of course my lord, I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Luke said, epting his award with grace and smiling at the Emperor before walking off the stage. Just like Leo, he also did not dally for too long to have a chat with the Emperor as after thanking him he also politely took his leave. As Luke descended the steps of the stage, the announcer introduced the next candidate to step up who was one of the three NPC human candidates that had made it to the quarters. As he stepped forward, his body was visibly shaking, as if he was in shock over what he was going to experience, as for him, meeting and having a chance to talk to the Emperor was the greatest event of his life. While Leo and Luke were weirdos, who did not try chat with the Emperor longer, when the NPC stepped up, the crowd got to witness a scene they were more used to, in the form of new candidates being tongue tied and awe-struck in the presence of his majesty. As he approached, the Emperor¡¯s smile widened, as he had already been briefed about the script that he was to use with this one by his counselor. ¡°Ren, the mind of steel!¡± Emperor Julien D Evanus eximed, his voice booming yet warm. ¡°Your strategies have woven through the tournament like threads of silk¡ªfinely crafted and deadly efficient. What¡¯s your secret?¡± ttered and a bit amused by the Emperor¡¯s grand description, Ren leaned forward slightly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. ¡°Just a lot of games with my sisters, Your Majesty. They¡¯re the true tacticians of the family.¡± The noble crowdughed along with the Emperor, who pped his hands in delight. ¡°Well, remind me to never challenge your family to a game of strategy,¡± he joked as he handed over the token and prize. ¡°I expect great things from you in the quarter finals, young man.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll bring my best game,¡± Ren replied, his voice full of pride and veneration. Receiving his award, he chatted with the Emperor for a few seconds more, before the counselor put a hand on his back and politely asked him to keep moving. As he made his way down, Lin Mu stepped up, her presencemanding silence from the crowd. Her movements were fluid and precise as she walked with the spring in her step only assassin¡¯s could have, as while the Virex operative who was lurking in the background did not intervene in the chat between the Emperor and any other candidate, when Lin Mu made her way to the stage, he suddenly appeared behind the Emperor, seemingly prepared to save his life should Lin Mu try anything funny. The Emperor¡¯s expression shifted as Lin Mu walked upto the stage, reflecting genuine curiosity and respect, as he already seemed to have an inkling about Lin Mu¡¯s true background, yet chose to say nothing about it. ¡°Lin Mu, the grace of your des is matched only by the poise of your spirit,¡± he said, showering her with the same fakepliment that he showered other candidates with. ¡°Each duel you fight is like a dance. Tell us, how do you prepare for such performances that seem almost choreographed? Are you perhaps skilled in practicalbat? Have you actually taken an opponent¡¯s life? ¡± He asked, his smile turning mischievous as he tried to put Lin Mu on a tough spot. Lin Mu¡¯s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. ¡°Your Majesty, each battle is a dance partner I must learn to lead. It is about anticipation and rhythm. Training is rigorous, but the true preparation happens in the quiet moments before the storm.¡± ¡°Beautifully said,¡± the Emperor mused, handing her the token of progression. ¡°May your des continue to strike true and your dance captivate us all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. I hope to continue to honor the grace of the duel,¡± Lin Mu responded, her voice sounding very smooth as she did not seem afraid of the Emperor at all. She bowed deeply before turning to leave, her departure as graceful as her entrance, leaving a trail of murmured approvals and nods of respect from the audience. The Emperor watched her go, a thoughtful expression on his face as his interest was piqued. While the others had no idea about Lin Mu¡¯s real identity, after she approached the counselor before the start of the Royal G, begging to be saved from the desperate situation she found herself in, the emperor felt curious about the kind of life she had led uptil now and her future ambitions. As Leo watched Lin Mu walk down the stage, he decided to take this opportunity to finally talk to her as he slowly began walking towards her. Thankfully, Lin Mu spotted his approach and signaled him to follow her, as the two walked out of the stuffy G hall and into the adjacent balcony area with fresh air made outside. Chapter 206: A tough conversation Chapter 206: A tough conversation ¡°Jin¡­¡± Lin Mu whispered, her voice carrying a softness that warmed Leo from within, reassuring him that his NPC sister had managed to recognize him even under his new alias. ¡°Lin!¡± Leo eximed, his excitement palpable as he shed his NPC sister a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sister, while I did see you earlier in the warm-up area at the south arena, I couldn¡¯t get a chance to speak with you, with so many people around¡± Leo said, apologizing honestly, as Lin Mu shook her head and let out a gentle sigh. It seemed like her dumb brother was still unaware of the hardships that Lin Mu had endured during his absence. Unaware of how while he was practicing with the legend Ben Faulkner, Lin Mu was being subjected to incredible torture, day in and day out. While she had been obeying Dem Paltrow and the Night Guild¡¯s orders uptil now. From the moment she entered the pce, they no longer had any control over her, as the first thing that Lin Mu did aftering to the pce was to seek out an audience with the ¡®Counselor¡¯, to whom she confessed about her real background and how her Mu n was currently being held hostage by the Night Guild. Lin Mu hoped that the Emperor would be kind enough to help her when she would approach him with his problem, however, she had forgotten how cruel and unfair this world was and how there was nothing like a ¡®Free Meal¡¯ in this world. While the counselor did promise to help Lin Mu should she win the Grand Tournament and make saving her n an official request, he refused to do it for free otherwise. Expressing his condolences he exined how although he was saddened to learn about Lin Mu¡¯s past, he was not willing tomit significant manpower to saving the Mu n from the dangerous clutches of the night guild, without any significant reward for the Empire. However, after expressing his condolences, he did offer Lin Mu a job to work as a royal assassin and an hidden asset of the Emperor and promised to save the Mu n if she epted the offer. Had it been the only terms, Lin Mu would have probably epted the job in a heartbeat, however, the counselor even wanted to spend a night with her, satisfying his weird kinks before he carried her proposal to the Emperor. When he made this demand, Lin Mu was extremely disappointed as she realized that men in power were the same no matter where she went. Just like how Dem Paltrow wanted to exploit her for his own gain, the opportunistic counselor wanted to do the same, with the only difference between both men being the nature of their exploitative offers. As Lin Mu tried to decline his offer, the man threatened to report and jail her, especially since he knew her true background and criminal affiliations now, as he cornered Lin Mu into a difficult position. At that moment, closing her eyes, Lin Mu decided to give in to the perverted old man¡¯s demands and promised to spend the night in his room following the g, as she reached a mental saturation with trying to change her destiny. When she reached within the castle walls safely, she felt hope for a better future, hope that perhaps if she was brave and forthright, she could save her n and take revenge on Dem Paltrow for the months of psychological and physical torture he subjected her to, however, she was wrong. Once she confessed, her situation only turned even more worse, as although she escaped the clutches of Dem, she seemingly walked into the clutches of the counselor who now wished to exploit her in a different way. However, once she epted his proposal and mentally epted her fate of being bullied wherever she went, she felt an odd escape in this resignation, as she discovered exactly what she wished to do once all this mess was concluded in her life. ¡°It¡¯s okay Jin¡­ I understand¡± Lin Mu said, looking towards the sky with a soft smile on her face as she enjoyed the cool breeze of the balcony. ¡°I got epted as Ben Faulkner¡¯s disciple sister! I¡¯m living a great life and have be a much better assassin¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu chuckled at his words. ¡°You running away with Ben has turned my life upside down dummy. However, I¡¯m happy that at least you¡¯re happy¡± Lin Mu said mncholically as Leo scratched the back of his head. ¡°Oh yeah, that¡­.. the night guild is hunting us both down like hounds¡± Leo said, shuddering slightly as Lin Mu stuck a bit of her tongue out of her face. ¡°They¡¯ve ordered me to kill you too, but of course I¡¯m not gonna hurt my brother¡­.¡± Lin Mu said, sounding slightly unsure about the wordsing out of her own mouth. ¡°Well of course! Dem Patrow is silly if he thinks he can get between us-¡± Leo said, as he shed the Mu family token that Lin Mu gave him with a smile under his mask. ¡°Oh, my family token ¡­.. you¡¯ve kept it safe-¡± Lin Mu said, sounding surprised as a soft smile spread on her face too. ¡°You¡¯ve grown much stronger since I¡¯vest seen you¡­. It seems Ben Faulkner is as good as the legend makes him seem¡± Lin Mu said as Leo nodded his head in approval. ¡°Oh he¡¯s as good as the legend makes him seem alright, but he¡¯s also such a softie. If we get a chance, I¡¯ll introduce you to him, you will probably end up liking him a lot¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu shook her head, but said nothing. ¡°What are you going to wish for if you win the grand tournament?¡± She said, looking towards the stars as Leo could not sense that something was wrong with Lin Mu and that she did not seem to be at her brightest best. ¡°Umm, I haven¡¯t really thought about it, but if possible I¡¯d get an imperial pardon for Ben. Wipe out his previous crimes and let him live like a free man. I don¡¯t really want anything for myself, but if the Emperor allows it, I want him to live with pride again¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu raised her eyebrow listening to this response. To her it seemed like apletely naive response, as in this selfish world her brother was thinking about the happiness of someone else above his own. ¡°That¡¯s such a dumb wish¡­.. also, he killed a sitting crown prince¡­. I don¡¯t think you can get a pardon granted for such a man¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo shrugged his shoulders in nonchnce. ¡°Well it¡¯s not like he needs it to be honest¡­. There¡¯s not a single man in this kingdom who can capture and imprison Ben fucking Faulkner¡± Leo said as he tried to imply that Ben was already as good as a free man since nobody could catch him anyways. ¡°What would you wish for, if you won it?¡± Leo asked, as without a second¡¯s hesitation Lin Mu looked at him and said ¡± The destruction of the night guild¡±. It was only for a very brief second, however, when she said those words her killing intent red, causing Leo to shudder as she seemed to hate the night guild with a passion. ¡°Oh?¡± Leo asked, sounding surprised, as Lin Mu chuckled, covering her face with her hand. ¡°This world is an evil ce brother and I have too many people on my kill list now. Today¡¯s thest time you¡¯re seeing me calm and sane. The next time we meet whether it be on the arena battlefield or in life, my only request and warning for you is to not treat me as your sister and as a woman you don¡¯t know. Because whatever good and sane there was left in me, I¡¯m about to lose it all after tonight¡± Lin Mu said with a self-deprecating smile on her face as a deep frown formed on Leo¡¯s face listening to her words. ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± Leo asked in a very concerned voice as Lin Mu waved him off. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you can drop the caring act. It won¡¯t touch me anymore¡± Lin Mu said as Leo felt speechless. ¡°What act? My concern is genuine! ¡± Leo said, however Lin Mu refused to believe it. ¡°Consider this good-bye brother. You can choose to heed my warning or ignore it, but don¡¯t mistake me for the Lin Mu you knew the next time we meet. That innocent girl is as good as dead now ¡­¡± Lin Mu said, as she walked away from Leo and rejoined the g, without giving Leo a chance to cross-question her. Frowning, Leo fell into deep contemtion as to why Lin Mu was behaving this way, however, he had no idea as to what sort of a shit life his NPC sister was going through right now. As never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the kind of exploitation and indignation she was suffering, just because of her love for the Mu n. Chapter 207: Something Wrong Chapter 207: Something Wrong The rest of the Royal G was rather uneventful for Leo, but Luke¡¯s experience was quite the opposite. Among the contenders advancing to the semi-finals, Luke emerged as a favorite for the nobles who were keen to mingle with him due to his enigmatic background as the chosen protege of a master knight and his esteemed reputation within the Royal Knight Academy as a genius. Various nobles continuously engaged with him throughout the G, bombarding him with personal inquiries and questions about his marital status, sexual preferences or whether he would consider their daughters for a politically advantageous marriage. One particr Baron even made a rather blunt proposition saying ¡°While my daughter mayck beauty, she isn¡¯t very possessive either. Should you decide to marry her SkyLion, she would likely permit you to keep several concubines. Think about it¡­. You can happily y around all your life and won¡¯t have anyone to pull your ear-¡± This particr proposition made Luke blush deeply as while he did not agree with the words being said, he also could not believe how shameless these nobles were beneath the facade of sophistry. One particr interaction, however, stood out from the rest for Luke, which was his conversation with the Master Knight George. Approaching him with a big smile on his face, the master knight seemed dead set on wanting to find out exactly who Luke¡¯s hidden master was. ¡°SkyLion! The student that Professor Wood won¡¯t stop talking about¡­¡± George said, as he walked up to Luke sizing him up. ¡°Sir George¡­. What an honor it is to be in your presence-¡± Luke said, knowing perfectly well as to who exactly this man was. ¡°What a ster performance you¡¯ve had in the Grand Tournament so far. They say you¡¯re yet to break sweat in a fight. I¡¯m very impressed-¡± George said, as his eyes ran up and down Luke¡¯s body. Compared to George himself, Luke was a fair bit tiny inparison. The master knight was built like a tank and was easily over 7 feet, with incredibly thick muscles to cover his massive frame. His body was so huge, that Luke was sure that ordinary swords would be unable to slice into his flesh even if he were not wearing any Armor. ¡°Haha, the rumors are exaggerated, all my opponents were fairly decent¡± Luke said, downying his superiority as George nodded his head in approval. ¡°You¡¯re the only knight in this Grand Tournament, so naturally I support you for winning it. However, just between you and me, you must tell me the name of your master! Is it that wack job Sancho? Or Sir Philip? Who exactly is your secret backer?¡± George asked, as Luke felt nervous by the question. Since the master knight token was a system given reward which did note with any prior exnation, Luke did not know how to make his fake origin story credible, so he had no choice but to double down on his lie as he said ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know the identity of my master. All I know is that he gave me the entry token and asked me to do my best at the institute. While I hope to meet him again someday and ask him for his identity, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t answer this question today¡±. ¡°Oh? You don¡¯t know the identity of your master? It could be anyone then¡­..¡± George said, putting a hand to his chin as he tried to figure out who his master might be but could note to a decisive conclusion. ¡°Well, whoever your master is, he certainly has a discerning eye for talent, hahahaha, while I¡¯ve not taken an official disciple myself, if I evere across a kid like you, I might just take one in myself¡± George said, as Luke only smiled amiably. ¡°I hope you do find a suitable candidate for your disciple. The empire needs a second master George if possible-¡± Luke said, as Georgeughed and pped his shoulders. Curiously, he wasn¡¯t the only master that Luke got to interact with at the G, as the Wind Sword and Lady Vivienne were also more than happy to chat with him. Through his interactions with these masters, Luke gained the opportunity to go and visit them any time if he wanted to seek their help, which was a big gain in itself as having a master as one¡¯s acquaintance was a big deal. ************** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Ever since Lin Mu experienced an outburst of emotions at the balcony, Leo constantly kept his gaze set on his virtual sister and her every action. While he did not understand what was wrong with her, since she did not share. Leo could sense that she was undergoing a very stressful time and hence he decided to look after her from a distance. For the rest of the G dinner, she seemed to be moodless and gloomy as she kept drinking ss after ss of wine, however, her excellent metabolism and alcohol tolerance made it difficult for her to bepletely intoxicated. It seemed like she was desperately trying to escape reality, however, was being forcibly dragged back down towards it, as Leo could feel her sadness and helplessness when he observed her. Just like him, not many nobles approached her either, however, if there was one noble who kept approaching her often, it was the royal counselor, the man that the Emperor treasured the most as his most important aide. He seemed intimate with Lin Mu, however, whenever he approached her she seemed to flinch and suppress her disgust as she seemed to be visibly struggling to not break down, as after every interaction the two had, Leo could see Lin Mu taking deep breaths as she tried to pacify her own emotions. ¡®There is definitely something seriously wrong here-¡® Leo thought, as he decided to follow Lin Mu after the G ended, as his instincts told him that his virtual NPC sister might be in big trouble. Chapter 208: Breaking Rules Chapter 208: Breaking Rules As the Royal G ended, the Emperor and his family departed the hall, prompting the guests to leave one by one. Royal maids guided all the contestants back to their quarters for a mandatory overnight quarantine, set before they could freely wander the castle the next day. At first, as the contestants moved together through the ornate hallways, Leo purposefully trailed Lin Mu from a few meters away, as he observed her bodynguage and demeanor. Her gait was unusually sluggish, her feet scraping against the marble floor in sharp contrast to her typically silent and graceful walk. She was an Assassin, one that was trained since childhood to walk without making a sound, and hence when she walked while dragging her feet, Leo knew that something was seriously messed up. As Leo observed her more carefully, he noticed that her hands were tightly balled into fists with her long, sharp nails painfully pressing into her skin. Every few moments, she shivered violently, her face pale and drawn in the dim light of the hallway, leading Leo to believe that something was seriously amiss. When they reached the grand junction which was the central hall of the pce, the group divided. Lin Mu turned left toward the south wing, while Leo¡¯s assigned roomy to the right, in the north wing. The contestants had been clearly instructed by the Royal Butler that the night¡¯s curfew was non-negotiable. A maid would remain stationed outside each room to cater to any needs they might have, yet roaming the castle grounds was strictly forbidden during these hours. The stakes were high: any breach of the curfew could result in disqualification from the Grand Tournament and no contestant in their right mind would risk their spot in the quarterfinals, yet, driven by concern for Lin Mu and a sense of foreboding, Leo decided to break the rules anyways. Stepping into a shadow that was cast by the huge marble statue at the center of the grand junction, without making a sound. Leo blended into the darkness and used the skill- [ Mirror World ] Using the mirror world skill, Leo ensured that a fake doppelganger figure of him followed the Royal Maid responsible for guiding him to his room into his quarters, while he himself followed Lin Mu in silence. Almost immediately as he started to break the rules, Leo could feel his heartbeat racing as he knew that the consequences of him being caught would be grave. Breaking off the golden buttons in his outfit that could potentially reflect light and give off his location, Leo stored it inside his outfit¡¯s pocket, as he carefully trailed Lin Mu from a distance. The royal pce was designed in such a way that most passageways were well lit, with such a design that there were no major shadows to hide in at all. This made following Lin Mu through them a very dangerous mission as he had to rely on his body¡¯s flexibility and instincts to evade the gazes of the royal guards on duty, as he tried to move in a way that he did not enter their line of sight. It was an extremely dangerous mission, one that Leo had no real need to undertake, however, something within him would not let him overlook this matter. Although Lin Mu was only a digital character, someone that wasn¡¯t even Leo¡¯s real sister. Leo somehow did care for her, like he did for Ben. Although their whole rtionship was based on a lie that he was Jin Mu, when he wasn¡¯t. Leo still felt like the time they spent undertaking the Assassin Alliance entrance exams was genuine and that the bond that the two shared was real. Somehow for him, watching Lin Mu in distress. Felt like watching his mother in distress, as he could see the same signs in Lin Mu as he did in his mother a day before she sold her kidney. Trembling randomly, digging her nails into her flesh, spacing out while having conversation¡­.. These were all signs of her being psychologically depressed and hence Leo decided to help her no matter the cost. Till this day, he felt guilty about how because of him and his greed to escape Earth, his mother had to sell her kidney, as Leo swore to himself that while he could not prevent that from happening, he would never let something simr happen again in his life. ¡°Please enjoy your night, miss Lin¡± the Royal Maid said with an evil smile on her face as she opened the door to Lin Mu¡¯s quarters. This particr royal maid had already been instructed that an ¡®important¡¯ guest would be visiting Lin Mu tonight and that she was to ignore whatever happened within Lin Mu¡¯s room tonight. *Clink* A noise of a light metal object dropping distracted the royal maid for a second as she looked down the hall, trying to figure out the source of the noise, however, despite looking long and hard, could not see anything out of the ordinary. Since Lin Mu had already entered the room, she closed the door and locked it from the outside as she had been instructed and took her seat outside the door entrance with an oilmp ced beside her. ¡°Another day¡­. Another hoe for the counselor. *Sigh* I still remember my own first week within the pce, he even took me behind theundry room for a quickie- But while I don¡¯t feel bad for any of the other girls he¡¯s done it too, I feel bad for this one. She¡¯s a genuine fighter. Someone who is in the quarter finals of the Grand Tournament! I wonder how that fat bastardpelled her to be prepared for him¡­. *Sigh* she¡¯s quite pretty too-¡± The Royal Maid said to herself as she felt genuinely bad for a talent like Lin Mu who had sumbed to the desires of the pervy old man. Chapter 209: The perpetrator Chapter 209: The perpetrator As the door clicked shut behind him, Leo found himself locked inside Lin Mu¡¯s room, with very few seconds to decide where he was going to hide. Thankfully, Lin Mu was not at her alert best as she walked almost in a daze towards the room¡¯s bed, not noticing the faint presence that lingered behind her. Leo¡¯s heart raced; there was no casual sauntering in now. Every moment was critical, and the urgency to find a hiding spot prickled at his nerves. The room itself was spacious and cluttered with shadows that offered him several options to hide in, but none were without risk. Leo, being adept inbat but a novice in the art of stealth, found this situation confusing as he did not have the necessary experience to immediately pick the perfect hiding spot. He needed a spot not just out of Lin Mu¡¯s sight, but one with strategic importance from which he could watch Lin Mu without revealing his presence. Eventually, his eyes settled on the upper right corner of the room, just above the main bed where Lin Mu was likely to be, but away from the direction she was likely to be facing. There was a dome like gap in that corner and the light from the chandelier at the center of the room casted a dark shadow in that far corner. It was a gamble¡ªperfect for observing her and still good for hiding, yet its safety was untested. However, with Lin Mu almost reaching her bed and time running out, Leo made his decision and climbed onto the ceiling¡¯s corner, as he used [ Vanish ] to wipe out his presencepletely. By the time Lin Mu reached her bed and crashed into it, Leo had managed to blend into the shadowspletely, as even if she scanned the room for any threats, she would have most likely failed to find Leo. Although Leo had managed to recede his presence from the roompletely, he felt Ben¡¯s voice screaming inside his head as Ben had long warned him about this day. Back on Mount Faulkner, as Leo underwent stretch training, being forced to hold full leg splits for hours. Ben told him how it would help him on a real assassination mission someday, and now that Leo bnced himself against a wall, with his legs in a full-split, he couldn¡¯t help but recall his master¡¯s words as he indeed found himself in such a situation today. Waiting calmly, Leo observed Lin Mu, who had not moved a single inch ever since she entered the room and remained crashed face first into the bed. *Sob* *Sob* *Sob* Leo could hear Lin Mu sobbing as she cried with her face buried into the bed, however, without her mumbling anything out loud, Leo could not understand the reason behind why she was crying, however, he did receive even more proof that something was seriously wrong with her. Lin Mu wasn¡¯t the type of girl to cry easily and her behavior at the G and now while alone was all the proof that Leo needed to suspect that there was something off. For about half an hour, Lin Mu sobbed uncontrobly, before she finally began moving and started to take off the clothes she was wearing. For a second, Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he wasn¡¯t sure if he was supposed to watch such a scene or not, but then conquering his ape-like instincts he looked away, giving Lin Mu the privacy she deserved while changing. A few minutester, as he peeked towards her, Leo found her to be dressed in a maroon colored revealing nightgown, that had a very deep cut showing her ample cleavage. It was a perverse dress, one intended to turn on a lover as although she was wearing a fabric, it wasn¡¯t thick enough to cover her, as if light fell on the cloth, one could see the skin beneath, making it semi revealing. ¡®Not good-¡® Leo thought, as he had a premonition as to what was finally going on here. Leo desperately hoped that the reality would not be what he feared it to be, however, the way Lin Mu dreadfully kept staring at the door, as if waiting for someone to arrive, Leo finally understood the whole picture. ¡®Who could it be? The Emperor? A master? Dem Paltrow?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he grit his teeth and tried very hard to not let his breathing be ragged as that could potentiallypromise his concealment. There were only two questions on Leo¡¯s mind at the moment, with the first being ¡®who?¡¯ and the second being ¡®why?¡¯. It was clear from Lin Mu¡¯s expressions and demeanor that she did not want any part of what was going to happen, but it seemed to Leo as if she had no other choice. Either it was the Night Guild that had forced her to sell herself like a prostitute, or it was some other reason that he couldn¡¯t even fathom. Either way, Leo made up his mind to kill whoever walked into the room and made an advance on Lin Mu, even if that individual was the Emperor himself. Keeping his bloodlust in check, Leo waited patiently for the perpetrator to show up, who eventually did about after an hour. *Click* *Creek* As the door of Lin Mu¡¯s room was unlocked and a fat man with a big smile on his face walked in, Leo immediately recognised him to be the counselor of the Emperor, who hade with a bouquet of red roses in his hands. As he walked into the room, the door was locked behind him once again as tears started to fall down Lin Mu¡¯s eyes from the second he walked in. ¡°I hope I did not make you wait for me too long, beauty¡­.¡± He said in the most perverse voice ever, as although he tried to talk like a gentleman, there was not an ounce of gentleness on his face, as he scanned Lin Mu¡¯s body up and down like a horny beast. Chapter 210: Knowledge Is Power Chapter 210: Knowledge Is Power /// A/N ¨C This chapter is only for 18+ readers and contains disturbing scenes. Please read it at your own risk- /// ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡°Here I¡¯ve brought flowers for you-¡± The fat old counselor said as he sucked in a mouthful of saliva dripping from his mouth and handed Lin Mu the bouquet he had brought for her. For a moment, Lin Mu looked at the bouquet, rage building up in her eyes before plucking it out of the fat counselors hands and throwing it violently to the side of the room, tearing the flowers in half. ¡°Kekeke, someone¡¯s very feisty today-¡± the counselor said, chuckling evilly as he red back at Lin Mu with as much perversity as she red at him with hatred. Putting his right hand on her jaw, the counselor squeezed Lin Mu¡¯s face, as he said in an almost maniacal voice ¡°The feistier you get. The more I¡¯ll enjoy the process of breaking you. So please¡­. By all means¡­.. resist this as much as you can-¡± The man grinned sadistically after saying such words, as Lin Mu¡¯s eyes, now red with anger watered up once more. She did not wish to do this, the fat old man with a double chin disgusted her, however, for the sake of saving her n, she had no choice but to let him have his way. If she could exchange her virginity and her mental peace for the sake of the safety of her n, she was ready to make that sacrifice, however, seeing the dirty old man enjoy it, made her sick to her core. ¡°Oh eyes watering up so soon? I thought you were a fiery one? Aren¡¯t you the most talented prodigy of the Assassin Alliance? Aren¡¯t you a generational fighter who has made it to the quarter-finals of the grand tournament? Why is it that you¡¯re crying in front of this old man who can¡¯t even fight? Aren¡¯t you physically stronger than me? Can¡¯t you push me off right here, right now and use one of your assassination techniques to snap my neck?¡± The old man said, taunting Lin Mu to try and kill him if she dared. Lin Mu had to dig her nails into her palms to stop herself from killing the old man, as it was exactly like he said. He wasn¡¯t strong at all, barely a level 30 fatty that could not even resist two attacks from Lin Mu if she tried, however, in front of his cunning, she was powerless. She needed him and his influence over the Emperor to help save the members of the Mu n from the clutches of the Night Guild and if she killed him here, there would be no hope for saving them. ¡°So pitiful¡­. So beautiful! Hahaha, can¡¯t touch me can you?¡± The old man said, squeezing Lin Mu¡¯s face even harder as he forcefully leaned in to kiss her. From a distance, Leo watched the old man have his way with Lin Mu and felt his blood boil to a rage. He was seething internally, so much so that his breathing was no longer silent and could be detected if one listened patiently, however, with the counselor fully focused on breaking Lin Mu, he missed itpletely. Leo was ready to jump in and kill the counselor at any second, as he had already resolved to do so from the second he touched Lin Mu¡¯s face, however, he had not jumped in yet, as he was waiting for the old man to reveal more details about what was going on. *Gassp* The old counselor gasped for air after forcefully kissing Lin Mu for a few seconds, as while Lin Mu cried silent tears of pain, the old man seemed to derive some sadistic pleasure from torturing her as he licked his lips in joy. ¡°Such a sweet taste¡­.so intoxicating, hahaha¡± The old man said, as he wiped off the drool from his lips and stared at Lin Mu¡¯s tears with joy. ¡°My mum told me since I was a small kid, that knowledge is power! She was right. Knowledge is power, because throughout my life, I¡¯ve dominated women far stronger than me, made them cry and broke them mentally¡­. Yet nobody could do the same to me!¡± The counselor said, taking pride in the fact that he had done this same exact thing to many women before Lin Mu. ¡°The emperor, Julien is my puppet, he trusts mepletely, so if I ask him to save your Mu n from the clutches of the Night Guild, he will dispatch the Virex Corps tomorrow to save them. However, why should I help you for free when I can get this sweet pleasure in return? I think it¡¯s a fair trade¡­.. my influence for your body. But I guess you don¡¯t think so, by the disgusting gaze you throw at me¡± He said, as he smiled evilly. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to love me. I know given the chance you will kill me the next time we meet. However, guess what Lin Mu? I don¡¯t care! Nobody can touch me within this pce, and I¡¯m greater than even the Emperor within these walls¡­¡± he said, before raising his hand to p Lin Mu hard across her face. *p* The distinct sound of his fat hand pping across Lin Mu¡¯s face rang through the room as he undid his robes and let his manhoode into full disy in front of Lin Mu¡¯s face. ¡°See this? Bitch¡­.. this is the donger of the most powerful man in all of thesends. The man who rules from the shadows. The man who fears no warrior¡­..¡± He said, with the most perverse expression on his face as he pped it up and down, trying to harden it from itsid form. ¡°Worship it¡­. Worship the greatest donger in the entire Empire with the respect it deserves!!! COME SERVE ME-¡± The old man yelled, as Lin Mu, sniveling now slowly extended her hands towards the disgusting smelly thing, however, before she got close enough, a dagger appeared out of nowhere, chopping the old man¡¯s donger in half, as warm blood spluttered all over Lin Mu¡¯s face. Chapter 211: Revenge Chapter 211: Revenge /// Warning- This chapter contains various graphic scenes, please unlock at your own risk/// ¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡± COME SERVE ME-¡± The old man yelled, as Lin Mu, sniveling now slowly extended her hands towards the disgusting smelly thing, however, before she got close enough, a dagger appeared out of nowhere, chopping the old man¡¯s donger in half, as warm blood spluttered all over Lin Mu¡¯s face. *ANGGHHHHHHH* The counselor screamed in pain, however, no voice came out of his mouth, as a rubbery gloved hand covered his mouth tightly, preventing him from uttering a single word. Since the counselor was turned on by Lin Mu, with blush rushing from the rest of his body towards his manhood, it kept spurting blood violently as waves after waves of warm blood soaked Lin Mu¡¯s face, for several seconds after his manhood was emancipated. Lin Mu felt dazed, she was secretly hoping for something like this to happen, however, she never really thought it would. Once the old counselor revealed his manhood, she had almost resigned herself to the fate of serving him, however, through some miracle, it seemed like she did not need to, as a masked man whom she recognised as his brother, suddenly came to her rescue. Leo had watched on without taking action for too long. He had wanted to act rationally and wait till he found out as to why Lin Mu was doing what she was, before taking action, however, the second the old man forcefully kissed Lin Mu, Leo started to lose his cool. Had the reason behind her acting this way been something along the lines of getting a life saving Elixir, for some incurable poison that was ailing her, Leo would not have intervened. Had the fat old counselor been thest resort for Lin Mu to save her own life, Leo would not have taken that chance away from her and would have controlled his anger, however, once the old man revealed the information that Lin Mu was doing this for the sake of the Mu n and to save them from the clutches of the Night Guild, Leo made up his mind to intervene. He did not believe that the Mu n could not be saved without the help of the fat old counselor, and hence, the second the fat old man exposed his manhood,pelling Lin Mu to disgustingly worship it, Leo could not tolerate it anymore and decided to make his move. Chopping off the old man¡¯s dick in half with a precise dagger strike, Leo moved in behind him with incredible agility, to prevent him from screaming. Muffling his mouth, Leo rammed his knee hard into the back of his spine, just as Ben had taught him to, breaking the counselor¡¯s spine and paralyzing the old man from the waist down, as he buckled to the floor, with his legs no longer being able to support his weight. *Crunch* *ANGGHHHHH* *ANGHHHHH* The sound of the old man screaming in pain only intensified, as apart from the pain of losing his manhood, he also had to experience the pain of losing his spine which felt equally bad, if not worse. ¡°Shhhh¡ª quiet now-¡± Leo said, gripping the old man¡¯s face even harder, as he gave him the same treatment as he gave Lin Mu a few seconds ago when he squeezed her face, only doing it much harder as he genuinely squeezed it till his facial muscles began to tear and his jaw threatened to dislocate. ¡°Knowledge is power right? YOU¡¯RE SOOO KNOWLEDGEABLE RIGHT, COME USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE, I DARE YOU-¡± Leo said, almost maniacally, as he used the old man¡¯s own words against him, daring him to take action if he could. ¡°What happened eh? Can¡¯t feel your feet? Can¡¯t move again? Mr knowledgeable? What happened? Nobody could touch you within the pce right? Then why is this happening to you within pce walls?¡± Leo said, with audible hatred in his voice, as he absolutely could not tolerate scum masquerading as men, like the Royal Counselor. *Sob* *Sob* *Angghhh* Crying like a little bitch and still screaming in pain, the counselor began to sway dizzily, as he started to feel light headed from the pain and blood loss as his body threatened to lose consciousness. ¡°Jin! What are you doing Jin! I need him- I need him alive- you can¡¯t kill him! He promised to save the Mu n. I¡¯m doing this because Dem Paltrow is holding my family hostage-¡± Lin Mu said, snapping out of her daze, as she realized that she could have subjected the counselor to the same fate if she really wanted to kill him, however, she did not because she needed his help. ¡°Have you lost your mind Lin? What guarantee did you have that this old man would keep his word after using you? It¡¯s not like you had him under a soul oath did you? Also I DON¡¯T CARE EVEN IF HE DID MEAN TO KEEP HIS WORD, NO SCUM GETS TO RAPE YOU FOR NO REASON¡± Leo said, snapping back at Lin Mu as he stared into her eyes with visible anger that startled even Lin Mu. For a moment, she waspletely taken aback, not understanding how to respond. However, soon her eyes started to water out, and her repressed emotions finally started to surface. ¡°SHUT-UP! You don¡¯t know anything! You don¡¯t know how terrifying the night guild and Dem Paltrow are-¡± Lin Mu said, shuddering as she snapped right back at Leo. ¡°Do you think I enjoy being a whore? Do you really think I¡¯d willingly give myself to this fat old man to be raped just because I chose the easy way out of a problem? Of Course not! I had considered it long and hard and reached to the conclusion that he was myst option- my only shot at saving my n and getting my revenge on the Night Guild who subjected me to so much torture-¡± Lin Mu said, with her voice sounding shrill and cracking at the end, as she began crying a river of tears. ¡± Dem Paltrow would not let me sleep for days, I was forced to eat elixirs that would make me stronger fast and forced to train like a dog. I was on the doors of death every other day, however, instead of getting an ounce of sympathy, I only got more harsh training with no chance of escaping it. Because of Dem¡¯s obsession with creating the next face of the Assassin Alliance, someone greater than Ben Faulkner, he subjected me to unimaginable torture everyday, because unlike the rest, I could actually take it¡­. Because I was mentally strong. Those who failed him were forced fed steroids and they are now dropping dead like flies. But does the night guild care? No- not one bit. While you were being lovingly taught by your legendary master Ben Faulkner, only god knows where, I was being abused, physically, mentally and psychologically on a daily basis, so much so, that I nearly became a doll! A brainless doll for Dem Paltrow to be controlled as he wished, however, a small rebel fire inside me never died out no matter how hard he tried, as although I pretended to be obedient, I was secretly hoping to bring the entire night guild down one day¡­. It was my only source of motivation to continue. The only reason I kept my sanity despite the daily torture, as I hoped to turn the tides on them someday and watch them suffer. I HATE MEN! Especially lecherous men like this old counselor who wanted to have his way with me to fulfill my dream of seeing the night guild being destroyed, however, I was even ready to do it. I was ready to be his ything if it could help me take my revenge, as even my self esteem isn¡¯t as important to me as my revenge is. However, you ruined it all brother¡­..you ruined it all-¡± Lin Mu said, as she began crying hard. For a second, Leo felt bad for Lin Mu and all that she had to suffer, however, although his gaze towards her softened, his angry voice still remained the same. ¡°Are you done?¡± He asked Lin Mu authoritatively, as Lin Mu looked into his eyes with an angry gaze. ¡°You want the night guild destroyed right? Well I promise to do it for you. You want the Mu n saved? If I win the Grand Tournament then I promise to ask for their safety as my reward. However, you must punish this man here who tried to rape you. Don¡¯t let him fall unconscious without you having exacted your revenge, as if he sleeps before you kill him, your self-esteem will sleep alongside him, forever¡­.¡± Leo said, as he passed a dagger to Lin Mu, hoping that she did the right thing. For a second Lin Mu looked at the dagger then towards Leo and the old man, as her gaze was watery and unclear. Then as the final drops of tears dropped from her eyes, her resolve hardened as she clutched the dagger tightly and pointed it towards the fading counselor. ¡°Die- scum¡± she said pointing it towards him, as she began stabbing the old man in his chest repeatedly, taking his life. *Stab* *Stab* *Stab* Violently stabbing him again and again, Lin Mu expressed all her pent up frustrations through physical action, as she mangled the old man¡¯s corpse beyond recognition. Chapter 212: Consequences Chapter 212: Consequences [ System Notification ¨C You have yed a major role in assassinating the Royal Counselor of Unity Empire. You have triggered an emergency quest! ] [ Emergency Quest ¨C You have yed a major role in assassinating the Royal Counselor of Unity Empire and are facing pending judgment for your crimes. Quest Title- Don¡¯t Get Caught! Quest Description ¨C You have yed a major role in killing the Royal Counselor and shall face unimaginable consequences if you¡¯re indicted for your crimes. Should you be caught, your infamy within the Empire will reach the maximum possible value and you shall be put under the same category of criminals as Ben Faulkner. Should you manage to not get caught however, there will be major rewards for acting your way out of this situation. Quest Rewards ¨C Actor ss upgrade. Failure penalty- Permanent ID ban ] A series of two very concerning notifications shed before Leo, as the consequences of his actions came back to bite him. Although he followed his heart and killed the counselor, which he believed was the right thing to do. By killing one of the most important figures of the Empire, Leo now found himself in a situation, where if he was indicted for his crime, his gaming ID would be locked forever, cutting him off from the world of Terra Nova officially. While it wasn¡¯t an instant real life death penalty, it might as well have been, because for Leo to have his ID being permanently banned was the same degree of penalty as dying in real life. While Lin Mu panted and looked relieved after killing the old man, Leo started to turn gloomy, as he realized that he had messed up big time by trying to y hero. ¡®Fucked¡­.. I¡¯m truly, honestly, literally fucked. Look at how brutally we killed him. His corpse itself is barely recognisable and his blood has splurted everywhere. Fuck. Even if we move the body now it¡¯s already game over¡­.. this crime was notmitted withmon sense whatsoever¡¯ Leo thought, as his breathing started to quicken. Leo panicked trying to think of ways that could help him get out of this situation, however, the more he looked around the room, the worse he felt, as even if he started scrubbing now, there was no way he could remove all the blood stains perfectly, ase morning as the Royal maid walked into this room, she was definitely going to find out that there was some sort of ident that had happened inside. ¡°Hey, Jin¡­.¡± Lin Mu said, with a calmer voice, as she seemed to havee back to her senses after snapping at Leo just a few moments ago. ¡°Yeah?¡± Leo said, absent-mindedly, as he stared at the portrait of a singingdy that was hanging beside the bed and was now covered with sshes of blood. *Hugs* ¡°Thank you¡­..¡± Lin Mu said, suddenly hugging him hard, as she began sobbing at his chest. ¡°Eh?¡± Leo said, lightly hugging her back, as while he did not push her away, he could not understand the reason behind the sudden 180¡ã shift in her attitude either. Just a moment ago, she was definitely mad at him, however, she was now thanking him with what seemed like genuine joy, just a couple minutester? While Leo could not understand the 180¡ã shift in her attitude, he was d that she forgave him, as he could have absolutely not dealt with her anger tantrums while also worrying about how to solve this mess that they had made. For Lin Mu, this was the first time ever that someone had cared about her this deeply. Although she snapped at Leo, she understood the magnitude of risk he had taken to sneak into her room during a curfew and kill her rapist, as while he did not need to do it, he still came forward when she needed a support figure the most. ¡°Kill him first. Before your honor dies¡­.¡± was what Leo told her, and Lin Mu was d that she got to kill the day old counselor before he lost consciousness as if he had indeed fallen unconscious before Lin Mu had the chance to kill him, she would have definitely regretted it for life. By killing him, she had undoubtedly saved her own honor as while the future of the Mu n was now uncertain, she did not feel as gross being in her own skin, as she did throughout this wretched day. Smiling, she looked towards Leo, her red eyes expressing genuine gratitude, however, Leo did not give a fuck anymore. He had already yed his part as the hero, and was not more worried about the consequences of his actions as his eyes scanned every corner of the room, but evaded the grateful gaze of Lin Mu. Gripping his arms tightly, Lin Mu tried to get his attention as she said in the most sweet voice ¡°Jin, thank you for saving me from that vile old man, you¡¯re a true brother-.¡± Leo¡¯s mind however, was elsewhere, as he kept scanning the room for an exit that wasn¡¯t just a window leading to a total disaster, while he did not hear what exactly Lin Mu said, he did hear the words thank you and hence absent-mindedly replied to her with an ¡°Yeah, sure thing. You¡¯re wee.¡± Pushing Lin Mu aside, Leo bent over to take a look the corpse of the counselor, however, the second he looked at his hideous body, Leo immediately flinched as he mumbled ¡°OH GOD NO- FUCK¡± It was obvious that the counselor died from multiple dagger stabbings, as the weapon was deep enough to prate his insides, but notrge enough toe out the other side. If Leo were to be interrogated, the first thing they would check for would be the set of daggers in his possession, as if the size and shape matched, he would definitely be convicted immediately. *ng* *Clink* *ng* Emptying out his inventory, Leo threw away all the daggers in his possession that resembled the murder weapon and kicked them all across the room. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lin Mu enquired, as she found Leo¡¯s actions truly funny to watch. Pulling the counselor¡¯s blood-stained rug with a sigh. Leo checked the pool of blood he was lying upon as he said ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice if this ce had a secret tunnel.¡± ¡°Jin, thanks for saving me-!¡± Lin Mu teased, as by this point even she had realized that Leo was not paying attention to her and was clearly panicking about the consequences that would follow the murder of a man as influential as the royal counselor of the unity Empire. Looking at his behavior now, Lin Mu realized that Leo had clearly not thought this murder through and acted on impulse instead, which brought an unexpected smile to her face. ¡°Right, yeah, no problem,¡± Leo said, kneeling to check under the bed for anything that might miraculously lead to freedom. ¡°Hey, any chance there¡¯s a trapdoor around here with ¡®Escape¡¯ written on it in big letters?¡± He asked, as Lin Mu barely suppressed a chuckle and looked at him with a smile on her face, as Leo paced around the room in panic while clutching his head. ¡°Jin! You¡¯re my hero¡­. My savior, my benevolent benefactor¡­. My knight in shining Armor, Are you even listening to me?¡± Lin Mu teased, as Leo still absent-mindedly nodded as he said ¡°Yup, yup, absolutely. Super d I could help and all, woohoo!¡± As he tried to lift the counselor¡¯s body one final time, trying to move it away from the bed, he half tangled himself in the counselor¡¯s bloody pants, causing him to tumble and almost fall t on his face. ¡°Watch out, you¡¯ll fall in his dirty blood-¡± Lin Mu warned, as Leo steadied himself but instead of replying to herment, he spoke out the intrusive thought running in his mind as he said ¡°Hey Lin¡­. maybe next time, we can pick a less messy hero gig, something that doesn¡¯t get us executed-¡± ¡°You risked your life for me, Jin, of course I¡¯m not going to let you be executed,¡± she said with a smile, as Leo finally paused his frantic actions when he heard these words, as he looked at her with focus returning to his eyes. ¡°Do you have a n?¡± Leo asked, as Lin Mu nodded her head and began removing her maroon robe that was sttered with the old man¡¯s dirty blood. ¡°Jesus, warning please¡­.¡± Leo protested, as he blushed and turned, as it was only at this moment that Lin Mu realized, that although she had changed in the room previously, while Leo was hiding, he might not have perversely stared at her body like most men would. ¡°Oh I thought you have already seen it¡­.. nevermind¡± Lin Mu said with a smile, as she changed from those dirty clothes into her usual assassin outfit. ¡°So what¡¯s the n-¡± Leo asked Lin Mu once she was done changing, as she cracked her neck and pointed towards Leo. ¡°It¡¯s simple¡­.. we me it all on your master¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo did not fully follow what she meant to say and looked back towards her in confusion. ¡°Come again?¡± Leo asked, as Lin Mu smiled even wider and said ¡°The only way we get out of this mess is if we fabricate a proper story. A proper story with a proper viin¡­. Someone who has the ability to infiltrate the pce undetected, kill whoever he wants and leave. A man like your dear master Ben Faulkner ¡­.¡± Chapter 213: The Plan Chapter 213: The n ¡°This¡­ this n is too risky-¡± Leo muttered, as he stared in disbelief towards Lin Mu. While the n she suggested could theoretically still work, it has a lot of what-ifs and depended a lot upon Leo¡¯s skills as an actor. ¡°It¡¯s the only way. Ben Faulkner is the only figure that themoners and even the Emperor will believe to have pulled something like this off and the only way the two of us walk out of this scot-free is if we fabricate a story such that, you were never here, while I was knocked out unconscious by Ben Faulkner before he killed the Royal Counselor¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo gulped in a mouthful of saliva in nervousness. The n that Lin Mu suggested was very risky, her n was to y the victim in this murder and pin all the me on Leo¡¯s master, who in reality had nothing to do with this murder at all. ¡°Soe again? How exactly are we ying this out?¡± Leo asked for a second time, as Lin Mu took a deep breath and exined the escape n to him once again. There was no scope for Leo to escape through the windows in Lin Mu¡¯s room. There was no ledge to walk on outside the window, so Leo could either attempt to scale the wall andnd on the roof or jump down below, however, both ces were heavily guarded and could lead to Leo facing certain death. The only other option was to walk back out of the door, however, with the Royal Counselor dead, it wasn¡¯t going to be an easy task as the Royal Maid outside was surely not going to open the door for anyone else. Under such circumstances, Lin Mu came up with a n that could potentially let both herself and Leo walk out of this mess scot free and it began with her screaming in shock. ¡°So the n starts with me screaming in shock¡­ I¡¯ll cause a ruckus that will force the maid to open the door ande in to check on me while yound behind her with a soft thud, just enough for her to turn and look towards you¡­..¡± Lin Mu started, as Leo nodded his head, following the n so far. ¡°Once she turns towards you, make sure to only show your hooded back and not your mask or face, as I¡¯ll say ¡®that¡¯s Ben Faulkner¡¯, to nt a seed of doubt-¡± Lin Mu said as Leo agreed with the n so far. ¡°Then you MUST make it back to your room safely, where once inside you must pretend like this incident never happened. Soter when we are called for interrogation, you say you know nothing about this mess, while I tell the story of how I had made a shady deal with the Royal Counselor and was sucking his big fat di-, when suddenly I was knocked unconscious by an attack. When I woke back up, I was still naked however, someone had put clothes over me, just to cover my naked body. As I began to get dressed wondering why my neck hurt, I saw a mangled corpse beside my bed as I screamed in panic. Listening to my screams, the royal maid came in and as soon as the door opened a mysterious figure whose back looked the same as the portrait of Ben Faulkner within the Night Guildnded behind her and started to escape-¡± Lin Mu said, as this was the part of the story that Leo found problems with. ¡°What do you mean you must get back to your room undetected? There¡¯s a flipping curfew ongoing and not a single proper shadow for me to hide inside these halls. Agreed the security inside is much lesspared to the roof and open areas, however, it¡¯s not non-existent. And even if I do end up making my way to my room, how will I get the Royal Maid camping outside my door to open it? I have to be found sleeping inside my room, when theye to check to y innocent in this story you know ¡­.¡± Leo said as he tried to exin to Lin Mu, how her n was easier said than done. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that¡­. But I¡¯m sure you will figure something out! However, If you¡¯re still not convinced and have a better n yourself, I¡¯m open to hearing your suggestions.¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo bit his lips under his mask. The whole problem with Lin Mu¡¯s n for him was the ambiguity of it, as almost everything needed to work exactly as they envisioned it to, for their n to actually work. Even the slightest slip up, or the slightest mistake where one guard caught a glimpse of his mask or identified him from his silhouette could ruin their story afterwards andpromise their identities, as the n was extremely risky to execute. Nheless, without any better alternatives and with time slipping away, Leo took a deep breath and steeled himself. He knew Lin Mu was right¡ªthere was no other alternative that he could think of that would see them both walking free together and hence although reluctant, he agreed to the idea. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this,¡± he muttered, his voice steady. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way back to my room.¡± Lin Mu gave a small nod, her lips pressed into a tight line. They both knew the risks were enormous, but hesitation now would only lead to failure. Wearing Ben¡¯s old Assassin robes over his g clothes, Leo obscured his usual silhouette by assuming a shape that was unlike his own. Putting on his hood, Leo ensured that his face was obscured and then melted into the shadows on top of the room entrance as he got into position for their n. Messing up her hair and loosening her robes, Lin Mu jumped on her bed, getting into position as well, as she adjusted her posture thinking of the most natural way to y this scene. Once everything was ready, she looked towards the spot where Leo was hiding and although she could barely see him, she gave him an understanding nod, before screaming out loud. Chapter 214: Man Hunt Chapter 214: Man Hunt ( The royal maid outside Lin Mu¡¯s room¡¯s POV ) The Royal Maid brought out her brightest fake smile when she saw the old Royal Counselor walking towards Lin Mu¡¯s room, a few minutes ago. At that time, she appeared to be cheery and purposefully plumped her breasts up so that it may catch his eye, as although she hated the man himself, she acknowledged the fact that her fortunes could indeed turn overnight if he took a fancy to her. Unfortunately for her however, the Royal Counselor had no interest in her, as his mind waspletely upied with Lin Mu as he walked into her room without even paying the Royal Maid any attention. ¡®Tch, Lecherous Bastard¡­.¡¯ thought the Royal Maid as she felt pissed about the fact that despite her trying to make herself appealing to him, the old man did not even spare her a nce. She was a hypocrite, one who loathed the pervy old man for his lecherous ways, however, was also ready to sell herself to him, for a shot at a better life. Seething with anger, she sat outside Lin Mu¡¯s room with cross hands, hoping that the old man got a limp and was unable to perform at all tonight. Minutes passed by and the room felt awfully quiet to her. The loud moans she expected to hear were never audible as despite trying her best, she could not hear anything that happened within the room. ¡®It¡¯s already been 40 minutes¡­. Can the old man evenst this long even if he¡¯s going for a fourth round?¡¯ The Royal Maid wondered, as she feared that the old counselor might have fallen asleep on Lin Mu¡¯s bed itself, opening the doors for a political scandal if he was caught leaving the room early morning tomorrow. Then, almost suddenly, a shrill scream pierced through the door, slicing through the silence like a hot knife. *KYAAAAAAA-* For a moment, the Royal Maid¡¯s eyes widened with shock, as she could not even imagine what perverse thing the old counselor was subjecting Lin Mu to for her to scream so loud. Initially she was hesitant to interfere, however, as the scream continued for over a minute, she finally started feeling uneasy. The scream was not a normal sounding cry of pain, it sounded more like someone shrieking out in pure horror, as her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She stood frozen with fear, hesitating to touch the door handle, afraid she might walk in on the Royal Counselor brutalizing Lin Mu. But the harrowing cry did not stop, and the bloodcurdling fear behind it finally broke through her nerves. Unlocking the door with her key, she took a peek inside as her eyes scanned the dimly lit room. Initially she expected to see the saggy naked butt of the old man, however, she was instead attacked with the metallic stench of blood and the horrid image of a mangled corpse lying in a pool of blood, causing her to gasp and forcing her to choke back bile. Swinging the door open, she took a better look at the room, realizing that blood was everywhere inside it, staining the walls and pooling on the floor around the mangled corpse of the Royal Counselor. Inside, Lin Mu sat on the bed, semi-naked, her face twisted in terror as she screamed uncontrobly, tears streaming down her cheeks. As the Royal Maid stumbled into the room, hand over her mouth, taking a couple of hesitant steps toward the bloody spectacle before freezing in ce. A soft thud sounded behind her, and she turned slowly to see a hooded figure standing by the door, his back turned to her. The silhouette, draped in shadows, seemed imposing and familiar, but the maid could not see the intruder¡¯s face as it was at that moment that Lin Mu¡¯s voice rang out, trembling and usatory, ¡°That¡¯s Ben Faulkner!¡± The Royal Maid felt the blood drain from her face as the name sank in, the weight of the implication settling heavily on her shoulders. Ben Faulkner, the legendary elusive rogue of the Night Guild, had somehow infiltrated the pce and left the Royal Counselor in a heap of gore. The King yer was back! Striking the most strategic mind in the entire empire this time, as he killed him even more brutal than he killed the crown prince. The Royal Maid stood rooted to the spot, trembling in fear as the ck hooded figure darted away, slipping into the corridor and disappearing into the shadows with ease. ¡°INTRUDER¡­. THERE¡¯S AN INTRUDER¡­.MURDER! THERE HAS BEEN A MURDER¡± She finally screamed,ing back to her senses as she ran out of the room to look for help, however, with the Royal having already made it so that no guards were patrolling this particr corridor tonight, to save him from a political conspiracy, the maid found no-one immediately around these parts as she rushed back into the room instead. Looking towards Lin Mu, and then towards the window on the other side of the room, the maid rushed past the bed and opened the window to scream out of it. Meanwhile, Lin Mu herself continued to scream and sob uncontrobly, her hands shaking as she pulled her nket closer to her chest, keeping up the act of being a victim in this scenario. For a long moment, the Royal Maid could only stare, horror etched on her features as the blood-soaked scene unfurled before her eyes, however, thankfully as she screamed out of the window, royal guards rushed to the scene and within minutes the entire room was filled by either Virex Corps members or the pce guards. ¡°Inform the men to man the walls well, even if Ben Faulkner has managed to slip into the pce, make sure that he doesn¡¯t slip back out-¡± The Virex Corpsmander said, as a castle-wide man-hunt began. Chapter 215: Acting For Real Chapter 215: Acting For Real Leo felt his heart beat out of his chest as he began making his way out of Lin Mu¡¯s room towards his own. Thankfully, the Royal Maid was too stunned by the murder of the Royal Counselor to shout for a while, as Leo got to enjoy a good 10 seconds headstart, before the screams finally materialized, alerting security nearby. Also luckily for him, on his way to Lin Mu¡¯s room, the Royal Counselor had reduced the hall security near Lin Mu¡¯s corridor as he did not wish to be seen moving to ady¡¯s room by many, sote into the night. This helped Leo cover a distance of 100 meters away from Lin Mu¡¯s room rather easily, as he managed to reach a bigger corridor with a fountain of ady spitting water from her mouth, before encountering his first set of guards. Having heard their approaching footsteps, Leo took cover immediately, as he watched them rush into the corridor he had juste from with hurried steps. *nk* *nk* *Thud* *Thud* *Thud* ¡°Did you hear a scream?¡± ¡°Are we sure we are not hallucinating?¡± ¡°I swear if it¡¯s a maid screaming for help after spotting a spider, I¡¯m killing the maid rather than the spider¡­.¡± The two discussed as they walked past Leo without even spotting him, as uptil now the royal guards seemed unsure of what was the reason behind the screams of the royal maid and Leo seemed to still have a window of opportunity to reach his room, before the maximum alert rms were rung. From here, the distance to his room was roughly 350 meters. Where he had to cover two 150 meter corridor¡¯s, with no shadows for him to hide in. After the first 150 meter corridor, he would reach the central hall from where he diverged from the other contestants and followed Lin Mu based on a gut-shot. This hall itself was 50 meters long and heavily guarded, however, even if he did manage to sneak past that hall somehow, he still had to cover another 150 meters worth of distance with no shadows to hide to get to his room. ¡®Fuck, it¡¯s impossible to cover all this distance without being spotted by anyone. Even if I was the sh and ran at supersonic speed. I¡¯m still not making it to my room without encountering lots of guards. Fuck Lin Mu and her n! I can¡¯t believe she coaxed me into thinking this was a good idea-¡® Leo thought, as he saw absolutely no scope of sneaking back into his room without being detected, as while following Lin Mu he had her as a source of distraction for the guards to run past them while their eyes were focused on her, to attempt doing the same when they had no other distractions, would undoubtedly be suicidal. ¡®I need toe up with another n. And fast-¡® Leo thought, as at that moment one more set of footsteps entered his ears, as another guard came running down the hall shouting the names of the two guards that had left their assigned positions to check on the source of disturbance. ¡°ANDY¡­. COLE! ANDY- ANDY-¡± He shouted, as he walked down the hall with loud steps, looking at him, Leo felt as if the poor man had no idea about the screams and was only looking for his fellow guards because they were not in their usual positions. ¡°I swear, those two idiots will get me fired from my job¡­. How hard is it to follow the simple instruction of not moving from your assigned spots for the night?¡± The man murmured, as looking at him, Leo thought of a desperate and risky n. ¡°Andy- ANDY-¡± the man screamed, as Leo silently moved away from the spot behind the fountain he was hiding in, and walked up behind the royal guard in hushed steps. Taking a deep breath, Leo recalled Ben¡¯s lessons on how to perform a silent takedown, as the practice drills that he performed on Mount Faulkner, ran through his mind. With every fiber of his being tense, Leo crept closer to the oblivious guard while crouching as he focused his gaze on the guard¡¯s exposed neck. Moving in silence, with movements fluid and purposeful like a predator stalking its prey, Leo reached the guard, who was still calling out for his colleagues and unaware of the danger looming behind him. Leo¡¯s heart pounded in his chest, but his hands remained steady as in one swift motion, he wrapped his arm around the guard¡¯s neck, locking him into a tight chokehold. *GASPPP* The guard¡¯s instinctive gasp was muffled against Leo¡¯s bicep as he applied pressure to the man¡¯s windpipe, using his other hand to stabilize the hold, just as Ben had trained him to. The guard thrashed and struggled, but Leo anchored his stance, holding firm, using all of his strength points to ensure that the man could not slip away from his grip. Every second now felt like an eternity to Leo as the guard¡¯s attempts to break free grew increasingly feeble. If anyone walked up on him during these moments, Leo would be forced to leave the guard and run for his life, which would most likely not work out well as the guard he was trying to take down was sure to alert the others. Leo had taken a big gamble by trying to take him down, however, as things stood, he found no other way to proceed, other than to choke his enemy and assume his identity. Leo could hear the man¡¯s heartbeat elerating against his forearm. The panicked gasps turned to strained wheezes, and then finally silence as the guard slowly went limp in his arms, his eyes rolling back into his skull as his consciousness slipped away. Once he was unconscious, Leo eased him to the ground, careful to lower the body without a sound as he checked for a pulse after to ensure that the guard was only unconscious and not dead. Once satisfied, he quickly set to work removing the man¡¯s uniform. He unfastened the guard¡¯s leather breastte, untied the belt, and tugged off the boots. It wasn¡¯t long before he was fully undressed, leaving him in only his striped underwear as Leo began to equip his gear in a hurried efficiency. He felt the coarseness of the royal guards uniform fabric against his skin and secured the belt tightly around his waist, toplete the bottomyer, while putting on the beasts teter toplete the majoryout. The breastte, though slightly loose and not made to fit a lean man like him, would have to suffice for now, as Leo did not have the luxury of choosing a better fit. Lastly, he slid his feet into the sturdy guard boots,cing them up quickly as he stored his own clothes in the yers inventory and adjusted the guard¡¯s helmet atop his head, toplete his disguise. Moving the guard¡¯s body towards the fountain and hiding it beside the water wall, Leo inspected his reflection in the fountain¡¯s shimmering waters, ensuring that his disguise would pass a casual nce. With a firm grip on the guard¡¯s spear, Leo adopted a steady, purposeful stride, mimicking the demeanor of a patrolling sentry, as for the first time ever he took up the role of the actor ss, literally. *ALARM* *ALARM* *ALARM* Just as Leo was done changing into the clothes of a guard, the pce rms started to re, as the murder had been sessfully reported. Loud sirens rang throughout the pce walls, prompting all the guards to be extra vignt and prevent any intruder from escaping, as this marked the start of the most difficult part of Leo¡¯s mission to get back to his room. Taking a deep breath, Leo looked towards the group of royal guards rushing down the hall he was supposed to go in, as with extreme courage he began to run in the opposite direction as he screamed ¡± INTRUDER ALERT-¡± ¡°THERE IS AN INTRUDER IN THE PALACE, NOBODY LET HIM ESCAPE¡± As he acted like a frantic man who was on the job of alerting everyone else about the intruder. His heart beat out of his chest as he brushed shoulders with the guards rushing in the opposite direction towards Lin Mu¡¯s room, however, his disguise seemed to be working, as the guards found nothing out of the ordinary with him and were instead singrly focused on the rm. Gaining more confidence in his act now, Leo began walking down the corridor such that the metal clinking of his gear blended with the chaos of footsteps in the distance, as he shouted and alerted everyone of the intruder that he himself was. Chapter 216: Fake It Till You Make It Chapter 216: Fake It Till You Make It ¡°Intruder? Who dares intrude on the Royal Pce?¡± ¡°Whoever the intruder is, I just hope theye down this hall once-, just once, it will be one of those legendary moments where I stop the intruder and my life changes forever. I could be promoted to captain you know!¡± Two low ranking pce guards chatted amongst each other, as Leo passed right by them when they were fantasizing about taking down the intruder. ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The two of them stomped their feet and gave Leo a salute as he walked past, as although Leo himself did not understand it, the guard uniform he was wearing was of a guard captain and not that of a regr guard. ¡°Watchout for anyone whoes down this hall. Let me know immediately if you see anything¡± Leo said in a confident voice, as the two youngsters shuddered in joy. This was the first time someone had given them some important instructions and hence they stood clutching their spears in palpable excitement. Fantasy scenarios of them taking down dangerous intruders ran through their heads as they hoped to be praised about itter by seniors. Unfortunately for them however, the intruder had already walked past them, even issuing instructions to them, as the duo remainedpletely oblivious to his deceit. This confidence wasn¡¯t something that Leo naturally possessed, he wasn¡¯t a very skilled actor or a con-man capable of pulling such stunts. However, when put under duress, instead of crumbling into a puddle of nerves, he managed to bring out such skills from within, which he himself had no idea that he possessed. When under duress, Leo managed to summon skills he never knew he had, including the skill of sheer dumb bravado. ¡®Fake it till you make it! Show no weakness¡­ you are a Royal Guard! You are a Royal Guard! You are a¡­.. Oh God, this Armor is toorge, I¡¯m feeling itchy and sweaty underneath¡­.¡¯ Leo thought, as he distinctly felt sweat forming on his back, threatening to roll down his skin, as he tried his best to keep a straight face. Inside the guard captain¡¯s uniform, the armor clung to him like a sauna, and his heartbeat pounded so rapidly he thought it might be echoing through the corridor. However, despite feeling like his itch could be unbearable at any moment, he maintained a stoic expression, keeping his chin up and his gaze unwavering. His inner monologue, however, was a different story, as although he projected the image of a cool indifferent royal guard, internally he was thinking stuff such as ¡®Oh, please don¡¯t let them notice how much I¡¯m sweating,¡¯ or ¡®If I have to salute back one more time, my arm might just fall off.¡¯ Yet despite all the inconveniences, he forced a confident nod and barked out crispmands every time he passed by soldiers to keep up appearances, all while wondering if they¡¯d notice the suspiciouslyrge stain spreading under his armpits. Each time a guard gave him a curious look, Leo returned their gaze with such an exaggerated re that they quickly straightened up. He even found himself giving a dismissive wave once or twice, imitating authority with such bravado that it would have made a real captain proud. Deep down, though, he knew he was one false step away from giving himself away. But until that moment came, he hoped he could fool them all¡ªif not through skill, then at least through sheer, sweaty bravado. ********** ( Meanwhile, in the interim-passage where Leo dumped the body of the unconscious guard captain behind the fountain ) ¡°KYAAAAAA¡± A guard shouted, as he fell t on his bum looking towards the body of the naked guard captain hugging the side of the fountain wall. ¡°What happened? What happened? Where is the intruder?¡± ¡°Why are you screaming? What¡¯s wrong?¡± another guard said, as he walked towards the guard pointing at the bottom of the fountain, curious as to why he looked so pale. ¡°WHAAA, WHAT THE FUCK-¡± He screamed as well, the second he saw the unconscious body of their guard captain, as the duo¡¯s reactions alerted all the guards nearby. ¡°That¡¯s the guard captain! This means Ben Faulkner has changed into the clothes of the guard captain and is probably making his way out of the pce wearing a guards uniform¡­..¡± A third guard said, as he made a very urate assessment of the situation. ¡°Hey guys, did we not see a guard walking in the opposite direction of the rm while screaming ¡®INTRUDER ALERT¡¯ , just a few moments ago?¡± Asked a fourth guard, as at that moment, all four guards looked towards each other, blinked twice, before realizing that they¡¯d all been fooled. ¡°Fuck¨C Ben Faulkner is running away posing as a guard¡± the third guard said, as he began running down the corridor they saw Leo moving in, with the other three following him at a distance. ¡°STOP YOU IMPOSTER BEN FAULKNERRRR¡± Shouted the third guard, as his rapid descent down the hall alerted all the other guards patrolling the area, who could not understand the reason behind the sudden rush. ********* ( Meanwhile, The Virex Guard Captain ) ¡°Check all the rooms, especially the rooms of all the semi-final contestants and the Nobles staying overnight. I don¡¯t believe in coincidences and the fact that this attack happened on the same day as we are hosting lots of guests makes me suspect this might be an inside job. If anyone is found missing from their rooms, or appear to be suspicious, detain them without reason and throw them into the ggs. It¡¯s better to apologizeter than to let a murderer walk free now¡± The Virex Corps leader instructed his subordinates, as an immediate search of all guest rooms began. With Leo having almost made his way to his room in the royal guard captain disguise, it was now a race against time to see whether or not he would be caught in the act, or sessfully get-away with an unbelievable escape. Chapter 217: Back to the room Chapter 217: Back to the room ( Luke¡¯s POV ) ¡°Man, I don¡¯t understand why they gave us a 24 hour gaming extension when the g was only going to run 4 hours over normal time¡­.. now I¡¯m stuck in this room for the next 3 hours without anything to do. So boring¡± Luke muttered to himself, as he started to perform push-ups on the luxurious guest room floor. Although the room interior was great and it was a pretty chill ce to hang-out, Luke could not wait for the morning, since that would be when the curfew ended and he would be given to roam the pce freely while interacting with various dignitaries. Surprisingly, the royal g was a lot of fun for him. The nobles talked to him amiably and he could gain the political favor of many factions and powerful individuals through his interaction with them. Overall, although the DarkSky guild could not get the administrative rights to their number one pick the Oakhill Barony, they got the next best thing to it, where he yed an instrumental role in the negotiations. ¡°2.5 months till the Arc Ship enters the mana passage ¡®Rainbow Pathway¡¯ and our real bodies start to transform¡­. Once the Grand Tournament ends, we would have barely any time to prepare for the annual auction, as once the second evaluation takes ce and the game enters the second phase. The entire meta will shift. Sigh, it¡¯s such a bother to know about future events. Makes you feel constantly stressed for no reason¡­..¡± Luke muttered to himself as he kept hitting the push-ups. *rm* *rm* *rm* Suddenly, as he was hitting his routine push-ups, rms started to re loudly throughout the castle walls, as this phenomenon piqued Luke¡¯s interest as to what was going on? Walking up to the room¡¯s window, Luke nced outside to see what was going on, however, except for Pce Guards scrambling over the roof and on the ground, he could not figure out much else. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s an intruder?¡± He wondered, however, without any proof or context, he could only wait and watch for now. Soon, ten minutes passed and the hustle and bustle outside did not seem to die down at all, as someone suddenly opened his door and a few Virex Operatives in their signature masks rushed into his room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luke asked in confusion, as while one Virex operative judged his expression, the others thoroughly searched his room. ¡°Empty everything you have in your possession for inspection¡­. Now!¡± A Virex operative said authoritatively as Luke raised his hands above his head and calmly let them know that he was carrying nothing and that they could search him freely. ¡°He¡¯s clear-¡± said the operative searching him, as the Virex officials left his room almost as quickly as they entered it, leaving Luke to wonder as to what exactly was going on? ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo was only a few meters away from his room, when he heard the thumping footsteps of guards approaching his location from behind. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go, Ben Faulkner¡­¡± one of them seemed to be shouting, as judging by the tempo of his footsteps and the distance of his sound, Leo estimated that he would reach his location in roughly ten seconds. Starting to pick up speed himself, Leo knew he needed to take the gamble of now or never as he started to run towards his own room while igniting a few smoke bombs. Throwing a few down the passageway in the distance, some outside the passageway into the garden below and most outside his own room, Leo created an entire field of no visibility, where he was the only one with enough visionary acumen to navigate, while everyone else would be forced to pause. ¡°SMOKE! SMOKE! HE¡¯S HERE- THE INTRUDER IS HERE-¡± ¡°BACKUP, WE NEED BACKUP, HE¡¯S TRYING TO GET AWAY- BEN FAULKNERERRR IS TRYING TO GET AWAY¡± With his heart beating out of his chest, Leo quickly began to strip out of his guard clothes and threw them all over the ledge into the garden where he had already thrown smoke bombs prior. *THUD* A loud thud sound could be heard when he threw the armor down below, as one of the guards heard that voice and jumped down below alongside him, shouting ¡°DON¡¯T LET HIM GET AWAY-¡± Tip-toeing behind through the three remaining guards that were shing and hacking wildly in the smoke, Leo cautiously approached the Royal Maid, who was sitting terrifiedly outside his room, with a key hanging around her neck, which was the lock to open his room. Very gently taking that key off her neck, Leo opened his room, before cing it back over her head as he slipped inside before the smoke died out, closing the room as gently as he could. Once inside, he quickly and frantically waved his hands, to dispel any ck smoke that had slipped into the room when he opened the door, as he quickly changed into the robes made for him by the Royal Tailor, and assumed a fighting position on the far end of the room, as he breathed raggedly. Somehow. He had made it back into his room unnoticed, however, the circumstances under which he had reached his room were extremely suspicious. He was sure that someone would soon open that door ande inside to interrogate him, where whether or not he would get away with this crime would be determined by how well he acted. If he showed anypse in his expression, his gaming career would be finished forever. The stakes were as high as they could be and he had already somehow made it through 60% of the n without being caught. If he could somehow manage toplete the remaining 40%, he would achieve something that was only achieved by his master before him. Which was the grand feat of getting away with murder within the Royal Pce. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Bonus chapter for hitting the PS target, good job everyone! Sorry it¡¯s a dayte /// Chapter 218: Confrontation (1) Chapter 218: Confrontation (1) The Virex Corps were no fools. By the time Leo had made his way to his room, the Virex Corps officials had already begun their search of other guest rooms. They were making their way towards the East wing when suddenly they heard frantic noisesing from Leo¡¯s wing and were quick to investigate. By the time they arrived outside Leo¡¯s corridor, they saw a bunch of smoke bombs being deployed all across the corridor and throughout the garden below. ¡°Faizer, Ali, go check the garden. Dom¡± Follow me, The Virex squad captain instructed, as while two of the four Virex unit members jumped down into the grass below, The captain and one of his subordinates named ¡®Dom¡¯, checked the passageway. Unlike the normal pce guards who were not used to peer into the darkness, The Virex Corps members had no trouble navigating through even thick smoke. The training one received to be a Virex Corps member waspletely different from what a normal pce guard did, as the Virex Corp soldiers were trained to be the biting dogs of the Emperor, which was a unit not designed to represent his nobility, but rather extract a pound of flesh from his enemies. As the duo made their way down the hall, they were met with a wildly swinging royal guard, who was just swinging his sword in the smoke, hoping to catch the intruder while he could really not see jackshit within. *Block* Blocking the swing of the pce guard, the Virex Captain held his swinging arm tightly and kicked him in the stomach to make him keel over. ¡°Stop swinging your sword like a buffoon, there¡¯s a royal maid sitting just two meters from where you are¡­. Idiot-¡± the captain admonished as his subordinate Dom gave the the pce guard and extra kick to the chest for good measure. [ WIND SLASH ] Using the move ¡®Wind sh¡¯, The Virex Corps captain cut straight through the smoke in the hall, dispelling it instantly as within a couple of seconds he managed to clear the hall of the smoke. Once the hazy smoke cleared, the image of the drooling and keeled over royal guard became more clear, as beside him, hugging the entrance to Leo¡¯s room was the Royal Maid, who had the room key wrapped around her chest. She looked terrified and in tears, as she could not understand the reason behind the on-going chaos and had already assumed the worst, that somehow she would be killed in the midst of this all. ¡°Darling, who is inside that room?¡± The Virex Squad Captain asked, as the royal maid looked into his ice cold eyes and felt the remaining air being sucked out of her lungs. The Virex Squad Captain was a terrifying figure, just a look into his murderous eyes was enough to intimidate a normal citizen and the soft Royal Maid was not a match for him, at all. ¡± I-its the quarter-finalist, T-the boss¡± the maid said eventually, as she stuttered even saying these words. ¡°Has he left the room tonight? Or has anyone entered his room since?¡± The Captain asked, as the maid nervously clutched the key around her chest and shook her head in denial. Although she muttered nothing, from her expression, the Captain understood that she was fairly certain that no-one had entered or left the room since the curfew, as he epted the exnation and instructed the maid to open the door. ¡°Open it-¡± With trembling hands, the maid opened the lock to Leo¡¯s door, as Dom and the Captain headed into the room. ********** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Standing alone in his room, Leo was already panting and breathless. The weight of his actions had set his nerves on edge, leaving him trembling with fear, acutely aware of the towering stakes that loomed over him. Any slip-up now, could end his gaming career forever, and hence he could absolutely make no mistake going forward. As the words ¡®Open it¡¯ entered his ears, a chill went down his spine as he knew that the dreaded moment of confrontation was finally upon him. Once those doors opened, some inquisitor would walk in, and they would either ept his acting as genuine, or he would be busted. *Creak* As the thick wooden door opened with a soft creaking sound, in came two Virex Corps officials, with their signature masks on, and the first sight that they saw after entering was Leo standing in the guest room with daggers in hand and a fighting stance assumed. For a second after they entered, Dom immediately unsheathed his sword, looking at how Leo was arms ready, however, once Leo lowered his weapon and let out a deep sigh, Dom rxed too. ¡°So it¡¯s just you guys¡­.¡± Leo said, in a calm voice, as although his entire back was drenched in sweat, he did not let any of his fears show. Having already ditched the guard uniform and having changed his attire back to the one made by the Royal Tailor and adorning his signature Virex mask, Leo had already changed his disguise back to usual. ¡°Why did you assume a fighting stance?¡± Dom asked rather rudely, as Leo frowned underneath his mask, his eyes trained on Dom as he fully immersed himself in the role of being the number one yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Are you deaf? Or just retarded? Do you not hear the chaos outside? Of course I took up arms. What if someone walks in here and tries to kill me? What should I do then, expose my neck and ask them to slit my throat?¡± Leo snapped back, with the same rude arrogance with which Dom asked him the question. ¡°What?¡± Dom asked, sounding surprised as his eyebrows began twitching under his mask. It had been a while since someone disrespected him so tantly, especially when that someone was not his Captain. ¡°Permission to chop him up into pieces, Captain?¡± Asked Dom, as the Virex Squad Captain looked towards Leo with his icy cold eyes and then shook his head. ¡°Denied¡­.. his words do make sense Dom¡± The Captain said, as Dom audible grind his teeth under his mask. Chapter 219: Confrontation (2) Chapter 219: Confrontation (2) ¡°Denied¡­.. his words do make sense Dom¡± The Squad Captain said, as Dom audibly grinded his teeth under his mask. He felt a minor difort watching Leo wear a Virex mask, the second he entered the room, however, his attitude only made the situation seem even worse. ¡°Why is he wearing a Virex mask, Captain? He¡¯s not even one of us-¡± Dom protested, as the squad captain remained awkwardly calm for a few seconds. ¡°Well, the Corps Leader has determined that the mask he¡¯s wearing belonged to a dead Virex Corps member. And family members of dead corps members are allowed to keep and use the mask as per our bws, so there¡¯s nothing we can do about it¡± The Squad Captain said, as he moved his focus from Leo to the rest of the room. He carefully noticed every detail of the room, opening all closets and checking the windows as he tried to determine whether or not an intruder had entered this room or not. ¡°What were you up to all night, Contestant? I want a breakdown of your activities since the curfew began-¡± the Virex Squad Captain said, as he noticed how clean and untouched Leo¡¯s bed was. Since Leo was not present within the room throughout the night, he had not sat on the plush andfortable bed even once as she sheets lookedpletely taught, with not a single crease on it. Under such circumstances if Leo told him a tale of how he was just sleeping around, or sitting on the bed, he would have genuine cause to arrest him then and there for lying. ¡°Why must you know? Whatever I was up to was my own private affair. What does it have to do with you?¡± Leo said, rudely, as he tried to buy time and think more about what he would answer. ording to Lin Mu¡¯s n, he needed to behave innocently and unaware of anything that had happened, which was why every answer that he gave needed to be well thought of and cautious. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act oversmart with the Captain boy, or we shall send you to the ggs for no reason. Don¡¯t test our patience¡± Dom said angrily, as he pointed his index finger straight towards Leo. He was visibly seething, as never in his life had he seen someone talk to a Virex Corps member with such disrespect. Amongst themoners they were treated as an urban legend, whereas amongst nobles they were feared like the grim reapers. Not even an Arch-Duke talked with a Virex member with disrespect, yet a small boy dared to do the same. ¡°Captain, please give me permission to cut him where he stands-¡± Dom requested, as shaking his head, The Squad Captain denied. ¡°Denied, he¡¯s a contestant on-track topete in the Quarter Finals of the grand tournament, so we can¡¯t just cut him down. But not answering is also not an option. This is an active investigation and just like my junior said, we will send you to the ggs if you don¡¯t cooperate in this investigation¡± The Squad Captain said, maintaining his calm as his voice showed hardly any fluctuations at all. ¡°Fine, if you must, then after entering first for a few minutes, I was trying to change into my usual clothes, however, these damn golden buttons were too hard to open. Then, I began wondering if I had to return the clothes now that the G had ended and realized that while the fabric is not too special the gold buttons have to be worth a small fortune, so I plucked them off one by one¡­..¡± Leo said, as he began his story with an borate lie. He had taken off the buttons because they did not camouge well in darkness, not because he was interested in its gold worth, however, by making it sound like he was a greedy and stingy bastard, he averted twopromising questions at once. Pulling out the broken buttons from his suit pocket, Leo dropped them on the ground, reinforcing his story. ¡°What? What a poor, stingy and dumb brat. Do you really think the Royal family is so poor that we would ask for a worn dress back? It¡¯s clearly a custom fit. It won¡¯t even fit anyone else properly¡­.¡± Dom said, finding Leo¡¯s antics ridiculous, however, while he mocked him for being stupid, he did buy his story as to why he tore his buttons. Even the Virex Squad Captain nodded, as he felt like this was reasonable behavior from amoner who may have been raised in extreme poverty. ¡°Okay, you tore the buttons first, what then?¡± The Captain asked, as Leo fell t to the floor and began hitting push-ups. Just like Luke, he too had a habit of hitting push-ups whenever he was free, so he went with the excuse of working out, which could also exin why he was sweating. ¡°Then I started hitting push-ups, while recalling the events that happened at the G and how inferior I waspared to the strength of the masters present in the room. I was pretty frustrated, so I kept hitting push-ups non-stop until I heard the rms go off-¡± Leo said, in a well thought excuse that the Virex Squad Captain could find no ws with. Since he did not mention how long he was working out for, the Captain could not scrutinize his story, as whatever he said up till now was pretty airtight. ¡°Once I heard the rm, I walked up to the window, trying to see what was going on, but quickly lost interest when the only thing I could see was royal guards running here and there¡± Leo continued, as the Virex Squad Captain nodded, believing that the story he was narrating made sense. ¡°So I came back here and started to hit push-ups, until there was audible chaos in the hall outside my room¡­.¡± Leo said, as it was at this point that the Virex Squad Captain finally began his cross-questioning. Chapter 220: Absolved Of All Suspicion Chapter 220: Absolved Of All Suspicion ¡°You say there was audible Chaos outside your hall correct? Then did you try to enquire with the royal maid as to what was going on outside?¡± The Virex Squad Captain asked, as Leo frowned under his mask listening to his question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t understand the context behind your question-¡± Leo replied, trying to buy more time, as he urged the Virex Squad Captain to present him with more details. ¡°It¡¯s a really simple question, contestant¡­. I¡¯m asking you, whether or not, once your surroundings started to get chaotic, did you at any point, walk up to this door and ask the Royal Maid as to what was going on outside?¡± The Squad Captain reiterated, as he left no room for doubt in his question. ¡°No, I did not walk up to the door to enquire what was going on-¡± Leo replied honestly, as should he have said that he had indeed walked up to the maid and asked her what was going on, his lie would be caught instantly. ¡°That¡¯s odd¡­. Every other contestant I¡¯ve interrogated before you, seemed to urge their maids to either let them out of their rooms or press them for information on what was going on. But not you¡­ It seems to me, you already know the reason behind the chaos ongoing outside-¡± The Virex Squad Captain said, his gaze zeroing in on Leo¡¯s. ¡°Am I right? Contestant? Or am I right?¡± He said, sounding sure of himself that he had got Leo down by the balls. The tension in the room automatically went up a notch when the Captain made this question, as Dom pulled out his weapon and was ready to take down Leo at the first sign of problem. ¡°Come on Captain, your question is basically framed in such a way that nobody matter what I say, I¡¯m gonna get in trouble¡­.¡± Leo said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not a nosy person by nature. In case you couldn¡¯t figure it out already, the reason behind why I wear a mask is because I value my hidden identity a lot. I want to be able to roam the streets of StrongHaven City without having to fear being swarmed by my fans. And It¡¯s not just myself that I apply those virtues too, I also apply them to my surroundings¡± Leo said, trying to sound as convincing as possible as instead of a speaking his words as if they were facts, he decided to spin a believable story. ¡°Each person is unique, and my philosophy has always been to live and let live. Unless something impacts me directly, I tend not to meddle. Thus, I felt nopulsion to inquire with the Royal Maid about the events unfolding outside. However, prioritizing my own safety, I armed myself. This way, if a threat were to enter my room, I would be ready to defend myself.¡± Leo said, as he gave a verypelling defense of his behavior. For a moment, the room was enveloped in nothing but an awkward silence as the tension reached its climax. Although Dom harbored a strong dislike for Leo and was inclined to treat him like a criminal, he found Leo¡¯s exnation to be sincere and without fault. The Captain had imed that everyone they had questioned so far had exhibited some curiosity about the events outside. However, this statement wasn¡¯t entirely urate. In reality, not everyone had shown an interest in the externalmotion. The Captain¡¯s intense interrogation of Leo was primarily due to the suspicious location of his room¡ªsince the invader had vanished from this very hall just moments earlier, but it was a consequential coincidence at best, as without it, the two of them would have long epted Leo¡¯s exnation. Even the Captain shook his head after listening to Leo¡¯s words. To him Leo¡¯s exnation seemed genuine and there seemed to be no further need to interrogate him, however, somehow his instincts could not let him just move on, as he felt there was something off about this whole situation, although he could not grasp what. ¡°Well, do you have any idea who a certain Ben Faulkner is?¡± The Captain asked, as he looked straight into Leo¡¯s eyes when he asked this question. The Virex Corps were no fools. Anyone who studied Leo¡¯s style of fighting could figure out that he was trained by some assassin with links to a proper assassin organization and although that did not necessarily make him a criminal, it was impossible for anyone within the assassin circle to not know about the legend of Ben Faulkner. This was the captain¡¯s final test for Leo, to determine whether he was telling the truth as if Leo imed not to know who Ben Faulkner was, then the captain had already decided to arrest him, since he was on strict orders to arrest anyone that he suspected even slightly. However, if Leo provided a genuine answer to this question, he would be allowed to go free. Leo also realized that this was a trick question, where he needed to tread a fine line on what he said and how much he revealed. Gulping a mouthful of dry saliva, Leo replied with honesty. ¡°Of course I know who Ben Faulkner is. He¡¯s the only publicly acknowledged master assassin in the entire Empire. The undoubted strongest shadow fighter and a Kingyer. He is practically the sole reason behind why Julien D Evanus is the current Emperor, as without him assassinating the crown prince, we would have a very different Emperor today-¡± Leo said, as immediately Dom pointed his sword towards Leo, killing intent leaking from his body. ¡°Careful with your words boy¡­. You have no idea who you¡¯re ndering¡­.. the Virex Corps will not stand for anything said against the Emperor, or we will have your tongue¡± Dom threatened, as this time around he did not seem to be messing around at all. For the first time ever, Leo saw even the Captain breaking his stoic expression as his eyes twitched in fury. The murder of the crown prince was the greatest stain on the legacy of the Virex Corps who were supposed to protect the royal family. The romantic way in which Leo described that event made him lose his calm, however, although he was angry, he also absolved Leo of all suspicion, as he could see that Leo knew that his words might trigger the two interrogators, however, he decided to speak the truth regardless. ¡°Very well, that¡¯s it for today-¡± the Captain said, as he stormed out of the room with Dom reluctantly walking behind him. The two of them had tried their very best to try to make Leo slip, however, Leo¡¯s acting was air-tight. Whether it was his voice modtion, his confidence, or his story, they could find no ws with it, as it truly seemed as if he had no involvement with the outside events. Once outside, The Virex Squad Captain regrouped with his two other team members, the two that had gone in the garden below to investigate, however, they seemed to return without any solid leads either. ¡°Status report-¡± The captain demanded, as one of the two replied. ¡°Captain, while we did find the Royal Guard Armor in the bushes below, we did not find any footprints or any indications that the intruder had jumped into the garden. There are no trails to follow and nowhere to investigate- He¡¯s simply vanished into the wind¡± The Virex Corps member reported, as the Captain shook his head and sighed. ¡°Of course there are no footprints. Ben Fucking Faulkner doesn¡¯t leave behind an obvious trail, he moves like the wind-¡± The Captain said, feeling disappointed, as the search proved to be inconclusive. ********** ( Meanwhile Julien D Evanus ) The Emperor was woken up from his luxury sleep by the sound of ring rms throughout the castle. Within seconds, The Virex Corps Chief, The Royal Guard Commander and several other high level soldiers stormed his room, arms ready, as they seemed prepared to protect the life of the Emperor against any potential threat. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there rms?¡± Julien inquired, sounding pissed, as for a few moments nobody had any answers regarding what was going on, as the situation was unclear for them too. It was only after they got messages over theirmunication devices that they were informed of the full picture. ¡°It seems like the Royal Counselor has been assassinated your majesty. The killer is suspected to be Ben Faulkner, but we are not sure yet-¡± The Royal Guards chief said, as immediately Julien frowned. ¡®What? That old fatty has been assassinated? What a waste of my most useful pawn¡­.¡¯ The Emperor thought, as although to themon masses it seemed like the Royal Counselor hold considerable sway over the Emperor, in reality he was only a puppet dancing in the palms of Julien, who made himmit all the wrong actions under his own responsibility. Julien was long aware of his wrongdoings and lecherous activities, however, he ignored them all, in-case he needed a fall guy someday to appease public wrath. Now that he was killed, that valuable defenseyer was gone, however, Julien was assured that it wasn¡¯t Ben Faulkner who killed him. ¡®They are idiots if they think Ben Faulkner would bother himself with politics. That guy wants nothing to do with the Unity Empire. If he wanted to kill someone tonight, it would be undoubtedly me who would have been murdered and not the counselor. This is a political assassination, most likely done by the West Duke¡¯s faction. But I can¡¯t voice my suspicions here, because these idiots don¡¯t know that the one who gave Ben Faulkner the order to kill my elder brother was none other than me¡¯ Julien thought, as he let out a long sigh and started to think about the long term implications of the Royal Counselor¡¯s death and the next move that he was supposed to make. Chapter 221: Rewards Chapter 221: Rewards Once the Virex Squad Captain left, Leo was sted with a series of system notifications. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ onpleting the Emergency Quest ¡®Don¡¯t Get Caught¡¯ Note- The yer has sessfully fooled the authorities into believing that he has yed no role in the on-going crimes and is free of preliminary suspicion. The crisis has been sessfully averted for now. Rewards ¨C Actor ss Upgrade ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the mastery of your unique ss has gone up from ¡®Beginner¡ª¨C> Intermediate¡¯ ] [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, New ss features have been unlocked! Clickhereto know more.] A series of system notificationspletely covered Leo¡¯s yer screen once the Virex Squad Members left his room. *Pant* *Pant* *Pant* Putting one hand over his heart, Leo finally allowed himself to melt into a puddle of nerves as he began breathing heavily and feeling the racing heartbeat in his chest. He had been very nervous about not making any mistake, however, his anxiety only shot through the roof when the Virex Squad Captain asked him about Ben Faulkner. At that moment Leo felt as if he was done for, as he saw no ¡®right answer¡¯ for that question and only said what he genuinely felt was true. Somehow, it seemed to have worked as the system notifications in front of him were proof that he had sessfully saved his gaming career, at least for now. ¡°Fuck, this chain of events sapped atleast a months worth of life from me¡­.¡± Leo said, clutching his hair as he crashed on to the soft Royal guest bed with a silly smile on his face. As he reminisced about his spur of the moment choices that he had made like taking a guard down and stealing his clothes, Leo felt like he had truly gone on a wild adventure to somehow clear this near impossible quest. Today he had redefined the phrase ¡®Fake it till you make it¡¯ and the system seemed to have rewarded him with an upgrade to his actor ss. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, New ss features have been unlocked! Clickhereto know more.] Looking at thest system notification, Leo pressed ¡®Here¡¯, as a drop-down menu opened before him. [ Actor ss (Unique) (Intermediate) ?Unlocked new character panel trait ¨C ¡®Second Persona¡¯ Second Persona ¨C Every versatile actor needs to be capable of ying several roles. It has been determined that the yer has absorbed and understood the role of the character ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and it¡¯s time for a new challenge now. While the stats and skills of the yer will remain unchanged, a second ID name will be open for selection and system persona will be given to the ID with new restrictions and quests. ?Unlocked new character panel trait ¨C ¡®Switch Profile¡¯. Switch Profile from between your two character profiles, to manage active quests and roles. ?Improved actor ss unique skill move ¡®Mimic¡¯. A copied skill can now be mimic¡¯d for a time duration of 7 days. ?Unlocked new actor ss benefit ¨C ¡®Makeup and hair¡¯. Automatically change your appearance slightly when you shift between character panels ] Leo looked at this list of rewards with his jaw wide open. This ss upgrade waspletely out of his expectations, as there were major changes made to his character panel. As he opened his system panel, beside the character ID where he was called the boss, there was a blinking cursor, which urged him to select a second name. [ System Notification ¨C Please enter your second ID name. Please note, once inputted this ID name cannot be changed and will be disyed independently on the leaderboard rankings. ] Leo scratched his head once he saw this system notification, who thought that after spending nearly 10 months inside the game he would once again be given the chance to create a new gaming ount. ¡°Interesting¡­..¡± Leo murmured as he decided to choose the name ¡®SkyDragon¡¯ since it paired well with Luke¡¯s gaming name ¡®SkyLion¡¯. ¡°S.K.Y¡­..D.R.A.G.O.N¡± Leo inputted in all capitals, as he hit enter. [ System Notification ¨C yer name ¡®SkyDragon¡¯ has already been imed, please enter a different name- ] ¡°Ehhh? Someone imed SkyDragon? Why?¡± Leo wondered, as in anger, he typed the name ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, but did not enter. ¡°Haha, I¡¯m so tempted to create a gaming ID using the name Leo Skyshard, it will solve so many of my problems. However, I cannot be dumb enough to do it. I¡¯ll be a walking target of envy within the Arc Ship if I y under my real name¡± Leo muttered to himself as he decided to hit backspace and delete the name he inputted, however, through sheer fluke, identally pressed ¡®Enter¡¯. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, your second ID name has been sessfully registered. Please enjoy gaming with your new identity~ ] Leo stared at the screen, his eyes widening as the reality of what he¡¯d just done sank in. He looked around frantically, as if searching for an undo button in real life. ¡°No, no, no, no!¡± Leo eximed, pping his forehead. ¡°Of all the boneheaded, idiotic mistakes I¡¯ve ever made, this one might just be the worst of them all! Why don¡¯t they make these buttons bigger, or at least ask ¡®Are you sure?¡¯ like fifty times?¡± Leo wondered, as he began to cry tears of idiocy once he saw the name ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ sh on his system screen, beside ¡®TheBoss¡¯. He flopped back onto the royal guest bed, covering his face with both hands, as he let the reality of what he had just done sink in. ¡°Leo Skyshard, really? Might as well have named myself ¡®Please Rob Me DAILY¡¯ What¡¯s next? A gaming ID named Leo Skyshard is the boss?¡± Leo wondered, as he felt extremely dumb about even typing in his name on the keyboard. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C This is the start of a very new and exciting phase of the game, I know this chapter may look confusing, however, a lot of your doubts will be cleared in the next chapter, so please be patient with this new concept until then- /// Chapter 222: A New Role Chapter 222: A New Role Leo took a look at his status panel ¨C ********* The Boss/ Leo Skyshard¡¯s Character Profile Name: The Boss, Leo Skyshard ( Switch ) Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title: [Fake It Till You Make It] (Equipped) ss: Actor (Unique) (Stage: Intermediate ) Current Level: 151 [ Vital Stats ] Health Points (HP): 2850/2850 Mana: 1400/1400 Stamina: 1778/1800 [ Core Attributes ] Strength (275) Agility (320) Dexterity (278) Intelligence (265) Endurance (278) Physique (279) SPECIAL OPTION- Edit attribute panel for disy [] UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS ¨C 60 [ Learned Skills ] ? ( Mimic ) ( Unique ) ( Beginner ) ? ( Vanish ) ( Legendary ) ( Beginner) ? ( The Kill Strike ) ( Legendary) (Beginner) ? ( Mirror World ) ( Legendary ) ( Beginner ) ? ( empty ) ? ( empty ) [ Equipment ] ¨C Worn Gear: ck Royal G Suit ( custom ), Virex ck ops mask 1x Ben¡¯s Old Assassin Robes 2x Poisoned dagger ( rare ) 12x Assassin¡¯s Daggers 2x mana potion ( basic ) 2x strength potion ( basic ) 12x smoke bombs ( rare ) 1x designer outfit ( rare ) 1x detection blocker pocket watch (epic) 1x Daggers Of Love set ( Epic ) [ Inventory ] ¨C 63x Bronze Coins ¨C 206x Silver Coins ¨C 20,067x Gold Coin -1x Combat Skill Scroll ( Rare ) -1x Combat Skill Scroll ( Common ) -1x Skill Scroll ( Semi- Legendary ) ¨C Basic Layman¡¯s Clothes ( slightly dirty ) ¨C 1x HP potion bottle ( Basic ) ¨C 1x Virex token ( Imperial ) ¨C 1x Bone Sword ( Rare ) -2X Death Evasion Token ( ???? ) 1xBloody Soldier Robe 1x Mu Family Token ********** A new option of ¡®Switching Profiles¡¯ had appeared on his status screen, whereby he could change his primary name from ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to Leo Skyshard at will. The moment he shifted his profile to Leo Skyshard, he was given the option to adjust his profile look, whereby he could change his hairstyle a bit and adjust his facial features, to make them look about 10% different to his original profile ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Changing his hairstyle to a wavy and long haired look for Leo Skyshard, while adding small touch ups to his face, Leopleted the profiles¡¯ automatic look change setting. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for sessfully creating an alternate profile. A new quest has been generated for the ID ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. ] [ Quest Notification ¨C A new system quest has been generated. Quest Title- Establishing A New Identity. Quest Description ¨C A versatile actor must be prepared to y all sorts of roles and being a ruthless fighter is not enough. A second identity must be created. ¡ª¡ª> The Wealthiest Merchant ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. You have 12 months to establish the character ID ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ as this game¡¯s wealthiest merchant by establishing an image of being a ruthless trader in the minds of themon masses. For more information click (Here) Quest Duration ¨C 12 months. Rewards ¨C Actor ss Upgrade. Failure Penalty ¨C ???? ] Leo read the quest notification and felt his head go numb. He was barely tackling living life as ¡®The Boss¡¯ and creating an impression amongst the masses as the best yer in the game, however, he was somehow now supposed to create an alternative identity as the wealthiest merchant too? ¡®Has this game lost its mind or something? Does it think that bing the number one yer is too easy and hence is adding even more challenges to my te?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he looked at the system quest and felt like it was next to impossible. He had no real business acumen, he wasn¡¯t even sure how merchants made money in this game, yet he had 12 months to figure out how to be one. Once again pressing ¡®Here¡¯, since there was no way he could ignore important information, Leo began reading about the details of his new character ID. ************** As Leo read more about his new character ID and its restrictions, he realized that his new ID solved some of his biggest problems, however, it created countless new one¡¯s for him too. On the plus side, his new character ID was permitted to be associated with his real life identity, so he could actually go and tell Luke and Amanda that he was Leo Skyshard even within the game and start a PM conversation with them using this ID. The ID Leo Skyshard was also considered apletely new legal entity, with different infamy, fame and such stats, however, it also meant that it was disyed as a separate entity on the ¡®Rankings Leaderboard¡¯. Previously, it was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was ranked 1 on the leaderboard at level 151, with the second rank being DarkEmperor at 136. Both of them had stagnated since the start of the Grand Tournament, giving other yers the chance to catch up, as the spots 2-25 were very highly congested. However, after the creation of his second ID, it was suddenly the name ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ that went to the second number on the Leaderboards, with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being bumped up to 161. This meant that regardless how many levels Leo gained, the disyed ID level for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ would never match his real stats and would always be +10 levels by default. On the plus side, his character ID ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was allowed to join guilds, organizations and take up government jobs. However, on the downside, him suddenly appearing on the leaderboards when he was previously not even within the top 1000 ranked ID¡¯s caused quite the stir on the global forums, asizens began to specte that Leo had gained 50 or more levels at once suddenly. On the plus side, the role description of Leo Skyshard as provided by the system did mention that he would be given quests and guidance from time to time that would help him consolidate his position as the game¡¯s number one merchant. However, on the down side, being given quests on the ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ ID, did not mean that he would stop receiving quests on ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ID, as he was still expected to y that role to perfection. Hence, while Leo was partially happy to get this second ID, one he could be public with and im as his own. He was simultaneously also worried about his future, which seemed increasingly hectic and difficult. ¡ª-xxxx¡ª¡ª- END OF VOLUME 2. ¡ª-xxxx¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C That¡¯s it for volume 2 guys, hope to see you all in volume 3, where the Grand Tournament reaches its conclusion and a new chapter starts in the life of the Skyshard brothers /// Chapter 223: Exposed Chapter 223: Exposed Volume 3 ¨C Chaos Begins. ************* ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke sat calmly in his royal guest room, looking out of his window as he overlooked the gardens where the royal guards frustratingly tried to search for an intruder that they couldn¡¯t find. He had been interrogated by the Virex Corps just a few moments ago, and all that he could think about from that interaction was how the mask that the Virex troopers wore was very simr to the mask that ¡®The Boss¡¯ wore. ¡°Hmmm, are The Boss and the Royal Guard corps connected? I think we need to investigate more on this-¡± Luke murmured to himself, as before today, he did not have much idea about the Virex Corps¡¯s existence or their dress code. The world of Terra Nova was ultra realistic, to the point that apart from a few unrealistic game elements such as yer revival upon death and the presence of MP exchange stores that could only be essed by yers, it was exactly like the real world. Under such circumstances, the fact that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ wore a Virex mask could not be considered as a mere coincidence and needed to be investigated properly for sure. ¡°Well it could also be that he received the mask in his starter kit, just like I received the master knight token in mine because for as long as The Boss has been known, he has always been spotted in a mask, so unless he got entangled with the Virex Corps at the very start of the game, the probability of him getting that mask through a starter pack can also not be ignored¡­¡± Luke contemted, as he made an urate assessment of the situation, given the limited knowledge he had. [ Inbox Notification ¨C You have received a new private message from friend ¡®Guildmaster Cervantez¡¯ ] Luke got a notification pop up on his gaming screen, as he tapped on it to see just what message Cervantez had sent him. [ Guildmaster Cervantez ¨C Told you your brother is lying about his identity, there is no yer called ¡®Lin Mu¡¯. Also, check out the global rankings and the global forums¡­.. that arrogant brat has caused quite the stir. ] Luke received the most unusual message from Cervantez, as he raised an eyebrow and hastily opened the Global yer rankings. ¡ª¡ª-Global Level Rankings ¡ª¡ª- 1.The Boss ( Level- 161 ) 2. Leo Skyshard ( Level 151 ) 3. DarkEmperor ( Level 136 ) 4. Purple Rock ( Level 135 ) 5. Ramen King ( Level 135 ) 6. Andheri ( Level 135 ) 7. BigDaddy ( Level 134 ) . . . . Your rank- 38) SkyLion ( Level 129 ) ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª xxx ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Luke looked at the rankings and felt his heart skip a beat. The first question that arose in his mind was how the hell did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ suddenly gain ten levels, as just like them, he too was stuck inside the pce walls unable to train or perform leveling activities. However, the bigger shock that he received was that of seeing his brother¡¯s name on the number two spot, as Luke felt shivers go down his spine when he saw that. ¡°Leo¡­..¡± he said, sounding confused, as he did not understand how his brother suddenly cut through the leveling leaderboards and appeared on the number two spot out of nowhere? While he himself had experienced a meteoric rise on the leaderboards, going from ranking in the hundreds of thousands to top20 at his peak, before slipping back down because of the Grand Tournament. However, his own rise was linked to himpleting his academy courses well. Which gave him 7-10 levels forpletion of each course. It was a long term quest, one that took him several months toplete, however, Leo seemed to have cut through the crowd in a single shot, convincingly moving above even Cervantez to im the number two spot. As he clicked on his brother¡¯s ID, he realized that unlike The Boss, who had set it to private, Leo was actually open to being sent friend requests, as he sent a request to his brother to add him to his friend list. On one hand, he felt extremely proud of Leo and whatever he was doing to be this sessful, however, on the other hand he felt confused and hurt on why he lied to him about his ID? He found it silly that he had actually registered his gaming ID under his own name, as anyone and their mothers would now know that Leo Skyshard is none other than Leo, as that was literally his name. Not knowing how to process this information, Luke decided to open the Global forums as Cervantez had suggested, where he saw the entire server fervently debating about Leo, who seemed to have gained instant fame. ¡°Who is this Leo Skyshard guy? I was enjoying PurpleRock¡¯s climb to the top. My man has been hustling for that number two spot for weeks now and was on the verge of achieving it, however, right as he pulls next to DarkEmperor, some other guy shows up and snatches it from him. #JusticeForPurpleRock¡± ¡°Is Leo Skyshard a botter? There¡¯s no way that someone goes from not being on the top200 list to suddenly bing top2. What did this guy even do? Instantly gained 50 levels or something? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°Ayo, after The Boss, do we have a second freak yer in the making in Leo Skyshard?¡± ¡°While I could not join the DarkSky guild, I¡¯ll join any guild created by Leo Skyshard without hesitation! I¡¯m ready to join this rocket ship. Please sign me up-¡± ¡°#FraudLeo. He¡¯s a fraud! He did not evenpete in the Grand Tournament preliminaries. Don¡¯tpare him to The Boss, while anyone can be number two, number one spot will only ever belong to the king of kings, The Boss¡± ¡°Can someone tell me how to gain 50+ levels at once? I¡¯ll pay 500 gold coins for this information. Thanks¡± ¡°I¡¯m a worker from sector D, I know an employee by the name of Leo Skyshard, he often stands in the queue ahead of me every morning. Quite the handsome kid, if it¡¯s the same guy, then I¡¯m seducing him tomorrow morning-¡± ¡°Oh? The real life name and the gaming ID of the number two yer match? What a freak coincidence?¡± ¡°Leo Skyshard is a lowly sector D yer? Is this even possible?¡± Luke monitored the chatter on the forums and frowned deeply. Just as he expected, someone from sector D already recognised Leo¡¯s name from roll call and it seemed to be only a matter of time before everyone else also found out who he exactly was. With the Arc Ship about to enter the Rainbow Stream in two months and the game meta about to shift massively, Leo having exposed himself was akin to him having chopped off his own leg, as it was bound to bring him unnecessary trouble. ¡°Leo that fool¡­. Who the heck makes a gaming ID with their own name? What the hell was he thinking¡­..¡± Lukeined, as he frowned deeply and monitored the global chat even more closely, having already made up his mind to confront Leo once he logged out of the game. ******** ( Meanwhile Leo ) ¡°I¡¯m a section C supervisor, and I have a worker working under me in sector D by the name of Leo Skyshard. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m the boss of such a rising star. I¡¯ll try get his autograph tomorrow-¡± As Leo read thisment on the global forums, he felt a chill go down his spine as tears formed in his eyes. His life before today was already not easy at all, however, it just became even moreplicated because of his stupid mistake of registering his second gaming ID under his original name. Not even 20 minutes past his mistake, the global chat already found out who he really was, with many people who worked in sector D iming to have seen him before. ¡°This is a nightmare ¡­.I¡¯m going to bepletely done for once I log out of this game. I needed less scrutiny on me to hide my identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, not more. With this unwanted fame, everything I do now will be scrutinized by others¡± Leo thought, as he read thements under the sector C supervisors post and foundments underneath it where someone offered the sector C supervisor 10,000 gold coins, if he could reveal Leo Skyshards leveling secret to them. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best to get it for you-¡± Was what the Sector C supervisor replied, as Leo understood that the moment he logged out of this game, he was going to be swarmed by people left and right asking him about tips to improve in the Terra Nova game. Tips that he simply did not have¡­.. ¡°Fucked, I¡¯m totally fucked¡­..¡± Leo thought, as he could already imagine the chaos that was bound to ensue. *********** ( Meanwhile Amanda ) Amanda giggled non-stop to see Leo¡¯s name on the top of the leaderboards. She was extremely happy for his sess and did not fret about details such as why she thought that Leo¡¯s gaming name was Jin Mu. For her such trivial things did not matter much, as the only thing she focused on was how she could tease Leo about his achievement after logging out. Just like Leo, Cervantez and Luke, she also went on the global chat, trying to see theizens¡¯ reaction to Leo¡¯s sudden rise, however, her bright mood was instantly ruined when she stepped foot there. ¡°Leo Skyshard¡­.. Kyaa, he¡¯s a cutie, I¡¯ve seen him in sector D, however, never approached him because he¡¯s always walking with a bimbo, but now that ik he¡¯s a top yer, I might just approach him-¡± ¡°I¡¯m a rank 2050 yer from sector A and nothing turns me on more than top yers¡­.. if the rumors about Leo being from sector D are true then I can request him as my masseuse by paying MP and have him all to myself~ I¡¯m already wet just thinking about it-¡± Amanda¡¯s face darkened as she read such disturbingments, realizing that with Leo¡¯s newfound fame, he could easily get many other options and might not love Amanda the same. Chapter 224: Lin Mus Interrogation Chapter 224: Lin Mu''s Interrogation Chapter 224: Lin Mu¡¯s Interrogation ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) While everyone else was only viewed through a moderate lens of suspicion with regards to the murder of the Royal Counselor, Lin Mu was the only unfortunate one to not be given the same treatment. Since the location of murder was her room, and she was the only confirmed individual to be alongside the dead counselor, she was subjected to a thorough interrogation by the Royal Guards, who treated her like the chief suspect. ¡°So why did the Counselor visit you at night? Why did you choose to seduce him?¡± An interrogation officer shamelessly asked, as he called Lin Mu a whore without explicitly using the word. ¡°The counselor visited me because we had an arrangement, in exchange for my virginity and a nights pleasure, he was going to help save my n from the clutches of the Night Guild¡± Lin Mu admitted honestly, as he tried to y it off as a pre-made arrangement rather than her trying to seduce the counselor, to ensure that if details of their arrangement were leaked then both of their reputations were going to be dragged through the mud together. ¡°Do you really expect us to believe that the Royal Counselor tried to gain sexual favors from you in exchange to help your n? Do you think anyone will buy that story?¡± The interrogator said, trying to discard Lin Mu¡¯s testament and intimidate her, however, Lin Mu remained unfazed. ¡°Well, you can choose to believe me or not¡­. But that won¡¯t invalidate the truth. I¡¯m not the first one he¡¯s tried to take advantage of- you see¡­.. if you open your eyes and interrogate the pce maids, I¡¯m sure many will tell you the same. So the question now is, just how many of them can you silence?¡± Lin Mu asked, her voice not wavering at all, as her words made the interrogator sweat instead. Currently, the pce security had already failed in capturing Ben Faulkner, who had presumably managed to sneak out of the pce after a sessful assassination once again. By noon today, the entire StrongHaven City was most likely going to hear about the assassination of the Royal Counselor, however, under such circumstances, if rumors about his lecherous nature were leaked, then Ben Faulkner was more likely to be viewed as a hero who eliminated a pervert rather than a ruthless assassin who murdered the noble and loyal Royal Counselor. Had Lin Mu been a normal citizen or a pce maid. She could have been sent to the ggs and detained indefinitely to suppress the truth of this matter. However, Lin Mu was a Quarter Finalist in the Grand Tournament and was set to fight tomorrow in the Grand Arena. Her sudden absence was sure to be impossible to justify to the masses and hence, although the royal Interrogators could try to intimidate and interrogate her today, they couldn¡¯t silence her version of the truth without securing her co-operation. The Emperor had already given the royal guards explicit instructions that if they could not catch the murderer, then they were to keep the inconvenience caused to the guests to a minimum and hence, although the interrogator did not wish to let Lin Mu get away with her scandalous statement, he had no other option but to back off for now. ¡°Okay, recount the events that happened after the Counselor walked into your room once again¡­..¡± The interrogator demanded, as Lin Mu let out a deep sigh and rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you get off on this? Is one of the criteria of bing a Royal Interrogator, to be a pervert? I¡¯ve already told you the story 5 times. It¡¯s traumatic for me to recall it again and again too¡­. Just how many times more will you make me say it?¡± Lin Mu protested, as the Royal Interrogator felt a seething rage bubble up inside him listening to herments. Had he been given a free reign in this interrogation, he would have already used torture to extract the truth from Lin Mu, however, he had been prohibited from using such extreme methods. Having been given explicit instructions to not be rude with the guests, his hands were tied as to how coarsely he could treat Lin Mu, which forced him to entertain some of her high handed attitude as well. ¡°One more time, please-¡± The interrogator said, as he was forced to use the word ¡®Please¡¯ to be polite to Lin Mu, as she sighed and narrated her story once again. *********** ( Meanwhile Julien D Evanus ) ¡°Four hours have passed since the Royal Counselor¡¯s murder, and we are now two hours beyond the promised curfew,¡± Julien stated firmly. ¡°Marcus, I won¡¯t hear any more of this. End the search and release the guests from their rooms. Remember, this is the Unity Pce, not a prison,¡± he said admonishing Royal Guard Captain Marcus, who had proposed extending the curfew by another hour to continue the search for the murderer. Despite his reservations, Captain Marcus knew he had toply. He was acutely aware that releasing the guests might mean losing any remaining clues to the murderer¡¯s identity. However, the Emperor¡¯smands were absolute, leaving him no option but to lift the curfew. ¡°I apologize for failing your expectations My Lord, if you desire my resignation, I¡¯ll resign right here, right now-¡± Marcus said, bowing his head in shame, as Julien waved his apology off. ¡°Not your fault, so stand straight-¡± Julien said, as he grit his teeth and wondered as to what the Elf King and the Barbarian Chieftain would be thinking. ¡°Whoever did this has made us aughing stalk in front of the other races. My pride has taken a hit today¡­.¡± Julien said, as his words caused his immediate subordinates present in the room around him to bow their heads in shame. Everyone cursed Ben Faulkner from the bottom of their hearts at this moment, and vowed to bring him to justice for this incident no matter the cost. Chapter 225: The Boogeyman Chapter 225: The Boogeyman ¡°So you¡¯re telling me. The interrogation of Lin Mu girl yielded no results in the end, and she¡¯s practically threatening to expose the dead Royal Counselor as a pervert?¡± Julien asked, clutching his head as he could not believe that he had such an ipetent Royal Guard department working under him, that they could not even properly intimidate a small child. ¡°What do we do now sire? She¡¯s due to fight tomorrow, so we can¡¯t abruptly detain her either-¡± The Royal Guard Chief Marcus said, as he bowed his head in shame. ¡°What do we do? Of course we give her what she wants¡­. What else can we do? I¡¯ve had enough embarrassment for one day Marcus, if the news breaks out amongst the noble circle that the dead Royal Counselor was a sexual predator. It will not be good for anyone¡¯s image. She wants to save the Mu n or whatever right? Just understand her requirements and send the Virex Corps toplete that mission for her, but secure her silence regarding this matter in return. Don¡¯t cause me any more embarrassment-¡± Julien said, breathing fumes out of his nose as Marcus bowed and quickly left the room. With this instruction by Julien, it seemed like in the end, because of a number of factors such asck of clear evidence and the high-stakes social setting, Lin Mu and Leo were about to get away with a major crime, with all the me of the event being pinned on Ben Faulkner, who wasn¡¯t even there, while the Night Guild was to pick coteral damage. ********** ( Ben Faulkner¡¯s POV ) Ben sat in a local bar during the afternoon, sipping a beer as he pondered about Leo¡¯s safety within the castle walls. The royal pce was not a safe ce for assassin¡¯s like them, and Ben felt nervous about having Leo near the scheming man Julien Evanus, however, there was nothing he could do to prevent it and hence he tried to patiently wait for his disciples return. He had noticed some unrest unfolding within the castle the previous night but was unsure of its cause. However, he just hoped that it had nothing to do with Leo and that he was safe. As he mulled over these thoughts, a peculiar conversation caught his attention. Two strangers at the bar were discussing a recent incident that took ce within the castle, where they mentioned how the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner had apparently struck again, this time having murdered the Royal Counselor. Hearing this, Ben felt goosebumps run down his spine, as he felt perplexed and rmed by the origin of this rumor, especially since he knew he hadn¡¯t done anything at all. Continuing to listen intently, Ben paid full attention to the wordsing out of their mouth as the strangers continued their animated discussion, their voices a mix of awe and fear. ¡°They say he came out of retirement, just like that. After all these years, the Kingyer returns,¡± one murmured, his eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°The way they found the counselor¡­ It was brutal. Stabbed multiple times, no mercy. Only Ben Faulkner could execute something so precise yet so ruthless,¡± the other added, ncing around as if the mere mention of the name could summon the man himself. Ben¡¯s grip tightened on his beer ss. The legend of the Kingyer had grown in the years since he had disappeared. Once a feared assassin who had sessfully eliminated the crown prince within the fortified walls of the pce and escaped undetected, his name had be synonymous with the impossible. But now, it seemed his legacy was being used to cover up another crime he had no part in. ¡°Retirement? Faulkner?¡± the first stranger scoffed. ¡°A man like that never truly retires. I heard he¡¯s been lurking in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right moment to remind the world of his skills.¡± ¡°And what a reminder,¡± the second agreed. ¡°The pce hasn¡¯t been prated like this since¡­ well, since Faulkner himselfst struck. It¡¯s no wonder everyone¡¯s so shaken. They thought he was just a ghost story, a myth to scare the new guards.¡± Ben swallowed, feeling the weight of his past and the power of his reputation. They were turning him into a myth, a boogeyman resurrected to bear the me for new atrocities. ¡°Everyone knows, Faulkner runs the Night Guild, he¡¯s the reason that that damned Assassin Alliance exists. But I heard rumors that the Emperor has now dispatched the Virex Corps in retaliation¡­.. although they don¡¯t know where Faulkner is, I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re nning to hit an assassin base¡± The first person said, as Ben felt his left eye flutter at this remark. While he could ept being called the Boogeyman, he could not ept his reputation being associated with the stupid Night Guild or the stupid assassin alliance. However, the more important question for him now was not that of his name being tarnished, but to verify whether or not Leo was the source of these rumors. ¡°My stupid disciple, please tell me you haven¡¯t murdered the Royal Counselor, have you?¡± Ben muttered to himself, as he automatically assumed the worst and wondered if Leo could actually pull it off? Of all the assassin¡¯s Ben had seen in his life, Leo was undoubtedly the most promising talent he had ever seen, and although he wasn¡¯t the strongest assassin yet, needing much more practical experience and skill polishing, he had the potential to someday surpass even Ben himself and be the greatest assassin to have ever been born. ¡®I hope youe back out of that damned pce safely tomorrow, or else this Boogeyman will actually need to infiltrate those damned walls again¡­.¡¯ Ben thought in his head, as he was prepared to actually be the monster that everyone assumed him to be, for the sake of his beloved student. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 226: Marriage Proposal? Chapter 226: Marriage Proposal? After the curfew was lifted, the pce was flooded with guests contaminating the crime scene and curiously snooping around, as just like the Royal Guard Captain Marcus feared, once the curfew was lifted, all the clues rted to the crime were potentially lost. The worse natured noble guests, began venting and scolding Royal Guards for having to face such inconvenience and demanded exnations, while the curious one¡¯s began probing for answers, trying to figure out what just went down. Very soon, news about the Royal Counselor¡¯s brutal murder and the escape of the killer who was presumed to be Ben Faulkner spread within the noble circles, causing unnecessary fear to spread amongst nobles. ¡°So not even the Royal Pce is safe anymore? Just where can we run for safety if the Emperor¡¯s own home isn¡¯t safe?¡± ¡°20 yearster, if Ben Faulkner can still waltz in and out of this pce with ease, then did we even learn from our mistakes at all?¡± ¡°This has to be an inside job, someone within the Royal Guards has to be helping him sneak in and escape, because there is no way someone can pull this off undetected otherwise¡± Discussions like these broke out amongst nobility, bringing great shame to Julien, who did not show his face in public throughout the day, citing ¡®Security Issues¡¯ as the official reason for his absence. The Kings of other races did not miss this opportunity to take shots at the imperial security as they proudly boasted about how no-one could have infiltrated their ces and how this cast a shadow of doubt over thepetence of humans to lead the alliance of races within the Unity Empire. Overall, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant day within the castle walls at all, costing the yers who wanted to use this time to socialize and build important connections to suffer a major loss. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) After the curfew was lifted, Leo began leisurely wandering the pce walls with his hands behind his back, as he enjoyed the scenery while also thinking about his future simultaneously. He was looking for a prominent merchant or some other guest involved in trade that he could make acquaintances with, as while he understood how to y the persona of the number one yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, his future role as the merchant Leo Skyshard gave him anxiety. He wasn¡¯t a genius businessman, nor was he a sly talker. While ying the role of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ came naturally to him, as he was inherently narcissistic and arrogant. He wasn¡¯t someone with a glib tongue that could help secure favorable business deals and hence he actively searched for a merchant to tie up with in this royal setting, as he needed at least some base to begin his future project with. ¡°Hey, Jin Mu-¡± suddenly a voice said from behind him, as Leo turned to see that it was a smiling Lin Mu standing behind him. ¡°Ohhh Lin-¡± he said with a smile under his mask, as his virtual sister excitedly walked up to him. Although she said nothing, for the fear of being overheard by some Royal Guard, the excitement in her eyes was a story and a half in itself, as Lin Mu seemed to be beyond ted. ¡°Walk with me-¡± Leo said, realizing that they needed to move to a more secure ce, as Lin Mu began to happily skip her legs and walk beside Leo, as the two went to obscure corners of the pce where nobody was looking over them. Once, they felt secure that nobody was looking over them, Lin Mu finally spoke in a hushed voice ¡°They have decided to let the matter go for now, so I¡¯m free-¡± she said with a smile on her face, as Leo shook his head. ¡°I made it back to my room safely too. Somehow, so I guess your n worked in the end¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu gave him a bear hug, not being able to contain her happiness. ¡°Thank you-, I thought all men were lecherous scum, but I guess you¡¯re different. I¡¯m so thankful that you saved me from pimping myself out, as I would never be the same, had I followed through with it. Now, the royal family has even offered me a deal, where in return for my silence regarding the matter of the Royal Counselor visiting me at night, they will help save the Mu n. Apparently they have already dispatched the Virex Corps for the same¡­.. so in the end it seems like everything has worked out for the best¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo felt very relieved to hear this. He felt happy to know that the threat of arrest no longer loomed over him as had Lin Mu gotten arrested for the incident, his own safety from charges would bepromised, as her testimony could directly implicate him in the crime. Thankfully, such a grim reality did note to pass and Lin Mu even managed to secure the safety of the Mu n in return for her silence, which was what she wanted in the first ce. ¡°Jin¡­. I know this may sound abrupt, but I think I want to marry you-¡± Lin Mu said, out of the blue, as she looked directly into Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡°What? Bruh, we are siblings, siblings-¡± Leo said, sounding disgusted as he pushed Lin Mu a few centimeters away from him, refusing her hug. ¡°No we are not! We are only siblings in name¡­. You are from the branch family and I¡¯m from the main family. We will not find amon ancestor even if we go back six generations¡± Lin Mu said angrily, as she seemed angry at Leo for pushing her away. ¡°No! No! No! No! No!¡± Leo said, shaking his head violently as an image of Amanda shed in his head. ¡°There¡¯s already someone I love¡­. And I won¡¯t betray her-¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu puffed her cheeks in protest. ¡°Is she prettier than me? Or is she some high noble? I¡¯m the direct descendant of the Mu Patriarch, marrying me can make you the next Patriarch. Also I¡¯m very strong and talented just like you¡­.. we¡¯re the perfect match¡± Lin Mu said, trying to make her case, however, Leo was having none of it. ¡°Look Lin ¡­ Firstly yes, the girl I love is prettier than you, and I¡¯m not interested in you like that, so drop this topic¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu felt more annoyed than saddened at this rejection. In her head, she had already decided to make Leo her husband and was prepared to convert his rejection into eptance no matter how long it took. The intense moments that she had spent with him murdering the counselor had given her rity that Leo was indeed her ideal husband. He cared for her when no-one else did, and was ready to fight against the world for her, which was the only quality that mattered to her. Of Course the fact that he had a killer body and excellent skills also helped, however, they were secondary for her. ¡°Humph, you will ept me one day-¡± she said, as Leo sighed deeply. ¡°Alright, forget about that for now and tell me if you know any good merchants here, I need to develop a trade link as a favor for a friend¡± Leo said, as he desperately tried to change the topic, however, he did not expect Lin Mu to actually have a good lead. ¡°You¡¯re looking for a merchant to form a connection with? What for exactly?¡± She asked, as Leo raised his eyebrows under his mask and began to exin his situation to her. ¡°I have a close friend that I owe a favor to. He has a small capital of a few thousand gold coins to start a business, but doesn¡¯t understand the first thing about business. So I¡¯m hoping to secure a lead for him. If there are products that are only avable in one corner of the empire and can be purchased for cheap there, but are selling for high price in the capital, then I need insights into such products so that I can pass them on to him¡± Leo said, as Lin Mu listened to the nature of his request and smiled. ¡°I know the form for many of the night guilds¡¯ secret poisons. If my dear Jin wants them, then I can pass them on to you, so that you can pass them on to your friend, who can then manufacture and sell them to any apothecary stores¡± Lin Mu said, as she gave Leo an invaluable business idea. ¡± Oh?¡­. That¡¯s interesting¡± Leo thought, as he realized that he could also mass produce the potions that Ben taught him to brew and the smoke bombs, which can then be sold to the masses. ¡°Yes, also the man you¡¯re looking for is the White Tiger groups merchant leader, Shane Emerald, he runs thergest apothecary chain in the Unity Empire, so partnering up with him will give your friends business a flying start. If I¡¯m not wrong, I saw him at the G yesterday night, so there is a good chance he¡¯s still around here somewhere¡± Lin Mu said, as Leo beamed brightly listening to her words. ¡°Thank you so much Lin, I¡¯ll go find Shane now¡± Leo said, walking away happily, as he began looking for Shane Emerald. Watching him move in such high spirits, Lin Mu felt satisfied internally, as for her, the happiness of her to be husband was the only goal in her life now, apart from the destruction of the Night Guild. Chapter 227: Meeting Shane Chapter 227: Meeting Shane Shane Emerald was a very enigmatic businessman. Contrary to the nobles, his demeanor and aura were notably different. While the nobles wore their wealth like armor, showing off expensive robes and extravagant essories that served no practical use, Shane¡¯s understated elegance suggested a confidence borne not of heritage but of hard-won achievements. As Leo finally spotted him within the Royal Pce, he could immediately notice that Shane was different from the surrounding nobles he was chatting with by a mile. His smile was sparing but genuine, and his eyes, sharp and assessing seemed to miss nothing¡ªa stark contrast to the often dismissive gazes of the blue-blooded elite. Raised in the merchant quarters of the Lower Fifth District, Shane¡¯s beginnings were humble, a world away from the gilded corridors of power he now navigated with ease. His father, while a skilled apothecary who instilled in him a love for the trade, only ran a single store in StrongHaven City and it was Shane¡¯s own vision that helped transform a single storefront into thergest apothecary chain in the Unity Empire. He leveraged his deep understanding of the supply chains and his keen sense for market trends to establish trade links that were both lucrative and, often, exclusive. His ascent had of course not been without its fair share of challenges. The business world was cutthroat, and Shane learned about the need to mask his intentions behind a veneer of affability. Each smile and handshake that he made was calcted; every alliance, meticulously nned. This meticulous attention to detail and a relentless drive to seed set him apart from his peers, making him a legend among the merchant ss. His business empire was not built on transactions alone but on transformations¡ª as he made most of his wealth by turning underperforming assets into gold mines and identifying market gaps before they became apparent to others. It was this knack for predicting market fluxes that made his partnerships highly sought after, with his endorsement having the power to make or break fortunes. As Leo approached Shane Emerald, he could see a flicker of recognition¡ªand perhaps confusion¡ªpass over the merchant¡¯s face. Shane was well-acquainted with the profiles of notable figures in the Unity Empire, but seeing ¡®TheBoss¡¯, a notorious loner from the Grand Tournament, seeking him out was unexpected. ¡°Please excuse me for a moment-¡± Shane said, as he excused himself from the baron he was talking with and extended his hand towards Leo with a warm smile on his face. ¡°Mr. ¡®TheBoss¡¯, I must admit, I¡¯m surprised to see you here,¡± Shane began, his tone a mixture of intrigue and caution. ¡°It¡¯s not every day that a top contender of the Tournament seeks out a humble merchant like me. May I say, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you in the quarterfinals tomorrow. You have quite a few supporters amongst the merchant circles; we admire someone who can shake things up.¡± Leo was momentarily taken aback by Shane¡¯s savvy. Not only was Shane up-to-date with the happenings of the Tournament, but he also knew exactly how to tter an ego like TheBoss¡¯s. Leo¡¯s gaming persona was crafted to be unapproachable and self-sufficient, yet here was Shane, effortlessly bridging the gap with a few well-chosen words. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Emerald. The support of yourmunity means a lot,¡± Leo responded, mirroring Shane¡¯sposed demeanor, as he did not stutter at all. ¡°Since you¡¯re a businessman, I¡¯ll give you a tip to make money. Go bet big on me tomorrow, I¡¯m sure to win my fight¡± Leo said, as he warmly shook Shane¡¯s hand as he projected his usual confidence. ¡°Hahahaha. Confident just like the rumors say¡­.. it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you-¡± Shane said, feeling impressed by Leo¡¯s confidence, as his experience in life taught him that it was always people confident in themselves and their abilities that were worth allying yourself with. ¡°So, how can I help you?¡± Shane said, picking up the hint that Leo wanted something to do with him, since he exclusively sought him out. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m here on a different sort of mission today. It¡¯s not for me but a close friend of mine that I owe a favor to- He wants to venture into the business world¡± Leo began, as Shane¡¯s expression shifted from polite interest to keen attentiveness. ¡°Business, you say? Now that¡¯s a conversation I¡¯m always ready for. What brings your friend into the world of trade?¡± Shane inquired, as Leo expressed the idea he had in mind for the start of his business empire. ¡°My friend has learnt some unique poison recipes, from very questionable sources, but the effects of those recipes are undeniable. Love potions, poisons, smoke bombs, constitution enhancement drugs¡­.. he is dabbling in a variety of products that are not currently avable on the market, whose ingredients are unique and can help substitute traditional products you are selling. If you can sit down to have a chat with him someday, I¡¯ll be grateful for your help¡± Leo said, as he subtly hinted that he would be in Shane¡¯s debt if he did him this favor. ¡°Oh? I see¡­.¡± Shane said, furrowing his brows, as he began contemting Leo¡¯s proposal. ¡°To be honest, I get such proposals everyday¡­. No offense to you or your friend, but, every other day someonees to me with the substitute form of the products I sell and they are either not viable in terms of cost, or inferior in end quality. But, I¡¯m not someone who would not look at a new business opportunity with an open mind, and since your friend has such a credible reference in you- I¡¯ll meet him next week, about three days after the end of the grand tournament if it works for him¡± Shane proposed as he stroked his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll convey the message¡­.. Thank you so much. In the future I¡¯ve been offered the position of the Baron Of CrestHill Barony, so if you ever need me for something, I¡¯ll give your White Tiger Group affable treatment-¡± Leo said, as Shane almost coughed listening to Leo¡¯s words. ¡®CrestHill Barony? Is he stupid? That Barony is such a nightmare, I wouldn¡¯t manage it even if someone paid me for it¡¯ Shane thought, as his perception of Leo changed once more. ¡°Haha, that¡¯s so kind of you¡­.. Oh! Please excuse me for now, I have another important engagement, also, please ask your friend to visit me at my office in StrongHaven City¡± Shane said, as he smoothly ended his conversation with Leo. Unlike Leo who was clueless about the reality of Crest Hill Barony, Shane already possessed extensive knowledge about the Empire¡¯s geography and its best and worst performing economic sectors. The Crest Hill Barony was andlocked region, notorious not only for its poor soil andckluster trade routes but also for its history of economic stagnation. Historically, it was a region passed over by trade caravans due to its less essible location and the higher costs associated with transporting goods through its rocky terrain. The barony had never been self-sufficient, relying heavily on imports for both food and basic supplies, which drove up the cost of living and hindered any form of substantial economic growth. Its previous barons had struggled not just with cultivating its scant resources but also with attracting businesses or investors to the region. The local poption was sparse andrgely consisted of farmers who grappled with the infertilend, yielding crops that were barely enough to sustain the small popce. Additionally, the barony had minimal political leverage within the empire, as it offered little to no strategic value in terms of military or trade advantages. Shane, well-versed in the economic pulses of the Unity Empire, was immediately aware of these challenges. In his eyes, taking on the Crest Hill Barony¡ªeven with noble intentions¡ªwas a setup for inevitable failure, or at best, a career covered in struggles with minimal rewards. His perception of Leo, while respectful of his prowess as a fighter, now included a note of caution about his judgment in real-world affairs. From a businessman¡¯s perspective, Crest Hill offered no viable opportunities for substantial investments or developments. It was a region that had been offered up to many ambitious nobles in the past, all of whom had found themselves overwhelmed by the economic woes and bureaucratic challenges that gued the barony and Leo having epted such an offer made Shane question his potential as a reliable economic partner. Unaware of Shane¡¯s thoughts however, Leo was simply happy to have secured a business meeting with him, as he nned to brew some of his best items for presentation before meeting Shane in theing week. To him, Shane looked like a smart and reliable businessman, partnering with whom could jump-start his merchant career. Unfortunately, he did not fully understand what it took to be a sessful merchant yet, as having a good product and good connections was not even the bare minimum. Business acumen, ambition and cut-throat business practices was what made a great merchant, and Leo was yet to develop any of those traits. Chapter 228: Logging Out Chapter 228: Logging Out The day after the Royal G was chaotic, however, it ended fast. While the only significant meeting on Leo¡¯s end was his interaction with Shane, Luke and Cervantez had many other important conversations as they fraternized with nobles whom they could not meet yesterday. Soon it was time for dignitaries to leave and yers to undergo their second night¡¯s curfew, as the moment they were locked inside the rooms once again, all yers got the system reminder to log-out of the game. The 24 hour grace period that they had received had finally run out and everyone was forced to return to reality once again. ************* ( Leo¡¯s POV, The Arc Ship, Sector D ) As Leo opened his eyes in the living room, he saw the frowning faces of Luke and Amanda standing over his head, as apparently both of them seemed to be waiting for him to log out. ¡°I can exin-¡± Leo said immediately, panic etched into his face, as Luke shook his head and walked away. Leo¡¯s panicked and guilty expression told him everything he needed to know, as if there was even a shadow of a doubt left in his mind before this, he no longer doubted it anymore. ¡°So it is you¡­.. THE LEO SKYSHARD IN THE GAME IS YOU-¡± Luke shouted, as Amanda looked towards him in anger and said ¡°Of course it¡¯s him? Who else would enter Leo Skyshard as their gaming ID, duh?¡± Both of them looked extra snappy today, and as Amanda made thisment, Luke red towards her warningly, however, said nothing, out of respect for her gender. ¡°Wait! Wait! I can exin¡­. I can exin¡± Leo said, pushing his both hands outwards, as he stood between Luke and Amanda, trying to calm them down, before a major fight broke out. Simultaneously, both Luke and Amanda folded their hands, waiting for Leo to exin, as Leo nervously began narrating his story. ¡°When I first logged into the game and they prompted us to choose a username, I assumed it had to be our real name, so I over-thought it,¡± Leo exined, his words tumbling out in haste. ¡°I immediately regretted it once I realized my mistake, but I was too embarrassed to admit that I had foolishly used my actual name as my gaming ID, which is why I lied about it,¡± he confessed, revealing the origins of his gaming alias. ¡°I really never meant to deceive either of you, it¡¯s just that this NPC I met called me Lin Mu when I refused to tell her my real name and since then it¡¯s been the alias I¡¯ve been using inside the game. I don¡¯t tell anyone I¡¯m Leo Skyshard, I just say I¡¯m Lin Mu-¡± Leo said, as Luke shook his head and could not believe a word of the garbage he was listening to. ¡°How can you lie to me Leo? I¡¯m your brother! When I explicitly tell you to give me your gaming ID, how can you lie to me?¡± Luke said, sounding offended, as Leo felt his heart pinch at this remark. If there was anyone in the world, Leo never wanted to be untruthful to, it was Luke and it stinged his heart that he had to lie to his beloved brother. ¡°Forget about the alias, I don¡¯t care if your name is Jin Mu, or Mu Kyu, or Balls On Walls. How can you be so dumb as to put your real name ID as your profile name? Do you even understand how there are several individuals and especially thirsty women who have already identified your real identity based on your name? You want to get hit on by all those women? Is that why you did this? For attention?¡± Amanda said, sounding extremely upset and angry, as Leo felt attacked for no reason. Agreed, he was dumb to put in his real name as his second gaming ID, however, he never did it for the purpose of getting more attention from the opposite gender. ¡°Thirsty women? That¡¯s not even half of it, our supervisor, our colleagues, people in sector S and A, everyone knows your identity now. You absolute fool. You cannot go to work now without facing extreme heckling¡± Luke said, as he looked at his clock and realized that it was almost time to report for work. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable¡­..¡± both Luke and Amanda said together, as they shook their heads and expressedmon disapproval of Leo. For a moment, Leo felt remorseful and guilty, as he hung his head in shame, however, as a few awkward seconds of silence passed, his internal thoughts took a turn towardsedy. He couldn¡¯t help butugh at the thought of how he was trying to be discreet in the game and on the arc ship until now, to hide the true nature of his identity as ¡®The Boss¡¯ and how suddenly, he had now identally turned himself into the gossip centerpiece. ¡®Next up: Leo Skyshard mugs, t-shirts, andmemorative tes!¡¯ He thought wryly as despite the seriousness of the situation, Leo couldn¡¯t help but find humor in his own folly, wondering if this was howic relief characters felt when they bumbled their way through the plot twists of life. ¡°Guys, I think we might be gettingte for roll-call¡± Leo suggested, trying to lighten the mood, however, his words were only met with a collective ¡°SHUT-UP¡± ¡°You¡¯re using MP today and not showing up for work. Let me and Amanda first survey how safe it is for you to actually get out-¡± Luke said, as Amanda nodded and agreed with his words. ¡°Let me make sure some lecherous bitch doesn¡¯t just start pinning you against a wall and kissing you-¡± she said furiously, as Leo felt his left eye flutter at her weird imagination. Since the two of them had given their verdict, Leo now had no other choice but to obey, as he silently lowered his head and epted his fate of staying at dorm for the day. Chapter 229: Unwanted Approach Chapter 229: Unwanted Approach ( Luke¡¯s POV ) As Luke and Amanda rushed to work, their worst fears were immediately realized when the people around them recognised the pair as Leo¡¯s acquaintances. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you the guys who always hang out with the number two yer Leo Skyshard? Where is he? Where is Leo?¡± ¡°Do you know what his secret is? If you tell me what his secret is, I¡¯ll spend MP to buy you a delicious meal¡­Did you know that they have Pizza¡¯s in this arc ship? For 0.4MP you can have a nice warm pizza~ Tell me his secret and I¡¯ll share half with you-¡± ¡°Heyya girl~ aren¡¯t you the pretty one that Leo hangs out with everyday¡­.. is he your man? If not please introduce me to him, do this sister a favor¡± Luke and Amanda became practically buried in requests almost as soon as they showed up for work and they weren¡¯t even Leo himself. Thankfully, the two of them had the foresight to force Leo to take a leave of absence for the day, as there was no way in hell that this wild crowd was ever going to leave him in one piece without trying to figure out the reason behind why he suddenly shot up to the number two spot in the rankings had he shown up for work today. In reality, not even Luke or Amanda knew why Leo suddenly shot up to the number two spot, as during the limited conversation that they had, they could not ask Leo about it and hence when the two of them said that they had no idea about any of Leo¡¯s secrets, they were actually not lying at all. ¡°SILENCE, EVERYONE, SILENCE-¡± The sector C supervisor finally screamed, when things seemed to be getting out of control, as the entry of Luke and Amanda in the attendance queue seemed to have disrupted operationspletely. He had not faced such pure chaos ever before, as usually everyone took their work behavior very seriously and tried not to antagonize their superior. ¡°Nobody will bother those two about Leo Skyshard anymore. My attendance register shows that Leo has taken a leave of absence today and we will end today¡¯s topic at that. Now queue up properly and in pin drop silence, or else I shall start deducting performance grades¡± The supervisor threatened as the sector D workers instantly fell back in queue once threatened with performance grade deductions. Thankfully, his timely intervention saved Luke and Amanda from awkward interactions with the crowd, as many around them did not seem prepared to believe that they genuinely had no idea as to what Leo¡¯s secret was, and seemed to be ready to resort to extreme measures to get Luke and Amanda to admit it. With the supervisor¡¯s intervention however, things became orderly once again, as the queue moved forward and everyone was assigned their roles for the day. ¡°Luke¡­ my best worker¡­. Stay around for a bit longer, I¡¯ll assign you your workter¡± the supervisor said when it was Luke¡¯s turn for roll call, as he gave him a side wink while muttering these words. Luke cringed internally when he saw this, as he understood that the supervisor wanted a favor from him, however, he was helpless to deny his request. Obediently waiting on a side, Luke received disdainful gazes from the rest of his sector D workers, who were now convinced that he was a power whore who had sold out to the supervisor in exchange for his own safety. While the supervisor let even Amanda go, he held Luke back till the end, as only after the two of them were alone, did he reveal his true intentions. ¡°Luke, my most valuable worker¡­. Have I told you how much I appreciate your work?¡± The supervisor said, grinning widely towards Luke, as somehow his selfish smile made Luke¡¯s stomach churn in disgust. ¡°While the others might not notice, I certainly notice on this roll call list that your name is listed as ¡®Luke Skyshard¡¯ as in the same ¡®Skyshard¡¯ as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and the two of you seem to be acquainted as well. Which leads me to believe that you are brothers¡­.¡± The supervisor said, as Luke let out a deep sigh. Shifting ufortably on his feet, Luke looked around, as the emptiness of the attendance ground around him coupled with this intense conversation, made him feel exposed. He was indeed Leo¡¯s brother and denying it outright would be stupidity, however, he did not wish to admit it either as he nervously tried to avoid eye-contact, hoping to deflect the underlying question in the supervisor¡¯s statement. The supervisor continued, seemingly oblivious to Luke¡¯s difort. ¡°Imagine, Luke, what a little bit of shared knowledge could do for your standing here. Leo¡¯s secrets, his strategies¡ªjust think about the doors that could open for you.¡± Luke maintained a neutral expression when he heard this statement, though his mind raced in panic. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, sir. I really don¡¯t have any special information.¡± He said, hoping to end the conversation here, however, failing to do so. The supervisor smiled listening to his response, as he continued in a silky smooth tone ¡°Oh,e now, Luke. A smart man like you? You should KNOW how much I can help you. Perfect evaluations everyday¡­. The best and easiest deployments¡­. I can do a lot for you-¡± he paused, letting the implication hang in the air for a moment before adding, ¡°There could be a nice bonus in it for you. Or perhaps some other perks you¡¯d find¡­ beneficial.¡± He said, his gaze suggesting an array of unspoken promises, each one more enticing than thest, prompting Luke to take a deep breath, as he chose his next words carefully. ¡°Honestly, sir, I don¡¯t have the insights you think I do. Leo hasn¡¯t shared those with me yet-.¡± Luke confessed, as he tried to decline the supervisor¡¯s offer as politely as he could. The supervisor studied him for a long moment and then nodded slowly. ¡°Very well, Luke, I¡¯ll not pestet you anymore today. But remember, my offer stands. Should you find yourself remembering something worthwhile, you know where to find me.¡± He said, before walking away as Luke felt the weight of the conversation settling on his shoulders. The patience of the supervisor was thin and while he met Luke today dangling the carrot with patience. Should Luke not cooperate with him, he would soon use the stick and start reducing his evaluations on purpose. Because of Leo, he now found himself in deep, tricky waters that undoubtedly needed to be traversed very carefully. ¡®Oh Leo, what a mess have you created?¡¯ Luke wondered, as he felt enraged at Leo¡¯s stupidity for creating a gaming ID under his real name. He tried to justify Leo¡¯s decision with a rational mind, however, no matter how hard he tried to justify it, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that his brother was truly dumb for creating a gaming ID under his real name, as no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t justify Leo¡¯s choice at all. ¡®Well, now I understand why you lied to me saying your name is Jin Mu¡­.. although it sounds like a name for a fat panda, it¡¯s still better than using your real name for your gaming ID¡¯ Luke thought, as he came to terms with why Leo lied to him previously. Chapter 230: Cervantez confronts Leo Chapter 230: Cervantez confronts Leo ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez thought long and hard about how ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ suddenly shot up through the ranks bing the second ranked yer and somehow he could not digest this sudden rise at all. In his past life, he had never seen Leo Skyshard bing a prominent yer¡­. Having never entered the top200 rankings, much less the top2. However, in his past life he did remember a yer named ¡®SkyMerchant¡¯ who did suddenly shoot up through the ranks around this time. Albeit not top2, that yer was also decently ced in the rankings, especially considering how he was not a fighter ss yer but rather a rare trader ss yer. yers belonging to the Trader and Craftsmanship sses typically leveled up through major quests, rather than by umting experience from defeating monsters. These yers usually received experience in lump sums uponpleting specific milestone quests, rather than daily monster killing, with the milestone quests looking like- ¨C Forging 100 epic-ranked items for a +10 level increase. ¨C Completing 100 item trades for a +2 level increase. Over time, the requirements and rewards of these quests escted, progressing from 100 items to 1,000 and then to 10,000, with corresponding increases in level rewards. And hence for such yers, consistency and dedication were more crucial than brief moments of brilliance. For Cervantez, if Leo also turned out to be a ¡®Trader¡¯ ss yer who had justpleted a major milestone quest, resulting in a level boost of 30-50 levels, then his sudden rise could be eptable as although he was ranked number two now, it might take him another year or so toplete another major milestone, potentially causing him to drop in the level rankings over time. ¡®Interesting¡­.. SkyLion¡­.SkyMerchant¡­. I was a fool to not spot the simrity-¡® Cervantez thought, as he decided to confront Leo at once about the spection in his head. Cervantez assumed that Leo would be staying back at his dorm to avoid the mess of showing up to work and decided to confront him there, as setting sector D as his destination he began riding on his arc-ship internal transport vessel, with the intention of confronting Leo about his secrets. ********** ( Sector D, Leo¡¯s dorm ) Leo felt bored alone back at the dorm, as he tried to distract himself from the loneliness by focusing on sketching in his art book. With his mind being cluttered by a thousand different problems, he found his shading to be not as precise and beautiful as usual as he could not wholeheartedly enjoy the drawing he was making either. ¡°Such a shit day¡­.¡± He murmured to himself, cringing and curling himself into a ball, as he regretted choosing his second gaming name as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. ¡°What was I even thinking? Now I have to deal with all this unwanted mess as well-¡± He said, as he genuinely felt like pping himself over this matter. *Knock* *Knock* *Ding Dong* Suddenly, he was jolted back to reality from the realm of regret when he heard a soft knock on his door which was followed by a door bell. Immediately, the sound of the doorbell caused his heart to race a little, as on the arc ship, rarely did he ever have any visitors and especially never during active work hours. ¡°Who is it?¡± Leo said loudly after walking up to the door, as an answer of ¡°It¡¯s me¡­ Cervantez¡± came from the other side. ¡°Nobody¡¯s home¡­. Come backter-¡± Leo said shamelessly, not wanting to talk to the DarkSky guild master, however, as Cervantez refused to budge and kept knocking, Leo eventually let him in. ¡°Tiny¡­.¡± Cervantez said, scanning Leo¡¯s apartment, as instantly his attitude annoyed Leo who popped a vein. ¡°Oh yeah? What brings your majesty to this tiny and humble abode today¡­. Please don¡¯t make yourself at ho- Nevermind, you¡¯re a kind host even though you¡¯re a pain to talk to. So yeah, wee in. Do make yourself at home¡± Leo said, as he was about to taunt Cervantez and make him feel unweed when he suddenly realized that Cervantez always treated him and Luke with kindness whenever they visited his home in sector S, and hence immediately altered his sentence. Although he had some personal beef with Cervantez, he did acknowledge the fact that the guy was solid overall and a gentleman in mannerisms. While Leo did dislike him, he couldn¡¯t hate the guy as in the end, Cervantez was indeed a ss act. ¡°My apologies if the ¡®Tiny¡¯ment offended you¡­. It was merely an observation, however, I can see how it may have been inconsiderate of me to say something like that-¡± Cervantez said, as Leo shook his head in dismay. The guy sounded so genuine in his apology and hence even if Leo tried to be mad at him, he couldn¡¯t help but stay mad as he offered Cervantez a seat in the living room lounge. ¡°So¡­ what brings you here today?¡± Leo asked Cervantez, who looked back towards him with a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°I think you know why I am here¡­.¡± Cervantez said, as Leo shrugged his shoulders in response. It was actually pretty obvious why he was here, however, Leo did not wish to rify anything about his sudden rise. ¡°Look, if you¡¯re here to ask me about the secret to my sudden rise, I¡¯m going to have to politely declined you¡­.. what I do in the game is my business, I¡¯m not a part of your guild and although I appreciate the rtionship between you and my brother, I still won¡¯t reveal my cards to you-¡± Leo said, as Cervantez shook his head in denial. ¡°I¡¯m not here to ask you about your sudden rise¡­.I¡¯m not interested in the secrets of the Trader ss-¡± Cervantez said, as Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. He had not yet revealed to anyone that his ID ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was a merchant by profession and hence Cervantez guessing it correctly sent goosebumps down his spine. ¡°I am right¡­. Ain¡¯t I? Hahahaha- it makes sense, everything makes sense¡± Cervantez said as a satisfied smile spread on his face. He had a rough theory that the yer ¡®Sky Merchant¡¯ in his past life could be Leo, because of the simrity to the name ¡®Sky Lion¡¯, however, he wasn¡¯t sure about it up till now. However, Leo¡¯s surprised reaction told him everything that he needed to know as looking at his reptilian skin and constricted pupils, Cervantez felt sure that he had indeed guessed correctly. ¡°How did you know?¡± Leo asked, his initial surprise turning into a frown, as Cervantez¡¯s gleeful smile spread even wider. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious actually, only a trader ss or craftsman ss yer suddenly gains 30 to 50 levels when theyplete a major quest. Because unless you killed a mythical dragon or something, which is highly unlikely, I don¡¯t think you can gain so many levels at once as a fighter ss yer. So my assumption was based on my understanding of the mechanics of the game¡± Cervantez said, as Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise once again. Cervantez was indeed a master of Terra Nova Online when it came to understanding game mechanics, as the sort of insights he derived from random events was far beyond what the average yer could think of. ¡°Well¡­. You¡¯re right, I¡¯m a merchant¡± Leo admitted, as he found no point in lying to Cervantez about his yer ss when it was something that was bound to be revealed with time anyways. ¡°Hahahaha, so that¡¯s why you did not want to join the DarkSky guild, because although you picked up dagger skills, you¡¯re not actually a fighter¡­. Everything makes sense now-¡± Cervantez said, as he derived his own reasoning for why Leo did not wish to join the DarkSky Guild, as Leo maintained a straight face as Cervantez deluded himself. ¡°Well, I think this is for the best¡­. I needed a reliable merchant to partner with in the next phase of my n anyways, and you will do nicely-¡± Cervantez said, as Leo raised an eyebrow to his words, but still nodded his head. At this point, he was willing to add as many reliable trading partners as he could and if the DarkSky guild wanted to partner up with him, then it was something he was ready to do, as even though he did not trust Cervantezpletely, he had faith that his brother would not let him be cheated. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal¡­. I¡¯ll give you the exclusive rights to my Barony¡¯s silver trade, which will be worth millions of gold coins every month. However, in return you have to do me one favor-¡± Cervantez said, as he offered Leo a big incentive, however, there seemed to be an equally big caveat attached to it. ¡°Oh yeah? And what do you want in return?¡± Leo asked, as Cervantez cracked his neck and looked Leo dead in the eyes. ¡°I want ¡®TheBoss¡¯. I know you have a special rtionship with him¡­.¡± Chapter 231: Pandemonium Chapter 231: Pandemonium ¡°Oh yeah? And what do you want in return for this huge favor?¡± Leo asked, knowing full well, that for a favor as big as the one Cervantez was offering, the catch had to be equally big as well. ¡°I want ¡®TheBoss¡¯. I know you have a special rtionship with him¡­.¡± Cervantez said, as Leo felt his heart skip a beat when he heard those wordsing out of Cervantez¡¯s mouth. Even if the secret of him being the number two yer Leo Skyshard was exposed to the world, the link between him and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ remained as elusive as ever. For Cervantez to ascertain that he had a special rtionship with ¡®TheBoss¡¯, meant that he knew something that Leo could not even imagine. ¡®If he figures out that my other identity is ¡®TheBoss¡¯, then my life would end right here. I haven¡¯t even had sex yet¡­. I don¡¯t want to die a virgin¡¯ Leo thought as he nervously nced at the ankle bracelet on his body. If his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were to be exposed here, the bracelet would instantly electrocute him, ending his life, as this grim consequence made Leo feel extremely ufortable, given the dangerous turn the conversation was taking. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean, I have no idea who The Boss is, nor do I have any link with him-¡± Leo said, shrugging his shoulders as he lied with a straight face. Unfortunately for him however, Cervantez was not willing to back down on this subject, as he had a distinct hunch that Leo was definitely connected with ¡®The Boss¡¯. In his past life, there were only two yers that ¡®The Boss¡¯ actively engaged in conversation with and one of them was the merchant ss yer ¡®Sky Merchant¡¯, who Cervantez now presumed to be ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ in this life. Since he was convinced that the Sky Merchant from his past life was the same yer as Leo, he was confident in his hypothesis that Leo had a special rtionship with ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and was one of the only two yers who could actually contact the elusive boss at will. If Leo could somehow help convince ¡®The Boss¡¯ to join his DarkSky guild, then Cervantez felt confident in conquering the entire Terra Nova world with his backing. ¡®The Boss¡¯ in Terra Nova was more than just a talented yer. He was a brand of his own. While every other yer in the game was given tags like ¡®The best berserker¡¯, ¡®The best Knight¡¯, ¡®The best swordsman¡¯ etc. The Boss was given the tag of ¡®The best yer¡¯ as in the eyes of the masses, he was a cut above everyone else. For Cervantez, having such a yer as a member of the DarkSky guild meant that he could portray his guild as the one-stop solution for any yer wanting to reach the highest summit. With all the best talent in the game converging into ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild, Cervantez hoped to clear all the difficult quests that were bound to show up in the game during theter stages and somehow rise to be the Emperor of Unity Empire one day. However, for all his future ns to seed and for all the best talents to converge under his banner, the joining of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in his guild was critical, as he was the symbol of solo yers, who gave hope to the masses that they did not need to join a big organization to be sessful. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t force you, however, let¡¯s assume that you have the opportunity to someday convince ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to join my guild¡­ then I¡¯d suggest that you take it. If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ joins me via your reference, I¡¯ll give you the exclusive rights to sell all silver mined in my territory, helping you earn hundreds of thousands of gold coins a month¡± Cervantez said, as while he did not exin how he knew that Leo had a connection with ¡®The Boss¡¯ since exining it would reveal his biggest secret. He instead kept the offer of Leo recruiting him open for the future. ¡°Keep it in mind, will you?¡± He followed up, as Leo nodded his head calmly. ¡°Sure, if I ever have the chance to meet him, I¡¯ll convey your message¡± Leo said, as he actedpletely nonchntly, even though he was rattled internally. Thankfully, Cervantez did not seem to doubt that he was ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ so any other assumptions he made could be dismissed as unfounded without sufficient evidence. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for me then, I guess. Thank you for having me over,¡± Cervantez said as he shook Leo¡¯s hand and started walking towards the door. ¡°Hey, Cervantez¡­¡± Leo called out, stopping him just as he was about to leave, as Cervantez turned to face him with one eyebrow raised inquisitively. ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked, curious, as Leo shed him a wide smile with a mischievous glint. ¡°Hope you get your number two spot back soon,¡± Leo said, subtly reminding Cervantez that he was no longer the second-ranked yer in the game, to deliberately rub in the fact that he had outdone the sector S resident. Irritated, Cervantez couldn¡¯t stop his right eye from twitching as Leo¡¯sment reminded him of the exact reason as to why he disliked Leo in the first ce. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get it back soon enough,¡± Cervantez retorted before walking out of Leo¡¯s apartment, leaving Leo all by himself once again. ************ ( Meanwhile back on Earth ) Elena hummed a cheerful tune as she seemed lost in the rhythm of her cooking with the enticing aroma of spices filling the cozy kitchen. It was a typical evening for her as she cooked dinner for herself and her husband, however, it was made better by the fact that the sky outside was clear today. Usually, Washington rarely got any sunlight at all, with dark storm clouds always covering the sky, however, today was one of those rare days when the sky was clear and the sun shined through, elevating her mood to cook. Elena skillfully maneuvered the sizzling pan, her hands dancing in time with the melody that yed from the small radio perched on the windowsill, as she danced lightly while cooking. With the sun streaming through the window and casting a warm, golden glow on the kitchen countertop that was cluttered with an assortment of cooking utensils, jars of spices, and ground meat, the atmosphere was pretty romantic, which turned on Jacob who was watching Elena dance and cook with joy. In this peaceful setting, Jacob couldn¡¯t resist joining in the harmony of the moment as he silently tiptoed into the kitchen with a yful grin spreading across his face. Without making a sound, he wrapped his arms around Elena, pulling her gently against his chest, as he used his lips to nt soft, affectionate kisses on her tender neck that made Elena giggle and blush as the sensation of being kissed made her spat momentarily pause in mid-air. ¡°Mmmhmm¡± Elena moaned in joy, as she let herself be loved by Jacob, before starting to giggle as he began to tickle her using his tongue. Everything seemed to be perfect and the world seemed to be a beautiful ce when suddenly, without any warning, the serene scene shattered. The floor beneath their feet trembled ominously, a low rumble escting into a violent shake within seconds as the kitchen utensils began ttering loudly as they toppled from the counter, crashing onto the tiled floor. ¡°Earthquake¡­.¡± Jacob said in panic, as he threw a quick nce at his natural disasters alert watch, and saw that the earthquake was a dangerous 9.5 magnitude menace. ¡°Jacob!¡± Elena cried out, her voiceced with fear, as the initial tremors grew stronger and the cracks in the apartment¡¯s ceiling grew wider. At that moment, Jacob being the ever quick thinker that he was snapped into action, as he knew that there was no time to spare. Had the earthquake been any weaker, Jacob would have attempted to evacuate the building, to get out of the second floor that they lived in and rush out into open ground, however, with the magnitude of the earthquake being 9.5, he did not wish to take such a risk. With no time to spare, he lifted Elena effortlessly onto his shoulders and dashed outside the kitchen. Maneuvering through the quaking kitchen, dodging falling pots and swinging cab doors, Jacob headed for the sturdy metal desk in the living room, a designated safe spot for emergencies like this. Almost throwing Elena under the desk, before joining himself, Jacob started to brace for impact, as he positioned his shoulders against the center of the desk, hoping to bear additional impact instead of Elena, should the apartmente crashing down on them. Almost immediately as they reached under the desk, the world around them turned chaotic as the ceiling ster cracked, sending dust and debris raining down on them and the lights in the apartment began flickering wildly before sumbing to darkness, leaving them in a trembling shadow. Elena screamed, her voice nearly drowned out by the sound of the building¡¯s anguished protests as she buried her face in Jacob¡¯s chest, seekingfort in his steady heartbeat amidst the pandemonium. Jacob wrapped his arms protectively around her, his body shielding hers from the smaller pieces of falling rubble as overhead, the beams holding the multi-storey apartment groaned ominously, threatening to break any second. A few seconds passed by and the Earthquake did not seem to subside at all, as after about a couple terrifying minutes, with a deafening crash,rge chunks of the ceiling began to copse, as the apartmentplex finally gave out to natural forces. The sturdy metal desk that they were hiding beneath vibrated with the impact of each hit, but it held firm, bing their only shield against the chaos above, as they could feel the higher stories of their apartmentplex crumbling down violently. Fear surged through the duo as their safe haven shrank with each passing second, with the rubble of the apartment piling higher around their shelter. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be buried alive¡­. There will be no way out for us from this mess¡­. It¡¯s not like there will be any rescue efforts made to save us-¡± Elena said in panic, as she feared the worst. To her, it seemed like the end was near. Chapter 232: Cultural Impact Chapter 232: Cultural Impact (Back in the game, Terra Nova Online) Every day in the world of Terra Nova was filled with adventure, yet on this day, the excitement among the yers was even higher than usual because it was the day when the quarterfinals of the grand tournament were to take ce. Every single NPC and yer who remotely cared about world affairs was talking about the quarter-final matchups and how they felt excited to see their preferred candidate win. The buzz had reached a fever pitch in Stronghaven, the capital city where the finals were set to unfold as from the bustling market squares to the ornate halls of the royal pce, every corner of the city was alive with anticipation. Thousands of migrants, both NPCs and yers belonging to other towns, had begun flocking to Stronghaven now, in anticipation to see either the quarter-finals, the semi-finals or the finals. ording to mass consensus, the quality of contestants this year was the best in thest two decades, as this year¡¯s tournament seemed to be creating a buzz that was almost unheard of before. The grand tournament had always been a big deal even before this year as the winner got one of their wishes granted from the Emperor himself, however, this year it feltrger than ever before. With all the drama involving royal academies and the rise of three general ss yers, this year¡¯s tournament saw the masses being invested in the oue for the first time ever as the crowd was genuinely divided about who they liked and who they disliked, with everyone having an opinion about every single fighter. With all the immigrants flocking to the capital, the local inns and taverns started to overflow with customers as the capital started to run out of space to amodate all the guests, giving some business savvy individuals a chance to turn their houses into temporary lodging for visitors for a small price. Depending on where one walked through in the city, they could find fan banners containing the faces of the contestants fluttering over the streets, with some depicting the fighters¡¯ most memorable moments from their previous fights. In all the posh areas, the face dominating the banners was that of Luke, as he was shown riding his Griffin mount toplete the tower challenge or standing tall with his shield and sword in hand like a regal knight. In these areas, the bias towards candidates from major academies was clear, as most who lived in such expensive neighborhood has some form of affiliation to the royal academies or aspired their next generation to join one. The banner fluttering outside the headquarters of the DarkSky guild was that of Cervantez and Luke, as both were shown standing in guild robes with their arms folded, in what was a show of strength for the masses and free marketing for the guild. However, the most visible hype was that of ¡®The Boss¡¯, as it was clear that he owned the streets of StrongHaven by a long shot. Street vendors sold cheap copies of the Virex mask that Leo wore, while children bought them en-mass and pretended to be ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was like a superhero for them at this point. In the underprivileged regions of the city, his banners flew outside almost all houses with slogans such as ¡®FUCK THE RICH¡¯ Or ¡®Unbroken¡¯ Written underneath. For yers who visited StrongHaven from other cities, they were shocked to see such hype for the Grand Tournament as they felt surprised to see that the quarter finalists were not just gaining fame over global chat forums, but were genuinely impacting the culture of a city too. As for the tickets to the quarter finals, they were the hottestmodity in all of Terra Nova at the moment, priced at a significant premium then their original selling price. The tickets had gone on sale exactly at midnight the previous day through many government stores and special sales booths throughout the city and were all sold out within minutes. Making the most of this opportunity, scalpers began doing brisk business, with tickets being resold at triple their original price, and yet, eager fans were willing to pay just to be part of the historic event. With rumors suggesting that many surprise important guests could be seated in the audience, there were many who were just attending to catch a glimpse of all the ¡®Masters¡¯ and famous celebrities who woulde to enjoy the Grand Tournament as the overall hype was insane. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- ( Ben¡¯s POV ) Just like the othermoners, Ben had honestly waited in line hours before the ticket booth opened just to purchase a legit ticket of his own. Though he could have easily stolen a ticket with his skills, or sneak into the arena without ever buying one, something about experiencing the tournament as one of the crowd appealed to him¡ª as it felt more genuine, more thrilling that way. As he clutched the ticket in his hand, a surge of pride mixed with a surprising dose of nerves washed over him. Ben knew, in the depths of his heart, that his disciple possessed the raw talent and irond determination needed to win the grand tournament, however, despite this assurance, a nagging anxiety tugged at his senses as he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of what-ifs that fluttered like moths around a me. The nervousness he felt manifested physically¡ªhis palms started to get sweaty, and there was a slight tremble in his hands every time he thought about the matches toe, which was silly because even when staring down the face of death, he had never broken a sweat or felt jittery. To calm down his nerves, he decided to stroll the city where the Royal Guards were apparently searching for him like hounds, however, he did not care about those weaklings at all. Unbothered, he even paused asionally to gaze upon the banners streaming from themp posts and balconies of people¡¯s houses, especially when those banners featured Leo. Seeing Leo¡¯s image in arger than life size¡ªd in the iconic Virex mask, with slogans like ¡®Unbroken¡¯ underneath ¡ªfilled Ben with an overwhelming sense of pride. He couldn¡¯t help but smile with his jitters momentarily forgotten as he witnessed the cultural impact his disciple had achieved. For him, Leo¡¯s impact on the masses was more important than sess in just another tournament, as in his view the chance to inspire a generation and be a role model was more important than winning matches and asking the emperor for wishes. This young man, who had once been nothing more than a hopeful novice under his guidance, was now a symbol of hope and defiance for the masses, and that was his biggest achievement in Ben¡¯s eyes. But although Ben¡¯s heart swelled with pride over whatever Leo had achieved so fat, the butterflies in his stomach persisted, a charming reminder of just how much he cared about his disciple, almost like he was his real father. Chapter 233: Atmosphere Chapter 233: Atmosphere ( Leo¡¯s POV ) On the day of the quarter-finals almost as soon as Leo logged back into the game, he was called for by the royal maid, who escorted him to the contestants carriage. A convoy of 8 carriages all guarded heavily by royal guards left the pce together, as it seemed like the Emperor did not wish for any morepses in security detail. Instead of sending out eight separate convoys, which was the usual norm, he concentrated them all into one single unit with eight times the security, as the march of the convoy towards the grand arena looked more like a legion marching rather than a security convoy moving. The convoy safely reached its intended destination a couple hours before the start of the grand tournament, as it seemed like nobody was foolish enough to attack the convoy of contestants this time around. Despite reaching the Grand Arena, a couple security officials stuck beside each contestant, as they were all seperated into individual warm-up rooms. ¡®Damn, even more waiting time¡­.¡¯ Leo cursed as he did not enjoy the empty time where he was not allowed to do anything much at all. When he had nothing to do, the nervousness and overthinking began to creep in, which threw him off his usual game of shy overconfidence. Deciding to have a bit of fun, Leo pointed towards the two guards assigned for his security detail that were silently standing in his waiting room as he said ¡°I¡¯m not in danger here gentlemen, I am the danger¡­.¡± The royal guards only blinked in confusion at his words however, as the joke seemed to havended t on them. Leo, however, beganughing at his own joke as he tried to brush off the growing anxiety with a bit of humor, so that the nerves did not get to him. ¡°What if I win this whole thing with some dull dumb move? How utterly mundane would that be? Imagine the disappointment of my fans,¡± he mused, striking a pose in front of the mirror as if he was rehearsing a dramatic finishing move. ¡°The Boss doesn¡¯t just win; he wins with style.¡± He said, spreading his arms wide and nodding his head as he talked to himself aloud. The two guards momentarily looked towards each other, wondering if Leo had finally lost his mind, however, they said nothing, as they let him psych himself up in peace. Leo paced back and forth in the waiting room to kill time with each step being an effort to turn his restless energy into a spark of excitement. ¡°No one¡¯s here for a snooze fest,¡± he reminded himself, smiling at the absurdity of his own nerves, as he vowed to bamboozle the crowd in the uing matches and cement himself as the number one yer. As the time to enter the arena drew closer, the distant sounds of the crowd began to seep through the walls, reminding Leo of the hundreds of thousands waiting to see him fight today. While he could not see it yet, the stands today werepletely different to the cluttered mess of the previous rounds, as unlike the smaller arena¡¯s that could house only a few thousand spectators, the Grand Arena was a well nned collosus that could hold hundreds of thousands at once. Here, the stands were distinctly divided into upper and lower pavillions, with the upper pavilions housing the nobles and the aristocrats, alongside the principals and teachers of various academies, Master Warriors, foreign dignitaries etc. The Emperor and his family, alongside the Kings of different races had VIP boxes of their own, where they seemed to be enjoying refreshments and beverages before the tournament began. The lower pavillions on the other hand were where the bulk of the spectators were seated, with there being a seperate section for fans of other races which had a seperate entrance of its own. In an arena of about 200,000 people, a single section of roughly 20,000 fans was reserved for fans of other races, where elves, barbarians, dwarves, beastmen and other racial groups living within the Empire sat forming their own cliques. The elves, beastmen and barbarians, who had a contestant from their race fighting in the quarter finals seemed to have turned out inrge numbers to support them, as although their overall numbers were less whenpared to the human crowd, they still chanted for their candidates loudly, to make sure that their voices were heard and their contestants knew that they had supporters in this hostile crowd too. As for the human crowd, they were undoubtedly the most rowdy bunch as the cheers they produced were the loudest, with them feeding off one another¡¯s energy to make the excitement and the buzz of the arena grow even louder. The sheer magnitude of the cheers and chants was so loud that the arena walls reverberated at times from the collective voices, and this was even before the tournament officially began. Somewhere in the lower stands, Ben sat with his arms folded as he waited for Leo to show up. Once again he was the first fighter for the day, as the Emperor seemed to have carefully picked him to be the first fight so that the crowd energy could be spiked from the very start. For the Emperor, the grand tournament was like a giant washing machine which washed all of his ipetencies under the guise of kindness and magnamity. Every year as the grand tournament rolled around, themoners forgot about their daily life struggles and started to debate about uing fighters and who should win and who should not. It was a circus, a distraction from things that really mattered, however, it was exactly what the Emperor wanted them to focus on. The grand tournament was one of the principal reasons behind why there had been no uprising and rebellion in the Empire so far, as it served as a circus that binded all people and pacified general anger. Chapter 234: Leo Vs Tracy (1) Chapter 234: Leo Vs Tracy (1) ( The Grand Arena ) As the time for the first match grew near, the crowd grew more and more restless as the tter of the crowd was only cut through, when the match announcer¡¯s voice rang throughout the massive Grand Arena. ¡°LADIES, GENTLEMEN, ORCS, DWARVES, ELVES, BEASTMEN¡­.. ARE YOU READYYYYY?¡± The announcer said excitedly, as his energetic voice only caused the crowd to respond with even louder cheers. ¡°The wait is finally over¡­.. it¡¯s time for the quarter finals to start. I wonder who would win? I wonder who would be that talented individual who would get one of their wishes fulfilled by our great Emperor Julien D Evanus? Who do you guys think will win?¡± The announcer said, as for a brief moment there was pure chaos in the crowd, with everyone chanting a different name, however, as a few seconds passed by, there was only one chant that resounded the loudest through the crowd. ¡°BOSS! BOSS! BOSS! BOSS!¡± The chants of ¡®Boss¡¯ reverberated throughout the arena as it became clear that he was the crowd favorite to win this tournament. The announcer, being an expert in crowd maniption, joined their chants of ¡®Boss¡¯, fanning the mes to make it even louder as his support made the crowd happy. ¡°I guess the audience is right. The first fight today is indeed scheduled between ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his enigmatic opponent the mighty Elf warrior ¡®TRACYYYYY-¡® ¡± He announced, as at the announcement of Tracy¡¯s name, the Elfmunity in the stands began beating war-drums, as they thummed a low rhythmic beat. ¡°Let¡¯s go Tracy!¡± *p* *p* *p* ¡°Let¡¯s go Tracy¡± *p* *p* *p* The Elves began supporting their lone candidate in this Grand Tournament, as their support was met with heavy Boo¡¯s and Jeers from the crowd. ¡°Introducing first, From The Elven Kingdom Vanaheim, The Archer blessed with the prodigal talent of the Elf God Ellivor himself. Please wee, Tracy Baldur¨C¡± The announcer said as Tracy walked out of the warm-up arena in full battle gear with a quiver full of arrows. She wore silver armor and matching silver boots which reflected the sunlight shining over the arena brightly. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* Shooting two arrows into the air, she hit the first arrow with the second mid-air, creating a massive explosion that rocked the entire arena. *KABOOM* The earth shook and the arena rumbled as Tracy entered the fighting stage in style. *BOOO* *BOOO* Faced with approximately 180,000 people Booing her, Tracy felt the pressure of not being the crowd favorite, as she felt 180,000 piercing gazes prating her back as she felt slightly nervous. Looking towards the small section of the crowd that hade to her support and were holding massive banners for her, Tracy waved happily to them and tried to ignore the hostilities from the humans. It was moments like these where the bias against the other races living inside unity Empire became evident, as the crowd Boo¡¯d Tracy not because she was a bad individual or a bad fighter, but just because she was not human, which made them prejudiced against her. As Tracy made her way towards the starting spot, the match official shook her hand and began exining the rules of the contest to her once again, while the match announcer continued with his announcement. ¡°Introducing next¡­..¡± As soon as the announcer said those words, the crowd erupted into an unprecedented cheer in anticipation for ¡®TheBoss¡¯, prompting the announcer to pause for a moment as he understood that nobody was listening to him anymore. ¡°Introducing next ¡­. The masked menace¡­. The one who has won the hearts of the masses¡­. The lethal fighter yet to break sweat in any of his fights. The Humiliator Of Geniuses The Pride Of The Commoners. PLEASE WELCOME THE BOSSSSSSSS¡± He said energetically, as Leo walked out into the arena with his arms spread wide. *Boss! Boss! Boss!* Cheers rained down on Leo from the crowd, as he felt like a God gracing his frantic believers with his presence. Thankfully, Leo had his face covered with a mask, as without it, the stupid grin that was spread across his face would have been exposed. He did not know when the cult-like following he had grew to such an unprecedented scale, however, as he walked out to the arena with over 180,000 people chanting for him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel goosebumps running down his spine. The atmosphere of the Grand Arena was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, as when 200,000 eyeballs fell on him, both hostile and loving, Leo could not help but feel as if he had achieved a big milestone in life, as he truly felt like he was ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Although there were thousands of eyes on him, Leo still tried to desperately scan the entire arena to get a glimpse of Ben, as of all the gazes wishing to meet his eyes, Leo only wished to match Ben¡¯s. While he could not find Ben in the crowd, he did make eye-contact with the Emperor when he was looking around, as the Emperor raised his wine cup towards Leo, prompting him to greet him back with a ¡®Thumbs up¡¯ sign. This casual interaction between Leo and the Emperor caught the eyes of many, as while Leo did it on the fly feeling overly confident¡­. Him giving thumbs up to the Emperor sent shockwaves through the nobility circle, who thought that there was some private dealing going on between Leo and the Emperor. Unlike Tracy, Leo made no shy moves that exploded into the sky, however, he began jumping on his designated starting spot as he loosened his muscles and assumed his signature fighting stance. ¡± Hello contestant, I¡¯ll be the match referee today¡­.. I expect a clean fight with no permanent injuries or deaths, so please refrain from causing permanent harm to your opponent. While it¡¯s not banned and won¡¯t get you disqualified, your opponent is also important for the future of this Empire and a valuable talent, so we hope that you don¡¯t harm her. That aside, this match can only be won via incapacitation or submission, since there will be no arena outs or any other special method of winning. Do you understand?¡± The match referee said, as he walked up to Leo and exined him the rules, to which Leo nodded and replied ¡°I understand-¡± Getting the acknowledgement that he needed, the referee walked away from Leo towards the center, as he prepared to announce the start of the fight. Chapter 235: Leo Vs Tracy (2) Chapter 235: Leo Vs Tracy (2) ¡°Contestants ready?¡± The match referee asked, as both Leo and Tracy nodded their heads in acknowledgement. ¡°Good luck, masked boy, you¡¯ll need it-¡± Tracy said confidently as she notched an arrow into her bow and pointed it straight towards Leo¡¯s head. ¡°Lol¡± Leo said out loud, as he dismissed the Elf¡¯s words like it meant nothing to him. ¡°BEGIN-¡± The referee announced, as Tracy let an arrow out towards Leo at blinding speed. *SWOOSH* *Clink* Blocking the arrow with his dagger, Leo deflected the blow as he dashed towards Tracy to shorten the gap between himself and her. Since Tracy was an archer, the longer distance between the two opponents was only ever going to work out in her favor, however, if he could close down the gap, Leo knew that the advantage would shift in his favor. He knew that Tracy¡¯s agility and precision made her a formidable opponent at range, but up close, her options would be severely limited, which was why he dashed towards her like a mad dog. Tracy, realizing Leo¡¯s strategy, swiftly repositioned herself, leaping backwards with grace and drawing another arrow from her quiver. She released it with pinpoint uracy, aiming for Leo¡¯s legs to slow his advance. *SWISH* *CLANG* Leo anticipated the trajectory of her shot and deflected it with a throw of his dagger. While he made it seem like a simple maneuver, in reality it was extremely difficult to hit a fast moving arrowhead precisely with a dagger throw, however, the kind of training that Ben had given him, made Leo capable of executing suchplex maneuvers with ease. ¡°Your uracy with daggers is better than I thought, however, there are always limitations to throwing projectiles versus shooting them¡± Tracy muttered, her confidence wavering slightly as she nocked another arrow. ¡°Says the one running away from me like a scared pussy cat¡­e face me with honor. Here kitty, kitty, kitty¡­.¡± Leo replied, as he mocked Tracy for being a scaredy cat from her foot movement which was constantly running away from Leo. ¡°Shut-up, don¡¯t you dare mock me by calling me a kitty cat¡­..¡± Tracy said, seething in rage as she took out a special ck colored arrow from her quiver. Chanting a quick incantation, Tracy began preparing a magic spell as her bow began to glow with a faint green light. Charging her special arrow with mana, Tracy released it towards Leo, however, almost as soon as it left her bow, the single ck arrow multiplied into a barrage of arrows, each one infused with elemental wind magic. The arrows streaked towards Leo, leaving trails of green energy in their wake, as Leo quickly calcted their trajectory, within a split second. Leo¡¯s instincts kicked in. He twisted and turned, his body to move out of the way of a majority of the arrows, while also using his dagger in a blur of movements as he deflected arrow after arrow. This was the final form of his reflex training with Ben, where Ben bombarded him daily with a constant barrage of daggers as he expected Leo to deflect and block them all. The audience gasped at this exchange, they had never seen someone defending against such a fast barrage with such precision, as Tracy used this time to regain the distance that Leo had covered towards her, as she ran further away. Surprisingly, even when dealing with such a touch barrage, Leo had somehow still found time to hurl one dagger towards Tracy, which whizzed past her cheeks, drawing blood. Tracy¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, her reflexes barely saving her as she dodged to the side at thest possible second, as if she was slower by even a fraction of a second, the dagger was sure to impale her nose. The dagger after drawing blood, embedded itself in the ground behind her, as Tracy stared at the bloody dagger and then at Leo, who was once again dashing towards her after neutralizing her barrage as if he was some freak of nature. ¡°What the hell! Just how fast are your reflexes toe out of that barrage unscathed?¡± Tracy questioned, as Leo did not bother responding to her question and only focused on chasing her down. *Boom* *Boom* As Tracy was focused on Leo¡¯s movements, she did not even realize when he had rolled smoke bombs near her, as suddenly two smoke bombs exploded between her location and Leo¡¯s, reducing her visibility of her opponent to zero. *CHEEERS* The use of smoke bombs excited the crowd, as from the second that Leo entered the smoke, his figurine almost vanishedpletely as he blended in perfectly with the shadows. ¡°What?¡± Tracy said in confusion, as she nocked an arrow and tried to locate Leo using her superior elven vision, however, failed spectacrly in doing so, as no matter how hard she tried, she could not find Leo at all. *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* . . . . . *SWOOSH* Randomly shooting inside the smoke, Tracy hoped to catch Leo with a stray shot as she systematically targeted every square inch of the smoke, hoping to hit Leo at least once. A few seconds passed by and the smoke slowly started to thin and disperse, as a rough silhouette of Leo became visible through the thinning smoke. ¡°I¡¯ve got you now-¡± Tracy said, as she pulled back her bowstring with all her strength and used one of her strongest archery shots, as she infused her bow and arrow with mana. [ Finishing Blow ] *SWIRLLL* A superfast arrow that could pierce a hole through a boulder easily, came flying towards Leo¡¯s silhouette at blinding speeds, as it seemed like Leo had not seen iting at all. ¡°It¡¯s over ¡­..¡± Tracy said in joy, however, as the arrow passed through the shadow of Leo¡¯s silhouette harmlessly, Tracy was left dumbfounded by the illusion. ¡°A fake?¡± Tracy said in shock, as she panicked and started to look around herself to ensure that the enemy had not sneaked up on her, however, unfortunately for her, Leo had indeed sneaked up on her and wasing flying down towards her with two daggers pointed towards her throat and heart. Using a mixture of ¡®Vanish¡¯ and ¡®Mirror World¡¯ Leo had managed topletely remove himself from Tracy¡¯s field of vision, as he managed to sneak up on her undetected. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 236: A display of sportsmanship Chapter 236: A disy of sportsmanship By the time Tracy detected Leo, it was already toote. Leo was flying in towards her, giving her no time to nock another arrow into her bow as she was forced to defend with the only thing in her hand which was her bow. *SNAP* Leo mmed down on her with such intensity that her wooden bow snapped into two when his dagger shed through it. ¡°OOOOOOO-¡± The audience cheered, as they enjoyed the action and seemed to be happy that Tracy had lost her only weapon. Had she been using a metal bow, the impact from Leo¡¯s sh would not have snapped it in half, however, because she used the traditional elven bow made from wood that maximized sticity and power, the wood was not durable enough to handle the impact of close range blows, which ended up costing Tracy the integrity of her weapon. *SWOOSH* *SWOOSH* Heartless and relentless, Leo did not pause for a single second to give his disarmed opponent time to regroup, as he continued to push against the heartbroken and shocked Tracy with all his might. -130 -130 -130 -120 -130 -150 -300 CRITICAL HIT! sh after sh after sh, Leo pushed hard against Tracy who was notably slower than him in terms of agility and hence got nicked by every single sh, as her fair elven skin soon got covered in cuts from head to toe. ¡°Surrender¡­.¡± Leo said, once he was able to deal a significant stab wound to the side of her abdomen, which while being non-fatal was enough to impair her from dodging properly going forward. ¡°You don¡¯t have your weapon and you¡¯re injured. You clearly don¡¯t have the same speed that I do¡­. So surrender. The match referee has requested me to not kill you, however, if you don¡¯t surrender now. I won¡¯t hesitate to. My techniques are made for killing and not injuring. If you don¡¯t surrender here, the next attack I make will be for your throat or heart-¡± Leo threatened as he gave Tracy a chance to surrender and end her misery. *CHEERS* Loud cheers erupted from the human crowd when Leo boss talked his way with Tracy as if she were an insignificant ant, with the more unruly elements of the crowd making some sly racistments. ¡°Just give up, elf! You don¡¯t belong here!¡± ¡°Look at the pointy ears on that one! Not so special now, huh?¡± ¡°Go back to the forest where you belong, tree-hugger!¡± Tracy felt the sting of each word as sharply as Leo¡¯s dagger, she was hoping to silence the hostile crowd today with her performance, however, she seemed to have failed in doing so. Confused, she nced towards the small cluster of elven supporter in the crowd, their worried expressions mirroring her own despair. The drums that they were beating at the start of the fight were now silent alongside the cheers. They were watching with pained expressions on their faces as they prayed for a miracle turnaround, however, they acknowledged that Tracy had no way to retaliate. As her eyes met theirs, and she closed them briefly, a single tear escaping down her cheek, as she epted her grim fate. ¡®I can¡¯t do this. There¡¯s no way I can win against him.¡¯ she thought. ¡®His skills, his speed¡­ It¡¯s like he¡¯s on apletely different level. All my training, all my preparation¡­ it¡¯s not enough. I was foolish to think I stood a chance¡¯ she mumbled inside her head, as she felt her resolve to continue fighting weaken. After a while as she opened her eyes, they no longer had the usual luster inside them as the reality of the situation she was in finally sank in. She was outmatched, and any further resistance would only lead to more pain and humiliation for her, and hence with a heavy heart and a final nce at her supporters, she dropped to her knees, raising her hand in a gesture of surrender. ¡°I¡­ I surrender,¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible over the roar of the crowd, as Leo sheathed his weapons and nodded. ¡°Good choice¨C you fought well elf¡± He said, as the referee quickly stepped in, signaling the end of the match. Sniveling, Tracy broke down in tears as she felt humiliated at having been forced to surrender, however, while she believed her opponent to be a heartless bastard after he threatened to kill her¡ª in a rare show of sportsmanship, Leo grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back on her feet. Raising her hand and patting her on her back he pointed towards the elvenmunity and pped for the support that they showed her, as his actions caused many hardliners in the crowd to boo him, however, Leo did not care. ¡°THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH, VIA SUBMISSION¡­. THEEEEE BOSS! ¡± The match announcer dered as the referee raised his hand in victory. The crowd erupted in deafening cheers, with even the elven crowd pping politely for him, as with hisst act of showing the defeated Tracy some respect, they somehow felt a little less bitter about his win. *BOSS!* *BOSS!* *BOSS!* *BOSS!* As Leo walked away, the crowd continued to chant his name, their voices a blend of admiration and contempt, while Tracy remained rooted to her spot, her head down in shame and her heart heavy with the realization that her best had not been enough. From the crowd, one Ben Faulkner looked at the performance of his student and chuckled heartily, as although he was nervous about this match-up, in the end it seemed like his student had walked out of even the quarter-finals unscathed. ¡°Nobody can even scratch you eh? Hahahaha, that¡¯s my boy-¡± he said in joy as he chuckled heartily. ¡°COMING UP NEXT- THE FIGHT BETWEEN THE PRIDE OF KNIGHT ACADEMY¡­. SKYLION AND HIS OPPONENT, THE FEARSOME TIGER BEASTMAN¡­. TROY!¡± The announcer said, as building up on the momentum of Leo¡¯s win, he tried to keep the crowd hyped up for the next fight as well. Chapter 237: Luke vs Troy Chapter 237: Luke vs Troy Luke¡¯s fight was right after Leo¡¯s and as Leo walked back to his designated warm-up room, he saw Luke walking out of his, as Leo gave him an acknowledging nod. ¡°Introducing first¡­. From Royal Knight Academy. The man infamously nicknamed the ¡®Suplex Demon¡¯. Thedies man¡­.. SKYLION¡± The match announcer said, as Luke sprinted out to the arena, in his shining silver knights armor. ¡°KYAAA- THE MAN OF MY DREAMS¡± ¡°SOO HANDSOME-¡± ¡°SkyLion please marry me-¡± ¡°Skylion my husband can¡¯t make me wet, so whenever I need to perform the act, I imagine that he¡¯s you¡­.. as I immediately be a waterfall then¡± ¡°Waterfall? Hoe look at the Niagara falls dropping out of your mouth right now¡­. Stop salivating over my man!¡± ¡°Your man? Woman please, he doesn¡¯t even know you exist¡± ¡°Shut-up, we¡¯re already married in my heart¡­.¡± As Luke walked out, the female section of the crowd became notably active as they screamed and started to fan-girl over Luke. Although the men did not outright dislike Luke for his personality, the more jealous ones puffed their mouths and hoped for his demise as they just wanted to see his crowd of supporters crying and whining at his defeat. ¡°What¡¯s so special about him anyways? He¡¯s just a little tall, a little handsome, a little talented, a little¡­.. gosh yeah, he¡¯s very likable, I hate him¡± A jealous man said, as he realized while trying to point out Luke¡¯s ws that he had none. ¡°Why do men like him exist? It makes us wed men look even worse¡­. He just sets such unrealistic standards for us to follow-¡± ¡°I agree-¡± ¡± Me2, Fuck SkyLion¡± ¡°That aside his opponent is a beastman, so I¡¯m supporting him anyways¡± ¡°I agree¨C¡± ¡± Me2, Go SkyLion¡± Although some male supporters disliked Luke, in the end they supported him anyways as they absolutely abhorred his opponent, Troy. As Troy was introduced by the announcer, everyone simply Boo¡¯d him to oblivion as even amongst the non-human races, the prejudice against beastmen was the worst. Since they resembled animals, some considered them to be an inferior breed and the stigma against them was heavy. Hence the second Troy walked onto the Grand Arena, he was met with some heavy jeers from the crowd. ¡°You stink of shit¡­ beast. Did you even bathe today?¡± ¡°Go back to the jungles. You don¡¯t belong with civilization¡± ¡°In StrongHaven we eat our food with cutlery, not with our hands-¡± Jeers like these were aimed at Troy to throw him off his game, however, Troy paid no heed to the hostility of the crowd. Being solely focused on his fight ahead, he nodded in acknowledgement of his opponent and waved to his section of supporters, who enthusiastically roared in support. *ROAR* Waves after waves of beast roarspletely silenced the unruly human crowd as listening to their energy, Troy smiled smugly. ¡°For my fans¡­. I must crush you-¡± he said, as he pointed his sharp ws towards Luke. ¡°Come try your best-¡± Luke said, as he assumed his fighting stance. Having already exined the rules of this bout, the referee stepped back and announced the start of the fight. ¡°BEGIN-¡± He said, as instantly both Luke and Troy charged towards each other. At the start, Luke went with his sword and shield as his preferred choice of weapons, while Troy equipped a set of Tiger ws as his weapon of choice. Since both of them were close distance fighters, they preferred closing out the gap between each other right from the get-go. When they were within a five meters distance of one another, Troy leapt into the air, his giant frame towering over Luke, who was forced to put his shield over his head and cover his full body from the iing attack. *SCREECH* Troy¡¯s Metal Tiger ws scratched against Luke¡¯s shield creating a screeching sound as metallic sparks flew. Luke immediately felt the full impact of the blow as he felt his knees pressing deep into the ground below. ¡°Strong-¡± Luke muttered to himself, as he realized immediately that his opponent had greater strength than him and that he would need to fight tactically if he wanted to beat him. [ Body Reinforcement ] Using the spell body reinforcement, Luke increased all physical stats by 20% as he brought at least his raw strength to the level of his opponent. Pushing his shield back, Luke forced Troy to stagger backwards as he thrust his sword towards him. *Jab* *Jab* *Swoosh* Despite having a huge frame, Troy dodged Leo¡¯s assault with great agility, as his massive beastman body swayed side to side, effortlessly avoiding the sharp thrusts of Luke¡¯s sword. With a beastly grin, Troy lunged forward, his ws aiming for Luke¡¯s exposed side, however, Luke was prepared for this maneuver. He sidestepped just in time, using his shield to deflect the ws away as with a quick counterattack, he swung his sword towards Troy¡¯s midsection. Troy twisted his body, the de grazing his fur but not prating deeply as the slight cut made him snarl. -60. Retaliating with a sweeping kick, Troy aimed to knock Luke off bnce. Luke, however, saw the kicking and braced himself, using his shield to absorb most of the impact. The raw force of the kick pushed him back a few steps, but he maintained his stance, as he got back to his usual tight fighting pose immediately. The crowd roared with excitement, split between cheers for Luke and boos for Troy as everytime Luke made a hit they cheered, however, whenever Troy established an advantage they rained down on him with Boo¡¯s. Overall the atmosphere was extremely lively as unlike the duel between Leo and Tracy, the matchup between Troy and Luke was much more even and exciting to watch. While the crowd was clear in its support for Luke, they still thoroughly enjoyed the even contest and disy of sportsmanship by both fighters. Chapter 238: DarkSky Dominance Chapter 238: DarkSky Dominance After activating Body Reinforcement, Luke felt like he could finally fight against Troy on even terms, as there was nothing separating the two once his stats got artificially buffed. Troy¡¯s advantage over him was his longer range of attack and unorthodox fighting style that he wasn¡¯t ustomed to facing. While his own advantage over Troy was his technical training, as he kept his shield and sword close and did not let his opponent exploit any openings at all. Being well trained at the academy on how to deal with enemy aggro, Luke felt confident in defending himself proficiently, which was why although Troy tried his best to establish an advantage by bing overly aggressive, he had no breakthrough in opening up Luke¡¯s defenses. In such a fight, stamina became the decisive factor as when skill and strength became evenly matched, the oue of the fight hinged on who would exhaust their energy first. *ROAR* *ROAR* The beastmen section of the crowd roared loudly in support of Troy, prompting him to go harder at Luke as they encouraged him to break through. ¡°DON¡¯T LET HIM GET YOU SKYLION! SHOW HIM THE MIGHT OF PASSIVE FIGHTING-¡± ¡°SUMMON THE GRIFFIN! MAKE BEAST EAT BEAST¡± Luke¡¯s supporters on the other hand, prompted him to hold strong, which was exactly what Luke did. Between them both, Luke tactically conserved his energy while his opponent expended it wildly, as while the effects of this dynamic were not apparent at first, once a couple minutes passed and fatigue started to slow Troy down, the effects of running out of gas became apparent. His attacks became more sluggish¡­. It was almost like he was trying to throw the most powerful sh, the mostzy way possible, as while he still shed against Luke¡¯s shield ferociously, the arc of the sh wasn¡¯t correct and the follow through to recover attacking posture post the sh was slow as well. His defense became full of openings for counterattacks, as it was only after it was toote that Troy realised that he had fucked up on the front of energy conservation. Driven by the cheers of the crowd, he had be overhyped, leading to faster depletion of his stamina tank, however, by the time that he realized his mistake it was already toote. Once his posture became full of openings, Luke went from tactical defending to tactical attacking as he started to thrust and weave around Troy like a demon who was possessed. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Block* -150 -169 *Shua* *Shua* Thrusting and blocking in a tight formation, Luke not only neutralized any attempts of counterattack by Troy, but also managed to graze him around his limbs, as unlike himself who could move at full speed, Troy felt difficulty moving as fast as he felt tired and sluggish. Not having equipped a defensive weapon like a shield and never having received proper defensive training, Troy could not defend himself as well as Luke could when he was on the offensive, leading to him picking up more injuries than Luke, when his opponent went wild. -170 -120 -120 -150 Picking up a chain of injuries, Troy started to limp and whimper, as for the first time since the fight started, the advantage in the fight decisively began moving in Luke¡¯s favor. *CHEEERS* ¡°Yeah that¡¯s it! Cut that kitty up! Butcher it-¡± ¡°Yeahh! This is why I paid for a ticket to the stands¡­.this fight is epic!¡± ¡°KYAAA- MY SKYLION IS SO CUTE WHEN HE FIGHTS-¡± The human crowd went bonkers for Luke when he finally established dominance in the fight as they felt extremely satisfied in watching their preferred candidate dominate theirmon enemy. Finally, as Luke went for a thrust to Troy¡¯s abdomen, the tiger beastman promptly blocked the attack using both his tiger ws, however, he never expected it to be a feint. Immediately dropping his sword and shield, Luke ducked under his wild swing to reach his back, as the second Troy missed his swing, he knew that he had lost the fight. *BAM* Being picked from the waist up, Troy saw the earth spin before being nted head down into the soil as Luke gave him a terrifying suplex. -77. While in itself the damage done by the suplex wasn¡¯t much¡­ It was the nature of the damage that made it much more threatening than any cuts. A suplex on the head stunned the opponent taking it. Which made them more prone to taking more suplexes and hence Luke¡¯s suplexes were more threatening than any sword sh as while one could still be on their feet moving when they received a sword cut, they could not do the same when being nted headfirst into the mud. *BAM* *BAM* *BAM* *BAM* . . . . *BAM* After the first suplex, Luke continued to give his opponent a flurry of fifteen more suplexes, until his opponent was knocked unconscious from the assault and wentpletely limp. ¡°YEAHH! SUPLEX DEMON!¡± ¡°Hohoho, he sure knows how to entertain¡± ¡°Hahaha, did you see thest four suplexes? The way the beastmans arms were flopping¡­. Hahaha, too funny¡± The crowd went absolutely bonkers for Luke¡¯s suplexes, as when Luke knocked his opponent unconscious to win the fight, the entire arena broke into collective chants of ¡°Suplex Demon¡± ¡°The winner of this fight¡­. Via incapacitation¡­SKYLION-¡± The match announcer said, as the referee raised Luke¡¯s hand in victory. *ps* *Cheers* *Iprehensible shouts* Having his hand raised, Luke soaked in his moment of glory as he basked in the cheers of his supporters with joy. He had fought hard to win in the quarterfinals, which made the victory feel just that much sweeter. From the upper stands, his principal and the students of the Royal Knight Academy seemed to be pping and cheering wildly for him, as for them it was a matter of great pride that one of their academy students had made it to the final four. Hailed as an unprecedented genius¡­. Everyone had expected him to reach this stage, however, for him to fulfill their expectations still felt extremely satisfying. ¡°Huh? Where am I?¡± Troy said, after regaining consciousness as he found himself surrounded by medics tending to his wounds. It took him a few moments to recall how his fight ended, however, once he realized that he had lost the fight, tears began to streak down his face as he felt like he had let his fans down big time. ¡°Hey¡­ it was a good fight. Maybe if you conserved your energy better, the oue could have been different -¡± Luke said as he extended his hand for his opponent to shake, who took it sportingly. ¡°While I¡¯m sad I lost, I¡¯m not sad to lose to you¡­..you¡¯re a beast of a man SkyLion, I have nothing but respect for you-¡± he said, as the heartfelt moment between the two strong contestants made many in the audience smile, but many other frown as just like Leo before him, they did not wish for Luke to show sympathy to a non-human fighter either. However, just like Leo, Luke did not care about their opinion either and continued to be a ss act which he truly was. ********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) When Cervantez heard the announcer say that the winner of the bout was SkyLion, a wave of relief washed over him. SkyLion reaching the semifinals meant that the DarkSky guild already had a 25% probability of winning this tournament, while him winning his fight could make it a whopping 50%. While these probabilities were not realistic and did not factor in the strength of their opponents, it still felt good to think about as Luke was the only individual that gave Cervantez hope in his DarkSky guild project. Time after time, Luke exceeded his expectations and performed exactly how Cervantez wished he did, as of all the guild members, Cervantez found him to be the most reliable. ¡®I made the right choice to add his name to the guild name and make him vice guildmaster¡­. He deserves it-¡® Cervantez thought as a soft smile spread on his face and he nodded his head in excitement. ¡°Guess it¡¯s time for me to show some of my skills too¡­.. can¡¯t let the vice guildmaster look like he¡¯s better than the guildmaster-¡± Cervantez murmured to himself as he began to warm up and get ready for his name to be called out as it was his fight that was to follow Luke¡¯s. His opponent today was the Ranger ss NPC Adam, the same guy who had won the grand tournament in his past life. He was an extremely strong fighter with nearly no openings to exploit, however, unfortunately for Adam, Cervantez already had knowledge of all his hidden cards. While Adam truly believed that nobody could anticipate the moves he had under his belt, because he had never shown them before, Cervantez already knew what exactly he could do, which was the source of his confidence to win this fight. ¡°Introducing next¡­.¡± The match announcer said, as he introduced Andy first, much to the joy of the nobles seated in the crowd. Compared to Luke and The Boss, the reception that Andy received was much colder and the one that Cervantez received was colder even still, as while they were both popr and well recognised contestants, their poprity amongst the masses was not nearly as much as Luke and Leo¡¯s. As their fight began, Cervantez controlled every aspect of their bout from the start to finish, as he practically forced Adam to use his hidden move, the curving arrow shot and used it against him in an unexpected turn of events to win the fight rather spectacrly, devastating Adam and the Royal Ranger Academy, who could not believe that their prodigy lost. Chapter 239: The fate of the Night Guild Chapter 239: The fate of the Night Guild Cervantez¡¯s victory came as a shock to many, as he, like Leo, was an open qualified candidate, meaning he had never received proper education from universities. For the past two decades, the royal universities had fostered the belief amongst the masses that only through structured training could talents blossom. It was the royal universities which decided whether one had the aptitude or not to be enrolled into their esteemed programs, and if one could not make the cut, it was these same universities thatbeled them as second rate talents. If one felt discontent with the evaluation of the royal universities, the only tform they had to showcase the fact that they could be a great warrior even without receiving proper education, it was the Grand Tournament. However, In thest 20 years, there had not been a single champion from the open candidates, making the qualification of two open qualified candidates into the semi-finals a significant event. It was almost a signal that times were changing, as the hegemony of the Royal Academies seemed to being to an end. However, while two open candidates making it to the semi finals was a big event, three of them making it was just borderline insane¨C as Lin Mu¡¯s upset victory over Randy the mage sent the crowd over the edge of their seats. Hailed as a genius of the mage academy, Randy was one of the favorites to win the grand tournament, however, he was cut down to size by a spirited Lin Mu who wanted to win the Grand Tournament and then forfeit her wish to her love ¡®Jin¡¯. Since the Night Guild was already being handled by the Virex Corps, the only other desire that Lin Mu had now was to see her future husband happy. This meant that the penultimate match-up of the grand tournament was Cervantez facing ¡®TheBoss¡¯, while Luke took on Lin. ********* ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) Dem Paltrow sat in the dimly lit chamber at the heart of the Night Guild¡¯s hidden headquarters in StrongHaven City. The room was draped in shadows, with flickering candlelight casting an eerie glow on the stone walls. His fingers drummed impatiently on the mahogany table before him, an borate piece adorned with intricate carvings of mythical beasts, as he impatiently waited for his right hand man Hord to return with an important report on the situation of their guild. Ever since the rumors about Ben Faulkner killing the Royal Counselor had began to spread throughout StrongHaven, the Night Guild members were forced to go into hiding as the Virex Corps began hunting them like hounds. It was a hopeless situation for the guild, as while they did not understand why they were dragged into this mess, apparently, they were taking all the unnecessary aggro. Eventually, the heavy wooden door to the room creaked open, and Hord stepped in, his face grim and his movements precise as Dem¡¯s cold, calcting eyes shifted to his right-hand man, immediately sensing the gravity of the news Hord bore. ¡°Hord,¡± Dem greeted, his voice a low rumble, ¡°What does the situation outside look like?¡± He asked, as Hord slowly approached the table, his steps making a very faint sound which was unlike his usual walk, which conveyed to Dem that his most trusted man was in tangible distress. Stopping a few paces from Dem, Hord bowed slightly as a gesture of respect as he said ¡°Guildmaster, we are facing a dire situation. The Virex Corps are hunting our members like hounds, the situation outside is not good at all. We have lost 12 men for sure, while we can¡¯t establish contact with 20 others. We also fear that 35 have abandoned the guild in these tough times and have gone rogue. We are literally crumbling apart¨C¡± Dem¡¯s fingers ceased their drumming, as he leaned forward, eyes narrowing. ¡°Give me the details.¡± he said, as his eyebrows creased into a frown. ¡°Our operatives are being captured or killed at an rming rate,¡± Hord continued, his voice steady butced with tension. ¡°The Virex Corps are relentless, showing no mercy. Currently, as per your orders many of our men are in hiding, but it¡¯s only a matter of time before they are found. Nobody can escape those mad dogs of the Emperor for too long. They have a knack for finding out rats in hiding¨C The unskilled one¡¯s will not make it past midnight¡± Hord said, as Dem¡¯s jaw tightened listening to the report, prompting him to rise from his seat and pace around the room. ¡°I am well aware of the reason behind their aggression. The rumors about Ben Faulkner and the Royal Counselor¡¯s assassination have thrown us into the Emperor¡¯s crosshairs. It¡¯s a baseless usation, but one we are helpless to deny.¡± Dem said, as he gritted his teeth in anger. The entire Assassin world was built on the trust of one¡¯s words. If Dem openly denied that Ben Faulkner was not a member of the Night Guild, it would cast a long shadow of doubt over the guild¡¯s credibility. The trust that clients ced in their word would be shattered as for years, the Night Guild had built its reputation on reliability and discretion. Now if the news broke out that they could lie about something as significant as their association with a legendary assassin like Ben Faulkner, who would ever believe them again? Potential clients would question every transaction, every promise. How could anyone pay them with confidence, expecting their targets to be eliminated, knowing that the guild might fabricate such crucial details? On the other hand, remaining silent in the face of these usations would lead to a relentless hunt by the Virex Corps. The Emperor¡¯s men, driven by the belief that the Night Guild harbored the Royal Counselor¡¯s killer, would show no mercy. Each day, more members would fall, captured or killed in this unjust purge and the guild¡¯s ranks would dwindle, their operational capacity severely crippled, leaving them vulnerable and exposed. Dem found himself to be caught in this impossible dilemma and it gave him a headache as denying the allegations would destroy the guild¡¯s hard-earned reputation and future viability, while failing to deny them would result in the systematic eradication of his operatives. It was a precarious bnce between preserving the guild¡¯s honor and ensuring the survival of its members. ¡°We have to do something, we have to somehow clear our name from this mess-¡± Dem said, sounding extremely frustrated as he grinded his teeth audibly. ¡°Indeed,¡± Hord affirmed. ¡°Our denials fall on deaf ears tho¡ª The Emperor is convinced of our involvement, and the Virex Corps will not stop until they believe justice is served, those mad dogs are just irrational. They won¡¯t stop until their master tells them to¡± Hord said, as his words made Dem shudder involuntarily. The Virex Corps were just too ruthless, those mad dogs did not stop for anyone or anything as they systematically executed anyone that the Emperor wanted them to execute. Unbound byws and having the freedom to operate in broad daylight, they were basically an assassin guild running under a glorified license as at their core they were all just cold blooded killers just like assassin¡¯s. Thinking about those dogs, Dem stopped pacing and turned to face Hord, his expression a mask of controlled fury as he said ¡°We cannot afford this. Our guild¡¯s very survival is at stake. If the Virex Corps continues their hunt, we¡¯ll be exposed and annihted.¡± Hord nodded, his face reflecting the severity of their predicament. ¡°What are your orders, Guildmaster?¡± ¡°First, we need to secure our remaining members. Instruct them to lie low, avoid confrontations, and prioritize survival. Second, we must find a way to contact Lin Mu, she has won the semi-finals, let¡¯s have her win the finals and use her wish to absolve us of our crimes or something¨C¡± Dem said, as he ced all his hopes on Lin Mu, not even understanding that she was the source of all his troubles in the first ce. ¡°I¡¯ll see it done.¡± Hord said, bowing as he prepared to execute the orders. As Hord turned to leave, Dem¡¯s voice stopped him. ¡°And Hord,¡± Dem said, his tone icy, ¡°be careful. The Virex Corps will not stop until they believe justice is served. We cannot afford any mistakes¡­. You cannot fall in their hands¡± Dem reminded as Hord nodded his head in acknowledgement, understanding the gravity of the situation he was in. Meeting Dem¡¯s gaze, Hord gave him a silent promise of unwavering loyalty and determination. ¡°I understand, Guildmaster. I¡¯ll ensure our survival.¡± he said, as with that, he left the chamber, leaving Dem alone with his thoughts. With nobody else in the room, the flickering candlelight in the corner cast long shadows on the walls, mirroring the emotions that Dem currently felt. Dem knew that the Night Guild¡¯s path forward was fraught with danger, but he also knew that he would stop at nothing to protect his guild and reim their safety. ¡°Fucking Ben Faulkner¡­. Fuck him-¡± he said, as he felt rage bubbling inside him, just thinking about that guy who made his life a living hell ever since he had left his job as a doorman. ¡°I should¡¯ve killed him¡­. I should¡¯ve killed the old man when I had the chance¡­. I should¡¯ve¡­.¡± Dem said regretfully, as he truly regretted his choice of not killing Ben Faulkner while he was still fat and out of shape, when he was working as a doorman. Chapter 240: The biggest fight ever Chapter 240: The biggest fight ever ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The worst part about reaching the semi-finals for Leo was that he could not meet Ben. The insights that his old master gave him before a big fight were invaluable, however, for security reasons, the Emperor insisted that all fighters needed to unquestionably stay within royal quarters. Hence, once he won his fight, he was once again taken back to the Royal Pce and was informed about the results of the subsequent fightster at the pce. ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯m supposed to face the Dark Emperor, Cervantez tomorrow¡­. How interesting-¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he was informed by the royal staff that the opponent he was most likely to face was none other than Dark Emperor. While for the NPC¡¯s it was just another fight, for the yer¡¯s, Dark Emperor facing The Boss was the biggest fight ever. For as long as the game started, Dark Emperor had been the number two yer, while The Boss had been number one. While other yers had also triggered global announcements for some major achievements, nobody had triggered as many global achievements as The Boss and Dark Emperor, as the two were widely hailed as number one and number two in the game. The duo facing each other was like a dream match-up for all the yers and the forums began buzzing with the #BossVersesEmperor ever since both contestants won their respective fights. ¡°Yoo, the Boss taking on DarkEmperor, this is the biggest fight ever!¡± ¡°I was hoping to see what the fight between the number one and number two¡­. Oops, number three yer looks like, however, I guess I will find out soon-¡± ¡°This is the peak¡­. The semi finals are the new finals, this is a rivalry for the ages¡± ¡°Imagine The Boss losing his fight against Dark Emperor¡­.. that would make all his leveling advantage seem worthless¡± ¡°Are you just dumb or something? How can The Boss lose against Dark Emperor, he is yet to break a sweat in any of the rounds so far¡­ he¡¯s a ss apart¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to bet all my life savings on the Dark Emperor¡­. It¡¯s either me going big or me going home-¡± The global forums were aze with spections of Dark Emperor versus The Boss and this was the kind of publicity that made or destroyed legends. Neither of them could create such hype surrounding a fight alone, and it was only because they were facing each other that the whole arc ship was talking about it, however, such attention never came without consequences, and the loser of the bout was sure to be imprinted as the lesser fighter of the two for a long time. Sitting cross legged on his soft Royal Guest bed, Leo pondered about whether or not he should take this next fight seriously? As while he acknowledged Cervantez and his ability to lead a guild, he had never really seen him fight too much. The man had hidden his cards almost as well as Leo himself and Leo had no idea as to what exactly were his strengths or weaknesses. ¡°Well since he had the capability of reaching the semifinals, I shouldn¡¯t discount him¡­.. there must be something special about him to make it so far¡­.¡± Leo murmured to himself as he tried to think seriously about the strategy of his fight tomorrow. The only information about Cervantez that he had was that he used a sword as a primary weapon and was rtively agile whenpared to ordinary fighters. Beyond this, Leo had no idea as to what his ss really was or what were his signature attacks. Under such circumstances, it was hard for him to strategize about his next fight even if he wanted to, as it was moments like this when he missed Ben and the insights he brought as a master assassin. If it were Ben, he would have already figured out the best strategy to fight Cervantez, however, unfortunately, Leo was left all alone, with him not allowed to meet visitors within the royal castle. *********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) After reading the ongoing conversation on the global forums, Cervantez immediately realised that the moment that he had been waiting for since ages had finally arrived. All the preparation that he had done to acquire semi-legendary attacks and hide his strength during the tournament, was finally about to pay off as he nned to use all his hidden cards against ¡®The Boss¡¯ tomorrow to score an upset victory. He truly felt that the only way for him to somehow gain TheBoss¡¯s respect was for him to somehow defeat him. As only when TheBoss respected him, could he ept him as his guild master. For the future that he had envisioned for the DarkSky guild, he needed both Luke and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to be a part of his team as only with the support of those two could he create a guild big enough to take over the entire Empire. ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose tomorrow¡­. No matter what, I cannot lose tomorrow-¡± Cervantez resolved, as he began to thoroughly n his next fight. ********* ( Meanwhile Luke ) As Luke scrolled through the global forums he was slightly saddened to see that almost no-one was talking about his fight with Lin Mu at all. It was almost like the second semi finals match did not matter at all, and the only thing that people cared about was the fight between The Boss and Cervantez. ¡®Who will I face in the finals? What do I do if I have to face the guildmaster? Do I fight honestly or forefit?¡¯ Luke wondered, as he felt that the prospeft of facing Cervantez in the finals would feel incredibly awkward for him. ¡®But will the guildmaster even make it to the finals¡­.. Will I either?¡¯ Luke questioned himself as he did not feel sure that either him or the guildmaster would make it to the finals in the first ce. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll cross that bridge if I reach it¡­¡± Luke murmured to himself, as he decided to not worry about the finals for now and focus on his semi-finals fight against Lin Mu the NPC first. Chapter 241: Reasons Chapter 241: Reasons ( The real world, Sector D ) For the second straight day after being exposed as the number two yer, Leo chose to skip work using MP, as he felt that the environment outside was still too heated for him to show his face. Although he knew that he could not ignore this problem forever and would have to face it sooner orter, he did not want that day to be until he finished the grand tournament at least, as for now, he wanted to shift all of his focus to winning the tournament. His life was still hanging in the bnce, with him winning the Grand Tournament being the only way for him to save his own skin. Although things were better now than before and his identity as The Boss seemed almost secure, he still needed to win the grand tournament to seal the deal. Once his win in the grand tournament wasplete, he could then focus on his next big problem as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the merchant, but until then he wanted to dy the inevitable. ¡°So¡­ what should we do today? Staying within the room all day seems boring¡­.¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he wondered if he should treat today as a cheat day and go visit the luxury restaurants in sector D where one needed to pay MP to have food. With everyone that knew him already off to work, the chances of him being caught outside during non-lunch hours were less, however, with them not being zero, Leo decided to cancel the idea. ¡°Perhaps I should visit the MP exchange store and call mom¡­. I miss her and talking to her will make me feel less lonely¡± Leo thought, as after thinking about it for a while, he decided that calling mom was probably the best idea, especially since she was back with the asshole father of his. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand why she is back with that man? Is he broke again or something? Was he so desperate for food and shelter that he moved back in with mom?¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he walked out of his apartment wearing a red work uniform and walked with his head hanging low. ¡°That man is clearly up to no good, the smirk he gave us when we called mom was so evil¡­.. I doubt if he¡¯s our real father, ain¡¯t no way someone so sly created Luke¡­.. nope, impossible¡± Leo muttered, as he walked at an increased pace towards the MP exchange store in sector D as he worried for the safety of his mother with that man around. Once the dark thoughts began, it became a slippery slope for Leo as his thoughts wandered from that man using his mother for food and shelter, to him scheming to sell her second kidney for securing his own ticket. ¡°Oh I¡¯ll use all my MP to kill you, if I see so much as a scratch on my mother¡¯s face¡± Leo said, as he walked into the MP exchange store, which waspletely empty at this hour and walked up to one of the operator booths which looked exactly like the MP exchange store within the game. ¡°Spooky¡­.I almost feel like I¡¯m inside Terra Nova Online right now-¡± Leo murmured to himself as he picked up the telephone and requested the ship operator to connect a call to home in exchange for 4 MP. ********* ( Meanwhile On Earth ) It had been over 36 hours since Elena and Jacob found themselves buried deep within rubble and they had been surviving using the emergency rations that they kept taped under the catastrophe desk, for emergencies like this one. ¡°It¡¯s been 36 hours Jacob¡­. We only have two more 200 ml Tetra packs of water left. We will die at this rate of dehydration in 2-3 days¡± Elena said with a sad voice, as she contemtedmitting suicide. ¡°Hey, I know the situation is tough, but we must ration our supplies as long as possible and try to hold out. Never lose hope Elena¡­. Never lose hope¡± Jacob said, as he tried to keep Elena mentally strong. ¡°There is no one who is going toe to save us Jacob¡­. What¡¯s the point of having hope? Buildings crumple everyday in this hell of a world and the government stopped functioning 9 months ago. There is no hope¡­.¡± Elena said, as she began sobbing inconsbly, wasting her precious tears as she lost hydration even faster. ¡°Hey¡­. It¡¯s okay¡­ we are here together¡± Jacob said, as he hugged Elena and tried to console her, while Elena tried to push him away with her feeble strength. ¡°I- I¡¯m just happy the kids are safe¡­. At least they escaped this hell. I couldn¡¯t have afforded to be weak if they were around¡± Elena said, as she started to chuckle at the thought of Luke and Leo living a good life on the arc ship. Based off theirst conversation with one another, Elena understood that the two were doing well for themselves and were turning into some sort of bigshots and she could not have been any more proud as a mother. ¡°At least they won¡¯t have to attend our funeral¡­ haha, that would be so sad. I remember burying my mother¡­. It was hard¡± Elena said, as she began to mumble nonsensically, however, Jacob still let her speak her heart out and only embraced her softly. ¡°I¡¯m just sad they will never know how good their father really was and how much he sacrificed for them. Poor kids gonna hate you forever¡­.¡± Elena said, as at thisment Jacob momentarily felt his breath freeze. The kids never found out the true reason behind his absence all these years and had grown to detest him with all their essence. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­. I didn¡¯t do it for their affection, I did it because I had to do it as their father¡± Jacob said, as he hugged Elena a little harder as the two shared an intimate moment together. Suddenly, however, a voice interrupted their alone time, startling the two¡ª ¡°HEY GEEZER, GET YO HANDS OFF MY MAMA¡± An angry voice said, as a frowning Leo appeared on a floating screen before the two within the small confines of the rubble that they were in. ¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Bonus chapter for hitting the PS target, good job everyone! /// Chapter 242: Saving Elena Chapter 242: Saving Elena ¡°HEY GEEZER, GET YO HANDS OFF MY MAMA¡± Leo said angrily as he could not believe that the man had the audacity to touch his mother. ¡°LEOOO-¡± Elena said emotionally after hearing her son¡¯s voice as for a second she thought she was being delusional. However, as she turned and saw the small floating screen and Leo staring towards her, she realized that it wasn¡¯t a dream and that her son was really calling her from the arc ship, as she broke down into tears instantly. ¡°Leo-¡± she said softly, before breaking down into sobs as she only kept muttering his name while crying non-stop. Uptil now Leo did not grasp the situation that his parents were in and thought that his mother was crying because his father mistreated her or something, as he instantly felt his blood boil when he saw her cry. ¡°Hey¡­ hey¡­ hey¡­. Don¡¯t cry mum, your son¡¯s here now, I¡¯ll kill the old geezer for you, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll send hitmen-¡± Leo said in a sweet yet threatening tone as he tried to sound sweet for Elena yet threatening to Jacob at the same time. ring at the old man, Leo let all of his hostility unfold as Jacob only looked back at him with a nk expression. ¡°Leo¡­. *Pant*¡­. We are stuck under rubble. The apartment¡­ it ¡­.¡± Elena tried to exin however couldn¡¯t as all the crying made her feel out of breath. However, once Leo heard the words stuck under rubble, he began noticing the surroundings around his parents as he realized that they weren¡¯t cuddling on the floor but were rather stuck under the emergency desk. ¡°WHAT?¡± he said, sounding surprised as his heart skipped a beat thinking about how his old apartment copsed and his mom was stuck under the rubble. ¡°Operator, how much MP to get someone to save her and bring her to the hangar bay where the Arc Ship willnd?¡± Leo asked the operator, as every passing second his heartbeat only got louder and louder. ¡°450 MP to save the female, 3 additional MP per day to keep her safe daily until the arc ship takes off 50 days from now. Total cost 600 MP. If you save both, the female and male, it will cost you 950 MP total¡± the operator replied, as Leo felt on the verge of saying ¡°Save the female, fuck the male¡± until he looked at the crying figure of his mother and how his father was rubbing her back in support. Although he hated the man¡¯s guts, he could imagine just how stressful it might have been for both, and how his mother might not be in good spirits, if he decided to leave the old man behind. ¡®950 MP is a lot¡­. It will severely affect what tickets we can buy for them in the future¡­.. I don¡¯t want her to face the harsh life of sector E¡¯ Leo thought, as he felt his hands trembling because of the burden of the choice he was supposed to make. However, as he looked at her mother and then the rubble around her, he knew instantly that now was not the time to think about saving MP as saving her took priority. ¡°Leo¡­. Don¡¯t¡­ leave¡­ your¡­ father ¡­behind¡± Elena pleaded with her puppy eyes and raspy voice, as once Leo heard those wordsing out of her mouth, he no longer hesitated and paid the 950 MP price immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t¡­¡± he said, as the operator informed him that someone will reach Earth to save Elena and Jacob within the next 7 minutes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry mother, someone wille to save you in the next 7 minutes¡± Leo said, reassuring his mother that everything would be alright, as his words only made Elena cry even harder as she hugged Jacob in joy. ¡°Did you hear that Jacob¡­ our son will save us¡­. There is hope¡­. Our son will save us¡± she said, as a soft smile spread on Jacobs face when he heard Elena smile. If he was honest with himself, he too had given up all hopes of surviving and was only holding strong for the sake of Elena, however, Leo saving them from this tough situation now felt like a miracle. He had no idea as to what kind of men his children had grown up to be, however, based on his limited interactions with them via videocalls, both seemed to be raised the right way. They behaved like fierce territorial lions when it came to protecting their mother and were clearly working hard to create a new life for themselves now that they had the opportunity to do so. Overall, Jacob felt quite content with how his kids had grown up to be and couldn¡¯t wait to sit down with them one day and perhaps exin as to why he was gone all these years. Operator : You have insufficient bnce to continue this call, it will be disconnected in 20 seconds. Leo got a reminder from the operator that he was running low on MP and that every minute that the call extended was costing him a fortune. ¡± Mom, I love you, I only have bnce to talk for a few seconds so I¡¯m going to say it all at once. There will be someone there to save you soon and he will keep you safe for the timebeing until the next arc ship takes off. Please trust him and not the bozo next to you although I¡¯ve also paid for him to be safe for your sake. Also, don¡¯t worry about me and Luke, we are absolutely fine here¡­.¡± Leo said, as he wanted to ramble on more but unfortunately the call disconnected. Left with only 1.2 MP in his ount, Leo expended all the MP that he had in saving his mother to the point where he did not even have enough MP left to skip work tomorrow. Chapter 243: Petrified Chapter 243: Petrified ( Terra Nova Online, The Royal Pce ) After expending all his MP to save Elena, Leo returned to his apartment in sector D and waited for the hours to pass by until he would be allowed to log back into the game. Once the work hours were officially over, Leo logged back into the game instantly and did not even wait for Luke and Amanda to get back from work, as almost as soon as he logged back into the game and woke up in his royal guest room, the royal maid entered into his room and asked him to follow her to the royal carriage outside. Unlike yesterday where a single convoy left the royal pce, today, the royal guards had nned to take four separate convoys from the royal pce to the grand arena in such a fashion that nobody would be able to recognise which carriage contained which contestant, making attacking any specific convoy difficult. In the first ce, there was no one crazy enough to attack a royal convoy, however, with the additional security measures, all four convoys eventually reached the grand arena safely, after which Leo was escorted to the warm-up room. Just like yesterday, today too he was brought to the arena a few hours before his fight, as there was a long waiting period between him getting to fight and him arriving at the grand arena. Scheduled to go second today, he was supposed to wait even longer than usual, as the first fight of the day was Luke taking on Lin Mu. *********** ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) Lin Mu sat in her warm up room with her arms crossed and a big smile on her face as she recalled the moment when Jin suddenly came out of the shadows and shed the Royal Counselor¡¯s dick. *Kyaaa-* ¡®So rough¡­. So handsome¡¯ she wondered, as her face flushed a few shades redder when she imagined just how much of a beast Leo was when he was aggressive. With most of her worries resolved, thest few days of her life had been very happy, however, just when she was convinced that the Night Guild could not make contact with her anymore, she was proven wrong by Dem Paltrow¡¯s dog, Hord. He walked into the warm-up room like a ghost, bypassing the security and knocking them out cold, as one moment Lin Mu felt safe in the warm-up room and the other she felt like she was staring straight at death. Covered in ck robes, ck mask and only his storm gray eyes visible, it was impossible for anyone to recognise Hord if they were not already familiar with him, however, Lin Mu was. Hord was Dem Paltrow¡¯s right hand man, who was considered as Dem Paltrow¡¯s dog by many within the Night Guild. Once his master gave him an order, he stopped at nothing to execute it, as his loyalty to his master was unwavering and absolute. Hailed as the second strongest assassin in the Night Guild, Hord was considered by many to be very close to the realm of being considered a ¡®Master¡¯ and was expected to reach that legendary realm sometime this decade. ¡°Lin Mu¡­.¡± Hord said, his voice as cold as ever, as shivers went down Lin Mu¡¯s spine looking at that man. She wondered if he was here to kill her for betraying the Night Guild, she wondered if he was going to be lucky enough to have her throat slit, or unlucky enough to be kidnapped back to the Night Guild torture chambers, as she froze in one spot after being paralyzed by fear. ¡°The guildmaster has sent me today¡­. The times are not good for the night guild¡± Hord began, as he did not understand why Lin Mu looked so petrified of him, however, he continued speaking anyways. ¡°Someone has killed the Royal Counselor and many presume it to be the work of Ben Faulkner, who is linked to the night guild and hence the Emperor has dispatched his Virex Dogs to deal with us-¡± Hord said, as he seemed to give Lin Mu a brief of what happened in the outside world, however, every word that he spoke made Lin Mu feel even more fearful, as she was directly responsible for every single misery that the night guild was facing. Whether it was the rumor of Ben Faulkner killing the Royal Counselor, or the Emperor dispatching the Virex Corps, all of it was orchestrated by her, which was why Hords words made her feel as if her mind was nking out. She knew she had no chance of fighting Hord. Even if she tried her best, she would be killed within 3 moves, which was why she did not even try to put up a defense. The gap between them wasn¡¯t negligible enough for her to even try to save her skin. ¡°Anyways, I can¡¯t be here too long, so I¡¯ll just inform you about your mission. This is a very critical mission so you must not fail us, Lin Mu, because if you wish to be the next guildmaster of the Night Guild, then this is the exact moment for you to prove your worth to this guild and gain the acknowledgement of all the guild members. Your mission is to win the Grand Tournament at all costs and use your one wish with the Emperor to save the night guild from all prosecution and give us a legal status within the Empire. Don¡¯t forget this Lin Mu and don¡¯t fail us¡­. Here I¡¯m leaving a poisonced with a very strong paralytic for you¡­ just cut your opponent today once with a daggerced with this juice and he will turn into a vegetable for sure. Remember the mission¡­..¡± Hord said, as he left the room almost as quickly as he entered, leaving Lin Mu alone, with a small vial of poison and two passed out royal guards to deal with. On one hand, she was ted that she survived this encounter, however, on the other, she was petrified that the Night Guild could still reach her, despite all the security. Chapter 244: Luke vs Lin Mu (1) Chapter 244: Luke vs Lin Mu (1) After her encounter with Hord, Lin Mu no longer felt like she was in the right headspace to fight, as she rarely paid attention to her surroundings when she walked out to the arena. She was the first fighter to be introduced and the audience reception to her walking out was pretty warm, with some men even hitting on her for her looks, however, she could not focus on those sounds at all, as Hord and the vial he left behind were the only things going on in her head. ¡°This bout has the same rules as the quarter-finals¡­. You can win the fight by either incapacitating your enemy or by making them surrender¡­..¡± the match referee came up to her and said, as he exined all the rules of the match as was his duty, however, Lin Mu did not even pay any attention to him as she was lost in her own thoughts. ¡°The use of lethal poisons or other incapacitating substances is strictly prohibited during the fight, so please do not use dishonest means to win¡± The referee said normally, however, as these words fell in Lin Mu¡¯s ears, she could not help but feel nervous as she felt as if thement was specially directed towards her. As she looked into the referees eyes with her heart throbbing out of her chest, the referee looked back at her with a warm smile on his face as he said ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re paying attention, I thought I lost you for a second ther¡± The referee¡¯s warm smile helped Lin Mu calm down, as she nodded her head and looked around, trying to move on from the incident that had happened in the warm up room and look past it. Nodding her head, she assured the referee that she had understood the rules as she unsheathed two short swords from her waist and assumed a fighting stance. ¡°INTRODUCING NEXT ¡­¡± The match announcer said, as immediately the female section of the crowd burst into mad cheers, while the chants of *Suplex Demon* rocked throughout the arena. ¡°Introducing next, the prodigy of the Royal Knight Academy. Thedies man¡­. The Griffin tamer¡­.. The Suplex Demon¡­. SKYLION¡± The announcer said, as Luke jogged out to the arena in his signature shiny silver armor and shield, as the crowd went absolutely bonkers upon his entry. Although Lin Mu wasn¡¯t disliked, the love she received from the audience was nowhere near the love that Luke received from them, as everyone from nobles tomoners seemed to like him for his exciting fighting style and cool demeanor. Taking his starting spot, Luke chatted happily with the match referee who exined the rules to him, as Lin Mu calmly observed his demeanor. Unlike the darkness that attracted her to Jin, Luke had a natural leader¡¯s charisma oozing out of him as his cheery smile and noble attire made Lin feel slightly excited to fight him as he was the kind of noble fighter that she wanted to prove her skills against. Although she still did feel rattled about her encounter with Hord, she slowly tried to snap out of it and get back to her focused best. ¡°All the best for the fight. The audience here has paid a lot of money to see us sh, so let¡¯s at least try and give them a great show¡± Luke said, as he encouraged Lin to try her best, as Lin immediately scoffed at his naivety. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best for sure, however, I seriously doubt you can handle my best-¡± she said, as the match referee nodded towards both candidates and gave the call to start the fight ¡°Begin-¡± he said, as instantly Lin Mu charged towards Luke, her feet looking like a blur. [ Water Feet ] Although her feet looked like she was only moving slightly, Lin Mu moved on the hard arena surface as if she was gliding on water as her odd movement made it impossible for Luke to predict her attack path. nting his feet firmly, Luke prepared to defend against whatever assault Lin Mu wouldunch, as he kept watching her movements like a hawk although he could not predict them. When Lin Mu reached within a three meter distance of Luke, she finally stopped moving as if she was gliding on water and nted her feet hard as if she was going to jump. Following it through with a slightunch into the air she made it seem like she was ready to soar high into the air as Luke took his eyes off her for a second and tucked under his shield in anticipation of her serial attack. However, Lin Mu never fully took to the sky as she immediately rolled under Luke¡¯s guard and shed one of his ankles. -95 Luke felt a searing pain spread throughout his body as he felt his left ankle being shed by Lin Mu¡¯s short sword. Thankfully, his boots were pretty durable, which did not allow Lin Mu to make a deep cut that severed his ankle muscles, however, the amount of damage he took still impaired his movement, as Luke began to limp straight from the get go. *Cheers* The audience cheered wildly to this sequence of events, as the rowdy men within the crowd absolutely loved this deceit, while the women covered their lips in horror as they let out a gasp. ¡°Nooo, not my SkyLion¡± ¡°Hey bitch! It¡¯s okay if you defeat him, but don¡¯t scar him¡­. My husband is too handsome to carry battle scars¡± ¡°Huh¡­ you¡¯re clearly not worthy of him, battle scars are the pride of men! SkyLion! I don¡¯t care for your scars, I love you wholeheartedly unlike that bitch¡± The crowd reacted sharply to this turn of events, as Luke tried to create separation between himself and Lin Mu. From the audience, Hord who was watching this match unfold believed that it would surely be over within a few seconds now, as he had expected Lin Mu to haveced her dagger with the poison he gave her. Uptil now, he had no idea that Lin Mu was in rebellion against the night guild and had not used the poison he gave her as he waited eagerly to see Luke slowly lose all mobility and turn into a vegetable. [ Speed sh ] As Luke hobbled away, Lin Mu used the attack speed sh as she turned into a blur of movement speed and shed past Luke, drawing yet another trail of blood as she nicked him around his right chest, piercing through his breastte. -75. *Wince* Luke winced in pain as he felt yet another shallow nick on his body, however, he found himself once again too slow to defend against it. Thankfully the opponent was using a short sword, while he was wearing a heavy armor which made her attacks lose much of their strength as had Luke been fighting without such heavy gear he would surely be torn to shreds by now. ¡°All he needs is one opportunity¡­. One opportunity to grab hold of her limbs and SkyLion can end this fight. The only advantage that the girl has over him is her movement technique and speed and she¡¯s using it well to her advantage¡± Principal Wood murmured from the upper pavilion stands as he watched the fight unfold with great anxiety. For the first time ever in the tournament, the prodigious fighter from his academy was on the backfoot and as a teacher, Wood couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious about the flight¡¯s oue, although he had faith in his student to pull through. [ Weapon Reinforcement ] [ Body Reinforcement ] Activating the move Weapon Reinforcement and Body Reinforcement, Luke tried to raise the damage stats of his sword and the strength and movement speed of his body as he tried to match Lin Mu¡¯s speed as best as he could. The start of this fight had not been in his favor at all, with him having lost close to 15% of his total HP within 30 seconds while beingpletely unable to block or counter a move. However, he wasn¡¯t rattled by this much as while the opponents moves were outside his expectations, it wasn¡¯t like he did not train against faster and more agile opponents all the time. The third time as Lin Mu closed in the gap between them and tried to attack, it was Luke¡¯s turn now to turn the tables on her, as in a surprising move he dropped his shield at thest second and hit Lin Mu with a strong kick straight to her stomach from behind the concealed falling shield. *POW* -60 Lin Mu, never expecting Luke to counter her like that, was sent flying from his kick as she rolled in the arena dirt several times before regaining her footing as she felt absolutely winded by his kick. As an assassin, while she was agile and fast, she was nowhere close to being as durable as a knight or as strong as one, as when it came to strength and physique, she was miles behind Luke. *Cheers* As she was pushed back and Luke picked back up his dropped shield, the audience burst into cheers as Luke proved that this fight was not going to be as one sided as the start made it seem to be. Cautiously approaching Lin Mu while hobbling, Luke made his intentions clear that he wasn¡¯t here to cower away or back down as he was more than willing to bring the fight to her if need be. Chapter 245: A great fight Chapter 245: A great fight ¡®His Armor is a damn problem¡­. It¡¯s too durable and my de isn¡¯t as sharp. I¡¯ve only sliced against it twice and my de is already nicked¡­. This isn¡¯t good¡¯ Lin Mu thought as she cautiously approached Luke who was also slowly charging towards her. Gear yed a big role in the world of Terra Nova, however, most yers had not realized the importance of gear yet because they did not have ess to enough money or resources to buy good gear. Luke had obtained his great knight armor set bypleting a tough quest and the effects were evident in this fight. Had he been fighting while wearing cheap leather armor or low quality steel armor, then Lin Mu would have already caused critical damage to his body, however, because of his great gear, Luke managed to continue with the battle while taking minimal damage. For most normal yers, up till this point in the game, umting skills and strength was more important than investing in good gear, however, that trend was about to change very soon. As yers grew stronger and the avenue for improvement in skills became slower, the demand for better gear to instantly improve in strength was bound to shoot up as having good gear could instantly make an impact on one¡¯s overall strength. The craftsmanship ss yers who were sidelined in the world of Terra Nova for the first year while the fighter ss yers leveled up and entered the spotlight were going to slowly have their moment to shine as the hype of frantically buying good gear was right around the corner. *Shua* *Shua* Lin Mu threw two daggers towards Luke, however, while the first dagger was a normal one, the second was an explosive dagger. Instead of deflecting with his sword, Luke cautiously blocked both iing daggers with his shield as although the second dagger exploded right in front of him and sted him backwards, he did not take any real damage from the st as his shield absorbed most of the impact. *OOOOO* The audience gasped collectively when the second dagger exploded, however, as Luke took that blow standing and came out of it with only his shield sizzling with smoke, he looked extremely cool to the audience as they burst into cheers for him. ¡®Yup, monster defense¡¯ Lin Mu thought, as she acknowledged that her opponent truly had a very strong defense that was very hard to breach through. Had Luke lost his shield or be thrown off bnce from the explosion, Lin Mu would have followed her two initial dagger throws with a barrage of attacks, however, although he was pushed back, Luke never lost his fighting stance, providing Lin Mu with no additional openings to exploit. Meanwhile, Hord who was watching this fight develop from the stands could not help but wonder as to why Luke wasn¡¯t paralyzed yet? In his mind, Lin Mu was sure to haveced her weapon with the strong paralytic he gave her and the thought of her betrayal hadn¡¯t even crossed his mind. ¡®What are you doing Lin Mu? Have you gotten so cocky that you did not use the paralytic I gave you?¡¯ he wondered, as he believed that Lin Mu had turned cocky and decided that she did not need to cheat to win and could do so with her own strength. ¡°Alright, I guess I can¡¯t win this fight without taking risks¡± Lin Mu murmured under her breath, as she realised that unless she fought Luke up close there was no other option for her to get past his defences as she once again charged towards him with two short swords in hand. This time, with his body reinforcement spell active, Luke wasn¡¯t as slow as before when trying to parry Lin Mu¡¯s attacks, as although he was still slower overall, the difference was only marginal. Fighting in the most technically sound style possible, Luke fought like a true Royal Academy student, providing minimal openings for his opponent to exploit. *Lunge* *Thrust* *Parry* *Block* *Dodge* *Counter* *Block* *SCREECH* The two engaged in a high speed exchange of moves, exchanging about two to three moves a second as their fast past duel charged up the crowd. Luke although hobbling, mounted an impressive defence giving no openings, while Lin Mu although faster could notnd any serious attacks as the best she could muster was scratches on Luke¡¯s Armor that did not prate beneath at all. As the duo continued with this high speed exchange for several seconds, it became clear that something had to give, as the first one to make a mistake now was going to lose it all as both of them were going all out. The crowd sentiment reached a fever pitch when this high speed exchange continued for over two minutes as at that point even the crowd could anticipate that the high speed dance would notst much longer and that someone was bound to make a mistake. That mistake came when Lin Mu stabbed Luke, however, her dull and nicked de got stuck inside his armor as although she managed to prate inside Luke¡¯s Armor, she could not pull it out in time. -70. Although Luke had his gut stabbed, Lin Mu being unable to pull away in time gave him the opportunity to grab her as he dropped his shield and sword and hugged her like a bear before giving her a belly to belly suplex. *BAM* Absolutely nting Lin Mu¡¯s tiny body on the ground with unbelievable impact force, Lukepletely winded his tiny opponent before picking her up like a rag doll and giving her a series of German Suplexes. Even for a veteran assassin like herself, Luke¡¯s suplexes were too much to handle as from the first time she took it, the impact force stunned her body and made her unable to react in time before the second one, which only got progressively worse the more suplexes he gave her. After the 17th suplex, she felt the world around her turning ck, as her back felt sore and her vertebrae felt like they had recieved minor cracks. After the 19th suplex she became a lifeless doll as the match referee was forced to intervene and dere Luke the winner via incapacitation. Chapter 246: Reactions Chapter 246: Reactions ¡°The winner of this match¡­. By incapacitation, the SUPLEX DEMON, SkyLion¡± The match announcer said as Luke raised one of his hands in the air victoriously. Medics immediately rushed to help both Luke and Lin Mu, as while one set of medics tended to Lin Mu¡¯s wounds, the other set tended to Luke as they carefully pulled out the dagger stuck to his belly, removed his armor and began treating all his cuts and injuries. Chanting healing spells and applying magical ointments, they instantly stopped the bleeding as they then covered Luke up in bandage wraps and asked him toe to the medical room with them. Although they offered to carry him, Luke insisted on walking out on his own two feet as he slowly walked out of the grand arena amidst the heavy cheers of the crowd. Him winning this fight had secured his spots in the ¡®Finals¡¯ of the grand tournament, which meant that he was now only a single step away from winning it all and going down as a legend. ¡°Hahaha, when I saw him performing those suplexes in ss, I was quite terrified of them, however, as I see him performing those in the grand tournament, they feel oddly satisfying to watch¡­¡± ¡°SkyLion is worthy of being called the genius of our Royal Knight Academy, he has single handedly ensured that us Royal Academy students can keep our heads high in front of themoners¡± ¡°SkyLion is truly worth idolizing. He¡¯s always humble, always working hard and is a pretty chill guy to hang out around. However, when it counts, he always delivers. He is so reliable¡­.¡± The Royal Knight Academy students who were all the ssmates of Lukemented from the upper stands as they felt the most overjoyed at his victory. The other academy students and principals could only watch on in envy and congratte Principal Wood as while all of their prodigies failed, the prodigy of the royal knight academy did not. ************ ( Meanwhile on the Global Forums ) ¡°Is it time for us to give some serious credit to the yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯. Never do we include him in the discussion of one of the best yers in the game, however, he¡¯s a consistently solid performer. His fighting technique is unique and solid. He is reliable¡­ Overall I think he¡¯s quite underrated and doesn¡¯t get his due, but he¡¯s undoubtedly a world ss yer¡± ¡°The SkyLion versus Lin Mu fight was extremely entertaining and the victory for SkyLion is much deserved. I think because he makes all his fights look so easy, we don¡¯t give him the credit that he should get as making short work of a semi-finalist can definitely not be an easy task. SkyLion is a beast¡± ¡°Is SkyLion officially now a top3 yer behind TheBoss and DarkEmperor?¡± ¡°Do webel them as the big three? Is he worthy enough to be referred to in the same breath as DarkEmperor and TheBoss?¡± ¡°Man you gotta be kidding me¡­. Levels don¡¯t mean jackshit, what matters is skill! SkyLion is my goat from now on, and I don¡¯t care what any of you say¡­.. his skill is the real deal¡± The public sentiment on the global forums shifted considerably in the favor of Luke as he finally got some respect that he deserved. Since he wasn¡¯t a top10 ranker in terms of levels, most discounted him as being a good yer but not a ¡®Top¡¯ yer and expected him to fall at some point. There were some who even picked him out as the weakest fighter amongst all quarter-finalists, however, his consistent wins shut all the haters up. Now, even if one did not like him, they couldn¡¯t deny the fact that he was one of the top yers, as finally the name ¡®SkyLion¡¯ became a household brand after his entry into the grand tournament finals. ********* ( Hord¡¯s POV ) Hord was heartbroken after Lin Mu¡¯s defeat as for a while all he could do was to sit with his arms crossed in the stands as he stared at the limp body of Lin Mu at the center of the arena. She was the only one who could have saved the Night Guild from its current predicament, however, her defeat in the semi-finals shut even that avenue for the guild. ¡®Stupid brat¡­. Her arrogance is going to be the demise of the guild¡­. She could have won this fight easily if only she listened to my advice and used the paralytic poison,¡¯ Hord thought as he could feel his blood boiling at Lin Mu¡¯s stupidity. ¡®What report will I submit to the guildmaster now¡­. Just how will we manage to survive this predicament?¡¯ Hord wondered, as he felt depression wash over him. Lin Mu was literally thest candle of hope for the Night Guild¡¯s future and her defeat snuffed that light out as well. ¡®Well, she will have to answer for her own stupidity herself. Since she has lost, she won¡¯t be staying the night at the royal pce and will be thrown back to the streets soon enough¡­¡¯ Hord thought, as he decided that the only logical course of action for him to take now was to capture Lin Mu and present her before the guildmaster instead of submitting a report. ********* ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) As Cervantez heard the announcer say that the winner of the match was SkyLion, he felt bubbles of joy pop in his stomach as he was absolutely ted at this oue. He had never expected Luke to make it to the finals, however, Luke performing beyond his expectations only made Cervantez even more fired up to win his own fight. ¡®The guildmaster taking on the vice guildmaster in the finals¡­. Now that¡¯s a power fight¡¯ Cervantez thought, as he psyched himself up and promised himself that no matter what, he was not going to lose his uing bout against The Boss and that he would go on to face Luke in the finals. Chapter 247: Leo Vs Cervantez (1) Chapter 247: Leo Vs Cervantez (1) ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, elves and dwarves¡­ beastmen and orcs¡­ are you ready for the second fight of this semi-finals?¡± The announcer asked, as from the second he tried to hype the crowd up, chants for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ began from the crowd. *Boss* *Boss* *Boss* It was clear before the match even started as to who the crowd was rooting for, however, the announcer still had to make the announcements and hence he was forced to scream on top of the crowd¡¯s chanting. ¡°In¡­intro¡­. introducing first the Guildmaster of the DarkSky guild, the enigmatic yet mysterious fighter¡­. DarkEmperor¡± The announcer said, as the crowd burst into ps and cheers for DarkEmperor¡¯s entrance. Although the support from the NPC section of the crowd was mild for DarkEmperor the yers went batshit crazy for him. ¡°Let¡¯s go DarkEmperor, show TheBoss who is number one!¡± ¡°I have put all my money on you DarkEmperor, don¡¯t let me down¡± ¡°I want to join your guild¡­. Please take me in¡± The yers shouted wildly, hoping to catch his eye, however, their voices were drowned by the chatter of the crowd as Cervantez heard nobody. Walking out to the arena with a steady gait, he looked focused and ready as he nodded towards the upper pavilion VIP guests and waited patiently for the referee to finish exining the rules. ¡°Do you understand¡­.?¡± The referee asked at the end, as he nodded in acknowledgement, prompting the referee to step back as the announcer introduced his opponent. ¡°And his opponent¡­.¡± The announcer said, however, before he could evenplete his introduction, his voice was drowned by the deafening cheers of the crowd as Leo strode out with his arms spread wide. Massive banners with the words ¡®Unbroken¡¯ waved amongst the crowd as Leo spotted them and pointed towards them before giving his supporters a thumbs up. If the atmosphere in the quarter-finals was electric then it was super electric today as Leo had never heard a louder crowd cheer ever in his life. *BOSS* *BOSS* *BOSS* The chants were unanimous and non-stop as his hype seemed to have reached a fever pitch. ¡°Fan support is good but it won¡¯t win you fights¡± Cervantez said, taking a shot at him before the fight, as he seemed slightly envious of his reception. Smiling behind his mask, Leo chuckled at Cervantez¡¯s words as he said ¡°Wee to my town¡­. Guildmaster¡± as he began pumping his fists up and gesturing the crowd to scream even louder, which they did. ¡°Oh of course they cheer for you¡­. You dirty mobster¡­ don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about your connections to the Uprising¡± Cervantez said, hoping to throw Leo off his game by bringing up his link with the uprising, however, Leo only shrugged his shoulders in confusion. ¡°Brother what? I have absolutely no clue what you¡¯re talking about ¡­. The boss only rolls solo, I have connections to nobody¡± Leo said, as while he spoke the truth, Cervantez thought he was trying to mislead him as he did not take his words seriously. Thankfully the majority of the crowd could not hear their interaction because of the loud sound, as if they did they would have been shocked to find out that the number one yer had links to an underworld group like the uprising. As Leo took his starting spot, the match referee quickly walked up to him and exined the rules as Leo nodded his head and gave him the assurance that he understood. Once assured the referee stepped back, as after confirming once more that both contestants were ready, he signaled the start of the fight. ¡°Begin-¡± he said as almost instantly both Cervantez and Leo charged towards one another. Cervantez, a special ss yer called ¡®Warlock¡¯, had the ability to both cast spells and use the sword, however, the only restriction he had was that he could only learn arcane type magic spells to cast. This meant that he could not learn spells from every single skill scroll avable in the market, however, the magic that he could learn was also unique and not many other sses could learn the same spells as him. Up till now, he had only relied on his swordsmanship and superior stats and speed to win most fights, hiding his arcane spells for exactly this match-up. *Shinggg* Sparks flew as metal shed against metal, as both him and Leo dashed towards each other with their des out. Leo, being the stronger fighter of the two managed to force Cervantez to take a step back after the initial sh, however, he could not outright push him back either. *Shing* *Shing* *Shing* *Shing* Using his high speed, Leo tried to find an opening in Cervantez¡¯s defenses, however, although Cervantez was not as fast as him or not as technical as Luke when on the defensive, the guildmaster of the DarkSky guild still managed to parry every strike that Leo tried to hit, as sparks flew every time their des shed. ¡°Yooo this is peak!¡± ¡°So this is what the fight between the number one and number two fighters looks like¡­. So cool!¡± ¡°I¡¯m having goosebumps, those two guys are on a whole another levelpared to us plebs¡± ¡°Fuck¡­. Look at that speed, I would probably be diced up five times by now¡± ¡°Boss!! Push harder¡­.show them why you¡¯re number one-¡± ¡°DarkEmperor, don¡¯t let him set the tempo, push back!¡± The crowd went bonkers for their initial exchange, as no party was able to establish dominance early into the fight, as eventually Leo had to ept that he could not open up Cervantez¡¯s defenses through sheer speed alone and fall back to try with a new strategy. ¡°You¡¯re good¡­¡± Cervantez said, when he finally got a moment¡¯s time to breathe as he cracked his neck and exhaled deeply. This fight was as intense as he¡¯d hoped it¡¯d be as TheBoss did not give him room to make a single error. Chapter 248: Death Chapter 248: Death ¡°You¡¯re good¡­¡± Cervantez said, almost to remind himself that his opponent was not going to allow him the luxury of making a single mistake. Leo did not respond to his opponent with any words and instead dropped a few smoke bombs from his assassin¡¯s belt as within seconds the entire area around himself and Cervantez was covered in thick ck smoke. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* Almost as soon as the smoke bombs exploded and the smoke began to spread, Leo¡¯s silhouette vanished inside the smoke, as Cervantez lost all vision of his opponent. This was the same sequence of events that had led to the demise of Tracy in the quarter finals and hence the audience immediately began to cheer, hoping to see yet another dominating sequence of events. ¡®Yup, this is what I was waiting for-¡® Cervantez thought, as he had long anticipated that at some point during the match, Leo was bound to use the smoke bombs, as the second he did, Cervantez used his first semi legendary Arcane move. [ Wind Vortex ] Grabbing his sword with his left hand and pushing his right palm forward, Cervantez summoned an arcane wind spell long lost to the annals of time, as he created a powerful vortex of wind. *SWIIRRRLLLLL* Strong winds began to blow throughout the arena as Leo¡¯s smoke cover which was so carefully created was blown apart almost instantly, exposing his real location under the sun. The winds produced by Cervantez were so strong that every single member in the audience felt the fast winds brushing past their cheeks, as some maidens even saw their hats flying off to the winds. However, the effect of the vortex that they felt in the stands was considerably more tame to what Leo felt in the arena, as the winds he experienced were so strong that it threatened to sweep him off his feet and push him back. ¡°Using arcane spells? Is the boy a Warlock?¡± ¡°Wind Vortex? That¡¯s a lost art, we don¡¯t even teach this attack in the royal mage university anymore¡± ¡°This kid is a genius¡­. Wind Vortex is not an easy spell to master at all-¡± West Duke James, the principal of the royal mage academy and many other nobles watched on with keen interest as they did not expect such a high level spell being deployed in a Grand Tournament fight. ¡°We need to re-evaluate our understanding of this boy DarkEmperor¡­ he seems to have deeper roots than we believed¡± was what the East Duke said, as he felt as if the information he had on the kid was iplete and not up to the mark. ¡°So this is what a fight between the number one and number two yer looks like¡­..¡± ¡°Holy shit¡­. DarkEmperor just blew apart TheBoss¡¯s smoke cover like it was nothing¡± ¡°Bloody hell¡­. DarkEmperor can use spells too! He was hiding his strength all this time-¡± The crowd went bananas over Cervantez¡¯s performance as small chants of ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ began amongst the crowd. He had pleasantly taken everyone by surprise with the revtion that he could use spells too as this monumentally changed the odds of the battle. ¡°Surprised¡­?¡± Cervantez asked Leo, as while he could not read his expression under that damned Virex Corps mask, Cervantez could imagine his opponent feeling confused and dazed because of how his cover had been blown away. ¡°That¡¯s not all I have to offer either ¡­.. take this¡± he said, moving his right palm that was facing towards Leo to point towards the sky as he collected his mana before pulling his hand down as if summoning some celestial object. As soon as he did this, everyone began looking towards the sky which turned from a clear sunny day to a stormy gray sky within seconds. The power of the Wind Vortex only intensified with the change in weather as this time around Leo was forced to be pushed back as finally the wind flow became too strong for him to maintain his footing. For the first time ever. The Boss was forced to get down on his knees as he had to nt a dagger into the ground below for additional grip, as Leo felt like without the additional support he could be genuinely blown off into the sky. Nheless, while he was immobilized on the ground, the sky above began to cackle with thunder ominously. *Bzzzz* *BZZZZ* *THUNDER* [ Lost Arts ¨C Lightning Strike ] Cervantez said, as he directed a lightning st towards Leo, knowing full well that this attack could genuinely kill him. However, since Leo was not a NPC but a yer, Cervantez knew that the death would not be permanent anyways and hence did not worry too much about killing his opponent. *KABOOM* When the bolt of lightning finally struck, not even Leo had the reflexes fast enough to evade the move, as the lightning passed through his body and instantly burnt him to a crisp. -5000 CRITICAL HIT! With a single hit, his HP went from 100% to 0% as he fell t on his back, while the entire audience gasped collectively. ¡°WHAT THE HELL¡­..¡± ¡°A GOD¡­. DARK EMPEROR IS A GOD¡± ¡°HE KILLED HIM¡­. HE KILLED THE BOSS¡± ¡°THE NUMBER ONE PLAYER ¡­ HE¡¯S THE CHOSEN ONE¡­. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT-¡± The audience members clutched their faces and watched in horror as Leo¡¯s lifeless body sizzled on the ground below, as for a moment even the match referee and the announcer were too dazed to process what had just happened. ¡°It¡¯s over Boss¡­. I win-¡± Cervantez said, as he ended both of his spells as the weather cleared and the winds stopped as he raised his hand to the audience in celebration. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) [ System Notification ¨C You have been killed by a lighting strike. You will lose 4 levels and 2 random gear items upon dying. Would you like to use the Death Evasion Token to evade death and not suffer the consequences of dying? ] [ Yes No ] Leo received a system notification as soon as he was dead, asking him if he wished to be revived. Since losing in the grand tournament meant actual death for him, Leo had no doubt in his mind that he needed to get back up, as almost immediately he hit the ¡®Yes¡¯ button and came back to life. Chapter 249: Resurrection Chapter 249: Resurrection Monumental silence gripped the arena post Cervantez¡¯s attack on Leo. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was the crowd favorite to win the grand tournament by a massive margin, however, the home hero seemed to have been vanquished by lightning as his dead body sizzled on the ground while his skin appeared to be charred underneath his burnt robes. ¡°Did he just kill one of the Empire¡¯s most promising young talents just like that?¡± ¡°Is he dead? Father? Is The Boss really dead?¡± A small kid wearing a Virex mask asked his father, as he felt anxious seeing his hero fall. Overall, there was not a single individual in the audience that was cheering, as everyone felt deeply disturbed by the scene they were witnessing. This wasn¡¯t a clean fight, this wasn¡¯t a sh between Titans. This was a one sided mauling, where one of the two fighters brought a gun to a knife fight and absolutely shot down the other one to shreds. ¡°My boy¡­. My boy¡­..¡± Ben said, watching in tears as the old assassin felt his heart break into a million pieces. He had already lost everyone that he dearly loved and could not bear to see Leo in such a pitiful state. Thankfully his emotions had paralyzed him, as if not for him feeling saddened and his mind nking out, Cervantez would have most likely already died by now. ********* ( Leo¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification ¨C You have been killed by a lighting strike. You will lose 4 levels and 2 random gear items upon dying. Would you like to use the Death Evasion Token to evade death and not suffer the consequences of dying? ] [ Yes No ] [ System Notification ¨C You have used the (???) grade item ¡®Death Evasion Token¡¯, you will respawn with 20% HP ] [ System Notification ¨C You have observed the lost move ¡®Lightning Strike¡¯ , your special ss move ¡®mimic¡¯ has managed to copy ¡®Lightning Strike¡¯ and it can now be used for 2 uses ] Leo got a flurry of notifications in front of him, as he slowly got back to his feet while his body sizzled like it was being barbecued alive. In his head, Leo was already cursing himself for being too sloppy as he had grossly underestimated Cervantez in this fight. He had genuinely believed that he would be able to block or counter whatever attack Cervantez produced against him, however, never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that Cervantez was going to produce a literal lightning st that would strike him at the speed of light. It was his mistake for underestimating Cervantez and it was a mistake that ended up costing him the usage of an invaluable ¡®Death Evasion Token¡¯, however, while it was a tragedy for him, the shock that the entire audience received when he started to get back on his feet was even more profound. ¡°The winner of this match via inca¨C what? Wait a second, holy hell he¡¯s moving¡­ he¡¯s moving¡­¡± The match announcer screamed like a baby, as he was on the verge of calling the match when Leo suddenly started to move and get back to his feet. The crowd that was stunned to silence after Cervantez¡¯s attack and struggling to process what was going on, got another major shock to see Leo stir back up to his feet, as they could not imagine anyone who could survive such a st. ¡°There¡¯s no way he took that hit and is getting back up¡­. That was a third tier spell at the minimum, it¡¯s not something even master level fighters can take without being paralyzed. There is no way he¡¯s getting back to his feet¡± West Duke James said, as he could not believe his eyes as to what he was witnessing. ¡°HAHAHAHA¡­. The Boss, what a character¡­. Hahaha, I knew that kid¡¯s special¡± The Emperor Julien D Evanus said in joy, as he felt overjoyed to see The Boss back up to his feet. *CHEERS* ¡°BOSSSSS!!!!!¡± ¡°HE¡¯S OKAY¡­. HE¡¯S OKAY! OUR HERO¡¯S OKAY¡± The cheer that Leo got, when he got back up to his feet was unreal. The entire crowd went absolutely bananas as if they had just watched someone resurrect from the dead as Leo¡¯s legacy as the ¡®Unbroken¡¯ fighter was set in stone now with this fight being the deciding moment. ¡°No way he just got back up¡­. There is no fucking way that he just got back up¡± ¡°GOAT!!!! THE BOSS IS THE GOAT!¡± The uprising members and bookies who for a second thought that they had lost their life savings by betting it all on Leo, screamed at the top of their lungs when he began to stir again, as in the entire arena, the only people who were genuinely depressed to see him move were Cervantez, The Royal Sword Academy members and the DarkSky guild members. Cervantez especially could hardly believe his eyes as when Leo rose to his feet, Cervantez felt his legs tremble with fear, as this event exceeded even his own wildest expectations. ¡®How?¡¯ For the 100,000th time in his life, he could not understand the logic behind the circumstances surrounding ¡®TheBoss¡¯. 9999999/10000000 times, any yer under level 250 being hit by this kind of attack would have died on the spot, yet somehow, The Boss rose back up to his feet like this attack did not even faze him and began cracking his neck muscles. ¡°Wooo¡­. That was a good one guildmaster, I¡¯ll give you credit for that¡± Leo said, as not only did he get back to his feet, but he got back to his feet with his usual sassy attitude, as if the previous attack had not fazed him at all. ¡°Lost arts- the lightning strike? Seems like an interesting move¡­¡± Leo said, as he pointed towards the sky imitating Cervantez¡¯s own actions, and began gathering his mana. ¡®No way¡­. He¡¯s bluffing¡­ there¡¯s no way he can perform the lightning strike¡­. He¡¯s an assassin¡­.¡¯ Cervantez thought, as he gulped in a mouthful of saliva, thinking Leo was surely bluffing with his pose. Chapter 250: Incomprehensible Chapter 250: Iprehensible ¡®No way¡­. He¡¯s bluffing¡­ there¡¯s no way he can perform the lightning strike¡­. He¡¯s an assassin¡­.¡¯ Cervantez thought, as every bit of gaming logic that he had gathered over both his lifetimes told him that for someone who was not from the warlock ss to perform the ¡®Lightning Strike¡¯ was impossible. It was an arcane art, one that needed months of practice to master and not a move that someone could replicate just because they saw it once. In the crowd, Lady Vivienne, the only master mage present, watched this development with stars sparkling in her eyes, as this was the greatest discovery for a mage like herself. From the second that Cervantez performed the ¡®Lightning Strike¡¯ spell, she was immediately interested in recruiting him as her disciple, however, when Leo showed aptitude for the same and began replicating the move after only watching it once, Vivienne felt her stomach roll with excitement, as even she could not believe that someone of this caliber could exist. ¡°You¡¯re bluffing¡­. I¡¯m going to end this now-¡± Cervantez said, as he grabbed hold of his sword and began charging towards Leo, however, just as he took his first step, he heard the unmistakable rumble of thunder in the sky above. His feet paused automatically, as he looked towards the sky, shocked to see that it waspletely dark and rumbling with lightning as if on the verge of performing a lightning strike. ¡°Impossible¡­. This makes no sense¡­. I saw you perform Tor¡¯s fist punch with my own eyes¡­. Why can you perform the moves from all sses? Why do you not have restrictions like the rest of us?¡± Cervantez wondered, as he felt his mind overloading from the confusion. ¡°Hey guildmaster¡­. Take this¡­¡± Leo said, as he lowered his hand that was pointing towards the sky, as he sessfully replicated using the move [ Lost Arts ¨C Lightning Strike ]. *KABOOM* Almost instantly a bolt of lightning descended from the sky and incinerated Cervantez, as the Guildmaster of the DarkSky guild was left bamboozled by the sequence of events that took ce in this fight. -6,000 CRITICAL HIT! Immediately reduced to a sizzling, charred corpse, Cervantez¡¯s body dropped dead on the ground below, however, unlike Leo, he was unable to get back up. For a few moments, even the crowd did not dare cheer for Leo, as they wondered if Cervantez would also get back up just like Leo did, however, as the match referee slowly walked up to Cervantez¡¯s body and confirmed that he was dead, a portion of the crowd erupted in cheers. *CHEERS* *BOSS!* *BOSS!* *BOSS!* Deafening cheers followed by the chants of ¡®Boss¡¯ reverberated throughout the crowd, as for them this had be an unforgettable fight for the ages. Not only did Leo get back up after taking one of the strongest moves that the crowd had ever seen¡­ but he got back up and used the same move to then defeat his opponent, who unlike him, could not get back up from it. If there was any doubt in the mind of the audience as to who the stronger fighter amongst the two was, it waspletely dispelled after this fight, as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ emerged from this semi-final bout as the undisputed number one. ¡°The boss is the GOAT¡­. He¡¯s the GOAT, he took the hit, but DarkEmperor didn¡¯t. It¡¯s clear as night and day who is better¡± ¡°This was a great fight, both contestants are clearly far above the rest of the yers, however, the Boss is a cut above even DarkEmperor¡­. What a guy-¡± ¡°Yooo¡­ The Boss really went like¡­. Whatever you can do¡­ I can do better and BAM, he hit DarkEmperor with his own move to beat him. So cool¡­¡± The audience went bonkers as the match finished, and the global forums exploded with reactions, as yers around the empire were extremely interested in the results of the biggest fight ever. Those who watched it live conveyed every detail to those who couldn¡¯t make it to the grand arena, vividly describing how the match between the number one and number two yers had just concluded, with the number one yer securing a convincing win. Despite being injured for the first time ever, TheBoss showed the world his incredible resilience by getting back up after a massive attack as he dispelled any doubts about his physique and constitution, which many had considered weak since he had never been hit in previous fights. Before this fight, many believed TheBoss had simply allocated all his free stat points into strength and agility to be as fast and strong as he was. Haters thought this strategy left his defenses extremely weak and that a single hit would shatter his facade of invincibility. However, today¡¯s battle dispelled even those doubts with Leo emerging as the mostplete yer, showcasing no ws. If before, he was only seen as a promising talent by the upper echelons of noble society that had the potential of bing a master someday. After this fight their perception of him changed, as they realized that he was already beyond the realm of a normal genius and that reaching the strength of a ¡®Master¡¯ was but a matter of time for him. The happiest of course was the East Duke, who felt extremely happy for having roped in this talent at the Royal G, as he chuckled loudly and flexed to all his noble friends how he had already roped in TheBoss as an underling. ¡°The winner of this match, via permanent incapacitation¡­. THE BOSSS¡± the announcer said, as the match referee raised Leo¡¯s hand in victory. Although it wasn¡¯t ideal to win via killing your opponent, which made the magnitude of cheers he received die down, nobody could me him for being ruthless in this situation, when his opponent had used the same move on him before. ¡°So I¡¯m facing brother tomorrow at the finals¡­.¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he realized that him winning against Cervantez meant that he was now all set to face Luke at the finals. Chapter 251: Aftermath Chapter 251: Aftermath ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez sat alone at the DarkSky Guild Headquarters with his head between his hands as he could not figure out how TheBoss beat him. In his mind, his strategy had been perfect. He had hidden his strength right up till the semi finals. He had forced TheBoss into an awkward pose with his strong winds and he had ensured that the lightning strike hit its mark. Everything had happened exactly how he wanted it to happen, however, the end result was still not in his favor. ¡®How? How? How?¡¯ he wondered, gritting his teeth, as it stinged his heart every time that he thought about the forums and how the whole world was now convinced that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was better than him. This was his moment¡­. The one chance for him to prove to the world that he was not the number two yer, but the best yer, however, he failed on capitalizing on that chance. ¡®It¡¯s impossible for him to have taken 5000 damage points and survived. No matter what his ss is, it¡¯s simply impossible for him to have taken that hit and survived¡¯ Cervantez thought as he paced around the guild headquarters which was his chosen respawn point after having lost two levels and his precious sword after dying. ¡®How? How? How?¡¯ He tried to brainstorm, utilizing all the knowledge of the game that he had to try to solve this mystery. ¡°THE DEATH EVASION TOKEN¡± he said, eventually pping his head, as he hadpletely forgotten that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had gotten a death evasion token early into the game. Recalling how he saw TheBoss¡¯s HP hit 0 before shooting back up to 20%, Cervantez finally felt as if all the pieces of the puzzle started to connect as he figured out the reason behind TheBoss¡¯s rebirth. ¡°Fuck he had not survived my attack¡­. He was deader than dead¡­. The lucky bastard just had a death evasion token in his inventory¡± Cervantez murmured as he felt incredibly jealous of TheBoss¡¯s luck. The death evasion token was one of the most broken items in the game and Cervantez had tried his best to im it early into the game, however, unfortunately it fell into the hands of TheBoss. Now, many monthster, he used that item to beat him in the semi-finals, as his own inability to oupete TheBoss months ago, came to bite him back in the ass. ¡°If only I was a bit faster back then¡­.¡± He sighed, as he wished he could re-do his life once again. ¡°But that still doesn¡¯t exin how he was able to copy my skill¡± Cervantez wondered, as that was the part which perplexed him even more than Leo surviving the lightning strike. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to copy ss exclusive skills¡­. Then how?¡± Cervantez wondered, as he hypothesized that TheBoss might have a skill that helped him copy any attack, however, Cervantez had never heard about the existence of such a broken skill in the game at all. ¡°If there was a skill that allowed one to copy others moves, it would have been incredibly popr in my past life and there is no way I would not have known about it. So unless it¡¯s a skill unique to him¡­. I don¡¯t think copying a skill is even possible¡± Cervantez murmured to himself as he internally rejected the possibility that The Boss had copied his skill and tried to search for other solutions. Unfortunately for him, however, no matter how much he brainstormed he could not figure out how TheBoss was able to do what he did, as in the end he was forced to quit and just ept things for the way they were. ¡°Just like his identity, his abilities are unknown too-¡± Cervantez said eventually, as he was forced to admit that just like in his past life, in this life as well, information on the yer named ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was limited. ************ ( Meanwhile Luke ) Having won his semi-final fight, Luke was escorted back to the castle where he was given the VIP treatment by the greeting butler and maid. Having made his way to the finals of the Grand Tournament, Luke was treated with extreme respect and politeness as he was presented with the finest luxuries that a man could imagine during his stay. While Leo was also offered the same luxuries, he bluntly rejected them all and locked himself in his room, while Luke took his time enjoying the cuisine and the massage that his attendants had organized for him, as he spent his time leisurely scrolling through the Global Forumsments section. ¡°The fight between ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ was the greatest thing I¡¯ve ever seen¡­.¡± ¡°Is there even a need for us to conduct the finals? I mean just give ¡®TheBoss¡¯ the crown, because there¡¯s no way ¡®Skylion¡¯ beats him¡± ¡°Frankly I don¡¯t see how any contestant can survive the lightning strike¡­. It¡¯s too strong of a move and can end the fight instantly. I don¡¯t know how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ survived it, however, if he uses it against ¡®Skylion¡¯ the match is bound to end that very second¡± ¡°The only way for ¡®SkyLion¡¯ to win this fight is for him to get ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in one of his suplexes. Somehow, once he starts with the suplexes, nobody can escape the train midway. So the only way I see him winning this fight, is for him to somehow get the boss into a German suplex, however, with TheBoss¡¯s insane strength and speed it¡¯s going to be hard¡± Luke spent a good half hour scrolling through theizens¡¯ments, quickly realizing that everyone expected him to lose tomorrow. Not a single person on the forums believed he could win, and deep down, Luke shared their sentiment. Part of him had hoped that if the guildmaster won his fight against TheBoss, he would face the guildmaster in the finals, giving him a real shot at victory. However, with Cervantez losing his fight, that dream was now shattered, as even if he did not want to¡­ his opponent for tomorrow was ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°He¡¯s so strong¡­¡± Luke murmured, as he thought of a weakness that he could exploit in TheBoss, however, he could unfortunately find none. Speed, strength, weapons mastery, technique, special moves, resilience. He had everything a fighter could hope for, leaving Luke with nothing to leverage for dominance in the fight. ¡°My best bet is to stick to defense and wait for my chance to hit a German suplex. The guy on the forums is right¡­ My only shot at winning is if I cannd a single German suplex,¡± Luke murmured to himself as although he didn¡¯t like to admit it, he knew this was his only chance at winning. Unlike an amateur, Luke¡¯s suplexes were executed with precision, dropping his opponent on their temple as hard as possible. Regardless of who he faced, once they were dropped hard on their head, they became dizzy and disoriented with Luke being able to capitalize on this momentary weakness by immediately hitting a second suplex. This chain continued until the opponent weakened and eventually passed out as regardless of whether his opponent was ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ ¡®DarkEmperor,¡¯ or any other human, as long as Luke could hit his suplexes, he had a fighting chance. ¡°But will I be able to get him into a suplex hold?¡± Luke wondered, as while he knew how to attain victory, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could even take the only road that might lead there. ********** ( Meanwhile Ben ) Ben felt his heart jump out of his chest when he saw the lightning strike hit Leo. For a moment, he was so ovee with grief at losing his beloved disciple that tears streamed down his eyes and his breathing stopped. The grief was so intense that his mind nked out momentarily, with him turning deaf as the sounds of the crowd around him turned mute. Thankfully, his breath came back when he saw his disciple¡¯s body move and revive as only after he realized that his beloved disciple was okay, did he dare stop crying. His instincts were to jump into the arena and stop the fight at once so that his disciple could receive some much needed medical attention, however, he held back the urge as he saw his boy cracking his neck as if ready to fight back. ¡°Oooh yeah¡­.. that¡¯s my boy-¡± he thought, as he now began crying tears of joy, as he felt his blood pump with excitement when he saw his disciple standing unfazed even after being struck by lightning. ¡°Give it to them son! ¡­. Show them the might of Mt.Faulkner¡± Ben said out loud as the people around him looked at him as if he were crazy. The surname ¡®Faulkner¡¯ was a borderline taboo amongst themoners now with the crazy reputation of Ben Faulkner, which was why Ben using that name drew many frowns towards him. However, soon, everyone¡¯s attention was captured by Leo¡¯s retaliatory strike, as at that point even Ben felt surprised to see Leo cast that move. ¡®Did he really learn that attack after just watching it once? What sort of freak does that?¡¯ he wondered for a second, before bursting outughing as he felt even more proud of his disciple than ever before. Scanning the crowd, he looked at the shocked expressions of every master warrior in the crowd as he felt his nose point upwards in pride. ¡®You will never get a disciple half as good even if you search for two lifetimes¡­.¡¯ Ben thought, as today he felt truly happy to be Leo¡¯s master. Chapter 252: Brotherly Banter Chapter 252: Brotherly Banter ( The real world, Sector D ) ¡°What do you mean you have no MP left? Where did you spend close to 1100 MP?¡± Luke asked Leo in shock, as he could notprehend how Leo could be so irresponsible to have spent 1100 MP when he knew that their mother needed everyst bit of it. ¡°Brother¡­ wait let me exin-¡± Leo said, as he tried to get a word in before Luke lost his mind. Luke had just logged out of the game and was shocked to see Leo getting ready for work, as he walked up to him and asked ¡°Why are you getting ready for work? I thought we agreed on taking a week off-¡± To which Leo replied ¡°I don¡¯t have any MP left-¡°, which immediately made Luke lose his temper. For him saving MP for their mother was a sensitive topic, which was why Leo¡¯s words immediately triggered him. ¡°What happened is¡­ yesterday I went to the MP exchange center to call mom since I was feeling lonely and bored alone in the apartment. There, as I called mom, I found out that a massive earthquake had caused our apartment to copse, trapping mom and that guy she¡¯s staying with underneath the emergency table. They only had a days worth of ration left when I called her¡­ so I used all my MP to save her and that guy from the rubble and paid to keep them both safe until the next batch of arc ship departs¡± Leo exined frantically, as only after listening to his exnation did Luke calm down a bit. ¡°Mom got trapped underneath rubble? Was she okay? Did she break her arm or something?¡± Luke asked, sounding extremely concerned, as Leo shook his head and said ¡°Mom was fine, however, unfortunately, that guy was fine too and was disgustingly hugging mom¡­. Made me want to puke¡± Leo¡¯s response almost made Luke chuckle as he felt his rapid heartbeat rxing a bit. ¡± *Sigh* , idents¡­ Why do they happen at a time where you have the most need for money¡­.¡± Luke said, letting out a deep sigh as he wondered why God tested them in such ways. ¡°Don¡¯t worry brother, we¡¯ll find a way to make more MP, have faith in me¡­¡± Leo said, putting his hand over Luke¡¯s shoulder as he nodded his head. ¡°I might be useless in real life, but I¡¯m a pretty good yer inside the game brother¡­ so trust me when I say, I¡¯ll find a way to make lots of MP before the arc ship departs¡± Leo said, as Luke chuckled listening to his words. He found Leo to be really adorable at times¡­ especially when he tried to be all grown up and matured, as deep down Luke still viewed him as his scaredy little brother, who once hugged on to him tightly until he switched on the lights in their dark room. ¡°Oh my god, Luke¡ª Congrattions!!!!!¡± Amanda said excitedly as she walked into the living room after logging out of the game. Because of the heated conversation that the brothers suddenly had, Leopletely forgot about the fact that Luke had qualified for the finals of the Grand Tournament which was apparently a big deal. ¡°Oh my god I¡¯m so proud of you¡­¡± Amanda said, hugging him tightly as she tried to squeeze Luke as tightly as she could in a disy of tonic love. ¡°Hahaha, thankyou-¡± Luke said, rubbing his nose as he felt quite proud of himself for reaching the finals of the Grand Tournament. ¡°Oh yes¡­ congrattions brother, sorry I forgot to do it sooner¡± Leo said, extending his hand for Luke to shake, however, Luke blew his hand away and took him in for a hug as he patted Leo on the back. ¡°Well I¡¯m the brother of the number two yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, so I can¡¯t embarrass him too much now can I?¡± Luke said teasingly, as he took a jibe at Leo¡¯s poprity. ¡°Oh my god¡­. Look at you two¡­ two talented kiddies, I¡¯m sure mama Elena would be so proud¡± Amanda said happily, as she pulled the cheeks of both her roommates in joy. ¡°Also, why are you getting ready for work Leo? You¡¯re not supposed to leave the apartment-¡± Amanda said as she saw Leo in work clothes, her tone instantly turning from happy to dull as she borderline threatened Leo to take it off. ¡°It¡¯s just a prank Amanda, he was teasing us¡± Luke said, as he gave Leo¡¯s shoulder a tight squeeze and signaled him to shut-up. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for your leave, but you¡¯re not going out yet¡­¡± Luke whispered into his ears, as themanding tone with which he said those words, made Leo realize that it was not a request but an instruction and that there was no room for debate. ¡°Haha, yes, yes, just a prank-¡± Leo said, taking off his work robes as Amanda began smiling sweetly once again. ¡°Don¡¯t do such pranks or I¡¯ll smack you-¡± she warned before ruffling his hair sweetly and giving him a kiss on the cheek. *Cough* Luke immediately coughed at the public disy of affection between the two as he abruptly rushed into the washroom to get ready for work, leaving Leo and Amanda in awkward silence. ¡°If you¡¯re still in the capital¡­ go support your brother tomorrow~¡± Amanda said, breaking the awkward silence as Leo nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already got the best possible seats in the house¡± he said, lying through his teeth as he felt his stomach wrench at the thought of having to face his brother. Unfortunately, losing was not an option for him, since his very life was on the line, however, he could never feel happy for beating his brother either. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation for him, as whether he won or lost the fight, both oues were less than ideal for him. Chapter 253: An Ideal Leader Chapter 253: An Ideal Leader ( Real world, Sector S, Cervantez¡¯s home ) As he did often, Cervantez booked Luke for a massage session in sector S for the work day, however, instead of actually getting a massage, he discussed Luke¡¯s uing finals match with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ instead. ¡°I¡¯m extremely ashamed man¡­. As the guildmaster I couldn¡¯t even make it to the finals, while you did as the vice guildmaster. I¡¯m sort of supposed to be the strongest around here¡± Cervantez candidly admitted, as Luke immediately shook his head in denial. ¡°It¡¯s not about you being stronger or weaker than me. If I met ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in the round of 64, I¡¯d be eliminated then¡­. That guy¡¯s simply too strong¡± Luke said, as he tried to cheer Cervantez back up with sound logic. ¡°I know¡­ that guy¡¯s just unyable¡­. I still don¡¯t know how he managed to copy my best move¡± Cervantez said, cing his head in his palms as he looked visibly tired from trying to figure out how The Boss pulled it off. For a while Luke said nothing as he stood in silence waiting for Cervantez to recover, however, internally he felt very happy to see Cervantez behaving in such a positive way despite having suffered a big loss. Instead of making excuses, he apologized for not delivering as per the expectations of the guild members, which was a big plus point in Luke¡¯s perspective as not many men had such personality. Cervantez seemed to have already epted the fact that he lost and was already looking past it by trying to help Lukee up with a strategy for tomorrow¡¯s fight, which was another big plus point in Luke¡¯s eyes as he appreciated everything Cervantez did for him and the guild. After a while, as Cervantez gave up on trying to figure out how The Boss copied his move, he looked into Luke¡¯s eyes once more and said what Luke already knew deep down. ¡°The way I see it¡­. The only way you win against The Boss is if you somehow get him into a suplex hold. I know it will be very hard to get someone as slippery as him into a suplex hold, but that¡¯s your only shot of winning. 99/100 times you will lose a fight against The Boss, however, if you can somehow manage to hit a suplex, I think you can steal a win¡± Cervantez eventually said, as Luke immediately nodded his head in agreement . ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much how I feel too¡­so my game n is to y defensive until I get the opportunity to execute a suplex¡­¡± Luke admitted, as he shrugged his shoulders, sounding unsure of his own n. It was by no means a thorough n or a fool proof n, however, it was the best he could think of given his strengths. ¡°Alright, since we are on the same wavelength, let¡¯s run some mock shadow battles in our head to try and see if we can think of some move sequence that can maybe help you put him in a suplex hold¡­¡± Cervantez said, trying to help Luke as best as he could. Soon, the duo began discussing possible future scenarios with Luke and trying to figure out ways to put his opponent into a suplex hold, as he mentally prepared everybination that he could think of for tomorrow¡¯s fight. ******** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Left alone at the apartment once more, Leo did not think about the uing battle at all, as he instead wondered about how his life would be, after the grand tournament was over. If he managed to win, that would cement the identity of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as the top yer,pleting a long time quest. However, it would also be a new beginning for him as he would have to pick up the role of being ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. ¡°What should I wish for? Can I ask to be made a Duke? Or for lots of money? I bet it will be easier for me to y the role of a big merchant if I¡¯m the Duke of a duchy¡± Leo said to himself as he wondered if asking for a Duchy as a reward was a good choice or not? ¡°Well, it¡¯s probably a dumb choice¡­. I don¡¯t even know how to properly run a Barony yet¡­. I should focus on learning the ropes first before trying to y the role of a bigshot¡± Leo murmured as he shot down his own stupid thoughts of bing a Duke. ¡°A royal pardon doesn¡¯t sound too bad either¡­. I bet the old man will be happy to be able to roam freely again¡± Leo muttered, as he wondered how Ben would react to being free once again. ¡°A virtual gift for a virtual master¡­. Ha- I¡¯ve really lost my mind¡± Leo said, as heughed at how silly all this sounded. Terra Nova Online was just a game in the end and Ben was just a virtual character, perhaps a line of code that someone wrote. However, Leo was now attached to that line of code to the point where he was willing to use his biggest wish to see him be a free man. ¡°If the old man smiles¡­. It¡¯ll be worth it-¡± Leo muttered to himself as he let out a deep breath. ¡°What did Cervantez mean when he said I have ties to the uprising? Is he stupid?¡± Leo wondered, as he tried to figure out why Cervantez said that he might have had ties to the uprising before the fight began, however, no matter how hard he thought about it, he found no connection between himself and the uprising whatsoever. ¡°I don¡¯t understand half the shit that man says at times¡± Leo said, scrambling his hair as he decided to give up on thinking about Terra Nova Online and tried to pass his time by aimlessly sketching instead. Chapter 254: The Finals (1) Chapter 254: The Finals (1) ( Next day, Terra Nova Online ) As soon as Leo logged back into the game he was put through the routine of being escorted by the royal guards to the royal carriage and then being driven to the grand arena. It was probably for thest time in the foreseeable future that he got to enjoy the hospitality of the Royal Pce, however, Leo did not find anything too special about the royal hospitality either. While everything felt luxurious and grand the first day he was there, he slowly got bored of it by the fifth day as he missed the minimalist nature of the smelly taverns he usually stayed in. Being confined to small spaces was boring for him, as he preferred roaming in the open streets and blending in the shadows much more than being monitored 24¡Á7 and attended by a dozen different maids. Rather than the uing match itself, Leo felt more excited about the idea of finally attaining freedom after the grand tournament was over and reuniting with Ben, as he found the confined atmosphere of the Royal Pce too suffocating for his liking. ¡°Who¡¯s The Boss? Who have the fanse to see? Me! I¡¯m the Boss! They havee to witness my glory¡± Leo began to mutter out loud as he hit his signature poses in the warm-up room, while ignoring the ugly looks that the royal guards gave him. Hyping himself up before a fight had be his pre-match ritual, however, some of the stuff he muttered made the royal guards think that he was an absolute buffoon as they could not believe how someone as goofy as Leo made it to the finals of the grand tournament. If not for his undeniable skills on the arena grounds, the royal guards would genuinely believe that Leo was a clown pretending to be a bigshot, however, since he did have the skills to back up his narcissism, the guards tolerated his hype speech while only giving him ugly looks. Outside, a jam-pack crowd eagerly awaited his arrival as even before the announcement of the match was made, chants of ¡®Boss! Boss! Boss!¡¯ reverberated throughout the arena. Today, everyone was excited not only for the finals bout, but also for the wish granting ceremony afterwards, as the Emperor would walk down into the grand arena and ask the victor of the tournament for the wish of his choice. This segment was a yearly crowd favorite, as everymoner in the audience dreamed of being in the victor¡¯s shoes, being granted the rare opportunity to make a wish before the Emperor. The anticipation of what the champion might wish for kept everyone on the edge of their seats, igniting endless discussions and spections. Would the wish be for untold riches, unmatched power, or something unique and unthinkable? The allure of the wish-granting ceremonyy in its universal appeal; everyone in the crowd could imagine themselves standing in the grand arena, with the Emperor poised to fulfill their heart¡¯s deepest desire as although there was only one winner, everyone felt like they had won when they witnessed someone else rise from rags to riches in a single moment. It was a moment where the line between the elite and themoners blurred, allowing every spectator to vicariously live out their fantasies through the victor. This sense of personal connection and the thrilling uncertainty of the wish made the ceremony not just a highlight of the tournament, but a beacon of hope and aspiration for all. ¡®I wonder how the crowd would react when they heard my wish¡­.¡¯ Leo thought, as he chuckled at the idea of wanting a royal pardon for Ben Faulkner in an arena full of 200,000 spectators. ¡°Hey kiddo, you¡¯re up¨C¡± The royal guards said, as Leo cracked his neck and began walking out of the warm up room as the match announcer made his introduction to the crowd. ¡± INTRODUCING FIRST¡­. THE PEOPLE¡¯S CHAMPION¡­.. THE MASKED ENIGMA¡­. THE THUNDER SUMMONER¡­. THE UNBROKEN¡­. THE ONE AND ONLY¡­. THE BOSS¡± he said in his most energetic voice as Leo ran down the grand arena with his arms spread wide as he basked in the glory and appreciation of the crowd. *CHEERS* Greeted by a wave of deafening cheers and countless chants, Leo soaked in the moment andmitted the atmosphere to his memory, as he knew that this moment was never going toe again in his life. Countless banners with his face on it and the slogan ¡®Unbroken¡¯ waved in the crowds as although this was a neutral arena, it was clear that over 85% of the crowd was in his support. Stretching his limbs, Leo took his starting spot before hyping the crowd up as he personally pped and greeted every section of the crowd and gave them a thumbs up sign to show his appreciation for them all. ¡°For the final time¡­. Let me remind you that KILLING IS NOT encouraged in this tournament¡­ so please don¡¯t kill your opponent¡± the match referee said in a half-threatening half-pleading tone as he requested Leo to not kill Luke like he killed Cervantez yesterday. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ref, I don¡¯t n to kill anyone today¡± Leo assured him, as although the referee did not believe a wording out of his mouth he still shook his head and exined the rules of the bout onest time like he was required to do. Once he was done, he stepped back as the match announcer introduced Luke to the audience. ¡°AND HIS OPPONENT¡­.. THE GRIFFIN RIDER¡­. THE LADIES MAN¡­. THE HANDSOME KNIGHT¡­. THE SUPLEX DEMON¡­.. SKYYYYYYLIONNNN¡± He said enthusiastically, as Luke rushed out to the arena in his shining armor, to a loud cheer by the crowd as well. ¡®So this is it¡­. In the end it¡¯s me versus brother in the finals of the grand tournament¡­¡¯ Leo thought as he saw Luke walking out to the arena, as finally the reality of his situation hit him. Chapter 255: The Finals (2) Chapter 255: The Finals (2) As Luke took his starting spot in the grand arena, Leo just nkly stared at his brother as he wondered if he could really lift his hand against him? Way back when the two were very small kids, Leo and Luke used to fight all the time amongst each other and since Luke was bigger and much stronger, he used to alwayse out on top of those fights, however, ever since their father left, Luke and Leo had never fought a day in their life. Forced to be mature early, Luke became the head of the house as a young teenager and became very patient with Leo. Filling in the shoes of a father, he was tolerant of his younger brother¡¯s childishness and never hit him physically no matter what mischief he pulled off. Leo too, having immense love and respect for Luke never disrespected him or disobeyed him, as he epted his position as the leader of the house and epted his judgment as the final verdict on most matters. Had it been anyone but his brother, Leo wouldn¡¯t have hesitated for a moment to strike. However, deep down, he knew that no matter how much he wanted to be ruthless, he couldn¡¯t treat Luke with the same severity he showed to his other opponents, as his hands began to shiver before the start of the fight. ¡®Brother please forgive me¡­ I would never hit you if it wasn¡¯t for my own survival¡¯ Leo thought as he stared nkly at his brother, not realizing that the referee had already finished exining the rules to Luke and was now looking at him, waiting for his confirmation that he was ready to start the match. ¡°Contestant¡­. Contestant!¡± The referee pestered, trying to snap Leo back to reality, as only after the fifth shout, did Leo finally register his voice and looked towards him. ¡°Are you ready, contestant?¡± The referee asked, as Leo jolted back to reality and began to jump lightly on his feet as he nodded his head. ¡°Yes I¡¯m ready¡± he said, as the referee gave him a curt nod before signaling the start of the fight. ¡°BEGIN-¡± The referee shouted, as the crowd erupted into cheers. From the get-go, Leo dashed towards Luke, who nted his feet and got into a defensive stance. *Shingg* *SCREECH* Moving at a near blinding speed, Leounched a volley of high speed dagger throws and attacks, as from the very first exchange of the match, Luke was pushed on the backfoot as he could barely see the shadow of the attacks Leounched as he frantically waved his shield to deflect them. ¡®So fast¡­¡¯ he thought, as he couldn¡¯t even track the movement of his feet as he appeared from ce to ce, trying to open up his defenses. *Shua* *Shua* Dodging two daggers by a narrow margin, Luke slowly began to move closer to Leo, as he tried to shorten the distance between himself and him, so that he couldn¡¯t have as much freedom of movement to throw his daggers from beyond his swords striking range, however, he soon realized that his attempts of closing the gap with his turtle like speed was futile, as Leo was able to maintain the gap between them without breaking a sweat as he would only slightly adjust his footwork everytime Luke would take a step to keep the gap constant. ******** ( Meanwhile Ben ) Ben watched the finals with his arms crossed. He knew that Leo was facing his own brother in the finals, since he had seen Luke¡¯s face before and asked Leo about his connection to him, however, he did not expect his disciple to go so soft on his opponent just because he was his brother. While the crowd could not see it. Ben could see it clearly. Leo had a 100 different chances to close in the gap between himself and his opponent and slip past his defense to stab him, however, he was deliberately fighting from afar, as if he was afraid of getting his hands wet from his enemy¡¯s blood. ¡°Come ond, you haven¡¯te so far in this tournament to fight like a pussy today. Give him hell¡± Ben shouted, as the audience members around him looked at him as if he were crazy. ¡°Oh shit it, ya old man, what do you know about fighting? If he goes in for the stab and gets caught for a suplex he¡¯s a dead man. It¡¯s safer to fight from a distance¡± another middle aged man sitting near Ben said, as Ben felt his left eye flutter when he heard those words. It was funny how bold ignorance made a man, as the middle aged man had no idea that he was giving fighting advise to Ben Fucking Faulkner. Keeping his calm, Ben kept his focus on the fight as he tried to suppress his rage to not cause an unnecessary incident. ******* ( Meanwhile, Cervantez ) Cervantez sat in the upper pavilion stands to watch the finals alongside the guild members Tor, Lysa, C, Toni and Amanda. Everyone pped and cheered for Luke passionately since the start of the fight, however, only Cervantez kept frowning from the word ¡®Go¡¯, as just like Ben, he too was baffled by ¡®The Boss¡¯s¡¯ unusual fighting style today. The Bosscked his usual ruthless aggression in this fight and seemed to be hesitant and distracted. His daggers, which usually aimed at the throat and heart of the opponent, were aiming for the opponent¡¯s limbs today and Cervantez could not understand the reason behind this sudden shift in his fighting approach. ¡®Just what is his n? Is this all an borate act to force Luke intomitting a mistake? Or is he just off today?¡¯ Cervantez wondered as he watched the match progress while sitting on the absolute edge of his seat. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C My apologies for thete update today, however, it was a Champions League finals night and I got tied up supporting my favorite team. /// Chapter 256: The Finals (3) Chapter 256: The Finals (3) Luke remainedser focused on his fight against The Boss. No matter which direction the boss¡¯s dagger came from, Luke was ready to block it as he remainedser focused on Leo¡¯s wrist movements. *Block* *Block* *Block* A full two minutes passed by since their fight started, however, neither side managed tond a hit on the other, as it wasn¡¯t until Leo realized that he was down to his final two sets of 12 daggers each that he paused his reckless barrage of daggers throws. He was now left with only 24 daggers and 4 explosive daggers and needed to make everyst one of them count if he wanted to win this fight, as he was almost a toothless tiger without his daggers. ¡°Eh? Running out of daggers? Why did you pause so abruptly?¡± Luke said, teasing Leo, as the start of this fight had gone much better for him than he could have ever expected. ¡°Nope,¡± Leo replied, charging in to fight at close range, gripping a dagger tightly in both hands. *sh* *sh* Weaving through Luke¡¯s defenses, Leo swung his daggers in precise shes, as he progressively turned more ruthless as the fight progressed. Uptil now he had tried to be as mild as possible and tried to beat his brother with the minimum humiliation possible, however, his brother¡¯s defenses were just too good to open up from range, as eventually Leo was forced to fight hand to hand. *sh* Finally, as Leo lunged for Luke¡¯s ankles, Luke was forced to take a step back, momentarily exposing his far-side arm outside the cover of his shield. Seizing the opportunity, Leo used his superior speed to close the gap and shed his brother¡¯s exposed arm, scoring the first hit. -50. ¡°OOOOOO¡± The audience cheered for the first hit of the match, as after almost two and a half minutes of no serious action, the fight seemed to be finally warming up. *Thrust* *Parry* *Shua* Topensate for the hit, Luke tried to retaliate by thrusting his sword forwards strategically, as he tried to push Leo into an unfavorable fighting position, however, he failed to achieve his objective as Leo weaved through his attacks with ease. Building on the momentum of his first hit, Leo became even more ruthless as he began thrashing Luke¡¯s defenses at close range. By systematically targeting Luke¡¯s joints, Leo aimed to restrict his movement as once he got into his killer zone and shrugged off his hesitation in hitting his brother, Leo got back to his usual best, disying the sheer ss of the fighter that was ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Quick on his feet and unburdened by heavy armor, Leo moved like the wind as he effortlessly dodged his brother¡¯s sword stabs and found openings in his defenses like they were nothing too difficult to find. A sh to the right thigh, a sh to the left calf, a sh to the right arm, a sh to the left shoulder¡­. He carved his brother up like a stick of butter, as he absolutely destroyed the perfected academy knight¡¯s defensive form that was imed as the most effective defensive strategy under the master level. One after another, Leo racked up minor sh wounds on his brother as although the wounds were not deep or particrly dangerous, they made Luke wince in pain turning each movement that he made into a constant reminder of the injuries he received, psychologically slowing his reactions and movements. What started as a fight where Leo could notnd a single hit, slowly evolved into a one sided thrashing as every ten seconds or so, Leo managed to ce a new shallow gash upon Luke, who had no reply for his technique and superior speed. ¡®I just need one chance¡­ one chance to grab hold of him. One chance to win it all,¡¯ Luke thought to himself as despite clearly being on the backfoot, he kept trying to read Leo¡¯s movements, attempting to discern a pattern. Yesterday, after hours of brainstorming with Cervantez on how to fight The Boss, the duo had concluded that the key for Luke to be able to beat him was for him to read The Boss¡¯s attack patterns and anticipate his next move before he made it. Since Luke could never hope to match The Boss¡¯s freakish speed, the only way for him to grab a hold of the guy was by making a pre-emptive strike, however, to make a pre-emptive strike he needed to observe and predict his opponents movements before they made it. While to the general audience Luke¡¯s approach to this fight seemed extremely boring and passive, in reality it was just Luke waiting for a chance to turn it all around, as slowly but surely he was starting to see a pattern emerge behind the boss¡¯s attacks. ¡°I knew it¡­. SkyLion isn¡¯t nearly as good as DarkEmperor,pared to yesterday¡¯s match, this one is a sham¡± ¡°SkyLion¡­. What is thed even doing? He¡¯s down to his final 40% HP and he¡¯s not even trying hard yet! Is he just going to let himself be absolutely bullied like this?¡± ¡°Too dominant¡­. The Boss is too dominant even in the finals¡± ¡°Agh just quit already, you¡¯re embarrassing yourself by fighting so badly SkyLion, you¡¯re making all young knight¡¯s look bad¡± The crowd, seeing Luke being absolutely dominated, turned against him as they booed, jeered and mocked him. The support for him within the grand arena was already minimal before the fight started, with the chants in his support being barely audible, however, at this point in the fight, even among his own fans, there was a palpable sense of despair as they watched him struggle. They had hoped for a valiant performance from him, but seeing their hero fight so poorly was disheartening as the once enthusiastic cheers at the start of the flight by them slowly turned into murmurs of concern and disbelief. As his HP dropped below 30%, the reality of the situation became painfully clear to his supporters . His body, covered in cuts from head to toe, began to seep blood and make him look like a bleeding fountain. The sight was extremely gruesome, and the upper pavilion, which was where most of his support originated from, fell into an uneasy silence when they witnessed this sight. Some fans, being unable to watch any longer, turned their heads away or covered their eyes. The tension in the air was thick, as everyone waited with bated breath to see if he could muster aeback. However, with each drop of blood that he lost, their hopes dwindled further, as the upper pavilion, once filled with the anticipation of a thrilling battle, now resonated with the harsh reality of his impending defeat. Although none of his injuries were critical, umted, they became a huge hindrance for him, however, Luke did not care as he patiently kept waiting for his chance to strike. ¡®What are you doing brother? Why aren¡¯t you pushing back?¡¯ Leo wondered, as even he started to feel bad about cutting his brother up so badly the longer the fight progressed. ¡®Left foot, left, right, right, center, left¡¯ Luke had memorized this pattern of Leo¡¯s attacks and watched him use it thrice by this point, as when Leo activated the same sequence for the fourth time, Luke knew that it was finally his time to strike. Left, left, right, right¡­. As soon as this sequence began, instead of going for the center, Luke dropped his weapon and shield and lunged towards the left where he anticipated Leo to be a moveter, as distracted by his inner thoughts Leo continued with his usual attack pattern without realizing that he needed to abort and evade. By the time he realized his mistake, Luke had already managed to get him into a bear hug, as he hoisted him over his head with extreme power and precision. Poised for a German Suplex¡­.. Chapter 257: Suplex Demon Chapter 257: Suplex Demon ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Cervantez watched the fight between Luke and The Boss y out in extreme anxiety. From the very start of the fight, he was trying to get a read on The Boss¡¯s attack patterns, to try and find a repetitive sequence, potentially indicative of a weakness that could be exploited, however, he could unfortunately find none. Sometimes his vision would be blocked by Luke¡¯s body which would not allow him to watch The Boss¡¯s footwork, or the angle from the stands would not allow him to watch The Boss¡¯s arm movements as closely as he would like, as until the very end, Cervantez could not get a read on ¡®The Boss¡¯. For the majority of the match with Luke getting thrashed one sidedly, Cervantez felt his gut wrench, as it was him who hade up with the strategy on how to beat ¡®The Boss¡¯ and Luke was only following his instructions. It was him who had advised Luke to find a pattern in The Boss¡¯s attacks, anticipate his moves, and then strike pre-emptively with a counterattack. However, when Luke¡¯s HP dropped below 30% and he still couldn¡¯t see an evident pattern in The Boss¡¯s attacks, Cervantez began to doubt his n. ¡®Did I just doom my vice guildmaster¡¯s fight because of my stupidity?¡¯ he wondered when suddenly out of nowhere, Luke dropped his sword and shield and made a move on The Boss. Catching him off-guard, Luke managed to slip his arms around his waist and get behind his back, as while the whole move was too fast for most people to understand, Cervantez catched everything that happened in slow motion. He watched with bated breath as Luke¡¯s arms locked around The Boss¡¯s midsection. With a powerful lift, Luke hoisted The Boss off the ground, arching his own back in a textbook German suplex. The sight was both awe-inspiring and nerve-wracking, as the move was executed with extreme precision and strength. Time seemed to slow down as Cervantez¡¯s eyes tracked The Boss¡¯s body in the air, the crowd¡¯s gasps barely registering in his mind. For a brief moment, he feared that Luke might have miscalcted, but the perfect execution dispelled his doubts as Luke dropped The Boss precisely on his temple. *BAM* The impact was thunderous as The Boss¡¯s head mmed into the ground, the impact creating a mini crater in the arena sand below as Cervantez¡¯s heart pounded in his chest as he realised the significance of this moment. Luke had finally managed to break through The Boss¡¯s defences, and for the first time, there was a glimmer of hope. ¡®This is it,¡¯ Cervantez thought, gripping the edge of his seat. ¡®He has won this fight¡¯. *********** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) *BAM* Being dropped on his temple, Leo felt dazed out of his mind. He felt the blood in his entire body rushing to his brain and then going haywire as his vision cked out and his muscles coordination seemed to go hay-wire. ¡®Move dammit¡­. If you don¡¯t move you¡¯re going to be hoisted up again¡¯, Leo thought, as he understood fully well that he needed to move fast or this match would be as good as over for him, however, the damage from the first suplex was so intense that his muscles refused to listen to themands of his brain, as he was stunned for a split second. Around him he could hear the cheer of the crowd, however, instead of feeling stationary, the voice around him felt like it was rotating in all directions, as Leo felt like the world was spinning under his feet. *BAM* Before he could fully recover from the first suplex, he was nted on his head hard with a second one, as after the second suplex he felt his head hurt badly as he could feel his skull cracking and a trickle of blood moving down his forehead as his consciousness threatened to fade. ¡®You can¡¯t sleep here Leo¡­. Sleep and you die¡­..sleep and you die¡­. Fight back¡­. Fight back¡­. MOVE YOU DAMN BODY¡­ MOVE¡¯ Leo thought, as he desperately urged his body to move, however, before he could feel the sensation returning to his finger, he felt himself being hoisted up in the air yet again, as he was nted for a third suplex on his head. *BAM* ******** ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke put every ounce of strength that he had in his body behind the first suplex that he executed. He had not gotten a single chance to attack his opponent so far into the fight and knew that he would not get a second chance either if he wasted this one, so he made the most of it by executing the strongest suplex he had ever executed before. The second hepleted executing the first suplex, he felt his opponent¡¯s body go limp as the muscles in his body rxed. At that instance, Luke immediately executed the second suplex, as anticipation began building in his heart. *BAM* The second suplex, which hit as hard as the first one, seemed to crack open his opponent¡¯s skull, as while Luke did not see it clearly, a system notification seemed to indicate that he had scored a critical hit. ¡®I can do this¡­. I can win this fight-¡® he thought, as he hoisted his opponent for a third suplex, which also connected perfectly. *BAM* Suddenly, theplete momentum of the battle seemed to have shifted, as from being the underdog the entire fight, Luke establishedplete control within seconds as he turned ¡®The Boss¡¯ from looking like the most dominant fighter ever to looking like a helpless doll in his grip. ¡°They call me the Suplex Demon¡­.. BITCH¡± He said, as he tightened his grip around The Boss¡¯s midsection and hoisted him for the fourth suplex. At this point, Luke felt like he could actually pull off this win¡­. That he could actually beat The Boss. Afterall, nobody had ever retaliated against the German Suplex after he managed to hit three of them¡­. As in his mind this fight was now as good as over. Chapter 258: Epic Clash Chapter 258: Epic sh Nobody had ever retaliated against the German Suplex ever before. After the second suplex, regardless of who the fighter was, their body started to go limp and it was only a matter of time before they lost consciousness after being bashed on their head over and over again. Hence, after hitting the third consecutive suplex, Luke was sure that he had won this fight¡­. That this fight was that magical 1 in 100 fight, where he somehow beat The Boss and stunned the world. ¡°No way¡­. No way does SkyLion beat The Boss¡­. Oh my god, what an upset¡± ¡°Holy hell, the Suplex Demon is practically back from the dead. He was on the verge of defeat but he¡¯s winning now¡­is this the end for The Boss?¡± ¡°LETS GOOOO! I bet big money on SkyLion winning¡­. This turn around is massive for me¡± ¡°Nobody has turned around the Suplex train after being hit by the first one ¡­. Can the boss be the first to break that curse?¡± The audience members felt this sudden development was shocking and exciting. Nobody had anticipated Luke¡¯seback. As he repeatedly mmed Leo to the ground, the audience collectively gasped in horror with each impact, however, despite the brutality, they couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away, feelingpletely hooked by the intense fight. ************* ( Leo¡¯s POV ) After the third Suplex, Leo¡¯s survival instincts finally kicked in as he felt a crazy amount of adrenaline enter his bloodstream. His heart began to race and his strength abnormally shot up as his arm muscles that were long refusing to obey hismands, finally felt operable. For Leo, this wasn¡¯t just a game. If he lost the finals, his own life was forfeit as the consequences of not winning the Grand Tournament for him was death. Had it not been something as serious as death, Leo¡¯s survival instincts would not have perhaps kicked in at this moment, however, because he knew that he couldn¡¯t let himself fall here, his body co-operated with him as best as it could, giving him one chance to save himself. ¡®Can¡¯t¡­. Fall¡­.Here¡­.¡¯ Leo thought with a foggy brain, as he somehow managed to clutch a dagger hanging around his belt, as he felt the familiar texture of its handle grooves against his palms. When Luke raised him above his head for the fourth suplex, Leo swung his arm as strongly as he could, hitting Luke on his face with the blunt side of his dagger as while he could not aim properly in his pitiful state, nor could he be sure about the usefulness of his attack, he somehow managed to hit Luke squarely on the forehead as the impact made Luke¡¯s grip around his body loosen leading him tounch Leo out of his hands as Leo crashed onto the ground a few meters behind with a *THUD* -20. *CHEERS* *THUD* -70 ¡°THEY¡¯RE DOWN¡­. BOTH FIGHTERS ARE DOWN¡­..¡± The match announcer said excitedly, as his words only caused the audience to erupt in an uproar. Leo had somehow managed to escape Luke¡¯s clutches, and while he was still lying on the ground bell-up, Luke was not in a much better state himself, as after being hit on his forehead with a blunt weapon, the impact caused him to buckle to his knees as well, resulting in both fighters being down and momentarily incapacitated. The Suplex train had been broken, giving Leo a moment¡¯s respite as he breathed heavily, huffing and puffing air out of his lungs to somehow get a second wind. With his body cooperating with his will as best as it could, he slowly staggered back to his feet. However, unlike his usual infallible demeanor, he looked extremely wobbly and weak, as the damage that he had taken from being dropped on his head again and again was undeniable. Same time, Luke, who was down on his knees and suffering from cuts all over his body, cursed his luck at having the Suplex Train broken, as he too staggered back to his feet and looked around to look for his thrown away sword and shield which were a few meters to his left. ¡°OH MY GOD¡­. HE COUNTERED IT ¡­ THE BOSS COUNTERED THE SUPLEX TRAIN¡± ¡°THAT¡¯S WHY HE¡¯S THE GOAT¡­. THE GOAT!¡± ¡°Not going to lie, I thought the semi-finals were going to be better than the finals, but I was wrong¡­.. even SkyLion is the real deal. Massive respect for him¡± ¡°Bloody hell, I have no idea who¡¯s going to win anymore¡­ this fight is simply AMAZING¡± This topsy turvy match, which included bursts of both fighters dominating, provided peak entertainment for all audience members who felt like they were witnessing a duel for the ages. The prodigy of the Royal Knight Academy against the unknown masked warrior who was the hope of the masses. Rarely did the audience ever seen a fight where both fighters could give their 100% and it still wasn¡¯t enough, as it was such fights where one was forced to dig deep and show to the world what they were really made of, however, while such fights could still be seen in the early rounds of the tournament¡­. To see it in the finals was a treat for everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s go SkyLion!¡± *p* *p* *p* ¡°Let¡¯s go SkyLion!¡± *p* *p* *p* ¡°Boss* *Boss* *Boss* Both the upper and lower sections of the Grand Arena cheered their respective candidates with passion, as the noise level within the arena reached an unprecedented pitch. Unarmed and having lost his best shot at winning, Luke knew that his odds to win anymore did not seem that good, however, reacting to the energy of the audience he still pointed towards Leo as he said ¡°COME ONNN¡­ BRING IT¡± as he dared to fight Leo bare handed. Leo, who heard his brother taunt him, took a step towards him, however, unable to bnce himself properly, he wobbled and took four steps to the left before falling to one knee, as it became clear to the crowd that while he was armed and still in this fight, his condition wasn¡¯t good either. Chapter 259: The conclusion Chapter 259: The conclusion ¡®Is this what boxers feel when they get punched in the face?¡¯ Leo wondered as he couldn¡¯t feel his feet beneath him. As a kid, he had often watched boxers fight on the old TV in the corner of the room and remembered how their legs would sometimes wobble and betray them after a particrly fierce blow to the head. It was as if their bodies were momentarily disconnected from their minds and their muscles refused to obey even the simplestmands. Leo had seen it in slow motion, the way a boxer¡¯s eyes would ze over, their stance faltering as their legs turned to jelly. Thementators would call it being ¡°on wobbly legs,¡± a state where the brain struggled to send clear signals to the rest of the body. While he had never understood it fully back then, but now, with his own head throbbing and his vision swimming, he could feel that same disconnect firsthand. His legs felt like they were no longer part of him, an alien sensation that made taking every step an effort of sheer will. The ground beneath him seemed to sway, each footfall uncertain as if he were walking on a ship¡¯s deck in a storm, making him stumble forwards as his muscles felt sluggish and unresponsive and his mind seemed to be fighting to reassert control over his rebellious limbs. ¡®Come on now¡­. Victory is just a little bit away¡­. The Boss can¡¯t wobbled now¡¯ Leo thought as he banged his fists against his legs, trying to check if he could still feel them, but unfortunately, despite how strongly he was hitting his thigh muscles, the sensation he felt was pretty mild. Shaking his head, Leo tried to clear the fog clouding his brain, but doing so only made the disorientation worsen. In his current state, every movement was a struggle, a battle to reim his coordination in what felt like a cruel irony as while his mind was sharp and filled with the urgency of the fight, his bodygged behind, sluggish and uncooperative. ¡®So this is what it feels like,¡¯ he thought, gritting his teeth against the frustration. ¡®This is what elite fighters go through in those moments when strength and skill mean nothing because the body just won¡¯t listen.¡¯ He concluded, as for the first time in his life he realized the danger of taking serious hits to one¡¯s head and the consequences such hits brought. Terra Nova Online was an ultra-realistic game, with the gaming experience being exactly in-line with the real world. While any full dive VR game made on earth would never have distinction when receiving damage in terms of whether the hit was on the foot or on the head, Terra Nova Online was different. Here, if you were hit on the foot, then moving that specific part of the body would feel painful, while being hit on the head would make moving in general harder just like how it would be in real life. *Shua* *Shua* Down on one knee and unable to move properly, Leo knew that he wasn¡¯t in the best shape to perform his usual close-range high speed attacks and hence chose to use both his Explosive Daggers on Luke instead. *KABOOM* *KABOOM* Left with no shield and no way to defend himself, Luke was helpless against the explosive daggers as they exploded right in front of his feet and sent him flying backwards, as he hit his back hard on the arena ground. -70. *BOOO* Boo¡¯s rained down on Leo, for using a cowardly essory instead of actually fighting Luke like a man when he challenged him, as Leo slowly struggled back to his feet. *SHUA* *SHUA* *SHUA* -50 -80 -40 ¡°AGHHHH¡± Luke screamed in pain, as Leo pierced his body with daggers from range, as he nted three daggers in his left leg,pletely incapacitating his ability to get back up, as Leo ensured that Luke stayed down this time for good. ¡°Surrender¡­. Br¡ªSkyLion¡­. You fought well, but this is my victory¡­. Don¡¯t make me nt this next dagger in your neck¡± Leo threatened as he slowly walked towards Luke, pointing his daggers towards him. ¡°Surrender? Never¡­. Kill me instead¡± Luke said, as the audience burst into a road of approval over hisments. While everyone knew that throwing your life away over a lost cause was extremely dumb, however, they couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the bravado nheless. -40 -60 -80 ¡°GAHHHHHHH¡± nting three daggers in his right leg as well, Leo converted Luke into a paralyzed donut as any hopes that he had to limp away from an approaching Leo, or standing up on one foot were thrashed when both his legs were lost. ¡°You will die ¡­. It¡¯s not toote to quit, still¡± Leo said, in an almost begging voice as despite his pitiful state, Luke shook his head from side to side and defiantly yelled ¡°NO!¡± As the crowd burst into cheers once more. As Leo looked at Luke¡¯s pitiful 6% HP bar, he knew that he needed to end this fight now or his brother would suffer a public death, as while he knew that death was not really permanent for a yer, he still did not wish for Luke to die in front of such arge crowd, for the sake of his own pride. ¡°Very well then¡­¡± Leo said, gritting his teeth as he slowly but surely felt strength returning to his legs as he began jogging towards Luke. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for this-¡± he said, as he jumped over his nearly incapacitated brother and began punching him in the face trying to knock him out cold. Putting his hands up in a guard, Luke tried to block Leo¡¯s punches, however, by the third punch, Leo¡¯s superior strength blew his guard open and by the fifth, Luke cked outpletely as the match referee stepped in to stop the fight before Leo actually killed him. ¡°That¡¯s it¡­. He¡¯s out¡­ he¡¯s out- you win¡± the referee said, as he pulled Leo away from Luke and the team of medics rushed into the arena to save SkyLion¡¯s life. Chapter 260: Victory Chapter 260: Victory ¡°THE WINNER OF THIS MATCH¡­. AND THE GRAND TOURNAMENT BY INCAPACITATION¡­..¡± The match announcer said, as a deafening roar of cheers erupted amongst the fans. For a moment, the world around him seemed to slow down as Leo registered everything and nothing at the same time. On one hand he could feel the pressure of the match referee against him as he pushed him away from Luke. On the other hand he could hear the Boo¡¯s and Cheers of the crowd. He could see the exhrated faces of themoners as someone from the open qualified category finally beat the legacy academies after 20 years of dominance, but he could also see the faces of the Royal Knight Academy students as they cried with their heads between their palms. On the ground, not too far away from him, his brother was knocked unconscious as a team of medical staff seemed to be desperately running towards him. On the speakers, the announcer was dering his victory, however, at that instance everything around him just felt too surreal to Leo as a system notification sted his screen. [ System Notification ¨C Actor ss Questpleted ¡®Win The Grand Tournament¡¯ ] [ System Notification ¨C You have managed to win the grand tournament and solidify the image of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as the best yer in the game amongst the masses. Any future achievements attained by ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will no longer draw suspicion from the other yers, as the role background has been established. Calcting Rewards¡­.. ] [ Quest Notification ¨C You havepleted the quest, ¡®Win The Grand Tournament¡¯. Distributing rewards. -You have received +2500 MP -You have received +500,000 Gold Coins -You have gained +15 levels. -Your title ¡®Fake it till you make it¡¯ has been upgraded. -You have received a small Future Events Information Pack. [ Title ] ¨C ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ ¡ª¡ª> ¡®Sham It Till You m It¡¯ [ Title ] ¨C ¡®Sham It Till You m It¡¯ Title Description:- You have understood the principles behind faking your sess to the point that it bes real and have yed the part of ¡®The Boss¡¯ to perfection. However, ying just one role is not enough to be a versatile actor and you must flourish in other roles too. Title effects :- 1)Complete immunity from your stats from being read, with or without the Virex Mask. 2) 30% more probability of any NPC being convinced by your words, even if it¡¯s a lie. ] Leo was drowned in system notifications and while he nced over it quickly, he did not pay much attention to it as of now as he dismissed the system notifications in favor of watching the Emperor slowly descend from his throne. While on one hand, Luke was being carried out on a stretcher, the Emperor made his grandiose entrance into the grand arena to the beat of war drums and trumpets as he slowly made his way down from the upper pavilion to the grand arena while being surrounded by at least two dozen royal guards. pping his hands and ying a people pleaser to the crowd, the Emperor Julien D Evanus smiled the brightest fake smile that he was capable of and made his way towards Leo. ¡°What a fight¡­ what a champion¡± he said, pping his hands as instead of the match referee raising his hand once the fight was over, it was the Emperor who did, as the moment he took Leo¡¯s hand and raised it in front of the crowd, fireworks went off in the background as a celebratory atmosphere took hold of the arena. ¡°Wow, SkyLion was a very tough opponent but you fought spectacrly. I¡¯mpletely in awe of your skills¡­. Hahaha¡± Julien said, joking happily with Leo as he tried to portray the image of a benevolent Emperor who genuinely enjoyed sports to the masses. ¡°Thank you, my lord, it was indeed a hard fought victory¡± Leo said humbly as he bowed politely in front of the Emperor, although he did not mean it at all. ¡°What exactly is your profession? Because yesterday you used a mage type spell, usually you fight as an assassin and my counselors tell me that you have mastered some attacks that berserkers use too¡­¡± Julien asked curiously as he tried to make small talk with Leo, however, Leo dismissed his question carefully. ¡°I have no chosen profession, My Lord, I learn whatever I wish for¡± Leo replied casually, as little did he know that this one small sentence that he said today would alter thendscape of Terra Nova forever. His finals fight against SkyLion was being watched live by millions of yers throughout the game, as many spectators were live streaming it over private forums. While clippings of the fight were sure to go viral over the global forumster, this one line that Leo spoke was going to be the biggest controversy of the game in the future, as this one line from him as the undisputed top yer was going to break the fourth wall and encourage all yers to learn moves from other sses to cover for the obvious ws in their own. Little did Leo know that he was going to be single handedly responsible in the generation of the wave of hybrid ss yers who did not conform to their ss barriers and considered ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as their idol. ******** ( Meanwhile Ben ) Ben began crying tears of joy when Leo finally managed a hard-fought victory in the Grand Tournament. He had not even been this happy when he himself won the grand tournament many decades ago, however, seeing his disciple win it made him feel over the moon. ¡®I trained that kid¡­.he¡¯s my student¡¯ These were the thoughts that Ben had watching Leo win as he cried and chuckled like a weak old man. At that moment, if anyone watched Ben Faulkner, they would not have believed that this was the legendary assassin that once killed the crown prince, as unlike his usual calm and cold demeanor, Ben Faulkner truly felt overwhelmingly happy today. Chapter 261: The state of the Empire Chapter 261: The state of the Empire After winning the grand tournament and meeting the Emperor for a short congrattions, Leo was escorted out of the arena to receive medical treatment, while the workers quickly got to work in setting up the rewards stage. Every year at the grand tournament, the Emperor gave a customary speech to the masses where he talked about everything from the state of the economy to the border tension with the Empire¡¯s neighbors. While not a highlight of the grand tournament, this speech was very important for all yers of Terra Nova Online to understand what the future of the game was going to be and how the game¡¯s main storyline was going to develop in the near future. ¡°My dear citizens¡­.¡± The emperor began with a warm smile on his face as he sucked the crowd¡¯s attention towards him with all his natural charisma,manding them into a pin-drop silence as he spoke. ¡°Yet another year has passed by and we have received yet another champion for the Grand Tournament. This time not from any of the Royal Academies, but from amongst you the masses ¡­.¡± The Emperor said, as he knew exactly how to please the crowd with his words and chose them specifically to appease themoners. ¡°There¡¯s no question that SkyLion of the royal knight academy also fought well and that it was a hard-fought victory for The Boss, however, in the end, The Boss of the streets won it all and I enjoyed his fight thoroughly. Did you all enjoy it too?¡± Julien asked, as the crowd cheered at his question to signify their approval. *Cheers* ¡°Not only did The Boss fight well, but so did Tracy of the Elves and Troy the Beastman, as all the myriad racesprising the Unity Empire seemed to have given it their all to win this year¡¯s tournament, and perhaps the next champion might be from amongst them¡­.¡± Julien said, as while he did not mean those words, he maintained the facade of unity at least in public. ¡°However, while the unity inside the Empire is only being strengthened year on year, the situation at our empire¡¯s borders continues to worsen everyday¡­.¡± Julien said, his tone turning grim. ¡°The demons with whom we share a border to the north have been a source of constant trouble for us. For decades we have been embroiled in a battle of attrition against them, being forced to construct countless fortresses along the northern boundary and being forced to deploy countless of our young and brave men to man those forts. While the unity Empire always has a ce within itsnds for every peaceful species¡­. It can never allow demons into itsnds because demons are not a peaceful species. They rape, they pige, they kill and they destroy. There is not one good thing about the demon way of life and hence, they are the only species we must never allow within ournds¡± Julien said, as he painted the demons as the evil race and tried to increase the already high mass hysteria regarding demons. ¡°Unfortunately, while we hold our borders strong. Our less resourceful neighbors can¡¯t do the same. Reports suggest that towards our Eastern Borders the demons have started to raid and heckle the nomadic tribes of the forest and while we have sent assistance to those tribes and promised them asylum in-case they need to flee their homnds, we now fear that should the nomadic tribes fall to the demons, then a second battle-front might open up against us, with the demons trying to push into our Empire from the less guarded Eastern front¡­.¡± Julien said, as his words caused manymoners to break in sweat, as everyone was too used to the peace of the Empire and felt ufortable thinking about a big war. ¡°I do not wish to frighten you¡­. For even if the demons dare open up a new war front the mighty Empire will never let them take even a single square-inch of ournd. However, I¡¯m still informing you about these problems because you as independent citizens of this Empire deserve to know the truth about the situation of ournds¡­.¡± Julien said as he paused and scanned the crowd, looking at their reactions, before breaking out in a smile once more as he said ¡°Okay, enough grim news¡­. Time for the victor to be rewarded with his wish. THE BOSS¡­.. bring him out¡­.¡± pping his hands, Julien started a polite p wave amongst the crowd as Leo walked out once more to the arena after being cleaned and tended to, as the medical staff bandaged the wound to his head which he had received because of Luke¡¯s German suplexes. Just like the rest of them, Leo too heard the Emperor¡¯s speech with great attention as the fact that there was a possibility of a new battle-front opening from the East-Side, gave Leo the jitters. He was soon going to be a baron in the Eastern Duchy and he did not like the sound of having to deal with war or refugees one bit. How was he supposed to run a sessful tradingpany if all his attention was spent in dealing with war and crime? Hence, although Leo walked out to the newly built stage at the center of the Grand Arena, his mind was clouded with fears about the future, as he stood before the Emperor. ¡°The Boss¡­.. as you already know, I Julien D Evanus, the third Emperor of this magnificent Unity Empire has sworn upon my honor, to grant you one wish of your choice, as long as the wish is reasonable and within my capabilities to fulfill¡­.¡± Julien said, spreading his arms wide as he gestured for Leo to ask for what his heart desired. ¡°You can ask for anything, from riches tond, from weapons to pce¡­. As long as it¡¯s reasonable, I¡¯ll grant it. So what is it that you want?¡± Julien said, as a soft smile spread on Leo¡¯s lips underneath his mask. ¡®Whatever I want huh?¡¯ Leo thought mischievously as he dropped down to one knee and began with his request. Chapter 262: The Winners Request Chapter 262: The Winner''s Request Chapter 262: The Winner¡¯s Request Dropping down to one knee, Leo looked towards Julien with a wicked smile on his face as he knew that the wordsing out of his mouth next were bound to put Julien in a tough spot. ¡°My liege, neither do I want riches, nor do I wish fornd¡­. What I wish for is something else, something only you can grant, but at the same time something that might be a little difficult for you to grant ¡­.¡± Leo said, talking in riddles as he knew that he had the attention of the entire Grand Arena on himself at the moment. ¡°Something that only the Emperor can grant but something that is difficult for him to grant? What could that be?¡± ¡°Huh? What does The Boss want¡­ Why is he talking in riddles¡­ I can¡¯t wait to find out what it is, but his words are confusing me¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t wantnd? That boy is a fool. With 100 acres ofnd you can farm enough wheat to feed an entire housing colony or a small vige. You can be set for life you fool¡± ¡°100? You¡¯re stupid, it¡¯s the Emperor granting the request¡­. You can easily ask for 1000 acres ofnd¡± ¡°1000? Pfft¡­. You can ask for an entire county, you idiots. Have you forgotten about Count Fay? That guy won the grand tournament 6 years ago and asked for a noble title andnd. He¡¯s not a noble born¡± Leo¡¯s words caused quite the stir amongst themoners, as they debated amongst themselves as to what Leo wanted, as his words only increased their anticipation to find out what he wanted. ¡°Something that only I can grant but something that¡¯s difficult for me to grant? Do you want my throne or something¡­. Hahahaha¡± Julien joked, as his witty humor caused the entire crowd to burst intoughter. However, somewhere behind that wall of humor, Julien eyed Leo with suspicion as he did not like the way Leo framed the request, because now, if the request was something possible but indeed difficult for him to grant, he would look bad in the eyes of the masses for denying a champion his wish. ¡°Speak freely, child, even if it¡¯s something difficult, Julien D Evanus¡¯s honor won¡¯t let him go back on his words. You¡¯re speaking with the Emperor of the Unity Empire¡­. No need for you to be so measured. Ask me freely what you want¡± Julien said as he tried to project the image of being a strong and magnanimous Emperor. His trick worked as his words immediately turned every single citizen present within the crowd to a Julien fanboy, as while the Emperor himself was not a warrior and not a hero, he was a thoroughbred politician capable of manipting the masses, as even though he wasn¡¯t their hero, for him most citizens would readily give up their lives. However, while he inted his sense of self worth in front of the masses, he had alsopletely fallen in Leo¡¯s trap now as after making such a bold deration there was no way that Julien could not grant Leo his request, whatever it may be. ¡°My liege, I¡¯m a very filial son¡­. While I don¡¯t have a father, there is one man who is like a father to me. While not a biological father, he¡¯s my teacher. And as the saying goes, a teacher for a day¡­. A father for life. I consider him no less than my father¡­¡± Leo said, as he spoke with genuine emotion that touched the hearts of the masses. ¡°Unfortunately, my teachermitted a grave crime two decades ago and has been a wanted criminal in the Empire since, forcing him to hide in seclusion and never roam the streets of StrongHaven freely¡± Leo said as he painted Ben as a pitiful master who could not roam the streets of StrongHaven freely for the fear of being arrested, even though that was not the reality at all. ¡°My wish is simple¡­. Please grant my teacher an Emperor¡¯s pardon absolving him of all his past crimes. He¡¯s a changed man now and wants to live his life as a free citizen. So it¡¯s my request to you that you please grant me this one request¡± Leo said, as his words caused a massive stir amongst the masses. For the first time ever, a winner of the grand tournament was asking for a reward that would not directly benefit themselves but rather on behalf of someone else. Put in the same shoes as Leo, there was not one other individual watching on from the crowd who would have made the same decision of their own volition as at that moment Leo¡¯s image in the minds of the masses reached a new peak. ¡± The cold and calctive Boss is actually such a sweetheart?¡± A young woman said, as she cried tears of joy. ¡°Pardon his teacher! How bad could the man who raised such a sweetheart be!¡± ¡°What a great teacher to raise a talent like The Boss! He deserves to be free again¡± *Pardon him!* *Pardon him!* *Pardon him!* Chants of ¡®Pardon Him¡¯ began reverberating throughout the stadium as Julien let a soft smile spread on his face as he raised his hands to demand silence. Initially he had been worried that The Boss was going to ask for something impossible like making him a Duke of a Duchy or something, however, it seemed like he was only asking for a pardon. A worthless document that he could sign with his eyes closed, as Julien shook his head and sighed. ¡°Justice should never be evaded¡­. Justice should always be absolute. This is indeed a difficult request, because I don¡¯t know the nature of the crime that your teachermitted, which is why granting him a pardon might be a miscarriage of justice for someone that he wronged. However, since I am justice in this Empire and my own honor is on the line for granting you this request. I shall grant a full pardon to your master. What is his name? From today, that man is going to live like a free bird¡± Julien said, as his words caused the crowd to break into massive celebratory cheers, unaware, that the identity of Leo¡¯s master was none other than Ben Faulkner. Chapter 263: Leos wish Chapter 263: Leo''s wish Chapter 263: Leo¡¯s wish ¡°From today onwards, that man is going to live like a free bird,¡± Julien said, as those words sounded like the sweetest musical notes in Leo¡¯s ears. The Emperor had absolutely no idea as to whom he had just promised to pardon, and Leo felt eager to watch his reaction when he received the shock. While themoners were unaware of theplex rtionship between his master Ben Faulkner and the Emperor Julien D. Evanus, Julien himself was fully aware of what he had done to seize the throne and how Ben wasn¡¯t deserving of the infamy he had. Hence, when Leo finally revealed the name of his master, the one who lost his breath immediately was none other than Julien himself. ¡°My master is Ben Faulkner, please pardon him for his past crimes, my Liege¡± Leo said, as immediately his words caused a massive uproar within the arena. ¡°WHATT????? THE BOSS¡¯S MASTER IS THE LEGENDARY ASSASSIN BEN FAULKNER?¡± ¡°BEN FAULKNER? DID HE REALLY JUST SAY THE NAME OF THAT MAN?¡± ¡°The Boss has balls of steel¡­. He really asked the Emperor to pardon the man who murdered his own brother. Hahaha, that guy is nuts¡­¡± ¡°Ben Faulkner can¡¯t be pardoned¡­ he¡¯s too heinous a criminal to be pardoned! This isn¡¯t fair-¡± ¡°Hey shut-up, that kid won the grand tournament, he can use his wish however he wants. The Emperor has already promised to pardon whoever his master was, surely the Emperor will never go back on his words¡± The name of Leo¡¯s master caused everyone in the crowd to shiver from fear, as the image of Ben Faulkner amongst the masses was akin to that of the ¡®Boogeyman¡¯. Ever since one was young, their mothers would tell them to go to bed and sleep early or else the ¡®Boogeyman¡¯ Ben Faulkner woulde and get them, and hence the name Ben Faulkner was an urban legend amongst the masses, with some even considering him to be the merchant of death. Undoubtedly the biggest and most wanted criminal in the Empire, Ben Faulkner was someone that was redited with dozens of high profile murders, including the most recent murder of the Royal Counselor which rocked the entire city of StrongHaven to its core. If imperial pardons were something decided by popr vote, then Ben Faulkner was one criminal that was never being voted to be let go free by the masses as everyone feared him as if he were death himself. For Leo to ask for an imperial pardon for Ben Faulkner did indeed put the Emperor in a tough spot as he couldn¡¯t refuse his request after already saying that he would grant it, however, he did not really wish to grant it either. ¡°Ben Faulkner¡­. How audacious¡± Julien said, his voice turning cold as immediately four Virex Corps members appeared beside Leo in a sh and pointed their swords towards him. Upon a single gesture from Julien, they were prepared to execute Leo in front of the masses, however, doing so would prove to be counterproductive for his lovable Emperor image as such ruthlessness was better suited for a dictator. Stuck between a rock and a hard ce, Julien simply blinked his eyes open and close without uttering a single word, as he seriously contemted about the viability of Leo¡¯s request and whether or not he could refuse it on a technicality. ********* ( Meanwhile Ben ) Ben was overwhelmed with the joy of Leo winning his fight to the point where he was not even paying attention to Julien¡¯s solo speech when he was talking about the state of the Empire. Ben did not give a solitary fuck about what the state of the Empire was or what sort of troubles were brewing at the border as he was least concerned with the activity of demons. He only returned his focus to what was going on in the arena when Leo returned to make his request, as even Ben was curious about what Leo would ask for. ¡°That boy does love a good set of daggers¡­. I hope he doesn¡¯t waste his wish on something as simple as a new set of daggers¡± Ben murmured softly, as he knew how simple natured Leo was and feared that he would ask for something stupid as his wish. Since Leo had been brought to the royal castle at the start of the quarter-finals, Ben hadn¡¯t had a chance to sit down with him and ask what he intended to wish for if he won. Therefore, Leo¡¯s wish remained a surprise to Ben as well. Ben only hoped that Leo did not ask for something dumb, however, otherwise he had no real expectations from Leo¡¯s wish as never in his wildest dreams did Ben imagine that Leo might use his wish to secure an imperial pardon for him. Although Ben longed for the life of a free man, he had long made peace with his status as the most wanted fugitive of the Empire and didn¡¯t let it impede him in his day to day life. Mostly he lived like a recluse and away from civilization, but even if he was within the capital, he still pretty much roamed like a free man as there wasn¡¯t a single royal guard that had the capability to arrest him or bring him to justice. However, when Leo said that he wanted an imperial pardon for his master, a wave of indescribable sentiment rose in Ben¡¯s heart. Ben didn¡¯t even desire an imperial pardon for himself. However, the fact that his disciple wanted to use his wish, earned from winning the grand tournament, to secure a pardon for him, brought tears to Ben¡¯s eyes. He was overwhelmed with emotion, unable to find words to express the depth of his gratitude and pride. ¡®That¡¯s my boy¡­. There¡¯s no doubt about it. That¡¯s most definitely my boy¡­.*sob*¡¯ Ben thought as the intensity of emotions he felt made even a grown man like him cry. Chapter 264: Misunderstandings Chapter 264: Misunderstandings Leo admitting that his master was none other than the notorious assassin Ben Faulkner made many heads turn with most not turning the good way. Since in the future he was going to be a noble, his master having a criminal background was not going to reflect positively on him, especially amongst the highly judgmental noble society. While his assassin skills were top-notch, Leo still wasn¡¯t far-sighted enough when it came to politics and trade as while the essence of his request to the Emperor was simple, it was going to eventually end up costing him a lot of opportunities under the alias of ¡®TheBoss¡¯. However, while there were some people who disapproved of Leo¡¯s association with Ben Faulkner, there were some who could not be more proud. ¡®The Uprising¡¯ for one was an organization that was thrilled to learn that Ben Faulkner was Leo¡¯s master. This news sparked many misconceptions among the members, leading them to believe that their upper management was somehow linked to the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner. ChaosBringer had structured The Uprising in a way that made everyone at the lower levels feel there was a higher echelon above them. However, in reality, ChaosBringer was the sole leader with no actual connections to TheBoss or Ben Faulkner, but he never rified this to his subordinates. By allowing this misconception to persist, he created the illusion that he was connected with TheBoss and that the faction was led by numerous high-level figures operating from the shadows. Almost as soon as Leo name dropped Ben Faulkner inside the grand arena, the internal chat of the Uprising became flooded with messages of the legendary assassin. ¡°Holy shit! Was the Boss actually Ben Faulkner¡¯s disciple? Does that mean the legendary assassin is connected to our organization too? @chaosbringer please rify¡± -Core Team Member (1) ¡°There are rumors going around that Ben Faulkner made a second kill inside the royal pce recently, taking out the royal counselor. Was it a hit carried out by our faction? @chaosbringer please rify¡± ¨C Core team member (2) ¡°We have made astronomical sums of money by betting on TheBoss to win it all from round one. In total our cash winnings have surpassed over 130 million gold coins. But why do I feel like this sum of money is nothing much for the upper echelons of our guild and that this is only the beginning of our journey? @chaosbringer am I right?¡±- Core team member (3) ¡°Some days even I don¡¯t understand what the structure of our guild is or how deep are our roots? Aren¡¯t we bing too formidabletely? @chaosbringer, we are core team members, please at least give us some rity¡± ¨C Core team member (4) In under two minutes ChaosBringer was pinged 40+ times by his core team members, which were on paper the only hierarchy within his organization¡­. Composed of the people above the normal members who were the branch heads of various crime groups. While ChaosBringer was pinged over 2000+ times total, by people of the lower realms, he did not bother even reading those pings, however, he could not ignore the messages of the core team members as in the heat of the moment he decided to lie through his teeth. While he knew fully well that let alone Ben Faulkner, he had no connection to TheBoss either, ChaosBringer did not rify this misunderstanding and doubled down by trying to imply that Ben Faulkner was like an uncle to him. Reply to Core team member (4):- ¡°We have very deep roots and even I don¡¯t know fully as to how deep we run, however, uncle Ben is one of the people on the higher bench and his disciple is going to get a seat there as well. As the leader of the core member team, I¡¯m only invited to a few meetings and am not a full fledged bench member so there are many things that I don¡¯t know. However, the Bench is very happy with our performance in the grand tournament and indeed has big ns for that money we have collected. Exact details about the ns will be shared soon¡­.¡± Saying this, ChaosBringer left the chat, not replying to any more pings as he let the misunderstandings organically foster within the guild. While the core team members lost their minds thinking that they were connected to the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner resulting in many rumors beginning to spread within the organization regarding how they were soon going to be the kings of the underworld, all of their hopes and dreams were actually stemming from a lie. ********* ( Meanwhile The Emperor ) The Emperor was silent for a long while after Leo made his request as the audience went into an uproar. He tried to think of any technicality, any moral ground that he could take to deny The Boss his winning wish, however, unfortunately he could think of nothing. The Boss had been very clever, dering beforehand that his master was a heinous criminal needing a pardon, to which Julien had already agreed. If Leo had not dered the nature of his request beforehand, Julien could have taken the moral high ground of being unable to grant a fugitive undeserving of a pardon an imperial pardon, because that would be miscarriage of justice, however, he could no longer use that route either. Stuck between a rock and a hard ce, Julien was forced to relent as he eventually decided to grant Ben Faulkner his pardon. ¡°Your master is one of the most heinous criminals in the entire Empire and a man who is unmistakably not deserving of being granted a pardon. However, since I have already promised you one, I will not go back on my words and sully my honor. From today onwards, I, Julien D Evanus, grant an imperial pardon to Ben Faulkner and free him from persecution of all his previous crimes¡± Julien dered with a sour face, as him saying that Ben was going to be treated as a free man was enough to be considered asw throughout the nation. Chapter 265: The next phase Chapter 265: The next phase With the grand tournament concluding, there was a grand mess left behind by Leo as he became the talk of the town not only for his performance as a fighter, but also for his association to Ben Faulkner. Finally reuniting with Ben after the tournament concluded, Leo couldn¡¯t contain his happiness when the old man hugged him tight and lifted him off his feet in a rare disy of physical affection. Leo could see it on his face as to just how much being a free man meant to him, however, no words were exchanged between the two. Ben just smiled and nodded at Leo who did the same back to Ben as the master disciple duo decided to celebrate Leo¡¯s win by eating delicious dishes in one of StrongHaven¡¯s finest restaurants. For Leo, it was the perfect day as not only did he win the Grand Tournament andplete the long time pending system quest. But also because winning the grand tournament marked the start of the next phase of his life, a phase where he was going to be more focused on being a Lord and a Trader rather than a fighter. ****** ( Inside a posh restaurant, Leo and Ben ) ¡°So you¡¯re going to be a Baron under the East Duke¡­..¡± Ben said, stuffing a mouthful of sizzling meat in his mouth as he asked Leo about his future ns. ¡°Yeah, he had me sign the papers almost as soon as the match was over. I¡¯m officially a noble now!¡± Leo said excitedly as he seemed to be proud of the fact that he was officially a noble now. ¡°Did you get the noble identity token? It¡¯s apparently very useful to build contacts and get into restricted ces wheremoners can¡¯t enter¡­¡± Ben said, as he asked Leo whether or not he received the noble identity token, which was important to enter some special auction houses and government buildings restricted tomoners. ¡°Oh that?¡­. No, I haven¡¯t got it yet, but the assistant of the East Duke who made me sign the papers said that my Identity token and a wee kit will be prepared for me when I reach my territory. They want me to pack-up from StrongHaven within this week and report to my territory by the end of next week. They have even prepared a transport carriage for me. So everything seems good¡± Leo said, as Ben scratched his head listening to Leo¡¯s words. Ben had never thought about living his life in some remote territory as a noble. However, he did not have the heart to leave Leo alone and continue living his life smoking hallucinogens alone anymore either. ¡°Well, I think it will be fun, old man, we¡¯ll live in arge mansion, have our own servants, arge training hall¡­ a few small viges under our control where people will respect us as their lord. It¡¯s the dream life for free men¡± Leo said, pausing when he spoke the words ¡®Free Men¡¯ as he smirked towards Ben as he said those words. Although Ben tried to suppress a smile, he couldn¡¯t help but grin every time Leo uttered the words ¡°Free Men.¡± Having been a fugitive for so long, Ben had forgotten what it meant to be truly free, and the joy of this newfound freedom was impossible for him to contain. ¡°Well alright, I¡¯ll stick around I guess, I was thinking about getting a vacation anyways and haven¡¯t been to the Eastern province in a while¡± Ben said, as he agreed to stick around with Leo for the time being. Leo beamed in joy when he heard that Ben was going to stick around as he stuffed a mouthful of food and raised his ss in a celebratory ¡®Cheers¡¯ towards Ben, who shed his own drink against Leo¡¯s with joy. While everything else could change, the bond between Leo and Ben was permanent now as Leo could not imagine ying the game without having the old man around. ¡°Also master, we need to craft some of our best poisons and smoke bombs tomorrow. I have a meeting with the merchant Shane Emeralding up in a couple of days and I¡¯m thinking ofunching a product chain in his White Tiger merchant group if he epts¡­¡± Leo said, as Ben stroked his chin at the idea. ¡°So we¡¯re going to be lords and merchants?¡± Ben asked as Leo shrugged his shoulders in response. After thinking for a while Ben shrugged his shoulders too thinking ¡®Why not?¡¯ as he agreed to the idea of crafting a batch of their best and most unique products for a presentation with Shane. ******** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke received a hero¡¯s wee back at the DarkSky guild headquarters when he finally regained consciousness and returned, as all the guild members including Cervantez weed him back with a thundering apuse. ¡°You¡¯re our hero, SkyLion¡± Toni said. ¡°You fought well, that bastard TheBoss was lucky¡± said Tor as they tried to cheer up his mood. Smiling Luke hugged every single one of his guild members until he came across Cervantez, when he paused and apologized. ¡°Forgive me guildmaster, I couldn¡¯t bring the win home¨C¡± Luke said, apologizing to Cervantez as Cervantez hugged him tight and did not pay attention to his apology. ¡°You made us proud. Our strategy nearly worked too¡­. It¡¯s just that TheBoss is too freakish. I don¡¯t think anyone else can counter your German Suplex apart from him. I don¡¯t think I can do that either¡± Cervantez said, as he asked Luke to keep his chin up and that he was already proud of him and his efforts. ¡°Guys, while we did not win the Grand Tournament, we have achieved our objective of solidifying our image amongst the masses as one of the best and strongest guilds around, so when we open our doors for recruitment, I¡¯m sure we will be flooded with applicants. The end of the Grand Tournament marks the start of the next phase of our guilds efforts, where we recruit new members and slowly settle into our new role as territory administrators within the Western Duchy. The time for preparation and marketing is now over. The real fun starts now!¡± Cervantez said, as he hyped the guild members up for their future. Chapter 266: Are you dumb? Chapter 266: Are you dumb? ( Back in the real world, Luke and Leo¡¯s apartment, The Arc Ship ) As Luke walked out of his room, he found Amanda and Leo waiting for him in the hall outside pping, as Luke immediately felt embarrassed about being treated as a victorious hero when he had fallen short of a victory. ¡°Haha, thanks Amanda. But I don¡¯t deserve it¡± Luke said, as Amanda hugged him tightly to console him. She was a girl and had no reservations about showing her affection through physical touches and hence when words failed her, she preferred conveying her emotions with a hug. ¡°You fought well¡­. I saw it all¡± Leo said nodding his head as he conveyed his silent appreciation for Luke. ¡°Also, I have some great news brother¡­. I did some illegal gambling during your fight with The Boss and won close to 2500 MP. I think we¡¯ll be able to afford a nice ticket for mother after all¡± Leo said, as Luke immediately shivered listening to his words. ¡°2500 MP?¡± Luke shouted in astonishment, as Leo smiled and signaled for him to calm down. ¡°Yeah the odds were pretty decent¡­ After you hit that second German Suplex, the odds were 50:1 in your favor. I think nobody expected The Boss to kick out of the Suplex Demon¡¯s infamous Suplex Train¡­. Although I had no MP, I pledged 50 and bet on The Boss winning the fight and that¡¯s how I won 2500¡­¡± Leo said, as he threw a big bright smile and a ¡®V¡¯ sign towards Luke. ¡°What? WHAT? WHAT?¡± Luke said, shaking his head in confusion as he did not understand what sort of game his brother was ying, however, it all sounded too risky and too good to be true. ¡°You bet against me? Your own brother?¡± Luke asked, sounding offended, before continuing ¡± Also, you bet against my Suplex when no-one has ever countered it before? Are you stupid? Even I would not bet against my own Suplex, it¡¯s that good ¡­.¡± Luke was absolutely stunned at the level of daring that Leo showed and found no logical justification for his actions no matter how hard he tried. ¡°Brother it¡¯s the trade world, you have to take some risks to make it big. Also don¡¯t worry, I won big!¡± Leo said, as both Luke and Amanda looked towards him with their eyes twitching. They did not have words to express how daring and foolish Leo¡¯s actions were, however, they did not say anything as it seemed to have worked out in the end. ¡°So basically, we can afford good tickets for mom and that man now, correct?¡± Luke asked, as Leo nodded his head and said ¡°Correct-¡± Sighing in exasperation, Luke decided to not pursue the matter of Leo¡¯s gambling anymore and instead decided to take a leave from work today and apany Leo to buy a ticket for their mother first. ¡°We need to save at least 500 MP for emergencies, because we still don¡¯t know when you can return back to work safely. However, apart from that we can spend the 2000 MP you have and the close to 2200 MP that I have for a total of 4200 on tickets. With this much money we can even buy two B ss tickets and a new kidney for mom, which will ensure that mom has a real good life in the Arc Ship¡± Luke murmured thoughtfully as the thought of not being constrained for money anymore excited him. Although he was feeling low after his defeat just a moment ago, hearing about how Leo won big because of it, Luke no longer felt as bad, as it seemed like his defeat was now going to help fund their mothers ticket! ¡°But brother, do we really buy the same ticket for mother and that man? I say let¡¯s send him to Sector E. Let him start from the bottom. I don¡¯t think he deserves the luxury of sector B at all¡± Leo said, as he frowned thinking about the old man who was leeching off their mother. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t want to bring him to sector B either, but i think it¡¯s better for mother to stay with someone she knows in a new environment. Since we¡¯re not with her, she might feel lonely all alone in the arc ship. So for her happiness, it¡¯s okay, let¡¯s just give the old man the same ticket as her¡± Luke said, as Leo sighed and nodded. He agreed with his brother¡¯s line of thinking that the old man would help ease their mothers nerves in a new environment and hence for her sake, Leo agreed to pay an exuberant ticket fee for the old man as well. ¡°That man is lucky¡­. Like he¡¯s the luckiest bastard around¡± Luke said clenching his fists as he recalled how hard the times had been for the family when he was not around and now that Luke and Leo had finally started to turn their fate around and started to make it big in life, the old man was back to leech off their sess. ¡°Well, since you boys are noting to work today, I¡¯ll just excuse myself and get ready for work¡­. But you two have fun¡± Amanda said, excusing herself from the brotherly conversation. ********* ( The MP exchange center, The Arc Ship ) ¡°Oh damn, this ce is giving me goosebumps, it¡¯s almost like I¡¯m back inside Terra Nova Online¡± Luke said as he walked into the MP exchange center inside the arc ship for the first time ever and was surprised to see that it was an exact replica of the MP exchange center within the game. ¡°Oh tell me about it, I felt the same way when I came here a few days ago¡± Leo said, as he recalled his reaction to walking inside the MP exchange center which was exactly the same as Luke¡¯s. ¡°Are the call rates and the prices the same too?¡± Luke asked as Leo nodded his head and said ¡°The exact same¡±. Walking up to a phone booth, Luke ced a call to the operator and then paid the MP fees to connect him to Earth, as he ced a call to their mother Elena. Chapter 267: Call Back Home Chapter 267: Call Back Home *RING* *RING* . . *RING* *RING* Both Luke and Leo waited patiently for their call to connect to Earth as soft smiles spread across their faces at the thought of talking to their mother. ¡°Luke¡­ Leo, is that you?¡± A familiar voice said as soon as the call connected, as a smiling image of Elena appeared on the video screen. ¡°Mother!¡± The two brothers eximed simultaneously, grinning ear to ear at the sight of their mom. Unlike their old and worn-out apartment, Elena seemed to be in a much better ce today. Their call seemed to have connected to a posh safe-house with wooden flooring and an impressive interior which was a stark contrast to what they were used to in their old and beat up apartment, as Elena seemed to be wearing some expensive clothes too, instead of her slightly torn and used garments that she used to wear at home. ¡°Jacob! Jacob! Come here ¡­ the kids are calling¡± Elena said excitedly, as she called her husband over to join her in the frame, however, at the very mention of his name, the faces of both Luke and Leo darkened. As an old man, which looked like a Xerox copy of Leo if he were old, walked into the frame, both brothers red straight at him as if trying to assert their dominance. Jacob stood silently beside Elena, as he alternated his gaze between Luke and Leo, before eventually saying ¡°Thank-you for saving your mother¡¯s life. Without your help she would have died¡±. His voice sounded coarse, however, his speech pattern was eerily simr to Luke and Leo¡¯s own speech, as the blood simrities began shining as soon as he opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Of course we would save our mother who went through so many hardships to raise us¡­ alone¡± Leo replied as he squinted his eyes slightly, trying to make Jacob feel ufortable, however, the man clearly had thick skin as he remained unfazed by Leo¡¯s remarks. ¡°Boys, the house you two have shifted me into is so much better than our previous one! It¡¯s a presidential bunker, the kind that only the super rich get and it¡¯s stabilized by a gyroscope. No matter how much the Earth shakes or what natural disaster strikes outside, we arepletely safe here, with good food, good clothes and uninterrupted electricity¡± Elena said excitedly, as she seemed to have forgotten what luxury felt like after all these years of rationing for survival. Looking at her excited face, the expressions on Luke and Leo¡¯s faces softened, as the two brothers listened patiently to Elena exining her excitement over kitchen appliances and what sort of dishes she can cook now because of them. Although this cost them valuable MP the longer the callsted, the two seemed to be in a splurging mood today, as they enjoyed watching the excited face of their mother as she exined her awe about the simple things in life. ¡°Also, Mr.X is super helpful kids, is he one of your friends?¡± Elena asked joyfully, as Luke and Leo looked at each other and tilted their heads in confusion. ¡°Who Mr.X?¡± Luke asked, as Elena tilted her head the same way the brothers did and replied cutely ¡°The guy who came to save us from under the rubble¡­. I thought Leo sent him¡­¡± At that moment Leo finally realized who she was talking about as he remembered how he had paid upwards of 950 MP for someone to rescue their mother and protect her until the next round of Arc Ships departed. ¡°So that guy¡¯s called Mr.X, what race is he?¡± Leo asked, as it was Jacob and Elena¡¯s turn to be confused now. ¡°His skin is white I think, so maybe he is European?¡± Elena replied, as Leo instantly realized his mistake. He had forgotten that racism on Earth was still categorized on petty things such as nationality and skin color and that the meaning of ¡®Race¡¯ for earthlings was different to the meaning of ¡®Race¡¯ for TNO yers. For yers like him, race meant species, as to whether Mr.X was a human, elf, beastman or some other race, however, apparently Elena still did not understand that concept. ¡°Well he always wears a hood and a mask and speaks in such a low voice that I don¡¯t know what race he is for sure, but could be Asian or European¡­. even American I think¡± Elena said shrugging her shoulders, as Leo decided to ignore her response and instead focus on giving her the good news about her ticket. ¡°Mom, forget about his race¡­ let¡¯s not be racists¡± Leo said, as Elena nodded her head cutely to his words, seemingly agreeing that one¡¯s skin color should not matter. ¡°Instead, let me tell you why me and brother called you today¡­¡± Leo said, as he looked towards Luke who broke into a knowing smile. ¡°We are sending you two B ss tickets to the Arc Ship and we are also going to pay for your kidney regeneration surgery that you will undergo on the very first day of your journey. Mother, don¡¯t worry¡­. You will not have to live your life as a one kidneyed patient anymore¡­ soon everything will be alright¡± Leo said emotionally, as he felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off his chest when he spoke these words. It was their mother that had sacrificed her kidney to send the two brothers to the arc ship and ever since that day, Leo felt guilty about this new life on the arc ship, knowing that it cost his mother her kidney. However, today as he was setting everything right along with Luke, he felt like he had finally paid back her mother¡¯s love and affection as best as he could, and from this moment onwards Leo could truly begin to enjoy his new life, knowing that his past debts had been paid off. Chapter 268: Information pack Chapter 268: Information pack ¡°B ss ticket? But didn¡¯t those cost upwards of 50 million dors each? When and how did you two earn such wealth that you can afford 2 B ss tickets?¡± Elena said in shock, as her first reaction after listening that her kids had bought her two good tickets was not one of tion, but rather worry. ¡°Ma¡­We told you we are doing well on the Arc Ship, don¡¯t worry about us. Just focus on getting your uing surgery and the next four years of your life inside the Arc Ship¡­.¡± Luke said, as he asked Elena to not worry about where the money for her ticket came from and only focus on maintaining good health. ¡°Did you hear that Jacob? Our kids are bigshots now. They can even afford my surgery and to buy expensive tickets for us¡­. *Sob* *Sob*, What good filial sons we have. We must have done something right in our past lives for God to have blessed us with such nice kids¡± Elena said, while visibly sobbing as she broke down from overwhelming emotion. For Elena, Luke and Leo were the only joys in her life. Seeing her boys excel and achieve so much filled her with immense pride to the point where she felt overwhelmed with emotion as she watched them be as well-established and sessful as they had. ¡°Also mom, once you enter the Arc Ship, the first week of your game-y will be extremely important. Oh right, you have no idea what game-y is¡­¡± Luke said, as he tried to warn Elena about the future events that she might face, if her ship also followed the same calendar after departure as theirs. ¡°Basically, mom, you will have to mandatorily y a game while on the Arc Ship and by killing monsters you can gain levels in this game. No matter what happens, for your first week there, do your utmost best to gain as many levels as you can, okay?¡± Leo further simplified, as Elena nodded her head in understanding while sobbing continuously. ¡°Alright mom, that¡¯s it from our side, we will get going now, but you take care¡­.¡± Luke said waving Elena good-bye, as he disconnected the call at 3:58 dot. Not taking the risk of paying the extra MP to go over 4 minutes. ¡°Hahaha, she looks so happy¨C¡± Leo said wiping a tear off his eyes as he bought one Arc Ship ticket for his mother and followed it up by spending 500 MP on reserving her surgery, while Luke did the same and bought a ticket for their father as with that the two brotherspleted their role in saving their mother from the destruction of Earth. ¡°Luke, do you really think she¡¯ll be able to kill monsters and y Terra Nova Online well?¡± Leo asked, sounding a bit concerned as he felt unsure on whether or not their mother could really game as well as them, however Luke shrugged his shoulders in response to Leo¡¯s question and did not seem to care much about it. ¡°It¡¯s pointless to worry about it Leo, we did the best we could for her. Now let¡¯s have faith in her own fate. Worst case she goes from B to C and C to D, that¡¯s still 2 years in a reasonably good environment. I¡¯m sure that by the two year mark she will have figured out some niche for herself even if it¡¯s just cooking or some craftsmanship skill like Amanda¡¯s. We have already given her the best possible start we could afford and an important piece of advice that can at least prevent her from getting a demotion. Let¡¯s leave the rest to chance¡± Luke said, as he seemed to be very free spirited today as if a big rock had been lifted off his chest as well. Although he did not show it, Luke too felt guilty abouting to the Arc Ship at the cost of his mother¡¯s kidney. However, now that he had helped Elena escape the dying and paid for her surgery, Luke felt satisfied as a son and psychologically free from a huge burden that was weighing him down. ¡°We can finally start living for ourselves now Leo. Less than two months remain until the next evaluation, and if my estimates are not wrong, both of us should make it to Sector C. You¡¯re the number two yer in the rankings and I¡¯m not doing too bad myself. With no obligations to fulfill, I think it¡¯s time that us brother¡¯s finally spread our wings and truly start dominating this game for real¡± Luke said in a hopeful voice as he ced his hand over Leo¡¯s shoulder and walked out of the MP exchange store. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate today Leo¡­. One good meal to mark our new beginning¡± Luke suggested as Leo grinned and made an ¡®O.K.¡¯ sign. It had been quite some time since he ate junk food like pizza and cheeseburgers and today seemed like an appropriate day to eat one. ************ ( Back in the game Terra Nova Online ) After spending a day with Luke, eating great food and talking about nothing in particr, Leo feltpletely destressed and rejuvenated by the time he logged back into Terra Nova Online. Today, within the game he was supposed to craft some sample items with Ben, however, before he did that he wanted to open the [ Information Pack ] that he recieved from the system, as a reward for winning the grand tournament. It was his first time recieving something like an information pack, as he had no idea as to what it did or what sort of information it provided. At the time when he recieved it, he had swatted it away to be openedter, however, now that he had time, he felt curious as to what it was? ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C [ Information Pack ] ( ???? ) :- Provides information about either game mechanics or future events that are scheduled to take ce in the game. Are extremely rare and self-destruct 5 minutes after being opened. Cannot be sold, Cannot be shared to others. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- The description of the information pack was extremely interesting to Leo, as knowledge about future events or game mechanics sounded like something Leo could exploit as a merchant. Chapter 269: Important News Chapter 269: Important News ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C [ Information Pack ] ( ???? ) :- Provides information about either game mechanics or future events that are scheduled to take ce in the game. Are extremely rare and self-destruct 5 minutes after being opened. Cannot be sold, Cannot be shared to others. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- [ System Notification:- Are you sure you want to open an [ Information Pack ], this pack once opened will self-destruct in 5 minutes. Yes No ] [ System Notification ¨C Opening one future information pack ] ********* [ Important Notice :- This information pack contains a list of events that are most likely to happen if the game continues to develop the way it has been developing and does not contain anything absolute. The future predicted in this pack can be altered if something major changes the flow of the game! ] [ 1) Dear yer, As per the current game development, there is a big event bound to take ce in exactly 55 days from now. In about 55 days, both the Eastern and Western borders of the Unity Empire will bepromised at once, ushering the game into an era of chaos, where the Empire battles the demons at its borders. During this time, a lot of refugees from external areas will seek asylum from the Empire for safety, while the unity of the Empire amongst the myriad races will be tested. Emperor Julien will introduce aw that will force all citizens to contribute to the war effort, either marily or via joining the army. A move that will bring massive unrest amongst the lower ss of the Empire, who is unable to pay the fees for the war. Depending on how the war against the demons progresses, there is a fair chance that due to abination of internal and external pressure. The Empire might fragment into four separate kingdoms, with Emperor Julien D Evanus assassinated. 2) The demon army raiding the Empire¡¯snds will harbor some special beasts within their ranks called ¡®Chimera¡¯. These would be hideous and brainless monsters that have been created by merging body parts from different species together and killing these Chimera will yield massive EXP rewards to all yers that hunt them. In case you find and eliminate the demon doctor, the mad man behind the creation of these Chimera, you will be rewarded with one of the game¡¯s only legacy items. 3) If a rebellion against the Empire is started by the kings of myriad species, all yers will be given a chance to either join the side of the Unity Empire or the side of the new kingdoms. Depending on one¡¯s choice, the quest given to both sides will vary and so will the rewards given when the final oue is decided, with the losing side suffering heavy debuffs as failure penalty. ********** As Leo read the information pack, he felt like he was ready to jump off the seat he was seated in, as the information he received from within the pack was just that shocking. ¡°What the fuck? The game is about to undergo such a massive shift and nobody is any wiser?¡± Leo wondered, as gruesome scenes of war and death filled his head. The information that he had received from the information pack was simply ground breaking, as it seemed like the entire gaming meta was about to change. ¡°If given a choice between helping the Empire and breaking it apart, there¡¯s no saying as to who will choose what. Many yers may join the Empire, however, many may join the rebel forces too. In such a scenario driving public opinion and securing majority support for whatever option I n to choose should be a must¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he began pondering on how he could make use of this information, now that he knew about the future events 55 days in advance. ¡°The second evaluation begins exactly in 53 days, with the celebration day being 52 days from now. This means that almost as soon as the second evaluation ends, the game will enter its next phase, with the focus being on something new this time instead of developing skills. If the previous trends continue, the system operators will give all yers a new target to focus on for the third evaluation in one years time, and this time it might be something rted to the war¡± Leo theorized as he used his brain as best as he could to predict future patterns and trends that he could exploit. ¡°While I am not an economic genius, as far as I understand, once war time starts, the price of essentialmodities like food and grain will skyrocket alongside the price for precious metals like gold, silver, etc. Weapons, Armors, Bombs and othermodities will see their prices increase sharply, and all this can be exploited by Leo Skyshard the merchant to make a big profit¡± Leo thought, as he felt like using this future knowledge he could position Leo Skyshard the merchant in a way that could help him make a killing on the open market. ¡°My biggest restriction right now is my capital, with the 500,000 gold coins that I received as a reward for winning the grand tournament, the total coins I have now is nearly 620,000 gold. While by no means a small sum, if I want to make it big within the merchant world, I need to borrow lots of gold in the next 55 days to stock up onmodities whose prices will shoot up in theing months and then sell it all after the war breaks out to make a massive profit. In my uing meeting with Shane, I should ask for a loan instead of an opportunity tounch my product chain, as even if I borrow money from him at 10% interest rate monthly, I¡¯ll be able to return it easily within 90% and still make a huge margin off it¡± Leo contemted, as he read the information pack thoroughly onest time before it self destructed. Chapter 270: Recruitment Drive Chapter 270: Recruitment Drive ( Leo and Ben¡¯s POV ) Leo and Ben scoured the StrongHaven market to look for ingredients that could help them make their signature products, however, despite trying their best, they couldn¡¯t buy some special herbs that only grew on Mount Faulkner. On the plus side, they found all the ingredients to construct the various poison recipes that Lin Mu shared with them. However, on the downside they couldn¡¯t find the herbs whose powder Ben mixed with their smoke bombs to make the smoke thick and ck. This meant that of all the different products that Leo had hoped to present in front of Shane, there were some items that he would be unable to present because of material constraints, which was a huge setback for him. ¡°What the hell is this poison recipe? The juice of mulberry nt is a blood thinner, while the juice of huckleberry nt works as a blood coagnt. Who the fuck mixes these two ingredients together along with frog venom?¡± Benined as he read the poison recipes of the night guild and found their signature poisons to be crafted by some retard. ¡°Are these poison recipes even legit? Why do I feel like the night guild mixed a bunch of random ingredients together and just hoped that it turned into something deadly¡­.¡± Leo wondered, as he looked at the poison recipes that he was brewing and scratched his head too. However, while the brewing method and the ingredients list of these poisons was suspicious, its end results were undeniable as a single drop of poison from most of night guild¡¯s poison recipes was potent enough to kill 10 adult men. ¡°Let¡¯s worry about the recipester, master, if we can brew it and the market demands it, let¡¯s just focus on selling it and hope for the best¡± Leo said, as Ben shrugged his shoulders and got back to work onpleting the sample set. Trying to be professional, Leo noted the time taken to brew each batch of poison, the cost of ingredients used and the scope for scbility. Uptil now, he had not done any market research to understand which poison could be mass produced and be used as a disruptive alternative in the current poisons market as a cheaper and more effective solution to traditional poisons, which was why he noted all the data and was hoping that his meeting with Shane would give him more rity as to which of his products was a hit and which were practically useless. There were a total of 13 unique poison recipes that he and Ben brewed for their presentation, with each having a varying cost and varying degree of lethality. While the weakest poison on the list could cause a temporary mild paralysis effect or be used as a painkiller when diluted even further, the strongest could kill 500 men with a 10mg dose and was one of the most lethal poisons around. ¡°13 poisons, one medicinal bath form, one smoke bombs production method and 4 different hallucinogenic drugs¡± Leo said, as he inspected the final list of products that he was going to present to Shane and nodded his head in satisfaction when all of them were brewed and ready to present. ************* ( Meanwhile, The DarkSky Guild ) [ Global Notice :- This is a global recruitment notice issued by the DarkSky Guild to inform yers Empire wide that the DarkSky Guild is now recruiting new guild members. As the only State Recognised Guild in the game, the DarkSky guild is a territory administrator in the western duchy and will soon take part inrge scale hidden events only essible to official organizations. For ambitious yers wanting to take advantage of every opportunity avable, the guild offers you all a chance to cut through the crowd and be one of the most Elite yers in the game. For now, the guild is only willing to recruit 10,000 new members, with admissions taken on a firste first serve, as well as management discretion basis. All members of the guild will be given guild robes upon joining and 2 merit points as the first month¡¯s stipend, which is exchangeable as 2 gold coins from the guild inventory. For admissions, contact the guild office in StrongHaven City ] As soon as the DarkSky guild made this post on the global forums, a frenzy of yers rushed to their guild headquarters in StrongHaven City, as ever since the guild was first created, there had been hundreds who desperately wanted to join it. While the tag of ¡®State Acknowledged Guild¡¯ itself was a big deal, the performance of the guild members in the Grand Tournament only elevated the image of the DarkSky Guild for the masses. Not only because of Cervantez and Luke, who made it to the semi-finals and finals of the Grand Tournament, even the other guild members like Lysa and Tor fought extremely well in the Grand Tournament which helped elevate the guild image. Overall, because of the limited nature of their recruitment slots and the fact that the guild gave all members guild robes and a stipend upon joining, which was not standard practice in the game so far, the desire in the hearts ofmon yers to join the guild only increased, as a long line formed in front of the guild headquarters, with the queue to give an interview getting over 8 hours long. As per Cervantez¡¯s instructions, all potential candidates who wanted to join the guild were bifurcated by their ss and their interviews were conducted by core guild members that were going to be their corps leaders in the future. Lysa interviewed the mages, Tor interviewed the Berserkers, Luke interviewed the knight¡¯s and pdins and so on. Overall, Cervantez overlooked all operations and was constantly on the lookout for some special yers to whom he granted immediate entry in the guild, if he recognised them from his previous life. Chapter 271: Recruitment Drive (2) Chapter 271: Recruitment Drive (2) ( The DarkSky Guild ) With only one hour left till the gaming hours for the day concluded, Cervantez closed all interviews for the day, concluding the guild recruitment operations for the day. After the first day, the DarkSky guild managed to recruit 254 Mages 430 Swordsmen 120 Knight¡¯s 12 Healers 65 Barbarians 42 Archers 12 cksmiths 10 Runic Inscriptors And Two special ss yers that Cervantez recognised from his past life. Overall, the average level of the yers that the guild epted was around 60-80, which was pretty high considering that the top rankers currently apart from The Boss was near the 120-130 level range. Of the two special ss yers that the guild recruited, one possessed the special ss ¡®Path Finder¡¯ who had the ss special ability [ Locate Path ] at his disposal. This yer was invaluable in Cervantez¡¯s future ns for the guild, as he hoped that the guild could be a dungeon raiding force in the future and although the yer was weak currently, Cervantez believed that nurturing him was going to be worth it. The other special ss yer had the ss ¡®Item Appraiser¡¯, and his skill was to appraise and find hidden features within items. This yer in particr was a goldmine, and given the right conditions Cervantez could envision a future where this yer would earn the guild hundreds of thousands of gold coins every year. With him around, Cervantez could find hidden valuable items inrge auctions and even pick top tier items from the ck market for dirt cheap. Overall, the first day of recruitment went extremely well for the guild and everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. ******** ¡°SkyLion, with so many guild members joining, you¡¯re going to get busy real soon¡± Cervantez said, as he nced over the day¡¯s report and passed the document over to Luke after signing it. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m still getting used to the fame¡­. Every Time a candidate tells me they¡¯re a fan or calls me the ¡®Suplex Demon¡¯ it makes me blush internally¡± Luke said as he scratched his head. ¡°Hahaha, you have to get used to the fame, you¡¯re one of the most recognisable yers in the game now. You, me alongside TheBoss are the top three most recognisable yers in the game without a doubt right now. We are bound to have lots of fans and haters. It¡¯s going to be a part of our life from now on¡± Cervantez said, as he recalled how low leveled yers stared at him with awe and chuckled silently. ¡°For me, I can easily deal with cocky yers thate up to me and challenge me to a duel. I had two fools belonging to the knight ss who weren¡¯t even level 60 but imed that they could beat me in a fight when I rejected their applications to join the guild. Needless to say I suplexed them both over their heads and fractured their skulls¡­.¡± Luke said as he paused for a bit, before continuing ¡°However, I¡¯m not used to the fanboys that ask me for advice. Dealing with them is harder¡± He admitted as Cervantez burst outughing when he heard this. He had received a report that Luke had disciplined a few yers in his queue during the day, however, only now did he get the specifics of what exactly happened. ¡°All in due time my friend¡­. All in due time¡± Cervantez said, as he felt internally joyful on how the times had changed for the guild. ************* ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) The DarkSky guild wasn¡¯t the only organization that saw an influx of members over the past two days as the Uprising also saw a massive surge of new recruits after the grand tournament concluded. With the Uprising recruitment agents bing bolder and using the name of Ben Faulkner and TheBoss in their recruitment drives, rumors started to circte on the global forums that TheBoss had ties to the underworld gang ¡®The Uprising¡¯ and was one of their hidden leaders. With Leo¡¯s poprity currently being on an all-time high, the uprising attracted a lot of new recruits to their organization, as all the downtrodden and depraved that looked up to TheBoss as their idol joined the uprising in hopes of someday bing like him. With huge amounts of cash inflows into the organization with their betting wins during the grand tournament, for the first time since its establishment, ChaosBringer found himself in the unique position of issuing proper guild quests with huge rewards, as the underworld organization that was disjointed and unstructured up till now, finally started to whip into a structured shape. When the new members joined the guild chat and saw missions paying out mary rewards asrge as 100,000 gold coins for assassination of any member of the royal court, they felt stunned by the scale and influence of the guild, leading to them automatically beginning to respect the organization. ChaosBringer¡¯s newfound ability to finance these high-stakes missions also meant that the Uprising could now afford to equip their members with state-of-the-art weapons and gear for any special mission that the group issued. Purchasing weapons and bombs was now subsidized by the guild, which further incentivised all members to try and fulfill them. Also, by doing massive charity events for its organization members after the grand tournament, ChaosBringer won over the hearts of all existing members as he rewarded them all heavily for their loyalty to the group up till now. This elevated the group¡¯s image and standing in the global market significantly as those who were following and tracking the group from the start began to realize that it was no longer an organization consisting of only rag-tag Sector E yers and that the group actually meant business. With the Uprising¡¯s influence spreading rapidly, ChaosBringer seized the opportunity to bolster his ranks by recruiting seasoned NPC mercenaries. These veterans were tasked with training new recruits and lending legitimacy to the organization, significantly enhancing its reputation among members and on global forums. This boosted their recruitment efforts in a virtuous feedback loop. These developments transformed the Uprising from a loosely connected group of rebels into a formidable force capable of challenging even the most established powers in the realm, giving ChaosBringer the confidence that if this rate of growth continued, the Uprising could soon overthrow the Empire¡¯s rule. Chapter 272: Meeting Shane Chapter 272: Meeting Shane ( The White Tiger Groups Regional Management Office, StrongHaven City ) A couple days after winning the Grand Tournament, Leo, as Leo Skyshard and not ¡®TheBoss¡¯, went to meet with Shane Emerald at the White Tiger Groups Regional Management Office in StrongHaven City, just like Shane had instructed him to. He dressed up like a decent merchant, changed his appearance like his hair style and face shape ever so slightly to conceal his identity and changed his name tag from ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to ¡®LeoSkyshard¡¯ before strolling towards the regional office confidently. ¡°Sorry Sir, this is a restricted area, you cannot enter without an invitation¨C¡± The security guard outside the building said, as he denied Leo entry into the building. ¡°Oh I was invited, just check with Mr.Shane and ask him if he¡¯s expecting to meet someone referred to by ¡®TheBoss¡¯, today¨C¡± Leo said, as he waited patiently for the security guards response, who judged him from head to toe, before deciding to check the authenticity of his words. Everyday, there were a dozen different small merchant group owners who requested for a meeting with Shane and many of them were slick liars who fooled the security officers with their believable lies to find their way in. This made the security guards very apprehensive of anyone approaching without an invite, however, seeing how Leo name dropped ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the current Champion Of The Grand Tournament, the security guards decided to check up on his story before deciding on whether or not they should let him in. ¡°Good one¡­. Your lie at least made him go inside and check¡­. But damn, name dropping the unbroken one! You¡¯re ballsy¡± said a rag-tag looking man outside the gate, who was seemingly trying to secure a meeting with Shane for the past 15 days now. Apparently, the man who was a struggling merchant, did not believe that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was known to be cold and indifferent would actually give anyone a referral, which was the reason behind why he automatically invalidated Leo¡¯s story as a lie. ¡°I¡¯m not lying¡± Leo said, shrugging his shoulders as he judged the poor man by his haggard appearance and then scoffed at him condescendingly. He did not wish to be that guy that looked down on people who were poor, however, he definitely did not mind looking down on people who were both poor and dumb at once, but still carried themselves with absolute confidence. ¡°Yeah sure buddy. We¡¯re merchants, of course we never lie¡­ we only conveniently misrepresent the truth¡± the man said,ughing at Leo¡¯s alias as Leo couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before? What¡¯s the name of your Merchant Group?¡± The man asked, trying to strike up conversation to kill time, however, Leo paid him no need. Ignoring him and pretending to be interested in the paint color of the security gate, Leo gave the man no face and did not bother replying to his question. The man, feeling offended by Leo¡¯s attitude snorted in disgust and got irritated by Leo giving him attitude as he said ¡°The fact that I have to ask for your identity already means that you have no right to behave as condescendingly as you are. You¡¯re a small fish just like me. It¡¯s not good to have a big head for us small fish¡± Just then, the security guard who had gone in to check the authenticity of Leo¡¯s words returned and opened the entry gate for Leo, as he allowed him to pass while giving him an earnest bow. ¡°Apologies for making you wait sir, but it was important that I check the authenticity of your words before letting you in ¡­.. we have quite the liars around here¡± The security guard said, eyeing the poor merchant outside, who was left with his mouth agape looking at Leo entering the building. The man was convinced that Leo was lying and that he did not have any real connection to ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, seeing as to how he was allowed entry into the building, the man couldn¡¯t help but question his own intelligence. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned! The Boss isn¡¯t as hard to form a bond with as he portrays on the outside then¡­.¡± The man said, as his entire take away from the situation was that The Boss was not as cold as he thought he might be. *********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Forgetting the annoying man outside like an afterthought, Leo turned all his focus on his uing meeting with Shane, as putting an amiable smile on his face, Leo entered into his office. ¡°Agh¡­ you must be the young man ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was lobbying for¡­. Haha, pleasee in¡± Shane said, with his usual charm as he weed Leo into his office. Sitting inside, alongside Shane were several other high level executive¡¯s of the White Tiger Merchant Group, as from the moment Leo stepped into the room he was met with borderline hostile and judgmental gazes from all sides. To Leo, the pressure of this office felt no different than the pressure of the arena, as this meeting also seemed like a battle to him, where victory meant getting capital infusion from the white tiger group into his future ns, while defeat meant going back empty handed. ¡°Thank you for making the time to meet with me,¡± Leo said, his voice steady despite the palpable tension in the room. ¡°Of course,¡± Shane replied smoothly. ¡°Any associate of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is a guest of honor here. I¡¯m sure me and my associates here will see something interesting and new today¡­¡±Shane said, hyping Leo up before his pitch as he put him on a pedestal that he did not deserve. Of course this wasn¡¯t out of kindness, but because of a psychological trick where if Leo¡¯s products were average or underperforming, they would look worse, while if they met expectations they would look average, driving the price down. In this way, Shane was a ruthless businessman, however, Leo who waspletely unaware of the true meaning behind his words simply took it as apliment and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we have been properly introduced yet. I¡¯m Shane Emerald, I lead the White Tiger Merchant Group¡­. What is your good name, young man?¡± Shane asked, extending his hand across the table as Leo firmly shook it and replied ¡°I¡¯m Leo Skyshard and I own Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡±. Chapter 273: Product Presentation Chapter 273: Product Presentation ¡°Mount Faulkner Trading Company?¡± Shane said, looking around as he nced at his associates to check if anyone had ever heard of this firm, however, it seemed that just like him everyone else in the room were clueless as well. Being a top tradingpany, the White Tiger Group kept tabs on every promisingpetitor and often ruthlessly stole their top products to drive them out of business. Shane himself spent a lot of his day studying the business models of many small enterprises to learn and expand his knowledge which was why he knew every small and medium yer in the industry, however, he had never heard of the Mount Faulkner Trading Company before today, which secretly frustrated him ever so slightly. This anonymity added ayer of mystery around Leo, as without any background for Shane to dig up, he had no idea what he should expect when dealing with Leo or what his bottom line could be, which made structuring a favorable deal difficult. ¡°Alright, Gentlemen, please clear the desk so that Mr.Leo here can start disying his amazing products¡± Shane said, as his underlings immediately began clearing the table off unnecessary paperwork and small products that they were in the middle of discussing, as they provided Leo with ample space to disy his products. With all eyes being towards him, Leo felt slightly nervous while disying the first product, as he took out a vial of poison from his inventory and ced it on the table. ¡°Let me introduce the first of my products, The Green Poison¡± Leo said, as he pointed towards the Green Vial. Almost immediately, he could see the faces of many executives dropping to a frown, as it seemed like they were not interested in buying a new poison form. ¡°This is not a poison for humans. It¡¯s a poison for insects that eat crops¡± Leo began, as his words caused Shane¡¯s eyes to brighten with interest. In the world of Terra Nova, the concept of insecticides wasn¡¯t as well adopted in farming as on Earth and while Leo and Ben were brainstorming about possible uses of herbal poisons, Leo realized that the weakest poison in their poison list could double up as an insecticide when diluted enough, which was why he decided to market it as a poison for insects. ¡°The ingredients of this poison arepletely herbal with no animal extracts present. It is high in nitrogen content and can double up as a fertilizer when sprayed on nts, however, when ingested by insects it will work as a lethal poison which will protect the crops from being destroyed by pests. It can not only improve total yield, but also improve yield quality and since it¡¯s a water soluble poison, a single vial can be mixed with about 200 liters of water, which is enough to spray 20 acres of farnd. One bottle costs only 50 silver coins to produce and can be sold for 1 gold coin. An average farmer will need 3-4 of these vials for every crop cycle, as they will need to spray their crops with this poison every 7-14 days. In my understanding this product solves a very important problem in the farming industry and will sell nicely, but I guess you guys are the experts on this one¡± Leo said, as he felt the gazes towards him soften after his first product pitch. Picking up the vial, Shane saw the poison inside against the reflection of light and then passed it around to his colleagues. For a while the executives in the room talked softly amongst each other and then made notes, before passing their notes to Shane who read it all and began scratching his chin. For a good ten minutes, Leo was made to sit in crushing silence as nobody interacted with him even slightly, until Shane finally spoke up. ¡°This product is good, of course we will need to verify its effectiveness first. But if it works as you say it does then we are willing tounch it in our stores. If you want to sell the form of the product outright, I will be more than happy to pay a fair price for it. If not, we can act as your distributors and sell the product for you, but of course we will need a veryrge batch and a regr supply chain¡± Shane said, as he tried to probe whether or not Leo had the capital to foot the inventory of making this product in bulk, however, Leo simply nodded to his words and did not pick up the hidden test behind his wordings. ¡°Alright, let me show the second product then¡± Leo said, as he pulled out a second vial of poison from his inventory, causing Shane to frown internally. Up till now, Shane couldn¡¯t figure out whether Leo was a really smart merchant or a really dumb one, as he kept dodging Shane¡¯s questions very smoothly as if he did not pick up on them at all. This time as Leo brought out a vial of poison, the other executive¡¯s did not frown immediately as learning from their past experience they decided to let Leo speak about the benefits of his poison first before judging whether or not it was useless. ¡°Behold¡­ my second product, the purple poison¡± Leo said, as he pointed towards the purple poison vial that he ced on the table. In terms of naming his products, Leo had a very simple taste as he did notplicate the naming process at all. Just naming the poisons by the color of the vial, he kept things as simple as possible. ¡°This poison is in my opinion a better alternative to your product, the ¡®Wolf yer Poison¡¯. Not only is it ten times as effective, which will be a big boost to adventurers and mercenaries who regrly buy that product, it¡¯s also 30% cheaper to produce and has ingredients that are easily avable to purchase in bulk. Because it¡¯s cheaper to produce, better in quality and faster to manufacture. I think this product can rece the ¡®Wolf yer Poison¡¯ in your stores as a superior alternative¡± Leo said, as listening to his words many executives now began to sweat. While Leo wasn¡¯t aware about the basics of business, the others present in this room were. The number one reason behind why adventurers and mercenaries frequented their stores was because they needed to buy the ¡®Wolf yer Poison¡¯ on a regr basis. However, while they were inside the store they often ended up buying additional items on disy which drove up sales. If Leo went with this product to apetitor and news about a cheaper and superior alternative to the ¡®Wolf yer Poison¡¯ floated in the market, the loss incurred by the White Tiger Group would be huge. ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m questioning your ims, young man, but please understand that I can¡¯t trust your words until it has been independently verified by my team. If whatever you say is true, then your product is without a doubt a better mouse trap and I¡¯m willing to buy it. However, I won¡¯t discuss price until everything is verified¡± Shane said calmly, as he did not let Leo feel that he had been startled by his proposal at all. Chapter 274: Frightening Leo Chapter 274: Frightening Leo Pin drop silence gripped the room as without even trying Leo had managed to flip the dynamic between himself and the White Tiger Merchant Group. It was Shane and his crew who were on the edge now as they realized that Leo¡¯s products had the potential to cause a disruption in the industry. Now as Leo introduced new products, it was the white tiger group who listened to every wording out of his mouth with utmost attention as they dared not miss a detail about Leo¡¯s products. ¡°Behold¡­. The Orange Poison¡± *Gasp* ¡°Behold¡­. The Semen¡­ errr I mean White Poison¡± *Gasp* ¡°Behold, The Sort Of Blue Poison¡± One after another, as Leo introduced his products, sweat started to drop from the forehead¡¯s of the executives as they realized that Leo was freakishly strong. It wasn¡¯t just one or two products that he had that could change the industry. Leo was like a walking Apothecary store that could sell apletely unique line of products and such strength was terrifying. ¡°D-did you create all these products yourself?¡± Shane asked, stuttering when asking this question as after Leo introduced his fifth useful poison, Shane felt as if Leo was not a merchant at all, but rather an alchemist who wanted to make a profit on the side. ¡°Oh yes¡± Leo said beaming with pride, as he gave Shane an amiable smile. However, while Leo thought he was smiling amiably, to the others in the room he looked no different than a Demon as they felt absolutely terrified of Leo¡¯s genius. ¡°Umm, sir, are all the products that you wish to present today poisons?¡± Asked one of the executives sheepishly as Leo shook his head and realized that he had made a mistake. Because he started with poisons, he kept showing poisons one after another and had forgotten to mix and match things up during his presentation. ¡°I apologize, poisons are only one part of the products I wish to disy. There are many other products that I¡¯ve brought here for you all to inspect¡± Leo said, bringing out a small vial of the thick green liquid Ben used to bathe him in to strengthen his constitution back on Mount Faulkner. ¡°The Slime Bath¨C¡± Leo said pointing towards the green vial, as some executives wiped the sweat off their foreheads when gazing at the vial. They half expected Leo to name it the ¡°Green thingy¡±, but thankfully he gave it a proper name this time. ¡°This is a product that can improve one¡¯s constitution and heal minor injuries. It¡¯s a medicinal bath, but much more potent and cheappared to the current medicinal baths avable in the market and can easily be produced in bulk. If marketed correctly, this product can be a household routine, where after a day¡¯s hard work the husband or the wife takes a dip in this liquid to get rid of all their body aches. Aplete game changer¡± Leo said, as at this moment one executive in the room fainted. *Crash* Fainting, the man fell off his chair and crashed on to the floor below, as Leo immediately felt worried if he was alright. At this point, sweat beads began forming even on Shane¡¯s forehead, as he did not expect this meeting with Leo to be as intense as this. If what Leo said was true, then the white tiger group could make luxury resorts whose central attraction was this special medicinal bath where the rich coulde to destress. They could also open public bath houses and earn thousands of gold coins in daily revenue from offering this service, or sell it in packs to be used at home. This product was too good to pass up on and as a veteran businessman Shane could see its usefulness in an instant. Had he been a new merchant group owner, he would have probably thrown himself at Leo¡¯s feet by now as the products that Leo presented could help create a business Empire from scratch. However, since he was already an established yer in the market, Shane held his nerves, however, the way he addressed Leo now changed significantly. No longer did he harbor any ns of exploiting Leo or forcing him into an unfavorable deal as he understood that Leo was too important of a future business partner to exploit. ¡°Mr. Leo, if you don¡¯t mind me asking, do you really have the manpower and the operation scale required to produce all the products you have disyed to me en-mass? Because, unless you are employing over 3000 people, I don¡¯t think you will be able to keep up with the demand that these products may generate. No offense to your Mount Faulkner Trading Company, but unless I¡¯m absolutely clueless, I don¡¯t think you have the manufacturing capacity to make these products because I haven¡¯t seen any factories around here that can produce these products at such scale. This means that after securing a deal with my merchant group, you will need to procurend, findbor and set up production lines for these products, which will be a HUGE capital investment. Now, I¡¯m not doubting your financial background, however, even if I¡¯m estimating everything conservatively, it will still cost you 2-5 million gold coins for the whole project and take you at least 3 months to get up to speed. Am I right?¡± Shane asked, as he ditched beating around the bush and decided to cut right to the chase. His words did make sense as Leo did not have the capacity to mass-produce his products yet, nor did he have established factories. However, he did have a n to make it all work, which was why even though Shane felt that he might be able to leverage Leo¡¯sck of production capacity to his advantage, that wasn¡¯t the case at all. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, Mr. Shane, however, you are slightly wrong¡­¡± Leo said, smiling satisfyingly as looking at his smile, Shane¡¯s mood darkened. ¡°You see, I have a very good friend who is a Baron¡­. ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the guy who introduced us?¡± Leo began, as listening to his words Shane felt his stomach drop. Chapter 275: A genius plan Chapter 275: A genius n Leo smiled satisfyingly as he began exining his n to Shane. Although he wasn¡¯t sure yet on how it was going to work out. He did have a n in mind that would help him fulfill his production needs. ¡°While you¡¯re right that I don¡¯t have a production line set up yet. My friend ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has promised to allocatend to me at extremely cheap prices and set up production units in his Barony as long as I provide employment to the poor and unemployed people of his region. Not only is his Barony apparently suffering from ack of employment opportunities, but it¡¯s also suffering from severe food shortages, so my friend was hoping that by bringing industry to his Barony, it would help alleviate some of those troubles. While transportation of goods to a remote Barony will indeed cost more in logistics, but I think I can make up for it in terms of cheapnd costs andbor, keeping the price of my product aspetitive as if it were produced near a big city¡± Leo said as he presented his well researched n to Shane. ¡®This guy is the real deal¡­. He¡¯s a cut-throat businessman, he has even managed to convince that dumb Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to a deal that¡¯s profitable for both of them. Using an impoverished Barony for cheapbor¡­.. that¡¯s simply genius!!¡¯ Shane thought, as he mistook Leo for a business genius despite that not being the case at all. Initially when Shane met ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at the Royal G, he was taken aback by his stupidity. As good of a fighter as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was, he was equally dumb when it came to business and politics as he had epted the role of administering one of the worst Baronies in the entire Empire that was almost impossible to turn around. Since it was not well connected with roads, did not have fertilend for farming and no major industries, the poption of the Barony was sparse and the tax revenue was near 0. Taking up the role of administering such a Barony was akin tomitting career suicide as it was extremely difficult to turn such a ce into a prosperous township, as the starting point given was below zero. However, if teaming up with a major industrialist like Leo, who could bring major employment opportunities andmerce to the Barony, there was actual hope in turning things around and Shane did not believe that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ coulde up with the idea of something so genius. This meant that Leo Skyshard was not only a genius merchant, but also a wise administrator who had very close ties with a powerful warrior like ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡®Connections¡­. Innovation¡­. Cunning ¡­. This guy has everything!¡¯ Shane thought as he took a small piece of cloth and dabbed it across his forehead to absorb the sweat. ¡°Well, Mr. Leo, how many more products do you have to show us?¡± Shane Inquired, as Leo emptied out his inventory and brought out a wide array of poisons and other products, looking at which two more of Shane¡¯s executives fainted. *CRASH* *THUD* ¡°Huh?¡± Leo murmured in confusion as he did not understand why the White Tiger Executives were fainting one after another. However, what Leo did not understand was the value of his own products. With neither him nor Ben belonging to the world ofmerce, the duo did not fully understand the economic potential of the products passed down to Ben from his father or the secret recipes of the Night Guild. While Leo thought that his products were just like any other in the market and that Shane must receive pitches like this daily from a wide array of merchants, the reality of the situation was that Shane never received a pitch like this in his entire career. If whatever Leo imed turned out to be true, then Shane knew that the White Tiger Group was going to evolve into bing an Economic Powerhouse unlike any other which was exactly why he could not let this chance slip away. ¡°Hahaha, Mr Leo I hope you don¡¯t mindbeling these bottles and listing out their uses for us. With so many products it will be hard to remember which one is supposed to do what¡± Shane said, as listening to this statement Leo felt slightly embarrassed. To him it felt like he was showing too much and taking up too much of their time, which is why he apologized and quickly beganbeling and listing down the uses of his products instead of giving an individual pitch. While he did that, Shane secretly gulped a mouthful of water and pped his cheeks to keep hisposure as at this point he could not stop his hands and feet from trembling with excitement. ¡°Here, the full list of products and what they do-¡± Leo said, handing over a piece of paper to Shane who took it with an amiable smile. ¡°Please give us a couple days time to verify the use of these products¡­. Let¡¯s schedule a meeting at the same time here in two days if that¡¯s okay with you?¡± Shane asked politely as Leo nodded his head in understanding. ¡°Sure, that sounds great Mr.Shane. I¡¯m leaving town in 3 days, so a meeting two days from now sounds perfect¡± Leo said, as he extended his hand for Shane to shake, who took it with both his palms and shook it warmly. ¡°Hahaha, Mr.Leo, I¡¯m looking forward to working with you-¡± Shane said, as his attitude took aplete 180¡ã nowpared to when Leo first entered the room. When Leo had first entered, Shane was only being polite to him to exploit himter, however, by the time Leo left, he was polite to Leo because he could not afford to offend him. The reason behind why he did not lock the deal right now was because the uses of some of Leo¡¯s products sounded too good to be true, which was why he wanted to verify the authenticity of his ims before making him any big offers. However, if it turned out that whatever Leo imed was true, then Shane was ready to bend over backwards to make a deal with him anyhow. Chapter 276: A new life for Ben Chapter 276: A new life for Ben ¡°So¡­. Boy? How did your meeting with the merchant work out?¡± Ben asked excitedly as Leo returned back to the motel after meeting Shane. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­that guy doesn¡¯t show much emotion, his personality is solid¡± Leo said, shrugging his shoulders as Ben frowned at this response. Ben was quite excited to hear how Leo¡¯s meeting worked out and was silently having dreams of bing a millionaire and living that rich noble life. With him already being aplished in his profession, Ben had no real motivation to get any stronger than he already was, however, this new life as a trader and administrator felt like an exciting new challenge for him. With him having no real knowledge about the trade world or how to be a noble, Ben was inquisitive and curious about everything, which made his time spent with Leo that much more enjoyable as their rtionship developed from that of a master-student to two friends who were figuring life out together. ¡°Well, he must have said something? Did he not make an offer for any product? There should be something that he is interested in?¡± Ben asked, as Leo shook his head in dismay. ¡°He took the samples for everything and asked me to meet him in two days time, after he tests out the efficiency of the products. I guess he gets offers like these daily, so he¡¯s not interested in things until it¡¯s proven to be useful¡± Leo said, as Ben nodded in understanding. ¡°Well we are not lying about the efficiency of the products so I guess we have nothing to worry about. In two days time he will find out that we were telling the truth¡± Ben said, as he stroked his chin and remained hopeful that this deal should work out. ¡°Yep. I¡¯m thinking about taking you with me to the next meeting. I¡¯m thinking that now that you¡¯re a free man, having you with me in any negotiation room should give me a big psychological advantage. Your name is enough for some of Shane¡¯s underlings to pass out in fear¡± Leo said, as he chuckled recalling how Shane¡¯s executives passed out during his product presentation for some reason. ¡°Oh? I cane?¡± Ben asked, sounding surprised before realizing that he was now a free man. Since he was still not used to the whole concept of being free, he forgot that he could take part in such activities legally without fearing an arrest. ¡°Right, Right, I cane now, I¡¯m a free man, hahaha¡­. This is the best!¡± Ben said, chuckling out loud as he couldn¡¯t be more happy at being a free man again. ¡°Yeah, just don¡¯t call me ¡®boy¡¯ or ¡®my disciple¡¯ there. In Front of the merchants my identity is Leo Skyshard, so just call me Leo when I¡¯m not wearing a mask¡± Leo reminded as Ben nodded in understanding. ¡°So I¡¯m to call you Jin Mu in front of that girl and Leo in front of the merchants¡± said Ben, as Leo gave him a thumbs up sign. *********** ( Meanwhile Julien ) ¡°Exterminate the Night Guild! Absolutely obliterate the organization under Ben Faulkner and force him tomit a crime. We absolutely cannot let Ben Faulkner roam as a free citizen and although I¡¯ve pardoned his past crimes, we need to make him an ouw as soon as possible again¡± Julien instructed the head of the Virex Corps as he could not stand the fact that he had been forced to pardon Ben Faulkner. If Ben became a free citizen and started to spread rumors about how the current Emperor was actually his first client, then it would be Julien who would lose his carefully crafted image in front of the public. For him to live with a peace of mind, it was important that anythinging out of the mouth of Ben Faulkner was treated like a lie and that his reputation remained as that of a dirty criminal. Over the years, Julien had tried to kill Ben several times, however, the man was just too strong for his underlings to capture and kill, which was why Julien carefully destroyed his credibility by branding him as a rebel. Now that he was a free man again, Julien felt uneasy all over again and hence instructed his Virex Corps to deal with the Night Guild as soon as possible, so that Ben Faulkner would be forced toe into action and save his faction. ********** ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) Dem Paltrow had hit the lowest of lows in his life. Sitting in his safe underground bunker with nothing but soft candle light to illuminate the room, Dem felt suffocated and angry as it had been 7 days now since hest saw the sun. With the Virex Corps relentlessly hunting his organization members, the situation was deteriorating everyday and to top it all off, Lin Mu had even failed to get the guild an imperial pardon by losing to some Royal Knight in the semi-finals. However, as if this was not enough bad news, a dayter Dem received the news that Ben¡¯s disciple had won the Grand Tournament and as his reward he asked for Ben Faulkner to be pardoned of all his past sins. While Dem was still sane until Lin Mu¡¯s failure, Ben¡¯s unexpected gains sent his jealousy through the roof as he lost control of his emotions. As if the legend of Ben Faulkner wasn¡¯trge enough already, his image was elevated after the Grand Tournament to even greater heights as he was started to be hailed as not only a great fighter but also a great teacher, who had raised a prodigy. ¡°It should¡¯ve been me¡­. That kid should¡¯ve been my disciple. That glory should have been mine¡­. Everything he enjoys today should be mine! Damn it¡­. Damn you Ben Faulkner, Damn you Lin Mu and Damn you Ben¡¯s Disciple! Even if The Night Guild ends, even if my life¡¯s workes undone because of the Virex Corps, I will never go down without exacting my revenge on you three¡­.. This much I promise¡± Dem swore ominously as he resolved to exact his pound of flesh from these three, even if it was thest thing that he did. Chapter 277: Product Report Chapter 277: Product Report ( Shane¡¯s POV, The White Tiger Group Branch Office, StrongHaven City ) Shane shivered uncontrobly once the report on the effectiveness of Leo¡¯s products came back. Upon reading the report, he momentarily forgot how to breathe as he felt extremely dizzy and light headed and as if the world was spinning under his feet. Thankfully the chair he was sitting on was very stable and did not crash like those of his employees, as without the chairs support, Shane had no doubt in his mind that he would have crashed too. ¡°So you applied the green healing liquid on someone with a light skin allergy, someone with a first degree burn and someone with a second degree blister and they all healed within 20 seconds?¡± Shane asked in surprise, as never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that he would be able to get his hands on such an incredible product. ¡°Yes sir, while we did not have enough sample to create a proper medicinal bath and to test it¡¯s constitution improvement and rxation capabilities, with the small vial we had, we ran three micro tests and the product has shown excellent results in all three¡± The White Tiger Executive replied, as Shane read the detailed report on the products performance. ¡°Sir Leo has listed the price of the liquid as 25 silver coins per liter. So that¡¯s about 0.025 silver coins per ml. Compared to a basic healing potion of the same strength which costs 0.1 silver coins per ml, this product is 75% cheaper. This means that we can sell this product not just as a medicinal bath, but also as a healing potion for microabrasions and skin diseases. It¡¯s an absolute winner¡± The executive further rified as Shane¡¯s eyes brightened at the very thought of undercutting the price of a basic healing potion. The basic healing potion was amodity that was currently being sold at a uniform rate throughout the Empire, because all business houses knew that undercutting each other on this basic necessity would spell doom for everyone. However, with this new and unique product, Shane could drive some of hispetitor¡¯s to bankruptcy by making his store the only one that sold a basic healing potion for under 0.5 silver coins. 50% below market rate. ¡°As for the green poison that also couples as a fertilizer, it¡¯s been shown to have enough strength to kill small bugs up till the size of a grasshopper, but cannot killrger insects like rats. It indeed couples as a fertilizer and has the potential to increase the farming yield while also being easy to wash off before consumption. It¡¯s also a winning product which will pay off 10 times the price of its purchase by helping increase the yield. If we y our cards right, we may be able to supply this product to farmers nation-wide¡± The executive reported, as Shane sucked in a breath of cold air listening to this report. With these two products alone Shane could capture the Empire-Wide market and start to dominate in the merchant world, however, even apart from these two Leo had given him countless extremely useful products. The wolf-ying poison¡¯s alternative, the purple poison was also just as effective as he imed it to be, while the red poison, orange poison and the myriad other poisons he cooked were also useful although their sellers market was niche. Overall, apart from a couple products, Shane found 15 of Leo¡¯s products worth purchasing, with 3 amongst them being products that had industry changing potential. ¡°What about the background of Mount Faulkner Trading Company? What have you found out about it?¡± Shane asked, as while everything else seemed to be too good to be true, he wanted to leave no leaf unturned before making Leo his essential trading partner. ¡°Sir there is no background to be uncovered, because there is no official trading firm registered under the name ¡®Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡¯. Up till now, Leo Skyshard hasn¡¯t done a single penny worth of trade, nor paid a single bronze coin in ie taxes. His background is as clean as it gets¡­ he¡¯s not from the business world at all¡± The executive replied as Shane frowned when he heard these words. ¡°No¨C I refuse to believe that Leo Skyshard is not a merchant¡­.¡± Shane said, as he shook his head from side to side and tried to make sense of the situation. ¡°Not only did he provide us with a list of products, but he also provided us with the estimated time for production, the cost, the reason behind why we should buy it and the potential area where it can be marketed. He¡¯s definitely someone from a business background as without having an upbringing in business one cannot understand what makes a productpetitive in the market. If there are two manufacturers selling the same product, one for a lesser price than the other, then it isn¡¯t necessary that the one selling for cheaper is better even if the quality is same. Managing the supply chain is a big part of business and having the foresight to see which product will be impacted by supply chain disruptions and which product won¡¯t be impacted is something only veteran businessmen who have suffered major losses in life understand. If his tradingpany has never done business before then it only means that he¡¯s a second generation merchant who is trying to make it out into the world on his own. But that man is not a newbie¡­..¡± Shane said, as he rated Leo too highly while Leo wasn¡¯t actually worthy of that assessment. The reason behind why Leo knew how to make a proper product pitch was because he worked on Earth as a repairman. Not only did he have to quote his hourly rate, but also often quote the price of materials, the estimated time ofpletion and many other small details to receive a project which was why he used the same logic to make a product pitch in front of Shane. However, Shane¡¯s misunderstanding was a boon for Leo, as he no longer harbored any intentions of scamming him of a single penny and nned to treat him with utmost sincerity going forward. Chapter 278: Opportunity Of A Lifetime Chapter 278: Opportunity Of A Lifetime ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) The day that the guild hit it¡¯s first recruitment goal of amassing 10,000 members, Cervantez handed over the Guild¡¯s operations in StrongHaven to Lysa, who was going to stay back in StrongHaven City for the time being alongside her mage recruits, while he prepared to transport the rest of his guild members out of the city to the Silver Pine Barony. Lysa stayed back in the capital while the rest of the guild moved to Silver Pine because training and raising mages required significant resources that were only readily avable in big cities. Without a proper mana concentration room and other necessary infrastructure for their training, relocating the mages to Silver Pine would prove to be pointless, and since the Guilds Training facility in Silver Pine was not yet ready, Cervantez decided that it was best for Lysa and her mage unit to stay back. ¡®Although we are moving to SilverPine Vige, I don¡¯t have the money to cover all the guild projects that I¡¯m going to start. Although I¡¯ve projected an image of prosperity, the Guild¡¯s finances are in a very critical position where I cannot even pay next month¡¯s sries,¡¯Cervantez thought, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. Sitting in his office in the capital, he reviewed the ns for establishing the guild¡¯s new headquarters, training grounds, and mana rooms in Silver Pine Barony. The vision he had was grand, but the reality was stark. To turn his vision into reality he needed to raise funds quickly because he had already contacted the NPC construction crews that would create the buildings he needed and had paid the base fees needed to start the project, however, he still needed to pay monthly installments to keep the project construction on track. If everything worked out well, the Training grounds would be constructed within 14 days, the Guild Headquarters by 45 days and the mana concentration rooms, library etc in under 90 days. To raise this money, Cervantez knew that expanding Silver Pine¡¯s mining operations was the most viable solution. The Barony¡¯s rich silver mines held the key to the Guild¡¯s financial stability and by increasing the output and efficiency of the mines, they could generate significant revenue. However, increasing the mine¡¯s production capacity required manpower and management, something that the newly recruited guild members could provide if they performed as Cervantez expected them to. ¡®We need to mobilize our new recruits effectively,¡¯ Cervantez mused. He knew that by issuing guild quests that paid one handsomely in gold, he could gather the manpower required to supervise the mine¡¯s expansion and sale, however, to immediately put untrained individuals into the role of supervisor was a slight risk. Although supervising a mine was no rocket science, it did require responsible people taking up the job and could not be entrusted to people who would take the role lightly. ¡®I need to single out the more responsible members in the guild that can take up roles of leadership and ept the burden of production pressures, as if we miss the production goal by even a day, we might not be able to make the construction payment in full¡¯ Cervantez mused as he felt both burdened and excited about the guilds future at the same time. He had already booked arge number of tents and security mercenaries for the guild¡¯s mass movement from StrongHaven to SilverPine and was expecting to start the journey in two hours time, with the estimated arrival to SilverPine being in two days time. ********** ( Meanwhile, An Executive From The White Tiger Group ) A hooded man nervously ran towards the Green Jade Merchant Group Headquarters in StrongHaven City, with beads of sweat rolling down his face. If Leo saw this man running, he would have recognised him immediately as one of the White Tiger Group Executives that was present in the meeting room with Shane while Leo gave his presentation. He was one of the two individuals that had fainted when Leo was giving his presentation and his real identity was a business spy that worked for the Green Jade Merchant Group, which was the main rival to the White Tiger Group. ¡°What happened Caleb? What was so urgent that you came running from the White Tiger Office to here? You know we cannotpromise your identity right? Youing here is a big risk-¡± The Green Jade Group leader, Mr.Wade said as he did not appreciate Caleb taking such a big risk when the Green Jade Group had gone to great lengths to install him as a spy. ¡°I¡¯m not foolish, even if my identity ispromised, today¡¯s meeting is a must because The White Tiger Group has gotten their hands on something big! 3 new revolutionary products whosepetence has been tested and 12 other products that are unheard of. They are about to take the industry by storm and the seller is going to meet them tomorrow to finalize the deal. For now it seems like Shane is going to push for a monopoly on the products and if he seeds, you can say goodbye to the Green Jade Group!¡± Caleb said, as it was Wade¡¯s turn to shut-up now as he had never seen Caleb so serious. ¡°Industry changing products? Are you sure?¡± Wade asked as Caleb quickly listed the use and price of the products that Leo was selling as upon hearing the products descriptions, it was Wade who felt his legs turn weak as he sat back down on his chair. ¡°And the authenticity of all these products has been verified?¡± Wade asked, his hands trembling as he realized how it would be game over for his merchant group should this sellers deal with the White Tiger Group go through. ¡°Yes¡­. It¡¯s all true, the products are 100% effective. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here¨C¡± Caleb said as Wade broke out in cold sweat. ¡°Where is the seller right now? We must close the deal before he can meet Shane. Locate him anyhow!!!¡± Wade said, speaking with a sense of urgency as Caleb handed him and address. ¡°BlueStar Motel¡­.¡± Wade read the piece of paper and immediately sprung into action. ¡°Gather the top executives¡­ prepare the best gifts. We must woo this seller before Shane can. This opportunity must be grasped by the Green Jade Group! It cannot be grasped by anyone else or we will be finished!¡± Wade said, as he felt like an opportunity of a lifetime was up for grabs. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 279: Wade meets Ben Chapter 279: Wade meets Ben ( BlueStar Motel, The Indoor Bar ) Leo and Ben were seated inside the indoor bar area of the BlueStar Motel, munching on cheap peanuts and drinking questionable beer while discussing their future ns. It was a very regr evening for the duo and they never expected the leader of a major merchant group toe looking for them here. As the master-student duo deliberated on the best way to negotiate a contract with Shane, Mr. Wade suddenly entered the bar with his entourage, instantly capturing everyone¡¯s attention. The BlueStar Motel wasn¡¯t a high-end establishment that catered to the affluent. Therefore, when Mr. Wade walked into the bar in his expensive suit, apanied by his sizable entourage carrying luxurious gifts, he immediately became the center of attention. Murmurs spread quickly among the bar¡¯s patrons. Some whispered in awe, while others spected about his identity. ¡°Is this fool lost? Or is someone here is rich and dumb son¡± one patron wondered as he made a joke on the sly, however, nobodyughed at his words. ¡°Are you here to try the shitty pie? Fat man? You look like you enjoy pie¡­.¡± Said a drunk man as he snorted inughter at own joke. One man however, squinted his eyes through the dim light and recognized Mr. Wade from a massive portrait he¡¯d seen in one of the Green Jade Group¡¯svish establishments. ¡°That¡¯s Mr. Wade, the leader of the Green Jade Merchant Group!¡± he eximed, causing a ripple of excitement and curiosity to sweep through the room. ¡®The Green Jade Merchant Group?¡¯ Leo wondered as the image of a huge store front in the capital crossed his mind. He had indeed seen the Green Jade store in StrongHaven and judging by its grandeur he could discern that the Green Jade Group was definitely not a small merchant group and hence its owner was also sure to be formidable. ¡®Is he here for me¡­?¡¯ Leo wondered as he threw another piece of peanut in his mouth and waited patiently. It was more likely than not that Wade was here for him as of all the people here, he was the only one worth meeting, however, Leo did not make the first move in-case the fat merchant was hoping to recruit Ben for some filthy assassination mission. ncing towards Ben, Leo raised his eyebrows as Ben blinked his eye assuringly, asking Leo to wait. This way, the master-disciple duo conversed through only their eyes and arrived at the same conclusion of waiting patiently. Mr. Wade surveyed the bar with a discerning eye before leaning in to whisper into the ear of one of his underlings. The underling nodded and then walked briskly over to the establishment¡¯s owner, who was standing behind the counter, nervously polishing a ss. After a brief, intense conversation, the bar owner¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and then gleamed with the promise of profit. The underling handed over a hefty sum of money, and with that, the bar owner announced, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, the bar is now closed for a private event. Please finish your drinks and make your way to the exit.¡± Marily, there were groans andints, but the sight of Mr. Wade¡¯s imposing entourage ensured that no one lingered. Within minutes, the bar was cleared of all patrons except for Leo and Ben, who exchanged curious nces, wondering what had prompted such a dramatic turn of events. As thest guest left, the bar owner approached Leo and Ben, indicating they should stay. ¡°Mr. Wade would like to have a word with you,¡± he said, his voice a mix of respect and nervousness. ¡°Well, ask Mr.Wade if he wants a drink? Tell him he¡¯s our guest so we will pay and give him a chair¡­¡± said Ben as he yed the situation very coolly, immediately assuming control of the room by taking up the role of the host. As the nervous bar owner walked towards Mr.Wade asking for his drink preference, Mr.Wade only requested for ice cold water while he pulled his own chair over to Leo and Ben¡¯s table. ¡°Mr. Leo Skyshard, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you here today¨C¡± Wade said, extending his hand for Leo to shake as Leo shook it back firmly. Just like Shane, Wade also had a fake and merchant-like smile on his face as he put on the most amiable disy in front of Leo. ¡°Likewise¨C¡± Leo said, as Wade then turned towards Ben and extended his hand equally politely as he did not know about the identity of the man sitting with Leo. ¡°Hello Good Sir, I¡¯m Wade Prude, The owner of the Green Jade Merchant Group¡­ can I have the pleasure of knowing your good name?¡± Wade asked politely, as Ben smiled evilly to this question. ¡°The name¡¯s Ben Faulkner but you may know me better as the ¡®Kingyer¡¯ ¡°. Ben said without shame, as the moment Ben uttered those words he saw goosebumps running up Wade¡¯s arms as his face turned ashen white. *Clink* *Crash* Not just Wade, even the bar owner began to tremble when he heard that name as he finally realized that the guests staying at his motel were not ordinary at all. ¡°B-b-b-ben Faulkner!!!!!!!!!!¡± Said one of the men in Wade¡¯s entourage as he dropped the luxurious gift in his hand and bolted for the exit¡± ¡°The boogeyman! The boogeyman is here¨C¡± he screamed like a scared little girl, as the viin of his childhood stories was finally in front of him. The other members, although not as scared as the one that ran away, still trembled hearing Ben Faulkner¡¯s name, as for the first time ever Leo got to witness the true terror behind the name Ben Faulkner in his life. ¡°Hohoho. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bite. I¡¯ve just became a free man and I don¡¯t intend to be a wanted man again anytime soon¡± Ben said, as he thoroughly enjoyed the reaction to his name and the fear hemanded. Chapter 280: A lucrative offer Chapter 280: A lucrative offer ¡°Ben Faulkner?¡± Wade repeated, his voice trembling with shock as he struggled toprehend the presence of such a notorious criminal. The atmosphere in the bar shifted palpably within seconds as no one from the Green Jade Merchant Group was smiling amiably anymore after hearing that namepared to their fake warm smiles when they entered. Even Wade¡¯s initial confidence evaporated fast and was reced by a cold sweat of anxiety as his carefully crafted n to outmaneuver Shane and secure a deal with Leo suddenly felt in serious jeopardy with Ben around. Leo, observing Wade¡¯s difort, couldn¡¯t help but find the situation amusing as the usuallyposed merchant was visibly unnerved in the presence of a notorious criminal. While merchants were a ss of people that werefortable even around nobles and the ruling ss, thugs and gangsters still caused merchants to pee their pants and Wade was no different. When forced to look an assassin like Ben in the eyes, Wade lost hisposure which was usually impossible to break. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr.Ben¡± Wade said, pulling his hand away as his mind raced with anxiety. The presence of Ben Faulkner, the infamous ¡®Kingyer¡¯, alongside Leo, threw his negotiation strategy into chaos. He wondered what the rtionship between the two was, or whether Ben was Leo¡¯s henchman. However, without any information about their rtionship, Wade did not dare make any wild assumptions. He had nned to leverage his merchant clout to impress Leo, but now, all he felt was the looming threat of Ben¡¯s lethal reputation. ¡®What if he doesn¡¯t like my offer? What if Ben decides I¡¯m a threat?¡¯ Wade thought, his heart pounding as his life shed past his eyes. He knew he couldn¡¯t back down now, but every instinct inside him screamed to flee. If this deal weren¡¯t extremely important for the future of his group, Wade would have undoubtedly walked away. However, circumstances forced him to stay, as he desperately wanted to make a deal with Leo, even with Ben Faulkner around. *Inhale* Taking in a deep breath, Wade tried to steady himself. ¡°Mr. Skyshard, it¡¯s an honor,¡± he began, his voice wavering slightly as he turned to Leo. ¡°I came here hoping to discuss a potential business opportunity that could benefit us both.¡± Wade said, slowly regaining hisposure as he decided to ignore Ben and focus purely on Leo. ¡®Oh, ignoring me?¡¯ Ben thought yfully, as he felt like he had not had enough fun yet and decided to tease the merchant leader some more. Leaning back in his chair with an air of casual menace, Ben picked up a butter knife and began slicing peanuts with it, as if slicing a throat. Immediately, Wade¡¯s eyes flicked nervously between Ben and the knife, the poor merchant¡¯s difort growing with every deliberate slice. By this point, Ben had already figured out that the merchant was scared witless of him and hence he decided to tease him further by performing casual knife tricks. Naturally, Wade could not focus on his conversation with Leo with Ben performing knife tricks as he broke out in a cold sweat and began trembling visibly. While Ben intimidated him only for theughs, he did not understand just how effective it was in breaking Wade¡¯s psyche as by this point Wade had crossed his initial negotiations n and turned into a brainless parrot. ¡®Is this what mob bosses feel like?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he saw Wade struggling to keep a straight face while his body wouldn¡¯t obey him as the poor merchant leader shivered uncontrobly. ¡°Please, Mr. Wade, go on. We¡¯re listening,¡± Leo said, emphasizing the word ¡®We¡¯ to include Ben in the conversation. Wade swallowed hard, feeling Ben¡¯s gaze bore into him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of your innovative products, Mr. Skyshard and I believe the Green Jade Merchant Group can offer you a lucrative deal that surpasses any offer from the White Tiger Group,¡± he said, as Leo raised an eyebrow. ¡°How did youe to know about our products? Are you and the White Tiger Group partners? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve given you a pitch¡­¡± Leo said, questioning how Wade got information on his products as Wade immediately confessed how he came across the news. ¡°I have a spy in the White Tiger Group, someone in the innermost circle, and he informed me about you. The products you have shared have all passed the quality criteria set by the White Tiger Group, and most likely when you meet Shane tomorrow he will give you a lucrative offer. However, just know that whatever Shane gives you, I¡¯m ready to give you 1.5 times that amount, on any termsfortable to you if you just sign the deal with the Green Jade Group instead,¡± Wade said, forgetting how to negotiate like a merchant under Ben Faulkner¡¯s pressure and instead croaking like a parrot. Directly opening his negotiations from the top-line offer and further improving it by offering a metaphorical nk check, Wade did not dare y any tricks on Leo with Ben around. *Snap* *Snap* Wade snapped his fingers as his underlings politely piled dozens of expensive gifts beside Ben and Leo while Wade nervously smiled at the side. ¡°A token of my appreciation for you¡­ it¡¯s nothing but a small gesture. I¡¯m sure bigger gifts will follow if we seal the deal,¡± he said, wiping the sweat off his forehead, while not taking his eyes off Ben¡¯s knife even for a second. ¡®Huh? Why is he going so far to secure a deal with me?¡¯ Leo questioned, as he did not fully understand the value of his own products, but he did feel ted by Wade¡¯s offer to pay a premium over whatever price the White Tiger Group was offering. ¡®Cha Ching baby! I¡¯m the best merchant in the world¡¯ Leo thought, smiling satisfyingly as he gave Ben a knowing wink. Since he had not yet finalized his deal with the White Tiger Group, having more buyers interested in his product gave him leverage to set his own terms. ¡°Well Mr.Wade, I do appreciate your generosity and your offer. I still haven¡¯t entered into a formal contract with Mr.Shane, so a deal between us is not out of the books. However, I¡¯m a man of my word and the priority to sign a deal with me will always be with Mr.Shane, unless your offer is better. If both of you give me the same price, I¡¯ll sign with him, however, in the end I¡¯m a merchant too and if you give me more profit I¡¯ll go with you instead¡± Leo said, as he made his position on Wade¡¯s offer clear. While he appreciated Wade¡¯s offer and was open to considering it, he did not wish tomit to it until he presented all the facts of the deal before Shane and gave him the option to match the Green Jade Group¡¯s price first. If Shane did match the best price of the Green Jade Group, he was willing to go with Shane, however, if Shane could not meet that price, then he was open to signing a deal with Wade too. Chapter 281: Amandas Success Chapter 281: Amanda''s Sess Chapter 281: Amanda¡¯s Sess ( Amanda¡¯s POV, The Old Granny¡¯s Smithy ) Amanda wiped the sweat from her brow as she stood before the roaring forge, its intense heat wrapping around her like a super warm nket. Her hands moved with practiced precision, hammer striking anvil in a rhythmic dance that sent sparks flying into the dimly lit workshop. She seemed to be pounding a mass of molten metal, some alloy or iron since the room smelled distinctly like iron and coal while she worked. In the corner of the room, a frail figure sat hunched over, coughing weakly into a handkerchief. The old granny, Amanda¡¯s mentor and a former master forger, watched with tired but sharp eyes as she assessed Amanda¡¯s movements. Her skin was pale and wrinkled, each breath aborious effort, yet her gaze never wavered from her prot¨¦g¨¦. ¡®I can do this¡­. This time I won¡¯t make a single mistake. I¡¯m going to craft my first [ Epic ] rated armor today, ¡® Amanda thought, as she increased the pressure of her hammer strikes very slightly to ensure that no micro-bubbles ruined the integrity of her armor. While she did this, Amanda¡¯s thoughts drifted back to the beginning of her journey when she first tried to form a breastte under the guidance of her master. Ten months ago, she had barely known how to hold a hammer, her strikes clumsy and uneven. Her first attempts at forging had been disastrous¡ªmetal too brittle, joints too weak. But with each mistake came a lesson, and under the stern guidance of her master, Amanda had grown. She had learned the delicate bnce of heat and force and the subtle art of shaping metal to her will. Now, as she worked on a piece of high-grade armor, Amanda could feel the difference. Her movements were fluid and each strike she made looked purposeful. No longer was she clueless about where to strike and with how much force, as she had managed to learn thenguage of forging where she could see the mistake in her products before they became irreversible, as she learnt how to correct them while the metal was still hot and malleable, so that the final product turned out wless. *Ching* *Ching* *Ching* Overtime as the metal she was molding cooled down, the image of a gleaming breastte, shining under the firelight emerged, with its surface looking smooth and unmarred. *FSHHHHHHHHH* A hissing sound could be heard as she quenched the hot metal in a barrel of water, the steam rising in a ghostly cloud as it evaporated from the metals lingering heat. ¡°Oh, not bad¡­¡± Amanda said, as she pulled thepletely cool breastte out of the water and examined her work with a critical eye. ¡°You¡¯vee a long way, girl. Your hands remember what your mind cannot.¡± Her old master said in a weak and raspy voice, as Amanda felt happy to get her praise. ¡°Thank you, Master. I couldn¡¯t have done it without your guidance.¡± Amanda said, smiling as she brought the piece of metal closer to her master for her to inspect. Looking at the metal sheet, the old woman chuckled, a sound that soon turned into a fit of coughing, as while the sheet of metal Amanda crafted was good, to a master forger like her, the ws in it were still evidently visible. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. The armor¡¯s not done by just making the breastte¡­plete the project first¡± The granny said, as she instructed Amanda to focus onpleting the Armor first. Nodding, Amanda returned to her work as she set the breastte aside to cool and began working on the backte and the joints with unwavering focus. The hours passed, the forge¡¯s fire never dimming, until finally, all the parts of the armor wereplete and only the final assembly process was left. Amanda held the finished items in her hands, turning each piece over to inspect her work as to her amateur eyes, it seemed to be perfect and undoubtedly her best creation yet. Combining the individual parts to form the final product, Amanda gave the final assembly process the utmost care as she did not wish to ruin the product at the final step. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®VainKitty¡¯ for forging a [ Epic ] ranked Armor. You have gained +3 levels. You have gained +10 Dexterity. ] ¡°AN EPIC RATED ARMOR! I FINALLY DID IT-¡± Amanda screamed in joy as she borderline broke down in tears at finally achieving this benchmark. It took her 10 painfully long months of working 12 hours in the forge daily to achieve this level of mastery in her work and it had not been an easy journey at all. As she inspected the finished piece, although it stillcked the final coat of paint, it still looked like a beautiful set of armor that could easily sell for upwards of 5,000 gold coins. If she could top it off and make it a set, then the set could be worth as much as 25,000 gold coins, meaning that she could easily earn close to 50,000 gold coins every week if she consistently produced goods of this quality. As she inspected her work with joy, the metal armor gleamed with a polished sheen and the joints holding the front and back te together moved smoothly to give the wearer an airy wearing experience that would not restrict their movement. Looking at the final product, Amanda¡¯s old master struggled to her feet, shuffling over to where Amanda stood. She reached out with a trembling hand to touch the armor, her eyes shining with pride. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Amanda. Truly well. You¡¯re a cksmith now, and a fine one at that.¡± She said, as Amanda felt happy that the old granny remembered her name today, which was getting increasingly rare these days as her condition worsened due to old age. ¡°Here, I want you to have this¡­¡± The old granny said as she passed an imprint seal to Amanda. ¡ª¡ª¨C [ Master Be¡¯s Seal ] ( Legendary ) ¨C The token of the GrandMaster cksmith Be. Stamping any finished product with this seal will immediately improve the finished product¡¯s quality by 10% and will fetch a market price of 50% over the normal. ¡ª¡ª- As Amanda read the description of the item, she felt goosebumps run down her spine as this was the first time she had ever seen a ( Legendary ) grade item in the game. ¡°Master? You¡¯re not just a master forger but a Grandmaster?¡± Amanda asked, as she felt stunned to read the items description whichbeled her master as a Grandmaster. ¡°Grandmaster? Hahaha, I haven¡¯t been called that in over 40 years¡­¡± The granny said, nodding her head as her eyes seemed to regain some of its luster at being referred to by her correct title. ¡°Keep this token, young girl, it¡¯s myst gift for you¡­with how well you¡¯re forging you are more than worthy to start stamping your products with my seal¡­.. Be proud for it, because this seal is not something an average cksmith can receive¡± Granny Be said, as a tear slid down Amanda¡¯s eyes when she heard her words. ¡°Last gift? Are you kicking me out master?¡± Amanda asked, as she did not focus on the fact that she had received such an extraordinary gift from her master and instead focused on the word st¡¯. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve taught you all I could and you have be a professional forger today by crafting a perfect piece of armor. The road from here to bing a master forger is long and one of self discovery. I can¡¯t teach you how to be a master forger, it¡¯s something that you must figure out for yourself by truly immersing yourself into the art of forging. I believe you have the talent to be a master forger in less than three years if you keep forging diligently, however, unfortunately, you won¡¯t be spending those three years with me. Pack your things girl and prepare to move out tomorrow morning, for this is the end of your apprenticeship with me¡± Granny Be said, as she made her intentions clear regarding keeping Amanda around anymore. ¡°But Granny¡­. What about your health? Who will cook and clean for you with me not around?¡± Amanda protested as she did not wish to leave old Be alone, especially with her condition being so bad as ofte. ¡°I have called for a nanny to take care of me, she should arrive tomorrow afternoon which is why you must be gone by morning¡± Be said, as she did not give Amanda any reason to linger around. For a while, the master-disciple duo bickered amongst each other with Amanda being reluctant to go, however, Granny Be did not budge at all and in the end Amanda was forced to relent. ******** Next morning, Amanda had hoped that Granny Be would forget about their conversation yesterday due to her Alzheimer¡¯s, however, surprisingly she seemed to be sharp as ever as she forced Amanda out. Although gutted, Amanda set out on her way and promised to be back and meet her regrly, however, little did she know that it was thest time that she saw Be. Be knew that she was at the end of her natural life and had been only holding on for the sake of grooming Amanda. Yesterday, as Amanda finally became a professional level forger, Be finally decided that she could die with a peace of mind and almost as soon as she forced Amanda out, she met her natural end. Fortunately or unfortunately, Amanda wasn¡¯t around to observe her demise. Chapter 282: Grand Welcome Chapter 282: Grand Wee ( Next Day, Terra Nova Online ) The next day, Leo and Ben tidied up and set off towards the White Tiger Group Headquarters in StrongHaven City. Having the confirmation that even if Shane did not buy any of their products, they already had another buyer lined up was a big mental relief for Leo as with no other viable n B currently to raise substantial capital, this assurance was crucial for him. As they walked through the bustling streets of StrongHaven, Ben couldn¡¯t help but bring up the topic of the gifts they received from Wade the previous night as Ben had spent a few good hours the previous evening unwrapping and admiring them after Wade left. ¡°You know, Leo¡­I think this pocket watch is quite nice. It even ticks properly¡­. Probably worth at least a few hundred gold coins.¡± Ben said, as he took out a pocket watch from his coat pocket as he stared at the expensive jewels inside the dial with an impressed smile on his face. Leoughed listening to his words, as he extended his palm towards Ben¡¯s nose¨C ¡°And this perfume! I mean, it smells decent enough. Wade must really be trying to impress us with these extravagant gifts.¡± Leo said, as Ben took a sniff of Leo¡¯s fist and nodded. While it wasn¡¯t ideal for assassin¡¯s to roam around having perfume as it could sabotage their stealth, it wasn¡¯t a problem for Leo¡¯s ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ persona who was a merchant to apply some. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say the bribe did not work. Because yeah, it worked. At least partially. But let¡¯s not get too distracted by these high-end items. We need to focus on our meeting with that Shane kid today¡­. It¡¯s this meeting in particr where we must y it smart.¡± Ben said, while smirking as he really enjoyed the concept of getting free gifts. ¡°Agreed,¡± Leo nodded, trying to sound serious although he too had an obvious goofy smile on his face. While Leo did not show his admiration for the freebies as tantly as Ben did, internally he too felt like a little kid on Christmas as this was the first time in his life that Leo had received such treatment. However, since the more important deal of finding a big merchant chain to partner with to sell their products was still iplete. Leo decided to focus on it first, as he suppressed his evident glee. ¡°We need to leverage Wade¡¯s offer without making it seem like we¡¯re desperate. Shane needs to feel the pressure, but we can¡¯t let him think he has the upper hand.¡± Leo said, trying to sound profound, however, sounding like aplete business amateur instead. However, on a mental level, Ben was no different from Leo, as he nodded at his disciple¡¯s words as if they were wise and added to it by saying¡ª ¡°We¡¯ll start by mentioning Wade¡¯s offer subtly. Not too obvious, just enough to make Shane curious. If he feels there¡¯spetition, he¡¯ll be more inclined to offer us a better deal,¡± Ben said, suggesting a strategy that sounded like something found in a manual for business beginners. In reality however, it was impossible for Leo and Ben to mention Wade without inadvertently revealing that there was a spy within Shane¡¯s organization. Because, by talking about the spy they would also be forced to disclose the fact that Wade was already aware of the value of their products and had made an offer based on that knowledge. Essentially, their n to subtly imply that they had other interested buyers was unrealistic and would expose more than they intended, making their cooked up negotiation strategies nothing but useless ideas. However, with none of the two being any wiser they just kept hyping each other up by pretending that both of them were business geniuses. ¡°Exactly, we must feed off his curiosity. We must make him feel hungry for our products¡± Leo said, replying to Ben, with his eyes focused ahead. ¡°And if he tries to lowball us, we can hint at the premium Wade is willing to pay. It¡¯s all about keeping the upper hand without showing our full hand,¡± Leo said, now talking in puzzles to sound even more mysterious, as Ben clutched his head in awe listening to Leo¡¯s profound thoughts. ¡°My good disciple is a business genius too!¡± Ben said feeling awed, as Leo instantly red at him. ¡°Not your disciple master¡­. Call me Leo when I¡¯m roaming without a mask¡­¡± Leo interjected as Ben bit his tongue. ¡± Leo, yes, Leo Skyshard the merchant¡± Ben said,mitting it to memory as he hoped that he would not slip with his words in front of a crowd. Slowly, as they neared the White Tiger Group Headquarters, both men felt a mix of anticipation and determination. They believed they were ready to negotiate hard to secure the best deal possible and considered themselves to be business prodigies when they were nothing but fools in reality. *********** ( Just outside the gates of White Tiger Group Headquarters, StrongHaven City ) As Leo and Ben approached the grand gates of the White Tiger Group Headquarters, they were met with an unexpected sight. An unusually long line of people seemed to have queued outside the gate, with the two guards at the door refusing entry to everyone. ¡°Heye on now? Why won¡¯t you take any one of us in? We know Mr.Shane is busy, but don¡¯t you guys have a staff member that meets with new clients daily? Why are you not allowing anyone inside today, this is unusual and rude!¡± One of the merchant¡¯s queuing outsideined as he had apparently been waiting for over an hour to go inside. ¡°No! Nobody will go in today. I have explicit orders from Mr. Shane to only let in the VVIP guests that areing¡­ all of you should scram today!¡± The guard said rudely, as listening to his words Leo felt slightly nervous about approaching the gate. Although he knew that Shane was expecting to meet him today, he felt momentarily nervous about facing public humiliation should he approach the gate and then be rejected. However, as soon as Leo cut through the queue and approached the gate, the two imposing guards, known for their usual stern and rude demeanor, stepped forward and greeted them with utmost politeness. ¡°Wee, Mr. Skyshard and Mr¡­?¡± one guard said, bowing slightly as while they were expecting Leo, they were not expecting him toe with a guest. ¡°My guest¡­¡± Leo said, not taking Ben¡¯s name out in the open, as the guards immediately bowed and opened the entry gate for Leo and Ben. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you. Please, follow us.¡± One of them said as he led Leo into the headquarters while the other guard held off the curious gazes of the crowd. This unexpected VIP treatment caused a stir among the long line of small-time salesmen and merchants gathered outside. Whispers of disbelief and astonishment spread through the crowd, many of whom had never seen the White Tiger guards show anyone such respect. ¡°Who are those guys?¡± one merchant muttered, eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the guards bow to anyone!¡± another eximed, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Their clothes were too average, I was half expecting the first prince to show up¡± said a third, as he vainly judged Leo and Ben based on their appearance. However, unbothered by the public opinion, Leo and Ben exchanged nces, barely containing their glee as they followed the guards inside. As they stepped through the gates, they were immediately struck by the sight before them as the entrance hall to the merchant headquarters was adorned with red carpets, luxurious decorations, and an array of expensive gifts neatly arranged on tables. A grand wee banner hung from the ceiling, emzoned with Leo¡¯s name and the mention of ¡®Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡¯, as the banner read ¡®White Tiger X Mount Faulkner¡¯, with the name ¡®Shane X Leo¡¯ below. Apart from the visuals, there was also soft, ambient music ying in the background, as from the second that Leo stepped into the white tiger group headquarters, he felt like he had been transported to some mystical fairnd. Shane himself stood at the center of the hall, nked by several of his top executives, all wearing broad smiles. ¡°Wee, wee!¡± Shane called out, extending his arms in a grand gesture. ¡°Mr. Skyshard, Gentleman, it¡¯s an honor to have you here. Please,e in!¡± Shane said, as he gestured for Leo to step into the office, as Leo and Ben were taken aback by the sheer extravagance of the reception. Internally, they were both turning to mush, as they felt thoroughly impressed by thevish treatment, however, externally the two kept a stern face as they tried to y the role of big-shot businessmen. ¡®This¡­ this is amazing,¡¯ Leo thought, trying to maintain hisposure. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. Maybe we really are big shots now¡¯ He wondered, as he covered his mouth with his hand before letting out a big smile. Simrly, Ben also found it hard to suppress a grin, as he wondered if the two of them had suddenly been upgraded to royalty? The duo, oblivious to the fact that this was a calcted business tactic by Shane to impress and sway them, felt immensely ttered. They werepletely blind to the maniption and instead felt convinced that they were finally being recognized for their worth. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± Shane said, gesturing towards avishly decorated table. ¡°I have prepared some refreshments for you. Let¡¯s discuss our business infort.¡± He said, ensuring that the duo indulged in some delicacies before he brought out the topic of business. As they sat down, sipping on the finest drinks and sampling gourmet snacks, both Leo and Ben continued to be internally awed by the reception. ¡°I always knew we had it in us,¡± Leo mused, ncing at Ben with a satisfied smile. ¡°We must really be making waves.¡± Ben nodded enthusiastically, thinking to himself, ¡°This is it. We¡¯re definitely going to walk out of here with the best deal ever.¡± The grandeur of the wee hadpletely captivated them, reinforcing their misced belief that they were negotiating geniuses and making it easier for Shane to steer the conversation in his favor by looking at their pleased expressions, as he understood that the money that he had spent on their wee was money well spent. Chapter 283: Terms Chapter 283: Terms After Leo and Ben enjoyed a round of exquisite snacks, Shane finally decided that it was time to get down to business and decided to present his first business proposal. ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s start our meeting with some good news,¡± Shane said, smiling from ear to ear as he alternated his gaze between Leo and Ben. ¡°Our product testing department did run a bunch of tests on your products and all of them passed the quality benchmark set by the White Tiger Group¡± Shane said, pping politely as he said this as he seemed to be extremely happy that all of Leo¡¯s products performed as he imed them to. ¡°That means, I¡¯m interested in buying the entirety of your product line¨C¡± Shane said, sliding a piece of paper over to Leo where he had written down the terms of his offer. ********* ?The White Tiger Group is willing to pay an annual fee of 1 million gold coins to secure the exclusive rights to sell products produced by the ¡®Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡¯. ( Note :- This fee is just to secure the exclusive rights to purchase the goods and is not contingent on the Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡¯s production volume) ?The White Tiger Group is willing to enter into a 50-50 partnership with the Mount Faulkner Trading Company where the profit generated from the sale of each product is divided equally between both parties after deducting operation costs. ?The White Tiger Group is willing to supply the raw materials needed to produce these goods so that the Mount Faulkner Trading Company does not need to invest into inventory. ?The White Tiger Group is willing to help set up the factories needed to produce these goods and cover the one-time cost to establish the said manufacturing facilities. ?The exact price of each product and the minimum purchase volume is up for negotiation¡¯s, however, in-case the Mount Faulkner Trading Company fails to deliver the expected amount of goods then a share of their profit will be reduced for that batch. *********** Leo read the terms given to him by Shane in great detail and to be fair the terms given to him by Shane were extremely generous. Firstly Shane was willing to pay him an annual fee of 1 million gold coins just to be his exclusive trading partner, in an offer that wasn¡¯t contingent on anything else. Even if Leo could not produce and supply a single unit, Shane was still willing to pay him that 1 million just to secure his exclusive trading status. Secondly, Shane was willing to help set up the factory and production lines for Leo and even foot the bill for the inventory, which was a big plus for Leo, who was worried about how to find the money to purchase the goods. Finally, the profit split that Shane suggested was at a generous 50-50%, meaning whatever Shane made Leo would too, which essentially made him an equal partner in this venture with a big tradingpany like the White Tiger Group. If amongst all this there was one condition that was slightly unfavorable to Leo, it was the condition that if Leo could not hit the expected production targets that they negotiated beforehand, Leo would have to forgo a part of his profits for the dy that he caused. This condition was put in ce by Shane to ensure that Leo did not becent in the manufacturing side because he wasn¡¯t essentially taking any risks with the White Tiger Group footing the inventory bill. Hence, this condition was a sort of safeguard for Shane that despite paying for essentially the whole process exceptbor costs, he would not be robbed by his partner. ¡°What do you think? Mr.Ben?¡± Leo asked, showing the paper to him, as Ben read the terms and conditions with a very stern and serious look on his face. ¡°Well, Leo¡­¡± Ben said, making sure to emphasize on the word ¡®Leo¡¯ as if to show that he remembered his correct alias, before continuing ¡°I think these conditions are good, but they are not as good as what Mr.Wade offered us¡­¡±. Ben subtly dropped the name ¡®Wade¡¯ in the conversation and immediately Shane became upset upon the mention of apetitor. ¡°Wade? As in the leader of the Greed Jade Group?¡± Shane asked, his smooth voice cracking as he seemed to lose his usual demeanor upon the mention of that man. ¡°Oh yes, just yesterday Mr.Wade came looking for us bearing gifts at the inn we were staying at. Naturally we were surprised to see hime look for us since we never gave anyone apart from you a product pitch, however, there he was offering us a nk sheet of paper to name our conditions as he seemed to be prepared to say ¡®yes¡¯ to any and all of our demands..¡± Ben said, as immediately Shane mmed his fists on the negotiations table in anger and got up from his seat. ¡°Mr.Leo! Is what yourwyer saying the truth?¡± Shane asked, sounding upset as he sought confirmation from Leo regarding this subject. ¡°Yes it¡¯s true¡­. Of course I did not sign with him despite his insistence since I¡¯m a man of my word and it¡¯s you that I approached first. However! In the end I¡¯m a businessman, so I¡¯ll only sign with whoever gives me the most profit, whether it¡¯s you or Mr.Wade¡­.. Also, Mr.Shane, mypanion here is not mywyer, he¡¯s Ben Faulkner, but you may know him as the ¡®Kingyer¡¯ ¡± Leo said casually, as listening to his words, Shane began to tremble immediately. On one hand, he felt furious that Wade was trying to meddle in his deal and wanted to vent his anger by breaking a few objects, however, on the other hand, the man that apanied Leo, whom he assumed to be hiswyer that was here to read the fine print of the deal turned out to be the most dangerous man in the entire Empire, Ben Fucking Faulkner in the flesh. Recalling how he had a few seconds ago mmed his palms across the table in front of Ben Faulkner, Shane began to tremble in fear as he prayed internally for his well being. Chapter 284: Re-Negotiations Chapter 284: Re-Negotiations ¡°Ben Faulkner¡­.. what an absolute honor to meet you sir¨C¡± Shane said, sweating from head to toe as although he did not mean a single word of what he spoke, he still tried to maintain hisposure and be cordial. ¡°Likewise, merchant¡± said Ben, as he gave Shane a good p on his back and a punk-like smirk. Shane was clearly ufortable sitting beside a notorious criminal like Ben, however, unlike Wade who needed several minutes to gather his wits when around Ben, Shane managed to do it rtively quickly while also doing his best to mask his difort. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me more about the terms that the Green Jade Merchant Group has offered you? I would like to match them at least¡­¡± said Shane, as he decided to ignore the fact that he was seated across Ben Faulkner and resolved to focus purely on the deal instead. ¡°Well, they have given us a nk cheque basically. They have agreed to sign with us on whatever terms we propose as long as we sign exclusively for them¡­.¡± said Leo, as his response only increased Shane¡¯s frustration. The terms Shane had offered Leo were already extremely generous; however, it still left room for Shane to make a decent chunk of money. Shane¡¯s perspective on this deal extended beyond the economic prospects of Leo¡¯s products as he saw it as an opportunity for the holistic development of hispany. Shane knew that even if the margin he made from Leo¡¯s products was not astronomical, the mere presence of those products in his shop could increase footfall and sales of other items by tenfold. The value of Leo¡¯s products was not just in the product itself but also in the exclusivity of its avability. If his shop was the only one selling Leo¡¯s products, it would inevitably attract more customers and these customers would likely purchase other items alongside Leo¡¯s products, resulting in a significant profit for Shane. In this way, Shane viewed the partnership as a strategic move to enhance his business¡¯s reputation and overall profitability and not just as a single deal. However, to reap the maximum benefits from this phenomenon, he needed to ensure that Leo signed exclusively with him and no other merchant group. If not for the interest from the Green Jade Merchant Group, Shane was confident he could close a deal with Leo today. However, the unexpected leak of his product list to apetitor forced him to change his negotiation strategy. ¡®Offering a nk contract is too risky, however, I cannot dy this deal either. The news had already leaked to the Green Jade Group and I cannot risk it being leaked to other Merchant Groups as well. I must close this deal here at any cost¡¯ Shane thought, as he licked his lips in anxiety. Shane understood the importance of securing an exclusive agreement with Leo and the time constraint that he faced to close the deal. He knew that he needed to act swiftly and strategically to outmaneuver hispetition, however, he still hoped to secure a profitable deal. ¡°Alright, if thepetition is offering a nk contract, so will I¡­. Please let me know what would you like to amend to the contract I provided you?¡­ Let¡¯s iron out the conditions right here and sign it today itself¡± Shane said, acting decisively as he gave Leo a free reign to amend the contract conditions, however, requested that he do it right now. ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it!¡± Said Ben in joy as he thought that himself and Leo had scored a big win. Winking happily towards Leo, Ben made the inside joke that the two of them had sessfully managed to break the other party into submission, however, in reality that was not the case at all. Having a big head, Leo too lifted his nose in pride as he felt like he was a born negotiator, however, when he finally sat down and began thinking about what conditions within the contract he actually wanted to amend, his ideas ran dry. ¡®He offered me a nk contract, but what exactly amongst this should I amend?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he slid over beside Ben and whispered in his ears. ¡°Master¡­. What exactly should we amend here?¡± Ben, looking at the contract, also scratched his head, as the two of them had only ever thought about how to break the other party into submission and never talked about what conditions they really wanted? ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know? Aren¡¯t you supposed to know?¡± Ben said, whispering back in Leo¡¯s ears, as the two looked reallyic to the rest of the room, whispering in each other¡¯s ears like a couple of kindergarten kids. Pretending to have a stern face, Leo pondered over the contract conditions for a while before whispering in Ben¡¯s ears ¡°More money? Let¡¯s ask for 2 million instead of one for the first retainer fee¨C¡± ¡°Ask for 2.5, so we negotiate it down to two¡± Ben advised as the two nodded at each other, thinking they were geniuses. *Cough* ¡°First condition, we want the retainer fee increased to Two and A Half Million Gold Coins a year¡± said Leo, as he expected Shane to negotiate with him on the amount, but surprisingly Shane agreed immediately. ¡°Done!¡± said Shane, as both Leo and Ben were shocked to see him approve their demand without negotiations. ¡°Done? Huh?¡± Said Leo, as he looked at Ben in confusion before leaning in for a whisper. ¡°Should we have asked for 3?¡± Asked Leo, as Ben shook his head from side to side. ¡°No, I think he¡¯s ying a psychological game. He¡¯s agreeing to the first condition so he can hammer down hard on theter one¡¯s¡± said Ben, as Leo made an ¡®O¡¯ expression with his lips as if feeling enlightened. Thank God he was here with his master, because he did not have the confidence to see through the opponents high level psychological game without him. Chapter 285: Second Condition Chapter 285: Second Condition With Shane agreeing on the 2.5 million gold coins exclusive retainer fee, Leo decided to move on to the second condition in their contract. ¡°I don¡¯t like thest bit where he makes us liable for not hitting production targets. I mean¡­.what if we don¡¯t?¡± Leo whispered in Ben¡¯s ears, as Ben nodded his head in understanding. Leo¡¯s concern about not meeting production targets was a genuine one since just like the two of them had no experience in the merchant industry, they had none in the manufacturing sector either. The chance of them failing to hit a production target, especially during the start of their production operations was a real possibility and hence Leo decided to take that bit out of the contract, so that his profits stayed intact. ¡°Let me handle this one¡­¡± said Ben just as Leo was about to speak up, as Leo leaned back into his chair and gestured for Ben to speak when he took the initiative himself. ¡°Mr.Shane¡­. How about we loosen those production target rules. You see, we don¡¯t appreciate the part where it says our profit share will be reduced if we don¡¯t deliver¡­¡± Ben said, in the most thuggish yet professional way possible, as Shane could not make out whether Ben¡¯s statement was a threat or a request. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Assassin, I mean, gentleman Ben, what exactly is your role in thispany?¡± Asked Shane, as he genuinely wondered as to why one of the greatest assassin¡¯s of their time was suddenly involved in the merchant world? ¡°Seriously? Are you really that clueless?¡± Asked Ben, rolling his eyes as he pretended to be almost disgusted by that question. ¡°Let me answer that¡­.¡± Said Leo, cutting Ben¡¯s speech mid-way as he volunteered to pitch in at this moment. ¡°Yes, please educate them Leo¨C¡± said Ben gesturing for him to speak up, as all the executives in the room paid absolute attention to the wordsing out of Leo¡¯s mouth. ¡°Pardon Sir Ben¡¯s rudeness, but the name itself is evident isn¡¯t it? ¡®Ben Faulkner¡¯ and ¡®Mount Faulkner Trading Company¡¯¡­.¡± Leo said, stressing on the word ¡®Faulkner¡¯ , as immediately Shane¡¯s sweating became even more profuse when he finally realized the connection between Ben and thepany. ¡°So he¡¯s a partner?¡± Shane asked, his voice trembling as he questioned whether partnering with a firm that counted Ben Faulkner among its founding members was a wise decision. ¡°No, but he¡¯s a benefactor. Although I own 100% of thepany, Ben Faulkner has helped massively in the research and development of some of the poisons and hence I consider him to be a close ally. It¡¯s because of his life experiences that I¡¯m able toe up with these innovative products, so he deserves a lot of the credit¡± said Leo, as listening to his words Ben¡¯s nose tilted upwards. Ben absolutely loved this filial disciple of his who never missed an opportunity to hype him up. ¡°So some of these poison recipes are brewed from the life experiences of Ben Faulkner?¡± Shane asked in tion, as while the rest of his staff was bewildered by this revtion, Shane found it to be the most wonderful thing ever. Since Ben Faulkner was already an urban legend, Shane saw immense potential in leveraging Ben¡¯s notorious reputation to his advantage. As a kingyer and modern viin, Faulkner¡¯s name struck fear into the hearts of many. However, Shane recognized that what was a nightmare for themon people could be a goldmine for him. The idea of marketing poisons under thebel ¡°created by the great Ben Faulkner¡± thrilled him. He imagined the curiosity and allure that such a branding could generate as the fear and respect associated with Faulkner¡¯s name was sure to add ayer of mystique and danger to the products, making them irresistible to certain buyers. All he needed to do was start a popr legend about the new products avable at the White Tiger Group stores were crafted and used by Ben Faulkner himself and it was sure to attract customers to his stores like sugar crumbs attracted ants. Shane understood that this storytelling approach,bined with Faulkner¡¯s legendary status, could lead to explosive sales and with his excellent business acumen, he identified this as an opportunity of a lifetime. It was a chance at creating a niche yet highly lucrative market, and that opportunity excited Shane to no end. ¡°Well I mean yes, some of them are recipes that were passed down to Ben by his father¡± Leo said, as Ben shrugged his shoulders and agreed to Leo¡¯s words, not understanding what all the fuss was about. ¡°Hahaha, of course then¡­. Since the products are created by Mr.Faulkners life experiences, I can remove the condition where you will be penalized for not hitting production goals. So now, regardless of when you deliver the goods, the profits will always be split equally, without you losing out at all¡± Shane said, as he readily epted Leo¡¯s second condition as well, although it pained his heart to do so. Should he not have been extremely interested in Leo¡¯s products, he would have never agreed to such an unfavorable deal, however, he understood that Leo¡¯s products were worth taking the risk, which is why he decided to be lenient and agree to the condition of not having any repercussions for failing to hit production targets. ¡®Huh, he said yes to the second condition too?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he suppressed his smile and looked towards Ben gleefully as his master gave him an ¡®O.K.¡¯ sign as if to say ¡®Look I handled it perfectly¡¯. To which Leo replied with a ¡®Heart¡¯ shaped sign as if to say, ¡®Oh wow master, you¡¯re the best¡¯. In Leo¡¯s mind, it was Ben who had managed to corner Shane into epting their conditions with his excellent negotiation skills, however, in reality that was not the case at all and Shane had only agreed because he was that desperate to make a deal. Chapter 286: Done Deal Chapter 286: Done Deal ¡°Will that be all?¡± Shane asked nervously after agreeing to the second condition that Ben and Leo put forward, as in his opinion there wasn¡¯t much more that he could agree to. All the other terms in their contract were already favorable for Leo and it made no sense for Leo to ask for anything more. For a moment, Leo looked towards Ben raising his shoulders slightly as if to indicate that he was pretty happy with the deal overall, to which Ben also replied with a nod. Both of them seemed to be satisfied with the overall deal and were ready to sign it, however, before signing it, Ben decided to put forward onest condition. ¡°Yes, we are satisfied with everything, however, there¡¯s one small line I¡¯d like to change and that will be it¡­¡± Ben said, as he pointed towards the sheet of paper that Shane had drawn up and pointed towards a particr line. ¡°Profits will be split 50-50 after deduction of operation costs. I want this line to be changed to, profit will be split 50-50 before factoring in operation costs¡± Ben said, as he decided to push his luck and go for securing maximum profits, however, this time Shane declined immediately. ¡°Umm, Sir Ben, that¡¯s not possible¡­.¡± Shane said, as his words caused Ben to immediately raise an eyebrow. In Ben¡¯s POV the previous two conditions that he put forward were much more demanding than this one, however, while Shane agreed to those two, he was hesitant to ept this one. ¡°Why?¡± Asked Ben, as Shane brought out a piece of paper and began breaking down the cost of a product for Ben. ¡± Sir, it¡¯s not possible because I¡¯d lose money if I pay profits like that. Say I manage to sell a product for 100 gold coins at my store. For me to sell a product at 100 gold coins, I must purchase it for 40 gold coins or less, so let¡¯s say its manufacturing cost is 40 gold coins. This way the profit is 60 gold coins, in which case you get 30 gold and I get 30, if we split the profits as you suggested¡­¡±Shane began, as Ben nodded in understanding. ¡°However, this method doesn¡¯t factor in business costs that I incur, such as paying a fee to transport that product from your factory to my stores Empire wide. Paying the rent for the storefront. Paying employee sries¡­ etc. Also, there is often damage while handling products at the stores, there is damage while transportation and I end up paying for it all. Overall, after adding the cost of damage, the cost of transportation and other business expenses, I need to pay another 20-25 gold coins to sell that 100 coins product, which leaves only 5-10 coins for me in earnings if we split the profits as you suggested. Considering the product sold for 100 coins and I make 5 coins from it, that¡¯s a 5% profit margin, which is too low considering the risk I¡¯m taking. If anything goes bad, or an entire batch of products goes bust, then I make no money from it or even lose money. However, if we consider 40 gold coins as the manufacturing cost, then add 20 gold coins to it as operating expense and then split the profits, you will get 20 gold coins and I will also get 20, which will be a healthy profit margin for me to run this as a viable business. I am already paying for the raw materials and I¡¯m taking up the responsibility for sales. If you look at it from fair eyes Sir Ben, it¡¯s already me taking all the risks and I cannot yield any more¡± Shane exined, as the inner businessman inside him came out with a roar. Ben nodded immediately in understanding when Shane broke down the costs for him this way, as he never thought about the expenses a merchant needed to incur while selling a product. In his mind, the cost rted to selling a product was linear. There was only the manufacturing cost and sale price, however, only today did he realize that there were many other expenses involved with running a business. *Cough* ¡°Very well, I was just testing you¡­. It¡¯s indeed unreasonable for us to ask you to split profits without factoring the operating costs¡± Ben said, trying to hide his embarrassment as Shane felt extremely relieved to hear these words. ¡°So are we ready to sign the deal?¡± Shane asked excitedly, as Leo nodded in agreement. ¡°Excellent¡­. Let mywyers quickly draft the final document and we shall sign it¨C¡± Shane said, as his staff immediately scrambled to draft the new agreement. For a business giant such as the White Tiger Group, this was the most lucrative contract they had ever drafted as usually the profit split between them and any merchant trying to sell goods through their channel was a 70-30 split in their favor, however, not only was this deal a 50-50, but they also gave a lot of concessions to the Mount Faulkner Trading Company. Once the contract was typed up, it was presented to Leo for review and only after he was satisfied with every word within that contract, did Leo sign it. ¡°Congrattions on securing such a lucrative deal Mr.Leo, cheers to a fruitful future¡± Shane said happily once Leo finally signed the contract, as Leo happily replied with cheers and clicked his ss against Shane¡¯s. For a while, the two discussed the specifics of the deal where Shane informed Leo that he would provide him with the 2.5 million gold coins retainer fee by tomorrow morning before he departed for the Eastern Duchy and that he will also arrange for construction workers that will help build his factories within a week. With this their business was concluded and the Mount Faulkner Trading Company was joined by the hip with White Tiger Group for the better or for worse. Chapter 287: The Secret Class - Demon Whisperer Chapter 287: The Secret ss - Demon Whisperer Chapter 287: The Secret ss ¨C Demon Whisperer ( Meanwhile Eren ) Up till recently, Eren had the most useless secret ss in the entire game¡­. A ss that hindered his growth greatly and made it difficult for him to survive as an average yer. While everyone around him received a normal ss like ¡®Mage¡¯ or ¡®Knight¡¯, Eren received a secret ss on the very first day of the game¡¯sunch called the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯. At first he felt really excited about receiving a special ss, however, his joy soon turned into despair when he noticed the conditions attached to his ss. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- ? The yer who receives the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ ss cannot voluntarily reveal their ss identity to the public until the ss bes (Active). ? Until the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ ss bes active, the yer receiving the special ss must carry on with their gaming career under the guise of being amon ¡®Foot Soldier¡¯. ?The yer receiving the special ss ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ can never take up government posts/ official jobs and can never take up missions that give ¡®fame¡¯ as a reward. ?If the yer with the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ ss is found out by the masses before the ss turns (Active) the yer will die instantly. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- Not only did Eren receive harsh starting conditions for his ss, he also had to start his gaming career with an (inactive) ss and take on menial missions to grow that did not have any fame associated as a reward. For the first 10 months of the game, Eren only learnt generic skills open to all sses and leveled up through killing weak monsters. The ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ ss was like a curse for him, as while the rest of the yers learnt their ss specific skills and went on killing tough monsters, Eren was forced to take it slow. It wasn¡¯t until the finals of the Grand Tournament waspleted and after the Emperor came out to make his yearly address, that Eren¡¯s ss turned from (inactive) to (Active). [ System Notification:- The demons have encircled the Empire and are nning arge-scale incursion. Your ss ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ is now unlocked and is open for game-y. Please head over to the woods in the outskirts of the Eastern Duchy and meet with their Greater Demon Leader to unlock your first ss specific skills ] As Eren sat in the Grand Arena, listening to the Emperor¡¯s speech, he received a system notification that changed his life as the moment that he had been waiting for so long seemed to have finally arrived. ¡®Oh yeah baby! It¡¯s finally my time to shine¡¯ thought Eren as he did not waste a single moment after receiving this system notification, as he bolted straight for the Eastern Duchy, leaving the capital city the same day. ********** ( Present Day ) It took Eren about a week to journey from the capital city of StrongHaven to the Eastern Borders, which were recently under duress due to constant demon invasions. Leaving the safety of the inner Empire, Eren noticed the stark contrast in his surroundings as he approached the border regions ravaged by war. The bustling, orderly streets of the central regions gradually gave way to scenes of destion and chaos as Eren approached the border towns and viges, with the Empire wide civilian activity diminishing and being reced by an overwhelming military presence. Near the border, soldiers patrolled the evacuated towns and demarcated areas relentlessly, manning the checkpoints at every major crossroad, as Eren was stopped and interrogated by the local military officers at least 20 times a day, as he moved through the war torn region as a solo adventurer. As Eren approached the final border towns, that were near the Empire¡¯s absolute boundary, he noticed a shift in the air. As unlike the rest of the Empire where the air was fresh and a joy to breathe, the air near these border towns felt heavy with the acrid smell of smoke. For as far as Eren could see, only a deste picture of burnt houses and destroyed farnds entered his eyes, as signs of brutal conflicts were evident everywhere. The once-thrivingmunities near the border were now converted to ghost towns, their inhabitants having either fled to the safer inner regions or hiding in constant fear of the next attack. No longer did mothers in these border towns allow their children to y in the open, or wander far from home, as only the adults wandered outside the house and only for necessities, while everyone else stayed within the confines of their own homes, ready to abandon their shelter at any moment, should a demon raidmence. This transformation from a peaceful, thriving society to a war-tornndscape was evident in every burned building and abandoned home, as Eren could feel the hardships of war as he passed through the deste Eastern Landscape. Since he wasn¡¯t heartless, he did feel a pinch of pity when he saw the faces of the gaunt civilians with haunted eyes moving about cautiously, their lives having been upended by the ever-present threat of demon attacks, however, while he did pity them, he did not wish to help them as in the end he put his own selfish interests above the lives of these people. Soon, Eren reached the woods at the edge of the final Empire Vige, which marked the natural boundary between the Empire and the neighboring Forest Tribes and crossed over into the woods, officially exiting the Empire¡¯s borders. Almost as soon as he crossed over into the woods, the Empire built roads ended and gave way to a small mountain trail, which soon vanished into a rough clearing that was difficult to navigate on his horse mount, as the path was only wide enough for one person to walkfortably and did not have enough space for his horse to ce all four feet. Here, in the dense forest, the environment was entirely different to that of the civilized empire as thend around him was untamed and perilous. At first, Eren did not understand just how dangerous the forest was, as he kept riding his horse through the rough terrain, however, he soon learnt the lesson about the dangers of the forest the hard way, when his sturdy mount that he had only recently purchased back at the capital, died due to having its feet cut by thorns of an extremely poisonous nt. Despite Eren¡¯s desperate attempts to save it, the horse sumbed to the venom, leaving him stranded alone in the dense forest. Without his mount, Eren¡¯s progress slowed to a crawl. Each step was a struggle against the thick underbrush, with swarms of insects, and his own growing exhaustion. Eren cursed his misfortune, feeling the weight of his predicament more acutely with every passing hour as he had to hack through thick bushes and cut through strong vines, as he struggled to move just a few meters, the deeper he ventured into the forest. ¡®Why must I face such hardships? What did I do to receive such a stupid ss?¡¯ Eren wondered, as his excitement about his ss finally activating vanished when he was forced to confront the dangers of the wild. ¡®After all this, will I even be a top yer? Or will my secret ss continue to be useless? I¡¯m already in the bottom 10% of Sector B, if I don¡¯t improve before the next evaluation, I¡¯ll be demoted to Sector C for sure¡­.¡¯ ¡®No! I cannot let myself be demoted to Sector C. The living conditions there are horrible and the work one has to perform is arduous. I cannot struggle both inside the game and outside¡¯ Eren thought, as despite his frustrations, he kept hacking and moving forward, until he finally stumbled upon a forest tribe settlement, deep into the woods. At first, he could only hear the hustle and bustle of the settlement from afar, as he let the loud sounds guide him to the actual vige, where upon his arrival, his excitement soon turned to horror, to excitement once again, as he noticed how the forest tribe was actually under attack by demons. The scene that he witnessed was one of utter chaos: vigers, armed with whatever they could find, fought desperately against the onught of demons, while the demons, grotesque and relentless, tore through the tribal vige, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. ¡®The tribesmen stand no chance¡­¡¯Eren thought as he observed the massive 7 to 8 feet tall demons who towered over the puny humans, absolutely demolishing them in one-on-one fights. The demons were monstrous in appearance, with thick, scaly skin that ranged from dark green to pitch ck. Their eyes glowed with a menacing red hue, and their mouths seemed to be filled with razor-sharp teeth that looked like they were capable of tearing through steel. Each demon had muscr arms ending in wed hands, perfect for ripping and shredding their opponents, while their movements were both swift and brutal, demonstrating a feral grace that belied their massive size. Horns jutted from their foreheads, and some had spikes running down their spines, adding to their terrifying visage. As Eren watched, he noticed the difference betweenmon demons and higher demons. Themon demons, while formidable, were somewhat uniform in their brutality and physical prowess as they fought with savage ferocity, driven by instinct and raw power. In stark contrast, the higher demon, themander of this raid, stood out not only in size but also in its aura of authority and intelligence. This demon was a towering figure, close to 10 feet tall, with a dark, almost obsidian hide that seemed to absorb the light around it. Its eyes burned with a malevolent intelligence, and its horns were longer and more twisted, giving it a sinister crown. Unlike the mindless rampage of themon demons, the higher demon moved with calcted precision, directing its underlings with gestures and gutturalmands. The higher demon wielded a massive, jagged sword that seemed to be made from the bones of fallen enemies, its edge glowing with a sinister red hue. Every swing of its weapon was devastating, cleaving through multiple tribesmen with ease and the air around it seemed to crackle with dark energy, and its very presence instilled a deep, primal fear in those who dared to look upon it. As Eren gazed upon the higher demon, a system notification appeared before his eyes, momentarily pulling his focus away from the carnage. [ System Notification: You have gazed upon a Greater Demon Leader. Your ss-specific skill [Demon Tongue] has been unlocked. ] Suddenly, Eren could understand the hand gestures and the gutturalmands of the higher demon, as out of nowhere Eren seemed to understand how to speak Demon Tongue. Chapter 288: Siding With The Demons Chapter 288: Siding With The Demons The demons spoke in anguage that was vastly different from that of humans. While the Englishnguage spoken by most on Earth relied on structured grammar, clear enunciation, and a wide array of vocabry, the demon tongue used by demons was different. It was a primal, ancient form ofmunication thatbined guttural roars, growls, and snarls with precise hand gestures and body movements. Each sound carried a weight of meaning,yered with subtleties that only those attuned to it could fully grasp. Unlike English, which depended solely on spoken words, the demon tongue required the speaker to use their entire body to convey their message. A simple growl could signify amand, while a specific hand gesture added to the same growl could alter the meaning entirely. It was anguage born from instinct and raw power, which was suited perfectly for the brutal and relentless nature of demons. As Eren observed the higher demon directing its underlings, he suddenly found himself understanding themands it issued. What once sounded like an iprehensible jumble of roars and snarls just a few moments ago, now made perfect sense to him as the voice of the demons seemed to be automatically tranted in his head. *ROARRR* *UGHHRR* The higher demon roared, a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the battlefield. Apanying the roar, it made a sweeping gesture with its wed hand, pointing towards a group of retreating tribesmen and immediately, Eren found a voice ring in his head that exined The meaning of its gesture ¡°Surround them. Leave no one alive.¡± Eren¡¯s eyes widened as he realized the power of his new ability. With him being able to talk like them, he could understand the enemy¡¯s strategy, a feat that no other human could do. Eren watched from a distance as the demons wiped out all the fighting-age humans in the tribe, in what was a brutal one-sided massacre, however, he did not dare intervene although he felt bad for the humans dying. Once the fighters of the tribe were dead and only the weak such as the young and elderly remained, the demons began capturing them as ves. As the chaos from the war began to settle and the demons started to gather their captives, Eren knew it was finally time for him to act. Slowly, emerging from his hiding ce, Eren raised his hands above his head in a gesture of surrender, as he spoke loudly. *Brghhh* *Ughhraa* ¡°Halt!¡± he called out in Demon Tongue, his voice strong and clear despite the fear gripping his heart. ¡°I am not your enemy.¡± The demons turned, their eyes narrowing in suspicion. A low growl rumbled through the ranks of themon low ss demon soldiers as they advanced towards him. One of the demons, a hulking brute with dark green scales, snarled and moved forward, its ws ready to strike. ¡°A human speaks our tongue?¡± it growled, clearly perplexed. ¡°Impossible.¡± ¡°Please, I beg for mercy,¡± Eren said quickly, his voice trembling slightly but still maintaining the demonic intonations. ¡°I can be of use to you, please bring me to your leader.¡± Without warning, the demon lunged at him suddenly, knocking him to the ground, causing Eren to cry out in pain as the weight of the demon pressed down on him. The other demons closed in on him too, binding him in heavy chains that they used to capture prisoners as they began pummelling him relentlessly with powerful kicks to his ribs, their blowsnding with sickening thuds against his chest, as they left Erenpletely winded. -25 -25 -25 -25 Despite the brutal beating, Eren forced himself to speak through the pain. ¡°I can help you!¡± he shouted in Demon Tongue, spitting blood from his mouth. ¡°I understand yournguage and your ways!¡± The demons paused, their eyes flickering with interest and suspicion as suddenly the higher demon, who was the leader of this group, shouted for his underlings to pause. Immediately, as their leader asked them to pause, the lower demons obliged as they made way for him to walk up to Eren, as the high demon looked at Eren with curiosity evident in his eyes. ¡°You speak our tongue, human?¡± the higher demon rumbled, its voice like grinding stones. Eren, barely able to lift his head, nodded weakly. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± he replied in Demon Tongue, his voice steady despite the pain. ¡°I understand yournguage.¡± The higher demon¡¯s eyes narrowed. It gestured to the others, and they hauled Eren to his feet, though they kept his hands bound in chains. ¡°Interesting. A human who can speak ournguage might be useful. Tell me, how did youe by this ability?¡± ¡°I was given this ability by a higher power,¡± Eren said, choosing his words carefully. ¡°I can help you understand the Empire¡¯s weaknesses.¡± The higher demon chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Eren¡¯s spine. ¡°And why should I trust you, human? Your kind is deceitful and weak.¡± ¡°Because I have nothing to gain from siding with the Empire,¡± Eren said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ve been treated as an outcast and forced to fend for myself. But with you, I can find a ce where my abilities are valued.¡± The higher demon considered Eren¡¯s words for a moment before nodding slowly. ¡°Very well, human. You will prove your loyalty to us. Fail, and you will die a painful death.¡± As Eren bowed his head in submission, a system notification appeared before his eyes, making his heart race. [ System Notification: You have received a new quest¨C ] [ Quest Notification Quest Title ¨C Betrayal of the Empire Quest Objective: Aid the demons in understanding and exploiting the weaknesses of the Empire. ( Note ¨C Every Time that the demons sessfully capture a border vige or major town with your help, gain anywhere between 5-10 levels. ) Rewards: ss advancement and unique demon abilities. Failure Penalty: ount Resets to level 0 ] Eren took a deep breath, realizing the gravity of his situation. This quest was a turning point in his journey, one that could lead to his ultimate rise or catastrophic fall. Chapter 289: Plans in motion Chapter 289: ns in motion ( Leo¡¯s POV, The Next Day ) With his business deal with Shane concluded, Leo collected his 2.5 million gold coins and loaded them into his carriage, before setting off for the Eastern Duchy. However, shortly after departing, Leo transferred the gold from the carriage to his inventory as he had only loaded the carriage with the money for the sake of appearances and had never intended to transport it physically. The risk of being looted by road bandits was too high to consider such a dangerous option, however, he did not wish to disy his inventory ability in front of the NPC¡¯s either and hence he loaded up the carriage first for the sake of appearances. ¡°Back in your masked persona boy?¡± Ben asked, as he watched Leo get rid of the decent merchant clothes and change back into hisfortable assassin robes and his signature Virex Mask. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like the merchant guy as much as the masked guy, this masked guy is a hero for the masses¨C¡± Leo said, throwing a ¡®V¡¯ sign at Ben who shook his head in disappointment. ¡°I like the merchant ¡®me¡¯ better¡­. I mean, never have I had as much fun killing a man as I did while negotiating a deal¡ª I got that Shane kid fumbling¡­. It sure was satisfying¨C¡± Ben said, stroking his chin as he had apparently taken a liking to the merchant life. ¡°Nah, fighting in the Grand Tournament was way more fun for me¡­. Also this masked guy is a noble in the Empire! I¡¯m a Baron byw now, master. How cool is that?¡± Leo protested, as he made a strong case for his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ persona. ¡°True¡­ maybe being a noble is better than being a merchant? I don¡¯t know¡ª But, I¡¯m sure we will find out soon¡­¡± Ben said with a satisfied smile on his face, as after a long time Ben felt like he was finally living a life worth living, where every day was a new adventure. Unbeknownst to him however, his carriage departing for the Eastern Duchy was currently being tracked by not only the Virex Corps, but also the Night Guild¡¯s second inmand, Hord. While the Virex Corps tailed him to gather any proof of crime that could incriminate him as a criminal and help them dere him as a fugitive, Hord tailed him for a couple different reasons. Firstly, he harbored a personal vendetta and sought to kill Ben and his disciple to satisfy his own thirst for revenge. Secondly, Hord was unable to locate Lin Mu after the Grand Tournament¡¯s conclusion as she seemed to have vanished entirely. With none of the other Night Guild senior members capable of locating her, Hord suspected that she might have sought refuge with Ben Faulkner, prompting his search. Ben and Leo¡¯s convoy which was prepared by the East Duke for them, only consisted of three carriages. One luxurious carriage for Leo¡¯s personal use, and two goods carriages that could transport some items for him should he feel the need to transport some personal belongings. With there being no security personnel alongside them, Ben and Leo were essentially on their own to fend off against these enemies, however, even alone, it wasn¡¯t like the duo feared for their safety. ********** (Meanwhile ChaosBringer) After the Grand Tournament¡¯s conclusion and the infusion of millions of dors into their underworld organization, ChaosBringer managed to shape ¡®The Uprising¡¯ into a proper guild. He got members of the uprising that had not yet been charged with any infamy and used them to establish official guilds within the Empire and recruit authentic NPC Adventurers and NPC Mercenaries into their fold. He also started to purchase small and medium-sized businesses like local bakeries, inns, and cksmith shops to serve as fronts for their operations. With these fronts in ce, ChaosBringer began taking strategic steps to set the groundwork for future unrest and destabilization of the Empire: 1. [ Expansion of Recruitment ] : Using the legitimate businesses as cover, he ramped up recruitment efforts. Flyers and secret meetings were organized to attract disillusioned citizens and rogue adventurers to whom he offered lucrative deals and promises of power to lure talented individuals into joining The Uprising. 2. [ Arming the Revolution ]: With his newfound wealth, ChaosBringer purchased vast quantities of weapons and armor. He established secret armories in the basements of the new businesses that he acquired, ensuring that his followers were well-equipped and ready to take on any mission when instructed. This included everything from basic swords and shields to advanced siege weaponry. 3. [ Securing Supply Chains ]: ChaosBringer realized that to turn themon people against the Emperor, he needed to hit them where it hurt them the most, which was through food and medicine. By taking control of the supply chains for essentialmodities such as food, weapons, and medical supplies he aimed to manipte the avability of these goods in the future and hence he spent considerable amounts of resources into obtaining businesses connected to these fields as heid the foundation for his future ns. 4. [ Creating Safe Houses ]: He used part of his funds to secure safe houses across the Empire. These locations provided refuge for operatives on the run and storage for grains and weapons. By establishing these safe havens, ChaosBringer ensured that hiswork had ces to retreat and regroup if needed. 5. [ Training Camps ]: Putting the NPC Adventurers and Mercenaries he recruited to work, ChaosBringer established secret training camps in remote locations where recruits could be trained inbat, guerri tactics, and sabotage. These camps ensured that new members were battle-ready and indoctrinated with The Uprising¡¯s ideology. While his ns to start a rebellion were not yet fully in motion, with every passing day, ChaosBringer deepened the roots of his organization and strengthened them from the bottom up, as he prepared for the inevitable day where he would show-down against the Emperor. Rome was not built in a day, and a proper rebellion could not be either, however, slowly, but surely, ChaosBringer was building his Rome. Chapter 290: Silverpine Barony Chapter 290: Silverpine Barony ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke and Cervantez had been journeying alongside their guild towards the SilverPine Barony for four days now and the group was only now finally nearing their destination. The four days of journey could only be described as uneventful and boring, as apart from a few small internal squabbles between the newly recruited guild members, there was not much entertainment through the journey. Mountain Bandits did not dare attack a moving entourage of over 10,000 individuals, while wild beasts also instinctively steered clear of such arge group. If there was anything useful that came out of these four boring days for Luke, then it had to be how he had time to study thendscape of the Silverpine Barony and understand its strategic weaknesses and strengths. The Silverpine Barony was a territory rich in natural resources and it was located in a strategically advantageous location overall. The Silverpine Barony consisted of 5 mainponents overall, with all fiveponents critical to the smooth functioning of the territory. Firstly, at the heart of the Barony was the Silverpine Town. It was where over 60% of the Barony¡¯s poption lived and it was the main trading hub of the region since it contained the silver refinery that processed raw silver ore into silver ingots. Next, there were two small viges in the Barony named ¡®Rivervale¡¯ and ¡®StoneBridge¡¯, where the remaining 40% of the poption lived. Finally, there were the hills containing the silver mines and the subfields area where a lot of the food crops were grown. Together, the Silverpine Town, The Rivervale vige, the Stonebridge vige, The silver mines and the Subfields made up the Silverpine Barony, and it was this region that DarkSky Guild was tasked to administer. As Luke studied the topographical map of the region, he realized why Cervantez chose to administer this area in particr. With the foreknowledge of the uing demon invasion, Luke saw Silverpine Barony from a different perspective than others. Looking at the town from a strategic outlook, Luke recognized that the heart of the barony, Silverpine Town, was built in a naturally defensible position. Surrounded by hills on all sides and featuring a town keep that resembled a small fortress at its center, the town was strategically advantageous to defend during a raid. The hills provided natural barriers, making it difficult for enemies to approach unnoticed. Additionally, the elevated terrain offered perfect vantage points for defenders to spot and counter any approaching threats. If nothing else worked, the keep, solidly constructed and centrally located, could serve as a final stronghold, ensuring that even in the direst circumstances, the town could hold out against attackers for an extended period of time. However, it wasn¡¯t just the Silverpine Town that made the Barony strategically advantageous, as apart from the main town, the Barony also had the two viges Rivervale and Stonebridge that contributed to the food security of the region. With Rivervale being situated on the tributary stream of a major river, it was a vige full of rich farnds that never faced drought years. While Stonebridge, was named Stonebridge because it was a vige constructed on a hilltop that was connected to the rest of the Barony only through a massive Stonebridge. While facing enemy attacks, the bridge could be blown apart topletely immobilize enemy movement, in which case that vige could also be converted into a strategic fortress. Finally, administering a territory with silver mines was always good for economics, as the guild could then alwayse up with funds even during war times by selling silver. Having everything from food, water, natural defense and more. The Silverpine Barony was a well-bnced territory, rich in resources and strategically positioned and Luke appreciated Cervantez¡¯s foresight in picking it out. ********** ( The Silverpine Barony, Cervantez¡¯s POV) After four arduous days of journey, when the carriages of the DarkSky guild finally rolled over thest hill before Silverpine Town, Cervantez took a moment to take in the sight that unfolded before him. From the hilltop, Silverpine Barony stretched out like a well-painted canvas. The towny nestled in the valley below, surrounded by rolling hills that provided a natural embrace. In the distance the silver mines glinted under the sunlight, and if one looked far enough, they could notice the fertile fields of Rivervale that looked lush and green, while their irrigation channels sparkled like veins of liquid silver. It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight, one that immediately washed away all the fatigue from the journey, as there was not a single guild member from the DarkSky guild who did not feel excited about their new headquarters when their headquarters looked as beautiful as it did. As the guild¡¯s convoy descended into the valley and rolled into the streets of Silverpine Town, Cervantez observed the town¡¯s charm up close. The streets were lined with stone buildings, each bearing the marks of both age and care. Market stalls filled with vibrant goods lined the main thoroughfare, and townsfolk bustled about, their faces a mix of curiosity and hope as they caught sight of the arriving guild members. Children peeked out from behind their parents, wide-eyed at the sight of therge procession, while the more respectful members of the town bowed at their new administrator¡¯s as a sign of respect. The streets themselves were well-maintained, cobblestones smoothed by years of foot traffic and the asional cart. There was no breakage or potholes and the sewer lines seemed to be working well since the streets were clean and did not stink. Instead, the aroma that Cervantez was greeted with when he moved through the town was one of fresh bread from the local bakery mixed with the earthy scent of recently tilled soil, which created a weing atmosphere. As the convoy moved towards the center of the town, Cervantez noted the strategic positioning of key buildings along the way, such as the cksmith¡¯s forge, and the silver refinery, which stood as the economic heart of the town. As the convoy reached the central square, Cervantez saw the wee party that had gathered to greet them. The square was spacious, dominated by the imposing structure of the town keep, which served as both a symbol of protection and a functional stronghold. Arge banner stretched across the entrance of the keep, bearing the insignia of the DarkSky Guild, nked by the barony¡¯s own emblem. Alden, the head of Silverpine Town, stood at the forefront of the wee party. He was a stout man with a bushy beard and a broad smile, wearing his best ceremonial robes. Beside him were ra, the elderly head of Rivervale, and Thorne, the rugged overseer of the silver mines. Other notable figures included merchants, artisans, and vige representatives, all gathered to show their respect and anticipation for the new administration. ¡°Wee, Guildmaster Cervantez!¡± Alden¡¯s voice boomed across the square, carrying a tone of both respect and hope. ¡°We are honored to have you and your guild here. Our people look forward to the prosperity and protection your leadership will bring.¡± Dismounting from his horse, Cervantez went ahead and shook the hands of Alden, before scanning the faces of the crowd as he said ¡°d to be here¡­ I¡¯ll try my best to keep the town safe and increase the prosperity of the region¡±. Chapter 291: What Is A Master? Chapter 291: What Is A Master? ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Almost immediately after arriving at Silverpine Town, Cervantez called for a small meeting with local figureheads while the rest of the guild settled into their new headquarters. The Town¡¯s Keep, which was their new base of operations, was a structure big enough to house over 5000 soldiers, however, in-case those soldiers were not permanently residing inside and were only visiting, the Keep could host up to 15,000 individuals at once, which was more than enough for the DarkSky guild¡¯s current requirements. In the meeting with the local heads, Cervantez introduced Luke and other important members of the guild like Tor, Tony and C to the locals, while hemitted the roles and posts handled by the locals currently to his memory, while talking in depth about the general position of their departments. Cervantez was pleased to know that currently, the crime rate in the Barony was at an all time low, with unemployment also being under 3%. Since there was always a shortage of workers at the mine¡¯s, even those who were unemployed could work for a day at the mine¡¯s to get a fixed sry and use it to feed their bellies for a couple days. This meant that there was no-one inside the Barony that was dying of hunger currently, while due to high levels of public hygiene, infections and diseases were also under check. ording to the reports narrated by the various local heads, the general poption seemed to be pretty happy living within Silverpine and their loyalty and dedication towards Duke James seemed to be very high. When asked about the biggest problem that they faced? Most pointed out menial issues such as beast attacks on lone townsmen from surrounding woods, or how the local horse breeding industry was not robust enough to fulfill demand for wagon pulling horses. Overall, Cervantez realized that the Barony that he had acquired was like an ideal paradise and that working here was going to be a joy. On the very first day itself, Cervantez presented his n to the locals regarding how he wished to increase the production capacity of the mines and how he was nning to create a series of new buildings of strategic importance within the town, that would help improve the localities defenses. Alden, and most other locals supported his ns wholeheartedly and even gave him constructive insights on how his ns could be achieved smoothly without disturbing the day to day rhythm of the town. *********** ( Meanwhile Ben and Leo ) A couple days into their journey towards the Eastern Duchy, Ben and Leo camped near a water stream to rest and water the horses that were tired from the continuous journey. Up till now, the duo had failed to notice the trailing Virex Corps officials and Hord, who had carefully maintained arge distance between the two. Since they were following a fixed road trail and not divulging from the constructed roads at all, the trailing party kept a long distance of over 500 meters to the wagons as nobody seemed to be willing to risk the detection of a master like Ben Faulkner. ¡°Master¡­ what exactly is a ¡®master¡¯ warrior? How does one be a master?¡± Leo asked while throwing a pebble into the river in front of him, as he wondered about why some warriors had the designation of being called a ¡®master¡¯ and some did not. ¡°A master huh? Well¡­. This is aplicated question boy¡± Ben said, scratching his chin as he did not know how to precisely describe what the ¡®master¡¯ realm was. ¡°Well, there are many definitions¡­. Mostmoners believe that a warrior that¡¯s capable of taking on 1000 enemies alone is worthy of being called a ¡®master¡¯, however, that¡¯s a very crude way of putting it. A master may be able to take on 1000 enemies¡­. and he may not be able to do so as well, so this definition is not appropriate in my opinion¡­¡± Ben said looking at Leo with a smile, as he seemed to have found the words to describe what a master was. ¡°You know how you need to consciously gather mana and channel it through your body in a particr path to activate a skill?¡± Ben asked, as he reminded Leo of the method he used to activate any of his assassin skills, to which Leo nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t have to do the same, as for me activating those skills is as simple as breathing, for I have ¡®mastered¡¯ those skills. I only need to think about using ¡®Mirror World¡¯ and I¡¯ll be able to create any number of doppelgangers I choose, but you can¡¯t do the same because you have yet to reach such mastery¡± Ben said, as he exined what ¡®mastery¡¯ of a skill was to draw a parallel to what the ¡®master¡¯ realm was. ¡°Simrly to how one masters a skill, therees a point in a warrior¡¯s life, when drawing mana into their bodies no longer remains a matter of conscious effort. Mana continuously keeps flowing through their mana circuit as if it¡¯s an ever raging torrent, and that¡¯s when you know you have reached the master realm¡± Ben exined as he clutched his fists trying to sense the raging mana flowing through his body. ¡°You can¡¯t see mana flow yet boy¡­ but if you could, you would see that the mana flowing inside your body right now is like a very slow moving stream. Maybe your bodypletes one cycle of mana rotation in about 6 hours, however, it only takes my body 6 seconds to do the same and it requires no conscious effort on my part to do so. While every master fighter is different, all of them have such simr high rates of natural body mana flow within them which allows them to use more abilities at a faster rate than normal fighters. It¡¯s a hard sensation to exin clearly, however, the day I stepped into the realm of masters, my physical prowess improved by leaps and bounds and the restrictions on using my abilities were removed almostpletely. Now, it doesn¡¯t matter if I have faced 900 opponents back to back, when I face 901st enemy I¡¯ll still be able to use all my abilities without feeling the strain on my mana circuit, while a normal fighter would copse from mana deficiency or mana circuit damage after a 100 repeated uses. To surmise, I don¡¯t know what exactly is a master, but they¡¯re much much stronger than normal fighters and your master is definitely a master fighter¡± Ben said nodding his head in pride at achieving the realm that very few fighters had in their entire life. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 292: The realms beyond a Master Chapter 292: The realms beyond a Master ¡°So basically you have no idea what the master realm is but it¡¯s cool¡­?¡± Leo asked, as Ben thought about his response for a while and then nodded his head. ¡°Yeah. There are only a handful of masters around and my father, who was my teacher, was not a master fighter, so I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about this, but I think the other master¡¯s within the Empire might have more insights regarding this topic¡± Ben said shrugging his shoulders as he joined Leo in throwing some rocks into the river. ¡°So how long do you think it will take me to reach the master realm? Also, is there any realm above the master realm or is the master realm the highest level a fighter can attain?¡± Leo asked, as although the Grand Tournament had concluded, Leo still wanted to keep training and grow stronger, since ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was always supposed to be number one. ¡°How long will it take you to reach the master realm? Hmm, that¡¯s hard. You are a genius, so you¡¯re more talented than me¡­. However, all I did in life was train, whereas you have merchant duties and being a Baron as a part of your life¡­.¡± Ben said, as he threw a stone into the river and seemed to think long and hard about how long it would take Leo to reach the master realm. Eventually, he turned towards Leo and said ¡°I think if you train hard enough, you can reach the master realm within the next three years with your talent. However, if you¡¯rezy, it may take you over a decade to reach it¡±. Listening to the long time-frame that Ben estimated for him to be a master, Leo felt slightly depressed. He was hoping that bing a master fighter would be as fast as learning a move, however, apparently the path to bing a master was long and arduous and one that demanded consistent efforts from those who wished to walk it. It wasn¡¯t easy, and even if Leo was consistent with his efforts to be a master, ording to Ben it would still take him three years to reach that promised realm. ¡°Bummer¡­¡± he said, sounding depressed as he threw yet another stone into the river, however, his depression soon turned to optimism as he realized that he wasn¡¯t an NPC like Ben and was a yer! Perhaps being a yer he could achieve the master realm sooner than Ben, however, it was only spection on his part as of now. ¡°As for the realms above a master, the legend says that there are two¨C¡± Ben said as he seemed to remember a tale of the old that he hadn¡¯t recalled in ages. ¡°Above the master realm is the grand master realm and I know for sure that the Grand Master realm exists, however, there isn¡¯t a single Grand Master Fighter within the entire Empire¡± Ben said as he highlighted the difficulty of bing a grandmaster. ¡°As per popr belief, a Grand Master fighter is one who can defeat 1000 Master fighters alone in battle, just like how a Master Fighter can defeat a 1000 simple warriors, however, I find the whole idea of a Grand Master¡¯s strength to be absurd as I can¡¯t imagine a thousand of me losing to anyone¡­¡± Ben said, as he expressed his honest opinion about Grand Master¡¯s. ¡°Apparently, the founder of this Unity Empire, the first Emperor who forced the myriad different races into submission was a Grand Master Fighter, however, I wasn¡¯t alive back then to verify his strength. Legend says that he was strong enough to cleave mountains in half, but I mean, I personally take such rumors with a pinch of salt¡± Ben said as he advised Leo to not believe in such exaggerated rumors as well. ¡°While there is no Grand Master Fighter alive within the Empire, I have met a Grand Master Forger long ago, who was capable of forging legendary grade weapons, so I know for sure that Grand Master¡¯s exist. However, while craftsmen can reach the peak of their craft and be grand masters, I highly doubt fighters can do the same¡± Ben said, while scratching his head. ¡°As for the mythical realm beyond a Grand Master, I believe it¡¯s nothing more than a hypothetical tale, so let¡¯s not talk about it¨C¡± Ben said, intending to close the topic, however, Leo begged for more. ¡°No, master, even if it¡¯s absurd, please do tell me what lies beyond the GrandMaster realm?¡± Leo begged, as looking at his puppy eyes Ben relented. ¡°The realm beyond the GrandMaster realm is called the ¡®Transcendent¡¯ realm. ording to legends, these are individuals who transcend their bodies¡¯ physical limitations and be beings akin to gods. Fighters who can fly without the need for using a spell? Fighters who can shatter mountains with a simple punch? This is how the legend describes transcendent fighters, however, I don¡¯t believe it. The legend portrays transcendent fighters to be like gods, however, I refuse to believe that one man can possess such strength, as if they did, we would have men iming to be gods ruling the entire of Terra Nova wouldn¡¯t we?¡± Ben said, as he discarded the possibility of there being transcendent level fighters all together. Leo pondered about these power realms for a while, however, considering how he was still a far cry away from bing a master, he discarded the thought of reaching even higher realms as for now they were but distant dreams. ¡°Alright, enough chatter¡­. Let¡¯s resume our journey¡± Ben said, as he stood up from the rock he was resting on and signaled to the carriage drivers to attach the horses back to the wagons and resume the journey. Soon, the master student duo were back on the road, with the trailing entourage following them from a safe distance behind. Chapter 293: The Demon Kingdom Chapter 293: The Demon Kingdom ( Eren¡¯s POV ) After surrendering to the demons, Eren was chained and transported alongside the other human prisoners to the Demon Kingdom, where instead of being sold in the ve markets like the rest, he was brought to the Demon Count Vaugn for interrogation. During his journey to the Demon Kingdom, Eren¡¯s mind raced with a thousand different thoughts, and he found himself surprisingly excited about his situation. Rather than feeling terrified at being a demon prisoner, Eren felt a sense of satisfaction and happiness as he began weaving fantasy tales of his rise from prisoner to the Demon King¡¯s counselor over the next few years. He naively believed that the demons were not inherently evil and that the Empire had spread a false narrative about them. Eren convinced himself that the demons were not truly bad and that he was going to get the opportunity to witness their better nature once he reached the Demon Kingdom. Eren mused over the idea that whenever a narrative was created about a species, they are always portrayed as evil by the other side. He thought there was no absolute good or bad in the world¡­. That everything was just shades of gray and he clung to this belief as he was transported deeper into demon territory. However, upon reaching the Demon Kingdom, Eren¡¯s delusions quickly began to shatter. The sights that greeted him were far from the utopian vision he had imagined as he saw human prisoners being sold in bustling ve markets, their eyes filled with despair while demons cruelly bartered over the price of each human, treating them as meremodities. As he was led through the streets, Eren glimpsed scenes of brutality and oppression. Demons of higher status openly mistreated those of lower ranks, enforcing a strict and merciless hierarchy. The air of the demon kingdom streets was not free and happy like the human realm, and was instead thick with the cries of the oppressed and theughter of their tormentors. Eren watched in horror as a group of higher demons tormented a weaker lower demon, tearing his right limb off his body and then munching on it raw while the weak lower demon screamed in pain. Eren¡¯s initial fantasies crumbled as he realized the truth about the demon society after only witnessing a little portion of it, as he realized that it was not just different from the human world¡­. But it was different to the point where it was fundamentally cruel and ruthless. The demons reveled in their personal power, showing nopassion or empathy. Eren¡¯s belief that there was no inherent evil was crushed by the harsh reality before him, as by human definition at least, the demons were definitely evil and barbaric. Perhaps in the demon society, oppressing the weak and practicing ve trade was not considered social taboo, however, when viewed from the lense of human eyes, there was no excuse for their behaviour. ¡®Humans can co-exist with all other species but not demons¡­.. the Emperor was not wrong¡¯ Eren thought, as he finally understood as to why the Unity Empire had so many different species living within its boundaries, however, none belonging to the demon kind. *********** ( Within a gothic mansion ) Eventually, Eren was dragged to a Gothic Style mansion which reeked of blood and decay as he was presented before Demon Count Vaugn, who was the Demon Lordmanding the attack party who had raided the forest tribe. ¡°My Lord Vaugn, I, Verium, your loyal servant, present before you a unique gift. A human ve who can speak Demon Tongue¡­. A truly unique specimen, I hope you like it¨C¡± Verium, the high demon leading the attack on the Forest Tribe said, as he pulled the neck cor around Eren¡¯s neck and forced him to fall t on his knees. ¡°A human who can speak Demon Tongue? Really?¡± Vaugn asked, looking most intrigued as he squatted beside Eren and ced his long finger nail across his chin. ¡°Speak, ve¨C¡± Vaugnmanded in a disgusting tone which repulsed Eren, however, he spoke nheless. ¡°All hail Lord Vaugn¡± Eren said, picking up on the Demon Count¡¯s name by hearing their conversation, as Vaugn was most delighted when he found out that Eren could actually speak Demon Tongue. ¡°HAHAHAHA-¡± He chuckled out loud, as he pointed towards Verium in delight. ¡°What a wonderful gift you have presented to me, Verium. I am most pleased by this pet. From now on you are promoted to the Demon Commander of Two Assault Units! Make me proud¨C¡± Demon Count Vaugn said, making Verium smile with tion. ¡°Thank you, my Lord¡­.. You are most gracious. Also my Lord, the human ims to hate the Empire and ims that he can help us win wars¡± Verium said, as his second statement piqued the intrigue of Vaugn. ¡°Oh really now? And what do you want in return for helping us human?¡± Vaugn asked, as Eren felt the pressure of his gaze boring into him. ¡°Nothing¡­. I just want to watch the Empire burn!¡± Eren imed, as he tried his best to resist the pressure exerted by the Demon Count and reply as he usually would. ¡°Pfft¡­.hahahaha¡­. A human deserter who can speak Demon Tongue! Praise the Demon King! Today is our lucky day!!¡± Vaugn said, sounding ted as his cheer made all of his underlings also jump with joy. ¡°Help us beat the Empire, human, and I will give you everything you can dream of. Human ves, Elf ves or any other kinks you have. Worthless Gold. Land¡­ Or whatever else that motivates the lesser species that you are¡± Vaugn said as he kicked Eren hard on his shoulder and pinned him to the floor. ¡°HAHAHA, EAT DEMON DIRT, YOU FILTHY HUMAN DESERTER¡± Vaugn said, whileughing like a savage as he pressed Eren¡¯s head into the dirty ground below. At this moment, Eren regretted ever receiving the Demon Whisperer ss, however, with the penalty of failing to help the demons being that his ount would reset to level 0, Eren now had no option but to help the filthy demons in their campaign against humans. Chapter 294: Ambush Chapter 294: Ambush ( Hord¡¯s POV ) Hord had been tracking Ben and Leo¡¯s carriage for the past three days. Through these three days, he had been patiently waiting for an opportunity to attack them. However, knowing that his opponent was the legendary Ben Faulkner, he decided to wait for the most opportune moment to strike them to maximize his chances of sess. The road to the CrestHill Barony, was one that Hord possessed immacte knowledge about, for he had already killed a noble enroute this path once before. About 25 kilometers from the Crest-Hill Barony, was a small dark tunnel, where the road was built through the hill via a tunnel and was the perfect spot to set up an ambush. Although the tunnel itself was short, spanning only 30 meters in length and it appeared illuminated from end to end, once one entered the tunnel, there was a stretch ofnd for about 10 meters where visibility dropped to near zero. It was this precise area that Hord nned to target, as when Ben and Leo started to approach this tunnel, Hord finally overtook their carriage and started to prepare an ambush within. ****** Hord worked quickly but precisely within the tunnel, his hands moving with practiced efficiency as he set the trap. He was used to this kind of work, having set up simr traps many times before, with one time being precisely at this location. Caltrops, which were likerge sized foot traps, were carefully scattered across the tunnel floor by him, designed not just to puncture the carriage wheels but also to severely injure the horses¡¯ legs when they passed over this area. Hord¡¯s intention was to cripple the beasts, causing chaos and immobilizing the carriage, as the first step to his assassination n was to ensure that his prey could not escape from his attacks once the ambush began. Next, he set up a series of spikes hidden just beneath ayer of dirt, positioned to strike the horses¡¯ legs as they trotted over them. This was done with the hope that it would create a scene of panic and pain, making Ben and Leo seated inside the carriage confused and easier targets for him to kill. Satisfied with his work on the ground, Hord then moved to his hiding spot. Constructing an artificial support system with the use of a series of ropes and nks, Hord fastened himself to the top such that he could hang from the tunnel¡¯s ceiling without having to use his hands, as from this vantage point, he could oversee the entire ambush site without being discovered himself. As he secured himself above, Hord¡¯s ears picked up the distant sound of horse hooves which signaled the arrival of his enemies, right on time. As the rhythmic tter grew louder, echoing off the tunnel walls. His heart rate quickened as well, as the thought of finally getting to confront Ben Faulkner, excited Hord. Tightening his grip on the daggers at his belt. Hord felt prepared to test the mettle of the legend, as today he wanted to see for himself if Ben Faulkner was even worthy of his name or not. As the carriage eventually entered the tunnel, the horses¡¯ hooves struck the caltrops with a sickening crunch. *NEIGH¡ª* The animals whinnied in pain, stumbling forward as the spikes drove deep into their legs, causing them to jump and move around erratically. The carriage wheels, unable to withstand the sudden jerks and shifts, splintered and broke off, sending the vehicle crashing to a halt as from his perch above, Hord seized the moment of confusion with deadly uracy, hurling his daggers at the two drivers. *Shua* *Shua* Both his des found their marks with absolute precision, as Hord punctured their windpipes. *St* *St* The two poor carriage drivers slumped forward, falling dead before they could even cry out in pain, as within seconds they received a painless death. Not wasting a second, Hord continued with his assault and pulled out two small bombs from his belt. *Ching* *Ching* Priming them, he tossed them into the carriages below, causing two massive explosions. *BOOM* *BOOM* The explosions were immediate, shattering the wooden frames of the carriage and sending shrapnel flying in all directions and even towards Hord who was forced to deflect them using his dagger. mes licked up from the wreckage and smoke soon began to fill the already dark tunnel, reducing the visibility inside to absolute zero. ¡°Oooh yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about¨C¡± Hord murmured to himself as he watched with satisfaction from above, knowing he had executed his n perfectly. The ambush was a sess, and now, it was only a matter of dealing with Ben Faulkner and his green horn disciple who were most likely severely injured from the explosion and he could then im that he was the man who had defeated the legendary Ben Faulkner. ¡°I kept telling Dem that there is no need to fear an old, washed up man like you, however, Dem wouldn¡¯t listen to me¡­. Oooo, Ben Faulkner can¡¯t be messed with! Oooo, Ben Faulkner infiltrated the pce and killed the crown prince! Oooo, Ben Faulkner this¡­ Oooo, Ben Faulkner that¡­. FUCK BEN FAULKNER¡­..¡± Hord screamed with pure adrenaline, as he dropped down from his vantage point above to the floor below. ¡°I told Dem ages ago that the Night Guild no longer needed to use your name to build their legacy. That we had already surpassed the legend of Ben Faulkner, but he wouldn¡¯t agree with me. In his eyes, nobody was as good as you¡­. Not him, not me¡­. Not anyone else. However, all that¡¯s about to change now. The legend of Ben Faulkner ends today! The legend of Hord Waren starts now! Hord Waren¡­ the man who killed Ben Fucking Faulkner and his two bit disciple ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡± Hord said, as he began randomly throwing daggers into the smoke ahead of him. Chapter 295: Where Is Ben Faulkner? Chapter 295: Where Is Ben Faulkner? ¡°Come on now¨C , don¡¯t be shy ¡­ Benny Boy,e take a swing at me¡± Hord said as he very carefully waded into the smoke. It had been close to fifteen seconds now since the carriages exploded, however, the enemy had shown no signs of movement. Due to smoke filling the tunnel, Hord could not clearly see whether or not Ben Faulkner was incapacitated or just waiting for his chance to counterattack, which was why he kept his senses on high alert. ording to him, the ambush he had prepared had been a resounding sess and hence he expected Ben Faulkner and his disciple to be heavily injured from the explosion at the least and dead at the best. However, unless he checked their charred corpses with his own two eyes, he decided to assume the worst scenario, which was that the enemy was alive and waiting for a chance to attack. ¡°Come on now kitty¡­ if your master won¡¯t attack me, a young blood like you should at least take a swing¡­ Come on now¨C¡± Hord encouraged, as he hoped that if Ben Faulkner would not lunge at him, at least his disciple should. Hord¡¯s taunting voice echoed through the smoky tunnel, but there was no response. The seconds continued to tick by, and soon his initial wave of confidence began to waver. Squinting, he tried to pierce the thick veil of smoke, but could unfortunately see nothing through it. The acrid smell of burning wood and metal filled his nostrils, however, despite him bearing the stench while standing right on-top of the carriage¡¯s rubble, he could not spot the enemy. As time passed, slowly the smoke began to dissipate, revealing the wreckage of the carriage around him as at this moment, his senses began to go on high alert. Darting his eyes from one charred piece of wood to another, Hord felt his heart pound loudly in his chest, as he anticipated an attack from any direction now. However, contrary to his expectations, as the visibility improved, Hord noticed something rming! Somehow, the tunnel waspletely empty as there seemed to be no signs of Ben Faulkner or his disciple near the rubble, or anywhere inside the tunnel. ¡°Fuck¨C¡± Hord cursed, as panic set in his chest at this exact moment. Afraid, Hord¡¯s skin began to crawl, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. The reputation of the legendary assassin began haunting his thoughts, as the conceited thoughts that he had about killing Ben Faulkner and making a name for himself just a moment ago, were now reced by fears of his own mortality. Ben Faulkner was an assassin known for his cunning and deadly precision. The possibility that he was still alive and lurking somewhere within the tunnel, ready to strike, sent chills down Hord¡¯s spine. ¡°Where are you, you bastard?¡± Hord muttered under his breath, rolling over on the floor randomly as he frantically scanned the tunnel. He felt like a fool, rolling randomly on a burning floor with splinters all around, however, the fear of being caught off guard and killed was overpowering and itpelled him to keep moving, since he did not wish to be caught off-guard with cold feet. Currently, every shadow within the tunnel seemed to move for him and every sound seemed to echo ominously in his ears, as his senses went into overdrive. Soon, his eyes darted towards the entrance of the tunnel, where he hoped to catch a glimpse of his elusive prey. However, to his absolute shock, instead of finding Ben Faulkner and his disciple at the tunnel¡¯s entrance, his gaze fell upon a group of men wearing ck and white masks, unmistakably the signature of the Virex Corps. ¡°Oh hell no¨C¡± Hord thought, as thest thing that he wanted in this messed up situation was for a third party to show up. Hord¡¯s stomach did a backflip when he saw the six Virex officials standing at the mouth of the tunnel with their weapons drawn, as the Virex Corps were the Emperor¡¯s personal hunting force, relentless and unforgiving, while he was a wanted criminal who was one of their top targets. Fear gripped him, stronger now than ever as he realized that he was in deep trouble. His mind raced, trying to formte a n, as for a split second he contemted fighting them. However, as he counted their numbers and realized that he wasn¡¯t taking on one opponent or two, but rather six, Hord quickly dropped the idea of fighting them and instead decided to try his luck fleeing for his life. But where could he go? The tunnel was his trap, and now it seemed like his tomb, as the only way for him to run was to make a dash for the exit at the other end, which was easier said than done with six experienced assassins locking their daggers at him. ¡°Damn it,¡± he cursed under his breath, backing away slowly, while ensuring that he did not break eye-contact with the Emperor¡¯s hunting dogs. ¡°Stop right there¡ª¡± shouted one of the Virex Corps members as he threw a dagger towards Hord with such incredible speed and precision, that Hord could barely dodge it as it whirred past his cheeks. *Shua* ¡°I surrender, please don¡¯t kill me¡± Hord pleaded, as he threw his hands in the air and pretended to surrender, while simultaneously backing away from the Virex Corps members, as he intended to make a bee-line for the exit soon. ¡°Where is Ben Faulkner and ¡®TheBoss¡¯, what did you do to them?¡± asked the squad leader of the Virex Corps, who also seemed to be scanning the rubble for any signs of Ben Faulkner and his disciple, just like Hord was a moment ago. ¡°What? You¡¯re not here for me, but for Ben Faulkner?¡± Asked Hord, feeling hope that perhaps they were not after him. ¡°No, you, Hord Wace, are a wanted criminal of the Night Guild, and will be neutralized by us today, however, before we kill you, tell us why did you attack the leader of your organization? Ben Faulkner!¡± asked the Virex squad leader, as at this question, Hord snapped. ¡°Ben Faulkner was never the leader of the Night Guild or the assassin alliance! We only used his name to heighten our reputation! However, the assassination¡¯s were always carried out by us. He¡¯s a fraud! The legend of Ben Faulkner is a fraud!¡± Hord snapped, as giving this response he turned and decided to make a run for the exit. Chapter 296: BEN FAULKNER Chapter 296: BEN FAULKNER ( A few moments ago, Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo and Ben were traveling leisurely in their carriage when Ben, gazing at the scenery outside, was reminded of his days as a young assassin. ¡°You know, boy,¡± Ben began, ¡°up ahead on this trail is the ¡®Tunnel of Doom¡¯¡ªa perfect spot for an ambush.¡± As he spoke, Ben¡¯s mind drifted to an incident from long ago. ¡°After I killed the crown prince and was on the run from the Virex Corps, I once set up an ambush in that tunnel where I took down 17 Virex Corps members by myself.¡± Ben said, chuckling nostalgically as he remembered the good old days where he lived his life as an ouw. ¡°How did you do it?¡± Leo asked, his eyes turning from amazed to curious as he wanted to know more about this story. ¡°You have taught me all your skills master, however, you haven¡¯t taught me the basics of setting up an ambush or actually surprising the enemy. Since we are approaching the tunnel of doom today, show me how you set up the ambush years ago¡± Leo requested, as Ben waved him off at first, however, as he looked into Leo¡¯s eyes and found his gaze to be persistent, Ben eventually relented and decided to indulge his students¡¯ curiosity. ¡°You want me to show you how I did it?¡± Ben said, abruptly opening the carriage door as a daunting smile spread across his face. ¡°Yes¨C¡± Leo confirmed as Ben suddenly jumped outside the carriage and began running up the hill. ¡°Then follow me¡­¡± Ben said, his voice fading as the distance between him and Leo widened. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s the spirit¡± said Leo, as he too jumped out of the carriage, without the carriage driver being any wiser that his passengers had disappeared. Running at his top speed, Leo soon caught up with Ben who was running vigorously on the long route across the hill, to try and reach the other end of the tunnel before their carriage did. ¡°The first step to setting up an ambush is misdirection. I fastened the reins of my horse to the saddle, just enough to keep them taut, and then jumped off so my pursuers would keep hearing the footsteps from a distance, unaware that I was no longer on the horse,¡± Ben exined as he recounted the tale of how he ambushed the Virex Corps years ago with a satisfied smile on his face. Next, Ben instructed Leo to follow him as he circled across the mountain to the other side of the tunnel, urging him to keep pace so that they could arrive at the other end, before their carriage reached it from a more direct path. At that moment, neither Ben nor Leo were aware of the presence of Hord or the Virex Corps. Their decision to suddenly de-board the carriage and embark on this adventure was entirely spontaneous and without any prior nning. However, little did they know that this impromptu decision was going to help them avert a major disaster as by the time they circled to the other side of the tunnel and peered inside, they found a meticulously working Hord already setting up an ambush inside, much to their surprise. *Tap* *Tap* Watching Hord work inside, Ben tapped on Leo¡¯s shoulder with urgency and signaled for him to not make a single sound. ¡®Go Hide¡¯ Ben mouthed without making a sound, as Leo nodded his head and hid near the exit of the tunnel assuming an advantageous position for an ambush. Doing the same, Ben hid on the opposite end of the tunnel, as he tilted his head and watched Hord work on his ambush, in what he assumed could only be a trap to potentially kill him. Ben knew Hord pretty well from his days working as a doorman for the Night Guild and he knew just how talented and ruthless this kid was, as he had watched him take some of the hardest assassination missions over the years and return without having a single scratch on his body. Ben knew that taking him down without suffering any injuries was going to be a difficult endeavor and hence after weighing the pros and cons, Ben decided that the most effective approach was to wait until Hord was done setting up his ambush, and then ambush him from behind when he least expected it. At this moment, Ben had no idea that Hord was not the only unexpected variable nearby and that the Virex Corps were also just around the corner. Unbeknownst to him and Leo, the real surprises were only just beginning¡­. *********** ( Present Moment, Hord¡¯s POV ) ¡°Where is Ben Faulkner? Why did you try to kill the leader of your own organization?¡± asked the Squad leader of the Virex Corps, feeling confused as to why Hord, a known criminal of the Night Guild would try and assassinate the leader of their organization. ¡°Ben Faulkner was never the leader of the Night Guild or the Assassin Alliance! We only used his name to heighten our reputation! However, the assassination¡¯s were always carried out by us. He¡¯s a fraud! The legend of Ben Faulkner is a fraud!¡± Hord snapped, as giving this response he turned and decided to make a run for the exit, however, to his absolute shock, the moment he turned to dash towards the exit, two men appeared near the exit to block his escape, with one of them being none other than Ben Faulkner. ¡°BEN FAULKNER!¡± eximed Hord, as he slipped and fell t on his rear, his body having reacted automatically from fear when he saw the visage of the legendary assassin. ¡°BEN FAULKNER!¡± Eximed the squad leader of the Virex Corps, as even the squad leader was left surprised as to how Ben Faulkner appeared on the other end of the tunnel without as much as a speck of dust on his body? ¡°The legend of Ben Faulkner is fake you say? Then why don¡¯t youe and try it for yourself¨C boy¡± replied Ben, as he pointed his de at Hord, daring the veteran toe at him if he had the balls for it. Chapter 297: A threat made Chapter 297: A threat made ¡°The legend is fake you say? Then why don¡¯t youe and try it for yourself? Boy¨C¡± Ben said, as he pointed his dagger towards Hord. At this moment, there was not one ounce of fear in Ben¡¯s body, not an ounce of hesitation in his voice. He knew that he was the better fighter between himself and Hord, and he was not shy to prove it. On one side, Hord was being closed down by 6 Virex Corps members, but on the other he had to face Ben Faulkner. Stuck between a rock and a hard ce, Hord eventually decided to test the mettle of Ben Faulkner as he got up from his ass and sprinted towards Ben in a frantic attack. *Shing* *Shing* *Shing* Sparks began to fly within the tunnel, as de shed against de and metal collided against metal. Hord, fuelled by adrenaline and a desperation to survive, tried his best to disarm and kill Ben, however, let alone killing him, Hord could not even scratch the legend, as Ben was faster, stronger and more technical than him in his counter. *sh* *sh* *sh* Leo and the Virex Corps members watched on in awe as Ben began to systematically dismantle Hord at inhuman speeds. Every third attack that he produced, managed to break through Hord¡¯s defenses andnd a nasty gash on him, as even without using any special abilities or his signature skills, Ben overpowered Hord in a one on one battle. ¡®So fucking cool-¡® Leo thought, as he saw his master in a proper battle for the first time ever and realised that the spar that Ben had with him while training was only child¡¯s y for him, while his true strength was leagues above. Hord was by no means a weak or easy opponent. He was fast, urate and a lethal assassin that even 10 Leo¡¯s would be unable to defeat together, however, in front of Ben, he was no different than a powerless child. ¡°How? How are you so fast? How can you read my moves before I even make them? You are just a washed up old man who was guarding our doors, how are you still so strong?¡± Hord questioned, as he could not even keep up with Ben¡¯s hand movements once it sped up beyond a point, as Ben began carving his body up like it was an origami contest. Usually, Ben would not have been so ruthless with his attacks, however, Hord had publicly humiliated his worth, and although he was a free man now, Ben did not wish to be mistaken as a weak man. To maintain his image as a fearsome legend, Ben decided to go above and beyond in this one fight, as he deliberately made a show in front of the Virex Corps, to remind them that he was still the same old Ben Faulkner, capable of killing the Emperor if he chose to. ¡°I was never a washed up old man even when I was guarding your doors¡± Ben replied, as hended a finalrge sh across abdomen, which caused all of his innards to spill outwards, as Hord dropped to his knees. ¡°Before, I simply had no purpose to live¡­. No purpose to fight. However, with my disciple alongside me, I finally have a reason to live again¡± Ben said, as he kicked Hord square across his chin and dropped him t to the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll stop here. Lest you fools dare conspire and charge me of murder¡± Ben said, as he stared down the Virex Corps members with a murderous re, warning them to not paint this incident as a murder, for they very well knew it was not. ¡°Of course we won¡¯t-¡± The squad leader of the Virex Corps said as he walked up to the unconscious Hord and stabbed three daggers into his brain, to end his suffering. ¡°Is what he said true? Were you truly not the leader of the Night Guild?¡± The squad leader asked, as Ben turned his back towards the Virex Corps members and began walking towards the tunnel¡¯s exit. ¡°I owe you no answers¡­ I¡¯m a free man¡± Ben said, refusing to confirm or deny their spections as he rejoined Leo and signaled for him to follow and keep up. ¡°Send my regards to the Emperor. Tell him to let me be and not paint me as a rebel and a fugitive. Tell him that I know his schemes better than anyone else and that I know where to find him¡± Ben threatened, as before the Virex Corps leader could respond to this threat he dropped a bunch of smoke bombs near the exit and disappeared into the wind alongside Leo. Although this incident was purely coincidental, the impact it had on the minds of the Virex Corps members was unbelievable. Once Ben disappeared, there were a few who silently gulped a mouthful of saliva, while the leader of the squad felt his knees going weak, as he stumbled to the nearby tunnel wall for support. ¡°Ben Faulkner is terrifying! Not only did he see through the ambush of Hord, he even escaped through the carnage unharmed and turned the ambush against Hord. However, not only did he turn the ambush against Hord, but also saw through the Emperor¡¯s schemes to paint him as a rebel and a fugitive and has now asked us to deliver a threat to the Emperor. Nobody but the kingyer can be this terrifying. The rumors of him being old and weak are baseless. He¡¯s still as vicious as ever¡± The squad leader murmured, as his squad members nodded in agreement. Recalling Ben¡¯s fast hand movements as he toyed with Hord, they felt their own hair stand up against their skin as they realized that not even the six of them could ever hope to take down one Ben Faulkner down alone. As a master assassin, he was in a league of his own and it was only those who had witnessed him in action that could really understand just how brutally strong Ben Faulkner really was. ¡ª¡ª- Chapter 298: Dreams Chapter 298: Dreams ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was inplete awe of his master¡¯s skills after the tunnel incident. As they fled the scene, a deep respect began to bubble inside Leo¡¯s heart for Ben and his incredible strength. For a while, Leo said nothing and only silently tried to recall Ben¡¯s fighting skills as he took down Hord with incredible ease, as it took him almost a dozen mental reys in his head before he could even grasp the most basic fundamentals of Ben¡¯s assault. ¡®So strong¡­ So Damn Strong¡¯ Leo mumbled in his head as he re-imagined Ben¡¯s fighting and felt shivers run down his spine. ¡®So that¡¯s the realm of a master¡¯ Leo realized as he gulped a mouthful of saliva in respect, wondering as to when he would reach that same realm of strength. When Leo had first met Ben, the old man looked to be in a really bad shape. He had a scruffy full grown beard, hair covering his eyes and his beer belly poking through his robes. At that moment, Ben looked anything but a legendary assassin as he looked like a washed old man, however, since then, Ben had gradually lost the fat and the ugly look as he had slowly but surely transformed back into looking like a master assassin. As Leo scanned him now, Ben did not look even slightly overweight. His physique was toned, his beard handsome and his eyes sharp. If he did not have some shades of gray and white hair mixed in his beard, he could pass for a young man in his twenties with his lustrous skin and Leo could not be any happier for his good health. Just as Ben was happy to have Leo in his life, Leo felt equally grateful to have Ben in his as at this point, their bond was as strong as that of family. ¡°We averted a disaster there, boy. Your curiosity saved us from a big mess,¡± Ben said eventually, only speaking after they had covered a lot of ground away from the tunnel, feeling reassured that nobody could hear them. ¡°Hahaha, our enemies are none the wiser,¡± Leo replied, as Ben looked at him with a bright smile on his face and nodded. However, soon that smile faded into a frown of worry as Ben said ¡°Don¡¯t mistake the skills of that fool Hord for those of Dem Paltrow, Leo¡­. While I can take on anyone from the Assassin Alliance with one of my arms tied behind my back, I can¡¯t take on Dem Paltrow the same way. Of everyone I¡¯ve met in my life, he¡¯s the only other master assassin I know, who is on the wrong side of thew¡± Ben warned, as he reminded Leo to always be wary of Dem Paltrow. ¡°I¡¯ll remember your warning master¡± Leo said sincerely, as he resolved to never take Dem Paltrow lightly. As the two continued their journey towards the Eastern Barony of CrestHill, they soon began to miss their mounts, as walking on foot felt way more tiresome than just riding peacefully within a carriage. ¡°Without our mounts, it will take us an extra twelve hours to reach our destination. This means we might have to camp in the wild tonight¡± Ben said begrudgingly as he had grown quite used to thefort that the carriage provided and felt slightly discontent about the idea of camping in the wild again. ¡°It¡¯s okay master, it¡¯s just one night¡­. Tomorrow onwards we will live like nobility anyways¡± Leo said, trying to cheer him up, as recalling how they were going to live the life of barons starting tomorrow, Ben brightened up once again. ¡°Hahahaha! Indeed! Let¡¯s treat this as a goodbye to the poor life of hermits. A final reminiscing of our old days¡± Ben said, as he suddenly felt enthusiastic about thisst night in the wild. ********** ( Real World, The Arc Ship ) After setting up camp with Ben, and retiring for the night, Leo logged out of the game and waited patiently for Luke to do the same. Today, he had two important questions for Luke, with one of them being regarding his potential return to work now that the identity of Leo Skyshard was no longer as hot of a topic as before and the second being regarding his experience of being a Baron and how did the life of nobility feel? *Creek* Soon, Luke emerged from his room and walked towards Leo while yawningzily, as he seemed to be extremely bored for some reason. ¡°Good morning brother¨C¡± Leo said cheerfully, to which Luke only replied with a dull nod. ¡°Brother, I was wondering if you can tell me about your experience in your Barony so far¡± Leo inquired, as listening to his query, Luke paused for a second. ¡°The Barony? Oh it¡¯s a beautiful ce. The people are very kind and good. There is lush greenery everywhere and it feels like I¡¯m living and working out of a pristine medical castle. I have private servants, a great office to work from and a great environment with the new guild members joining, however, it¡¯s just too hectic. The guild work makes me go over hundreds of application requests daily and it consumes a lot of time to review and sign them individually. So while the Barony is great, my life as the vice guildmaster doesn¡¯t let me enjoy it much¡± Luke said, as listening to his reply Leo felt butterflies fly within his stomach. ¡®Lush green fields? Medieval castle? Kind people? Beautiful environment to work in? Hahaha sounds like the dream of a noble life! And I¡¯m not even a vice guildmaster so I won¡¯t have documents to go over! Hahaha! My good days are about to start¨C¡¯ Leo thought as he started to feel giddy and excited for his future. ¡°Kekekekeke¡± he grinned covering his face as Luke watched himugh with his left eye twitching. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m off to get ready for work¡± Luke said, as he headed towards the bathroom, only for Leo to interrupt him yet again. ¡°Oh brother, can I go to work from today onwards too? I think the matter regarding my identity has cooled down a lot¨C¡± Leo asked, as Luke seemed to ponder about the question for a moment before shunning Leo down. ¡°No, we have a lot of MP left Leo and we can afford you not showing up to work. There¡¯s no need to risk it¡± Luke said, as he rejected Leo¡¯s request and internally decided to not let Leo return to work until the next system evaluation was concluded and the two of them were promoted to sector C. Chapter 299: Arriving at CrestHill Barony Chapter 299: Arriving at CrestHill Barony Denied permission by Luke to return to work, Leo was forced to spend yet another day sketching and daydreaming within his quarters, where he weaved an borate vision of his future life as a Baron. He imagined himself lyingzily in the lush green garden of his pce being fed grapes by his beautiful pce maids as he experienced a life of true luxury. As the day passed slowly, his excitement started to grow with each passing minute, as he could hardly wait for the day to end so that he could return to the world of Terra Nova. ********* ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) As Leo logged back into the game, neither him, nor Ben could contain their excitement in reaching CrestHill Barony. The two took off for the Barony early in the morning by foot, knowing full well that they needed to cover only about three hours worth of distance before they reached their destination. ¡°Are you ready for a new life master?¡± Leo asked, rubbing his hands in joy, as Ben enthusiastically nodded his head and replied ¡°Indeed¡­ I think it¡¯s time for me to finally experience the joys of retirement¨C¡±. Both the master-student duo seemed extremely excited about taking up their new roles as nobles, however, little did they know that the bubble of dreams that they were weaving were about to burst big time. Three hourster, as Leo and Ben approached the periphery of Leo¡¯s Barony, they found themselves on the border of a dusty old abandoned vige, which looked nothing like what Leo and Ben had initially imagined. ¡®W e to DustBrook Vig ¡® A dusty sign, with two ¡®e¡¯ missing from it informed Leo that he was on the periphery of his territory, the DustBrook vige, however, looking at it, Leo couldn¡¯t help but frown profusely. ¡°Master, what is this joke? This vige looks more Barren than a desert. There is no greenery near a twenty mile radius of this vige. No fencing to protect the settlers against wild animals. No signs of a water storage or a water stream. It¡¯s like we have suddenly walked into a desert outpost instead of a civilian settlement¡± Leomented, as the edge of his territory looked nothing like what he expected it to be. ¡°It must be because this is an old abandoned vige, boy¡­. This must be the part of the Barony which is in neglect because all the talented people live in the central town. Let¡¯s be optimistic¡± Ben said in a shaky voice, as sweat beads began to appear on his forehead as well when he gazed upon the poor condition of the DustBrook vige. ¡°Yeah, that must be it¡­. This must be the slums of our Barony¡­ yes, yes!¡± Leo said, as he gulped a mouthful of saliva and entered the DustBrook vige alongside Ben. As the duo traveled through DustBrook, they noticed how the houses within the vige were small, dpidated, and barely standing. The streets were narrow and filled with potholes, and the few people they saw within the vige looked gaunt and weary as if they were fed up with their life as a whole. There were no sounds ofughter, no joyful sights of small children ying on the streets, as instead of Ben and him receiving a hero¡¯s wee inside the Barony like Leo had expected, the two were greeted with the sight of poor hygiene and dysfunctional sewage systems withrge food waste pilesying by the side of the roads collecting flies throughout the vige. Leo¡¯s face fell as he took in the scene. ¡°This can¡¯t be right. Even if this is the outskirts of my territory, it can¡¯t be this bad¡­. Who even is running this vige? Does the vige chief not know the risks of having open waste? It can lead to so many disease outbreaks¡± Leoined, as Ben nodded in agreement. This vige was beyond bad, the living conditions of themoners were simply inhumane. Ben shook his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°We imagined bustling markets, well-kept houses, and friendly faces. This¡­ this is nothing like what we thought.¡± Ben said, as he wondered if Leo had been cheated badly by the East Duke. The disappointment was palpable on their faces as they continued through Dustbrook. They had dreamed of a vibrant, thrivingmunity, but what they found was a ce that seemed forgotten by time. The stark contrast between their expectations and reality was like a punch to the gut. Their thoughts were interrupted when two guards, clearly part of Leo¡¯s future army, blocked their path. The guards were fat and untrained, their uniforms barely fitting them properly as they pointed their weapons towards Ben and Leo arrogantly. ¡°Halt! There¡¯s a tax for travelers passing through the vige,¡± one of the guards demanded, his tone gruff but uninterested. For a moment, as he heard this Leo felt his eyebrows twitch within his mask, as even if he was not the Baron of this vige, the Virex Corps mask that he wore should have been usually enough for no soldier to dare block his path, however, the soldiers of this territory seemed dumb enough to not even recognise the worth of the Virex mask. ¡®So a shitty vige along with shitty soldiers? What a perfect start to my stint as a Baron¡¯ Leo thought as he chuckled self-depricitatingly. Nheless, not wishing to banter with these fools, Leo stepped forward and presented his identity token as the new Baron. ¡°I am ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the new Baron of CrestHill. There should be no tax for me to pass through my ownnd.¡± he said curtly, trying to sound professional. The guards¡¯ eyes widened in shock as he saw the identity token. ¡°You¡¯re the new Baron? Traveling on foot?¡± he asked, sounding surprised as he judged Leo based on his outfit from head to toe. The other guard snickered covering his mouth as he said ¡°Figures. He must be a poor baron who is as poor as the rest of this ce if he¡¯s walking instead of riding in a carriage.¡± Although the second guard thought that he had made hisment on the sly, both Ben and Leo easily picked up his words, prompting both of them to frown deeply. ¡®These fools have the audacity to judge us?¡¯ thought Leo, as he resisted the urge to reach into his utility belt and bring out a couple daggers to shrink them down to size. Barely maintaining hisposure, Leo took in a deep breath as he said ¡°Do your jobs and guide me through the vige.¡± The guards exchanged nces, their initial surprise fading into a look of condescension as they said ¡°Alright, follow us,¡± waving Ben and Leo on. By this point both Ben and Leo were fuming with rage, however, little did they know that the horror show had only just begun. What they had seen so far was not even the tip of the iceberg and the real situation of the Barony that Leo had inherited was much worse than what DustBrook vige looked like at the first nce. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 300: Berkshire Town Chapter 300: Berkshire Town As Leo and Ben walked through the streets of DustBrook apanied by the two fat soldiers, Leo overheard snippets of conversations amongstmoners that only added to his unease. ¡°Another theftst night. We can¡¯t even leave our homes without worrying about being robbed,¡± a middle aged womanined to her neighbor, as she suspiciously nced towards Ben and Leo who were dressed in ck robes from head to toe. ¡°And the fields¡­ nothing grows there anymore. It¡¯s like thend itself is cursed,¡± an old man who was a stall owner selling food muttered, shaking his head, as he exined as to why he could not lower the prices for the produce that he sold. Overhearing these conversations, Leo was made aware of the on-going public safety and food safety problems that the vige was facing, as he felt his gut wrench listening to the poor state of the territory he had inherited. As they continued through the vige, suddenly, a ragged man who was previously lying down by the side of the road with red eyes, who looked very visibly intoxicated lunged at Leo, attempting to snatch his utility belt. ¡°Give me the belt¡­ I want booze¡­ more booze¡± the man mumbled in a drunken stupor as Leo gave him a tight p across his face. *p* In the drunk man¡¯s mind, he was probably tugging at Leo¡¯s belt with full strength, however, for Leo the grip was as weak as that of a child. Leo did not even budge at the man¡¯s attempts to take off his belt, however, he did angrily re at his guards who were simply spectating the situation rather than actually protecting him. ¡°Some help?¡± Leo said, giving them the death stare, as it wasn¡¯t until he red into their souls that thezy soldiers decided to take action. ¡°Shoo- Shoo! That¡¯s the lord¡­¡± said one of the soldiers as he used a metal bat to beat the top of the drunk man¡¯s head mercilessly. By this point Leo had enough, and the sound of his teeth grinding was audible in Ben¡¯s ears, who tried to pacify him immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t me them boy, they¡¯re just desperate,¡± Ben said quietly, eyes wide. ¡°This ce is worse than I imagined.¡± Leo nodded, gulping down his anger as he barely maintained hisposure. ¡°We have a lot of work ahead of us. This Vige needs more than just a capable Vige Chief; it needs hope¨C¡± Leo muttered, as he silently resolved to turn this ce around in theing months. Soon, the guards led them to the exit of the vige, and pointed them in the direction of the central town, before shamelessly asking for tip money for their shitty service. Although Leo did not feel like tipping them a single bronze coin, he gave both the guards a single silver coin each, which was akin to their current monthly sry. ¡°Holy shit! We are rich¡± said one of the guards, as they suddenly became much more enthusiastic about the new Baron than they were just a few minutes ago. ¡°Have a safe journey, My Lord!¡± ¡± Please call for us whenever you need us, my Lord!¡± The shift in their attitude was a full 180¡ã after receiving some money, as looking at their shift in behavior, Leo realized just how poor the people of the Barony were to be so excited about a single coin of silver. ¡®The central town will be better¡­. It will surely be better,¡¯ Leo thought, as he imagined the scenario of a lush green garden and a beautiful looking pce waiting for him in the central town of his Barony, the ¡®Berkshire Town¡¯. *********** ( 1 hourter ) The distance between the Berkshire Town and the DustBrook vige was nearly an hour on foot. However, as Leo and Ben reached the supposed heart of the Barony, the supposedly illustrious Berkshire Town, what weed them instead was a shoddy old town, just as deste as the DustBrook Vige but onlyrger. The roads were just as dusty and potholed, the buildings equally dpidated, and the townspeople just as gaunt and weary. As they entered the town, Leo¡¯s face fell further with every step. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be the central town,¡± he muttered, unable to hide his disappointment. Ben sighed deeply, shaking his head. ¡°It seems the neglect is widespread and not just limited to the outskirts.¡± The bustling markets Leo had envisioned were nonexistent. Instead, a few scattered stalls with minimal goods were set up haphazardly, with vendors looking defeated and uninterested. Children, instead of ying joyfully, huddled close to their parents, their faces marked by hardship, as they seemed to have been taught from an early age that the consequences of running away from elders on their own could be dire. As they made their way through the town, Leo noticed that even the central square, which should have been a ce of gathering and vibrancy, was nearly deserted. A few people lingered, but their conversations were muted and filled withints. Then, they saw it. The pce¡ªor what was supposed to be the pce. It stood in the center of the town, a crumbling shadow of what Leo had imagined. The once grand building was now a dpidated structure with broken windows, overgrown weeds in the garden, and walls covered in moss and cracks. Looking at that building, Leo stopped in his tracks, tears of sadness dropping from his eyes as the disappointment hit him like a wave, washing over him in a crushing realization. ¡°This¡­ this is our pce?¡± Leo whispered, his voice breaking, as the million dreams that he had been weaving for weeks now felt crushed in an instant. Ben stared at the pce, his eyes equally as wide with disbelief. ¡°Is this some sort of cruel joke? Where¡¯s the grand entrance? The majestic halls? This looks like a haunted house!¡± Walking up to the pce gate, Ben kicked a loose stone lying outside as he said ¡°We were supposed to live like kings! Instead, it looks like we¡¯re stuck in a horror story! What¡¯s next, a ghost butler?¡± It was a rhetorical question, one that was asked out of frustration and not out of happiness, however, as Ben asked this question, a pale and ghostly looking butler did indeed emerge from within the pce. ¡°Greetings my Lord, I have been expecting your arrival¨C¡± the man said in the most emotionless tone possible, giving both Ben and Leo a sudden jump scare. Chapter 301: Chapter 301: Chapter 301: A bad situation As Leo and Ben stood before the dpidated pce, a pale and ghostly looking butler emerged from within the shadows of the crumbling building. The sight of him gave both Leo and Ben a sudden jump scare. ¡°Greetings, my Lord. I have been expecting your arrival,¡± the butler said in the most emotionless tone possible, as his tone only added to his aura of being more of an undead rather than a vibrant human being. For a while Leo was stunned, however, he soon regained hisposure and stepped forward. ¡°Hello, I am ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the new Baron of CrestHill. And you are?¡± ¡°I am Gregory, the head butler of this estate,¡± the man replied with a slight bow. ¡°Please, allow me to give you a tour of your new home.¡± Leo and Ben exchanged nces, their expressions a mix of curiosity and dread as they followed Gregory through the broken gates and into the pce. As they walked through the halls, the full extent of the pce¡¯s decay became evident. The walls were covered in cracks and moss, and the floors creaked under their weight. Broken windows allowed the wind to howl through the corridors adding to the eerie atmosphere and paintings that would have once adorned the walls seemed to be either stolen or vandalized, as only square patches of brighter paint seemed to remain over the walls where Leo assumed once a painting would have been hanging from. ¡°Wow¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, looking at the sorry state of the estate as he suddenly felt as if the motels that he and Ben stayed at within the capital, were much more luxuriouspared to this pce. ¡°And this my lord is the servant¡¯s quarters¡­ This is where myself and some other servants of this estate live¡± introduced Gregory as he presented the only part of the estate that did not look like a ruin, perhaps due to regr maintenance. Within the servants quarter were a few notable figures, whom Gregory began introducing one after another. Firstly there was Martha, the head cook, who was slumped over in a chair, half-asleep. Edward, the gardener, who was nowhere to be found initially, and eventually when he did appear, he was covered in dirt and looked more like a beggar than a servant. Then there was the maid, Eliza, who was sort of pretty? However, herck of personal hygiene and chatty personality instantly turned Leo off. And finally, there was a small bellboy who was Gregory¡¯s assistant called ¡®Meep¡¯, who was a mute and most likely under the legal age for working. At that moment, Leo could hardly believe his eyes. ¡°This¡­ this is my staff?¡± he muttered to himself, as he felt his dreams of sitting in his luxurious garden and being fed carefully peeled grapes by his maidsing crashing down upon him. ¡°Is this my retirement home?¡± Mumbled Ben, as his dreams of living a retired life seemed toe crashing down as well. Finally, after showing the servants quarters, Gregory led them to what was supposed to be Leo¡¯s study. The room was small and cluttered with dusty books and broken furniture and was a far cry from the grand and elegant office Leo had envisioned. ¡°This is your office, my Lord,¡± Gregory said, motioning to a rickety old desk. ¡°From here, you can manage the affairs of the Barony.¡± Leo sighed and sat down at the desk, the chair wobbling precariously, just like Leo¡¯s fragile mental state after inheriting this sheer mess. ¡°Alright, Gregory. Show me the geography of the Barony. I need to understand what we¡¯re dealing with.¡± Leomanded, as he steeled his heart to witness what exactly he was dealing with here, so that he could estimate the time it would take him to turn this ce around. Nodding, Gregory looked for an old map within the study and after finding a tattered old map stashed in a far corner, he unrolled it on the desk. ¡°This, my Lord, is CrestHill Barony. Here is Dustbrook Vige, from where you must have arrived. DustBrook vige is the worst economic region of our territory known for its poverty and high crime rate. Then there is the central town of Berkshire, where we are now. It is thergest settlement but suffers from the same issues as Dustbrook. We have norge merchant trading groups trading with us here, and most of the local trade is controlled by local mafia, who sell goods at an unreasonably high price¡± Butler Gregory began, as he covered the two regions of the Barony that Leo had already seen first. Then he pointed to another small dot on the map. ¡°This is Fendy Vige. It is slightly better off than Dustbrook but still gued by poverty and neglect, however, it won¡¯t have open shit piles mounted near the streets like DustBrook as at least the public hygiene system is still functioning there¡± Leo leaned forward, studying the map closely. ¡°What about this area here?¡± he asked, pointing to a patch of barrennd covered with rocks and stones. Gregory¡¯s expression turned somber at this question, as he said ¡°That used to be the most fertilend in the Barony, ideal for agriculture. However, due to a severe drought in the eastern region for the past four years and no irrigation lines to artificially draw water to the region, thend has now bepletely barren and unsuitable for farming and is the main reason behind the region¡¯s food shortage.¡± Leo sat back in his chair, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. ¡°So, we have a Barony filled with poverty, crime, and barrennd. Is there anything at all which is unique or positive about these ces?¡± he asked, feeling extremely frustrated, as he hoped for some semnce of good news, however, his poor fortune denied him even a sliver of hope. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, my Lord. The Barony has been neglected for many years. It will take a lot of effort and resources to bring it to the prosperity level of the rest of the empire. Currently, we have nothing going well for us, however, we do sincerely hope that you can turn things around with your intelligence¡± Gregory said, as it was at this moment that Leo finally realized just how fucked he truly was. ¡°I have been scammed¡­.¡± Leo murmured, as he felt an intense wave of hatred emerging in his heart towards the East Duke at this moment. Chapter 302: Bad Situation (2) Chapter 302: Bad Situation (2) ¡°I have been scammed¡­.¡± Leo murmured, feeling an intense wave of hatred emerging in his heart towards the East Duke at this moment. ¡°I told you to beware of the noble¡¯s boy¡­. When a noble offers you something and it sounds too good to be true, it¡¯s probably some trap¡± Ben said, as he clutched his head in despair feeling as scammed as Leo did. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master¡­. I was a fool. I didn¡¯t even ask the East Duke to make me a Baron, he proposed it himself and then I was too caught up by his words to see through his schemes. I¡¯ve been scammed¡± Leo admitted, as he regretted making such a foolish mistake. ¡°What¡¯s done is done¡­ no point fretting over it, however, now the question is¡­ how shall we turn this shitty Barony into the dreamnd that we envision it to be?¡± Ben said, as he tried to keep up the optimism and figure out how they could transform this ce into their dreamnd. ¡°Alright, Gregory. Let¡¯s move on. Tell me about the financial position of the Barony. How do our finances look?¡± Leo said, trying to feed off Ben¡¯s positive energy and look for some positive news, however, Gregory¡¯s expression grew even more somber, when posed with this question. ¡°The financial situation, my Lord, is dire¡­. The sries of government workers have not been paid for thest one and a half years, prompting many to leave their posts. The current administration is in shambles.¡± Gregory said, as at that moment, Leo got up from his squeaky chair, picked up a small piece of wood and smashed it through the already broken ss window. *CRASH* ¡°Bloody hell! Is there anything decent about this ce?¡± Leo questioned, finally losing his calmpletely, as Gregory began trembling because of Leo¡¯s leaking killing intent. ¡°One and a half years? How has the Barony functioned at all?¡± Ben questioned, and then realized that the Barony had not been functioning at all. The piles of shit and the increased crime rate in the region were proof that the Barony¡¯s administration had not been functioning at all. Trembling, Gregory continued. ¡± The news only gets worse my Lord, the royal treasury does not have a single penny. In fact, the Barony owes the administration 150,000 gold coins in back pay and reparations.¡± Listening to these words, Leo clutched his head and slumped back in his chair as the weight of the information settled heavily on his shoulders. ¡°150,000 gold coins? How am I supposed to pay that off?¡± he questioned, as had he not received a significant chunk of money from Shane, he would really have found it hard to pay such an astronomical debt off. ¡°Additionally, within the pce staff themselves, such as myself and the other pce workers, we haven¡¯t received our pay for thest six months. As a result, we had to sell off the paintings within the pce to raise money for our sustenance.¡± Gregory reported, as Leo looked around the room, suddenly realizing why the pce looked even more barren than it should have. ¡°That exins the missing paintings,¡± he muttered, not ming Gregory for what he did in order to survive, since things did look pretty dire around these parts. ¡°So, not only do we have a Barony filled with poverty and crime, but we¡¯re also drowning in debt. This just keeps getting better.¡± Ben muttered, as he began pping his hands sarcastically in appreciation of the East Duke who had tricked Leo into this mess. Running his hands through his hair and feeling overwhelmed, Leo finally posted thest and most important question¨C ¡°Alright, Gregory. I understand the financial mess we¡¯re in. Now, what about our military position? Do we have any forces at all?¡± Leo asked, already anticipating a shit answer that began with ¡®I¡¯m afraid not¡­¡¯ However, he still asked Gregory the question, just for the sake of it. This time Gregory¡¯s expression did not change, remaining as grim as before as he said ¡°The military situation is just as bleak, my Lord. We have a small group of soldiers, but they are poorly trained and ill-equipped. Many of our experienced soldiers who had previously served in the army have now deserted due to theck of pay and proper equipment, and it is mostly the ex-military officials who have now set up the local mafia gangs that control the local markets¡± Leo nodded slowly, processing the information. ¡°So, we¡¯re defenseless as well. Great. Anything else I should know?¡± Leo asked, sarcastically, however, little did he know that Gregory would still bombard him with even more bad news after having already served the shock of a lifetime. ¡°There are also reports of bandit groups and rogue elements within the Barony. Without a strong military presence, they have be more brazen, andwlessness is on the rise.¡± Gregory said, concluding his report, as his words left Leo in shambles. It was almost like Leo hadn¡¯t inherited and with any sort of development, but was rather starting from a negative starting point. He had debt, no working infrastructure, no working militia and to top it all off, a problem with local gangs andwlessness. Even if he wanted to bring factories and industry to thisnd, he would first need to restore public order and the administrative structure which in itself seemed like a handy task. ¡°I¡¯m sorry master, but I think we will need to work hard in theseing days if we want to restore thew and order of this ce. It seems like the legend of Ben Faulkner can¡¯t rest yet¨C¡± Leo said, as he realized that if he wanted to restore the public order of CrestHill Barony, he would need to lend the legendary reputation of Ben Faulkner. ¡°Alright¡­. Let¡¯s fix this Barony in theing year and have a happy retirement life after¡± Ben said, as he decided to help Leo turn this ce around and earn his retirement through it. Chapter 303: Future Plans Chapter 303: Future ns ( The same evening, Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) Ben and Leo sat to have a cup of tea in the ruined pce gardens, as Martha, the head chef made the two a batch of fresh cookies and tea. Although the view was not as spectacr as they imagined, with the pce being in utter ruins. There was something about sitting inside a massive pce while being served tea by your personal maid, that still felt like nobility. ¡°Master¡­. How do you propose that we solve this problem? This Barony needs to be improved from the ground up and it¡¯s in such a messy position that I don¡¯t even know where to start?¡± Leo murmured, as he pinched his forehead in pain. The condition of the Barony was so messy that Leo felt confused on where to even start improving it? Which is why he seeked counsel from Ben. ¡°Boy, I think that the first step that we need to take to improve this Barony is to ssh money and a lot of it-¡± Ben said, as he contemted a strategy to turn this ce around. ¡°We need to start by paying off the administration¡¯s debt. Clearing the good-name of the Baron from the filthy tag of debt. Next, we need to start a region-wide recruitment drive, where we reduce unemployment down to 0 within the next week by giving everyone employment¡­¡± Ben proposed, as Leo nodded in understanding. ¡°Your n is the same as mine, master, I was thinking about implementing the exact same scheme. I¡¯m thinking aboutunching a recruitment drive where one can register for one of three positions. 1)City Administration :- If one is educated or has experience working in the previous administration, they can apply for an administrative job, where they will be paid 25 silver coins/ month starting sry and a 5 coins signing bonus immediately. This sry can go up to 50 gold coins/ month for upper posts. 2) Factory Workers :- The second option we will give to the citizens is to enroll as a factory worker for our uing units. There will be no education requirements for this role and we will provide all factory workers with a uniform and a signing bonus of 10 silver coins. As for the sry, I am thinking about paying them a per piece rate rather than giving them a fixed amount, so that the hard working workers are paid more and thezy ones make less. However, I assume that an average factory worker will be able to make 1 gold coin/ month at the minimum. 3) Soldier :- Since we have no security personnel whatsoever, I¡¯m thinking about recruiting soldiers as well, who will be trained and equipped by the state. For the soldiers, instead of paying them with money, I¡¯m thinking about assuring them with a meal three times a day and just a basic sry of 1 silver coin/ day while they are in training. For soldiers, I¡¯m thinking about rxing the education requirements to none at the start, however, I am hoping to make it more stringent as time passes on¡± Leo said, as he presented an borate recruitment n before Ben. ¡°I think this recruitment n is brilliant, boy, however, sshing too much money around is never a solution. Because if everyone has money, it¡¯s as good as no-one having money, as the purchase value of that money bes worthless¡± Ben warned, as he gave Leo a lesson in economics that he had just picked up from a book in the Baron¡¯s office a few hours ago. ¡°I know, master, which is why I¡¯ll make sure to supplement the money I¡¯m infusing into the economy by creating new avenues for themoners to spend money too. I¡¯m thinking about reviving the local merchant unions by giving them money and a percentage of profit to bring in fresh produce here daily from nearby markets. This way, we will make some money back from the money we give out as sries as we will own the grain marketpletely. This way, not only will we solve the problem of food shortages in the area, but we will also solve the problem of intion¡± Leo said, as Ben nodded in appreciation at his insights. ¡°Your n is brilliant boy, however, for it to seed we will need to send shockwaves through the Barony and create a major impact. Everyone within the Barony needs to feel as if you are their hero, their salvation and that with your arrival their stars have changed overnight, as only then can we expect massive turnout for your n¡± Ben suggested, as Leo pointed his index finger at his master in acknowledgement. ¡°You¡¯re right, master, and I have already decided how I¡¯m going to announce our grand arrival to CrestHill Barony¡± Leo said, as he smiled evilly under his mask. ¡°Oh? How?¡± Ben asked, as Leo took a sip of his tea, but said nothing. ¡°What is it boy? Why are you chuckling under your mask?¡± Ben asked again, as he could hear Leo¡¯s snickers under his mask, however, could not understand why his student wasughing like a madman. ¡°I¡¯m chuckling because it¡¯s going to be a fun day tomorrow for me and you, as we get to flex our daggers and takew and order in our own hands¡± Leo said, as looking at the murderous expression in his eyes, Ben understood exactly what Leo nned to do. ¡°HAHAHAHA, I like how you think, boy. Although murder is not the solution to every problem, it can surely solve a lot of them¡± Ben said, nodding in approval, as his own eyes began lusting for blood as well. ¡°Murder? That¡¯s such a low ss word master¡­ we are nobles now¡­ we only exact justice¡± Leo said, pping his hands into a ¡®namaste¡¯ sign as he reminded Ben that they were thew now. ¡°For justice!¡± Ben said enthusiastically, raising his tea-cup. ¡°For Crest-Hill Barony¡¯s bright and prosperous future¨C¡± Leo replied, raising his own. Chapter 304: Problems within the Empires Army Chapter 304: Problems within the Empire''s Army Chapter 304: Problems within the Empire¡¯s Army ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Demon Count Vaugn had given Eren a bunch of human texts such as the territorial maps of the Empire and more and asked him to trante them into Demon Tongue for the Demons to understand. As the days passed, Count Vaugn began releasing the true potential of Eren when Eren started to provide him with key insights about the Empire and its current state by tranting scriptures that the demons had captured from human territories over the years but were unable to understand due to thenguage barrier. Concepts like the human military structure and the ranks of officers serving within, were previously impossible to understand for the demons, however, with Eren¡¯s arrival, everything started to be crystal clear. The highest military officer within the Empire¡¯s forces was called the ¡®Chief Army General¡¯, who currently was a Master Swordsman by profession. Underneath the Chief Army General, were the four Vice Army Generals, who were all master level fighters as well. These Vice Army Generals, each served within a particr Dukedom, alongside the four Arch-Dukes, taking care of the Duke¡¯s army. Underneath these four Vice Army Generals, were the Field Commanders, whomanded anywhere between one to fourteen legions of soldiers. Each ¡®Legion¡¯ was further headed by a Legion Commander and consisted of anywhere from 20-50 squads. A ¡®Squad¡¯ was a term for a group of soldiers consisting of anywhere between 25-200 individuals and were headed by a squad leader. Finally, at the bottom of the food-chain were themon soldiers that made up the squad. Previously, when the demons took in prisoners, they were unable to negotiate a hostage transfer properly with the humans, as they did not understand the value of the hostage they were holding. A normal soldier was never going to be as valuable as a squad captain who was in-turn never going to be as valuable as a Legion Commander. Understanding the Empire¡¯s army structure was hence important for the demons, as only by understanding the enemy army structure could they then hope to understand just how many forces the enemy had mobilized for any given battle and what was the rank of the enemymander. ¡°This report is most excellent! All these years we never understood that the bald old man we captured from the North-War was actually a Legion Commander! Because he was old and his bones were brittle, we considered him to be an inferior quality ve, however, he turned out to be a hidden gem¡± Count Vaugn said, as he read Eren¡¯s break-up of the enemy military and realized that some of the ves that they had taken from the human territory were more valuable than what he assumed them to be. ¡°The Empire¡¯s military structure is corrupt, imagine being bestown military titles not because of merit in wars but because a noble named you the leader of his forces. *Ptui* You humans and your weakness disgust me¡± Count Vaugn said, as he read the bit in Eren¡¯s report where Eren exined how military officials were appointed within the Empire and it immediately disgusted the Demon Count. Unlike the demon society, where nobility and military titles were earned through merit rather than hereditary session, the human system operated differently. In theory, the Unity Empire boasted a singr, cohesive army under the Emperor, however, in practice, this was not the case at all. Each Kingdom within the Empire, such as the Elf Kingdom and the Beastmen Kingdom had a ruler of their own whom they called ¡®king¡¯ and these ¡®kings maintained their own independent army, separate from the main forces. When the unity Empire was being formed, one of the conditions put forward by the leaders of the myriad different races was the request to maintain their own armies so that they could protect themselves against oppression if the need ever arise, however, as a result of them having armies of their own, it lead to a situation hundreds of yearster where the Emperor¡¯s primary army was overwhelminglyposed of humans, with over 98% being human and the remaining 2% consisting of mixed breeds, highlighting a clear bias against the myriad races within the main army. With joint exercises between the Empire¡¯s forces and the Kingdom forces being minimal, the cohesive army was only cohesive on paper and not in practice, however, the woes of the Emperor¡¯s forces unfortunately did not end there. Contrary to the demon realm, the appointment of the four Vice Commanders in the Unity Empire was not based on merit but rather on the sole discretion of the Arch-Dukes who appointed them as these Vice Commanders also led the Arch-Dukes¡¯ personal forces, and ensured that peace and stability was maintained within the ¡®Dukedom¡¯ and not the Empire. Simrly, every noble under the Arch-Duke, including the Marquis, Counts, and Viscounts, had the authority to appoint a Legion Commander, with these Legion Commanders serving the dual role of protecting their noble¡¯s territory and acting as soldiers in the Empire¡¯s forces. This corrupt and useless hierarchical system extended all the way down to the Barons, each of whom had the right to appoint twenty squadmanders to secure their territory. As if this system was not bad enough already, it was only made even worse by the fact that army sries were paid by the nobles who employed them and not by the state, which inspired little to no feeling of nationality within the individual forces. This fragmented system meant that while the Empire¡¯s military structure appeared uniform on paper, it was actually a patchwork of independent bannermen who had all pledged to support one another in times of war, a pledge that was flimsy and weak at best and could easily be broken in times of duress. ¡°I had no idea that the Empire¡¯s forces were so fragmented and weak¡­. The Demon King will be most pleased when I present him with this news¡± Count Vaugn said, as he tossed a piece of juicy meat towards Eren as if feeding a dog, to signify a job well done. Chapter 305: Managing Expectations Chapter 305: Managing Expectations ( Cervantez, Luke, and Amanda¡¯s POV ) Cervantez felt a mix of delight and concern at Amanda¡¯s sudden arrival at the DarkSky Camp in Silverpine Barony. While he was happy to have her there, her unexpected arrival ahead of schedule posed a unique challenge for him. ording to Cervantez¡¯s ns, Amanda was supposed to absorb as much knowledge as possible from the old Granny before moving to the guild. However, with Granny kicking her out ahead of schedule, Cervantez was left with no choice but to take Amanda in ahead of the expected date. ¡°Look, of course, the DarkSky guild is your home, and we did intend for you toe here eventually. However, at this moment, the guild doesn¡¯t have a forging room ready for you yet. So, while you¡¯re wee to stay here, you will have to be patient for your own Smithy,¡± Cervantez exined, trying to manage Amanda¡¯s expectations. ¡°Oh,e on, Guildmaster! At the current rate of construction, the Smithy will still take over a month toplete. What am I supposed to do until then? Please divert some resources from other projects and have themplete the Smithy in under a week. I¡¯ll make sure to recoup the Smithy¡¯s production cost within the first three weeks of having it ready. I won¡¯t let you incur a loss,¡± Amanda pleaded, but Cervantez immediately shook his head in denial. ¡°Amanda, please try to understand. I cannot divert the guild¡¯s resources currently as we are already on a very tight timeline for all ongoing projects, which are equally important and financially constrained. You can either join the Smithy of a local cksmith temporarily or be patient for a month and wait for your own workstation to be ready. But I cannot elerate the process just because you showed up here a month early,¡± Cervantez reasoned, exining why he could not grant her request for additional manpower. Puffing her cheeks, Amanda turned her head from facing Cervantez to facing Luke, as she hoped that her status as Luke¡¯s roommate would help grant her some favor. ¡°Vice Guildmaster¡­.¡± Amanda said sweetly, giving Luke a knowing smile as she tried to charm him. ¡°Please help me¡± she said, batting her eyes repeatedly, as she tried her best to look cute and gullible to help with her request. ¡°No-¡± Luke replied coldly, as such childish tricks simply did not work on him. ¡°Cervantez is right Amanda, you need to wait for a month. Also, let me make this clear for you today itself, so that you don¡¯t harbor false hopes in the future. The forge that the Guild is making for you is not for you to make expensive pieces that sell for astronomical values in the open market. We are not looking to make money from you or your creations¡­. What the guild needs from you is mass produced armor and weapons that are reliable and can equip our army. As of now, we have decided to not burden you with a daily production quota and give you a free hand on how you want to work. However, if you can¡¯t produce enough pieces for the guild, we will start giving you a quota in the future.¡± Luke said coldly, as listening to his words Amanda only puffed her cheeks wider. ¡°You are a meanie and you are useless¡± Amanda said, pointing towards Luke first and Cervantezter, before storming out of the room. For a moment after she stormed off, Luke wondered whether he had been too rude or too cold, however, after introspection he realized that he did nothing wrong and that it was Amanda who was behaving like a spoiled kid. ¡°No wonder my younger brother has feelings for Amanda¡­. The two of them have the same temper¡± Luke murmured as Cervantez nodded in agreement. ¡°PinkLotus also has a cute temper¨C¡± Cervantez murmured, slipping momentarily, as Luke immediately questioned his statement with a ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cervantez repeated, realizing that he had slipped as he tried to write-off the topic by pretending that he never spoke those words. Although Luke did not press, he realized that Cervantez was a loverboy who was secretly in love with someone named ¡®PinkLotus¡¯, however, he decided to keep that information to himself like the gentleman that he was. *********¡¯ ( Meanwhile, The Uprising, Council Leaders chat. ) ¡°It¡¯s with great regret that I inform you all, that all attempts to make contact with the demons have seemed to end in resounding failure. The demons are a race of savages who only view humans as we view livestock. Our executive¡¯s that previously tried to make contact with demons have now been enved in their camps and are reporting witnessing pictures of unbelievable brutality and barbarism. It is their and the information collection department¡¯s joint conclusion that the demon¡¯s cannot be chosen as future allies to bring down the Empire, for they are not a force that can be reasoned with¡± The newly appointed information head of the Uprising said in the council leaders chat as he informed all other members that choosing to side with the demons was not an option. ¡°Are you sure the demon¡¯s cannot be reasoned with? Our goal to carve open the Empire would be much easier if we can ally with the demons who possess a lot of muscle power to defeat the Empire¡¯s forces. However, without them it will take us a longer time to achieve the same results¡± The head of human resources department said, as his reply reflected the sentiment of many. ¡°I would like to rify the goal of the upper council for all once again. The goal given to us by the upper council is not to ally with the demons or any other faction to bring down the Empire, but for us to LIBERATE the citizens from the oppressive rule of the Emperor. To push them to suffer from the tyranny of the Emperor to the tyranny of the demons is not a solution¡± ChaosBringer said, as he conveyed the motivations of the non-existent ¡®Upper Council¡¯, whose sole member was ¡®he¡¯ himself to the Lower Council consisting of the various heads. Thankfully, ChaosBringer had the good sense to not ally with the demons if they were truly barbaric and unreasonable, as he did not seek to secede the control of the Empire from one tyrant to another. Chapter 306: Justice Is Inevitable Chapter 306: Justice Is Inevitable ( The Next Day, Crest-Hill Barony ) Today was a special day for theizens of Crest-Hill Barony, as today was the day where Leo had decided to announce his appointment as the region¡¯s new Baron to themoners. As the first rays of the sun peeked past the distant hills to light up the morning sky, theizens of Crest-Hill Barony stirred awake, only to be shocked to see that the atmosphere outside on the streets seemed to be much calmer than usual and devoid of the daily morning mess. Asizens cautiously left their homes to fulfill their daily chores or report for work, they were surprised to see that the usual sight of bandits and militia shaking down the market vendors to pay uwful taxes, was reced by a secure calm that they had not witnessed for years. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there a gang-war on-going in some far-corner of Berkshire Town? Why are there no thugs on the market street today?¡± Amoner asked a street vendor who was cautiously setting up his stall with a big smile on his face. ¡°A gang-war? No! It¡¯s something much better¡­.. apparently a new Baron has taken up the administrative duties of this region and as his first act in office he has rounded up all the criminals at the city square¡± The stall owner said, as listening to his cheery words, themoner jogged in a hurry towards the town square to witness this unbelievable sight for himself. As he reached the town square, he saw a massive crowd of hundreds of citizens gathered there, murmuring excitedly yet in hushed voices amongst one another. Pushing through the crowd, as he eventually reached the front, the scene that unfolded before him shocked him to his core. In the town square, over a hundred criminals were tied up, their faces bruised and defeated, as irrespective of what gang/group they belonged to, they had all been rounded up and put up on disy at the town square for themon citizens to see. ¡°Holy shit¡­ Someone rounded up the zers Gang, the Turnip Gang, and the Queezy Gang too!¡± amoner eximed, unable to believe that some of the most influential gangs in the region, known for having the strongest members, had also been captured and beaten ck and blue. ¡°Who did this? Who has the balls to go after all the gangs at once?¡± Wondered themoner who had just arrived at the town square, as his eyes then moved towards the massive sign board that hung above the criminals. ¡°Justice Is Inevitable¡± The signboard said in bold and underneath the bold letters, there seemed to be two signatures. ¡®Ben Faulkner¡¯ ¡®Baron, The Boss ¡® ¡°Ben Faulkner? The legendary assassin Ben Faulkner?¡± themoner wondered aloud as upon reading the name of the legendary assassin, he finally understood who had the guts and the ability to round up all the criminal groups in the town in a single night. ¡°It¡¯s not just Ben Faulkner, apparently, his disciple, the winner of this year¡¯s Grand Tournament and the new Baron of this region, ¡®The Boss¡¯ helped too, as the two of them cleaned the town of its filth in a single night¡± anothermoner gathered at the towns square said, as he made sure to draw attention to the second signature on the board as well. ¡°This filthy town has a new Baron?¡± Muttered a thirdmoner aloud, as he could not believe his ears that a Baron had actually epted to administer this shitty Barony. Slowly, as the sun gained elevation in the sky, more and more townsfolk began gathering at the town square, drawn by their curiosity and astonishment regarding this unexpected situation. ¡°Is this real?¡± an elderly woman murmured, clutching her shawl tighter around her frail shoulders. ¡°I must be dreaming,¡± a shopkeeper muttered, rubbing his eyes. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡± ¡°The Boss?¡± a young man asked, eyes wide with confusion. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but whoever it is, they¡¯ve done something amazing!¡± another replied, awe evident in his voice. ¡°These thugs have terrorized us for years.¡± The once oppressive atmosphere of the barony seemed to lift slightly as hope began to flicker in the eyes of themoners. For the first time in years, they could walk through their streets without the fear of being osted or robbed. Children, who were usually kept indoors for safety, peeked out from behind their mothers¡¯ skirts, their eyes wide with wonder. Vendors, tentatively setting up their stalls, exchanged nces of disbelief, as if expecting the criminals to break free at any moment and resume their reign of terror. One man, known for his dailyints about the state of the barony, stood ck-jawed, unable to form words. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± he finally managed. ¡°Looks like we might actually have a chance now.¡± A woman burst intoughter, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Look at them!¡± she pointed at the criminals. ¡°All tied up like pigs for ughter. It¡¯s about time!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this ¡®Boss¡¯ fe?¡± a burly cksmith asked, scratching his head. ¡°A new baron? Never heard of him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care who he is,¡± a young mother said, holding her child close. ¡°If he can do this, he has my support.¡± What started as hushed voices and fearfulments, soon evolved into open insults and an expression of repressed emotions, as once themoners gained faith that the thugs were not going to break free of their bonds andsh-out at them, they began expressing their wrath that they had been holding back for years. ¡°You caused my young child to die of impoverishment! You and your high food prices caused him to die!¡± ¡°You thugs are a cancer for this Barony! You live like kings here while we can¡¯t afford a meal two times a day!¡± ¡°You robbed my purse the other day! It contained my sry for the week! Without that money, I had to starve for three days straight!¡± Throughout the Barony, whether it was the viges of DustBrook and Fendi, or the central town of Berkshire, themoners gathered at the vige/town square and let out their repressed anger on the thugs that terrorized them, while simultaneously praising the new Baron who had rounded them all up. They had not expected to wake-up to such a scenario even in their wildest dreams, however, because they were suddenly greeted by such a scene, they became shocked and hopeful regarding their future, which provided Leo with the perfect opportunity to introduce himself to the masses. ¡ª¡ª- Chapter 307: Leos Introduction Chapter 307: Leo''s Introduction Chapter 307: Leo¡¯s Introduction Leo stood by the edge of the town square for hours, blending into the background as he listened intently to themon people talk as they vented their frustrations towards the criminals. He did so, because he wanted to hear theints and frustrations of the townsfolk firsthand, so as to better understand the fundamental problems affecting their daily lives. As he absorbed their voices, each grievance andment expressed by themoners painted a clearer picture of the challenges that they faced on a day to day basis, as only after he felt like he had truly grasped their struggles did Leo finally decide that it was time to step forward. With a deep breath, he walked up to the center of the square and, with a steady voice, introduced himself as the new baron. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen¡­.. I am The Boss, the newly appointed Baron of Crest-Hill Barony¡± Leo said, in a crystal clear voice, as he stood in front of the rounded up criminals and introduced himself to the masses. ¡°As you can see from my robes, I¡¯m not a thorough born noble. I wear ck robes that help me blend in the shadows and I¡¯m a fighter and not a politician by profession¡± Leo said, as he candidly admitted his ws before talking about any of his merits, so that nobody could fault him for his appearance and demeanorter on. ¡°As a fighter, I¡¯m decisive by nature, and yesterday as I arrived at this disastrous Barony, I noticed that it was a ce gripped with crime, poor hygiene and a generalck of hope. So I decided to change that¡± Leo said, as he turned and pointed towards the criminals behind him. ¡°Alongside my master, the recently acquitted man, Ben Faulkner, I rounded up all the criminals in this town and beat them ck and blue, in what I intend to be their first andst warning. Today, I intend to pardon all previous wrongdoers in this region who have notmitted any serious crimes, of all previous offenses. However, I¡¯m not a merciful man by nature, so forgiving them is not an act of weakness, but rather a chance I¡¯m offering them at salvation. Not just them, this is a chance I offer all the people in this Barony, for today is thest day where any crimemitted, no matter how small, might go unpunished in this territory. For the penalty of indulging in crime within MY Barony from now on, won¡¯t be just a beating and a public humiliation session, it will be simple death as I intend to rule this Barony with an iron-fist, and a no tolerance policy on crime¡± Leo said, as he delivered his words with absolute ruthlessness and authority, leaving no room for themoners to doubt his resolve. ¡°As things stand. I have inherited an administrative debt of 150,000 gold coins, which I intend to pay off using my own money. Yes you heard that right. I¡¯m going to reach into my own pockets to pay off 150,000 gold coins that the Barony owes in back-pay, and clear its debts for once and for all and I¡¯m doing it because I want to start off with a fresh te. Me taking office as Baron, marks a new era for this Barony and in my rule, I intend to turn this barren, crime filled, shit smelling town to the most prosperous district in Eastern Dukedom¡± Leo said, as he shocked themoners by dering that he was willing to pay off the administrative debt using his own money, when they all knew that he wasn¡¯t obliged to do so. This selfless action by Leo, shattered their world-view about nobles who they assumed were all selfish and greedy and helped them believe in Leo¡¯s im that his reign marked a new era for this Barony. ¡°I will provide high paying jobs to EVERYONE. Everyone will be employed by the state and everyone will bepensated for their hard work. I will make food costs affordable again and I will make the streets hygienic enough to live again. I promise to implement this change starting tomorrow, and if every single one of you cooperates with me, then within one month, we will be able to change the entire outlook of this town into something that outsiders will be unable to recognise¡± Leo said, as he spoke those words with such passion that even the elderly residents of the town, who had long lost their desire to improve their living conditions, felt a fire burning in their chest which yearned for change. ¡°On this pole here, I¡¯m attaching a document that details the new job openings that I have decided to create and the signing bonuses and employment benefits that I wish to provide to everyone taking up that job offer. Above it, I¡¯m attaching another document, which details what offenses will now be considered as ¡®Grave Crimes¡¯ within this territory, and the punishment that I have decided is fitting for those crimes. After I leave this square, I hope that everyone in this town reads these rules andmits them to memory, for tomorrow these rules will go into effect and I will show no mercy to those that break them. With or without your support, I¡¯m going to turn the fate of this territory around and you can choose whether you wish to be a part of that change or the thorn trying to prevent it, however, regardless of what choice you make, change ising to this territory. In Fact the change has already arrived, for, I, The Boss, am here¡± Leo said, as he hammered two documents to the pole that stood at the center of the town¡¯s square, before vanishing into the wind, as he left the townspeople alone to digest the threats and promises that he had just made. Repeating this same speech in both the DustBrook Vige and Fendy Vige, Leo ensured that his arrival was announced throughout the Barony and that all the residents became aware about the nature and the personality of their new Baron. Chapter 308: Reactions Chapter 308: Reactions ( Themon people of Crest-Hill Barony ) Themon people of Crest-Hill Barony went intoplete shock after they met their new Baron in-person for the first time ever. Usually, it was easy to determine whether or not they liked an individual, however, Leo made everyone feel conflicting emotions across the Barony with his introductory speech. He was not like the other nobles who dressed up in regal robes and had a distinctly noble ent while speaking. However, themoners were not sure whether or not that was a bad thing, especially because none of those silver-spooned nobles ever gave a damn about the people of Crest-Hill Barony. His way of addressing the crowd was authoritative. He made it clear that he was going to transform the Barony to one that suited his vision, with or without the help of the people, and this roughnguage made many feel conflicting emotions regarding Leo. On one hand, they did not like his firm attitude which undermined their role in this process of change. However, on the other hand, they also understood the necessity for a leader to be headstrong, especially when taking charge of a region like the Crest-Hill Barony that was impossible to be run by weaklings. As a result, they could not fault Leo, however, they weren¡¯t endeared to him either, which left them in a weird limbo of feeling uncertain about what to make of the New Baron. However, while they could not make up their minds on whether or not they liked the new Baron, if there was one message that everyone understood loud and clear, it was the fact that Leo was not here to y games. Everyone who heard him speak live felt his energy and passion and realized that the new Baron was serious about reforming this region and to try and improve the living conditions of everyone living here. If nothing else, every single citizen could feel their hearts align behind this goal, as once Leo left, everyone walked up to the central pole and checked out the notice that he had posted there with keen interest. ¡°So basically the Baron has posted three different types of job openings. An administrative job, A manufacturing job and A military job. Every job has different qualification requirements and different starting bonuses and pay. To be fair, this is genius! It provides sries that are far more generous than the current household average, however, it will cost the Baron hundreds of thousands of gold coins a month to actually fund such a generous scheme¡± ¡°This is it! I¡¯m enrolling as a factory worker. I¡¯m tired of not being able to afford a meal for my family. If the new Baron is going to pay me a silver coin a day, I¡¯ll manufacture anything that he wants me to¡± ¡°I¡¯m signing up tomorrow itself for the new military job. I long wanted to secure our Barony, to rid it of the bandit groups. However I was too much of a coward to do it back then. However, with the new Baron around, I¡¯m willing to take that job and make sure that the power vacuum left behind by these criminal groups is not reced by a new one¡± ¡°I havepleted my primary education in Doraville City. If not for the poor health of my parents, I would currently be working in the capital city of StrongHaven, however, with a new administration job opening right here, I can perhaps explore my options to work in my birth town¡±. Leo¡¯s hiring notice attracted the attention of a lot of citizens, as the high signing bonus and promise of high sry, prompted many to sign up for the cause. Since the current job market in the town was already abysmal, with neither farming nor crafting providing citizens with a stable source of ie, the promise of a stable job was enough for many to sign-up. Currently there were many who still doubted the administration¡¯s ability to pay the promised sries, as there were a lot of instances of Baron¡¯s in the past who did not pay worker sries for months. However, with Leo¡¯s selfless act of promising to pay off the previous administration debt with his own money, there were many who were hopeful regarding his moral character. ¡°The new Baron is not like those old scammers ¡­. He said it himself, he¡¯s a warrior and not a politician! Warriors are noble and just. And I believe that he is too¡± Amonerplimented, as he seemed to bepletely sold on the idea of a new beginning. ¡°Yeah, he may be a ¡®just¡¯ and ¡®noble¡¯ warrior, however, look at the rules he posted¡­. They are not ¡®just¡¯, but simply tyrannical! How is peeing on the side of the street or dumping household waste in a nearby food dump a ¡®grave crime¡¯ ? What will a man do if he wants to take a piss urgently? Run home every time?¡± Anothermonerined, as he could not believe his eyes, that the punishment forpromising public hygiene was a fine of 500 gold coins, or one year in prison. ¡°If you have to pee urgently, then do it at your workce or at home. Men like you are the reason our streets smell like piss and we don¡¯t allow our kids to y in the open. I fully support the new Baron and his rules¡­. I won¡¯t live in a shit-dumpster any longer¡± A thirdmoner said passionately, as he refused to ept sub-par hygiene standards, now that things were finally changing for the better. Overall, Leo¡¯s announcement sparked a lot of heated debate and excitement amongst themoners, as while many were skeptical and many were hopeful regarding the Barony¡¯s future, Leo managed to sessfully aplish his mission of sending the whole Barony into a state of shock and to ignite the mes of hope in even the most skeptical hearts that maybe, just maybe, this new Baron who did not look like a noble, could perhaps change their destiny. Chapter 309: The Baron Life Chapter 309: The Baron Life ( Back at the Berkshire Baron¡¯s Pce ) After making his speech in all three towns, Leo finally returned to the Berkshire pce to take care of the paperwork necessary to put the recruitment drive for workers set to start tomorrow, into motion. Although he had never been a desk worker in his life, Leo diligently signed documents and looked over procedural details with George the butler, as he seriously settled into his new role as the Baron. ¡°This is not how I imagined my life to be at all¡­. I was supposed to sit back and eat grapes ¡­. Not work from a shoddy old office¡± Leo muttered as he signed a paper before starting to read the next one. ¡°I wasn¡¯t hoping to beat hundreds of thugs ck and blue in a single night either, but do you see meining about it? I was supposed to be retired, however, I¡¯m sitting here beside you, 100% sleep deprived, to provide you with some moral support, but do I seem grumpy to you?¡± Ben said, as he told Leo to stop with his whining without explicitly using those words. ¡°Oh right master, how did you do it? How did you round up all the criminals in a single night?¡± Leo asked, feeling curious as by the time that he had logged out of the game and logged back in, Ben had worked hard to round all the criminals up in his absence. ¡°Oh that? It wasn¡¯t much¡­..¡± Ben said, a proud smile spreading on his face as he massaged his shoulders. ¡°I just caught a couple criminals at first¡­. Disarmed them, broke their morals, then proceeded to break a few bones and then forced them to take me to their leaders or hideouts. Then I raided those hideouts, beat everyone inside ck and blue and asked them to reveal the location of rival gang hideouts. It took me about an hour to round up each gang, and by dawn I had captured them all¡± Ben said, as he casually dropped an epic dad lore that Leo was probably going to remember for decades. ¡°Hahaha, well that does sound like something you would do for fun, Master,¡± Leo said,pletely fanboying over Ben, as suddenly working on paperwork did not feel as bad as it did just a moment ago. Because of Ben, Leo got to share the credit of capturing the criminals in front of the masses and make his big speech sound like he was a tough guy. Although themoners were unlikely to ever find out the truth behind this incident, Leo himself knew that he did not have to lift a finger to restorew and order in his territory, because Ben Fucking Faulkner did it for him. ¡°Having you in my life is like having a cheat code master. You make life look like a speed run¡± Leoplimented, however, most of the words he used went over Ben¡¯s head, as he wasn¡¯t used to this sort of vocabry. However, although he did not understand what exactly Leo said, he did catch the emotions behind his words, as he responded with wisdom of his own. ¡°I¡¯ll always do the dirty work for you boy, which is why you must work hard on the legal work. I can¡¯t sit on a chair and sign documents and overlook welfare schemes. That¡¯s your job. So you must do it well and withoutints. Be a good Baron and soon you¡¯ll get both the grapes and the beautiful office you dream of¡± Ben advised, as he wished for Leo to be better than him and leave the dirty grunt work to him, while he focused on more nuanced issues bothering the upper ss. ¡°Aye sir¨C¡± Leo said diligently, as he started to work on the paperwork with a smile on his face, as he approved the cash funds to be sent to every registration station that he was going to set up tomorrow, so that every signee could receive the promised signing bonus tomorrow. Although a scheme seemed easy enough to implement on paper, when it came to actual execution there was a lot of nning and logistics that went behind it. For Leo to proceed with a sessful recruitment drive. He had to clear the back-pay for all administrative workers, get in touch with those who were still in the Barony and willing to work and then exin to them their roles for the next few days. Then he had to decide on the location of these recruitment booths and ensure that each one had enough paper, contracts and money to sign a legal contract and pay out everyone who signed one. From start to finish it was aplex process that needed a lot of paperwork to be done, which gave Leo a sneak peek into the daily life of a noble, as most nobles usually spent their days doing simr work. If given a choice between this sort of work or training on Mount Faulkner, Leo would have chosen training on Mount Faulkner 10/10 times, however, Leo understood that at this stage of his gaming career, being a good Baron was more important. In less than 35 days time, the demons were about tounch a big three front assault on the Empire and the game was only going to get progressively harder from there. At that time, being a Baron was going to help him significantly, as where themon yer struggled, he would thrive and increase his already widening skill-gap with them. ¡°I need to get the economy of this Barony on its own fucking feet fast and then proceed to building a stable army and defences around this ce. When the wares for me. I have to be ready for it¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he realized just how tight of a timeline he really was on. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Big notice for the month of July. Guys, for the month of July I have decided to go all in for trying and winning WSA 2024 with this book, so I¡¯m going to write 3 base chapters daily + bonuses, so we can potentially have 24-27 chapters released a week, or a whole volume in a month. My only request to you guys for July is, please try and re-buy the privilege early, because next month is going to be worth it and because it will really help with my unlock numbers. Chapter 310: Aftermath Chapter 310: Aftermath ( Meanwhile Julien D Evanus ) ¡°What did Ben Faulkner say at the end? That he knows where to find me?¡± Julien asked, curiosity gripping his voice as he questioned the statement that Ben Faulkner made at the end of the recent confrontation between the Virex Corps and him. ¡°Yes sir, my underlings have reported that Ben Faulkner has indeed threatened to kill you if you don¡¯t let him be, however, otherwise, it seems like he wants to live the life of a normal citizen¡± Cedric, the Leader of the Virex Corps and a Master Assassin himself said, as he reported the matter that unfolded between his underlings and Ben Faulkner directly to the Emperor. ¡°How interesting¡­. To think that even in his old age he is still as feisty as ever¡± Julienmented, as he rubbed his chin with interest. ¡°If you desire for him to be executed, the Virex Corps will have him killed within the end of this week my lord, even if I have toplete the mission myself,¡± Cedric said, as he tried to reassure the Emperor that he did not need to worry about Ben Faulkner¡¯s threats. ¡°No, there is no need to kill Ben Faulkner if he has really stepped away from the world of shadows. If he really has no affiliation to the Assassin Alliance and if they were really using his name in vain all these years, then Ben Faulkner was never as big of a problem as we thought him to be. I do not seek for the blood of an innocent man. Which he is after I pardoned his past crimes¡± Julien said, as he decided to not pursue Ben Faulkner anymore, if he really had no affiliation to the Night Guild or the Assassin Alliance. ¡°As you wish, My Lord¡± said Cedric, as he epted Julien¡¯smand without a second question. ¡°How is the girling about Cedric? Have you already given her a new identity and a new persona within your Virex Corps?¡± Julien asked, as Cedric nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°She¡¯sing about nicely, my lord. I think we have sessfully removed the persona of ¡®Lin Mu¡¯ from the surface world. There is only ¡®Victoria¡¯ left in this world now and she has the potential to someday be the next leader of the Virex Corps¡± Cedric said, as Julien expressed his pleasure over this development. ¡°She indeed is a talented one. Nurture her well Cedric, maybe one of my son¡¯s will appoint her as the leader of the Virex Corps in their tenure¡± Julien said, as he adopted a hopeful stance on Lin Mu¡¯s future. **************** ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) Several days had passed since Dem hadst seen Hord, and the absence of his right hand man bothered Dem Paltrow immensely. Dem¡¯s mental state was already unstable after the rough times that his guild was forced to endure, however, Hord¡¯s absence had recently pushed him over the edge to the throes of insanity. Last he checked, an underling reported that Dem was trailing Ben Faulkner¡¯s carriage in hopes that Ben Faulkner would lead him to the defector Lin Mu, who was responsible for the current dismal state of the Night Guild. ¡°Hord, you fool! I hope you are alive and have not foolishly confronted Ben Faulkner! That¡¯s not an opponent you can take down¡­. I¡¯ve told you this countless times and I hope your better sense has prevailed¡± Dem mumbled to himself, as he desperately prayed that Hord did not perform an act as stupid as trying to kill Ben Faulkner. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­. Hord. Lin Mu won¡¯t be hiding with Ben Faulkner¡­. I¡¯m sure of it¡± Dem mumbled, as although the entire organization that he had built was in ruins currently. He himself remained as sharp as ever. ¡°If it¡¯s the Virex Corps that liberated the Mu n, killing our experts and helping them settle in different parts of the Empire with new identities. Then it has to be the Virex Corps that¡¯s helping Lin Mu as well and has given her a new identity. If my guess is not wrong, then Cedric that leech won¡¯t be able to resist her talent, so instead of kicking her out of the empire like the snake that she is, he will nurture her like a Virex Corps member. A new name¡­. A new persona¡­.. But it will be the same old snake, Lin Mu¡± Dem mumbled, as he urately assessed the situation of the real world, although he was currently living in a safe-house that was cut-off from the outside worldpletely. ¡°I hope you return home soon, Hord, because I¡¯ll lose my mind if I lose you too. I¡¯m holding out here, biding my time only because I have faith that if we weather this storm, we will still be able to rebuild the night guild from the ashes of its destruction. However, if I lose you too, then there will be no hope to rebuild and then I will re-surface to destroy instead.¡± Dem said, as his thick killing intent began leaking from his body as he went on with his monologue. ¡°If you don¡¯t return Hord, then I¡¯ll no longer bide my time. I¡¯ll resurface and resurface to kill, bringing the fight straight to the Virex dogs. I¡¯ll kill Lin Mu I¡¯ll kill Ben Faulkner I¡¯ll destroy the Virex Corps. Or I¡¯ll die trying¡± Dem promised ominously, as he decided to wait a week more for Hord to return, or go rogue if he did not. Unfortunately, the leader of the Night Guild had no idea that let alone one week, even if he waited until eternity for Hord to return, his right hand man was never going to, as Ben Faulkner had buried him six feet under after the kid tried to spring an ambush on him. This meant that him going off on his revenge journey was a certainty and no longer a question of whether or not he was going to do it, for Hord was most definitely never going to return back to the base. Chapter 311: A cause for concern Chapter 311: A cause for concern ( The Unity Pce, StrongHaven City ) Almost as soon as Julien wrapped up his meeting with Cedric, he was called in for an emergency war council meeting by his information head Nysa, which prompted both him and Cedric to walk-over from the throne room to the war council room in urgency. By the time Julien reached the war-council room, he saw that his son Nathan was already in there sitting alongside Nysa, his information head and Commander Thalion, the chief-of-army for all his forces. Although Julien did not approve of Nathan¡¯s attempts to pretend like he was the crown- prince, since only the crown-prince was allowed to attend war-council meetings, he decided to let the matter slide just this once, since he did not wish to discourage ambitious behavior in his children as well. ¡°My Lord¡­.¡± ¡°Lord¡­..¡± ¡°Father¡­.¡± Everyone stood up in respect, as soon as Julien walked into the room, however, Julien did not care much for the formalities. ¡°Sit¨C¡± he said, not even taking a moment to soak in the greetings as after years of receiving them daily, he had grown quite numb to them. ¡°What is it Nysa? Why have you called for an emergency war council meeting? I hope you understand that Sir Cedric and Commander Thalion are very busy men¡­. I ho¨C¡± Julien started, however, he was forced to pause mid-sentence as he observed the man that showed up at the door of the council room. ¡°Apologies for beingte, my lord¡­. Flying is prohibited within the pce walls and I don¡¯t walk too fast¡± said a handsome man with a thick beard, as he walked into the war council room, holding a massive staff. ¡°Wee, Tower Master Zephyr¡­. I did not expect to see you here today¡± Julien greeted, as he eye¡¯d Nysa anxiously, wondering as to why she had invited the leader of the Mage Association to this meeting. Just as Julien thought, that they had reached full attendance, yet another important figure showed up at the door-step of the war council room, as he began by saying¨C ¡°Apologies for beingte, My Lord, I wa¡ª¡± ¡°Juste in ric, I don¡¯t care that you¡¯rete¡± Julien said, cutting the man off before he could make someme excuse. ¡°Thankyou for being so gracious¡± the man said, taking his seat within the council room, as it was his arrival that bothered Julien the most. ¡°So¡­. Nysa, mind telling me the reason behind why you have called for our chief military strategist, ric and Tower Master Zephyr to this meeting today? Because, unless all hell has broken loose, I don¡¯t see a reason behind bothering these fine gentlemen,¡± Julien said sarcastically, as he expressed his displeasure over Nysa having invited all these men to the war council room without taking his permission prior to the meeting. ¡°I apologize for having called for all the members of the war council without consulting you prior to the meeting, however, all hell has indeed broken loose My Lord. The demons have started to mobilize a massive army towards the Western Duchy, today¡± Nysa said, as her words immediately caused the atmosphere within the room to shift considerably. ¡°What do you mean the demon¡¯s have sent arge army towards the Western Duchy? It has not even been 3 months since they started to bother us on the Eastern Front¡­ but now they want to start a three-pronged war?¡± Asked Thalion, the master swordsman, who was also the Supreme Commander of all forces, with a frown on his face. ¡°Yes. This time the enemy has mobilized two demon counts and their full forces towards the west and they seem to be making rapid progress. They have already started to squabble with the nomadic barbarians that live to the west of our borders and are covering a lot ofnd fast¡± Nysa said, as her words caused the mood within the room to plummet. ¡°So what if the demons have opened a new front though? It just means that they are spreading their army even thinner than usual. There is a reason behind why no-one controls the region of the dense forest near the eastern boundary and the desert near the western boundary because the risk to reward ratio simply does not exist. The demons will lose 20% of their forces before they ever make it to our borders and even then, they will be forced to live in arid desert conditions with no reliable food sources, while we will hold them off from entering our territory. The western border is our most secure front¡­. Trying to break through from there is suicidal¡± Julien said, as he did not understand what the fuss was all about? There was a logical reason behind why the borders of the current Empire only stretched for as far as they did, because it only logistically made sense to control that muchnd. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the behavior of the Demon Army this time is different from what it was in the past,¡± Nysa said, as she finally began delving into the real reason behind why she had called for this meeting. ¡°The demons have always been stronger and physically superior to us, however, drunk on their savageness they never learnt how to use weapons, or practice the nuanced art of cartography. The demon army usually always takes a haphazard route to reach any location they wish to raid, which generally costs them to suffer many misfortunes, however, this time it seems to be different. This time, on their journey from the north to the west, they are taking only the most optimal path, which is least dangerous and are minimizing their needless conflicts with the barbaric nomads. Not only that, they have also started to make strategic demands on the north. Asking to exchange prisoners of equal value, as they seemed to have gained insight into our military structure and what soldier is considered what rank within our army. Our estimate is that the demons have came across a human that can speak ¡®Demon Tongue¡¯ and is now teaching the demons to read our maps and our ways, which is a cause for major concern for us, for a demon army that knows of our ways is the most dangerous opponents that we can ever hope to face¡± Nysa said, as her words sent rm bells ringing in the heads of everyone present in the room. Chapter 312: Dilemma Chapter 312: Dilemma ¡°Our estimate is that the demons havee across a human that can speak ¡®Demon Tongue¡¯ and that he is now teaching the demons the method to read our maps¡­ This is a cause of major concern for us, because historically, it¡¯s only the unorganized nature of the demon army that has given us humans the edge against them in warfare. If the demons be organized and learn how to use terrain to their advantage, then I fear for the future security of the Unity Empire¡± Nysa said, as her words caused everyone present inside the room to shudder. ¡°Hmmm, this is indeed a cause for great worry¡­¡± Julien said, as he finally understood the reason behind the emergency meeting. ¡°Historically, Demons have indeed been our biggest challenge. In the demon society, it¡¯s only might that makes right and hence only the strongest demons ever survive to adulthood. Compared to the human army, the demons are much more tenacious and blood thirsty by nature and it¡¯s harder for us to intimidate them, since they have all experienced the roughest of climates ever since they were born. The only reason behind us being able to beat back the demons during the first great war was because of the First Emperor who was a Grandmaster level fighter. And the reason behind us being able to hold on-to ournds is because of the chain of fortresses that we have constructed towards the northern border of our Empire, turning it to the most secure frontier of them all. For years we have believed that the demons do not understand how to read maps, which makes it difficult for them to traverse through the Eastern Forest and the Western Desert, however, if the estimate of the Information Chief turns out to be correct, and the demons do indeed learn how to read maps, it will prove to be challenging for us to hold them out of ournds¡± Commander Thalion said, as he expressed his view on this situation. ¡°But is it even possible? Can a human even learn how to speak Demon Tongue or can a Demon even learn how to speak ournguage fluently?¡± Julien asked, as all eyes turned towards the Master Mage Zephyr at this moment. It was a known fact within the Empire that the fanatics at the Mage Association often tried to study the forbidden magic of the demons and that there were some fanatics within his organization who had spent years trying to learn how to speak ¡®Demon Tongue¡¯. Hence, when the Emperor posed the question of whether or not it was possible for humans to learn demon tongue, all eyes naturally turned towards the master mage. ¡°The problem with Demon Tongue, is that it¡¯s a visualnguage and not purely an audiblenguage. You and I can understand the wordsing out of my mouth even with our eyes closed, however, the demons cannot. The same sound can have different meanings depending on the gesture that apanies it. For example, the word ¡®Hu¡¯ can mean ¡®death¡¯ , it can mean ¡®kill¡¯ and it can also mean ¡®dying¡¯. So based on the context and the gesture apanying, the sentence expressed by the demons can change from The enemy is dying. The enemy is dead. Or Kill the enemy. This makes the demonnguage especially difficult to learn, as the avable material to learn theirnguage is far and few, while there exists no official written records of the precise tongue that they speak. So for a human to perfectly learn Demon Tongue, I say it¡¯s a feat that¡¯s next to impossible, as unless they were brought up as a demon since they were a baby, they won¡¯t understand demon tongue at all. However, if they were brought up as a demon since they were a baby, then they would not know how to speak the human tongue either¡­ or learn how to read our maps, so for me the situation that the information head is proposing is a little hard to believe¡± Master Mage Zephyr said, as he expressed his disbelief in Nysa¡¯s theory. ¡°With all due respect to Master Mage Zephyr and his expertise, how does he exin the sudden understanding of our ways by the demons then? Because for generations prior to today, they showed noprehension, yet now they seem to have made significant strides in decoding our methods within a short timespan¡± Nysa protested, posing a challenging question that made the master mage frown. ¡°I do not know¡­. And I do not think that it matters how the demons have be more intelligent. I think that the more important question that we should all focus on right now is what are we going to do about this new and more intelligent enemy¡­. And how are we going to defend our borders against them?¡± Zephyr said, as he flipped the question asked to him to a question for the wider council. For a while, the room was enveloped in pin-drop silence which was eventually broken by the up-start prince Nathan. ¡°Father, may I?¡± Nathan said, raising his hand quite anxiously, as all eyes immediately turned towards the young boy. ¡°I have allowed you to sit¡­. But I haven¡¯t allowed you to speak, boy. This is not a stage where you can express your views. You are yet to earn that right¡± Julien said, as he refused Nathan his chance to speak, shutting him down in front of all the high ranking government officers. Shrugging back sheepishly, Nathan receded his hand as his head turned beet red. He was embarrassed at being scolded, however, he wasn¡¯t deterred. Him being able to sit inside this meeting was already a big bonus for him, as he had half expected to be kicked out before the meeting even started by his father. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have pushed my luck too far¨C¡¯ Nathan thought, as he regretted his decision to raise his hand in this council, when the masters were sitting back silently. Chapter 313: The Empires Strategy Chapter 313: The Empire''s Strategy Chapter 313: The Empire¡¯s Strategy After what felt like an eternity of silence, the man to finally break the dead-lock within the war council room was none other than the master strategist ric. After thinking about the predicament that the Empire was facing long and hard, he came up with a conservative n that allowed the Empire to better understand the strengths of their new and improved enemy before making any big moves. ¡°I propose that we start preparing for a long and arduous war. That we start storing food and grains en-masse and prepare a few evacuation and emergency strategies in-case we need to temporarily cedend to the demons. Of-course our first priority is to never let the demons into ournds, however, if they have indeed grown more intelligent, then holding them off at the far-off border viges will indeed be difficult. We need to strategically decide which strongholds are the most important for us to hold no-matter what and start reinforcing those areas immediately. Before we gain rity on the strength of the enemy and find a method to beat them back effectively, we need to first focus on reducing our down-side and secure the core of our Empire from being infiltrated by demons¡± ric said, as he very rationally proposed a n that would help bolster the human backlines in times of war. ¡°I second this idea¡­. The border viges have all been erected with the idea that they can be abandoned in times of war and turned into military encampments. As long as it¡¯s not a major town, I don¡¯t see a point in trying to defend it with all our might, so I agree with securing the more critical parts of our Empire first, so that the down-side of the demon invasion can be minimized¡± saidmander Thalion as he seemed to give the strategy proposed by ric his tactical approval. ¡°Is there anyone in this room who has a better idea than us having to cedend to the demons?¡± Julien said, sounding slightly disappointed, as he did not like the idea of even giving up a single square inch of Empirend to the demons if it could be prevented. However, as the entire war council agreed with ric¡¯s proposal, Julien let out a deep sigh and gave his tactical nod to this proposal. ¡°Start building lots of grain storages and secretly start purchasing grain in-bulk. Notify the Vicemanders to bolster our borders and to start digging up advantageous positions there in-order to hold off future demon attacks. Next, start migrating the citizens from the borders to more in-let regions and notify the local barons to provide them with proper food and shelter. Ramp up the production of iron-ore and start buying up weapons and armors from the local markets using Royal Treasury money. Stop the subsidy schemes¡­. Start saving money and prepare to raise the taxes. Let¡¯s hope that the situation never gets as worse as we expect it to get, however, let¡¯s prepare to the best of our abilities if it does indeed get there¡± Julien said, as once he understood the advise of his war council, he immediately realized the austerity measures that he needed to take, to keep the economy stable while also preparing it for the future disruptions that were going to take ce. Although Julien wasn¡¯t a war-tactician or a warrior, he was an excellent career politician who understood perfectly how an Empire should be run. In less than a minute, he devised a new set of austerity measures to safeguard the Empire in times of crisis, leaving everyone in the room inplete awe of his ability. ¡°Thalion¡­. Increase recruitment quotas in the army Empire-Wide, we need to recruit more soldiers into the army if we hope to fight the demons. Nysa, start monitoring the internal political situation within the Elf and Beastmen Kingdoms¡­. Let¡¯s ensure that they do not try and take advantage of this moment of the Empire¡¯s weakness to try and rebel against us. ric, start recognising potential strongholds where the demons can be restricted and start bolstering those regions immediately. Send imperial troops, send siege weapons, send money, grain¡­. Anything that they need to hold the demons off in that region, but make-sure that our strongholds are impregnable. Zephyr, suspend all on-going experiments within the mage association and recall all of your master mages to the capital. In-case we need you, the mages will be asked to assist the army in holding off the demons. Cedric, you will be responsible for setting up the hidden grain centers and the purchase of the war materials through the Virex Corps such that themoners do not panic in the short-term. I will not make an official announcement of war until the demons manage to take a few viges off our hands, however, let¡¯s hope that it neveres to that¨C¡± Julien said, as he distributed the short term roles that all the war-council members had to focus on. ¡°We will not let you down, My Lord¡± Cedric said, being the first one to respond, as following his response everyone repeated the same sentence as well. ¡°Good job finding about this Nysa¡­. Your informationwork is working well¡­. And I pardon you for going over my head for calling this meeting too. However, I expect that this does not be the norm¡± Julien said, concluding the meeting as he stood up from his seat, prompting everyone else to stand up as well. ¡°Thankyou for your praise and your mercy, My Lord¡­. I will indeed be more cautious in the future¡± Nysa said, epting her mistake, as Julien simply nodded to her before leaving the room. Once Julien left, everyone else began leaving one after another too, leaving only young Nathan behind in the war-room as he kept ncing longingly towards his father¡¯s chair. ¡®When will I be this cool andpetent?¡¯ Nathan wondered, as he could not wait for the time when he would one day be called Emperor. Chapter 314: Things We Do For Love Chapter 314: Things We Do For Love ( Back in the real world, the arc ship, sector D ) In a surprising turn of events for Leo, Amanda decided to take a day off from work today, using her MP to spend time with him instead. Having not discussed this impromptu break prior to this morning, Leo was pleasantly surprised when Amanda revealed her intentions to stay back in their apartment for the day and not head out to work, as herpany came as a wee relief from boredom for Leo. Amanda¡¯s choice to rx at home was driven by recent stress from the game, as she wanted to unwind and regain her bnce. However, Leo, unaware of her reasons, began to entertain wild ideas about her motives, wondering if he might get lucky today. Every passing day, thefort between himself and Amanda only seemed to increase bit by bit, as although they had not made any official advances towards one another, the flirty longing nces that they gave each other every morning had started to get bolder and bolder every passing day. Hence today, as Amanda took an impromptu break from work, Leo wondered if it was perhaps because she was thinking about taking the next-step and finally lock lips with him, however, he was disappointed to find out that it was actually to rant about her gaming life instead. ¡°You know Leo¡­. My master kicking me out of her house is a cause of great worry for me. She is very old you know¡­. And frail and has a bad case of Alzheimer¡¯s. I don¡¯t even know if her new nanny will take proper care of her or not? I know you might find it silly, however, I feel really attached to that game character as if she is my real grandmother¡± Amanda mumbled, as Leo pretended to listen intently to her words, although he actually had very little interest in her problems and was focusing on her small, cute, juicy lips moving instead. ¡°Yeah, I understand how you feel¡­. I also feel very attached to my master inside the game¡­.¡± Leo muttered, slipping and forgetting for a moment that it was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who had a master within the game and not Leo Skyshard. ¡°You have a master within the game? A master for what? Teaching you how to trade?¡± Amanda questioned, as she did not understand why a merchant would need a master in the first ce? *Cough* Noticing his slip-up, Leo immediately coughed and corrected his words, as he went on to make an borate story. ¡°Actually, although I¡¯m a merchant ss yer, I have a master who has taught me how to fight during the early stages of the game. The reason behind why I have excellent dagger skills is because I trained under a skilled warrior¡± Leo said, as he used this opportunity to lie to cover up for his previous lie of being Jin-Mu the assassin ss yer. ¡°Ohhh! So that¡¯s why you asked me to make a set of daggers for you although you are a merchant ss yer. Now I get it¡­. I had actually been wondering about this question for a while¡± Amanda said, nodding brightly as she felt like everything made sense now. ¡± *Cough*, ahem, yeah, don¡¯t let me distract you from your problems¡­. Please tell me all about them. I¡¯m here to listen girl¨C¡± Leo said, as he spouted words that he did not mean even 1%. Internally he truly couldn¡¯t wait for Amanda¡¯s rant to be over so that he could start flirting with her and enjoying his day, however, for the sake of not upsetting her and further his reducing his chances of flirting with herter on, Leo decided to brave his way through her rant as he pretended to intently listen to all her problems. ¡°So yeah, my master can die at any moment, and Cervantez won¡¯t even divert a few resources for me to make my Smithy faster. Can you believe it? I¡¯m a professional level yer! A professional level cksmith! I can make epic grade weapons that can cover the cost of constructing that Smithy within three weeks, however, he still won¡¯t do it. Also, you know what your brother told me? He told me that¡­..¡± Leo felt his brain shut-off listening to Amanda¡¯s rant, as he could not understand how the woman ssified this torture session as ¡®unwinding¡¯. Hardly pausing to breathe, Amanda keptining about a new topic every thirty seconds while asking Leo if he could believe it, twenty times in between. ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Really?¡± *GASP* Leo tried to give a new reaction every time, however, after a while he could not keep faking his energy anymore as his eyes started to droop and his mental capacity to listen to a person¡¯s rant reached its limit. At that point, he contemted changing the topic forcefully, however, thankfully just as his patience was about to expire, Amanda ended her rant of her own volition. ¡°So¡­ that¡¯s about it from my side, how is your gaming life going?¡± Amanda asked, concluding her rant, as Leo¡¯s eyes beamed back to life when he heard those words. ¡°My gaming life? Who cares about my gaming life¡­.. my real life on the other hand is going miserably for sure¡± Leo said, yfully as his tone invoked a sense of curiosity within Amanda. ¡°Oh? Why do you say so?¡± She asked innocently, as Leo slowly slid towards her, with a naughty smile on his face. At this moment, Amanda already got the vibes for what Leo intended to do, however, she did not feel repulsed by it. Pursing her lips, she began anticipating it instead, as she let Leo approach her as he wished. ¡°My real life is miserable, because every morning youe and wish me good morning and every morning I feel this intense urge to give you a slight smooch but can¡¯t. You¡¯re not my girlfriend after all, so how could I touch you like that¡± Leo said yfully, as he longingly stared at Amanda¡¯s lips. ¡°So¡­. What can we do to make your life less miserable?¡± Amanda asked, giggling innocently as she felt butterflies flying in her stomach in anticipation of what was about toe. Chapter 315: Leo X Amanda Chapter 315: Leo X Amanda ¡°So¡­. What can we do to make your life a little less miserable?¡± Amanda asked, giggling innocently as she felt apelling urge to kiss Leo as well. ¡°Well, we can¨C¡± *Thud* *Thud* *Thud* Just as Leo was about to make his move on Amanda, finally making their rtionship official, there was suddenly a loud banging on their apartment door. ¡°Huh?¡± Leo said, sounding distracted as he looked away from Amanda and towards the corridor. *Thud* *Thud* *Thud* The loud banging repeated itself, causing Leo to hesitate between ignoring the banging and continuing with his act, or getting up and answering the door. ¡°Coming¨C¡± said Amanda, as she ruffled Leo¡¯s hair and stood up, effectively killing the vibe, as at that moment the amount of frustration that Leo felt was indescribable. Clenching his fists, Leo muffled a scream, as he opened his mouth as wide as possible and pretended to scream, however, muted the volume to note off as a whiny bitch. After having endured Amanda¡¯s rant for hours, he had finally thought that this was going to be his moment, however, unfortunately, instead of getting to kiss Amanda, he found himself interrupted and the chance of kissing Amanda slipped away like sand through his fingers. *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* The banging on the door felt like the universe mocking him, leaving him on the brink of something he¡¯d wanted for so long, only to be left hanging, unfulfilled and seething. ¡°Who the fuck is it? Whoever interrupted me today is definitely getting a piece of my mind¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he got to his feet and marched towards the door angrily. *Click* As Amanda answered the door, Cervantez frowned at her from the other side, his eyebrows raised in displeasure. ¡°What took you so long? I¡¯ve been banging the door for 30 seconds now¨C¡± Cervantezined, as he entered the apartment, only to see a red faced Leo ring murderously towards him. ¡°OF COURSE IT HAD TO BE YOU¡± Leo screamed in frustration, as at that moment Leo felt a genuine urge to reach for his non-existent dagger belt and take a sh at Cervantez¡¯s throat. ¡°Yeah of course it had to be me¡­. I¡¯m her guildmaster afterall?¡± Cervantez said, sounding confused as he pointed towards Amanda and the rtionship between them as guildmaster and guild member. ¡°Agh I can¡¯t¡± Leo said angrily as he stormed off into Luke¡¯s room and closed it shut. Looking at his antics, Amanda chuckled out loud as she found Leo¡¯s frustration to be extremely endearing. Although she too felt slightly sour at being interrupted, the joy of watching Leo suffer at wanting her so badly made her feel much better about the situation. ¡°What happened to that wacko? Why is he acting like a spoiled princess today?¡± Cervantez asked, feeling genuinely confused as Amanda chuckled louder in response. ¡°Huh?¡± Cervantez asked in confusion, as it was at this moment that he realized that he had perhaps walked in at a bad time. Recalling how Leo had messy hair and a flushed face when he first walked in, Cervantez finally pieced all the information together, as he then proceeded to take a close look at Amanda, who had a sweaty skin and a slightly flushedplexion as well. ¡°Ohhhhhh¡± Cervantez said, now feeling guilty for walking into their apartment at such a bad time, as he felt genuine pity for Leo at this moment. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave then¡­. I had only came here to check in on you after ourst conversation within the game. My deepest apologies to you and that brat for ruining your private time¡± Cervantez said, as he expressed his heartfelt apology before taking his leave from the house. ¡°It¡¯s okay guildmaster¡­. Please don¡¯t worry about it too much¡± Amanda said brightly as she waved Cervantez off, before yfully walking towards Luke¡¯s room. ¡°Hey¨C, The Guildmaster is gone and I¡¯m still up to find the solution to your miserable real life problem if you are¡± Amanda said, trying to cheer up Leo, as listening to her voice he immediately opened the door to Luke¡¯s room and walked out with a sexy smile on his face. ¡°Fuck your guildmaster¡± Leo said, as he aggressively pinned Amanda against the corridor wall and leaned in for a kiss. *Smooch* Their lips met in a fiery kiss that ignited every nerve in their bodies, the duo had long wanted this within their hearts, however, with Leo being too shy and Amanda not wanting to rush things, they had not taken this final step until now. Lost in the moment, Amanda wrapped her arms around Leo¡¯s neck, pulling him closer as their bodies pressed together. *Mmmm* The kiss deepened, an electric current flowing between them as each moment seemed to be building with intensity until they were left breathless and exhausted. *Pant* *Pant* Breathless, they finally pulled away, gazing into each other¡¯s eyes passionately as they gasped for air. ¡°D-does this mean we are official now?¡± Leo asked, as Amanda giggled and nodded her head. ¡°This means we are official now. Leo Skyshard¡­.. This kiss means that you are no longer allowed to take any other woman as your side bitch in this life. All those hoes craving for you in sector D can keep craving¡­. For you are mine and mine alone¡± Amanda said as she dug her fingers in his hair and pulled him in for another passionate kiss. *Smooch* Leo felt pure Euphoria at this moment. After his mother and brother, this was the first meaningful connection that he had formed with someone, and putting an official tag on it felt amazing. He had dreamt about this moment for several weeks now, however, fearful that it might ruin his friendship with Amanda, he never made the final move. However, slowly by testing the waters, he grew more and more assured that she too wanted the same thing as him, until today that his dream finally manifested into reality. Chapter 316: Recruitment Day Chapter 316: Recruitment Day ( Next Day, Terra Nova Online, The Crest-Hill Barony ) An interesting scene unfolded within Crest-Hill Barony on this day, as long lines of citizens looking for better paying employment, cluttered the small recruitment booths set up by Leo. A total of eight such booths had been set-up by Leo, with four of them being set up within Berkshire Town, and the other four being equally divided between Fendi Vige and DustBrook Vige. However, regardless of which recruitment booth one visited, they were greeted with the same picture of long queues of citizens waiting for their turn to get themselves registered into Leo¡¯s new workforce and get their hands on a new job and a new source of money. ¡°Please state your name, and what type of job you are seeking?¡± The registration officer, whose backpay Leo had cleared just yesterday asked, as he conducted himself with utmost professionalism. ¡°Me name is John, John Biggs ¡­. Me has not formally studied before, so me can only take up a factory worker job. However, before me epts this job, I wish to know what the job is, because me does not want to be a miner or any worker who works a physically demanding job¡± said John Biggs, who was an uneducatedmoner who used to make a living previously by collecting and selling timber during the winter. ¡°Well John, rest assured, you will not be forced to do manualbor, but will be instead given a proper job within a proper factory. If you sign up today, the Baron will give you 5 silver coins as a one time signing bonus and a monthly sry on the 5th day of the month every month from now, depending on how many days you show up to work. If you work hard, you will be paid more and if you work less you will be paid less, however, regardless of how much you work, you will still surely be treated fairly and with respect¡± The registration official said, as he enrolled John Biggs into the workforce and handed him his one time registration money. As John got his hands on the 5 coins of silver, he began weeping tears of joy then and there, as by receiving such an astronomical sum of money at once, John felt like he had been blessed by the ultimate kindness. ¡°Thank you¡­. Thank the Baron¡­.. bless him, and bless his seven generations ¡­. I will surely work hard and repay his kindness someday¡± John said, as he moved on from the registration booth, letting the next candidate walk up to it. ¡°Aye! Johnny boy! Did you get it? Are they really handing out 5 silver coins to register as a Factory Worker or was it a scam?¡± ¡°Aye! Johnny Boy! Why are you crying? Did the polling officer abuse you?¡± As John moved away from the registration booth, some of his colleagues who were eagerly watching him sign up bombarded him with questions as they felt curious to know if this was a scam or not. However, John¡¯s reply to their questions utterly shocked them. ¡°It¡¯s not a scam! I got the money¡­.. The new Baron is our savior! From today onwards I¡¯m his staunchest supporter and if anyone dares to badmouth the Baron in my presence, then I promise to personally beat the snot out of them!¡± John dered, as his emotional yet passionate reply shocked his colleagues. ¡°If it¡¯s not a scam then it¡¯s a once in a lifetime opportunity! Let¡¯s grab it while it¡¯s still possible to avail. Praise the New Baron! Praise The Boss¡± ¡°Free money and long-term job security? Too good! This offer is too good!¡± Themoners said, as more and more joined the registration queue. *********** As Leo strolled through Berkshire Town on registration day, the transformation in the atmosphere was palpable. The town, notorious for its crumbling infrastructure andck of basic sanitation, remained virtually unchanged. Potholes still marred the streets, and public facilities were scarce. Yet, a profound shift had urred, not in the physicalndscape, but in the spirit of its people. Just days ago, the townsfolk wore expressions of resignation and despair. Their faces were etched with the struggles of daily life and their eyes looked dull and lifeless. However, today, as Leo observed the lines forming outside the registration stations, he was struck by the vibrant energy that seemed to pulse through the crowd as hope seemed to have reced hopelessness. Where there had once been weariness, there was now anticipation, as themoners, who had been weighed down by the harsh realities of Crest-Hill Barony, seemed to stand taller today, their faces alight with a newfound vitality. It was as if the mere act of gathering for registration had ignited a spark within them¡ªa belief that change was possible. Leo understood that this shift in public spirit was not merely about the administrative process and that it was more about the potential that themon people felt for a better future, one where they actually had a fair shot of seeding in life, and one that Leo had started to symbolize. His presence in the barony had stirred something deep within themunity, rekindling an emotion long absent¡ª which was ¡®joy¡¯. This joy was cautious yet unmistakable today within allmoners, as Leo could observe a flicker of light in the eyes of thosemoners, that had been cloudy and dull for far too long. As he moved among the people, Leo felt their hope intertwining with his own aspirations for the town. He saw it in the smiles exchanged between neighbors and in theughter of children who sensed the change in the air. This was more than just a registration day; it was a testament to the enduring spirit of amunity that had refused to be broken. At that moment, Leo realized that while the physical transformation of Berkshire Town would take time, the rejuvenation of its people had already begun. Chapter 317: Surprised White Merchant Representative Chapter 317: Surprised White Merchant Representative ( Tommy¡¯s POV ) Tommy was the regional manager appointed by the White Tiger Merchant Group, to be the person who was their main point of contact in Crest-Hill Barony, to overlook their very important regional operations. Having already been briefed about the importance of this project and the necessity of starting production as soon as possible, Tommy traveled to Crest-Hill Barony with a heavy chip of expectations ced on his shoulders. He was a rtively young executive within the White Tiger Group, one that was not considered a member of the ¡®Senior¡¯ board that sat alongside Shane in his office everyday, however, this very important job was still entrusted to him because the upper management seemed hesitant to ept it. The Crest-Hill Barony was a ce known for its poor quality of life andck of basic facilities, hence although being a regional manager working with the Mount Faulkner Trading Company was an opportunity of a lifetime, there were not many within the White Tiger Group who were eager to pounce on it. Alongside Tommy, traveled a crew of several dozen private mercenaries that were deployed to ensure the safety of White Tiger Group operations within the crime-filled area, and thousands of specialized construction workers that were under contracts to quickly set-up the factories necessary to start production. ¡°I hope nobody foolishly tries to rob our procession as we make way through DustBrook town¡­.. reports suggest that bandit activity is especially bad within that region¡± Tommy muttered to himself, as his group passed the tunnel of ambush and got incredibly close to reaching DustBrook Vige. For Tommy, expectations of Crest-Hill Barony had been set to extremely low, as during his mission brief, he had been especially made aware of the challenges that he might need to face during his deployment in the region, which was why Tommy felt shocked at the sight that unfolded before his eyes when he actually arrived at DustBrook Vige. Although the infrastructure and road quality was just as bad as rumors suggested it to be, there was no crime in sight and no bandit group that seemed to actively terrorize the citizens on the streets. Everytime that he made eye contact with amon citizen from his carriage, they seemed to smile brightly towards him and wave their hands in joy, which was in stark contrast to what he expected to see. ¡°Yuck! This is gross¡­ I can¡¯t believe we had been living in such filth for so long ¡­. This pile of household waste definitely needs to be moved to thendfill site ¡­ it cannot be left in the open¡± ¡°I do not like living in such filth, however, I never thought about actually cleaning this area with my own hands. However, knowing how our new Baron is especially strict about cleanliness, I suddenly felt like cleaning this pile of garbage today, just for his sake, however, I could never have thought that so many of you feel the same way¡±. ¡°Of course I¡¯m doing this for the new Baron too! He gave us all money and new jobs and even paid off our region¡¯s debts with his own money. He is our savior and if he doesn¡¯t like the garbage piles, then the least that we can do is clean our own vige for his sake¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just for his sake, it¡¯s for our own sake too! He rounded up all the criminals and rid our streets of all the crime. The least we can do is clean the stationary filth¡± Tommy felt shocked as he witnessedmon citizens voluntarily cleaning massive garbage dumps from the side of the streets that looked like they had been collecting dust there for decades now. This mass-wave of public galvanisation was unlike anything that he had expected, as the public spirit seemed to be at an all time high at the time of his arrival. ¡®The new Baron seems to have be the Messiah of themon people although he has only arrived at this Barony a couple days ago. The report that I received regarding the new Baron during my mission briefing was that although he is a great warrior, he is a fool when ites to matters of politics and economy, however, the reports seems to be hastilypiled. The man is clearly a genius if he can change public sentiment this heavily in such a short time¡¯ Tommy thought, as he felt certain that the reports that he had received regarding ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were most likely wrong. ******** ( About 90 minutester ) About 90 minutester, Tommy finally reached the Town¡¯s Square within Berkshire Town, where he got to meet the enigmatic merchant ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ who had been expecting his arrival. ¡°Hello, Mr. Leo, I¡¯m Tommy Oand. The regional manager deployed by the White Tiger Group to be your point of contact in this region. If you have any requests or any problems regarding procurement of raw materials or any other issue, you can contact me regarding it¡± Tommy said, as he introduced himself to Leo. ¡°Hello, Mr.Tommy, it¡¯s so great to meet you! I¡¯m d you are here, because today itself wepleted the recruitment drive for new workers thanks to the support of the local baron Mr.Boss. In total we seem to have recruited a total of 14,500 workers, which should be enough for our current production targets¡± Leo said, as he impressed Tommy with his efficiency to have recruited workers even before Tommy arrived in the region. ¡°That¡¯s most wonderful news¡­. I have brought some of the best factory workers from StrongHaven alongside me here, and ording to our estimates we will be able to set-up the four main factories within a week, if thend allocation by the Baron ispleted smoothly¡± Tommy said, as prompted by his words Leo handed him a letter of localnd allocation to Tommy. ¡°The Baron has already agreed to lease thend to Mount Faulkner Trading Company for 99 years at a 99% discount rate. Here is the document for it. I hope with this there will be no further dys and that your crew will begin construction from tomorrow itself¡± Leo said, as Tommy read the letter of allocation with great focus, before nodding his head in understanding. ¡°The locations for the four factories seem perfect. It seems like you are more efficient than we believed, Sir Leo¡± Tommy said, as Leo patted him on the shoulders and smiled back in response. ¡°Time is money my friend¡­. And money is time¡± Leo quoted, as he absolutely bamboozled Tommy with a money quote from Earth. Chapter 318: Hectic Life Chapter 318: Hectic Life ( Back at the Baron¡¯s office, Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo felt as if his mind had been cluttered by a thousand different problems at once, as running a Barony proved to be a much moreplicated affair than he had first presumed it would be. After watching the infectious joy of themoners at getting a decent pay and a decent job, Leo started to feel a genuine connection to the people of Crest-Hill Barony. Hiding in the shadows, Leo overheard the conversations that themon people had about him, where they genuinely praised him with all their hearts and promised toe to his aid should he ever need it. Somehow, as Leo overheard such heartfeltments, his soft heart felt moved as he started to take his job as a Baron more seriously than he would have otherwise. ¡°14,500 people have registered as factory workers. 10,000 people, which is the maximum army size currently permissible by the Empire has also been filled. And 1200 people have applied for jobs in the vacant Barony administration¡± Leo murmured as he read signed off on the final recruitment report presented to his desk. ¡°These numbers represent a turnout of nearly 75% citizens My Lord, because the total poption of Berkshire Town is only 22,000 individuals. While the Barony¡¯s total poption does not exceed 30,000. For you to provide employment to over 25,000 citizens at once. You are naturally being seen as a savior and Messiah in this region¡± Butler George reported, as he looked at Leo with a wide smile on his face. Initially, when he was notified that a new Baron would be arriving to Crest-Hill Barony, George did not feel much enthusiasm about serving him, as he expected Leo to be just like the other nobles that were only interested in tea parties and art. Being an educated diplomat, George knew that his potential was being wasted being a butler that served tea like a maid, as he could act as a very responsible ountant or diplomat, if given an opportunity. However, Leo turned out to be nothing like he expected and he even treated George like a proper administrator rather than a Butler, which made George feel enthusiastic about serving him. ¡°George, what we need to start working on immediately now is procuring grain and weapons. Alleviating the food shortage of the region is a priority and as per my understanding, just procuring grains is not enough. To ensure food safety in this region we need to create proper granaries that can store food for long times as importing them over and over again will be costly. We also need to immediately start construction for creating a new military training facility, as we need to whip these men we have drafted into proper soldiers. I¡¯m not knowledgeable on who to contact for this job, or what price to pay to see it done, so I¡¯m thinking about delegating this duty to someone who is knowledgeable in this field and can dutifully see it done. Do you have any appropriate suggestions for me?¡± Leo asked George, as he candidly admitted his shorings regarding not having enough knowledge about agencies that can construct proper military training facilities or the appropriate market rate to pay for such a project. ¡°My lord, although I¡¯m not too knowledgeable about this topic either, if you give me a days time, I will surely have an adequate answer for you by tomorrow¨C¡± George promised, as Leo nodded his head and granted him the day¡¯s time that he needed. Once George left his office, Leo let out a deep sigh, before opening the global level rankings, as his mood plummeted once more as he checked the rankings page. ********* Global Level Rankings :- 1) TheBoss :- Level 180 2) Leo Skyshard :- Level 170 3) PurpleRock :- Level 169 4) Cervantez :- Level 165 5) Spicy Ramen :- Level 165 . . . 27) SkyLion :- Level 159 ******** Leo had gained 15 levels for winning the Grand Tournament and it was more or less these 15 levels that had allowed him to not level up for close to 10 days and still remain at the top of the leveling charts, however, his monopoly at the top was about to be challenged once again, as Purple Rock, a new challenger was at level 169, which was only one level below his current actual level of 170. ¡°I really need to start leveling up again¡­ If I don¡¯t continue to level up, the gap between my actual level and the disyed level of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ on the leaderboards will only keep widening¨C¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he felt stressed regarding the widening level gap between his actual level and the disyed level of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as the difficulty in gaining one level increased significantly as time passed. The difficulty in gaining a level after 150 was ten times the difficulty of going from level 10 to 15, and it was because of this difficulty, that the shuffling of the leaderboards was much slower whenpared to before. Although Leo had settled into his job as a Baron and was focusing to y that role to perfection while also ying the role of ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the merchant, he could not ignore the leveling-up aspect of his game, as his role as the number one yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a permanent one. ¡°Gahhh! The second evaluation is also less than 3 weeks away¡­.. Why is my life bing so hectic all of a sudden?¡± Leo cursed, as he thought about how the second evaluation was less than three weeks away and how soon they were going to mark their first year anniversary aboard the Arc-Ship. While Leo¡¯s concerns were only limited to how hectic his life was bing, unbeknownst to him, the second year of the humans aboard the arc ship was also going to bring with it a whole new set of challenges, that was sure to make it increasingly harder for him to hide his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in real life. Chapter 319: Shocking Invitation Chapter 319: Shocking Invitation ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Just as Leo sat in his officementing about how hectic his life had be, a system notification dropped out in his screen out of nowhere and made it even more hectic than what it already was. [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer, ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ for bing the ¡®#2¡¯ ranked yer on the global rankings. Tomemorate the asion of the uing new year, the Arc Ship Operators have decided to host an end of the year secret leveling event only for the top 1000 rankers within the game, and you have been invited as a contestant ] Out of nowhere, Leo was invited to an end of the year leveling event which was apparently an exclusive event for the top 1,000 rankers, however, the problem for him was that he had been invited to this event as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and not ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Hey, what is this event about? I hope it¡¯s nothing rted to fighting, because this merchant persona I¡¯m building is not too big on fighting¡± Leo muttered, trying to fish for more information about this secret event, however, got none. [ System Notification :- The secret event starts 17 days from now. To participate you only have to click ¡®ept¡¯ in your mailbox at the time that the event begins. ] Instead of getting more information regarding the event, Leo was showered with more instructions which told him what to do and when to participate in this special end of the year event. ¡°Man¡­. Now for 17 days I¡¯m going to live in suspense of what this special event is going to be¨C¡± Leo muttered feeling frustrated yet curious as to what this special event was going to be. ************ ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) ¡°I know exactly what this event is going to be like¡ª¡± Cervantez muttered to himself, as not only did he already have prior knowledge about this event, but he also had a general idea about its precise importance in the lives of top yers. ¡°This event is capitalism at its finest within the Arc Ship, as through this event, the top 1000 yers which already represent the top 0.01% of yers, will get a chance to widen a gap between themselves and the rest of the yers once again¨C¡± Cervantez muttered to himself, recalling the jealousy he had felt in his previous life when he discovered that the top yers got to participate in a fun, special end-of-year event, while the rest of the yers were left out. ¡°Myself and Luke need to maximize our gains for this event. Because the gains from this event will literally carry over to the real life as well¡± Cervantez murmured as he resolved to make the most of this event and help Luke do the same as well. Soon, as the Arc Ship would enter its second yearly cycle, the yearly evaluation objective would shift once again and the whole gaming theme would shift significantly as well. The first weekly evaluation was about pure levels and nothing else. It was to give the yers a taste for what life in the Arc Ship was like and how promotion¡¯s worked from one sector to another. The second uing evaluation was about skills. It was going to evaluate yers on how many valuable skills that they had picked up within the game in the past twelve months and rank them based on their performance for the same. However, the theme for the third evaluation was going to be ¡®Achievements¡¯. The third evaluation, set to happen at the end of their second year at the Arc Ship was going to evaluate the tangible impact that each yer had made to the world of Terra Nova, which was exactly why Cervantez had chosen to be a Baronte into the first year of gaming, as he knew that this was going to help him with the third evaluation, where his achievements as a Baron would be quite easy to count. However, something much more important was set to happen within the Arc Ship right as the ship marked its one year anniversary, which was the event of the Arc Ship finally entering the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯. The Rainbow Stream was a concentrated jet of mana that flowed through the universe like a river cutting through a continent. It passed through several gxies and enveloped thousands ofs within its natural flow, with the natural life forms being born within this stream being individuals that were naturally adept at harnessing mana from birth, thriving in an environment rich with this mystical energy. Earth, however, unfortunatelyid outside this ambient mana stream, isted from its profound influence which made humans a species that had not learnt how to manipte mana although they were physically and intellectually capable of doing so. As humans embarked on their journey aboard massive ark vessels and were about to cross into this Rainbow Stream for the first time. Unbeknownst to them, they were on the brink of experiencing a monumental shift. The moment that they entered this stream, mana would pour through their bodies, awakening a new sense of power and potential and although theycked the innate ability to control this force from birth, the year spent ying the VR game designed by aliens had prepared them to be capable enough to do so. The game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ was much more than just a simple game designed to kill time on the Arc Ship, as there was a reason behind why the game was made mandatory for all passengers to y and a reason behind why the promotion and demotion of a yer within the Arc Ship was dependent on their in-game performance more than their chores performed in real life. Cervantez already knew how humans would see their real body shifting to mimic their in-game persona, gaining the same sort of strength and power as their in-game characters as mana started to regrly pass through their bodies. Thetent potential that was left suppressed within the human gics for millenia¡¯s now, was finally about to be unleashed and Cervantez wanted to be as prepared for it as he could. Chapter 320: Cervantezs Warning Chapter 320: Cervantez''s Warning Chapter 320: Cervantez¡¯s Warning ( Luke and Cervantez¡¯s POV, 7 Days before the special event for rankers takes ce ) Life for Luke and Cervantez had fallen into a monotonous rhythm for the past few days, as they were buried in overseeing guild projects being smoothlypleted. Just like how unexpected problems arose inpleting projects in real-life, simr problems also arose in the world of Terra Nova Online, with new issues arising daily that needed high level management¡¯s involvement to be solved. Thankfully, Cervantez had the foresight to solve any problem that threatened to derail the scheduled progress of his projects, while Luke was the perfect manager to expand the Barony¡¯s mining operations, having sessfully managed to increase production to 150% of its previous capacity in just under a month of taking over as the new supervisor. Luke managed to perform this miraculous feat by observing the current process of silver mining and identifying the several key inefficiencies that slowed down the current mining operations. The first step he took was to thoroughly study the existing methods and tools the miners were using. He spent days in the mines, watching the miners at work, noting the time taken by an average miner for each process, and pinpointing the stages where dys or wastage urred. After performing all this research, he devised a new technique for ore extraction that significantly reduced the effort required to extract silver from the ore. This technique involved a more efficient method of separating silver from other minerals. By using a series of sieves and water channels which helped miners to quickly filter out the silver, reducing the time spent in the extraction process. Luke also noted that the miners¡¯ tools were outdated and prone to frequent breakages, which hampered productivity. Hence to solve this issue, he coborated with the best cksmiths in the Barony to produce stronger, more durable picks and hammers using superior alloys and better forging techniques. These new tools not onlysted longer but also allowed miners to work more efficiently and with less effort, further improving productivity. Finally and perhaps most importantly, another innovative strategy that Luke implemented was the reorganization of the mining shifts. By carefully analyzing the work patterns and energy levels of the miners, he devised a rotational shift system that maximized productivity. Instead of working for long shifts thatsted the entire day, miners now worked in shorter, more intensive shifts, ensuring that they remained energetic and focused throughout. This system reduced the downtime caused by fatigue and allowed for continuous, high-efficiency mining operations around the clock. To top all this off, Luke set up a system for continuous monitoring and feedback as he assigned overseers from within the DarkSky guild to track the progress of the mining operations and report any issues or suggestions for further improvement. Regr meetings with the miners and overseers allowed Luke to stay updated on the ground realities and make necessary adjustments to the processes wherever required. These strategic changes, driven by Luke¡¯s keen observation and innovative thinking, resulted in a remarkable 150% increase in the mining production capacity, all without the need to hire additional miners which was the current biggest constraint that the guild faced. ******** ¡°SkyLion you are truly the gem of my guild. No matter what position I put you in, you never disappoint¡­. These mining numbers are way beyond my expectations. Thanks to your management of the mines, the guild might not be as tight on our budget as I estimated we would be, giving us some breathing room for errors¡± Cervantezplimented as he took a look at the guild¡¯s mining report numbers and felt extremely ted. ¡°Hahaha, you praise me too much guildmaster. I¡¯m the vice guildmaster of this guild, of-course I have to be able to pull my weight around¡­ I¡¯m only doing my job¡± Luke said humbly, as he implied that such performance went hand-in-hand with his post. ¡°Indeed, appointing you as the vice guildmaster was the best decision I ever made¡± Cervantez said, cing his hand over Luke¡¯s shoulder as he grinned from ear to ear. ¡°The good times are about to change though guildmaster, the second evaluation is just around the corner¡± Luke reminded, as Cervantez¡¯s face turned slightly sour at the mention of the hectic events that were toe next. ¡°About that¡­. Try making the most of the end of the year event SkyLion, this rankers event might help us a lot before entering the rainbow stream¡± Cervantez said, as Luke¡¯s ears perked up in attention. ¡°Oh?¡± Luke said, raising an eyebrow as he urged Cervantez to go-on. ¡°Although I can¡¯t exactly tell you what the event is going to be, what I can tell you is that this event will widen the gap between the top yers and the rest in a pretty significant way. The tag of being a ¡®Ranker¡¯ will actually start to mean something after this event, as the yers that have missed out on getting invited to this event, will find it hard to make the gap difference in the years toe¡± Cervantez said, as he tried to personify the importance of this uing event as best as he could. ¡°So this event is to be taken as seriously as the Grand Tournament?¡± Luke asked, to which Cervantez nodded seriously. ¡°This event is to be taken extremely seriously and the warning that I must give you for this event is to not give-in to the temptation of gambling. Warn your brother about this too if you want to. And just inform him, to not gamble his gains like a degenerate and to stay disciplined no matter what¡± Cervantez warned, as Luke took that warning to heart. ¡°Alright guild master, thanks for the warning, I¡¯ll warn Leo about it too-¡± Luke said as he decided to talk about this issue with Leo the moment he logged out of the game. Chapter 321: Surprise Walk In Chapter 321: Surprise Walk In ( Luke and Leo¡¯s POV, The Arc Ship ) The first thing that Luke did after logging out was to find and confront Leo. In his hurry and one-directional state of mind, Luke hadpletely forgotten about the fact that Amanda lived alongside the duo as well, as when he got out of his room and went into themon hall where Leo usually slept on a lounge chair, he was shocked to see Leo making out with Amanda there, early in the morning. ¡°Holy, mother of Jesus!¡± Luke cursed, as he walked into themon hall only to fall t on his butt when he saw his younger brother make out with their roommate. Although Luke had seen the romance between the duo gradually increase every passing day, he was still not aware of when the two of them had made the final jump and decided to be this intimate. ¡°Brother? I- uh, ahem¡± Leo said, pulling away from Amanda as his face turned into a deep shade of red. He had told Amanda that it was not safe for them to kiss this early in the morning since Luke could show up at any given moment, however, not taking no for an answer, Amanda pressed her lips against his, making Leo unable to resist kissing her back. Now that the two of them were busted in the act, Leo went red with shame, however, Amanda did not seem to be as affected. ¡°Oh? Good Morning Luke¨C¡± she said brightly, as she turned and looked Luke right in the eye. ¡°You¡­ two? When?¡± Luke asked, alternating his index finger between the two of them in shock. ¡°About a week ago¨C when I took leave from going to work. Your little brother finally mustered the courage to admit that he likes me¡± Amanda said, smiling brightly as Leo¡¯s face turned into an even deeper shade of red. Over the past week, Leo had contemted telling Luke about his new rtionship several times, however, whenever he thought about bringing up the topic, words began to fail him as he could just not bring himself to talk freely about the issue. Now Luke had to find out by literally walking in on the two of them making out and Leo could not be more embarrassed about how he found out. ¡°So¡­ should I leave?? But how will I leave without getting ready for work? Or¡­. How does this work?¡± Luke asked, throwing random hand signs as he waspletely stumped on what to do next. The apartment that they currently lived in was not big enough for Leo and Amanda to have private space to do snu-snu, as regardless of whether they did it within Amanda¡¯s room or themon hall, Luke was going to be able to either hear them or walk in on them randomly. ¡°No¡­. You two boys look like you have somemunication issues to sort out, so I¡¯ll be the one getting ready for work¡± Amanda said, winking towards Luke before turning towards Leo whom she smooched once more. *Smooch* Just when Leo thought his face could not get any redder than it already was, it got even redder as Amanda kissed him, as smoke literally started to visiblye out of his ears. ¡°So cute¨C¡± Amandamented, before walking into the bathroom to get ready, as she left the two brothers to talk amongst themselves. For a few awkward seconds, Luke kept staring at the red faced Leo, who in-turn kept staring at the floor, as he did not have the guts to look his brother in the eye, until eventually when Luke let out a deep sigh and decided to break the awkward silence by saying something really nice. *Sigh* ¡°Hey man look, I¡¯m happy for you¡­.. I could see how you had a crush on Amanda for months now, and I¡¯m very happy for you that you are a couple now. She¡¯s a good girl¡­ living with her these past few months I can confidently say that mother would have approved of you dating her, should she have been here¡± Luke said, as listening to his words of encouragement Leo managed to look up from the floor and into Luke¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just shocked because I¡¯ve always looked at you as my dumb yet cute younger brother. In my head, I genuinely think you need me to take care of you, so in my mind, I don¡¯t see you as being anywhere near ready to have a rtionship of your own. But that¡¯s just because I still haven¡¯t gotten rid of my previous image of you from back on earth. If I¡¯m being fair, then aftering to this Arc-Ship you have matured a lot. You are a top yer. You have worked hard to secure a spot for our mother on the next round of Arc Ship and worked hard to pay for her kidney recement surgery as well. The current you is an admirable young man, and I¡¯m sure that after I have enough time to process this news properly I¡¯ll be extremely happy for you, although I¡¯m unable to properly show my happiness right now¡± Luke said, as at that moment Leo came flying in towards Luke for a hug. Just like how it was awkward for Luke to see Leo grow up and start having a life of his own which wasn¡¯t directly rted to him. It was awkward for Leo as well to have a serious bond with someone who wasn¡¯t family, as in life he had only ever seriously loved Luke and his mother before today and sharing it with a stranger now was a new and challenging experience. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­. It¡¯s okay¡­. Time for you to start acting like a man now¡­. We don¡¯t want Amanda to walk out of the bathroom and see you crying on my shoulder. Come on, man up¡± Luke said, as he wiped a small tear off his eyes, while encouraging Leo to not cry either. Overall, it was a very heartwarming moment shared between the brothers, as although awkward at the start, with Lukeing clean about how he felt, the situation got much better in the end. Chapter 322: Meeting the Demon King? Chapter 322: Meeting the Demon King? After the emotional conversation between the brothers concluded, Luke moved on to the more important stuff. ¡°By the way, have you received an invite a few days ago for some special event?¡± Luke asked Leo, who nodded his head in response. ¡°I did, why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because, Cervantez talked to me about the event today, and he told me to pass a warning to you as well¡± Luke said, as he looked Leo dead in the eyes. ¡°Pass a warning? Don¡¯t tell me that the guy knows about this event as well¡­¡± Leo muttered, as he seemed extremely annoyed by the fact that Cervantez seemed to have some hidden knowledge about this event as well. ¡°He does¡­¡± Luke said, as Leo threw his hands in the air in exasperation. ¡°What is your problem?¡± Luke asked, sounding annoyed as he did not appreciate Leo¡¯s attitude when it came to Cervantez. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it suspicious brother? The man knows far too many things about far too many events in the future¡­. It¡¯s almost like the game has specifically decided to give him some information packs about the future or as if he¡¯s a reincarnator. It was fine at the start of the game, but his actions seem he suspicious to me as time passes¡± Leo said, as Luke smacked him on his head for making thisment. ¡°Cervantez is not suspicious, he¡¯s my guildmaster and you will refer to him with respect. Also, everyone has secrets. How he gets the information is not as important as what he does with it. And although he could have kept all the information to himself, he has been gracious enough to pass it on to me, and allowed me to pass it on to you. So be thankful and don¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you¡± Luke warned as Leo grit his teeth and nodded. ¡°Alright, I hear you¨C¡± Leo said, as he decided to behave and not question the source of Cervantez¡¯s future knowledge, although the topic bugged him secretly. ¡°So¡­ as I was saying, Cervantez has told me to warn you to ¡®Not Gamble¡¯ during the special event. He has explicitly told me, to not give-in to the temptation of gambling and be happy with whatever I have achieved in the event naturally¡± Luke said, as he gave a sort of direct yet sort of cryptic warning to Leo. ¡°I don¡¯t understand? What is this? A gacha-spin event?¡± Leo asked, as Luke shrugged his shoulders in response. ¡°I have no idea as to what the actual event is. All I know is that it¡¯s very important to our future as rankers and that we are not supposed to gamble away our gains inside it. I have passed on to you everything that was previously said to me¡± Luke said, as Leo¡¯s left eye fluttered when he heard this response. ¡°What sort of bullsh¨C¡± ¡°Behave! What did I just tell you?¡± Luke warned as he cut off Leo before he could curse Cervantez. ¡°Oh perfect¨C¡± Leo said, getting up as he threw his hands in the air in frustration and stormed into Luke¡¯s room to separate himself from his annoying brother. As Amanda emerged out of the bathroom, to see Luke sitting on the floor frowning and Leo to be missing, she automatically assumed the worst that the brothers had fought over her, however, that was not actually the case at all. ************ ( Back in the game, Eren ) Eren was quite fed-up with the treatment that the demons gave him. The demons treated him like a dog that could speak. A ything more than a valued tactician, and this attitude of the demons pissed Eren off greatly. However, not having the strength to stand-up to his bullies physically, and not having the luxury of abandoning their camp and dropping to level 0, the only realistic choice that Eren had against the demons was to endure. ¡°Speaking human¡­. Tidy up, for today is the greatest day of your entire miserable life¡± Count Vaugn said, as he walked into Eren¡¯s room alongside a dozen other human ves holding buckets of water and washcloths. ¡°Today we meet the Demon King himself! It seems like the path you had drawn for the demon army to reach the Western front has worked perfectly. The King is pleased and has taken notice of your contributions. Be proud, for you get to be in the presence of the greatest warrior to have ever been born on the sacrednd of Terra Nova¡± Count Vaugn said, as he snapped his fingers. Upon receiving his instruction, the human ves, off which some were females and some males, began undressing Eren in Vaugn¡¯s presence as they began cleaning every square inch of his body. Although Eren felt extremely ufortable to be touched by men, he resisted the urge to kick them away or feel embarrassed as he sat rooted to his spot looking stoic. Soon, the servants were done cleaning him and Vaugn approved of the clean-up as he threw a demonic attire for him to wear. ¡°The uniform of a Demon Captain. Be proud¡­. For you have be the first human to get it¡­. Ever¡± Vaugn said, as he urged Eren to put it on. The physique of the demons was unlike humans. Their upper torso wasrger and longer than humans and their shoulders were not as widepared to their hips, giving them a very slight ¡®V¡¯ curvepared to the prominent ¡®V¡¯ shape on human males. This meant that the clothes designed for demons did not fit Eren properly at all, as they fit properly at a few parts but were overly long at others, making him look like a kid wearing a man¡¯s outfit. ¡°Ha¡ª you don¡¯t have the muscle to wear a captain¡¯s outfit, however, your brain makes up for it¡± Vaugn mocked, as he felt satisfied with Eren¡¯s overall get-up and decided to take him to the Demon King¡¯s Castle, to meet with the greatest warrior in all of Terra Nova. Chapter 323: The Demon Palace Chapter 323: The Demon Pce The Demon King¡¯s castle was located deep within the demon realm in a city known as ¡®Gorthalon¡¯. Gorthalon, a sprawling fortress city built into the ruggedndscape of the demon realm, was a ce of dark majesty and foreboding power. In the human texts, Gorthalon was described to be the mountain where the first Dragon King had once built hisir, as it was a mountain situated on-top of a massive natural mana vein and was arguably the best ce in the entirendscape of Terra Nova to reside and practice skills as a warrior. However, as time passed on, it was the demons that had conquered this mountain from the dragons and it was the first Demon King who had built the magnificent pce that stood there today, which every subsequent Demon King had used as their base of operations. Just as StrongHaven was a human city that had never once been conquered throughout its history, Gorthalon was a demon city that had never been conquered since its establishment many hundred years ago. As Eren, apanied by Count Vaughn, journeyed through the treacherous paths leading to Gorthalon, the first time that he got a glimpse of the city from a distance, Eren felt goosebumps arise all over his skin. Towering spires of ck stone reached towards the ashen sky, and the city itself looked like a scene out of a fantasy novel with massive wyverns flying over the demon king¡¯s castle like bats and the whole city looking dark and dangerous from afar. As they neared the city, the oppressive atmosphere of the demon realm grew more intense, as suddenly the temperature seemed to drop by several degrees causing Eren to feel cold and jittery as he started to shiver. *Krrkrrkrkrrr* Everytime that he breathed hard, moisture from his mouth condensed rapidly in the cold air, giving a misty appearance. ¡°Congrattions human, you are the first human to enter Gorthalon as a pet and not a ve¨C¡± Count Vaugn said, as he gave Eren apliment which was no better than an insult, however, it wasn¡¯t like he knew the difference between the two anyways. Choosing to ignore the Count¡¯sments, Eren decided to focus on the demon capital city instead which was a testament to the demons¡¯ savage strength, with massive walls and fortifications designed to keep out any invaders. From a distance, the capital city¡¯s skyline seemed to be dominated solely by the Demon King¡¯s Castle which was an immense fortress carved into the heart of a mountain. The structure was a masterpiece of brutal architecture, with jagged edges and towering battlements that seemed to pierce the heavens. The walls were adorned with the bones of fallen enemies, and crimson banners fluttered in the wind, each one bearing the mark of the Demon King. As they approached the castle, Eren could see demonic beasts and Chimera patrolling the perimeter, their glowing eyes watching his every move. Massive, hulking creatures with razor-sharp ws and thick, armored hides roamed the grounds, a constant reminder of the power that resided within. Guards, d in dark armor and wielding wickedly curved weapons, stood vignt at every entrance, their eyes filled with a menacing glow. The entrance to the castle was a massive iron gate, intricately carved with scenes of battle and conquest. As they approached the gate, Count Vaughn presented a sigil to the guards which was a mark of his status and the gates immediately creaked open, revealing the darkened interior within. The atmosphere inside the demon king¡¯s castle was even more oppressive, with dimly lit corridors and the distant sounds of growls and whispers, than the rest of the city which was already very oppressive, as there was something about the ce that psychologically pressured Eren and made him feel extremely ufortable. As their carriage rolled to a stop outside the main pce door, Eren dismounted from the carriage only to witness an actual dragon sleeping far in the distance. [ System Notification: You are in the presence of a primordial being. ] [ System Notification :- Dragon¡¯s Fear is affecting you, you have been paralyzed for 15 seconds ] For 15 seconds Eren felt unable to move a single muscle in his body as he stood frozen at the sight of an actual dragon sleeping casually within the demon king¡¯s castle. ¡°Hahahaha, the poor human is too weak to resist the dragon¡¯s fear¡­. We will have to wait until the weakling snaps out of it¡± Count Vaugn teased as he pped Eren hard on his back. ¡°That¡¯s the King¡¯s Personal Mount¡­. Our King has enved an actual Dragon. That¡¯s how powerful he is¡± Count Vaugn said, as Eren could not even begin to fathom how strong one had to be to actually enve a mighty dragon as their personal mount. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure there is not a single yer within the world of Terra Nova who has got the chance to see a live dragon or the demon realm yet. If I share these visuals on a stream? Won¡¯t I be the most famous yer overnight?¡¯ Eren wondered, as he started recording his surroundings although he did not intend to post these videos on the forum just yet. After he snapped out of the Dragon¡¯s Fear, he was escorted inside the demon king¡¯s castle alongside Count Vaugn, as he got to witness the grandeur of the Demon King up-close. The castle¡¯s interior was abyrinth of stone and shadow, with torches casting flickering light on the walls. The decor was sparse, with only the asional trophy of war or demonic artifacts adorning the corridors. Eren¡¯s footsteps echoed loudly as he followed Count Vaughn deeper into the heart of the castle, his senses heightened by the palpable aura of power that permeated the ce. As they approached the throne room, the presence of guards increased, each one more imposing than thest. The entrance to the throne room was a massive set of doors, carved from obsidian and iid with veins of molten gold. ¡°Open¡±manded Count Vaugn, as two massive troll ves pushed the doors open, and Eren was met with a sight that took his breath away. The throne room was a vast chamber, its ceiling supported by towering pirs of ck stone. The floor of the throne room was covered in dark marble, and the walls were lined with tapestries depicting the Demon King¡¯s conquests such as his victory over the dragon that turned it into his ve. At the far end of the room, on a raised dais, sat the Demon King himself. The Demon King was a figure of terrifying majesty, his form d in obsidian armor that seemed to absorb the light around him. He was a gray skinned demon with the most handsome features that Eren had ever seen. In terms of looks, the Demon King looked like the epitome of beauty with a face that had perfect symmetry, yet, one could not befortable gazing at that face, as the demon king¡¯s eyes made one¡¯s very soul tremble as one gazed into it. His eyes glowed with an inner fire, and his presence exuded an aura of absolute authority. The throne he sat upon was a massive, ornate seat, carved from the bones of ancient beasts and iid with dark gems that pulsed with a sinister energy. Eren felt a shiver run down his spine as he approached the throne, as he had never seen a figure as intimidating as the Demon King ever before in his life. Chapter 324: The visionary Demon King Chapter 324: The visionary Demon King ( The Throne Room of the Demon King ) As Eren approached the throne alongside Count Vaugn, he felt his legs beginning to tremble. The overwhelming pressure exuded by the Demon King triggered his body¡¯s natural fight-or-flight reflex. However, being unable to either fight or flee, Eren¡¯s body could do nothing but tremble from head to toe in the presence of the Demon King. *Thud* After they reached a certain distance from the throne, Count Vaugn suddenly dropped to one knee, pulling Eren down with him as he extended his greetings to the Demon King with his head bowed. ¡°Demon Count Vaugn extends his greetings to His Majesty, Demon King Anos,¡± Vaugn said, as the Demon King smiled at his greeting. ¡°I ept your greetings, Vaugn,¡± Anos replied as only after his eptance did the Demon Count rise back to his feet. ¡°I havee today alongside the talking human, Eren, just as my king willed me to,¡± Count Vaugn said, pushing Eren forward as he presented the trembling human to the Demon King. ¡°Ah, yes, the talking human¡­ how interesting,¡± Anos remarked, shifting his gaze toward Eren, who flinched under the intensity of the Demon King¡¯s stare. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. It is an honor to be in your presence today,¡± Eren spoke in the demon tongue, prompting an audible gasp to permeate throughout the throne room. Many of the Great Demon Generals present within the room had dismissed the legend of the talking human. However, witnessing it firsthand, they were both shocked and intrigued at this unique phenomenon. ¡°Hoo¡ª, you speak our tongue better than I anticipated. Tell me, Eren, how is it that you, a mere mortal who was not born in ournds, can speak the Demon Tongue so fluently?¡± The Demon King asked, his voice a low growl, as he seemed slightly disgusted by the fact that a human could speak Demon Tongue that the demon¡¯s believed sacred. Trembling, Eren replied ¡°I was granted this ability by a higher power, your majesty¡­.. I do not know why, and I do not know how, however, I just woke up one day knowing how to speak Demon Tongue¡± Eren gave Anos the same reply he had given Count Vaugn before him, which was a very vague answer on how he learnt the Demon Tongue. ¡°Hmm¡­ interesting¡± the Demon King mused as he rubbed his chin and contemted the deeper meaning behind Eren¡¯s words. ¡°Nheless, human, you have made great contributions to the Demon Society by tranting the human maps for us. Because of your contributions, we have been able to open a new war-front against the humans through the treacherous desert that was once believed impossible to traverse. And for your contributions, I have decided to promote you to the post of a Honorary Demon Squad Leader¡­¡± Anos said, as the rest of the Demon Generals present in the room nodded and extended murmurs of agreement at this decision. ¡°It has been an honor for me to serve the Great Demon King¡± Eren replied as he bowed humbly at theplement. ¡°I want you, human, to continue serving us to the best of your abilities. And since us Demons are a fair race, I am willing to give you rewards proportional to your contributions,¡± Anos said, as his words caused many within the room to feel surprised by his generosity. The Demon King was usually known to be extremely cold and ruthless, hence him being gracious for once caused many to raise an eyebrow. ¡°Sorry to interject here, My King, however, this human is a ve. It¡¯s his job to contribute to our cause, and there is no need forpensation. Him not being forced into manualbor and not being forced to starve is already the greatest mercy we can offer him and there is no need for more¡± Count Vaugn said, as his words caused the rest of the Demon Generals in the room to cheer in support. For the barbaric demons, ¡®respect¡¯ was a concept only reserved for fighters, while every nonbatant was automatically considered to be a second rate citizen. However, for Eren who was not even a citizen, the discrimination was much worse, as the entire batch of demons present within the throne room except the Demon King seemed to strongly agree with the words of Count Vaugn, which made Eren frown big-time. If there was one thing he hated about the demons, it was their attitude towards him, and this was precisely an instance of them showing their worst side. ¡°Silence¨C¡± Demon King Anos instructed, as almost immediately the entire hall fell silent. ¡°What reward do you seek for your services human? Can you help us obtain the technology of the humans of how they make their massive siege weapons and durable walls? Because if you can, I¡¯m ready to give you any reward that you seek¨C¡± Demon King Anos said, as his words came off as oddly smart to Eren, who respected the Demon King¡¯s forward thinking. ¡°If I can get my hands on the blueprints, I can indeed trante them for the demons to understand. I¡¯m not a cksmith myself, so I do not know the secrets of how to make those weapons. However, should the demons take in a master cksmith as a prisoner from the human camp, I can work with them to create the siege weapons of the human kind. And not only that, if the Demon King deploys me to the Front Lines, I can recognise key hostages from the enemy side, help foil enemy strategies and help the demons win many battles. I seek vengeance on the Empire myself, so I am fully dedicated to the cause, however, I do have a small request in return¡± Eren said, as his bold promises made the entire room hold their tongue for the moment. ¡°What is it?¡± The demon king encouraged, as he granted Eren the permission to speak his request. ¡°I want freedom, My Lord, I don¡¯t want the tag of a ¡®ve¡¯ ¡± Eren requested, as almost immediately the entire room burst intoughter at his foolish demand. Chapter 325: Demon Kings Ire Chapter 325: Demon King''s Ire Chapter 325: Demon King¡¯s Ire ¡°I want freedom, My Lord, I don¡¯t want the tag of a ¡®ve¡¯ ¡± Eren requested, as almost immediately the entire room burst intoughter at his foolish demand. ¡°Did that weak human just say that he wants freedom? Freedom to do what? Because with his physique I¡¯m sure that even a female lesser demon will rape him thrice a day if left alone¡± ¡°Hahaha! Humans are so funny. They don¡¯t even understand that freedom is not given, it¡¯s earnt! In demon society, gaining freedom means to challenge their master to a duel until death. If he really thinks he can challenge Count Vaugn to a fight and win. Sure¡­. I¡¯d enjoy watching that duel¡± ¡°The human¡¯s demands are outrageous, how can a human live as a free citizen equal to demons within demonnds?¡± Eren¡¯s demands provoked uproariousughter from the room full of demons, who found his ims of wanting freedom to be utterly absurd. In demon society, every ve possessed the fundamental right to earn their freedom by challenging their master to a duel to the death and all ve masters were obliged to ept such a challenge, no matter the circumstances. For Eren to gain his freedom, all he needed to do was to challenge Count Vaugn, a master-level swordsman, and defeat him in battle. However, given that not even a thousand versions of Eren fighting together could hope to best Count Vaugn, the prospect of Eren¡¯s victory seemed utterly impossible. ¡°Are you suggesting you wish to fight me to death? Talking Human?¡± Count Vaugn asked angrily, as a murderous glint shed in his eyes. ¡°N-no¡­¡± Eren replied nervously, gulping a mouthful of saliva as he felt like his words had beenpletely misinterpreted by the crowd. He was unaware of how the demon society functioned, and in his ignorance ha had wished for something that he did not really want. ¡°I think what the human means to say is that he wishes to be treated with more dignity¡­. I don¡¯t necessarily think he wants freedom, but I rather think that the human finds his tag as ¡®ve¡¯ to be derogatory..¡± The demon king said, as at that moment Eren felt as if the demon king was an angel in disguise. ¡°Yes! Yes; YES! That is exactly what I wish to say. I have no problems being subservient to Count Vaugn, I just don¡¯t want to be called as ¡®human¡¯ or ¡®ve¡¯ and wish to have my own ce to live and my own servants to attend to me¡± Eren said, as his words caused the crowd tough even louder. ¡°Only fools care about words and pride associated with words. If I call you a donkey, will you actually turn into one? What is this foolishness?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I have seen anyone spout such nonsense before his majesty ever before. Wants his own house and his own ves to breed with, but doesn¡¯t have the strength to im it for himself. How pathetic¨C¡± ¡°Why have we even given this clown an audience? Is he today¡¯s jester show?¡± ¡°Vaugn is too soft, I¡¯d have chopped off that boys tongue if he were my ve by now¡± Mocked and jeered by the demon crowd once again, Eren finally understood that he could never fundamentally mix with the demons, as from the very basics, demons seemed to have a line of thinking that waspletely different from humans. ¡®Strength¡¯ was the only justice in human society and strength was the only thing that all demons seeked. If you had enough strength then your life was blissful. However, if you were weak then it was hell. ¡®No wonder the First Emperor invited all races to form the Unity Empire except the demons. These fools can¡¯t be reasoned with, they are a poison to themselves but they don¡¯t even realize it¡¯ Eren thought, as he hung his head in shame and dismay. He really did not wish to help the demons if given a choice, however, he had none as the game had decided to make his ss a ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯. ¡°Silence¨C¡± The demon kingmanded once again, as he seemed to have reached a conclusion. Shockingly, Eren was slightly hopeful about what the Demon King had to say about all this, as from the entire bunch of demons that he had met. Only the Demon King felt slightly wise to him. ¡°I understand what you wish for human, and I will give you a chance to gain the respect that you so desperately want. I am herebymanding you to go to the Great Forest and force your way into enemy territory. Your mission is to not only defeat the Empire¡¯s forces lying in wait for us demons, but to also capture key enemy personnel and hostages that can help us negotiate ceasefire agreements when necessary. Based off your performance, I will reward you with dignity and ves befitting of your contribution and may even make you a Demon General like the rest of the onesughing at you in this room if you contribute significantly to our cause¡± The demon king said, as his words shocked everyone present within the throne room including Count Vaugn. ¡°My Lord, but he is my ve tomand, not yours¡­.¡± Count Vaugn interjected with a frown on his face, which immediately caused the Demon King to stand up from his throne. ¡°Well, we can always fight over him if you wish, Vaugn, I have no problem in going fist to fist against you if you wish¡± The Demon King said, as he cracked his knuckles and walked towards Vaugn with a dangerous smile on his face. ¡°Forgive my impudence, My King, it will of course be as you say¨C¡± Vaugn said, correcting his tone immediately as he did not dare fight against the Demon King who was the legendary Dragon Tamer. ¡°Huh¡­ I guess I got fired up for nothing,¡± Anos muttered, as he walked back to his throne and slumped into it. His action to get-up from his throne, caused the entire throne room to fall silent, with everyone present fearing to provoke the Demon King¡¯s ire any further. Chapter 326: Progress In Crest-Hill Barony Chapter 326: Progress In Crest-Hill Barony ( Leo¡¯s POV ) About three weeks after Leo assumed his new post as a Baron, the factories promised by the White Tiger Group were finallypleted, allowing him to hold his first mass training session for the workers. Four factories were established for Leo: three dedicated to producing various useful poisons and potions, and one specifically for the production of the green healing liquid, which was the White Tiger Group¡¯s most coveted product. However, alongside these four factories, countless other factories were set up by the White Tiger Group to create aprehensive ecosystem of production. Leo soon realized that Shane was much smarter than he had initially thought as not only did Shane build four factories for Leo, but he also seized the opportunity to establish numerous additional factories for himself. While Leo had not seriously considered other essential aspects of his production process, such as the air-sealed bottles for his poisons and potions, the wooden corks to seal them, or the massive containers for transporting the green healing liquid, Shane had already thought of everything. Understanding that Leo would need these products in bulk, Shane decided to produce them himself and sell them to Leo at a cost that remained profitable for him, however, by deducting transportation costs, Shane¡¯s products were cheaper for Leo than any imported goods, which was an ingenious way for him to make additional profits. By finding a business inside a business, Shane gave Leo a glimpse of what it meant to be a real entrepreneur as by the time Leo actually understood what was going on, he was thoroughly impressed by Shane¡¯s foresight and years of experience as a merchant. ******** ¡°So, after about fifteen minutes of boiling this mixture, we add 1 part of ox bone powder inside and stir constantly¡± Leo instructed, as he demonstrated by adding a portion of the ox bone himself and stirred it violently. Copying him, the other workers also tried to do the same, with some being able to grasp it instantly, while others forming lumps in the mixture because their stirring technique was not fast and thorough enough. ¡°If you see lumps in your mixture then know that you fucked up, and throw the batch away. We do not want lumps in our product okay?¡± Leo instructed, as he took a tour of the room and rejected 17/51 worker batches. ¡°Finally, we add the secret blend of ingredients¨C¡± Leo said, as he cracked open a secret blend which was the key herb secret of the poison that they were brewing, as although Leo did not mistrust his workers, he wanted to protect his business secrets as tightly as possible as in the end it was the secret form to his products that was going to earn him his share of money. ¡°After adding the secret blend, let it rest for one hour after which it should have turned into a pure orange in color¡­.. if it¡¯s red or pink, the batch is a failure, so discard it. However, if it¡¯s. Perfectly Orange like this¡­. Then know you did a good job¡± Leo said, as he pointed towards a pre-packed bottle of the Orange Poison, which looked glistening and perfect to view. Passing the vial around, Leopleted his training session for the day, as he gave all the workers enough ingredients to brew approximately 10 batches a day. For now, Leo wanted to train them for at least a week before giving them their daily work quotas, as he wanted every worker to actually learn the skill they were expected to perform on a daily basis before dumping their daily workload on them. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it for the Orange Poison, time for me to move to the next room and teach the next batch of workers how to make the Purple Poison¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he left the brewing room only to enter another where yet another ss was waiting for his teachings. *********** ( Meanwhile Ben ) At the same time that Leo was teaching the factory workers, Ben whipped the newly recruited soldiers of the Crest-Hill Barony into shape. ¡°What is this lousy push-up technique¡­. My grandmother can do better push-ups than you punk¡­. AND SHE¡¯S DEAD¡± Ben shouted, as he absolutely humiliated a soldier, hoping that he would take it as motivation and show proper form. ¡°Yes, General Ben! Sir! I will do better sir¡± the soldier said, immediately improving his form as his hands trembled from the overexertion. ¡°*Sigh*, I had be too spoiled from training that freaky brat. Only after training these useless soldiers do I realize just how much of a monster that kid is, to have learnt everything I wanted to teach him with only one demonstration¡± Ben muttered, as he re-realised just how talented Leo was by training ordinary soldiers. Although the Crest-Hill Barony military training grounds were still under construction, making it difficult for Ben to conduct proper weapon training sessions, he still decided to take the cadets on a physical sprint and exercise routine twice a day, just so that he could whip some discipline and fitness into them before proceeding to the weapons training stage. However, with how slow progress had been, Ben realized that the army needed at least 3 months of basic body stretching and conditioning before even moving to the weapons training stage, as contrary to his expectations, the general progress was much slower than what he had anticipated. ¡°What the hell are you doing son? Are you trying to poke a hole into mother earth with your boner? Because in what world do you thrust your hips during a push-up? CHEST DOWN LEGS STRAIGHT. DON¡¯T GYRATE YOUR HIPS¡± Ben shouted, as he absolutely lost his cool watching a cadet trying to have sex with the soil. Although he secretly enjoyed his new role as a military Instructor, there were moments in this new job where he longed for a retired life instead as although Ben was a rational man, he sometimes struggled to maintain hisposure around some of the more infuriating individuals he had to deal with. Chapter 327: Event Invitation Chapter 327: Event Invitation A week of training passed by in a blink of an eye for the workers at Leo¡¯s factory, and soon it was the first official day for production. ¡°Mr. Leo, I have to say, the training that you have given these workers seems to be extremely effective. The current efficiency rate that the workers have reached is nearly 70% and we hope that it will reach about a 95% level in 3 months time. Factoring in their current work-shift loads, I think we can produce about 20 million gold coins worth of products every month in terms of gross revenue, if all the factories run as we expect them to¨C¡± Tommy, the White Tiger Group Executive in Crest-Hill Barony said, as he addressed Leo, in his Leo Skyshard the merchant get-up, within one of his production factories. ¡°Out of this 20 million, what is our expected profit percentage?¡± Leo asked, as he did not care about the 20 million gold, what he cared about was how much money he was going to make after everything was said and done. ¡°Well Mr.Skyshard, conservatively speaking, the total profit made on this 20 million should be upwards of 6 million gold coins, however, we cannot say for sure yet. However, even on the lower end, the profit will not be under 6 million, which means that you should make at least three million gold coins in pure profit after the first 60 days of us running this operation, based off our 50-50 profit split agreement¡± Tommy said, as he gave Leo a very lucrative expected sales number. ¡°Oh 60 days? Not 30?¡± Leo asked, raising an eyebrow as he thought that payments were supposed to roll in every 30 days. ¡°Yes, 60 days¡­. The first payment will take 60 days, as only after we have sufficient stock will we start transporting the produced goods in bulk. It will take approximately 30 days for the products to find the shelves of all White Tiger Group Stores across the Empire and the sales will start after that. So for the first time the payment wille after 60 days, but it should be monthly everytime after that¡± Tommy rified, as after thinking about it for a while, Leo felt that it made sense. Transporting to every corner of the Empire did take time and so did collecting the revenue from the sales, so 60 days sounded like a fair time. ¡°Well, I have one request. Instead of being paid in gold coins, I want to be paid in pure gold bars or silver bars of equivalent value. If the White Tiger Group is interested in a swap deal, then they can deduct a part of my payment and send me enough gear to fully boot up the soldiers of this Barony. I know that the Baron is desperately looking for gear to buy and I think I can sell it to him at a profit if I have stock. Apart from that, I heard that the Baron is also looking for wheat, grain and other food items, so if I can get my hands on that, I¡¯ll appreciate it¡± Leo said, as he requested that a part of his payment be converted to goods of equivalent value. ¡°Ho¡­? I have no problemsplying with your request Mr.Leo, it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t thought of such an idea myself, however, I seriously doubt the capability of the Baron to be able to pay you for the goods you sell him, because the Barony¡¯s coffers arepletely empty. So until the Baron collects his first round of taxes and gets the economy moving properly, I wouldn¡¯t wish to trade with a broken man¡± Tommy said, as he warned Leo about the risks of trading with the administration. ¡°Thankyou for the warning, Mr.Tommy, however, I believe in the promise of payment by the Baron. If he gives me his word, it¡¯s as good as actual money¡± Leo said, as he presented a front of having absolute faith in himself for being able to pay for his own trade. ¡°Well, of course¡­. I¡¯m sure a merchant of your stature must have already thought this through, forgive me for my mindless babbling¡± Tommy apologized, as being the smart merchant that he was, he did not dare offend Leo on a differing opinion. [ System Notification ¨C yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, you have been invited to the First Annual Rankers Special Event. You have 10:00 minutes to respond to this notification and ept the invite. Note :- Once you click [ ept ], you will be transported into the special event arena and will be unable to return to the actual game world for 6 hours. ( ept ) ( Reject ) ] Just as Leo was talking to Tommy, the official invitation for the rankers only event came through, prompting Leo to abruptly end their talk and move to somece private. ¡°Please excuse me, Mr.Tommy, I have some work to attend to¨C¡± Leo said, as he moved away from all prying eyes to a private location, before clicking (ept) on the invite. Truth be told, he was very excited about this rankers only event that he was invited to, especially because it was the first exclusive event he had ever heard about within the game of Terra Nova Online. For most part, the game world was too realistic with there being no seasonal events or special dungeons opening up to spice things up from time to time, which made anticipation for this special event that much higher in the minds of the rankers. ******** ( The event lobby ) The moment that Leo clicked ¡®ept¡¯, he was transported to the special event lobby which looked like a massive outdoor courtyard with a huge ancient tree in the middle. Under the tree, he noticed that there were several top yers that had already gathered, perhaps because they epted the request a few minutes before Leo did. ¡®Nice Gear¡­¡¯ Leo thought in his head, as it seemed to be a recurring theme in this lobby, as every single yer that stood in this lobby was the Elite amongst the Elites, the cream of the crop within the world of Terra Nova, and all of them seemed to have an expensive taste in gear which impressed Leo. Chapter 328: Meeting The Rankers Chapter 328: Meeting The Rankers ( The special event lobby, Leo¡¯s POV ) As Leo stood rooted to his spot admiring the diverse gear of the rankers present, his brother spotted him and walked up to him, as he slung his hand around Leo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Leo questioned, sounding confused as Luke began pulling on him, as he dragged him towards a circle of rankers that were standing and chatting amongst one another. Amongst the circle of rankers present, there was but one man that Leo officially recognised, which was Cervantez, while everyone else seemedpletely new to him. ¡°Hey guys, let me introduce to you all my brother, Leo Skyshard, the current number two on the rankings leaderboard¨C¡± Luke said, as he brought Leo to the circle of rankers present and introduced him without his permission. ¡°You mean number one right? I mean, we don¡¯t count ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡­. That guys in a league of his own¨C¡± A handsome looking blonde guy wearing light armor said, as everyone cracked up at his joke. ¡°Hahaha¨C¡± Leo fakeughed, trying to blend in, as although he had no idea as to what was going on, he tried to be respectful and blend in, since Luke seemed to wish that he did. ¡°Leo, meet PurpleRock, SpicyRamen, Big Daddy and Sir Cole¡± Luke introduced, as although Leo did not know these guys personally, he knew their gaming ID¡¯s on the leaderboards. ¡°Hello¨C¡± Leo said, waving awkwardly as everyone seemed to judge his appearance, checking him out from head to toe, in what Leo found to be a disturbing exercise. Unlike them, who were all in full gear, he was only wearing pants and a loose fitting t-shirt, with no armor or protection at all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. Are you wearing any detection blocking items? Because I can¡¯t get a read on your status panel at all¨C¡± said PurpleRock, as the others immediately nodded at his words. ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t either, which is odd because I don¡¯t see any items on your body¡± Big Daddy concurred, as Leo felt slightly pissed by their high-handed attitude now. ¡°No, my panel is just naturally protected, I used a special item to achieve this effect¡± Leo said, lying through his teeth, as everyone nodded, seeming impressed. ¡°You have to tell me more about this item¡­. I want it too¡± Spicy Ramen said, sounding excited, as Leo shrugged his shoulders and decided to deal with his query like a professional. ¡°Sure, give me let¡¯s say a measly sum of 1.1 million gold coins and I¡¯ll get the item for you¨C¡± Leo said, as everyone¡¯s jaws hung open when Leo casually stated the price of 1.1 million gold coins. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you call the sum of 1.1 million gold coins ¡®measly¡¯?¡± asked Purple Rock, who seemed the most shocked of the bunch. ¡°Yeah? You guys have a few millions to spare right? I mean you must¡­. You all are rankers¡­ right?¡± Leo said, pretending to be confused, knowing full well that none of the rankers had anywhere near that sum of money. ¡°Hahaha, Leo, you need to understand that you¡¯re the only nonbat ss yer standing here. The rest of us are fighters and we don¡¯t have the kind of liquidity as you do¡± Cervantez said, trying to pacify the situation, as he internally sighed at Leo¡¯s antics. ¡°You¡¯re a nonbatant?¡± PurpleRock asked, sounding shocked as Leo nodded his head and extended his hand once again. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Leo Skyshard, a merchant ss yer. I earn a few million gold coins every month, so I just assumed that all of you other rankers must too¡­. No offense¡± Leo said, as Purple Rock shook his hand with his jaw wide open. ¡°Wow¡­. I never knew nonbat yers could make it this high in the rankings and be so rich too. Hahaha, if I find a sponsor like Mr. Skyshard then I can probably afford the most expensive gear in the game with ease¡± Spicy Ramen said, as after realizing just how formidable Leo was, their tone in judging and addressing Leo changed significantly. ¡°I only invest in things that give me a return on investment¡­. If Mr Spicy Ramen gives me a good reason to sponsor your gear purchase, I have no problems doing so¡± Leo said with an amiable smile on his face, as with this one small promise of endorsement, he won over the hearts of all the rankers present. Once the rest of them realized that Leo wasn¡¯t a directpetitor but rather a wealthy patron who they could form a symbiotic rtionship with, everyone warmed up to him big-time, making small-talk easy for Leo. As he hung-around them, waiting for the official event to start, Leo heard many jealous tit-bits of conversations happening between the group, as although everyone seemed to be all smiles on the surface, the underlying tension was palpable. ¡°Does anyone see him here? Although there are a thousand people here and it¡¯s possible I¡¯m missing him, I can¡¯t see that ck robed masked bastard¡± Purple Rock said, as he looked around the lobby trying to spot ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Both you and Cervantez had great fights against him in the Grand Tournament¡­. However, that beast was in a league of his own. I hate him so much, but I also respect him equally as much¡± Spicy Ramen said, addressing Luke, as he tried to suggest that both Luke and Cervantez had great showings against ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in the grand tournament. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s impossible to like that guy, I hate him too¡­. Just his name alone, ¡®TheBoss¡¯. How fucking domineering. And he has the skills to back it up too¡­. It¡¯s almost like, I have the confidence of beating everyone in this lobby in a fight, however, I don¡¯t think I can win against him¡± Big Daddy said, as the rest of the group rolled their eyes at his words. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you down anyday¡­. There¡¯s no chance you beat me¡± Cervantez told Big Daddy, as the two began to bicker like old friends. Apparently, Big Daddy was Cervantez¡¯s neighbor in Sector S, and the two shared meals together often. For Leo however, this banter proved to be extremely interesting as this was the first time that he got to listen to people candidly talking about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and what they really thought about him. As he witnessed their obsession with ¡®TheBoss¡¯, whichpelled them to keep talking about him although he wasn¡¯t present in the room, Leo felt extremely satisfied internally, as he knew that he had psychologically cemented his ce as the number one yer, even within the minds of the rankers. Chapter 329: Event Begins Chapter 329: Event Begins Once the invitation clock ran down to zero, the First Annual Rankers Event Officially Began. To everyone¡¯s shock, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ did not seem to be participating, as the disy counter for how many yers had arrived at the lobby was stuck at a 999/1000, when the event officially began. ¡°Holy shit, someone actually did not bother to show up to the official rankers event! And I think it¡¯s ¡®TheBoss¡¯, because if he was here we¡¯d know¡­.. those ck robes and that mask is unmissable¡± Purple Rock said, as he tried to look around in the crowd, desperately searching for ¡®TheBoss¡¯, but failed to do so. ¡°Well, that¡¯s ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for you¡­. He probably thinks the event is no good for him¡± Cervantez replied, shrugging his shoulders as if he found this behavior of ¡®TheBoss¡¯s¡¯ consistent with his personality. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s not here then it gives us a better shot at winning eh guys? So let¡¯s celebrate that¨C¡± Spicy Ramen said, giving the rest of the group a raised eyebrow, as at that moment a female elf teleported to the center of the event arena out of nowhere. ¡°Wee Rankers¡­..¡± The elf said, drawing the attention of everyone to herself with her beautiful physical appearance and her angelic voice. ¡°I am ¡®Raya¡¯, the organizer of this year¡¯s Rankers Special Event. And it¡¯s my honor to be standing amongst the 999 of you who epted our invitation today¡± Raya the elf said politely, as her thank-you inted the ego of the gathered rankers to new heights. ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you must be wondering as to what this special event is all about. Well, let me clear out some confusion for you¡­. This special event is not going to be a fighting challenge. So you won¡¯t be needing your weapons¡± Raya said, as her words brought the sigh of relief to few and a sigh of disappointment to others. Almost everyone present believed that this rankers only special event was going to be some sort of a fight between the rankers to determine who was the best, however, they were wrong. Only Cervantez had an inkling that this was not going to be a fight prior toing here, which was why he never prepared for one. ¡°This event¡­. It will be like a carnival. A carnival where all invited yers can level up rapidly by participating in simple games. Some of these games may seem unique and new to you, such as simted war strategy, Dragon Tower or Beat The System. Or for those who prefer familiar games and possess a gambling heart, they can y ssic Earth games like Roulette, Barat or ckJack ¡­.¡± Raya said, as her introduction got many people excited. ¡°Everyone will get 3 free game passes. Meaning that you can y any game of your choice thrice without facing any penalties, however, the winnings for these three rounds are all yours. The value of each free game pass is equivalent to 5 levels, so if you ce and win a bet with a 2x payout, it will be equivalent to you having gained 10 levels, while if you lose, it will not be penalized at all. Everyone will be given the same 6 hours period of free and uninterrupted gaming and sky¡¯s the limit for how many levels one can gain. 100 levels? 200 levels? 500 levels? This is an opportunity to win unlike any other and establish a gap between yourself and the normal yers. So I personally wish all the best to all you rankers out there and hope that you win big tonight¨C¡± Raya said, as she charmed the entire crowd with her speech, getting everyone extremely excited. ¡°Bloody hell! 10 levels a bet? That means we can walk out of this event with 50-100 levels higher than we walked into it! We can be the new number one yer and that too by a longshot¡± ¡°Oh I am a professional gambler¡­. Online gambling with dors is all I did back within my dad¡¯s nuclear bunker on Earth. I won millions¡± ¡°This event is perfect! It¡¯s about time the game organizers gave the rankers some special benefits and I¡¯m extremely d they came up with this¨C¡± Themon yers went absolutely crazy over the promise of gaining hundreds of levels, however, rm bells began ringing in the heads of Cervantez, Luke and Leo, who had the prior warning to not indulge in gambling. The three of them looked at each other confused, however, before they had the chance to talk it out, Raya sent all of the rankers into yet another private lobby. ¡°The 6 hours time starts 10 minutes from now now and there are a total of 50 games to choose from¡­.. best of luck yers¡± Raya said, teleporting all yers into a red casino like lobby that had 50 different rooms for one to enter with a bright game sign put up on-top of all of them. As Leo reached this lobby, alone, he found himself seated on a bar table, where on one side he had a catalog for all the drinks he could order at the bar and on the other he had a list of all the games that he could y. ¡°Would you like a refreshing drink yer? Perhaps something alcoholic for good luck before you begin your adventure?¡± An underage loli looking elf with ponytails asked Leo in a cute voice, as she looked towards him seductively while cleaning and immactely clean ss. ¡°No thanks¡­.. I prefer keeping my head straight¡± Leo replied, not feeling charmed by the little loli in any form as he was not into that kind of kinks. ¡°But it¡¯s for good luck, monsieur¡­. One of the drinks I can make is a luck booster¡± The loli bartender insisted, however, Leo decided to ignore her words. ¡°I make my own luck¡­¡± Leo said, shunning her down, as he turned his undivided focus on the list of games that one could y in this event. Chapter 330: First Game Chapter 330: First Game Leo took aprehensive look at the list of games and the potential highest payout range for each. The list was divided into two categories: familiar Earth games and new, unique games created specifically for the event. [ Earth games ] 1. Roulette ( 2x ¨C 36x payout ) 2. ckjack (1.5x ¨C 3x payout ) 3. Barat ( 1.5x ¨C 2x payout ) 4. Poker ( No limit ) 5. Slot Machines ( No limit ) . . . . 25. Trivial Pursuit [ New Games ] 1. Strategic Warfare ( 3x payout on win ) 2. Empire Builder (5x payout on win ) 3. Diplomatic Chess ( 50x payout on win) 4. Dragon Tower ( upto 100x payout ) . . . . . . 25. Mystical Artifacts ( No limit ) Leo took a close look at all the avable options and then remembered Cervantez¡¯s advice to avoid purely gambling games. Focusing on strategy-based games instead, Leo decided to rely more on his skills rather than gamble on pure luck. Leo understood that his best chance to maximize gains in this event without taking unnecessary risks was by leveraging his strategic thinking and hence the games that he finally selected to y with his three free chances were also games which let him exercise maximum control over the final oue :- 1. ( Strategic Warfare ) : This game simtedrge-scale battles where yers deployed troops, managed resources, and devised tactics to outmaneuver their opponents. Theplexity and depth of this game appealed to Leo¡¯s strategic mindset. He believed himself to be a strategic genius and anticipated that his ability to n several moves ahead would give him a significant advantage in this game. 2. ( Darts ) : A familiar Earth game, but in this event, it was modified to include various challenges that required not only precision of aim but many more challenges. yers had to decide the best targets to hit for maximizing their scores while managing limited attempts. Leo felt confident in his aiming ability and eye-hand coordination to perform well in this game. 3. ( Monster Arena ) : Abat strategy game where yers controlled a team of monsters, each with unique abilities, to battle against other teams. Sess in this game required careful selection of monsters, strategic use of their abilities, and tactical maneuvering during battles. Somehow, this game reminded Leo of ¡®Pokemon¡¯ and he felt that if he chose the right type of monster to fight the right type of opponent, he could win this game easily. With these selections, Leo felt confident that he could make the most out of the event without falling into the trap of gambling away his chances. ¡°I think from the entire list of 50 games, I have the best chances to win these 3 games¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself before clicking the first option ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯ as his first event choice. [ System Notification :- The game ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯ will begin in 2:00 mins¡­. Preparing Arena¡­. Loading Characters¡­.. Writing Script¡­.. ] Taking a deep breath, Leo mentally prepared himself for the first game, feeling slightly excited to see what it really was. As the timer counted down to the start of the game, Leo¡¯s mind raced with potential strategies and ns. Although he had never properly studied warfare like Luke, somehow he considered himself to be a natural born tactical genius, but that notion was about to be put to the test. *********** The screen shed, and Leo found himself transported to a strategic vantage point overlooking a vast battlefield. He was positioned on a high tform, providing him with aprehensive view of the terrain and the forces at hismand. Below him, his army was arrayed on the lower ground, dressed in blue armor and ready for battle, while the enemy held a fortified position atop a hill, d in red. Leo¡¯s army consisted of: ¨C 200 infantry soldiers equipped with swords and shields. ¨C 100 archers ready to provide ranged support. ¨C 50 cavalry units for swift nking maneuvers. ¨C 20 siege engineers with catapults and battering rams. The enemy, defending the hill, had: ¨C 150 infantry soldiers forming the first line of defense. ¨C 120 archers strategically positioned to rain down arrows on any advancing troops. ¨C 80 pikemen ready to repel cavalry charges. ¨C 30 mages capable of casting destructive spells and enhancing their troops. The battlefield was dotted with various natural and man-made obstacles, including a river that cut through the middle and a dense forest on the right nk. The hill itself was steep and fortified with makeshift barriers, making a direct assault costly. [ System Notification :- The Winning Conditions for yer are : 1. ( Capture the Hill ) : Sessfully breach the enemy defenses and take control of the hilltop, forcing the enemy to retreat. Or 2. ( Enemy Commander ) : Defeat the enemymander, causing the enemy forces to lose morale and surrender. Rewards :- Guaranteed reward : 2x entry wager upon victory. Performance rewards : Up till 5x additional rewards based on performance. ] A system notification informed Leo about the winning conditions while a high tech interface loaded in front of him which allowed him to deploy his forces with precision. By simply making movements on the screen, he could issuemands to his troops. A single tap or swipe could instruct his archers to fire, his infantry to charge, or his cavalry to nk. ¡°Oh this game is extremely interesting¡­. I just need to control my army from this high-tech screen in front of me and somehow devise a strategy to beat the enemy¡­.. hahaha, this is such an interesting game¡± Leo muttered to himself, feeling extremely excited, as this was the fun type of gaming that was usually missing from the mundane world of Terra Nova Online which was usually much more serious. ¡°Behold, the strategic genius of Leo Skyshard! Hahaha, Mad dash! All troops deployed at once! MAD CHARGEEEEE!!!!¡± Leo muttered, as he pushed all the buttons on his screen and pushed his army into a mad charge. It was probably an extremely dumb strategy, however, in Leo¡¯s mind he could envision it bing a grand sess. ¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Apologies guys for uploading today¡¯s first chapterter than usual¡­.. today will also surely be three chapters, but they will be slightly dyed because I¡¯m caught up in some personal stuff. /// Chapter 331: A ridiculous win Chapter 331: A ridiculous win If Luke were to take a look at Leo¡¯s war strategy, he would have pped his face in disappointment, as Leo¡¯s tactic seemed no different than that of a child, who pushed all their troops forward at once without nning anyplex moves. Funnily enough, although Leo was not supposed to gamble and had chosen this ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯ game because it depended on skill more than gambling, the strategy he chose was no different than aplete happy go lucky gamble which defeated the whole purpose of using skills. The battlefield buzzed with anticipation as Leo¡¯s troops, all 370 of them, stood at the ready. Leo, with a grin stered on his face, continued to fiddle with the high-tech interface. He had already pressed every possible button, sending his entire army into a full-frontal assault. From his elevated position, Leo watched as his troops charged forward in a disorganized, chaotic mass. The archers ran alongside the cavalry, the infantry stumbled over each other, and the siege engineers frantically tried to push their catapults through the sea of soldiers. ¡°Mad dash! All troops deployed at once! MAD CHARGEEEEE!!!!¡± Leo shouted,pletely sure of his genius strategy. Meanwhile, on the hill, the enemymander squinted at the approaching horde, his expression shifting from confusion to sheer disbelief. He turned to his mages, who shrugged helplessly. ¡°Are they¡­ are they seriously just charging in like that?¡± he asked, baffled as he had never seen such a strategy being used in his entire life. One of his mages, a stern-looking woman with a staff taller than herself, nodded slowly. ¡°It appears they are no different from baboons sir. What should we do now?¡± Themander rubbed his temples in confusion as he said ¡°I suppose¡­ prepare to fire. This should be over quickly.¡± Upon receiving the orders from theirmander, the defending archers notched their arrows, the infantry braced for impact, and the mages began casting their spells. As Leo¡¯s troops barreled forward, tripping over roots, falling into the river, and generally making a mess of things, the defending forces unleashed a volley of arrows and magical attacks. But then, something unexpected happened. In the chaos of their mad dash, Leo¡¯s troops had somehow be a tangled, unpredictable mass that was incredibly difficult to hit. Arrows flew past them, spells missed their targets, and the cavalry, instead of forming a coherent line, had split into multiple small groups, each charging at different angles. The enemy¡¯s carefullyid traps and defensive positions were rendered useless. The cavalry units, in their disarray, nked the enemy archers, causing panic in the ranks, while the infantry, stumbling and bumbling, found themselves in close quarters with the pikemen before they had a chance to set their pikes. Leo, watching from above, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s working¡­ it¡¯s actually working!¡± he eximed, pping his knee in delight, as he became convinced of his own strategic genius at this moment. His siege engineers, having finally managed to push their catapults through the river, set them up at an angle so ridiculous that their boulders arced perfectly over the enemy fortifications, smashing into the rear lines. The enemy mages, caught off guard, tried to retaliate but found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer randomness of the assault. At the center of the fray, Leo¡¯s infantry, having finally found their footing, stormed the hill. The enemymander, nowpletely flustered, tried to rally his troops, but it was toote. Leo¡¯s soldiers, driven by their sheer momentum and the element of surprise, breached the defenses and swarmed the hilltop. The enemymander, realizing that his formation was breached, felt at a loss for words, as he threw down his sword in frustration. ¡°This is impossible! How did this happen?¡± He wondered, as for a moment he hesitated if he should continue to fight or call for a strategic retreat, however, after wondering what to do for a few moments, he finally decided to call for a retreat. ¡°RETREAT¡­. ALL MEN RETREAT¡­. SLOW AND STEADY¡­. RETREAT¡± Themander said, as his forces started to abandon their positions on-top of the hill and began falling back. ¡°Let¡¯s go men! Clutch that victory like it¡¯s your girlfriend¡¯s boobs!¡± Leo shouted from up above as he could see that victory was within his reach. His men, motivated from his words, pushed all the way through, driving the enemy forces away until they were fully in control of the hill. *Cheers* As thest of the enemy men retreated, Leo¡¯s forces erupted in victorious cheers, with Leo too performing a little victory dance by pumping his fists in the air. ¡°Behold, the strategic genius of Leo Skyshard!¡± he shouted,ughing. ¡°Who needsplicated ns when you have sheer, unadulterated chaos on your side?¡± [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ for winning this round. You have received guaranteed 2x rewards. +10 levels received. Calcting additional performance based rewards¡­.. ] [ System Notification :- Calctionplete. ?Achieve victory in under 10 minutes ( Complete ) ? Capture and defeat enemy leader ( Fail ) ? Lose no men during the attack ( Complete ) Final evaluation ¨C A+ 2.5x multiplier applied. +12 levels ] As the system notification chimed in, confirming his victory and detailing the rewards, Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of pride. His unorthodox strategy had somehow, miraculously, led to a resounding victory andted him a whopping +22 levels in total! ¡°Muahahaha¡­. 22 levels at once! Sometimes my own genius frightens me¡­. Such a perfect victory¡­. Not a single man lost!¡± Leo said to himself brushing the dust off from his own shoulder as he was teleported out to the main lobby. ¡°Wee back yer! I see you have made some big gains¡­. Perhaps you would like a celebratory drink now?¡± The loli bartender asked cutely, however, Leo, sticking to his rules, denied it once more. ¡°No thank-you, I don¡¯t use alcohol when I¡¯m trying to use 100% of my brain power¡­. Not everyone can gain +22 levels like me in a strategy based game¡­ you need unbelievable genius to do so¡± Leo said, shunning the loli as he moved on to the second game on the list. Chapter 332: Luke at the event Chapter 332: Luke at the event ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke¡¯s first choice of what game to y was the same as Leo. Just like his brother, he too chose ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯ as his first game; however, unlike Leo, he had proper knowledge about battlegrounds and strategies since he had studied it as a subject in The Royal Knight Academy. Standing at his elevated vantage point, Luke surveyed the battlefield with a critical eye. Unlike Leo¡¯s enthusiastic but chaotic charge, Luke actually took his time to study the enemy forcesposition and shape before contemting about a method to approach the battle. Having spent countless hours studying historical battles, learning about formations, and perfecting the art of war, Luke knew that he was more than equipped to devise a winning strategy, as he decided to go for a safe yet secure approach, which while cumbersome and life intensive, was going to guarantee him victory. Unlike Leo, Luke arranged his forces in neat, disciplined lines. The infantry stood at the forefront, shields locked together in a defensive wall. Behind them, the archers waited with arrows notched, ready to unleash a devastating volley. The cavalry units were stationed on the nks, poised to strike at the opportune moment while his siege engineers were positioned strategically at the back with their catapults ready to fire. ¡°Patience is key,¡± Luke muttered to himself, tappingmands into his high-tech interface. ¡°We will take the hill, but we will do so methodically.¡± As the enemy forces came into view, Luke began his n. He instructed his archers to release a precise volley of arrows, targeting the enemy mages and archers on the hilltop. These arrows flew in perfect unison, striking down several key enemy units. Next, he ordered his infantry to advance slowly, maintaining their shield wall as he had been taught to do within the textbooks of the Royal Academy. As per hismands, the soldiers moved forward with disciplined steps, their shields deflecting iing arrows and spells, ensuring that arge number of them survived, although a few still fell through the gaps in the shield wall. At the perfect moment, Luke ordered his siege engineers to fire their catapults, their boulders smashing into the enemy fortifications and creating openings in the defenses. However, the enemy was not idle either. Seeing Luke¡¯s careful approach, the enemymander adapted quickly. Ordering his mages to cast powerful spells, the enemymander created barriers and summoned fireballs that rained down on Luke¡¯s advancing troops. The pikemen, instead of waiting for the cavalry, moved forward to engage Luke¡¯s infantry directly, forcing a brutal melee. Luke¡¯s forces began to take heavy casualties. The disciplined shield wall started to falter under the relentless assault, forcing Luke to order his cavalry to nk the enemy, but the dense forest and natural obstacles made the maneuver slow and cumbersome. The cavalry units struggled to navigate the terrain, losing their momentum and effectiveness. ¡°Stay the course!¡± Lukemanded, his voice steady despite the growing chaos as he ordered his archers to provide cover fire, picking off enemy pikemen and creating openings for his infantry. In the end, despite the setbacks, Luke¡¯s strategic mind kept working. He spotted a weak point in the enemy¡¯s defenses and directed his infantry to exploit it as his soldiers finally managed to break through, reaching the enemy¡¯s core forces. From that point onwards, the battle became a fierce, close-quarters fight, with heavy losses on both sides. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Luke¡¯s forces managed to breach the hilltop. The enemymander, realizing defeat was imminent, ordered a retreat as Luke¡¯s soldiers raised their banners in victory, the hill now under their control. [ System Notification :- Congrattions to the yer ¡®SkyLion¡¯ for winning this round. You have received guaranteed 2x rewards. +10 levels received. Calcting additional performance based rewards¡­.. ] [ System Notification :- Calctionplete. ?Achieve victory in under 10 minutes (Fail) ? Capture and defeat enemy leader (Fail) ? Lose no men during the attack (Fail) Final evaluation ¨C C No additional rewards issued. ] As the system notification confirmed his victory, Luke couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of triumph and exhaustion. He had relied on strategic maneuvers and careful nning, but each calcted move hade with significant trade-offs and unforeseen challenges which seemingly made him ineligible for additional rewards. Luke sighed, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°A victory is a victory, though receiving a C grade evaluation just goes to show how much I¡¯mcking as amander¨C¡± Luke said smiling contently, as he felt satisfied with the +10 level rewards and did not bother about the additional rewards that he missed. Since he was alone and hadn¡¯t discussed his victory with Leo, he felt extremely proud of himself for winning. However, if he learned how Leo achieved his victory and how effective his unconventional strategy was, he would undoubtedly reconsider the impressiveness of his own triumph. ********* ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez¡¯s first choice was the game ¡®Monster Battle¡¯ where he fought against another yer for the win. Apparently, ¡®Monster Battle¡¯ was a PvP game where one was matched against a yer and not a system generated opponent, with there being one winner and one loser in the fight, with the winner taking all the levels put up as a wager and the loser losing the same amount. For the first round, both Cervantez and his opponent had wagered 1 Free Pass which was equivalent to five levels, which meant that the winner was to gain +5 levels. The fightsted for a total of 20 minutes, with Cervantez winning by the skin of his teeth with hisst ¡®Fire Type Monster¡¯ the ¡®Fire Fox¡¯. Overall, it was more of a fun experience rather than a serious leveling gain. At the end, there was an option of whether or not a candidate wanted to do a rematch, with Cervantez¡¯s opponent putting up thest 2 fast passes of his as a wager, technically putting up 10 levels on the line. Cervantez, confident of winning the fight twice, epted the battle, putting 10 levels on the line from his side, as the duo engaged in a rematch, which Cervantez won convincingly this time around, gaining a total of +10 levels from the second fight, bringing his aggregate winnings to +15 levels. Chapter 333: The Dart Game Chapter 333: The Dart Game ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The second game that Leo chose to y was ¡®Darts¡¯, however, it was with a slight twist. The absolute bullseye at the center was worth +100 points. However, the darker ck circle, just outside the red dot at the center, was worth -200 points. This theme ran throughout the board with all the ck stripes being minus and all the white stripes being plus. The distance between the contestant and the dart board was a whopping 25 meters and there were strong air-currents blowing between the yer and the board, whose speed and intensity changed every 5 seconds, making it impossible for a yer to study its pattern for long. [ Dart Game, Rules & Winning Conditions : ¡ú The yer will get 3 perfectly streamline darts to throw towards the board. ¡ú A yer must score a minimum of 100 points, to be eligible for rewards. ¡ú The yer must take all three shots within a time limit of 60 seconds. Reward list : Score : ¨C 100-125 ( 1x participation bet ) Score : ¨C 125 ¨C 200 ( 2x participation bet ) Score : ¨C 200- 225 ( 4x participation bet ) Score : ¨C 300 ( 10x participation bet ) ] To be eligible for any rewards, the minimum requirement was to score 100+ points, however, with the maximum points value of a white strip being only 25 points, the only way to win anything in the game was to hit the bullseye at least once. After thoroughly reading the rules, Leo stepped into the throwing area with his presence causing the air currents to activate. *WHIRRRR* Once the strong air currents began blowing at him from all sides, Leo realized that the currents were not weak in terms of intensity at all and were changing direction precisely every 5 seconds. ¡°Holy shit, this game is impossible¡­. With such strong currents it¡¯s impossible to take a proper aim. This is not a cute leaf blower type current, this feels like a proper tornado¡­.. Who the fuck ys darts in a tornado? The previous game was much easierpared to this one. This game is a scam!¡± Leo cursed, as he felt cheated by the system. Had he known that the dart game would be this difficult, he would never have chosen to y it. However, with his bet already ced, he now had no choice but to continue. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready, begin the clock¨C¡± Leo said, hitting the red button beside him, as a massive clock hanging just above the dart board began ticking down from 60 towards 0. 59¡­58¡­.57¡­. Taking in a deep breath, Leo prepared his first throw, as using all his dagger throwing skills and uracy, he threw the dagger towards the dead center of the board with as much power as he could. ¡°Here goes nothing¨C¡± he said, releasing the dart from his hand as it covered the distance of 5 meters without being affected by the wind current, before starting to deviate from its path. For a while it veered a bit to the right, then it lost a bit of elevation, before veering slightly to the left and gaining slight elevation because of uplifting air currents. *Bam* +12. The dart finally collided with the dart board near the absolute edge, thankfully falling into the white strip which gave Leo +12 points. ¡°Ho¡ª, this game is indeed as impossible as I thought it would be, the dart is veering too much due to the air currents¡­. It¡¯s impossible to take a proper aim under such circumstances¡± Leo murmured to himself, as the clock kept running down. 50¡­49¡­48¡­.. ¡°Hmmm¡­. This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ they shouldn¡¯t make such a difficult game that¡¯s near impossible to win. There must be something that I¡¯m missing. There must be some obvious cheat that makes this game passable¡± Leo muttered, using the logic that the game developers should not make a game that had such strict winning conditions if it wasn¡¯t equally easy to achieve it. ¡°What if¡­ I release my arrow at the exact moment that the air currents switch? If I unleash it precisely at the 5th second, will it fly straight?¡± Leo wondered, as although he had no actual science to back this logic up, he decided to try it out since it seemed to be his only option. 45¡­44¡­43¡­. Counting down alongside the clock, Leo set a mental timer to sync his next throw with the change in air currents, waiting patiently as he mock swung his arms a few times, replicating the motion of a dart throw. 37¡­36¡­ 35! ¡®NOW!¡¯, he thought, unleashing the dart precisely at the 5th second, as he watched it¡¯s trajectory with bated breath. *BAM* +100 To his absolute shock, the dart did not ever in any direction and flew absolutely straight when Leo synced his throw with the change in wind pattern as although Leo himself could not notice it, the change in wind pattern always happened in a way that for a brief second during the change the streamline path towards bullseye was left unaffected. ¡°HAHAHA! THE GENIUS ME CRACKED THE CODE YET AGAIN¡± Leo muttered in joy, as coupled with his precise dagger throwing skills, the game of dart became an easy endeavor for him once he figured out its secrets. 27¡­26¡­25! *BAM!* +100. Hitting the bullseye twice in a row! Leo achieved the total score of 212 points, making him eligible for a 4x payout! [ System Notification :- The dart game is over¡­. Final score ¡®212¡¯. Entry bet is ¡®5¡¯ levels. Calcting final rewards¡­.. ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ for gaining +20 levels. ] Just like that, Leo won 20 more levels bringing his aggregate victory total to a whopping 42 levels when added with his strategic battle win. ¡°Muahahahaha¡­. I have gained 6 months worth of levels in under 60 minutes. This event is awesome!¡± Leo said out loud, as at this moment he feltpletely high on his achievements. After returning to the lobby, he could not control his internal giddiness and giggled like a little girl in front of the loli bartender, who asked him if he wanted a drink for the third time, only to be rejected brutally for a third time. ¡°I¡¯ll quickly go and y the third game, then once I know which game is the best for me, I¡¯ll spend the rest of my time ying that same game over and over again¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he decided to check out the final game he had picked for himself, the ¡®Monster Battle¡¯. Chapter 334: Degenerate Gamblers Chapter 334: Degenerate Gamblers ( Meanwhile, other rankers ) While Leoughed like a giddy child in his lobby, there were some yers who felt their guts being wrenched, as they had fallen deep into the gambling hole. One of those yers was ¡®Spicy Ramen¡¯ who had chosen to y ¡®Roulette¡¯ as his first choice game. Initially, he had won 3 bets in a row of +5 levels each by wagering his free passes, to gain a total of +15 levels, however, emboldened by his first three wins he started to gamble with his actual level pool, putting up 10 levels at a time to try and gamble for +10 levels with each spin. ¡°10 levels¡­.. ck¡± Spicy Ramen decided to wager 10 levels on ck after watching the previous 3 spins which had allnded on red. ¡®The probability of having red is nearly 49.5%, but to have it twice in a row is less than 25% and to have it thrice in a row is less than 12.5%, however, to have it four times in a row is less than 6.25%. This means that there is a 94% probability of me winning this bet¡¯ Spicy Ramen thought, as he watched the ball spin with bated breaths. *Ching* *Cha-Ching* No- 8 Red! ¡± *Ptui* ¡± coughing a mouthful of saliva in regret, Spicy Ramen watched his +15 level gains fall to just +5 as his previous bet failed him big time. ¡°10 levels¡­.. ck!¡± Although he had just lost 10 levels, like a true gambler he decided to make the same bet twice, because the probability of it happening 5 times in a row was less than 3%. No- 14 Red! ¡± *Ptui* *Ptui* ¡± Spicy Ramen coughed up blood this time which he was forced to swallow back, because he had actually lost 5 levels because of his risky bet now. His +5 level gains had now turned to -5, forcing him to keep gambling to recover his losses. ¡°20 levels on¡­. ck!!¡± Like aplete degenerate gambler, Spicy Ramen tried to recover all his losses in a single bet, as he doubled down and ced a big gamble on ck. ¡®It has to be ck now¡­. 6 in a row is impossible¨C¡¯ Spicy Ramen thought, as he watched the roulette ball tumble with bated breath. *Ching* *Cha-Ching* No- 2 Red! ¡°WHAT THE FUCK¡ª¡± Spicy Ramen said, enraged as he could not believe his rotten luck. The probability of the ball falling on red 6 times in a row was less than 1.5%, yet it still happened. ¡°I¡¯m down 25 levels now¡­.. what the hell! This game is rigged¡± Spicy Ramenined, as on one hand he felt a strong urge to call it a day and cut his losses at only 25 levels, however, on the other hand, he could not bear to lose close to 3 months worth of leveling hard work so stupidly. ¡°I can¡¯t stop now¡­. I guess fortune only favors the bold¡­.¡± Spicy Ramen said, deciding to bet 50 levels on ck, as in his head he felt like it would surely notnd on red for a 7th time in a row. ¡°50¡­. ck!¡± Spicy Ramen said with a trembling voice, as he felt his heart beat out of his chest when he ced this bet. On one hand, losing this single bet could kick him out of the top 10,000 rankers list and p him down to bing a middle ranked yer, however, winning this bet would mean that his losses would be recovered and he would also gain +25 levels in profit. Closing his eyes, Spicy Ramen began praying for the ball to fall on ck, as he did not dare open his eyes until he heard the familiar sound of the ball settling on to the board. *Ching* *Cha-Ching* No- 32 Red! To Spicy Ramen¡¯s utmost shock, the ball hadnded on red for the seventh consecutive time, causing his eyes to widen in disbelief, and his mouth to hang open like a fish out of water. ¡°What¡­ in the¡­ name of all things holy¡­¡± he stammered, feeling a mix of anger, shock, and a profound sense of betrayal. ¡°Seven times? SEVEN? I can¡¯t even win a coin toss this badly!¡± His internal monologue spiraled into a frenzy. ¡®Did the universe just decide to mess with me today? Or is there some roulette deityughing at my misery right now?¡¯ He ran his hands through his hair, messing it up even more. ¡°I swear, if I find out who rigged this game, I¡¯m going to¡ª¡± He stopped mid-rant, realizing he was alone and probably looked insane. ¡°Alright, calm down, Spicy. Deep breaths. Think rationally. I mean, it can¡¯t keepnding on red, right? Right?!¡± His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, each more ridiculous than thest. ¡®Maybe I should start betting on red just to mess with the system. No, that¡¯s how they get you. Maybe I need a lucky charm. Or a rabbit¡¯s foot. Or a four-leaf clover. Or maybe I need to stop being an idiot and just quit.¡¯ He looked at his remaining levels,(77) feeling a mixture of despair and a twisted sense of humor about the whole situation. ¡°Do I cut my losses and live to gamble another day, or do I go full tilt and risk dropping to zero?¡± Heughed nervously, his voice echoing in the empty system room. ¡°Who am I kidding? I¡¯ve got the luck of a three-legged dog in a pogo stick contest.¡± He muttered self-deprecatingly, as he faced the reality about his rotten luck. ¡°Okay, okay. I could stop now. I could be smart about this. But where¡¯s the fun in that? No guts, no glory, right? Besides, what¡¯s life without a little risk?¡± Spicy Ramen nced back at the roulette table, his fingers twitching. ¡°Alright, universe. You want to y games? Let¡¯s y games. But first¡­¡± He looked around the room, checking for hidden cameras or any sign of supernatural interference. ¡°Just in case, I¡¯d like to formally apologize to any roulette gods I may have offended. Please, just let me have this one¡ª¡± he said, praying to every deity that he remembered from back Earth as he yed a final bet of 77 levels all at once. ¡°77¡­.. ck!¡± he said, feeling his heart drop to a standstill as he watched the roulette ball spin around the table. ¡°Well, here goes nothing. Or everything. Probably everything. But hey, at least it¡¯ll be a hell of a story.¡± Spicy Ramen said, as he watched the ball falling to 17 ck to his absolute relief. 17 ck! ¡°I won? I won?¡­.. HAHAHAHAHA I WON! I WON IT ALL BACK¡­. We are back in business baby!¡± Spicy Ramen celebrated as he regained 77 levels at once. ¡°I told you fortune favors the bold¡­. I told you!¡± he shouted to nobody as he pped his chest in needless pride. ¡°Time to start ying with 25 levels at once now¡± he muttered, rubbing his hands as he ced a bet for 25 levels on ck yet again like a degenerate gamble who was high on his first big winnings. Unfortunately, while he had narrowly avoided going bankrupt just now, gambling in itself was not a sustainable practice in the long term, as the house always won in the end. Unfortunately for Spicy Ramen and many other yers like him, they were about to learn this lesson the hard way, since the event was 6 hours long¡­ which was too long a time in gambling. Chapter 335: First Monster Battle Chapter 335: First Monster Battle ( Meanwhile Leo ) The third game that Leo had chosen to y was ¡®Monster Battle¡¯. In this game, Leo was assigned 3 random monsters from within the world of Terra Nova and he got to control them and their abilities in a simted battle against the opponent¡¯s monsters. This was a yer vs yer game, in which the winning side won all the wagered levels while the losing side lost all theirs. It was a pretty straight forward game, with the maximum possible payout being only 2x of wagered bet. ¡°Hmm¡­. Interesting¡­. It seems like all my assigned monsters are of the same exact level, ( Level ¨C 100 ) by default. One of them has 3 moves¡­. While the two others have four¡± Leo murmured to himself as he took a look at his assigned monsters and their move-sets ¡°So apart from having different move sets, all of them also have independent HP bars, MP bars and Stamina bars. Tounch an attack a set amount of Stamina and MP is used, with every move having a different toll on the monsters. So to win, one has to strategize not only what type of monster to y against what type of opponent, but also manage their stamina and MP bars during the battle¡± Leo muttered to himself as he thoroughly read the rules of the game to understand all the hidden nuances within it. ¡°Alright, I think I understand all the rules¡­. Time to start the fight and receive my monsters¨C¡± Eventually, once he felt prepared to start a fight, Leo clicked the ¡®Match Fight¡¯ option on his screen, after which he was matched up against another yer who had epted his wager of 5 levels. For this fight, the three monsters that he was given were :- 1. [ Frostfang ] ( Ice Type Monster ) ¨C Appearance: A sleek, wolf-like creature who has shimmering white fur that glistens like fresh snow. Its eyes are a piercing icy blue, and it has sharp, crystalline ws and fangs that sparkle in the light. ¨C Moves: ¨C Ice Breath: A st of freezing air that can slow down or immobilize opponents. ¨C Frostbite: A vicious bite that deals ice damage and has a chance to freeze the target. ¨C cial Shield: Summons a protective barrier of ice that reduces iing damage. 2. [ me Lion ] ( Fire Type Monster ) ¨C Appearance: A majestic lion-like beast who has a fiery mane and tail. Its fur is a deep red, almost like moltenva shade in color and its eyes glow with a fierce, amber light. ¨C Moves: ¨C me Burst: Unleashes a powerful explosion of fire, damaging all enemies in its vicinity. ¨C Ember Strike: A swift, burning w attack that can ignite the opponent. ¨C Inferno Roar: A deafening roar that releases waves of heat, causing area-of-effect damage. ¨C Fire Wall: Erects a barrier of mes that can block attacks and deal damage to any who try to pass through it. 3. [ Verdant Viper ] ( Grass Type Monster ) ¨C Appearance: Arge, serpent-like creature who has emerald green scales and a crest of leaves running down its back. Its eyes are a bright, verdant green, and its tongue flickers out like a vine. ¨C Moves: ¨C Vine Whip: Lashes out with powerful vines to ensnare and damage the opponent. ¨C Leaf de: A swift, cutting attack with razor-sharp leaves. ¨C Regrowth: A healing ability that restores HP over time. ¨C Spore Cloud: Releases a cloud of spores that can cause status effects like sleep or paralysis. ¡ª Leo quickly assessed his options, reading in-depth about the monsters that he could call upon and their abilities. [ System Notification :- Please select your first monster ] Prompted by the system notification, Leo chose [ Frostfang ] to lead the battle, hoping to use its freezing abilities to gain an early advantage. Soon a battlefield materialized before him, with his opponent having already selected his monster, as his Frost Wolf, found itself facing off against a fierce, bird-like creature crackling with electrical energy. ¡®Thunderhawk¡¯ was apparently what the creature was called, and on his home operation screen, he could track the opponents HP bar too. ¡°Alright, Frostfang, let¡¯s show them what we can do!¡± Leomanded, feeling the adrenaline of the impending battle, as he truly felt like a Pokemon master at this moment. *Growwlll* Encouraged by his words, Frostfang growled in response, its icy breath misting the air, as it tried to intimidate the opposing bird. *Crackle* *Crackle* Unfazed by the poor intimidation attempt the Thunderhawk spread its wings in response, electricity dancing along its feathers, which crackled in the air. [ System Notification:- The battle starts in 5¡­4¡­.3¡­.2¡­..1¡­.. Go! ] A system notification set the countdown for the battle, with both monsters being free to fight once the countdown hit 0 seconds. ¡°Thunderhawk, use Lightning Strike!¡± Leo¡¯s opponent shouted, as soon as the countdown hit 0, to which his beast responded with a loud screech as if took off into the air. *Screech* After reaching a certain elevation, the birdunched a powerful bolt of lightning toward Frostfang, to which Leo reacted quickly. ¡°Frostfang, cial Shield!¡± Leo said, as an ice barrier formed around Frostfang just in time, absorbing the brunt of the lightning attack. *Crunch* The sh of elements sent sparks and shards of ice flying, setting the tone for an intense battle. ¡°Hahaha, this is interesting¡­. Wohooo!¡± Leo muttered, as although it was not a fightingment, he felt like he was having a lot of fun by ying in this event, and that it was a great stress buster. ¡°Frostfang, there is no point in being stationary, it just makes you an easy target, start jogging slowly in circles so that the bird has problem trying to aim for you¨C¡± Leo said, as he took the battle very casually and asked his monster to start circling the arena in slow paced jogs. ¡°Thunderhawk use Swooping Headbutt¡± the opponent said, as his bird came flying down towards Leo¡¯s wolf in a streamline motion. ¡°FrostFang use Ice Breath¡± Leo countered, as just as the bird came in swooping for a head-butt, it¡¯s feathers got frozen by Frostfangs icy breath instead, immobilizing the poor beast. ¡°Hohoho¡­. Let¡¯s finish this, use Frostbite¡± Leomanded, as the wolf-like monster went in for the kill, chomping on the opponents neck with the skill Frostbite to go for the critical hit. [ System Notification :- Thunderhawk is unable to continue its battle¡­. FrostFang wins ] Chapter 336: Doubts and Progress Chapter 336: Doubts and Progress Leo had an extremely fun battle against his opponent, with the two trading wins back and forth with every new monster that they chose. Finally, it was the me Lion that brought Leo the victory against the opponents horned bunny monster, helping Leo gain +5 levels. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ for winning your monster battle. Calcting results¡­ ] [ System Notification ¨C You have wagered 1 free pass and hence received +5 levels in return for winning this battle ] [ System Notification ¨C Do you wish to continue battling? The opponent has requested for a re-match, putting 20 levels as a wager. Do you wish to ept? Yes No ] Clicking ¡®No¡¯ decisively, Leo returned back to the lobby with a big smile on his face. ¡°Woohoo! Up to +47 levels overall baby! This has been a killer experience¨C¡± Leo muttered in joy, as he gave the bartender a big shiny smile. ¡°Congrattions on winning yet another event sir¡­. Would you perhaps like¡ª¡± ¡°No, thanks¡± Before the loli could even offer Leo another drink, Leo immediately refused her offer causing the loli to puff her cheeks out in anger. Turning her head away from Leo, she started to clean her bar sses with aggravated anger which was evident with her rough actions, however, Leo did not care for it. ¡°I wonder how others are performing¡­. Are they performing better than me? Are they performing worse? Will someone hit a 100x reward and walk out of this event 500 levels stronger? If that happens, my identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will be exposed immediately,¡± Leo mumbled as while he was enjoying the event, the realization that others were likely to gain just as many levels as he did, if not more dampened his excitement. Once this thought entered his head, Leo began to fear for his future, as he wondered if he should attempt more risky games with a higher overall payout, or stick to the three games he had already yed and explored. ********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) In his three free-pass games, Luke managed to gain a total of +28 levels, which made him feel extremely content. Not being much of a gambler, Luke was happy to make a steady gain of around 1.8x per game, as he did not wish to gain 500 levels from this event and had set his aim as gaining 50 levels by the end. ¡°2 hours have passed already, which means there are only 4 more hours of this event left. I don¡¯t need to hurry to reach my goal, I can take my time and enjoy the process and I¡¯ll still reach my goal of gaining 50 levels¡­¡± Luke muttered to himself, as he ordered a non-alcoholic beverage from the bar and sat there sipping it. ¡°Mmm¡­. This taste it¡¯s exquisite. Thank-you for the great service¨C¡± Luke saidplementing the Loli bartender as the little girl giggled and slid a token to Luke in return. ¡°Here kind sir¡­. May this bring good fortune to you¨C¡± she said, as Luke took the token that the little girl offered with a smile on his face. [ System Notification ¨C You have received 1x Free Pass Token. Note ¨C You cannot store this item in the inventory, it is a time limited item that must be used within the event. Note ¨C The Free Pass Token cannot be directly exchanged for levels and must be used as a wager in one of the games. ] ¡°Ehhh???¡± Luke questioned, as he did not expect to get a free pass token just like that, however, apparently the little Loli bartender seemed to have a whole stock of it. ¡°Thank You so much little one¨C¡± Luke said, shing her the kindest smile as he continued to sit there enjoying his drink while he browsed what new game to y with this additional token that he had just unexpectedly received. ************ ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) In the first two hours of the event, Cervantez managed to gain a total of +25 levels after having expended all three of his free pass tokens. ¡°All the rankers in my past life managed to gain somewhere between 50 to 75 levels in this event at best. While those who were too greedy lost everything. At the pace I¡¯m going, I¡¯m perfectly poised to reach the 75 level upper threshold, so there is no need to hurry or be greedy¨C¡± Cervantez said, stroking his chin as he too felt content with his leveling pace. In his past life, he had seen quite a lot of instances of top rankers dropping to level 0 because of their gambling addiction during this event and had hence warned Luke before the event to steer clear of gambling games and to y responsibly. In his past life, the rankers that saw the biggest amount of level gains only managed to reach +75 levels and hence Cervantez presumed that the same would hold true in this life too. However, little did he know, that because of his advice to Leo, to not gamble away his winnings, the situation this time around was much different to his past life, with Leo being on track to gain much more levels than what he did previously where he recklessly gambled some of his winnings away. ********* ( Meanwhile Spicy Ramen ) After nearly escaping dropping to level 0 once, within the next one hour, Spicy Ramen dropped down to having just 25 levels, as he gambled all of his gains away like a degenerate. With the road to recovery now looking long and unlikely, Spicy Ramen started to cry and swear to roulette gods that if he regained just his original level of 137 he would not longer indulge in gambling and end the gaming for the night as he began to cautiously gamble with 5 levels at a time, hoping to rebuild his lost level base at a steady pace of 5 levels at a time. Unfortunately for him, however, he lost his very first bet of 5 levels, further dropping his remaining level pool from 25 to just 20 levels. Chapter 337: The new year approaches Chapter 337: The new year approaches At the same time as Leo and the other rankers participated in the ranker-only special event,mon yers worked tirelessly to avoid a poor evaluation in the uing second evaluation test, which was now less than three days away. Every single yer in the game pushed themselves to level up during this crucial period, with the most intense effortsing from those in Sector E. The yers in sector E grinded levels as if their lives depended on it as having already missed the chance to ascend from Sector E during the first evaluation, they were determined not to miss the opportunity again. Although most yers stuck in Sector E worked extremely hard throughout the past year to secure a spot in the top 10% eligible for promotion, the reality of the situation was thatpetition, especially in sector E was intense with every other inhabitant also working almost as hard as them, if not even harder. Nobody wanted to be stuck in the hell-hole that Sector E was and hence the average Sector E yer not only worked extremely hard to be a top yer within Terra Nova but also diligentlypleted their tasks in real life, as nobody wanted to risk their promotion chances anymore. This was despite there being high crime in the Sector and mob-like gangs controlling all aspects of local life such as theundry queue, and lunch privileges. However, the hardships only strengthened the resolve of themoners to somehow escape that ce. Unfortunately, the theme of the second evaluation was not ¡®Levels¡¯ but rather ¡®Skills¡¯ which meant that thisst push by the yers to gain levels throughout the game was probably for nothing as the evaluation criteria did not take levels into ount in the first ce. ********** ( Meanwhile Elena and Jacob ) The second batch of four Arc Ships had finallynded on Earth and the entire area around the Arc Ships had turned into a live battlefield. A few of Earth¡¯s old military regime, those who had been promised a seat on the second batch of refugees tried to cordon off the area, however, the amount of Earthlings without a confirmed ticket who were desperate to enter the ship were just too many, converting the entire air-strip around the Arc Ships into an active war-zone. Thankfully, Elena and Jacob had both been escorted to their luxurious apartment in sector B, 3 days prior to lift off, with them given the chance to board the Arc Ship before the pandemonium took over the air field outside. About 250 million inhabitants were supposed to board each Arc Ship, however the ship operators gave clear instructions to the Field Marshalls securing the area that if the perimeter broke and illegal migrants began boarding the ship en-masse, then the Arc Ships would take off, without bothering toplete boarding, earlier than expected. And take-off they did, as while the perimeter in Washington DC was held strong by the soldiers, the same could not be said for the Arc Ship in Paris, which took off a mere 4 hours afternding, with less than 20 million inhabitants total after the security around that ship was breached. Of the four Arc Ships meant to carry a billion citizens total out of Earth, one left early without even boarding till 10% of maximum capacity, effectively stranding 230 million people to their deaths, who would have been able to board otherwise. However, the example from Paris only made the field Marshals protecting the other three ships that much more serious about their jobs, as they realized that under no circumstance could they let any illegal citizen board the ship who did not deserve a spot on it. Thankfully, Leo and Luke had the foresight to buy protection for Elena and Jacob which ensured that they were boarded safely, because without it, the two would have found it impossible to get through the thick mass of citizens clouding all the entry points to the arc ship hangar bay. ********* ( Meanwhile Eren ) Having been given a chance to prove his worth by the Demon King, Eren joined the raid group that was poised to attack the Empire¡¯s forces through the great forest, in the Empire¡¯s Eastern District. He was given 5 Demon Captains to work with, and was challenged to capture 5 Empire viges in the next 45 days. It was undoubtedly a difficult mission, with the demon captains snorting in disgust whenever they saw him, as they did not seem to respect him as their leader. In the demon society where strength reigned supreme, they had never entertained the idea of having a dedicated war-strategist in their war- council, as they were used to following a very simple chain ofmand and a very simple fighting style. Techniques like ambush, luring the opponent into traps and strategic positioning were concepts that were foreign to them, however, for Eren they were not. Eren knew exactly what he was doing and if the demon¡¯s co-operated with him just a few times, he was sure that they would soon understand the benefits of his way of fighting and would naturally start respecting him more. The only problem was getting them to obey the first few times, as let alone letting him speak, the demon captains under him refused to even look at him without snorting or internally cursing him, which frustrated Erin to no end. ¡®This has to stop¡­. I have to win them over in some way,¡¯ Eren thought, as he began devising a n that would help him win the support of the demon captains under him, even if it was temporary. He knew his limitations as a warrior and knew he could not challenge them to a fist-fight, however, if it was a game where brains mattered more than brawn then he felt confident of winning it. ¡°The demon¡¯s are too prideful¡­. They won¡¯t go back on their words if I beat them in a contest. I just need to secure their support once. They will naturally fall in ler on¡± Eren muttered to himself, as he decided on a method to win their support. Chapter 338: A loss in profit Chapter 338: A loss in profit ( Leo¡¯s POV ) With four hours of gaming time still left, Leo decided that the best use of his time would be to keep ying the Dart Game, as after introspection, he felt like it was the safest game for him to keep gaining levels. As he selected the option to y the dart game again, he was once again transported into the dart game lobby, however, the conditions this time around seemed to be different from his previous attempt. Instead of standing 25 meters away from the target, he was now standing only 10 meters away from it, however, this time there were no powerful wind disturbances in his surroundings and there seemed to be an eerie looking mechanical cat positioned right above the dart board. While everything else about the game remained the same, such as the points structure and the rewards payout range, the challenge this time was to hit the dart board without falling into the mechanical cat¡¯s clutches. [ Dart Game (Stage 2) Rules : As the yer tries to hit the dart board, the mechanical cat positioned above the board will activate and try to swat the dart away from its original path. The reflex time of the cat to swat away a dart is equal to the speed of sound. Hence, unless the yer throws a dart that achieves a speed greater than the speed of sound, evading the cat is impossible. Good luck! ] ¡°Ohh¡­ so every time I clear the dart game, the difficulty level keeps increasing. I see¡­ so it¡¯s not an infinite level hack,¡± Leo realized after reading the game¡¯s description as he understood that he couldn¡¯t farm the same game repeatedly. ¡°Well, I have wagered 7 levels on this round, so I can not afford to fail this stage. I guess I¡¯ll just have to figure out how to beat this stupid cat¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself as he did not dare mount the game stage which would trigger the 1 minute countdown to start. Instead, Leo patiently waited outside the main stage and thought of a strategy to potentially beat the cat. ¡°If the cat¡¯s movement speed is equal to that of the speed of sound then using speed is definitely not the answer because I can¡¯t throw darts at the speed of sound. This means that the only other option I have is to rely on my skills¡­¡± Leo thought, as he tapped his chin. ¡°The only skill that may prove to be useful in this situation is [ Mirror World ] I can potentially replicate the real dart, ten times, confusing the cat on where the real dart will strike. Since the game rules don¡¯t specify that I can¡¯t use my gaming skills, it may work. However, if the cat sees through my skill and is unaffected by the illusion that I create then I will be toast¨C¡± Leo thought, as he weighed in the risks and his options carefully. ¡°Welp, 7 levels on the line¡­. Here goes nothing¨C¡± Eventually deciding to go with the mirror world trick, mostly because he had no other option Leo decided to make 10 identical copies of the dart as he threw them all at once in a scatter shot. *Meow* The cat activated the second that Leo released the darts, however, the cat too was fooled by Leo¡¯s illusion as it went after a dagger that did not exist in reality, swiping off nothing but pure air. *BAM* +100 points. The real dagger hit dead center on the board, helping Leo score +100 points. ¡°Booyah baby! I got this in the bag¡­.¡± Leo thought, as he believed that he had sessfully cracked the code to beating the cat. ¡°From this short range of 10 meters there is no way in hell I¡¯ll miss my real throw¡­¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he felt his stomach bubble in anticipation of a 10x reward. ¡°Alright, the second one!¡± *BAM* +100 points. Just like the first throw, Leo¡¯s second throw also hit the dead center on the board helping him score +100 points as the cat went after the wrong dart yet again. ¡°Ooo yeah! I can smell it! I can smell them gains¡­.. +70 levels, here Ie!¡± Leo said in joy, as he took the third and final shot. *Block* To his absolute dismay, instead of swatting the wrong dart away, the clever cat covered the center of the board with its paw, simply not allowing Leo to hit dead center as the dart was nted into its mechanical palm instead. +0. [ System Notification ¨C Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ on scoring +200 points on ( stage 2 ) of the dart game. Calcting rewards¡­.. ] [ System Notification ¨C Reward calctionplete! Wagered levels = 7 Reward multiplier = 4X You have gained + 28 levels! ] Leo looked at the rewards screen and felt his heart plummet inside his chest. Although+28 levels reward was great, it was a far cry from +70, as Leo felt like he had been robbed of +42 levels. ¡°NOOOO MY 42 LEVELS¡­..¡± Leo cursed, as he was sent back to the lobby, looking depressed for the first time ever. ¡°This game is a scam¡­. They scammed me!¡± Leo cursed, as the loli bartender giggled at his misery. ¡°Have you suffered bad fortune sir? Would you like to forget about it with a nice cold drink?¡± The loli offered, however, once again Leo put his hand up in protest. ¡°Please¡­. Leave me alone! I have suffered a great setback, please let me grieve in peace¨C¡± Leo said, as he sat back and counted just how many months it took one to gain 42 levels. For an average hardworking yer, this was about a year¡¯s worth of leveling if they were already level 100+ and even for Leo this was at least 6 months worth of work. The setback was gutting, however with these +28 levels, Leo¡¯s total gains now stood at a whopping +75 levels in this event, making it enough for him to leap past the 200 level threshold within the game and be thrice the level of the global average at 65. Chapter 339: Restraint Chapter 339: Restraint ( 5 hours into the event ) At about 5 hours into the event, Leo managed to extend his +75 levels gain to +95 but he felt like he had capped out. He tried to y the dart game (stage 3) with 5 levels, but only managed to barely score 120 points there, which only safely returned his investment without any profit. He managed to y and win ( stage 2 ) of strategy warfare but only got a 2x multiplier this time since it was a very close fight. This left him with only monster battle to y and he did have many fun battles there, losing some and winning some, eventually bringing his overall winnings to +95 levels, however, as the night¡¯s end drew closer, every ranker seemed to get more and more greedy to score more levels with the monster battle challengesing in at a ridiculous 50 levels or 75 levels at once, which Leo was unwilling to y. This meant that in hisst hour, Leo finally had nothing more to do as he decided to finally ept that drink from the Loli bartender. ¡°Hey kid¡­.¡± Leo said, causing the bartender to uninterestedly turn and face him. ¡°Yes¡­.?¡± She asked, not even hoping to offer a drink, when Leo unexpectedly said. ¡°Make me your best drink¨C¡± Somehow, the loli got so emotional over these words that she began to weep tears of joy. ¡°Yes sir¡­. I¡¯ll make you the best drink possible sir¡­¡± she said with enthusiasm as she brewed for Leo her best creation. Somehow, because Leo had yed hard to get throughout the night, when he did eventually give in and order that drink, it was that much more impactful for the loli, who felt like she had achieved something huge. ¡°Here is a Vodka Martini sir¡­. Hand Shaken not stirred, with a slice of orange¨C¡± The bartender offered as Leo took a sip of the drink with great intrigue. ¡°Mmm¡­. This tastes delicious. Probably the best drink I¡¯ve ever had¨C¡± Leo said in tion, as it was indeed the best drink he had ever had in his entire life. Back on Earth, he and Luke were not well off and hence could never afford really quality liquor. This was hence his first taste of really luxurious liquor and he felt amazed by how smooth liquor could taste down one¡¯s throat when it was distilled properly. ¡°Is it? Is it really? Well thank you so much kind sir¡­.. you have just made my day¡± the bartender said with a smile on her face as she reached into her pocket and gave Leo a ¡®Free Pass¡¯ token. ¡°Huh?¡± Leo muttered in confusion upon receiving the token, as he never really knew that one could get more than the three free tokens offered initially by talking politely to the bartender. ¡°For you, kind sir¡­. May you have good fortune while gambling¨C¡± the loli said with the most sweet smile on her face which actually made Leo feel moved. ¡°Haha, thank you sweet kid¨C¡± Leo said, taking the token, as he decided to y onest game with this skill token and hopefully reach his goal of hitting +100 levels from this event. ********** The final game that Leo chose to y was called ¡®Dragon Tower¡¯. The game was purely a gambling game in which there was treasure in two boxes and elimination in the third. In total there were 10 rows of three boxes each, with the rewards multiplying every time one opened the right box. Theoretically, if Leo opened all 10 boxes correctly, he was poised to get a 100x reward on his initial gamble, however, choosing all 10 boxes in the correct order was next to impossible probabilistically, because if one went bust even once, all the previous gains were gone. ¡°I know Cervantez asked me to stay away from gambling, which is why I swear to open not more than 3 boxes in total and get a reward of 3.3x. Even if I open the three boxes correctly, I will not attempt to open a fourth. And if I lose, I will just quit and be happy with my +95 level gains so far¡± Leo muttered to himself as he ced the free token and started the game. On a screen before him, the first row of treasure boxes lit up and Leo chose the leftmost box to win. *Clink* *Cha-Ching* The game machine made sudden coin noises as a chest full of gold coins opened up before him. *Pant* *Pant* Panting, Leo wiped a sweat bead that had formed on his forehead, as unlike the normal skill based games that he enjoyed, Leo felt unusually serious and tense when he yed a purely gambling game based off luck. After choosing the first line of treasures correctly, the second line of treasures lit up before Leo, presenting him with a hard choice. Following his gut, Leo chose the leftmost box for the second time in a row and for the second time, his decision proved to be the correct one as the game lit up with sounds of treasure. *Clink* *Cha-Ching* With this victory, Leo was set to receive +11 levels if he quit this moment, fulfilling his dream of crossing a hundred levels, however, Leo chose to risk it all for one final time, as he chose the middle box in the third row. *Clink* *Cha-Ching* Miraculously, even the third row of boxes that he chose turned out to be a treasure, as Leo immediately pressed ¡®Cashout¡¯ at that moment, walking away from the Dragon Tower game with a whopping +17 levels in rewards. ¡°That¡¯s it¡­. I¡¯m done gambling for the night, I feel content with my total achievement of 112 levels¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he returned to the lobby and clutched his heart that was beating strongly in his chest. At this moment, Leo could hear the devil whispering to him that he was 12 levels above his initially set goal, that he should gamble on dragon tower with those 12 levels and try and multiply them to 500 levels, however, Leo resisted that temptation. Staying firm, he decided to spend the remaining final minutes of his time in the event chatting with the Loli and trying different drinks, as he showed immense self restraint and did not gamble with his winnings. Chapter 340: End of event Chapter 340: End of event ( 5 minutes until the event ends ) Luke returned to the bar lobby 5 minutes before the event officially ended having gained a total of +48 levels from the event. He managed to clear ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯ ( Stage 4 ) and had gained most of his levels by ying that game. While 48 was still two levels away from his preferred goal of gaining +50 levels from this event, in retrospection, he felt satisfied with his profits as he knew that these 48 levels were going to save him about 6 months worth of leveling efforts and help him leapfrog the rest of themon yers by a huge margin. Although he had no idea as to how the other yers would perform within this event inparison to him, he was happy with his share of the spoils at least for now. ¡°This event is too big of a cheat¡­ if this event is repeated again next year, I think the risk appetite of the yers will increase ten-fold¡± Luke muttered as he tried to analyze the psychology of the rankers based on his interactions with them so far. Based on his interactions, Luke felt as if all the rankers were inherently verypetitive and felt very conscious about their ranks. For most, being a ¡®ranker¡¯ was their whole identity and personality and losing that position or dropping too far behind the rest of the group was going to deal a big blow to their ego, prompting them to take bigger risks should the event ever be repeated. ¡°If anyone from the thousand rankers participating in this event makes windfall gains from this event, it will make the rest jealous and more willing to take big risks¡± Luke concluded, as with the event timer now at under 2 minutes, he just wanted to see what were the gains that most yers had managed to achieve. *********** [ System Notification ¨C TIME UP! You cannot enter any new game lobbies now nor ce any new bets¡­. All gamers will now return to themon lobby once their on-going game is over ] A system notification informed all yers that the bets were closed as it returned all the yers who were not within a game already back to the general lobby, which was the garden with a massive tree. Luke, Leo, Cervantez, Big Daddy and a couple other rankers were the first to be returned to the general lobby as they had not entered any game lobbies when the event timer hit 0, while the other yers returned one after anotherter on. ¡°SkyLion! How was the event for you? How many levels did you gain?¡± Cervantez asked excitedly, as the smile on his face was enough for Luke to understand that he had made significant gains from the event. ¡°I gained 48 levels guildmaster, what about you?¡± Luke replied as Cervantez gave him an energetic thumbs up. ¡°I gained 52 levels from this event. Seems like both of us made a killing¨C¡± Cervantez said, as his words caused Big Daddy to frown deeply. ¡°What? You guys gained so many? I only managed to gain 12 levels from this event. At one point I was up by 40 levels, but then I went on a brutal losing streak on ckjack. Thankfully I did not make a loss, but I was down 2 levels at one point before making a recovery to +12¡± Big Daddy said dejectedly as the ashen expression on his face was enough to convey just how disappointed he was for not gaining more levels. ¡°Only 12? Mate what¡¯s wrong with you? They gave 3 free tokens worth +5 levels each at the start. I know they were not directly convertible to levels, however, you still took +15 levels and converted it to +12¡± Cervantez said, rubbing salt in Big Daddy¡¯s wounds as the poor ranker buried his face in his palms. ¡°What about you Leo? How many levels did you gain?¡± Luke asked his brother, as Leo tried to immediately change the topic by pretending to be interested in the tree. ¡°Wow¡­. Look at that tree brother. Reminds me of those Banyan tree pictures we have seen in books¡­ so majestic¨C¡± Leo replied, as Luke feltpletely unimpressed by his response. ¡°Did you gamble away your gains?¡± Luke asked coldly, his voice making Leo tremble as he was forced toe out clean. ¡°No¡­ no¡­. I made about as much as you¨C¡± Leo said, scratching his chin nervously. ¡°So 48 levels?¡± Luke asked. ¡°No like, yours plus Big Daddy¡¯s¡± Leo replied. ¡°So like 60 levels?¡± Luke asked again, insisting on a precise figure. ¡°Plus DarkEmperors¡­..¡± Leo said, as this time Luke felt his left eye flutter with anger. ¡°So 112 levels??¡± Luke asked, as Leo nodded his head and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Exactly 112 levels¨C¡± he said, as listening to his number, both Cervantez and Big Daddy frowned deeply. ¡°A 112 LEVELS?¡± Big Daddy asked, soundingpletely shocked, as he felt even worse about his +12 gains now than he did before. ¡°This is it¡­. I¡¯ve blown it, I¡¯ve blown my chance to stay a ranker. You guys have a 6-8 months headstart on me¡­ I¡¯ll never be able to catch-up to you guys ever again¡± Big Daddy said pulling his own hair, as he regretted not taking bigger risks at this moment. ¡°A 112 levels is really too much. What games did you y to win so big?¡± Cervantez inquired, as he could not believe that someone broke his previous life record of gaining +75 levels from this event and managed to gain 112. ¡°I yed ¡®Strategic Battle¡¯, ¡®Darts¡¯ and ¡®Monster Battle¡¯ ¡­. It was a lot of fun¡± Leo replied anxiously, as he purposefully hid the fact that he yed ¡®dragon tower¡¯ too. ¡± Well, I also yed strategic battle, what multiplier did you get on the first round?¡± Luke inquired excitedly as he wanted topare notes with Leo. ¡± First round? I won the fight under the set time limit for bonus gains and did it without losing any soldier, so I gained a lot of levels from it. I don¡¯t remember exactly, but 20 to 25 I think¡± Leo replied, as Luke¡¯s face instantly darkened. He had won the hill-top battle only with great sacrifices and had not gotten any bonus multipliers. This result by Leo hence shattered his pride as a strategic genius, as while he had studied proper warfare from the Knight Academy, Leo had not received any formal education whatsoever and had still performed better than him. Chapter 341: Winners and Losers Chapter 341: Winners and Losers At the same time that Big Daddy suffered a psychological breakdown from having gained only +12 levels, Spicy Ramen emerged from the gaming lobby, looking like he had aged 6 years in just 6 hours. ¡°Oh Spicy Ramen is here!¡± Cervantez said, waving excitedly to his friend, who dejectedly walked over to the group. ¡°Man, my career as a ranker is over¡­. Will I ever recover from this loss?¡± Big Daddy questioned, which prompted Spicy Ramen to look up to him in hope. ¡°You lost a lot of levels too?¡± Spicy Ramen asked, sounding hopeful that his brother Big Daddy was going to join him in his misery, only to be disappointed big time by his response. ¡°Yes¡­. I was up by 40 levels at one point, but then lost 28 of them. In the end I only gained 12 levels¡± Big Daddy said, sounding depressed, as Spicy Ramen instantly pped his friend hard across his face. *SLAP* ¡°Gained 12 levels? GAIN? How dare you y with my emotions like that! How dare you! I lost 70 levels¡­.. I¡¯m not even level 100 anymore. At one point I was going to be a level 0 yer and you dare talk about only gaining 12 levels? I¡¯ll show you¡­. You ungrateful piece of shit¡­. I¡¯ll show you¨C¡± Spicy Ramen said, bursting with emotion as he seemed to have lost his mind after losing 70 levels from the event as he tried to bite Big Daddy¡¯s ears off. ¡°You lost 70 levels? Did you choose to y gambling games?¡± Cervantez asked, as Spicy Ramen paused his assault on Big Daddy and broke down in tears. ¡°I made a grave mistake! I should not have gambled. But the potential of gaining unlimited levels was too attractive for me. I just couldn¡¯t help myself¨C¡± Spicy Ramen said, as he began weeping in the presence of grown men. ¡°There, there¡­. It¡¯s okay¡ª¡± Cervantez said, patting Spicy Ramen on the back, trying to console him, while also giving Luke and Leo smug nces that said ¡®I told you so¡¯. ¡®So this is why Cervantez warned us against gambling. One could lose a lot of their real levels if they had a bad night¡¯ Leo thought as he finally realized as to why Cervantez had warned them against gambling before the event began. Soon, as more and more yers emerged, Leo began to notice that a lot of yers suffered mental breakdowns as it wasn¡¯t just Spicy Ramen who seemed to have gambled his fortune away, as a good 50% of the rankers participating in this event seemed to have walked out of it with less levels than they walked into it with. ¡°I¡¯m a level 0 yer now! Hahaha! I¡¯m a level 0 yer¡­.. all my gains are gone. I¡¯m down to the rock bottom¡± a ranker dered as he ran around the general lobby hitting his head. ¡°I feel your pain brother¡­. Don¡¯t give up, we will bounce back surely¨C¡± Spicy Ramen encouraged from the side, although at this moment he genuinely doubted the authenticity of his own words. He was now sitting at 60 levels behind the top1000 ranks before this event started, and approximately 4-500 of them were going to gain anywhere from 10-112 levels from this event, which would widen the chasm between the top 500 and the rest of the yers, making it impossible for others to catch up anytime soon. ¡°The gap to the top has opened up. Those who have gained anything from this event will take up the top spots and the top rankings will no longer be cluttered with all the top rankers being nearly the same level. Those who have won big from this event will be several levels ahead of those who have not and it will stay this way for the foreseeable future¡± Cervantezmented, as he recalled how things were in his past life where after the first year anniversary, the leaderboards were no longer cluttered and no longer changing every week. ¡°Does this mean that Leo will stay a top yer even as a Merchant for the foreseeable future? I mean, surely even ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will not be able to catch-up to Leo now, will he?¡± Luke asked, as Cervantez shook his head in dismay. ¡°It¡¯s really a shame that Leo is a merchant ss yer and all those additional stat points are wasted on him. But still, I guess it¡¯s good for him. I guess he will be on top of the rankings even as a merchant ss yer for the foreseeable future now¡± Cervantez said, as Leo internally scoffed at thisment. He was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was him, so if he had gained 112 levels, so did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was most likely going to break the global forums as soon as he returned. ¡°All yers, please pay attention¡­.¡± A sweet voice said, garnering everyone¡¯s attention, as Raya the Elf seemed to be back. ¡°I can see how some of you rankers have had a great night tonight, while some of you have not enjoyed this event as much. However, let me assure you that participating is more important than winning or losing in this event, as while leveling is an important part of the Terra Nova Online game. It isn¡¯t everything about it. For every yer gathered in this lobby tonight. The game developers will distribute a [ ss information pack ] as a participation reward. This pack will reveal to you deep secrets about your ss. Secrets that will help you improve your mastery over your profession and be yers that can transcend level differences like they don¡¯t matter at all¨C¡± Raya said, as just as she was done speaking every yer got a system notification that they had received a gift pack in their inventory. ¡°With this, we conclude the First Annual Rankers Event¡­.. and I hope to see you all in the second one, which will take ce at the same time next year for only the top 1000 rankers¡± Raya said, as she sent everyone back to their original spots in the world of Terra Nova. Chapter 342: Windfall gains Chapter 342: Windfall gains The end to the ¡®First Annual Rankers¡¯ event was different from what Leo expected. While it ended on a high note with all the yers receiving a ss information pack, which Leo could only assume was something highly valuable, when he took a look at the new updated global rankings he could not help but feel utterly surprised by how the event yed out. ********* Global Level Rankings :- 1) TheBoss :- Level 292 2) Leo Skyshard :- Level 282 3) GoneGirl :- Level 259 4) Only Finesse :- Level 251 . . . . 14) DarkEmperor:- Level 217 . 17) SkyLion :- Level 207 ******** The global rankings had seen a major shuffling and the second highest yer to make major gains from this event was some individual named ¡®GoneGirl¡¯ , who was still a whopping 23 levels behind him in terms of his real level, while an evenrger 33 levels behind the leaderboard leader ¡®TheBoss¡¯. In total there were only 22 yers who had crossed the level 200 threshold, however, Leo found himself only 18 levels away from the level 300 threshold, giving him a near 80 level lead on even the top yers in the game. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned¡­. I thought I did not perform all that well in this event and that someone would overtake me for sure, however, it seems like I was wrong. I performed extremely well in this event it seems and have widened my gap to the rest by a fair margin. Surely, this will give me some much needed breathing room to focus on my life as a merchant and a Baron¡± Leo muttered in tion as he realized that after this event he would be under no immediate pressure to level up, since everyone else would need to work hard just to catch up to him already. ¡°Is this what they mean when they say that the top1% keep getting richer while the bottom yers be poorer? Have I faked my sess so much that I¡¯ve actually be what I faked?¡± Leo questioned, as he felt like a tycoon who was getting richer without even trying hard to be wealthy. ¡°Open Stat Panel¡± Leo muttered next, as he wanted to take a look at just how many free attribute points he had lying around now. ********* The Boss/ Leo Skyshards Character Profile :- Name: The Boss, Leo Skyshard ( Switch ) Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title : [Fake It Till You Make It] (Equipped) ss: Actor (Unique) (Stage: Intermediate) Current Level: 282 [Vital Stats] Health Points (HP): 3050/3050 Mana: 1600/1600 Stamina: 2878/2900 [Core Attributes] Strength (285) Agility (330) Dexterity (288) Intelligence (275) Endurance (288) Physique (289) SPECIAL OPTION- Edit attribute panel for disy [] UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS ¨C 1120 [Learned Skills] ? ( Mimic ) ( Unique ) ( Beginner ) ? ( Vanish ) ( Legendary ) ( Beginner) ? ( The Kill Strike ) ( Legendary) (Beginner) ? ( Mirror World ) ( Legendary ) ( Beginner ) ? ( empty ) ? ( empty ) [Equipment] (Clickhereto expand ) [Inventory] (Clickhereto expand ) ********** Looking at his stat panel, Leo realized that he now has a whopping 1120 stat points to spare. With his highest stat being only at 330, Leo felt like he could distribute 150-200 points to each of his stats and gain approximately 40-45% buff over where he was just a few hours ago. In the end, Leo decided to give both strength and speed 200 stat points each, and distribute the rest evenly amongst all other attributes, giving them 180 each, spending the entirety of his 1120 point haul in one go. Warm energy washed over Leo¡¯s entire body as soon as he did this, making him feel like he was receiving a therapeutic massage that was relieving every single muscle tissue in his body of built-up stress, bringing immense joy to him, but only ten times more intensely. ¡°Ohhh yeah¡­ fuck, the feeling of levelling up, it¡¯s better than any orgasm any hand job can ever give¡± Leo muttered, as he genuinely felt more hormones being released in his body as he levelled up, than he had ever felt when he came alone in a bathroom. He could feel the changes happening to his game character at a cellr level¡­. The muscle fibers improved in quality, the bone density changed, his red blood cells became more potent and capable of carrying more oxygen to his muscles and his mana circuit became smoother, being able to carryrger volumes of mana at once. For Leo, these changes still seemed like something that would be limited to the game, however, little did he know that these changes were soon going to carry over to real life as well, making his actual body as good as his in-game one. ¡°Ohhh yeah¡­.. if I rejoined the grand tournament with this body, I¡¯ll probably be able to defeat all three other semi-finalists alone with an arm tied behind my back¡­¡± Leo concluded after throwing a few light jabs and feeling the new and improved agility and dexterity of his body, as he felt like his grand tournament opponents would stand no chance if they faced him in this form. However, while Leo focused on his new and improved body, what he forgot to check-up on was the on-going uproar on the global forums, as themon people had started to lose their minds when they saw that the top rankers had suddenly gained a tonne of levels. ********* ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez could not understand how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was still number one? And how he too had managed to gain +100 levels from this rankers event. ¡®I did not see him there¡­.. unless he was there wearing something unlike his usual ck dress and mask, I¡¯m sure he wasn¡¯t there¡­. But if he has gained so many levels then he had to be there¡­. But if he was there then where?¡¯ Cervantez thought, scratching his head, as he had actively been looking for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in the lobby but had failed to find him¡­.. and he wasn¡¯t the only one to do so, as there were a dozen other rankers currently who were thinking the same thing as him, as they too wanted to know, how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was still number one? Chapter 343: Valuable Information Chapter 343: Valuable Information ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) A huge ruckus broke out on the global forums once the rankers only event ended and the top1000 leaderboard was thrown into aplete disarray with almost everyone switching ces. ¡°What the fuck just happened on the leaderboards? How did the top rankers go from being level 170 to level 292 in a few hours? What is this leveling hack? What just happened?¡± ¡°Alright, I think it¡¯s time for me to quit the game. I had just reached level 100 today and I was so proud of myself for reaching the triple figures, because there are so many guilds out there that are only recruiting yers above level 100 and I did not meet that criteria, up till now. However, seeing how the gap between myself and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is now 192 levels, I feel like just quitting¡­. s I can¡¯t because ying this stupid game is mandatory. But it¡¯s still gutting,¡± ¡°Can someone exin to me why the leaderboards have shifted so much and why yers like ¡®Purple Rock¡¯ and ¡®Spicy Ramen¡¯ lost so many levels? Spicy Ramen was a top 5 yer up till a few hours ago, however, now I can¡¯t find him even in the top 10,000 rankings and the same goes for Purple Rock and many other rankers. It almost looks like they were booted out by some mysterious phenomenon¨C¡± ¡°I have a conspiracy theory on what¡¯s going on. I think the rankers have all traded levels. I think ¡®The Boss¡¯ must have butchered Spicy Ramen again and again until the poor guy lost 100 levels, while he gained them¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I¡¯m so pissed to see ¡®TheBoss¡¯ still being on top. That guy is unbeatable and I¡¯m sick of it. How is it that no matter how the ranking boards shuffle or who is number two, he is always EXACTLY 10 levels above them? It¡¯s almost like he keeps wild beasts tied up in his basement and just strolls down and kills a few to level up whenever someone catches up to him¡± ¡°DAMNNNN¡­. That Leo Skyshard guy is clear of number three, guess it¡¯s only him and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ racing for the top¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª The forums were aplete mess with lots of conspiracy theories starting to be thrown around on what happened between the rankers. Unfortunately for the masses, there wasn¡¯t a single ranker who hade forward to rify what was going on exactly, leaving themon man to wonder about what happened or why it happened exactly a couple days before the second evaluation. ************ ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) Noticing the unrest over the forums, ChaosBringer decided to take part in this mess and direct some anger towards the top1% as he gave his keyboard warriors specific directions to fan the mes of public fury. Crafting a narrative of how the top yers received special privileges from the game management, ChaosBringer tried to brew a story which painted the top 1000 yers as the evil oppressor¡¯s, however, he tacitly left ¡®TheBoss¡¯ out of his ns, instructing his men to paint him as a hero of the masses who was standing up against the oppressor¡¯s and holding the fort strong from the top. To make his story more believable, ChaosBringer spread the lies that all the top rankers were from sectors S, A and B and that this sudden increase in levels was their way of ensuring that they never got demoted, whenever evaluation time rolled around. Using this strategy¡­ ChaosBringer tried to make believe that the system was rigged against themon man and the only way to beat it was via joining the revolution and the ¡®uprising¡¯ bing a rebel against the establishment. Overall, it was a genius move, as thousands of dejected yers who were nning to join other guilds and organizations, joined the ¡®uprising¡¯ today on a snap emotional decision as they felt like months of their effort had been undone because of this sudden widening gap with the top. ******** ( Meanwhile, Spicy Ramen ) After losing close to 70 levels in the event, Spicy Ramen tried to get out of his depression by opening the [ ss Information Pack ] that the event organizers had given to all participating rankers. ¡®I hope this information pack is worth sacrificing 70 levels for, because if it¡¯s not then I¡¯m toast¨C¡¯ Spicy Ramen thought to himself as he opened the pack from his inventory. Spicy Ramen was a normal yer, with the ss ¡®Swordsman¡¯ which was probably one of the most popr ss in the game with one in every five yers belonging to this ss. Hence when he opened this pack, he was transported into a vision of sorts, where he observed a sword master imparting an important sword lesson to his students. ¡°There are four types of swords¡­.¡± The old bearded master exined as he stroked his beard. ¡°First there is theyman¡¯s sword¡­ to master this stage you must master the two fundamental movements of the sword. The ¡®sh¡¯ and ¡®jab¡¯ and that¡¯s it. Although it sounds simple, to master this stage one needs to put their heart and soul into learning swordsmanship, as only then can one understand how to properly transfer their weight when performing a thrust, or how to sh in a way that doesn¡¯tpromise your defense. Next there is the King¡¯s sword¡­.. Mastering this stage means blending the basic concepts of swordsmanship, with everything else. Footwork, vision, anticipation, parry, counter¡­.. all these movements fall under the second stage of swordsmanship and if you perfect this stage, you can proudly call yourself a swordsman, although not a very good one. The third stage of the sword path is the Emperor¡¯s sword. Mastering this stage means that everything bes a de for you and you no longer require an actual sword. A leaf can be a de for you, so can a stick. You learn how to control your sword intent and your sword aura and how to infuse your attacks with the same endlessly. Mastering this stage means that you be a sword master. A feat that not many can achieve. And then finally there is the final stage of swordsmanship, The Heaven¡¯s sword. In this stage, you no longer need a physical medium for your swordsmanship. Your aura alone can carve entire mountains and you can kill any opponent from half the world away with a flick of your wrist. After reaching this stage, you can be conferred the title of a ¡®Grand Master¡¯ ¡± The old master said, as listening to his words Spicy Ramen felt enlightened! He, just like almost all other yers in the game was still stuck at ( basic ) mastery of his ss and although the names that the old master used were different to what he did as a gamer, Spicy Ramen understood that the four stages he was talking about corresponded to ( basic ) ( intermediate ) (advanced) and ( perfect ), or at least that¡¯s what he thought they did. ¡°Whoa! This information is really valuable¡­. I don¡¯t think anyone else really knows at this point in the game how they can reach the (perfect) stage in their ss. Chapter 344: An elaborate ruse Chapter 344: An borate ruse ( Meanwhile Leo ) Unlike other yers who had received just one ss specific pack, Leo received two of them, since he technically owned two sses. The first pack was for the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss while the other was for the ¡®Merchant¡¯ ss. Once all the excitement surrounding the levels gained settled, Leo decided to check out these packs as he wanted to see if they were as valuable as the future events information pack that he had received before or not. ¡°Which pack should I open first? Actor? Or Merchant?¡± Leo questioned, as after thinking for a few seconds he decided to open the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss pack first, since it was the more mysterious pack of the two, while ¡®Merchant¡¯ seemed pretty straight forward. Immediately as he opened the pack, Leo found himself sucked into a vision, where he saw two demons interacting with one another. *********** The setting seemed to be one of a dense forest. And through therge forest, onerge demon seemed to travel alongside a 2-3 year old child, which Leoter found out was therger demon¡¯s son. ¡°Father¡­. Father, where are we going today? Why have you brought me out here in the wild without anyone finding out?¡± An innocent looking demon child said, as his father rubbed his tiny head lovingly. ¡°We are here so that you can tame your first familiar son¡­. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, in one of our outings into the Eastern Forest, we have found a living dragon egg. Although we don¡¯t know how the tribals stole a dragon egg, what we do know is that it is about to hatch soon¡­ and you will imprint yourself upon the dragon as soon as it is born when it is at its most feeble state¨C¡± Therger demon said, as the little demon looked at him with questions marks forming above his head. ¡°And why would we do that father?¡± The little demon asked innocently, as his father smiled and said ¡°Because my son¡­. The appearance of possessing power is more important than actually possessing power¡±. ********** ( Scene Change ) The scene changed, and Leo now saw an adolescent demon child exploring some shady ancient ruins alongside a bunch of his other demon friends. Upon close inspection, Leo realized that this was the same child as before as he had the same skin tone and the same tattoo-like pattern as the child he saw before. ¡®Is this the child¡¯s life story?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he watched on in anticipation of what was about to happen next. As the group of adolescent demons entered a particrly tricky corridor, suddenly a trap triggered, causing a trapdoor to activate, which dropped the main demon into a different room, while the rest of his crew were stuck on a level above him. From there on, the adolescent demon whose story Leo was following explored the ruins on his own, trying to look for a way out, however, instead stumbled upon a pendant which amplified his aura to be more bloodthirsty and domineering than it really was. It was clearly an artificial increase in power¡­. Something without substance to back its lies, however, at that moment the adolescent demon repeated the same line that his father had taught him in childhood, that the ¡°Appearance of power was more important than actual power¡± ******** ( Scene Change ) The scene shifted once again, and the adolescent demon seemed to have be a proper and developed young man now. He seemed to be in full battle gear as he and his crew-mates tried to battle a ck dragon. The dragon was extremely powerful, the mesing out of its mouth were strong enough to melt holes through mountains. However, as Leo observed the battle, he could see that while the dragon fiercely attacked the young demon¡¯s allies, it purposefully never attacked the young demon. It was a carefully crafted show¡­ a show that was 20 years in the making, as the dragon was the same entity that the young demon had imprinted as a child. From there on what happened was that the young demon managed to mount the dragon as the two flew off into the distance, only for him to return to the Capital City of the demons riding that same dragon, as he was weed there by his father, the old demon king with open arms. ¡°MY SON¡­. THE DRAGON CONQUEROR¡± The demon king announced with pride, as themon demons went wild with their celebrations. ******** ( Scene Change ) The final scene of the series was one where the young demon had finally ascended to the throne of the Demon King, seeding his father, as all the demons in thend bowed their heads to him in surrender. With the fake aura pendant on his chest, he appeared to be extremely domineering, however, Leo doubted if that was really the case? Since he already knew about the secret of the pendant. The whole story was a scam, a fake act 20+ years in the making, however, it was crafted so beautifully that to the unknowing fool it appeared as a mythic legend. ********* ( Return to reality ) Leo was stunned speechless after what he saw, as he realized what the ¡®epitome¡¯ of the slogan ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ really looked like. ¡± I concede defeat, Demon King, you are a better actor than me, for sure¡± Leo muttered, as he thought that this was a fictional story, having no clue that the main character of this story was the actual demon king who currently ruled the demon realm posing as it¡¯s first ¡®GrandMaster¡¯ level fighter in history. The legend of the Demon King, the tales of his greatness were in reality nothing more than a father¡¯s efforts to secure his child¡¯s future, as since the Demon Society was not patriarchal and the throne was not passed via lineage, the only way for him to secure the seat for his son was for him to create an borate ruse that could justify his strength. Chapter 345: Merchant Pack Chapter 345: Merchant Pack ¡°Huh¡­.. I never knew that you could premeditate acting like a bigshot. The demon king¡¯s father was a genius¡­ I think I can learn a thing or two from his ybook, and try to set up events in advance that would help me y the role of a super bigshot,¡± Leo thought to himself, as he rubbed his chin and contemted his gains from the ss information pack. Although he did not understand the exact path that he needed to take to be a master level actor or advance deeper into his specific ss, what he did understand was that acting required preparation. To deliver apelling performance, an actor required meticulous pre-nning, patience, an audience to captivate, and wless execution. Only with abination of all these elements could an actor transform a lie into a convincing truth which would be perceived as a legend by the observers. ¡°Yep¡­. This gives me a great direction to n for the future¡­. I will definitely start nning on a big act myself, one that will bamboozle the entire Empire¨C¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he resolved to create an even bigger con than what the demon king had achieved in his vision. Happy with his gains so far, Leo opened the ¡®Merchant ss Information Pack¡¯ next, curious to see what vision he would be shown in that pack. ********** ( At the heart of a bustling market, some unknown city ) Once again, Leo was teleported into a vision, with the setting this time being a proper city that looked way moreplex than StrongHaven. Within the city, there was a bustling market and within that market, there was a young man who set up shop selling scrap weapons. ¡°Two for one, two for one, two for one¡­. Only for today! Buy one weapon and get one free¡­. Only for today¡­. Don¡¯t miss this chance¨C¡± The man shouted on-top of his lungs, as he tried to attract customers to his small stall. The stall owners around him seemed shocked by this approach, as they felt too shy to market their products like the kid was, however, they also felt like they were missing out if they did not follow his lead, as customers actually started to pile at his shop after he started his chant. ¡°Young man¡­. How much for these two scrap weapons?¡± asked a burly old man, as the young merchant said with a smile on his face ¡°3 silver coins for two¡­. But today I¡¯ll sell it for only 1.5 ¡± The real price of the product was only 0.5 silver coin for each, however, not only did the young merchant sell it at a mark-up but he also made it seem like the other party was getting a steal. ¡°Hoo¡­. That seems reasonable¡­. Here young man, take 1.5 silver coins¡± the burly old man said, paying the young merchant his quoted price without negotiating anymore. ¡°Thank you kind sir¡­ you have made a great deal today¡± the young merchant said, reaffirming the old man¡¯s belief that he had received a steal deal, when he had actually been ripped off. This same process was repeated with all the customers, as the young merchant managed to sell all his products within an hour of opening the shop and made a premium doing it too. As he winded up and was ready to leave, the stall owner beside him asked ¡°Young man, are you not afraid of your reputation? What if they find out that you ripped them off?¡± This young merchant chuckled at this question, as he turned towards the stall owner and said ¡°I¡¯m not. If someone asks me why I sold them a scrap for 0.75 silver coin each when the market rate was only 0.5, I will tell them that this scrap is not ordinary, that it was once used by an officer from the royal military and that this weapon had saved his life on several asions. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll start making up theposition of the metal, about how it has a higher percentage of other alloys in it and how it isn¡¯t some normal iron scrap. If that doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll make a hundred different excuses until the customer feels that they have gotten a good deal, because the value of money is not in the money itself but rather the perception of what money can buy. My father used to sell scraps for 0.2 silver coins 20 years ago, because that was the market rate back then. 20 yearster, people are selling the same scraps at 0.5 silver coins, but it isn¡¯t the scraps that have changed over thest 20 years. It is just that the eptable market rate for them has gone up. As a merchant, you can sell the the same product for 2 silver coins and someone else can do it for 200, the only difference is in the ability of the merchant to justify the price of the product, and I have the ability to justify a higher price¡± ********* ( Scene Change, within arge merchant headquarters ) The scene shifted for Leo, and the same guy that he saw before now seemed to be the leader of a big merchant group. ¡°Buy the Red Dragon Trading Company at their desired valuation, I don¡¯t care if it bankrupts us. Do it anyway and make the form of the basic strength pills a part of the deal. After we buy them out, they can no longer produce the pills under any other firm and the strength pills should be our sole ownership product¡± the young merchant said, however his associate seemed to disagree. ¡°The Red Dragon Company only sells about a million gold coins worth of products annually¡­.. their profits are even lower¡­. paying 5 million gold for such apany is not wise sir, please reconsider¨C¡± The assistant said, however, the young merchant remained firm in his decision. ¡°No, the Red Dragon Company only sells the strength pills for 5 silver coins a bottle, but I¡¯ll sell them at 1 gold coins a bottle. Those fools don¡¯t know the value of their own product, but I do. I¡¯ll recover those 5 million within a year and make millions more in the years toe¡± The young merchant said domineeringly, as his assistant felt shocked to hear his proposal. ¡°But sir, if we randomly hike prices by 20x the consumers will no longer buy it!¡± The assistant protested, to which the young merchant beganughing hysterically. ¡°They will have to purchase it¡­.. they will have no other option. Only two merchant trading firms in the entire kingdom own strength pill forms, which is Us and the Red Dragon. We have to keep our prices low because the Dragon keeps it so low, however, without any opposition, we can charge what we want for it and the consumers will pay with a smile on their faces. Because if not? What other option do they have?¡± the young merchant said, as the assistant was left dumbfounded by his thinking. Charging 1 gold coin for a product that cost a little over 1 silver coin to manufacture was morally hical, but one needed to be morally hical if one wanted to be a sessful merchant as the trade world was not for the weak. Chapter 346: The Knight Class Chapter 346: The Knight ss ( Meanwhile Luke ) Luke also opened his information pack and the vision that he was shown shocked him ****** The scene began with a young knight in a vast training ground. d in simple armor, he practiced his swordsmanship, executing precise, repetitive movements, while around him, other knights trained diligently, their focus unwavering. To Luke, this scene reminded him of his academy days, as while the training grounds were not as modern as those in his academy, the vibe surrounding the ce was exactly the same. The young knight, who seemed to be the main character of this information pack, was then approached by a seasoned veteran who demonstrated a powerful defensive stance followed by a swift counterattack. The veteran spoke to the young knight, ¡°To graduate from bing a squire knight to an actual knight, you must learn how to harmonize offense and defense. You must be one with your sword and your shield, making your defense as imprable as your attack is unstoppable. You weapons should be an extension of limbs while your Armor should be your second skin¡± The young knight followed the veteran¡¯s example, practicing until his movements were fluid and precise. The vision emphasized the importance of mastering both defense and offense as the foundation of bing a proficient knight. ********** (Scene Change) The scene changed, and Luke saw himself overlooking a battlefield where the young knight, now a more seasoned warrior, seemed to be a member of a Knight¡¯s Order, participating in a war under the leadership of a senior Knight. The senior knight¡¯s armor was more ornatepared to the young man¡¯s, denoting his higher rank and experience as he led his squad into a dangerous battle. The battle was short and vicious, however, the senior knight led his troops to perfection, scoring a vital win, without the loss of a single man. After a victorious battle, the senior knight addressed his troops, as he said ¡°A Knight Captain is not just a warrior but a leader who inspires and directs. I won¡¯t forever be your captain and sooner orter one of you needs to fill my shoes. Being a Knight is much more than merely being a warrior, as a True Knight is a beacon of hope and a pir of strength for those who follow you.¡± The vision highlighted the knight¡¯s ability to inspire andmand his troops, demonstrating the evolution path for a normal knight to undertake, from being merely a skilled fighter to also bing a skilled leader. ********** (Scene Change) The scene transitioned to a grand hall where the young knight, now a middle aged man with thick beard, walked into a throne room with the head of a hydra beast in his hands. His Armor now looked even more impressive than the seasoned knight in the previous scene, as he looked more like a walking tank rather than a human. ¡°Sir Cole, you have sessfully killed the Hydra monster. As promised, I offer you the hand of my daughter in marriage¡± The King said, as he offered the hand of his beautiful daughter in marriage to the middle aged knight, however, the man shook his head and refused. ¡°I refuse to marry your daughter, King, it¡¯s against my moral code to marry a woman out of coercion. She does not love me and as I knight I cannot force her to marry me if she does not. Killing the Hydra was my duty as a citizen of this Kingdom¡­ so while I thank you for your reward, I also don¡¯t need it¡± The knight refused, as he chose to uphold his moral character as a man rather than giving in to the lust. ********** (Scene Change) The final vision ced Luke as an observer on a mountain peak, where he saw an elderly knight standing alone. Luke knew it was the same man from all the previous scenes, however, the power that he exuded in this scene, was unlike anything he did before, elevating him to a state that made him almost unrecognizable from before. With a casual flick of his wrist, he punched the air, sending a shockwave that obliterated a distant mountain peak. The sheer magnitude of his power was staggering, a testament to him having reached the ultimate mastery of the Knight ss. The final vision hence conveyed the peak of knighthood, where a Grand Master Knight¡¯s strength could reshape the world with a single gesture. ********** (Return to Reality) Luke was left breathless as the vision faded, the weight of what he had witnessed settling upon him. The path of a Knight was long and grueling, but the rewards that could be gained were definitely beyond anything he had imagined. ¡°The vision showed me the four stages of knighthood. The Squire Knight. The Knight Captain. The Master Knight And The Grandmaster Knight. Corresponding to the mastery levels of my ss, it should be basic, intermediate, advanced and perfect. Currently, I¡¯m at the Knight Captain stage¡­. So ording to my vision I need to focus on bing a leader alongside a warrior to perhaps move on to the next stage¡± Luke concluded, as he drew some direct and important insights from the vision he had just witnessed. ¡°I¡¯m confused about what the master stage incorporates for a knight¡­. As the master state did not show any battle scenes, but rather showed the Knight upholding morals and being an upright man. ording to my conversation with Cervantez, the ss that everyone was assigned by the game was done after analyzing their personality. Maybe everyone who has the power to be a morally upright citizen got chosen to be a knight? But that can¡¯t be right¡­. Not every knight that I¡¯ve met is decent¡­.. Hmmm, this one is hard¡± Luke thought, as he could not figure out the secrets of the ¡®Master¡¯ stage, however, he did find the power of a Grand Master level knight to be something extremely cool. Well, the master level is still a far cry away from me, so no point worrying about how to be a grandmaster knight, just yet. Chapter 347: Grim Realisation Chapter 347: Grim Realisation ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez also received important insights from his ss specific information pack, the ¡®Magic Swordsman Pack¡¯, giving him critical insights into how he could be a ¡®Grand Master¡¯ of his profession. However, what Cervantez found more interesting than the information packs themselves was how the aliens had finally started to show their real intentions. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a ranker in my past life, so I never knew that the aliens started to show their hand so early into the game. I thought all these events only happened after the third evaluation, 2 years into the game, but apparently the information reached the top 1% faster than the rest¡­¡± Cervantez said to himself, as he connected many dots from his past life that he had missed previously because he wasn¡¯t a ranker back then. ¡°In my past life there were many theories on why everyone was given a specific ss from the start, or why the path to bing a ¡®master¡¯ in your profession was so hard. But I think I get it now¡­. I see the whole picture now, unlike my past life where I made wild assumptions based off bits and pieces¡± Cervantez said, feeling enlightened as something within his head seemed to just click after he had received this information pack from the aliens. ¡°The price of migrating to a new¡­.. President Verma, do you already know about this?¡± Cervantez wondered, as he resolved to test his theory by meeting the president soon and asking her directly about it. ¡°If my theory is correct, then this president is not the savior of humanity, but rather a glorified ve owner who has sold our futures to an alien race, in hopes of survival¡± Cervantez said mirthlessly as he hoped that his assumption about the president was wrong, as he did not wish to be proven right on this issue. *********** ( A few hourster, The Real World ) As Luke and Leo logged out of the game, they found Amanda waiting for the two, with a concerned frown on her face. ¡°Hey bab¨C, Amanda¡± Leo said, correcting his choice of words at thest possible second when he noticed that his brother was around too. ¡°Hey¡­. Before we talk about anything else, tell me why both of you have suddenly gained so many levels, the Global Forums are bing kind of wild with theories¡± Amanda said, sounding worried, as Leo immediately began telling her about the ¡®Rankers Only Invitation Event¡¯ truthfully. Amanda listened to the whole story with great interest, before letting out a deep sigh, as while she was happy for the gains that Leo and Luke had made, she felt worried for the fallout that it had brought. ¡°So, in-case the two of you have forgotten, let me remind you that the second evaluation is less than 2 days away. And that means, tomorrow is the Ship-Wide holiday to celebrate New year¡¯s eve¡± Amanda said, as she reminded Luke and Leo about the small line written within their rule book that they had received in their wee kits. ¡°New year¡¯s eve?¡± Luke asked, sounding confused, as he seemed to havepletely forgotten about this event. ¡°Remember when we first boarded the ship, there was a line written within the rule book that said crossing between the sectors was not allowed for 363/365 days, but was allowed on 2 special days?? 2 days where even the dress code was not mandatory and nobody had to report to work?¡± Amanda said, as when she put it this way, Luke was reminded of how there was indeed this use written somewhere within the rule book. ¡°So that day is tomorrow?¡± Luke asked innocently, as Amanda nodded her head in affirmation. ¡°In the entire year, we only get two holidays, which are the new years eve and the new years. During these two days, the canteen of even Sector E will serve luxurious food and there will be a celebratory atmosphere with no-one being forced to report to work. For two days only, we will be allowed to wear the clothes that we carried from Earth outside our apartments and not be forced to wear the red overalls of Sector D. However, while this sounds like a once in a year celebration, I don¡¯t think the three of us will be able to enjoy this year¡¯s event at all¡± Amanda said, as she alternated her gaze between Luke and Leo before continuing. ¡°The mafia mob of Sector E has issued a hit order on the top rankers during these two celebratory days, with ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ being their top priority. The sudden increase in your levels has sparked outrage on the servers, and many people want to take justice into their own hands. For our safety, I suggest we stay in our apartment during this event,¡± Amanda said, as Leo felt slightly awkward upon hearing this. Technically, he had done nothing wrong and felt no guilt for gaining 112 levels in the event while the average yer struggled to gain a single level each day. He had earned this opportunity through his own efforts and wasn¡¯t given it out of favoritism, and hence he did not feel like he owed an apology to anyone for the same. Nheless, he acknowledged the security threat posed by an angry mob and hence agreed with Amanda¡¯s suggestion to stay at home, as although he felt slightly sad about missing the opportunity to travel through the ship aimlessly on a date with Amanda during the festivities, he understood that it was necessary for their safety. ¡°Well, festivals are best enjoyed with family and while I¡¯m not really thrilled about having to stay back within our apartment while everyone else has the time of their lives outside, I would much rather spend the next two days alongside the two of you, than sneaking out anonymously¡± Luke said shrugging his shoulders as he came to terms with their current situation quite easily. Chapter 348: Elena and Jacob Chapter 348: Elena and Jacob ( Meanwhile back on Earth ) Finally, at around an hour before the Arc Ship docked near Washington DC was officially scheduled to take off, the military officers holding the patrol perimeter started to retreat, as they let the perimeter surrounding the ship copse in a mad frenzy. Within seconds, hundreds of thousands of civilians wanting to escape Earth rushed inside the hangar bay, hoping to enter the Arc Ship, however, unfortunately for them, before a single illegal immigrant could get on board, the doors of the Arc Ship got firmly shut, as the rocket boosters kicked in. Unlike the Arc Ship near Paris, which took off prematurely and with far fewer passengers than intended, the one in DC managed toplete approximately 80% of its boarding and departed with over 200 million people on board, with the final passengers being the military officers who had worked tirelessly to secure the perimeter over the past few days. Upon lift-off, the passengers on-board were given the same instructions as those on Leo¡¯s ship were during the take-off, which was to carefully read the instruction manual and spend their first free day getting ustomed to the world of ¡®Terra Nova¡¯ which was going to be an important part of their new daily routine. ******* ( Elena¡¯s POV, a couple days ago ) Elena and Jacob had boarded the ship three days ago and had taken the opportunity to explore their sector and those in-rank below them that they were allowed to freely visit. While they had not been given the wee kit, or the VR headset to log-into Terra Nova ahead of the other yers, they got to visit the important buildings within the Arc Ship such as the ¡®MP¡¯ exchange store and the emergency room. The emergency room especially was a ce that Elena was extremely scared to visit, since it was a ce where her kidney recement surgery was scheduled to take ce, however, when the surgery actually began, from start to finish it took less than two minutes toplete and she felt almost no pain whatsoever. ¡°That¡¯s it? I¡¯ve regained my kidney just like that?¡± Elena asked, sounding emotional, as the alien doctor who operated on her gave her a big smile. ¡°Yes¡­. You have paid for the most premium surgery, so it was bound to be painless and fast¡± The elf alien doctor replied, as Elena let out a tear of joy. She had never regretted selling her kidney to secure ticket money for her kids, however, she felt extremely emotional over it now, as she realized that her kids were repaying her kindness a hundredfold. ¡°My kids paid for it¡­. My kids are on some other arc ship and they did this¨C¡± Elena said, as the alien surgeon smiled kindly towards her. ¡°Then you have the most wonderful kids ma¡¯am, congrattions¡± the surgeon said, before moving out of the room. 10 minutester, Elena was healthy and ready to move, with her first stop being the bathroom where she peed out a slight bit of blood before the stream of urine turned normal. Examining the sample, the doctor deemed the surgery a sess, giving Elena a speedy discharge, as she found herself back in Jacob¡¯s arms in less than 17 minutes from start to end. ¡°Your surgery was concluded so fast?¡± Jacob asked in shock, as he did not expect alien medicine to be that much more advanced to human medicine. ********* ( Present day ) Only after the arc ship taking off, were Jacob and Elena also given their wee kits and VR headsets, as remembering Luke and Leo¡¯s advice, the couple immediately logged into the game with utmost sincerity. Although Elena wasn¡¯t the most athletic, since she had never practiced ying sports or developed her fine motor coordination skills as well as teenage boys, causing her to be a little timid, she did her best in all the wee tests and managed to get a ¡®D¡¯ or higher evaluation in each one. Finally, after her memories were read, she was assigned the ¡®Gourmet Chef¡¯ ss, making her a nonbatant yer within the world of Terra Nova. At the same time, Jacob performed exceptionally well on all the wee tests, outperforming both Luke and Leo across all parameters, except Leo¡¯s score on the reflex test. With an average performance of S or higher across the board, Jacob was given the special ss ¡°Death Overlord¡±, making him one of the key characters within the world of Terra Nova. As a ¡®Death Overlord¡¯, he was given the unique destiny where he was forced to kill one yer every single day and if he failed to do so, his level would drop down to 0. In return, he was set to receive twice the EXP of amon yer for any monster based kill and could use any ¡®Death¡¯ based skill from any ss such as ¡®Necromancer¡¯, ¡®Ghoulmancer¡¯ ¡®Dark Magician¡¯ etc without facing any restrictions. Over-all, it was a great ss with more benefits than downside, however, the condition which forced him to kill a yer every single day or have his level reset to zero was absolutely brutal. He could potentially be on level 200 in one year¡¯s time and have his entire progress wiped out because he failed to kill a prey just once. ¡°Interesting¡­. This ss does indeed suit my personality¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll find ying this ss too hard¡± Jacob muttered to himself confidently, as while he had been ying the role of a tame house-husband for the past 6 months, in reality, he was anything but tame or non-violent. He was a special ops soldier who was deployed to other countries to carry out political assassination¡¯s within the most secure nuclear bunkers. He was the man that the USA secret service called upon to kill the ¡®Boogeyman¡¯, as simply put, he was one of the most ruthless and talented killers alive, or at least was until he retired toe back home 6 months ago. Chapter 349: Self Control Chapter 349: Self Control ( Leo¡¯s POV ) During the two days of the festival, Terra Nova Online wasn¡¯t avable for log-in, forcing all passengers aboard the arc ship to spend time in reality. Thankfully, it was as if the game world had been paused, so their return to the game would not feel like 2 days to the NPC¡¯s inside. Making the most of this special event, most people took the day exploring the amenities and luxuries avable to those in other sectors, dining in different restaurants and exploring the different amenities avable to enjoy aboard the Arc Ship. Apparently, there was a space bubble inside the Arc Ship, from where one could sit and enjoy the beautiful outer space views, however, Leo never had the luxury of visiting the ce, yet. It had been a long time since Leo had felt his skin exposed to actual sunlight too, since there was no natural sunlight source within the Arc Ship. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Amanda, because of me you can no longer enjoy the festival either. I-I didn¡¯t mean to drag you down with me¨C¡± Leo said, as he apologized to Amanda for quarantining her alongside him and ruining her festival celebrations. ¡°Ohe on, don¡¯t be silly¡­. You didn¡¯t ruin anything, also, I would much rather spend the day here with you, inside the apartment rather than go outside¡­. Because, I wouldn¡¯t be able to kiss you outside¨C¡± Amanda said seductively as she slid over Leo¡¯s thighs and wrapped her legs around his back. *Smooch* Leaning in for a smooch, she began kissing Leo passionately, which immediately forced Leo to throw a side-nce towards his brother who was still in the room. Their eyes locked for a second and immediately, Luke decided to give space to the duo as he walked back into his room. *Smooch* Once Luke left, Leo began to reciprocate Amanda¡¯s passion as he kissed her back with equal intensity, causing a light smile to spread on Amanda¡¯s face. ¡°You¡­. Are¡­.. A ¡­.. scaredy cat¡± Amanda said, panting, as she had to inhale deeply before every word that she spoke. ¡°Am not¡­¡± Leo replied, as he grabbed Amanda¡¯s robes, and in a move that shocked even Amanda, slid it from above her shoulders to reveal her bra. ¡°Ooo¡­. ying with fire today? Are we?¡± Amanda teased, as Leo began kissing down her neck, while also trying to unhook her bra. ¡°Mmmm¡± Amanda moaned in pleasure, as her body started to heat up. She was enjoying this as much as Leo, and did not really want to ruin this moment, however, as Leo finally unhooked her bra, instead of letting it fall off, she grabbed it by the center, preventing it from sliding off. ¡°I don¡¯t mind showing my body to you, but you have to remember that I don¡¯t want kids¡­ and by that I don¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t ever want kids, but at least not inside this metal tube¡± Amanda said, as she made a silent plea to Leo, to keep himself in check. For a moment, Leo exchanged his nce between Amanda¡¯s flushed face and her near bare chest and for a moment he could not control his emotions. As a Virgin, he wanted nothing more than disrobing Amanda and having his way with her, however, he also understood her concerns and found them to be extremely valid. They had still over 3 years to go within this Arc Ship and if he got Amanda pregnant during the journey, they were most likely going to be forced to raise a child in this floating metal tube, which wasn¡¯t ideal at all, especially when both of them were forced to y Terra Nova Online for 12 hours a day. ¡°I¨C yeah, let¡¯s pause¡± Leo said, hooking Amanda¡¯s bra back-up as he gave her neck onest kiss before pushing her away. For a moment, both Leo and Amanda looked disappointed, however, they did not let it show, as they both consciously tried to uplift the mood. ¡°So you don¡¯t trust your pull-out game huh?¡± Amanda teased, as Leo shrugged his shoulders and said ¡°How can I trust something that I¡¯ve never tried. Hahaha¡± Since he was a virgin, Leo had no idea about how strong his pull-out game was and without having a history, he did not feel confident in taking that risk. ¡°And that¡¯s why you are the cutest and best boyfriend¡­.¡± Amanda said, throwing her arms around Leo as she snuggled up to him in afy hug. She could sense his disappointment at not being able to continue, however, his decision to stop, now made her feel even more secure about entrusting herself to him and she could feel that in the near future the two of them would indeed go all the way when it was a safe day for her. However, unfortunately, today was not the right day for their first time. *********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez prepared a gift box and walked over to the President¡¯s House in Sector A, as he had some theories that he wished to verify with her. As he walked out of his home, he found the streets of Sector S being filled with people from lower sectors, especially from E and D, as he cautiously made his way through the crowd with his gift pack in hand. Everywhere he went, Cervantez garnered hostile gazes from themoners, however, with him wearing the sector S white robes, nobody dared to hit him or rob him, as they knew that the ankle bracelets on their body would punish them heavily if they did. *Ding* *Dong* Cervantez pressed the bell to the president¡¯s apartment in sector A, and for a while nobody came to answer the door. *Ding* *Dong* Cervantez pressed it again, and this time the president peeped through the door-hole and only opened the door when she felt assured that it was some Urban Elite who hade to meet her and not somemoner looking for revenge. ¡°Hello, Mrs.President, I¡¯m Cervantez, also known as ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ within Terra Nova, a Sector S resident. Do you mind if Ie in? I have a few questions I wish to discuss with you if that¡¯s okay¡­..¡± Cervantez said, as looking the expensive bucket of champagne that he was carrying, President Verma decided to let him in. Chapter 350: Fake Empathy Chapter 350: Fake Empathy ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) ¡°Come in¡­. I was feeling a bit lonely this new year anyways¡± President Verma said, as she invited the handsome looking young man into her house. ¡°Thank you¨C¡± Cervantez said, as he politely followed the president into her house and sat beside her at the kitchen table, which was littered with sealed boxes. ¡°I¡¯ve already packed my things, I think I¡¯ll be demoted to Sector B after the second evaluation. I¡¯m only level 80 within the game and things haven¡¯t been really going too great¡± President Verma said, noticing Cervantez¡¯s gaze, as she gave him the exnation that he was wondering about before he even asked about it. ¡°Well, this evaluation is not about levels but all about skills ma¡¯am, it may not turn out as grim as you expect it to¡± Cervantez said, as President Verma smiled a fake smile towards him. ¡°Have you brought sses, or should I look for some here?¡± She asked, pointing towards the bucket of champagne that Cervantez was carrying. ¡°I have brought sses,¡± Cervantez said, bringing out two sses, as he popped the champagne. *POP* Pouring one drink for himself and one for the president, he lifted the ss for a cheers, which the president obliged happily. ¡°Cheers to the new year¨C¡± President Verma said, cking her ss against his, as Cervantez replied with a ¡°Cheers¡± of his own. *Ding* Cervantez took a sip of his drink, trying to think about how he could initiate the conversation that he came here for without looking weird, however, thankfully he did not need to, as President Verma did it for him. ¡°So¡­. Why are you here? Young man? Are you here to try and bed me? Do you have some repressed psychological desire to have intercourse with women of power? Or is it something else? You can tell me freely, because you¡¯re pretty enough for me to do you¨C¡± President Verma said, as herpliment made Cervantez blush. ¡°No I don¡¯t have any sexual desires, I¡¯m here to ask you a few questions¡­.¡± Cervantez replied, as President Verma let out a dryugh. ¡°Fire away¨C¡± she said, looking unimpressed as she gulped her entire drink in one go. ¡°President Verma, if you may, can you please tell me what exactly is the deal that you made with the aliens? All this has a purpose right? The promise of a new home, it cannot be without any string attached can it?¡± Cervantez asked, pouring the president another drink, as his question made the president chuckle some more. ¡°Of course it¡¯s not free, boy. There is nothing such as a free meal in this entire universe, not just on Earth. There is a reason behind why the aliens only took off with a batch of 1 billion humans at once, only promising to bring a second batch at the end of one year. It¡¯s not because theyck the Arc Ships required to bring all 8 million Earthen citizens to safety, but it¡¯s rather because they don¡¯t wish to bring the weaker humans to their new who would be nothing but dead weights in their economy¡± President Verma replied, rolling her eyes, as she seemed to find the whole idea of saving humanity as a whole absurd. ¡°You know kid, as a career politician the people I hate the most are the idealists whockmon sense. The world was never a fair ce for all so why should the universe be any different? If the world was fair and just, then why did it give humans the right to eat chicken, but did not give chicken the right to do the same? Us humans kill bugs and insects indiscriminatelybeling them as ¡®pests¡¯ and we get away with it too because it¡¯s socially eptable to kill small insects. However, if I consider the life of a fellow human as an insect then I¡¯d suddenly be a fascist, a person whocks empathy, when most of usck empathy anyways¡­ There is a reason behind why only humans were allowed on this arc ship, and we did not carry dolphins and goris and lions on-board. For the aliens, the lives of us humans are no different to those of insects, and they are only saving us because they see us providing them with equivalent value. So pretty boy, if you are here to question me about morals and ethics, please leave me alone with this delicious bottle of champagne¡± The president said, as she dropped the most stone cold, yet true speech that she had ever spoken. Humans pretended to be empaths, humans pretended to have morals, however, in the end humans were nothing but hypocrites who felt no guilt in doing wrong things that did not affect them directly. ¡°Well ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t disagree with you at all, and don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to lecture you. I just want to know the specifics of your deal with the aliens if that¡¯s okay, because there are a couple specific doubts that I wish to verify¡± Cervantez said with a straight face, as he did not seem to be disgusted by the president¡¯s speech at all and rather appreciated her honesty. ¡°What specifically do you want to know, kid?¡± President Verma said, taking a sip of her drink as she leaned back on her chair. ¡°I want to know about the sses that we are assigned at the start of the game and the true reason behind it¨C¡± Cervantez said, as President Verma took another sip of her drink, her eyes shining in a mischievous glint. ¡°That¡¯s one question, what¡¯s the second?¡± President Verma said, as instead of answering Cervantez, she rebutted him with a question of her own. ¡°The second one is about the specifics of the deal that you made with the aliens¡­ and what exactly is their end game?¡± Cervantez said, as the president smiled evilly when she heard his words. ¡°I have the answer to your questions, but I want something from you first¡­. I have taken a fancy to your blue eyes and blonde hair. So if you make love to me tonight, I¡¯ll give you the answers that you seek and some more. But ¡­.that¡¯s the only way I¡¯m going to give you those answers¡± President Verma said, as she put up an impossible condition before Cervantez to fulfill, if he wanted the information he was seeking. Chapter 351: The end-game Chapter 351: The end-game Cervantez was not a man-whore, nor did he have any tendencies to be a prostitute for information, hence when the president suggested that he sleep with her to get the information he wanted, he felt instantly repulsed. Internally, he wondered as to just how fucked up the president had to be to even suggest such a thing, however, externally he maintained a calm face. ¡°How about I give you another bottle of this delicious champagne instead ma¡¯am? I¡¯m kind of saving myself till marriage¨C¡± Cervantez suggested, as he tried to decline the president¡¯s advance without trying to offend her with his rejection. ¡°Saving yourself till marriage? What year is this child? 1999? Grow up!¡± President Verma said, scoffing, as she did not Cervantez¡¯s excuse that he was saving himself till marriage. ¡°I already have someone I love¡­ and I¡¯m faithful¡± Cervantez said, trying to plead his way out of this tricky situation, as although he wanted this information badly, he did not wish to pimp himself out to obtain it. ¡°Hmmm¡­. Alright, I guess it won¡¯t be enjoyable if you¡¯re going to do it with a sullen face. I¡¯ll settle for two bottles of that Champagne instead¨C¡± President Verma said, as Cervantez let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Done!¡± He said, locking that deal as the President began giving him the information that he was looking for. ¡°The ss that you are assigned at the start of the game is based on your physical attributes and your memories. I¡¯m sure you know about this, since every yer has gone through the initial evaluation¡± President Verma started, as Cervantez nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°The deal that we made with the aliens is that they will give everyone that boards the Arc Ship a ce to stay on Terra Nova, as long as they y the induction game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ 12 hours every single day during the journey. This game is like a skill-training induction, since the inhabitants of Terra Nova do not wish for skill-less immigrants toe to their, but are weing of highly skilledbor. The whole concept of assigning a ss at the start of the game and not allowing yers to change their ss once it is assigned, is because the aliens have already made a fix-quota of how manyborers they want and which ss they wish for them to correspond to. So say for example they have set the quota for ¡®Swordsman¡¯ ss yers to 100, then only 100 yers who are best suited for the ss ¡®swordsman¡¯ will get it, while the 101st guy, will get a different ss, regardless of whether or not his personal talents were best suited for the sword or not. Naturally, while the example that I gave you is pretty rudimentary and simple, the real calction is much moreplex. There are hundreds of thousands of sses with hundreds of thousands of quota¡¯s for each ss, so the broad picture is not easy to understand, however, based on our research, we the past government have an understanding that over 85% of the yers have been assigned to abat ss. Although we are not sure as to why this bias exists, it is our assumption that most humans are going to be deployed in a war effort once they reach Terra Nova, with the aliens recruiting our best talents to fight on the front lines,¡± president Verma said, as her words confirmed the hypothesis that Cervantez was already working on. The aliens were grooming humans to be skilled migrants for their and were most likely nning to use them as additional man-power for their war effort. ¡°Oh¡­. Well thank you for this information, this clears up a lot of confusion for me¡± Cervantez said, as he genuinely thanked President Verma for this piece of information. ¡°If Earth wasn¡¯t dying, we would have never given up power or thrown our fates in the hands of aliens. However, the grim reality of Earth was that our home was dying, and it was dying fast. If we would not have left Earth, then Earth would have swallowed us alive instead, and migration was our only option for survival. From the moment we boarded this ship, I was no longer the president of the United States, and my rights and privileges became the same as any other passenger aboard this ship. However, regardless of how themon people feel about me, I still spend my days tracking the wider picture alongside some other government employees and make contingency ns for if they someday betray our faith¡± President Verma said, as she told Cervantez the truth about how she was spending her days. It was true that themon people hated her, as to them she was nothing more than a lying piece of scumbag, however, in reality, she was neither purely evil, nor a saint, as she just like every other human was a shade of gray. In her own way, she was looking after the people of Earth as best as she could, although she did not have the power to do much aboard this ship. ¡°I see¡­.. so what do you think is their end-game?¡± Cervantez asked, feeling curious as to what the president thought was the ultimate goal of the aliens. ¡°I think their end game is to select a few highly skilled individuals who have extraordinary potential and nurture them with all their resources. Although I don¡¯t know why¡­.. but I strongly believe that the aliens don¡¯t have the concept of a ¡®Collective Whole¡¯. They don¡¯t seem to think that all humans are created equal and that all of us possess the same potential for greatness. For them, one individual can be worth equal to a hundred thousand others and their treatment towards that one special individual is biased too. And while I¡¯m not sure about what their end-game is, what I am sure about, is that rankers like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and yourself will have a very different life on Terra Novapared to mostmoners¡± President Verma said, as she gave Cervantez an ominous fore-warning. Chapter 352: The big announcement Chapter 352: The big announcement (The Next Day, The Real World, Arc Ship) On the second day of the two day long new years festival, the entire Arc Ship received an unexpected announcement from the ship¡¯s operators. ¡°Operator Announcement : Attention all passengers! Attention all passengers! This is a high priority announcement¨C¡± An emotionless voice red over the speakers, as for a second everyone aboard the ship paused whatever they were doing and focused on what the ship operator had to say. Since this was the first time that the ship operator used the term ¡®High priority announcement¡¯ everyone paid additional attention to it, so as to not miss any small detail about it. ¡°The Arc Ship will now enter the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯¡­.¡± The operator said, stressing on the words ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯ for enhanced emphasis. ¡°The ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯ is what we call the river of mana flowing through the universe and once we enter this stream of concentrated mana, the environment within the Arc Ship will observe a sharp change,¡± The operator said, notifying all passengers that they were about to witness a sudden change in environment. ¡°While Earth was a that was outside the nourishing zone of the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯, Terra Nova, resides within it. Hence, the ambient mana atmosphere that you are about to witness shortly, can be considered as a sample of what you can expect when we reach Terra Nova¡± The operator said, as his words caused everyone within the ship to feel excited for the uing change. For humans, mana was almost like a fantasy concept. While they used mana within the world of Terra Nova, not many actually believed that mana was a real force, with an actual tangible presence. This was partly because Earth was a that waspletely devoid of mana, which made themon manpletely unaware of its presence. If moisture present in the air could be equated to mana, then Earthlings lived in a desert which had never seen rain before, which made thempletely unaware about the concept of humidity and rain formation. However, if moisture present in air was like mana, then the rainbow stream was like an endless tropical forest where it showered heavily 365 days of the year. ¡°Attention, all passengers, this next bit is especially important¨C¡± The ship operator said, as he tried his best to make sure that everyone absorbed the next wordsing out of his mouth with utmost sincerity. ¡°As we enter the ¡®Rainbow Stream,¡¯ the ambient mana will start interacting with your bodies and you will start observing minor changes happening to your physical bodies over theing days and months. Please rest assured that this process ispletely natural and expected as while Earth was a devoid of mana, which did not allow you to realize your full potential, in the presence of mana, yourtent abilities will begin to awaken!!¡± The ship operator said, as his words caused every passenger¡¯s heart to flutter with excitement momentarily. ¡°The ambient mana in the Arc Ship¡¯s atmosphere will gradually transform your physique, and you may start noticing visible physical changes over the next few weeks,¡± the ship operator announced, his tone steady and reassuring. ¡°These changes will align your bodies with the abilities and characteristics of your in-game characters in Terra Nova. However, please be assured that these transformations are nothing to be worried about. They are a part of your adaptation to the new environment and will serve to enhance your capabilities.¡± The operator¡¯s words were carefully chosen to dispel any fears that might arise among the passengers in theing days. With the Arc Ship entering the mana stream and the passengers¡¯ bodies undergoing significant physical changes, it was crucial to provide this information in advance to prevent any potential chaos and hence the Ship Operators werepelled to make this announcement to ensure everyone was well-informed and prepared for the transformations ahead. ¡°However, it is important to note,¡± the operator said, his tone growing sterner as he continued with the announcement, ¡°that the ankle monitors ced on each of you will limit the amount of mana you can control. This is a safety measure to prevent any potential misuse of your newfound abilities as while you will be able to perform the skills and abilities you possess within Terra Nova, now in real life, the monitors will inhibit any actions that could harm others or cause destruction within the Arc Ship.¡± The operator said, as all eyes immediately nced downwards towards one¡¯s ankle monitor, which served as a reminder of the constraints that bnced their new burgeoning powers. ¡°Any attempt to use your abilities for malicious purposes will be met with severe consequences as the safety and well-being of everyone aboard the Arc Ship is our top priority! We sincerely expect all passengers to adhere to these guidelines and to only use their newfound abilities responsibly. However, if one breaks these rules, they will be left incapacitated or dead by the ankle monitors¡ª ¡± The announcement concluded, as the ship operator ended the announcement with a threat that warned all passengers about the consequences of misusing their skills. ********** This announcement came as a massive shock to everyone aboard the Arc-Ship, as nobody seemed to have expected that their in-game abilities were going to carry over to real life. Within the world of Terra Nova, they were all powerful warriors and mages that could summon water out of thin air and create powerful mes with a snap of their fingers. To most, these seemed like abilities limited to the virtual world, however, now that they knew that it was going to carry over to reality, everyone felt immensely excited for the same. ¡°Holy shit! This changes everything¡­. If the skills and physique that we possess within the game will now carry over to reality then ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ is not just simply a virtual game anymore, but rather an extension of reality itself! It¡¯s all real! Humans can now potentially fly and be demi-gods. It¡¯s all fucking real! How cool is that?¡± Amon passenger said, as his excitement mirrored the emotion of what everyone aboard the Arc Ship was feeling precisely. Chapter 353: Aspirations Chapter 353: Aspirations ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The person who was the most shocked by the operator¡¯s announcement was none other than Leo as while Cervantez had already forewarned Luke about this development, Leo had been inplete darkness about this future up till this moment. ¡®The game-skills will carry over to real life? How does that even work? I literally have a cheat skill that can copy any other skill¡­. Will it get carried over too?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he could feel the butterflies flying inside his stomach. While at this moment Leo did not understand the full facts about the changes that were toe, unfortunately, ¡®Mimic¡¯ was not going to be a skill that he was going to be able to carry into reality as although the operator had implied that yers would be able to use their in-game skills in real life, the fact of the matter was that not all skills were going to be usable. Of his four skills, ¡®Mimic¡¯ was the only skill that was assigned to him by the system and not a skill that he had learnt from scratch and hence it was going to be the only skill that he was going to be unable to perform. Once the ship¡¯s atmosphere became rich with mana, the fundamental change would be that humans would gain ess to this mana, effectively transforming the real-world environment into one akin to Terra Nova Online. However, the prerequisite for performing any skill in reality was that the individual attempting the move needed to have the knowledge and understanding of how to execute it from scratch. Any skill that was system given or learnt via a skill-scroll was going to immediately be useless, as while usable within the game, without having the proper knowledge of how to draw in mana into one¡¯s body and how to circte it along a specific mana channel within one¡¯s body, actually performing the move in reality was going to prove to be impossible. Cervantez, having this future knowledge in advance due to his reincarnation, already forewarned Luke about not learning skills via a skill-scroll way in advance, as he understood that while learning skills from scratch was difficult, it was going to pay off big time in the long run. Thankfully for Leo, all the skills that he learnt from Ben on Mount Faulkner were all learnt from scratch as he knew the actual theory behind those moves, enabling him to carry forward those into reality. [ Mirror World ] [ Vanish ] and [ The Kill Strike ] were all skills that he would soon find himself capable of performing on the Arc Ship, turning him into ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in reality. ********** ¡°Whoa! Did you hear that Leo? Our physiques are going to transform in reality over theing weeks. That means I¡¯m going to gain immense bicep and abdominal muscles and look like she-hulk¡± Amanda said, flexing her currently non-existent bicep with a genuine smile on her face. ¡°Yeah me too¡­. My body within the game is on another levelpared to this one, so if it slowly transforms into my game-like body, I¡¯ll look pretty damn handsome myself¨C¡± Leo said, as Amanda leaned in for a kiss and pecked his cheek. *Smooch* ¡°You already look pretty damn handsome as is¡± Amanda said, as she made it clear that she was already heads over heels for Leo, even at his current looks. ¡°But this thing about the rainbow stream and Earth being a non-mana¡­.. don¡¯t you find it hrious? I mean, up till now we lived on a small dreaming about gaining superpowers, when all that we had to do to actually gain them was to travel across half the gxy and enter a stupid river of mana¡± Amanda said, as her words made Leo chuckle. ¡°Yeah it¡¯s pretty crazy¡­. I don¡¯t know what sort of impact this will have on one¡¯s life expectancy, or how easily our bodies will ept this new mana rich atmosphere, but I¡¯m hopeful about the future. Lately it feels like many fun things are waiting to happen¡± Leo said, as he expressed how content he felt with lifetely and how despite being inside a metal tube he felt like he was living his best life ever. ¡°Well well¡­.. Our life is surely about to get a lot better. The second evaluation begins in under 6 hours and we are on the verge of being promoted from this shitty apartment in sector D to a new and improved one in sector C. And guess what? Apartments in sector C actually have some semnce of privacy within them. So we don¡¯t disturb Luke with our loud noises when we make out¡± Amanda said, giggling excitedly as she seemed genuinely happy about the future. ¡°Yep, surely our best days are still ahead of us¨C¡± Leo acknowledged as he pulled Amanda into an intimate hug. ******** ( Meanwhile, Cervantez ) While the rest of the Arc Ship celebrated the impending entry of the Arc Ship into the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯, Cervantez was the only one who felt apprehensive about it. Having already been through this once before. He already knew that entering into the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯ and gaining powers was not going to be a peaceful and happy event. Instead, it was going to mark the start of the most tumultuous period of their journey to Terra Nova, as the next two years within this ship were going to see the most major events taking ce. ¡°This time though, me and my guild will be ready¡ª¡± Cervantez muttered, as he resolved to do things differently this time around than how he did them in his past life. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨Cxxxxx ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- END OF VOLUME 3 ¡ª¡ª¡ª- xxxxx ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Hey guys, that¡¯s the end of volume three, thank you for reading so far and I genuinely hope that you are enjoying reading this book. The real action is only starting and the misunderstandings andedy will only increase going forward, so I hope that you continue reading, and that I see you all in volume 4! /// Chapter 354: Entering the Rainbow Stream Chapter 354: Entering the Rainbow Stream ( The Arc Ship, Real World ) As the arc ship silently breached the threshold of the Rainbow Stream, the change that every passenger felt inside was instantaneous and profound. The passengers, though unable to see the swirling currents of mana outside the ship, felt an invisible wave of energy wash over them, enveloping them with an indescribable warmth. It was as if the very air that they breathed had transformed and was now heavy with an energy that was both foreign and exhrating. *Shiver* A collective shiver ran through the ship which was a subtle but undeniable sign that every human on board was experiencing something extraordinary. Those on-board who had been standing grasped for support as a sudden wave of dizziness overcame them. For some, it felt like the ground was shifting beneath their feet while for others, a lightheadedness threatened to pull them into unconsciousness. Yet, beneath theyer of initial difort, there was something else¡ªa tingling sensation that spread through everyone¡¯s limbs, awakening parts of them that not even they themselves knew existed. It was as if their entire bodies were humming and each cell within them was vibrating with newfound life. The dormant mana circuits, long buried in the human genome, stirred for the first time, drawing in the ambient mana from their surroundings with a desperate hunger. For most passengers, their breaths became shallow and quick, while their hearts pounded loudly inside their chests, and a thin sheen of sweat appeared on their foreheads. It was slightly painful, however, it was a very sweet and addictive sort of pain, which was very mild and passed quickly as soon, the initial wave of sickness, of bodies rebelling against the sudden influx of energy, began to subside and was reced by a sense of euphoria. There was a heady rush of power, a feeling of being on the brink of something immense and unfathomable as although no-one could actually physically see mana in the air around them, they could most definitely feel it with every fiber of their being. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Just like the other passengers on board the arc ship, Leo too keeled over, with sweat beads forming on his forehead as the Arc Ship crossed into the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯. The process of awakening his dormant mana-circuit was excruciatingly painful for himpared to others as his body absorbed ten times the amount of mana that a normal passenger did, greedily consuming the ambient energy in the air as if it had been starved for decades. As the mana surged through him, Leo felt an intense pressure build within his chest, making it difficult to breathe. His vision blurred, and ck spots danced before his eyes, threatening to pull him into unconsciousness. Each heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears, pounding like a drum, amplifying the difort. Yet, despite the agony, there was an undercurrent of something transformative happening within him, as soon the initial wave of pain began to subside and was reced by a warm, soothing sensation that spread through his body. His muscles, which had tensed up in response to the mana influx, gradually rxed as the feeling of difort gave way to one of profound rejuvenation. The sensation of his body integrating with mana for the first time was unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was as if he had undergone the most exquisite massage, with every single muscle fiber in his body feeling rxed and invigorated. His limbs tingled with newfound energy, and he felt a sense of strength and vitality that was entirely new to him. It was as if his body was now primed for an explosive output, ready to perform at a level that was twice his previous maximum capacity. Leo took a deep breath, flexing his fingers experimentally, as he felt the new power coursing through his veins. The initial ordeal had been intense, but the aftermath was nothing short of miraculous. His body, now in harmony with the mana-rich environment, felt like it was on the cusp of untapped potential, ready to perform feats of strength previously considered impossible by human standards. ¡°Whoa¡­ this is amazing¡± Leo said, as he began jumping on his toes, as his body felt nearly weightless. Because his body was the same weight as before, but his muscles had improved in their strength output, Leo¡¯s brain got the impression that he was weightless as he had never felt so light on his feet ever before. If he jumped now, Leo was sure that he could reach the ceiling 9 feet above his head with ease and this feeling of power was unbelievable. ¡°Leo¡­. I¡¯m not feeling too well¡± Amanda said, as while Leo felt like he had recovered from the initial phase of difort, Amanda looked like she still had the beads of sweat over her forehead as she seemed in intense pain. ¡°Hey it¡¯s okay ¡­ the feeling of difort will pass soon, I promise¡± Leo said, as he took Amanda into his arms and began consoling her. ¡°Holy shit! I feel amazing¨C¡± said Luke, as he emerged from his room while flexing his muscles, as he too seemed to have recovered from the initial wave of difort and was now feeling like he was at the strongest point in his life. As he nced towards Leo, the two brothers shared a knowing smile, while Amanda continued to breathe hard and clutch onto Leo¡¯s robes. ¡®What¡¯s going on with her?¡¯ Luke asked via signnguage, to which Leo blinked in response to indicate that all was fine. And all was indeed fine, as soon, the initial wave of difort passed for Amanda too as she too felt her strength rising like never before. ¡°Ouch¡­ ouch¡­. Ouch¡­.. too hard, you¡¯re tearing into my flesh¡± Leo protested, as while Amanda did not realize it, with her strength going up, her grip over Leo¡¯s arm began hurting Leo. ¡°Oh my god¡­. I feel amazing!¡± Amanda eximed as she flexed her biceps too, finally joining the ¡®feel-good¡¯ gang alongside Luke and Leo. Chapter 355: Newbie Surprise Chapter 355: Newbie Surprise As Leo logged back into the world of Terra Nova after a two-day break, he felt excited to return to the administrative work necessary for growing the Barony. Not having to work for two days had left him feeling refreshed and full of creative ideas as although had not realized it before, he had actually built up a lot of mental fatigue from overying the game and was in much need of a short vacation. However, as he returned to Crest-Hill Barony, the scene that greeted him was utterly ridiculous. The local poption seemed to have doubled overnight, with numerous yers in beginneryman clothing flooding the streets of Berkshire Town. ¡°Hey, street vendor, do you have any errands that you want me to run for you? Come on now¡­ don¡¯t be shy, I¡¯ll do them for free¨C¡± ¡°Oh my god, look at these apples! They taste fresh and not like they have been frozen and transported across half the world. Oh my god, this game is ultra-realistic.¡± ¡°Look! I stepped in the mud, and the mud actually stuck to my shoes just like in reality! This is absolutely insane!¡± As Leo observed the flood of new yers entering the world of Terra Nova, he felt absolutely irritated by their newbie behavior, even though he had been watching them for less than five minutes. ¡°Oh my god!!! Look at that NPC! He looks so cool with that mask and those ck robes! He is definitely someone super important, because I only see (Lv- ????) above his head, which means that he¡¯s someone who is super high leveled,¡± eximed a new yer as he nced toward Leo. His excited words drew the attention of many yers nearby, who all rushed towards Leo to try and trigger some hidden quest. ¡°Hello! Hello! Sir, I¡¯m Will Smith, can I help you with something today?¡± ¡°Hey, Big Man, I¡¯m kind of new to this town, want to talk about what¡¯s good here over a beer? I¡¯ll buy¨C¡± ¡°If you lend me that dagger on your waist, I¡¯ll hunt a few wolves from the nearby forest and bring you their hide for sale.¡± As the new yers crowded Leo, he seriously contemted killing them all for a moment. However, taking a deep breath, he resisted the urge to kill them all and decided to not follow through with that intrusive thought. ¡°Listen to me¡­. And listen to me well, because I¡¯ll only say this once. I¡¯m not an NPC; I¡¯m a yer and I¡¯m also the Baron of this Crest-Hill Barony. If I see any of you acting like buffoons and heckling local NPCs during their normal working hours, I¡¯ll havew enforcement arrest you all, and your gaming careers will hit a dead end before they even begin because I won¡¯t let you pieces of shit out of jail for weeks. I¡¯m the worst sort of bully you can encounter in this game, so please don¡¯t test my patience,¡± Leo warned, his sudden threat leaving everyone speechless. Since the Second-Evaluation was now less than four hours away, this was technically thest day for all veteran yers to improve their skill-set before the evaluation officially began. However, with the evaluation scheduled for midday, the yers only had a few hours to make the final push. While Leo did not have any worries about the uing evaluation, he did wish to make the most of this half-day by getting some administrative work done. However, with the influx of newbies into his Barony, he found it hard to focus on any other issue. ¡°Bullshit! This is an RPG game and the servers opened less than 12 hours ago. How did you even be a Baron? Unless¡­..¡± A newbie yer from the crowd said, before realizing mid-sentence, that Leo might be from the Arc Ship that took off a year ago. ¡°Wait, are you from the first batch of Arc Ship lift-off?¡± The yer asked, as faced with this question, Leo suddenly realized that if he shared this same gaming server with the people of the second Arc Ship round, then there was a very good chance that he could meet his mother inside the gaming world. ¡°How long has it been since you guys took off?¡± Leo asked. The man put up 10 fingers and said, ¡°About 10 hours. We were suggested to y this ultra-realistic game for the entire first day. What about you? How long have you been ying this game? Do you have any tips for us?¡± The man sought Leo out for guidance, however, Leo stopped listening to the man¡¯s words after he said that he had taken off less than 10 hours ago. ¡®Can I really unite with my mother? Can we really live like a happy family within the world of Terra Nova?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he disappeared from in front of the crowd of yers and rushed back to his office within his manor. ¡®If mother is indeed here, then I need to find her as soon as possible¨C¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he started to devise a n that would help him locate his mother¡¯s precise location within the world of Terra Nova. *********** ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Cervantez had ¡®shock¡¯ and ¡®horror¡¯ written all over his face when he saw the new yers joining the same gaming server as the old ones within the world of Terra Nova. In his past life, the second batch had a different server to the first one and the rankers of both batches only met once a year during the end of year events and had no interaction to the other ship otherwise, however, this time around something seemed to have changed, as the newbies were put into the same server as the veterans. ¡®What the hell? This will disrupt my future nning big-time, because I never expected this big of a variable to be introduced so suddenly¡­.¡¯ Cervantez thought, as he could see how his future knowledge was going to be increasingly unreliable going forward. Chapter 356: Newbie Benefits Chapter 356: Newbie Benefits ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) Things were much different this time around than what Cervantez remembered in his past reincarnation. Firstly, in this reincarnation, the new yers joined the same server as the old ones and were also given some special privileges that would help them catch up to the old yers in terms of levels and skills which was not the case at all in Cervantez¡¯s past life. Currently, the disparity between the veterans and the neers was significant, with the veterans having a year¡¯s headstart over the newbies, which seemed insurmountable under normal circumstances, however, when Cervantez interviewed a few newbies he realized that the game developers had implemented several measures to ensure that this gap was bridged over the next six months, putting the newbies on-par with the veterans in terms of levels and skills. To achieve this, the game developers had taken two active measures, with the first one being that all new yers were granted a double EXP period for the first six months of their gaming careers. For the first six months of their journey in Terra Nova, every new yer was set to receive double the experience points for every questpleted, monster defeated, and item crafted, which was sure to be a crucial boost to their gaming careers as it would allow them to rapidly ascend in levels, minimizing the gap between themselves and the veterans who had been ying the game for a year. The double XP period was hence designed to help the neers catch up in terms of levels, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be at a perpetual disadvantage. Secondly, each new yer was given a ss-specific skill from the get-go, a privilege that the old yers never had. This meant that alongside their ss assignment, they were also given a single ss specific skill from the start, giving them a jump in their journey as a beginner. This initial skill provided them with an opportunity to start adventuring from the get-go, allowing them to be more effective inbat and other game activities right from the beginning. This early advantage meant that they could focus on mastering their skills and leveling up without the initial struggle that the veterans had faced when they first started ying the game, significantly bridging the gap between the two batches. Finally, in addition to these in-game benefits, the new yers had another, more subtle advantage too: which was the umted knowledge and experience of the veteran yers. This wealth of information was invaluable, as it enabled the neers to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that the veterans had encountered during their early days in Terra Nova. The old yers, having already charted the best strategies, most efficient leveling paths, and having recognised the optimal skillbinations, could provide guidance and mentorship to the neers, which was going to cut their path to leveling-up faster by arge margin. With ess to detailed guides, tutorials, and first hand advice, the neers could optimize their gamey and avoid the trial-and-error approach that had characterized the veterans¡¯ early experiences. Cervantez knew that this amalgamation of double XP, early skills, and veteran guidance would significantly diminish the gap between the old and new yers as he expected that by the end of the second gaming year, the skill difference between the veterans and the new yers would have shrunk considerably and this future worried him as it created a significant variable that he wasn¡¯t ready for. ¡°What I can¡¯t figure out is why? What changed in this lifetime that prompted the aliens to put the new batch of yers on the same server as the old ones? And why has history deviated so much from its previous route?¡± Cervantez muttered to himself, as for him the more perplexing question was the ¡®why¡¯ behind this move, as the butterfly effect of this single decision was sure to be insane. ******** ( Meanwhile Jacob ) Jacob Skyshard had chosen to y the game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯ with his on-field military name which was ¡®Ghost¡¯. As a former special agent, it took him only a couple minutes to limatize to his new environment as unlike themon yer who was stuck on observing how realistic the game-graphics were, Jacob did not give a fuck about what the graphics were like and was instead singrly focused on his mission, which was to kill a yer and then focus on levelling up just like their children had suggested him to do. By minute 10, he snuck up behind a newbie yer who was observing how realistic the movement of a small spider looked on a cobweb and killed him by choking his neck,pleting his first kill requirement for the day. [ System Notification ¨C You have killed the yer ¡®Deez Nuts¡¯ ( Level 0 ). You have gained +1 level! ( Double EXP bonus applied ) You have gained + 1 level! ( ss EXP bonus applied You have gained +1 level! ] [ System Notification ¨C Your ss ¡®Death Overlord¡¯ saves you from receiving any infamy for this kill. Your kill counter has been reset to 24 in-game hours. ] Just like that, Jacob gained 3 levels within the game, as not only did he receive the double EXP bonus, but also his ss specific EXP bonus, which essentially tripled his level gains. Stone cold, he did not even flinch while making the kill, as after having killed hundreds of individuals in reality, Jacob did not even feel his heart flutter when he killed someone within the game of Terra Nova. ¡°I see¡­ so the choke points of the human body are the same within this game as in reality. This is indeed hyper realistic¡± he noted, as he could feel the exact moment when his arm choked the innocent yer¡¯s windpipe and ended his life. ¡°This game is perfect for ex-ops like me. In here, I can do what I am trained to do, getting an outlet for my inner beast, which will make me sweet and gullible in reality around Elena, just how I¡¯m supposed to be¡± Jacob noted, as although he had only been ying the game for a few minutes, he felt extremelyfortable inside the skin of his new character. Chapter 357: Second Evaluation Chapter 357: Second Evaluation ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo could get almost no administrative work done in the Barony with the influx of new yers as for hours he had to work on instructing the localw enforcement on how they should handle the newbies. He created a guide for them, something simple which would help them purchase weapons, go on adventures in the wild and find a ce to stay for the night, however, all this took time and a few hours passed by. [ System Notification :- The second evaluation is underway, you have 10 minutes to log-out of the game, or else you will be booted automatically. ] By the time Leo was done handling the newbie influx situation, the time for second evaluation was already upon him, forcing him to log-out of the game without getting any real work done. ********** ( Back to reality, The Arc Ship ) Leo was extremely pissed as he returned to reality after being forced to log-out, as he had never had a more unproductive day in gaming. ¡°Oh my god! Oh my god! We will all move to section C soon! Bye-Bye ¡®red¡¯ sector D robes, say hello to the summer fashion! Yellow robes!¡± Amanda excitedly said, as she rushed out of her room with a big smile on her face, only to find Leo frowning deeply. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? Why do you have a long face on?¡± She asked, when Luke too emerged from his room, with the same long face. ¡°The newbies are insufferable. Some idiots barged into my silver mines today, iming that it had to be some hidden dungeon since it¡¯s marked on the local map. Can you believe it Leo? Those bastards wasted my entire day¡± Lukeined, as just like Leo he too was fed up with the newbie problem. ¡°Newbie? What newbie?¡± Amanda asked, as being inside her forge all-day, she had no idea about the affairs of the outside world. It took a while for Leo to exin to her, about the newbies and how Terra Nova Online had seen a new influx of yers, however, while he sounded pissed, his anger was only superficial and did not run too deep. ¡°Do you think mother will be within the Unity Empire too? Do you think we can meet her within the game?¡± Leo asked, as his question made Luke ponder deeply. Currently the exact facts of newbies entering the world of Terra Nova were not known, however, Luke too felt that there was a fair chance that they could reunite with their mother within the world of Terra Nova. ¡°I think we have a good shot, but I don¡¯t want to build hopes until we have confirmed that she is indeed in-there. But I will start searching for her within the game starting tomorrow¨C¡± Luke assured, as Leo promised to do the same. [ ¡°Operator Announcement : All passengers please pay attention to the color that is disyed on your ankle monitor. The second evaluation is nowplete and the color of your ankle bracelet will now reveal whether you are promoted, demoted or will stay within the same tier¡±. ] The operator announcement rang over the speakers, as immediately after, Leo saw the color of his ankle bracelet turn from ¡®red¡¯ to ¡®yellow¡¯ indicating that he had been promoted to sector C. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He said, before ncing towards Luke and Amanda¡¯s bracelets which had also turned yellow. ¡°Yep, it seems like all three of us have made it! Just like we expected¡± Luke said, with a big smile on his face as he invited Leo and Amanda in for a big group hug. ¡± Yayy! Hugs from my brother inw!¡± Amanda said, hugging Luke and Leo joined in too toplete the group hug. ¡°Well, since Sector C apartments are single upancy. I guess this is it for us living together, however, I¡¯ll forever cherish the memory of us living together, as this has indeed been a memorable and fun experience for me. I¡¯m also d that the two of you have found love in each other and I hope that with the two of you now getting more privacy, I won¡¯t run into you guys making out every morning¨C¡± Luke said, as he gave a slightly emotional speech without sounding too cringe. ¡°Hahaha¡­. Yep you won¡¯t¨C¡± Amanda said, sticking her tongue out, while Leo lightly coughed, adjusting his voice. [ ¡°Operator Announcement : Please pack-up and proceed to your new allotments and once you are settled in, please check-out your new job descriptions that you will be expected to take over starting from tomorrow¡± ] The operator urged everyone to get a move, as Luke let go of Amanda and Leo, as the trio went to their respective sleeping quarters and picked up their luggage bags which they had already kept packed. Together, the three of them left for Sector C, where they first reported at the Sector Cmon grounds where the Sector leader was holding an address for all the neers. The address went on for a good ten minutes where the sector leader talked about the ¡®Middle ss¡¯ culture of Sector C, which wasn¡¯t poor, or ultra-luxurious, but somewhere in the middle at a point which was enough for a dignified living. Afterwards, he directed everyone to check their new allotments, which everyone did from the massive board attached beside themon ground. ¡®C-1001,1002,1003¡¯ Leo read the apartment numbers and realized that himself, Amanda and Luke were going to be neighbors. ¡°Hey, we are going to be neighbors, hahaha that¡¯s convenient¨C¡± Luke muttered, before realizing that his apartment was C-1002 which was exactly between the two lovers. ¡°Oh¡­. I¡¯m the third wheel, again¡± Luke said, realizing that he had be the third wheel yet again, however, since he had no say in what apartment was allocated to him, he could only ept it with a shrug of his shoulders. Chapter 358: Joy and Sadness Chapter 358: Joy and Sadness ( Leo¡¯s POV ) ¡®C-1001¡¯ As Leo walked into his new home for the year, he felt slightly excited to see how big of an upgrade it waspared to Sector D. Having started his journey on the Arc Ship as a sewage cleaning worker who worked for Sector C supervisors, Leo felt like he hade a long way in a year, when he walked into the same Sector C quarters as his supervisors back then. Outside his apartment door, there was a wee kit ced for him, providing him with his new yellow robes and a new VR headset to y Terra Nova Online with, which looked clean and brand new. Collecting those items, Leo moved to the inside of his apartment and was instantly blown away by how luxurious it lookedpared to his home in sector D! While it was still an apartment and not a full-blown house like those in sector A and S, the apartment in sector C was many times more luxurious than his previous abode in sector D, which he shared with 2 others. As the door opened, the scene that awaited him was not one of a cramped corridor, but instead that of a proper wee area which was about 10 feet wide, giving him a very spacious feel. The interior was lined with real wood! Reminding him of Earth as if he closed his eyes and felt the sensation of the cold wooden floor under his feet he could actually imagine himself being back on Earth and not floating within a metal tube inside space. To the left down the entry passage was his room, which was twice the size of Amanda and Luke¡¯s room in sector D and had a full king sized bed, a bedside table, a study desk and chair within. The bed wasfortable and it allowed for Leo to roll over from end to end without having to fear falling off like he did when he slept on the couch in Sector D, whereas the furniture was a nice touch to the room, as with furniture lying around, the room did not seem empty despite itsrge size. ¡°I can sit and draw here when I like¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, romantically rubbing his fingers over the study desk and chair as he imagined himself sitting over it and drawing sketches when he felt like it in the future. Moving on, Leo next explored the room beside his bedroom and as he entered that room, he immediately felt the mana density around him increase sharply. ¡°Whoa¡ª what is this room? The mana concentration within this is insane¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he could clearly feel that the mana density within this room was thrice that of the outside world. While the room itself waspletely empty, with nothing but a sitting mat ced at the center, Leo felt like there was something more to this room than just being an empty room with no furniture, as he felt like this room had a purpose that he had not yet discovered. Finally, beside the second room was the kitchen and dining area of his apartment with there being a couple of induction stoves, a few cooking utensils, a functional fridge and food supplies stocked within. ¡°Whoa! You can cook your own food in Sector C? What?¡± Leo muttered, feeling shocked as he had never expected a functional fridge stocked with actual food supplies within his apartment. [ Note :- The supplies in the fridge are supposed tost one week and will be refreshed weekly. If unused, they will be automatically swapped at the end of the week, so please don¡¯t get into the habit of saving food ] Upon the fridge there was a note left behind, perhaps from the ship operators which exined the re-stocking schedule of the fridge and the items within. ¡°Hahaha, I can¡¯t believe we have the luxury to cook our own food. Oh my god!¡± Leo muttered in joy, as he could not believe his good fortune at being able to cook actual food after only eating packed lunches for over a year. Finally, he also checked out the dining table in the kitchen area which couldfortably sit six people at once, allowing him to have a small dinner gathering inside his apartment whenever he wished to have one. Overall, it was a massive upgrade from sector D and Leo felt extremely satisfied with his progress within the social circles of the Arc Ship. ********** ( Meanwhile, the other passengers aboard the Arc-Ship ) Only a very small percentage of the poption was happy like Leo during the second evaluation day. As while very few people got promoted, there was arge percentage of people who saw their hopes of being promoted to a better sector be crushed today, as they failed to make the promotion cut despite trying their hardest over the past entire year. To make matters worse, there were some who had even slipped to lower tiers and were shocked to see the abysmal living standards of those in the lower sectors, as after living in luxury for so long, many could not cope with the significantly less luxurious life that the lower sector environment had to offer. While to a man who was promoted from sector E, the triple sharing apartment of sector D looked like heaven, to someone who was demoted from sector C, that same apartment looked filthy as he was used to a better life before. The people who were the worst affected however, were undoubtedly those stuck in sector E, as for them the matter of promotion was like life and death, and those who failed to be promoted from that hell, felt their guts wrenched today, as despite trying their hardest for 358 days, they had failed in reaching the top10% cut-off, dooming them to yet another year of undignified very. Some felt dejected, some motivated to try again, however most felt downright hopeless, as surviving within Sector E which was terrorized by local mafia and gued by hard working hours was not easy at all. Chapter 359: New Job Chapter 359: New Job ( Leo¡¯s POV ) As per the instructions of the Arc Ship Operator, after settling into his new apartment, Leo reported to find out what his new job was going to be:- alongside Luke and Amanda. Thankfully, because of today¡¯s chaos where everyone was busy talking about the second evaluation, nobody really noticed Leo being out in the open, swarming him as the number two yer, as most who recognised him as a co-worker were still in sector D and the rest were too excited to scan the crowd for familiar faces, giving Leo some much needed respite. ¡°Guess I can finally return to work without being noticed¨C¡± Leo muttered as Luke nodded his head in satisfaction. The family had been bleeding MP daily because of Leo¡¯s inability to report to work, however, they probably did not need to do it anymore. Overall, it seemed like the higher they went up in the social hierarchy level, the safer the neighborhood became, aspared to sector D, the walkingnes of Sector C felt incredibly wider and safer with the overall foot-flow being much lesser too, which was great for safety and anonymity. [ Work-Sheet For New upants : Name :- Leo Skyshard Job Title :- Food Processing Head. Job Description :- Report to the mass kitchen daily and supervise the work of the Sector E workers in the kitchen. Your work includes. 1)Taking a roll call at the start of the work day, exactly at the start of the work-shift. 2) Assess the quality of work done before lunch-break, which may or may not include food tasting to ensure product quality, and assigning grades to all workers under you for their performance for the day. 3) Assigning final work grades to all workers at the end of the work-day andpiling a monthly report at the end of the month for superiors to review. Expected work hours ¨C 1.5 hours of active work a day. Job benefits ¨C Comes with 3 leaves a month, that can be used at will. ( Note ¨C The leaves don¡¯t stack month over month and not using them will improve your end of the year system evaluation ) ] Leo read his job description and realized that his only important job was to take roll calls in the morning after which he was pretty much free up till lunch break. Then during lunch break he only needed to check-in on the progress of the workers under him and assign them grades based on their performance. Finally, he needed to assign the end of the day grade to all workers based off their daily performance, but that was pretty much it. In total, he only needed to work for about 1.5 hours a day, with him having the luxury to return to his home, cook a meal or indulge himself in other leisure activities in sector C if he wished to. ¡°What the hell! This job is a dream! It¡¯s almost akin to not working at all¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself aspared to the 9 hours work day for sector D and the 10.5 hours work day for sector E, sector C seemed to have life exponentially better. However, little did Leo know that the life in sector B and above was even better, with those in sector B having to work only 2 hours a month reading the reports of the supervisor¡¯s in sector B and those in sector A only having to host one end of the year meeting with all their underlings in sector B for an annual report, while those in sector S did not have to work at all. ¡°I¡¯m a food production manager¡­¡± Leo said, happy with his new job as he now got to sample the daily meals for every sector for free. ¡°I¡¯m inmunications. So I am the person who needs to take the massage appointments and other service requests from the people in higher sectors, and while my job description requires me to be on-call for the entire day, I don¡¯t think I actually have to do much work at all except note down the appointments and send the list to the relevant supervisors. Overall, it¡¯s about a 1-2 hour workday¡± Amanda said, as she too seemed happy with her deployment. ¡°My job is worse. I¡¯m the supervisor of repairmen¡­ I have to oversee maintenance and repairs in the ship. Apparently I have 7 leaves a month, but my job requires me to work 5 hours a day¡± Luke said, as he seemed slightly disappointed with his job deployment when hepared it to Leo and Amanda¡¯s. However, when adjusted with his 7 leaves a month privilege, his monthly working hours were still much better than his previous job in sector D, not mentioning the fact that he only needed to supervise and not actually perform the repairs himself which was way more rxing. [ Operator Announcement : Attention all passengers! Attention! ] Just as Leo was about to discuss with Luke as to how his job was not all that bad, an operator announcement red over the speakers catching their attention. [ Operator Announcement : The second evaluation isplete and the third evaluation will now take ce in 365 days time. Just as the theme for the second evaluation was ¡®Skills¡¯, the central theme for the third evaluation is going to be ¡®Legacy¡¯. For those wondering what ¡®Legacy¡¯ entails, ¡®Legacy¡¯ will be evaluated based on a yer¡¯s impact on the world of Terra Nova as a whole. ¡®Fame¡¯, ¡®Infamy¡¯, Global Announcements, NPC culture and many such factors will be taken into ount when calcting a yers legacy impact in the game, so it is suggested that all yers adopt an approach of ¡®Go Big or Go Home¡¯ during this phase of the game. From the operator team, we wish all yers a very happy gaming experience in theing year. All the very best! ] With the second evaluationplete, the operators announced the theme for the third evaluation which was set to ur one year from now, with the next evaluation theme being a shocking parameter of ¡®Legacy¡¯. Chapter 360: A change in the air Chapter 360: A change in the air The third evaluation theme was ¡®Legacy,¡¯ which Leo found to be a fascinating and thought-provoking choice by the game developers. By selecting ¡®Legacy¡¯ as their theme, the developers were encouraging yers to go beyond the conventional boundaries of gaming, pushing them to leave asting mark in the virtual world. Furthermore, the developers rified that it didn¡¯t matter if the legacy left behind was positive or negative; with both infamy and fame being given equal importance in the evaluation criteria. This inclusive approach meant that yers were free to choose their own paths on whether they wanted to be celebrated heroes or notorious viins. Hence by removing the moral constraints typically found in games, the developers encouraged yers to fully explore their creativity and ambitions, with the only emphasis being that all yers should strive for greatness and avoid being stuck in mediocrity. ¡°Whoa¡­. All hell is surely going to break loose now¡ª With the developers officially suggesting that all yers adopt a ¡®Go Big or Go Home¡¯ approach, I think a majority of the yers are going to move to the dark side as gaining infamy is easier within the game world than gaining fame¡± Leo noted, as he could already seen the chaos that was about to unfold in theing weeks. ********* ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Unlike Leo, who was only getting the information on what the third evaluation criteria was going to be like, just now, Cervantez already had an idea about what it was going to be like ages ago. A big reason behind why he chose to administer a region as a Baron prior to this announcement was because bing a regional administrator was one of the best ways to leave asting legacy within the game, as now his guild could literally paint and entire Barony in its own colors, impacting the culture of the ce forever. Also with the demon war undoubtedly reaching his door-steps within theing months, Cervantez knew that he would have plenty of chances to gain big merits, establishing himself as one of the most impactful yers in the game. However, what he felt unsure about this time around was how the influx of new yers was going to impact this equation, as if there were two big changes within the world of Terra Nova this timepared to his past life, it was 1)The rise of the anti-establishment ¡®uprising¡¯ faction, which was gaining more and more support every passing day. 2)The influx of new yers which significantlyplicated thingspared to before. ¡°I can¡¯t rely on my past knowledge anymore. If I try to predict future events based on my past knowledge, then it will only cause more harm than good going forward, so I guess my reincarnation advantage ends here. What I need to work with now is solid facts and a fast, reliable informationwork. I need to create a web of information anyhow, because information will be key in the future¡­. With the faction having ess to the best information being able to make the best decisions¡± Cervantez said to himself, as he realized that his future knowledge was no good anymore and that he needed to find a reliable source of real time news if he wanted to stay a step ahead of the curve in the future. ************* ( Meanwhile, ChaosBringer ) Everything was finally lining up perfectly for ChaosBringer, who recognised the criteria for the ¡®Third Evaluation¡¯ as his biggest opportunity for expansion. If his guild offered anything at all to themon yers, it was a promise of greatness, and hence with the influx of new yers and the new evaluation criteria being announced, ChaosBringer finally felt like he could gather enough members needed to officiallyunch his rebellion movement. With the insane amount of money that he made during the grand tournament and the way he had set-up his core team over the past months, his uprising guild was now too deep-rooted within the fabric of society for any government establishment to be able to weed them out easily. On every street of the capital they owned a business, in the basement of whom they operated an armory or a secret hideout. His guild members were well paid, well stocked and had now gained significant experience evading thew since many of them were infamous yers wanted for their many crimes. Up-till now, ChaosBringer only made passive moves and never tried to make a big-ssh as he feared the bacsh of the establishment, however, after months of preparation, he now finally felt prepared tounch an official rebellion movement. ¡°Our current membership count is at 3.8 million members and 120,000 NPC mercenaries. In light of the new evaluation criteria, the top management has decided to expand this count to 4 million members and 150,000 NPC mercenaries in the next month. So focus all your efforts in expanding our member count in theing month. As per my understanding, our time hase and after we hit the targets set by the senior management, I think we will finally begin with our real mission ande to the light. So do your best¡­. As the countdown has officially begun¡± ChaosBringer wrote in the official management group- chat, causing a frenzy to break-out within the department leaders. ¡°Holy Shit! It¡¯s about to go down isn¡¯t it? The new theme aligns perfectly with our agenda and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a coincidence¡­.. Our top management is too powerful! I think we will secure promotions for all our members!¡± ¡°Glory to the uprising! Our time hase!¡± ¡°Time to expand our departments like crazy¡­. Of Course I think we should give preference to veteran yers first, however, if we fail to hit numerical quota then I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too bad to recruit newbies either as sooner orter they will catch up with the rest of the pack¡± ¡°Time for us to emerge from the shadows! I have been waiting for this day since forever! Glory to Uprising!¡± The department leaders¡¯ group chat went absolutely mental after ChaosBringer¡¯s post, as they too could feel the iing change in the air. Chapter 361: Progress Chapter 361: Progress (Leo¡¯s POV) After all the chaos surrounding the second evaluation and learning about his new job role in reality, Leo felt a sense of relief wash over him as he returned to the world of Terra Nova for a full day¡¯s worth of gaming. Somehow, he had started to prefer being within the world of Terra Nova more than being in reality and after being unable to game properly for four full days, he found the idea of having a full day¡¯s worth of uninterrupted gaming to be veryforting. Upon his return to his work office inside the Baron¡¯s mansion, the first thing he did was to pass the ns for more construction and development projects for the Barony, as he allocated even more funds out of his personal pocket to enrich the Barony¡¯s defenses. Initially he had wanted to go for a slow and steady approach regarding development of his territory, however, with the next evaluation theme being ¡®Legacy¡¯, Leo made the snap decision to improve his Barony¡¯s defense situation at once as he anticipated a considerable wave of chaos to envelope the entire world of Terra Nova in theing days. Although he was no reincarnator like Cervantez, nor a strategic genius like Luke, he had strong instincts and currently, his instincts told him that improving the security situation within the Barony was an urgent priority. Hence, although he needed to reach into his own pockets to fund these new projects, Leo decided to start with the construction of a basic brick wall around the Berkshire town and the two main viges of the Barony, alongside constructing additional security features like fences and ranger towers near the Barony¡¯s boundaries. Currently, with the employment situation within the Barony improving and the local gangs being routed, the internal security of the Barony was better than ever. However, inparison it¡¯s readiness against external threats could still be considered as ¡®poor¡¯. Although the recruitment drive that he conducted a couple months ago for the army was a sess and Leo was able to recruit 10,000 NPC¡¯s into his forces and an additional 500 men as internal security forces, these men were still untrained and not ready for a big war. While Ben was training them, the first two months had only gone into him whipping them into shape, while he waited for the actual training facilities to bepleted after which the real training was to begin. At the current speed, Leo expected it to be a couple months more before the first batch of soldiers were functional, and in the meantime, Leo wanted to get-on with the wall construction project, which ifpleted swiftly could theoretically bepleted in the next two weeks. Currently Leo had several construction projects on-going within the Barony, with the Barony literally looking like it was undergoing development projects in every corner. New roads were being built, new sewage drains were being constructed, new grannies were being erected, new administrative buildings were being constructed. Everywhere one looked there was a new development project taking ce, and Leo was now adding even more projects to the list of on-going ones, spending money like water for the enrichment of his territory. Initially, he had only be a Baron to take life easy and enjoy luxury, however, this idea of his changed rapidly once he arrived at ¡®Crest-Hill¡¯ Barony. Not only did he work hard to develop thend, but he almost spent all of his 2 million gold coins advance received from Shane in doing so. The current infrastructure of the Barony was so poor that it could not even handle the influx of a few hundred newbie yers. The local motels could only amodate a few of them, while the others were forced to log out on the streets, leaving them vulnerable to petty theft. This abysmal condition of his Barony, left Leo feeling a sting in his heart, however, he knew that he could not actively interfere in such sectors. There were only a handful of motels in his Barony because there was no demand for restaurants and motels in his Barony, with there being very few to none visitors in a calendar year. Merchants did not wish to trade here and travelers did not wish toe here, which resulted in there being low demand for such upations. However, Leo knew that if he could make this Barony lucrative for trade and pay his workers fairly, then the disposable ie that themoners had would drive demand for luxury goods and experiences which would slowly transform this Barony on its own. However, that process would take several months to years toplete and was not immediate, and hence he could only be patient to witness those changes. For now, he could only continue developing infrastructure that was for themon good and hope that the transformation that he seeked, happened soon enough. ********* ( Meanwhile Dem Paltrow ) Dem Paltrow received the most tragic news when he received a letter from his immediate underlings that the ¡®Assassins Alliance¡¯ had disbanded. With the Night Guild no longer being their natural leaders, there was a power vacuum left for the other members to fill and after a lot of infighting, it was decided that the alliance be disbanded. [ Respected Night Guildmaster, We are saddened to inform you that the Assassin Alliance has decided to disband and the headquarters underneath the forest has been looted and abandoned. From this day onwards, there will be no mission sharing or information sharing between alliance members, while taking assassination missions against other factions will also be epted. There is nothing you can do to change this decision taken by the other guild leaders and hence we suggest that you ept this news with grace. Also, it saddens me to inform you that the Virex Corps have pulled the ¡®wanted¡¯ flyers for Hord throughout the Empire, which means that Hord is most likely confirmed dead. I offer my deepest sympathies for this sad news, however, it is the Night Guild¡¯s fault for letting him fall¨C ] As Dem Paltrow read this letter, he felt like he had finally hit hisst straw, as the leader of the Night Guild, finally lost his mind and became a vindictive beast hell-bent on seeking revenge. ¡°My life¡¯s work has crumpled apart. My best friend and my most trusted ally is dead. My organization is in shambles and my alliance is no more. I have utterly failed in my life¡¯s ambitions, However, I will fail no more. While I may not be a good leader, I am a damn good assassin and it¡¯s time to remind the Empire of who exactly the master assassin Dem Paltrow is¡­.¡± Dem said, as he kicked open the door of his underground cave and ventured outside into the streets of StrongHaven, in a disturbed state of mind. ¡°Lin Mu¡­.. Ben Faulkner, Ben Faulkner¡¯s Disciple, The Virex Corps, The Emperor, The other assassin guild leaders¡­ all of you have wronged me and I do not intend to spare a single one of you. I will kill everyst one of you with my own hands, even if it is thest thing that I do¡± Dem resolved, as he decided to cast away his identity as the Night Guild Master for good and turn into a rogue assassin to quench his thirst for revenge. Chapter 362: Building Anticipation Chapter 362: Building Anticipation (Shane¡¯s POV) Shane stood overlooking the sign ¡°Grand Reveal In 2 Days¡± and felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. The first shipment of Leo¡¯s products had finally reached the White Tiger Group¡¯s main store in the capital city of ¡®StrongHaven¡¯, and Shane¡¯s anticipation was palpable. Although the White Tiger Group had stores across the Empire, the store in the capital city was their biggest and most important branch, shutting which down cost them a revenue loss of close to 50-100,000 gold coins a day, however, despite knowing the implications of closing the store down, Shane still decided to do it anyways. Being the master marketer that he was, Shane had ordered for simultaneous lock down of all White Tiger Group stores throughout the Empire in anticipation of this product¡¯s arrival. His aim was to create a massive hype surrounding the new product line, hoping to disrupt the entire market with the grandunch in two days. But although his ambitions soared high, Shane knew that the true sess of his new product line would only be determined once the products reached the customers¡¯ hands and garnered their approval. He had bet big on this project, knowing full well that a failure could lead to immense losses for the White Tiger Group. However, deep down, Shane felt confident that the group would not suffer any losses and that the project would be massively profitable. ******** Inside the main store, Shane meticulously adjusted the product disys alongside his staff members, as hepletely removed the old products on disy, moving them to the back, as he reced them with Leo¡¯s new product line. ¡®Blue poison by Leo Skyshard¡¯ ¡®Orange poison by Leo Skyshard¡¯ ¡®Farm Pesticide by Leo Skyshard¡¯ Although the package name was odd, promoting Leo massively, the overall product looked stunning. Concealed in beautifully shaped ss bottles, when the colorful poisons were put on the shelves based on their color contrast, the overall wall looked beautiful when viewed from a distance. As Shane walked through the aisles, keenly observing each product and ensuring that everything was perfect. He nodded his head in satisfaction, as the new store-front looked everything like what he hoped for and more. He had ordered new furniture and racks for the store ahead of Leo¡¯s product arrival, nning to overhaul the interior in conjunction with the productunch. His goal was to create a sense of excitement among customers, transforming the store into a luxurious, high-end space that was both weing and captivating. Shane wanted to revamp the store¡¯s image in the public¡¯s mind, making it seem like apletely new entity when they revisited it in two days, as he wanted to make the most of this opportunity andpletely change the image of the white tiger group in collective consciousness. Finally as the entire storefront was reset, giving him the opportunity to survey the results of his efforts, he felt a surge of happiness bubble inside him. The store looked stunning, and he was sure that thebination of Leo¡¯s innovative products and the revamped store would draw customers in again and again, sky-rocketing the White Tiger Group¡¯s profit shares. The countdown to the grand reveal had begun, and Shane felt excited to enter into a new phase of business for the White Tiger Group, where it transformed from being one of the biggest yers in the market, to bing the sole biggest yer in the market. ********* ( Meanwhile themoners of StrongHaven City ) The streets of StrongHaven were abuzz with excitement and spection asrge crowds gathered outside the White Tiger Group store, curiously eyeing the massive sign that proimed, ¡°Grand Reveal In 2 Days.¡± Whispers and animated discussions filled the air as people tried to guess what the grand reveal could be. ¡°Did you hear? The White Tiger Group has shut down all its stores across the Empire! Something big must be happening,¡± said one passerby, a hint of excitement in his voice. ¡°I wonder what it could be,¡± replied another. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t close their stores and lose so much money unless it was something groundbreaking.¡± ¡°Yeah, not only their main store in the central district, they have closed all three of their stores within the Capital, and they had a clearance sale for their old stock on-going for the past week. I¡¯ve talked to a previous manufacturer who used to make alchemy products for the White Tiger Group and he told me that the White Tiger Group has not ced any new orders for his products this month, for the first time in 12 years!¡± A small merchant who was well connected with the market news said, as he rubbed his hands in excitement. Further down the street, an elderly couple joined the growing crowd, curiosity evident in their eyes. ¡°Do you remember thest time any big merchant group did something like this? Last I remember, this strategy was used by the Green Jade group 12 years ago, when theyunched that amazing line of enchanted goods¡­ However, this surely has to be even bigger,¡± the old man remarked to his wife. ¡°Yes, and by the sound of it I think they are currently renovating the interior too¡­. It seems like aplete overhaul,¡± she observed, putting a hand beside her ear to catch some of the carpentry noises going on inside. ¡°They must have gone all out for thisunch.¡± As more people gathered, the excitement was palpable. ¡°This is the talk of the town! I¡¯ve never seen so many people buzzing about a store closure before,¡± said a merchant from a neighboring shop, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re nning, it¡¯s sure to draw in massive crowds.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll have any special promotions or discounts for theunch?¡± asked a young woman eagerly. ¡°Maybe. But even if they don¡¯t, I have a feeling people will be lining up just to get their hands on whatever it is,¡± replied her friend, ncing at the sign with eager anticipation. The news of the grand reveal spread like wildfire, with people from all walks of life discussing it in homes, markets, and taverns. ¡°It¡¯s all anyone can talk about,¡± said a cksmith, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°The White Tiger Group always knows how to make a ssh.¡± ¡°I just hope it lives up to the hype,¡± anothermoner chimed in. ¡°With all this buildup, my expectations are through the roof.¡± As the day of the grand reveal drew closer, the excitement only grew. Customers spected endlessly about the new products, the store¡¯s makeover, and the potential impact on the market, as this was the first time that a major yer like the White Tiger Group had announced an Empire wide closure for some special event. Through his genius marketing strategy, Shane had seemingly sessfully created an atmosphere of anticipation and curiosity, setting the stage for what promised to be a monumental event in the world ofmerce and all hispetitor¡¯s were watching closely. If the grandunch was sessful, the rivals nned to offer a massive price discount on their products to start a price war, however, if theunch failed, then they nned to be aggressive and eat-up the White Tiger Group¡¯s market share. However, little did they know that the products that the White Tiger Group was about tounch werepletely unique and nobody couldpete with them using price wars even if they wanted to. Chapter 363: Business World On The Edge Chapter 363: Business World On The Edge ( Wade¡¯s POV ) Sitting inside his luxurious office, Wade, the leader of the Green Jade Merchant Group, reviewed the report on the uing White Tiger Group event with a suppressed sigh. On one hand, he respected Shane for his ruthless business acumen and the hype he was able to generate around the event, while on the other hand, Wade couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of regret for the lost opportunity, as he knew that if he had negotiated the deal with Leo Skyshard slightly better, it would be him organizing this high-profile event today instead of Shane. *Creek* Just as he finished reading the report, his assistant stormed into his office, a serious expression on her face as she said, ¡± Mr. Wade, the leaders of the Purple Springs Group, the ck Tortoise Group, and the Blue Ocean Group are all requesting information on the White Tiger Group¡¯stest activities. What are your orders, sir?¡± *Scoff* Listening to her question, Wade could not help but scoff, as he had long expected this reaction from the other major Merchant Group leaders. In the vast andpetitive Empire, seven major business conglomerates held significant power, with each being on par with one another in terms of market share and sales. These seven groups were : 1. White Tiger Group 2. Green Jade Group 3. Purple Springs Group 4. ck Tortoise Group 5. Blue Ocean Group 6. Yellow Daisy Group 7. Pink Lotus Group Hence, whenever one of these influential groups made a significant move, it sent ripples throughout the entire businessmunity as the bnce of power between all seven major groups was quite delicate. With all seven groups having immense cash reserves to burn through to create short term price wars, whenever a major group tried to disrupt the market and tried to greedily capture additional market share, the others responded in kind byunching a price war, however, nobody really likedunching a price war, as it was essentially a race to the bottom. With the White Tiger Group recently looking poised to make a bold and major move, it caused the other conglomerates to feel uneasy, which was why some of them had turned to Wade for advice, as Wade¡¯s own moves during the past two months were extremely questionable. ¡°Sir, in my opinion, we need to respond to their inquiries. Without doing so, we won¡¯t be able to justify our recent actions¡­. As per your instructions, we have already offloaded all our alchemy-based product stocks over the past two months, reducing our inventory to a near zero quantity. Instead, we have started procuring weapons, armor, and other items in bulk,pletely changing our store¡¯s strategy, which is causing the others to raise an eyebrow¡± the assistant exined, as Wade stroked his chin, contemting the advice. Wade had a clear understanding of the impending market disruption after his meeting with Leo Skyshard and Ben Faulkner. Their innovative products were poised to shake up the industry, and Wade had taken preemptive measures to minimize potential losses to his group by offloading all his existing stock, as he aimed to stay ahead of the curve. Naturally, the other major merchant groups had taken notice of Wade¡¯s strategic moves. Those who reached out to him today had likely already connected the dots, realizing that his decision to offload stock over the past two months was probably linked to the uing White Tiger Group event. ¡°Mr. Wade,¡± the assistant continued, ¡°if we ignore their requests, it could raise further suspicion and they might start probing deeper, which could jeopardize our position. Providing a carefully crafted response might buy us some time and keep them off our trail.¡± she suggested, as she nervously waited for Wade¡¯s response. Wade nodded thoughtfully. He understood the delicate bnce of power among the major conglomerates better than anyone else and how any misstep at this stage could lead to catastrophic consequences for the future of the Green Jade Group. The White Tiger Group, with their new product line was already poised in Wade¡¯s opinion to be the biggest group around, surpassing thebined might of the other six groups. However, Wade spotted the opportunity amidst this crisis to break free from the shackles of the 7 major groups and be the second strongest merchant group around after this market disruption, surpassing the other five groups just like the White Tiger did. Having strategically offloaded all the high margin alchemy products, Wade had changed the entire business model of his group, pivoting them from being an all products shop to bing a primarily weapons distribution shop, as he knew that in the future the only viable business was going to be the weapons and armor business, while all else products would be practically worthless. However, the threat was not yet over and while he had offloaded the alchemical products, for him toe out of this bloodbath as a profitable firm, Wade knew that he needed to y his cards right to maintain his edge. ¡°Alright,¡± Wade said finally. ¡°Draft a response. We need to acknowledge their concerns without revealing too much. Emphasize that our recent actions were part of a routine inventory adjustment and nothing more. We need to keep them guessing.¡± Wade said, as he decided to keep the other Merchant Group leaders on the edge of their seats so that they could not really figure out what exactly was going on, until it was toote to act. The assistant, having received her instructions nodded and quickly got to work, crafting a message that would cate the other groups without giving away any crucial information. The business world was a battlefield, and Wade knew that the survival of his merchant group depended on its ability to stay one step ahead of thepetition. As the assistant prepared the response, Wade¡¯s mind already raced ahead, nning his next moves in the ever-evolving game of trade wars. ******* Meanwhile, the leaders of the other conglomerates were not sitting idle. Each of them conducted their own investigations, trying to uncover the truth behind the White Tiger Group¡¯s activities. The tension in the business world was palpable, as everyone waited with bated breath to see what the next move would be. Chapter 364: First Reactions Chapter 364: First Reactions ( 2 dayster, The White Tiger Group Main Storefront ) The streets of StrongHaven buzzed with anticipation, with a long line of eager customers stretching down the block, all waiting for the grand opening of the White Tiger Group¡¯s main store. Whispers and excited chatter filled the air as the crowd spected about the new products that had caused all stores Empire-wide to shut down temporarily. Since the White Tiger Group was highly reputable, everyone expected this new opening to be a big event and the excitement for the new opening was also equally high. As the doors finally swung open, a cheer erupted from the crowd as customers who had been waiting patiently for hours for the store to open surged forward, eager to be among the first to experience the new products. Shane stood discreetly in a corner, watching the scene unfold with a mix of nervousness and excitement. Inside, the store had beenpletely transformed. Elegant disys showcased the new product line, with each item being beautifully presented to catch the eye. Entering customers almost immediately marveled at the revamped interior, their initial reactions being a mixture of awe and curiosity. The first 100 customers were greeted with a 20% discount on their total bill, a gesture that was met with delighted smiles and appreciativements. People from all walks of life had seemingly entered the store: adventurers looking for superior poisons, farmers curious about the new insecticides and fertilizers, and everyday citizens hoping to find remedies for their ailments, which was perfect for the White Tiger Group, as they had all these products on disy. The atmosphere was electric, and Shane could see the excitement in the eyes of the customers as they explored the store, as well as in the eyes of the store employees who were eager to make a sales pitch. As customers moved through the aisles, store attendants began exining the benefits of the new products. An attendant held up a vial of the Green Healing Liquid and began to demonstrate its effectiveness. ¡°This healing liquid can cure light skin allergies, first-degree burns, and second-degree blisters within 20 seconds. And it¡¯s 75% cheaper than the basic healing potions currently avable.¡± Gasps and murmurs of astonishment rippled through the crowd. ¡°Is this true?¡± a woman asked, her eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± the attendant replied confidently. ¡°We have tested it extensively. Would you like to try a sample, I see you have a small wound on your left wrist?¡± The woman nodded eagerly, and as she applied the liquid to a small cut on her wrist, the wound closed almost instantly. ¡°Incredible!¡± she eximed, drawing the attention of nearby customers. Across the store, another attendant was exining the benefits of the Green Poison to a group of farmers. ¡°This poison not only kills small insects like grasshoppers but also doubles as a fertilizer, increasing your crop yield. It¡¯spletely herbal and water-soluble.¡± ¡°This could change everything for us,¡± a farmer said, his eyes shining with hope. ¡°How much does it cost?¡± ¡°One vial costs only one gold coin and can cover 20 acres of farnd,¡± the attendant replied as the farmer exchanged looks of amazement with customers around him, looking clearly impressed. As the customers checked out the product packaging, beside the product name, the name of the manufacturer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was also written prominently, causing many to wonder about his identity. ¡°Who is this Leo Skyshard?¡± someone asked. ¡°He must be a genius to create such products.¡± ¡°I mean, he must be a top alchemist if he has created so many products¡± another customer spected. ¡°But why haven¡¯t we heard of him before?¡± The mystery of Leo¡¯s identity only added to the allure of his products, as customers eagerly filled their baskets with the new products, excited to try them out for themselves. As the first batch of customers left the store, their reactions were overwhelmingly positive. ¡°You have to see this for yourself,¡± one man told a friend waiting outside. ¡°The healing liquid works like magic, and it¡¯s so affordable!¡± ¡°I bought the new insecticide,¡± a farmer said to a group gathered outside. ¡°If it works as they say, my harvest is going to be amazing this year.¡± ¡°All the new products in the store are made by some genius alchemist named ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ it¡¯s almost like a revolution, nobody is selling the stuff that the White Tiger Group is selling right now¨C¡± ¡°Who is this Leo Skyshard?¡± a young adventurer wondered aloud. ¡°His products are unlike anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± The word spread quickly, and soon, the streets were abuzz with tales of the miraculous new products that the White Tiger Group was selling. People who hadn¡¯t initially nned to visit the store were now moring to get in, creating a viral wave of organic marketing that no amount of advertising could ever hope to buy. As Shane watched the crowd grow evenrger, his heart started to swell with pride. He knew that this was just the beginning, and that the demand for his products was only going to get even more profound in theing days as the news of the new products reached even more customers. With the White Tiger Group having the exclusive rights to Leo¡¯s innovative products, they were now poised to dominate the market in ways that others could only dream of, and if everything worked smoothly, Shane knew that within the next 12 months, his White Tiger Group would be the biggest conglomerate of the Empire. ¡°The start to today¡¯s sales is even better than I expected¡­. The joy on the faces of the customers is genuine. Nobody is leaving the store disappointed! Everything is going just as I nned and Leo¡¯s products are a big hit, just as I had expected them to be¡± Shane muttered to himself, as he felt satisfied to see that the big bet he had taken was off to a flying start. However, while he rejoiced, hispetitor¡¯s quaked in their boots. Chapter 365: Reactions Chapter 365: Reactions ( Meanwhile, Wade¡¯s POV ) Wade sat anxiously in his luxurious office, as he awaited a report from his assistant regarding the White Tiger Group¡¯s newest productunch. *Creek* ¡°Mr. Wade, we have urgent news about the White Tiger Group¡¯s grand opening,¡± she said, looking pale and anxious as she handed over a detailed report to Wade. Wade quickly skimmed through the document, his eyes narrowing with each passing line. The report highlighted the extraordinary sess of theunch, detailing how the store was flooded with customers and how the products were flying off the shelves. ¡°Extraordinary products, you say?¡± Wade murmured, his mind racing as he seemed to have underestimated the potential impact of Leo¡¯s creations. The healing liquid and the insecticide were unlike anything currently avable, and the customers¡¯ reactions were overwhelmingly positive. Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, his assistant continued, ¡°Sir, we had a spy infiltrate the store. They managed to purchase a variety of the new products and observed the reactions of the customers firsthand. The reports confirm that the products are indeed miraculous.¡± Wade felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he felt his worst fears be realized. The White Tiger Group¡¯s new product line was a genuine game changer and the spy¡¯s report detailed how adventurers, farmers, andmon citizens alike were all thrilled with their purchases, with some even proiming that they had never seen anything like it before. ¡°I had the chance to close the deal with Leo Skyshard, if only I had not been intimidated by Ben Faulkner back then¡­.¡± Wade muttered longingly, as his mind wandered to the lost opportunity, which he deeply regretted at this moment. ¡°And there¡¯s more,¡± the assistant said, her voice trembling. ¡°The other major group leaders are in a panic. They¡¯ve called emergency meetings and are desperately trying toe up with strategies to counter the White Tiger Group¡¯s new market dominance.¡± Wade immediately scoffed at this news, as he understood how the market worked. ¡°They are all going to suffer losses in the tens of millions of gold coin range. When us and the White Tiger Group stopped the purchase of traditional alchemical products, those five groups bought them en-masse at cheap prices hoping to make the most of the price drop and are now sitting on a huge stock of inferior products with many more being on the way. For them to sell their inferior products in the market now, they will have to take a loss, or sit on slow moving dead stock that upies shelf space for months. This is a full blown crisis for them¡± Wade said, as he could already imagine the long faces that the other Merchant Group Leaders must be making at this moment. ******* ( Balthazar¡¯s POV ) Balthazar, the head of the Purple Springs Group, paced back and forth in his office, with his mind being in grave turmoil. The news of the White Tiger Group¡¯sunch had reached him just moments ago, and the implications were staggering. ¡°How could this happen?¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°How did Shane get his hands on such revolutionary products?¡± His assistant entered, her face mirroring his anxiety. ¡°Sir, we have just received confirmation that the products are indeed as extraordinary as reported. Customers are flocking to the White Tiger stores, and as per reports their products are much superior to ours. Many adventurers who usually buy from our shop have rushed to the White Tiger Group Stores to check out the new hype, and although our daily sales are not down by too much today, if we don¡¯t solve this problem soon, they will be down significantly¡± She said, as her words caused Balthazar to frown even deeper. Balthazar felt a wave of panic. The Purple Springs Group had always prided itself on being innovative, but this was a level of disruption that they hadn¡¯t even anticipated in their wildest dreams. ¡°We need to find out more about Leo Skyshard,¡± he said. ¡°And we need to elerate our own product development that knocks off the White Tiger products. For if we don¡¯t act quickly, we¡¯ll be left in the dust¡­¡± Balthazar said, as he understood just how grave the situation really was. ******** ( Cassandra¡¯s POV ) Cassandra, the leader of the ck Tortoise Group, stared at the report in her hand in utter disbelief. Her normallyposed demeanor was reced with visible tension. ¡°This can¡¯t be true,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. ¡°How did the White Tiger Group manage to pull this off?¡± Her marketing director stepped forward, trying to offer some sce. ¡°We are already working on a n, ma¡¯am. But the speed and efficiency with which they¡¯veunched these products is unprecedented. It¡¯s causing a ripple effect across the entire market.¡± Cassandra clenched her fists. The ck Tortoise Group had always been a formidablepetitor to the White Tiger Group, but this new development threatened to undermine everything they had built. ¡°We need aprehensive response,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Call an emergency meeting with all department heads. We need to regroup and strategize, or we risk losing everything. But first and foremost we need to find out who the hell this Leo Skyshard is, and find his location.¡± She instructed, as the whole ck tortoise group went into a full blown crisis management mode. However, it wasn¡¯t just the ck Tortoise Group who were feeling anxious, as the panic and urgency among the leaders of all major merchant groups were palpable. The White Tiger Group¡¯s sessfulunch had not only disrupted the market but had also instilled a sense of fear and uncertainty among itspetitors as they scrambled to find a response. Today, the businessndscape of StrongHaven and the Unity Empire had undergone a big shift and at the center of this disruption were ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and ¡®White Tiger Group¡¯, both of whom had now be the talk of the town. Chapter 366: Reactions Chapter 366: Reactions ( Meanwhile the yers ) It was not only the big business owners and the NPC¡¯s in the world of Terra Nova who were shocked by the new product line of the White Tiger Group, but it was also the yers who were. A lot of viral posts on the global forums started a debate amongst theizens regarding this new product line, as the name ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ came into the spot-light once again. ¡°The new theme for this year is ¡®Legacy¡¯, and while most yers have still not figured out how they can create asting impact within the world of Terra Nova, the number two yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ has already created the biggest disruption in the world of trade andmerce. The new White Tiger Group product line is all designed and manufactured by him and he is probably earning millions of gold coins a day while also establishing his name as a household brand. Forget about ¡®TheBoss¡¯, I think ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ is the true top yer that everyone needs to look-out for¡±. ¡± The NPC¡¯s are all buzzing over the new ¡®Master¡¯ Alchemist ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and while I don¡¯t know anything about the authenticity of this im, as an alchemist myself, I must say that the path to reaching the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ in any profession is next to impossible. If true, Leo Skyshard is probably going to change the entire Empire with his products with even the Emperor begging for his help to cure ailments, as the Empire has not seen the birth of a ¡®Master¡¯ alchemist since its inception many centuries ago¡± ¡°No way! Don¡¯t tell me that while I struggle to save a few dozen gold coins for my weapon, some random ***** is earning hundreds of thousands of gold coins a day? Partnering up with the biggest firm?¡± ¡°Leo Skyshard is a tycoon! He is the richest yer in the game without a doubt and is most likely going to be even richer as time goes on. If I were a top yer I¡¯d probably fall on his knees and beg him to invest in me, as he is quite literally the ¡®King Maker¡¯ now¨C¡± ¡°All of ya¡¯ll have lost your damn minds. The Leo Skyshard guy has most likely got his hands on a potion book and you fools are hyping him as the greatest yer alive. I¡¯m pretty sure that nor is he a master alchemist, nor is he the richest man around as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ must surely be richer. Also, the #1 yer is ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and you can¡¯tpare him to a fool like ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ ¡± The forums were in a melt-down over Leo Skyshard¡¯s new product range with everyone excited to try them. While the discussions about Leo Skyshard and his wealth were wild, the report on his products was universally well epted with the yers that bought it reviewing it as a cheaper and superior alternative to products already avable in the market. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) While the entire world debated about ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and his identity, Leo himself toured his factories and checked in on hisborers unaware that the White Tiger Group was holding a massive productunch today. Detached from the world, he only focused on his own job, while all the major business tycoons searched for him desperately. Not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine the waves that his productunch was going to create, as it opened countless unexpected avenues for him that he could never have anticipated. While he toured his factory, there were 3 major factions who decided to get-in touch with him. Firstly, it was Cervantez, who, surprised by Leo¡¯s sess, wanted to offer him a partnership deal, to discuss which he called Luke into his office first. Knowing how impulsive Leo was, he decided to let Luke handle him since his elder brother knew him best, and Leo was less likely to snap at him versus Cervantez. Secondly, it was one of the ¡®Uprising¡¯ guild recruitment chiefs, who decided to personally recruit ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ to their cause as he felt that a merchant of his stature could bring a lot of value to the guild. Without consulting ¡®ChaosBringer¡¯ this guild member set-off for the Eastern Dukedom where Leo was currently rumored to be residing, with his goal being to recruit them under the guilds fold. Finally, it was the Emperor ¡®Julien D Evanus¡¯ himself who took notice of Leo and his products, as he sent summons to both Shane and Leo toe meet him in person in a month¡¯s time. While Leo was unaware about all these developments and how the other major business owners were currently searching for him desperately, he was soon going to find out how his second identity was slowly gaining as much poprity as his first one. ********** ( Meanwhile Jacob ) Jacob also nced over the forums and felt a sense of pride well-up within him as he observed the current viral discussions about Leo¡¯s sess. Currently, not only was that child of his second on the global leveling rankings, but was also a killer businessman who seemed to have taken the entire business world by storm and Jacob could not be any more proud. Before his kids were born, Jacob always worried whether they would grow up to be cold blooded killers like him or would they be kind and calm like Elena, and this was a question that followed him throughout his various deployments as well, as he often wondered as to how his kids would turn out to be. Now that he saw Leo having be a sessful merchant, he breathed a sigh of relief as he felt slightly relieved that his son did not turn out like him and was intelligent and multi-talented like his mother instead. ¡°Elena raised them right¡­. I¡¯m happy that my children are not ruthless killers like me¨C¡± he muttered to himself, before stalking his next prey, as he needed to kill a yer today, to ensure that his level was not reset to 0. Chapter 367: First Win Chapter 367: First Win ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Eren crouched low in the dense underbrush, his eyes fixed on the human vige nestled in the valley below, just a couple kilometers from his current location From this vantage point on the forest line, he could see the crude wooden palisades that encircled the settlement, the watchtowers where sentries kept vignt eyes on the horizon, and the distant figures of vigers going about their evening routines. This was ¡®Brisdale¡¯, one of the Easternmost vige¡¯s of the Empire, and the only border vige near the Eastern boundary where the initial demon attack had failed with the humans repelling the previous attempt to capture it. Because of its strategic location, this vige was particrly notorious to capture and hence was one of the only border viges that had not already been vacated by the Empire. Since it was so difficult to capture, the Demon King assigned this particr vige to be Eren¡¯s first assignment, as he wished to see how Eren would perform when presented with this challenge. From the Tree-line, Eren noted the pattern of the soldier movements, the timing of their shifts, and the positions of the sentry archers as his keen mind began to map out the weaknesses in their defenses. The demons with him were a ragtag bunch which was a stark contrast to the disciplined human soldiers who knew how to hold ranks. They loomed behind him, their massive frames blending into the shadows as their eyes glinting with barely contained aggression. As Eren turned to face them, knowing he had to earn their respect if they were to follow his lead, they red back at him with visible disgust, as they did not seem keen to take his orders at all. ¡°We attack at dusk,¡± Eren began, his voice low butmanding, as he spoke to them in the harsh, guttural tongue of the demons, his hands weaving through the intricate signs that punctuated theirnguage. ¡°When the sentries are tired and the vigers are distracted by their evening meals.¡± he exined, however, the demons did not seem to care. A few of the demons grunted in response, their skepticism evident. They were not ustomed to following the orders of a human, even one who could speak theirnguage, however, Eren ignored their doubt, focusing on the task at hand. ¡°Our strength lies in our surprise and our speed. We will split into three groups. The first group will scale the palisades from the north, where the defenses are weakest. The second will create a diversion on the southern side, drawing the attention of the archers and the guards. The third group, which I will lead, will charge through the eastern gate once it has been breached. Our goal is to create chaos, to disorient and overwhelm them.¡± Eren exined as he could see the reluctance in their eyes, and the distrust. But he also saw a flicker of curiosity, a hint that they were beginning to consider his n as Eren pressed on. ¡°This vige has repelled you before,¡± he reminded them, his tone serious. ¡°You attacked head-on, without strategy, and they forced you to retreat. But tonight, we will use their overconfidence against them. They won¡¯t expect an organized assault.¡± The reminder of their previous failure seemed to sting. The demons shifted uneasily, their expressions hardening¡­ as Eren saw his opportunity. ¡°You may not respect me now, but if you follow my strategy, we will have victory tonight. And with victoryes plunder and glory.¡± The promise of loot seemed to sway a few more of them. Eren could see some of the more experienced demons nodding, their expressions shifting from skepticism to grudging eptance. They still did not like taking orders from a human, but they were beginning to see the sense in his words. The demon king and the Demon Count Vaugn had both instructed them to follow his lead and hence although they did not wish to, they decided to follow the humansmands just this once. As dusk approached, Eren positioned the demons ording to his n. The northern group, led by a burly demon named Gral, moved stealthily through the undergrowth towards the weak point in the palisades. The southern group, with their loud and boisterous leader, Krag, prepared to create a diversion, while Eren¡¯s group waited near the eastern gate, ready to charge once the breach was made. Finally, as Eren gave the signal, the attack began with a flurry of activity. Gral¡¯s group moved silently, scaling the palisades with surprising agility for creatures of their size. Within moments, they were inside the vige, dispatching the few guards in their path with brutal efficiency. Meanwhile, Krag¡¯s groupunched their diversionary attack, setting fire to several buildings on the southern side of the vige. The sudden mes and the sound of battle drew the attention of the archers and the sentries, just as Eren had nned. With the guards distracted, Eren led his group towards the eastern gate. They moved swiftly and silently, taking out the gate guards before they could raise the rm. Eren signaled to one of the demons to open the gate, and then they were through, charging into the vige with a roar. The humans were caught off guard by the sudden, multi-pronged attack. Chaos erupted as vigers scrambled to defend themselves, but the demons were relentless. Eren ran alongside them, shouting orders and weaving signs as he moved with a purpose, directing the demons under him towards strategic targets: the watchtowers, the armory, and the barracks. Despite their initial reluctance, the demons began to follow Eren¡¯smands with growing confidence. They saw how his strategy was leading them to victory, how his tactical mind was turning the tide in their favor. They fought harder, their respect for Eren growing with each passing moment. The battle was fierce but brief. Within the hour, the vige was theirs, with the human soldiers having either fled or been subdued. This was a big strategic win for Eren, but also his biggest blunder as although he had managed to win his first vige and earn the respect of his underlings, he had also let some eye-witness escape, witnesses who had seen a human leading demons into war. Chapter 368: Moral Compass Chapter 368: Moral Compass (Meanwhile Julien D Evanus) Lately, every letter Julien received seemed to carry grim news, as the demons seemed to be advancing on all fronts. It wasn¡¯t just the Eastern Front where the demons had made progress as they were also seen capturing border viges on the Western Front and although no major towns had fallen yet, the situation was indeed dire. In the border regions, evacuatedmoners had begun spreading stories about spotting demons and expressed growing concern for the Empire¡¯s future, contributing to the rising unrest. Swift to act after his previous emergency meeting, Julien had already sent warning letters to the Dukes, urging them to reinforce major towns and prepare for a full-scale demon assault. However, the letter he received today was particrly rming as it confirmed his worst fears. In a recent vige raid near the Eastern boundary, several eyewitnesses reported seeing a human leading a demon contingent, iming that the human spoke fluent demon tongue. For centuries, humans had dominated demons through superior intellect and strategy. But with a human leading a demon army, Julien realized how unstoppable such a force could be. ¡°This is a matter of grave sincerity. That human cannot be allowed to live. Dispatch Sir Cedric and his top Virex Agents, but have that man killed at any cost¨C¡± Julien instructed, as his servants immediately ryed the news to Sir Cedric and the Virex Corps. Being experienced assassins, the Virex Corps epted this mission with open arms, despite acknowledging the difficulty of killing a human that was nestled in the heart of a demon camp. ************ ( Meanwhile Cervantez and Luke ) ¡°So let me get this straight¡­. You want me to negotiate a deal with my brother to get all of his new products at a discounted rate, so that we can exchange it within the guild store for merit points?¡± Luke asked, sounding perplexed as he did not understand what Cervantez was nning yet. ¡°Yes, I want to start implementing a contribution points exchange system within the guild, where guild members can exchange their earned guild contribution points for popr products/ armor etc. You see most guilds earn money by epting quests and taking on missions and not through administrative work. There are currently so many unexplored dungeons in the world of Terra Nova, so many herb gathering requests, monster subjugation requests and more, yet our Guild is not participating in these activities because I had deemed that their military training was most important. However, now that their basic military training is about toe to an end, I¡¯m thinking about finally turning this guild profitable and starry issuing guild quests/ missions that members canplete in exchange for Contribution Points. But for us to make this system viable and make a profit, we need to sell the goods inside at a 10% discount rate than avable in the market. And to sell them at 10% off we need to buy it at 30% off. Currently your brother has the best products and if he is willing to sell us in bulk, we can set-up a good store ¡­.¡± Cervantez exined, as after he articted it this way, his n made perfect sense to Luke. ¡°Hmmm, it does make sense. My brother¡¯s products are selling like hot-cakes right now, so it makes sense that you want him to partner-up with us. However, the question remains¡­.. will he agree? His products are already in high demand, so I¡¯m not sure if he will be willing to sell us at a discounted price¡± Luke observed, as Cervantez agreed 100% with his assessment. ¡°Which is why you must y the family card, Luke. Coax him into agreeing for the sake of his elder brother,¡± Cervantez suggested. However, Luke immediately shook his head in denial. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, guild master, but I cannot do that. I wouldn¡¯t do it to you if Leo were the one requesting me right now, and I won¡¯t do it to Leo with you requesting me. I will surely inquire for you, but I won¡¯t y the family card. My bond with Leo is worth more than the entire GDP of the Unity Empire, and I won¡¯t use it to exert unnecessary pressure,¡± Luke said, respectfully declining Cervantez¡¯s suggestion to pressure Leo into epting the deal. ¡°Well, alright, I respect your decision,¡± Cervantez said as while he had hoped Luke would agree, he also respected Luke¡¯s decision not to use his family bond to gain unfair advantages. Cervantez realized that, although he might have leveraged the bond if he were in Luke¡¯s position, his deep trust in Luke also stemmed from this very moral integrity of his which was unshakeable. Overall Luke was a very easy going guy, who never refused any direct orders from Cervantez, however, he was not a ¡®yes¡¯ man either. With his strong moralpass, he was never coerced into performing any wrong acts and neither did he let Cervantez perform any when he caught him going astray. ¡®Yep, making him the Vice Guildmaster was the best decision. Not only is he reliable, but he is also my best counsel, ¡® Cervantez thought, as his respect for Luke only increased after this interaction. ¡°Alright, there is one more thing I want you to ask your brother¡­.¡± Cervantez said after a long pause, as he let out a deep sigh. ¡°What is it?¡± Luke inquired curiously. ¡°Your brother is currently operating from ¡®TheBoss¡¯s¡¯ Barony and although he denies having any connection to the top yer, I have a strong feeling that the two are close working allies. What I want to know is whether or not ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has any connection to the ¡®Uprising¡¯ or not and whether or not they are nning an insurrection. It¡¯s crucial for the sake of this guild¡¯s future that we figure out which way the winds are blowing and this particr piece of information is critical for us. Please see if you can get him to talk about it¡­¡± Cervantez requested, as Luke nodded his head in acknowledgement. Whether or not Leo would confide in him, he did not know, however, for Cervantez¡¯s sake, he was ready to ask the question. Chapter 369: Leo The Supervisor Chapter 369: Leo The Supervisor ( The Real World, Leo¡¯s POV ) After a very productive and uninterrupted gaming session within the world of Terra Nova, Leo had to return to reality to report for his first day at new job. From within his wee kit, Leo unpacked his new Sector C yellow robes, his attendance sheet and quickly headed towards the Arc Ship Kitchen, where he was posted for duty. Unlike the chaos in sector D, where himself, Amanda and Luke had to take turns to get ready on-time, Leo thoroughly enjoyed the process of getting ready in his private apartment in sector C, as he finally could do his business in peace without having to worry how the bathroom would smell for the next person. Not only did it save time, but also gave him a lot of mental peace, albeit feeling slightly lonely. Nheless, looking prim and proper, he arrived at his workstation 5 minutes before the scheduled time and waited patiently for his workers to show-up. The attendance queue had already started to form, with the earlyers having already arrived before time. As Leo nced at their Orange robes, he was reminded of his horrific time in Sector E, as he gave those workers a sympathetic smile. Nobody wished to be stuck in Sector E, however, securing a promotion was not that easy and while some got promoted after every evaluation, a vast majority was stuck in the hell waiting for their chance to get-out. ¡°Hello¨C¡± Leo said, with a kind smile on his face as he waved towards who he assumed was a teenage kid, looking at him curiously. The teenage kid instantly frowned at being acknowledged as he hid behind a gray bearded man who apologized through gestures for his son¡¯s clumsiness. There were hardly any children aboard the Arc-Ship, as only parents who were extremely rich could afford a ticket for their unskilled kids to board the Arc Ship and that too wasn¡¯t possible without the parents having a significant pull within the government. Leo had no doubt in his mind that the Gray Bearded man was powerful enough to afford a B ss ticket for himself if left alone, however, was now in sector E because his family was weighing him down. *Sigh* Letting out a deep sigh, Leo internally decided to give the man and his kids lenient evaluations as far as possible, as although he did not wish to express his sympathy through words, he wanted to do whatever he could to help them get out of Sector E as fast as possible. Soon, 5 minutes had passed, and exactly on reporting time, Leo started taking the daily attendance. ¡°Hello, everyone, I¡¯m Leo, and I will be your new supervisor starting today. My personality and personal likes are not important, I¡¯m a guy who likes to keep to myself whenever possible, so as long as we keep our rtionships professional, I will not meddle in your lives and I hope you will not in mine. I have no bias against anyone and I want to give all of you good grades if possible, so just do your jobs and we will be good¡± Leo said, giving a short and curt speech that made his stance clear on how he wanted to do his job. He was not inclined towards ying favorites and was not looking for his workers to suck up to him in any way shape or form, hence he warned them on the very first day to keep their rtionship strictly professional. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy and he wanted to work under the same principle. ¡°Baljeet¨C¡± ¡°Ranjeet¨C¡± ¡°James¨C¡± . . . . ¡°Randy¨C¡± One after another, Leo took the attendance of all his workers and was happy to see that all of them were present here today for the first day of work. After randomly assigning the workers under him to teams of two to five, Leo assigned them their tasks for the day, which involved cooking steps such as ?Pre-preparation ( Defrosting the vegetables, washing them and rehydrating the dehydrated food ) ?Chopping, mashing and other processes to prepare the base of the meal. ?Seasoning and actual cooking toplete making the food. ?Packaging and shipping. Leo randomly assigned workers to all steps of the process as per the guidelines of his work-sheet and considered his job up-till lunch breakpleted as he started to make his way back to his apartment. ¡°This job is oddly rxing¡­. It took me 40 minutes at maximum toplete taking the roll-call and assigning the tasks for the day and now I can go back and enjoy my spare time! I can even cook a proper meal for myself using the ingredients in the fridge or take time to create some nice sketches. Heck, I can even move over to Amanda¡¯s or invite her over for lunch. This is perfect!¡± Leo muttered to himself in joy, as he had never expected his quality of life to improve so much in such a short time. While he was in sector D, he could not have hoped in his wildest dreams to enjoy such luxurious free-time, however, now that he was a sector C resident, he could enjoy life in its truest sense. As he hopped happily back towards his apartment, Leo did not even realize that his footsteps were soundless, just like how he moved in the world of Terra Nova. His real body, having started to undergo a transformation, was slowly transforming to mirror his in-game body and his subconscious habits were following too. Although he did not actively think of himself as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ outside the game, he was slowly bing his in-game character in real life, with the synchronization increasing every passing day. At this speed, it would still take about three to six months worth of time before his real body fully-synchronized with his in-game character, however, that speed could increase drastically, if only Leo discovered the hidden feature of his apartment¡¯s empty room. Chapter 370: Simpler things in life Chapter 370: Simpler things in life After returning to Sector C, Leo first invited Amanda over from next door to have lunch with him in an hour, before heading to his own apartment to cook for her. He decided to make a simple andforting meal that his mother used to make on Earth, which was a delicious vegetable stew and soft bread, which was by no means a luxurious dish, but was still something that he missed the most during his time on the Arc Ship. Since the ingredients for that dish were all present in this week¡¯s supply of food, Leo decided to make that dish for Amanda, since he knew that she would appreciate his mother¡¯s recipe. *Chop* *Chop* *Chop* Since it was his first time chopping vegetables in over a year, Leo was shocked to see just how much his chopping skills had improved, as with his body assimting with his in-game character, his dexterity had increased dramatically. Using his new-found skill, he was able to chop the vegetables to such a fine degree that they became almost translucent and so thin that they dissolved instantly whening in contact with the heat of one¡¯s mouth, giving a delicious taste. ¡°Mmmm¡­. Not bad¡± Leo muttered, as he tasted one of the vegetable slices. Since they were millions of miles away from Earth, he half expected the vegetables to be stale and dry, however, to his pleasant surprise they were quite juicy and delicious. Next, he added the chopped vegetables to boiling water to create the stew and let it simmer over high heat, filling the small apartment with a rich, nostalgic aroma. Meanwhile, as the stew simmered, Leo began preparing the bread dough with practiced ease. The rhythmic kneading of the dough brought a sense of calm, reminding him of simpler times back on Earth. As the bread baked, Leo set the table, ensuring everything was perfect for Amanda¡¯s arrival. He even went above and beyond and made a few origami flowers out of paper, arranging them in a small paper vase to add a touch of color and create a romantic atmosphere, since real flowers were unavable on the Arc Ship. And just as he was about to finish up, a soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Leo walked to the door and opened it, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of Amanda standing there with a warm smile spreading across her face. ¡°It smells amazing here,¡± she said, stepping inside, clearly intrigued to try Leo¡¯s cooking for the first time ever. ¡°Thank you,¡± Leo replied, returning her smile and pulling her into a gentle hug. ¡°It¡¯s my mom¡¯s recipe. I hope you like it.¡± Although Leo said nothing, he felt his heart skip a beat when he looked at Amanda who had put-up actual make up for this lunch meet, showing that she took it as seriously as he did. Back in their old apartment in sector D, Amanda never had the time nor the space to ever properly get ready, however, today she seemed to have prettied up for Leo, which he greatly appreciated. As the duo sat down to eat, the conversation flowed easily between them as they enjoyed the hearty meal. Amanda, feeling astonished by Leo¡¯s excellent cooking skills,plimented him wholeheartedly, as they both reminisced about their lives on Earth, sharing stories andughter. ¡°This tastes just like home,¡± Amanda said, reaching across the table to squeeze Leo¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky to have you here with me.¡± Leo smiled, feeling a warmth in his chest that had been missing for a long time as he replied saying ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it. It was nice to have a little piece of home, even here¡­. I cooked for the first time in forever and it was a very enjoyable experience, although I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m going to do it regrly¡± As they finished their meal, Amanda leaned back in her chair, a contented sigh escaping her lips. Her happy expression told Leo just how much she enjoyed this, as after cleaning the tes, Leo leaned in towards her for a kiss. *Smooch*. The couple looked at the clock and saw how they only had a few minutes worth of time before Leo needed to report for his half-day evaluation and hurriedly kissed each other a few times before stopping. ¡°Guess you have to go¨C¡± Amanda said, sounding slightly out of breath as Leo nodded and began tidying up his clothes. ¡°Oh, by the way, have you figured out the reason behind the empty rooms in our apartments having higher mana concentration? It wasn¡¯t this way when I was previously in sector C, back then it was just an empty room I used for doing Yoga. But now I¡¯m feeling that it has some specific purpose¡­.¡± Amanda inquired before Leo left for duty, as Leo too felt perplexed about the same. Amanda had started as a C ss passenger, so she had lived for a week inside sector C before being demoted to Sector D after the first evaluation and hence she knew exactly what the apartments in sector C looked like. However, this change seemed to have surprised even her. ¡°I have no idea what it is, babe, but I¡¯ll ask Luke for you¡­.. maybe he knows, or Cervantez does. I think Cervantez probably does, because that guy knows everything¨C¡± Leo replied, shrugging his shoulders as Amanda chuckled at his response. Amanda knew that Leo both respected and despised Cervantez at the same time and the rtionship that the two shared was almost ¡®cute¡¯ for her. Both of them were talented individuals however, one was oil and the other was water and hence they did not mix well at all, although individually they were both great men. ¡°Alright thanks love¡­. Have a good time at work!¡± Amanda said, as she almost cringed immediately after saying this dialogue, feeling as if she had already be a housewife although she wasn¡¯t actually one. Chapter 371: Important Notice Chapter 371: Important Notice ( Leo¡¯s POV ) After wrapping up the first day¡¯s work, which went smoothly, Leo submitted his evaluations and returned to his apartment to log back into the world of Terra Nova. As he returned to Berkshire Town, the first thing he noticed was that his [Private Message] inbox was overflowing, which was unusual since he only had two friends: Amanda and Luke. Since both Amanda and Luke could easily reach out to him in real life, they rarely used the text feature within the game. However, for some reason, his inbox was flooded with messages today. Opening the inbox, Leo saw a flood of messages from Luke, inquiring about the new products Leo was selling and at what rate he could sell them to Luke¡¯s guild and although Luke repeatedly mentioned within his texts that Leo didn¡¯t need to give him any special discounts, Leo just chuckled at his brother¡¯s silliness and shook his head in amusement. ¡°I¡¯ll give you all the products you need, at whatever price you want, brother. You don¡¯t have to ask,¡± Leo replied as even if Luke wanted them for free, Leo had no reservations about giving them to him, as for him family always came first and above money. In this regard, both brothers were simr, as they both prioritized their bond with each other over everything else and were ready to go above and beyond for each other, regardless of the circumstances. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s discuss thister,¡± Luke replied within minutes as Leo brushed the matter aside, not thinking much about how his brother had learned about his new product line. Humming a merry tune, Leo began working on his administrative duties as a Baron for the day, checking on the progress of his various development projects when suddenly, Butler George came rushing into his office with a sullen face. ¡°My Lord¡­ My Lord¡­¡± George said, panic evident in his voice as he rushed in with two letters in hand. ¡°What happened? Why are you covered in sweat?¡± Leo inquired, curious and concerned, as he had never seen Butler George appear so shaken. ¡°These letters have juste from the Duke and the Emperor. They exin the situation on the eastern border,¡± George said, still panting from his rush. Leo took a look at the first letter, as he recognized the imperial seal before breaking it open. [ **Imperial Decree** To Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ of Berkshire Town, The eastern border viges are currently under severe attack by demon forces. Our intelligence suggests that the neutral tribes living beyond our boundaries in the dense forests have already been defeated and enved by the demons and that they have sessfully reached our border viges, forcing us to start with the evacuation of border viges to ensure the safety of our citizens. At the time of writing this letter, the demons have already overrun several of our border patrol outposts, and the situation has be critical. In light of these circumstances, the Empire has temporarily suspended the 10,000 soldier cap on baronies. Effective immediately, you are authorized to recruit beyond this limit to fortify your defenses and support the Empire¡¯s efforts to repel the demon threat. The safety and security of the Unity Empire depend on the swift and decisive actions of its leaders and we trust in your ability to protect and serve the people of your barony in these trying times. By the Emperor¡¯smand, Julien D Evanus ] Leo set the letter down, taking a moment to process the gravity of the situation. The authorization to exceed the soldier cap was unprecedented and underscored the severity of the threat. The need to act swiftly and decisively was clear. ¡°Hand me the second letter¨C¡± Leo demanded, as Butler George handed him the second letter which was from the Eastern Duke with trembling hands. [ To, Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ The demon threat at the eastern border has reached a crisis point. Some border viges have been overrun, and the inhabitants are being evacuated. You are hereby instructed to allow migrants from these affected areas into your barony, providing them with shelter and food. This influx of refugees will require increased security measures, so we expect you to strengthen your defenses and prepare your forces for potential further incursions. Additionally, it is advised to be ready to contribute to the collective war funds if necessary. While this situation is challenging, it also presents an opportunity to demonstrate the resilience and strength of our barony and I trust that you will handle these responsibilities with the utmost diligence. Eastern Duke, Victory Orban ] Leo read both the letters and let out a soft chuckle, as unlike George who saw this as a crisis, Leo as a yer saw this as just another gaming event. ¡°So the demons have finally started the war, eh?¡± Leo muttered, feeling excited, as he could see that a massive war was soon going to approach his territory. ¡°Also, the Eastern Duke has some set of balls on him, if he dares asks us for war funds down the line. This Barony is broke. If he asks us for war funds contribution then he is absolutely out of his mind¡± Leo muttered, as the part that he was most concerned about in both letters was the part where the Eastern Duke suggested that he may ask all Baron¡¯s to contribute towards war funds since the Duchy was now under active demon threat. ¡°Hey, George, how far is our Barony from the border?¡± Leo asked, as George quickly fetched a map of the Duchy for him and marked the distance of the Crest-Hill Barony to the closest border vige for Leo to see. ¡°About 260 kilometers¡­.. there are two major towns and 7 viges between us and the border¡± Leo muttered, as he found that distance to be pretty decent for now. ¡°Well, if migrants doe over to this Barony, do wee them with open arms George¡­. Meanwhile I will work out on how we can provide them with temporary shelter and food¡­¡± Leo said, scratching his head, as for him this was just another administrative headache for now. Chapter 372: Rising Reputation Chapter 372: Rising Reputation ( Five dayster ) The news of an imminent war spread throughout the Empire like wildfire once the Emperor¡¯s official letters reached the nobles and while themoners remained unaware about the situation, the information quickly reached influential merchants and high-ranking government officials, who began hoarding grain and weapons in anticipation of potential supply chain disruptions. In just a week, grain prices soared by 50%, and the cost of weapons nearly doubled, marking the sharpest rise in intion the Empire had ever seen. Under these circumstances, Wade¡¯s foresight to invest in weapons proved to be highly profitable for his Trade firm, while it left the other merchant groups puzzled on what their next move should be, as the market became extremely overheated for no apparent reason, with every fast movingmodity bing more expensive than the next. Fortunately for Leo, he had already established a granary in his Barony, storing ample grain, and had ced orders for weapons and armor months earlier, which safeguarded him against this sudden wave of intion. But it wasn¡¯t just him who benefited from this foresight, as it was the people of his Barony who were the biggest winners, as while neighboring regions started to face acute food shortages, Leo sold grains at a subsidized rate within the Crest-Hill Barony, keeping prices stable for the average household. By now, the residents of his Barony had wholeheartedly epted ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as their new lord and savior, likening him to a great and merciful Messiah, while his other persona, ¡®Leo Skyshard,¡¯ was revered as a great employer who provided nearly everyone with dignified jobs and stable ies. Insulting either persona became a social taboo within ¡®Crest-Hill¡¯ Barony, with the youth ready tomit crimes to defend their lord¡¯s honor. The situation within the Barony had changed so drastically over the past three months that travelers who lived in nearby regions were shocked to see the new and transformed Crest-Hill Barony, which lookedpletely unrecognizable from just a few months ago. News about the new Baron¡¯s employment scheme and subsidized food rates had spread to nearby viges by now and it had caused many youths and unemployed people to migrate to ¡®Crest-Hill¡¯ Barony which was now considered as and of opportunity. The current Crest-Hill Barony was so famous that most disced migrants from border viges chose toe to Crest-Hill Barony instead of other more historically prosperous regions, drawn by Leo¡¯s promise of shelter, food, and employment. No matter how many migrants arrived, they were integrated into factories, construction projects, or, if fit for service, the military, as regardless of their number, everyone was given employment and shelter. Naturally, managing this influx was no easy task, but Leo somehow handled it expertly, preventing the refugee crisis from overwhelming civil services and social welfare. With the addition of newbie yers and refugees, Crest-Hill Barony¡¯s poption nearly quadrupled, rising from around 22,000 to about 85,000 in just the first three months of Leo¡¯s administration. And just when Leo thought that the rate of migration into his territory could not get any higher, the situation took a further turn when representatives of various major merchant groups arrived in Crest-Hill Barony, demanding meetings with ¡®Master¡¯ alchemist Leo Skyshard and the local Baron ¡®TheBoss.¡¯ These merchants sought to establish trading offices in the region and form trade ties with ¡®Leo Skyshard,¡¯ presenting new opportunities and challenges for Leo¡¯s burgeoning Barony. ************ ¡°What¡¯s the status report George?¡± Leo asked, as he sounded genuinely tired from the non-stop paperwork that he was being forced to do for the past few days ever since the news about the demon war had broke-out. ¡°Another 1200 migrants showed up at our migrant registration office today and while we have epted them into our fold, we are finally running out of your personal funds¡­.. Nearly all of the 2 million gold coins you provided us with are gone and soon we won¡¯t have any money to pay sries anymore. While the food, housing and security situation within the Barony is stable now, the tax revenue is still near 0 and the state has no viable sources of ie¡± George reported as Leo pursed his lips under his mask and nodded. ¡°I know¡­. But the payment that Merchant Leo has promised me won¡¯te for another 35 days. We have to run the state until then somehow¡­.. I told you to work on a solution, have you note up with anything?¡± Leo asked, sounding slightly disappointed, as George gave him a reassuring smile. ¡°I havee up with a solution sir¡­. But it will require you to sell off some state assets¡­..¡± George said, as Leo¡¯s ears perked up at these words. ¡°The state has assets left to sell? I thought you auctioned them all off before I took office¡± Leo said, as George chuckled and rified. ¡°Yes sir, actually before your arrival there was one asset that the Barony still held which was practically useless and hence we were unable to sell. Thend! The demand for real estate in this Barony was near 0 back then and even if we wanted to sell state owned chunks ofnd, there was no-one willing to buy it. However, with the poption of the Barony quadrupling, that same piece ofnd has be extremely valuable now, and by my estimates, the Baron owns about 50-60 million gold coins worth of real estate within this region, which can be sold to temporarily raise capital¡± George said, as Leo beamed at the suggestion. ¡°Bloody hell¡­. I own 60 million gold coins worth ofnd? This is awesome!¡± Leo eximed in joy, as this was far beyond his own expectations. ¡°Yes sir, with how many merchant groups that have formally applied to us asking to buynd, I think we can raise a million or two just from them and that should help us get to the 35 day mark where you expect to get paid from merchant Leo. I also believe that in a month or two from now, we will find a way to refill the government¡¯s coffers in a more sustainable way and levy a proper tax on our citizens based on the budget requirements. Which should solve the problem long term¡± George said, as Leo nodded and decided to ept those meetings with the various Merchant Groups tomorrow. Chapter 373: Unexpected Gains Chapter 373: Unexpected Gains ( The Boss¡¯s POV ) Leo, as his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ persona set-up a string of meetings with the various Merchant Group representatives, in his official capacity as the Baron of Crest-Hill Barony. However, before he met with anyone else, Tommy, the White Tiger Group representative came-up to meet with him first, as he ttered Leo withpliments left and right. ¡°Lord, you havepletely transformed this ce. With how low the food prices are and how high the average ie is, themoners of this Barony have a lot of disposable ie, which makes it a prime destination for merchants to set-up shop in. The White Tiger Group shop that we have opened here has one of the best sell-out rates in the entire Empire, being second to only our stores in big-cities, but with how fast Berkshire Town is growing, I have no doubt in my mind that in a year¡¯s time we will definitely be more profitable¡­..¡± Tommy said, as Leo listened to the wordsing out of his mouth with an amused smile. Up-till now, the White Tiger Group was the only major yer in this region, with everyone else being small-time local traders, which helped them edge out the market. However, now with rival factions showing interest in this emerging market, Tommy knew that they could not monopolize Crest-Hill Barony anymore. ¡°Well, I thank you for your praise, Sir Tommy, but I¡¯m a warrior and not a merchant, so I¡¯ll appreciate if you were more direct with me regarding to what you want¨C¡± Leo said, as he requested that Tommy cut right to the chase, as he had many other meetings to also attend after he concluded this one today. ¡°My lord, as you must already know¡­. There is a war on-going near the border regions. Although the war is still a fair distance away from Crest-Hill Barony, there is a chance that within the next few months or few years, the demon war does indeed reach this region and our expensive White Tiger Group establishments created here, such as our factories fall under threat of foreclosure. So my request to you is, please sell thend at 10x the market price currently to us and show the purchase deed to deter the merchantsing after us from purchasingnd here. My bet is, they will all buynd here, even if the price is 10 times the market rate, because they are currently that desperate. However, if they do not buy from you, then the White Tiger Group promises to buy all the remainingnd up for sale at the current market rate, not letting you suffer a loss¡± Tommy suggested, as Leo raised an eyebrow listening to his proposal. ¡°And why should I do this?¡± Leo asked, to which Tommy smiled and replied saying ¡°Because for one, you will not suffer a mary loss either way. Regardless of whether or not the others buy a shop here, the White Tiger Group will buy all thend, so you are not obliged to make a deal. However, in-case those fools do pay 10 times the price, then firstly they will put strain on their bnce sheets which will make it harder for them to enter into price wars against us, and secondly, because you can use that additional revenue to boost-up this region¡¯s defenses, which secures White Tiger Group interests in this area. Both ways, both of us make a profit, while the others take a big loss¡± Leo was bamboozled when he heard Tommy¡¯s suggestion as he realized that there was still a long way for him to go before he became as cunning as these businessmen. Pondering the proposal, Leo recognized the strategic advantage it offered as strengthening the defenses of Crest-Hill Barony was a priority, and this deal could provide the necessary funds to do it without him having to deplete his own resources. Additionally, maintaining a strong rtionship with the White Tiger Group, who had been loyal allies, seemed prudent amidst the growing tensions of the impending war and hence after careful consideration Leo felt like he could ept the offer. ¡°Alright, Tommy,¡± Leo finally said, a determined look in his eyes. ¡°You have a deal. Let¡¯s draw up the paperwork and make it official. But remember, this alliance hinges on mutual benefit and I expect the White Tiger Group to stand by Crest-Hill Barony if the war ever does reach our borders.¡± ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± Tommy replied, his smile widening. ¡°You have our full support, after all, we have invested a lot in this Barony, just like you have.¡± With the agreement in ce, Leo felt a surge of confidence. The challenges ahead were daunting, but with shrewd allies and careful nning, he was determined to lead Crest-Hill Barony through the turbulent times ahead. ********** ¡°What? 125 silver coins per square feet ofnd? This price is on-par with the Capital¡­.. just why would anyone pay this much money for a small town, when real-estate does not even cost this much in StrongHaven?¡± The official from the ck Tortoise Group said, as he could not believe his eyes on what sort of deed the White Tiger Group had signed for their shop¡¯snd in this town. ¡°Well, as you must be aware sir,nd prices in an area are determined by theirst deal, and this is thest deal that I made. You can either choose to pay this amount, or not, but it¡¯spletely up-to you. I have only onemercial district in my town and the shop-spaces there are limited. If you miss this chance then I won¡¯t let you open a shop in the residential district¡± Leo warned, as his warning forced the ck Tortoise representative to gulp a mouthful of saliva. Looking at the localmercial district, the ck Tortoise representative noticed how it only had enough space for 30 shops total. With the White Tiger Group having already purchased 5 to open a mega-shop, the remaining units were only 25 and even if they did not purchase it, the other groups were sure to. ¡°We¡­.we will take 3 units¡± The representative said with a trembling voice as Leo smiled evilly under his mask. ¡°Very well, that will be 600,000 gold coins¡± he said, as he looted the ck Tortoise Group for 10 times the current market rate which was just 20,000 coins for amercial shop unit, or 60,000 for three. Chapter 374: Elenas Gaming Adventures Chapter 374: Elena''s Gaming Adventures Chapter 374: Elena¡¯s Gaming Adventures (Elena¡¯s POV) Elena was aplete amateur when it came to ying games. Unlike the rest of her family, who were proper fighters, she was too clumsy to even kill a rabbit and hence her first experiences within the world of Terra Nova could only be described as funny. When she first logged into the game, she realized that the game world was astonishingly realistic. The feel of the breeze, the rustling of leaves, the vibrant colors¡ªit was like stepping into another reality, yet despite her awe, she recalled Leo¡¯s advice to level up as quickly as possible within the first week, and hence wasted no-time in trying to gain levels by subduing monsters. Unfortunately for her however, the ss that she was assigned was ¡®Gourmet Chef¡¯, which meant that the only weapon she had within her wee pack was a wooden spoon and a simple pan, both of which were unsuitable for killing monsters. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give this a try,¡± she muttered to herself, spotting a small rabbit hopping nearby as she approached it with her wooden spoon raised high. Seeing her approach, the rabbit tilted its head at her, almost mockingly, before scampering away, as Elena chased after it while screaming mom insults. ¡°Ayy little rabbit don¡¯t run!¡± ¡°Ayy little rabbit, my knees are not the best¨C¡± ¡°Oh my god, I haven¡¯t ran like this since Leo was a dangerous toddler¡± After half an hour of futile chasing and iling, Elena gave up, panting, as she crashed on the grassy fields feeling tired. ¡°This is hopeless, I can¡¯t even catch a rabbit.¡± She muttered, feeling disheartened, when she suddenly saw a shining green flower, nestled amongst two nearby trees. Curious, she reached out to pick it, and when she did, a notification suddenly popped up on her screen: [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®Elena Skyshard¡¯, You have discovered Wild Sage! Quest Activated: Herbal Essence ] [ Quest Notification :- You have triggered the quest ¡®Herbal Essence¡¯. Quest Description: As an aspiring Gourmet Chef, you must learn how to cook meals with spirit herbs. Cook an edible meal with the Wild Sage herb and kickstart your cooking career! Quest rewards : +5 levels! +1 Cooking utensils set +1 Firewood set ] Excited by this unexpected development, Elena read the quest details. She needed to collect a few more herbs and cook a simple meal to gain 5 levels, which seemed much more like her forte. She eagerly set off to gather the required ingredients, feeling a sense of purpose for the first time since entering the game. The quest led her through the open fields, and she found herself enjoying the peaceful exploration. She discovered Wild Thyme and Fresh Rosemary, and soon her basket was full. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Elena murmured, as she took out her beginner cooking pan and used it as a clean chopping surface for her collected herbs. Since she had no tools to create a fire, she could only make a simple sd like dish with the ingredients given to her in the beginner kit and those that she had collected, which she garnished with the wild herbs to create somewhat of an appetizing meal. [ System Notification :- Quest Completed: Herbal Essence! Rewards: Basic Cooking Utensils, Firewood, +5 levels¡­.. ] Elena beamed with pride as she collected her rewards as from that moment on, her journey as a Gourmet Chef truly began. ¡ª Two weekster, Elena had settled into her role within Terra Nova. Her initial struggles withbat and monster subjugation had given way to a more fulfilling path as she focused onpleting cooking-rted quests, slowly but steadily improving her culinary skills. One of her first major quests as a beginner cook was to prepare a feast for a group of NPC vigers celebrating a local festival. The task seemed daunting at first, but Elena took it in stride as she gathered ingredients, tried out recipes, and even learned how to bake bread and brew ale. Her dishes were simple but hearty, and she watched with satisfaction as the NPCs enjoyed her food. The vigers praised her efforts, and Elena earned both experience points and in-game currency. Encouraged by her sess, she began to seek out other opportunities to use her cooking skills. She stumbled upon a group of homeless NPCs in the game¡¯s Southern Duchy and moved by their plight, she decided to help. Using her newfound skills, she preparedrge pots of stew and handed out bowls to the grateful NPCs. Each smile and word of thanks boosted her confidence. One day, as she was serving stew to a group of homeless NPCs, an elderly woman approached her. She had a kind face and a warm smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice your cooking skills, dear,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Maribel, and I run the local bakery. We¡¯re always in need of good help. Would you be interested in working with us?¡± Elena¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yes, I would love to!¡± Maribel took Elena to her bakery, a cozy little shop filled with the delicious aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries and under Maribel¡¯s guidance, Elena learned to bake a variety of breads, cakes, and pastries as the veteran baker taught her new recipes and techniques, which Elena was quick to learn. Although working at the bakery was hard work, Elena found it incredibly rewarding. She was hired for a fixed wage, which gave her a sense of aplishment and stability within the game and while each day at the bakery brought with it new challenges and learning opportunities, Elena enjoyed the little struggles, which gave her a chance to improve her craft. Despite her initial clumsiness and doubts, Elena had found her ce in Terra Nova Online,pleting the First Evaluation with a flying score and being promoted to Sector A alongside Jacob, which came as a relief to her husband who was worried to death about her. With the second evaluation being a year away and the theme being ¡®Skills¡¯, Elena was not worried about it, but instead looked forward to spending everyday inside Terra Nova Online, as her time spent in real life was quite boring without anything meaningful to do. Chapter 375: A hoax Chapter 375: A hoax ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Ultimately, Leo managed to sell all the avable shop spaces at a tenfold markup, generating a total of 6 million gold coins, far surpassing the initially projected revenue of 600,000. Given the current level of foot traffic and the purchasing power of the Barony¡¯s citizens, it was going to take the major groups at least a decade to break even on their investment, as in terms of pure business, they had significantly overpaid for the shop spots. However, the major groups were strategic in their decision-making. They understood that an alliance with the master alchemist, Leo Skyshard, was only feasible if they had a base of operations near his manufacturing facilities and hence, despite the exorbitant price of the shops, they still paid for thend to ensure that they did not miss the opportunity to coborate with him. With these newly acquired funds, Leo¡¯s concerns about raising capital for his Barony were temporarily alleviated. Even after recouping the 2 million gold coins he had personally injected into the economy, he now sat on a fresh reserve of 4 million gold coins, which was more than sufficient to cover the sries of all workers and fund the ongoing civil projects in his territory for the next 6 months. ¡°Haha¡­ Today I¡¯ve made enormous gains!¡± Leo eximed. Switching from his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ persona to his ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ persona as he departed for one of his factories where he was scheduled to meet the same executives once again, but this time with a different agenda. ********** ¡°Mr.Leo¡­. Your current products have taken the market by storm. It¡¯s our understanding that the White Tiger Group is giving you 50% of the profits¡­. Well our ck Tortoise Group is prepared to give you 70% of the profits, if you only agree to sell us too¨C¡± The ck Tortoise Group executive proposed, however, Leo instantly shot him down. ¡°Mr. Chen, please understand that I have signed an exclusive contract with the White Tiger Group and cannot give you the products that I have pledged to sell exclusively to them. However, what I can instead do for you is, I can send samples of my new product line that I¡¯m working on to you and you can then decide if you want those new products or not¨C ¡± Leo said, as although he declined to sell them the products he was exclusively giving the White Tiger Group, he enticed them with a new offer instead. ¡°New products? You mean, you have more products that the White Tiger Group has not even seen?¡± The ck Tortoise Group representative said, hopeful stars sparkling in his eyes as he seemed genuinely excited about the prospect of unseen before products. ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­. They are new products that no-one has seen yet, but in my opinion they are even better than the ones I¡¯ve sold to the White Tiger Group. Of-course there are a few small kinks here and there that I still need to iron out to make them perfect, but it should not take me more than a couple of months to do it. So yes, very soon you may have a new product line to bid for on yourp¡± Leo said, as although he did not have a single new product to sell, he painted a grand picture in front of the ck Tortoise Group executive to keep them interested and on their toes. ¡°Please Mr.Skyshard, I beg of you¡­.. please only give your new products to the ck Tortoise Group and no-one else¡± the executive begged, however, Leo simplyughed him off. ¡°Hahaha, of course Mr.Chen, I¡¯m a businessman and if wee to a formal agreement in a few months time, then I will indeed only sell to your group. But until then, it¡¯s open season¡± Leo said, as he did not tie himself down to any new group yet and instead decided to pit all the major trade groups against one another to get the best offer for his non-existent products before he even invented them. Repeating this process with all the other group executives, Leo filled them all with hopes and dreams, sending them all back feeling like they had aplished something important, when in reality they had achieved nothing. In a way, it was the perfect con. ********** ¡°Mr.Skyshard, there is onest guy who is here to meet you¡­. He¡¯s not on the list of the people supposed to meet you today, however, he says he¡¯s from some guild called the ¡®Uprising¡¯¡­.. He said that you¡¯ll know what it is if I tell you¨C¡± Leo¡¯s assistant at the factory said, as just as Leo thought he had wrapped up all the meetings, someone unexpected showed up. ¡®The uprising?¡¯ Leo thought, feeling curious as he had indeed heard that name a few times before. Once from Cervantez who thought ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a member of the uprising and before that when he was a sewage worker in sector E, where the ¡®Uprising¡¯ presented itself as a mafia brotherhood of sorts. Leo had no fond memories of the ¡®Uprising¡¯ and considered them to be troublemakers, however, since a veteran yer had taken the trouble to scout him out in this remote location, Leo decided to grant him the meeting, just for the sake of curiosity. ¡°Let him in¨C¡± Leo said, as the assistant guided the inconspicuous man into his office. ¡°So you are Leo Skyshard, the number two yer on the leaderboards¡± the man said, extending his hand forward, as Leo shook it before ncing towards his NPC assistant who was still within his office. ¡°You can leave us¡­ Rosie¨C¡± Leo said, urging her to leave, as he did not respond to the #2 yersment in front of the NPC. ¡°A cautious man I see¡ª¡± The uprising representative said, feeling impressed as Leo simply chuckled in amusement as he observed the man¡¯s attitude. Despite being the visitor, the man sat moreid-back than Leo in his chair and had a toothpick sticking out of his mouth, probably from whittling down a stick that he had whittled down himself, since there were nomercially avable toothpicks in this world. His manner of speaking was crude and he carried himself like he owned the ce, which was the part that amused Leo the most. Compared to the big merchant group executives who were so nervous in front of him, this man was aplete 180 opposite. He was brash, unbothered and looked a bit bored. ¡®A punk¨C¡¯ Leo concluded internally, however, externally he maintained his usual formal demeanor. ¡°What can I do for you Mr¡­..?¡± Leo mumbled, to which the man responded with a ¡°Tony¡±. ¡°Call me Tony¨C¡± Chapter 376: Meeting Tony Chapter 376: Meeting Tony ¡°So, how can I help you, Mr.Tony?¡± Leo asked, leaning back into his own chair as he mimicked the punkish behavior of the man in front of him. ¡°Well you see Mr.Skyshard, you have been making quite some waves around town recently. Your new product line is widely sessful and the rumors suggest that you are making a pretty buck with your business¨C¡± Tony said, fiddling with his toothpick as he spoke rather uninterestedly. ¡°Yes, business has been good¨C¡± Leo replied curtly, urging the man to go on. ¡°And you have also widened your gap tomon yers, bing number two on the leaderboards with a solid margin¨C¡± Tony added, as he tried to mask his own jealousy over thement, however, Leo caught wind of it anyway. ¡°Well yes¡­. I have been rather fortely¡± Leo replied, gesturing for the man to get to the point. ¡°So based on your recent performance, we at the Uprising wanted to give you an opportunity to join our faction, for trust me when I say, it¡¯s an opportunity of a lide-time¡± Tony said, leaning forward towards Leo¡¯s table as he smiled wickedly in anticipation. ¡°And why might it be an opportunity of a lifetime? What¡¯s so special about your organization that I absolutely can¡¯t afford to not join it?¡± Leo asked sarcastically, never expecting what Tony was about to tell him. ¡°So¡­ tell me what you make a month? One million gold coins? Five? Ten?¡± Tony asked, putting up fingers as he threw those numbers as Leo shrugged his shoulders in response and said ¡°Ball-Park¡±. He did not wish to give an exact number to Tony, however, the 1-10 million range seemed urate. ¡°The uprising made upwards of a hundred million gold coins just during the Grand Tournament, in the span of under a month¨C¡± Tony revealed, as listening to this number Leo felt genuinely shocked for the first time in this conversation. ¡°What?¡± Leo said, frowning, as he had never expected The Uprising to be so formidable. ¡°Yes. We made upwards of 120 million gold coins during the Grand Tournament alone and our current cash-flows are not evenprehensible. Currently we legally own a small business shop on every street of the capital and have millions of armed active members that can make-up an entire army of soldiers when called upon¡± Tony further revealed as he gave Leo a smug smile. ¡°If you join us, I will reveal to you more details about our goals, however, know this¡­.. that by joining us you won¡¯t be at a loss, afterall we already have more influential yers in our organization who are already part of our upper management¡± Tony said, as he seemed to be very satisfied about the soft power that their organization wielded. ¡°But if you have such money and resources then why haven¡¯t I heard of you before?¡± Leo asked, feeling genuinely curious as he had never seen ¡®The Uprising¡¯ take any major action within the world of Terra Nova. ¡°You know¡­. Leo, there are few people who rule from the light. However, the real power is always within the shadows. Currently we are in the shadows because we were slowly gathering strength, however, soon our deeds will be for the whole world to see¡± Tony said, as he seemed to be very enthusiastic about the organization¡¯s future. ¡°So, who are these ¡®influential¡¯ yers already affiliated with your organization?¡± Leo asked curiously, eager to see if Tony shared the same confusion as Cervantez about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ supposedly being part of their group. ¡°Well, the number one yer is naturally part of our group. In fact, he is one of the top management. During the Grand Tournament, he ordered us to always bet on him to win, and that¡¯s how we made over 120 million gold coins, by consistently betting on his victory from the preliminaries to the finals,¡± Tony revealed. Leo was left speechless by this revtion as although he knew that he wasn¡¯t part of the uprising, the entire situation seemed soplex and amusing to him that he couldn¡¯t think of a proper response to give Tony. ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± Leo began, choosing his words with care. ¡°You¡¯re saying that joining The Uprising will not only bring me immense wealth but also align me with the most influential yers in Terra Nova?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Tony confirmed, a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. ¡°We offer security, resources, and awork that no other faction can match. With us, your current sess will seem like mere child¡¯s y.¡± Leo nodded slowly, pretending to consider the offer more deeply. ¡°And what would my role be in your organization? What do you expect from me?¡± Tony leaned forward, lowering his voice. ¡°We need someone with your skills and influence to help us expand our operations. Your business acumen and reputation will be invaluable in helping us secure new territories and resources, when our real mission starts. In return, you¡¯ll have ess to our extensivework and the full support of The Uprising.¡± Leo kept his expression neutral, though his mind was racing. ¡°It sounds like a tempting offer, but I¡¯ll need some time to think it over. After all, this is a big decision.¡± Tony smiled, leaning back. ¡°Take your time, Mr. Skyshard. Just remember, opportunities like this don¡¯te around often. We¡¯ll be in touch.¡± With that, Tony stood up, giving Leo a nod before exiting the room, leaving Leo alone to his thoughts. ¡°What the fuck¡­.¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he had not expected the uprisings offer to be so tempting before this meeting, however, after meeting Tony, Leo felt as if this shadow organization that had not yet made a big impact was on the cusp of making some big waves. ¡°I need more information before I make a decision¡­.¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he felt enlightened after this meeting with Tony. Chapter 377: Unexpected turn of events Chapter 377: Unexpected turn of events ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) In an unexpected turn of events, West Duke James¡¯s son, Jerome, reached the gates of Silver-Pine Barony unannounced, with arge army of soldiers behind him. When informed about this phenomenon, Cervantez as the acting baron, instantly rode towards the town gate on his mount, to receive Jerome at the gates. Upon his arrival, the Dark Sky guild members manning the gates, quickly swung open the heavy iron gates, allowing Cervantez to see Jerome at the forefront of his men, his face looking stern and determined. As he approached, Jerome dismounted from his horse with a fluid motion and strode towards Cervantez. ¡°Young Duke Jerome,¡± Cervantez greeted, his tone polite but edged with curiosity. ¡°What brings you to Silver-Pine without any prior notice?¡± Jerome¡¯s expression was grave as he began to speak. ¡°Baron DarkEmperor, as you must have realized from the Emperor¡¯s letter of caution, the demons have been making rapid progress along the western boundary. My father, Arch-Duke James, has determined that securing the silver mines of Silver-Pine Barony is now a matter of National priority and hence has deployed considerable resources to secure this ce. Although the demons are still a hundred kilometers away, we anticipate that they will reach this Barony within a couple of months¡¯ time. The strategic positioning of this ce makes it easy to defend and hence, we have decided to block the rapid advance of the demons here and try and hold them off for as long as possible. So when they do eventually arrive here, expect a long and arduous siege to begin.¡± Cervantez felt a jolt of shock at Jerome¡¯s words. ¡®The demons are advancing this quickly?¡¯ he thought, trying to grasp the full implications. ¡®This changes everything. If they reach us in two months, we have to speed up our preparations¡¯. ¡°The men following me here today are not just soldiers, but also miners. My father intends to empty out the silver mines in the next 6 months, mining 6 years worth of silver, through employing ten times thebor, and even if we can¡¯t refine all that silver in a short time, we intend to secure the ore at the minimum, so that even if this Barony is eventually over-run, the losses we suffer are minimal¡± Jerome said, as his words caused Cervantez¡¯s heart to sink slightly. Thest week had seen silver prices shoot up significantly, helping Cervantez earn a pretty buck, however, if he pumped out 10x the usual supply then prices would go down sharply. ¡°Is the Young Duke intending to exploit all the profits of the mines alone?¡± Cervantez asked, rather nervously as Jerome nodded his head gravely. ¡°This is a time of war, so please understand that it¡¯s not our intention to exploit you unnecessarily. But we must. The West Arch-Duke has a vast area ofnd to protect and arge amount of sry to pay every month to soldiers. However, in return the Arch-Duke is willing to fore-go tax collection in Silver-Pine Barony for 10 years, and is willing to pay you, the full price for refining the ore which will stille out at over a million gold coins a month, which is a good sum¡± Jerome said, as he informed Cervantez that the state would be taking over the profits of the silver mines within Silver-Pine Barony for now, but in-return, they would give some other forms of concessions to Silver-Pine administration to make-up for the losses. Without having to pay taxes, Cervantez understood that all the other revenue collected by him in terms of trade tax and tariffs would be pure profit, however, all that could still notpare to the revenue lost from the silver-mines, as in the short-term the Barony would suffer a strong financial deficit. As Jerome continued outlining the situation, Cervantez¡¯s mind raced about the steps he needed to take next¨C ¡®First, we need to bolster our defenses. Double the patrols and ensure the walls are reinforced. We must also stockpile enough supplies to withstand a prolonged siege. Although I have alreadypleted 70% of these preparations already, the rest must bepleted within the next two weeks, so that we can focus fully on the war. Finally, I also need financing. Even if I need to take on debt, I need to somehow finance the ongoing projects of my guild which will grind to a halt without the cash-flow from the mines¡¯ Cervantez thought as he drew his conclusions from Jerome¡¯s speech. Despite the dire news about the Duchy taking over his mines, a spark of excitement flickered within him as he felt excited about the uing war. ¡®A war in two months¡¯ time¡­ This is my chance to level up and gain merits. It¡¯s an opportunity to build a legacy for myself and my guild, and with the help of additional soldiers it will only get better¡¯ Cervantez thought, feeling a surge of determination. Jerome finished speaking and looked at Cervantez expectantly. ¡°We need your full support in these dangerous times, My father¡¯s orders are clear, and we must be prepared for the worst.¡± Cervantez nodded, masking his internal conflict. ¡°Thank you for the warning, Young Duke Jerome. Naturally we will cooperate with you to the best of our abilities. You please focus on your duties, my men will be prepared to face the demons alongside you when necessary.¡± As Jerome mounted his horse to enter the town, Cervantez moved to a side and watched him go. Behind him, a whole procession of soldiers and miners entered hisnd and it immediately caused a small wave of panic to emerge within themoners. Up-till now, the news about the demon attack had not broken out to the masses, however with arge army now camping within Silver-Pine Barony it was only a matter of time before the news spread throughout town like wild-fire. As with the arrival of the Duke¡¯s men, in a way, the war had already begun. Chapter 378: Time-Skip (1) Chapter 378: Time-Skip (1) (2 monthster, The Arc Ship, real world) Two months after the second evaluation and the Arc Ship¡¯s official entry into the ¡®Rainbow Stream,¡¯ the physical bodies of everyone on board had undergone significant changes. Everyone appeared stronger and healthier, with some adults even gaining a few inches in height due to improved posture and dpressed spines. Even those who had looked frail and malnourished just a few months earlier now resembled well-trained athletes, showcasing a remarkable transformation in such a short time. Leo, who witnessed these changes firsthand, was astonished at just how much more effective everyone had be in their roles with each passing week. As a supervisor overseeing a group of workers from Sector E, he noticed the gradual gradient of their growth each day. Tasks like chopping, preparation, washing, defreezing vegetables, kneading dough, and cooking, which used to take them six hours of constant work, could now bepleted in just one hour and this progress was mind-blowing. The craziest part was that Leo had witnessed this change happen rapidly before his own eyes. The individuals he supervised became physically superior, faster, more dexterous, and stronger with each passing day and these improvements were evident in their daily performance. Compared to the first day, when their strength and energy levels were the closest to their usual human form, 2 monthster, everyone looked like their in-game characters, with significantlyrger stamina reserves and improved physical function. And it wasn¡¯t just them who had undergone this change either, as Leo himself had also undergone a massive change. From his apartment in sector C to the Arc Ship Kitchen where he reported for duty daily, the distance was about a kilometer. On the first day of work, it took him about 12-15 minutes of walking to cover that distance, however, after two months of being inside the Rainbow Stream, he could now cover the same distance in 3-4 minutes without breaking a sweat. It was not like he was jogging or consciously trying to walk faster either, as it was just his natural cadence that had be that much faster with his body improving massively. Another big change that happened was that usage of in-game skills in real-life became more and moremon. Leo had a worker under him who was a mage within the world of Terra Nova who could now use fireball spells in his cooking, which looked almost surreal to observe. It wasn¡¯t just him who could do it either, as there were a lot of yers who could use some of their skills outside the game, however, it was at this point that many discovered that while skills learnt naturally carried forward to reality, skills acquired through skill-scrolls did not. Leo could now perform all of his skills in reality apart from ¡®mimic¡¯ and he practiced them often in his free time at his apartment. Though Leo did not have an explicit reason for practicing his skills daily, his improved constitution and soaring energy levels made him feel restless and over-energetic if he didn¡¯t find an outlet. This led him to spend time practicing his skills in addition to working out daily as only after intense training sessions did he feel a sense of calm return to his body. Usually, he practiced inside the empty room in his apartment beside his bedroom where the mana density was higher than usual and it wasn¡¯t until one day when he decided to practice in his bedroom that Leo noticed the stark difference in skill execution between the two environments. In the empty room with high mana density, performing his skills felt much easier, and the end results were significantly better. The difference was like lighting a match in a normal heterogeneous mixture of air, containing only 21% oxygen, versus lighting the same match in pure 100% oxygen air. Just like how in normal air, the match burns with a steady, small me. However, in pure oxygen, the me bursts forth much higher, brighter, and faster. Simrly, practicing his skills in the mana-rich room was like the pure oxygen environment for the match. The skills flowed more naturally and powerfully, with the mana acting as a catalyst that enhanced his abilities, making the end result not only more potent but also more refined, allowing Leo to push the limits of his capabilities. The dense mana in the empty room created an optimal setting for practice, much like how the oxygen-rich environment maximized the match¡¯s me and understanding this, Leo prioritized his training sessions in the mana-dense room, seeking to harness its benefits fully and continue improving his abilities in the most effective way possible. ********** ( Meanwhile Sector E ) Another big shift that took ce in the past two months was the shift in bnce of power within Sector E. Up till now, it was the mafia members who were naturally strong in physique from their time on Earth that formed gangs and bullied the weaker humans, however, with the influx of mana and everyone undergoing a constitution change, this equation changed rapidly. The best yers became the new top dogs of thewless Sector E, where internal fights becamemon once again as the new status quo was under making. The once predators now became prey, with many suffering broken bones and brutal beatings as the skills from the game world carried to real life. Though less in number, fights also broke out amongst sector D members over usage ofmunal resources and while the ankle chips still protected the higher ss citizens from attacks by lower ss citizens, many upperssmen who were not that strong of yers now started to feel threatened in the presence of intimidating yers who exuded the aura of stone cold killers. With the lines between reality and game world blurring and everyone bing increasingly like their gaming characters, the ¡®human¡¯ aspect of humanity seemed to be changing rapidly. Chapter 379: Time Skip (2) Chapter 379: Time Skip (2) ( 2 monthster, Terra Nova Online, The Uprising Guild ) A big change that urred over the past two months in the world of Terra Nova Online was that the Uprising Guild finally made its presence known throughout the Empire byunching a military campaign in the Southern Duchy. They chose to target the Southern Duchy first, because it was the only peaceful province in the entire Empire, which was not currently undergoing active war or was under the threat of facing a demon invasion. Had they chosen to attack the Eastern or Western Duchies that were currently facing demon attacks, they would remain at the risk of facing a demon threat over their newly conquerednds and not wanting to risk it, ChaosBringer ordered his men to turn their focus to the Southern Duchy. The execution of their first attack was simply masterful. The motivated members of his guildpleted his recruitment targets in just under three weeks and from the second that his recruitment targets were met, the guild officially entered war-mode as it began nning and strategizing their first attack. After a couple weeks of nning their rebellion meticulously, the guild came up with a n that ensured that their first assault was both swift and devastating. Their target was the ¡®Milwaukee¡¯ Viscounty which consisted of 2 towns and 7 viges in total, on the coastal-line of the Empire. It was a Viscounty that was a fair distance away from the other territories within Southern Duchy with the next nearest vige being over 100 kilometers away and was a territory that was geographically pretty hard to capture, if the defending viscount¡¯s forces were on the lookout for threats, however, easy to capture if the enemy had already permeated inside, making it vulnerable against guerri tactics of warfare. The key to the Uprising¡¯s strategy was the infiltration of strategic institutions within the towns and viges, executed by spies of the uprising guild who had blended seamlessly into the local poption over the past few days. On the day of the attack, it was these infiltrators who disabled themunication hubs first¡ª the watchtowers and messengers¡¯ posts¡ªsevering lines ofmunication between the Viscount¡¯s forces. This created immediate confusion and dyed any coordinated response from the defending forces. Next, they attacked the armories and stables, preventing the local militias from arming themselves effectively and mobilizing their cavalry. These initial strikes were crucial, as they dismantled the local forces¡¯ ability to organize a defense, making them vulnerable to the Uprising¡¯s main assault. The Uprising¡¯s main forces, consisting of 15,000 NPC mercenaries and over 150,000 members then moved swiftly to capture the two major towns in the Viscounty. These towns were pivotal because they housed fortified pces that served as themand centers for the Viscount¡¯s forces. Normally, these forts would be difficult to siege, but the Uprising had already infiltrated these strongholds as by the time the main attackmenced, the infiltrators had neutralized the internal defenses, rendering the imposing walls useless, allowing the main forces to have a free march into the towns, as they were met with little to no overall resistance. Once the towns were secured, the Uprising¡¯s forces turned their attention to the surrounding viges, with each vige capitting in turn, unable to resist after the fall of the central towns as the local militias, disoriented and leaderless, were quickly overpowered. With the Viscounty firmly in their grasp, Chaosbringer orchestrated a silent yet bold deration of rebellion. There were no grand speeches or public appearances. Instead, letters were posted on everymppost, every street corner, and in every public square, announcing the new order. The letters proimed: ¡°People of the Southern Duchy, The Uprising Guild has taken control of this territory. We stand against the tyranny of the Emperor and strive to bring justice and freedom to the oppressed. A curfew is now in ce from dusk till dawn. Remain calm and cooperate with our forces. Any resistance will be dealt with swiftly. The Uprising Guild¡± The reaction to this announcement among themoners was one of mixed fear and uncertainty. The promises of liberation did little to alleviate the anxiety of living under a new and untested regime, as not many NPC were discontent with the current regime in the first ce. Patrols were immediately established, with soldiers enforcing the curfew and maintaining order through sheer force. Life under the Uprising¡¯s control was strict. Resources were rationed, and dissent was crushed with an iron fist. Informants were rewarded for reporting any rebellious activity, and the presence of the Uprising¡¯s troops in the streets was a constant reminder to the people of their new rulers. Propaganda efforts were ramped up, depicting the Empire as the true enemy and painting the Uprising as liberators. Yet, despite these efforts, themoners remained wary and distrustful of their new rulers. The greatest challenge for the Uprising Guild was maintaining control over a poption that did not support them and to tackle this problem, Chaosbringer¡¯s strategy involved using fear as much as incentive. Public executions were held to deter any thoughts of rebellion, and strictws were enforced to keep the popce in line. Despite the oppressive atmosphere, the Uprising continued to solidify their control as they quickly fortified their newly acquired territory, preparing for the inevitable counterattack from the Empire. Recruitment drives wereunched to bolster their numbers, targeting disillusioned youths and those with personal grudges against the Empire. In the shadows, Chaosbringer continued to n as the capture of the Milwaukee Viscounty was just the beginning. With their foothold secure, the Uprising Guild prepared for the next phase of their rebellion, ready to spread their influence further across the Empire. ************* The impact of the Uprising Guilds rebellion against the Empire was profound, as when they sessfully carved out a piece ofnd from the Empire into their own control, yers throughout the Empire were given a choice to select sides. [ System Notification :- The ¡®Uprising¡¯ guild has sessfully captured a Viscounty and dered rebellion against the Empire. The Empire is now officially under civil war. Both the Uprising guild and the Empire are now recruiting additional members to end this civil war, and all yers are free to choose a side. Note ¨C Choosing to side with the rebels will brand you as an enemy of the state. If caught, you will be imprisoned and face heavy gaming penalties ] A system notification informed all yers about the Uprising¡¯s stunning victory and gave everyone a chance to join them, however, it also warned that joining them would not be without consequences. However, despite the warning, The Uprising saw their biggest influx of members in theing days of this notification, as their members expanded from 4 million to 20 million in just the next 7 days. This was mostly done because there were many yers who wanted to leave asting legacy within the world of Terra Nova and felt that joining the rebellion was a promising way to do it. Chapter 380: Time Skip (3) Chapter 380: Time Skip (3) ( 2 monthster, Terra Nova Online ) There was an old saying on Earth which said ¡®The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind¡¯ and for the Virex Corps soldiers hunting down Eren, this was a reality. Having been tasked by the Emperor to bring down the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯, Sir Cedric and some of his strongest Virex Corps members marched Eastwards towards the Eastern border where Eren wasst seen leading a group of demons. However, unbeknownst to them, while they traveled Eastwards, they were being stalked by a mentally unstable Dem Paltrow, who was now out for blood against all who wronged him, including the Virex Corps. Sir Cedric was not weak, being a Master Assassin himself, he was an extremely strong warrior and alongside him was a crew of 7 equally talented Virex Corps soldiers, which although were not ¡®master¡¯ level fighters, were still quite formidable in their own right. Had Dem been in his right mind, he would probably never have picked this fight as the probability of him being gravely injured or even dying in this fight was pretty high, however, aggrieved as he was, he no longer cared about his safety as much, as having nothing to lose, he was willing to take the risk of fighting all eight of them at once. ********** One of the roads leading to the Eastern Border, which the Virex Corps were currently traversing, passed through a narrow wooden bridge, suspended atop a 1000 feet deep valley. It was not a route where heavy carriages could pass, since the wooden bridge could not bear the load, however, was a route that reduced the need to travel across the valley, saving 6 hours of transportation time. As long as one solitary mount passed the bridge at a time, the bridge was sturdy enough to hold, which is why Sir Cedric chose this path, however, unbeknownst to him, by choosing this path, he provided Dem with the best opportunity to mount an ambush. As the Virex Corps group approached the narrow wooden bridge suspended atop the 1000 feet deep valley, the atmosphere within the group was quite merry. No one was on guard against any danger as the journey so far had been uneventful, and they had no reason to suspect them being in danger yet. The first soldier, atop his horse, slowly started to cross the bridge, while hisrades made fun of him behind his back. The old bridge creaked under the weight of his fat mount, however, held steady overall as it did not seem under the risk of snapping. Suddenly however, a glint of silver shed in the air, catching Sir Cedric¡¯s eye as rm bells started to ring in his head. However, unfortunately for him, it was already toote to react by the time he spotted the threat, as the dagger sliced through one of the suspending ropes, causing it to snap with a sharp crack. *SNAP* As the rope snapped, the bridge tilted violently, causing the horse of the Virex soldier to lose its footing and plunge into the abyss below. The soldier, however, managed to grab hold of the remaining rope, his fingers clinging desperately for life. Trained and powerful, he attempted to pull himself up, but the old rope groaned and strained under the weight, threatening to snap if he put additional force on it. ¡°Help! The rope is snapping!¡± he cried out, panic seeping into his voice, which prompted Sir Cedric to act swiftly. ¡°Form a rescue line! Secure the ropes!¡± hemanded, as three of his men immediately sprang into action, tying ropes around themselves, which were then fastened by Sir Cedric and the other two soldiers, giving them assurance that they would not plunge into the abyss below even if the bridge¡¯s rope snapped. The three men moved quickly but cautiously across the bridge, the nks creaking ominously beneath their feet. As they reached the dangling soldier, they began the delicate process of pulling him up and just as they were about to hoist him to safety, a barrage of daggers¡ªten to fifteen in total¡ªwhistled through the air from the opposite side of the valley. The daggers severed not only the remaining bridge lines but also the safety ropes tied around the rescuers¡¯ waists in what was a feat of weapons mastery that was impossible for normal warriors to execute. The man who threw the daggers was at least 200 meters away from his target, which must appear as miniscule lines to him, yet despite the distance and the roaring winds he managed to breach his target with pin-point uracy, which went to show just how proficient of an assassin he was. Unfortunately, under his assault the bridge gave way, and with a sickening snap, all four soldiers plunged into the abyss, their screams echoing through the valley. ¡°No!¡± Sir Cedric screamed, his voice filled with anguish as he watched his men disappear into the void. On the other side of the valley, a ck-robed figure finally revealed himself after iming the life of four Virex soldiers as although Cedric could not see the enemy¡¯s face, he could feel the malice emanating from him from a mile away. ¡°We¡¯re being hunted,¡± Sir Cedric said, his voice cold and determined. ¡°Regroup! We¡¯re taking the longer path and staying vignt.¡± The remaining soldiers, faces pale and grim, nodded in understanding as they began to move away from the bridge, now on high alert, knowing that someone was after them. Cedric had only chosen this path because he had assumed it to be safe, however, it proved to be a bigpse in judgment on his part. However, now that he knew that an enemy was after him, he was not going to repeat the mistake twice, which made the hunt that much more thrilling for Dem who was doing proper assassin work for the first time in over a decade. Chapter 381: Dem V Cedric Chapter 381: Dem V Cedric As Sir Cedric and his two remaining men continued their journey towards the Eastern border, the atmosphere within the group observed a dramatic shift. No longer was there a sense of ease and camaraderie as it was instead reced by a palpable tension which filled the air. Throughout the journey each soldier¡¯s eyes kept constantly darting around, seeking any sign of danger. Cedric¡¯s senses were especially heightened, as with the memory of losing his men on the bridge still being fresh in his mind, he was prepared for anything. As the group rode through a patch of open ins, they saw no signs of any enemy threat for a few hundred meters ahead of them, as within the open ins, there was no obvious hiding spot where one could hide in broad daylight. However, even through this patch ofnd, where no obvious enemy was visible, the men remained vignt, constantly scanning their surroundings. Unbeknownst to them however, as they looked across the horizon, they did not notice the slightly uneven mud trail beneath their feet, as when the lead horse took a step on the slightly uneven piece ofnd, the hollow ground beneath suddenly gave way, revealing a hidden pit underneath. *Crash* Caught off-guard the horse stumbled, its legs plunging into the hollow space, throwing the rider forward with brutal force. At that moment, suddenly, from within the earth, a figure shot up, moving with deadly precision. His de shed as he struck down the fallen rider in one swift motion. Blood spraying across the green grass as the Virex soldier crumpled, lifeless. All this happened within 1 second as from the horse stumbling inside the trap to Dem killing the Virex soldier, the entire sequence only took a few mili-seconds. Covered in blood, Dem lowered his ck Assassin robe, showing his face to Cedric as he stared into the eyes of the leader of the Virex Corps, fearlessly. ¡°Sir Cedric of the Virex Corps,¡± he said, his voice low and menacing. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡± Cedric dismounted, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. ¡°Dem Paltrow, the notorious assassin¡­. So it was you who killed my men. I have been searching for you vermin, but you seemed to have dug yourself deep into the Earth to escape my detection¡± Cedric said, as his eyes shed with immense killing intent. Dem had now killed five of his good men, and Cedric could never let him get away with this. Dem inclined his head slightly. ¡°Vermin? You Emperor¡¯s dogs have the balls to call me Vermin? Call me master and wag your tail, and maybe I¡¯ll not mangle your body after death¡± Dem was in no mood to take any insults as despite being outnumbered 3 to one, he did not mince his words at all. For a moment, the two legendary assassins did not make a move, pausing as they sized each other up, while Cedric¡¯s two remaining men also unsheathed their weapons and waited for Cedrics instructions to make their move. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, the two master assassins shed. Cedric¡¯s sword meeting against Dem¡¯s daggers in a flurry of sparks, as the sound of metal shing against metal rang out across the ins. *Shinggg* *Shingg* Their movements were a blur, each strike and parry executed with precision and deadly intent. Cedric¡¯s attacks were powerful and calcted, each swing of his sword infused with mana, leaving trails of fiery energy in its wake. While Dem countered his sword strikes with speed and agility, his daggers moving in intricate patterns that deflected Cedric¡¯s blows, while also creating opportunities for counter-attack. The ins around them seemed to vibrate with the intensity of their battle, as the two master assassin¡¯s went on an all out war against each other, putting their very lives on the line. To amon man, their movements looked like a blur of shadows, as their speed of movement transcended what amon eye could capture. After exchanging a couple moves and gauging his opponents speed, Cedric began gathering his mana as he unleashed a series of energy-infused strikes, each one aimed with deadly uracy. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* Dodging and weaving, Dem avoided all the attacks, his movements seeming almost ethereal as he knew that he could not afford to get hit by any strike. At this moment, the two remaining Virex soldiers, looking for an opening, lunged at Dem, hoping to help Cedric, however, their opponent was just too fast for them to handle, as Dem dispatched them both by dodging at an angle such that their own attacks killed each other. ¡°FOOLS¨C¡±mented Cedric, as he could not believe that his usually reliable menmitted such a stupid attack which ended up costing them their own lives. ¡°Guess it¡¯s just you and me now¡­.. dog¡± Dem taunted, as with the side-kicks gone, the true battle between the masters began. *CLANG* *CLANG* *SWOOSH* Dem¡¯s speed and agility were matched by Cedric¡¯s strength and precision as the two exchanged blows, each onending hits on the other that would be fatal to lesser fighters. [ Shadow Dance ] [ Fading Step ] [ Darkness Veil ] ¡ª [ Constant Strike ] [ Floating Steps ] [ Domain Destruction ] When speed and agility were not enough, the two used their special abilities to fight with one another, with both of them being evenly matched, making their battle a true dance of death where the victor was impossible to decide. At this level. The fight was only going to end when either of them made a fatal mistake and unfortunately for Cedric, it was him who made the fatal mistake first, when Dem¡¯s daggers finally found their mark, slicing into Cedric¡¯s side, taking arge chunk of flesh with them. *GAH* Cedric grunted in pain but didn¡¯t falter, as he used the injury to fuel his resolve and swung his sword with renewed vigor, forcing Dem back. But Dem was relentless. Heunched a series of feints and strikes, his movements a blur, as with his heavy injury, Cedric¡¯s defense began to falter, as he could not move with the same nimbleness as before. [ Kill Strike ] Finally, as Cedric took on significant major injuries, Dem found himself capable of sting open his opponents defenses as he managed to plunge his dagger into Cedrics heart. *SLOSH* Cedric staggered, his eyes wide with shock, as he fell to his knees, the strength draining from his body, rapidly. ¡°You fought well,¡± Dem said quietly. ¡°But this is the end.¡± *SLOSH* Just as Dem thought that he had won the fight and that Sir Cedric was dead, the fallen Virex Corps leader, whose pulse was clearly fading, suddenly opened his eyes and plunged his sword into Dems body in what was hisst burst of strength. ¡°Take that, you Vermin¨C¡± Cedric said, blood sloshing from his mouth as he died with a satisfied smile on his face. ¡°Hahaha¡­.. in the end, my revenge on Lin Mu and Ben Faulkner would remain iplete¨C¡± Dem said, as a tear escaped his eye and his vision started to ck out. He too had picked up severe injuries from this battle, however, without thatst blow there was a good chance that he could have survived to fight another day. However, before dying, Cedric ensured that he would take Dem to the grave with him, as hisst blow seeded in sending Dem to the afterlife. Chapter 382: Erens Progress Chapter 382: Eren''s Progress Chapter 382: Eren¡¯s Progress The biggest winner of the fight between Dem Paltrow and Sir Cedric was undoubtedly Eren, as without Dem¡¯s intervention, the leader of the Virex Corps would have undoubtedly seeded in his mission to kill the poor boy. However, while he was the biggest winner of this event, he himself was not even aware that his life had been saved by a notorious criminal, as he remained purely focused on capturing more and more human territories. Over the two past two months, he sessfully managed to infiltrate the Empire¡¯snd, breaking through several choke points as he managed to im about 100 square kilometers worth ofnd from the Empire, which was a significant achievement. With every win, his level skyrocketed and his personal strength improved with him being able to now participate in the demon attacks which he previously onlymanded, an action which helped further solidify the respect that his men had towards him. The demons were a simple race that only acknowledged strength and it was not until Eren delivered them one military victory after another that the demons under him finally began respecting him, as after two months of raiding humannds alongside them, they finally began viewing him as their leader and not as a human ve. ¡°So we did not find any cksmiths amongst these rounds of captives either?¡± Eren asked his underling, a high demon in demon tongue, as the man shook his head in denial. ¡°No, we asked for any cksmiths, but there seem to be none amongst the bunch we captured¡± The high demon replied, as Eren let out a long sigh. While Eren had made progress on the battlefield front, his promise to the Demon King did not just include battlefield victories. What Eren had promised the Demon King was that he would capture territories and help him acquire human technology, however, progress on the second front was negligible. The humans cleverly seemed to evacuate all normal-citizens who were nonbatants before the demon raid began and this led to the demons being unable to capture any talented professionals such as cksmiths or potion makers. ¡°I need siege weapons soon¡­.. while I can take down viges surrounded by wooden walls with ease, I cannot take down actual towns or fortresses without proper equipment. While the demons are strong in one vs one battle, they do not have the technology to take down forts and without it, I cannot advance towards the next town¡­¡± Eren muttered to himself, as he seemed to have run into the first big roadblock to his expansion campaign. To make matters worse, there were hundreds of thousands of yers who had traveled from more innd regions to fight against the Demon Kind, with all of them gathering in the next town, ¡®GeoVille¡¯, which now seemed like an impregnable fortress. ¡°What I don¡¯t get is, why do the stupid yers have to get involved in this? Don¡¯t they have better things to do than to sit around and wait for a demon attack tomence?¡± Eren wondered, as he was extremely pissed about how the difficulty of capturing Empire¡¯s territories was going up by the day with the yers getting personally involved in this war. ¡°At this rate, I will soon need to call for back-up, calling on the aerial mounts of the demons to help usunch a high altitude assault. Or ask for reinforcements, as with my measly group of 30,000 soldiers, capturing a town is going to be impossible¨C¡± Eren muttered to himself, as he acknowledged the limitations of his current forces. ********* ( Meanwhile the yers ) The hype amongst the yers on killing the demons reached a fever pitch when it was posted by one of the rankers on the global forums, that killing one adult demon gave 1.5x the EXP of killing a monster of the same level. That particr ranker shared a clip on the forums where he killed a dozen demons in one of the Eren¡¯s recent raids on an Eastern Border Vige, managing to gain 7 levels in the process before dying and losing 2 and a few items. Overall, it was a-negative experience for him as he lost some of his expensive gear pieces, however, his feat of gaining 7 levels made many yers feel interested in killing demons to level up as more and more yers started to flock towards the nearest battle lines, hoping to get-on the action against the demons alongside the local NPC forces. Since the theme for the next evaluation was ¡®Legacy¡¯, every yer seemed to be keen on killing lots of demons and earning a name for themselves as the ¡®Demon Hunter¡¯, which caused the border towns to see hundreds of thousands of yers flocking towards them in recent days. So far, 99.9% of them were yet to actually face a demon in proper battle conditions, which was why many were hopeful about killing them. However, the reality of the situation was that 9/10 were going to fail in killing a single demon, as they were simply not skilled enough to take on one. An average demon soldier was anywhere between level 170 ¨C 210, which far exceeded the level of amon yer between 70 ¨C 130, making most cannon fodder to the demon enemy. And while yers between level 160 ¨C 250 did have a fair shot in taking down the demons, the yers that belonged to this range were the top1% who had already left their mark on the Terra Nova world and did not need to fight with the demons to create a legacy for themselves. Hence, in the end, although the total number of humans resisting the demon incursion seemed to have increased, the strength of those defenders was no different than ants which had minimal effect on the bigger picture. Chapter 383: A war on ones doorstep Chapter 383: A war on one''s doorstep Chapter 383: A war on one¡¯s doorstep ( Meanwhile Luke and Cervantez ) The past two months seemed to have passed by in a blur for Luke and Cervantez, who saw their gaming time beingpletely upied in preparing the guild and the Barony for the demon invasion. Just like on the Eastern Front, in the past two month¡¯s time, the demons had also made significant progress on the Western front, managing to salvage roughly 100 square kilometers ofnd, as they found themselves on the doorsteps of Silver-Pine Barony. From the beginning, it was Duke James¡¯s intention to only mount their first real defense in Silver-Pine Barony, as while he tried to buy time and slow down the advance of the Demons into the Empire¡¯snd, he never really gave them a proper fight until now. Just like on the Eastern Front, there were hundreds of thousands of yers who had flocked to the Western Front too, with the Silver-Pine Barony now turning into arge-scale military camp, with the demons camping downhill only a few kilometers from their border outposts. Seeking a heavy mary loan from Leo, post the loss of his regr mining revenue, Cervantez tried to ensure that he finished all the active construction and training projects that he wished to undertake before the demons arrived, and thanks to the timely mary aid by Leo, he did manage toplete them all. Cervantez transformed the Barony into the ultimate war-zone, as he established powerful supply lines and retreating stations, to ensure that the Demons found it impossible to over-run hisnds no matter how hard they tried. Drenches and traps were dug in the open fields. Pikes and roadblocks were set up at regr intervals, and the Stonebridge connecting the main town of Silver-Pine to the Stonehenge vige wasced with explosives, ready to blow up whenever the need arose. Overall, with the assisting yers, the Duke¡¯s NPC army and the DarkSky guild, the total number of forces defending Silver-Pine Barony were 1.2 million, which in itself was a huge deterrent for the demons to not try anything funny. However, while preparing the territory to face the demons was the main project that Cervantez undertook, it wasn¡¯t the only one. Over thest two months, Cervantez also focused on establishing a robust informationwork throughout the Empire, as with the times growing more and more tumultuous, he understood the importance of having a fast and reliable source of information. It was through this informationwork of his, that he found out about the Uprising¡¯s ns on attacking the Southern Duchy before it happened, as amongst the myriad different factions within the game, Cervantez tracked the moves of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ with utmost attention. To Cervantez, the leader of the uprising guild ¡®ChaosBringer¡¯ seemed like a visionary man, as he could not even begin to fathom how he had managed to raise an army as big as he did, or how he had managed to rope in ¡®TheBoss¡¯ into his organization, when the man was nothing more than an elusive shadow. While most of his focus was on the Demon War at his gates, he did track the movements of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ and their rebellion too, as he had a strong feeling that sooner orter, he and his guild were going to find themselves on the wrong side of that rebellious group. ****** At the same time that Cervantez focused mainly onpleting the construction projects and preparing the guild for war, Luke found himself embroiled in a slightly different project. With his main task being to train the guild members in war formations andrge scale maneuvers, most of his time was spent training his men, however, a few days ago as one of his guild members came across a hidden piece of information, Luke feltpelled to check the rumors out. Apparently, one of his guild members had a friend who had acquired a ¡®Meditation Scroll¡¯ from clearing a dungeon, and ording to him, that scroll was not only usable within the game, but outside the game too. As per the ims of the guild member, the meditation scroll allowed his friend to gain levels without having to kill monsters, when he meditated within the game and while it was slow and tedious, it could be practiced outside the game too, with the leveling benefits carrying into the game even when one meditated in reality. As per the guild member, his friend swore that he was level 102 when he logged out of the game, however, as he logged back in after meditating in reality, the first thing that he returned to was a notification that his level had increased, even though he had taken no action within the game world. If true, this im could shake-up the entire gaming meta, and since Cervantez had no explicit idea about it, he tasked Luke with getting to the bottom of these ims. Hence, when Luke was not busy with training the guild members, he spent most of his time looking for meditation scrolls or any mention of them on the servers, however, so far he had no sess. The guild members friend who had allegedly imed to have received the meditation scroll from a dungeon, refused to specify as to which dungeon he obtained it from and refused to verify whether or not it actually helped gain levels even when used in reality, as he seemed to be wanting to monopolize these gains himself. The whole situation left Luke scratching his head for answers, however, he had a strong feeling that the story that he hade across was true, which made him persist in his hunt for a meditation scroll despite not getting any hard proofs that it existed. Chapter 384: Bad News Chapter 384: Bad News ( The Emperor Julien D Evanus¡¯s POV ) The past two months had not been kind to the Emperor Julien D Evanus. They were arguably the most turmoil-filled months of his life, as he had never been as sleep deprived and over-worked over the past few decades as he had been in thest two months. Bad news just kept pouring from all sides, as every single region in his Empire faced some sort of problem. The North had always been the main battlefront against the demons, it was a harsh wintend that was constantly at war against the demon king¡¯s main forces. However, the North was no longer the only Battlefront against the demons anymore as the East and West also saw demons making headway. 100 square kilometers of the Empire¡¯snd had been overrun by demons so far on both sides and the war showed no signs of slowing down. The demon problem was to stay and it would most likely be years before the Demon war reached its conclusion. As things stood, it seemed like his people needed to learn how to live with the demons surrounding the Empire¡¯s boundaries from the East and West, just like how they were used to the Demons surrounding the Empire from the North. However, Julien knew how morale breaking it was to have an enemy surround one¡¯snd from three-sides, and hence although he knew that the demon war was not going to find a solution anytime soon, internally he prayed for a time when he could liberate hisnd from the demon problem. However, while the North, East and West gave Julien significant headaches, none of them bothered him as much as the South did, where a rebellion was underway. Currently, the Southern Duchy of the Empire had seen a coup being sessful, as the rebels took over the ¡®Milwaukee¡¯ Viscounty in a single day. The Empire¡¯s informationwork seemed to have been caught off-guard, as nobody seemed to have anticipated this move. Julien had no credible information on ¡®The Uprising¡¯ or who their leaders were or what was their ultimate goal. ording to the spies that infiltrated the Milwaukee Viscounty after the rebellion was sessful, the goal of the Uprising seemed to be to liberate the Empire from the hands of the corrupt Emperor, who they painted as a tyrant and an evil man. For Julien, this rebellion was more dangerous than the demon¡¯s at his boundaries, as sentiments of rebellion did not take long to spread. If the myriad different races followed suit and dered their rebellion against the Empire, then the Empire would most likely fragment into bits and pieces, as with the demons on their boundary and on-going internal rebellions, the Empire would not have the strength to hold everything together. This was the worst case scenario that Julien was trying to desperately prevent day-in and day-out, as he went all-out in his attempts of diplomacy to ensure that the Elves and the Beastmen did not take this opportunity to rebel against the crown. To make the situation even worse than it already was, it was during these tumultuous times that Julien received the report that Sir Cedric was dead. Sir Cedric was a Master level assassin and for Julien his most important tool, as unlike the official Army Commander, whom he could not deploy for personal missions, Sir Cedric was his right hand and his sword who carried out his personal missions under the Empire¡¯s banner. His death was a big-blow to Julien as without their leader, the legendary Virex Corps were left almost toothless. To make matters even worse, Sir Cedric had died not at the hands of demons or after killing the Demon Whisperer that he was sent to kill¡­ but before he ever made it to the Eastern boundary, at the hands of an enemy that Julien had severely underestimated. ¡®Dem Paltrow, I thought he would fade to the sidelines after losing his faction, but I was wrong¡­. Maybe I should not have pressed so far down the throat of a Champion¡¯ Julien thought, as he regretted his decision to crackdown as hard as he did down the throat of the Assassin Alliance. However, although he regretted it, he had no outlet for his emotions, as being the Emperor, there was no room for weakness in his demeanor. No matter how bad the times got, he needed to absorb all the losses and continue as if nothing happened, as if he did not project strength, then the entire Empire would start to crumble. ¡°Bring me my pen and paper¡­.. If Cedric is dead then there is but one that I can entrust the mission of killing the Demon Whisperer to¡­¡± Julien instructed his servant, who immediately brought him his royal pen, some ink and paper. With a sullen face, Julien wrote a letter to Ben Faulkner, a notorious whom he was forced to pardon just a few months ago. Never had Julien anticipated that he would be forced to ask Ben for help again in his life, however, with Cedric dead, only Ben Faulkner had the ability to take-down the Demon Whisperer, who was the number two national threat after the unknown leader of the rebellion. Knowing Faulkner all too well, Julien knew that he would not act for his own benefit and that the key to Faulkner¡¯s heart was through his disciple, and hence in his letter to the old man, Julien promised rewards not only for himself but also for his disciple ¡®TheBoss¡¯, who was currently a mere Baron in the Eastern Barony. In addition to that, Julien also made a proposal to Ben to try and kill the Demon King if possible, and promised to grant him the title of the Empire¡¯s Saint if he seeded. s, he knew that this was a long-shot and that Faulkner was never going to actually go after the Demon King. Chapter 385: The Ghosts Progress Chapter 385: The Ghost''s Progress Chapter 385: The Ghost¡¯s Progress ( Jacob¡¯s POV ) Compared to the veteran yers who constantly faced new and unforeseen challenges, the new batch of yers in Terra Nova enjoyed the advantage of having future knowledge. Since the system evaluation for new yers followed the same pattern as the old ones, the new yers already knew exactly what to focus on and what to avoid from the start of their gaming careers for best possible evaluations. Armed with the knowledge that skills learned from skill-scrolls did not transfer to real life, the newbies avoided learning skills from the skill scrolls, to not make the same mistakes as the veterans. From the outset, they focused on naturally learning in-game skills and building their social reputation, as they already had prior knowledge about the third evaluation criteria, which was going to be ¡®Legacy¡¯. In just two short months, the average level of the newbies rose to 40, with the better yers already being in the high 80s. It was expected that by the end of the six-month double EXP period, the new yers would reach an average level of 110, matching the old yers, and the top-rankers would breach the level 200 threshold and enter the top 10,000 rankings alongside the veterans, with Jacob being a prime candidate to achieve this feat. As the yer ¡®Ghost¡¯, he had gone from level 0 to 95 in just two months and was on track to reach the level 200 threshold in theing months before the EXP bonus from the newbie event ended. Among themon newbie yers, he was infamous as ¡®The yer Killer¡¯. Daily, yers would unexpectedly meet their end at his hands, with the system message [ You have been killed by yer ¡®Ghost¡¯ ] shing on their screens. This notification had be so frequent that it turned into a familiar story among the new yers, making Ghost one of the most notorious up-anders in the game. However, his high level and his notoriety were not the only special thing about Jacob, as even the skills that he acquired were the real deal. His years of experience as a top-ss special operations agent, when coupled with the mana and skill based world of Terra Nova, allowed him to transcend his own capabilities. Unlike themon yer, who was too afraid to even learn a skill from a skill-scroll, since they would apparently not carry forward to reality once they entered the rainbow stream in the future, Jacob learnt each and every skill that he came across as long as it had anything to do with death, or assassination. He even bought new skill scrolls out of his earnings, as for him, he only learnt the skills to study them and nothing more. Since skills could be deleted from one¡¯s skill slots after learning, Jacob did not worry about how many skills he was learning as his end-goal was something else entirely. Combining his knowledge from learning skills like ¡®Cloud Feet¡¯ , ¡®Noise Reduction¡¯, ¡®Sound Barrier¡¯ with his real life special-ops knowledge, he invented a new and improved skill of his own called the [ Silent Takedown ] Using this skill he could soundlessly approach an enemy and kill them in such a way that whenever he would engage with the enemy an isted sound barrier would form around him in a 2 meter radius, muffling the killing sounds entirely. The skill wasbeled as a ( Self-Creation ) in his panel giving him ( mastery ) of the skill from the get-go. Although the skill in itself was only an (Epic) rated skill, he became apparently the first yer within the Terra Nova world to self-create an (Epic) ranked skill, which gave him the chance to publish a global-announcement which he declined. The other rewards for his skill-creation included 2 legendary ranked skill scrolls, which contained advanced death-overlord techniques, which Jacob also only learnt for research purposes. One of the skills was called ( Brainwash ) where he could brainwash any dead creature into bing his ve. To test the skill out, he enved a low-level undead first andter realized that since the creature was dead, he could store it within his inventory without killing it. This ability allowed him to store his dead ve in his inventory, calling upon it when necessary, making it a sort of portable tool that could be used when needed. The second ability he learnt was called ( Undead Transform ) using which he could temporarily take on the form of a Lich. While in his Lich form, he becamepletely impervious to stab and sh wounds while his MP temporarily increased by 300%, alongside his magic spell damage output. It also had the passive of ( Undead Dominion ) whichpelled low level undead to obey his will when he was in his Lich form, giving him the powers of a necromancer without actually being one. Unfortunately, this ability onlysted for 5 minutes currently, after which he reverted to his real form, with the undead ves hemanded now viewing him as an enemy. Nheless, in a battleground full of undead, this skill could prove to be a huge difference maker in critical moments and hence Jacob did not swap it out immediately and instead kept it in his skill slot to hopefully uncover its secrets with time until he could create his own version of the same skill someday. In these two months, Jacob also found his own purpose within the game, as when the rebellion in the Southern Duchy began, he resolved to stand-up against the rebellion and started to travel to the Southern Duchy¡¯s biggest city, ¡®SouthPort¡¯ where Elena was also residing currently. His n was to stay with Elena and make the South his base of operations, from where he nned to kill every rebel spy that he came across. Being a life-long special operations soldier, trained to kill terrorists and other anti-establishment forces. shing out rebels and taking out hidden targets was what he did best and hence it was the mission he personally chose for himself as a yer, alongside getting stronger. Chapter 386: Leos Recap (1) Chapter 386: Leo''s Recap (1) Chapter 386: Leo¡¯s Recap (1) ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The individual who had seen thergest shift happen in his gaming career in the past two months was none other than Leo. It all began with a letter which invited the presumed ¡®Master¡¯ alchemist Leo Skyshard to the Royal Pce, which Leo tantly declined simply because he found the travel to be too inconvenient. However, for some reason, the Emperor mistook this attitude of his as the pride of a great craftsman who was at no-one¡¯s beck and call and silently began to woo him with offers of wealth and honor. In his second letter, the Emperor offered to make him a Viscount of a County that was only a short 80 kilometers distance from the Capital City StrongHaven and was one of the most prosperous Counties of the entire Empire. Had Leo not already set-up his factories in Crest-Hill Barony, he would have perhaps epted this offer and moved, however, with his personal attachment to the Crest-Hill Barony now, he declined the Emperor¡¯s offer yet again, but somehow it only yed into the misunderstanding deepening, as a Chain Quest was triggered. [ Chain Quest Notification :- The Emperor has deployed two Virex Corps agents to monitor your activities now and has mistook you to be a great alchemy expert. Lean into the role of being a hidden expert and shock the entire Empire with your creations. Quest Description ¨C For the first stage of this quest,e up with a new unseen before product for the market, which gives new wind to the rumors of you being a master alchemist amongst the masses. Time limit ¨C 45 days. Quest Rewards ¨C Potion Form for ¡®Anti-Aging¡¯ Cream ] Because of his denial to meet the Emperor, Leo was given a chain quest to create a new groundbreaking product in the next 45 days, which forced him to consult with Ben and get back to the drawing board on what to create. In reality, neither himself nor Ben were actually Alchemists and hence when he told Ben about his need to create a new form, for a moment Ben was bbergasted by the demand. ¡°Boy¡­. You are asking too much off metely¡­. I¡¯m already having my hands full from training your stupid army. I can¡¯t believe how slow these soldiers are at learning the basics of warfare¡­.. Anyways,ing up with new products, I¡¯m definitely no alchemist¡± Ben reasoned, however, under Leo¡¯s intense begging, eventually the old man gave-in as he tried to jog his memory on every potion secret form that his father ever taught him since he was a kid. Amongst these forms, there was one unique form which used the stem of a specific wildflower to create a gas that contained anesthetic properties and it was this property of that particr flower that Leo started to tinker with to create a new line of sleeping pills. In his head, he was trying to make a product that would help one sleep faster, however, when he actually managed to make a solid pill, mixing the flower stem powder to other materials that helped with fast absorption of the pill into the bloodstream, he ended up creating a pill that suppressed pain receptors in the body. Instead of bing a pill that helped one sleep, he ended up inventing a pill that allowed a warrior to not feel pain at all for a certain duration, and just like that a great product was born. Labeled as the ¡®Immortal Pill¡¯, Leo pitched the product as something that would make warriors feel like immortals incapable of feeling pain, and then waited to see the bloodbath begin amongst the major business groups having their offices in Berkshire Town, as this was the exact moment they all had been waiting for. What followed was a great bidding war, where the ck Tortoise Group eventually secured the rights to sell the pill exclusively, with them providing Leo with a 60% profit split and an astronomical fee of 1 million gold coins, to secure the exclusive selling rights for the product. Luckily for Leo, it only took 5 days for him toe up with the new product with Ben¡¯s help and by the end of the month it had already hit the markets across the Empire, bing an overnight sensation. ced in the signature ¡®Created by Leo Skyshard¡¯ bottles throughout the Empire, the drug created a lot of buzz, with the ck Tortoise Group selling it at an astronomical profit margin of 1000% per bottle. The drug cost them less than 3 silver coins to manufacture, yet they sold it for 30 gold coins a bottle and it still sold like hotcakes, with doctors, berserkers, warriors all lining up to buy it. The product became an emergency back-up that every adventurer must have before venturing into a dungeon, and was soon seen as a necessity within adventurer circles, just like a basic healing potion. [ Chain Quest Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ onpleting the first stage of the Chain Quest. Distributing Rewards¡­ ] [ Chain Quest Two :- The Entire Empire is now buzzing with anticipation about the true caliber of ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the alleged ¡®Master¡¯ alchemist, so this is the right time to strike while the iron is hot. Quest Description :- The anti-aging cream is a product that can make or break entire business empires. Create and market the Anti-Aging cream in such a way that the prestige of Leo Skyshard as the greatest alchemist alive bes an irrefutable fact within the Empire. Quest Duration :- 3 months Quest Rewards :- ( ???? ) potion form, +Actor ss progression ] With the sess of his immortal pills, Leo triggered the second part of his chain quest, which tilted heavily into his actor ss¡¯s theme of ¡®Fake it till you make it¡¯. In reality, he was no alchemist. He did not have any knowledge about how one could study the properties of individual materials or how new products could really be created. However, with the system helping him y the role of a big-boss, he was now poised to be a legendary figure within the world of Terra Nova, however, this time he was not content with just that. After ying the game for over a year and watching the Actor ss information pack which showed him the story of some demon king, Leo realized that he needed to y the long-game and connect his individual acts for arger goal. No longer was he content with beingbeled as just a ¡®Master Alchemist¡¯, astely, he found his appetite erging for more. Chapter 387: Wealthy Leo Chapter 387: Wealthy Leo ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The second major event that had taken ce in Leo¡¯s life over thest two months, was the arrival of more and more refugees to his Barony, as the Demons kept making more and more gains along the Eastern Boundary. As things stood, the demons were only one major town away from reaching his door-steps and had disced several refugees along the way, who had flocked to Crest-Hill Barony after listening about their generous migrant friendly policies. Over the past two months, the poption of Berkshire Town had nearly doubled from 80,000 residents to 150,000 residents, officially crossing the 100,000 threshold needed to ssify it as a major town. With Berkshire Town now bing a Major town, Leo could technically officially apply for the title of a Viscount, since to qualify as a Viscount one must have a major town under their administration alongside two smaller viges, which Leo already did. However, Leo did not officially apply for a title upgrade, as Baron or Viscount did not matter all that much to him, since the soldiers cap was lifted during the war-time anyways allowing even a Baron like him to recruit as many soldiers as he wanted, which was the only real benefit in upgrading to a Viscount. With more and more people joining his Barony, Leo found it easy to expand his workforce and his territory¡¯s defenses, as no matter how many people showed up, with his products list increasing, he could find employment for them all, with there also being new organic job openings appearing in his territory as it¡¯s prosperity increased. Over the past two months, the construction of the wall around Berkshire Town waspleted, transforming the town into arge, impregnable fortress for wartime. With that projectplete, Leo now further invested in anti-siege mechanisms, such as cannons and other weapons, to help his forces secure the perimeter during a demon invasion, as he progressively improved his territories security with time. ********* In addition to the defensive improvements to his territory and the demographic shift, Leo also experienced astronomical gains as a merchant over the past two months. The revenue from his deal with the White Tiger Group finally started to roll-in, and it was much higher than he initially expected. His products were flying off the shelves, and in just the first month of sales, he made an astronomical sum of 1.7 million gold coins from his deal with the White Tiger Group, which was nearly 70% higher than his initial estimations. In the second month, this revenue further increased from 1.7 million to 2 million gold coins,ting him a total of 3.7 million gold coins in just two months of trade, which was absolutely shocking. This significant increase in revenue was primarily due to two major reasons, 1)wartime intion and 2)Fast moving inventory. As news of the demon invasion spread throughout the empire, the prices of all products rose sharply. This allowed the White Tiger Group to raise their prices for Leo¡¯s products, thereby increasing Leo¡¯s profit share in the trade, however, with there being no substitutes to his products, and the demand for them still being high, the White Tiger Group increasing their prices did not affect the sales, with the product selling out every week, before the next week¡¯s consignment arrived. Additionally, Leo secured new trade-deals with new merchant groups like the ck Tortoise Group, opening new avenues for his revenue. Apart from the astronomical one time fee, the ck Tortoise Group found themselves in a unique situation where they could sell the product to the government in bulk, and were negotiating a contract for the same. Apparently, someone in the government had taken interest in the ¡®Immortal Pill¡¯ and if the deal went through, the revenue was estimated at 11 million gold coins,ting Leo over 6 million when the deal waspleted and the order would be delivered. New sources of revenue seemed to fall into Leo¡¯sp every week, as in terms of merchant clout, every major organization was constantly trying to get into his good graces, by gifting him expensive items which Leo quickly sold for cash, as he had no need for luxuries. Looking at how Leo¡¯s products were a career maker and had given the ck Tortoise Group a new lifeline for their struggling business, the hype for Leo¡¯s next creation became even bigger, as the other major groups knew that if they failed in negotiating a deal, they would be doomed. However, all that did not matter to Leo, who with all the extra cash, began to loan out some of his money to those in need, such as the Dark Sky Guild, and charged a percentage interest on his lending, for providing the service. This effectively made him a private bank, as instead of letting the money he owned rot in an inventory, he loaned it out to make it grow. ording to Leo¡¯s estimation, if he continued to rake in money at this rate, he could very well be the wealthiest individual in the empire within a year or two, having enough money to disrupt the entire economy, which wouldplete his Actor ss mission for the same. However, all that was for the distant future and did not matter right now, as for now, Leo had other goals in mind¡ªvisionary goals¡ªwhich included toppling the Empire by supporting ¡®The Uprising¡¯. After some serious contemtion, Leo had finally decided to ept the invitation from the Uprising Guild to join their ranks. However, his eptance was not simple. It was far moreplicated than him just joining their ranks as a mere member, as before even considering joining their group, Leo decided to confront their leader, ChaosBringer, leading to one of the most legendary and amusing conversations within the game world of Terra Nova. A conversation that was sure to shape the gamingndscape for years toe, as it saw one of the legendary hidden bosses of the game,e down begging on his knees. Chapter 388: The Deal Chapter 388: The Deal ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Initially, Leo had no intentions of joining the ¡®Uprising¡¯. He was not a believer of their mission to liberate the Empire from the rule of the current Emperor, nor was he interested in financing rebellion against the crown, however, all of that changed when he received the Global Announcement, that the ¡®Milwaukee Viscounty¡¯ had been annexed by the Uprising sessfully, marking the beginning of a rebellion movement. Upon receiving that notification, something within Leo¡¯s head clicked, as he realized that while most yers only had the option to choose one side, either the rebels or the Empire, he could choose both. For many days prior to this global announcement, Leo had been deeply pondering on how he could stage a show as big as the Demon King, where he slowly fooled the crowd, leading them on to one defining moment, that would be the climax of his legend. However, while he tried toe up with a great act, hecked the inspiration to stage it properly. That was until he was enlightened upon hearing the Global Announcement, which provided him with the inspiration that hecked. ¡®While others can only pick one side, I can pick both. ying them against each other to benefit off them¨C¡¯ Leo thought, as thanks to his dual in-game identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, he realized that he had a unique opportunity to y both sides. As ¡®TheBoss¡¯, he could remain an Empire loyalist, a loyal servant of the crown, while as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, he could y the role of a Rebel Sympathiser who financed their cause. Naturally, he could not let his public image be tarnished as a ¡®Rebel Sympathiser¡¯ and hence it was important that he strong-armed the leader of the rebellion into subservience before he joined the group, so that in the end everything operated exactly how he wished for it to operate. And hence began his n to strong-arm the leader of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ into bing his personalckee, as he reached out to him over PM, with his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ount. *********** ChaosBringer was happy celebrating his victory in capturing the ¡®Milwaukee Viscounty¡¯, when suddenly his PM lit up with the most unusual message. ¡°If you don¡¯t respond to this text within the next 5 minutes, I¡¯m going to write a message on the global forums, that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is not affiliated with the ¡®Uprising¡¯ and that your organization is a sham using my, and my master¡¯s name¡ª¡± Upon reading this message, ChaosBringer started to quake in his boots, as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Ben Faulkner¡¯ being part of the ¡®uprising¡¯ was the backbone of the entire organization. If news broke out that the ims of them being a member were fake, then the credibility of the organization would take a big hit, with lots of members feeling like they had been cheated and lied to. ChaosBringer knew that it could trigger a mass exodus in his organization, and that just when things were starting to get good, all his future ns could halt abruptly if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ went public with this message. ¡°Wait! Wait! Please don¡¯t go public¡­. Let¡¯s talk as civilized gentlemen here¡± ChaosBringer replied, not even trying to bull-shit his way through this situation, as he understood just how fragile his current position was. If he tried to y it cool, and anger ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the man could make a public post on the global forums which would spell doom for him, and hence ChaosBringer decided to take no risks whatsoever, ying ball right from the get-go. ¡°Tell me why have you been using my and my master¡¯s name? And who authorized you to do so?¡± Leo asked, as ChaosBringer immediately croaked like a parrot. ¡°It was not my n to use your name, however, when the organization was just starting out and wascking any authenticity, I realized that attaching your name brought me a lot of street cred. Back then I did not think that we would grow to this scale someday but we did and so did your reputation. Amongst themon yers, you are almost like a mythical god currently who can do no wrong and having you affiliated with my guild gives me lots of advantages¡­.¡± ChaosBringer replied, as he did not dare deceive Leo even slightly. Reading his reply, Leo chuckled, as he understood that his importance within the uprising was even more than he could fathom. Initially when he texted ChaosBringer he did not think that it would be this easy and he had prepared himself for a tough negotiation, however, judging by how shook his counterpart was, Leo understood that the ¡®uprising¡¯ needed his street cred more than anything in the world. ¡°Please don¡¯t go public with this information¡­. The uprising is a very strong organization and with your support it can be the greatest force in the Empire. While I¡¯m a rebel, I don¡¯t have any aims for the throne and if you support me, I promise to make you Emperor one day¨C¡± ChaosBringer texted, as he almost begged Leo to not go public with this information and showed that he was willing to go to any lengths in return. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I have no ns to rebel against the Emperor, nor do I have my sights set on the throne. What I want is something different entirely¡­¡± Leo replied, as he tried to keep his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ persona detached from joining the rebel cause. ¡°What do you want?¡± ChaosBringer replied immediately, just as Leo expected him to, as with this text, he yed directly into Leo¡¯s hand. ¡°What I want will depend on the capabilities of your organization and what it can give. For now, I¡¯m going to ce my own man within your organization¡­ His name is ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and he is a renowned merchant. Integrate him into your group and consider him to be my representative within thework¡± Leo replied, as with that text he blocked ¡®ChaosBringer¡¯ from his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ID and sent a friend request to the same using his ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ ID. Chapter 389: Joining the rebel movement Chapter 389: Joining the rebel movement ( One week ago, Terra Nova Online ) Leo¡¯s text to ChaosBringer was over a week ago and since then, ChaosBringer had introduced a new member to his team of core managers which was ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the financer. By integrating him into his core-team, ChaosBringer gave Leo ess to all the inner-workings and informationwork of the ¡®Uprising¡¯ guild, giving him a seat at the highest table where decisions were made regarding the organization¡¯s future. ChaosBringerbeled Leo¡¯s entry into the group as an order from ¡®Upper Management¡¯, which immediately quelled all rebellions regarding his direct appointment to a high seat. In private however, ChaosBringer had already revealed to Leo that there was no ¡®Upper Management¡¯ and that this council was actually the highest echelon in the organization. On his first day, a lot of members pinged him in the core-management group chat, however, Leo did not reply to anyone. Instead he took his time to soak in all the information about the organization¡¯s size, its scale, its goals and the challenges that it was currently facing. It was a lot to take in, and had he not undertaken the work of a Baron for the past few months, he would not have understood just how impressive the ¡®uprising¡¯ was shaping to be. The group had millions of active members, a healthy reserve of money, high capabilities of infiltration into any government organization, and they were virtually impossible to sniff-out from amongstmoners. Unless the government turned tyrannical and started to hecklemon citizens, it would be impossible to figure out who were rebel sympathizers and who were not and this was the biggest advantage that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ guild currently held. Overall, Leo was very impressed by how the group was progressing, however, he could also notice the tant challenges that they were currently facing. Firstly, the group did not have support of the masses, and hence any region that they did take over essentially went into a stand-still with no economic activities taking ce, since the only way the uprising could maintain public order was through enforcement of strict curfews. Secondly, although they had the numbers, the group did not have peak level fighters that couldbat ¡®master¡¯ level opponents. The Vice-Commander of the Empire¡¯s forces, and the Suprememander of the Southern Duchy, was one such elite fighter, who could single handedly push back tens of thousands of rebel soldiers alone and the group currently had no deterrent to fight against them. Thirdly and finally, the group had no allies. After their victory on ¡®Milwaukee Viscounty¡¯, the Empire had carefully decided to not send its military into the region, but instead cut- it off from trade. This meant that the in-flow of food and grain into the region had grinded to a halt and the existing stock was dwindling quickly. At this rate, in the next 30 days, there would be no grain left in the region to feed the poption, which would automatically cause a social revolt. On the bright side, the region had ess to the open sea and a vibrant trading port for ships to dock. However, without allies willing to trade, the ships and docks were useless. Since the Empire was most likely never going to trade with the rebels, the only option they had was the open sea, however, not much was known about thend beyond the Empire in the world of Terra Nova, with not many yers having ever sailed beyond its boundaries. ¡°At some point, we have to look for new trading partners outside the Empire. We have no other choice. We have to send out an exploration mission to the seas, and find new partners willing to trade with us¨C¡± A core member of the uprising said within the group chat. ¡°I agree, but sending someone off into the open sea without having any knowledge of where to head is dumb. We need a map, a proper NPC ship crew and reliable people to send on this adventure¡± ¡°We have already gone over this before, the ship-crews here all only said along the southern coast line from city to city. Nobody ventures into the open sea. The locals say that going westwards will make one encounterrge sea monsters and typhoons, they say no ship makes that trip, so going west is a no-go, whereas they say that if one sails south and goes across the Empire towards the East, they will only encounter the dense forest for until the continent ends. So there is no obvious route to travel¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious we should go west. Monsters and Typhoons? I say that¡¯s just a gaming boundary the developers set-up to lock the region¡¯s until the game is ready for a map-expansion¡­.¡± A heated discussion broke out inside the core guild chat, over the issue of exploring new territories and Leo found the whole conversation to be extremely amusing. The ¡®uprising¡¯ was a group that had a very happy-go -lucky approach to their rebellion and it was not like the group was ever nning ten steps ahead. They solved problems as they arose and kept taking it a day at a time, which was perfect for Leo, since he could always manipte the group to suit his needs without altering their future ns. ¡°I have a suggestion¡­.. I can solve the food crisis for the ¡®Milwaukee Viscounty¡¯ if the organization provides me with the funds to purchase it from the open markets. I have my ways to smuggle them into Milwaukee, however, you just need to prepare a proper ship crew, and wait for the cargo on the Southern Duchy¡¯s Capital port¡± Leo wrote, as his first official message in the group caused the entire chat to go dead. Instead of sourcing the food from other countries, Leo instead proposed smuggling them from the Empire itself, which would just risk bringing the food from the southern port back to Milwaukee. Almost immediately, everyone agreed to this proposal, with the n to explore new territories being dropped. Chapter 390: The letter Chapter 390: The letter ( Present Day, Terra Nova Online ) ¡°Esteemed Sir Ben¡­..¡± Ben said, tears ofughter rolling down from his eyes as he could not believe that the Emperor had been forced to personally write him a letter to seek for his help after all the history that they shared, and how until very recently, he tried to send the Virex Corps after him to re-establish his status as a fugitive. ¡°Your ent¡­. Hahaha, it¡¯s too funny¡­. Too funny¡± Leo said,ughing inside his Baron¡¯s office, as he was enjoying this moment almost as much as Ben was. ¡°Hahaha ¡­ Wait¡­. Wait ¡­. Let me read it¡± Ben said, wiping a tear off his eyes, as he adjusted his voice and began reading the letter out-loud seriously. ¡°Esteemed Sir Ben, I hope this letter finds you in good health and I hope that the life of an upright crime-free citizen is suiting you nicely¡­¡± Ben said, as after reading this much, he could not contain hisughter as he put the letter aside and beganughing out loud. ¡°Pfft¡­.. look at that lying piece of shit ¡­ he doesn¡¯t give a fuck about me, hope it finds you in good health my ass, hahaha¡± Ben said, as heughed almost hysterically at the Empire¡¯s desperate situation, for him to be forced to ask Ben for help. ¡°Continue master, I want to hear the rest of it¡­¡± Leo urged, alsoughing, as he seemed to be eager to know what the rest of the letter contained. ¡± *Cough*. I write this letter because I have to entrust a task of grave importance to you¡­.¡± Ben continued reading, as his face slowly returned to normal. ¡± Sir Cedric, the leader of the Virex Corps and a ¡®Master Assassin¡¯ on his own, has met an untimely end at the hands of Dem Paltrow the ex-leaded of the Assassin Alliance after the two shed in an epic battle. Although both men finished the battle as dead men, it is only the loss of Sir Cedric that pains the Empire. Without him, I am afraid I have no-one in my administration who can take on dangerous missions, and hence I must turn to you for help in this 11th hour¡­.¡± Ben read outloud, as he raised an eyebrow at this unexpected news. Both Cedric and Dem Paltrow were unbelievable fighters in their own right and it shocked Ben to know that they mutually killed each other in a fight. ¡°There is a human coborating with the Demons on the Empire¡¯s Eastern border, who we presume can speak fluent Demon Tongue. His very existence is a threat to humanity, since he is capable of organizing the demons into proper formations for battles, and passing on to them the human knowledge that gives us the edge over those brutes. It is our assumption that it was this very man who leaked our maps to the demons and taught them how to read it, which has now helped the demons avoid the pitfalls of the Eastern Forest and reach ournds with ease¡­..¡± Ben said, as at this point even he started to look concerned about the contents of this letter. If a Demon Whisperer had truly emerged, then it was indeed a matter of grave significance for entire humanity, as demons who could strategize and move like humans could lead to the entire human race being exterminated. ¡°Your mission is to exterminate this individual before he leaks even more of our secrets to the Demon-kind, however, as things stand he is currently a leader of a demon regiment and is unreachable for themon man. Sir Cedric was the only man under my administration who could havepleted this dangerous mission, however, with his death, I must turn to you, the greatest assassin alive to help humanity in its grave time of need¡­.. The elimination of the Demon Whisperer and the Demon King, is essential for the peace and security of the human race and I hope that although we have had our differences, you will not let theme in the path of doing what is right for the human race¡­..¡± Ben read aloud, as he began to almost grind his teeth at this moment. Ben knew that the Emperor Julien D Evanus was manipting him by using clevernguage in his letter, however, unfortunately, he could not dismiss the matter too simply either. The danger that the Demon Whisperer posed to humanity was real and if he was surrounded by a demon regiment as the information imed, then only someone as skilled as Ben could ever hope to bring him down. ¡°Upon sessfulpletion of the mission, I¡¯m ready tobel you as a saint and as a hero of the Empire, which will undoubtedly elevate your status in the public eye and help improve your legacy. However, if your personal brand is no longer enough of a motivator for you, then I promise rewards for your disciple as well, elevating his noble status from a mere Baron to a Count, should youplete this mission. Hoping for a swift reply, Emperor Julien D Evanus¡± Ben said, as hepleted reading the letter. Unlike the funny expression he had on his face at the start, Ben was left stunned by the end, as the contents of the letter were not what he expected them to be at all. After reading the letter Ben finally understood why the Emperor dared to send a letter of request to him, despite their past, as the matter of the Demon Whisperer was such that not even Ben could dismiss it easily. ¡°So what are we going to do, master?¡± Leo asked, his voice now serious as well, as he caught on to the significance of this letter. ¡°I can¡¯t refuse this request¡­. Even though I hate Julien, I can¡¯t refuse this request because the fate of humanity depends on it. I guess we are going to the Eastern war front¡­.¡± Ben said, as he conveyed his decision of epting this mission to Leo. Chapter 391: The master-disciple bond Chapter 391: The master-disciple bond Once Ben decided to ept the assassination mission of the Demon Whisperer, he and Leo immediately busied themselves in handing over the reigns of the Barony to Butler George and other responsible entities. Unlike before, they could no longer just pack their bags and leave whenever they wanted to, since they had actual responsibilities to look after now. Ben was the military instructor of the new cadets and the actingmander of Leo¡¯s forces, while Leo himself was a thriving businessman and a Baron¡­.. both roles being such that they needed constant supervision. Hence, when they decided to ept the mission, the two had to make provisions for their absence and only then could they hit the road. ******** ( Enroute to the Eastern Border, inside a fancy carriage ) ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that you got this luxurious carriage as a gift¡­. It¡¯s sofortable!¡± Benmented as he could not believe that Leo got such a luxurious carriage driven by two extremely healthy steeds that looked like they were jacked up on roids, with their muscles rippling through their skins. ¡°Hahaha, I just floated the rumor that I¡¯ming up with a revolutionary product and the merchant groups all began wagging their tails in anticipation¨C¡± Leo said, as although he already had the form for the anti-aging cream, he had not produced a sample yet, as he tried to create buzz around the product before it was even released. ¡°These merchants are all greedy pigs. But you handle them really well. Usually it¡¯s hard to be talented in just one field, however, it seems like the two of us are not only talented as warriors but also as merchants¡± Ben said, as he felt quite proud of what Leo had managed to achieve. ¡°Hahaha¡­.. indeed master, I¡¯m only this good at both, because I learnt from you¡± Leo said, passing the credit of his genius back to Ben, who felt extremely satisfied to hear this remark. Although the Crest-Hill Barony was not the ideal retirement life that Ben had hoped it would be, he still had noints regarding how things were developing. Currently, the Barony was transforming at a rapid pace before his own eyes and he was having quite a lot of fun in building the territory from scratch. All the soldiers respected him deeply and so did themoners. Having lived all his life as a fugitive and a loner, Ben was not ustomed to having such a respectable social life, like the one that he enjoyed at Crest-Hill Barony and hence he had no qualms about not being able to enjoy retirement, as the respect he got instead was more satisfying. ¡°Master¡­. By the way¡­. We may have to change our mission ever so slightly¡± Leo said, rubbing his chin, as he thought about the mission from the perspective of a yer. ¡°Oh?¡± Ben said, as he gestured for Leo to continue. ¡°We may have to kidnap the target instead of assassinating him,as in my opinion, if he can really speak Demon Tongue and we can learn it from him, than he can be a critical asset for humanity, as with his help we can then decide the orders that their generals give to their underlings on the battlefield¡± Leo suggested, as his words immediately made sense to Ben. If the guy could really speak bothnguages and could be forced to help the humans, then he could be an invaluable asset against the demons assisting entire humanity. Also, Leo felt afraid that if the Demon Whisperer really turned out to be a yer then killing him might not be enough, since he could potentially spawn back from a random location and return to the Demon Camp after having lost only a few levels as penalty for dying. Under such circumstances, kidnapping him was indeed the safest choice, however, kidnapping a target from the heart of Demon Territory was easier said than done. ¡°Disciple, what you say makes sense¡­. Although I¡¯m not an expert in kidnapping, I can see the potential benefits in kidnapping the target¡­¡± Ben said, rubbing his chin, as after Leo¡¯s suggestion he too felt like kidnapping the target instead of killing him could prove to be more beneficial to humanity. ¡°Let¡¯s try to nab him, however, if we fail we can always kill him and run¡± Leo concluded, as Ben agreed with his n wholeheartedly. As Assassin¡¯s, infiltration and killing was their strong suit, and hence in the end if everything went to hell, they nned on killing and running. However, their first goal was to nab the man alive, which was probably going to take much more effort than a simple hit and run. ¡°How long before we reach the line of control?¡± Ben asked, as Leo looked at his in-game gaming clock and gave Ben a rough estimation. ¡°3 hours¡­. Give or take¡± Leo said, as Ben started to crack his knuckles. ¡°Then we have 3 hours to decide on how to nab the guy¡­¡± Ben said, as he began an open discussion with Leo on what the best potential strategy could be to nab the enemy alive. Although he was several years senior to Leo in terms of experience as an assassin, Ben never discounted Leo¡¯s ideas and creativity towards a mission. Ben let Leo express himself and make mistakes, and like a good teacher he only corrected him on areas where hecked, guiding him to be a more critical thinker. After having passed all of his core abilities to Leo, Ben no longer had anything more to teach him apart from his practical experience, and it was through missions like these that he hoped to share with Leo his years of experience as an assassin, fulfilling his final duties as a master. Chapter 392: Arriving at the line of control Chapter 392: Arriving at the line of control As Leo and Ben approached the Line of Control, the peaceful scenery that had apanied them throughout their journey so far, changed rapidly, with their surroundings now showing unmistakable signs of an impending sh. The makeshift outposts of the Empire¡¯s forces loomed ahead, which seemed to be constructed hastily yet sturdily to withstand the onught of demons. These outposts were fortified with tall wooden barricades and watchtowers, where vignt sentinels stood guard, their eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of enemy movement. The scent of burning wood and metal lingered in the air, produced from make-shift furnaces that were created to mend chipped and damaged weapons in the absence of a proper forge. Above, trained Griffin Rider¡¯s patrolled the skies, their keen eyes watching for any movement across the battlefield. These riders, who used the fast and majestic Griffins as their mounts, were the scouts of the Empire, responsible for providing crucial intelligence on demon activities beyond the frontline. Their presence adding an air of regality and strength to the human defenses, as well as serving as an intimidation factor for the enemy. As Leo and Ben rode in their luxurious carriage, its opulence seemed to be in a stark contrast to the rugged surroundings. The two healthy steeds pulling the carriage seemed almost out of ce, their well-groomed appearance and rippling muscles drawing the attention of the soldiers stationed at the outposts. As they neared the main checkpoint, a stern-looking soldier stepped forward, his hand raised to halt their progress. ¡°This area is restricted,¡± he announced firmly, his eyes narrowing as he took in the neers. ¡°Nomon citizens are allowed beyond this point.¡± he said, as he tried to imply that Leo and Ben should turn around. Without uttering a word, Leo produced a document from within his robe. The document bearing the imperial seal, a mark thatmanded immediate respect and authority. The soldier¡¯s eyes widened as he recognized the emblem, as with a sharp salute, he stepped back and bowed. ¡°Apologies, my lords¡­ please let me know how I may assist you¨C¡± he said, as Leo took back the letter from his hand and instructed him to redirect them to the person in charge. ¡°Point me towards the man in charge¡± Leo said, as the soldier waved him through, guiding him towards a particr tent within the military outpost. ********** Leo and Ben quickly arrived at the lieutenant¡¯s tent and were escorted inside by a soldier. The interior of the tent was modest but functional, with arge map of the eastern front pinned to one wall and a table strewn with documents and reports positioned near the adjacent wall. At the center of the room, stood a man in histe thirties, his uniform crisp and his demeanor stern. ¡°Lieutenant Marcus,¡± the soldier announced, ¡°these men are here on imperial orders.¡± Saying so, the soldier left the tent, as Lieutenant Marcus looked up from his papers, his sharp eyes assessing Leo and Ben. He was a tall and well-built man, with a square jaw and piercing killer eyes that spoke of years of military service. As his gazended on Ben, recognition flickered across his face, followed by a brief moment of difort. ¡°Wee,¡± Marcus said, his tone measured as he extended his hand towards Leo for a handshake. ¡°Lieutenant, sorry for barging in on you unannounced.¡± Leo said, shaking Marcus¡¯s hand firmly, as he quickly gauged the NPC¡¯s level. [ Marcus ] ( Level 290 ) ( Swordsman )( Intermediate ) In terms of level and mastery of his ss, Marcus seemed to be a man who was on the same level as Leo, as after meeting him Leo realized that if he wanted to be a member of the imperial army, he currently held enough strength to directly begin as a lieutenant. ¡°And you must be Ben Faulkner, the legendary assassin.¡± Marcus said, turning towards Ben, as he extended his hand towards the master assassin with a guarded expression on his face. Ben nodded, his eyes meeting Marcus¡¯s as he could sense the lieutenant¡¯s unease in meeting an ex-criminal like him but chose to ignore it. ¡°We¡¯re here on a mission entrusted by the Emperor to eliminate the Demon Whisperer.¡± Ben said, shaking his hand, as he tried to exin the reason behind his arrival, tofort the lieutenant about his reservations. And it was indeed as Ben expected, as upon hearing his reason for arrival, Marcus¡¯s expression shifted immediately, with his initial difort giving way to a more respectful and serious demeanor. ¡°I understand. The Demon Whisperer is a significant threat¨C ¡± he said, as he seemed to draw every unsaid conclusion from just that one line. ¡°We need any information you have on the Demon Whisperer¡¯s whereabouts and theyout of the enemy forces¡­.¡± Ben said, as his words made Marcus jump into action. ¡°The Demon Whisperer wasst seen here,¡± Marcus said, pointing towards a spot deep within demon territory on the map. ¡°He¡¯s heavily guarded, surrounded by a regiment of elite demons. High demons are always in his vicinity, and he seldom leaves his tent alone. Since his tent is within the heart of the demon camp, it¡¯s nearly impossible to approach him without being detected.¡± Marcus said, as heid out the challenges first. ¡°I say it¡¯s nearly impossible because, firstly, the demons have an acute sense of smell. They can detect any foreign scent from a great distance, making it incredibly difficult to approach them unnoticed. Additionally, they also have much better night visionpared to humans, which makes slipping through their guard under the veil of darkness more difficult as just like beasts, they can see extremely well in the dark¡± Marcus added, as he spoke about the demon¡¯s strengths with an audible tone of distaste. ¡°Their sense of hearing is also far superior to ours. They can pick up the faintest of sounds, and their physical attributes make them excellent runners that possess great stamina. Even the slightest noise canpromise the mission, which means that once they hear you, there¡¯s almost no escaping them.¡± He continued, his voice tinged with contempt. As he listed out the challenges, Ben listened intently, understanding the gravity of the situation. He knew that Marcus was providing all the critical details, trusting that a legendary assassin like him could devise a n better than any that he could ever think of. Chapter 393: Weak Men Chapter 393: Weak Men ¡°So¡­. What¡¯s our n?¡± Leo asked Ben once the two exited the lieutenant¡¯s office after getting all the information that they wanted regarding the Demon Whisperer. As per Leo¡¯s observation, although the lieutenant did not like Ben, he was immensely respectful of the old man. Not once in his briefing did he try to tell Ben what the best course of action would be, as although he highlighted the challenges of the mission, he seemed to haveplete faith in Ben, that the legendary assassin would find a way around all the challenges. ¡°Honestly, boy¡­.. my n is quite simple¨C¡± Ben said, as he looked towards the skies with a calm smile on his face. ¡°We kill whoever needs to be killed and try to nab our target, like you proposed we do. If we can¡¯t kidnap him, we kill him. If anyone tries to stop us, we kill them. If we can¡¯t kill them, we run. And If they chase us while we run, we kill them¡± Ben said, as Leo felt his left eye flicker when he heard the wordsing out of his master¡¯s mouth. Ben¡¯s entire n was ¡®Kill them till you win¡¯, and he seemedpletely unbothered with stuff like detailed nning. Usually, Assassin¡¯s nned their missions in great detail before making a move, however, such rules did not apply to the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner. While most Assassin¡¯s could not just simply kill all targets that they came across, Ben did not have such ¡®Skill Issues¡¯. Confident in his own ability to take down any target that dared stop them, Ben¡¯s whole n was ¡®Follow me and leave the rest up to fate¡¯, which was both reassuring and worrisome for Leo at the same time. ¡°Will we really be okay?¡± Leo murmured under his breath, however, did not dare say it out-loud, as he silently followed Ben past the Line Of Control and into the enemy territory. *********** Once Ben and Leo crossed the line of control, they stopped goofing around and turned serious. Running at an incredible speed, they moved like the wind, silent and swift, as they approached the demon base where the Demon Whisperer wasst confirmed to have been spotted. ¡°You¡¯ve grown much stronger since west sparred, boy. We¡¯ve been sprinting at a much higher speed than usual, yet you seem to be keeping up without losing your breath,¡± Ben remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice as he observed Leo¡¯s significant improvement. ¡°I¡¯ve not been cking around, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Leo replied stoically, trying to keep a straight face despite lying through his teeth. In reality, the reason behind his rapid improvement was the significant gain in levels he had undergone thanks to the rankers¡¯ special event, which had boosted his base stats considerably. This enhancement allowed him to keep up with Ben with much more easepared to before. However, since he couldn¡¯t really exin the game mechanics to an NPC, Leo chose to conceal the true reason behind his power increase with a harmless lie. With their fast running pace, the duo reached the periphery of the Demon Camp within twenty minutes of crossing the LOC. However, before approaching the demon camp, they scouted the location from a vantage point nearby. From their elevated position, they had a clear view of the demon encampment. The camp was a sprawling mass of tents and fortifications, arranged in a chaotic yet functional manner. Torches and bonfires dotted thendscape, casting an eerie glow that illuminated the otherwise dark, nightmarish surroundings. Unlike humans, whose army tents were made of fabric, the demon tents seemed to be made of dark, thick beast hides, which just went to show how far behind they were on the technology frontpared to humans, since they did not even have the technology to produce fabrics. From a simple nce, Leo could make out that the central area of the demon camp was more heavily fortifiedpared to the outskirts, with the central area havingrger tents and more guards patrolling the perimeter. It was clear that this was where the higher-ranking demons and their leader, the Demon Whisperer, resided. The Whisperer¡¯s tent was easily identifiable¡ªit wasrger and more ornate than the others, with a lot of human ves making their way in and out of it. Since in the entire demon camp, the only ¡®human¡¯ activity seemed to be centered around that one tent, Leo felt fairly certain that it had to be the tent belonging to the Demon Whisperer. ¡°I think that big brown tent is the one belonging to the Demon Whisperer¡± Leo said, as he pointed out the tent to Ben. ¡°Yeah, that seems to be the one¡­¡± Ben agreed, as he seemed to have reached the same conclusion as Leo. ¡°He¡¯s clearly a man drunk on power¡­.. if you look closely you will notice that all the humans going in and out of his tent are females¡­. Which means he is spoiled for his choice of ves. Some of those ves even have disheveled appearances once they exit his tent which means that he is also forcing himself on them¡­..¡± Ben said, as he seemed to be wanting to teach Leo something important. ¡°You know what conclusion I draw from this?¡± Ben asked, giving Leo a moment to ponder, before giving him the right answer. ¡°The conclusion I draw from this behavior is that the Demon Whisperer is a weak man. No warrior who has pride in his strength will ever have their way with ves, as they have the strength to earn the love of any women they want. It¡¯s only the weak men¡­. Men who cannot achieve anything with the strength of their fists, that indulge in such activities. So¡­..trust me and don¡¯t take the Demon Whisperer too seriously, our real challenge is only slipping in and out of the demon camp, while kidnapping the man itself will be a peace of cake¡± Ben said, as he imparted an important life lesson to Leo. Chapter 394: Language Barrier Chapter 394: Language Barrier ( The demon camp, an average Demon Soldier¡¯s POV ) ¡°Man, I hate to be on patrol duty¡­. This whole concept is absurd. If a human army is trying to sneak up on us, we will see theming¡­.¡± The demon soldier said to his patrol mate, as he expressed his frustrations regarding the current system. Before Eren took charge, the demons did not set-up camp in such a structured formation, nor did they have border patrols. If the camp was under attack by a stray wild beast or an enemy army, the demons simply heard them moving with their excellent hearing skills, however, since Eren did not share these views, he organized the demon army in a more human way. *Snap* *Thud* ¡°What was that sound?¡± The demon soldier said, as he turned around and stared at the distance,pletely unaware that the source of that sound was now already behind him. ¡°Gon, did you hear that?¡± The demon soldier asked his partner, trying to determine whether he heard the sound too or not, however, as he turned around to look for his partner, he found him lying dead on the floor beside him. ¡°Enemies!¡± He tried to say, however, strangely found no voiceing out of his throat, as it was at that moment that he realized that someone was choking his throat. ¡°@*@#@##¡± A strange shrill voice whispered in his head, before he passed out, as thest thoughts in his head before he passed out were ¡®That sounds like humannguage¡¯. ********* ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) Ben and Leo had no idea what the two soldiers on patrol were chatting about, as all they could perceive was them throwing wild gestures and making guttural sounds. Those two were the patrol soldiers on the outermost perimeter of the demon camp and taking them out was supposed to be a swift and easy job. However, since neither Ben nor Leo had ever fought a demon before, the two of them were unsure on how to take them out. ¡°I have heard someone say once that demons have two hearts¡­. So maybe taking them down with a dagger might not be the smartest option¨C¡± Ben said, as he looked at the tall and imposing demons walking around and decided to not take them out using weapons. ¡°I mean, even if they have two hearts, it¡¯s not like they have two necks. Two bad boys into their necks and they will be on their way to hell¡± Leo suggested, as he pulled out two daggers from his Assassin¡¯s belt and prepared to attack on Ben¡¯smand. ¡°Let¡¯s do this ¡­ you take one out using daggers and I¡¯ll take the other one out using the good old choke hold. It will also give me the chance to see just how good their hearing ability really is¡­¡± Ben said, as he began stalking his prey with a predatory gaze. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go¨C¡± Leo said, throwing his two daggers which immediately found their mark in the neck of the enemy demon. *Thud* With his vital arteries punctured, the demon dropped dead instantly, while his friend began gazing towards the direction from where Leo had thrown his dagger. ¡°@##@#¡± the demon mumbled something, pointing in the rough direction where Leo was hiding, however, by that time Ben had already sneaked up behind him. *Gag* Before the demon could say anything more, he was gagged by Ben and put to sleep as Ben whispered ¡°Night Night, Fe¡± into his ears before he did. Naturally, the demon did not understand a word of what Ben said, however, the look of fear in his eyes before he went to sleep was the same as that of any human, as if Leo understood anything from observing him die, it was that demons feared death as much as humans. [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for killing a Level 120 Demon Footsoldier. You have gained +EXP ] Leo watched his experience bar move up by a whopping 10% from killing just one demon soldier, which was about four times as much as what he would have gained from killing a human of the same rank. ¡®Whoa¨C, Demons are worth a lot of EXP¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he caught up-to Ben as the duo made their way into the heart of the Demon Camp. ¡°The demon¡¯s hearing is not too bad, but it¡¯s not at an absurdly good level either. They are as good as dogs at best¡± Ben whispered to Leo, notifying him of his findings regarding the rumored amazing demon ability to hear noises from far away. [ Got it¨C ] Leo replied, by showing Ben an ¡®Ok¡¯ sign and nodding, as he did not wish to speak while being within enemy camp. While scouting from a distance, the two had already made their strategy on what path to take to get to the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent and how many patrolling soldiers they needed to take out to get-in safely, and now that they had began their mission of sneaking in, they stuck to that exact n. With Ben leading the charge, they took out several low ranking demon patrol soldiers, smoothly making their way closer and closer to the inner circle where most of the high ranking demons and the demon whisperer resided. Leo did not get to do much of anything except to make sure that no dead body hit the ground too hard, so that the sound of them falling would alert others nearby, however, all this changed when the two approached the inner circle. Unlike themon demons, who could not hear theming at all, the higher demon sensed their presence before they even got a chance to ambush him, as he seemed to get agitated and started to look for something, just when Ben and Leo were about to attack him. ¡°@#####@@@¡± the high demon shouted, making clicking noises from his throat that sounded like he was trying to beat-box. However, with him frantically pointing in the direction of where Leo and Ben were hiding behind a tent and the two having no idea of what he was saying, Leo and Ben found themselves at a loss of what to do. Chapter 395: A glimpse of Bens True Strength Chapter 395: A glimpse of Ben''s True Strength Chapter 395: A glimpse of Ben¡¯s True Strength ( The high demon¡¯s POV ) The high demons within the demon camp did not patrol. High demons in general were treated as first-ss citizens within the demon world while themon demons were second rate and hence high demons did not participate in repetitive andborious duties like themon demons did. This divide between the high demons andmon demons was not because the demon society was racist, but simply because the high demons were physically and intellectually much superior than themon demons. On average they were 4-5 inches taller, much more muscr and had heightened body functions such as a sense of smell and hearing. And it was because of this heightened sense of smell that the high demon was able to smell-out Ben and Leo from a distance without even seeing them, as unfortunately for Ben and Leo, the wind carried their scent downstream for the demon to smell. ¡°Oye! Which one of you mongrels is supervising the human ves? I smell a couple human ves hiding in that direction¨C How can you guys be so irresponsible? Someone quickly go and capture them! The human ves are not allowed to loiter in the outer ring¡± The high demon said, as he pointed towards the direction where he smelled the humans to be, and redirected a few patrolling general demons to check it out. Since he had only smelled human scent and had not actually seen them, the high demon assumed that it would belong to one of their human ves who was lost, however, little did he know that it belonged to intruders who were here to take him out. *********** ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) Ben and Leo had no idea about what the demons were talking about internally as all they could hear was a high demon shouting and several smallmon demons running their way. ¡°We need to hide. These tents cast long shadows, blend in¨C¡± Ben whispered as he saw a lot of demonsing his way, as he and Leo used [ Vanish ] together, as they seamlessly blended into the shadows, making themselves invisible. ¡°@@@##¡± ¡°***@## ##@#¡± ¡°@@@###&&&¡± Themon demons looked all around, often passing from right in front of Ben and Leo, however, they failed to notice them while they were hidden within the shadows. Since themon demons did not possess smelling abilities as strong as the higher demons, while they could smell the faint scent of humans lingering in the air, without visual evidence to support their noses, they could not single-out Leo and Ben¡¯s location. After a couple minutes, they seemed to give-up on trying to find them, as everyone returned to their original positions, however, it was not until a couple more minutes had passed that their alertness levels dropped back to normal. ¡°Okay, it¡¯s safe toe out¨C¡± Ben said, as he deactivated his ability first, and peeked over the corner to look at the high demon, who seemed to be perplexed and agitated. Since he could not understand demonnguage, Ben had no idea as to what the demons were talking about internally, which was a huge disadvantage, as without having the facts he found it hard to n his next move. Leo, following his master, also came out of hiding and peeked over the other side of the tent towards the high demon, as he waited for Ben¡¯s orders on what to do next. Leo felt his heart beating wildly out of his chest at this moment, as when themon demons were passing from in front of him, Leo genuinely worried about whether or not his skill would be enough to fool their senses or not. Thankfully, the skills that Ben had taught him were powerful enough to betray the senses of the demons, as even while passing right in front of them, the demons could not perceive them. ¡®I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but as long as master is beside me, I guess it¡¯s going to be okay¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as instead of trying to make sense of the situation, he simply put all his faith behind Ben and just waited for his next instructions. [ Boy, follow me¨C ] Ben said through signnguage as Leo nodded and followed him closely behind as the two ran from the cover of tents to tents as they closed down the distance between themselves and the high demon. Then in a move that Leo never sawing, Ben simply disappeared from beside him and within a blink of his eye, he killed not just the high demon, but around half a dozenmon demons, who were all listening to the high demon rant. ¡®What the¨C¡¯ Leo thought, clearly at a loss of words, as he had never seen anyone move so fast before. One moment, Ben was beside him and the next he moved at a speed that Leo could not even perceive and managed to kill 7 demons in total in under a second. The speed at which Ben moved was so fast, that even if Leo had tried to throw daggers at his enemies, Ben would have probably killed them all before a single dagger hit the nearest target to Leo, which was why Leo could not begin to even fathom how Ben did it. [ Come on, let¡¯s keep moving¡­ ] Ben said through signnguage, as he urged the gawking Leo to keep up. As Leo caught up, he noticed an unusual sight of sweat beading on Ben¡¯s forehead. This was highly unusual for the master assassin, whom Leo had never seen break a sweat before, as despite Ben¡¯s expression remaining asposed as ever, Leo understood that whatever move Ben had executed had taken a significant toll on him, as the Master Assassin wasn¡¯t someone who would break a sweat otherwise. ¡®Guess I haven¡¯t learnt everything that Ben had to teach¡­.. there¡¯s at least this one move that he has clearly not taught me¨C¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he resolved to ask Ben about it once this mission was over. Chapter 396: Reaching the target Chapter 396: Reaching the target ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) The closer that Ben and Leo got to the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent, the harder it became to pass through open distances undetected. Even when the two of them were super fast and did their best to move without a sound, once they were inside an area full of high demons, everyone seemed to pick up sudden changes in their environment, almost on instinct. Hence, whenever Leo and Ben made a sudden run that impacted the air currents, the scent of humans, or if a shadow caught the periphery of one of the high demon¡¯s eyes, they were immediately alerted and began searching for any signs of irregrities, which made Ben and Leo¡¯s mission frustratingly difficult. The longer they took, the higher were the chances that someone stumbled upon the trail of dead bodies that they had left on their way, as although the two of them had thoroughly analyzed the guards patrol patterns and precisely picked the guards, killing whom will not alert anyone, the chances of someone stumbling upon a dead body eventually were still incredibly high. ¡®These demons have incredible survival instincts. Everytime we move, half a dozen high demons nce at our direction as if to see if something is wrong. This mission is indeed not easy¨C¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he noticed that it wasn¡¯t just one or two especially perceptive high demons who were spooked by their movements as almost every high demon in their vicinity seemed to share the same unbelievable instincts for danger. Although demons were not particrly intelligentpared to humans in terms of general knowledge and development, they possessed an extraordinary sixth sense as warriors, likely stemming from their societal values. In demon society, only the most formidable fighters earned the privilege to mate with females and hence, over generations, this led to the selective passing down of genes best suited for warfare. Thus, taller, stronger demons with heightened sixth senses became the ideal mates, with high demons, in particr breeding like they were fine race-horses who refused to put their seed into amon demon/ farm horse. Hence, although not the brightest, the high demons were excellent sentries that made the job of slipping into the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent that much more difficult for Ben and Leo. [ No killing from here on out. We move with speed and silence¨C ] Ben signaled to Leo, as Leo acknowledged themand with a nod. The closer they got to the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent, the harder it became to get away with murder and once they were close enough, Ben gave Leo themand to not kill any demon anymore, as doing so now wouldpromise the mission. Instead, Ben focused on creating a distraction for him and Leo to exploit, using one of the human vesing out of the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent as a prop. The ve was walking absentmindedly, carrying a bundle of rags in his hands and Ben knew that he was the perfect target to choose because of how clumsy he looked while walking. Ben knew that he needed to create amotion without moving from his hidden location or drawing attention to himself and to do so, he already had the perfect tool in mind. When observing the ¡®Grand Tournament¡¯ as a spectator, Ben was intrigued by the use of almost invisible threads by Jerome during his match against Leo, and after the tournament ended, he purchased a batch for his own use. Today, faced by this situation, he carefully pulled out the small, nearly invisible thread from his pouch¡ªand tied one end of the thread to a small, lightweight hook. Timing his throw perfectly, he expertly flicked the hook towards the ve¡¯s bundle of rags, with the hook catching on to the fabric without the ve noticing. Ben then carefully pulled the thread taut, positioning it at ankle height across the path where a high demon was patrolling. The ve, oblivious to the thread now stretched across his path, continued his routine. As the high demon turned and began to walk back along its patrol route, Ben gave a slight tug on the thread, causing the ve to stumble forward directly into the path of the high demon. The collision was immediate and dramatic. The ve fell heavily against the high demon, the bundle of rags scattering across the ground. The high demon roared in surprise and anger, shoving the ve away, while the other high demons, drawn by the noise, turned their attention to themotion. usations and angry growls erupted as the high demons argued and pushed each other, trying to understand what had happened. The ve, terrified and confused, scrambled to gather the scattered rags, only adding to the chaos. Ben and Leo took advantage of the escting confusion as with the high demons¡¯ attention diverted, they slipped past the distracted guards and moved silently towards the tent. Their movements being quick and precise, as they covered the final stretch to reach the demon whisperer¡¯s tent. Reaching the entrance of the Demon Whisperer¡¯s tent, Ben paused for a moment to ensure they hadn¡¯t been detected. Looking around, he found the high demons to be still squabbling over the incident, which gave him the satisfaction that the distraction had worked and that nobody suspected anything yet. [ Let¡¯s go in boy, time to nab the guy ] Ben signaled to Leo, as the two infiltrated Eren¡¯s tent. Meanwhile, the high demons, still engrossed in the chaotic scene outside, remained oblivious to the intruders, giving Ben and Leo the window of opportunity they needed toplete the most difficult part of this mission. Chapter 397: Kidnapping Eren Chapter 397: Kidnapping Eren ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Eren remained oblivious to the chaos brewing outside his tent and the imminent danger that he was in. As the ¡®Demon Whisperer,¡¯ he had been making steady progress as ofte, gaining lots of levels and the trust of his subordinates. Currently, he was only 20 levels away from reaching the top 10,000 rankers list and he felt that if he sessfully managed to capture the next town, he would easily enter the top 10,000 rankings and then some, since he was promised a +25 levels reward for the win. Life had been treating him so well, that he had started to becent, never expecting there to be an attack against him while he was within the Demon Camp, as he considered the Demon Camp to be a safe and impregnable space. Reclining on his bed, he reviewed a battle n while two scantily-d human ves massaged his legs and an elf ve, simrly attired, fed him grapes. It was the epitome of luxury, as for him he was already living in paradise. However, this illusion of his was about to shatter, as while he was lost in thought, a shadow suddenly loomed over him, swiftly closing his mouth and plunging him into immediate silence and dread. ¡°Mmphhh¨C¡± ¡°Mmphhhh¨C¡± Eren screamed, yet no sound came out of his mouth. Looking around, he tried to gaze at his ves for help, however, he found them knocked out cold, as a familiar masked face stared him in the eye. ¡®The Boss! That¡¯s The Boss! The number one yer. I¡¯ve seen that mask before when his pictures from the Grand Tournament were leaked, but what is he doing here? And how did he get here?¡¯ Eren wondered as he immediately recognised Leo, which only made his squirming louder. ¡°Night Night¨C¡± Leo said, as Ben choked the man out cold, forcing his in-game character to fall into a state of unconsciousness. ¡®Fucking yer¡­. He recognised me ¡­. I knew it! The demon whisperer had to be a yer. Good thing I did not kill him¡­ he would have just spawned again¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he noticed how the man¡¯s eyes changed when he saw his mask. Although Leo did not know Eren personally, he assumed that Eren knew who he was, since the look that he gave him was not one of fear but rather one of acknowledgement. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here¨C¡± Leo said, as he quickly bundled Eren up like a doll and tied him up with ropes from head to toe, incapacitating himpletely. ¡°Getting out of here will be trickier than getting in, since we won¡¯t be able to use ¡®Vanish¡¯ while carrying this guy. So in-case things turn dire, kill him, ditch him and run¡± Ben said, as Leo nodded and slung the unconscious Eren over his shoulders like a backpack, using the same ropes he used to tie him up as slings. ¡°Let¡¯s go¨C¡± Leo said, as with a decisive dash, he and Ben stormed out of Eren¡¯s tent. ************** ( Eren¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification :- The blood flow to your head is blocked out. Your brain is going into shock ] [ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION :- Alert, severe oxygen deprivation has been observed within the brain, yer needs to breathe soon to alleviate symptoms ] [ System Notification :- Your brain has entered a state of unconsciousness. You can no longer move your body for the next 20 minutes. Third party POV has been enabled ] Within a second, Eren felt bombarded with notifications as one second he was eating grapes, and the next he was out cold. ¡®What the fuck? Why did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ just attack me out of nowhere?¡¯ Eren thought, as he clicked on the third party POV option, and began observing his body from a fourth dimension that could not interact with the game world. He observed how Leo tied him up like a mummy with ropes and then converted him into a guitar shaped backpack, as he could not help but feel immense anger towards ¡®TheBoss¡¯ when he observed this. ¡®Hey, hey, hey, I¡¯m not a guitar, why are you doing me like this? Why are you even kidnapping me? We are in the heart of the demon camp, do you really think you can just walk in here and tie me up and walk out? And who the fuck is that old man with you?¡¯ Eren thought, as he observed Leo and Ben exchanging a few words, before the two suddenly dashed out of Eren¡¯s tent. ¡®Are you insane? Rushing out like that? You will be caught within a second. Also, how did you make it here in the first ce? How did you even approach me?¡¯ Eren thought, as he observed Leo and Ben¡¯s movements like a hawk. The first thing that stunned him about Leo was his speed. The speed at which he ran was unlike anything Eren had ever seen before and he was simply blown away by it. While most yers could not even run a hundred meters in 13 seconds, Leo should have easily covered the distance of 150 meters in 10 seconds or less, as he came a far distance outside the tent, before he was even spotted by the higher demons. ¡°Intruders!!! They have our main human ve on their backs!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!!! That human is property of Count Vaugn¡± The high demons instantly raised the rms, chasing after Leo and Ben, however, their choice of words really hurt Eren¡¯s emotions, who did not appreciate being called a ve after everything that he had already done for them. ¡®Why do they still call me a ve? I¡¯m clearly theirmander. Can¡¯t they show me more respect? Also, why are those high demons so slow? Why is the gap between ¡®The Boss¡¯ and them widening and not shortening?¡¯ Eren wondered, as he watched the chase unfold with bated breath. As the ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ , if he was truly captured by the humans and brought back to human territory, he was going to be penalized and have his level return to 0. It was a fate that he could absolutely not afford and the only way he could avoid that cruel fate now, was if these high demons saved him. ¡®That¡¯s it! Although ¡®The Boss¡¯ is fast, he is now encircled by hundreds of demons on all sides. There¡¯s no way he can get-out now. I¡¯ll be freed soon¡¯ Eren thought, as aftering about half a kilometer away from his tent, Leo and Ben finally found themselves in a situation where they were surrounded by enemy demons on all sides. Chapter 398: The Ben and Leo Show Chapter 398: The Ben and Leo Show ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Eren was confident that it was all over for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his oldpanion when the High Demons finally encircled them. The source of his confidence stemmed from the fact that he had seen those high demons fight before and he knew exactly how ruthless they were. There was no physical aspect of a human that was superior to a demon. The demons were faster, stronger and had thicker skins too. They did not get easily damaged like humans did and had great natural-born instincts as a warrior. [ Level 252 ] [ Level 301 ] [ Level 371 ] [ Level 272 ] . . . . [ Level 291 ] [ Level 306 ] As Eren looked around, he found that all the demons surrounding ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were either in the upper 200¡¯s or the 300¡¯s, with his second inmand man, a [ Level 371 ] high demon being personally present in the perimeter. Inparison, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was only a high 200¡¯s level yer and one that was merely a human, and hence in Eren¡¯s mind his chances of survival were a low, low 0 percent. ¡®The Boss is a fool, he really thought he could kidnap me out of this ce¡­. How naive¡­.. He probably doesn¡¯t even understand just how strong my security is, or how strong the demons surrounding me are. But he is about to find out¡­.¡¯ Eren thought, as he eagerly waited for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to receive a beating of his lifetime and turned on his in-game feature to [ screen record ]. Unfortunately for him however, the scene that actually unfolded before him, waspletely unlike anything that he could have ever anticipated, as he had quite literally never seen a human fight like this before. *********** ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) Surrounded by strong demons on all sides, Leo did indeed feel the pressure for the first time in this mission. Their massive swords and halberds shining, the demons slowly closed down their perimeter circle around him and Ben, looking for any easy opening that they could exploit. Daggers in hand, Leo observed the enemy¡¯s movements like a hawk, sweat beads forming on his forehead as he realized the seriousness of the situation. ¡°It¡¯s time boy¡­.. time to show the demons the power of Mount Faulkner¨C¡± Ben said, a killer smile spreading on his face, as for the first time in a long time, he no longer needed to hold back his true strength and could actually go all out. [ Mirror World ] [ Mirror World ] Leo and Ben both simultaneously casted ¡®Mirror World¡¯ creating multiple copies of each other thatpletely filled the space around them. While Ben¡¯s spell waspleted faster and created over 50 copies. Leo¡¯s spell waspleted a second and a halfter, creating only 20. Nheless, with over 70 Leo and Ben covering the ground, the demons could no longer figure out which were the real targets, as daggers began flying in all directions. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* Like a maniac, Leo threw 10 daggers at once as per his dagger throwing technique, precisely aiming for thebo of heart, neck and forehead, like Ben had taught him on every target he wished to take down. -1700 Critical Hit! -2200 Critical Hit! -2700 Critical Hit! . . . . -2200 Critical Hit! [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ , you have sessfully killed a [ Level 250 ] demon You have gained¡­. ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer, ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you have sessfully killed a [ Level 265 ] demon You have gained ¡­. ] [ System Notification¡­. ] [ System Notification¡­.. ] Leo¡¯s screen was bombarded by system notifications, as he killed one demon after another. However, while he was like a small drop of rain, Ben was like an entire waterfall, as by the time Leo killed a couple enemies, Ben killed a dozen. With his throws being more urate and having higher piercing power, Ben used only one dagger to kill one demon and like a boss fighter took down every single demon daring to block his path. ¡± @@###### ¡± The enemy demon general said angrily, as the demons started to charge, however, while they swung their weapons seriously against every shadow in front of their eyes, the real Leo and Ben, already started to carve their path to escape. With Ben at the lead, they broke away from the pack of illusions and attacked the demon general directly, engaging him in close quarterbat. *Shingg* The level 371 demon general with his massive halberd, barely reacted in time to block Ben¡¯s attack, as the metal of his sword collided against the metal of Ben¡¯s dagger and sparks flew in all directions. The demon general, confident in his strength, tried to push-back the frail and old looking human who was a whole 2 feet shorter than him, however, to his absolute surprise he could not do so, as the old man refused to budge an inch. ¡°This is your chance boy¡ª¡± Ben said, as emerging from behind Ben, came Leo, who jumped onto his mentor¡¯s shoulders and used it as a ramp tounch himself above the enemy¡¯s head. At that moment, Ben could see the desperation in the eyes of his enemy, as the enemy¡¯s brain registered the mortal threat it faced, however, with both his hands tied up in pushing away Ben, he no longer had any free limbs, to stop Leo¡¯s assault. [ Kill Strike ] -18,000 CRITICAL HIT! Leo used Kill Strike, decapitating the demon generals head from above his shoulders, as just like that, a mighty High Demons fell at the hands of a Sophomore yer. *Thud* As the Demon General¡¯s massive body hit the ground, all the demons surrounding it were stunned, as everyone present within this demon camp unanimously acknowledged that particr demon as the strongest of them all and his death hit them hard. For a moment due to shock, nobody moved, which allowed Ben and Leo to break past the perimeter and resume their escape, until the rest of the demons returned to their senses and resumed the chase once again. However, unfortunately for them, fortune was not on their side, as once Leo and Ben zoomed past the perimeter, they quickly found their way to the Eastern Forest, a terrain where speed was not everything and maneuverability mattered more. Maneuverability that the demons did not have, but the nimble Assassin¡¯s did. Chapter 399: Another Global Announcement Chapter 399: Another Global Announcement ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Eren could not believe what he had just witnessed when Leo killed a level 371 High Demons General. Although he did not do it on his own, and was assisted by the very powerful man, Leo did still manage to take off the Demon General¡¯s head with one clean strike and this phenomenon rocked Eren to his core. ¡®Is this the power of the Top yer? Are all rankers really this powerful? Or is The Boss simply on another level?¡¯ Eren wondered, as he watched the third person feed with his jaws agape. Everything from his fighting skills, to his in-game abilities was top notch. Eren had not even heard of such abilities existing which allowed one to create countless doppelgangers of themselves, however, as he witnessed it in action, he realized just how wide the gap was between himself and the top yer. ¡®Is this the end for me? Am I destined to be captured by humans and drop down to level 0?¡¯ Eren wondered to himself, as he softly closed his eyes. Meanwhile, Leo and Ben only increased their gap versus the pursuing demons, as once they entered the forest area versus the clearing where the demon camp was set-up, the demons found it very difficult to keep up with the nimble movement of the Assassin¡¯s. While Leo and Ben effortlessly bounced off thin tree branches, the pursuing demons could not do the same. If they tried to climb on a branch the branch cracked under their weight and caused them to fall face first, whereas if they did not climb the branch, then they found it impossible to chase Leo and Ben in a straight line, which made them lose speed and time. In the dense forest, theirrger and heavier build yed against them, as after just 5 minutes of chasing the duo, the gap between them and Ben and Leo became sorge that the demons no longer had them in their sights. ¡°We have lost all sight of the humans¡­. What should we do now?¡± A demon asked, as his superior simply shrugged his shoulders in confusion, as even he had no answers to this question. ¡°What can we do? We must return to Count Vaugn and report the situation¡­.. The Demon Whisperer has fallen into enemy hands¨C¡± The high demon said, as the demons called off the chase and returned back to the camp to regroup from this strategic defeat. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo was almost ready to celebrate when he noticed that the demons were not longer pursuing him and Ben, however, his mood was instantly ruined when a system screen shed before him. [ Congrattions! It is detected that the yer is no longer in critical danger, and hence the rewards from the previous fight are being distributed ] At first, Leo was overjoyed; he had killed a total of 6 demons that were level 250+, a dozenmon demons between level 100-200 and one demon general level 371 during this mission to kidnap the Demon Whisperer. Combined it rewarded him with a few hundred gold coins, and enough exp to gain +18 levels, which brought his real level total from 282 to 300, once again extending his lead at the top of the leveling boards. ¡®Level 300 let¡¯s go!¡¯ Leo thought to himself in joy, as while the 9743 ranked yer was still only level 200, he was already miles ahead of the curve hitting level 300 already. However, his happiness did notst for too long, as a second system notification soon ruined his mood. [ System Notification :- It has been detected that yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has managed to kill ¡®High Demon Verium¡¯ , a notorious criminal with an imperial bounty of over 100,000 gold coins over his head, bing the first yer to kill a wanted enemy demon general. Do you wish to issue a global announcement for the same? Yes No . . . It is detected that the host possesses the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss and cannot decline a global announcement, hence issuing a global announcement for the same¡­.] [ Global Announcement :- yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has killed Demon General Verium, and has be the first yer in the world of Terra Nova to kill one of the 720 Demon Bosses. Please congratte him for the same ] ¡°NOOOOOO¡ª¡± Leo shouted loudly, startling Ben who was running ahead of him, as to what was wrong. If there was one thing that Leo absolutely hated, it was global announcements that brought attention to his in-game activities, however, every few months he ended up on the announcement board anyways. [ System Notification :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for killing one of the 720 Demon Bosses in the world. You have gained +1200 fame +500 MP +System Auction Ticket ] Apart from the useless global announcement, Leo also got some benefits for killing one of the 720 Demon Bosses, which included +500 MP points which Leo was most thankful for. While it did not eliminate the pain of making headlines yet again, it did help alleviate it to a certain extent, as Leo hung his head down in shame and kept running behind Ben. ¡°What? Do you get hallucinatory Fits or something boy? What are you randomly screaming for?¡± Ben asked Leo, however, Leo chose not to respond to this question. Ben could probably never understand the pain he was feeling at this moment, as he knew that by now the entire global forums would probably already be abuzz discussing the life of ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Leo knew that there were many vain yers in the world, who would probably relish this chance to show-off, however, he was not one of them. While he enjoyed getting stronger, he preferred doing it silently, as showing off to the masses was not his style. However, unfortunately, his ss never let him be low-key, as whatever he did always ended up being broadcast to the world in the end. Chapter 400: Victorious Hero Chapter 400: Victorious Hero ( Leo and Ben¡¯s POV ) The looks that Leo and Ben got when they actually returned to the human camp were borderline reverent. As the squirming Eren wriggled over Leo¡¯s shoulders, the human soldiers watched him suffer in silence, until a unanimous wave of celebrations suddenly erupted from the human crowd. *CHEERS* Deafening waves of cheers and ps apanied Ben and Leo as they made their way through the human camp, with Lieutenant Marcus personallying to greet them. ¡°What happened? How did it go? Is that the demon whisperer?¡± Marcus asked, his throat seeming parched as he gulped a mouthful of saliva. ¡°Yes¡­. The mission was a resounding sess! We went in, killed the enemy demon general and several dozen or his underlings, kidnapped the Demon Whisperer from his tent and made it back out alive¡­.. Unscratched¡ª¡± Ben said, with a proud smile on his face, as the cheers from the crowd went wild at that moment. The human soldiers could not believe their eyes on what they were witnessing, as some pulled their hair while others bumped their chests in joy. Against the same demons that most human soldiers couldn¡¯t even fight on equal footing, Ben Faulkner and his disciple achieved a resounding victory. But not only that, they also killed the enemy general, kidnapped the main enemy of humanity and achieved all that without a scratch on their bodies. ¡®Is this the true strength of Ben Faulkner the legendary assassin?¡¯ Marcus wondered as his gaze alternated between Ben and Leo. While the main attention was on Ben Faulkner, Marcus silently acknowledged Leo¡¯s contribution to this mission as well. Just like his master, he was unscratched from this endeavor and had most likely killed several demons of his own. As the winner of the ¡®Grand Tournament¡¯ and the sole disciple of Ben Faulkner, it was clear that the boy had high future potential. If he continued assisting his master just like this on important missions, then probably in a few years the Empire could witness the rise of a new legendary assassin, one that even surpassed the fame of his master Ben Faulkner. ¡°Please, stay back and enjoy a few celebratory drinks with us soldiers. After All you have performed a great service for the Empire¨C¡± Marcus said, however, Ben immediately declined the offer. ¡°We need to first hand this guy over to the authorities. Our mission only ends when he¡¯s behind bars. Please excuse us, for we really need to get moving¨C¡± Ben said, as unlike the cold behavior that Marcus showed him when they first met. His behavior now saw aplete 180 shift. While he was hesitant to even shake hands with Ben before, just a few hourster he wished to treat him as a returning hero and was willing to drink with him too. ¡°Of course, I understand, handing over the Demon Whisperer does take priority¡­.¡± Marcus said, as he signaled to his men to quickly get the carriage and horses of Ben and Leo ready. ¡°Is there anything more that we can do for you? Do you need me to send men to apany you?¡± Marcus asked, however Leo simply chuckled at his suggestion. ¡°Do you really think my master needs any additional protection?¡± Leo asked, as Marcus immediately felt flushed. In his willingness to help Ben and Leo, he had made a stupid suggestion. If the duo did not need any help to infiltrate a demon camp, just who could harm them within the Empire? ¡°Haha¡­. My bad¡± Marcus apologized, as by then Leo and Ben¡¯s carriage was prepared by the soldiers. ¡°Do one thing for us¡­. Usingmunication magic, inform the Emperor that we have captured the Demon Whisperer and are returning to Crest-Hill Barony with him. We will await further instructions from him regarding the same there¡± Leo instructed, as before leaving the border camp as Marcus immediately nodded in understanding. ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll get on it immediately¨C¡± Marcus said, as with that Leo and Ben took their leave, boarding their carriage alongside their prisoner Eren, as they returned to Crest-Hill Barony. ********** ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) ¡°He is back at it! The third evaluation¡­.. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is already building his legacy¡± ¡°Bloody hell, killing a demon general! Most of us haven¡¯t even seen one¨C¡± ¡°Has ¡®TheBoss¡¯ entered demon territory? How did he even do it? When I tried to cross into the demon territory, the NPC at the border blocked me¡± ¡°How many global announcements has the Boss had up till now? 3? 4? That guy is ridiculous!¡± ¡°Is The Boss really still a solo yer? Almost every veteran yer I know has now banded into a guild as solo missions are getting harder and harder. There are no wild monsters freely avable that are above level 250 and the ones that are avable are inside 5 men dungeons or 10 men dungeons, but I have never heard a report of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ entering into a dungeon with any party. He has now gone up to level 300, and as per my knowledge, he is still going at it alone¡± ¡°I wonder what sort of rewards ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gets for these global announcements. He should be filthy rich by now, shouldn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a post on the global forums about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being a Baron now? How is he killing enemy demons if he has a territory to run?¡± The forums went absolutely wild with spection on how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ did what he did, however, nobody had any answers. Like always, Leo had widened the gap at the top with his disyed level now being at 300, making him the first yer to reach the level 300 threshold, while themon yer still struggled to cross the level 150 mark. As time passed, the gap between the top and bottom widened significantly, however, unlike on Earth, themon yers had no-one but themselves to me for this inequality. As unlike Earth, where everyone had a different starting point in life based on the family they were born in. Everyone had the same starting point in Terra Nova, and the same chance at sess. Chapter 401: Approaching Enemy Chapter 401: Approaching Enemy ( Meanwhile Luke¡¯s POV ) At the same time that Leo was on his mission on the Eastern border, Luke scouted the enemy movement on the Western border, as they seemed to be preparing to march. *SCREECH* Brown Pudding screeched loudly as it encircled the demon camp from the skies, providing Luke with an almost satelite like view. From the sky, Luke could see the sprawling demon camp underneath,id out like a dark, living map below him. He had been observing the same camp daily for the past month and by now he knew everything about itsyout. The camp was a chaotic array of tents and makeshift structures, which seemed to be constructed from tattered animal hides and wooden poles. The camp¡¯syout was haphazard, with tents scattered randomly across the ground, giving it an appearance of organized chaos. In the center of this camp, was thergest tent, which Luke assumed to be themand post, marked by crude banners and guarded by brutish demons, however, it wasn¡¯t theyout of the camp that caught his eye, but rather the activities on-going currently which did. Unlike his usual patrol missions where the demons did not seem to be doing anything special, today the camp seemed unusually alive, with the signs pointing towards them preparing to march. As he gazed from above, the stronger ¡®High Demon¡¯ soldiers seemed to be gathered in loose groups around campfires, their weapons haphazardly stacked nearby. Unlike a disciplined army, the high demons disyed a wild, untamed energy, with some brawling amongst themselves, while the others sharpened their weapons on rocks, as they seemed to be waiting for the final orders to march from Demon General in-charge. At the same time that the high demons appeared to be goofing around, themon demons seemed to be busy packing up the camp as they uprooted the tents and loaded the supplies intorge wagons. *Crash* *Tumble* Crates and barrels were tossed onto rickety carts without regard for order or stability, which Luke interpreted as a careless approach to logistics. If this was a human soldier under hismand who disyed this behavior, then Luke would probably have ousted him from the guild for his recklesness, however, the high demon supervisors who oversaw this packing, did not seem to give a damn about how themon demons handled the cargo. As Luke nced to the other side of the camp, he saw demonic mounts, restrained in their makeshift pens, roaring loudly as they thrashed violently against their bindings. They seemed to be barely under control as their handlers struggled to prepare them for the journey ahead, with several handlers having to band up to put-on saddles and other attachments onto the wild mounts, to turn them into suitable means on transport for the journey. Despite their generalck of organization, it was clear to Luke that the demons were mobilizing, as unlike the past few days where most demons did nothing, today everyone seemed to be moving with a fixed purpose. Messengers were darting through the demon camp, delivering orders with growls and gestures, their chaotic shouts suggesting to Luke the use of intimidation rather than strategicmunication. Overall, the whole demon camp was alive with fric activity, with the demon foot soldiers gathering in rough bands, hoarding food and water supplies as they started to fall into somewhat of a marching formation. ¡°They are definitely preparing for a march, 2 more hours and they will be on their way to attack Silver-Pine Barony¡± Luke muttered to himself as once he was sure of the enemy¡¯s intentions, he turned Brown Pudding around and started to return back to the guild headquarters. *********** ( The DarkSky Guild, War Council ) ¡°While we should wait for the Duke¡¯s scouts to confirm this¡­.. I think that the demons are on the march and shall reach our borders by tomorrow. The day that we have been preparing for months is finally here, and it seems like we will soon be thrown into a full blown war¡­.¡± Luke said, as his words caused the entire room to fall into silence. ¡°YES! I am so excited to chop the evil demons down¡­¡± Tor said, as he flexed his muscles, and smiled gleefully. Of everyone present in the room, he was the only one who was genuinely excited to take on the demons, as the others seemed less enthusiastic about the uing war. ¡°Our guild has invested a lot of money to develop our headquarters here in Silver-Pine Barony. We can¡¯t let the demons just over-run us. We have forges, training grounds and a guild headquarters here and building all these structures takes time and money. We must defend it at all cost¡± Lysa said, as Cervantez nodded grimly to her words. ¡°It¡¯s not just about the money. Even if the barony falls, the demons won¡¯t destroy our infrastructurepletely, rather, this is about our chance to leapfrog beyond the masses and truly establish ourselves as a top force in the world of Terra Nova. With each demon wave we repel, our forces will grow stronger and more formidable and our guild members will gain valuable war experience, learning how to execute maneuvers and hold lines, transforming them from individual yers into a cohesive army unit. Right now, we¡¯re in the driver¡¯s seat for this war. By coborating with the Duke¡¯s more seasoned forces, we can seize this opportunity to be the number one guild. If we can defend Silver-Pine Barony for another year, it will be a remarkable achievement. But to reach that stage, we¡¯ll need to repel countless demon waves first,¡± Cervantez said, presenting an entirely different perspective from Lysa regarding the situation. For Cervantez, the money that the guild used to earn from the silver mines, or the money that the guild put into developing facilities in Silver-Pine Barony was not what mattered. For Cervantez, what mattered was to grasp the opportunity that this demon war presented. The demon war was a chance for the guild to build its legacy and collective strength, which Cervantez prioritized as the most importantponent for the guild going forward, as while the meta of the game favored solo yers up-till now, it was soon going to shift towards faction gamey in the future. And to make the most of this future, the collective strength of ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild was going matter much more important than the individual strength of its leaders like Luke or Cervantez, and hence for Cervantez, ¡®Collective Growth¡¯ was his first and only priority. Chapter 402: Preperations Chapter 402: Preperations The news about the demon armies¡¯ approach spread fast amongst the NPC¡¯s and themon yers of Silver-Pine Barony, who were not affiliated with any guild. As they saw the Duke¡¯s forces and the DarkSky guild¡¯s personnel marching towards the border in full gear, they deduced that the enemy might be on the move and hence a frenzy set in. In response to this news, the NPCs began securing their homes, quietly gathering valuables into small trunks in-case the front lines fell and they needed to flee urgently. Although they did remain hopeful that the human army would repel the demons, they still began preparing for the worst, as they felt unwilling to risk their families¡¯ safety if the conflict reached their doors. Meanwhile, themon yers were filled with excitement at the prospect of battle, eager to join the fight and prove their skills. However, with the DarkSky Guild having restricted ess to the front lines and having barred unaffiliated yers from engaging directly, their excitement was for nothing. With Cervantez not wanting any unaffiliated yers anywhere near the battlefield as it could prove to be a strategic blunder, he barred them from joining the war. This decision of his naturally left manymon yers restless and frustrated, as they watched the preparations from a distance, yearning for the chance to participate and earn glory in battle but were not allowed to do so. Internally, they discussed war strategies amongst one another and imagined the potential rewards, but for now, they had to wait for their opportunity to join the conflict, knowing that the DarkSky guild prioritized the gain of its own members over everything else. With tensions high and anticipation building, the stage was set for the impending confrontation as the demons seemed to be on their way to mount their first attack on Silver-Pine Barony. ************ ( Cervantez and Luke¡¯s POV ) Once it was confirmed that the demon army was indeed on the march, Cervantez mobilized the entire DarkSky guild and started to march towards Stonebridge vige. The Stonebridge vige was the westernmost part of the Silver-Pine Barony and it was the outpost that Cervantez had been reinforcing in the past few months in anticipation for this battle. The Stonebridge vige itself got it¡¯s name from the massive stone bridge that connected it to the rest of the Barony, as the vige was situated on-top of a hill. And if worse came to worst, it was this very bridge that Cervantez intended to destroy to cut off the demon army¡¯s pursuit and ensure a safe retreat for his forces. However, while that was the worst case scenario that the guild prepared for, Cervantez did not intend to let things reach that point. Since Stonebridge vige was situated atop a hill, it was in a naturally advantageous position to defend, as any force trying to attack it needed to fight an up-hill battle. With Luke¡¯s strategic advice, Cervantez had created severalyers of walls and Archer towers atop Stonebridge vige hill, which were going to help ensure that the approaching demon army did not have an easy time scaling Stonebridge Hill. The wooden walls constructed on Stonebridge Hill were made in such a way that it funneled them into special zones known as ¡®Death Zones¡¯. In these zones, multiple archer towers held clear sight of the approaching demon forces and could hence potentially pick off multiple opponents. Plus, by filtering the demons into these kill zones, it made them more vulnerable against traps, weapons and AOE spells providing the defending forces with a massive strategic advantage. Since the demons were historically known to not fight with their brains and charge headfirst into traps, Luke hoped that by creating these funneling walls, he could dwindle the enemy numbers by 60-80% by the time the first wave of soldiers ever reached the main defensive line, effectively earning them the victory before the fight ever started. And while this was the best-case scenario that they hoped for, the guild was also prepared for a dog-fight till the bitter end in-case all their strategies were for naught and the demons proved to be much smarter than what history depicted them to be. ¡°SkyLion, follow me, the young Duke Jerome has asked to see the two of us. I think he wishes to discuss the final strategy¨C¡± Cervantez said, as just as they reached Stonebridge Hill and began taking their battle positions, Cervantez and Luke were summoned by Jerome for ast minute strategy discussion. ******* ( Somewhere on Stonebridge Hill ) Jerome looked through some binocr-like lens from one of the Stonebridge Hill¡¯s tallest Archer towers, as he seemed to be trying to spot the enemy forces. ¡°They are about an hour away ¡­.. I think they will March for another half an hour before setting up a temporary camp¡± Jerome said as he pulled his eye away from the binocrs and looked Cervantez and Luke in the face. ¡°Agh, DarkEmperor, SkyLion you are here¡­.¡± Jerome said in surprise, as he took out a small battle horn that was slung around his waist and handed it to Luke. ¡°This is the distress horn¡­. Blow it only if you need emergency reinforcements¡± Jerome said, as without exining anymore he turned to Cervantez. ¡°In-case the demons attack through the night, I hope your men remain vignt¡± Jerome said, as Cervantez chuckled at his words. Internally, Cervantez already knew that the demons were never going to attack through the night, since it was the time where all yers logged out of the Terra Nova world. And that if a war was going to start, it was only going to start the next day, right as the yers returned. However, since he could not say this to an NPC, he simply nodded and assured the young duke that his men would be at the ready. Chapter 403: Good News Chapter 403: Good News ( Meanwhile Julien D Evanus ) Just as the DarkSky Guild and Jerome prepared to confront the advancing demon army, Emperor Julien D. Evanus received some of the best news that he had heard in quite some time. In an unexpectedly fast turn of events, Lieutenant Marcus, stationed at the Eastern Boundary, had urgently contacted the army¡¯s centralmand in the capital using amunication orb and had reported that Ben Faulkner and his disciple, Baron ¡°The Boss,¡± had sessfully captured the Demon Whisperer alive. This piece of information was so sensational, that once the army centralmand received it, the information was passed on to Julien himself within just five short minutes, as he was provided with the entire transcript of the call. ¡®Hahaha¡­ Ben fucking Faulkner¡­.. if you look past his rebel nature, there is no better Assassin than that old man around¨C¡¯ Julien thought internally, as he let a rare smile escape his lips. However, since he could not actually say such unrefined words in public, when he actually did open his mouth, he sounded like an entirely different man. ¡°It seems like the master assassin Ben Faulkner has not onlypleted the mission that we entrusted to him, but has actually exceeded our expectations by capturing the Demon Whisperer alive instead of neutralizing him like we asked him to¡± Julien said with a big smile on his face as the smile betrayed just how happy he was about this turn of events, although he was trying his best to sound impassive. ¡°Summon Thalion and Nysa, send them to my office immediately! We must quickly decide what to do with the Demon Whisperer¨C¡± Julien instructed, as his servants rushed to fulfill his orders. ********* Within a few minutes, Commander Thalion and Information head Nysa both arrived at Julians work office, as Julien quickly brought them to speed about what was going on. ¡°My Lord, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe for the Demon Whisperer to be held at Crest-Hill Barony. We must request Ben Faulkner that he be handed over at the Capital instead¡± Nysa said, as Thalion nodded in agreement with her assessment. ¡°I think so too ¡­. The Crest-Hill Barony is too close to the Eastern boundary and if the Demon Whisperer is as important to them as he is to us, the demons might try tounch an operation to save him. I think it¡¯s better if he¡¯s brought to either the Capital or be sent to the Southern Duchy, as both these ces will be hard for the demons to ess¡± Thalion said as Julien immediately fell into contemtion over his words. ¡°If the two of you agree, then I have no reservations about sending the Demon Whisperer to the Southern Duchy. I¡¯m sure Duke Nico will take good care of him¡± Julien said, as both Nysa and Thalion seemed to be in agreement over this decision. Almost immediately, Nysa wrote a letter filled with instructions for Ben Faulkner to follow and asked for it to be delivered at Crest-Hill Barony. Overall, by the time Leo and Ben were barely a few kilometers away from the Eastern boundary, the entire ount of their legendary deeds had been shared with the Emperor and the top brass sitting inside StrongHaven, who now awaited with bated breaths the delivery of the demon whisperer to the Southern Duchy. If everything went smoothly, the Demon Whisperer was going to be handed over to the Southern Duke Nico Paz in three days¡¯ time. And once the demon whisperer was in their custody and he began revealing the secrets of the demons, Julien finally felt as if there might be a way to solve the demon problem for once and for all. ******** ( Meanwhile Leo ) Apart from the leveling gain, MP and fame that he received for clearing this mission, Leo also received one peculiar item from the Global Announcement that he had never seen before. [ System Auction Ticket ] (????) He had received an item called a system auction ticket and while it did not seem anything special to him at first, once he read the item description, he felt really intrigued by it. [ System Auction Ticket ] ( ???? ) :- Ticket slot number 97/100. The system auction will begin once all 100 tickets have been given out. Note :- This auction ticket cannot be sold, traded or dropped. This auction ticket only allows for entry of ¡®one¡¯ individual into the system auction space and trying to bring apanion will result in automatic expulsion. This ticket can only be earnt by clearing dungeons, killing world bosses and throughpleting chain quests. ( Mode of payment :- Gold coins + MP ) ] As Leo read the description for the item, he could not help but feel a thrill of excitement mixed with curiosity. The ¡®System Auction Ticket¡¯ was an item unlike anything he had encountered before, and its mysterious nature intrigued him. The idea of participating in an auction organized by the system was extremely exciting for him as he could imagine the rare and exclusive items that might be on-sale within it. Since the invite was only passed to a hundred or so yers, Leo assumed that the items being sold within the auction could not be more than 10-20 in number, since the system would not organize the event as an auction if everyone could walk away with an item. As per the item¡¯s description, it was not an item that could be bought with money but rather an item that could only be earned by doing extraordinary deeds such as clearing a dungeon. This suggested to Leo that the item would have adventurers as its owner rather than lifestyle ss yers, which gave Leo a distinct advantage while bidding for items within. As long as the items within the auction were being sold for gold, Leo had the confidence to outpete everyone in the bidding, as he doubted that anyone couldpete with him in terms of mary wealth. However, with the mode of auction being MP + Gold, he was not entirely sure if he could really win every item up for sale. Nheless, he felt excited about the time when the hidden auction activated, once all 100 invites were distributed. Chapter 404: Strategic Win Chapter 404: Strategic Win ( The next day, Terra Nova Online, Luke¡¯s POV ) Early morning, the next day, Luke heard the unmistakable sound of rhythmic war drums ringing in the distance almost as soon as he logged into the game. *Dhum* *Dhum* *Dhum* *Dhum* *Dhum* *Dhum* The rhythmic pounding echoed through the valley, each beat progressively growing louder as the demon army slowly approached the Stonebridge Hill. ¡°All men ready!!!¡± ¡°Battle positions! The enemy is on the march! Battle positions!¡± The team captains and battlefield coordinators within the DarkSky guild began shouting orders, fulfilling their duty as they readied the men to face the iing wave of attack. From his vantage point atop the hill, Luke surveyed the battlefield, his eyes narrowing as he took in the scene unfolding before him. The demon army stretched across the horizon, looking like a dark and writhing mass that seemed to swallow thendscape. Dust rose like a storm cloud as thousands of demons marched in formation, their footfalls creating a low, ominous rumble that apanied the drums. The air was thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackled like a gathering storm. ¡®All 120,000 demons seem to be on the march¡­.¡¯ Luke thought to himself, as while scouting the demon camp, he had estimated the demon army¡¯s strength to be around 120,000 members. The demon forces were a chaotic mix of creatures, with each looking more fearsome than thest. At the forefront, cannon foddermon demons led the charge, their shoddy broken weapons gleaming in the morning light. Behind them, more experienced foot soldiers and mounted beasts surged forward, their grotesque features twisted in anticipation of theing ughter. Despite their fearsome appearance, Luke could see clearly how their weaknessy in theirck of discipline. The demons moved with a wild, untamed energy, their ranks shifting and breaking as they marched as although they seemed to be marching in formation from a distance, once one looked closely, they could clearly see many gaps appearing in their approach, with almost every demon marching at their own pace. As the demons advanced, the DarkSky guild members atop Stonebridge Hill readied themselves for battle. The fortified position provided amanding view of the enemy, and Luke took a moment to appreciate the strategic advantage they held. The wooden walls and archer towers, constructed over months of preparation, stood as silent sentinels, ready to unleash their fury as if everything went to n, then the guild members looked like they were in for a feast today. Luke scanned the ranks of DarkSky guild members, his gaze settling on the archers and mages poised to strike. For today¡¯s war, those were the most important sections of his army who were supposed to dish out the highest damage. As long as they did not choke and delivered as expected, Luke could envision a simple win. ¡°Remember your training,¡± he called out, his voice firm and resolute. ¡°Wait for my signal. We hold the high ground, and we will not let them pass.¡± The DarkSky guild members nodded in response, their faces a mix of determination and fear. *DHUM* *DHUM* *DHUM* *DHUM* *DHUM* *DHUM* Soon, the sound of the war drums intensified, signaling the demons¡¯ approach. Luke watched as the first wave of the enemy reached the base of Stonebridge Hill, surging forward with reckless abandon. ¡°Steady now men¡­. Prepare to shoot!¡± Luke said, as he picked a bow and arrow himself and took aim at the first funneling zone. ¡®Now¡¯s the moment of truth, do the demons try breaking the wall and move erratically? Or will they be funneled as we want them to?¡¯ Luke wondered, as he watched the demons flood the base of the hill with bated breaths. If the demons were more intelligent, they would understand that the wooden walls were a trap, and that they needed to break those walls down if they wanted to survive, however, like cattle they ran parallel to the walls, funneling into the death zones that Luke had prepared, concentrating them in a small area. ¡°Now!¡± Lukemanded, his voice cutting through the chaos, as immediately the DarkSky archers released their arrows in a synchronized volley, the sky darkening as the projectiles arced toward their targets. The sound of arrows whistling through the air was quickly followed by the thud of impacts and the guttural cries of wounded demons. As the arrows rained down, the mages of the DarkSky guild unleashed their spells, their hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. sts of fire and ice erupted among the demon ranks, the magical onught sowing further chaos and confusion. The ground trembled under the force of the assault, the air filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh. The demons faltered, their advance stalling as they struggled against the withering hail of arrows and magic. The DarkSky guild members pressed their advantage, maintaining a relentless barrage that decimated the enemy¡¯s ranks. Luke watched the unfolding battle with a keen eye, noting the effectiveness of their strategy. The funneling walls channeled the demons into concentrated areas where the DarkSky guild¡¯s attacks were most lethal. The chaotic energy of the demon army bing their downfall, as their disorganized assault was unable to break through the DarkSky guild¡¯s disciplined defense. For the first time since the drums began, Luke allowed himself a small measure of satisfaction. The n he formted was working, the DarkSky guild was holding firm against the demonic tide. As the morning wore on, the battlefield was littered with the bodies of fallen demons. The DarkSky guild members, emboldened by their sess, continued their relentless assault, determined to hold Stonebridge Hill at all costs. Soon, the sound of the war drums faded, reced by the guttural grunts of the high demons as they urged their army to cut their losses short and retreat. ¡°THEY ARE FALLING BACK! THE ENEMY IS FALLING BACK!¡± The DarkSky guild members eximed in joy as they saw the demon army retreating with their tails tucked between their legs. From start to finish the battle onlysted an hour and a half at best and Luke estimated that the enemy lost close to 10,000 members in this assault. Although they were onlymon cannon fodder demons and not the main force, this victory still felt extremely sweet for the defending forces as they had not lost a single individual in return. Chapter 405: Global Sensation Chapter 405: Global Sensation ( That same afternoon ) Luke, Cervantez, and Jerome gathered in Cervantez¡¯s office at the DarkSky guild headquarters to celebrate their triumph over the demons. ¡°SkyLion you are a genius¡­.. I¡¯ve never seen anyone deploy such a weird wall strategy before, but it was wless!¡± Jeromeplimented as he seemed to be over the moon with this victory. ¡°Indeed, recruiting him to my guild was the best decision I¡¯ve ever made. Today¡¯s fight was exemry¡± Cervantez added, as he toasted a ss to Luke. In his heart, Cervantez was indeed very content with how the fight progressed today, as after witnessing how many levels his guild members gained, Cervantez truly felt that every penny that he invested into building those archer towers and walls was worth it. On average, an archer from the Dark-Sky guild killed anywhere between 10-20 demons each, while a mage killed about 30-40. This helped the average archer gain 7-14 levels from this fight, while the average mage gained 18-24. It was an astronomical gain, everything considered, as with just 1.5 hours worth of shooting, they gained more levels than they would have otherwise in a couple months. A lot of this could be redited to Luke¡¯s strategy of funneling them into kill zones which made killing them fast and easy, however, while the strategy deserved most of the credit, the execution could also not be ignored, as the execution was also top-notch for first time war fighters. ¡°How are your men faring? Jerome? Mine are begging me to let them kill more demons¡­. The victory has got into their heads¡± Luke said, chuckling, as Jerome beganughing too at thement. ¡°Mine are the same, they tell me ¡®Let us kill more of them demon bastards¡¯. But I had to restrain them from giving the retreating demon forces a chase. Our advantage is our high ground and fortified positions. If we enter a dog-fight with the demons we will be ughtered like pigs. These men don¡¯t understand just how terrifying the enemy really is¡± Jerome replied, as he let out a mirthless sigh. Although the three of them were celebrating their victory today, they knew the war was far from over. While the demons had fallen into their trap this time, the three of them knew the demons would surely return stronger. While their current strategy worked wonders today, the next time, it would likely be less effective, as the demons, despite not being as intelligent as humans, were capable of rational thought and would undoubtedly adapt to human tactics. ¡°Well, what is going to happen will surely happen¡­.. Let¡¯s not fret about it now. Cheers¡± Cervantez said, raising a toast to Jerome as the three men clicked sses and gulped their drinks. ********* ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) Videos recorded of the demon war by the DarkSky guild members went viral on the global forums, providing the first glimpse of yers engaging against the demon army. The footage, capturing the battle in stunning detail, showcased the precision and efficiency with which the DarkSky guild repelled the demonic assault, causing manyizens to feel excited about the prospect of fighting demons. ¡°Did you see how they funneled the demons? Brilliant strategy!¡± one yermented, clearly impressed. ¡°The mages were on fire! Literally!¡± another added, referencing the powerful spells unleashed during the fight. ¡°That was some serious teamwork. DarkSky just set the bar,¡± someone else noted, acknowledging the guild¡¯s coordinated effort. As yers continued to dissect the battle, many focused on the astonishing leveling increases experienced by the DarkSky members. The guild¡¯s archers and mages had gained multiple levels in a single battle, a feat that usually took months to achieve. ¡°Those level gains are insane! How do I get in on that action?¡± someone asked, echoing a sentiment shared by many others who wished they could share in the rewards of the battle. The desire to join the fight was palpable, but so was the frustration that DarkSky did not allow outsiders to participate. yers expressed their eagerness to help repel the next demon wave, longing for the opportunity to gain experience and levels. ¡°I wish we could join in and help repel the next wave. Imagine the experience points!¡± one yermented, his excitement tempered by the reality of DarkSky¡¯s exclusivity. ¡°It¡¯s frustrating that DarkSky won¡¯t let outsiders participate. We want a piece of the action too!¡± another voiced, highlighting themon sentiment among those watching from the sidelines. Amidst the admiration and envy, discussions about recruitment in the DarkSky guild surfaced. Many yers were curious if the guild was still epting new members, eager to join what they perceived as a fast ticket to gain tonnes of levels. ¡°Does anyone know if DarkSky is still recruiting? I¡¯d love to join them,¡± one hopeful yer inquired, sparking a thread of spection and interest. ¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re not taking new members right now, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try. Joining them is a sure shot express train to the top,¡± someone replied, reflecting the widespread recognition of DarkSky¡¯s prowess. While some skeptics doubted the sustainability of such tactics, predicting that the demons would soon adapt, and that the leveling gains would not remain so exaggerated. The DarkSky guild¡¯s triumph still served as a beacon of hope for many, proving that the demon army could be beaten and that too quiteprehensively if the conditions were right. yers across the forums hence began eagerly nning their own strategies, clearly inspired by the DarkSky guilds victory, seeming determined to emte their sess. Unfortunately for them however, most of their nning was for naught. This miracle win was not a result of a single days preparation or nning, but rather a result of months of constant efforts. The walls and the archer towers did not build themselves overnight or without spending significant money and this was a point that many missed when dissecting the war. What the DarkSky guild achieved was a result of Luke¡¯s strategic genius, the high quality of guild members and Cervantez¡¯s future insight, and without all three of theseponents, repeating this sess was impossible. Chapter 406: A Forced Mission Chapter 406: A Forced Mission ( Leo¡¯s POV ) A grand wee awaited Leo when he returned to Crest-Hill Barony, arranged by the Emperor. Military personnel belonging to the Royal Army, waited for him and Ben dutifully at the Barony¡¯s entrance, holdingrge banners and giving the duo a traditional salute. ¡°Ho¡ª, never thought I¡¯d see the day when the Empire hails me as a hero,¡± Ben said, stroking his chin in amusement as he read the text on the banner that the royal army personnel were holding. [ Crest-Hill Barony wees the returning Hero¡¯s Ben Faulkner and Baron TheBoss ] For Ben who had spent his entire life as an ouw, getting a military salute out of nowhere feltedic, however, although he did not take it too seriously, he waved the saluting soldiers politely, acknowledging their efforts to greet him. ¡°Carriage driver, pause the carriage¡­. They seem to be wanting to hold a dialogue¡± Leo instructed, as the carriage driver immediately pulled the reins, stopping the carriage for Leo and Ben to dismount. ¡°Sir! I¡¯m Lieutenant Sara Sir! I have been deployed here urgently to pass these imperial orders to you¨C¡± a blonde woman said, as she passed a letter containing the imperial seal to Ben. ¡°Boy, it seems the reply we were seeking has arrived earlier than expected¨C¡± Ben said, opening the letter, as he read the instructions contained within. For a moment, he frowned upon reading the letter before letting out a deep sigh as he passed it to Leo to take a look. [ Respected Ben Faulkner, Esteemed assassin Ben Faulkner, themon man of Unity Empire, thanks you for your unparalleled contribution in capturing the Demon Whisperer alive. As a nonbatant myself, I cannot even begin to fathom how difficult it would have been to capture such a slippery enemy alive, however, I thank you sincerely that you did. It is the belief of Commander Thalion, that for an asset this valuable, the demons might considerunching a counter-operation to try and recover him, and it is our fear that the Crest-Hill Barony might not be safe enough to hold him. Instead, we request you to deliver the prisoner to the custody of Duke Nico Paz, in the Southern Duchy¡¯s main city of Thumba, and considering how this is a matter of national importance, we request that you move immediately. The promised rewards for capturing the Demon Whisperer alongside additionalpensation will be given to you once youplete this additional mission, so please cooperate with us until then. -Yours thankfully, Julien D Evanus ] As Leo read the letter, he could not believe the level of shamelessness it contained. The two of them had just returned frompleting a near impossible mission, yet instead of letting them rest, the Emperor wanted them to travel for another 3-4 days non-stop and to reach the Southern City of ¡®Thumba¡¯. ¡°What is this forcefulness master? I mean what they fear is not baseless, but it¡¯s surely not reasonable either. We have other responsibilities except the Demon Whisperer, we can¡¯t just abandon the Barony for 8-10 days all of a sudden¡± Leoined as Ben pinched his nose and let out a deep sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think they are forcing you toe kid¡­. I guess I¡¯ll take this mission on my own¡± Ben said, however, Lieutenant Sara immediately intervened. ¡°Actually, Baron TheBoss also has no option. There is a second imperial letter addressed to him¡± Sara said, as she passed a second letter to Leo which was essentially the same as the first one apart from a difference in name. ¡°So¡­. We have no option to decline?¡± Ben asked, scratching his head to which Sara replied with a shake of her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not¡­. I¡¯m under strict orders to escort you immediately¡­.. in fact we should already be on our way¡± Sara said, as she pped her hands twice and immediately all the saluting soldiers fell into two files, covering Leo and Ben¡¯s carriage from both sides. ¡°After you¡­.¡± Sara gestured as she followed Leo and Ben into the carriage where they were holding Eren and then urged the carriage driver to drive them to Thumba. From start to finish, she gave Leo and Ben no other options and the warm greetings were nothing more than an empty show. ¡°You see boy¡­. This is why I have the urge to kill Julien sometimes¡± Ben said, as Leo beganughing out loud at thisment, especially after seeing how Sara¡¯s face ckened at thisment. She tried to ignore it, and focus on the Demon Whisperer, however, the journey to Thumba was long and she was supposed to share a carriage with two of the biggest goofs in the entire Empire throughout. ******** ( Meanwhile Elena ) It was several months into the game that Elena finally learnt how to ess the Global Rankings. Not being tech savvy, she never really explored the avable options in the system screen before, until a kind yer whom she used to give free meals to on a daily basis taught her how to do it. [ Global Level Rankings :- 1)¡¯TheBoss¡¯ ¨C Lv.310 2)¡¯Leo Skyshard¡¯ ¨C Lv.300 . . . ] Once Elena opened the Global Rankings and noticed her son being number 2, she could almost not believe her eyes. ¡°Rita! Rita! This list¡­. It shows a Leo Skyshard on number two¡­ is that true?¡± Elena asked the kind girl who was helping her explore the system screen as Rita nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Yeah¡­ Leo Skyshard, the richest yer in the game¡­. Who doesn¡¯t know him, he¡¯s awesome!¡± Rita said, as Elena gasped at this response. ¡°That¡¯s my boy!¡± Elena said with pride, as she almost teared up looking at what a formidable man her son had be. ¡°That¡¯s your son? No way!!! Elena Skyshard¡­. Leo Skyshard¡­.. oh! It all makes sense now¨C¡± Rita said, as she seemed to suddenly realize that Elena¡¯s gaming I.D. was called ¡®Elena Skyshard¡¯ too. ¡°You must send your son a friend request¡­. If it¡¯s you he will surely ept it¡­.¡± Rita said excitedly, as Elena tilted her head in confusion. She had no idea how a friend request worked and it took Rita a good five minutes to teach her how to send one. However, once Elena sent a friend request to Leo, she felt very excited, as if her son epted it, she could then chat with him on a daily basis, which sounded like a dreame true. Chapter 407: Anoss Wrath Chapter 407: Anos''s Wrath Chapter 407: Anos¡¯s Wrath ( The Demon King¡¯s POV ) Julien was not the only leader who was informed about the Demon Whisperer being kidnapped, as the news of Eren¡¯s kidnapping reached the Demon King Anos as well. ¡°My King, the Demon Whisperer has been captured by humans. Incredibly, just two humans managed to infiltrate our camp, eliminate dozens of our best fighters, and kidnap the Demon Whisperer from our grasp.¡± A demon informant said, as the entire council fell silent at this revtion. ¡°Just two humans you say¡­.?¡± Anos questioned, his voice sounding angry, as just the undernote of his questioning made the demon informant tremble. ¡°They were not ordinary humans, my king, they were quite strong. As strong as a Demon Count as per the reports that we received¡± The informant said, as Anos chuckled at his words. ¡°Do you hear this? Councilmen? THERE ARE HUMANS AS STRONG AS DEMON COUNTS NOW¨C¡± Anos bellowed, as the entire room got enveloped in his powerful aura, making all the demons present within tremble with fear. The demon king was known as the legendary warrior that had subdued even a dragon. Nobody wished to see him enraged, however, having lost the demon whisperer, Anos seemed genuinely pissed today. ¡°If there is one thing that us demons take pride in¡­.. it¡¯s the strength of the blood flowing through our veins. Strong demons won¡¯t even reproduce with weak females because they don¡¯t wish to taint their bloodlines. Us high demons especially, have only bred with the finest partners for centuries, bing much stronger thanmon demons, but for what? What good is the strength coursing through our veins if DOZENS of high demons can¡¯t even take on TWO human weaklings?¡± Anos asked, as the entire council hung their heads in shame when faced with this question. Humans were weaker than demons, that was the belief that all demons held and that was their source of pride. As demons, they genuinely believed that the only reason the humans were able to maintain their control over such vast areas ofnd was because of their intellect and technology, as it was their siege weapons and superior war tactics that helped them fight against the demons on even terms. However, there was no tactic or strategy involved when 2 humans infiltrated a demon camp alone. There, surrounded by thousands of demons, hundreds of whom were high demons, the humans should have had no chance of survival, yet they somehow ughtered their way out of the mess, with the demons being unable to respond. No matter how one looked at it, this was a p in the face of demon pride as it went against their beliefs that they were better fighters than humans. ¡°Why does no-one present here dare to make eye-contact with me today? Why does no-one in this great council have answers for why this happened? When it¡¯s time for debate on who will get to marry my daughter, all of you look me in the eyes and try to convince me to give her hand to you in marriage, however, today as I ask you all a fundamental question, not one of you dares to look me in the eyes ¡­.¡± Anos said, as he ran his gaze through the council, however, only saw bown heads all around. ¡°Very well then¡­.. if none of you have an exnation, then perhaps I should marry my daughter to those TWO humans instead of you. Because clearly. My bloodline is better off with warriors like them instead of cowards like yourself¨C¡± Anos said, as it was this insult that became too heavy to bear for many high demons. ¡°My King!¡± Said a High Demon, who looked like he was more of an orc than a demon with his freakishlyrge body and wide shoulders. ¡°While I don¡¯t have an exnation for today¡¯s events, I have the courage to take revenge. If you allow me¡­.I alone shall infiltrate the human territory and avenge this insult with blood. I will paint their towns red and conquer muchnd in your name¡± The orcish demon said, as after he was done speaking there were many other demons who also came forward with the same proposal. ¡°Give me the honor of avenging us, My King¡± ¡°No! You must give me the honor, you know I¡¯m the strongest fighter in this realm after you my King!¡± ¡°The humans have gone too far! They must be reminded of their ce!¡± ¡°We must avenge the Demon Pride¡­. We are the ultimate warrior race!¡± A ruckus broke out within the council room with every Demon present arguing their case on why they should be the ones to avenge the wounded demon pride, however, while Anos tolerated the clutter for a while, soon he grew bored of it. ¡°Silence¨C¡± hemanded, raising his hand, as immediately the entire room grew absolutely silent. ¡°The consensus that this council has reached is indeed correct. We must avenge this incident. The Humans cannot think that us demons are pushovers, and hence we must push back. However, NONE of you have the ability to make the statement that I desire. I¡¯m afraid, that this matter needs to be handled personally by me¡± Anos said, as the entire council broke down in sweat when Anos suggested that he would personally take action. ¡°My King¡­. You don¡¯t have to move a muscle; Please allow your underlings to avenge on your behalf¡± A high demon pleaded, however, Anos seemed to have already made up his mind. ¡°Find me the city where the Demon Whisperer is being held within human territory¡­ since the humans killed a few dozen of our men, I shall repay the favor by burning their city down¡± Anos said, as his domineering statement made all the demons present within the council room to drop down to their knees. The Demon King had spoken! He was personally going to take revenge for the Demon Whisperer¡¯s kidnapping, and he was going to do so, by burning a human city to ashes. Chapter 408: Reaching Thumba City Chapter 408: Reaching Thumba City ( 3 dayster, Terra Nova Online ) It took Leo and Ben three days of near non-stop riding to reach the Southern City of Thumba. Just like the Capital City of StrongHaven, Thumba was also a veryrge and densely popted city, which was one of the major industrial hubs of the Empire. Nicknamed ¡®Jewel of the South¡¯, Thumba was beautiful and scenic, as despite being densely popted, the city was pleasing to the eye with a unique aesthetic appeal. ¡°Wow¡­. This city is beautiful¡± Leomented gazing out of the carriage window as he soaked in the local scenery. Every building had a different color and slightly different architecture which made entire streets look like unique art pieces rather than monotonous rows of houses. ¡°Is this the city your mother lives in boy?¡± Ben asked, stroking his chin as Leo enthusiastically nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, my mother works in a local bakery around here¡­. I might visit her, after the missionsplete¡± Leo said, as Ben smiled kindly. Leo had been looking for his mother ever since she left the on the Arc-Ship, however, since arc-ship to arc-ship video calls were not really possible, he could not contact her for the past few months. Then, unexpectedly, Elena sent him a friend request almost out of nowhere a couple days ago and also opened a chat tab. Seeing her name appear on his screen was a shock¡ªa wee one¡ªand Leo couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of relief and excitement as he epted the request, feeling eager to reconnect. In their first conversation, Leo shared Luke¡¯s I.D. with her, helping her reconnect with both of her kids as he knew how important it was for all of them to be back in touch and how happy their mother would be to be able to chat with both her kids daily. Him getting back in touch with Elena was nothing short of a miracle in itself as normally, Leo ignored his friend requests without sparing them a nce as he received thousands every day, making it impossible to keep up. But thankfully, the day that Elena sent him the friend request, Leo was bored while riding on the carriage as he found himself scrolling through the friend list since he had nothing else to do until he spotted the name ¡°Elena Skyshard¡± on it. Recognizing the name instantly, he epted the request without hesitation as he sent a flurry of messages to his mother to first confirm that it was indeed her. Once confirmed, Leo felt his heart flutter in joy like a little kid as he chatted with his mother for a solid couple hours, asking her everything about her life and her experience in the world of Terra Nova up till now. As they began chatting, Leo learned that Elena was living in Thumba City and working as a baker and since he was also coincidentally heading there, Leo promised to meet her in a couple days time. At first Leo felt excited for Elena to meet Ben, as in Leo¡¯s opinion the two of them were the biggest parental figures in his life, however, as he realized that his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was different from his identity as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, he understood that introducing Ben as his master and benefactor won¡¯t be possible. Of course, he still nned on introducing Ben to Elena, however, just not as his benefactor. ¡®I hope my douchebag of a father does not run into us, because if he does I might just end up killing him¡¯ Leo thought, as his smiling expression turned a bit stern. During their chats, Elena had revealed that Jacob was also in Thumba city and that he visited Elena often after work. Since Leo was going toe visit her, Elena nned on inviting Jacob to the meeting too since the old man had not seen his son in ages, however, Leo had no desire to meet him. For Leo, his father was long dead and he had no feelings for the Jacob guy, however, he did not express all this to Elena since he knew that his mom still loved the guy. ¡°We are almost at the Duke¡¯s residence¡­.¡± Sara said, as she pointed towards thergest mansion built at the heart of Thumba City, belonging to the Southern Archduke Nico Paz. ¡°Well¡­. Let¡¯s get this over with¨C¡± Ben said, ncing towards Eren, who was still bound by ropes and a prisoner under their watch. ******** ( Eren¡¯s POV ) Eren had been unable to move for the past three days straight. No matter how much he mumbled, thrashed or screamed, neither Ben, nor ¡®TheBoss¡¯ paid him any attention. The duo ignored him as if he did not even exist, while the military officer did nce towards him, but did not dare start a conversation. In his mind, Eren had cooked up such borate stories to get out of this mess, as he nned to lure ¡®TheBoss¡¯ with promises of fame and fortune if only he let him speak once, however, he did not. For 3 days, he was offered no food and no water and despite his character falling into a state of severe weakness, suffering from low stamina, his captors showed him no mercy. In the end, all the nning and all the stories that he cooked up in his mind were for naught as right up till the moment that he reached Thumba City and was dragged out of the carriage like a dog, nobody gave him the chance to open his mouth even once. If it were him, he could have never resisted the suspense¡­. He would have unbound his prisoner and started to thoroughly investigate him, however, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ did not. Chill and carefree, the man seemed to be free of the sin of curiosity, as up till the end he did not show any interest in the secrets that Eren held. Chapter 409: No Free Meals Chapter 409: No Free Meals ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was greeted personally by Arch-Duke Nico Paz when he arrived at his mansion in Thumba City. ¡°Greetings Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Sir Ben Faulkner, thank-you so much for capturing and escorting this criminal to my city¡± Nico said, as he signaled for his men to take custody of Eren. Judging purely based on appearance, Duke Nico did not seem like a special man. He had the looks of an average middle-aged man who was slender with red hair. However, instead of having fiery red hair, he had lustreless red hair that looked more sad rather than eye-catching. Nheless, his physical features did not matter, as once Leo tried to assess his level, he was met with a block of question marks, suggesting that the Duke was a man of significant ability. [ Arch-Duke Nico Paz ] ( Knight ) ( Lv- ???) ¡°Greetings Arch-Duke, we are justpleting the mission entrusted to us by the Emperor, so there is no need to thank us¡± Leo replied, as he shook hands with the Duke. Almost immediately, Leo could feel the man¡¯s strength as his grip was as strong as his master Ben, if not stronger. ¡®This man is strong¡­¡¯ Leo thought, as he realized that the Duke was a master level fighter himself for sure. ¡°Please, join me for lunch, I insist. I know you have traveled from afar, so please give me an opportunity to show you the southern hospitality, even if it¡¯s just for a day¡± the Duke said, as hepletely ignored the pressing issue of interrogating the Demon Whisperer and seemed to instead focus on having lunch with Ben and Leo. ¡°Are you sure that you have time for this? Duke Nico? Should you not be interrogating the Demon Whisperer at once?¡± Ben asked, raising an eyebrow as Duke Nico simply waved him off. ¡°The Vice-Commander is already on it. He will probably need a few hours to break the morale of the captive, so we can have lunch in peace before I¡¯m needed in the interrogation room¡± Nico said as he seemed to overestimate the mettle of the Demon Whisperer. In Ben¡¯s understanding, the Demon Whisperer was going to sing like a canary the second his restraints were removed, however, the Duke did not seem to know that yet. ¡°Very well¡­. Please lead the way¡± Ben said, gesturing for Nico to lead the way as he followed him into the mansion. ******* As Ben and Leo entered the Arch-Duke¡¯s mansion, the two were stunned by the luxury that the Duke lived in. A few seconds after soaking the scenery in, the two looked towards each other at the same time with a knowing look in their eyes, as they conveyed their sadness without sharing a word. ¡®This is the life we dreamed off¨C¡¯ both thought at the same time, as they were reminded of their dreams before they reached the Crest-Hill Barony. Duke Nico had it all¡­.. beautiful maids, a luxurious mansion, a luxurious city to look over while getting adored by the masses¡­.. It was the dream life that Ben and Leo had, however, they did not get to live it while others did. Letting out a deep sigh, the two thought about how they would someday get here too, however, that someday was probably still a few years of hard work away at the least. Led straight to the dining table, Leo and Ben were presented with a wide array of southern speciality dishes, as before talking business, Duke Nico insisted that they have a hearty lunch first. ¡°Please, have some of our southern speciality dishes¡­. Us southerners do enjoy a good meal with a slight spicy kick to it¡± The Duke said, as his staff served several vorful dishes to the duo, which packed a real punch. For 40 minutes, Leo and Ben were treated to some of the most exquisite cuisine within the world of Terra Nova and they thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. However, the more patient that the Duke was and the more expensive the dishes became, the more nervous Leo became as he knew that nothing came for ¡®Free¡¯ within noble society. Since the Duke was taking so much of his precious time and investing it in Ben and Leo, he surely had an equally big ask from them too. ¡°I¡¯m full¡­. I can¡¯t eat anymore¡± Leo said eventually, as after eating the fifth dessert he really had no room to eat anything anymore. ¡°I¡¯m full too¡­. Thank-you for the amazing meal Duke Nico¡± Ben said, as the maids cleared their tes from the table and swiftly left the room, leaving Duke Nico alone inside with Ben and Leo. ¡°Respected Sir Ben¡­.. and young champion ¡®TheBoss¡¯, I have a slight request to make if you will consider hearing it¡­..¡± Nico said, as at that moment Leo scoffed slightly. He knew that the lunch was a facade and that the Duke¡¯s real intention was to ask them for a favor, however, since the food was genuinely good, Leo decided to lend the Duke an ear. ¡°Please go on¡­. Since the Arch-Duke wants our help with something, the least we can do is to lend you an ear. However, whether we help you or not will depend on the nature of your request and thepensation you give us¡± Leo said, as Ben nodded at his words. The two of them had been away from Crest-Hill Barony for too long and if the Duke¡¯s request was going to consume too much of their time then Ben was not keen on epting it. However, for the right price, everything was negotiable, hence he did not mind hearing the request first. ¡°As you must already know¡­. There has been a rebel movement gaining steam within the Southern Duchy. A Viscounty has already been captured by the rebels and they are nning to expand thend that they control as well. I wish tounch a counter-operation against them, however, with them holding citizens hostage, I¡¯m afraid thatunching a counter-operation will lead to a loss in lives ofmon people. Hence, I can¡¯t help but turn to the two of you for help¡­.¡± Nico said, as to the surprise for Leo, the Arch-Duke seemed to approach him with a problem regarding the ¡®Uprising¡¯. Chapter 410: Request Chapter 410: Request ¡°As you may already know, a rebel movement has been gaining momentum within the Southern Duchy. The rebels have already captured a viscounty and are nning to expand the territory under their control. I wish tounch a counter-operation against them, but with citizens being held hostage, I fear that any aggressive action could result in the loss of innocent lives. Therefore, I find myself turning to the two of you for assistance,¡± Nico said, as Leo chuckled internally at his words. Nico had no idea that Leo was a silent member in the uprising guild and that the same rebels that he sought assistance to destroy were the same ones that Leo was supporting for his own gains. ¡°What exact assistance are you looking for? If you think that we can infiltrate the Viscounty and free it from the hold of thousands of rebels, then you¡¯re overestimating our capabilities. We are Assassin¡¯s and our speciality is not one vs one million warfare¡± Ben said, as he sarcastically urged Nico to be more specific. ¡°Naturally, I understand that Assassin¡¯s like yourself can¡¯t take out entire rebel governments, but what about some key personnel? If wepile a list of their leaders, can you take them out?¡± Nico asked, as Ben looked towards Leo for confirmation. Shrugging his shoulders, Leo disyed his nonchnce over the matter as he already knew that taking yers out was never going to be possible. While yers could be imprisoned, there was no other ¡®Permanent¡¯ solution to eliminate them, since death within the world of Terra Nova was not permanent. ¡°We will take up this mission Duke, however, only for the right price¡± Ben said, as he expressed his willingness to work for the Duke as long as he waspensated fairly for his work. ¡°Naturally¡­. I wouldn¡¯t expect an Assassin of your stature to work for free. Whether it¡¯s territory, money, artifacts or my influence, as long as I can provide for them, I will happily pay you a price that you feel is fair¡± Nico said, as Ben nodded at his words. ¡°Very well then Duke, call for us when you have a list ready¡­. We will quote a price based on the number of targets and mission difficulty¨C¡± Ben said, as Duke Nico stood up from his chair to shake hands with Ben. ¡°Thank-you for your help, Master Ben¡± Nico said, as Ben curtly nodded his head and signaled for Leo to exit the room. However, right before he left, Ben made sure to add the sentence that Nico needed to hurry to get them that information as they were not nning to stay in the Southern Duchy for too long. ¡°Also Duke¡­. We are here for two more days, so try and get me my information by then. If not, we wille back toplete your mission after 15 days. We can¡¯t leave Crest-Hill Barony unattended for too long afterall¡± Ben said, as he did not give Nico any chance to retort and left the mansion. ********* ( Meanwhile Eren ) As soon as Eren was taken to a proper prison and pped with chains, a system notification told him that he had lost all his levels. [ System Notification :- The Demon Whisperer has been caught by the human camp and hence loses all levels ] [ System Notification :- The penalty for the unique ss ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ is triggered and yer Eren is now pped with a 120 days leveling penalty where you cannot gain any levels for another 120 days. All the excess stat points that you have gathered throughout your gaming journey have now been removed and your physique returns to level 0 ] [ System Notification :- The special ss ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ now bes inactive as after being captured by humans the demons shall no longer trust you as one of their own. You can now either choose to support the humans against the demons in the war, or restart your life outside the Empire once you secure your release in-game. ] [ System Notification :- Time before yers release use is activated 120d: 00 h: 00 mins ] As soon as Eren was officially captured by forces of the Empire, his unique ss¡¯s failure condition triggered and he was pped with several penalties. Already weak from starvation, once his strength returned to that of a level 0 yer, he simply copsed, hanging by the support of his chains as he could not longer even stand on his own two feet. The parched sensation in his throat tripled as he started to feel really thirsty, however, as he opened his eyes and looked into the eyes of his captors, he knew that he was going to receive no water from them as mercy. ¡°Water¡­. Please, I¡¯ve had nothing to drink for three whole days¡­. Please¡­. Water, I beg you¡± Eren said as soon as his choker was removed, however, Vice Commander Phill was in no mood to give in to demands. ¡°You want water? Sure buddy¡­. Why don¡¯t you tell us the name of the current demon king and the names of his underlings, and then maybe we give you a sip¡± Phill said, expecting Eren to spit on his face and rebel, however, Eren proved to be shockingly co-operative. ¡°The current Demon King is called Anos. Everyone respects him, and the only underling of his that I know is Count Vaugn¡­. He¡¯s a powerful man too but nowhere near the Demon Kings level. Count Vaugn was the one to kidnap me and take me to the Demon King¡¯s castle¡­. I¡¯ll tell you the full story but give me water first¡± Eren said, as the whole interrogation room was stunned by how easily he sang. ¡®Was it supposed to be this easy?¡¯ Phill wondered genuinely as he signaled for an underling to feed Eren some water. *Gulp* *Gulp* *Gulp* Quickly drinking the whole bottle, Eren tried to rehydrate himself as fast as he could, however, given how thirsty he was, one ss was far from enough to satiate him. ¡°Want more? Tell me that story¡­.¡± Phill said, as Eren took in arge breath of air and began narrating his story truthfully from the start. Chapter 411: Revenge Ploy Chapter 411: Revenge Ploy ¡°The current Demon King is called Anos, he has a powerful ck dragon as his subordinate and he is worshiped throughout the demon realm as a dragon rider¡± Eren began, as listening to his words Vice Commander Phill felt shocked to his core. ¡°A dragon? There are no dragons on this continent anymore. That species went extinct years ago¨C¡± Phill said, as he did not believe that the Demon King was a dragon rider. ¡°It¡¯s true ¡­.. I¡¯ve seen the ck Dragon sleeping outside his pce with my own eyes. The Dragons are alive and he rules them¡± Eren said, as goosebumps went down Phill¡¯s spine when he heard these words. Dragons were mythical creatures that gained power akin to the ¡®Master¡¯ realm when they were a prepubescent child. An adolescent dragon had a high probability of having power akin to a ¡®Grandmaster¡¯ fighter, while a full-blown adult dragon had strength even beyond the Grandmaster realm. It was because of this shocking power of the beasts that they were hailed as cmities, however, despite the strength of the dragons, throughout history there has been a few limited individuals who had managed to subdue a dragon into their own personal mounts. These individuals known as ¡®Dragon Riders¡¯ were powers that could shape the entire continent, and whenever a Dragon Rider was born it usually marked a period in history where only the dragon riders achievements mattered, as he/she became the end level boss for that period in history. Ever since the Unity Empire was established, not once did it see any raids by a rogue dragon, nor did it face a wyvern raid. The popr opinion was that the dragons had naturally gone extinct since their poption was declining rapidly through the centuries, however, nobody expected that not only were the dragons alive, but that their biggest enemy was a Dragon Rider. ¡°How strong is the Demon King if he can even subdue a Dragon? Is he already a Grandmaster? Or is he really a transcendent level fighter?¡± Phill asked, his heart heavy as he did not wish to believe that humanity¡¯s biggest opponent was so formidable. ¡°I don¡¯t know how strong the demon king is¡­.. but he is young, vibrant, domineering and full of life. He¡¯s not an old pile of bones and the other demons under him, who are master realm or stronger, all shit their pants when he lifts a finger. The Demon King is the real deal¡± Eren said, as he painted a grim picture about the demon king and his powers. Eren¡¯s description reinforced Phill¡¯s belief that the demon king was an entity that could not be messed with, however, he kept probing just in-case. ¡°So tell me, does the Demon King have any weaknesses?¡± ¡°Tell me about the Demon Capital City?¡± ¡°Tell me about the Demon King¡¯s Castle?¡± ¡°Tell me about the Demon King¡¯s Underlings?¡± ¡°Tell me about¡­.¡± One after another, Phill interrogated Eren for everything he knew about the demons, as Eren co-operated and sang like a canary. *********** ( Meanwhile, inside the Demon King¡¯s Pce ) ¡°My King¡­.. we have locked down the position of the target ¡­.. the Demon Whisperer seems to be held in a human prison on the Southern Edge of the human controlled Empire. To reach this ce one must travel deep into the heart of human territory, which will not be easy. Please reconsider going in alone¡± The demon subordinate said with his head bown, as he presented a magic crystal to Anos with a live-feed of Eren being interrogated by his human captors. Taking the crystal orb in his palms, Anos observed it carefully for a while before cing it aside as he ran his fingers through his subordinates hair. ¡°Who made this request? Was it you or was it my mother the seer?¡± Anos asked, as the subordinate began trembling when faced with this question. It was indeed the previous queen who had requested that his son did not go on this dangerous mission, however, since she knew that she could not tell him this directly, she sent a minion to pass on her message. ¡°If she forbids me from going then it means that there is a slight probability that I might die on this mission. Considering that I n to go in on my trusted mount, if there is still a threat on my life, then the humans are wayy more formidable than I expected them to be¡­.¡± Anos said, pacing around the room as he contemted his decision on whether or not he wanted to go alone. ¡°Very well ¡­ I won¡¯t go alone¡­.. inform 10 wyvern riders to escort me on this mission. Tell them to prepare supplies and medicine, for we fly out in a few hours¡± Anos said, as instead of canceling the mission, he decided to take additional help with him, which would minimize his chances of death. ¡°Right away My King¡­.. it will be the honor of any wyvern rider to follow you into battle¨C¡± The subordinate said, as he swiftly took his leave. Anos¡¯s mother was a ¡®Seer¡¯ , she could see futures that mighte to pass and it was her who had seen Anos bing a demon king as a vision in his childhood. However, while she could gaze into the future, the visions she saw were not certain. Over the years she had seen many futures that never came to be or the ones that were avoided with prior care and hence it was concluded that her powers only showed her what could be, but not anything certain. However, since she had foreseen that Anos might face some problems if he went into this revenge raid alone, not wanting to take any chances with his life, Anos decided to add 10 wyvern riders to his pack, just to make sure that any unexpected situation was ounted for. ¡°Drogo is an adolescent dragon now¡­.. there is no way a human can fight against it¡± Anos murmured to himself, as while he did not have faith in his own strength, he had faith in the power of his mount, and its ability to destroy human cities. Chapter 412: Leo meets Jacob Chapter 412: Leo meets Jacob ( Leo¡¯s POV ) ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want toe with me to meet my mother? I think she would be thrilled to meet you, master¨C¡± Leo said, as he tried to convince Ben toe meet his mother. ¡°Nah, boy, you should go on your own. You¡¯re meeting her after a long time, so you should spend those precious first moments in solitude. I¡¯ll meet her next time. Afterall we are here for two more days¡± Ben said, as he very considerately decided to not impose himself between a mother-son reunion. ¡°Are you sure master? What will you even do alone in this unknown city?¡± Leo said, as Ben shrugged his shoulders and pointed at the scenery around. ¡°I¡¯ll loiter around and explore, what else?¡± Ben said, as he patted Leo on the head and headed off in a different direction to where Leo was going. Leo¡¯s destination was the central market where his mother worked in a Baker¡¯s shop, apparently she was a ¡®Gourmet Chef¡¯ and was currently learning the art of making different types of breads and desserts from an experienced senior baker. In Leo¡¯s mind, the Gourmet Chef ss suited Elena perfectly as she was really not built forbat at all. Kind and gentle, she was the perfect housewife, however Leo seriously doubted if she could even kill a cockroach if she had to. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll buy a nice restaurant for her¡­. I have enough money, I can definitely finance her dreams¡­¡± Leo murmured to himself on his way to the Bakery, as now that he was going to go meet his mother, Leo thought about how he could improve her life when he was there. Absentmindedly, Leo reached the central market without changing into his ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ persona, as it wasn¡¯t until he saw his own reflection off the Bakery¡¯s disy ss that he realized that he was still wearing the Virex Corps mask and ck Assassin Robes. ¡®Oops¡­. Guess I got to change¡¯ Leo thought to himself as he chuckled and kept moving forward, turning into a back-alley just behind the bakery kitchen which looked dark and abandoned. Once there, Leo scanned his surroundings for any onlookers, however, once he could find none he slowly started to change, starting with his Assassin¡¯s belt which he loosened first. At that point¡­.. suddenly, Leo felt someone applying a choke-hold on his neck, as to his absolute horror, someone had snuck past his detection senses and seemed to be intent on killing him. ********** ( Ghost¡¯s POV ) Jacob felt fairly excited to meet his son Leo in-person for the first time in a long time. Although he was aware that neither Leo nor Luke were particrly fond of him, as a father he did not really mind too much about those particrs. The two little runts had formed from his seed and for him that was enough reason to love them for life, regardless of whether or not they loved him back. It wasn¡¯t until he reached just outside the Bakery that he recalled that he was yet to kill his prey for today. With only a couple gaming hours left for the day, Jacob felt that he was better off killing one individual now, rather than putting it off forter, as although he was within a city with abundant prey all around, ying it too close to the chest was never a smart choice. Just then, he saw a suspicious man dressed in ck robes enter the back-alley of the Bakery and since he was already near the Bakery himself, Jacob decided to target that very individual. ¡®Scouting my wife¡¯s workce? What for?¡¯ Jacob thought as he sneakily followed the suspicious individual and waited for his chance to perform a silent takedown. Up-till now, Jacob had not performed a threat analysis. He did not inspect his target¡¯s level, as having full faith in his take-down abilities, he did not fear any yer. As the suspicious ck robed man started to remove his utility belt and disrobe, Jacob saw his opportunity to strike and quickly activated his [ Silent Takedown ] maneuver. Without making a sound, he snuck up behind his target and applied a choke-hold to slowly suffocate him. In his mind, it was a done-deal¡­.. Once he applied the choke, he did not expect his target to be able to move a muscle, however, to his absolute horror the target swung his legs up in the air and then brought them down with enough momentum tounch Jacob into the air, reversing the choke-hold. ¡°What the fuck¡­.¡± Jacob said out loud, as he could not even begin to fathom the sheer strength needed to perform this maneuver, as without having precise training, unbelievable flexibility and unfathomable strength, performing this counter was next to impossible. *THUD* mming into the garbage dumpster nearby, where the bakery disposed of its excess food waste, Jacob felt winded as he took out a pocket knife and faced his target while covering his vitals. ¡°Trying to kill me? You¡¯re out of your depth¡­.¡± the opponent said, his voice and ent sounding not too different from Jacob¡¯s own, as Jacob felt a humbling gut-punchnd on his abdomen. *PHA¨C* Jacob could not even see his opponent move in the shadows as whether it was speed, power, or technique, for the first time in his life, Jacob feltpletely outmatched. -170 -70 -170 -220 -540 CRITICAL HIT! . . . -120 Brutally breaking one bone at a time, Leo did not give Jacob a simple death, but an utterly painful one, as without his daggers and utility belt he used his fists to end his opponent¡¯s life in a bare-knuckle fight. To his surprise, despite the pain and the clear strength disadvantage, his opponent made the right blocks at the right time and even his movement was elite level, setting him up to counter perfectly. However, the level disparity between the two was just too much for the man to ovee as whenever he blocked, he broke a bone, while his counters were too slow to pose a real threat to Leo. ¡°Fuck off eh, old man¡± Leo said, kicking him square on the face as he ended his life, as while he did not recognise the face at the start of the fight, by the end Leo knew exactly who he was fighting. The opponent¡¯s face was unmistakably that of his dad and Leo showed him no mercy even after finding out who he was. Chapter 413: Silent Acknowledgement Chapter 413: Silent Acknowledgement ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo was stunned when someone applied a choke-hold on his neck out of the blue, however, thankfully the enemy¡¯s level was not too high. With his strength Leo was able to counter the move and throw the enemy away, however, a weaker man would have easily died. *THUD* As the enemy crashed against the dustbin, Leo got the opportunity to look at his face. ¡®Huh? Isn¡¯t that the stinky old man?¡¯ Leo thought, as he immediately recognised his opponent to be none other than Jacob Skyshard, his absentee father. ¡°Trying to kill me? You¡¯re out of your depth¨C¡± Leo said with contempt as he closed in on his father, his fists balled. At first Leo wanted to hit his father square on the jaw, however, like a trained boxer, Jacob defended his face expertly, putting up a proper guard. Leo could foresee that if he tried to hit the old man in the face it would actually backfire against him as it opened him to a jab and hence he attacked his abdomen instead. *PUI* Leo expected his father to fall on his knees winded when his punch connected, however, just before his punch connected, his father pulled his stomach within and started to move his hips backwards to soften the blue. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t enough to mitigate the impact as Leo connected hard, it was still enough for him to not take critical damage, as he managed to stay standing on his feet. ¡®What the fuck? This old man has crazy reflexes¡¯ Leo thought, as the more he fought against his father the more he realized that his father was a fundamentally wless opponent. Despite the level gap between them being over 150 levels, the old man was able to block his punches and exploit his openings to attempt a counter, in what was a very high level ofbat. Had the difference between them been less than 50 levels, Leo could have lost this fight, however, as things stood he won without breaking a sweat. [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for killing yer ¡®Ghost¡¯ ( Level 143 ) in one vs onebat. Since the opponent attacked you first, you will not be penalized with infamy points ] As Leo finally ended Jacobs life, he realized that he was panting profusely. Despite therge level gap between them, fighting against Jacob felt like a spar against Ben and Leo had to be on his toes to win. ¡°I had master Ben to teach me how to fight¡­.. but who taught that old bastard to be so stealthy and powerful? He¡¯s definitely not simple¡­. Level 143 and he is already so ferocious, if he bes a top ranker won¡¯t he be stronger than myself and Luke?¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he felt a chill run down his spine. While the newbies had a 6 month double EXP period which helped them gain levels faster, it also meant that the newbies could not waste this time to learn proper skills, since practicing skills would make them lose out on precious leveling time. However, Jacob was not only quite high leveled for a newbie, but he was exceptionally skilled too. It took Leo months worth of intense training under Ben to be this proficient inbat and Ben was already the number one Assassin in the Empire. To say that there was no better teacher than Ben Faulkner in the Empire was not an understatement, yet Jacob Skyshard seemed to be this formidable on his own. ¡°That guy is definitely fishy¡­. He must have been a thug back on Earth, because there is no way he has learnt how to fight so skilfully after arriving at Terra Nova. I must keep my gentle mother away from this monster¡­.¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he quickly changed his clothes and prepared to enter his mother¡¯s bakery under the ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ identity. ********** ( Meanwhile Jacob ) [ System Notification :- You have been killed by yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ( Lv ???? ) ] [ System Notification :- You have lost 2 levels upon your death. Respawning in 5¡­4¡­3¡­2¡­1 ] As Jacob respawned back in Thumba city he couldn¡¯t help but feel his arms shake with anger. ¡± I¨C I lost a fight?¡± He wondered, as he grit his teeth and reyed the sequence of events that had just happened. The fight between himself and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was definitely a battle between experts, as although the opponent was stronger and faster than him, his skills were no joke either. He was clearly not as experienced as Jacob inbat, but even as a newbie, his skills and reflexes were top-notch. ¡°So that was the strength of the number one yer¡­.. not bad. It seems like I¡¯m still a far cry from the rankers. In the end I could not evennd a single hit on my opponent¨C¡± Jacob muttered to himself, as he looked towards the sky and etched this indignation into his heart. ¡°The Boss¡­. What were you doing behind my wife¡¯s bakery? Was it really a coincidence that I met you here?¡± Jacob muttered, as ording to his information, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was supposed to be in the Eastern Duchy and Jacob¡¯s senses as a special ops told him that it was too coincidental that he found such a bigshot in a dark alley. ¡°Well¡­. Someday I will pay you back for this humiliation¡­. I promise¡± Jacob said, as he shook off the loss and let out a big sigh. He had already lost two levels today and if he did not wish to go back to level zero he quickly needed to kill a yer and meet with his wife and son at the bakery. ¡°Crap, I should hurry or else Elena will be upset¡± Jacob muttered to himself as he hurriedly found a yer to kill so that he could be on his way to the bakery. Chapter 414: Leo meets Elena Chapter 414: Leo meets Elena ( Leo¡¯s POV, The Bakery Shop ) As soon as Leo entered the Baker¡¯s shop, Elena rushed over from behind the counter that she was working from and gave Leo a big warm hug. ¡°Leo my boy!¡± Elena eximed in joy, as she ran her fingers through Leo¡¯s hair and held him close to her chest. Instantly, the embrace melted away the year-long separation like snow beneath the sun. All the months of distance and uncertainty dissolved into the warmth of Elena¡¯s arms as the weight of time and distance, which had been a constant shadow over Leo, seemed to vanish as if it had never existed. Leo had missed this feeling over the past year more than he had allowed himself to acknowledge, and now that he was here, it felt like a dream. The sensation of his mother¡¯s touch was warm and wholesome, grounding him in a moment he had longed for but feared might nevere. In that hug, Leo found a refuge from the loneliness he had endured for the past year, and for a brief moment, he felt like a child again¡ªsafe, loved and cherished. As they embraced, Leo inhaled deeply, catching the faint scent of flour mingling with Elena¡¯s sweat, a familiar aroma that transported him back to their small apartment on Earth. For Leo, his mother¡¯s scent while baking was theforting scent of home¡ªa reminder of his mother bustling in their tiny kitchen, preparing meals with love. It made him nostalgic for simpler times when life was carefree and dinner was always tasty. *Sob* *Sob* A few seconds into their hug, Leo suddenly felt Elena beginning to sob, as her warm tears fell against his shoulder. Although she said nothing, the sensation of his mother crying while embracing him, stirred something deep within him, prompting him to hold her even tighter. In that instant, Leo¡¯s usuallyposed demeanor shattered, and tears began to flow freely from his eyes too. The emotions he felt in this moment were overwhelming, they were like a bittersweet tide of joy and sadness, as he felt happy to see his mother being safe and happy, while also simultaneously feeling sad at not being able to see her for over a year. When Leo had first left Earth, he had been uncertain if he would ever see his mother again. Yet here they were, against all odds, together again in this digital world and it felt nothing short of a miracle. ¡°Leo¡­.¡± Elena said softly, as she slowly let go of him, to properly inspect her boy¡¯s face. Wiping some tears off her eyes, she smiled heartily while inspecting every inch of Leo¡¯s body as the surrounding customers within the bakery gave Leo weird looks. ¡°Why have you grown so thin? Are you not eating well?¡± Elena asked while pumping Leo¡¯s forearms which were as hard as a rock. As Leo took a nce at his arms which had vascr veins popping from them and which looked like they belonged to an elite athlete, he could not understand how his mother was mistaking him to be thin, however, he did not utter a word in protest. ¡°I¡¯m eating fine ma, don¡¯t worry about me¡± Leo said, adjusting a loose strand of his mother¡¯s hair as he smiled kindly towards her. ¡°Elena! Your work-shift is not over¡­. You can¡¯t take a break right now¨C¡± someone shouted from the background, as Elena suddenly flinched when she heard these words. The woman who had shouted these words was the master baker who ran this shop and under whose apprenticeship Elena was, however, Leo still did not appreciate her tone. ¡°Let me handle this mother¨C¡± Leo said, as he walked up to the counter where the master baker stood and simply took out a bag of gold from his inventory. ¡°Inside this is 10,000 gold coins¡­.. I actually live in the Eastern Duchy and I¡¯m meeting my mother for the first time in years. How about you take this money and let my mother clock out early from work today?¡± Leo asked politely, as the olddy let out a deep sigh. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s only two hours left till work ends anyways¡± she said, epting the money which was akin to a couple days worth of sales for the Bakery. ¡°Thank-you so much, kind miss¡± Leo said, shing a charming smile as he took his leave from the Bakery and dragged Elena with him. ¡°Wait! Wait Leo¡­. My apron! I have to remove my apron!¡± Elena protested, as she quickly tossed aside her work apron and followed Leo out to the street where the two could talk without customers giving them weird looks. ¡°Wow¡­. My son has grown up so much, he even convinced Madam Tasha to give me early leave. Madam Tasha never gives me early leave¡­.¡± Elena said, an emotional tear streaking from her eye as she could not believe just how big and powerful Leo had be. ¡°Hahaha¡­. I have money now ma, if you don¡¯t want to work under that old woman then you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ll buy a nice bakery and staff for you¡± Leo said, as Elena shook her head. ¡°No¨C, she¡¯s just strict, but she¡¯s not bad. I learn a lot from working there and I¡¯m nowhere near ready to start my own culinary adventure! I still have a lot to learn¨C¡± Elena said, as she suddenly paused while walking. ¡°Eh? What happened mom? Why did you pause so suddenly?¡± Leo asked, as Elena turned back towards the bakery and silently began walking back towards it. ¡°Your father¡­. I told him to meet us at the bakery, he will get lost if we don¡¯t meet him there¡± Elena said, as she seemed to suddenly recall that the two of them were supposed to meet Jacob there. Naturally, Leo¡¯s face darkened at the mention of his useless father, however, since it seemed like Elena was keen on meeting the old man, Leo said nothing and simply followed her withoutints. Chapter 415: A liar Chapter 415: A liar ( Leo¡¯s POV, Outside The Bakery Shop ) Leo and Elena waited patiently for Jacob to show up outside the Bakery Shop, as Leo excitedly heard Elena talk about all of the exciting experiences that she had in the past few months. ¡°Do you know Leo, Rita is really impressed with you! She thinks you¡¯re some super big shot within the gaming world since you¡¯re the number two yer. You should have seen her face when she¡­..¡± Elena said excitedly, the pitch of her voice going up, down, sideways and all around as Leo simply smiled and pretended to nod when he was not really listening to anything. For Leo, there were only two most important individuals in his life. The first one was his mother, and the second was his brother. For him these two came even before his own self and if he needed to sacrifice his own life for theirs he would do it in a heartbeat. Apart from these two, there was only one individual in the real world that Leo cared for deeply, which was Amanda, while he shared a close bond with Ben in the virtual world. However, this was it. Apart from these four individuals Leo did not care about anyone in the universe, and he did not mind backstabbing anyone either. While without these four, his life felt empty, now that Elena was back in his life, Leo felt like his world wasplete once again, as just knowing that he could visit his mother anytime if he really wanted to was enough for Leo to feel content in his heart. ¡°Oh right! Leo! Rita is a very pretty girl¡­.. Do you want me to introduce you to her? You¡¯re at the age where you should start dating girls¡­. And I approve of Rita¨C¡± Elena said, stars sparkling in her eyes, as although she had only met Leo for less than 20 minutes, she already delved into his dating life. ¡°No¨C no! There is no need to introduce anyone, I already have a girlfriend¨C¡± Leo said, putting his arms up defensively, as a big ¡®O¡¯ formed on Elena¡¯s face. ¡°Oh my god! You have a girlfriend and you haven¡¯t told me yet? Who is she? Where is she from? How did you two meet? Does she have a family on your Arc Ship? Have you already met her family? Is she pregnant? Are you kids using protection?¡± Elena asked excitedly, bombing Leo with questions after questions which made Leo feel a little overwhelmed. Leo appreciated Elena¡¯s enthusiasm, however, bombarded with so many questions at once made him confused as to where he should even begin from? ¡°Her name is Amanda¡­. We met on the Arc Ship, she was my roommate in sector D. She¡¯s a nice girl¡­. I like her a lot and no, we are not having sex, so we are not using protection¨C¡± Leo replied with a flushed face as Elena nodded with the utmost attention. Using her super mom abilities, she scanned every small expression change on Leo¡¯s face and in the end concluded that he was smitten with Amanda. ¡°Oh my god¡­. Your cheeks flushed when you said her name¡­. You are so smitten¡­. It¡¯s cute¡± Elena said, approving of their rtionship, which made Leo blush even more. When he thought about his first re-union with Elena, this was definitely not what he had in mind, however, somehow it still felt warm, as the distance between the two was non-existent. Although they had not talked to each other much over the past year, their rtionship had not changed at all. From the moment Elena hugged him, they restarted from the same point that they left off from, with Elena still asking him all the most private questions that Leo would dare not respond to, if it were anyone else. There was no small talk. There was no awkwardness. There was no ice to thaw, as the bond between the mother and son remainedpletely unchanged. *Cough* Coughing slightly, Leo was about to try and change the topic, when a manly voice interrupted them. ¡°Apologies¡­. I¡¯m slightlyte¨C¡± a manly voice said, as Jacob Skyshard finally arrived outside the bakery. ¡°Leo look! Your dad is here!¡± Elena said in joy, as she felt eager to watch the first interaction between the father and son after several decades of separation. For a moment, Jacob stood before Elena and Leo, his gazending on his son, who stared back at him with defiance. Despite the tension between them, Leo kept his hostility in check for Elena¡¯s sake and politely extended his hand for Jacob to shake as he simply did not wish to ruin his mother¡¯s mood. ¡°Leo,¡± Jacob said curtly, shaking his son¡¯s hand as although his heart secretly longed for a hug, he kept his emotions hidden behind a stoic exterior. ¡°Jacob,¡± Leo replied, his tone smug as although outwardly, he addressed his father by his name, but internally, he called him ¡°Scum.¡± For a while, Elena waited eagerly for the two to embrace, hoping for a reconciliation. However, after the handshake, the duo stuffed their hands into their pockets, refusing to speak further. Much to Elena¡¯s dismay, the air between the two was thick with unspoken words, leaving her in the midst of a painfully awkward interaction. ¡°Leo, your father is very proud of your achievements¡­.. Unlike me he is very tech savvy, so he knew about you being the number two yer since way back¡­.¡± Elena said, trying to jump start a conversation between the two, however, Leo only coldly shrugged his shoulders to thisment. He did not care if Jacob was proud of him or not, as for him, the opinion of that man simply did not matter. ¡°Just like you¡­. Your father is also a nonbat ss yer. He¡¯s an architect, he builds weapons and buildings¨C¡± Elena said, as at this moment Leo felt his ears starting to ring up. ¡°Is that so?¡± Leo asked, a fox-like expression spreading on his face, as in his mind he already painted his father as a lying piece of shit. Chapter 416: Storming Off Chapter 416: Storming Off ¡°Just like you¡­. Your father is also a nonbat ss yer. He¡¯s an architect, he builds weapons and buildings¨C¡± Elena said, as Leo instantly assumed the worst. ¡°Oh is that so?¡± He said with a wicked smile on his face as he sized his father up and down. ¡°Are you really an architect?¡± Leo asked, as Jacob, although hesitant, nodded his head. In reality Jacob did not wish to lie to his son, however, with Elena present he did not wish to reveal his true profession either since he knew that Elena disapproved of killing and violence in general. ¡°Huh¨C¡± Leo scoffed as he could not believe his own ears. The old man was clearly a killer and not just from Terra Nova but probably back on Earth as well and was manipting his mother into thinking that he was a harmless nonbatant. ¡°I¡¯m so d the three of us don¡¯t kill for a living¡­.. I¡¯ve talked with Luke too, he¡¯s a Knight and he says he has to do some fighting asionally, but I don¡¯t really approve of it. Violence always breeds violence and nobody should getfortable with killing human beings. If you start gettingfortable with killing people within this realistic game, it won¡¯t be too long before you getfortable being a killer in reality as well, and hence I hope that Luke only sticks to killing monsters and does not raise his weapon against humans¡± Elena said, as both Jacob and Leo had the same exact reaction to her words. Both father and son felt their left eye flutter at Elena¡¯s words, as they tried hard to suppress the emotions bubbling inside them. On one hand, they acknowledged the truth behind Elena¡¯s words and in an idealistic universe, perhaps her way of living was the best one. However, this universe was far from idealistic. In a dog eat dog world where the weak struggled and the strong thrived, morals such as non-violence were simply unrealistic, however, neither Jacob nor Leo had the heart to debate with Elena. ¡°Leo¡­.. you don¡¯t kill any humans, do you?¡± Elena asked, startling Leo as he hurriedly lied through his teeth. ¡°Me? No No No, I¡¯m a harmless merchant mom, how can I kill anyone?¡± Leo said, as he tried his best to keep a straight face, knowing that his mom could easily see through his lies. In Leo¡¯s mind, his lies were different from Jacob¡¯s lies because he was doing it to appease Elena, while he believed that Jacob was doing it to scam her. Leo wanted to badly expose that guy in front of his mom, however, before he could formte a proper n to expose him, Elena began ranting about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ out of the blue. ¡°You know¡­. There are a lot of kids here that idolize ¡®TheBoss¡¯ guy who is number one on the leaderboards. But I think my Leo is a much better role model. What does ¡®TheBoss¡¯ know except murder and killing? My boy is a much better role model to strive for¨C¡± Elena said, nodding her head vigorously as she felt her chest swelling with pride over how talented Leo was. Little did she know that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and her boy were one and the same and the same stone cold killer that she was criticizing today was none other than Leo. ¡°Ohe on now honey¡­. The Boss kid is very talented in fighting. What¡¯s wrong with the young ones looking up to someone talented as their role model?¡± Jacob said, as Elena puffed her cheeks at his words. ¡°You¡¯re an ex secret service agent, so of-course you adore fighters¡­¡± Elenained, as Leo¡¯s ears perked up for the second time in this same conversation today. Sizing up Jacob once more, Leo raised his eyebrows when he received this unexpected piece of news. ¡°You were a special forces agent in the apocalypse?¡± Leo asked, as Jacob gave him a curt nod. Although he did not borate on it, once Leo noticed his posture and his habit of constantly scouting for threats, he realized that the man was not really lying. ¡°Well¡­.Well¡­. Why am I not surprised?¡± Leo said, pping his face, as he felt a childhood memory of his resurface. When he was a kid and still loved Jacob he often cooked up fantasy stories in his head that his father was a secret service agent who was trying to save the country from disaster. However, as he matured, he realized that it did not matter if his father was trying to save the nation or not, as he had failed to save his family. While he was busy ying hero on foreign soil, his 18 year old son had to repair snow-covered rooftops on Christmas mornings just so that his family could afford turkey for christmas dinner. Hence, even if he was a hero like the young Leo wished him to be, in the end it did not really matter. ¡°Ha¡­hahahahaha¡­..¡± Leo said, as he slowly started to chuckle, hisughter getting louder and more hysterical, the more he assessed this situation. ¡°Well let me ask you this¡­. Super Spy¡­. When you were deployed on your ¡®Super¡¯ missions, did you or did you not receive pay? You left us with an inheritance of 500$. 500 freaking bucks and did not even send us a single paycheck after that. We thought you were dead¡­. But I guess you were just having too much fun to remember that you knocked up a woman twice and had two kids back home¨C¡± Leo said enraged, as he stormed off after making thisment. ¡°Leo¡­. Leo¡­.¡± He heard his mother scream behind him, however, Leo did not stop. He did not know why he felt this angry, but somehow he did. Until now, Leo thought he had grown numb to his father¡¯s presence. However, meeting him in person today and hearing his story of being an ex-secret service agent stirred emotions in Leo¡¯s heart that he thought were long buried. He feared that if he stayed for a tad bit longer, he would start longing for his father to return like he did as a kid, and hence he stormed off, as he did not wish to undergo that traumatizing experience once again. Chapter 417: Jacobs Regret Chapter 417: Jacob''s Regret Chapter 417: Jacob¡¯s Regret Once Leo stormed off, Elena helplessly looked at Jacob with her tears suppressed. Today was supposed to be a day of joy and family reunion, but it did not go the way that she expected it to go at all. Leo was visibly cold to Jacob and he did not seem keen on weing him back as a member of the family. ¡°Jacob¡­. Why didn¡¯t you tell him the truth? Why didn¡¯t you tell him your side of the story?¡± Elena asked, sounding frustrated, as she could not understand as to why Jacob would note clean in front of the kids. In reality Jacob had not left behind just a mere 500$ inheritance for his family, he had left behind a grand sum of $500,000. And this sum of money was not a one time amount either, but rather a monthly urrence with him sending back an additional 100,000 dors every month for thest twenty years, believing that his family was well taken care of with that money. Unfortunately, the individual that he entrusted this money to, was his brother Marco, and he was the one who cheated Elena and the kids out of their inheritance. Right before he was going to be deployed overseas for a rather important mission, Jacob trusted Marco, his elder brother, to look after his family and Marco promised to do so. However, as soon as Jacob left, he only passed on a mere 500$ of the 500,000$ inheritance that Jacob had left behind and did not pass on any subsequent pay checks either. For years, Jacob believed that his family was well taken care of whenever he talked to Marco, however, with Marco telling him that his family hated him after his deployment and that they never wished to see him again, Jacob never tried to contact Elena or the kids directly, since he was a gentleman at heart. After the first year into his deployment, Jacob was about toe back to his family, however, it was Marco who sent him pictures of Elena sitting with some other man in a cafe and telling him falsely that she had remarried. Heartbroken, Jacob decided to cancel his trip back home, since he no longer had one and decided to continue serving the country abroad. Aware of his obligations as a father, he made sure to send 70% of his paychecks back home, thinking he was paying for the education of his children and the lifestyle of Elena, however, it was all pocketed by Marco. For 18 years, his own brother conned him and his family, with Jacob being none the wiser. In the end, because of Marco, his kids hated him, his wife struggled to make ends meet and he lived an empty life without receiving the warmth of his family. It wasn¡¯t until the first batch of Arc Ships took off and the governments across the world totally copsed that Jacob returned to Washington DC and met Elena by chance in the poor slum district. For a while, he was stunned to see his once pretty wife dressed in such Haggard clothes, however, he still gathered the courage to approach her. Shockingly, instead of hating him or detesting him, Elena broke down in tears when she recognised his face, and proceeded to hug him tight. It was only then after Jacob talked to her that he realized that his whole life was a lie, and that for the past two decades his family had to undergo innumerable struggles in his absence. Elena had to sell off her jewelry, his children had to work odd jobs, and instead of the life of luxury that he wanted for them, they had to grow up in a tough environment with minimal resources. Naturally, listening to this reality of his family, Jacob was heartbroken, as he realized that he had failed them as the head of the household. Although Elena forgave him after hearing his side of the story, hepletely lost the chance to apologize to his kids who had already left Earth and this scarred him internally. On one hand he was a super smart secret service agent that could make entire governments tremble with his presence, however, on the other hand he was a foolish man who was fooled by his faith in his own brother. Never in his wildest dreams could Jacob imagine that his brother would betray him this way, however, when he arrived at his house to question him, Jacob was frustrated to find out that Marco had already left Earth alongside his wife and kid aboard the first round of Arc Ships. While Elena had to sell her own kidney to secure two tickets for Leo and Luke, Marco secured the tickets for his family from the years of money that Jacob had been sending home. ¡°I will not jump to conclusions here¡­. Since it¡¯s wrong to make assumptions without having all the facts, however, if you have really cheated my family Marco, then I will give you the most brutal death, no matter where you are in the universe¨C¡± Jacob swore, as he felt his entire body bubble with rage towards his brother. However, no matter how much Jacob regretted it now, the time that had passed was never going toe back and what was done could not be changed. He had missed the most beautiful moments of Luke and Leo¡¯s childhood and those moments were never going toe back. As a father, he had always dreamed of molding his children with his own ideals, making them mini versions of himself, imbued with his morals and values. However, that opportunity was now lost, with both Luke and Leo already fully grown. Thankfully, they had turned out to be good young men who cared for their mother and each other. Yet, Jacob still hadn¡¯t figured out how to apologize for the suffering they endured due to his foolish negligence. That was the main reason behind why he could not apologize to Leo today, as he simply did not understand where to even start. Chapter 418: Demons On The March Chapter 418: Demon''s On The March Chapter 418: Demon¡¯s On The March ( The Demon King¡¯s POV, just outside his castle ) Once it was confirmed that Eren was being held in the human city of Thumba, Anos began his preparations to fly to Thumba as he started to saddle up his ck Dragon Mount. [ Drogo ] ( Level 775 ) ( ck Dragon ) Anos¡¯s pet dragon was called ¡®Drogo¡¯ and even as an adolescent dragon, he was a level 775 beast. Drogo was so fearsome that nobody except for Anos had the guts to touch him, which was why whenever Anos wanted to ride Drogo over long distances, he had to personally fasten the saddles and help him equip the battle gear. ¡°Why are we targeting a human territory this time Anos? This is quite unlike yourid back personality¨C¡± Drogo said when Anos began preparing him, as unlike his fierce reputation, Drogo was actually a highly intelligent being. ¡°I have no other choice but to do this Drogo¡­. The demons under me are growing restless because of the war. If I don¡¯t re-assert my dominance, they will not respect me anymore¡± Anos said, as while he was a fake strongman in front of the world, in front of his mount he was quite honest. Anos had learnt quite a lot from Drogo and it was partly because of the ck dragon that Anos was not a brainless barbarian like the rest of his species. Although Anos had obtained Drogo as his mount through trickery, over the years the duo had be genuine friends. As Drogo matured and grew stronger, he gained the ability to destroy the entire Demon Kingdom if he wished to, however, he did not do so because of his bond with Anos. Drogo did not mind Anos ying the role of a bigshot and supported him from the shadows, as Anos let him live a life offort and luxury. Anos allowed Drogo to hunt within any part of the Demon territory that he wanted and brought him tons of ancient books to read in his free-time. Since Drogo was not a mature dragon yet, he could not perform [ Human Transformation ] to take the appearance of a human male, however, despite not being able to transform into a human, Drogo still yed and goofed around with Anos as if he were one. What looked like dangerous sparring between the Demon King and a dragon to his underlings was usually harmless y between two friends, however, it helped Anos maintain his aura of a Supreme ruler. Usually, Anos was prettyid back and never asked Drogo to perform any favors for him, which was why Drogo was slightly surprised that he had suddenly taken the decision to attack a human city¡­. And that too without consulting him first. ¡°What happened to make you lose respect?¡± Drogo asked Anos, who let out a deep sigh and shook his head. ¡°There was a human ve who could speak Demon Tongue. He was invaluable in helping decipher the human texts and could have possibly taught us about human technology. He was Count Vaugn¡¯s ve, and I had no ims over him byw. However, since that human promised to bring me glory on the battlefield, I ordered him to be deployed on the frontlines. Unfortunately, he was captured by the enemy and is now being held in Thumba City¡­..¡± Anos said, as Drogo intently listened to his story. ¡°Although nobody has med me on my face, many believe that it was my fault that we lost such an asset. The ve wasn¡¯t mine to order around, and now he¡¯s gone, so there are a few who question my intelligence. Of course these are nothing but small seeds of doubt, but I cannot afford to let such doubts sprout. I must weed them out before they even germinate and for that I need your help my friend¡± Anos said, as Drogo let out a deep sigh. ¡°So it¡¯s like this¡­..¡± Drogo muttered, looking towards the sky as he strengthened his resolve to fight. ¡°Very well¡­. I¡¯ll burn a city for you¨C¡± Drogo said, as Anospleted gearing him up, making Drogo look even more terrifying than he did before. ¡°Thank-you my friend, I knew I could count on you¨C¡± Anos said, as he climbed over the dragon¡¯s back. *ROAARRRRR* As soon as Anos climbed on the beast¡¯s back, Drogo let out a primal roar that was heard throughout the Demon Capital. Common demons shuddered in their boots when they heard this roar, while the higher demons were reminded of the power that the current demon king wielded. *p* *p* As Drogo started to p his massive wings, a small cyclone was created through the sheer power of his muscles as the entire Demon King¡¯s pce trembled under the force. As Drogo took flight, he was soon tailed by 12 wyvern knights, who Anos had ordered to follow him, however, the size difference between Drogo and the wyverns was akin to the size difference between a full sized truck and 12 small motorcycles, aspared to Drogo, they looked tiny. Once in the air, Drogo roared loudly once again, to ensure that the entire Demon Capital saw the sight of their king leaving for war and ensured that the king¡¯s image as a brave warrior was branded in the memory of everyone alive. Naturally it worked, as all that themon demons could talk about for days that were to follow was about the Demon King and how he had rode out to battle with only 12 soldiers behind him, and how the humans were done for. For a fraud like Anos, moments like these mattered a lot as his entire legacy was built on these lies. With this attack, he could probably live for another decade in peace without anyone questioning his power, unless some major incident urred. Chapter 419: A reminder Chapter 419: A reminder ( Real World, The Arc Ship, Sector C ) As Leo returned to his apartment after making his morning inspections, he was surprised to see Luke waiting outside his gate for him. ¡°Do you mind if I join you for lunch? I have an hour and a half free¨C¡± Luke said, as a big smile spread on Leo¡¯s face. ¡°Sure¡­. But you¡¯re chopping the vegetables today¡± Leo said, as he opened his apartment building and invited Luke for lunch. Lately, with the two brothers being busy with their own lives they did not meet one another as much as they used to when they lived together. They had different work schedules and lived on two different ends of the Unity Empire, hence hardly had the chance to meet each other. Today, Luke especially took out time to meet Leo as he knew that his brother might be disturbed after meeting their father for the first time ever. Somehow instinctively Luke felt the need to have lunch with Leo, and his instincts were spot on. Leo¡¯s mental state was a mess ever since he met Jacob and although he tried to carry on with his life as normal, there was an underlying anxiety that he just could not shake off. *Chop* *Chop* As Luke began chopping the vegetables, Leo started to boil the noodles as the brothers decided to have ramen for lunch. The atmosphere between them was serene as while neither uttered a word, they foundfort in the presence of the other. ¡°So¡­. You met mom today¨C¡± Luke said, breaking the silence as Leo¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I missed her too much. It was nice to finally meet her again¡± Leo said, as Luke chuckled at this response. He too missed their mother a lot and wanted to go meet her immediately if he could, however, with the situation at the western border still being tense, he could not risk flying off to the Southern Duchy during these tumultuous times. ¡°And you also met that guy¡­.¡± Luke said cautiously, as he saw Leo¡¯s expression darken immediately. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like that guy¡­.. he¡¯s shameless¨C¡± Leo said, purposefully not referring to Jacob by his name or ¡®dad¡¯, as he tried to show his indifference towards him. ¡°Did he apologize? Make any excuses for not being around all these years?¡± Luke asked, curious to know how their interaction went, as just like Leo, he too had fantasized about their fathers return several times. ¡°No, he did not¡± Leo said, shaking his head as he looked straight into Luke¡¯s eyes. ¡°He shook my hand, called me Leo and basically that was the end of our one on one interaction. Apparently the guy is an ex-special ops. He was out saving the world when we were struggling to make ends meet. He¡¯s an absolute douche¡± Leo said, as his hatred towards his father reflected through his manner of speech. ¡°An ex-special ops eh?¡± Luke said, gritting his teeth, as he did not feel any awe or pride that his father was a special agent, but rather anger that despite having such a well paying job, he never sent money home. ¡°Did you check his level?¡± Luke asked, wanting to see if he was any good as a yer or not, as although he hated Jacob as much as Leo did, he was still curious about him. ¡°143. The guy¡¯s pretty good and I think he has some real fighting skills. When we stood together he was constantly scanning the surroundings for threats and there was an aura around him. However, he¡¯s also a pathological liar. He¡¯s told mother that he¡¯s an architect ss yer which is aplete lie. That guy is no architect, he¡¯s definitely abat ss yer, but he¡¯s faking it because mom doesn¡¯t approve of violence¡± Leo said, as Luke immediatelybeled Jacob ¡®Scum¡¯ as well. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like him either¡± Luke confessed, as Leo profusely nodded his head in agreement. Bringing out the boiled noodles, Leo ced them in two bowls as Luke added the chopped vegetables to them. Then, the duo added some ramen mix, soy sauce and chili sauce to the mixture to prepare the noodles, as they sat down on the dining table to have the meal. ¡°We don¡¯t need him Leo¡­. We did need him once, but we no longer do. We are both one of the best yers in the world of Terra Nova and our future is bright. If we don¡¯t mess it up from here, we can have a really bright career that the next seven generations of Skyshards would feel proud of, however, Jacob does not need to be a part of it¡± Luke said, as his words gave Leo some much needed rity. After meeting Jacob, Leo was once again feeling the dilemma that he felt as a kid who waited for his father¡¯s return, however, having this lunch with Luke, he was reminded of how he needed no-one except his brother and mother. Their family of three was enough, and since their father was not with them through their worst times, he had no right to be with them now that things were taking a turn for the better. ¡°Whatever debt we owed him for giving birth to us was paid back the second we bought him a B ss ticket and saved him from a dying Earth. We owe him no more Leo. Our blood debt is paid¡± Luke borated, as judging from his brother¡¯s expression Luke could already gauge his mood. ¡°You¡¯re right brother. That man is nothing but a stranger to us now and no matter what he does, or how many times he apologizes, he will never be family again¨C¡± Leo affirmed as Luke lovingly ced a hand over his shoulder. ¡°Have some pride brother. You¡¯re Leo fucking Skyshard, your name carries weight now. There will be many like Jacob who want to use you, but you already know who matters and who doesn¡¯t¡± Luke reminded, as he gave Leo¡¯s shoulders a few pumps. ¡°Okay¨C¡± Leo said, concluding the conversation as he returned his focus to enjoying lunch with his brother. Chapter 420: Blood In The Air Chapter 420: Blood In The Air ( Duke Nico¡¯s POV ) Two days had passed since Ben Faulkner handed the Demon Whisperer over to Nico. During that time, the Demon Whisperer had sung like a canary, divulging every small detail of his encounters at the demon camp and all his experiences since. He didn¡¯t dare utter a single lie, confessing everything in hopes of mercy in return. Thankfully the Duke was magnanimous and promised to not torture Eren if he continued to co-operate this way, and had even promised to give him special benefits if he could pass on the demon whisperer skill to others. Agreeing happily to his demands, Eren promised to teach any candidate of Nico¡¯s choosing about the demonnguage, only asking for a few hours worth of supervised free time outside of his prison cell in return. Everything appeared to be progressing smoothly for Duke Nico as in histest letter to the Emperor, he detailed the information he had extracted from the Demon Whisperer and confidently assured the Emperor that some of his men would soon be learning the demonnguage themselves. Currently, he did not expect any big threat to befall upon his Duchy, as although he felt concerned about how strong Eren described the Demon King to be, since his territory was far away from the demon boundary, he felt a sense of security against a potential demon attack. Unfortunately for him however, at this moment the Demon King had already crossed the boundary of the Unity Empire and was heading fast towards his direction. In the next two hours, he was going to reach Thumba City, and Nico was not prepared for him at all. There had never been an aerial raid on a human territory ever before, and never from a unit that was so small in size. The only air raids that the humans had experienced before were during full fledged wars against demons and even then, they only usedva hounds and wyverns in their ranks. A dragon was never involved in an attack against humans and hence the humans did not understand the level of threat that even an adolescent dragon posed. With the hustle and bustle of Thumba City going on as usual, themon citizens werepletely unaware of the approaching threat, as a brutal massacre awaited them. ********* ( The Elf King¡¯s POV ) Between the Eastern Duchy and Southern Duchy of the Unity Empirey the Dense central forest region, which was also called the ¡®Elf Kingdom¡¯. It was an independent territory the size of arge County, and it was ruled by the Elf King almost as an independent state. Manyws that applied to the rest of the Empire did not apply to the independent Elven Kingdom, however, they still paid central taxes to the government in StrongHaven and they still had open borders with humans free to use the internal roadways in theirnd. Although the Elven Kingdom only consisted of one major city and a few small towns, 98% of the poption living there were pure blood elves with the remaining 2% being mixed bloods. The only humans in the region were traders that bought and sold goods, however, none were native to thend. For the past few years, the dissatisfaction amongst the elves regarding the Empire and its policies was ever rising, however, with the Unity Empire surrounding their territory on all four sides, the Elves did not dare rebel. With how dense their forest was, if a forest fire was orchestrated by the humans, it could potentially burn the whole forest down and hence the Elves never rebelled against the humans. However, now as the turmoil within the Empire was on the rise, with problems eating away at the Empire¡¯s forces from all directions, the idea of an independence movement gained steam once more. For the past few days, since the news of the rebel movement in the Southern Duchy had begun to spread, the debate about elven independence had gotten more and more heated within the elders council, however, it was without any conclusion. All this changed suddenly however, when an elf scout spotted a dragon flying over their forest on this fine afternoon. The dragon was flying too high in the sky and a normal human would almost not be able to spot it at all, however, Elves with their sharp eyes did. And once the Elves spotted the demon king flying over their forest and heading over to the Southern Duchy, they knew that something big was about to go down and to make the most out of the potential chaos that was toe, the Elven King issued the order for their army to be on the ready. If the Demon King made a big move and the humans suffered a big loss, the Elven King intended to make the most of it and attack the neighboring humannds, so that the Elves could establish their control in regions beyond the Central Forest. By doing so, if they seeded, they could then prevent the humans from setting up a forest fire to theirnds, making their current position less vulnerable. However, if the Demon King failed, or if the humans did not suffer a big loss, then the Elven King decided to not make a move and stay put with the status quo. ¡°There is no point in infighting anymore. If we have the chance to rebel without suffering too many losses, we should, because the humans have not been treating us with respect. Although we don¡¯t suffer any injustices under the reign of Julien D Evanus, the prejudice that the humans have against us is very real. Since we would be better off living independent lives as an independent kingdom with our own set of rules and tariffs, I think we should fight for our freedom. However, if that freedomes with too big of a cost then I¡¯m unwilling to pay it. Since the Demon King has personally made a move, let¡¯s wait and see what happens¡­¡± The Elf King said, as he concluded the on-going debate within the elders council with this decision. Everything now depended on the Demon King and his actions, as his attack on Thumba City was about to change the history of Unity Empire in ways beyond what the Demon King himself could ever have imagined. The enemies of the state that were desperately waiting for the Empire¡¯s downfall could now smell the scent of blood in the air, as the carefully crafted Empire that Julien had held together for years was starting to unravel. Chapter 421: The Arrival Chapter 421: The Arrival ( Leo and Ben¡¯s POV, 15 minutes before the attack on Thumba City began ) A few minutes before the attack on Thumba City began, Leo and Ben strolled through the city streets with absolutely no care in the world. ¡°Man¡­. That Duke is slow as hell, why can he not find out the names of key personnel of a rebel movement in two days?¡± Leoined, as although two days had passed since they first arrived at Thumba City, the Duke had still not recalled them to give them the mission specifics. ¡°I think it¡¯s because his best men are here, working on breaking the Demon Whisperer that the information gathering is so slow. Which reminds me¡­.. What do you think of this rebel extermination mission?¡± Ben asked, as although Leo had not said much about it, Ben could sense how something was off regarding Leo and this mission. ¡°What do I think about the mission? I don¡¯t think much to be honest. If the pay is good, we should do it. But I don¡¯t put rebels on the same threat level as demons, so there is no nationalistic feeling behind the mission for me. So I wouldn¡¯t do it as a favor¡± Leo said, shrugging his shoulders as Ben nodded his head. Ben was also of the same opinion that the rebels were not the same level of threat as the demons, as while the demons threatened to destroy the very fabric of society, the rebels were merely a different political side. ¡°So¡­.why are you here with this old man today? Should you not be with your mother?¡± Ben asked, as he wondered as to why Leo was not spending more time with his mother. ¡°My mother does not get much leaves master. She won¡¯t be able to meet me until her work shift ends near the evening, so I¡¯m stuck with you until then¡± Leo rified, as Ben nodded in understanding. It wasn¡¯t that Leo did not wish to spend time with Elena, but it was just that Elena was not free to meet with him right now. Overall, the atmosphere between Ben and Leo was very casual, as they talked about nothing in particr while strolling the streets of Thumba City when they heard the sky-splitting roar for the first time ever. *ROAR* The roar was unlike anything that Leo had ever heard before in his life. It was a low, rumbling growl that built in intensity, like distant thunder rolling across the sky. It was a deep, guttural sound that seemed toe from the bowels of the earth itself, resonating with a power that felt both ancient and unstoppable. The roar carried an eerie, almost otherworldly echo, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who heard it, as it made the very air around one tremble in fear of the beast that had unleashed it. [ System Notification :- You have heard a True Dragon¡¯s Roar. You are now experiencing Dragon¡¯s Fear ] [ System Notification :- All stats have been reduced by 20% for the next 60 seconds under dragon¡¯s fear ] A couple notifications informed Leo that all his stats had been reduced by 20% for the next minute, as while he was able to move his body, he could feel his hand trembling for no reason. Beside him, Ben looked to be fine as he stared towards the skies with squinted eyes, however, themon people around him on the streets were not fine at all. Most were petrified to their spots, not having the ability to move a muscle, while the others were down on their rears, as they pointed towards the sky in fear. As Leo looked towards the sky where they were pointing, he saw a scene that he would most likely never forget till he died. A massive ck dragon in full Armor flew over the skies of Thumba City like a fighter jet, and atop the massive beast sat a tiny Demon King, who looked down upon the city¡¯s inhabitants like they were peasants. The ck Dragon was about as long as a full sized truck, however, it was more wide than long with its wingspan being 1.5x it¡¯s length. Overall, it was about the size of two fighter jets and while it was not as big as amercial ne, it still looked massive in size especially when it flew so close to the City Skyline. *SCREECH* Behind the Dragon were 12 wyvern riders, who flew with a speed equal to that of the dragon. However, while it seemed like the dragon was simply cruising through the skies, the wyverns looked like they were zooming through it, as their smaller size made them appear to be going faster. Panic set-in throughout Thumba City at this sighting, with nobody able to understand as to what was going on, or why a Dragon had suddenly showed up in their city. ¡°Which way is your mother¡¯s shop boy?¡± Ben asked, his voice raspy and serious, as it was only after listening to his voice that Leo snapped out of his confusion. ¡°That way¨C¡± Leo said, pointing towards where he thought Elena¡¯s bakery was, as Ben pped him on the back pushing him towards it. ¡°Go save her now, this city is about to burn down and there¡¯s not a damn thing that anyone can do about it¨C¡± Ben said, as Leo immediately began sprinting in the direction of his mother¡¯s bakery. For a moment, Leo considered stopping to ask Ben what he nned to do while he rescued his mother and why he wasn¡¯t following him to help. But Leo knew there was no time to waste, so he pushed those thoughts aside and kept moving. Somehow, he had faith that his master would be fine regardless of the situation outside, afterall he was Ben Fucking Faulkner, however, his mother would not. She needed him more, and hence, running towards the bakery, Leo ignored all the chaos embroiling on the streets and kept moving with a singr purpose. Chapter 422: Dragon Fear Chapter 422: Dragon Fear ( Demon King Anos¡¯s POV ) Anos arrived at Thumba City expecting a fight, however, he was disappointed to see that the humans werepletely caught off-guard regarding his arrival. Unlike the Demons, the humans were supposed to have a strong and robust internal conversationwork that was fast and efficient. Hence when Anos flew over the Eastern Duchy two hours ago, he expected that the news of his impending arrival would already bemunicated to the Southern Duchy, where the defending forces would be ready to fight, but apparently it was not. There was not a single human fighter who looked ready to fight him and this made Anos feel slightly disappointed. ¡°So much for humans and their excellent tactics¨C¡± Anos murmured, as he came to Thumba City expecting a fight of epic proportions, however, got an open field instead. On another note, he was quite impressed with how the human city¡¯s looked versus the Demon City¡¯s, as while the demon cityscape looked like a slum with no clear blocks or City nning, the human city¡¯s looked like a beautiful mis-mash of roads, squares and intersections. It was colorful, it was vibrant and themoners seemed to be full of life, which was very different from the oppressive atmosphere that Anos was used to back at the Demon Capital. ¡°That tiny building at the center, is that where their chief lives? It¡¯s a building that¡¯s bigger than all the rest in the city, but it¡¯s still so tiny¡­¡± Anosmented, as he set his sights on Duke Nico¡¯s manor built at the center of the city as his first target. As Drogo flew over it once, Anos saw a few powerful humans scrambling out to the monor¡¯s gardens as they shouted some form ofmands in an indiscerniblenguage. A few archers prepared their bows and took aim towards Drogo, while a few spearmen prepared to throw javelins. Nheless, even after being on the target radar of several hundred tiny humans, Anos was not worried at all as he simply kept scouting peacefully, without showing any signs of hurry or worry in the world. As the archers and the spearmen released their projectiles towards Drogo, they put all their strength behind the attack. However, let alone hitting Drogo, the projectiles did not even reach within a hundred meters of the beast. The sheer downforce generated by the mighty ck dragon¡¯s wings created a gust of wind so powerful that it sent away the arrows and javelins spiraling downwards, scattering them like mere twigs caught in a gale. Each attempt to strike the dragon was rendered utterly useless, as the powerful gusts deflected their weapons long before they coulde close to their target, making their efforts nothing more than a futile disy. Naturally, the sight of their weapons being rendered so utterly useless left the human forces feeling insignificant and powerless as fear began to creep in within their ranks. Upon gazing at the ck dragon, the beast from myths and legends, the Duke¡¯s forces realized that no amount of skill or effort could bridge the immense gap between them and the terrifying beast above, as they mentally lost the will to fight. However, with all of their families and close friends living within Thumba City, they also knew that if they did not fight for their safety, no-one else would and hence, pushing back against the fear, they kept shooting towards the dragon and the wyverns, even though it was futile. *********** ( Duke Nico¡¯s POV ) Duke Nico was interrogating Eren alongside Vice Commander Phill, when they heard the undeniable sound of the Dragon¡¯s Roar. Scrambling, the duo rushed outside to see what was going on, only to see a sprawling ck dragon above Thumba City¡¯s skyline. Sweat began dripping down Duke Nico¡¯s forehead as he had never seen such a formidable opponent before, as for a moment, he failed to get a hold of his emotions. ¡°The Demon King is here¡­..¡± Nico murmured, the fear of the Demon King still fresh in his mind as it wasn¡¯t too long ago that Eren told him all about him. The Southern Duchy was supposed to be a safe territory. It was supposed to be and far away from the reach of the demons and hence Duke Nico couldn¡¯t believe that the enemy was at his door-steps, bypassing all the safe zones surrounding him. ¡°ARCHERS AT THE READY! SPEARMEN PREPARE YOUR WEAPONS! ALL MEN PREPARE FOR BATTLE! COME ON NOW¨C THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE¡± Phill shouted from beside him, as unlike himself who was stupefied, Phill seemed to still be functional. Shouting, he rallied the Duchy¡¯s forces into action as he tried to respond to this unexpected threat as best as he could. ¡®Should I just run with my family?¡¯ Duke Nico wondered for a moment, however, just as such a cowardly thought entered his brain, the ck Dragon flew directly over his manor, pping him with a gust of warm wind, as he realized that there was no outrunning this dragon. Clutching his sword, Nico immediately regained hisposure as he unsheathed it and pointed it towards the enemy above. ¡°ARCHERS, TAKE AIM!¡± he shouted, takingmand and fulfilling his duty as their leader, striving to instill confidence in his men. However, as soon as the first volley of attacks wereunched, he immediately realized how futile it was, as let alone piercing through the ck dragon¡¯s hard scales to cause it some real damage, the projectiles that his men shot did not even reach the beast¡¯s body. It was at that moment, that Nico felt his mind going nk as fear paralyzed him. His brain turned into literal jelly as time seemed to flow slowly around him. Although he soaked in a lot of information at once, his mind lost the ability to process it, as faced with his unexpected threat, he simply had no answers. Chapter 423: Miscalculation Chapter 423: Miscalction ( Anos¡¯s POV ) Anos flew around the Duke¡¯s manor a few times without attacking as this was his first time actually seeing a human settlement and he had no idea what he should expect. As per the legends, humans were supposed to be in possession of mythical siege weapons that couldunchrge boulders the size of a big tree, but no matter how long Anos waited for the humans to bring out those weapons, for some reason they did not. There were no trebuchets rolled out, no crossbows, there were no powerful mages aiming a beam of concentrated fire at him, nor were there any grandmaster level fighters who hade out to stop him. ¡°Have modern humans forgotten the ways of their ancients? Why do I see nothing that was described in the legends?¡± Anos questioned as although he had this burning desire within him to have a battle of epic proportions, it seemed like his wish was going to remain unfulfilled today. When Anos had decided toe here, he was hoping to put on a show for the 12 Demon Counts following behind him on wyverns and to create a battle that would be remembered for centuries. However, for such a fight to take ce Anos wanted to destroy the formidable human weapons that made them so feared within the Demon realm, however, unfortunately he found none. ¡°Guess we won¡¯t get a good fight here Drogo¡­. Let¡¯s start destroying them whenever you are ready¨C¡± Anos said, as Drogopped the Duke¡¯s manor onest time, before preparing his Dragon¡¯s Breath. *********** At the same time as Anos flew over the manor again and again, Nico interpreted his actions as the Demon King noting here for war but rather to rescue the Demon Whisperer that was in his custody. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Nico beamed, as once he snapped out of the fear gripping his body, he deluded himself with hopeful lies. ¡°The only reason the Demon King must havee here is because we are holding the Demon Whisperer here. That man must mean more to the demon king than we can ever imagine. If the Demon King only wanted to make a statement he would never travel so far into the Empire to do it. He could have just destroyed the Eastern or Western front. However, he must havee here because he wants us to hand over the prisoner. Someone quickly go and drag Eren out here, but make sure to point a knife to his throat. We can use him tomunicate with the demons¡± Nico instructed, as one of his underlings swiftly ran inside the mansion and to the underground holding cells, and returned within the minute with a sword pointed at Eren¡¯s throat. Confused, Eren looked around his surroundings with no clue as to what was going on, with him feeling as terrified upon watching the ck dragon as all the humans around him did. ¡°Quick! Demon Whisperer! Convey to the Demon King that we are open for conversation if he wants to talk. However, he mustnd that beast outside our city ande here alone¨C¡± Nico instructed, as Eren looked at him as if he had lost his mind. ¡°What? Are you crazy? Do you really think you can negotiate with that man flying atop a dragon? Fucking beg for mercy if you want to live. Don¡¯t make demands¨C¡± Eren said, as Duke Nico angrily gave him a hard gut punch. *Pah* Spitting a mouthful of saliva, Eren keeled over as Nico pulled his face by his hair. ¡°Don¡¯t act smart and do as I say¨C¡± Nico said, as Eren looked towards the sky and took in arge breath of air. [ ¡°O GREAT DEMON KING ANOS, I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU FROM¡ª¡± ] Eren began in demon tongue, as before he could evenplete his sentence, the approaching ck dragon opened its mouth and let out a devastating dragon¡¯s breath. [ System Notification ¨C You have died courtesy of the ck Dragon Drogo. It is detected that the yer is already at level 0 and cannot lose any more levels. You have been banned from logging into the game for the next two days, and will be respawned outside the Empire upon your return ] Eren died instantly under the Dragon¡¯s Breath, as his death was so fast that his brain could not even properly register the heat that he felt. Duke Nico had miscalcted thinking that the Demon King actually gave a rat¡¯s ass about Eren, as he really did not. The Demon King was here for one reason and one reason only which was to burn Thumba City to the ground and there was nothing that could stop him from doing so. Thankfully for Eren, this proved to be a blessing in disguise, as after his death although he was barred from logging into the game, he was informed that he would be spawned at a random point outside the Empire, which gave him a shot at a fresh start. Had he not died here today, he was probably going to be forced to teach the Demon Tongue to some humans for the next few months toe and would not progress as a yer at all. Compared to that, this was a much better fate and hence Eren weed it with open arms. However, Duke Nico found little sce in Eren¡¯s death as while Eren and most of the men around him perished instantly under the dragon¡¯s onught, Nico himself survived, thanks to a life-saving treasure that activated just in time, enveloping him in a protective barrier. Thanks to that, he had to witness the horror of a dragon attack up-close, as he saw his ancestral manor that he lived and grew up in all his life, be turned to rubble within seconds, with everything precious and valuable inside turning to either dust or rubble. Chapter 424: Fear Chapter 424: Fear ( Amon citizen¡¯s POV ) The entire city of Thumba was thrown into disarray upon the sighting of the dragon. Some people began locking themselves in their houses, hoping that a roof and brick walls would keep them safe against the dragon¡¯s attacks, while the others took their valuables and started to flee towards the city¡¯s exit. However, true chaos erupted when the dragonunched its assault on the Duke¡¯s manor. It was only when the citizens witnessed the beast unleash its dragon breath upon the manor that a wave of pure terror swept through the streets of Thumba. The Duke¡¯s Manor was known to be a fortress of stone and magic. Before the Southern Duchy was a part of the Unity Empire, this manor belonged to Duke Nico¡¯s ancestors who were powerful mages and had constructed the Manor with the use of magic stones and powerful inscriptions that were supposed to help the manor withstand sieges and the onught of enemy mage spells. Throughout history, the manor had not once been damaged or destroyed and it was a symbol of the pride of the Paz family, however, against the dragon¡¯s breath, the manor crumbled as though it were made of paper. The dragon¡¯s breath, a torrent of mes that zed hotter than the sun, erupted from the ck dragon¡¯s maw with an intensity that defied imagination. The inferno wasn¡¯t just a stream of fire¡ªit was a wall of destruction, a river of molten energy that surged forward, consuming everything in its path as the manor¡¯s formidable defenses, which would have taken a battalion of mages several powerful volleys to even scratch, melted away in mere seconds. The stones themselves seemed to scream as they disintegrated, reduced to g under the unrelenting heat. From over a kilometer away, the citizens could feel the searing heat, as though the dragon¡¯s breath was right upon them. The air of Thumba City itself shimmered with the unbearable temperature, with those closest to the manor having to shield their faces as their skin burned from the heat radiating off the distant inferno. ¡°Oh gods, we¡¯re all doomed!¡± cried a woman, her voice trembling with fear as she clutched her child close, eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°Nothing can stop it¡­ It¡¯s going to burn the whole city!¡± another man shouted, his face pale as he backed away, stumbling over his own feet in his haste to flee. ¡°The Duke¡¯s manor¡­ gone in an instant! We¡¯re next¡­ there¡¯s no escape!¡± a merchant whispered, his voice thick with despair as he watched the devastation unfold. The citizens of Thumba City could only stand in helpless horror as the Duke¡¯s manor was reduced to rubble and ash, the dragon¡¯s might so overwhelming that it seemed like the beast was merely toying with them. As the mes continued to roar, consuming what little remained of the once-imposing structure, and the earth beneath the manor sizzled and cracked under the intensity of the heat, until no signs of the previous manor remained. ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t just a dragon. It¡¯s a cmity of destruction! How are we supposed to survive this?!¡± a young man cried out, his voice cracking as tears streamed down his face. In the face of such overwhelming power, the people of Thumba could do nothing but pray that the beast¡¯s wrath would somehow be sated before it turned its attention to the rest of the city. The true horror of the dragon was not just in its size or strength, but in the sheer ease with which it brought devastation upon them¡ªa power so vast and unstoppable that their hopes of survival began to dwindle into nothingness. ¡°Run! We must run! There is no other choice, we must flee¨C¡± Amon consensus emerged, as all citizens fled away from the Duke¡¯s manor in all directions. On every road throughout the city, one could only see people rushing away from the Duke¡¯s manor, as they tried to escape Thumba City in desperation. However, as the rest of the city fled away from the Duke¡¯s manor, there was one man dressed in ck robes that walked on rooftops towards it. That man was none other than Ben Faulkner, the master assassin with a set of iron balls, who dared take on even the ck dragon for the greater good. A dagger in both hands and a determined expression in his eyes, Ben Faulkner calmly assessed the weaknesses of the man riding the ck Dragon, who was none other than the Demon King Anos. ********** ( Meanwhile Anos¡¯s POV ) As the Duke¡¯s manor was reduced to rubble and thend beneath it was ttened into a bed of molten rocks, there were remarkably only two humans who survived this onught. One of them was dressed more nobly than the other and seemed to have survived with the use of a magic treasure, however, the other seemed to be a proper warrior who had survived with his own strength. ¡°Ho¨C surviving Drogo¡¯s dragon¡¯s breath? That man is as strong as a Demon Count. A truly formidable human¡± Anosplimented, as for the first time since he was in human territory, he found a worthy opponent. ¡°@@### @@#### ¡± The human shouted, and although Anos did not understand a word of what he said, it seemed to be a battle cry. ¡°Ho¡ª, let him approach me Drogo, let me kill this one myself¡± Anos said, as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards Vice-Commander Phill, daring him to make a move. As a master of the art of faking it till one made it, Anos knew that he did not have to truly be a strong warrior as long as it appeared that he was one. Since his opponent was presumably the strongest human around, beating him was going to bring Anos lots of street credit amongst the demons watching on from behind him, and hence Anos requested that Drogo leave this one up to him. Chapter 425: Despair Chapter 425: Despair ( Duke Nico¡¯s POV ) Duke Nico stood on the scorched earth, the heat of the dragon¡¯s breath still radiating through the air, as the remnants of his once-proud manory in smoldering ruins behind him. Beside him stood Vice Commander Phillips, the strongest knight in the Southern Duchy and thest beacon of hope for Thumba City. As the smoke cleared, Duke Nico¡¯s eyes locked onto the figure hovering above them, the demon king Anos who unmistakably had his sword pointed towards Phillips in challenge. Vicemander Phillips, being a man of unyielding resolve, met the Demon King¡¯s gaze with a fierce determination. ¡°You burn my lord¡¯s mansion down, you terrorize my city¡­. I¡¯m afraid even if you are a dragon rider, you must pay for this transgression today!¡± Philips shouted, his words iprehensible to the demon, but the intent behind them was clear. He was not going to back down. He was not going to yield to this terror. Duke Nico nced at Phillips, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and admiration. This man had served his family and the duchy with unparalleled loyalty and strength for the past 15 years. Phillips was not just a master knight; he was a legend in his own right¡ª with his name being whispered with reverence across the Southern Duchy. Phillips had risen through the ranks with his own merit and was not a noble by birth. He was amon squire, who had wed his way to the top through sheer will and exceptional talent. Stories of his deeds were etched into the annals of the Southern Duchy¡¯s history¡ª as whether it was the Battle of Redcliffe, where he had single-handedly held the line against a horde of marauding orcs; or the Siege of Valeria, where his strategic brilliance had saved thousands from certain death. He was a knight who had faced death countless times and emerged victorious. And now, he stood ready to face it once more. ¡°If I¡¯m going to fight the demon king, I better give it my best shot¨C¡± Philips said, as he began channeling his mana, the air around him crackling with raw energy as he prepared to unleash one of his most powerful techniques. It was a move that had been passed down through generations of Southern Duchy knights, a secret technique known only to the highest echelons of their order. The technique was called the [ Heavenly Spear ] and it was a legendary grade move which created a concentrated st of energy that could pierce through the toughest of defenses, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. *Trrrr* The ground beneath Phillips trembled as he gathered his power, his eyes narrowing with focused intent. This was a move that had turned the tide in countless battles for him before, and a move that had never failed him in his time of need. ¡°Yes! Give it to him Philips, hold nothing back¨C¡± Duke Nico encouraged, his heart lifting with hope, as he knew that if anyone could drive away this monstrosity, it was Phillips¡­.. the strongest warrior in the entire Southern Duchy. *Sizzle* *Sizzle* The energy that swirled around the Vice Commander was immense, a beacon of light in the darkened battlefield, until it was all concentrated in the form of a pulsating golden spear in his hand. ¡°Aaaaa! Take thissss¡ª¡± Phillips bellowed as he unleashed the Heavenly Spear, a brilliant beam of energy shooting forth from his outstretched hand, as he aimed it directly at the Demon King. *SHUA* The attack zed a path through the air, its light illuminating the dark sky above Thumba City, cutting through the oppressive aura that surrounded them. Duke Nico held his breath, his eyes wide with anticipation, as he could feel the power behind Philips¡¯s attack. This was it¡ªtheirst hope, their final stand. If Phillips couldnd this blow, perhaps, just perhaps, they could survive this nightmare¡­.. But as the beam of light approached, the Demon King did not even flinch. From atop his dragon, Anos watched the attack with a cold, calcting gaze. His lips curled into a smirk, as with a casual wave of his hand, he unleashed a counter. Anos had been waiting for this moment, his mana already pooled within him, as he was ready to unleash his own devastating counter. The move he had in mind was one of his most powerful, a (Semi Divine) attack called the ¡°Void Breaker sh.¡± It was a move that could tear through the fabric of reality itself, a manifestation of pure, unrelenting power. As Phillips¡¯s attack neared, Anos unleashed the Void Breaker sh, causing the air around him to distort like a crescent of dark energy, which met the Heavenly Spear head-on. *BOOM* *SHOCKWAVE* The sh of the two forces sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, the ground quaking beneath the sheer power of their collision. For a moment, it seemed as though the two attacks were evenly matched, their energies battling for dominance. But then, the Voidbreaker sh began to consume the Heavenly Spear, its dark energy devouring the light until nothing remained. Soon, the overpowering force of Anos¡¯s attack continued on its path, unimpeded, and struck Phillips with terrifying speed. Duke Nico watched in horror as the energy engulfed Phillips, his once-hopeful expression turning to one of despair as there was no time for Philips to react, no time to even process what was happening before the Demon King¡¯s attack reached him. *Boom* The power of the Void Breaker sh was absolute, and in an instant, Phillips was gone, his body disintegrated by the overwhelming force. Silence fell over the battlefield as the dark energy slowly dissipated, leaving nothing but scorched earth where Phillips once stood. Duke Nico¡¯s heart sank, the weight of their defeat pressing down on him like a suffocating shroud, as the realization hit him with full force¡ªthat Phillips, their strongest warrior, was dead. And with him died thest spark of hope for Thumba City. From above, Anos surveyed the aftermath, his expression one of satisfaction. But deep within, he felt the strain of the attack and the toll it had taken on his body and mana reserves. The Void Breaker sh was a powerful technique, yes, but one that consumed a vast amount of energy¡ªso much so that he could only use it sparingly¡­..Twice in a battle, at most, and he had just used it once. Still, he maintained his facade, giving no indication of the effort it had cost him. To the demons watching from behind him, he was an invincible force, a king worthy of their reverence and fear, as after he defeated Philips with ease, Anos could see the awe in their eyes, the newfound respect they held for him, not just as a rider of Drogo, but as a warrior in his own right. But for Duke Nico, there was only despair. He had witnessed the true power of the Demon King, a power that no human could ever hope to match. The realization was crushing¡ªthere was no one left to fight, no one who could stand against this cmity. Anos was a Grandmaster-level fighter, a force of nature that hade to annihte them, and there was nothing they could do to stop him. As Anos sheathed his sword, a weapon that he did not even need to use to counter Philips¡¯s strongest attack, Duke Nico could only watch with his spirit broken, as he realized that the battle was over before it had even begun. And in that moment, as the ashes of the Southern Duchy settled around him, Duke Nico knew one thing with absolute certainty¡ª that this was the end. The end of everything. Chapter 426: So what if youre the demon king? Im Ben Faulkner Chapter 426: So what if you''re the demon king? I''m Ben Faulkner Chapter 426: So what if you¡¯re the demon king? I¡¯m Ben Faulkner It wasn¡¯t as easy for Anos to kill Philips as he made it look. In reality he was feeling dizzy and slightly disoriented afterunching that move, however, he did not let it show on his face, which made Duke Nico mistake him for a Grandmaster level fighter, after all only a Grandmaster level fighter could beat a master level fighter in one move. However, the truth of the matter was that it wasn¡¯t Anos who was a Grandmaster level fighter, but the move that he unleashed that was extremely powerful, however, with his calm demeanor, he made it look like the move was nothing special, while he was the real deal. ¡°The attack that the human unleashed was quite strong¡­. Heck I might have even died if I was the one facing it¨C¡± ¡°Only our King can defeat a powerful move like that as if it¡¯s nothing. After All, he is the one who managed to tame the mighty ck dragon Drogo¡± ¡°This is the first time that I have seen the King in action, he¡¯s even stronger than I imagined him to be!¡± ¡°No wonder no Demon Count dares to challenge King Anos for the throne, the fight would most likely end before it even begins. The king is definitely the most powerful demon in the entire history of demon kind¡± The demon counts flying behind Anos were thoroughly impressed by his disy of stren Anos¡¯s attack achieved everything that he wanted to achieve and more, as with the strongest human opponent, convincingly defeated by him, he no longer needed to act anymore. ¡°Drogo, let¡¯s wrap this up, burn this city to the¡ª¡± Anos said, as before he couldplete his sentence it was Drogo who suddenly pped his wings violently, raising his body higher in the air, which startled Anos out of nowhere. *Shua* A single dagger that Anos had never seening somehow whirred past Anos¡¯s ear at that moment, as the Demon King felt a stinging sensation on his cheeks. As Anos tapped his cheeks and brought his hand in front of his eyes, he realized that he was bleeding, as the dagger that had gone whirring past his ear had somehow managed to draw a sliver of his blood. ¡®What the¨C¡¯ Anos wondered, looking towards the direction where the dagger came from, however, no matter how hard he tried to see, he could not locate the enemy. If it weren¡¯t for Drogo reacting to the attack in time, the dagger would have impaled his forehead for sure, which just went to show just how strong his opponent was. ¡°So¡­. That human I just killed wasn¡¯t the strongest one around¡­.¡± Anos muttered to himself, his smirk widening as he felt a sliver of fear taking root in his heart. ¡°Who dares sneak- attack the Demon King!¡± ¡°What a cowardly tactic! If you want to fight the king,e out and fight like a man!¡± ¡°My King, please leave this rat to us, please focus on the mission you havee here for¡­. We will take care of him for you¡± The demon counts said, as Anos nonchntly tried to y his injury off. ¡°The opponent is skilled¡­.. I hope you have fun hunting him¡± Anos said, as he delegated the job of hunting this opponent to his men, while he and Drogo focused on burning the city down to ashes. Although, to his underlings it seemed like the Demon King had given them and opportunity to prove themselves, in reality Anos knew he could not take down this hidden opponent by himself. Using the Void Breaker sh for a second time in the same day would have resulted in him losing consciousness and folding like a pile of dry leaves which wouldpletely ruin his reputation as a supreme fighter. Despite all his boasting, the truth was that he was a one trick pony and having already used that one trick, he no longer had any left to y in this fight. From here on out, he waspletely reliant on Drogo to make him look cool and hence he shamelessly epted the proposal of his underlings to take care of the unknown assant, as he could really not face him, even if he wanted to. Thankfully, his actions were interpreted as him giving the Demon Counts a chance to prove their worth, and hence the enthusiasm amongst them to hunt down the unknown assant was quite palpable, as they scattered in the general direction where the attack hade from. ********* ( Ben¡¯s POV ) Ben Faulkner had 0 fucks left to give in life, as at this point, he feared no-one. Even when facing a ck Dragon and the mythical demon king, Ben was unfazed, with his only reaction to the Demon King¡¯s Void Breaker sh being that of a subtle appreciation, as he acknowledged his strength as a Grandmaster warrior. When Ben threw the disappearing dagger towards the Demon King, he never expected the attack to actually scratch his cheek. He expected the Demon King to detect it easily, however, with his beast suddenly moving at thest second, it seemed like the Demon King was thrown off bnce which caused the attack to graze him. ¡®Funny¨C¡¯ Ben thought, as his only intention behind throwing the dagger was to attract the Demon King¡¯s attention and hopefully attract him towards the narrow alleys of the city, however, while he failed to attract the Demon King¡¯s attention, he managed to attract the attention of his underlings. 12 wyverns that barely fit through the narrow streets of Thumba City, dove within the city scape searching for Ben, as Ben could not help but chuckle at his good luck. If this was an openndscape with no ces to hide, Ben would have had a hard time facing these opponents, however, within an empty cityscape with ample ces to hide and ample shadows to disappear into, Ben did not fear his opponents at all. If anything, Ben felt excited, as while he was sure that Thumba City might meet its end today, he intended to bury a few demon bastards¡¯ alongside it. Chapter 427: Scouting Chapter 427: Scouting ( Leo¡¯s POV ) While all the fighting took ce at the Duke¡¯s Manor, Leo frantically looked for Elena throughout the city. His intention was to find her and get her to safety in these chaotic times, however, as he reached the bakery where she worked, he found it to bepletely empty, as everyone working inside seemed to have already ran away in a haste. This forced Leo to look for his mother around town, however, after 10 minutes of trying to find her and sending her a dozen texts, Leo just in gave up as this was not an actual life and death situation for her mother. The worst that could happen to her even if she died, was mental trauma and a loss of a few levels, however, it wasn¡¯t anything permanent. Hence, after trying to look for her unsessfully for a while, Leo just in gave up and started to look for Ben instead. ¡°So¡­. How do I look for master Ben in a city full of chaos?¡± Leo wondered, looking around, until his eyes fell on an old and abandoned mage tower which towered over the city¡¯s skyline. ¡°Guess I can start from there¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he quickly made his way to the mage tower and began scaling it, like he was climbing Mount Faulkner for his morning training. ¡®Woah, I¡¯ve gotten so much better at vertical climbs¨C¡¯ Leo thought, as what felt like extreme exertion on his calves when he used to train at Mount Faulkner, now felt like child¡¯s y after his level and strength had increased significantly. Within seconds he climbed close to 20 floors worth of height, before nting two daggers into the gaps of the bricks to create a standing support. ¡°Woah¡­. That dragon sure did a number on the Duke¡¯s mansion¡± Leo noted, as the first thing he noticed from the height was that the Duke¡¯s mansion was now reduced to rubble. The next thing that he noticed was that the ck dragon was currently wreaking havoc on the opposite end of the city from where he was standing, as it destroyed entire blocks of houses with every breath it took. ¡°Bloody hell¡­.. that beast is undoubtedly the end level boss of this game. Even if a million yers band up to take this behemoth down, we most likely won¡¯t be able to¡± Leo noted, as he felt thoroughly impressed by the strength of the beast. Not once did the thought of how many innocent lives were being lost due to this dragon attack cross Leo¡¯s mind, as while he admired the dragon¡¯s power, he did not really care what happened to Thumba City. Unlike Ben who had a strong moralpass regarding matters of national importance and the lives ofmon men, Leo did not have one. For Leo, he would only care about Thumba City if he were the one governing it, however, since he was not, nor did he have any personal interests vested in it, Leo did not have any sympathy for themoners at all. Even now, his only priority was to keep Ben safe from dying, with his secondary motive being to gain some benefits from this unexpected situation if he could. ¡°Well¡­. With Duke Nico taking such a big loss, this is the perfect opportunity for the Uprising to expand their territory if they wish¡­.¡± Leo muttered, as after mulling over the idea for a while, he quickly wrote a message to ChaosBringer from his ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ount. [ The Southern Capital of Thumba is burning¡­.. the Duke¡¯s forces are in disarray¡­. Immediately mobilize all forces and grab as muchnd as you can¡­ ] Leo wrote, as he did not request ChaosBringer to do as he suggested, but rather demanded it. If ChaosBringer had an ounce of brain in him, he was most likely not going to let this opportunity slip in the first ce, however, Leo still dropped him a text if he still needed any more convincing to do, or if he did not understand the importance of acting fast. However, once that was done, Leo returned all his focus to finding Ben, and looking at how the small wyverns were all continuously circling the same area, as if looking for someone, Leo assumed that Ben would be somewhere around there. ¡°Well¡­. There¡¯s no harm in looking¨C¡± Leo muttered, jumping off the mage tower as he skidded down the edge. *Thud* Making a smooth and weightless drop, Leo rolled twice on the floor to disperse the momentum before jogging in the direction which he assumed Ben would be in, with his daggers at the ready. ********* ( Meanwhile on the forums ) The global chat melted with discussions over the dragon attack, as this felt like the most major event that had taken ce within the game world since the start. Pictures of the Demon King, the ck dragon and its insane attack power were going viral on the forums, with every yer, their mothers and their ancestors talking about it. ¡°Mannnn¡­.I wish I was in Thumba City right now¡­. I so wanted to fight a dragon¨C¡± ¡°Mate, are you out of your mind? Let alone fighting a dragon, you wouldn¡¯t even be able toe close to one, even if you tried¨C¡± ¡°But why did the Demon King suddenly show up within human territory? And that too this deep into ournd? Is there a hidden event ongoing in Thumba city that we are unaware about?¡± ¡°If the demon king destroys Thumba City, can we then loot all the abandoned shops and the left behind resources without gaining infamy? If it¡¯s legal, it could make one rich!¡± ¡°Why did the Demon King attack Thumba City and not StrongHaven? What¡¯s going on?¡± Many spected about what was going on in Thumba City, however, nobody really understood the full picture. The gamingndscape of Terra Nova had changed forever with this attack, as the downfall of the Empire had officially started. Chapter 428: The Ben and Leo show Chapter 428: The Ben and Leo show ( Ben¡¯s POV ) Ben was having the time of his life fighting out of a deste cityscape, as with no citizens to impede his movement and tons of buildings to hide behind, the master assassin got a free hand to showcase his power. Carefully spreading high tension invisible threads in between buildings from where the wyverns were likely to pass by, Ben waited in the shadows for his prey to fall victim to his trap. For the first few minutes, the wyverns cautiously flew a bit above the roofline of Thumba City, however, as time passed, the Demon Counts riding these beasts became more and more desperate to find Ben and started to swoop lower and lower in hopes of finding him. Eventually, one of them flew too close to the ground and got caught up in Ben¡¯s trap. *sh* The wyvern flying at full speed, got brutally cut up with Ben¡¯s threads, sending its rider toppling over, with even the rider picking up an injury from one of the threads. *PRERRREEIIIII* The wyvern howled in pain, alerting all the other wyverns in the sky that something was wrong, however, Ben wasn¡¯t worried at all. From the second that the Demon Count was tossed in the air and before the wyvern could even cry out in pain, Ben had unleashed a barrage of daggers targeting the Demon Count, who while in the air was hard pressed to block them. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* . . . *Shua* Ben unleashed a barrage of 15 daggers towards the Demon Count, with the intention being not to impale his critical points, but to just scratch him. Coincidentally, Ben not only scratched the demon count, but also managed to impale two daggers in his arm and shoulder, while also sessfully leaving several scratches on his body, causing the Demon Count to suffer some minor injuries. ¡°@@##@ @@#@@¡± The demon count cursed, mobilizing his mana as he unleashed a powerful sword sh, which destroyed a couple rows of buildings with ease, however, Ben was not bothered. Having fled from the scene, Ben already considered the Demon Count to be a dead man, as the daggers that had injured him wereced with an extremely powerful poison. By the time the other Demon Counts arrived at the scene and saw the condition that theirrade was in, Ben had already long left the vicinity, leaving behind his victim to die a painful death. At first, the demon count who was impaled felt nothing out of the blue as he tried to locate his enemy hidden in the shadows. However after a couple seconds had passed, he felt a burning sensation envelop his body as his vision started to blur and his heart felt strained. Soon, he clutched his chest and dropped down to his knees, as thest thing he saw while being alive was his fellow demonrades gathered around him as he died an extremely brutal death. Purple-Clotted blood oozed out of every orifice of his body. He bled out of his mouth, ears, eyes and skin pores, as within seconds his internal organs were cooked from the inside, causing multiple organ failure. It was one of the most cowardly deaths that a mighty Demon Count could suffer, however, their opponent was the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner. [ The human is mocking us! We must capture and kill him! ] [ The death of Count Azailiz must be avenged. Or else the humans won¡¯t respect us Demons! ] [ The human fights dirty, we need to be aware¨C ] The demons talked amongst one another, before taking up to the skies once again, as they continued with their hunt for Ben Faulkner, now with a renewed vigor. The Demon King had entrusted one job to them, and if they could not even kill a single opponent, then all the Counts would collectively lose face when they returned to the Demon Council. Unfortunately, the simple minded demons still did not understand the kind of opponent that they were facing, as while all of them were excellent brawlers and master level fighters on their own, this was not a fair fight that they were fighting. This was guerri warfare where they did not know where their opponent was going to strike from, or what tricks he was going to use, and hence it was a fight that they were not ustomed to. ******* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo was the only one who actually understood how his master worked. While the demons struggled to find him, Leo easily located his master after noticing aplex trap set-up near a crossroads, as he joined his master in his exploits. ¡°You¡¯re here already boy? Have you ensured your mother¡¯s safety?¡± Ben inquired, as Leo nodded his head and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Good¡­. This is a dangerous fight and I could use your back-up. For now things are in our favor, however, I¡¯m assuming that soon we will be fighting amongst burning buildings and fire¨C¡± Ben said, as Leo chuckled at his words. ¡°Where there¡¯s fire¡­. There¡¯s also smoke master. These bastards won¡¯t even know what hit them!¡± Leo said confidently, as Ben smiled brightly at his disciples words. Mentality wise, the two of them werepletely alike. At moments like these a weaker man would feel scared and would probably scurry for his/her life, however, Ben and Leo did not. They lived for moments like these and thrived off the challenge, which was one of the reasons why Ben loved Leo so dearly. His disciple was fearless like him and Ben admired that quality about him. Although he was not strong enough to take down these Demon Counts by himself, he was still useful enough to take care of himself in battle and assist Ben where he needed, boosting the old man¡¯s confidence in the hunt. ¡°Alright boy. Stay hidden and wait for mymand¡­.. today your master will show you how a True Assassin hunts in the open¡± Ben said, as he locked eyes on a wyvern that was passing nearby. Chapter 429: Windfall Gains Chapter 429: Windfall Gains ( Ben and Leo¡¯s POV ) After killing his first prey by patiently waiting till it fell in his trap, Ben knew that he could not use the same approach twice. For the second time, he needed to use a new approach and with Leo by his side, he knew exactly what that new approach should be. ¡°Be ready boy¡­.. I¡¯m luring that wyvern in¨C¡± Ben said, eyeing a flying beast that was going right over their heads, as he exited a narrow alley and went out in the open to draw its attention. *Shua* *Shua* Throwing two daggers towards it, Ben attempted to bait the beast, as while the daggers missed narrowly, the attack revealed Ben¡¯s position to the enemy. ¡°@@# @##@¡± the demon count riding the beast said, as he pointed towards Ben and called for it to chase after Ben. ¡°Oops¨C¡± Ben said, pretending to be flustered at being found out as he ran straight on the wide street, while being in clear view of his enemy. If the enemy were more intelligent, he would have figured out that this was an obvious trap. However, the brutish demons did not think so much. Once he spotted Ben, the Demon Count ordered its mount to dive in and w Ben into the air, however, this was exactly what Ben wanted. Having set up powerful explosives on the street, Ben lured the wyvern into the st zone, while Leo triggered the trap at the perfect moment to cause maximum damage to the enemy. *KABOOM* A powerful explosion rang across Thumba City, as if it were not a deste city full of chaos, this explosion was powerful enough to cause mass hysteria on the streets. Both the Demon Count and it¡¯s mount were heavily injured in the st, suffering from severe burn damage and injuries. This was to be expected, as the weapons that Ben used to set-up this trap were given to him by a Grandmaster Forger years ago, where she promised that a single one of these bombs could st open the royal pce doors, however, Ben used 3 of them against this Demon Count. ¡°Welp, Adios Amigo¨C¡± Leo said, putting the nearly dead Demon Count out of his misery, as he swiftly ended his life by impaling several daggers into his charred body, before doing the same to his mount. [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for killing Demon Count Vespergus ( Level 565 ). ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for killing an opponent that is much stronger than yourself¡­.. Additional EXP will be given for this kill ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for defeating a World Boss! Would you like to make a global announcement to broadcast your achievement? Yes No ] [ System Notification :- It is detected that yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is in possession of the actor ss and cannot deny a global announcement¡­.. proceeding, with the global announcement ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for killing Demonic Wyvern ( Level 495 ) Additional EXP will be given for killing a creature far beyond your level. ] [ System Notification :- You have gained +22 levels! +You have gained the Demon Count¡¯s Helmet. +You have killed a member of the Demon Council and have been branded as one of the permanent enemies of Demonkind. ( Honorary title received :- ¡®Demon Killer¡¯ ) ] [ GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for killing one of the 720 Demon Bosses in the world, who also happens to be one of the 32 Demon Counts. You have received :- +4500 Fame +2500 MP + Unknown Egg ] A series of constant system notifications blocked up the entirety of Leo¡¯s screen, which almost distracted him from running away from the crime scene as he was supposed to. He had scored big by teaming up with Ben this time, as not only did he gain +22 levels at once, but the MP, fame and other benefits that he gained from this were also impressive. The only downside to this, if any, was that he got sted with yet another Global Announcement, however, Leo did not let it weigh him down as he maintained his focus on running away. ¡®Level 565? That Demon Count was strong as hell! I would be toast against him if this were a fair fight¨C¡¯ Leo thought as he felt new found respect for these wyvern riders after realizing that they were much stronger than most warriors he knew. Thankfully, despite his opponents being so strong, Leo managed to slide back into the shadows and disappear before the other Demon Counts arrived at the scene, making this takedown of the enemy a sessful one. Soon, he reunited with Ben who was nning his next takedown at another part of the city, however, it seemed like they were running out of time. The actual Demon King was almost done destroying the city south of the Duke¡¯s manor and was about to move to their side soon, and while Ben was confident in taking down the Demon Count¡¯s, he did not feel confident in taking down the ck dragon or the Demon King, especially after observing how easily the Demon King killed Vice Commander Philips with a single move. ¡°Quick boy, help me set up this trap¡­. If we act fast, we can take down one more of them bastards before this part of the town burns¨C¡± Ben said, tossing Leo an invisible rope line as he guided him towards where to tie it. Feeling full of adrenaline, Leo fumbled and struggled to stay calm, as he felt too excited after making that big kill just now. If possible, he wanted to kill a couple more Demon Counts and its mounts, as he knew that such leveling roller coasters did note around often. Regardless, he did as Ben said, before joining him in hiding, as only then did he request his master to let him make the final kill. ¡°Ummm, master¡­. I kind of find the act of killing demons satisfying¡­. Can you please let me make the final blow?¡± Leo requested, as Ben looked at him with a squinted eye before shaking his head. ¡°This is not a game boy¡­. Wait for my signal and stop goofing around¡± Ben reprimanded, as he stayed focused on the job of killing enemies, much to Leo¡¯s dismay. Chapter 430: Global Shock Chapter 430: Global Shock ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) The meltdown regarding the demon king was already a huge phenomenon on the global forums. Videos of the ck Dragon breathing fire and destroying Thumba City were just beginning to go viral, when the bombshell of Leo¡¯s new conquest was dropped upon every yer. The biggest point of discussion before Leo¡¯s global announcement dropped, was the perceived low quality fight between Philips and the man riding the ck Dragon, who people assumed to be Demon King Anos. The fight looked like a ssic battle between good and evil from a distance, with Philips unleashing a spear of golden light, which was crushed by a dark ck move of the demon king. Theizens around the world had only started to debate fiercely about this clip, when suddenly the news about Leo killing a Demon Count went viral, followed by the clip of an explosion that went off in Thumba City, in what seemed to be a wyvern flying into a trap. The angle at which that video was shot was not ideal and most of what happened after the explosion rang out was not visible, however, with the caption of the video saying ¡®TheBoss¡­. Is that you?¡¯ ,izens globally began specting on what the hell was going on? ¡°What the hell is going on in Thumba City? On one hand the ck Dragon is burning it to ashes and on the other, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is hunting his strongest generals for fun? Someone make sense of this for me?¡± ¡°Hey guys¡­. Honest question? Are we ying the same game as ¡®TheBoss¡¯? Because I don¡¯t feel that we are¨C I was struggling to kill a level 140 mountain lion yesterday and almost lost my life while facing it, while ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is killing Demon Counts and world bosses for fun.¡± ¡°Guys, did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ not kill one of the 720 Demon World Bosses just like 3-4 days ago? And aren¡¯t there supposed to be NO demons within Southern Duchy? So how did he go from killing a Demon Boss there toing to Thumba City now? Someone help make sense of this to me¨C¡± ¡°I just refreshed the global level rankings and it seems like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has just gained 22 Freaking levels! The gap to the top has increased massively once again!¡± ¡°I am convinced now that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is not a yer¡­.. There is no way normal yers can dominate the way he is dominating this game. He is either a reincarnator or an NPC and you can¡¯t change my mind¡± ¡°The Boss is quite literally like a one man army! When all the yers within Thumba City are running like wusses, he is hunting Demon Counts for fun¡± ¡°Hey guys¡­.. The Boss killed a Demon Boss before, and now a Demon Count¡­.. Chronologically, shouldn¡¯t The King be next? Is he really going to kill the demon king?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! I boldly dere today that chasing after the number 1 spot in the Global Leaderboards is no longer a viable dream. From now on, even if you are dreaming only dream of number2 as there is no way in hell, anyone can ever catch up to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡± ¡°The Boss is the greatest yer of our generation! He¡¯s the pride of humanity. Sadly he doesn¡¯t have an organization of his own, otherwise I¡¯d follow a man like him in a heartbeat¡± ¡°The difference between ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and the other yers is that of mentality. When others see events like the Demon King attacking the city, the first thing they do is to whip out their recording screens and create private videos that can be purchased using coins. While ¡®TheBoss¡¯ thinks about how he can kill them. He¡¯s number one because he¡¯s a mentality monster!¡± ¡°What spell do you think ¡®TheBoss¡¯ used in that video? What is his ss for him to be able to use such powerful magic spells when most mages can¡¯t even cast a proper fireball that explodes?¡± Netizens on the global forums went wild with spection on what was going on in Thumba City and what ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was doing, as nobody could make sense of his achievements anymore. At this point, Leo had transcended the level of meremon yers that could be hated and had reached a mythical status amongst gamers where people genuinely questioned if he were even real. Some debated about how he moved across half the continent to show up at the right ce at the right time? And how it was all too coincidental, while the others debated about if he were a real yer or not? Some debated about what ss he possessed, while some felt inspired by his actions and decided to fight a few Demon Counts themselves, in hopes that they got lucky like him. After the global announcement, there were a lot of yers who were previously trying to flee Thumba City that now rushed back into it, with the intention of fighting a Demon Count. Many of whom were recording the chaos, now tried to get-in on the action themselves, as they paused their recordings or created a livestream as they attempted to take down their flying opponents in the sky. Leo¡¯s achievements made it seem like anyone could be sessful as long as they had the courage to challenge the impossible, however, unfortunately for most yers, they soon found out that they were not ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the hard way. As some yers climbed atop rooftops and tried to attack the flying wyverns and their riders, they were ughtered mercilessly with a flick of the Demon Count¡¯s wrists. Thousands of yers lost a couple levels, some items and some coins for their stupidity of challenging an opponent far beyond their capabilities. However, while most yers casually discussed ¡®TheBoss¡¯ on the global forums, oblivious to the true difficulty of his aplishments, Cervantez was the only one who truly grasped the magnitude of what he had achieved. Cervantez trembled in his boots to even imagine the level of skill that it took ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to kill a Demon Count, as he could simply no longer fathom just how strong that man had be. Chapter 431: Breaking the balance of the game Chapter 431: Breaking the bnce of the game ( Cervantez¡¯s POV ) After Leo¡¯s global announcement, the yer who felt the most riled up was none other than Cervantez. In his past life, the Demon King never attacked Thumba City, and there was no yer who ever killed a Demon Count, until the final war during the final year of their four year journey. By killing a Demon Count this early, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had disrupted the flow of history big time and Cervantez feared that nothing would be the same anymore. ¡°History has been slowly shifting over the past year, but recently the change has been drastic. Since the first ranker event ended, I can¡¯t predict anything urately anymore. It¡¯s as if my future advantage has beenpletelypromised,¡± Cervantez muttered to himself, feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in his gut. If he remembered correctly, the reward for killing a Demon Count was a mystery pet egg, and as per his memory those eggs were one of the most invaluable items within the game. ¡°I wonder which of the mythical beast eggs did ¡®TheBoss¡¯ receive this time? I swear, if he received a dragon egg, then he could quite literally be the next Demon King¡± Cervantez muttered to himself, as he clutched his head in anxiety. The gap between himself and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was widening and no matter how hard he tried that gap was only getting wider and wider as time passed. It wasn¡¯t just the levels that Cervantez felt worried about, as not only was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gaining levels rapidly, but also opportunities that came with them. Fame,MP, experience, special items, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was making the most out of his gaming time, while he was idly waiting for the next demon raid to ur. ¡°No! This won¡¯t do¡­.. I must be more proactive. I can¡¯t wait for the demons to attack us¡­. If I ever wish to catch-up to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ then I need to be more proactive like him¡± Cervantez said to himself, as he decided to throw the word ¡®Impossible¡¯ out of his dictionary, and take on more challenges on a daily basis. ********* ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) ChaosBringer felt his forehead dripping with sweat when he received ¡®TheBoss¡¯s¡¯ private message, which was soon followed by a global announcement of him killing a Demon Count. ¡°What sort of a beast is that guy? Texting me while being in the midst of a war? Just how many steps ahead is he really thinking?¡± ChaosBringer wondered, as he immediately sent a message across the guild chat to mobilize all guild members. As per The Boss¡¯s instructions, the target for the organization was to grab as many territories as possible, which was why ChaosBringer announced expansion ns targeting four neighboring County¡¯s at once. It was an all hands on deck situation, with roughly 100 thousand to 500 thousand members deployed per target vige/ city, however, the serious fighting force amongst thisrge number was only around 20-30%. If sessful, the organization was set to control over 30% of the Southern Duchy after today, taking a sizable chunk out of the Empire¡¯s control, however, this was a scenario that was easier said than done. Since the n of attack was so abrupt, the only n of attack was to attack with there being no serious strategy behind it. Almost every attack dered was a happy go lucky campaign which relied on the high membership number of the organization to hopefully outnumber the enemy, however, that was it. There was no substance behind the attack¡­. No nning and no semnce of co-ordinated leadership. It was a chaotic campaign organized just because ¡®TheBoss¡¯ demanded it and ChaosBringer just hoped that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ would not me him when it failed miserably. ********* ( Meanwhile the operators of the Arc Ship ) Cervantez was not the only one who was rmed by the early death of one of the Demon Counts, as the ship¡¯s operators were also equally rmed by this unprecedented event. Terra Nova Online was a pretty standard game that they made every migrant colony y before shifting them to Terra Nova and the basic storyline was the same for all ships and all yers. Although some parameters were altered based on things like length of the journey and average intelligence of the species ying the game, the basic world background and story remained the same. The demons were always themon enemy and in the final few months of the journey towards Terra Nova, the grand battle against the Demons began, when the yers were at their strongest and they had adjusted fully to the game world, having had ample time to develop their unique abilities. For this batch of humans, this time was scheduled during thest 6 months of their journey, roughly 15 more months from now, however, Leo had jumped the gun wayy too fast. The probability of any yer killing a Demon Count was already low at 0.9%, however, this probability was set for the end period of the game, whereas the probability of a yer killing a Demon Count in the current time was near 0. However, not only was Leo killing Demon Counts, he was also doing it for fun in an event which waspletely unexpected and unprecedented for the operators. ¡°What should we do? The actor ss yer in this timeline has started to emerge as an anomaly¡­.. Should we perhaps start thinking about ways to nerf him? Because if not, this man will ruin the bnce of the game single-handedly¡± An alien operator suggested to his peer, who felt equally confused on what they should do with Leo. On one hand, his achievements were praiseworthy, however, on the other hand, they were so oundish that he was now breaking the bnce of the game. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t make a decision regarding such an important yer by ourselves¡­.. I think we will have to refer to the home base for this¡± The second alien operator said, as after careful consideration, he decided to refer Leo¡¯s case to even his superiors. Chapter 432: Quitting while being ahead Chapter 432: Quitting while being ahead ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Unaware about the storm that his actions were causing behind the scenes, Leo solely focused on taking down the Demon Counts alongside Ben. With the Demon Counts now being on full alert and flying quite close to one another, there were not many opportunities to take them down, however, that did not discourage the master-student duo, who kept stalking the demons like they were prey. Eventually, as Ben heard the distinctive sound of cackling mes getting closer and closer, he realized that time was running out for him and Leo, as he decided to take a slight gamble. ¡°Don¡¯t reveal your real body boy¡­.. use [ Mirror World ] to distract the enemy¨C¡± Ben instructed, as both him and Leo created dozens of clones. Without revealing their real positions, Ben and Leo scattered the clones in the nearby vicinity, drawing the attention of the demons flying above them, as the demons unleashed attacks upon the clones from range. [ There! I see the enemy! ] [ I see two of them? No wait three ¡­. Just how many enemies are there? ] [ I just killed one! But there¡¯s another right behind him ] The demon counts spoke amongst each other in Demonic tongue, as they unleashed truly spectacr attacks from distance, which battered thendscape of Thumba City. *Kaboom* *Rumble* *Shudder* *BOOM* *Crunch* *Destructive noises* Dust fell from window-sills above Leo¡¯s head, while the Earth trembled beneath his feet. The attacks unleashed by the Demon Counts were so powerful that they destroyed everything within a certain radius of the attack, destroying buildings, streets and other government buildings to rubble. In terms of sheer power, had Leo faced even one of these attacks head on, he would probably have been granted an instant and painless death, where his body would have blown to a million pieces before the pain could even be registered in his brains, however, thankfully, he did not face any of these attacks head on, with his only role being to distract the Demon Counts. The real predator waiting for an opportunity to strike was Ben, and just as he saw a Demon Count too focused on attacking a decoy, he found his opportunity to strike. Within a split second, Ben explosively covered the distance of close to 40 meters,unching himself high into the air in a feat of athleticism that Leo had never seen before. Positioning himself perfectly in the blind spot of the Demon, Ben sailed through the air, closing the distance between them, with his dagger at the ready. With his aura concealed, and his movement soundless, and his opponent too focused on killing a decoy, Ben managed to sneak-up on him undetected, as he plunged two daggers straight into the back of his target¡¯s neck. *Stab* *Stab* Before the Demon Count could even realize what had happened to him, Ben stabbed him with 10 more daggers, killing him instantly before dropping down as soundlessly as he arrived. *Thud* *SCREECH* It wasn¡¯t until the dead Demon Count rolled off from his mount and fell on-to the ground below, causing his wyvern mount to screech loudly that the rest of the Demon Counts realized that another member of their team was dead. [ What? The enemy got Fabion too? How did he get Fabion? ] [ The enemy killed Fabion in the air ¡­.. the enemy is much stronger than we imagined ] [ Should we ask the king for help? We have already lost 3 members to the enemy¡¯s attacks now ] [ Perhaps humans are not that weak after all. Perhaps the stronger ones are not present here in this city right now ] [ Everyone be more careful, the enemy is more crafty than we think ] The demons said to one another, with panic now evident in their voices. Somehow, Ben and Leo had single-handedly managed to put the fear of human opponents into the hearts of demon¡¯s, to the point where they no longer pretended like this was an easy hunt. Everyone was wary and constantly on guard against the stronger opponent, which was not a scenario that they had expecteding into this city at all. Ben on the other hand, had already started to retreat alongside Leo, as he no longer saw any point behind fighting. The Demon King had finished burning half of the city, and the other half was starting to catch fire naturally through the wind, without the Demon King having to do anything much. Nheless, the Demon King and his ck dragon still made sure to hasten the process of burning, giving Ben and Leo only a narrow margin to escape before they were trapped within a city of mes. ¡°Master, why are we running away? Although the city is burning we can probably take out a couple more Demon Counts if it¡¯s the two of us?¡± Leo asked while following Ben to the exit, as Ben simply shook his head and brought Leo back to reality. ¡°We are Assassin¡¯s my boy, not warriors. We can only trap, surprise and kill our opponents fast, but we can¡¯t fight them on even terms. With the element of surprise no longer on our side and our maneuverability gone within a burning city, it¡¯s best to retreat while we are ahead¡± Ben instructed, as he gave Leo a valuable life lesson. Leo was too hot-blooded and since he was a yer with nothing to really lose, he often failed to understand the difference between probable risk and suicidal risk since his life was not actually on the line. The worst that could happen to him was that he lost a couple levels after dying and dropped a few items alongside, however, for Ben the risk of losing his life was very real. To take probable risk, was to show courage. However, to take suicidal risk, was to show foolishness and thankfully Ben knew the difference between the two. Satisfied with killing three Demon Counts and extracting a couple drops of blood from the Demon King himself, Ben exited the burning Thumba City before it became a giant funeral pyre. Chapter 433: Unexpected Visitors Chapter 433: Unexpected Visitors ( Real World, The Arc Ship ) As Leo logged out of the game, hezily got off his bed and began scratching his bum as he made his way towards the apartment kitchen. Never in his wildest dreams did Leo expect that he was going to have unexpected guests over in his apartment¡ªlet alone that those guests would be the alien operators. ¡°Woah, woah, woah!¡± Leo said, sounding shocked, as he did not expect to see elves with pointy ears in real life. ¡°Mr.Skyshard, please have a seat¨C¡± said one of the two elves seated on his apartment dining table, as Leo cautiously took a seat across from them. Looking at their pointy ears, pale white skin and almost in-human-like sleek facial shape, Leo had no doubt in his mind that the beings that he was talking to were aliens, however, he had no idea as to why they were here this morning. Dressed in loose ck robes and some sort of pendants that looked like employee I.D. cards, the two elves seated across from him did not appear to be threatening, however, Leo felt nervous nheless. ¡°So¡­. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?¡± Leo asked cautiously, as one of the elves, the one seated on the right cautiously extended her hand for Leo to shake. ¡°Greetings yer¡­. I¡¯m Raya, I believe you have seen me appear in the rankers event before¡± said Raya, as Leo shook her hand, without letting the expression on his face change. To be fair, Leo had no idea that the elf on the right was a woman, as almost all elves had delicate facial features and long hair, which made it difficult for humans to discern their gender without looking at their body shape, which in this case was covered by a loose ck robe. ¡°Greetings, I¡¯m Raven, and the two of us are the ship operators that you often hear over the announcements¡± said the elf on the left, who was now confirmed to be a male. Shaking his hand too, Leo waited patiently for them to disclose the purpose of their visit, as he felt a sliver of curiosity bubble within him as to why they were visiting him now? Noticing their gentle demeanor, Leo assumed they weren¡¯t here to punish him¡ªafter all, they wouldn¡¯t be this calm if they were. This realization eased his mind slightly, shifting his thoughts from anxiety to curiosity. ¡°Mr.Skyshard, we are basically here today because your gaming performance has far-surpassed our expectations. It¡¯s been so good to the point where your performance defies the probability index on our autonomous statistical model. And hence, we have received an order from our superiors toe here and offer you a deal¨C¡± Raya said, as Leo raised an eyebrow at her words. While he did feel like his gaming performance had been good as ofte, he did not think it was something heaven defying as Raya described it to be. ¡°Oh really? I broke the statistical model?¡± Leo asked, as Raven nodded his head and replied sincerely. ¡°Think of it this way¡­.. if the probability of tossing a coin and it falling on heads is 50-50. The probability of doing it twice in a row falls to 25% and the more times you do it, the less chance you have to do it sessively without evernding on tails¡± Raven said, as Leo nodded in understanding. He knew how basic probability worked and hence he managed to follow Raven¡¯s exnation with ease. ¡°So if you think about the probability of you seeding in every mission you ever took¡­. Mastering skills in time¡­. Winning the Grand Tournament¡­. And basically your whole journey up till now, then as per the statistical calctions of our analytical model the probability of you sitting at 322 levels right now is less than 1 in a million¡± Raven said, as only then did Leo realize that he had been sort of incredibly lucky. Despite his unique ss being something of a big headache, he had never really suffered a big setback ever since the game began and had only made steady progress since. Whether it was the ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ persona or ¡®TheBoss¡¯ he was excelling in them both and rarely did he hit any roadblocks. Of-course he also created his own luck, as it wasn¡¯t through sheer dumb fate that he had made it this far, however, it was undeniable that fortune had been on his side when he needed it to be. ¡°I see¡­¡± Leo said tapping his chin as he felt quite good to know that he had done everything right up till now to be where he was. ¡°Yes¡­. While your performance has been most excellent and both us and our higher ups are very excited for your future achievements¡­. With you being so far ahead of the other yers, unfortunately, the bnce of the game is starting to break¡­..¡± Raya said, as Leo suddenly felt rm bells ringing in his head. He did not like how the elf said that the bnce of the game was starting to break, as to him it sounded like an ominous warning. *Gulp* Gulping a mouthful of saliva, Leo waited for the Elf to continue, as he did not like the direction in which this conversation was heading. ¡°So¡­. We are here to offer you a once in a lifetime deal today¡­. A deal unlike what we have offered to any yer in history before. And should you choose to ept it, I can personally assure you that you will gain more than you will lose¡± Raya said, as she smiled amicably at Leo. ¡®What the fuck¡­.. this vixen is trying to scam me for sure. She wants to make a deal with me where I lose something? Hell, I don¡¯t want to lose anything! But what other choice do I have? She is an operator, these people control my life and death from the ankle bracelet I have on me. It¡¯s not like I can politely tell her to fuck off either?¡¯ Leo wondered, as sweat beads began to form on his forehead. Chapter 434: The Truth (1) Chapter 434: The Truth (1) ¡°So¡­ we have a once-in-a-lifetime offer for you today¡ªan opportunity unlike anything we¡¯ve ever extended to any yer before. If you choose to ept, I can personally assure you that the rewards will far outweigh any potential losses,¡± Raya said, as Leo blinked nkly in response to her words. Leo did not know how to respond to her words without sounding rude and hence he chose to remain silent. Unfortunately, so did Raya and Raven, as the atmosphere in the room quickly grew ufortable. ¡°So¡­. Can you tell me something more before I ept your offer? Such as what benefits I will get versus what potential losses I will suffer?¡± Leo asked nervously as he did not wish to make a decision in haste. He wanted Raya and Raven to give him more information so that he could make a responsible and informed decision, however, they did not seem to be too keen in doing so. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that all we can say before you take the offer is that you will get lots of valuable information regarding the future of the gaming world¡­. About your future in real life once we reach Terra Nova and much more. However, in exchange you will have to agree to some austerity measures that will nerf your character within the gaming world for a while. Of-Course you are free to reject this offer and we promise you that there will be no consequences for you directly. However, you might find your gaming environment turn unfavorable, or your character being forced into impossible quests if you decline¨C¡± Raven threatened, as Leo shivered in his chair when he heard those words. ¡®No consequences for you my ass¡­. You will fuck me in a thousand different ways if I don¡¯t agree to your schemes¡¯ Leo thought, as although he did not say anything out-loud, he bit his lips and swallowed his grief. ¡°I will trust you then¡­. I agree to whatever Austerity measures you propose, so please don¡¯t mess with my gaming environment¡± Leo said, as both Raya and Raven immediately beamed with smiles. ¡°Alright then, Mr.Skyshard, let me tell you¡­. You have made a very smart decision here today!¡± Raven said, as he brought out a scroll-like piece of paper and handed over a quill to Leo. ¡°Please sign here Mr.Skyshard¡­.. this is a document which says that you agree to the Austerity measures ced on your in-game character for the next six months in exchange for free information regarding your future. Once you sign, we can finally begin giving you your rewards. But of course you won¡¯t be able to share them with anyone, as if you do, the ankle monitor will kill you¡± Raya said enthusiastically, as by this point Leo saw a pattern emerging. These alien elves seemed to be masters of passive-aggressive talking, as they congratted and chided him in one line and then threatened him in another. ¡°Alright¡­here¨C¡± Leo said, scribbling on the scroll as Raven happily collected itter. ¡°Very good Mr.Skyshard¡­. Please allow me to now start distributing you your invaluable reward!¡± Raven said, his eyes gleaming in excitement, while Leo looked at him dully. In Leo¡¯s mind, this was a sure-shot scam, which was why he did not think too much of the information that was about to be presented, however, he was wrong. The information he was about to get was way more valuable than the austerity measures he agreed to, as Leo¡¯s whole world was about to be flipped up-side down. ¡°We will allow you to ask as many questions as you wish Mr.Skyshard, however, for the sake of continuity, I suggest that you let me speak the basic story first, so that you understand the context for what we are about to share¨C¡± Raven said, as he requested Leo to keep his doubts to himself until the full story had been revealed. Nodding, Leo acknowledged Raven¡¯s request before gesturing for him to continue, as Raven really began the story from the very beginning. ¡°Starting from the very start¡­. Let me first tell you about us¡ª Me and Raya belong to an organization called ¡®The Universal Government¡¯. By now you must know about the ¡®Rainbow Stream¡¯ The concentrated stream of mana running through our universe¡­. Basically, the universal government is the organization that controls this rainbow stream and every single within it¨C¡± Raven said, as he shed the weird pendant hanging over his and Raya¡¯s neck, which Leo assumed was an identity token. Terra Nova, the that you and the rest of the Earthlings are bound for, is just one of the severals present within the Rainbow Stream, however, just like how back on Earth you had different countries with different migrant policies, every within the Rainbow Stream sort of has a unique immigration policy and culture. You guys are lucky to be sent there, as from personal experience I can say that it¡¯s one of the betters to migrate to¡± Raven said, as at this point Leo immediately became all ears. He did not expect the information he was getting to have such an unexpected beginning, however, since Raven was starting from the start, it made sense that he told Leo everything for context. ¡°Of course, there is nothing such as a free meal in the universe, and it won¡¯t be as if you guys are weed there for doing nothing. As while the promise of a new start and green grasnds that your government made to you before you boarded this ship isn¡¯t wrong¡­. It isn¡¯t exactly right either¡­¡± Raven said, as he confirmed one of Leo¡¯s worst fears. Leo always knew that there had to be some catch to the aliens saving them from Earth, however, before today, he was not important enough to get ess to that information¡­.. Chapter 435: The Truth (2) Chapter 435: The Truth (2) ¡°Naturally, there¡¯s no such thing as a free meal in this universe, and you won¡¯t be weed there without earning your keep. While the promise of a fresh start and lush green fields made by your government before you boarded this ship isn¡¯t entirely false¡­ it isn¡¯t the whole truth either,¡± Raven said, confirming one of Leo¡¯s worst fears, as Leo began to listen intently without missing a word. ¡°The type of migrants that Terra Nova seeks are those with talents that can contribute to their society in meaningful ways. The entire game, ¡®Terra Nova Online,¡¯ is designed so that every individual aboard this arc ship can add value to the society there by developing specific skills. The reason you weren¡¯t allowed to choose your ss freely at the start is that Terra Nova has already provided us with the criteria for the kinds of migrants they need. To exin how this system works, let me give you an example: Suppose there are 100,000 candidates who are suitable to be swordsmen, all with the potential to excel in that role. However, Terra Nova only needs 80,000 swordsmen. In this case, the top 80,000 candidates would be selected as swordsmen, while the remaining 20,000 would be assigned to different sses. This process continues until all the migrant requirements are met, since Terra Nova doesn¡¯t just need warriors like archers or mages, but also bakers, tailors, and cksmiths,¡± Raven exined, as Leo nodded in acknowledgement. It made sense for the receiving to only ept migrants that added value to their society and not those that leeched off them. ¡°The game Terra Nova Online is like an induction ceremony for you yers. It¡¯s an introduction to the geography, thendscapes, and the culture of the future territory you are going to reside in, which is specifically why your game is region locked to the Unity Empire where you currently y. In the future when you arrive at Terra Nova, you will be either assigned to the Demon Camp, depending on whether or not you support them as yers during your time in Terra Nova Online. Or the Unity Empire camp, which is just like the unity empire within the game, however, the ratio of humans is not that dominant¡­..¡± Raven said, as at this moment, Leo felt like his mind was blown apart. Being from Earth, Leo was not unaware of such practices where governments made migrants and refugees undertake cultural exams to gain citizenship. However, inducting yers through a real-life game was next level. While everyone currently yed the game Terra Nova Online as if it were nothing but a game to kill time and raise one¡¯s social rankings within the Arc Ship, little did they know that it was actually the trailer before the real film began. ¡°Terra Nova Online¡­.. the real Terra Nova Online is supposed to be an unbiased game where yers are free to choose sides between humans or demons, however, for this batch, the Unity Camp has paid us a bit extra and hence we have skewed the advantage towards them. Statistically, over 75% of you will end up with the unity camp at the end of the game, while only 25% of you will join the Demon Camp and these figures would really be closer if we were unbiased, however, truthfully we are not. We want more of you to join the Unity Camp because that¡¯s what we were paid to do, however, as the universal government we need to maintain the facade of neutrality and pretend like we are unbiased, since the demon race is also a part of Terra Nova and gets a say on the migrant issue¡­.¡± Raven said, as at this point Leo just pped his cheeks and kept listening with his ears open. ¡°Once we arrive at Terra Nova, the most talented of you yers will be immediately scouted by powerful guilds and organizations and hell, a yer like you might even be scouted by the universal government itself¡­. However, the fate of every individual aboard this arc ship will be very different based on the value they bring to their new and although everyone will be allowed to live and survive. Not everyone will have the same life on the new. Just like within the game, in reality the demons and the unity empire are on odds as well, and most of you will be forced to join that war. Of-course, this is a fate for the bottom dwellers and the average yers, as the truly talented won¡¯t remain confined to the boundaries of Unity Empire and would be scouted away by powerful organizations wide. As for you¡­. You have already aroused the interest of several powerful organizations, and if you continue on your upward trajectory, you might just receive a historic offer when yound on Terra Nova¡± Raven said with a big smile on his face, which absolutely disgusted Leo. Leo did not wish to be the center of attention of several organizations as the life he had dreamt of afternding on the new was one of peace and tranquility. He wanted to live under the same roof as his mother and brother again, hopefully with Amanda this time around and start a family of his own. He dreamt of mowing the green fields and working under the hot sun and not of throwing daggers and killing people as a living. However, as he listened to Raven¡¯s words he realized that his dream might nevere true, as those in power on Terra Nova will never let a talent like him go to waste. With or without his consent, Leo was destined to y the role of a bigshot and there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 436: The Truth (3) Chapter 436: The Truth (3) ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo finally found out the truth about what was going to happen to most humans after they arrived at Terra Nova and it was shocking to say the least. At Least at the start, most humans were going to be forced into the demon war, where most would fight from the human camp, while some would fight from the demon camp. However, regardless of where one fought in the war from, the end result was the same of death and destruction, until they could earn their freedom. While he may be exempt from this fate because of his excellent talents. If he were just another average yer, he was most likely going to end up in this war too. This fate was obviously very different from the fate that the citizens of Earth were promised at the time of departure, however, it seemed like it was another one of the government¡¯s lies and propaganda. ¡°Are you with me so far? Do you have any doubts regarding everything that we have discussed so far?¡± Raven asked, looking at Leo¡¯s gloomy face, as he felt unsure on whether or not Leo was following. ¡°Yes, I am with you¡­. However, I have a small doubt¨C¡± Leo said, as he interrupted Raven¡¯s story to ask a burning question in his head. ¡°Please go ahead¨C¡± Raven responded, as he patiently waited for Leo to articte his doubt. ¡°You said that the game Terra Nova Online is more or less an exact cultural and local representation of the Terra Nova, correct?¡± Leo asked, as Raven looked at Raya and then nodded in approval. ¡°Yes it is¡­.¡± Raya said, as Leo pounced upon that detail. ¡°So if it is an exact representation, then why is there no evidence of advanced sciences on Terra Nova? Clearly this Arc Ship is not a simple machine, so the Universal Government is definitely in possession of scientific knowledge far beyond what us humans have ever discovered¡­.. But if so? Then why is the game Terra Nova Online so medieval themed? Why are there no flying nes and helicopters to go from ce to ce? This can¡¯t be it¡­. Can it?¡± Leo asked, as his intelligent question stunned both Raya and Raven. ¡°That¡­. Hmmm¡­.¡± Said Raya, not expecting to be forced to respond to one of the world governments deepest secrets, as she looked towards Raven for support. ¡°We have promised to tell him whatever information he asks for ¡­. We can¡¯t back out of our contract either, we have to tell him¡± Raven whispered in Raya¡¯s ears, as Raya let out a long sigh before answering Leo¡¯s doubt. ¡°Yes, your observation is spot-on. The true technological capabilities of the universal government is far beyond what you at Earth ever unlocked, however, almost alls within the rainbow stream don¡¯t use technology even sparingly¡± Raya said, as her answer shocked Leo a lot. ¡°Technology is a destroyer of joy and happiness. There are a couple worlds where we introduced the locals to modern technology and the happiness index of the locals living in technological luxuries plummeted massively. You would think that being able to travel wide distances within a short period of time, would help families stay united, since if for any emergency a family member has to work abroad, they can always visit home for important asions, however, what really happens is the reverse. Because of the travel time being reduced, more and more people choose to move away from their homes, destroying the family unit as it was. The more ¡®essible¡¯ and open the world bes through technology, the more miserable are the inhabitants living there and hence close to 92% of alls within the rainbow stream have signed legition to keep technology away from their. It¡¯s like a taboo and most people want nothing to do with it. This is also a reason behind why, when selecting people to evacuate from Earth, we did not let any of your chief scientists board, as there is simply no ce for men of science within the rainbow stream¨C¡± Raya said, as being an Earthling, Leo was shocked to hear this answer. ¡°Not only is technology a destroyer of the happiness of amon man, but it¡¯s also a destroyer of worlds. Technology goes against the natural harmony of the world and one of the major reasons behind why your home died was because you polluted it to death with technology. As per our research into your history, the happiest time period for humans was just before the industrial revolution began and destroyed civilization as we know it¡± Raven added, as his words provoked Leo into deep thought. In a way, he wasn¡¯t wrong. Earth really was destroyed because of technology. Global warming, destabilizing ocean currents, melting pr caps were a big reason behind the frequent tsunamis and earthquakes taking ce, which was the trigger for the volcanic eruptions,ndslides and other natural disasters. However, despite all the negatives of technology, no one on Earth solely med it for their demise, but perhaps Earthlings were too blind to see what truly destroyed their, which was why they could not save it in time. Even if technology were the devil, Leo couldn¡¯tprehend why thes within the Rainbow Stream chose not to use it, especially given the known power of modern weapons. In his view, those in power would do anything to maintain their dominance, which would inevitably lead to the use of such weapons, forcing others to respond in kind. What baffled Leo most was how, despite the awareness of these potent tools across alls, they still opted not to deploy them. ¡°Even if I ept the fact that perhaps modern technology is not suited for day to day life¡­. What about modern weapons? Why can¡¯t the Unity Empire just nuke the Demon Kingdom, if they are already aware of the presence of nuclear weapons? I¡¯m sure that those who are in power will do anything to stay there, and won¡¯t care for things like banned technology?¡± Leo asked, as once again his question made Raven and Raya feel extremely ufortable. Chapter 437: The Truth (4) Chapter 437: The Truth (4) ¡°What about modern weapons? Why don¡¯t the indigenous people of Terra Nova use it?¡± Leo asked, as his question made both Raya and Raven feel ufortable. If they were not contract bound to answer all of his doubts, they would under no circumstance reveal this information, however, currently they had no other option but toply. ¡°Of-course we have many modern weapons under our arsenal, some that are way more powerful than the nuclear weapons on Earth, however, the weapons that we wield are still not the strongest or most destructive forces in the universe¡­. While on Earth, a mere human can never hope to replicate the strength of a nuclear missile, within the rainbow stream, a Grandmaster mage can cast a spell which is as powerful as a nuclear missile, destroying an entire city with one attack. However, a Grandmaster Mage is nowhere close to the strongest being in the universe. Above the Grandmaster stage lies the Transcendent stage, and for beings in this realm, modern weapons are nothing but children¡¯s y-things. Above the Transcendent stage lies the demi-god stage, a power level where beings can destroy entires with a single move if they wish to. And above the Demi-God stage lies the fabled God stage¡­. And let me just tell you this¡­. We do have gods in this universe¡± Raya said, as Leo felt the blood move down from his brain and towards his feet, as he felt cold all over his body. Just entering the ¡®Master¡¯ stage was difficult enough for him as a yer, however, little did he know that the master stage was not even considered anything impressive when viewed from a universal scale. Just what was a master to a god? Probably nothing more than an ant¡­. And hence Leo felt shivers running down his spine to even imagine such beings of power. ¡°So it¡¯s not like we do not possess modern weapons, but it¡¯s just that modern weapons are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The only people that modern weapons can intimidate are the bottom dwellers who don¡¯t have the skills to fight back against them. However, at the real stage where fates of nations ands are decided, modern weapons be meaningless¡± Raya concluded, as Leo finally understood as to why Terra Nova Online was a medieval style world. It was a medieval style world because the inhabitants there chose to live this way, as they genuinely believed that living a technology free life was to live a happy life and also because modern weapons were irrelevant in their society. Withs being ruled by beings far more powerful than the most powerful weapons in existence, the rule makers no longer depended on them to stay in power. ¡°To preserve the spirit of technology in-case we need it someday, we have exactly 2s within the rainbow stream where technology is allowed to thrive and one of them is the headquarters of the Universal Government. Most Arc Ships are produced there and if you ever visit that you will see a futuristic world unlike any other. However, mosts within the rainbow stream are medieval, so unless you join the Universal Government, your future will look like the game Terra Nova Online¡± Raven added, as Leo now knew one more bit of information about the new world that he was headed into. With his previous doubts now rified, Leo gestured for Raven to continue with his story, as he now understood the context of the world he was heading into. ¡°Because of your actions in Terra Nova Online, the game bnce has started to break. You see¡­ you are not the only from outside the rainbow stream to have their inhabitants migrated to Terra Nova. The game Terra Nova Online has been yed by many civilizations aside from you, and all of them have yed the game as a team. The game is designed in a way which promotes guild work and team work. Because the future of most yers is to join big guilds, or work in small teams for employment. Solo gamey is not encouraged 2 years into the game, however, your actions as a solo yer are inspiring the masses to follow your lead and shift away from the guild oriented model that we wish for them to conform to. While your individual performance has been spectacr, it¡¯s now reaching a point where you are breaking the bnce of the game and the people in charge are not too thrilled about this scenario. Hence, for the next 6 months, we want you to no-longer bring out the persona of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to public light. We naturally understand that you have a Barony to run and NPC¡¯s you are connected to, so you can¡¯t disappearpletely. However, for the next six months we are going to have to put a leveling cap on you and prevent you from making any public moves. You may not leave the premises of your Royal Manor within Crest-Hill Barony for the next 6 months and you may not ept any mission or quest during the same. That is the austerity measure that we are imposing on you, to prevent you from destroying the bnce of the game¨C¡± Raven said, as he finally exined to Leo what his penalty was going to be and the reason behind why they were imposing it. The penalty was nothing personal against Leo, but it was being enforced to make sure that Leo¡¯s actions did not encourage more people to go solo. The investors behind this game were hoping for nice guild workers when they arrived on Terra Nova and did not want Leo to screw that up. ¡°Of-course, since the people in power don¡¯t want you to suffer a loss, in addition to the information you are getting from us today, you will also bepensated fairly for the gaming time that you are losing¡­.¡± Raya added, as once again a bright smile beamed on her face. Chapter 438: The Truth (5) Chapter 438: The Truth (5) ¡°Of course, since those in power don¡¯t want you to experience any loss, in addition to the information we¡¯re providing today, you¡¯ll also be fairlypensated for the gaming time you¡¯re missing,¡± Raya added, her bright smile once again lighting up her face. ¡°Oh? What sort ofpensation are we talking about?¡± Leo asked, curious as to what sort of additionalpensation he was going to get from the Arc Ship staff. ¡°You will get two very important items aspensation¨C¡± Raya began, her eyes lighting up as she talked about this topic. ¡°Firstly you will be given a ¡®Meditation Scroll¡¯, sponsored by the Universal Government. Now¡­.. I know you don¡¯t understand what a meditation scroll is or its importance within the rainbow stream, so let me first exin to you, just how amazing thispensation is!¡± Raya said, as she brought out a meditation scroll and ced it on the dining table. ¡°In terms of in-game currency, this item is worth upwards of 5 billion gold coins¡­. And even if one had the money to buy it, there is no guarantee that one would find the opportunity to purchase it, this item is just that rare!¡± Raya said, as Leo felt blown away by this astronomical number. He was currently earning millions of gold coins a month, however, even he could not afford such an expensive item, even if he saved for years. ¡°The empty room beside your bed, where you workout everyday¡­. It¡¯s not really a workout room. That empty room is a meditation room, however, most individuals on this Arc Ship don¡¯t understand what it¡¯s for¡± Raya said, as the excitement was now palpable on her face. ¡°When you game¡­. Do you feel like it¡¯s very hard for you to improve your skills? Like improving the mastery of your skills is very difficult? If I¡¯m not wrong, all your skills are still at (basic) proficiency despite you using them regrly while in the game¡± Raya pointed out, as Leo nodded in agreement. It was indeed very hard to raise the mastery of skills and it wasn¡¯t just him who faced this problem, but rather every yer that did. Very few yers had reached (Intermediate) grade mastery over their skills and most of the skills were very low level. Nobody had yet improved the mastery grade of a Semi-Legendary or Legendary grade skill, including Leo, who was struggling as well. ¡°With the help of this meditation scroll, you will make rapid progress in improving the mastery of your skills and also make rapid progress in reaching the next realm of your ss. If you meditate properly and consistently for 6-8 hours a day, you can most definitely reach the [ master ] realm in your profession by the time we reach Terra Nova. To meditate is to cultivate, it¡¯s the fastest and most efficient way to bing more powerful, with the highest realms only essible through meditation¡± Raya said, as she longingly gazed towards the meditation scroll as if it were some invaluable treasure. ¡°Once you bind with this meditation scroll, it will be your exclusive property, that can only be read by you. Usually, one has to be a certain level of employee within the Universal Government¡¯s hierarchy to gain ess to this meditation technique. However, my higher ups have decided to give you one as a gesture of goodwill. It¡¯s truly an unprecedented honor, and you are very lucky to have it¨C¡± Raya said, as at this point Leo felt like he was receiving a truly special item. He did not know much about meditation as of now, however, by how Raya described it, the technique seemed to be something truly magical. ¡°So how do I bind with it?¡± Leo asked, as Raven pointed towards a symbol on the meditation paper and replied ¡°Just drop a bit of your blood there¨C¡± Immediately, Leo bit his thumb and pressed the blood down on it, sessfully binding with the scroll which glowed with a faint gold light. ¡± *Sigh*, you have no idea how lucky you are Mr.Skyshard to be given that scroll. I have been working for the Universal Government for 17 years now¡­. But I¡¯ll probably need to work for 3 more to get it¡± Raven said, as he seemed slightly jealous that Leo got this scroll when he did not even understand its value. ¡°So¡­ are there any other methods to obtain this scroll? I mean there has to be because you guys have built a meditation room in every apartment¡± Leo asked, as Raven nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°The game Terra Nova Online does have a total of 20 hidden meditation scrolls for yers to im, however, the method of iming one is random andpletely based on luck. There is no guarantee as to whether or not one will get it or not, but by the end of our journey you can expect a few more yers to have it. As for why this Arc Ship has a meditation room in every room from Sector C onwards, it¡¯s because this ship wasn¡¯t just designed for you. Sometimes we use this ship to transport people within the rainbow stream, people who need to meditate daily and hence every ticket from C ss and above needs to mandatorily be equipped with a meditation room¡± Raven exined as Leo suddenly realized that this Arc Ship was no different from arge airne. Although they were the passengers within this ne for now, they were not going to be the only passenger boarding it for life. After this trip was over, the ship would be deployed for something new and the needs of the next batch of passengers may differ. ¡°I see ¡­.. so that¡¯s one of my benefits, but you mentioned that I¡¯m going to get two? So what is the other benefit that I¡¯m getting in return for this 6 month probation period?¡± Leo asked, as at this point he felt like maybe he wasn¡¯t really making a loss by entering into this agreement with the ship operators. Chapter 439: The Truth (6) Chapter 439: The Truth (6) ¡°So what is the second benefit that I¡¯m going to recieve?¡± Leo inquired, eager to know what more he was going to get in return for his hardships over the next 6 months. ¡°Before we exin your second benefit, we need to tell you about the unhatched reward currently sitting within your inventory¡­..¡± Raya said, as Leo looked at her in confusion. Although he had read the sh of notifications on his screen when the rewards for killing the Demon Count were announced, he did not really have the time to properly check them out yet. ¡°When you killed the Demon Count ¡­ .You received a reward, remember? An unhatched mystery egg?¡± Raya reminded, as it was only then that Leo seemed to recall about it. ¡°Yeah? What about it?¡± Leo asked, curious as to where this was leading. ¡°So the way we designed this game is that the reward for killing the 32 Demon Counts is to receive a mystery egg of a mythical beast. As per our statistical model, a Demon Count only had a low chance of dying at the hands of a yer and that too only during thest stages of the game with not many months left till we arrive at our destination. However, you have somehow defied that norm¨C¡± Raya said, shaking her head in amusement before continuing. ¡°Usually, the way this system works is that someone kills a Demon Count and gets the egg, which takes roughly 6-9 months to incubate and hatch. Once it hatches, a mythical beast is born from it and at that time we inform the yer that they will also receive the same mythical beast egg/ newborn mythical beast in real life upon reaching the destination. 9/10 times, we only have to hand over a half incubated egg, however, sometimes we do deliver newborns. However, you have jumped that timeline by a long shot. You will have time to not only incubate and hatch that egg, but also have time to train and raise it. Which means, we will need to train and raise it in real life¨C¡± Raya exined, as Leo nodded in understanding. There seemed to be a lot of back-end processes going on behind the scenes and him getting the egg early seemed to be some sort of logistical nightmare for the ship operators. ¡°Your second reward is that you will not have to deal with the headache of raising a newborn mythical beast during its newborn stage. Usually, for non-beast tamers, raising a mythical beast is next to impossible. They need constant care like babies, high nutrition food and they don¡¯t listen to anyone. Hiring beast tamers to train them are expensive and cost millions of gold coins a month, which most yers can¡¯t afford, which is why 9/10 yers who do get mythical beast eggs, end up selling them upon hatching. However, we will hire a beast tamer for you, who will nourish and train your pet until you arrive on Terra Nova¡­ free of charge. Considering we have 2.5 years left on our journey, you will most likely arrive to a healthy, obedient beast kid who will listen to your everymand and be very loyal to you. It¡¯s also an unprecedented honor¡­.¡± Raya said, as she looked visibly jealous of Leo at this point. ¡°I see ¡­¡± Leo murmured, stroking his chin as he never thought that in-game NPC characters could turn real someday. One of his worst fears these days was that once their journey ended, it would be the end of his rtionship with Ben, since he would no longer y Terra Nova Online. Some days he tried to dismiss this fear thinking that he could purchase a VR headset on Terra Nova and continue ying the game when he wished to. While on other days he tried to dy thinking about this problem as the end of their journey was still a far cry away. However, if the universal government could turn his in-game pet into a real pet, then perhaps there was a way to make Ben a real person as well. ¡°I see ¡­.. that is very generous¡± Leo muttered, before looking Raya and Raven in the eyes, as he decided to ask them onest doubt. ¡°Before you go, I have a few more questions,¡± Leo said, as Raven gestured for him to ask them. ¡°The NPC¡¯s in Terra Nova Online, are they real people?¡± Leo asked, as Raya immediately shook her head and said ¡°No they are all historical figures. None of them are alive today¡± ¡°Think of it as, you¡¯re ying a simtion of Real Earth but from the year 1665. Simrly, the Terra Nova Online you¡¯re ying today, is the real world with real people, but from 200 years ago. Most NPC¡¯s from back then are already dead, except for a few elves and the ck Dragon Drogo¡± Raya replied, as Leo felt a pinch in his heart to know that the real Ben Faulkner, the character on which his master is based is actually dead already. ¡°So is there a way to bring a character from Terra Nova Online to the real world? Since you can arrange for my pet to be created in the real world, you can make a person too, can¡¯t you?¡± Leo inquired, as both Raya and Raven looked physically ufortable when faced with this question. They were almost hesitant to answer it, as this was a morally gray area even for the universal government, however, they could not deny Leo his answer as they were under a binding contract to answer all his questions today. ¡°Yes¡­. It¡¯s not impossible to replicate a person, but it will cost a hell lot of MP. As for what exact non yer character you want replicated, it will cost you variably depending on the strength of that character. If it¡¯s just some random prettydy that you have fallen in love with, it will cost you maybe 20-30 thousand MP. However, if it¡¯s a powerful and significant character, it may even cost you millions. MP is a very important currency on Terra Nova, and if I were you, I would save them rather than spend them on replicating an NPC¡± Raven answered, as he advised Leo to not go down that road. Chapter 440: The Scroll Chapter 440: The Scroll ¡°MP is a crucial currency on Terra Nova, Mr. Skyshard. If I were you, I¡¯d be cautious about spending it on replicating an NPC,¡± Raven advised, his tone final as he concluded the meeting with Leo, gesturing for Raya to stand up. He was relieved to end the conversation here, fearing that Leo might probe further with difficult questions. ¡°It¡¯s been a pleasure, Mr. Skyshard. The Universal Government deeply appreciates your cooperation,¡± Raya said, standing up as she extended her hand for Leo to shake. ¡°I trust you won¡¯t make the mistake of sharing today¡¯s information with others. We¡¯re watching you¡­¡± Raven added, shaking Leo¡¯s hand before exiting the apartment. Left alone with much to ponder, Leo remained seated, reflecting on the wealth of information he had just received. Unexpectedly, he had received information about not just his own future and the wider picture, but also about the power structure of the universe and just how much humans from Earth werecking in terms of strength,pared to the strongest beings in the universe. ¡°We are not even pebbles¡­. We are less than pebbles. In a universe where Demi-Gods and Gods exist, even bing a Grand-Master is not enough!¡± Leo concluded, as he felt like a frog who had just escaped his well for the first time ever. ¡°So¡­. The real path to improvement is through meditation, huh?¡± Leo murmured to himself, as he diverted his attention to the meditation scroll that he had received as a gift from the universal government. It was a very peculiar object that glowed with a faint golden hue, almost like it wasn¡¯t just a piece of paper, but rather an invaluable treasure. As Leo opened the scroll for the first time ever, faint ck lines began appearing on the scroll, starting from the top and slowly spreading towards the bottom, as a replica of his own body formed before him. A meditation scroll only served one owner, and once the scroll was bound to an owner, the meditation technique written inside was then molded to the owner¡¯s particr body. Since every individual had a unique mana channel within themselves and a unique constitution, the same meditation technique could not be applied for all. While the core of a meditation technique remained the same, the particr method to perform it depended on the individual¡¯s race, mana affinity and more such factors. It was for this reason that there was no single meditation technique that worked for all, as following the wrong meditation technique not catered for one¡¯s particr body only led to the user suffering losses, or making insignificant gains. This was one of the main reasons behind why meditation scrolls were seldom given out to employees even within the universal government, as it was not an item that could be mass produced and copied. Each scroll had to be inscribed by a master and had to be bestowed with sentience so that when a user binded with the scroll, the scroll could then derive the most suitable meditation method for that body. [ Mind Nourishment Meditation Method ] On the top of the scroll was the name of the meditation scroll given to Leo, which was the ¡®Mind Nourishment Method¡¯ It was not a very high level method and could be considered (rare) grade at best, however, it was already on-par with the best meditation method obtainable within Terra Nova Online, and was even better for Leo who was in desperate need of developing his mind. [ This meditation method was created to broaden the horizons of the practitioners mind. Specifically created for humans, the smartest race in the cosmos, this technique helps unlock the true potential of the human mind. It is rmended that the user practices this method 6 hours a day, everyday until mastered, taking no breaks in between. Estimated time to master this meditation method is between 4-6 years. However, this is only an average and the actual time taken to master the technique depends on the practitioner, their consistency and talent ] The introductory paragraph to the technique gave a general overview of what the technique was about and what benefits it offered, and although the description was a bit vague, Leo did not mind unlocking the hidden capabilities of his brain. [ To practice this method, the practitioner must form a small pulse of mana within their mana circuit, and then circte it in real time as the diagram on this scroll shows you to. The goal is to train your mind to circte mana alongside random pathways and hence instead of circting it alongside a set path to create a rhythm, this method makes you take a different path every time, forcing your brain to be active. After a few minutes of practicing this technique in your early days, you may feel extreme mental fatigue and disorientation, however, this feeling will subside as your mind strengthens ] The technique description read, as Leo blinked twice upon reading it. The technique contained a warning inside of it and seemed to be a dynamic type learning method, where Leo had to constantly look at the scroll and guide mana along pathways that the scroll showed him to. It wasn¡¯t a simple learning method where after learning the method the scroll became useless, but rather something where he would need to rely upon the scroll on a daily basis. ¡°No wonder this costs over 5 billion gold coins¡­.. this scroll is a unique treasure unlike any other¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he carried the scroll into the meditation room. Upon entering the room, Leo immediately realized what the center mat in the room was for, as when he ced the scroll over the center mat, it immediately began levitating in the air at the perfect height for Leo to read it when he was seated upright. ¡°So that was what the mat was here for¡­.¡± Leo said to himself, as he now felt stupid for using the mat as a soft support to perform nks. Chapter 441: The Scroll (2) Chapter 441: The Scroll (2) Once the meditation scroll began levitating in the air, Leo settled himself near the mat in an upright seated position that humans usually associated with meditation, and took a deep breath before focusing on the scroll. The faint golden glow of the meditation scroll seemed to pulse gently at his gaze, as if it was alive and awaiting hismand. Following the instructions on the scroll, Leo formed a small pulse of mana near his palm and immediately, a red dot appeared on the scroll, as if acknowledging the pulse of mana he had created as the scroll responded with new instructions: [ Begin cirction. Follow the path shown. ] A diagram of Leo¡¯s exact mana circuit appeared on the scroll, resembling the intricate web of veins in the human body. The red dot, representing the pulse of mana was currently near his palm, the ce where he had manifested it first and from there it started to move slowly along the pathways drawn on the scroll, tracing a route through the body. Leo focused intently, trying to replicate the movement of the red dot as he guided the pulse of mana through his own mana channels, trying to match the exact speed and path disyed on the scroll. This task was more difficult than he had anticipated, as just within the first minute of trying to practice the mind meditation scroll, Leo took three wrong turns than what the scroll showed, which prompted the scroll to disy an alert saying :- [ Wrong Path, Please Retrace ] With his mana circuit often branching into countless smaller routes from a single route, there were branches where a single path diverged into 10 different pathways and picking exactly the fourth route amongst the 10 as the red dot indicated was not an easy task, especially when performed at a set speed. The meditation scroll was unforgiving in its demands as when Leo inadvertently sped up on a stretch of the pathway that had no branches, the scroll immediately disyed a warning: [ Slow down. Your pace is too fast. ] However, when the opposite happened and Leo hesitated upon reaching aplex intersection, unsure of which direction to take, his uncertainty caused him to slow down too much, and the scroll responded with another prompt: [ Speed up. You are too slow. ] This forced Leo to grit his teeth, adjusting his control over the mana pulse constantly, forcing himself to slow down and speed up as per the scroll¡¯s whims, which increased the strain put on his brain. The pressure mounted, the longer he practiced and he could physically feel his temples tightening after roughly 15 minutes of practice. Despite the difort, Leo forced the mana pulse forward, trying to keep pace with the red dot on the scroll. But as the minutes passed, the mental strain from this exercise started to be overwhelming. Leo¡¯s head began to pound, the effort of maintaining the correct speed and path taxing his mind beyond anything he had experienced before. However, unrelenting and uncaring, the red dot on the scroll continued to move, relentless in its pace, while Leo struggled to keep up. This meditation was far more demanding than what Leo had imagined, requiring not just focus but a delicate bnce of speed and precision. His mind felt like it was being pulled in different directions, the concentration needed to follow the pathways sapping his mental energy. After what felt like an eternity, Leo¡¯s vision blurred, and the pounding in his head became unbearable, as he could feel the pulse of mana waver within him, his control slipping as exhaustion took hold. Finally, unable to continue, Leo let the pulse of mana dissipate as he copsed backward onto the floor, gasping for breath as waves of pain pulsed through his skull. The scroll, sensing his cessation, dimmed its glow, the red dot fading away. As Leoy there, staring up at the ceiling, his mind reeled from the intense session as the headache he experienced was severe, causing throbbing at his temples as if his brain was trying to break free of his skull. ¡°This¡­ is much harder than I thought,¡± he muttered to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow, as he took a look at the room¡¯s clock and realized that he had only meditated for 40 minutes total and he had 5 hours 20 minutes of this hell still left. Despite the technique being called ¡®Meditation¡¯ it wasn¡¯t really anything like the meditation that Earthlings did. It was like ying a constant game of maze within one¡¯s own body and was nothing like breathing peacefully, while just focusing on one¡¯s breath. ¡°Who the fuck invented this satanic technique¡­.. do they really expect people to do this for 6 hours a day?¡± Leo muttered, as in his dizzy state the filter over his thoughts and tongue got removed. ¡°This just proves that all the Grandmasters and DemiGods and Gods in the universe¡­. Every single one of them are fucking masochist bastards who love torture. Mediation is torture and if they do this on a regr basis for years then they must really enjoy being tortured¡­. And it¡¯s not even inflicted torture. It¡¯s voluntary torture. That¡¯s a whole another level of sick¨C¡± Leo mumbled, as he tried to make sense of how anyone could endure this shit for 4-6 years. Nheless, despite all hisints, once his throbbing subsided a bit. Leo got back-up and formed another pulse of mana near his palms, as the meditation scroll detected the pulse and restarted their session. This time Leo could only endure another 20 minutes of torture before his mind could take it no more, forcing him to take yet another 5 minutes break. Although the scroll did say that it got easier with time, apparently that change was not fast enough, as Leo realized that he would probably struggle with this meditation method for days before he saw any tangible progress being made. Unfortunately, until he did make progress, it was going to be masochist paradise till mental exhaustion routine. Chapter 442: Misunderstandings Chapter 442: Misunderstandings ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) The next day within the world of Terra Nova Online was a wild one. Leo was nearly paralyzed from the mental exhaustion he had suffered the previous day, and mostly slept throughout the gaming hours, where he and Ben traveled back to the Eastern Barony in silence. The only productive thing that they did that day was to write an imperial letter addressed to the Emperor where the exined the situation that took ce within the Southern Duchy and their role in taking down three Demon Counts total. With Leo¡¯s probation now in effect. He was not allowed to make any waves, hence he returned to Crest-Hill Barony obediently and did not even bother peeking out of his carriage window once. However, while Leo was washed out and mentally exhausted. His previousmands to ¡®The Uprising¡¯ caused the organization to gain their single biggest victory in a day. Three counties were annexed under their rule one after another, as for some inexplicably odd reason, the defense of the three counties had been reduced to bare minimum, with there being barely any soldiers to oppose their charge. Wherever the rebels attacked, they won with ease, as within 6 short hours, they managed to quadruple the size ofnd they controlled within the Southern Duchy, annexing a full three Counties. On one hand, ChaosBringer could almost not believe it, as he could not fathom how their inexperienced forces won such a big fight so easily, however, it wasn¡¯t until the end of the day when he realized why things had been so easy. Apparently, The Elves had rebelled against the Emperor after finding out that Thumba City had been leveled, and in panic, the Count surrounding the Elven territory whosend was under attack sent a letter begging for help to all surrounding lords. Honor bound and driven by a sense of duty, all the southern nobles responded to the call for help, and rode at once towards the Elven borders, trying to contain the rebellion. Unfortunately for them however, their march towards the Elven borders left their own territories defenseless, giving ¡®The Uprising¡¯ their single easiest win in history. Of-course Leo had not nned any of this. He did not carefully calcte, nor did he orchestrate these chain of events, however, in ChaosBringer¡¯s mind he did. After this win, ChaosBringer was convinced that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was some higher dimensional being. Some 4D chess master who saw moves that themon man could never, and felt his devotion towards his new master surge tenfold. ********** ( Within The Uprising Guild Chat ) The atmosphere within The Uprising¡¯s guild chat was electric after the victory, with all members praising upper management wholeheartedly for their decision to attack with haste. ¡°I finally get why the bosses are the bosses and why we should just do as we are told. I was a bit hesitant to respond to this all hands on deck call, however, it proved to be a great decision¨C¡± ¡°Today¡¯s a party! If we continue winning like this we can probably conquer the entire Southern Duchy by the end of this year!¡± ¡°Praise ChaosBringer! His foresightedness is legendary!¡± Thements overall in the chat were all praises for the upper management and their decision to attack, however, as ChaosBringer read them, he felt thispulsion inside him to tell his guild members the truth. ¡°Attention all Uprising Members¡­.. Today¡¯s a monumental day for our guild, and I would just like to take a moment and tell you some behind the scenes that went behind this attack. I see many of you praising me for this win, but actually, it wasn¡¯t my decision to mobilize the guild on an urgent basis at all. The decision was solely made by ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and I was merely the messenger. Lord Boss sees this game in a way that our mortal brains can¡¯t evenprehend and that¡¯s why he¡¯s the best yer around. If you ask amon yer on how they can reach level 300? Probably they would not be able to give you an answer. If you asked me, how to win three Counties in one day. Even I would not be able to answer, however, nothing is impossible for Lord Boss! With him in our Upper Management, miracles like these will be regr. All Hail Lord Boss!¡± As soon as ChaosBringer dropped this message, it ignited the chat like wildfire. yers who had been casually scrolling through now found themselves typing frantically, their excitement and reverence for ¡®The Boss¡¯ reaching new heights. What began as a simple victory celebration quickly evolved into something far more intense. ¡°We¡¯re witnessing history! TheBoss isn¡¯t just a yer; he¡¯s a legend in the making!¡± ¡°Miracles like these only happen when you¡¯re led by someone who¡¯s more than human. TheBoss must have divine insight!¡± ¡°This is only the beginning! With Lord Boss leading us, we can conquer the entire game world!¡± As the fervor grew, some members began to speak in more extreme tones, suggesting that ¡®The Boss¡¯ was not merely a skilled yer but a messianic figure destined to guide them to ultimate victory. A few even began to refer to themselves as ¡°Disciples of The Boss,¡± pledging their unwavering loyalty to him. ¡°From now on, I follow TheBoss wherever he leads, no questions asked.¡± ¡°We should form a special group, dedicated to spreading the word of TheBoss¡¯s greatness. Imagine what we could aplish if everyone understood his vision!¡± ChaosBringer watched the chat with a mix of astonishment and concern. What had started as simple praise was quickly morphing into something akin to a cult of personality. Yet, as he saw the energy andmitment in his guildmates¡¯ words, he couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was what they needed to improve as a group¡ªa unifying belief in something greater than themselves. ¡°The Church of The Boss¡­ it has a nice ring to it,¡± someone joked, but the idea stuck. As the chat continued to buzz, the seeds of a new movement were sown, one that might change the face of Terra Nova Online forever. Chapter 443: Bad News Chapter 443: Bad News ( Julien D Evanus¡¯s POV ) The person who was the most affected from the events transpiring in the Southern Duchy was none other than the Emperor Julien D Evanus. Once he heard that Thumba City was under attack by the Demon King himself, he could foresee the potential fallout of that event. ¡°My Empire is crumbling¡­.. My Empire is crumbling¡­..¡± Julien mumbled, feeling a deep sense of loss, as he buried his head in his hands. He could already foresee how snakes waiting in the shadows were going to take advantage of this unfortunate event to rip away pieces of his territory from his control, and just the thought of it made him feel sick to his gut. ¡°The first to rebel are going to be the Elves¡­. The Elven King does not respect me. He will be the first snake to rebel when he hears about the Demon King¡¯s attack on Thumba City¡± Julien predicted and right on his money, things happened exactly how he predicted them to happen. A few hours after the Demon King had left Thumba City, a burning pit of soot and ashes, the Elves attacked the neighboring territories surrounding their precious forest which were controlled by the Empire. Of-course, the Elves never expected there to be hidden Empire soldiers hiding amongst themon popce, which prevented them from swiftly capturing thends as they had anticipated. Thankfully, Julien had been vignt against a potential Elven rebellion for months now and had deployed hidden soldiers to live asmoners amongst the popce. These soldiers helped secure the borders in the Empire¡¯s time of need, until reinforcements could arrive from neighboring regions¡­. Which one the plus side did arrive quite quickly. Not only did the Elves fail to secure the territory surrounding their precious forest, they were beaten back into their dense trove of trees, which was then set on fire by human mages. Not long before Thumba City started to cool down, The Elven Forest started to burn to ashes, destroying the ¡®Unity¡¯ in Unity Empire. At this point there was no returning to normalcy, as the Elves had rebelled against the Empire and the humans had burnt their home down, leaving no room for future reconciliation. This fight only ended now with either the humans suppressing the Elves entirely, or the Elves managing to carve a new kingdom of their own. Either way, a new opponent to the Empire¡¯s rule had emerged. However, while the Empire¡¯s forces were busy dealing with the Elves, The rebels of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ managed to expand theirnd control, annexing three counties in a single day. With Thumba City gone, Vice Commander Phill dead, and Duke Nico¡¯s power reduced significantly, the Southern Duchy was in chaos and there was no one left to challenge the new rebellion rising there for now. As the news about their victory was presented to Julien, the old Emperor felt like banging his head on his work desk, as there were just too many snakes to handle at once. Just when he thought that the Elven rebellion had failed for now, the news of the other rebels winning were presented to him, as no matter how hard he tried, his Empire seemed slipping through his hands like sand and he was scared that soon it would break apart even more. The news about the horror that happened in Thumba City had not reached StrongHaven yet, however, when it did, pandemonium was sure to ensue. If the Demon King could simply fly on his dragon beast mount and burn any city that he pleased to the ground, then what happened to Thumba City could always happen to StrongHaven as well. As long as the Empire did not have a response for the Demon King and his beast, the sense of security within the Empire would bepromised, which would only promotewlessness and mass hysteria. ¡°No! No! No!¡­.. No, I cannot let this happen! I must distract themoners from the fact that they are no longer safe within Unity Empire¨C¡± Julien muttered to himself, as he began pacing in his room thinking about potential ways through which he could temporarily prevent the situation from worsening. The poor young Nathan D Evanus, who had only ever seen his father have a smooth sailing in life as Emperor, was terrified to see his dad¡¯s face full of frowns and worries as he paced around his room, as for the first time in his life, the kid saw the dark side of being in power. As while the Emperor always got thepliments when anything good happened, they were also meant to take responsibility for anything bad that happened too. ¡°My Lord ¡­.. there is a letter from Ben Faulkner for you¡­. It is marked as urgent¡± A servant announced, interrupting Juliens pacing around session, as Julien immediately opened the letter, almost fearing that it was more bad news. Thankfully for him however, it was not more bad news, as of all the people who had failed him, it was surprisingly the ouw Ben Faulkner and his student Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ , who were his knight¡¯s in these times of darkness. The letter detailed the battle that happened in Thumba City in a way that did not sound horrifying but rather exciting, and with three Demon Counts dead, it gave Julien a way to spin it off to the masses without the losses on the human side sounding as bad as they really were. ¡°Oh bless you Ben Faulkner¡­.. You might have bought this country some time with your excellent assassination skills. Surprisingly, you¡¯re the only reliable hound I have left in my arsenal¡± Julien muttered, as he kissed the letter from Ben Faulkner a few times, before smiling ever so slightly. ¡°Prepare for a public speech¡­.. I must address the crowd about the tragedy of Thumba City before the mass hysteria kicks in¡± Julien instructed his servants, as in his head he began weaving a speech to paint this event as favourably as possible. Chapter 444: Mass Manipulation Chapter 444: Mass Maniption ( StrongHaven City, the biggest public square ) The atmosphere in StrongHaven City was tense. Reports about the attack on Thumba City had already reached the desks of all major Merchant Groups and were slowly making their rounds within the less connected merchants and from them to themoners. With the Emperor holding an emergency announcement himself, many merchants assumed that this would be about this horrific attack and hence arge crowd had gathered near the public square. What Emperor Julien D Evanus told the masses today was going to be crucial, as the confidence in the administration and the economy depended on it. Dressed immactely, Julien looked as majestic as ever¡­. Perhaps a little more majestic than usual, as he tried to project an image of power and calm to all those who watched him. As he unhurriedly took the stage, escorted by the biggest and strongest looking royal guards, his movements were regal and usual, as if he was worried, he did a great job of hiding the fact that he was. ¡°Citizens of Unity Empire¡­..¡± he said, stretching his arms out wide, as he addressed the crowd that had gathered, drawing all their attention towards himself. ¡°Today, I, Julien D Evanus,e bearing some grim news¨C¡± Julien said with a face as expressionless as ever, as if he were sad, he did not show it. ¡°The Demon King, sitting on his Evil ck Dragon Mount, and escorted by dozens of powerful Demon Counts, have trespassed into the Empire¡¯s territory, bypassing ournd forces, by traveling through the air. Their target, Thumba City, is up in mes, as the cowardly demons seem to have seeded in their mission, and have managed to take us out by surprise. My heart bleeds out to all those innocent citizens who have been killed or disced by this tragic and cowardly attack, and as your Emperor I vow to avenge your suffering¨C¡± Julien said, his voice strong as he red towards the crowd in anger. ¡°The Demon King personally attacked us, because I took from him something extremely precious to him. I HUMILIATED HIM. Made him a joke in his own council, and hence he was forced to retaliate to save face. Aiding the Demon King was a human traitor, a man called ¡®The Demon Whisperer¡¯ who was teaching the demons all our secrets. Adept in both humannguage and demon tongue, that man was a menace who was teaching the demons how to craft weapons and read our maps and hence it was important for us to take him out. If left alone, the demon whisperer could have caused immeasurable damage to our Empire by aiding the demons, and hence I deployed Baron ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his master the notorious assassin Ben Faulkner to nab him from within the Demon Camp. Ben Faulkner, being the strongest assassin within this continent that he is, managed to infiltrate the demon camp and kidnap the demon whisperer alive from within their ranks¡­.. which caused the Demon King to be extremely upset. We thought that perhaps if we could interrogate this Demon Whisperer, we could learn about the secrets of the demons and hence I ordered for him to be sent to Thumba City, where he was being held for interrogation by Duke Nico. Since the Southern Duchy is so far from the border. We assumed it was safe and did not take proper measures to ensure the safety of the city, which was a seriouspse of judgment on our part. However, we have learnt from our mistakes. From this day forward, we will set up anti-air mount protections in all major cities, so that the tragedy that happened in Thumba City does not happen to any other city in the Empire¨C¡± Julien said, clutching his fists as he projected an image of power and anger. His speech was delivered so masterfully that instead of feeling afraid the crowd felt energized and angry at the demon¡¯s cowardly attack, when in reality it was anything but a cowardly attack. The Demon King had literally flown down from his capital alone andid waste to one of the Empire¡¯s biggest cities and there was nothing they could do to prevent it. However, instead of focusing on the wrongs, Julien masterfully crafted apletely different narrative in the minds of themoners. ¡°The cruel Demon King has killed the traitor Demon Whisperer, as he felt afraid of his favorite parrot talking. Unfortunately, during this attack, Vice Commander Phill, a truly talented warrior died protecting Thumba City, in a battle which is described as honorable and legendary, by those who were present at the scene. The Demon King himself had to strike Phil down, and it wasn¡¯t easy for him either. However, while Phill could not injure the Demon King of his underlings, Ben Faulkner did. Ben Faulkner¡¯s dagger pierced through the air and sliced the Demon King¡¯s cheek, missing his head by a few centimeters. The Demon King is lucky to be alive, as he would have faced a horrifying death if he was a tad bit slower to react. Fortunately for us, his underlings are not as lucky, as Ben Faulkner and his very talented student ¡®TheBoss¡¯ managed to take down 3 Demon Counts, during the attack on Thumba City, as they single handedly forced the rest to tuck tails and run. Walking out of that conflict unharmed, our heroes showed the demon¡¯s the mantle that us humans are made from and forced them to run from ournds before our main forces arrived. Unfortunately, by the time our main forces arrived at Thumba City, it was already beyond salvageable with a wildfire spreading throughout the town. Believe me when I say that nobody is as angry about this loss as me, and that I vow to make the Demon King pay for this attack. Although we have already imed a drop of his blood, the next time that our forces meet him, it will be his head that we im and it will be his head that we use to build the foundation of the next Thumba City!¡± Julien said, as he sessfully spun the story of what happened in Thumba City from a tragedy to the beginning of a revenge plot. Chapter 445: Manipulation (2) Chapter 445: Maniption (2) ( Meanwhile within the Demon Capital ) The situation within the Demon Capital was the exact opposite from StrongHaven City, with the general popce celebrating the victorious return of their King after he destroyed a human city. For the Demons, this was the first time that many had seen their king take action personally and everyone was eager to hear tales of how legendary the battle was. Naturally, the general poption had to wait for the news to reach them, however, the court members got it first. Of the 12 Demon Counts that flew with the king only 9 returned, and the first question that everyone had was about how those three Demon Counts died. ¡°We thought that the humans were nothing but weaklings, since once King Anos attacked, most just fled the city without even having the spine to defend it. However, we were wrong. There are some powerful warriors amongst the human ranks too and one of them fights like a ghost¨C¡± said one of the Demon Counts who had flown into battle with the King, as he shivered slightly at the memory of Ben Faulkner. ¡°He came at us out of nowhere, finishing even the strongest fighters within seconds before disappearing into the shadows again. He was so powerful that he even managed to scratch the King. Of Course he was no match for our King, but the fact that he couldnd a hit was still very impressive. The King entrusted us with one job, which was to kill him, however, we failed miserably¨C¡± The demon count added, as he hung his head in shame. Those who heard this tale could not believe that there existed warriors within the human ranks who were strong enough to kill Demon Counts within seconds. As the counts were the next strongest warriors in Demon Society after the Demon King himself. ¡°So the humans have not lost their way¡­. Perhaps strong warriors like those during the ancient war still exist within their ranks¨C¡± A demon count who did not have the honor of joining the king in battle said, as he fantasized about dangerous wars that were toe in the future. ¡°Conquering humannds is going to be challenging for sure. They don¡¯t only have their weapons to rely upon. They also have some genuine fighters within their ranks¡± Another Demon Count said, as instead of getting demoralized the blood thirsty demons got excited by the thought of facing worthy opponents. ¡°And what about the King? How strong is the King?¡± A young Demon Count asked, as the demons who had followed King Anos in battle, all sighed collectively. ¡°The king¡­. He¡¯s even more powerful than we assume him to be. The ck dragon he rides can easily kill all of us Demon Counts alone, however, the King might be even stronger than the ck Dragon¡­.. He¡¯s simply in a power realm of his own¡± A demon count said, as everyone within the throne room gasped at this revtion. All of them knew that the King was strong¡­. Just his aura alone was much stronger than an average Demon Count, however, nobody really knew just how strong he was until now. ¡°The King struck down an enemy, no weaker than a Demon Count level fighter with a simple flick of his wrist. That man had unleashed his strongest attack on our lord, which was extremely formidable, however, not only did the King defeat his attack, but he also obliterated the enemy to ashes without even breaking a sweat. It was truly breathtaking to witness¡­.¡± Another Demon Count added, as the status of Anos as the supreme fighter had been sessfully cemented in the minds of all Demons today. For a while, the upper echelons of demon society discussed a bit more about the attack and how the humans must be cowering in fear by now, before dispersing as they awaited for the King to issue his next instructions for them all tomorrow. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) With the route passing through the Elven Forest back to the Eastern Duchy being closed because of the unexpected Elven rebellion, Ben and Leo were forced to take the long route back home, which unfortunately added two more days of uneventful traveling to their schedule. On one hand, this worked out perfectly for Leo, who could not stay awake and use his brain properly with all the splitting headaches he was suffering from, however, on the other hand, his worsening condition daily became a source of genuine concern for his master Ben, who could not understand the reason behind his sudden odd behavior and the constant desire to sleep 24¡Á7. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you boy? Ever since we have left Thumba City you have been acting weird¡± Ben inquired, as Leo pushed up his groggy head and looked into Ben¡¯s eyes with great difficulty. ¡°Travel sickness master¡­.. for some reason I¡¯ve picked it up¡± Leo replied, as Ben felt helpless as he heard this response. The two of them were elite level assassins who could even kill Demon Counts, and to see one of them defeated from something as petty as travel sickness was truly frustrating for Ben. ¡°You¡¯re no fun boy¡­. I quite miss thepany of miss Sophia now, at least she would help kill my boredom¡± Benined, as Leo simply ignored his words and went back to sleep. Just the thought of having to log out of this game and perform that stupid meditation for 6 hours more made him want to kill himself, however, he had no other choice but to do it. Meditation was the secret to unlock the path to bing a master and to the rapid mastery of his skills and hence even if he did not enjoy doing it, Leo knew that he had to do it anyhow. Thankfully, for the first few days where the meditation was the most brutal on him, he did not need to focus much on gaming too and could spend his entire day sleeping within Terra Nova Online, as the rest he got during his gaming hours helped him a lot to stay fresh during the torture hours. Chapter 446: Amandas Request Chapter 446: Amanda''s Request Chapter 446: Amanda¡¯s Request ( The next day, real world, Arc Ship ) The next day as Leo returned back to his apartment for a dreaded mental meditation session after doing his morning inspection rounds, he was surprised to see Amanda sitting outside the entrance to his apartment waiting for him. ¡°Hey babe¨C¡± Amanda said sweetly when she saw him, as for a moment, Leo¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw her smile. ¡°Hey ba¡­. Amanda¡± Leo said, as although he wanted to say ¡®babe¡¯, the inner man inside him would not let him say something so cringe when in public. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Amanda burst outughing when she saw how blushed Leo was only from her calling him babe, as she was reminded why she loved him so much in the first ce. ¡°Come in¨C¡± Leo said, opening the door to his apartment, as only then did he realize that no-one apart from him could enter his apartment, as it only opened after reading the key on his ankle bracelet, but apparently those rules did not seem to apply to arc ship operators. ¡°Sorry toe here unannounced, but I just missed you so much! With the demon war on-going I¡¯m just too busy within the game world and don¡¯t even have time to breathe there. I just needed to blow some steam off today¡± Amanda said, as although Leo was sympathetic to her condition, he internally started to calcte every second that he was losing to this interaction, as he was supposed to meditate right now. Since the scroll rmended 6 hours of daily meditation, Leo did not want to break his streak by taking a day off, however, if Amanda stayed here too long, he might be forced to undertake a reduced session today, or force himself toplete the 6 hours break free. ¡°So¡­. Luke told me back at the guild that you met your mom? How did that go? Did you tell her about me?¡± Amanda said excitedly, climbing onto Leo¡¯s bed in his room, as she sat against the support of the wall, listening intently to what Leo had to say. ¡°Well yeah, I did tell her about you¡­. She¡¯s actually quite eager to meet you¡± Leo replied, scratching his neck as he tried to recall his mother¡¯s exact reaction to the news that he had a girlfriend. Since Elena mostly looked excited, Leo portrayed it as good news, which made Amanda extremely satisfied. ¡°Well nice¡­.. I want your mother to like me¡­. From how much you and Luke care about her, she seems to be a really nice person and I¡¯d love to bond with her as well¡± Amanda said, as this statement by her moved Leo¡¯s heart slightly. It was this temperament of Amanda that made him feelfortable around her, as she was the only non-family member that he deeply cared about. ¡°I¡¯m sure that will be nice¡± Leo approved, as he gestured for Amanda to snuggle into his arms. For a while, the duo did nothing but enjoy each other¡¯s warmth, until Amanda broke thefortable silence with an awkward question. ¡°Babe¡­. By the way, are you really friends with the Boss guy?¡± Amanda asked out of the blue, as Leo immediately raised an eyebrow at the question. Had it been anyone else asking him this, Leo would have outright denied any connection between Leo Skyshard and ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, since it was Amanda asking, he admitted to knowing the guy. ¡°Yeah, I know him babe, why?¡± Leo said, as Amanda moved out of his arms and looked him in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m only asking this as a courtesy to the guildmaster, but do you think you can fix a meeting between Cervantez and ¡®TheBoss¡¯? The guildmaster has been trying to get a hold of that guy forever and after histest global announcement, the guildmaster seems to consider him even more important than before. I feel like if you make it happen, the guildmaster will owe you one¡­.. so just think about it¡± Amanda suggested, as Leo instantly figured out that it was Cervantez who had put Amanda up to this discussion. *Sigh* Sighing, Leo looked towards the room¡¯s ceiling as he thought about what to say? Initially he wanted to deny the meeting, however, looking at how desperate Cervantez seemed to meet ¡®TheBoss¡¯ since day one, Leo now wondered if granting him one meeting was really that bad or not. ¡°Fine¡­. I¡¯ll ask ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for it. But most likely he will ask Cervantez toe meet him at the CrestHill Barony manor. So if your boss wants to meet ¡®The Boss¡¯ he will need to travel a fair bit¨C¡± Leo said, as Amanda excitedly gave him a kiss on the cheek and told him how he was the best. Naturally, once the kissing began, it soon evolved into full blown passionate makeout, as both Leo and Amanda released their pent up stress of not spending enough time with one another for the past few days. Fortunately, or unfortunately, their session was cut short when Amanda got a work rted call and since she was a secretary, she immediately had to work on fulfilling the request of her clients and make other calls to make arrangements for their request. This meant that she had to abruptly take her leave from Leo¡¯s apartment, giving Leo the time he needed to work on his mental meditation. Looking at the clock, Leo realized that he had lost close to one hour of time because of Amanda, and that he could easily make it back up, if he just skipped cooking and eating lunch for today, which wasn¡¯t really a big deal. Making his way to the meditation room, Leo acknowledged the floating scroll with a polite nod, as he formed a pulse of mana near his wrist and started with the hellish routine for the day. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 447: Short Term Goals Chapter 447: Short Term Goals ( 4 dayster, Terra Nova Online ) It took Leo roughly four more days to reach Crest-Hill Barony from Thumba City, after which his 6 month istion officially began. Upon his return, he found himself buried under a pile of work, as having left his territory for the better part of three weeks, there were a lot of matters that needed his urgent attention. Thankfully, he had been meditating for about six days now and had built up the mental fortitude to work, as although he felt fatigued and lethargic through the day, he could thankfully muster enough strength to sign documents and nce over proposals. ¡°The most important things that I need to focus on for now are :- 1)Theunch of the Anti-Aging cream. 2)Solving The Refugee Crisis 3)The uing System Auction¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he made a list of things that he needed to focus on in the short term. Leo had already acquired the form for the Anti-Aging Cream, but before he couldunch the product and introduce it to the masses, circumstances forced him to leave Crest-Hill Barony, dying thepletion of his ongoing Chain Quest, which required him to release another viral product. Because this was a Chain Quest, once Leo sessfully generated enough hype around the product and disrupted the traditional cosmetics market, he stood to earn a substantial profit while also unlocking a new product as part of the quest. Therefore, it was crucial for him toplete it as soon as possible. Alongside that, he also needed to solve the never-ending refugee crisis in his territory, as with the Demon Threat near the borders intensifying and the reputation of the Crest-Hill Barony improving as and of opportunity amongstmoners, more and more people were flocking to the region everyday, with the rate of immigration now outpacing the requirement for jobs. On one hand, while Leo was not against growth and saw the improving reputation of Crest-Hill Barony as a good sign, he also understood the dangers of uncontrolled growth and hence wished to stop immigration for a while to first take his time to stabilize the territory before epting new people once again. However, this was easier said than done as he couldn¡¯t simply deny the citizens of the Empire the right to live wherever they chose within its borders and couldn¡¯t drive them away without a just cause, so despite recognizing the strain that immigration was cing on his territory, finding a solution to the problem proved to be difficult. Finally, with 99/100 system auction tokens having already been discovered and distributed, the probability of the system auction triggering any day now was very high. Although Leo had never attended a system auction before, with his experience on how useful system events were for yers, he assumed that it was going to be something groundbreaking. Based on his instincts, Leo started to n on how to secure additional liquid funds to bid on the auction items, before the auction began, as he aimed to enter with the highest possible amount of money. Leo knew that entering the auction with arge money pool would give him the advantage to outbid anyone attempting to snatch an item from him, and hence he took this step of gathering funds with the utmost seriousness. As a high-profile merchant, earning money wasn¡¯t a significant challenge for Leo, but ensuring it was liquid and readily avable was crucial as he couldn¡¯t pay for auction items with future earnings; as his bids were most likely going to be limited to the bnce in his current ount. ********** ( Meanwhile Jace ) The 99th yer to get a system auction token was none other than Jace, who just like Leo was a nonbat ss yer and a merchant by profession. For him, this uing auction was a huge event and securing a token to it represented an opportunity of a lifetime, as unlike Leo, he wasn¡¯t a really well known or prominent yer. As being barely level 140, average looking and not really funny, Jace was the epitome of boring, average yer, however, where he differed from others was through his critical thinking. Where other yers failed to notice the weaknesses in the game, Jace recognised and exploited every system glitch that he could and silently made millions of gold coins while doing so. His most popr scam was the sale of small but high quality leather pouches in bulk, which he generated daily for free. Unlikemon yers, who never critically thought about how whenever they wished to pull out money from their inventory, it always came out in a high quality leather money pouch within the game, Jace noticed this system glitch as a money making opportunity. Summoning a pouch full of money, Jace then emptied the coins and stored the coins once again in his inventory, while collecting the pouch as a good for sale and then repeated the process all over again. By the end of the day, he would have thousands of high quality leather pouches from this scam, which he then sold in the open markets for dirt cheap rates to turn a profit. For Jace, this was an ingenious way to make money, however, he knew that the days where he could get away with this scam were numbered, and hence he always made sure to never be too greedy and never hire other people to be in on this scam with him, as he contained this hack to only himself. To his shock, even after so many months into the game, this bug did not seem to be solved by the developers, giving Jace the opportunity to earn millions from this scam throughout its life. Unfortunately, others were starting to catch on-to this scam now, with there being some viral posts on Global Forums talking about this hack, however, it still hadn¡¯t gotten mainstream. Nheless, the days of the scam were numbered and Jace knew it too, which was why, he felt keen on looking for new paths to remain relevant within the game and had his hopes pinned on the system auction. For him this system auction represented a chance for him to solidify his future as a hidden powerhouse and hence Jace took this opportunity with the utmost seriousness as well. ¡ª¡ª Chapter 448: Not the only Big Dog Chapter 448: Not the only Big Dog Jace was not the only yer who had found a way to cheat the system, however, he was the only one who was cheating the system on a significant scale repeatedly without having a hidden ss to support him. Unique sses in Terra Nova, although as rare as a Phoenix¡¯s feather, did exist, and not every unique ss had the opportunity to be involved with the gamey from day one. Some hidden ss yers like Eren had to wait till the Demon War started for their hidden ss to trigger, while some were still waiting for their moment to shine. Whether it was through ack of opportunities, or ack of converting given opportunities into sess, not every hidden ss yer was as sessful as Leo, however, every unique ss yer was more or less more sessful than the average yer in the world of Terra Nova. One such unique ss yer who was waiting for his moment to shine was a yer called ¡®Big Dawg¡¯. Big Dawg was arguably the most broken yer in the world of Terra Nova, having the best cheat within the game world, second to only Cervantez with his future knowledge. The cheat that Big Dawg had, was a special ss called ¡®The Seer¡¯, which allowed him to see hidden information behind artifacts, dungeons, yers and more. While walking through a market full of products, Big Dawg could see the real price of every product disyed over it and also if the product had any hidden feature, he could see that too. The same went for dungeons, where he could see the presence of hidden rooms, end clear rewards and more before the dungeon run ever began, yet despite having all these advantages, Big Dawg was not a top 10,000 ranker. A victim of his own naivety, Big Dawg never took Terra Nova Online too seriously up till the second promotion exam, as being a Tier A resident from the start on the Arc Ship, he never had too much motivation to y the game to the highest level. Naturally, all this changed once the ship entered the rainbow stream and the physical bodies of all passengers started to alter with time. Everyday, his body felt stronger¡­. The breathing problems that he suffered from as a child started to be healed and he could perform small spells in the real world. It was at that moment that Big Dawg realized that Terra Nova Online was more than just a simple game and that for the sake of his own future, Big Dawg needed to focus on the game much more intensely than before. Hence, from that moment onwards, Big Dawg started to try hard for real within the game and started to leverage his unique ss advantage as much as he could, earning not just hefty sums of money from flipping items, but also leveling up quickly and finding hidden treasures. It was also due to his advantage that he managed to secure the 97th System Auction Ticket, by finding the hidden treasure room to a tricky dungeon, and since securing the ticket, he worked hard to raise both money and MP for the system event. Having a 7 weeks head start on Leo for the same, and his insane cheat to rely on, Big Dawg was swimming in money as the System Auction date drew closer, with him also feeling confident that he would be able to crush and outbid any potentialpetitor, as long as the bidding currency was gold coins alone. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) After returning to Crest-Hill Barony and formting his short term n, Leo leisurely invited all the big merchant group representatives for a meeting and began discussing with them his newest product the ¡®Anti-Aging¡¯ cream. For the sake of the System Auction, Leo was looking to sell the product in one-go and holding a very small royalty fee from its future sales, as he wanted to off-load this magical product from his hands as fast as possible. Shane¡¯s White Tiger Group offered him a one time fee of 25 million gold coins to buy the exclusive production rights to the cream, plus a 5% profit split for perpetuity, which was a pretty solid offer. However, their offer was outdone by the Green Jade group, who offered him 30 million gold coins and a 10% profit split for perpetuity. Unfortunately, with the war climate worsening and the effects of the shifting markets hitting the other Merchant Groups hard, nobody else could match the offer that these bigger groups shared, with the ck Tortoise Grouping the closest with a low 15 million offer. In the end, Leo decided to sign with the Green Jade Group, who offered him the best deal for the Anti-Aging cream, officially starting his cooperation with Wade¡¯s group. Recently, with the demon war intensifying, the demand for weapons and armor had shot through the roof, earning the Green Jade Group significant chunks of money, however, Wade knew that he could not rely on a war economy forever. Sooner orter, peace was going to return and for the future of his group this anti-aging cream was extremely important, and hence even though the price of 30 million was a very steep amount to pay all at once, he still did it by keeping an eye for the future. Naturally, with the matter of the Chain Quest still pending, Leo made sure to add uses in their contract which allowed him to have some control in the marketing and distribution of the product, as one of the aspects of the chain quest was to create hype around the sale of his products. Leo also ensured that the products were only sold under thebel of his personal brand and that everyone in the Empire knew that the products that they were enjoying were created by Leo Skyshard. Luckily for him, this deal happened at the perfect time, as just two short days after he received the money, the system auction invitation suddenly went live, with someone having found thest and final invite. Chapter 449: System Auction (1) Chapter 449: System Auction (1) ( 2 dayster, Crest-Hill Barony ) Just two short days after Leo finalized the sale of the Anti-Aging cream and was working in his office to solve the migration problem, a system notification informed him about the start of the System Auction. [ System Notification :- You have been invited to a private event! ] [ Event Notification :- It has been detected that yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is in possession of a System Auction Ticket. With the 100th ticket being found, the System Auction will now start in 30 minutes. You have 15 minutes to ept this invitation if you wish to join the event. Do you wish to ept? Yes No ] Leo read the system notification and immediately excused himself from in front of George the Butler, walking into his own private room, which he locked before clicking ¡®Yes¡¯. [ Event Notification :- Converting all the yers Bronze Coins to Silver¡­.. Converting all the yers Silver Coins to Gold¡­.. Rounding Off¡­.. Note :- You are entering the System Auction with 66.34 million gold coins and 5350 Merit Points, and may not be able to ce bids above this limit. There are 100 items within the Auction and 100 individuals to bid on them. Good Luck! ] Before the Auction Began, the system automatically converted all of Leo¡¯s spare change to gold coins, helping him enter the auction room with the maximum amount of gold coins at his disposal, which came out to be a whopping 66.34 million! For themon yer, this amount was beyond astronomical, since most yers did not even have 10,000 gold coins saved, however, it wasn¡¯t as formidable as Leo believed it to be either. In Leo¡¯s mind, nobody was going to be able topete with him for the items that he really wanted, however, he was unaware about the wealth of a few key yers like Jace and Big Dawg, who wereing into the auction with a sizable battle chest of their own. With 100 yers and 100 items to bid for, this system auction was designed in a way that every yer could walk out with one item at the least, however, if things went Leo¡¯s way, many were going to walk out with nothing. ********** ( The system auction arena ) As soon as Leo pressed ¡®Yes¡¯ on the invitation, he was immediately transported to the extremely luxurious system auction arena. His clothes changed automatically, with his dark ck robes shifting to a gentleman¡¯s tuxedo, and the mask on his face shifting from the signature Virex Corps mask to an animal mask which resembled the shape of a sly cat. ¡°Mmhmm¡­ Not bad¡± Leo murmured, as he immediately realized that his voice did not sound the same either. It was much deeper and thicker than his real voice, whichpleted the trifecta of identity security. As he looked around, all yers were either dressed in simr looking tuxedos or beautiful ck dresses depending on their gender, all wearing some form of animal mask. Beside his seat was a card with the number #98 written on it, and beside him were the numbers #97 and #99 indicating to him that everyone had been seated in the same order that they obtained the system ticket in. There were only four rows of seats, with each row only having 25 seats, in what appeared to be an amphitheater style seating. The room temperature was cold, the lighting was poor everywhere except for the main stage, where the first item had been hidden behind a cloth, and the podium for the auction conductor was empty. Everything from the seats to the floor and walls was coated in a soft velvety material, giving the room a premium look and feel, as one would expect of a premium system auction. ¡°Would you like a drink sir?¡± ¡°Please have a drink¡­. It¡¯s really delicious¡± ¡°Would you like to have a drink, sir?¡± As soon as yers started to get seated, the little loli bartenders that Leo had previously seen during the rankers system event started to offer everyone a ss of alcohol, as immediately Leo spotted an opportunity to exploit them. Recalling how the loli bartender gave him a free game ticket when he was kind to her, Leo patiently waited till one of them came up to him to offer him a drink before getting on with the act. ¡°Would you like a drink sir? It¡¯s really delicious¡­.¡± The little loli said, as Leo smiled towards her as kindly as he could, before replying ¡°Of Course I would¡­.. I don¡¯t usually drink alcohol, but how can I reject the offer for a drink from a cute one like yourself¨C¡± It wasn¡¯t until Leo said these words that he realized that they sounded extremely suspicious, however, with number 97 and 99 not having arrived yet, there was thankfully no-one around to witness his crime. ¡°Hehe¡­.. you¡¯re a true gentleman sir¨C¡± The loli said, as she stirred a drink and handed it to Leo, before leaning in as she whispered a few words in his ear. ¡°Avoid bidding on the first 50 items¡­. The second half is much better, with thest 10 items being the best of the lot¨C¡± the loli said, before skipping along as if she never said those words. ¡°I see¡­.¡± Leo said, rubbing his palms in joy, as he had sessfully managed to scam the loli bartender once again. *Ssh* Throwing the drink out, as he never intended to drink it in the first ce, Leo gotfortable in his seat and waited for the auction to start, as soon number 97, 98, 99 and 100 all arrived beside him. As Leo noticed their demeanor, number 97 seemed to have an extremely poor posture and from the way he sat, Leo could see that he was not the most confident yer, while number 99 sat with one of his legs crossed over the other, like he was some sort of a domineering mafia boss. In contrast, number 100 sat normally with his arms resting on the arm-rest, however, there was something about how that guy sat that Leo found to be most peculiar. ¡®Do I know him?¡¯ Leo wondered, as the way he sat reminded Leo of Cervantez. Chapter 450: System Auction (2) Chapter 450: System Auction (2) ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo felt 70% sure that the person sitting in the spot of #100 was none other than Cervantez. Although his body shape looked different and it was hard to confirm whether it was really him or not under his mask, Leo¡¯s instincts screamed at him that it was Cervantez, which was why he decided to test his theory by calling out his name. Waiting for the precise moment where Cervantez was looking the furthest away from him, Leo said ¡°DarkEmperor¨C¡± out loud, and saw the man seated on #100 turning in his direction, looking for the source of that sound. As the man seated at #100 turned in response, confusion evident in his eyes, Leo knew instantly that it was Cervantez as there was no mistaking that reaction to his gaming name. Waving towards him with a fake smile on his face, Leo made sure to point out that he knew his identity, as a surge of curiosity welled up inside to see what kind of items Cervantez would be bidding on. Over time, Cervantez had proven himself as a man of great future insight, and hence Leo was eager to see what kind of items he would be bidding on, and whether the items were of any use for him or not, as he nned on stealing them if they were. #97 and #99 seemed to be shocked to hear the name ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯e out of Leo¡¯s mouth, as they turned to see the man seated on #100 with their jaws open. The #4 ranked yer was a mythical figure in the world of Terra Nova Online and definitely one of the biggest big shots. For them, seeing him in person was a majestic honor, however, judging by their shocked reactions Leo knew that they were not rankers themselves, as all the important rankers had already met Cervantez during the rankers event and would not show such a shocked reaction to his name being called. ¡®Small Fries¡­¡¯ Leo thought, feeling at ease with his surroundings, as although he did not voice out his opinion, he did not feel threatened by the yers seated beside him. Cervantez on the other hand was utterly shocked that someone had recognised him. He had only gotten the #100 ticket because of his future knowledge, as he killed the Mythical Red Elephant monster that had spawned within the Western Duchy, precisely when it wandered into the borders of Oak-Hill Barony. One of the reasons behind why he wanted to administer Oak-Hill Barony instead of Silver-Pine Barony, was because of this future event, however, despite not being the Baron of Oak-Hill Barony, he made sure to snatch up this chance when it appeared by precisely being at the right ce at the right time. Naturally, the system auction triggered as soon as he found the ticket, however, with him having prepared for it in advance, he was not too worried about walking out of here empty handed. What shocked him though was how someone recognised him so quickly, as his disguise was supposed to be perfect. He had not spoken a word, nor had he interacted with anyone to have his identity leaked, which was why he felt his identity being discovered to be most confusing. It was #98 yer who even waved towards him after calling his name out, however, Cervantez could not figure out who he was. Nobody knew he was going to be in this system auction and he was thest one to get this ticket, so it was impossible that someone predicted his entry here before he arrived, and hence Cervantez was left scrambling in confusion as to who it was that recognised him. In his head, he had this urge to get up and confront #98, however, before he had the chance to do so, the Auction officially began with the Elf Raya walking out towards the Auctioneers podium. ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain seated, the auction will start shortly¨C¡± Raya said, in her sweet and melodious elven voice, as she looked truly breathtaking in her vibrant green dress. Many amongst the male audience felt like they were having a nosebleed from looking at Raya, as they were forced to rub their noses again and again to make sure they were not actually bleeding. Leo on the other hand found it amusing how real life Arc Ship staff members could hop into the game world whenever they wished to, as having met Raya in real life, he knew more about her than any other yer in the room. While others assumed that she was an NPC like a fool, Leo knew that she was a living breathing person, however, unlike the majority male audience, Leo did not have a crush on her. There was something about her not being human that turned Leo off, as in his mind and heart, Leo knew he was loyal to Amanda and Amanda only. ¡°Dear yers, I¡¯m Raya and I¡¯ll be hosting this system auction tonight. As you must already know, there are 100 items up for bidding today with items one through ny being avable to bid through gold coins, and items 91 through 100 being avable to bid through MP alone. As the host, I hope that everyone in here walks away with one item each, however, that scenario is most likely not going toe true. Some of you are going to walk out with lots of items while some of you may fail to secure even one. However, don¡¯t worry, as for all the yers who have made it to this auction, we have a gift prepared, so that none of you may walk out of here empty handed. The gift we have for you all is a bag of gold worth 100,000 gold coins, which you will receive once you exit the auction space, so that even if your coins go to zero within this auction, you won¡¯t go broke while ying the game. Unfortunately, this amount won¡¯t be avable to you while the auction is underway, so you won¡¯t be able to use it as a bidding increment. That being said, let¡¯s start with the auction, as my colleague Raven, unveils the first item of the night¡­.¡± Raya said, as she officially kicked off the auction. Chapter 451: System Auction (3) Chapter 451: System Auction (3) ¡°The first item for the night is¡­. The marvelous gear item, [Indestructible Boots], it¡¯s a pair of heavy metal boots with infinite durability, which will not be damaged even if the user is walking with it in two inch deepva. It is a one of a kind item, as you will never find a second item in the world of Terra Nova with infinite durability. The bidding for these boots start at 600,000 gold coins and the price will increase by a minimum of 50,000 gold coins per bid. Good luck! Let the bidding begin¡± Raya said, as she introduced the very first item for the night. The indestructible boots were undoubtedly a very interesting and unique item. In terms of looks they were big, shiny and red, however, it was the fact that they had an infinite durability stat that made them so special. Nothing in the world was supposed to be indestructible, however, these boots seemed to defy thews of physics, making them a one of a kind item. That being said, Leo wasn¡¯t even the least bit interested in the item as a quick scan by him revealed the item¡¯s information. ¡ª¡ª¡ª [ Indestructible Boots ] ( Unique ) :- A one of a kind item in the world of Terra Nova with an infinite durability stat. The weight of these boots is roughly 125 kg a piece or 250kg for the pair, making it unsuitable for day to day operations. However, with the boot made up of quite the valuable materials, even its scrap metal worth is a minimum of 20 million gold coins. Unfortunately, however, with the boots being indestructible they can never be scrapped to regain the divine materials used to forge it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- As Leo read the item¡¯s description he understood that the item was of no use to him in a realistic scenario as being an assassin he had no use for boots that weighed over 250 kg and offered no sound instion to his movement. The boots were nothing more than a gimmick, and could only be potentially useful to tank ss yers and that too sparingly. However, to his absolute shock, there was a bidding frenzy for the item, as over 10 different people bid on the item once the bidding began. ¡°650,000 from number 22¡± ¡°700,000 from number 74¡± ¡°750,000 from number 81¡± . . . . ¡°1.2 million from number 22¡± . . . . . ¡°3.2 million from number 74¡± In the blink of an eye, the bidding went from 600,000 to 3.2 million, as Raya kept calling the bids as soon as someone raised their card. This left Leo in a sense of shock as 3.2 million gold coins was not a small sum at all, and yet there were over 10 people in this room who had the ability to bid in millions. ¡®Why the hell are they paying millions for this junk? Also why the hell are the yers here so wealthy?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he got a small reality check that although he considered himself to be the biggest mary bigshot in the world, the others were not doing too bad themselves. ¡°3.2 million going once¡­. 3.2 million going twice¡­. 3.2, 3.2, 3.2 million going thrice and sold to the gorgeousdy sitting in #74 seat¡± Raya announced, as a polite apuse filled the entire room when someone won the first item. Even Leo pped a bit, although he found the whole concept to be foolish, as in his eyes the boots were not practical at all. However, the boots definitely set the tone for the night, as with the very first item being so unique and exciting, everyone was eager to see what woulde up for auction next. Even Leo felt excited, as although he already knew that the items 1-50 were not worth bidding on and that the better items were going toe in thetter half, with the very first item being so interesting, he felt like maybe there were items in the 1-50 range that would pique his interest. ¡°Introducing next¡­.. the second item for the night, an ancient book with three of its pages missing. This 25 page book was once owned by the Founding Emperor of the Unity Empire and is said to contain his secrets to reaching the Grandmaster realm. Unfortunately, 3 of those 25 pages are missing, making this an iplete volume, however, knowledge like this can still be considered invaluable! Bidding for this item starts at 1.5 million gold coins and the minimum increment is 100,000 gold coins. Good luck yers! Let the bidding begin!¡± Raya said, as she introduced the second very interesting item for the night. Audible gasps went around the room, when she said that the book contained secrets to reaching the Grandmaster realm, as for a moment even Leo felt interested in buying the item. Shockingly, when he tried to inspect the item, he could not find any more information about it, as his level was probably too low to inspect it. ¡ª¡ª¡ª [ A Warrior¡¯s Life ] ( iplete ) ( Legendary ) :- An iplete copy of the legendary book written by the founding Emperor of Unity Empire. ???????? ¡ª¡ª¡ª Before Leo could even decide whether he wanted to bid on an iplete item or not, the bidding process started violently, with the price going up from 1.5 to 3.5 million in the blink of an eye. Although number 22, and 81 were bidding on it, there were at least 7 new numbers bidding on this item this time around that had not bid on the first item, which shocked Leo as to how there were so many yers in this room with such extreme wealth. ¡°3.6 million gold coins from number #98¡­. Do we have 3.7?¡± Raya asked, as Leo officially ced his first bid of the night, however, his bid for 3.6 was soon overshadowed by others, as the price of the item quickly climbed to 4.5 million gold coins, with there being 4 yers still in the bidding race. ¡°A friendly advice mate¡­.. that item is not worth bidding for, let it be¡± #99 guy told Leo just as he was about to ce a bid for 4.6 million, as Leo raised an eyebrow at his words. Leo had no idea who #99 was, however, somehow the way that the guy said those words made Leo trust him for some odd reason, as he refrained from bidding any more. In the end the Emperor¡¯s book sold for whopping 5 million gold coins to #43 eliciting loud ps from the entire room. Chapter 452: Mischief (1) Chapter 452: Mischief (1) ¡°Let it be mate, that item is not worth it¡± #99 warned Leo, as for some odd reason, Leo believed the guy. The #99 yer was none other than Big Dawg, who could see all the hidden information about items within the game. While Leo failed to inspect the hidden warning beneath the item description as it was shrouded in question marks for him, Big Dawg could read the warning as clear as day. [ Note ¨C The most important pages of this book which describe the Emperor¡¯s journey to be a grandmaster are missing from this copy ] The item description came with a warning about how the book was missing it¡¯s most important pages, making it virtually worthless to bid on. Of-course, it still contained other insights by the Emperor such as his journey to bing a master level fighters and some other insights about governance and how to live one¡¯s life as a warrior, with the book missing it¡¯s most important pages, the value of the book was not more than 3 million gold coins, which made the selling price of 5 million overvalued. Unfortunately for everyone in the room, Big Dawg was the only one who could see this hidden information about the item, and although his heart bled at seeing others bid too much for the item, he found it embarrassing to shout out loud and warn them. In the end, he was stuck with just warning Leo, his neighbor, as the kind hearted guy saved Leo from making a big mistake. ¡°Cheers mate, thanks for the warning¡± Leo said, raising an empty ss to the guy, as Big Dawg smiled amicably towards him. ¡°If you want to bid on an item, you can ask me for its true value. I¡¯m an appraiser and I¡¯ll be d to help you¡± Big Dawg said, as he first looked at Leo, and then turned to look at ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯, as he tried to imply that this offer of his stood for both of them. ¡°Oh? Is that so? What¡¯s your name my friend?¡± Leo asked, feeling happy to meet this kind hearted gentleman as Big Dawg replied saying ¡°I am ¡®Big Dawg¡¯, and you can add me as a friend if you like¡± ¡°d to meet you mate, I¡¯m ¡®TheBoss¡¯, you might have heard of me. I¡¯m the number one yer on the rankings¡± Leo replied, giving the guy a thumbs up, as at that moment, Big Dawg almost fell out of his seat. ¡®The Boss! He¡¯s that legendary yer?¡¯ Big Dawg wondered, as he just kept staring at Leo with his mouth agape. For a while he couldn¡¯t believe that he was sitting in the middle of ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ and ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as this meant that he was quite literally seated in the middle of the two strongest yers of the game. ¡®So it¡¯s that guy¡­.¡¯ thought Cervantez when Leo introduced himself, as this time around he waved back at Leo, although with no smile on his face. Leo winked at Cervantez, before looking towards his other neighbor, #97, who was also looking at him with his mouth agape like #99. ¡°Big Dawg, I need help from you¡­ there¡¯s too much money floating around here and I don¡¯t like it. Everyone seems to havee here with deep pockets and I want to bleed them dry as fast as possible. So here¡¯s what we are going to do. You tell me exactly what an item is worth, and I¡¯m going to bid for it 30% under market value. If it ends up with me, it ends up with me, I¡¯ll take the risk. If not, I¡¯ll make sure that whoever buys it pays a decent price for it, which will empty their pockets fast¡± Leo said, as like a true domineering yer, he came up with a n to bankrupt thepetition by cing false bids. ¡°I¡¯m sorry what?¡± Big Dawg asked, sounding shocked, as the total money that he had walked into this auction with was a mere 9 million gold coins. If he tried to pull the stunt that Leo was threatening to pull off and was actually stuck with an item, that would spell the end of his bidding career, however, Leo did not seem too bothered with it. ¡°Aww¡­ rx mate. Just tell me the damn price and watch me eliminate the opposition for all of us¡± Leo said, as with a trembling voice, Big Dawg told Leo the price of item number 3. ¡°This bow and arrow set up for sale is worth 4.6 million gold coins¡­.. It¡¯s a really nice item, for the right archer/ ranger it might be worth 5 million, but the fair market rate is 4.6 at best¡± Big Dawg said, as Leo ignored the rest of his chatter and directly ced a bid for 4 million gold. ¡°4 Million!¡± Leo announced, when the current on-going bid was only 2.2 million, as he nearly doubled the bidding amount in one go. ¡°4 million gold by gentleman in #99 do we have 4.1?¡± Raya asked, as for a moment the entire hall turned silent. This was the first time that someone had nearly doubled the bidding in one go and the auction hall members did not know how to respond? Should they let the item go out of politeness? Should they continue bidding in increments of 2 million gold coins now? Nobody knew, as for a few moments there was nothing but awkward silence, until someone bid 4.1 million for it, restoring normalcy. ¡°4.1 million gold by #66, do we have 4.2¡± ¡°4.2 million gold by #45, you have impable taste madam¨C¡± . . . . ¡°5 million gold by #66, do we have 5.1?¡± In the end, the item sold for exactly 5 million gold coins to a yer who Leo assumed belonged to the archer ss, as the entire hall once again burst into polite ps. Right now, nobody was suspecting Leo of foul y, however, soon, he was about to make enemies of everyone in the room, once they caught on to his antics. Chapter 453: Mischief (2) Chapter 453: Mischief (2) ¡°Next item up for Auction is a protective ne. This item can protect you against one sneak attack that you are unaware of, up-till a certain degree. Attacks below the master level will be nullifiedpletely, whereas attacks above the master level strength will be reduced in their effectiveness by 30-50%. It is a great defensive item, which can save your life in critical situations and has a reset cooldown of only 24 hours. The price starts at 1 million gold coins, with increments of 50,000 permissible¡± Raya said, as she introduced item number 4, as Leo immediately looked towards Big Dawg for his assessment. After looking at the item for a while, Big Dawg showed Leo 4 fingers, indicating that it was worth 4 million gold coins. ¡°Alright, do we have 1 million?¡± Raya asked, looking to start the bidding once everyone had time to think whether or not they wanted to bid for the item or not, as Leo immediately came out of the gate and said ¡°3 million¨C¡± ¡°3 million gold coins by the yer with the number 98 card! Thank you for your bid! Do we have 3.1?¡± Raya said, as once again Leo¡¯s bid caused the room to be thrown into an awkward silence. Eventually, someone bid 3.1 million gold coins for the item and won the bid, however, the atmosphere was very awkward with not more than 10 people pping as he won. The guy could have probably won the item for much less of a price with not many being interested in it, however, with Leo directly spamming high bids from the start, he ensured that regardless of the item, nobody was walking away with it paying less than 70% of what it was worth. At this point, bidding number 98 had been registered in everyone¡¯s brain, however, Leo was just getting started. Everyone felt that it was a little weird that Leo would ce a bid for 3 million and not follow it up with 3.2, however, that was just how Leo yed. Since he had ced a bet of 4 million before this, people knew that he had at least 4 million to spare, which is why they found his behavior to be even more peculiar. As the auction continued, Leo continued to make bids on items 5 through 15, as he would ce arge bid on an item as soon as it was disyed and not follow up with a bid after that at all. Not winning a single one of the bids he ced, Leo just proved to be a menace to others as 4 out of those 10 items sold, were sold for only 100,000 over Leo¡¯s bid. Hence when Leo did the same to item number 16, a mage ss spell book, the dismay of the crowd was audible. ¡°What the hell is wrong with that guy? Did he not just ce a bid for 4 million gold coins for an Archers Bow and Arrow set? Why is he also bidding for a mage¡¯s spell book? Is he purposefully trying to sabotage everyone¡¯s auction?¡± ¡°Number 98 is a psycho, he¡¯s definitely just pushing prices to stick it to everyone. He might not even be a mage or in need for this item, but he¡¯s being a jerk bidding on it¡± ¡°We should let number 98 win a couple items with his crazy bids, as that would shut him up. Let¡¯s just stick him with a shit item¡± ¡°No! We must absolutely not let number 98 win anything. He must walk away from this auction having bid on every item but having won none!¡± ¡°Grrr! I hate number 98, I¡¯m a mage and I want this item, but I don¡¯t have 3.5 million gold coins, why did that jerk bid 3.4?¡± The uproar in the crowd was real when Leo ced a bid for item 16, as he single handedly seemed to have turned the entire crowd against himself. Sweat beads started to form on Big Dawg¡¯s forehead when he saw how outraged everyone was, however, as he looked towards his neighbor, he found Leo to be rxing in his chair with a big smile on his face, as if he was thriving off the hatred. ¡®What a terrifying guy¡­. He¡¯s unfazed as the rest of the yers hate him¡­. If it were me, I would crumble against public opinion and hesitate to raise a card again, however, he ispletely unbothered¡¯ Big Dawg thought, as he gulped a mouthful of saliva. As he turned his head and nced towards Cervantez, he found Cervantez to be grinning wildly as well, as the two top yers looked like birds of the same flock. Just like Leo, he too enjoyed the frustration of the crowd as he silently appreciated Leo¡¯s performance in this auction so far. While the masses were focused on number 98 and his douchey actions, Cervantez was focused on how the numbers who had already won an item were not bidding again. The average money pool that yers hade to this auction with was around 2-5 million gold coins, which gave them enough purchasing power to buy exactly one item. Once they bought this item, their finances ran dry and they were unable to participate in the auction anymore. Cervantez himself had only 4.5 million gold coins for this auction which was why he could not risk bidding like ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, if he had a bigger bidding pool he would most definitely have chipped in as well. At the rate that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was eliminating thepetition, Cervantez assumed that there would be not more than 50 bidders left for thest 50 most important items, which would improve his chances of securing a couple items or more significantly. ¡°Not only do I know what is the limit of some of the people who have not won an item yet¡­. I also know what type of items they are interested in thanks to ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Number 24 only has 3.2 million in funds and is interested in mage type items. Number 45 only has 3.7 million in funds and is interested in swords. Number 71 only has 1.7 million and is nearly broke¡­.¡± Cervantez thought, as he mentally revised the information of hispetitors one after another feeling ted at having an edge over them. Chapter 454: Mischief (3) Chapter 454: Mischief (3) Leo continued with his antics up-till item 42, pissing the entire room off and converting the system auction from a cordial event to some sort of a fish market. There were some yers now, who were vehemently against letting him win a single bid, while there were others who wanted to stick him with a bid and prevented others from bidding on the same items as him. ¡°Number 98 you bastard! Meet me outside this auction hall and I¡¯ll show you the power of my de!¡± ¡°Number 98 you have cost me over 2 million gold coins! Your seven generations won¡¯t be able to pay me back!¡± ¡°Number 98, stop bidding on all the items, it¡¯s not wise to make an enemy out of everyone here!¡± The yers who were initially only mumbling amongst each other about their frustrations regarding number 98, were now threatening Leo openly, as half the room was facing the items disyed while the other half was staring holes into Leo¡¯s head. ¡°Item Number 42¡­. The blueprints for a better carriage that can carry as much as 1 tonne of goods using only one horse. It has inbuilt weight reducing runes and is extremely durable. It can revolutionize the logistics industry with ease. Bidding starts at 1 million gold coins. Minimum increment is fixed at 50,000 coins¨C¡± Raya said, as she tried to talk over the chatter and disy item 42, however, her task as the auctioneer was getting progressively more difficult as the night went on. As soon as the item was disyed, Leo nced towards Big Dawg for advice, who put up 4 fingers indicating the item was worth 4 million gold coins. At this point, the entire room expected Leo to make the first bid, however, before Leo could make an offer, it was number 97 who made the first bid for 1 million gold coins. ¡°We have 1 million from number 97¨C¡± Raya announced, as Leo nced towards the shy guy sitting to his left, who seemed very nervous about Leo cing a high bid. Seeing how the guy shrugged away from his gaze as soon as he looked towards him, Leo felt that the man was amusing and just this once decided to not mess with him. ¡°I¡¯ll let you have this one, but you must give my friend Leo Skyshard 50% off on your products. Consider it as me helping you save 2 million now¨C¡± Leo said, as he winked at the guy sitting beside him. Jace, who wanted to ask Leo for this favor but was too shy to speak, was ted when he heard Leo say this as he gave Leo a grateful thumbs up. As the rest of the auction hall waited for Leo to make his usual nonsensical bid, nobody ced a bid over Jace, as to everyone¡¯s shock the item sold for just 1 million without anyone cing a second bid on it. Shockingly, Leo never intervened and this left many stumped as they wanted to bid on the item but were waiting for Leo to show his hand first. ¡°Wait a minute? What just happened here? Number 98 did not raise the price of an item? Are number 97 and 98 friends?¡± ¡°Dang it! I really wanted that item, but did not bid on it because of number 98¡­.¡± ¡°Is number 98 finally frightened? Has he really taken our threats seriously?¡± ¡°Hahaha! I guess he got scared by my name, I¡¯m RedMetal after all, I¡¯m ranked 277th on the global leaderboards!¡± The murmurs in the room went insane once Leo did not bid on a item with some assuming that he had improved, however, as item 43 was unveiled Leo returned to his old tactics, bidding an outrageous amount from the get-go. ¡°Son of a bitch! He¡¯s back! He just did not bid on an item to make a fool of us!¡± ¡°Somebody bid more! We can¡¯t let that fool win anything! We must not let him win!¡± ¡°Kyaaa! I only have 4.1 million, but I¡¯ll bid it all just to not let that guy win. I don¡¯t really have any use for this item, but it¡¯s better than letting number 98 win¡± ¡°Number 98! I¡¯ll beat you to a snob once we walk out of here¡± Leo got another wave of hatred as he ced a bid on item 43, with some people even openly cursing his seven generations. To add fuel to the fire, when everyone was busy cursing him, Leo began tough out loud and point towards the crowd seated below him, as he started to act like aplete maniac. ¡°Hahahaha, look at you broke people trying to steal items from me. Only fools bid in increments of 100,000, real men raise millions¨C¡± Leo said out loud, stunning the crowd, before returning toughing maniacally. Of-course this was all a part of his calcted act as he was trying to get the crowd enraged, as he wanted to empty the pockets of as many people as possible for thest 7 items up-till item 50. And to his joy, his act worked perfectly as the riled up crowd threw money like water just to satisfy their ego. The next 7 items sold for a range of 5-7 million when their worth was between 3-5, with almost everyone paying at least 150% of the item¡¯s value. By the time item 50 was introduced, the majority crowd had gone broke, as those who had gathered more than 5 million gold coins for this auction had all spent their money. The only people who were itemless now were those not having more than 2 million to spend, or those who were biding their time like himself and Cervantez. ¡°Let the real show begin¡­.¡± Leo muttered to himself, as item 50 was unveiled, as from this point onwards he actually had the intention of winning bids and taking items home. Chapter 455: Winning Bids (1) Chapter 455: Winning Bids (1) ¡°Next up, item number 50, we have already hit the half-way markdies and gentlemen¡­.¡± Raya said, as Raven unveiled the mysterious item. ¡°Item 50, The Legendary Snake Stone that was once embedded on the head of the strongest snake recorded in the history of the Empire, ¡®Naga¡¯. This stone has the authority of the Snake-King within it, and gives the wielder the power to control a high number of snakes. A perfect stone for the ¡®Beast Tamer¡¯ ss, or any nonbat yer¡± Raya said as the introduction to item 50 blew everyone¡¯s breaths away. ¡°The starting price of this stone is 5 million gold coins, and the minimum increment is 250,000 coins¡­.. Let the bidding begin¨C¡± Raya said, as Leo immediately nced towards Big Dawg who had his jaw agape looking at the item. For a while Big Dawg kept staring at it without saying anything, before eventually looking at Leo and giving him the signal that the item was worth 100 million gold coins. ¡°Alright!¡± Leo said, rubbing his hands in excitement as he really wanted to get this item for himself. Since he was a sort of alchemist, he was always in need of poisons and having the ability to control snakes seemed very useful to harvest said poisons. Also, he could see their potential use in assassination, as if he could control them precisely, he could then deploy them to take out opponents without him having to get involved, which was the most stealthy form of assassination possible. ¡°5.25 million¡± said number 33, as the bidding moved awfully slowly even after the amazing item was introduced. Unfortunately for the majority audience, their funds had been wrung dry by Leo, and 5.25 million was already above the range of what many could afford. There were hardly 10 bidders left in the room total who had funds over 5 million to spare and Leo was one of them. ¡°5.5 million from number #98¨C¡± Raya announced as Leo raised his card, as a collective groan could be heard from the entire audience when they saw Leo making a move. ¡°5.75¨C¡± bid number 33 as Leo immediately raised it to 6. ¡°6 million, by number 98, does anyone bid 6.25?¡± Raya asked, however, number 33 seemed to have ran out of funds as he could not bid any longer. ¡°6 million going at once ¡­ 6 million going twice¡­. 6 million going thrice! Sold to number 98¡± Raya dered, banging her gavel as Leo won his first sessful bid of the night, paying just 6% of the item¡¯s true worth. ¡°Aww man! Why did that guy have to win a bid! I wanted him to return home empty handed!¡± ¡°Tch¡­. I really wanted that gem, however, I did not have the funds to bid on it¡± ¡°Huh, I¡¯m happy, atleast number 98 won¡¯t be able to hold the entire auction hostage any longer. He won¡¯t have the funds to ce a bid¡± ¡°Good riddance, the fool is finally stuck with an item¡± Half of the room groaned at Leo finally winning an item, while the other half celebrated it thinking that they had gotten rid of an annoying bidder, however, the people in the room seemed to have severely underestimated Leo¡¯s pockets as he was far from done. ¡°Congrattions Mr.Boss, you have made a steal¨C¡± said Big Dawg as Leo gave him a big smile and a thumbs up. Sitting in the corner, even Cervantez thought that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was out of the game now having already bid 6 million, as he did not expect a ranker like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who was always busy with leveling up and managing a territory to have much more money left. However, even he had underestimated Leo¡¯s wealth. As item 51 was pulled out and revealed to be a one of a kind Assassin¡¯s Robe, Cervantez chuckled at Leo having ced his bid too early as he could presume that he was interested in the item. ¡°Next item, a legendary grade assassin¡¯s robe which providesplete camouge when the wearer enters a shadow. Not only is it nearly weightless weighing less than 200 grams, but it¡¯s also extremely durable, providing nearplete immunity to sh damage and considerable protection against stab damage. Ites equipped with lots of storage pockets and has dedicated hoops to tie an assassins belt around. A must have item for all thief/assassin ss yers, it¡¯s one of thest creations of a master grandmaster tailor before she died¡± Raya said introducing the item, as before she even quoted the price, Leo knew that he wanted that robe. He was currently wearing Ben¡¯s old Assassin Robe and while the nostalgic set was quite useful andfortable, his heart bled anytime that it was scratched or damaged. He had long been looking for a new gear so that he could safely store Ben¡¯s robes away, and today he had gotten the opportunity to do just that. ¡°The starting price for this item is 2 million gold coins and the minimum price increment is 100,000 gold coins. Let the bidding begin¨C¡± Raya said, as Leo immediately raised his card to ce the first bid for 2 million. This time, he did not even check with Big Dawg as to how much the item was worth, as regardless of the price, he wanted it. ¡°2 million from number 98, do we have 2.1?¡± Raya said, as the entire room turned towards Leo once again, unable to understand why number 98 was still on it and still bidding? On one hand, the crowd did not want to let Leo walk away with a second item, however, with him having a reputation to bid on items once and then never ce a bid again, not many wanted to ce a bid on Assassin¡¯s robes, which they had no use for. Despite how cool Leo made the Assassin ss look, there were hardly any top rankers who were Assassin¡¯s and he was the only one in this room who was one. Hence, thankfully nobody ced a bid over him for the item. Allowing him to win his second item for the base price of just 2 million gold coins. Chapter 456: Winning Bids (2) Chapter 456: Winning Bids (2) ¡°No way¡­.. number 98 just won two items in a row!¡± A random crowd member said, as his frustration was audible in his voice when he witnessed Leo¡¯s sess. Not only did Leo buy the snake stone for 6 million, but also the Assassin¡¯s Robe for 2, bringing his total spending to 8 million gold coins! This was an astronomical number for most gamers and at this point everyone thought that Leo most definitely did not have any more money to spend. ¡°Number 98 is extremely lucky to have gotten away with winning two items. He must have had exactly 8 million and he¡¯s gotten away with bidding on two of the best items¡± Another random crowd member said, as he let out a deep sigh. However, just as everyone counted Leo out, Raya unveiled item number 52 and this time it was a Martial Arts Manual. For the first time since the night began, Cervantez ced the opening bid for 2 million gold coins on the item, which piqued Leo¡¯s interest since Cervantez usually never made an unnecessary move. ¡°2.2 million by number 71¨C¡± ¡°2.3 million by number 100¡± . . . . ¡°3.6 million by number 100¨C¡± The item¡¯s price went up from 2 million to 3.6, and Leo felt his palms itching to ce a bid. Unfortunately, he had no need for a martial arts manual. He was a weapons based fighter and had no use for knowledge on hand to handbat. As per Big Dawg, the item was worth over 50 million gold coins, so it was definitely not as simple as just another Martial Arts Manual, however, Leo decided to let it be in the end, letting Cervantez win the item for 3.6 million. ¡°Sold for 3.6 million to number 100¨C¡± Raya announced, as Cervantez¡¯s face beamed with joy at this announcement. Having only entered this auction for this single item, Cervantez was extremely happy to have sessfully purchased it. This martial arts manual was a type of technique that he could also practice in real life to strengthen his muscles and bones. It was an invaluable manual that was second only to a real meditation manual, however, since those were as rare as Phoenix¡¯s feather, this martial arts manual could be considered as the next best thing. Practicing it for the next two years until they arrived on Terra Nova was going to bring immense benefits to him and it was mainly for improvement in real life that he had bought it. The item, though undoubtedly useful for someone without a meditation manual, was useless for Leo, who had his hands full already by practicing the mind meditation scroll, and did not have time to practice martial arts even if he bought the item. Hence in a way, Leo dodged a bullet by not buying this one, as letting it go was the right decision. After the meditation scroll, the auction proceeded quickly, however, none of the items disyed managed to pique Leo¡¯s attention. His neighbor number 97, bought a couple more items, splurging a whopping 7 million more gold coins, while Big Dawg also bought a couple items for himself, spending an impressive 11 million gold coins. It was only at this point that Leo realized that he was surrounded by beasts, as he never expected walking into this auction thatmon yers would have wealth in the tens of millions range. In his head, he was the richest yer alive by far, however, only aftering to this auction and meeting no name yers like Big Dawg did he realize that there were a lot more hidden titans in the world of Terra Nova than what he knew. It was an undoubtedly humbling experience for Leo, who managed to check his mindset before it was toote thanks to this realization. No longer did he think that he was the richest or the strongest yer alive as he started to assume the worst. As the auction proceeded, Leo began to doubt that there were tons of hidden ss yers and ex-military personnel like his father who were excellent yers in the world of Terra Nova, however prefered operating from the shadows. He realized that he was the fool who was disying his strength for everyone to see all along, and he was the one who had no hidden cards to rely on. Resolving to change his mindset and start hiding his power, Leo managed to correct himself before he became blinded by his own ego, as the greatest advantage that he gained from this auction was one of perspective where he realized that he was not the only sessful yer around. That aside, he did proceed to give every other yer a heart attack, as although he did not bid for any items from 52 through 75, he went absolutely crazy and bought 7 items in a row from 76 to 82, spending a total of 27 million gold coins on the 7 items. The items he purchased included 1x Elven Light Chainmail, an item which was lightweight and provided excellent protection against stab damage, a type of damage which his Assassin¡¯s robe was slightly weak against. 1x Life Saving Token, a limited use item which would stabilize his HP at 1%, saving him from an attack which would have otherwise imed his life. ( Current uses left ¨C 4 ) 3x StarFruit, a special type of fruit that provided +5 to all stats upon consumption. 1x me Protection Token, a token which when crushed, gave the user 100% immunity against any me based attack. And finally a skill manual for the skill [ Shadow Bind ]. All in all, Leo spent 27 million gold coins to obtain these 7 items, and his spending spree left everyone present in the room in sweat, as along with the two items he had bought already, this purchase spree brought his total items won to a whopping 9 items. Chapter 457: Winning Bids (3) Chapter 457: Winning Bids (3) ¡°Hey, hey, hey¡­. What the hell! That guy has spent close to 36 million gold coins already, who the hell is number 98? Just how much money does he have?¡± An audience member asked, as by this point everyone in the room seemed to have figured out that number 98 was not to be messed with. Initially when Leo was betting on every single item without winning a single bid, everyone thought that he was a fool who was trying to ruin other people¡¯s auctions, however, now as Leo had already ced bids worth over 36 million and was showing no signs of slowing down, sweat began to trickle down the foreheads of everyone. The shouts criticizing him had all shut-up now, as not a single yer dared question him anymore. Just like how Leo realized that he may not be as rich as he presumed himself to be, the other yers in the room also felt the same after Leo won the bid for 9 items alone. The yers who had tokens from 1-80 had over 6 months to prepare for this auction and had worked really hard to gather as much money as they could before the auction began. Some resorted to looting and piging, some borrowed money from other yers or their guilds, while some earnt them through legitimate means, however, everyone pushed hard to gather the money. Most yers ended up gathering somewhere between 2-5 million gold coins for the auction, while the better yers gathered between 7-11 million. Leo however, walked into the auction with over 66 million in funds, which was 6 times higher than the next richest yer. In terms of wealth, he outshadowed everyone big-time and formon yers who struggled to even gather 2-5 million, the sum of 30+ million seemed impossible to achieve. ¡°Who the hell is number 98? Just what sort of background does he have to be able to spend such money with ease?¡± A yer wondered, as everyone within the room now fell dead silent whenever Leo raised a card. However, the yer who was the most shocked was none other than Cervantez, who knew that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ should not have ess to such wealth. ¡®Something is wrong here¡­.. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is way too wealthy for a Baron of an underdeveloped region. The only yer with the sort of wealth he is splurging in Terra Nova is Luke¡¯s brother, Leo Skyshard. So the only reason why ¡®TheBoss¡¯ can splurge so openly must be because Leo had lent him millions¡­..¡¯ Cervantez thought, as the previous smile from his face was wipedpletely. The Boss was obtaining too many invaluable items in this auction, and he was sure to grow even stronger once it ended because of Leo¡¯s support, and Cervantez did not like it one bit. ¡®The question is why? Why is Leo Skyshard supporting ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and why does he trust him enough to lend him millions? I always thought that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is a solo show, however, with backers like Leo Skyshard, he¡¯s a much more formidable unit than I previously thought him to be¡¯ Cervantez thought, as he let out a deep sigh. ¡°35 million gold coins¡­.. my guild can¡¯t earn such money in a year most likely, even with the silver mines working non-stop all year long¡± Cervantezmented self deprecatingly, as he rubbed his forehead in disbelief. However, just when he thought that surely ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could not have any more money left to spend. The Boss purchased 6 more items in a row from item number 79-84, spending a total of 30 million gold coins more. The Boss purchased the items :- 1x Legendary Light Armor Set, ( Shin Pads, Arm Pads, Neck Guard and Groin Guard ) 1x Enchanted Boots, ( +30% Agility boost ) 1x Superior Berserk Potion ( All stats x2 for 30 minutes ) 1x Enlightenment Potion ( Faster Learning Of Any Technique ) 1x Thunder Talisman 1x Hurricane Summon Scroll The Boss¡¯s purchases made Cervantez feel incredibly nervous, as he was now sitting on 15 unique and extremely desirable collection of items. If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had any weaknesses before today, it was the fact that he did not fight with any sort of protective gear, however, that weakness had been wiped out today. Not only did he purchase Elven Chainmail to protect his torso, but a legendary light armor set to protect his arms, shins, neck and groin. To cover these things up, he had the legendary assassin cloak and to top all that up he now had a unique life saving item too. His defense had improved drastically with all these steps, however, his defensive capabilities improving was not even the tip of the iceberg of his improvements. He had also improved his mobility with the enchanted boots, his stats by the star fruit and his move set by purchasing a skill manual that taught him a new skill naturally, rather than imparting the knowledge like a skill scroll. On top of all this, he had purchased many unique potions and items like the Snake Gem, which made him an unstoppable unit overall. ¡± *Gulp* ¡­ just who is number 98? That guy has bought 15 items already. Just how many items does one guy really need? Where is the justice in this world?¡± ¡± Number 98 is not your average Joe, I pity the guy who wanted to challenge number 98 once they left this system space. Number 98 is going to body that guy hard in a fight¨C¡± ¡°Holy shit! Even if I y this game for the next 10 years I probably still won¡¯t be able to make the amount of money that guy spent in one night today¡± ¡°Do you think he will buy items 86-90 too? Or will he wait for the MP exclusive items now?¡± The entire room was in awe of Leo¡¯s performance, as he single handedly suppressed all other bidders in the room by disying his overwhelming dominance in the second half of the bidding. Unfortunately, he ran out of money to bid with when he won the hurricane summon scroll, which prevented him from bidding on thest 5 items that gold could buy. Chapter 458: Final Items (1) Chapter 458: Final Items (1) ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we have now reached the final phase of the auction, where we will present thest 10 items. As previously stated, these exclusive items cannot be purchased with gold coins and must be acquired using MP. There is no minimum starting bid, and the minimum increment is set at just 1 MP. The highest bid takes the prize. Good luck to all!¡± Raya said, as she brought out the much anticipated item number 91, which was an MP exclusive item. ¡°The first special item of the night is the AOE spell, [ me Wave ]. This powerful technique requires significant mana to cast and, once unleashed, shows no mercy¡ªindiscriminately incinerating friend and foe alike. It¡¯s said that those caught in its path are reduced to ashes within seconds, making [ me Wave ] capable of obliterating entire enemy squadrons with ease. As the name suggests, this spell creates an unstoppable wave of mes that devours everything in its wake, earning its ce as one of the most formidable fire techniques in the game. Essential for all magic-oriented yers, [ me Wave ] stands as a pinnacle skill for the magic warrior,¡± Raya exined, delivering a thorough introduction to the spell. ¡°Bidding begins at 1 MP, please verbally ce your bids for this round¡ª¡± Raya said, as all hell broke loose once she opened the bidding. ¡°10 MP¡± ¡°100!¡± ¡°250 MP¡± ¡°400 MP¡± ¡°450 MP¡± ¡°600 MP¡± The price quickly jumped from 1 to 600 within a matter of seconds, however, it slowed down significantly afterwards. Just like how most yers only had a money pool of 2-5 million gold coins, most yers only had an MP reserve between 100-600 points. Earning MP was significantly more challenging aspared to earning gold coins, as MP was only distributed forpleting significant achievements within the game and that too sparingly. Had Leo not spent a significant amount of MP to secure tickets for his mom and dad, he would have much more MP left for this auction, however, because he had to spend MP there andter to skip work, he only had a reserve of 5350 for this auction. ¡°600 MP by number 66, do we have more?¡± Raya asked, looking around, as it was Cervantez who ced the next bid for 700 MP. ¡°700¨C¡± Cervantez said confidently as he seemed very keen on securing this AOE spell. ¡®Damn it¡­. Cervantez is bidding on an item again, but once more it¡¯s not an item that¡¯s of any use to me¡¯, Leo thought, as he felt very disappointed at the fact that Cervantez was cing a bid on an item, but once again it was an item that had no real use for him. Since Leo was not a mage, or a mage ss yer, he had no use for the me wave spell, which was why he refrained from bidding on it and let Cervantez win the bid for 700 MP. ¡°Sold to number 100 for 700MP. Congrattions Sir!¡± Said Raya, as once again the entire room burst into polite pping for the first time since item number 25. Nodding, Cervantez smiled in satisfaction as he hadpleted his objective for this auction, having secured both items that he had came here for. ¡°Next up, we have item number 92, a very special item, called the [ Aura Ring ]. What this item does is that it amplifies the wearer¡¯s natural aura to make them seem much more terrifying and powerful than what they really are. This item works wonders when confronting strong beasts and other less intelligent creatures and can help yers avoid unnecessary confrontations in dungeons or other such events¡± Raya introduced, as Leo immediately recognised the item as the same ring as what the Demon King wore. ¡®I must have this item¡­. This item is the backbone of the Fake It Till You Make It life¡¯ Leo thought, as he resolved to get the item as soon as it was introduced. ¡°Bidding begins at 1 MP, same rules apply,¡± Raya announced, her voice clear and steady, as she encouraged the bidding to start. ¡°10 MP!¡± someone quickly called out, breaking the silence. ¡°50 MP,¡± another voice chimed in, raising the stakes almost immediately. Leo watched as the bids climbed rapidly, his heart pounding in his chest as he knew he had to time his bid perfectly, as it wasn¡¯t just about having the most MP this time around. Having seen how everyone was a secret bigshot in this auction, having wealth that surpassed his expectations, Leo did not wish to enter into a bidding contest against sleeping giants and instead wanted to bid at the perfect moment, so that he could deter the opposition and snatch the item for himself at a low price. ¡°100 MP!¡± a third bidder shouted soon, causing a small ripple of murmurs throughout the room, but Leo remained quiet, biding his time. He nced around, taking stock of thepetition, as he noticed that most of the serious bidders had already thrown in their offers, and the price was steadily climbing. ¡°150 MP,¡± a voice from the back called out, which Leo quickly identified as a mid-tier yer, someone who could be outbid without too much trouble, since the guy had previouslypeted with him for 3 items but always dropped at the 3 million gold coins mark. ¡°200 MP!¡± The tension in the room escted with each passing second, as Leo could feel his pulse quicken as he anticipated his moment. ¡°250 MP,¡± came another bid, as at this moment Leo knew he had to step in soon or risk losing the item to someone else. His mind raced, calcting the odds, and just as the bidding seemed to stall at 300 MP, he made his move. ¡°350 MP,¡± Leo¡¯s voice cut through the room, strong and decisive. His bidding number, 98, echoed in the minds of those present. There was a brief pause as the other bidders hesitated, assessing whether they should push further, as for most, the cost was already too high, and they did not wish to make enemies with the legendary number 98 who has already won 15 items. Raya looked around, sensing the hesitation in the room. ¡°350 MP from number 98. Do we have any higher bids?¡± she asked, her gaze sweeping over the crowd. But her question was met with nothing but silence. Leo held his breath, his eyes fixed on Raya as she waited for any counteroffers. ¡°Going once¡­ going twice¡­¡± Raya¡¯s voice lingered in the air, stretching the tension even further. When no one else spoke up, Raya finally smiled and announced, ¡°Sold to number 98 for 350 MP. Congrattions!¡± The room erupted in polite apuse, but Leo barely noticed¡­. For him the apuse did not matter, what mattered was that he kept growing stronger through this one of a kind opportunity that he had at hand. Chapter 459: Final Items (2) Chapter 459: Final Items (2) After winning the bid for the Aura Ring, Leo had a total of 5000 MP left, and there were 8 more items up for auction. Unlike with his gold, Leo was not keen on spending all 5000 of his MP left, if he could help it, however, if there was an item worth the price, Leo was not against spending it all either. This difference in approach could mostly be attributed to how easy it was for him to earn gold versus MP, as while he could make millions of gold coins a day, he could not earn MP the same way. ¡°Introducing next, item 93¡­..¡± Raya said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to the next item as she unveiled something trulyrge. ¡°Behold¡­.. The World¡¯s Strongest Trebuchet, the only one which can hurl boulders over the 25 mile mark. Undoubtedly one of most powerful siege weapon ever created, it¡¯s invaluable to any organization holding ambitions for territorial expansion¡± Raya said, as audible murmurs of excitement spread throughout the room. Except for a handful of yers like Jace and Leo, everyone else in the room, which included 95/100 yers gathered, all belonged to some sort of a guild or organization and hence they all wanted to secure this item at any cost possible. ¡°100 MP!¡± a guild leader shouted almost immediately, setting the tone for the intense bidding war that was about to unfold. ¡°200 MP!¡± another voice quickly followed. The bids escted rapidly, as guilds and organizations recognized the strategic advantage this weapon could provide. The room was filled with the sound of rapid-fire bids. ¡°300 MP!¡± ¡°450 MP!¡± ¡°600 MP!¡± The bids continued to soar as the room buzzed with tension. Leo observed silently, uninterested in a siege weapon that held little value for his ns. He leaned back, watching as the final bid of 1200 MP sealed the deal with the Trebuchet going to yer number 69. As the bidding for the Trebuchet concluded, Raya quickly moved on to the next item, unveiling a sleek, dark de. ¡°Next up, item 94: [de of the Eclipse]. This sword is a masterpiece of dark and light magic, forged by both a grandmaster cksmith and a grandmaster engraver coborating together. This de is covered with runes that deal extra damage to creatures of the night while providing a shield against sunlight-based attacks.¡± Raya said, as the room buzzed with interest over the item, but once again Leo decided to sit this one out, as he was not really a sword user. The bidding for the item started at 50 MP and quickly escted, finally settling at 800 MP, as a swordsman ss yer secured the sword in the end. The next item that Raya introduced was a gleaming mirror with intricate carvings along its edges. ¡°Item 95: [Mirror of Reflection] This enchanted mirror can reflect any attack or spell back at its source with double the force, and can be used three times¡± she said, as this time around Leo did feel a little interested in buying the item, however, when he thought about using it in a practicalbat scenario, he could not envision pulling out this mirror that was as tall as him and aiming it at an iing attack in time to deflect it, and hence decided to let it be, for theck of practicality of the item. To his surprise however, the bidding for the item was fierce, with the price quickly rising, as in the end, the mirror went for 950 MP, much to the excitement of its new owner, which Leo thought waspletely ridiculous. Next, Raya revealed an ancient scroll glowing with arcane energy. ¡°Item 96: [ Arcane Barrage Spell ] A devastating spell that unleashes a rapid series of magical projectiles, targeting up to five enemies at once, causing significant damage and disrupting their abilities.¡± She said, as immediately all the mage ss yers lept into action. The bidding began at 100 MP and shot up quickly, with several yers eager to add this powerful spell to their arsenal, as after apetitive bidding session, the spell was sold for 700 MP. Once again, Leo did nothing but watch, as he was content with his earlier purchase and to save his MP for something truly extraordinary. And his patience paid off, as item 97 was introduced, with item 97 being the undisputed gem of this auction. ¡°Next up, we have a truly special item¡­..¡± Raya said, as it was one of those few moments where the excitement was palpable on her face¨C ¡°Item number 97, A Chrono Shard. This is one of the only items in the game that can alter the flow of time, breaking thews of general gaming mechanics. Once crushed, this Chrono Shard slows the flow of time around the yer who crushes it for 1 regr minute, however, for the person who crushes it, the time period will feel like 3 minutes. During this time, the general gaming mechanics don¡¯t apply, as although the yer¡¯s strength does not inherently increase, because of their increased velocity with respect to their surroundings, the damage dealt via attacks increases significantly. This item is the greatest Equalizer against opponents one cannot defeat simply and is a truly one of a kind treasure to possess¡± Raya said, as she borately exined all the benefits of the item. A collective gulp went through the entire room, as there was not one yer present within the room who did not covet this shard. It was an undoubtedly broken item and everyone wanted a piece of it, however, only one yer was going to eventually walk away with it. ¡°Bidding for this item starts at 1 MP¡­. Goodluck to all yers¡± Raya said, as immediately a bidding frenzy began. ¡°100 MP¡± ¡°500¨C¡± ¡°1000!¡± Within just three bids, the price of the item crossed the 1000 MP threshold, making it out of reach for 90% of the yers in the room. ¡°1200¨C¡± said Leo, as he officially pitched in for the item as well, having an intense desire to win it. Chapter 460: Final Items (3) Chapter 460: Final Items (3) ¡°1200¨C¡± Leo said, officially joining the bid, as everyone in the room took a collective sigh of defeat. Somehow, as soon as he joined, everyone knew that he was going to end up walking out with the item, however, those who had the means to purchase it did not wish to give up till the bitter end. ¡°1400¨C¡± ¡°1600¨C¡± A couple other yers bid, however, Leo came back strong and ced a big bid for 2000 MP. ¡°2000 MP by number 98, do we have more?¡± Raya said excitedly, however, nobody in the room responded. Just like gold, not many yers had the ability to ce bids for items above a certain MP threshold, as unlike Leo, not many made global announcements on a quarterly basis. Hence although 100/100 yers present within the room held some interest in purchasing the Shard, in the end, it was Leo who walked away with the winning bid of 2000 MP! ¡°What the hell¡­. That¡¯s the 17th item that guy has single handedly purchased. Just who is number 98?¡± ¡°Are you guys dumb? Of-course there¡¯s only one yer who can be number 98! It¡¯s ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡­.. Who else can have over 2350 MP to spare?¡± ¡°Yes, it must be the number one yer¡­. Nobody apart from him can be this domineering¡± Murmurs began to float amongst the yers, as everyone arrived at the same conclusion once Leo won the Shard, that bidder 98 was none other than ¡®TheBoss¡¯. While the average yer struggled to win a single item in this auction, like a True Capitalist Leo purchased everything he fancied and there was not one thing that anyone could do about it. Since everyone had the same starting point in the world of Terra Nova, nobody could even attribute Leo¡¯s sess to his ancestry or foundations, as he had made himself into the man that he was today. ¡± I mean, how can anyone catch-up to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at this rate? With the items he has bought and considering how he has already killed a Demon Count, I won¡¯t be surprised if he goes after the Demon King next¨C¡± ¡± If they recreated the grand tournament now and put all three other semi finalists against ¡®TheBoss¡¯ alone. I¡¯m sure ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will walk out of that fight without taking a scratch¡± ¡± Guys¡­. I know that some of you may not like him and that some of you may feel sad at not winning a single item in this auction. However, what ¡®TheBoss¡¯ did here today is beyond impressive. As aspiring top yers ourselves, we must appreciate him and the summit he represents. Let¡¯s give him a standing ovation¡ª¡± a yer suggested, as he initiated a standing ovation for Leo, which was soon followed by the entire auction hall. *Cheers* *ps* Even Raya paused the auction procedure for a moment, as the others appreciated the symbol of power that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was, as Cervantez could not help but chuckle as he pped. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was probably the only yer in the game, that could turn a crowd of yers who were openly hostile to him just minutes ago, p wholeheartedly for him just minutester, and Cervantez could not help but feel respect for him. The Boss was not a suck-up, he did not care about public opinion, and was true to only himself, which was probably why he was respected like no other yer within the game. ¡°Boss! Boss! Boss! Boss¡ª¡± Soon the ps broke into open chants of ¡®Boss¡¯ as Leo waved to the crowd with his palm raised, acknowledging the fact that it was indeed him who was number 98. ¡®Is it because the gap between him and the others is sorge that they don¡¯t feel jealous when they worship him?¡¯ Cervantez wondered, as he was probably the only yer in the room who still had ambitions to catch-up to Leo someday, while the others seemed to have already given up. In the end, it took the crowd a full three minutes to calm down and for the chants to subside, as it was only then that Raya could resume the auction. Thest 3 items up for disy were all very interesting as well, and Leo had the slight urge to bid on them, however, with the price of each item going over 1500 MP, Leo decided to let it be, as he closed his auctions conquest having won 17/100 items up for sale. Overall, it was an incredibly productive session for him, with his strength increasing by leaps and bounds. However, being in istion meant he couldn¡¯t test his newfound power, and it would be months before any other yer witnessed his new collection in action. ********** ( Real World, The Arc Ship, Sector C ) As Leo logged out of the game after an enjoyable auction session, the first thing he did was to perform his morning rounds. As no matter how big of a bigshot he was within the game, in reality he was nothing more than a humble supervisor. Once done, he begrudgingly returned to his apartment for his mental meditation session, however, to his surprise there was a white robed Cervantez sitting outside his apartment door at that moment, with there being an oddly determined expression on his face. ¡°Good morning¡­ How can I help you?¡± Leo asked, surprised to find Cervantez sitting outside his door instead of summoning him to Sector S as usual. ¡°Can Ie in?¡± Cervantez replied in a slightly hoarse voice, as at this moment Leo knew that this was something serious and that Cervantez was not here to preach or ask for favors. ¡°Of-course¡± Leo said, inviting Cervantez to his apartment, as he pulled a chair for him at his dining table and poured two sses of milk for them to enjoy. ¡°You look slightly disturbed today guildmaster, is everything okay?¡± Leo asked, his eyes never leaving Cervantez¡¯s face as he tried to discern the meaning behind Cervantez¡¯splex expression. ¡°Yes, I have something important to tell you today Leo¡­.¡± Cervantez said, gulping his milk down in one go, as he stared intently back into Leo¡¯s eyes. Chapter 461: A new alliance Chapter 461: A new alliance ¡°Yes, I have something important to tell you today, Leo¡­.¡± Cervantez said, staring intently into Leo¡¯s eyes, as he seemed really passionate about whatever it was that he wanted to say. Leo blinked, waiting patiently for Cervantez to speak, but as he noticed the anguish in Cervantez¡¯s expression, he understood that whatever was about to be said, certainly wasn¡¯t easy for him. Sighing, Cervantez eventually started to open up, as he began his confession with a very candid admission. ¡°You and your brother are both very impressive yers. Bona-fide rankers and true needle movers within the game¨C¡± Cervantez said, nodding as he seemed genuinely impressed that both him and Luke were true giants of the game. ¡°I don¡¯t like you on a personal level¡­.. actually, no, I think I do like you, but I find you annoying because you always butt heads with me for no reason. You have this aura about you where you don¡¯t trust anyone but your brother and behave as if the whole world is against you and I don¡¯t like that one bit. However, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re wrong. Also, I do respect what you have been able to achieve within the game so far¡± Cervantez said, as Leo felt his left eye flutter from thepliment. He could feel that whatever Cervantez spoke today came straight from his heart, and that was what made this whole conversation even more awkward for Leo, as he did not know what to make of thispliment. He did not truly hate Cervantez either, he just did not like him because the guy was not transparent with his knowledge. He was a control freak who wanted everything to be done on his terms and such a mentality bothered Leo who could not ceplete blind trust in anyone but Luke. However, as he sat across from him, genuinely giving him respect andpliments, Leo could not bring himself to dislike the guy, as in the end Cervantez was a highly respectable yer who had most definitely helped Luke a lot. ¡°Thanks¡­..? I do respect you as well, even though we don¡¯t see eye to eye on a lot of topics¡± Leo said, as he awkwardly reciprocated some of the respect that Cervantez showed him. ¡°I know that Amanda came to you a few days ago and asked you to fix a meeting with ¡®TheBoss¡¯. As you know, I¡¯ve been chasing that guy since the very first day¨C¡± Cervantez said, as Leo nodded his head and raised his palm to indicate that Cervantez need not say anything more. ¡°If you¡¯re here about that meeting, then don¡¯t worry I¡¯ve already fixed a meeting for you¡ª¡± Leo said, as Cervantez shook his head and denied wanting to have a meeting vehemently. ¡°No¨C¡± he said, his voice heavy as his gaze deepened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to chase ¡®TheBoss¡¯ anymore. I¡­I don¡¯t want to be the best yer¡­.¡± Cervantez said, gritting his teeth as he seemed to be really struggling as he said those words. Leo knew that Cervantez was obsessed with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ from day one and had tried to meet with him multiple times over the months. He had confronted Leo personally about the same and had also used backhand tactics like sending Amanda or sending Luke to him for the same. For him to now say that he was letting go of his obsession was a big deal, as Leo raised a curious eyebrow at his words. ¡°I know that the only way ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could have 60+ million gold coins to spend in the auction today is because you lent him that money. And since the two of you do have such a connection, it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re not just simple acquaintances either and that the two of you have a deeper connection. Sitting here, I know you will deny it, but I¡¯m not a fool. You operate from his territory nearly tax free and he borrows money from you as and when needed. It¡¯s a ssic case of you scratch my back and I¡¯ll scratch yours, but let¡¯s not get into it¡­..¡± Cervantez said, as Leo innocently threw his hands in the air, as if to suggest that he had noments on this matter. ¡°Well¡­it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I¡¯vee to a conclusion after the auction that it¡¯s already impossible for me to chase after ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as there is nothing that I can offer him that¡¯s enough for him to be a member of ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild. And I know that I don¡¯t have any incentives attractive enough to poach you either, even if I tried my best. So I¡¯m not even going to try¡± Cervantez said, as he seemed to let go of a lot of his pent up anger and frustrations as he made this admission. ¡°So do me a favor and tell ¡®TheBoss¡¯ this one message from me¡­¡± Cervantez said, his expression easing a bit as he seemed to have gotten past the worst part. ¡°Tell him, that he can be the best yer in the game¡­.. but it will be me, who will be the strongest guildmaster. With great teammates like Luke, Tor, Amanda, Tony and Lysa, I have no doubt in my mind that my DarkSky guild will be the most influential force within the game. And although I might not be the best yer, my guild will be the best guild in the game and I¡¯m sure of it¡± Cervantez said, as he gave Leo a confident smile as he said these words. At this moment, as Leo studied Cervantez¡¯s expression, he could say that he was looking at a changed man. Just like how the auction had secretly humbled him, it seemed to have changed Cervantez too, who had now let-go of his previous obsessions to chase goals that really mattered. Somehow, Leo did not doubt that Cervantez would lead the ¡®DarkSky¡¯ guild to great heights and that in theing days, they were surely going to take the entire gaming world by storm. ¡°I don¡¯t want to meet with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ anymore and I don¡¯t want to butt heads with you either. If possible, I¡¯d like to consider both you and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as an ally, and wish to work towards fostering a rtionship built on trust and mutual respect with both of you. As a guild, I don¡¯t need topete with individuals, and hence it doesn¡¯t matter how much you guys shine individually, as long as you are allies with me and not my enemy. So consider meing here today as me trying to bury the hatchet. You¡¯re a great guy Leo, and I apologize if we ever went off on the wrong foot because of me¡± Cervantez said, extending his hand in apology, as Leo took it without hesitation. ¡°My brother is your Vice Guildmaster and my Girlfriend works for you. As long as the people I love are a part of your organization, I will always be an ally you can rely on¡± Leo said, epting Cervantez¡¯s apology, as he reminded him that as long as Luke and Amanda were members of his guild and happy there, he was always going to support his guild as much as he could. Chapter 462: A new Circus Chapter 462: A new Circus ( Back at the Capital, Julien D Evanus¡¯s POV ) Despite Julien trying his best to calm themon popce using his pre-emptive speech, once the true horror of what happened in Thumba City spread, themon popce no longer felt as safe living within the Empire as they did before. Crime rates went up explosively and there was a general sense of uncertainty where nobody really knew what would happen tomorrow and nobody really wanted to invest into their future 2 or 5 years from now, since that future was so uncertain. Thankfully, Julien had prevented the Empire from undergoing aplete breakdown using his pre-emptive speech, however, he needed to now think of more solutions to keep the situation stable. In a room full of his closest advisors, Julien discussed this problem candidly, hoping for suggestions from his counselors on how to solve this problem. ¡°I think we must push-back against the demons somehow. The only way to restore confidence is to deal a big blow to the enemy, bigger than the one that we have received¨C¡± Commander Thalion suggested, however Strategic Chief ric immediately dismissed the idea. ¡°For us to deal a big blow to the demons, we must mobilize the royal army and our bannermen. Considering the Elven rebellion and the vtile situation in the south, mobilizing the royal army now will do more harm than good. We have too many internal problems currently for us to deal with external threats effectively¨C¡± ric countered, as Julien nodded and agreed with his assessment. ¡°As much as I would like to push back against the demons, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a feasible solution, Commander Thalion. I hope you understand¡­.¡± Julien said, as Thalion clutched his palms and tried to reign in his anger. Over the past few days he had been begging Julien non-stop to allow him tounch a counter operation, however, Julien did not allow him to set foot outside the Capital. This decision of Julien to not attack the demons had greatly frustrated Thalion, who was beginning to question whether or not the Emperor even had the guts to rule anymore, or was he too getting too old for the throne. Nheless, he held in his doubts and let out a deep sigh as he said ¡°I understand my lord¡­¡± Smiling, Julien moved on with the discussion, as he waited for other suggestions. A minute passed however nobody seemed to have any ideas, when suddenly the young Nathan D Evanus spoke up. ¡°Father if I may?¡± He said, raising his hand shyly, as Julien gestured for him to speak. Although Nathan had not earnt his seat at this table yet, since no-one had any other ideas, Julien decided to give his son a shot since it could at least thaw the tense atmosphere in the room. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for this year¡¯s Grand Tournament to begin, however, instead of hosting a regr Grand Tournament formoners, I suggest that we host a special tournament this year¡­.¡± Nathan began, as it was Thalion who was immediately offended by this offer. ¡°No offense my prince, but how will hosting a tournament help with anything right now? We are discussing the demon threat, not fun and games¡± Thalion said, as Nathan shook his head and continued to mumble at a low volume. ¡°If the problem is the morale of the masses, then a tournament is the solution. It¡¯s like a circus to distract the masses from the demon problem, while we think of other solutions, however, for everyone to be focused on the tournament, this edition needs to be different from all others. My idea is that we invite only the ¡®Master¡¯ level fighters of our Empire to participate this time, with the winner of the tournament getting the ultimate prize unlike anything seen before. To themoners we will sell this idea as the masterspeting against each other to polish their skills before facing the demon army, while to the masters we will sell this idea as a once in a lifetime opportunity. I¡¯m sure many will be keen to spar against fellow masters, while the others will bepelled by the reward. All in all, I feel like if the masters like Commander Thalion, Ben Faulkner and others are fighting in this tournament, it will definitely be the talk of the town¨C¡± Nathan said, as Chief Advisor ric immediately seconded the idea. ¡°I think the prince¡¯s idea is brilliant my lord, a tournament for only master level fighters can indeed excite the masses unlike any other event. If the hype for the grand tournament every year is already so high, then this masters tournament should really get everyone and their grandfathers drawn to the Grand Arena¡± ric said, as Julien began to seriously think about the idea once ric seconded it. ¡°What do others think about this idea?¡± Julien asked, as the first one to respond was Nysa the information chief. ¡°I think it¡¯s a feasible idea, but the reward has to be big enough for the masters to be interested in fighting,¡± Nysa said, as Nathan beamed after getting the approval of two council members. ¡°I think we can put up the defeated kingdom of elves as a reward. The winner of the tournament can be the next Elf King, or can receive the sword of the First Emperor, either of the two¡± ric suggested, as Thalion immediately got up to his feet when he heard ric¡¯s suggestion. ¡°If the reward is so hefty, then of-course all masters will participate, including me. To wield the legendary sword of the First Emperor is the greatest honor for a swordsman within the Empire¡± Thalion said, as Julien let out a deep sigh. The sword of the first Emperor was a treasured heirloom of the Evanus family, but it seemed like they would need to part ways with it for the sake of the Empire¡¯s stability. ¡°Very well then¡­.. Nysa, send a letter to all the masters within the Empire with my seal on it informing them of this masters tournament that is going to be held in 15 days time. Once you¡¯re done with that, introduce the concept to the masses and make sure to create sufficient hype behind it so that everyone forgets about the imminent demon threat¡± Julien said, as he gave his approval to this masters tournament. Chapter 463: Accepting Invitation Chapter 463: epting Invitation (Meanwhile, Luke) The aftermath of Thumba City¡¯s destruction seemed to have invigorated the demon army, transforming them into a far more formidable fighting force than the first time they faced the DarkSky guild. The demon army, which had once retreated as a demoralized and dwindling group, now seemed to surge with renewed energy and purpose, as if the fall of Thumba had ignited a new, terrifying phase of their campaign. Every day, as Luke soared across the skies on his routine scouting missions, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the rapid and rming expansion of the demon encampment. The sheer number of tents seemed to multiply overnight, with an influx of 150 to 200 high soldiers joining the ranks daily, significantly bolstering the already fearsome horde, as the once manageable enemy now grew into an overwhelming force. ¡°One¡­ two¡­ seven¡­ nine¡­ fifteen¡­ forty tents added today alone,¡± Luke muttered to himself, mentally calcting the increase. ¡°That¡¯s at least 80 more soldiers since yesterday.¡± He murmured, the implications of this rapid build-up weighing heavily on his mind. ¡®This does not bode well for us,¡¯Luke thought grimly. ¡®The demons nowmand a force of over 70,000 strong. They¡¯ve recovered from their losses far quicker than expected, and their numbers are swelling with every passing day.¡¯ The thought of this relentless build-up gnawed at him, knowing that each new tent represented another pair of hands that could wield a weapon against his people. The demons thrived on sheer numbers, and therger their horde grew, the more terrifying they became as a unified force. This escting strength was Luke¡¯s primary concern, as he knew too well the devastating power that a mass of demons could unleash. ¡°What¡¯s the report for today, Vice Guildmaster?¡± asked the leader of the DarkSky guild¡¯s scouting team as Luke returned from his mission. Luke handed over the figures he had painstakingly gathered, and added a slight note to it, ¡°They¡¯re not mobilizing yet, but I estimate that they¡¯llunch a full-blown assault on our positions within 7 to 10 days,¡± Luke reported, his voice steady butced with the certainty of impending conflict. He had little doubt that the demons were biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The scout leader frowned but maintained hisposure, but before he could respond, Cervantez, the guild¡¯s seasoned leader, stepped forward, his tone calm but authoritative. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Luke,¡± Cervantez said, his words carrying a note of reassurance. ¡°Remember, we need them to attack us. Our guild won¡¯t grow in strength unless we face the demons head-on and we have already prepared as much as we can, and are ready for whateveres.¡± Cervantez said, as he reminded Luke to not worry too much about the demon forces as in the end, the guild needed to periodically fight them to grow stronger. ¡°I know it¡¯s daunting to think of facing them when they¡¯re stronger than we anticipated, but we need this kind of gritty, hard-fought war to push our members to their limits. Not every battle can be easy, and we¡¯ve braced ourselves for the day when we¡¯ll face a true challenge.¡± Cervantez said, as he pped Luke on his back and urged him to take it easy for a change. Luke nodded, appreciating Cervantez¡¯s perspective, even as the weight of his observations continued to linger in his thoughts. Theing days was sure to test the guilds¡¯ mettle in ways they hadn¡¯t experienced before, and while they were prepared, Luke couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this war was about to take a turn far beyond what they had anticipated. ********* ( Meanwhile Ben Faulkner ) ¡°Would you look at this boy? It¡¯s an invitation to a master¡¯s only tournament. The Emperor wants me to take part in something so childish for some reason¨C¡± Ben said, passing the invite letter to Leo, who read it in detail. ¡°I mean¡­the rewards are pretty decent, you can either get a wish of your choice fulfilled by the Emperor, be named the new King Of Elves, or get the First Emperor¡¯s Legendary Sword. Also, it¡¯s a good chance to show the whole Empire that you are the strongest fighter around¨C¡± Leo said, as although Ben was dismissing the idea of the tournament, Leo could see the excitement on his face. ¡°Me? Noo¡­. I¡¯m nothing more than a washed up old guy, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll just embarrass myself even if I go no?¡± Ben said, scratching his head as Leo chuckled when he called himself ¡®Washed¡¯ and ¡®Old¡¯. ¡°I mean, I won the grand tournamentst year¡­. It¡¯s been 22 years since you won it as a rookie? I guess this is it¡­. This is your one chance to set a new benchmark for me to beat, because I¡¯m already on your ass otherwise, old man¡± Leo said, as he knew exactly what to say to push Ben¡¯s buttons. ¡°Oye oye oye. You¡¯re still a decade away from reaching my level, kid. Don¡¯t get too cocky, I can eat five of you for breakfast without blinking an eye¡± Ben said, as he seemed eager to prove that he was not too old to be Leo¡¯s master yet. ¡°Then prove it! I¡¯m sure I can handle training your precious army recruits for a month. How about you go there and show the whole Empire that you can eat five of me for breakfast. It will be hrious for the Emperor to owe you any promise of your choice. You can maybe ask him to dress up as a jester and dance in front of themoners¨C¡± Leo said, as Ben¡¯s eyes sparkled with this idea of mischief. ¡°I see¡­. I see¡­.. you leave me no choice kid, I must win this masters tournament it seems. To set a benchmark for you to chase someday¡± Ben said, as Leo gave him a hearty thumbs up. ¡°You got it master! Go get them all¨C¡± Leo said, cheering him on, as he had no doubt in his mind that although Ben Faulkner was past his prime, there was not a warrior around that could beat his master yet. Chapter 464: The Snake Project Chapter 464: The Snake Project Leo secretly longed to apany Ben to StrongHaven City, to witness his matches live in the Grand Arena, however, the he had made with the system operators forbade him from leaving Crest-Hill Barony for the next six months. Hence, when the day finally arrived for Ben to depart for the capital, Leo could only embrace him in a heartfelt goodbye, wishing him the best, feeling fully confident that his master would likely emerge victorious in the masters-only event. ¡°Give them hell¡­. Old man¡± were thest words that Leo told Ben before he departed, as with him gone, Leo found himself buried under an increased workload. There was a lot of work to be done in the Barony to smoothen out the administration, improve public services, improve the refugee situation andplete many other menial tasks. One such new project that Leo found himself buried under was ¡®Project Snakeman¡¯. With the newly obtained snake gem under his possession, Leo issued a quest for citizens and yers of his Barony to bring him any species of snake alive and exchange it for rewards, and on the very first day itself he received a total of 12 snake submissions. Under project Snakeman, Leo intended to raise these snakes inside the Crest-Hill Manor, as he wished to train them into a lethal assassination unit, or a farm for their venom to be extracted. Usually, dealing with snakes was a difficult ordeal, with there being only a few expert beast tamers who could handle the more aggressive one¡¯s, however, Leo faced no such trouble. With the snake gem in his possession, he could almostmunicate with the snakes as if they were humans as no matter howplex themand he issued was, as long as he willed for it to happen, the snake gem ensured that his wishes weremunicated to the snakes. On the very first day of his testing, Leo willed for one of the more venomous cobra snakes to slither away from the pce¡¯s garden and somehow make its way into his office, and surprisingly, the snake did exactly what he wished for it to do, even though he never properly exined where his office was or how to get there. This test indicated to Leo that the snakes had a decent level of intelligence in them and were not just low level thoughtless monsters, and that with proper training, he could genuinely create a devastating snake corps under hismand. ¡°Hahaha, master Ben is going to be so shocked when I show him this¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, smiling, as he resolved to create some sort of useful snake corps by the time Ben returned from the Capital, so that he could stun him with his results. ********* ( Meanwhile Luke ) Seven days passed in a blink of an eye for Luke, who had all of his focus concentrated on the uing demon onught. Every day, from the second he logged into the game, Luke found himself either scouting the enemy camp, strategizing with the guild¡¯s team captains, or staring aimlessly at the battle-lines map, as he thought about every possible scenario that could possibly unfold. It was not an understatement to say that he had been steadily slipping in ranks ever since the rankers only event was concluded, as rarely did he ever go out to perform leveling duties, with most of his gaming time consumed by guild work itself. In a way, it was only because he was so diligent and thorough with his duties that Cervantez could enjoy a certain degree of freedom as the guildmaster, as while Luke did not even have time to level up, Cervantez was mostly free for the full length of his gaming day, as except for attending the daily war briefing, he had no other mandatory obligations. Recently, having purchased the Martial Arts Scroll and the me Wave Spell, all of Cervantez¡¯s free time had been spent towards mastering these new techniques, and the results spoke for themselves, as he had sessfully mastered the [ beginner ] stage of the me wave spell as a result. Today, as Luke spotted the enemy camp being on the move, the individual who was the most excited to hear this news was none other than Cervantez, as he was itching to use the [ me Wave ] in a real battle scenario once. ¡°The enemy is on the move. We should mobilize the guild into their battle positions, as although the enemy won¡¯t be upon us until tomorrow dawn, we must suspend all leveling activities and friendly spars and get the guild into war shape¨C¡± Luke said, after returning from his scouting mission, as Cervantez cheerfully nodded at his words. The entire DarkSky guild was immediately alerted that the enemy was on the march and within the next two hours, every guild member took their battle positions, feeling excited at the prospect of facing the demons the next day. Overall, as Luke walked amongst the ranks of his guild members, the atmosphere looked starkly different from the first time the guild faced the demons. This time, rather than being nervous the guild members looked excited and eager to fight the demons, and were hoping that it was not only the mages and archers who got the fun and that they too got a piece of the action. ¡°Vice guild master! Watch me! I¡¯ll destroy the Demon Commander with a suplex, just for you¨C¡± ¡°Vice guild master! We want to see you suplex a demon!!!¡± ¡°Vice guild master! We will win this attack wave too!¡± Wherever Luke walked, the guild members either casually joked with him, or expressed their confidence to win in what Luke felt was a very positive atmosphere. The guild was slowly but surely evolving into a reliable war unit and once they got the experience of a dozen or so wars, Luke had no question in his mind that the DarkSky guild would be an unstoppable force within the world of Terra Nova. ¡°Yes, we will win¡ª, no question about that!¡± Luke said, as he too looked forward to the big fight tomorrow. Chapter 465: Demon War (1) Chapter 465: Demon War (1) ( The next day, Terra Nova Online ) Early the next day, the demon army returned to the base of the hill where they had been repelled a month ago, this time with a fresh formation seemingly devised to bypass the funneling walls. Instead of weak fodder soldiers leading the charge, the demon army was now spearheaded by mounted high demons, each astride a demonic beast capable of leaping over the walls. Beforeunching their assault, they gathered in a seemingly peaceful manner at the base of the hill, waiting for their entire force to assemble before initiating the charge. ¡°It looks like the mounted high demons are nning to bypass the archer and mage towers and engage us directly on the front lines. I suppose our tanks will finally see some action today,¡± Cervantez remarked, assuming that the demons intended to storm the hill in one swift movement, as theycked the long-range capabilities to take down a fortified archer tower. However, Luke¡¯s expression was filled with fear. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s their n¡­ Those mounted high demons are all level 190+. I doubt they¡¯ll bypass the towers¡ªthey¡¯ll most likely target them directly,¡± Luke spected, the worry lines on his forehead deepening. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll deal with them no matter what,¡± Cervantez reassured, and Luke nodded in reluctant agreement. Regardless of the enemy¡¯s intentions, the DarkSky guild was prepared to hold its ground, however, unfortunately for them, they had gravely underestimated the enemy¡¯s strength this time around, as unlike thest failed raid, the enemy had a surprise leader this time around. *SCREECH* Suddenly, a loud screech could be heard over the entire Stonebridge Hill, and as Luke looked towards the sky, he saw a Demon Count riding over a wyvern mount. [ Fireball Barrage ] *Thud* *Thud* *Thud* From the sky, the Demon Count unleashed a barrage ofrge fireball projectiles, as he single handedly destroyed a majority of the guilds funneling walls with ease. His fireballs were the size of arge tree and caused some serious devastation upon impact, which just went to show how powerful of a warrior he really was. ¡°A Demon Count? Where did this guye from all of a sudden? He wasn¡¯t with them up-till yesterday?¡± Lukemented, as he was surprised to see a Demon Count join the fray, when he was not with the rest of the Demon Army up-till yesterday. *Loud War Cry* As soon as the demon count unleashed his Fireball Barrage and destroyed the funneling zone walls, the demon army began their charge with the high demons and their mounts all letting out a gluttoral war cry. The entire hill trembled, as tens of thousands of demons started to run at once, as the war had officially begun once more. ¡°Looks like those guys were not waiting for their full army to get in shape, they were just waiting for theirmander to show up¡± Cervantez said, gritting his teeth, as even he understood that the war had gotten infinitely moreplicated with a Demon Count suddenly showing up. ¡°ARCHERS NO MERCY!¡± ¡°MAGES, BLAST THEM SOME BITCHES OFF TO OBLIVION¨C¡± Luke shouted, giving directions to his troops, as a chaotic battle began at the base of the hill. The rapidly charging demon army was met with a barrage of AOE spells and a rain of arrows, as thousands fell under the relentless assault, but thousands made it past the attack zone too, as without funneling walls to restrict their movement, they were able to move freely. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* Unfortunately for the demon army, though they seeded in bypassing the funneling zone, they found themselves in a deadly trap. Every inch of thend beyond the funneling zone wasced withndmines, which detonated violently as they attempted to advance, killing and injuring both the high demons and their mounts. ¡°Tanks at the ready!¡± Shouted Cervantez, as just like he had anticipated, the front lines seemed to be making a bee-line straight for the top of the hill, as despite therge loss in life they were suffering, they seemed to keep charging for the top. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* ¡°Agghhhh¡± ¡°Noo! My hand! My hand! The explosion blew my hand off¨C ¡± ¡°Aghhh! It hurts! My ribs feel broken¡± On the peak adjacent to where the Dark-Sky guild was holding their ground, were the forces of the young Duke Marcus, and unfortunately for them, they were currently being targeted by the Demon Count, who was raining down fury upon them from the skies. Right as the first of the demons made it to the top of the hill, thest thing that the DarkSky guild tanks heard before heading into a fight were the screams of their humanrades who had either lost their hands, or were severely injured in battle. It was at this moment that the excitement of the battle wore off and the real hardship of a battle kicked in as they braced for impact. ¡°WALL HOLD STRONG¨C¡± Said their captain, as the front lines all squeezed their glutes and put their shoulders behind their shields for maximum strength. *BAM* The impact felt like a truck ramming into them, as the entire front line felt the effect of the demon beasts ramming into them at full speed, with some feeling the impact more than the others. Thankfully, the interlocked wall held the lines and did not let the beasts advance, making them sitting ducks for the spearmen standing behind the wall who thrust their spears through the gaps in the wall for easy kills. ¡°PUSHH! GIVE NO GROUND TO THE DEMONS¡±manded the captain of the tanks, as the tanks pushed back and walked over the corpses of the dead taking back the slight ground they had lost during first impact. ¡°WALL HOLD STRONG, ENEMY WAVE INCOMING¨C¡± He said once again, as the tanks all dug in once more, bracing for impact as the second wave of demons made their way to the top. Chapter 466: Demon War (2) Chapter 466: Demon War (2) ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke calmly assessed the unfolding battle with the keen eye of a seasoned knight. The currentyout employed by the DarkSky guild was strategically designed to weaken the Demon Army early on by swiftly reducing their numbers and it delivered as expected in the early moments of the battle, as before a single Dark-Sky guild member died, thousands of demons had already lost their life. Theyout of the DarkSky guild in this war was such that the main army was stationed atop the hill where the dog-fight was supposed to take ce, while half of their archers and mages were positioned in fortified towers scattered along the hill¡¯s incline. In a way, these archers and mages were left isted, almost like sacrificial pawns, cut off from the support of the main guild. Yet, they had the opportunity to take down dozens, if not hundreds, of enemies before meeting their end, given their advantageous vantage points. Had the enemy charged directly through the funneling zones, the archers and mages could have picked off thousands of enemies on their own. However, with the funneling zone destroyed by the demon count, this ideal scenario never materialized. Fortunately, the front lines of the demon forces did not focus on attacking these towers initially and instead, they charged past them, aiming directly for the main force atop the hill. However, once the mounted demons had passed, the second wave of infantry soldiers did not overlook the isted towers and began attacking the fortified stations, hacking and shing at their bases in an attempt to bring them down. From start to finish, the archers and mages stationed in these isted outposts only survived for a total of 7-10 minutes before their positions were overrun and destroyed by the enemy. Yet, in those brief moments, they managed to kill dozens of enemies each, and thousands collectively, gaining numerous levels and contributing significantly to the guild¡¯s efforts before their demise. ¡°There goes thest archer outpost,¡± Luke muttered, sighing deeply as he witnessed its destruction. He had hoped the archers and mages would hold out a bit longer, but the demons attacking them were simply too powerful. The high demons, in particr, could cut through stone like butter, needing no more than 10-15 collective shes to bring down each reinforced outpost, sending the archers and mages crashing to the ground, where they were brutally killed. On a positive note, however, the time the demons spent taking down the archer outposts bought the tanks atop the hill more time to repel the enemy wave before the next wave caught up, allowing them to hold their positions firmly against the demon onught. ¡°Knight¡¯s, be ready! The enemy mounts will start leaping over the tanks and crash in the middle of our positions once they realize that they can¡¯t break the shield wall. Be strong and don¡¯t let them turn and kill the tanks. Be strong¡ª¡± Luke said, assessing the situation, as he realized that while the enemy was trying to blow past the shield wall now, by ramming into it, after a couple of unsessful attempts they were more likely to leap past it, given that their mounts had the ability to do so. And just as he expected, a mere few secondster, a few enemy demons tried to leap past the shield wallnding behind them in the area where the spearmen were standing, as before they could even properlynd and turn, the Knights under Luke stepped in, shing away the mounts legs and hacking away the demons heads, before they could even make a move. ¡°NO MERCY! NO WASTED MOVEMENT! KILL AND CONSERVE ENERGY¡± Luke shouted after scoring his first kill of the fight, as he tried to ensure that the morale of the guild stayed high, but the focus did not waver either. ¡°ir! If you feel overwhelmed, just let me know, I¡¯ll buy you all time¨C¡± said Cervantez, as he told the Captain of the tanks to tag him in at any moment that he felt that the shield wall was feeling overwhelmed. ¡°Not now guildmaster, we can handle one more wave on our own¨C¡± said ir, as he let out a loud roar and put his shoulders behind his shield and shouted a bravemand. ¡°TANKS, WE PERFORM A COLLECTIVE [ SHIELD CHARGE ] ON THREE. EVERYONE, ONE¡­TWO¡­ THREE¡­ SHIELD CHARGE¡± said ir, as instead of waiting for the next wave of enemies to bash into them, ir called for his unit to use the skill [ Shield Charge ] which was a staple of the tank ss. ¡°PUSHHH¡ª¡± ir said, as his unit let out guttural roars and pushed back against the enemies like there was no tomorrow. The high demons, who were 8 feet tall themselves and sitting atop tall mounts, could not believe their eyes when they were pushed back like rag-dolls by the puny humans, as once the tanks performed the Shield Charge as a unit, they pushed back the enemy forces by a good twenty five meters and then sent them flying into the distance with a final push. ¡°Guildmaster now¨C¡± said ir, as he painted to catch his breath, as it was at that moment that Cervantez leapt over the shield wall and faced hundreds of front line demon soldiers alone. ¡°Burn for me¨C¡± he said, casting his newly acquired spell [ me Wave ] as he turned the Stonebridge Hill into a sea of mes. *Swoosh* Within seconds, the attack neutralized everything in its path, reducing everything if touched to ashes just like the skill description promised. With a single move, Cervantez managed to kill 86 demons alone, gaining 7 levels at once, as he stunned not just the enemy but his own team-mates too, who could not believe what they just witnessed. ¡°Is that the power of our Guildmaster?¡± Asked a tank ss yer who witnessed Cervantez¡¯s attack, as he felt like his jaw was about to hit the floor. ¡°So domineering! Our Guildmaster is so cool!¡± Said another yer, as with his amazing disy of power, Cervantez managed to increase the guilds morale big time. Chapter 467: Demon War (3) Chapter 467: Demon War (3) ¡°So that¡¯s what using [ me Wave ] feels like¨C¡± Cervantez said with joy, as he could not help but smile when he saw his enemies scampering and burning under his mes. Just one single attack had helped him gain 7 levels and the war had just started. He could probably gain many more levels before the day ended and he felt very excited about it. ¡°Guildmaster, you can fall back now¡­. The wall has recovered enough¨C¡± said ir as he tacitly requested that Cervantez fall behind the shield wall. ¡°Alright¨C¡± said Cervantez as he leapt over the wall, back to the safety of his guild, having just bought a full minute for the front line tanks to catch their breath back before the next demon wave began. So far, the Dark-Sky guild was not doing bat at all, with the tanks and spearmen getting plenty of experience points to grow, however, their allies the Duke¡¯s forces were really struggling on the hill just adjacent to their own. Over there, the front lines of the tanks had been over-run by the demon army and the dog-fight had already begun. For every demon soldier, it took two almost equally leveled human soldiers to take it down, as a dog-fight was where the physical dominance of the demon species really came into y. Without fancy strategies or fight structure, the demons held a clear edge over humans when it came to raw fighting and unfortunately for the Duke¡¯s forces, the difference was not even close. An average human soldier was 5¡¯10-6 feet in height whereas the average demon soldier was over 7 feet tall, with the average high demon being 8 feet tall. However, it wasn¡¯t just the height difference that was bothersome, as not only were the demons taller, they were also faster, stronger, had superior reflexes and better natural battle iq. Against an average soldier, a high demon could easily take out two or three with ease and this difference in power really showed when the young duke Jerome¡¯s forces fought against the demon army. With the aerial support of the Demon Count, the Demon Forces were nearly unstoppable, as they captured nearly 20% of the hill-top with ease and were progressively pushing the rest of the troops backwards. This sess created a chain effect, where the demons who were still at the base of the hill and had a choice to either attack the hill controlled by DarkSky Guild or the hill controlled by the Duke¡¯s forces, chose the hill controlled by Jerome. This meant that nearly twice as many enemies attacked Jerome and his forces than what attacked the DarkSky guild, who got an easy breather and a smooth fight with adequate rest between demon waves. ¡°Guildmaster, the situation on the adjacent hill doesn¡¯t look so good. I think we can hold out here by ourselves, we should let Tor and Lysa circle around with their legions as reinforcements¨C¡± Luke suggested observing the situation on the other hill, as Cervantez nodded in agreement. ¡°Tor, Lysa¡­. Head over to help the Duke¡¯s men¨C¡± Cervantez said, issuing the order as the individual who was the most happy with this order was none other than Tor, who was practically itching to jump into battle at this moment. ¡°On it¡ª¡± he said, immediately mobilizing his unit of berserkers, barbarians and other close range speciality sses, as he started to descend down the back of the Dark-Sky controlled hill and Up, the Duke¡¯s hill. ¡°I will still leave a few of my mages at your disposal, guildmaster¡± said Lysa, as having lost 50% of his unit to the fall of the isted towers, Lysa only took 50% of the remaining troops with her to back the Duke up, as she left the rest just in-case Cervantez needed them. Within 15 minutes, Tor arrived with his men on the neighboring hill as back-up, with Lysa joining with her mages just a couple minutester. ¡°You think you¡¯re tough and big? Try me on for size¡ª¡± Tor said, as like a true maniac he cut down two high demons with a single sh, as his entry on-to the battlefield changed the entire momentum for the human side. For months, Tor had been silently polishing his skills just as Cervantez directed him to, slowly bing a more polished and thoughtful warrior. However, hecked the opportunity to showcase his improved skill set. With the first Demon War being concluded too easily, he never got the chance to show his skills, while even today, the hill where the DarkSky guild was fighting on, did not drop into a dog-fight yet. This frustratingly prevented Tor from getting in on that action and the wait was almost driving him insane. Under such circumstances, when Cervantez finally allowed him to fight, albeit on the adjacent hill, Tor felt like he was ready to explode with happiness, as he battled like a true maniac from that moment onwards. ¡°COME YOU DEMONS, HAHAHA, COME TO PAPA¡± Tor said, as oddly, the way he talked, the way he looked and the way he fought all seemed exactly like a demon, as if one ignored the color of his skin and his appearance of a human, there was no difference between him and a war loving high demon. ¡°Die¨C¡± ¡°Die¨C¡± ¡°Die¡ª¡± He said, hacking at the guts of his opponent as his warm blood sttered all over him, however, instead of being grossed out, Tor found a sense offort in that warm blood, which made him feel energized for some reason. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back, Elder Tor¨C¡± ¡°No demon messes with him before going through me first!¡± ¡°Die! Stupid demon¡± Somehow, Tor was not the only one who fought like a maniac, as the team of berserkers and close range fighters that he had gathered, fought with the same temperament as his own. They were all peas in a pod, no different from one another and they all fought in the same brute way as demons. However, while two of the Duke¡¯s soldiers could barely fight against one demon, Tor¡¯s team took them out one on one. It was a beautiful dance of death where they either killed or got killed, however, they gave their all to defeat the enemy. Chapter 468: Demon War (4) Chapter 468: Demon War (4) Contrary to Tor and his team of brutes, Lysa and her mages operated much more efficiently. Picking out precise spots to attack at, they caused AOE damage to enemy lines and disrupted their attack shape to create openings for swordsmen and other close range fighters to exploit. They worked in teams, buffing their teammates, cursing the enemies, restricting enemy movement, delivering the killing blow and many more such precise tasks. Although they did not shout like maniacs or go around constantly hacking their weapon, their KPS (Kill Per Second) as a team was much better than Tor and his berserkers, as although they had only 150 team members, they killed roughly 10 enemies amongst themselves every second, while Tor and his team of 1000 berserkers only managed to kill 9 amongst them every second. Overall, Lysa and her mages were just more strategic about their attacks and conscious about every bit of MP that they used, as unlike the berserkers they were going to be utterly useless once their MP ran out, while the berserkers could keep doing this for much longer than them, should they stay alive. ¡°Thank-you so much foring over to help us, I assume SkyLion is the one who sent you¨C¡± said Jerome who was bleeding profusely from his temple, as Lysa took a moment from fighting and talked to the young Duke first. [ Greater Heal ] Healing his injury first, Lysa nodded her head as she said ¡°Yes it was the Vice Guildmaster and Guildmaster who sent us¡­ they saw that you needed some support¡± Lysa said, as suddenly at that moment, a loud explosion blew her off her feet. *BOOM* *Ears Ringing* A few seconds passed by, and Lysa struggled to get on her feet with Jerome by her side, who seemed to be struggling just as much. It was an aerial attackunched by the Demon Count that had taken both of them out, however, the two of them never even saw iting. ¡°It¡¯s that damn Demon Count¡­. We can¡¯t win this fight until someone takes him out, he¡¯s killing hundreds of my men with every attack that he makes. It¡¯s too demoralizing¨C¡± said Jerome as he got barely back on his feet and pulled Lysa back on hers. ¡°And how do we take him out? I¡¯ve noticed your spearmen and mages trying to attack him, however, his wyvern beast is just too fast for those attacks to catch up. It doesn¡¯t seem like we can do much about him¡± said Lysa, as wiping the blood dripping from his cheeks, Jerome grimly nodded his head. ¡°We had a small aerial unit of about 25 fighters, most of whom were scouts, however, all of them have been wiped out trying to fight against the Demon Count. The only Aerial Mount we have left now is Brown Pudding, however, that Griffin only responds to SkyLion. If anyone can defeat or distract the Demon Count, it has to be SkyLion¨C¡± Jerome said, as Lysa shook her head in disappointment. In the end it looked like Jerome did not really have what it took to be the next West Duke, as when push came to shove, he simply decided to loan his problems to someone else. ¡°I¡¯ll try to convey your intentions to the Vice-Guildmaster, however, let me tell you, he may not decide to go for it. He has an obligation to our guild too and we need him on the ground¡± Lysa said, as Jerome almost got pissed to hear this response. ¡°SkyLion is a knight! His duty to the Empirees above his duty to your Guild¡­. I think he knows that¡± Jerome said, as he jogged away from Lysa and gave a shoulder to a limping soldier who was trying to retreat back to safety. Sighing, Lysa typed a private message to Luke informing him about Jerome¡¯s request before focusing on the fight at hand once again, as with the demon count interfering the tide of the battle was tilting in favor of the demons once more. ********** ( Meanwhile Luke ) Upon receiving Lysa¡¯s message, Luke frowned deeply. On one hand, he acknowledged the fact that they could indeed not win this war unless someone dealt with the Demon Count, however, Luke could see no possible scenario where he coulde even remotely close to taking a Demon Count down. [ Demon Count Raxom ] ( Level 533 ) The enemy was level 533 which was over twice his current level and as much as Luke wanted to believe that he was as good as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, he knew that in reality he was not. There was no way he could take down a Demon Count on his own, which made epting Jerome¡¯s orders that much harder for him. ¡®Even if I ignore my own safety and ept dying, since I can respawn, I can¡¯t put Brown Pudding in danger with me. Brown Pudding is an NPC and if she does, she¡¯s going to be dead forever¡­¡¯ Luke thought, as for him the worst case scenario was not his own death, but the death of his beloved Brown Pudding. In the end, he simply shook his head and decided to not act as of now, as he focused on his own fight at hand. With the shield wall tiring, Cervantez was about to issue the order for them to break into smaller fragments which was going to change theplexion of the battlepletely and Luke needed to be ready for it. ¡®This is a great leveling opportunity for me. Even if we lose the war, as long as every guild member gains tonnes of levels, it¡¯s going to be okay. In the end my loyalty is towards myself and my guild¡­. ¡® Luke thought, as in the end he decided to put his own interests before that of Jerome and decided to only focus on his current fight at hand. ¡°Shield Wall Break!¡± Said Cervantez, as he used yet another [ me Wave ] giving the tanks time to disband and join smaller groups to prepare for the dog-fight ahead. Chapter 469: Retreat Chapter 469: Retreat Once the shield wall fragmented into smaller units, the DarkSky guild¡¯s tactics shifted from operating as a unified force to fighting as a collection of small, independent groups, with each of these groups developing their own dynamic strategy, adapting to the chaotic battlefield in their unique way. A typical group consisted of 5-6 members, including one tank, two close-range damage dealers, a mage or support member, and a knight. This bnced structure presented significant challenges to the attacking demons as athough the demons could overpower the close-range damage dealers in one-on-onebat, they struggled to break through the tank¡¯s defenses and couldn¡¯t afford to ignore the mage¡¯s devastating attack power. Whenbined with the knight¡¯s timely interventions during crucial moments, the demons found themselves trapped in a situation where they were systematically overwhelmed, unable to exploit a single weakness in the opposing team. However, this arrangement was effective only when these 5-6 member teams faced a maximum of two demons at a time as when confronted with multiple demons simultaneously, the entire group often met a brutal end. Overall, the battle progressed smoothly for some teams, while others faltered, with the DarkSky guild gradually but surely losing ground to the relentless demon assault. It was as if everything went downhill for the DarkSky guild once their initial formation crumbled and they exhausted their strategies, and were forced into a dog-fight against the demons. Of course, there were exceptions¡ª as fighters like Cervantez and Luke thrived in the chaos, with the two not only taking down numerous demons on their own but also saving many guildmates from certain death. In a battle that raged for nearly two hours, Luke managed to kill 94 opponents, leveling up 17 times in the process, while Cervantez took down 198 enemies, gaining 24 levels in total. Apart from them, the average guild member saw an increase of 5-7 levels, while a few unfortunate souls failed to kill a single demon and perished early in the fight. However, despite the ups and downs of the battle, in the end, both the DarkSky guild and young duke Jerome¡¯s forces were forced to retreat from the top of Stonebridge Hill, as they made their way across the Massive Stonebridge, where they had no choice but to destroy the bridge to halt the advancing demon army. Once the Stonebridge was destroyed, the demon army had no other route to chase after the retreating human forces, as although they had sessfully captured Stonebridge Hill, they too had suffered significant losses and could not afford to recklessly chase the retreating enemy. This forced the war to end, with both sides walking away with small gains and losses, as on one hand the demon side had finally captured Stonebridge Hill, gaining more ground against humans. However, on the other hand they had lost tens of thousands of demons to do so, and while all of Dark-Sky guild members were going toe back to life, all the demons that died while killing them were going to stay dead forever. ************ ( The human camp, Stonebridge Vige, after the war ) Jerome was furious once the war ended in the defeat of thebined forces of the Western Duchy and Dark Sky guild, as he seethingly went looking for Luke. The Stonebridge vige had been converted into arge-scale medical center to treat the wounded after the war was over, as there were hundreds of soldiers who needed immediate medical attention if they had any shot at surviving. Since the vige itself was quite small, finding anyone amongst its now crowded space became a challenge, however, Jerome still managed to locate Luke, who wasughing and joking with Cervantez in a private tent. ¡°Skylion! You¡¯re here¨C¡± said Jerome, as he ced his hands on his hips and looked at Luke with disappointment evident in his eyes. ¡°Jerome¡­.. you look rough, are you okay?¡± Luke asked, as he noticed the horrifying bandage that Jerome had all over his face. ¡°No I¡¯m not okay¡­.. my nose was slightly chopped off by an enemy demon¡­. However, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for. I¡¯m here because you did not obey my order!¡± Jeromeined, as Luke immediately threw his hands in the air and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jerome but you can¡¯t ask me to just throw my life away. And if it was just me, I would have considered doing it. However, you asked me to throw BrownPuddings life with mine and that¡¯s not okay¡± Luke said, defending his decision, as Jerome snickered in sarcasm. ¡°Your opponent in the finals of the grand tournament, ¡®TheBoss¡¯, recently killed a Demon Count on his own. I¡¯m sure you have heard about his feats in Thumba City. If he can do it. You can too!¡± Jerome said as he tried to imply that it wasn¡¯t his order that was suicidal, but rather it was just Luke who was too chicken to fight. ¡°Have you lost it Young Duke? Let alone SkyLion, not even your father can fight A Demon Count and he¡¯s a master level fighter. Also, I don¡¯t appreciate you talking to my Vice-Guildmaster this way. In-case you don¡¯t understand, let mey it out for you. He fought hard today, just like you and has probably killed 5 times more enemies than you have. Disrespect him much and I swear I¡¯ll pull my entire guild from this vige overnight and leave you alone to defend it¡± Cervantez said, as he stood up for Luke against Jerome who was being unreasonable with his demands. ¡°You¡¯re the best fighter I know, SkyLion, if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could do it¡­.I genuinely thought you could too¨C¡± Jerome said, turning his back as he started to walk towards the tents exit, not wanting to escte this debate anymore. Luke too said nothing, as he knew that Jerome was probably just looking to vent somewhere for this defeat and had came to him as a friend, however, he did not like the usatory tone that he walked here with. ¡°Sorry man, but I¡¯m not ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡­.¡± Luke muttered under his breath, as although Jerome could not hear it, Luke felt it necessary to be said. He wasn¡¯t scared to fight a Demon Count, he was just practical enough to know that he wasn¡¯t strong enough to take one out yet. Chapter 470: Masters Tournament Chapter 470: Master''s Tournament Chapter 470: Master¡¯s Tournament ( Meanwhile at the capital city of StrongHaven ) At the same time that the DarkSky guild battled fiercely against the demon army, a major event unfolded simultaneously in the Capital City of StrongHaven, in the form of the ¡®Master¡¯s Tournament¡¯. A total of 32 masters participated in this prestigiouspetition, showcasing their skills before a packed stadium of spectators in the Grand Arena. Unfortunately, the tournament was ted tost just four days, yet the excitement it generated was unprecedented. Just as Emperor Julien D. Evanus had hoped, the tournament¡¯s hype eclipsed anything seen before, momentarily diverting the Empire¡¯s attention from all other concerns, with everyone seemingly fixated on this singr event. Thepetition featured the Four Arch-Dukes, Commander Thalion, the remaining Three Vice Commanders, Ben Faulkner, Lady Vivienne, Sir Gareth, Master Ethan, and many other notable figures, with each match surpassing thest in intensity and spectacle. For the sake of the Empire¡¯s future, killing the opponent was not allowed in the master¡¯s tournament and a match only ended with disarming or immobilizing an opponent, which disappointed Ben since he was looking to kill a few opponents should the opportunity present itself. The significance of the Master¡¯s Tournament extended far beyond mere entertainment. For themon yer, this event was a rare glimpse into the pinnacle of their chosen path. Each master on the stage represented the ultimate evolution of a ss, embodying the skills and techniques that many aspired to achieve, and hence, the atmosphere in the arena was electric when the tournament officially kicked off as yers from all walks of life watched in awe, their eyes glued to the movements of their idols, hoping to glean even the slightest hint of what their future might hold. Every sh on the battlefield was more than just a fight; it was a masterss inbat, with each move, spell, and tactic analyzed and absorbed by the spectators. The tournament wasn¡¯t just a showcase of power; it was an educational experience, offering insights into the next progression of one¡¯s abilities. Each battle left the crowd not just mesmerized but also enlightened, as they witnessed firsthand the true potential of their ss in the hands of a master. However, although all master shes were exciting and worthy of the crowds awe, some shes stood above the rest because of the dominance of one contender, and one such match was the one between Commander Thalion, a master swordsman, and his first-round opponent, Master Aric Thorne, who was a renowned duelist known for his lightning-fast reflexes and precise strikes. However, despite Aric¡¯s formidable reputation, Commander Thalion¡¯s superior technique and raw power made quick work of the duel as with a flurry of swordy that seemed almost too fast for the eye to follow, Thalion disarmed his opponent and struck the final blow with clinical precision, leaving no doubt about his victory. Another dominant match was that of Lady Vivienne, a mage of unparalleled skill, facing off against Master Elise Karr, a talented elemental sorceress known for her control over fire and water elements. The battle was a dazzling disy of arcane power, with the air crackling as spells collided midair. Yet, Lady Vivienne¡¯s mastery ofplex andyered spellcasting overwhelmed Elise, who, despite her best efforts, could not break through Vivienne¡¯s intricate defenses as with a final, elegantly woven spell, Lady Vivienne subdued her opponent, securing a well-deserved win. Later, Sir Gareth triumphed in his bout, and Master Ethan emerged victorious as well, each disying the prowess that had earned them a ce in this prestigious tournament. Yet, the best and most anticipated matches of the day was undoubtedly the one between Ben Faulkner, the legendary master assassin, and his opponent, Master Roderick Vayne, a skilled and elusive rogue who had built his reputation on being able to outmaneuver any foe. Ben Faulkner was an urban legend even amongst masters and with his recent feat of killing a few demon counts and capturing the Demon Whisperer, his reputation had been elevated to a legendary status, making him a crowd favorite. From the very start, it was clear that Ben Faulkner was inplete control. Every attempt by Roderick to gain the upper hand was swiftly countered by Faulkner, who seemed to predict his every move. The battle was a masterss in tactical dominance, where Ben moved like a shadow, striking with lethal precision and vanishing before Roderick could react as Despite Roderick¡¯s best efforts, he found himself consistently one step behind Ben, with his every maneuver anticipated and thwarted by the master assassin. The climax of the fight came when Faulkner lured Roderick into a trap of his own making. With a series of feints and misdirections, he corralled Roderick into a vulnerable position, where a swift and decisive strike ended the match. The crowd erupted into cheers, having witnessed a disy of absolute mastery in the art of assassination, as Ben Faulkner had not just won; he had thoroughly outssed his opponent from beginning to end, leaving no doubt about his superiority as while Roderick had to use skill moves after skill moves just to stay in the fight against Ben, Ben did not use a single mana based skill in the match and still won without a scratch. Even Julien himself apuded Ben for his win, as the greater the legend of Ben Faulkner became the better it was for him, however Ben only snorted in amusement when he noticed Julien pping for him. Regardless, The matches continued to happen after Ben¡¯s was over, setting the stage for what promised to be an unforgettable tournament, with every master bringing their best to the battlefield, and the audience left in awe of the incredible disys of skill and strategy. For now, it seemed to be too early to determine as to who would be the eventual winner of the grand tournament, however, after the first round, the top two favorites to win it all were Commander Thalion and Ben Faulkner, who were closely followed by Lady Vivienne and the others. Chapter 471: A sinister plot Chapter 471: A sinister plot ( The StrongHaven Pce, The evening after the Grand Tournament opening round ) In a small servants room that was not meant for royalty to walk into, sat three very suspicious men. Young Prince Nathan, Chief Advisor ric and Commander Thalion¡ª The tension within the room was palpable and the three men talked in the most hushed of tones. ¡°So, are we really going to go through with this n? Do you think we will seed?¡± Thalion asked, seeming to be the most nervous man in the group, as he looked towards Nathan and ric for confirmation. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think Ben Faulkner will fail to reach the semi-finals based on his performance today. So our n is a go¨C¡± ric confirmed, as Nathan evily smiled in the corner. ¡°Don¡¯t smile boy¡­. Your smile creeps me out, what kind of a son smiles when plotting the assassination of his father? You may not like him, but that man loves you more than you think!¡± Thalion said, as Nathan immediately snorted at thisment made by Thalion. ¡°Don¡¯t lecture memander, you know NOTHING about my father and how he inherited the throne. The throne was never his to begin with, however, it was him who hired Ben Faulkner to kill my uncle, the rightful crown prince. He¡¯s nothing more than a disgusting piece of scum who has now lost his spine and is unfit to rule the Empire¡± said Nathan, as Thalion gritted his teeth in anger at being talked down by a brat. ¡°Calm down Commander Thalion, there¡¯s no point fighting with your future Emperor. You have joined our cause for a reason. You too think that Julien is too old to rule now and doesn¡¯t have his predatory instinct within him. The Empire is falling apart and the only way to save it is to kill him and then pin the me on Ben Faulkner¡± ric said, as Thalion balled his fists in anger. The three of them had nned a mutiny against the Emperor and deep within Thalion felt frustrated at using such cowardly means to get what he wanted. Over the past few weeks he had been trying non-stop, for Julien to let him fight the demons using the Royal Army, but the old Emperor seemed too washed up to make a move. Frustrated, Thalion decided to join ric in recing Julien with Nathan on the throne, with Nathan promising him the opportunity for conquest once he ascended to power. The only question left now was how to kill the Emperor? And how to fool the masses? And the answer that ric found to this problem was Ben Faulkner. Just like in the Grand Tournament, the Emperor was hoping to host a banquet for all masters who reached the quarter-finals of the Masters Tournament, and it was during this event that ric hoped to kill Julien, and pin the me on Ben Faulkner. Then, as Ben Faulkner tried to escape from the pce, it was Thalion who was to hunt him down and end his legacy as the Assassin who killed two Emperor¡¯s in his lifetime. Since he already had a reputation as an ouw, ric believed that the masses would not question his role in killing the Emperor and that they could spin a convincing story behind it, however, for all that to happen, Ben Faulkner needed to reach the Quarter-finals of the Master¡¯s Tournament anyhow, as if not, their n would be a failure. Thankfully, with how the old man was fighting he seemed more than powerful enough to reach the Quarter-finals without them having to intervene, however, they could afford no risks in this high stakes n, where a single mistake could end up costing them their lives instead. ********* ( Meanwhile Leo ) Before logging out of Terra Nova Online, Leo enjoyed the clips of his master¡¯s opening fight in the master¡¯s tournament posted on the Global Forums. Somehow, watching the old man fight with a smile on his face filled Leo¡¯s heart with immense satisfaction, as although Ben did not utter a single word in the fight from start to finish, he seemed to be enjoying himself thoroughly. His opponent Roderick was by no means a simple opponent. He was strong, and had the ability to go much further in the tournament as long as he did not face The Wind Sword, or his master Ben, however, the man was unfortunate to face off against THE Ben Faulkner so early. All in all, Leo felt his nose grow two inches with pride when he watched Ben¡¯s clips, as the only regret he had in his heart was that he wasn¡¯t in StrongHaven currently to watch this event unfold live. ¡°Stupid penalty¡­. Gosh, I so want to be in the capital right now. This masters tournament is so awesome¡± Leo muttered before logging out of the game,pletely oblivious to the sinister plot brewing in the shadows. ********* ( Meanwhile Ben Faulkner ) The evening after his first match ended, Ben found himself chuckling as he massaged his old shoulders that had gone sore, in a shady old motel room. ¡°I¡¯m not what I used to be¡­. I¡¯ve overdid myself. Unfortunately, this old body can no longer fight beasts like Roderick¡± Ben muttered to himself, as he winced in pain when he massaged his right arm which had gonepletely sore from overexertion. ¡°But I have to fight¡­. That boy is catching up to me too fast. I have to win this fight for my integrity as his master. He can¡¯t be ashamed of me in the future. He must say with pride, that I was taught assassination by Ben Faulkner¡± Ben muttered to himself, as he knew in his heart that the only reason he was fighting this tournament was to be the idea role model for Leo to follow, as if not for that, there was no other reward in this world that could motivate him to push his old body to 100%. Chapter 472: Progress Chapter 472: Progress ( Real Life, The Arc Ship ) Leo had been diligently practicing the mind meditation scroll for nearly 20 days now, and the results were beginning to show. On the first day of practice, he had been like a novice driver struggling with a manual car, causing it to jerk and stall every few minutes. Now, however, he had progressed to the point where he could drive for several minutes without stalling, and the jerking had significantly diminished. Though he was far from being a seasoned driver,cking the experience to predict road gaps orpete with other drivers in a race, he had reached a stage where he could confidently travel from point A to point B without supervision, which was a notable achievement in its own right. [ Too fast, please slow down ] The scroll warned him, as Leo exhaled sharply and controlled the flow of mana in his body to slow it down ever so slightly. The red dot on the scroll slowed down when Leo did this, and the warning that the scroll was disying soon disappeared. ¡®Third turn to the left¡­. second right¡­. first left,¡¯ Leo thought as he channeled the red dot of mana in his body in a way that it exactly followed the path shown by the mind meditation scroll. [ Session Duration : 01:04:45 Time Since Last Mistake : 00:05:12 ] After the speeding warning, Leo managed to go 5 minutes without making a single mistake, while his non-stop session duration reached a new personal high score of 1 hour 4 minutes, without him needing a break. Unfortunately, at that point Leo¡¯s focus began to waver as sweat beads formed on his forehead and he soon made a mistake, which broke his morale to continue. ¡°Phew! 15 minutes break¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself,ying t down on his back, as he felt proud of himself for breaking his previous record from yesterday. He was supposed to meditate non-stop for 6 hours without taking any breaks in between, however, so far he could only go a little above 1 hour before needing 15 minutes of break, and a total of 5 breaks toplete the 6 hour long daily routine. This was already much better than the previous week where he needed to take 10 breaks to do the same, as he was slowly but surely improving a lot. At first, the benefits of the mind-meditation technique were not evident to him as he did not understand if he was actually improving in any tangible way or not, however, his doubts were soon dispelled when he noticed the improved brain capacity of his mind. If he were asked a month ago as to what he ate for breakfast a week before that, he would probably not remember what he had, however, this seemed to have changed. His memory was sharper than ever before with him being able to recall every detail of every day he had spent since he had started practicing the mind meditation technique. Not only could he recall what he had for breakfast a week ago now, but he could also recall exactly how it tasted, as if he willed for his mind to recall that taste, he could actually force his taste buds to salivate and feel like they were having that same dish at the moment. However, improved memory was not the only benefit of him practicing the mind meditation technique, as faster problem speed was also something that he had achieved. Leo was not a super genius student in school who could performplex multiplication and division problems off the top of his head. However, just like every other average student. He knew the method of how to do it and given a pen, paper and some time, he could perform any division or multiplication necessary. All this changed now however, as when he challenged his brain now to solve the division problem of tworge numbers, he could do it urately within seconds without having the need to use pen and paper. It was almost like his brain¡¯s processing speed had increased significantly and while he could not notice these changes in day-to-day operations, his body had actually be a much more efficient unit than what it was before. His reflexes were faster, his threat analysis was faster, his critical thinking had improved and so had his ability to control individual strands of his muscles. If before Leo could not control some of the muscles present on his back, or move every single finger on his leg individually, he could do that with ease now as he seemed to have mastered the blow flow and muscle map of his own body, bing extremely aware of the potential hidden behind each muscle individually and as a group. Unfortunately, he had no one to spar with in the real world to test his heightened abilities, and he was quarantined within Terra Nova Online. Had it not been for this confinement, Leo would have been able to see for himself just how much stronger he had be, and this was but the start of how much of histent potential this meditation scroll could unlock, as once Leo gained enough mastery of the scroll, it would start improving hisprehension abilities, helping him decipher details that he previously never paid attention to. The mind-meditation technique was best coupled with Leo practicing his in-game skills alongside it to gain maximum benefits, however, unaware of this, Leo spent most of his days swamped with the Barony¡¯s work instead of focusing on his skill improvement. Nheless, Leo¡¯s progress with the scroll was still admirable and he was on-track to master it within 6 months if nothing unexpected ruined his progress now. Chapter 473: Frightening Ability Chapter 473: Frightening Ability ( Meanwhile Cervantez ) Leo was not the only one who was gaining rapid benefits by training in real life, as Cervantez was also undergoing a different development cycle of his own. After purchasing the ¡®Martial Arts Manual¡¯ in the system auction, Cervantez diligently practiced the contents of the manual both in real life and within the game world to amplify the benefits he got. ¡°Take a deep breath¡­. Feel the blood flowing from your heart towards your palms¡­. Constrict the blood vessels in your arms by tightening the muscles¡­. Feel the rush of mana reaching your palms and push it with all your strength!¡± Cervantez muttered as he recalled the precise palm strike technique and the diagram drawn in the scroll within the game before replicating the movements in real life. ¡°HA¨C¡± He said, as he let out the palm strike and to his pleasant surprise his strike left a light imprint on the room¡¯s wall which was 5 meters away from him. ¡°This is nice¡­.. My strength is increasing rapidly! I¡¯ve already memorized all the training techniques noted within the scroll and although I have not achieved the suggested mastery grade within them, I think I can soon pass the scroll over to Luke so that he can begin training with it as well¡± Cervantez muttered, as he nned to give the scroll to Luke in the future. Unlike Leo, who was unable to pass his meditation technique to others, Cervantez faced no such restrictions with his martial arts manual. If he wished, he could even be a teacher, charging MP from fellow passengers to impart his techniques to them. However, this did not align with his true objectives. Cervantez had no intention of bing a teacher for the masses as his real goal was to pass this technique exclusively to his guild¡¯s top management, ensuring they could prosper alongside him and Luke was the first candidate to receive this benefit. ¡°This martial arts manual has to be the best purchase I¡¯ve made in the system auction, as through daily practice this will help improve my bone density, my body¡¯s vascrity, my muscle strength and my immunity. Although it won¡¯t trante to increase in stat points in the world of Terra Nova, in the long run Terra Nova doesn¡¯t matter as much, as in the end, the real world is what will matter the most¡± Cervantez said to himself as he returned to practicing the manual diligently,pleting all the drills suggested within it. ******** ( Meanwhile Amanda ) With the DarkSky guild¡¯s war against the demons on-going, Amanda did not have a single moment to rest within the game world, as she was constantly either repairing or forging new gear for her guild. Without uttering a single word ofint or cking even slightly, Amanda forged dozens of new weapons and armor sets a day, as she single handedly saved the DarkSky guild millions of gold coins in gear spending. This constant grind was not without merit either, as through this process, Amanda was improving and refining her own skills as well. Today, as she was forging a low quality sword, hammering out the imperfections in the metal, her skill [ Metal Inspection ] improved from ( intermediate ) mastery to ( advanced ) skill mastery level, and this changed everything for Amanda. Suddenly, she could notice the micro-imperfections within the metals surface that she could not previously, and her understanding of metals seemed to have deepened. At first, Amanda did not think much of this improvement, except for feeling a bit excited, however, all this changed when she logged out of the game and woke up in her room, as suddenly her whole perspective in real life changed. Previously, although she could understand the mechanics behind any machine built, she could not notice too many details behind it beyond what was obvious, however, today as she logged out of the game, she could notice things that were beyond the obvious. She could now notice the ws in the metal bolts that fastened the hinges of her door and could also notice the technology behind the opening and closing of her apartment¡¯s main gate, which worked by detecting one¡¯s unique ankle bracelet number. Finally and most shockingly, she could also notice the construction of their electronic ankle bracelet and she could picturise how to dismantle it, in what was a shocking revtion to her. ¡°If I create a precise pin that can trigger the release switch inside and then provide it with a counter charge to prevent the battery from electrocuting the wearer, I can safely remove the bracelet¡­.¡± Amanda muttered to herself, tilting her head as she feltpletely confident in her skills to remove the bracelet if she really wanted to. Fortunately, she still needed some basic tools to create the equipment necessary to release the bracelet safely, however, her aplishment in the cksmithing world was now reaching terrifying new heights. Because of the DarkSky guild recruiting her early and Amanda not having much ambitions within the game world to establish a name for herself, her reputation as an excellent cksmith was currently flying under the radar. But if it was not for her being a part of DarkSky guild, there was no doubt that she could have easily be one of the most famous yers within the game,pletely outshining the other cksmith yers in terms of skills that were currently very prominent. ¡°Hehe, I better keep this to myself, or else I might get into trouble¡­¡± Amanda thought, as she swore to never reveal to anyone that she had the ability to remove the ankle bracelet that was forcing everyone to becent within the Arc Ship, at least until she found a way to close the in-built microphone, without triggering the death charge. Once she figured out how to do that safely, Leo was the first person she intended to tell this to, however, until then she decided to keep this knowledge a secret. Chapter 474: Boogeyman Ben Chapter 474: Boogeyman Ben ( Ben¡¯s POV ) The second round of the masters tournament saw Ben face off against the South Duke Nico Paz, who had very recently lost his home in Thumba City and had only survived because Ben had taken the aggro of the Demon King towards himself, allowing Nico the opportunity to escape. ¡°Sir Ben, I¡¯m most grateful to you for saving my life, back in Thumba City and helping the Empire in killing some Demon Counts. You¡¯re undeniably a hero, however, that won¡¯t mean that I go easy on you. I need to take over the Kingdom Of Elves under me, to re-establish my house¡¯s lost dominance and for that, I must win this tournament¡± Nico said, pointing his thin fencing sword towards Ben who snorted in response. ¡°You won¡¯tst 3 moves against med. You¡¯re out of your depth here¨C¡± Ben said, as the crowd burst into cheers at his words. Ben¡¯s turn around was nothing short of a fantasy story. He was the boogeyman, the nightmare that mother¡¯s used to keep their children obedient and teenagers told as a legend. However, his recent actions had turned him from being a notorious viin to a beloved hero, as the current Ben Faulkner was looked at as a vignte, a symbol of hope and a man of the people. ¡°Give him hell, Sir Ben!¡± ¡°We are rooting for you, Sir Ben!¡± ¡°We love you, Boogeyman Ben!¡± Chants like these could be heard throughout the Grand Arena, as true to his words, Ben managed to defeat his opponent in under 3 moves. As soon as the match referee said the word ¡°begin,¡± it was Nico who confidently charged towards Ben first, his thin fencing sword aimed directly at Ben¡¯s heart. Nico¡¯s footwork was impable, and his speed would have overwhelmed most opponents. But Ben was not most opponents. From Ben¡¯s perspective, Nico¡¯s movements seemed almost sluggish. The young Duke, filled with bravado, clearly believed he could match the legend before him. However, Ben had seen countless men like Nico¡ªskilled, yes, but inexperienced in the brutal realities ofbat outside the arena. [ First Move ] As Nico lunged, Ben didn¡¯t even draw his daggers. Instead, he sidestepped with a fluid motion, almost as if he were dancing. Nico¡¯s de thrust through the space where Ben had been just a millisecond before, slicing through empty air. Ben¡¯s right hand shot out, pping the t of Nico¡¯s de aside with minimal effort, causing the Duke to stumble forward, his bnce momentarilypromised. [ Second Move ] Nico recovered quickly, his pride pushing him to turn and swing the de in a wide arc, attempting to catch Ben off guard. But Ben was already moving. With blinding speed, he closed the distance between them, finally drawing one of his daggers. The de gleamed for just a moment before Ben struck. He shed upward, the edge of his dagger barely grazing Nico¡¯s exposed wrist, but the precision was enough to disarm him instantly. The fencing sword ttered to the ground, echoing in the stunned silence of the arena. [ Third Move ] Nico¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he tried to retreat, but Ben was relentless. He moved faster than Nico could react, his free hand mping down on the Duke¡¯s shoulder like a vice. In a single, fluid motion, Ben spun Nico around, his daggering to rest just beneath Nico¡¯s chin, the cold steel pressing lightly against his throat. The crowd held its breath, the reality of Ben¡¯s sheer dominance sinking in. For a moment, everything was still. Then, Ben leaned in close, his voice barely above a whisper, but loud enough for Nico to hear. ¡°I warned you,d,¡± he said, his tone devoid of malice. ¡°You were out of your depth.¡± Ben released Nico, stepping back as the Duke dropped to his knees, utterly defeated. The referee, realizing the match was over, quickly called for its end. The crowd erupted into deafening cheers, their beloved ¡°Boogeyman¡± having lived up to his reputation once again. Nico, for all his bravado, had been bested not just by skill, but by a man who had honed his craft through years of surviving in the shadows. Ben Faulkner was no mere fighter; he was a force of nature, and in that arena, no one could stand against him. ¡°Winner Ben Faulkner, advances to the quarterfinals¨C¡± The referee announced, raising Ben¡¯s hand in victory as the Emperor Julien D. Evanus once again stood up from his seat to apud. ********** In another corner of the arena, Commander Thalion and Chief Strategist ric both sighed in relief when they saw Ben Faulkner win, as if he had faltered here, all their future ns would have been for naught. ¡°Are you sure you can take him down, Thalion? That old man looks in better shape than you do¨C¡± ric asked, while pping for Ben, as for a moment even Thalion hesitated with his reply. ¡°If he¡¯s at his best¡­.I¡¯m not sure, but if you manage to poison him with the disorientation poison, then I can definitely kill him¡± Thalion replied, as he did not overestimate himself and gave Ben Faulkner the credit he deserved. ¡°What about the new Virex Corps leader? How will you bypass his security, I¡¯m sure he will be guarding Julien well¨C¡± Thalion asked, as ric calmly tapped on his thigh, signaling for him to calm down. ¡°The new Virex Corps leader is no Cedric, he can¡¯t even detect thexative I put in his own drink, let alone the taste and smell free poison we intend to use in Juliens. Our n is foolproof. The only thing that you must ensure is that you don¡¯t let Ben Faulkner escape alive¡± ric said, as Thalion cracked his neck and nodded with sincerity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The old man is as good as dead¨C¡± Thalion said, as he stood up from beside ric in the stands and started to walk towards the contestant warm-up area, to prepare for his next bout. Chapter 475: Assassination Attempt Chapter 475: Assassination Attempt ( The same night, The Royal G ) All the Masters Tournament quarter-finalists were invited to a grand royal g dinner, an event of the highest importance hosted by Emperor Julien D. Evanus himself. The asion was marked by opulence and splendor, a rare spectacle in the Empire, drawing together the most influential figures in the realm. For Ben, this event marked his return to the Royal Pce after more than two decades. The sight of the grand halls, with their intricate tapestries and gleaming chandeliers, stirred memories long buried, but there was little time for nostalgia. The pce was teeming with nobles, wealthy merchants, and other prominent dignitaries, each eager to forge connections and gain favor. To Ben¡¯s dismay, he found himself the center of attention, a ma for relentless attempts at conversation and ttery. The evening quickly became a tedious ordeal of superficial chatter, as one after another, the guests sought to align themselves with his rising star. ¡°The demons are a menace to our society; we all greatly appreciate your contributions inbating them, Sir Ben,¡± a particrly pretentious noblemented, his voice dripping with insincerity. His face was a mask of concern, but Ben could see through it. ¡°Ah, so¡­ er¡­¡± Ben hesitated momentarily before asking, ¡°What was your name again?¡± The noble puffed up slightly, as if his name alone should have been known to all. ¡°Count Lemon,¡± he introduced himself with an air of self-importance. ¡°Count Lemon, is it?¡± Ben repeated, his voice gaining an edge. ¡°So, Count Lemon, what exactly are ¡®you¡¯ to contribute to the war against the demons?¡± The question sliced through the noble¡¯s pretense like a de. Ben didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°Since the demons are such a dire threat, are you contributing troops to fight at the border? Are you providing weapons or supplies¡ªfree of charge, of course¡ªto our soldiers? Are you sending money, or other incentives, to support the war effort? Or is your contribution limited to idle talk in social circles?¡± The Count¡¯s face flushed, his confidence draining as quickly as Ben¡¯s questions cut through his facade. ¡°Hahaha, Sir Ben is right,¡± Count Lemon finally stammered, trying to recover hisposure. ¡°I need to do more¡­ You¡¯ve given me much to think about¡ª¡± With that, the Count hastily excused himself, retreating from the conversation, now fully aware that Ben was no mere pawn to be manipted. He was, as the Count had just learned, a rabid dog, ready to bite anyone who dared to test him. ¡°Well said, I would expect nothing less from Ben Faulkner¡­¡± A confident voice rang out, cutting through the din of the g. The room fell silent as the Emperor Julien D. Evanus himself strode towards Ben, a broad smile lighting up his face. ¡°It¡¯s been a while¡­¡± Julien said, extending his hand, his demeanor warm and weing as always, as if he and Ben were the closest of friends. Ben, however, responded with a dark chuckle, as he covered his face with his hand to cover the evident disdain in his eyes, before eventually shaking with Julien. ¡°You¡¯re the biggest piece of scum I¡¯ve ever met,¡± Ben muttered, his voiceced with disdain, as unlike the sycophants surrounding them, Ben knew exactly how Julien hade to inherit the throne¡ªand it repulsed him to this day. However, despite the insult, Julien¡¯s smile did not falter, as instead, he met Ben¡¯s gaze with a calm, practiced ease. ¡°It¡¯s been 20 years. I¡¯m a father now, and you¡¯ve taken on a disciple of your own. Let¡¯s bury our differences in the past,¡± Julien suggested, his voice smooth as silk as the room full of nobles, who were eagerly listening in, barely concealed their shock to see that someone insulted the Emperor to his face and the Emperor did not even reprimand him. Within the Unity Empire, few had the audacity to insult the Emperor to his face, yet here was Ben Faulkner, utterly unfazed. Ben was not one to mince words. He was neither a pretentious sycophant nor a man driven by fear or ambition. He had no desire to curry favor with the Emperor, and he certainly didn¡¯t fear him. ¡°Whether it¡¯s 20 years or 200, you¡¯ll always be scum to me,¡± Ben replied, his voice unwavering, as Julien responded with a heartyugh, feeling genuinely amused by the insult. In a world where ttery and empty praise were the norm, a conversation with someone as blunt as Ben was a refreshing change for him. *p* *p* Julien pped his hands, signaling to a nearby server. ¡°Bring us two sses of wine,¡± he ordered, taking one ss and passing the other to Ben. ¡°A toast¡ª¡± Julien dered, his voicemanding the attention of the entire crowd as all eyes turned towards them as Julien raised his ss in Ben¡¯s honor. ¡°To the hero of the Empire, The Vignte, The Man, The Myth, The Legend¡­ Ben Faulkner. Cheers!¡± Julien proimed, his voice booming through the hall, as the crowd followed suit, raising their sses in unison, echoing the Emperor¡¯s words. Everyone pped and drank from their sses, and Ben, caught up in the moment, did the same. For once, he let his guard down, allowing himself to be swept away by the asion, however, as soon as he drank the wine he immediately noticed that something was wrong with it, as he jammed his fingers down his throat and immediately puked it out. ¡°POISON! THAT DRINK HAD POISON!¡± Ben said, as in a blur of a movement he moved behind Julien, and forcibly opening his mouth Ben jammed his fingers down Julien¡¯s throat as well. *BLURRGHH* Julien vomited the drink in a rather undignified way, as Ben¡¯s sudden actions raised rm amongst the Virex Corps members sworn to protect Julien, as they immediately circled Ben and Julien. ¡°Nobody leaves the room¡­..the killer must be¡­. Mus¡­ mu¡­¡± Ben said before dropping to one knee, as his vision started to ck out and the world began to swirl under his feet. Chapter 476: Panic Chapter 476: Panic ( A few moments ago, Nathan and ric ) ¡°Sir ric¡­ We¡¯ve poisoned two chalices of wine, but how exactly are we going to ensure they reach Ben Faulkner and my father?¡± Nathan asked nervously as the G nightmenced. Being inexperienced, he couldn¡¯t see a clear path to discreetly targeting just those two individuals and hence he sought out ric to understand the n. ¡°My Prince, the solution is quite simple,¡± ric replied, his tone calm and confident. ¡°The Emperor has a predictable habit when ites to mending ties with those who don¡¯t favor him¡ªwhich is that he raises a toast in their honor. Having served him for so many years, I know his patterns intimately and I can assure you that at some point tonight, he will raise a toast to Ben Faulkner. When that momentes, we will ensure the poisoned chalices are delivered to both of them.¡± ric said, his voice carrying an unsettling certainty as heid out the n. ¡°I understand¡­ So we wait,¡± Nathan responded, though his anxiety was evident. His forehead began to glisten with sweat as the weight of their conspiracy pressed on him. ¡°Yes, we wait,¡± ric confirmed. ¡°But you need to rx, young prince. Your tension is palpable, and if you don¡¯t loosen up, your unusual behavior will draw suspicion.¡± ric said, maintaining a pleasant smile as he nodded politely to a noble watching them from afar, expertly keeping up the appearance of normalcy even while plotting to murder the Emperor. ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯ll take my leave then Chief Strategist¨C¡± Nathan said, taking his leave, as he tried his best to hold his nerves and appear normal. Throughout the night many approached him, rediting him with the suggestion to host the Master¡¯s Tournament, as many nobles now began to view him as the next undisputed crown prince and tried to forge closer ties with him, however, Nathan was least interested in these conversations. He tried his best to appear calm, however, the uncertainty of the night kept pressing on him, until the moment when he saw his father finally approach Ben Faulkner. The g was in full swing when his father began walking towards Ben, the air in the room filled withughter, clinking sses, and the murmur of conversation. Yet, amidst the grandiose festivities, all Nathan could think about was the n he and ric had set in motion. His nerves had been on edge all night, and now, the moment of truth was approaching. As his father began speaking to Ben, Nathan¡¯s pulse quickened. Sweat gathered under his cor and his hands became mmy despite the cool evening. Every muscle in his body was tense, his mind repeating the n over and over, as he tried to reassure himself that everything would go just as ric had predicted. ¡®Just a toast¡­ Just a simple toast¡­¡¯ Nathan thought as his eyes darted nervously between the two men. He knew his father well enough to recognize the signs¡ªthe slight tilt of his head, the way he smiled a bit too warmly at Ben. It wasing. The toast wasing. And then, just as ric had predicted, his father pped his hands, signaling for the server to bring the sses. Nathan¡¯s breath hitched as he watched the two chalices being brought forward. The server handed one to his father and the other to Ben, as the n was almostplete at this point. ¡®Drink it¡­. Drink it all¨C¡¯ Nathan urged, his hands clenched into fists, with his knuckles turning white as he tried to keep his expression neutral. ¡°A toast¡ª¡± his father¡¯s voice rang out, loud andmanding, drawing the attention of the entire room. Nathan¡¯s heart hammered in his chest as he watched, almost in slow motion, as both men raised their sses, with the crowd following, their sses raised in unison. Nathan held his breath as he saw his father and Ben bring the chalices to their lips. This was it. This was the moment. He could feel a cold satisfaction settle over him as he imagined the impending deaths, the taste of victory within his grasp. But just as quickly, that satisfaction turned to ice. As the sses were lowered, Nathan saw a change in Ben¡¯s expression¡ªa flicker of something in his eyes. Doubt? Suspicion? Nathan wasn¡¯t sure, but it was enough to send a wave of dread crashing over him. Ben¡¯s movements were swift and decisive. Before Nathan could fully process what was happening, Ben jammed his fingers down his own throat, forcing himself to vomit as panic surged through Nathan as he realized what Ben was doing. ¡®No¡­ How? It¡¯s supposed to be tasteless¡­ odorless¡­¡¯ Nathan¡¯s thoughts raced, disbelief mingling with terror. He had been assured that the poison was undetectable, that there was no way anyone could know they had been poisoned until it was toote. Yet here was Ben, somehow aware, somehow knowing. Before Nathan could react, Ben had moved behind his father, forcing him to vomit as well as the scene unfolded before Nathan¡¯s eyes like a nightmare¡ªhis father, the Emperor, vomiting in front of the entire room, Ben¡¯s frantic actions raising rms all around as the Virex Corps surrounded them. Nathan felt the world tilt around him, a suffocating sense of dread taking hold as this wasn¡¯t supposed to happen, and they weren¡¯t supposed to know¡­ ¡®What happens now? Will they figure out it was me? Will ric throw me under the bus? Will I be executed brutally?¡¯ Nathan wondered, as panic gripped him, tightening around his chest like a vise. He had envisioned this night ending with a triumphant victory, with the deaths of his father and Ben Faulkner, who would be framed for the murder of his father. But now¡­ now everything was unraveling unexpectedly. Nathan¡¯s mind raced as he tried to grasp onto something, anything that could salvage the situation, but all he could think about was the one question that haunted him, which was ¡®How did Ben know?¡¯ The panic gnawed at him, leaving him paralyzed as the g descended into chaos¨C Chapter 477: Pointing Fingers Chapter 477: Pointing Fingers ( Ben¡¯s POV, present moment ) Ben felt his vision be blurry and his consciousness fading fast, as although he had already vomited the poison he had consumed, a small amount of poison seemed to have already been absorbed into his bloodstream. *Thud* For some inexplicable reason, Ben felt his body falling t on the floor, as he felt something light being over his back. ¡®What?¡¯ Ben wondered, his survival instincts screaming, however, with his vision blurry and every other sense dulled, he could not figure out what exactly was going on in his surroundings. ¡°My Lord¡­. My Lord, are you okay?¡± screamed a Virex Corps operative, as it was Julien who seemed to have copsed over Ben, causing him to lose his bnce. Just like Ben, although Julien had also vomited the poison, a small amount seemed to have already been absorbed into his bloodstream, causing him to lose all senses and copse like a helpless doll. ¡°HEALER! SOMEONE GET THE HEALER¨C¡± Jake, the new leader of the Virex Corps shouted, as his underlings immediately scrambled to search for the royal doctor residing within the pce. By this point, Julien¡¯s body started to spasm violently, his mouth foaming up, as unlike Ben who was a master level warrior, Julien was amon man with an overall resistance to poisons being much lesser than that of Ben. He was dying, and he was dying fast, and without receiving immediate attention, Julien faced the risk of losing his life. On the other hand, Ben began circting the mana within his body to counterattack the effects of the poison, as slowly but surely he started to detoxify his bloodstream just as his father had taught him to years ago. With a calm mind and controlled breathing, Ben yed dead while healing his body, as he bided his time patiently. ******* ¡°The server! He¡¯s trying to escape!¡± ric said, pointing towards the server who was trying to sneak off amongst the chaos, as since the n was going south, ric came-up with a strategy on the fly to salvage the situation. Upon hearing ric¡¯s shout everyone turned to look towards the server who was trying to sneak away, however, before he could do so, a sword-sh cleaved his body in half, as Thalion the Royal Commander got rid of that weak link. ¡°Who dares poison the Emperor of Unity Empire?¡± Thalion said domineeringly, as he confidently walked beside the king and took a guard stance, eyeing everyone around him with suspicion. ¡°Why did you kill him? Commander Thalion? We needed to interrogate him to find out the real culprit behind this event. I believe you acted too easily¡± ric said, scolding Thalion, as Thalion only snorted in response. ¡°The man was trying to escape, he was clearly guilty of trying to assassinate our Emperor, so I passed the judgment on his life myself¨C¡± Thalion said, as at that moment nobody could fault his logic. For a few moments, ric and Thalion had an intense stare off, which others interpreted as a war of nerves, however, in reality it was a silentmunication between the two men, as they tacitly decided to throw Prince Nathan under the bus. ¡°Prince Nathan, your father is dying. Why don¡¯t you seem bothered?¡± ric asked all of a sudden, as all eyes turned towards Nathan who was shocked to hear the sudden usation. ¡°M-me? W-w-what? ric? I, I, I, I thought we were friends!¡± Nathan said, as his nervous demeanor did not help his case at all. ¡°Yeah! He¡¯s wayy too calm!¡± ¡°Did Prince Nathan n this? Is he trying to usurp the throne?¡± ¡°Shut-up everyone, the prince is clearly too shocked to process his emotions properly¡± ¡°I find the young prince¡¯s behavior suspicious, someone should detain him for now¨C¡± Everyone suddenly began to focus on Nathan and the poor kid turned into a pool of nerves under all the attention. He did not have the political spine to endure such a crisis and it showed immediately in his actions, as he started to cry. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! What are you guys using me of? ric you¡¯re a snake. Bohoo¨C¡± Nathan said, crying like a little kid, as at that moment, he destroyed his reputation forever. Guilty or not, he was forever going to be remembered as a cry baby from this moment onwards, sure to never have the respect of the nobles under him. ¡°MOVE AWAY¡­. MOVE AWAY! THE HEALER IS HERE¨C¡± Just as everyone started to focus on Nathan, the royal healer finally made his way to the g hall, panting heavily as he kneeled beside the Emperor. By this point the Emperor had already entered the epileptic shock phase, as his body had turned purple and started to twitch relentlessly. The healer immediately began treating him, trying to dispel the poison from his veins, however, it was already toote. The poison had spread to Julien¡¯s brain already and the healer was a minute toote to save him. Aged 55, Julien no longer had the vitality to survive such poisoning, as one after another his organs started to undergo multiple organ failure. ¡°The king¡¯s dying¡ª he¡¯s losing bodily functions fast¡± the healer said in panic, as he intensified his efforts to save Julien, however, he was fighting a losing battle. The most that he could manage, was to keep Julien alive for 5 painful minutes before his heart eventually gave out and his pulse ttened, putting an end to his suffering. ¡°The Emperor is no more ¡­¡± The healer dered regretfully, as thorough silence enveloped the room at that moment. Julien D Evanus, the third Emperor of Unity Empire, who had ruled with an iron first for thest 25 years and was well loved by his people had just met the most horrific of deaths. One moment he was celebrating with the most prominent people in the Empire and the next he was dead¡­.. However, the worst part was, that nobody even knew who was really behind this assassination attempt of the Emperor? Chapter 478: Desperation Chapter 478: Desperation The Emperor is dead. A collective gasp echoed through the grand hall, as the weight of those words sank in. Nobles, merchants, and dignitaries¡ªmen and women who had once vied for the Emperor¡¯s favor¡ªnow stood frozen, their faces a mix of shock, fear, and disbelief. Some clutched their chests as if struck by an invisible blow, while others exchanged frantic nces, their minds racing toprehend the sudden shift in power. Whispers spread like wildfire, filling the room with a low, anxious hum as the once-celebratory atmosphere was now thick with tension as the gravity of the situation started to dawn on everyone present. However, amidst the chaos, ric, the main conspirator of the Emperor¡¯s death maintained a stoic facade, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the reactions around him. His mind was already working on the next move, but outwardly, he appeared just as stunned as the others, his actpletely wless. Thalion too, being the ever disciplinedmander that he was, clenched his jaw and let his gaze fall solemnly to the floor, as he portrayed the picture of controlled grief that masked his real satisfaction. Finally Nathan, the third main conspirator behind the Emperor¡¯s death struggled to maintain hisposure as he did not know how to react to this news now that ric and Thalion were trying to frame him, however, to his fortune, his trembling hands and tear-filled eyes were mistaken for sorrow, garnering him some sympathy from the crowd. ¡°Sir Ben, however, he can be saved¡­. His vitality is strong! I think I can save him¨C¡± said the Royal Healer, as at that moment rm bells began to ring in the heads of ric, Nathan and Thalion, as they absolutely did not want Ben Faulkner to survive. The poison they had used to kill the Emperor was supposed to be undetectable, however, since Faulkner had detected it so early, him surviving now, could prove to be an unknown variable that could expose their treason. Once again, ric and Thalion locked eyes and immediatelymunicated their intention to kill Ben Faulkner through their gaze alone. ¡°Oh may the gods have mercy! We must move Sir Ben to some ce safe! The one who tried to kill him and the Emperor might still be in this room¡­. It¡¯s important that we transfer Sir Ben, the hero of our Empire to somece safe¨C¡± said ric, as Thalion immediately agreed to his words. ¡°We must move him to the royal infirmary, and we must also secure all other royal family members and Prince Nathan. With the Emperor dead, we must not let vultures pick apart our Empire. The four Arch-Dukes, Prince Nathan and the rest of the Royal Family must also be secured at once. While entry and exit from the Royal Pce must be barred¡± said Thalion, as he looked towards Jake, the new leader of the Virex Corps for support. ¡°Virex Corps¡­. Keep an eye on Prince Nathan, secure the Royal Family and lock-down the Royal Pce. The Emperor has been murdered in cold blood and nobody shall leave this pce until we find out who did it¨C¡± said the Virex Corps leader, as he mobilized his members into action. ********* The stretcher carrying Ben Faulkner moved swiftly through the pce corridors, his unconscious form bouncing slightly with each hurried step. Two low level soldiers loyal to Thalion carried the stretcher, their faces tense with purpose, while the Royal Healer and an unknown Virex Corps member followed closely behind, with the Royal Healer constantly muttering incantations under his breath as he tried to stabilize Ben¡¯s condition. Finally, Commander Thalion walked just behind those two, his gaze fixed on the stretcher, but his mind being far from focused on Ben¡¯s recovery. Thalion¡¯s thoughts were racing. The n had been wless¡ªuntil now. The poison was supposed to be undetectable, a perfect means of eliminating the Emperor and anyone else who might pose a threat to their ns. But Ben Faulkner had proven to be an unexpectedplication. The old warrior¡¯s natural resistance had allowed him to survive just long enough to be a potential problem, and now Thalion had to deal with it. As he walked, Thalion¡¯s hand brushed against the small vial hidden within his armor, the same poison that had imed the Emperor¡¯s life. The solution was simple: a few drops into Ben¡¯s mouth, and he would be dead within minutes, with it being easy to im that Ben¡¯s condition had simply worsened¡ª and no one would question it. After all, the poison was already in his system and its reappearance would be simply written off as a natural progression of his decline. But the situation was moreplicated than Thalion had anticipated. The Royal Healer was close by, his sharp eyes never leaving Ben¡¯s side, and there was also the unknown Virex Corps member, whose presence added an element of unpredictability. Thalion knew that any misstep could expose him. If the Healer or the Virex operative noticed anything unusual, the entire conspiracy could unravel, and Thalion would be left holding the me. He considered his options carefully as he thought about potentially eliminating the Healer and the Virex soldier, but then realized that it would be too obvious. Only the three of them had left the G Hall with Ben, and if the Healer and the soldier ended up dead, suspicion would immediately fall on him, which would be too risky. ¡®Fucking old man¡­. Why don¡¯t you just die already?¡¯ Thalion cursed in his head, as he clenched his jaw in frustration. There were just too many variables, too many potential witnesses for him to take decisive action, and this frustrated him greatly. Finally, as they turned a corner and approached the entrance to the pce¡¯s recovery wing, Thalion¡¯s mind continued to churn. He wondered if there would perhaps be an opportunity in the chaos of the medical wing that he could use to create a distraction, something that would draw the Healer and the Virex soldier away, even for just a moment. But even as he considered this, he knew that the risks were mounting. Every second that passed without action was another second that Ben Faulkner could recover, another second that the conspiracy could be exposed. However, for now, Thalion had no choice but to keep following, his eyes constantly searching for an opportunity, a moment of weakness where he could act without being caught, but the stakes were too high to rush¡ª as one wrong move, and everything he had worked for would be undone. So he bided his time, each step bringing them closer to the recovery wing, and with it, closer to a final, desperate chance to eliminate Ben Faulkner for good. Chapter 479: The Plot Thickens Chapter 479: The Plot Thickens ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) Lin Mu had been serving in the Royal Pce as a member of the Virex Corps for over six months now. During this time, she had gradually formed close rtionships with both the previous Corps Commander, Cedric, and the Emperor, Julien D. Evanus. However, Cedric¡¯s sudden death was a significant blow to her career ambitions, as it left her feeling adrift. The new Commander, Jake,cked any particr inclination toward her and seemed indifferent to her impressive background as a semi-finalist in the Grand Tournament and a former member of the Assassin Alliance as instead of recognizing her potential, he relegated her to basic patrol duties typically assigned to novices, effectively wasting her talents. Ironically, it was during one of these seemingly insignificant patrols that she chanced upon an unexpected encounter. She happened to witness Commander Thalion, Strategist ric, and Prince Nathan emerging from an inconspicuous servant¡¯s room, one after another. Unfortunately, she was toote to overhear their conversation, as all she happened to see was them leaving the room. Strangely enough, this particr room, where the three had met just the day before, belonged to the very butler who delivered the poisoned drinks to Ben Faulkner and the Emperor earlier today making the coincidence too ring to ignore. ¡®There¡¯s no doubt in my mind¡­ the three of them are in this together,¡¯ Lin Mu thought, as the drama unfolded in the G Room. Yet, despite her strong suspicions, she knew it wasn¡¯t her ce to speak without concrete proof, so she held back and chose not to act¡ªat least not yet. Instead she decided to follow her beloved Jin Mu¡¯s master for his safety, however, to her surprise, so did Commander Thalion, a man she suspected to have a role in killing the Emperor. ¡®What¡¯s he thinking about now? Will he try to kill Ben Faulkner and finish what he started?¡¯ Lin Mu thought, as she stayed sharp and close to Ben, ensuring that Thalion got no opportunity to perform any funny business. In her assessment, the Commander appeared unusually restless, his fingers constantly fidgeting while his eyes darted around the corridor, as if he were anxiously searching for a chance to create a diversion, and her suspicions regarding his intentions were confirmed as soon as they stepped into the medical recovery wing, where Commander Thalion¡¯s demeanor shifted abruptly, revealing his frantic search for a way to create the distraction he desperately needed, which he found through interfering a shelf lined with vials and medical tools. With calcted precision, he moved towards it, making it seem as though he was merely adjusting his stance as with a swift, deliberate movement, Thalion brushed against the shelf, sending a tray of ss vials crashing to the floor. *Crash!* The sound echoed through the chamber, sharp and loud enough to draw the attention of the healers, as instinctively, the chief healer who was a part of Ben¡¯s entourage turned away just for a moment, rushing over to the source of the noise to assess the damage, while the other healers in the medical wing paused in their work, their concentration momentarily broken. In that fleeting moment, Thalion¡¯s hand slipped into his armor, fingers closing around the vial of poison hidden there as he noticed an opening to attack Ben. His heart raced as he looked at the opening in Ben¡¯s mouth¡ª The legendary assassin was unconscious and vulnerable, and all it would take was a quick, subtle motion for Thalion to end his life. Slowly, he began to move towards Ben, his fingers ready to uncork the vial and administer the lethal dose. But just as he was about to make his move, he felt a threatening presence watching him, as goosebumps rose all over his skin. His eyes flicked up, and there she was¡ªLin Mu, her gaze locked onto him with an intensity that rooted him in ce. Her eyes bore into him, unblinking and filled with a daring challenge that left no room for misinterpretation, that she knew, or at least she strongly suspected what Thalion intended to do next. ¡®Don¡¯t even think about it¡¯ was what her stare said, as although Thalion could not see her expression behind the Virex Corps Mask, he could assume that it was stone cold. ¡®Tch¡­ what a bitch¡¯ Thalion thought, his hand freezing mid-motion as he could feel the tension in the air and the threat that Lin Mu represented as her sharp instincts and her unwavering focus were enough to stop him cold. She wasn¡¯t looking at Ben Faulkner, or at the shattered sses, but instead, she was looking at him and his hand, as if she had already singled him out as the biggest threat. Thalion¡¯s mind raced as he considered his options, but each one unfortunately led back to the same conclusion, which was that if he made a move now, she would see it, and everything would unravel. It was too risky, and Thalion could not afford to make such a risk, especially after so much time had already passed since he had caused the distraction. ¡®FUCK, FUCK, FUCK,¡¯ Thalion thought, as frustration boiled within him, but he forced himself to remain calm, and his expression to remain neutral. Slowly, reluctantly, he let go of the vial and instead reached for his sword, pretending to adjust it as if that had been his intention all along. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,mander¨C¡± the royal healer said, as although he did not seem too thrilled about the loss of medicines that Thalion had just caused, he did not feel it appropriate to admonish the Commander of the Royal Army over it either. ¡°Apologies,¡± Thalion said, giving the healer a small, controlled nod as he returned to Ben¡¯s side. Throughout, Lin Mu¡¯s gaze never wavered as she continued to watch Thalion, her eyes tracking his every move, ensuring that he had no chance to try anything. Chapter 480: Plot Thickens (2) Chapter 480: Plot Thickens (2) Once Ben had been admitted to the medical wing, the healers immediately set to work, doing everything in their power to save his life. One healer administered an anticoagnt potion, while another gave him an aphrodisiac, a substance typically used to enhance bedroom performance but also effective in keeping blood flow high. Thankfully, Ben had not gone into epileptic shock and was holding on strong, giving the healers the precious time they needed to flush the poison from his system. ¡®This is it¡­ The old man might actually survive,¡¯ thought Thalion, feeling frustrated and helpless, when suddenly ric entered the room, his expression filled with worry. ¡°Commander Thalion, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s suspicious that our Emperor is dead, yet Ben Faulkner is still alive? What if this is a sinister plot by the infamous kingyer to kill the Emperor and escape suspicion?¡± ric said, his words nting a seed of doubt in everyone¡¯s mind, making them question whether or not Ben Faulkner had orchestrated the entire act? ¡°Watch your tongue, ric. Ben Faulkner is a Demon yer and a Hero. He couldn¡¯t be part of this,¡± Thalion said, trying to show his dismay at the suggestion while subtly ying along. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too, Commander, but Prince Nathan swears he saw Ben Faulkner talking to the waiter before the banquet began. And now, with Ben alive and the Emperor dead¡­ it¡¯s all a bit too suspicious,¡± ric added, feigning confusion, as he tried to sow further chaos within the room. At that moment, Lin-Mu felt her eyelids twitch in fury. She could see through what ric and Thalion were attempting, but without solid proof of their collusion, she knew it would be her word against theirs¡ªa battle she would likely lose and hence despite knowing the truth behind their intentions, she could do nothing. ¡°So what are you suggesting we do, Strategist ric? We surely can¡¯t let him die without finding out the truth now¡­ can we?¡± Thalion asked, as he yed his role in screwing over Ben perfectly. ¡°I¡¯m simply suggesting that we move Ben Faulkner from the medical wing to the prison for the time being. We will still give him all the best treatment possible, but from the prison he won¡¯t be able to escape easily once he has recovered and we will be able to question him before we release him¡± ric suggested, as Thalion barely suppressed a smile. The healers feeling helpless, looked towards Thalion on what to do next, as Ben¡¯s treatment was once again pushed on the backfoot. Thalion, pretending to think for a while, eventually agreed with ric¡¯s advice as he said ¡°Although I don¡¯t believe in what you are suggesting, I think we should transfer Sir Ben to the prison holding cell for now. The Emperor¡¯s murder is not a light topic and we can¡¯t rule out anyone as of now¡± With that, Thalion ordered his men to ce Ben Faulkner on a stretcher once again and carry him away, as once again he found himself having an opportunity to finish Ben for good. ¡°Uh-huh-huh¡­ where do you think you are going, Virex Soldier?¡± Thalion asked, as he prevented Lin Mu from trying to follow Ben once more. ¡°The prison is off-limits to the Virex Corps; it¡¯s the sole domain of the Royal Guards. So step aside¡ª!¡± Thalion growled, his eyes boring into Lin Mu¡¯s with a ferocity that matched¡ªand even surpassed¡ªthe predatory stare she had given him just moments before. Thalion knew that Lin-Mu was a big threat and hence he decided to take her out of the equation now that he had the slightest excuse to do so. What he had not expected however, was Lin-Mu outright attacking him at this moment, as when asked to back-off, she immediately unsheathed her dagger and made a swipe at Thalion¡¯s throat. *Swoosh* Reacting quickly, Thalion dodged the attack veering to the left, however, Lin Mu¡¯s dagger still managed to nick the side of his neck, drawing a line of blood. ¡°OH YOU LITTLE RUNT, YOU DIDN¡¯T JUST TRY AND KILL ME¨C¡± Thalion bellowed with rage as his aura red and he grabbed Lin-Mu by the neck like a rag doll. ¡°DIE¨C¡± he said, throwing her backwards and unsheathing his sword as he unleashed a terrifying sword sh towards her. *Block* Landing on her feet, Lin Mu tried to block the attack, however, the power of Thalion was not something the likes of her could match and hence despite her best efforts, the attack blew past her defenses and created a deep gash in her upper torso. ¡°A traitor! She¡¯s a traitor¡ª¡± said Thalion, as he menacingly walked towards the nearly dead Lin Mu, his sword poised to strike. Everyone in the corridor and the medical wing, had their eyesser focused on this on-going mess, and that gave ric the perfect opportunity to try and slip some poison into Ben Faulkner¡¯s mouth. Opening a vial of poison hidden within his robes, he swiftly moved over to Ben¡¯s face and uncorked the bottle silently. Looking around, ric ensured that no-one was watching, and once satisfied he finally made his move. Moving with trembling hands, he tried to pour some poison into the mouth of the legendary assassin, however, much to his horror, at that precise moment, Ben Faulkner finally opened his eyes, his killer gaze boring deep into his soul. *GASP* ric gasped sharply, his face turning white as if he had just seen a ghost, as in the end he was a strategist and not a fighter and when forced to dirty his hands, he was not as smooth about it as Thalion. ¡°B-b-b¡­¡± ric stuttered, trying toe up with an excuse, however, his usually reliable tongue failed him at that moment, as he understood that death was staring him right in his face at that moment. ¡°THALION SAVE MEE¨C¡± ric screamed like a little girl, as he peed himself and used all of hisst energy to summon the one man that could perhaps protect him from the fury of Ben Faulkner. Chapter 481: Better send your grandfather Chapter 481: Better send your grandfather ¡°Thalion, save me!¡± ric¡¯s voice was a panicked plea, but it was already toote. Before Thalion could even react, Ben Faulkner had moved, appearing behind ric with lethal precision as in one swift motion, he forced the vial of poison¡ªintended for him¡ªinto ric¡¯s own mouth, making him swallow it, much to Thalion¡¯s horror. ¡°No¨C¡± Thalion screamed in panic, as he found himself being too far away from Ben and ric to intervene now. The only mistake ric that had made all night and with his perfect n to kill the Emperor was underestimating Ben Faulkner. He had assumed Ben was unconscious, but Ben had never been out of the fight and had merely been waiting for the enemy to show their hand while silently countering the effects of the poison in his bloodstream. If he wanted, Ben could have gotten up from his stretcher at any moment, however, he only did so when ric revealed his hand, to ensure that justice was served. ¡°Quickly, Chief Strategist¡­ the medical wing is just ten steps away. If you tell the Chief Healer the name of the poison you just consumed, perhaps we can still save your life,¡± Ben urged, as ric staggered toward the medical wing, desperately gasping out, ¡°Tereruan Scorpion,¡± before copsing onto the floor. In a frantic attempt to save his own life, ric inadvertently sealed his fate. By revealing the poison¡¯s name, he had implicated himself in the Emperor¡¯s murder, leaving no room for doubt. ¡°Oh, Lord! So it was Chief Strategist ric who killed the Emperor. But why? Why would he do such a thing?¡± asked the Royal Healer, visibly shaken by the sudden turn of events. ¡°Then his testimony about Prince Nathan seeing Ben Faulkner speak to a server¡­ could it have been a lie? Could they be working together?¡± questioned an assistant healer, as beads of sweat began to form on Thalion¡¯s brow. So far, no one had suspected him. But with ric on the brink of death and Nathan already being implicated as an aplice, Thalion realized that his chances of surviving this coup unscathed were dwindling rapidly. ¡°Of course, they¡¯re in this together, and their third aplice is standing right here¡­ Commander Thalion, ¡®The Brave.¡¯ You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a vial of ¡®Tereruan Scorpion¡¯ poison hidden under your armor, would you?¡± Ben asked, locking eyes with Thalion, who felt his worst fears confirmed. He knew. Ben Faulkner knew, which meant Thalion¡¯s political career was over. ¡°Ha¡ª¡± Thalion chuckled bitterly as instead of defending his honor, he chose to go down fighting, lunging at Ben Faulkner in one final act of defiance. ********* Thalion¡¯s de gleamed under the dim lights of the corridor as he lunged at Ben Faulkner with all the force of a man who knew this would be his final stand. Ben, naturally met the attack head-on, his movements sharp and precise as his dagger shing against Thalion¡¯s sword with a resounding *ng* that echoed through the halls. The fight between the two master¡¯s was fierce from the start, each man driven by a desperate resolve as Thalion fought with the strength of a cornered beast, his strikes heavy and relentless, while Ben countered with the calcted precision of a seasoned assassin, his dagger dancing in the confined space, slipping past Thalion¡¯s defenses in quick, precise jabs. It was the conclusion to the master¡¯s tournament that themon popce never got to witness, as this was a true dance of death, a duel where two strong fighters actually fought to kill and not to win useless honor. However, as the battle raged on, Ben began to feel it¡ªa subtle but undeniable weakness creeping into his limbs as each time he moved rapidly, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and for a brief moment, the world spun as if he were caught in a state of vertigo. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to push through the haze, but he knew that he was far from his full strength as despite his outward disy of power, Ben was operating at only a fraction of his usual capabilities, closer to seventy percent at best. He had not dispelled the poisonpletely from his blood stream and although he had recovered, it was not enough. Thalion, sensing the slight hesitation in Ben¡¯s movements, pressed his advantage,unching a flurry of attacks that forced Ben to backpedal. But even as he fought with renewed vigor, Thalion¡¯s body betrayed him. The nick on his neck, where Lin Mu¡¯s dagger had grazed him earlier, began to burn with a fiery intensity as sweat poured down his face, not from exertion or fear, but from the poison that was now coursing through his veins. The realization hit Thalion like a blow to the gut. The small wound, barely more than a scratch, had been inflicted by a poison dagger. He could feel the toxin spreading rapidly through his bloodstream, sapping his strength and dulling his reflexes, causing each swing of his sword to be heavier, morebored, as the poison took hold. ¡°Ha¨C, you have a little more than 2 minutes to live if you don¡¯t finish me by then and find a cure¨C¡± Ben said, also noticing the weakness in Thalion¡¯s body, as from a distance Lin Mu chuckled heartily. She too was on the brink of death, her abdomen was bleeding profusely, yet she could not help butugh at this moment, as she felt pride in having screwed over Thalion. From the moment she decided to attack him, she already knew she was never his match. Her only goal was to nick him once with her poisoned dagger and having managed to do so, Lin Mu had no more regrets. ¡°So¡­. What¡¯s it going to be, Ben Faulkner, neither you nor I are at our best. Who do you think walks out of here alive?¡± Thalion said, trying to distract Ben as he sneakily gathered his mana. However, Ben was no greenhorn either, as he smiled and did the same, ying Thalion¡¯s own game better than himself. ¡°You¡¯re a hundred years too young to kill me, BOY, I¡¯d take you seriously, if it were your grandfather fighting me here today¨C¡± Ben said, as heunched the first move. Chapter 482: Chaos Chapter 482: Chaos ¡°I¡¯d take you seriously if it were your grandfather fighting me here today instead of you¨C¡± Ben taunted, his voice dripping with authority as he aimed to remind Thalion that despite their present status as equals and master warriors, Ben¡¯s experience inbat far surpassed his own. Then, before Thalion could react or respond with a domineering statement of his own, Ben seized the moment, making the first move. [ Mirror World ] With a flicker, a dozen clones of Ben materialized, filling the corridor with shadows. Thalion hesitated, momentarily thrown off bnce as he struggled to determine which figure amongst all the clones was the real Ben Faulkner. His instincts screamed at him to strike, but he knew that he needed to confirm his target first, or else his strike would be for naught. ¡°Come!¡± Thalion said, his voice cutting through the silence as he challenged the advancing figures. Ben¡¯s clones charged forward as one, forcing Thalion into a relentless assault as each time his sword met a clone, the illusion crumbled into dust, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. 1¡­ 2¡­ 3¡­ 11. Thalion¡¯s de danced through the air, cutting down the fakes with precision, until only one Ben Faulkner remained¡­. As then without hesitating, Thalion unleashed a powerful sword projection. [ Silent Impact ] Thalion¡¯s de moved with deadly silence, cutting through the air as it carved a path of destruction. But as it reached its target, the final Ben dissolved into fog, allowing the attack to continue on its path unopposed, as it smashed into several pirs behind the illusion, before finally losing momentum. *CRASH* *THUD* The impact echoed throughout the castle, a loud deration that a fierce battle was underway. The Royal Guards and Virex Corps were alerted about the ongoing confrontation at this moment, with dozens of them rushing towards the medical wing at this precise moment. ¡°Where are you? Just where are you hiding?¡± Thalion bellowed, his frustration bubbling over as he tried his best to sniff out where Ben Faulkner was hiding but failed to find him. At this point, the poison had spread all over his body, slowing his movements down significantly and covering him in sweat from head to toe, as slowly but surely Thalion was feeling the poison tightening its vice over his body. Then, suddenly, from the shadows of his blindside, Ben emerged, moving with lethal intent towards Thalion¡¯s neck. But Thalion had already anticipated this, as at the same moment that Ben attacked, he spun around, unleashing his strongest move in one swift motion. [ Mountain Splitting sh ] Thalion had expected the previous clone to be a decoy, and he was right. He knew that Ben Faulkner was too smart to just stand like a dummy in front of him, so he already assumed before unleashing [ Silent Impact ] that he was shooting a nk. However, he went ahead with the act anyway as he wanted Ben to feel as if he had already unleashed his attack and did not have the mana to instantly conjure up a second one. Then, as he sensed the faintest movement behind him, he reacted instantly, bringing his de down with immense force, aiming to cleave Ben¡¯s body in half, and to his absolute surprise he seeded in doing so as well. *SPLAT* Blood sttered across the walls, a gruesome testament to Thalion¡¯s uracy as Ben¡¯s body seemed to split in two, but in that same moment, Thalion felt the sharp sting of daggers piercing his flesh¡ªone in his neck, another in his forehead, and the third embedded deep in his heart, as although he managed to kill Ben, the old man seemed to have managed to kill him too. ¡°Kek¡ª, see you in hell, old man,¡± Thalion managed to rasp out, his voice barely a whisper as he crumpled to the ground, lifeless, while Ben¡¯s motionless bodyy beside him, both warriors fallen. ¡°Oh my god! They died! Commander Thalion and Ben Faulkner both died! The two of them fought a duel to the death!¡± eximed a medical wing worker, his voice trembling with shock at the sight before him. *KABOOM* *KABOOM* *KABOOM* Suddenly, out of nowhere, Ben¡¯s body began to convulse, and a series of explosions erupted, triggered by the bombs in his Assassin¡¯s belt, as although Ben¡¯s real body looked deader than dead, being cleaved in half, for some odd reason the bombs in his belt seemed to activate by themselves, blowing the corridor to smithereens. *KABOOM* The entire corridor shook violently, debris and body parts flying as mes quickly engulfed the hall. ¡°Run! Run!¡± the Chief Healer shouted, urgency filling his voice as he pulled his team back into the safety of the medical wing. ¡°Get away from here, now!¡± He said, as he stopped looking towards the bodies and focused on saving his own life. By the time themander of the Virex Corps, Jake, and a dozen high-ranking royal guards arrived at the scene, it was toote. The corridor was in ruins, the fire having consumed any evidence of the battle and both bodies were reduced to charred remnants, leaving nothing behind but ashes and unanswered questions. Now, there was nothing left to do but extinguish the mes and secure the area, as they tried to piece together what had transpired in this deadly sh. ********* ( A few momentster ) A few momentster as Jake tried to interrogate the chief healer and his staff on what just happened, he struggled to get coherent answers from them, as everyone seemed to be in deep shock. ¡°So then, strategist ric tried to poison Ben Faulkner, but he made him swallow the same poison¡­ and then ric confessed to knowing the name of the poison, and then Ben Faulkner asked if Commander Thalion was carrying one vial himself too¨C¡± A staff member said frantically, as Jake tried to calm him down, and to get him to speak some coherent sentences that made sense. It took a while, but half an hourter he got the full story by piecing together the knowledge of all eye-witnesses, however, two ring questions still remained? Firstly, the reason behind the betrayal of Chief Strategist and Commander Thalion remained a mystery? While the second question that presented itself was the location of Lin Mu? As somehow during the fight between Thalion and Ben, she seemed to have disappeared. In reality, there was a third and more important question, which was whether or not Ben Faulkner was really dead? However, with so many witnesses to his death, everyone seemed to be convinced beyond doubt that the legendary Assassin had already met his end. Chapter 483: Dead Or Not? Chapter 483: Dead Or Not? ( Lin Mu¡¯s POV ) Thest thing Lin Mu saw before losing consciousness was Thalion attacking Ben Faulkner and cleaving him in half, even as Ben embedded three daggers into Thalion¡¯s body in a double kill. At that moment, the blood loss from her wound became too severe causing her vision to blur, as she slowly drifted into unconsciousness, unaware of what her surroundings would look like when she woke up from her slumber. She had no idea as to how many hours she was unconscious, however, when she eventually woke up, she was not inside the royal medical wing, nor was she inside the royal prison, as to her surprise, she was within some shoddy looking motel room that was not a part of the pce at all. Her clothes were neatly folded by the side of her bed and sheid there bare chested with several fresh bandages covering her wound up. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Lin Mu thought feeling confused, as looking around the room, she noticed how someone had performed an emergency operation on her, cleaning and bandaging her wound several times until the bleeding stopped, however, she could not help but wonder who? There was no one in the pce that she was particrly close to and she did not think that Virex Corps Commander Jake cared about her enough to personally treat her like this. ¡®Weapon? Where are my Weapons?¡¯ she thought, panic evident in her eyes, as she sat up and tried to look around, moving her upper body, as immediately she regretted the decision, as intense waves of pain overcame her body. ¡°Your stitches are still fresh¡­. You won¡¯t be able to move for a couple days¨C¡± A deep male voice said, startling Lin Mu big time. ncing towards the source of the sound, Lin Mu finally noticed the silent man who was leaning against one corner of the room, as although he had been standing there ever since she woke up, Lin Mu hadpletely failed to detect him somehow. ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked, unable to corrte the man¡¯s silhouette to anyone she knew, as slowly the man walked under the light source in the room. *GASP* Gasping, Lin Mu could not believe her eyes for a moment, as she had most certainly witnessed the death of this man with her own eyes just a few moments ago. Recalling that incident, Lin Mu reyed in her mind how he was cleaved in half by Thalion, and yet he stood before her, almost unharmed. ¡°You? How! I-I saw you die!¡± She said, her mind nking out as she could not make sense of what was fake or real anymore. ¡®Was I so dizzy due to blood loss that I hallucinated the fight¡¯s ending sequence?¡¯ Lin Mu wondered, as Ben began to chuckle heartily looking at her reaction. ¡°Of-course I¡¯m not dead, girl¨C, who do you think I am?¡± Ben said, his nose raised in pride as he rejected the very notion of being killed by an inferior fighter like Thalion. ¡°You risked your life to save me¡­. That¡¯s rare, usually people are fast to me me, not save me. Hence, I saved you back¡± Ben said, as he ced her weapons belt on-top of the clothes beside her table, which Lin Mu clutched happily. ¡°I saved you because you¡¯re the master of the love of my life. I can¡¯t bear to think how poor Jin would feel once he learns of your death, so I did what I did to spare him such pain¡± Lin Mu said, as for a moment Ben was stumped by her words. If he recalled correctly, he had previously witnessed Leo enjoy his day out with a different girl, a cksmith, who also seemed to be pretty close to him. ¡®So¡­ my disciple is not the kind to stick to one woman eh? Seems like he has taken after his master in this aspect as well¡¯ Ben thought, as he coughed lightly recalling his young days when he was a lover of many women. ¡°Umm, Sir Ben, if you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­. How did you do it? How are you alive when I clearly saw you die?¡± Lin Mu asked, as Ben simply shook his head and refused to reply. ¡°How I survived is a secret between me and my disciple. Nobody else needs to learn of it. To the world, Ben Faulkner has died today, and with Julien dead I don¡¯t intend to make an appearance within the light of this world ever again. You¡¯re the only other person aside from my disciple I¡¯m sharing this secret with¨C¡± Ben said, as he refused to share with Lin Mu the secret behind his survival. ¡°Humph¡± Lin Mu said, puffing her cheeks as she did not appreciate Ben not indulging her curiosity, however, she dared not kick up a fuss in front of the vastly more experienced Assassin like Ben. Currently the entire Empire was in a state of uproar over the deaths of Emperor Julien D Evanus, Commander Thalion, Chief Strategist ric and Legendary Assassin Ben Faulkner, however, only three out of the four of them were really dead. With so many eye-witnesses to his death, nobody questioned whether or not he was still alive, which yed perfectly into Ben¡¯s retirement ns, as somewhere through his nearatose state, Ben decided that he was too old to be involved in such drama over and over again, and that he needed to exit the world stage, for once and for all. ¡°You rest here, I¡¯ll go write a letter to my stupid disciple to tell him that I¡¯m safe, lest he hear the news from someone else and start marching towards the Capital with an army¨C¡± Ben said, taking his leave from the motel room, as he went to the post office to send an urgent letter to Crest-Hill Barony, informing Leo that he was alive and well. Chapter 484: Sad News Chapter 484: Sad News ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The first message that Leo received when he logged back into the game, was a global announcement informing all yers that Emperor Julien D. Evanus was now dead, creating a power vacuum in the Unity Empire. [ Global Notification :- Emperor Julien D. Evanus has been assassinated within the confines of the Royal Pce. The Unity Empire is currently without a ruler, with all four Arch-Dukes having the option to either swear fealty to the next Emperor, or dere their territories as independent kingdoms ] ¡°Bloody hell! Just what¡¯s going on here?¡± Leo wondered, as he quickly opened the Global Forums to check what was going on, and just as he anticipated, the entire server seemed to be only talking about this one incident. ¡°Guys, I¡¯ve received a confirmed report from an eyewitness that was present inside the Royal G, that Emperor Julien D. Evanus was poisoned during the Royal G while he was raising a toast to Assassin Ben Faulkner. The Royal Pce is currently under a lockdown, but it¡¯s confirmed that Julien D. Evanus died from poisoning¡± said a yer named ¡®Xero¡¯, who seemed to have a source within the pce. His was the current topment in the global forums, garnering a massive 55 thousand likes in just under two minutes of making the post. ¡®Poison? Must not be master¡¯s work then¡¯ Leo thought, as he knew that it wasn¡¯t his master¡¯s style to kill an opponent using poison, so although he was the one to whom Julien raised hisst toast to, Leo did not think that Ben was involved in his death. ¡°Breaking news! Emperor Julien D. Evanus is not the only one to die it seems, my source on the inside says that there are many other influential figures who have also died tonight¨C¡± said ¡®Xero¡¯ in another post, which gained 60 thousand likes in under 30 seconds as Leo felt intrigued reading thisment. ¡®A mass murder in the Royal Pce?¡¯ Leo wondered, feeling intrigued, as he hung around waiting for more updates on the story as he read thements made by some otherizens under the post. Mostly, all thements were those of surprise and excitement, however, there were a few that doubted the authenticity of Xero¡¯s source, iming that he could be just cooking up stories, as they forced Xero into making a rification. ¡°I have a merchant friend, by the name of ¡®Jace¡¯ , who was invited to the Royal G today for some reason. He¡¯s too shy to post on the global forums himself but he¡¯s sending me private messages informing me of what he¡¯s finding out in real time¨C¡± Xero said, as Leo instantly recognised the name ¡®Jace¡¯. Jace was the guy who bought the logistics cart blueprints in the system auction. He was #97 bidder and someone who Leo had on his friend list, and hence Leo instantly dropped him a private message. ¡°Are you inside the Royal Pce?¡± Leo asked, as within seconds, he received a very odd message reply from ¡®Jace¡¯. ¡°Yes I am, also my deepest condolences for your loss¨C¡± Jace replied, as Leo felt confused as to what loss he was talking about? ¡°What loss? The Emperor was not my kin¨C¡± replied Leo, feeling confused as to what Jace was referring to. ¡°Your master¡­. Ben Faulkner, is confirmed dead, alongside Chief Strategist ric and Chief Commander Thalion tonight¡±. Jace replied, as for a moment, Leo stared at the message on his screen, uprehending. The words blurred as if refusing to be read, his mind rejecting their meaning. Ben Faulkner, dead? It was impossible. His master was the greatest assassin the empire had ever known, a man who thrived in the shadows, uncatchable, unstoppable. The idea that someone could defeat him¡ªlet alone kill him¡ªwas beyond belief. ¡°No¡­¡± Leo muttered to himself, his fingers trembling slightly over the in-game keyboard. ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± He quickly typed a response to Jace, his denial manifesting in angry keystrokes. ¡°This has to be some kind of mistake. My master is not just anyone. He¡¯s Ben Fucking Faulkner¡ªthe demonyer! He faced entire armies and walked away unscathed. There¡¯s no way he could have been killed!¡± Leo replied, his heart pounding in his chest as nothing but a long silence followed his outburst. It was as if Jace felt unsure of how to respond to such raw emotion and was contemting on what were the best words to use in a situation like this. Nheless, Leo¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the screen, waiting, hoping that Jace would send another message¡ªone that would reassure him, that would tell him that this was all a misunderstanding, a cruel rumour spread by those who envied his master¡¯s power. But the reply that came shattered that hope. ¡°Boss¡­¡±Jace¡¯s message began, and Leo could almost hear the hesitation in the words. ¡°I understand how you feel, but I¡¯ve spoken to several people inside the pce. There are eyewitnesses¡ªsoldiers, healers¡ªwho saw the fight unfold between Commander Thalion and Ben Faulkner. It was a battle unlike any other, with both men wielding power that shook the very foundations of the pce. But in the end¡­ both of them fell. I¡¯m so sorry, but it¡¯s true.¡± The words hit Leo like a physical blow, knocking the breath out of him. His vision blurred, this time not from disbelief but from the sting of tears welling in his eyes. He couldn¡¯t breathe, couldn¡¯t think. His mind, which had once raced with thoughts of denial, now felt empty, as if all life had been drained from it. ¡°No¡­ no¡­ no¡­¡± he whispered, each word more broken than thest. He wanted to scream, to rage against the world for taking his master from him. How could this be? How could the man who had taught him everything, who had been his guiding star, be gone? The memories of their time together flooded his mind¡ªBen¡¯s stern but kind eyes, the way he would silently correct Leo¡¯s mistakes during training, the rare moments of warmth when he would pat Leo on the back, his approval unspoken but deeply felt. And now, all of that was gone. The man who had been more of a father to him than anyone else was dead, and Leo hadn¡¯t even been there to witness his final moments, to fight by his side, to say goodbye. The grief came crashing down on him like a wave, pulling him under and Leo felt his chest tighten, his breath hitch as he choked on a sob. ¡°It..can¡¯t, be, true¡± he muttered, not daring to believe that his master was really dead, as he felt his entire body¡¯s strength sap out of him. Chapter 485: Rage Chapter 485: Rage ( Leo¡¯s POV ) For the next several hours after receiving the news about Ben Faulkner¡¯s death, all Leo could do was frantically search for the truth behind his master¡¯s demise, unwilling to believe that he could truly be gone. He scoured every article on the global forums, meticulously read through everyment, and desperately sought someone who might refute the im. However, to his deep dismay, no one did. There appeared to be a unanimous consensus that Ben Faulkner was among those who had died within the Royal Pce that day¡ªa piece of news that utterly devastated Leo. For a long time, Leo stared nkly at the screen in front of him, the confirmation of his master¡¯s death burning into his mind and it was only when the reality began to settle in and the weight of it pressed down on him like a boulder, that his shock morphed into something darker, something far more dangerous. His master¡ªBen Faulkner, the man who had guided him, trained him, and, in many ways, had been more of a father to him than anyone else¡ªwas gone. The finality of it struck Leo with a force that left him breathless, his chest tight as if it were being crushed. But the grief, as overwhelming as it was, did notst long. It was swiftly overtaken by a burning rage, a fury so intense that it made his vision blur. The thought of never seeing Ben Faulkner again, of never hearing his stern yetforting voice, of never having the chance to save him or thank him, ignited something primal within Leo. His hands shook, not with fear or sadness, but with an uncontroble desire to destroy¡ªdestroy everything and everyone responsible for his master¡¯s death. His mind raced, jumping from one thought to another, each more violent than thest. He wanted to find them¡ªthose who had taken his master from him. He wanted to hunt them down, one by one, and make them suffer as he was suffering now. No, even more than that. He wanted them to feel the pain of losing someone they loved, to experience the helplessness and the despair that came with it. And then, when they were broken, when they had nothing left, he would end them. Not quickly, but slowly, so that they understood every second of the agony they had caused him. Leo¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps as he paced his room, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood, but he did not care. The pain from bleeding was nothingpared to the storm raging inside him. His rage was so strong, that the world around him seemed to fade, leaving only the burning need for revenge. Without thinking, he dashed toward the manor¡¯s door, his only thought to get out, to ride to the capital where his master had fallen. However, as he reached the periphery of his manor, an invisible barrier stopped him from exceeding its bounds, as a system notification reminded him of his house-arrest. [ System Notification :- yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ cannot leave the Crest-Hill Manor for another 5 months 3 days and 14 hours ] Five months? The absurdity of it made him want tough, but no sound came out, only a snarl of frustration. ¡°Let me out!¡± he roared, mming his fists against the invisible barrier as the manor that once felt like a haven now felt like a cage, and he was a wild beast, trapped within it. The system¡¯s cold, emotionless message only fueled his rage further. He struck the barrier again and again, uncaring of the pain, the bruises forming on his knuckles. His mind was consumed by a singr thought, that if he could just get out, he would make them all pay. The Empire that had taken Ben Faulkner from him would burn, its people would suffer, and he would not stop until he had avenged his master. But the barrier remained unyielding, and with each failed attempt to break through, Leo¡¯s fury only grew. He let out a guttural scream, a sound of pure, unbridled rage that echoed through the empty halls of his manor. It was unfair¡ªno, it was cruel, that he was being kept here, away from the ce where he could avenge his master, where he could do something to ease the unbearable pain tearing at his heart. Breathing heavily, Leo finally staggered back from the door, his body trembling with the effort of holding back his rage. His mind raced with ns, strategies¡ªanything to break free of this confinement. But each idea was thwarted by the cold reality of the system¡¯s restrictions. He was trapped, unable to move, unable to act on the burning desire for revenge that threatened to consume him from the inside out. The next five months stretched out before him like an eternity, a torturous wait that he could hardly bear. But even as the despair of his situation pressed down on him, Leo swore to himself that this would not be the end of this saga¡­. his master might be gone, but his resolve was not. When the time came, when he was finally free, he would unleash the fury building within him. The Empire would burn, and those responsible for Ben Faulkner¡¯s death would pay dearly. Although Leo had no idea as to why his master decided to fight Commander Thalion or who really was responsible behind his master¡¯s death, he swore to kill whoever it was, regardless of how small their involvement was to his master dying. Until then, Leo decided to wait, biding his time, letting the rage simmer just below the surface, ready to explode the moment he was free. He swore to not forget, swore to not forgive. For the death of his master, the world was sure to pay a heavy price. Chapter 486: Coping Mechanism Chapter 486: Coping Mechanism People cope with intense pain in different ways. Some withdraw, shutting down their emotions entirely, while otherssh out, driven by anger even when the situation is beyond their control. Some sumb to the pain, letting it consume them, while others harness it as a motivator to push themselves to improve. Leo had a unique way of coping with pain¡ª which was to channel it into absolute focus. Ordinarily, Leo was a carefree, easy going person, who was rarely serious about meeting deadlines unless it was absolutely necessary. However, Ben¡¯s death marked a turning point in his life. Initially, Leo trained hard under Ben¡¯s guidance because it was his only viable path to survival. He knew that, given the limitations of the Actor ss, he couldn¡¯t convincingly y the role of a bigshot without having the strength to back it up. Were it not for the system¡¯s restrictions and the constant threat to his life, Leo might never have worked as hard as he did to win the Grand Tournament, and after that victory, as the immediate threat on his life subsided, his growth as a warrior also stagnated. Though Leo continued to level up after the tournament, his foundational skills didn¡¯t see any groundbreaking improvement as he didn¡¯t take the task of bing a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter as seriously as he should have. But the moment he learned of his master¡¯s death, Leo made a firm resolution, which was to reach the stage of a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter within the next five months, before the system¡¯s house arrest restrictions were lifted. He set reaching the ¡®Master¡¯ stage as his goal, because he felt that whoever killed his master or schemed to kill him, or was involved in killing him, had to be at least this strong to pull it off. If they weren¡¯t even at the master stage, then it was impossible to kill a man like Ben Faulkner and hence Leo presumed that to avenge his death, he had to push to be a ¡®Master¡¯. To achieve this goal, Leo almost entirely discarded his duties as a Baron, informing his Butler George to take over the Barony¡¯s work entirely, as he did not care if the Barony devolved into a major crisis¡­ his only goal was his own training and progress. He informed George to keep expanding the army even if it burnt a hole in the budget and to promote loyalty amongst the troops only towards the Barony and not towards the Empire anymore. Butler George, taken aback by the change in his lord¡¯s demeanor made many futile attempts to restore him to normalcy, however, Leo¡¯s resolve was irond. He had shut his mind against any suggestions that could dissuade him from his goal and had decided to tirelessly train till he achieved what he wanted, as it was only when he was training tirelessly to reach the master stage, that Leo found his current captivity eptable, as without having that unteral focus, Leo could not live with himself thinking about how his master was dead and yet he was holed up within his Manor in Crest-Hill Barony. And hence began a period of intense focus for Leo, where he converted the Manor¡¯s garden into his private training grounds and began practicing his in-game skills once again, for the first time since he left Mount Faulkner. Alongside the three skills that Ben had already passed down to him, Leo also trained to learn the new skill manual he had bought from the auction, a skill named [ Shadow Bind ], as he slowly tried to understand the concepts behind it. Out of the 12 hours gaming time daily, Leo had resolved to spend 11 hours everyday to only improve his skills, while he spent thest hour on just two tasks. Firstly, toplete his on-going missions as Leo-Skyshard the merchant, so that he could master the ¡®Merchant¡¯ role before his 5 month istion ended. And Secondly, to nurture the Uprising Guild, who he now saw as a prime force that could help him exert his revenge for his master¡¯s death. Hence, everyday apart from his time spent skill training, everyst minute was spent on eitherpleting the Merchant ss quests, or strengthening the foundations of the Uprising Guild for his future revenge. As a result, when two days after Ben¡¯s death, his exnatory letter arrived at the Crest-Hill manor, Leo did not even spare a nce at it, asking Butler George to just put it in a pile on his desk. Having lost all interest in politics and letters from the capital, Leo did not even pause for a moment to presume that the letter could be from his master, as his ignorance prevented his bubble of misunderstandings from bursting. Despite Butler George pleading him constantly to spare the letter a nce, since it was marked ¡®Important¡¯, Leo stubbornly refused, as he found himself engrossed in the practice of the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯. When Butler George persisted with his requests, irritating him with constant nagging, Leo simply used the skill ¡®Vanish¡¯ to disappear from his eyes, forcing him to retreat, as it was clear that he could not get through to Leo¡¯s thick skull. Had Leo read the letter, it would have saved him from a world of pain and suffering, however, fate seemed to have other ns. Coupled with the mind meditation scroll that he practiced in real life, this type of intense skill-training was actually the best match for him to improve his foundation rapidly and with the focused mindset that he found himself in, where he did not dare waste a single second of training, or put in less than 100% effort. His gains every single day were massive. It was almost like, the old fun loving Leo had died alongside Ben Faulkner, and what was left behind was a beast driven towards revenge. However, whether this mindset was for his benefit or detriment, only time could tell. Chapter 487: The Letter and The Price Chapter 487: The Letter and The Price It was a shame that Leo did not pause to read Ben¡¯s letter, as within it, his master had revealed something truly incredible. [ Boy, I¡¯m writing you this letter because I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m dead. Of-course I¡¯m not. I¡¯m Ben Faulkner. I have merely staged my death in front of the world because, during my unexpected fight against Thalion, I¡¯ve broken past a bottleneck that I¡¯ve been stuck at for years. The skill I¡¯ve passed down to you. [ Mirror World ] is my strongest and finest skill. A skill passed down to me by my father, however, even I had not mastered it to its utmost limit. I previously believed that creating 100 clones was the limit of the skill, however, it¡¯s not true. Recently, I¡¯ve realized that I can create an actual doppelganger with the skill. Not just a shadow, but an actual moving body that¡¯s physical and solid. The body that everyone saw being chopped in half at the Royal Pce, was merely this clone of mine and with a few blood pellets, I made my death seem more gruesome than it really was. In any case, I¡¯m excited to teach this new technique to you, so try and improve your mastery of the [ Mirror World ] skill as much as you can, as only after you can summon a 100 clones can I teach you this next stage. I will not be returning to Crest-Hill Barony for the next 6 months, as there is a location I must visit in the North before Ie to the Eastern Duchy. Do not sulk and do not waste your time pursuing idle hobbies, for I will return very soon to check on your progress. Until then, Ben Faulkner ] Ben had actually reached the next stage of mastery for [ Mirror World ] and that¡¯s how he had duped the whole world into believing that he was dead. He had presumed that his letter would find Leo before he became mental, as he expected that the news of the Royal Pce incident would not travel to the Eastern Duchy in just under two days. An emergency letter was like a speed post and hence he assumed that it would find Leo before he heard the news from someone else, however, unfortunately, Ben did not understand gaming mechanics like the Global Forums. Because of the global forums and an insider friend who was present at the pce, Leo found out about the incident just a mere minutes after it unfolded and hence, by the time Ben¡¯s letter reached him Leo had already gone maniacal. ********** ( The MP exchange store, real world, the Arc Ship ) Apart from avenging Ben within the game world, Leo also had one more goal in his mind that he wished to achieve as a yer before they reached Terra Nova. The idea had started to form in his head after his chat with the ship operators, however, he had not acted on it until now, thinking he had a lot of time at-hand and could worry about such stuffter. ¡°Ship Operator, please state your request¨C¡± an emotionless voice said on the other side, as soon as Leo picked up a phone inside the MP exchange center. ¡°I would like to know the cost associated with bringing a character from the game to life¡­. The character I¡¯m looking to bring to life is Ben Faulkner, a popr assassin within the game¡± Leo said, as there was a long silence on the phone, once he stated his request. ¡°Hello, Leo¡ª, Raya here, did I hear your request correctly? Do you want to know the cost associated with bringing a character to life?¡± Raya said, as the emotionless voice previously was suddenly reced by one of a sweet elf. ¡°Yes, I want to know the cost associated to bringing him to life¡± Leo affirmed, as Raya immediately tried to dissuade him from it. ¡°That would be 4 MP to learn that answer, however, before you pay it, let me remind you that this is not a good idea. I understand your attachment to the in-game character, but in the end it¡¯s just an NPC modeled after the real Ben Faulkner who has died centuries ago. Bringing his replica to life won¡¯t do you much good¨C¡± Raya warned, however, Leo went ahead and paid that 4 MP price anyway. ¡°Fine, since you want to know so badly, let me tell you the price for bringing a character like Ben Faulkner to life. It¡¯s 750,000 MP. It¡¯s next to impossible for one yer to earn so much MP, so I would suggest you give up on this pointless dream of yours¡± Raya said rather aggressively, as she did not understand why Leo would go to such lengths for an NPC. ¡°Give me the list of the missions that pay out the most MP within the game and the reward associated withpleting them¡± Leo said next, as once he learnt the price to bring Ben to life, instead of feeling demotivated by the huge number, Leo simply inquired about the method to earn it. ¡°Are you not listening to me? I¡¯m telling you it¡¯s impossible¡­. The information you¡¯re asking for will cost you 1000 MP! 1000! That¡¯s a lot of money for something as stupid as a list you will never be able toplete¡± Raya warned, however, Leo immediately paid the 1000 MP price, which made Raya furious. ¡°Fine! If you want it so bad, you can have it. The top three missions that pay the most MP are. 1)Kill the ck Dragon Drogo, the mightiest existence within the game. Reward, 400,000 MP. 2)Kill the Demon King Anos, the leader of the Demon Race. Reward 200,000 MP 3)Unify the Empire under yourmand, bing the next Emperor. Reward 200,000 MP. To be able to revive Ben Faulkner, you will have toplete all three in just under 30 months of journey time that we have left till we reach Terra Nova. Also, Drogo is a Grandmaster level existence, he¡¯s not a master level being, he¡¯s a grandmaster level existence who you can¡¯t even scratch with your most powerful attack. If you take anyone¡¯s aid inpleting this mission, the subsequent MP reward that you will receive will only be proportional to your contribution to the kill, so if you enlist the help of a 100 masters to bring Drogo down, the reward you will recieve is barely 1% of the total pool¨C¡± Raya ranted, passionately trying her best to stop Leo from going down a path of madness, however failing spectacrly in doing so, as Leo hung up on her before she could evenplete her rant after receiving the information that he wanted. Leo already had his heart set on bringing Ben Faulkner to life, as just like he was willing to go to any lengths to save his mother, he was willing to go to any lengths to save his master, with whom he had formed a very real connection. Although Ben Faulkner was only an NPC, and was not a real being, in Leo¡¯s heart he was real and the affection he showed him was real, and hence Leo was willing to go to any lengths to save him, even if it meant that he had to fight a dragon on his behalf. Chapter 488: State Of The Empire Chapter 488: State Of The Empire ( Next day, Terra Nova Online ) After discovering the highest MP rewards avable in the game, Leo started strategizing on how to earn them. The first mission was of-course to be the next Emperor, however, with Julien D Evanus dead, the current state of the Empire was uncertain. Three days had passed since his death and ording to popr forum posts, there was a big burial ceremony hosted today for the Emperor, with all the other race leaders invited. The current state of the Empire was perilous, the favorite prince to inherit the throne, Nathan D. Evanus was presumed to have a part in the murder of his father and although he wasn¡¯t imprisoned merely on suspicion, he was not allowed to inherit the crown either. With strong rebellion from all four Arch-Dukes, the crown was instead passed to the younger prince, Darius D. Evanus. However, with the prince being only 11 years of age, he was deemed unworthy of making any major decisions until he came of age. Instead, the North Duke, Denver Willow was named the protector of the crown, being given all the powers akin to that of an Emperor until Darius came of age. There was no official statement made by the royal pce regarding the circumstances under which Emperor Julien died, however, the immediate aftermath of his death was not pretty. The Dwarf, Barbarian and Beastmen leaders expressed their desire to breakaway from the Unity Empire after Julien¡¯s death, and Denver was unable to persuade them otherwise. As a result, the Empire fragmented further, and with mounting internal and external challenges, it plunged into its dark age. The death of Emperor Julien D. Evanus, coupled with the escting demon crisis, sent shockwaves throughout the Unity Empire. Public morale, already strained, plummeted to unprecedented lows as the once-stable nation began to unravel, with the now leaderless citizens feeling gripped by fear and uncertainty. The Empire¡¯s fragmentation brought about societal issues previously unheard of. Crime surged across thend, with theft, assault, and murder bing rminglymon. In the capital, gangs and criminals took advantage of the power vacuum, overwhelming the stretched city guards, while the economy faltered as trade routes grew perilous, and resources became scarce due to bandit attacks. Communities that had once been tight-knit grew distrustful, with neighbors turning against each other in fear. Essential resources started to be hoarded and the general spirit of unity was reced by a sense of self-preservation. To make matters worse, the Masters¡¯ Tournament¡ªa prestigious event meant to uplift the masses¡ªwas canceled midway following the Emperor¡¯s death. This abrupt cancetion left a sour taste among the Masters and symbolized the fragility of the Empire. Disillusioned, the Masters returned home, further fueling unrest and dissatisfaction. As the Empire plunged deeper into its dark age, thebination of political instability, rising crime, and the relentless demon threat created a perfect storm of chaos. The once-proud nation faced an uncertain future, with no clear path forward and no end in sight to the turmoil that gripped thend. These were all of-course the perfect recipes for the uprising guild to expand their recruitment drive as with new funds injected into their operations by ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, and them gaining a foothold in the Southern Duchy, their numbers grew unlike ever before. NPC¡¯s, Mercenaries,mon citizens who could not turn to the city guards for safety, all joined the Uprising, since they promised to safeguard both businesses and individuals in these uncertain times. With the uprising emerging as the most ¡®Righteous¡¯ of street gangs, their members turned from rebels to hero¡¯s within days, as not only did their public perception change, so did their behavior, as now with the public behind them, ChaosBringer ordered his men to behave more kindly. 5 months time! That was the timeline that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had given him to prepare, and inside this timeline, ChaosBringer had to make convincing ns to take over the Southern and Eastern Duchy at once. For now, he had no idea how he could even do that, however, since having more members was always a help, for now he only focused on expanding the organization¡¯s numbers and prating deeper into the fabric of the Empire so that he could call upon the maximum number of helpers when he needed them. With the Emperor dead, the winds were shifting rapidly and ChaosBringer knew that if he backed ¡®TheBoss¡¯ properly, his ultimate goal of toppling the regime might not be too far. ********* ( Meanwhile The DarkSky Guild ) After the Emperor¡¯s death, Jerome was forced to withdraw his troops from the western border and return immediately to the Western Capital City of Dame, as his father urgently summoned him. This abrupt departure left the DarkSky guild without their most trusted ally in battle, prompting internal discussions about the possibility of enlisting the help ofmon yers to bolster their ranks. ¡°Lettingmoners fight alongside us is a double edged sword. If they follow ourmands we can use them as cannon fodder to slow down the demon charge while our AOE attackers wipe them out. However, if they suddenly break rank or start to flee under pressure then their naivety can put significant strain on our backlines¡± Luke stated, as Cervantez stroked his chin in worry. The Demons were preparing for yet another attack and could potentiallyunch one as soon as next week and it was impossible for the DarkSky guild to hold them back without the help of Jerome and his men. This only left the option of lettingmon yers fight alongside them, however, doing so also came with its own set of challenges. ¡°So do you think we can hold the lines even without their help?¡± Cervantez asked hopefully, as Luke shook his head in denial. ¡°Despite the risks, our only chance at winning and holding on-to Silver-Pine Barony is if we look for their help¡± Luke said, as Cervantez let out a deep sigh. ¡°It¡¯s settled then, since we can¡¯t make do without them. We will put up a banner tomorrow lettingmon yers in the Barony know that they can participate in the next Demon War if they want to¨C¡± Cervantez said, as he hoped that he would note to regret this decisionter. Chapter 489: Learning Shadowbind Chapter 489: Learning Shadowbind ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Mastering the [Shadowbind] technique turned out to be far more challenging than Leo had anticipated, as despite practicing for several hours each day over the past four days, he still struggled to grasp its underlying concept. Without having Ben to guide him through the basics of understanding the technique, Leo realized that building the foundation by himself was a tall order. Thankfully, with his improved brain capacity and immacte focus, he was able to grasp some clues on how the technique worked, as without a clear mind and excellentprehension, it was impossible for amon yer to learn this move. As its name implied, ¡®Shadowbind¡¯ was a technique centered around the maniption of shadows. ording to the diagrams in the manual, once activated, the technique could conjure chains of darkness to restrain an enemy¡¯s movements. However, the challengey in figuring out how to transform a shadow¡ªan intangible entity¡ªinto something physical and solid. It wasn¡¯t as though one could simply will something two-dimensional, like a shadow, into a physical form. There was a specific process required to convert it from 2D to 3D, but Leo found himself unable to fully grasp that process on his own. He understood that the first step to mastering ¡®Shadowbind¡¯ was the movement of the two dimensional shadows, and using his existing knowledge from using [Mirror World] and [Vanish], Leo could already figure this part out easily. Manipting the mana in the air, he could block out light from specific areas to create a shadow underneath and with a bit of concentration, he could create as many mana chains as he wanted. Of-course, moving these shadows all at once was harder and required more concentration and although Leo could create almost an endless amount of shadow ropes, he could only control four of them precisely at once. For the first few days of trying to learn ¡®Shadowbind¡¯ all Leo did was to practice with these shadow ropes, as he practiced how to form them faster and how to move them precisely to his will. He did so until summoning the ropes and moving them became almost second nature to him, without needing too much conscious thought, and it was at this point that he tried to figure out the next part of his training. The next step of his training was of-course to convert these two-dimensional shadows into tangible, three-dimensional objects and this was no simple task, as it involved taking something inherently insubstantial and giving it form and substance¡ªa feat that required not just precise control over Mana, but also a deep understanding of how to manipte the fundamental properties of shadows. For one month, Leo experimented on how to master this technique? As he figured out the right path slowly using his ownprehension, the skill manuals insights and a trial and error approach. The first thing Leo realized was that shadows, while intangible, were still bound to the surface they existed on, and to lift them from this t ne and give them depth, he would need to infuse the shadows with Mana in a way that altered their very nature. The key, Leo determined, was in the infusion of Mana directly into the shadow itself, as normally, while shadows merely existed in the absence of light, by infusing them with Mana, he could give them a presence, a weight, and a potential to be manipted beyond the t surfaces they were cast upon. This infusion was different from just creating a shadow¡ª as this required focusing Mana in such a way that it would bind to the shadow, making it more than just a dark outline. It was like preparing the shadow to be a vessel, ready to be shaped. Step 2:- Once the Mana was infused, the next challenge was reshaping the shadow from a 2D form into something three-dimensional. Here, Leo drew upon his previous experience with [Mirror World] and [Vanish]. Both techniques involved bending the nature of reality to create illusions or hide from sight, and in many ways, this was a simr concept. By manipting the Mana-infused shadow, he would begin to ¡°pull¡± the shadow away from the surface, forcing it to take on a three-dimensional shape. This was no easy task, and as soon as he attempted to pull the shadow away from the ground, it resisted, as if the very nature of the shadow was fighting against being transformed. It was at this point that Leo realized that it wasn¡¯t enough to just infuse Mana into the shadow, and that to pull the shadow away from the surface, he needed a framework to support its new shape, a framework that could provide it with some actual tensile strength. Step 3:- To ovee this resistance, Leo needed to create a Mana framework within the shadow. This framework would act like an internal skeleton, giving the shadow ropes structure and allowing them to maintain their shape in three dimensions. By carefully weaving threads of concentrated Mana through the infused shadow, Leo could create this framework, ensuring that the shadow wouldn¡¯t copse back into its two-dimensional form. This process required extreme concentration and Leo had to bnce the amount of Mana he infused, ensuring it was strong enough to hold the shadow¡¯s new shape, but not so overwhelming that it shattered the delicate bnce of the shadow¡¯s existence. Step 4:- Finally, once everything was in ce, thest step was to stabilize the shadow. Even with the framework in ce, the newly formed 3D shadow object was unstable. It flickered, threatening to dissolve back into a t shadow at any moment, and Leo realized that to maintain its form, the Mana within the shadow needed to be continuously circted, much like blood flowing through veins. This cirction would keep the Mana active, preventing the shadow from reverting to its original state. Leo practiced this cirction, visualizing the Mana moving in a loop through the shadow¡¯s framework. At first, it was difficult¡ªhe could only keep the cirction going for a few seconds before it would falter and the shadow would copse. But with time and practice, he learned to maintain the cirction effortlessly, stabilizing the 3D form for longer periods. With the process finally understood, Leo began to see the results of his efforts. The shadow ropes, once two-dimensional, now stood before him as solid, three-dimensional chains. They were dark, almost ethereal, yet there was a weight to them¡ªa tangible presence that Leo could feel. He had done it. Through careful infusion, reshaping, the creation of a Mana framework, and continuous stabilization, he had taken something as fleeting as a shadow and given it a solid form. Although it took him over a month to make the 2D shadow into a 3D object, he managed to learn a legendary grade technique in under a month, with no-one to guide him, which was a massive achievement on its own. Thest and final step of the process was to of-course make this 3D shadow strong enough to actually bind objects and restrict the movement of powerful opponents, however, Leo still had some trial and error to do, before he realized what exactly created the strongest shadow chains and gain basic mastery over this move. Chapter 490: Learning Shadowbind (2) Chapter 490: Learning Shadowbind (2) The final part to learning [Shadowbind] was the strength test. The whole point of learning the Shadowbind technique was to immobilize one¡¯s enemy and unless the created binding chains were not strong enough to immobilize the enemy, then it did not matter whether the shadow was 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional, as it was simply useless. Hence, Leo began testing the strength of various types of chains, and after a few initial tests, he quickly noticed that the internal mana skeletal structure he formed within each chain directly influenced its overall strength. The first day of testing yielded mixed results¡ªhe managed to create a chain strong enough to lift a weight of approximately 5 kilograms off the surface and while this was a promising start, it was far from sufficient for the system to acknowledge his mastery of the [Shadowbind] technique. Determined, Leo spent hours experimenting with different configurations of Mana within the chains. He tried varying the density of the Mana framework, altering the pattern in which the Mana threads were woven, and even adjusting the speed of Mana cirction. Each variation produced different results, but none were quite what he needed. One of his early attempts to lift a heavier object ended in particrly spectacr failure. After managing to lift 7kg off the ground, Leo directly went for a 20kg pull, as he focused his energy on arge stone weighing around 20 kilograms, forming the chains as tightly as possible around it. With a surge of effort, he attempted to lift it off the ground, and for a moment, it seemed to work¡ªthe stone began to shift¡ªbut then, with a snapping sound, the shadow chains shattered, causing the stone to drop heavily back to the ground. The impact reverberated through the area, and Leo felt a wave of frustration wash over him. ¡°I need to do more,¡± he muttered to himself, realizing that his current approach wasn¡¯t enough. The chains had held for only a brief moment before copsing under the strain, indicating that the structure he¡¯d created wasn¡¯t stable or strong enough to handle such a load. Undeterred, Leo delved deeper into the mechanics of his Mana framework. Through trial and error, he began to notice patterns¡ªcertain configurations allowed the Mana to distribute weight more evenly, reducing the strain on any single point of the chain. He also discovered that byyering the Mana threads more intricately, he could increase the overall durability of the chains, however, most impressively, he realized all this within the passage of hours and not days, as the progress he made was absolutely rapid. His mind was sharpening immensely with the passage of time and his critical thinking had reached limits which the old Leo could not even dream off. If Leo tried to learn Shadowbind before he had started practicing the mind meditation scroll, he would have been unable to master it even under a year, however, with his improved brain function, he could see every w, every mistake that he made and not repeat it twice to make rapid improvements. Nheless, either due to miscalctions or because he was pushing the limits of what he could manage, Leo did face failures often, with one particrly frustrating moment urring when he tried to lift a stack of logs weighing around 15 kilograms. He carefully formed the chains, reinforcing them with everything he had learned so far, and began to lift, and to his joy the logs even rose a few inches off the ground¡ªonly to crash down secondster as the chains unraveled under the pressure. However, each failure brought new insights and new direction for Leo to work on as Leo realized that it wasn¡¯t just about strength, but also about bnce. The chains had to distribute the weight they were lifting evenly across their entire structure, or else they would fail, and with this in mind, he refined his technique, focusing on creating a more bnced and resilient framework. Over time, Leo¡¯s efforts began to pay off, as the chains he created grew stronger and more capable of lifting increasingly heavier weights without breaking. He felt a surge of satisfaction when, after a couple days of intense practice, he managed to lift a weight of 25 kilograms and hold it aloft for several seconds before gently lowering it back down. However, surprisingly even after he managed to lift 25kg convincingly, the system did not acknowledge his mastery over the skill. In real life, a rope capable of withstanding 25kg of tensile load was already considered pretty strong. Leo could convincingly believe that if he tied four such ropes around the feet of an opponent, or packed them like a cocoon, nobody would be able to break free from it, however, for the system it did not seem enough. 30 kg¡­40 kg¡­50 kg! No matter how much weight Leo was able to lift, the system refused to acknowledge his mastery, perplexing Leo on what he was missing? Frustrated, he read and re-read the skill manual to learn Shadowbind, hoping to find answers within it, however, it contained nothing useful. In the end, he needed to continue refining the strength of his ropes till the 100kg mark, when the system finally acknowledged his mastery over the skill. [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for mastering the skill ¡®ShadowBind¡¯ to (basic) mastery. Casting this skill will now be easier and the chances of failure will reduce significantly ] The system notification said, as finally Leo saw a new skill added to his character panel¡¯s skill slot. It took him 45 days to master [Shadowbind] and although during this period he also focused on other tasks, such as building the foundations of the ¡®Uprising¡¯ guild and improving his mastery over his other existing skills, his primary objective remained firmly centered on mastering this technique. With only 105 days now left in his istion, Leo knew that he needed to push harder than ever before, as 105 days was a tight timeline to reach the next stage, the fabled realm of ¡®masters¡¯. Chapter 491: DarkSky Guilds Exploits Chapter 491: DarkSky Guild''s Exploits Chapter 491: DarkSky Guild¡¯s Exploits ( Luke and Cervantez¡¯s POV ) While Leo was deeply engrossed in his intense, isted training, the DarkSky guild found themselves caught in the throes of a brutal Demon War. In the past month and a half, they faced two fierce demon waves but managed to repel them both,rgely due to their advantageous strategic position behind fortified walls and their ruthless use ofmon yers as a meat shield. During this period, Cervantez gained 14 levels, and Luke gained 18, narrowing the once-significant level gap between themselves and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to just under 30 levels, while Cervantez¡¯s gap to the number two yer, ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was down to just 20 levels as he reimed the number two spot, with Luke now upying number 5. The demon war was like a leveling mine for the guild, as with each passing demon wave not only did the guilds average level increase significantly, but so did the strength of their rankers, as with each sessful demon wave repelled the DarkSky guild became an even more formidable force to reckon with. But, while the DarkSky guild reaped the rewards of their strategic positioning, their sess was not without controversy. To win so convincingly, they employed a ruthless tactic of leveraging eager but unaffiliatedmon yers as human shields. These adventurers, drawn to the battlefield by the allure of glory and the promise of rapid growth, were deployed beyond the fortified lines, where they bore the brunt of the demon onught. This was a strategic move by Luke, as the frontlines were the only ce where he was confident of sending themon yers without them interfering with the guilds core battle n. Unbeknownst to many, thesemon yers served as a buffer, absorbing the initial wave of demon attacks, as their real role was to hold the line, buying time and space for the guild¡¯s archers and mages to rain down destruction from a distance. While themon yers believed that they were given a chance to chase after glory, and to gain dozens of levels by fighting the demons, this notion was quickly busted when they first encountered the demons, as without an organized shape or the necessary leadership needed to fight demons, they never really stood a fair chance. The harsh reality of war, quickly set in for most, as contrary to their dreams, Demons, far more powerful and battle savvy than any enemy these yers had faced before, decimated their ranks, cutting through their lines like butter. The forums soon buzzed with the grim tales of those who survived. ¡°We all dream of fighting demons,¡± one post read, ¡°but unless you¡¯re level 220 or above, you¡¯re not ready for what awaits you on the front lines.¡± This sentiment echoed throughout themunity, a stark reminder of the dangers lurking beyond the guild¡¯s protective walls. Horror videos were posted on the forums, and many were quick to criticize the DarkSky guild¡¯s ruthless tactics to send themon yers ahead to fight the demons, while they themselves fought from behind the shelter of walls. Another notable feature of these two demon waves was the absence of the Demon Count on the battlefield. His non-participation in thest two demon waves was a significant factor in the guild¡¯s continued hold over the Silver Pine Barony, as without his overwhelming presence leading the Demon Army, the guild had managed to fend off the demon hordes, a stark contrast to their crushing defeat at Stonebridge Hill. Yet, uncertainty over their future loomedrge, as although Luke¡¯s scouting missions revealed that the Demon Count had vanished from the enemy camp, there was no guarantee of when he would return. While his absence allowed the DarkSky guild to fortify their defenses and level up, they knew it was only a matter of time before he returned and without a solid n to counter his power, their control over the barony was tenuous at best. However, despite the looming threat, there was a silver lining. The relentless waves of demons provided an unexpected opportunity for growth. The guild members, now more battle-hardened than ever, had gained valuable experience and significantly increased their levels, with the constant warfare forging them into a formidable force, setting them apart from any other guild in the game. Those willing to join their ranks only increased in numbers and as a result the guild was able to poach the best talents in the game from rival guilds and factions as simply the opportunity to level up over a dozen times on a regr basis was enough to pull many top rankers to their base. The guild provided its members with top notch gear, top leveling opportunities, and an industry standard sry, making it an irresistible destination for many. However, while the guild did have a lot of room for expansion, the guild had no room for upward mobility, as regardless of how many members joined, Cervantez kept his core team unchanged, promoting no-one to the core circle. This move was unpopr amongst some guild members, who had been shining brightly in the demon war and were starting to gain some fame for themselves. In every demon wave, there was a new star born, who pulled off an incredible series of moves to kill an opponent and went viral on the forums, however, while the DarkSky guild appreciated it¡¯s talents, it did not provide them with the appropriate amount of respect needed to retain talents. Thankfully, Cervantez was aware of this issue and was nning to make structural changes to the guild so that the guild members had some room for upward mobility, but the core concentration of power did not change too much. However, he was in no hurry to implement them, as although there were a few yers within the guild who were feeling slightly discontent, things were still rtively stable within the guild with the majority of the guild members feeling happy with the status quo. Chapter 492: Jacobs Progress Chapter 492: Jacob''s Progress Chapter 492: Jacob¡¯s Progress ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Apart from the leveling progress within the game, Luke also made rapid progression with his body strength once he started to train in the martial arts manual. After mastering the manual himself, Cervantez passed the book onto Luke who started to train in it regrly. Within the first week of training itself, Luke felt his bodyposition improving rapidly as there was a visible improvement in his bulk and peak muscr capacity. His body had already improved beyond the limits of a mere human when the Arc-Ship entered the rainbow stream, however, the benefits that he was experiencing now pushed his body a cut even above that. He could now bend steel as if it were rubber, and although he hadn¡¯t yet sparred with anyone in hand-to-handbat, he felt confident that a suplex would be enough to neutralize any opponent in a fight. It was as if his entire presence had transformed, and although he remained his usual polite self at work, the way his workers responded to him seemed to have undergone a drastic change. The workers in Sector E, who once greeted him casually, now seemed to instinctively stiffen and tremble when he arrived. His mere presence exerted an almost palpable pressure, as though an invisible force weighed down on them. Conversations would abruptly quiet, and the workers, once rxed, would address him with a newfound deference¡ªmore polite, more cautious, as if they could sense the power he nowmanded. This was all very new for Luke who never intended to abuse his power. However, it was almost like his body was brimming with strength and vitality and his power was only increasing each passing day. ************ (Meanwhile Jacob) After the humiliating defeat to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in Thumba City, Jacob changed his whole approach to gaming. As a true special operations soldier, he knew that patience was the key to any sessful counter operation and he realized that to catch-up to yers like ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the first thing he needed to do was reduce the level gap. The speed and strength that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ disyed was far above his own and although in-terms of pure technique and experience he was superior to the kid, he could not capitalize on that advantage with his meager speed and below average stats. Jacob crossed the level 200 threshold by the time the 6 months newbie boost period ended and managed to raise his level to 234 by the time that the next evaluation was 105 days away. Arge contributor to his monster leveling speed was the newbie double exp grace period, however, even without it, his Death Overlord ss cheat helped him gain levels faster than what an average yer could manage. At level 234 he managed to enter the top 10,000 yer rankings, bing the first and only yer from the New-Batch of yers to reach that threshold, earning tonnes of rewards from the system as a result. Although he was still nearly a 100 levels off from ¡®TheBoss¡¯, with his rapid improvement, he set the target to catch the kid in a year¡¯s time. However, levels was not the only department where he saw massive improvement. Apart from improving in terms of levels, he also raided a group dungeon called ¡®Necromancers Hideout¡¯ as a solo yer and managed to explore the depths of his powers as a ¡®Death Overlord¡¯. Once inside that dungeon, he realized that undead monsters instinctively obeyed him and if he wanted to, he could even ask them to fight against each other and gain exp when they died fighting. Undead Skeletons, Undead Horsemen, Headless Undead Horsemen, Undead Archers, Undead Mages and pretty much any undead monster under the level of a Lich obeyed him when he was in his [Undead Transformation] form, while they reflexively hesitated from attacking him when he was in his normal human form. Of-course there were limits to his powers as his [Undead-Transformation] form did notst very long, however, having understood those limits and how his ss worked still helped him improve massively as a yer as he seemed to get a grip on how the Terra Nova Online world worked. To his joy, he obtained the [Necromancer¡¯s Ring] from the dungeon, a rare item drop that only dropped in 1/1000 dungeon runs, which could summon 2-12 undead skeletons every hour. Equipped with that ring, Jacob found a new dimension to his gaming, as having extra bodies to order around helped him massively as a solo yer. Finally and probably most importantly, he joined an adventurer group where only military veterans could join, and although it was not an official guild, but more like a mercenary group, joining that group brought Jacob massive benefits. Firstly, he got to meet and chat with like minded military officials who understood the importance of respect and discipline, and secondly he got ess to mission requests which other veterans posted, and got to join them on tough adventures. Not only did he get to pick and choose missions to tag along, but he also got intel about the game world and hidden developments in a proper military format, that benefited him greatly. From time to time he would join small adventurer squad units and get paid in gold, while other times he would recruit their help in exterminating bandits and other anti-social forces, which would yield both exp and fame. His final goal still remained that of destroying the rebel movement and taking his revenge on ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for his humiliating defeat, however, he got to have tons of fun along the way, in what was a perfect retirement life in his mind. He had little to no work in the Sector A of the arc ship, and could spend most of his timezing around with Elena. And once those heartwarming moments were over, he could be a crazed killer in the world of Terra Nova, adventuring with other veterans in what was an ideal life that he could only have dreamt of on Earth. Chapter 493: ChaosBringers Recap Chapter 493: ChaosBringer''s Recap Chapter 493: ChaosBringer¡¯s Recap (Meanwhile ChaosBringer¡¯s POV) Over the past 1.5 months, ChaosBringer magically saw everything within his organisation starting to automatically fall into ce. It was as if some unseen hand had reshaped the once chaotic mess that was ¡®The Uprising¡¯ into a fully functioning machine. The guild, which had spent months floundering in disarray, was now operating with a level of efficiency that was both impressive and, for ChaosBringer, a little unsettling. The regr injection of funds from Leo Skyshard had been one of the first catalysts that prompted this change, but the transformation went far beyond mere financial support. Guild members, who once operated with little regard for structure or discipline, were now following a clear chain ofmand. Squads were formed, roles were assigned, and territories were being managed with military precision. Even the unruly mercenaries, and the NPC wing of the organisation that was renowned to be troublemakers and resistant to any form of hierarchy, had begun to recognize the importance of maintaining order within their ranks. Armies were organised, and ranks were formalised, with captains and lieutenants emerging to take control of the different factions within ¡®The Uprising¡¯. ChaosBringer found himself marvelling at the way the leadership had emerged from within the ranks. It wasn¡¯t that he had directed it¡ªhe had been too focused on his own missions to be concerned with internal affairs¡ªbut somehow, the right people had taken the reins. The financial team was tracking expenditures and managing resources with a level of professionalism unheard of! Not only were the sries being paid on time to every guild member, but a clear pay structure had been defined for every level of officer within the group. Territories were fortified and managed with strategic care, and a sophisticated system for maintaining order and discipline had emerged without his direct involvement. It was almost as if a Rebel Government had started to take shape and ¡°The Uprising¡± was evolving from being just an underground military group of ragtag members into a legitimate anti-establishment force, capable of not only capturing territories but also governing them with real authority. This was a very important change, as capturing territories was only half the challenge, while governing them was the real headache. Since their end goal was to rece the existing government, they needed to first be capable enough of handling that kind of workload, and for that, they needed a proper organisational shape. However, while ¡®The Uprising¡¯ underwent severe reforms, the only thing ChaosBringer truly focused on was ensuring ¡®The Boss¡¯s¡¯ needs were met. When given a mission by ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡ªwhether it was night or day, whether the guild members were busy with something else or not, the orders of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ took highest priority. ChaosBringer personally ensured that all of TheBoss¡¯s needs were met, as he became his most loyal and reliable working dog. Over thest 1.5 months, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ issued 5 missions for him, which hepleted with unbelievable speed and efficiency. His first mission was to submit a war n to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ on how to capture the Southern and Eastern regionspletely, which was a tough proposal, however, after consulting with all the senior members of the guild, some NPC strategists and holding non-stop debates, ChaosBringer submitted a satisfactory n back to ¡®TheBoss¡¯, only for him to get another mission instantly, which was to get the blueprints of the Royal Pce and the City of StrongHaven. This was a more difficult mission as there were no public records of the preciseyout of either StrongHaven City or the Royal Pce in public hands, and for the uprising to obtain one, the guild had to prepare an undercover schr who was requesting ess to the royal archives for his thesis. Not only did the guild have toplete several missions across the Empire overnight for that particr yer to gain enough fame to be recognized as a theoretical schr, but even after achieving that recognition, ChaosBringer faced even more obstacles before he was finally able to send him in. However, once inside, the spy stole everything from the sewer line blueprints, the royal castles hidden tunnels, to the detailed blueprints of StrongHaven City. Overjoyed, ChaosBringer sent the collected data to ¡®TheBoss¡¯, only for the guy to once again p him with a nearly impossible mission, without any words of praise offered for thepletion of the previous mission. This time the mission was to track a yer by the name of ¡®Eren¡¯, who was the alleged ¡®Demon Whisperer¡¯ before he was caught. Unfortunately, with the game world being massive, finding a particr yer within it without having clues to narrow the search down was like finding a needle in a haystack, however, despite the difficult nature of the request, ChaosBringer never gave up. Racking his brain day and night, ChaosBringer personally spearheaded the search, however, with the clearck of clues on where to even start, progress on finding him was slow. However, after a lot of thinking, once ChaosBringer realised that Eren was an old generation yer and most likely on the same Arc Ship as the majority of uprising members, he immediately moved the scope of the mission from inside the game world to the real world. In a bold move, ChaosBringer put an absurdly high bounty on Eren¡¯s head and instructed all guild members to search for him within the Arc Ship, as well as to gather any intel on his whereabouts in the game world. This strategy proved to be highly effective as by the very next day, guild members from sectors D and E, where most of The Uprising¡¯s members originated, began hunting for Eren like cats and dogs. The entire area buzzed with activity as members scoured every corner, leaving no stone unturned, as after four days of relentless searching, one guild member finally stumbled upon Eren, working as a sewage cleaner in the most unlikely of ces. The mighty Demon Whisperer within the game, was nothing more than a sewage cleaner in real life, and hence, when he was offered a chance at joining The Uprising, the man epted it in a heartbeat. Chapter 494: Amandas Recap, The Ankle Break Chapter 494: Amanda''s Recap, The Ankle Break Chapter 494: Amanda¡¯s Recap, The Ankle Break ( Amanda¡¯s POV ) From the moment Amanda improved her mastery over her cksmithing skills and realised she had the power to unlock the ankle restraints binding everyone aboard the Arc Ship, the idea almost immediately consumed her. The thought of freeing herself, along with the others, became an obsession that fueled her every move, pushing her hard to find a way to make it happen. However, she quickly recognized that achieving this goal would require two crucialponents, namely : a key and a counter charge. The key was essential for manually triggering the release inside the ankle lock, while the counter charge was needed to safely disable the auto-shock mechanism that would otherwise incapacitate anyone attempting to tamper with the device. However, although she knew what was necessary to unlock the device, the real challengey in acquiring them, as finding the rightponents on this secure Arc Ship was no small feat. For days, Amanda strategized. She pondered as to where she could obtain a long, thin metal rod, which she could fashion into the key, and after much deliberation, she realised her answery in the repairman¡¯s workshop on the Arc Ship. The workshop was likely the only ce where raw metals were readily avable, and it just so happened that Luke, one of the supervisors, worked there. Amanda hence concocted an borate n to gain ess to the workshop. She approached Luke with a seemingly innocent request, exining that she needed to see the workshop to better understand how to set up her smithy within the game and though Luke didn¡¯t entirely grasp the logic behind her request, he agreed, sensing her genuine enthusiasm. Once inside the workshop, Amanda discreetly pocketed a long, thin piece of iron, carefully hiding it up her sleeve as she made sure to maintain herposure as she left, bringing the stolen metal back to her apartment to begin her work. Back in her apartment, Amanda set to work on the piece of iron, using nothing more than a kitchen knife to shape it into the precise form needed to release the ankle lock¡¯s key-shaped mechanism. The process was slow,borious, and incredibly tedious. Yet, Amanda found an odd sense of satisfaction in the painstaking task. Each careful stroke of the knife brought her closer to her goal, and the sheer focus it required made the hours slip by unnoticed. After what felt like an eternity of work, the key was finallyplete! Amanda held her breath as she lowered it into her own ankle monitor, carefully guiding it toward the release mechanism and only stopping mere millimetres short of triggering it, before pulling the key back out as she confirmed that it was a perfect fit. Despite her sess, Amanda refrained from fully engaging the mechanism, as she knew all too well that the moment the release was triggered, a powerful electric charge would be unleashed, designed to incapacitate anyone tampering with the lock. At the risk of facing electrocution, Amanda wasn¡¯t keen on taking that chance¡ª and hence she stopped at the right moment just before triggering the release. With the key figured out, Amanda shifted her focus to obtaining the counter charge, but since finding something like a battery or power source aboard the Arc Ship seemed nearly impossible, she could only turn to magic to rece it. The passengers aboard the Arc Ship had recently discovered that they could tap into a fraction of their in-game powers and spells in real life after entering the Rainbow Stream and hence Amanda dared to dream that perhaps a strong mage could help her create a counter charge powerful enough to disable the bracelet. Since Lysa was the only mage she knew on a personal level. Amanda approached her one day in Sector B, where to her surprise Lysa agreed readily to help, feeling intrigued by the challenge of using her magical abilities in such a unique way. After some discussion, the two decided that the best course of action was to attempt a trial run on Amanda¡¯s own bracelet, as the two of them sat within the meditation room of Lysa¡¯s apartment and began working on Amanda¡¯s bracelet. Amanda sat on the floor, leg stretched out, as Lysa knelt beside her, muttering a series of incantations under her breath. Lysa¡¯s hands hovered just above Amanda¡¯s ankle monitor, the air around them crackling with energy. Amanda¡¯s heart raced as she watched Lysa concentrate, her fingers tracing glowing sigils in the air. The spell was intricate, its power building slowly as Lysa worked. Soon, a faint shimmer appeared around the bracelet, flickering like static. As the magical energy built up. At this point, Amanda felt a slight warmth around her ankle¡ªthe telltale sign that the spell was working. The moment of truth arrived when Amanda, using the key she had painstakingly crafted, inserted it into the small slot on the side of the bracelet, as with a slow, deliberate twist, the mechanism released. For a split second, Amanda felt a surge of panic. The auto-shock mechanism was still active and she could feel the dormant power humming inside the bracelet, ready to unleash its charge. But as Lysa¡¯s spell fully took hold, the energy within the bracelet seemed to dissipate, fading into nothingness, as the bracelet slid off Amanda¡¯s ankle, ttering softly onto the floor. *nk* The two women stared at it, breathless. Amanda flexed her ankle, the skin beneath the bracelet pale and marked by the faint outline of where it had once sat, as a sense of overwhelming relief washed over her. They had done it!!!! They had found a way to break free of the cursed ankle monitor! For a brief, heartstopping moment, the bracelet had been off, the auto-shock mechanism neutralised, as Amanda and Lysa exchanged triumphant looks, a shared sense of victory filling the room, but this did notst long, as Amanda quickly picked the bracelet back up and slid it over her ankle, reattaching it without hesitation. They had managed to disable it for a moment, but the consequences of not wearing it long-term were still unknown. Authorities on the Arc Ship were sure to notice if someone¡¯s ankle monitor wasn¡¯t in ce, and Amanda wasn¡¯t willing to risk the fallout just yet. Despite that, the psychological victory was immense. They now knew that the bracelet could be opened anytime they needed and it gave Amanda a sense of freedom she hadn¡¯t felt since arriving on the Arc Ship¡ªa secret, powerful advantage that no one else knew about. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to tell Leo about this¡­¡¯ she thought, as although she did not intend to tell about this sess to anyone else, she did intend to tell it to her dearest. Chapter 495: Warning Chapter 495: Warning ( Leo¡¯s POV, real world, the Arc Ship ) ¡°3 hours 15 minutes¡­.¡± Leo muttered, looking at the session timer on his mind meditation scroll, as he let out a deep sigh. He could now continuously meditate for more than half of the total 6 hours daily requirement and only needed to take a few minutes of break beforepleting the other 2 hours and 45 minutes, however, he was not satisfied. ¡°I was at 3 hours 5 minutes yesterday, I only progressed so much today¡­..¡± Leo said in a disappointed voice, as he seemed to expect more from himself. Just then, as he was about to resume his meditation session, he heard a knocking sound on his apartment door. *Knock* *Knock* . . *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* It was an almost rhythmic knock, one that Leo recognised instantly as Amanda¡¯s, as only she made such a knocking pattern, only when she was extremely happy. ¡°Coming!¡± Leo said, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead, as he tidied his robes and went out of the meditation room towards the apartment¡¯s entrance to greet Amanda. ¡°You won¡¯t believe what happened today¡ª¡± Amanda said in an excited voice, as she skipped past Leo and into the apartment, as she headed straight into the bedroom. Leo, now grinning looking at her excited energy, followed her into the bedroom hoping to get lucky today, however, what Amanda said next absolutely stunned him. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk in gestures now, so use your brain to understand what I¡¯m trying to say¡± Amanda said, as she pointed towards her ankle bracelet and Leo immediately understood what she was trying to say. The operators were always listening to what one was saying and hence if one wanted to talk about some illegal stuff, signnguage was the only option. Nodding, Leo gestured for her to go on, as Amanda pulled out a long metal key from her robe sleeves and pushed it into the ankle bracelet, stopping mere millimetres before the release mechanism was triggered. The implication was clear as she pulled it back out, before making a clicking sound which suggested that she could unlock the bounds. ¡°I still need the help of an expert mage like Lysa toplete the process, but I¡¯m justing back from her apartment in sector B and we did test it once¡­. And WE SUCCEEDED¡± Amanda said joyfully, as Leo felt his mind blown off at this revtion. The ankle monitor was their chain of doom. The one object that was dishing out all the death punishments and the object that was maintaining the hierarchy structure within the ship. If there was a way to get rid of the device without amputating one¡¯s leg, then the implications of it would be serious. People from Sector E would no longer be forced to perform the demeaning jobs that they currently performed and the limit on how much power a passenger could wield and how much mana they could harness would be liftedpletely. Currently, mages could not harness the power of a fireball spell on the arc ship like they could in the game world and this was because of the ankle monitor limiting the amount of mana they could harness. However, with such restrictions lifted, it would be a jungle rule, with the survival of the fittest being the onlyw. The strongest passengers would upy the best homes in Sector S and the weak would be the bottom feeders. For Leo himself, on a personal level, this gave him an option to bypass the restrictions of the actor ss, as without the death punishments hovering over his head, he would no longer need to lie to friends and family. If he could remove the ankle monitor, he could finally confess to Amanda and Luke that he was none other than ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and not have to face any consequences for saying those words. However, this did not seem like a wise move. There were lines within society that were meant to be crossed and then there were some that were not meant to be crossed and opening the ankle bracelet was one such line, as doing so would unleash true hell. ¡°What happened? Why are you sweating so much?¡± Amanda asked, as while she took this as nothing more than a fun challenge, Leo with his enhanced brain function truly understood the consequences of her discovery. ¡°Amanda¡­. Don¡¯t tell anyone that you can unlock the¡­¡± Leo said, pointing towards the ankle bracelet, as he seriously stared into her eyes. ¡°Not Cervantez, not Luke, don¡¯t tell it to anyone and warn Lysa against telling anyone too. There will be pandemonium if people realise that it can be done and the operators wille hunting for you and Lysa since you two are the only ones who know how to do it¡± Leo warned, as Amanda simply puffed her cheeks in frustration. She hade here for Leo to be amazed by her skills and for him to admire her, not for him to lecture her and hence she instantly lost her high spirits, as she turned away from Leo. ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you¨C¡± Amanda said like a spoiled little princess and although she looked incredibly cute when she turned to face the wall like a toddler being punished for mischief, Leo knew that he could not dismiss this matter with a light warning. Hence, hugging her from behind Leo tried tofort her, while also continuing to tell her that she needed to promise that she won¡¯t talk about this to anyone. ¡°Fine, fine, you win! I won¡¯t tell this to anyone¡± Amanda said, as Leo happily pecked on her cheeks and apologised for being so direct. Since the message had been passed, he now tried to coax her wholeheartedly, however, unfortunately for him, the vixen was already into attention seeking mode and was no longer in the mood to give even a slight bit back. In the end, Leo had to spend the entire hour apologising, before she finally epted his apology and returned to her own apartment without giving Leo any action. Chapter 496: Boss The Idol Chapter 496: Boss The Idol ( Present day, Terra Nova Online, random ¡®Uprising¡¯ yers ) ¡°Snakes? Why is the guild issuing missions to catch snakes now?¡± Asked Dardell, a low ranking member of the Uprising guild, as he felt confused on why the guild would even want snakes in the first ce. ¡°I don¡¯t know man, I¡¯m not upper management, I just know that they¡¯re paying 1 silver coin permon snake caught and it goes up to 1 gold coin if it¡¯s a powerful snake. It¡¯s a good gig, I need a gear update, so I¡¯m doing it¨C¡± Cornell said, as he stated his motivations behind taking this mission clearly. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel curious though? Cornell? As to why Guildmaster ChaosBringer issues these weird quests? Finding a yer called Eren? Finding snakes? Finding your grandma¡¯s panties? What is all this nonsense?¡± Dardell said, as Cornell raised an eyebrow. ¡°Panties?¡± He asked, sounding confused, as Dardell burst outughing. ¡°Just checking if you¡¯re paying attention or not, you horny bastard¨C¡± Dardell said, as he gave his friend a smack on his back. ¡°I don¡¯t know man. I don¡¯t ask no questions. I¡¯m given a job. I do it. Simple as that!¡± Cornell said, as Dardell clicked his tongue at this response. Unlike Cornell, Dardell was the curious kind of individual who wanted to know the bigger picture, however, his friend seemed to hold no curiosity towards it whatsoever. ¡°Man, you¡¯re no fun. You¡¯re always gonna remain a bottom rung yer. To be big you need to see the big picture¨C¡± Dardell said, as Cornell simply disregarded hisment and kept focusing on the jungle floor, looking for any signs of a camouging snake. After a while however, he felt guilty for blowing his friend off like that and hence he talked about a juicy rumour that he had heard amongst the uprising members. ¡°You know the new headquarters building they¡¯re making in the port city? In the south?¡± Cornell asked, as Dardell excitedly raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah¡­.? What about it?¡± He asked, as Cornell looked around as if to make sure nobody was listening in on their conversation, before speaking in a hushed tone. ¡°They say that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is gonnae for the inauguration. Finally addressing the whole guild for the first time ever¡± Cornell said, as Dardell clutched his mind as if it were blown. ¡°No way! No way! Ain¡¯t no way ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ising. Yooo¡­. Are you for real?¡± Dardell asked, feeling all excited, as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was his real role model. ¡°I am for real, I overheard the Captain talking about it. Seems legit¡± Cornell confirmed, as Dardell went nuts at the news. Ever since The Uprising had been created, everyone knew internally that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a part of them. However, nobody had ever really seen him make a move. Some within the organisation even believed that the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner was a part of the upper management, and hence when he died, many uprising members posted a ¡®Rest In Peace¡¯ legend post on the global forums in hismemoration. At that time, many expected ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to make a big move, however, he had been surprisingly silent about the death of his master. Despite hundreds of thousands of yers tagging him online to ask him about it, he never responded to any and seemed to havepletely gone off the grid, with no-one any wiser as to what he was up to. ¡°Man, that guy is my role model, I love him to death, I¡¯ll do anything to be there when he arrives at the new headquarters¨C¡± Dardell said, as Cornell nodded his head in agreement. He mirrored Dardell¡¯s sentiment as in his eyes, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was the strongest yer too and he could not wait to see him face to face. Recently, ever since his master died there had been a lot of nasty rumours surrounding ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as he seemed to have stagnated in his levelling journey. Over the past 45 days he did not gain a single level and many believed that it was because his master was carrying him throughout the game and now that he lost him, The Boss had lost his hack. However, members of ¡®The Uprising¡¯ did not believe these rumours as while the more fanatic ones amongst them literally worshipped ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as a religion, even the more moderate ones were his die-hard fans. Whenever an anti-bossment was made on the forums, the group members absolutely bashed that guy in the replies, as they single handedly kept the trolling of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ on the forums in check. Despite this, with how the DarkSky guildmaster and Vice-Guildmaster kept inching closer and closer to the top, fear had started to spread amongst the uprising members as well that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ might lose his crown, however, with no-one having ever dethroned him before, they had faith that their idol would manage to pull through somehow. ¡°Look Dardell, a snake¨C¡± said Cornell as he spotted a snake coiled around the branches of a tree. It was slithering silently, without minding the humans underneath, however, little did the snake know that it was about to be captured. Dardell made the first move, chopping the branch of the tree swiftly, as he sent the snake tumbling toward the jungle floor, where Cornell was ready to capture it, having already pulled out a in wooden containment box, designed specifically for missions like this. The box contained no fancy runes¡ª no suppressing effects like the boxes beast tamers used, however, it was just a simple, sturdy trap with a sliding mechanism to lock the snake inside, which was more than enough for this job. As the snake fell, Cornell captured it perfectly into the box, as with a quick motion, he shut the box¡¯s sliding lid, securing their prize. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Dardell said, wiping his hands. ¡°No dagger work needed to fight it first.¡± Cornell grinned. ¡°One down, and it¡¯s a start. But we¡¯ll need more than justmon ones if we want to make any real coin.¡± Dardell nodded, his eyes scanning the jungle once more. ¡°Let¡¯s find something bigger. There¡¯s got to be a rare one lurking nearby.¡± With the first snake captured, the two uprising members ventured deeper into the jungle, eager for a bigger challenge¡ªand a bigger reward. Chapter 497: Mastering Vanish Chapter 497: Mastering Vanish ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Once Leo became proficient in the use of [Shadowbind] his next big focus was on improving the mastery of his existing skills. The goal was to reach [Advanced] mastery in all three of his core assassination skills, and for the sake of starting somewhere, Leo decided to start with mastering the skill [Vanish] as his first goal. His current mastery of the skill was at [Basic] level, and although he had been using the skill quite often during his adventures, just simple repetition of the skill did not seem to be enough to improve the grade. There were a lot of articles on the forums about how to improve the mastery of skills and most of them suggested the dumb skill repetition method to achieve the next grade, however, Leo did not agree with them. He was sure that dumb repetition without reflection was the slowest way to master a skill, and hence, he practiced with a focused approach. He focused on reducing the skill activation time as much as possible for a start, and since the skill only activated by him circting mana through his body in a certain path, Leo focused on memorizing that path and reducing the time it took him to circte mana within. Thanks to his routine training with the mind meditation scroll, where he elerated the flow of mana within his body regrly and took sharp turns at will, he was soon able to reduce the activation time for [Vanish] significantly, achieving [Intermediate] mastery within the skill in less than a day. Just by making this improvement, Leo observed massive advantages in his skill execution, as he could now blend in with the shadows three times faster than before and the camouge was also much more convincing than before. However, the real challenge was in pushing the mastery of the skill from [Intermediate] to [Advanced] grade. Had he been a normal yer who had no reference point to know what the next stage of his skills mastery looked like, then perhaps he would have struggled to push the mastery of the skill from [Intermediate] to [Advanced] grade, however, since he was a student of Ben Faulkner, Leo already understood what [Advanced] mastery of the Vanish skill was supposed to look like, as he had already witnessed a demonstration of it from his master. He remembered it clear as day, when his master demonstrated ¡®Vanish¡¯ to him for the first time ever, and how, with no shadows to hide around him, and no objects to obscure his view, Ben still managed to hide his presence from him, vanishing into thin air, in pure broad daylight. That was undoubtedly the [Advanced] stage of ¡®Vanish¡¯, where one did not need to blend into the shadows anymore and could vanish at will from anywhere. When Leo saw Ben perform ¡®Vanish¡¯ for the first time, he was simply awestruck by how far beyond him his master was in terms of skill and execution and wondered if he would ever be able to reach that level of greatness. But as he grew older, the gap no longer seemed quite so vast to him. As he pursued his journey to be a Master Assassin, he began to feel that Ben¡¯s abilities were now within his reach and had alreadye to understand the principle behind vanishing from anywhere, as it no longer felt unattainable to him. Vanishing from anywhere was essentially the same concept as blending with the shadows. It used the same concept of manipting the mana to create an illusion, however, while creating an illusion ofplete darkness was easy, creating an illusion that mirrored one¡¯s surroundings from all angles was difficult. ¡®Vanishing¡¯ did not mean ceasing to exist and when vanishing in an open ground, one¡¯s physical body did not simply stop existing. Instead, it mirrored its surroundings perfectly, creating a thin mirror of illusion around the body, which gave any onlooker the perception of the body having vanished, or in other words, it was simply vanishing in darkness taken to the next level. For four days, Leo struggled to grasp the basics of this level, as he could not create a convincing enough veil of illusion that covered his entire body, however, he made rapid progress in understanding where hecked, and improved from every failure that he faced. Having rity of what exactly he was supposed to achieve, Leo had a clear goal to work towards and this helped him greatly in avoiding some of the wrong approaches he would have otherwise taken to trying to master the technique. Finally, after 10 odd days of practicing it, Leo finally heard the system notification acknowledge his perfect camouge, as he mastered the skill of vanishing into thin air. [ System Notification :- Congrattions to yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ for having improved the mastery of your skill [Vanish] from [Intermediate] to [Advanced] mastery. You have received:- +10,000 Gold +5 levels +1500 MP ] To Leo¡¯s absolute joy, not only did mastering the vanish skill to the advanced rank bring him MP and gold, but also a bump in levels, as having been stuck inside the mansion, he had really beencking in the leveling department for a long time. Thankfully, the gap between him and the number two yer was so massive that despite him not having leveled up in nearly two months, the number two yer was still 20 levels behind him, which had now once again been expanded to 25. However, while Leo focused on the level improvement and other non-important stuff, he did not seem to realize the fact that he had gone from [Basic] to [Advanced] mastery of a skill in just under 12 days. Such speed of skill mastery was beyond genius, and unbeknownst to him it sent shockwaves throughout the operator room. The operator¡¯s had imprisoned him to try and stagnate his growth so that he no longer destroyed the bnce of the game, and had even created an emergency event for the character Ben Faulkner in the North, which saw Leo¡¯s master not returning to Crest-Hill Barony for the remainder of his house arrest, however, despite those restrictions, Leo was thriving unlike ever before and this caused panic at the top. Chapter 498: The secret of the special class Chapter 498: The secret of the special ss (The operator room, The Arc Ship) Raya, Raven and Captain Kid, all simply stared at their game statistics screen with their heads clutched tight. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t, would he? I mean, only 6 yers have ever reached the realm of a master by just ying the stupid game before. However, even those geniuses had only reached the master realm in the final year of their journey¡­. He wouldn¡¯t manage to do it in just under two years would he?¡± Raya asked, her voiceced with disbelief as she stared at the statistics screen in front of her, which now projected the likelihood of Leo Skyshard bing a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter in just under 5 months at 40%. ¡°He¡¯s going to reach it. There¡¯s no doubt about it, the question is only how fast. If he reaches it too fast, he will break the bnce of the game and our employers will not be happy at all¨C¡± Captain Kid, the Captain of this ship said, as he seemed genuinely worried about the direction things were currently going in. ¡°He is going to reach it soon and there¡¯s nothing we can do to hinder him, as both the Universal Government and Human Alliance have shown great interest in him as a talent and have given us explicit instructions to not hinder his gamey¨C¡± Raven said, as he pointed out how Leo had already started to gather the attention of the higher ups and how they could not purposefully sabotage his gamey. ¡°I knew giving him that mental meditation scroll was a mistake, he¡¯s progressing rapidly because of it. If it wasn¡¯t for the scroll he would still be struggling to reach intermediate mastery of his skills¡± Rayained, as she seemed frustrated at the fact that Leo got a meditation scroll before her, even though she was a universal government employee for years now. ¡°You think it¡¯s because of the scroll?¡± Captain kid asked, his voiceced with contempt as he could not believe that his underlings would possess such a narrow view of things. ¡°You¡¯re naive and immature if you think the scroll has a huge part to y in this. It has a small part to y, yes, but this progress is his own¡± Kid said authoritatively as he seemed personally insulted by the very insinuation that this progress that Leo made was because of anything but his own talent. ¡°How many times have we introduced ¡®Actor¡¯ as a special ss within the game world? And how many times has anyone yed it, even a quarter as good as this kid?¡± Kid pointed out, as Raya shook her head in shame. The ¡®Actor¡¯ ss was supposed to be one of the hardest sses in the game to y. Not only did ite with a difficult starting penalty, where one could instantly lose their life before the game ever officially took pace, but it was also difficult to progress in overall. The actor ss imposed so many different roles upon its yer that a normal person was sure to be overwhelmed. Between maintaining the image of the first role and progressing through the other roles, a yer often found themselves unable to keep up with any role, spiraling into a downfall. 90% of all ¡®Actor¡¯ ss yers throughout history lost their lives within the first three months of the game, and the lucky 10% that survived, crashed and burnt out when the second role was imposed upon them. Leo was the first ¡®Actor¡¯ ss yer to ever make it so far, outperforming even the ¡®Regressor¡¯ ss yer which was usually the favorite to be number one and this was a testament to his own skill as his ss wasn¡¯t inherently this strong. The ¡®Actor¡¯ ss, just like all the other special sses within the game, was modeled after a sessful historic figure, who had used unconventional means to reach the top. The Demon King Anos, that lived centuries ago on Terra Nova, took ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ to its limits, bing the most sessful demon ruler in the past 1000 years, even though he himself wasn¡¯t that strong. The ¡®Actor¡¯ ss was modeled after him, however, although the ss had been introduced for the past 400 years within the game as a ¡®Unique¡¯ destiny, nobody seemed to be able to make the most of it, until Leo. Leo, just like Anos, was the perfect fit for the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss, as he really managed to fake his strength till he actually started to make it in life. However, in terms of pure ss superiority, the other special sses like Cervantez¡¯s (Regressor), ChaosBringer¡¯s (Instigator), Jacob¡¯s (Death Overlord), Big Dawg¡¯s (Seer) were all superior to Leo¡¯s (Actor). All the special sses within the world of Terra Nova were modeled after realistic historical figures who managed to be super sessful in life bing the best at their ss, and there were over 500 of them in total. There was roughly 1 in 1 million chance that a yer got a special ss, however, despite there being 500 special ss yers total, only 120 of them were within top 10,000, with many like Eren¡¯s [Demon Whisperer] being not sessful at all. Although the potential behind each unique ss was immense, they were only introduced within the game as a social experiment to see whether or not anyone could recreate the sess form of those historic beings, while the wider focus still remained on developing workers for the destination. However, even though special sses were uniquely positioned to be more sessful than the rest, the amount of progress Leo currently made was beyond the realms of understanding for the ship operators, as him being on the cusp of bing a (Master) was a huge problem for them. The ankle monitors currently having a tight hold on all passengers could not handle the strength of a master, and with them not having any master level restriction monitors on the ship, if Leo reached the master realm, it would result in them losing control over him. Chapter 499: Probability Chapter 499: Probability ¡°So what now, Captain, can we do nothing about this situation?¡± Raven asked, as although he acknowledged the fact that Leo was a genius who was meant to soar high into the skies, if he managed to reach the realm of a Master, not only would he irreversibly tilt the bnce of the game, but he would also break free from the restrictions of the ankle monitor. ¡°We can only report this situation to the higher ups and wait for their response. They might feel even more interested in Leo Skyshard after learning about his incredible progress, inviting more factions to go after him. Or they might decide to extend his punishment for another deal¡± Captain Kid said, as he seemed to give up on the thought of trying to handle the ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ situation by himself. If he handled Leo¡¯s situation wrong, the bacsh he would face could be immense and hence he decided to not worry about it at all. He would let the higher ups decide on what to do with Leo and just follow their orders to the T. ¡°Captain, about Leo Skyshard, there¡¯s something I wish to report¡± Raya said, as since they were currently discussing his future, Raya felt like it was important that she reveal the details of her previous conversation with Leo. ¡°What is it?¡± Kid asked, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. ¡°A few days ago when I was in MP exchange duty, I received a call from Leo Skyshard, as he inquired about the method to recreate a Ben Faulkner clone in real life¨C¡± Raya said, as Kid immediately dismissed the idea as absurd. ¡°That would take hundreds of thousands of MP, and for what? Clones can¡¯t advance more than 1 grade of where they were created, so even if he recreated Ben Faulkner¡¯s clone. This version of Ben Faulkner would be a Grandmaster level fighter at best, if he managed to be that in the first ce. The yearly sry of a beginner level Universal Government employee is 10,000 MP a year, so if he worked for 75 years non-stop, not spending a single MP on anything, he would still barely gather the MP required to create a clone of Ben Faulkner which would not amount to much in the first ce. Even holding such an idea is ridiculous, it¡¯s better to save 750,000 MP if he can collect it and live a luxurious life on Terra Nova, rather than spending it on a clone¡± Kid said, feeling bbergasted that someone even proposed doing something so ridiculous. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I told him Captain, but he then proceeded to request a list of all the missions within the game that paid out the most amount of MP as a reward and seemed dead set onpleting them¡± Raya reported, as at this piece of news Kid¡¯s expression turned a little serious. ¡°The three missions that pay the most MP, aren¡¯t all three of them nearly impossible?¡± Kid said, recalling what those missions were, as he did not think that anyone couldplete them. ¡°Yes, but with The Uprising bing this strong, there¡¯s currently a 15% chance that they seed in taking over the Empire. While if Leo Skyshard bes a master, that will put him in the same realm of strength as Demon King Anos¡± Raya reported, as sweat beads started to form on Kid¡¯s head when he heard this report. ¡°Is that so?¡± Kid inquired, thinking more deeply into the matter, before shrugging his shoulders in dismissal. ¡°Even if hepletes the first two missions, it¡¯s impossible for a yer to kill ck Dragon Drogo. It doesn¡¯t matter how much of a genius Leo Skyshard is, defeating Drogo is impossible. What does the system show his odds of defeating Drogo to be, if he does manage to be a master?¡± Kid asked, as Raya inputted somemands into her supeputer before replying ¡°0.12%¡± ¡°0.12%???¡± Kid cried out loud, as although these were still pretty nominal odds, it was higher than anything he had ever seen before. ¡°So high?¡± Kid asked again, feeling stupefied, as his whole evaluation of Leo Skyshard changed once again. ¡°I think we should start befriending Leo Skyshard. There is no longer any doubt in my mind that he will be our Superior should he join the Universal Government, and hugging his thick thighs early will give us a benefit in life¨C¡± Kid said shamelessly, as he waspletely blown away by Leo¡¯s brilliance at this point. ******* ( Meanwhile Luke, Terra Nova Online ) Luke rode Brown Pudding on one of his regr scouting missions, when this time around he saw a massive wyvern being chained down to the ground using heavy steel chains, being present within the Demon Camp. ¡®He¡¯s back¡­. The Demon Count is back!¡¯ Luke thought, as he seemed to have recognised that wyvern mount instantly. ¡°Let¡¯s return Brown Pudding, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s safe to scout over the Demon Camp anymore¨C¡± Luke said as he tugged on Brown Pudding¡¯s reins for her to turn around. The Demon Count having returned was bad news for the DarkSky Guild, as this made their next sh against the Demon Army nearly impossible to win. Having a Demon Count by their side, whose primary ss was something like a mage, was like having a fighter jet to back an army in battle. Not only did he fly high and fast, making it impossible for groundsmen to target him, but he also dished out powerful AOE damage to defensive lines, making fighting a war that much more difficult tactically. ¡®Is this the end of our hold on Silver-Pine Barony?¡¯ Luke wondered, as he returned back to base camp and let out a deep sigh. Currently, it did not seem like the Demon¡¯s were on the cusp of mobilizing their forces, however, whenever theyunched the next attack, it would undoubtedly be a difficult one to defend against, with the Demon Count having returned beside their ranks. Chapter 500: Mastering Kill Strike Chapter 500: Mastering Kill Strike (Leo¡¯s POV) After advancing [Vanish] to the [Advanced] grade, Leo¡¯s focus shifted to mastering his next skill [The Kill Strike]. [The Kill Strike] was renowned as one of the deadliest techniques in Terra Nova Online, being the fabled assassination technique unique to Ben Faulkner, yet despite having learnt the move, Leo had rarely found the chance to wield it in battle. The reason for this was simple [The Kill Strike] was designed specifically for PvP scenarios, meant to annihte formidable opponents with a single, devastating blow of critical damage. However, with Ben constantly by his side, Leo either never faced such challenging enemies, or when he did, Ben would swiftly eliminate them, leaving Leo with few opportunities to fully unleash the skill¡¯s potential. Thisck of real-world experience hindered his ability to improve the skill¡¯s proficiency when the time came, providing him with a challenging environment to raise its proficiency whenpared to [Vanish]. However, much like [Vanish], the first hurdle of pushing the skill¡¯s mastery from [Basic] to [Intermediate] was to improve on its activation speed. In theory, [The Kill Strike] was a move which required him to channel his mana through his body and into his weapon, so there were twoyers of activation that he needed to improve on. Firstly, he needed to improve the amount of time it took him to gather his mana from his body to his palms, and secondly the amount of time it took him to push that mana from his palm into his de. Hence, the first step that Leo took in training the move was to focus on gathering his body¡¯s mana swiftly to his palm, reducing the time required for this step to the minimum. This was a rtively smooth process for him, as thanks to his improved mana control from practicing the mind meditation scroll, he was able to reduce the activation time for the first phase significantly, which only left him with the second unfamiliar part to master. For the second part, he used a wooden training dummy as his stand-in for livebat. Each time, he would focus on feeling the flow of mana coursing through his arm and into the de, visualizing it coiling like a spring ready to release upon impact. At first, his control was sloppy. The mana took too long to build, and when he struck, the impact felt weak. The system didn¡¯t recognize any significant improvement in the skill¡¯s mastery, however, with each failed attempt, his proficiency improved. ¡°It¡¯s not enough just to gather the mana,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°I need to release it the second the de pierces.¡± He realized, as after many failed attempts, Leo understood that there was more to improving the mastery of [Kill Strike] than just the activation speed. The mana needed to flow seamlessly from his body to the de and explode outward into the target all in one fluid motion, and he was stillcking severely in binding all these steps together. He trained for hours, relentlessly practicing on the wooden dummy until the system finally acknowledge his progress, as after a couple days of solid practice, the system notification finally chimed:- [System Notification: Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, You have improved the mastery of your skill [Kill Strike] from Basic to Intermediate.] With his new [Intermediate] mastery, Leo could feel the difference in his skills power almost immediately. The mana flowed quicker through his body into the dagger, and the strike that he produced now carried a much more potent burst of energy. His attacks felt sharper, and the impact on the dummy was far more significant than before. However, while he had reached the [Intermediate] grade of mastery with rtive ease, Leo knew that the real challenge was to push to the [Advanced] grade. ******** The next part of his training was focused on increasing the raw power of [The Kill Strike]. While the intermediate stage allowed him to channel mana more efficiently, the [Advanced] mastery required him to unlock the true potential of the skill. In its final form, [The Kill Strike] wouldn¡¯t just target the enemy¡¯s heart¡ªit would create a shockwave that could rupture multiple vital organs simultaneously, spreading out the destructive force through the target¡¯s entire body, leading to multiple organ failure. It was a devastating attack precisely because of its shockwave type delivery that could damage multiple organs, however, mastering this step wasn¡¯t easy. Leo remembered a demonstration from his master, Ben, when Ben first taught him the skill, as back then, Ben¡¯s mana surged so strongly through his de that the target didn¡¯t just receive devastating damage¡ª but the entire surrounding area was torn apart by the explosive force, leaving a deep crater where the target once stood. To reach this level, Leo realized he needed to focus not only on controlling the speed of his mana release but also on regting its volume. Determined to improve, he pushed himself harder in his training, honing his ability to both withhold and unleashrger bursts of mana with precision. This was much harder than anything he had done before as during practice his mana would often spiral out of control, dissipating too early, or worse, failing to release at all. For days, Leo trained relentlessly, making only minor improvements, and the frustration had started to mount, but Leo understood that this was part of the process as mastering an assassination skill like [The Kill Strike] took time, precision, and patience. Finally, after nearly two weeks of trial and error, Leo reached a breakthrough. After significantly improving the burst of mana he could produce, he struck the wooden dummy with such precision and control that when his dagger pierced the target, the mana erupted from the de like a contained explosion, obliterating the training dummy in one strike. *BOOM* The shockwave traveled outward, cracking the stone floor beneath him, as Leo achieved a result that was nearly as good as Ben¡¯s. Leo stood still for a moment, panting heavily from the effort, as he saw the much awaited system notification finallye through: [System Notification: Congrattions to yer ¡®The Boss¡¯ for improving your skill [Kill Strike] to Advanced mastery You have received: +15,000 Gold +7 Levels +2000 MP] As Leo stood over the destroyed remnants of his training dummy, he realized just how much he had grown in such a short time. The power he had disyed currently was greater than 20 times what the initial Kill Strike was capable of, which whenbined with the added damage of a critical hit, was now iparably more lethal than before. Mastering two of his core skills within weeks was an achievement that would have taken others months, if not years. Yet here he was, standing at the pinnacle of his abilities, ready for the next challenge. Chapter 501: Mastering Mirror World (1) Chapter 501: Mastering Mirror World (1) With [Vanish] and [Kill Strike] already honed to an advanced level, Leo shifted his focus to the third and final core skill in his repertoire: [Mirror World]. Unlike [Vanish] and [Kill Strike], [Mirror World] was an unusual skill for Leo, primarily because, unlike the other two, he had never seen a more refined version of this ability from his mentor, Ben. At present, the key difference between Leo¡¯s [Mirror World] and Ben¡¯sy in the number of clones they could generate. While Leo could conjure a maximum of 12 clones, Ben¡¯s capabilities extended to producing well over 100. Despite this numerical disparity, the quality of the clones remained identical, suggesting it was purely a matter of quantity. Drawing from his experience in mastering skills, Leo knew that when a skill¡¯s mastery advanced from [Intermediate] to [Advanced], it underwent a significant qualitative transformation. This led him to believe that even Ben hadn¡¯t yet achieved [Advanced] mastery in [Mirror World], meaning Leo would need to figure out that part on his own. Thankfully, after practicing [Shadow Bind], Leo could already see a potential path to improve [Mirror World] beyond its conventional boundaries. However, for now, he needed to raise the mastery of [Mirror World] to [Intermediate] grade first. Leo knew that to achieve intermediate mastery, he needed to increase the number of clones he could summon from 12 to 100¡ª which was a daunting challenge in itself. For his first step, Leo decided to push the boundaries of his current skill by trying to summon more than 12 clones. Standing in the silence of his manor¡¯s garden, his temporary training ground, Leo focused on using [Mirror World] and tried to create as many clones as he could. One by one, illusions of himself appeared around him, each a perfect reflection. He counted carefully, with the first 12 clonesing quickly, as always, with little strain, however, from that point, Leo began pushing further, consciously willing himself to create more. 13¡­14¡­15. The air shimmered as additional clones emerged, flickering momentarily before stabilizing, until he reached 20. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he concentrated, but the effort to maintain the extra clones was evident. His mana reserves were draining faster than expected, and the clones felt less stable, with their forms looking less convincing than usual. After a minute, the strain became too much. The clones flickered out of existence all at once, leaving Leo alone in the garden, breathing heavily. ¡°I¡¯m wasting too much mana,¡± he muttered, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can summon 100 clones like this.¡± Leo said, as he realized that the problem wasn¡¯t just the amount of mana he had, but also how he was using it. Each clone was taking more energy than necessary, leaving him with little mana to summon additional illusions. To reach 100 clones, he had to figure out how to be more efficient with his mana control, which he felt was key to reaching the next step. Hence, over the next few days, Leo focused on refining his control over the flow of mana into each clone. He practiced summoning small numbers of clones repeatedly, paying close attention to the energy each one required. Soon, he discovered he had been channeling too much mana into each clone, making them overly solid and wasting energy. By lightening the mana flow to each illusion, he could maintain their appearance without depleting his reserves too quickly, and with this realization, Leo tried again, pushing himself to summon more clones. This time, he reached 25 without feeling the overwhelming strain that had stopped him before, and to his joy, the clones felt stable, their forms less solid but still convincing enough to deceive an opponent. Encouraged by his progress, Leo continued practicing over the next few days, incrementally increasing the number of clones he could summon. ****** (One weekter) After a week of focused training, Leo reached 50 clones¡ªhalf of his goal. The difference was night and day. Where before he had struggled to maintain 20, he now felt a sense of control over the illusions that he hadn¡¯t experienced before. His mana flowed smoothly into each clone, and while the energy drain was still significant, it was no longer overwhelming. However, Leo soon realized another challenge. Summoning 50 clones was one thing, but controlling them all at once was another, as while he could summon them, directing their movements simultaneously required a level of focus he hadn¡¯t anticipated. As Leo attempted to maneuver his clones around the garden, sending them in different directions to simte a realbat scenario, he realized they were nothing more than empty puppets. With his attention split among 50 clones, his control wavered, and half the clones disappeared mid-movement as the strain of managing them all proved too much. ¡°This is harder than I thought,¡± Leo sighed, wiping his brow. ¡°This is undoubtedly the most challenging skill to master yet,¡± Leo mused, realizing that [Mirror World] was on a whole other levelpared to his other skills. ******** (One more weekter) Leo spent the next few days focusing not just on summoning the clones, but on controlling them effectively. He started small, summoning 20 clones and practicing moving them in sync. As his control improved, he increased the number, gradually working his way back up to 50. Had it not been for the strengthening effects of the mind meditation scroll, Leo doubted he could handle the mental load of controlling over 50 clones. But thanks to his mind¡¯s conditioning, he slowly became ustomed to the demands of managing so many illusions at once. The process was grueling, requiring intense concentration, but Leo persisted. Over time, he began to feel morefortable managing the illusions, and his ability to direct their movements became second nature. By the end of the second week, Leo found himself capable of consistently summoning and controlling 75 clones at once, but he knew he still had a long way to go before reaching 100. ******** (A couple more weekster) After more weeks of training, Leo finally crossed the 92-clone threshold. Determined to hit 100 that day, he decided to push himself to the limit. He had spent weeks honing his mana control and improving his focus, and now it was time to see if he could summon 100 clones. Taking a deep breath, Leo stood in the center of the garden, closing his eyes as he focused on the flow of mana within him. Slowly, he channeled the energy into the skill, visualizing the clones in his mind. One by one, the illusions appeared, surrounding him in a circle. 12¡­20¡­30. Leo pushed further, his mana flowing more smoothly than ever before. 50¡­60¡­70. The air shimmered as the number of clones grew, each one a perfect copy of himself. 80¡­90¡­100. Leo opened his eyes, staring at the sea of illusions that filled the garden. He could feel the strain of maintaining them, but it was manageable¡ªnothing like the overwhelming pressure he had felt before. He moved his hand, and the clones moved in unison, responding to hismand with ease. For the first time, Leo felt fully in control. And right on cue, the system notification chimed, confirming his sess: [System Notification: Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for improving your skill [Mirror World] to (Intermediate) mastery.] Chapter 502: What Am I Lacking? Chapter 502: What Am I Lacking? ( Leo¡¯s POV, afterpleting intermediate mastery) [System Notification: Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for improving your skill [Mirror World] to (Intermediate) mastery.] *Exhale* Leo exhaled in relief as the notification appeared before him. This had undoubtedly been the most difficult challenge he had faced in his quest to raise the mastery of any skill. The journey to (Intermediate) mastery had pushed him to his limits, and had left him utterly drained, however, to his surprise, although he reached the (Intermediate) mastery of [Mirror World], the much awaited system notification that he had be a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior, never came. To reach the (Intermediate) grade of mastery, he had not only been forced to refine his control over mana, but also forced to push his mental capacity to the brink, using every ounce of concentration that he could muster. Yet, despite his hard-earned aplishment, Leo felt a sharp pang of disappointment when the second system notification never came. Elevating the skill to (Intermediate) mastery hadn¡¯t triggered the long-anticipated character evolution that would elevate him to the rank of a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior, and for all his efforts, the breakthrough still seemed just out of reach. Leo was certain that even his master, Ben, hadn¡¯t yet achieved the (Advanced) level of mastery in [Mirror World]. Still, Ben had somehow managed to ascend to the status of a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter, but for some reason Leo could not do the same. Leo had been convinced that reaching (Intermediate) mastery in [Mirror World] would be the key to unlocking his own breakthrough into the realm of masters. Yet here he stood, still just short of that elusive breakthrough, and he couldn¡¯t understand why. ¡®What am Icking? Why haven¡¯t I be a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter yet?¡¯ Leo mused. His thoughts continuously circling over the question, but no matter how hard he tried, no clear answers emerged. All he could do was specte, unsure of where his progress was faltering, as his mind wandered back to a conversation with Ben¡ªa conversation where Ben exined to him what exactly it meant to be a ¡®Master¡¯. ¡°A master, huh? It¡¯s not just about how many enemies you can face,¡± Ben had said, his voice calm butmanding. ¡°It¡¯s about the flow¡ªthe seamless connection between you and your power. For you, every move, every skill takes effort. You gather mana, direct it, and then use it. But for a master? It¡¯s as natural as breathing. There¡¯s no thought, no effort¡ªjust pure action.¡± Leo vividly recalled how effortlessly Ben had described something that, to him, still felt so far away. ¡°I don¡¯t need to consciously gather mana anymore. It flows through me constantly, like an unstoppable torrent. When I think of using ¡®Mirror World,¡¯ it simply happens. That¡¯s what mastery is, Leo¡± Ben had exined, as Leo tried to discern some hidden message behind his words, looking for anything that would give him a clue on what he wascking. However, the answer he was seeking did not seem to be in this part of Ben¡¯s exnation of what it meant to be a master. Leo recalled how after uttering these words, Ben had gone on to further exin as to how a master¡¯s body didn¡¯t just function on its own, and how it was in perfect sync with the mana flowing through it and the surrounding world. That natural flow allowed a master to act without hesitation, without conscious control, and what Leocked currently was this effortless synergy. ¡°It¡¯s not just about your skill level,¡± Ben had emphasized, his words still ringing clear in Leo¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯s about reaching a state where your abilities and your mana are one. When your body bes an open channel for mana, that¡¯s when you know you¡¯ve entered the realm of a master.¡± The memory of Ben¡¯s words left Leo feeling both inspired and frustrated. He had trained relentlessly, pushing himself to the point of exhaustion to achieve (Intermediate) mastery in [Mirror World]. And yet, despite all that effort, the fluid, effortless flow of mana that Ben had described still seemed lightyears away. Clenching his fists, Leo began to realize that it wasn¡¯t just about increasing his skill level¡ªit was about something much deeper. It was about understanding his power on a fundamental level and about achievingplete unity with his mana. He couldn¡¯t force it. He couldn¡¯t make it happen through sheer willpower. It was something that had toe to him naturally. Ben had already reached that point of seamless mastery, where his body and mana worked together as one. But Leo, despite his best efforts, wasn¡¯t there yet. Not yet, anyway. But he knew he would be. Little did he know that his body was actually already on the verge of bing a master, however, what he actuallycked were the hidden requirements set by the system for a yer to be acknowledged as a master. Firstly, the system only acknowledged yers above level 350 as a master as a baseline. Leo was still 13 levels short of that threshold and hence could not enter the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ till he reached it. The second requirement was that bar from system given character skills, all additional skills had to be at a minimum of (Intermediate) mastery, however, with him having added (Shadowbind) to his arsenal, and (Shadowbind) only being at (Basic) mastery, Leo needed to also raise it to (Intermediate) level to achieve that acknowledgement. Thirdly and finally, he needed to have a minimum of (Advanced) mastery in two (Legendary) grade skills or higher, which he already did, hence he only needed to fulfill the first two conditions to be acknowledged as a master. However, in the absence of this clear knowledge, Leo believed that he needed to perhaps push his skill mastery even further and decided to focus on taking [Mirror World] from the (Intermediate) to (Advanced) grade, which was actually a needless fulfillment. Chapter 503: Progress Chapter 503: Progress Leo had several ideas on how to advance his mastery of [Mirror World] beyond the Intermediate grade, but he wasn¡¯t certain if any of them would seed. The initial spark of the idea began to take root in his mind during his practice with [Shadow Bind]. The technique of manipting shadows was quite simr to controlling illusions, as both shared a fundamental underlying principle. Hence, Leo believed that with some trial and error, he could perhaps give his illusionary doppelgangers a real physical form, turning them into actual physical clones that he could control with his mind. If sessful, it could add a whole another level of dimensionality to his fighting style and could perhaps help him surpass even the genius of his master, who was yet to reach this stage. But the question was how? As athough giving illusions a physical form seemed to be simr to giving shadows a form, there were many nuanced differences that Leo had to figure out first. Regardless, Leo decided to take the challenge head-on and started to experiment, making wild attempts to bind his mana with his illusions to try and make them solid. Drawing on his experience from mastering [Shadowbind], he began to integrate the concepts he had learned into his attempts with [Mirror World], hoping to give his illusionary doppelgangers a real, tangible form, but the first few days of his attempts were rough as nothing seemed to work. During the first few days, Leo found himself struggling to apply the same principles he had used with shadows to his illusions, as while shadows were tied to physical surfaces, grounded in reality, illusions were purely constructs of the mind, with no tether to the physical world, making his first attempts at trying to infuse mana into them fail miserably. No matter how hard he tried, the illusions he created remained insubstantial, flickering in and out of existence, with no sign of bing real. Hence, Leo decided to change the goal and aim small, as for the first week, Leo focused on trying to simply make his illusions hold some kind of weight. He infused mana into them, just like he had done with shadows, but without a tangible surface for the mana to interact with, the results were inconsistent at best. The doppelgangers would flicker, showing signs of solidity for a moment, only to dissipate the next. It felt as if the illusions resisted the infusion, as unlike the shadows, which had at least allowed themselves to be shaped into a physical form, illusions did not seem to react to mana in the same way. Regardless, Leo did not lose hope and kept trying out new things everyday. ******* By the end of the second week, Leo realized that his initial approach was too simplistic. He wasn¡¯t just dealing with shadows anymore¡ªhe was manipting pure illusion, something that didn¡¯t even exist in the physical world to begin with, and to deal with such a thing, he needed a different strategy. Recalling his sess with [Shadowbind], where he had created an internal mana framework to support the structure of the shadows, Leo decided to attempt something simr with his illusions. He theorized that if he could build a mana skeleton inside the illusion, like he had done with the shadows, it might give the doppelgangers the support they needed to maintain a physical form, and thankfully for him, his intuition was indeed the right method to proceed, as delving down that path, he soon found a breakthrough At the start of the third week, Leo managed to create a doppelganger that didn¡¯t immediately dissipate. It stood rooted to its spot, flickering at first but then holding its form steady in what was a first. In the end, the doppelganger remained solid for a whole three minutes, which was a massive improvement to Leo¡¯s previous record of 4 seconds. It wasn¡¯t aplete sess, but it was the first real sign of progress. Encouraged, Leo doubled down on his efforts. He focused on stabilizing the mana framework and circting the mana within the illusions, just as he had learned to do with the shadow chains. He could see the simrities now¡ªas just like shadows needed a consistent flow of mana to stay in their three-dimensional form, so too did the illusions, which required a steady stream of mana to maintain their physical presence. Enlightened with this knowledge, Leo continued with his experiments, with the weeks soon turning into a month as Leo¡¯s experimentation became more focused. He slowly improved the strength of his mana framework, reinforcing it and weaving the threads of mana more intricately, making the doppelgangers stronger and more stable with each attempt. At this point He could now create doppelgangers thatsted for several minutes before copsing, their physical forms gradually bing more solid and tangible. By the end of the first month, Leo had reached a point where he could create a doppelganger that not only had a physical presence but could also move. It wasn¡¯t perfect¡ªthe movements were slow, clunky, and unnatural, but it was a huge leap forward. The clone could walk, lift objects, and interact with the environment around it. At this point, Leo knew he was on the verge of another major breakthrough, as with a few adjustments, he could finally turn his vision into reality. Over the next week, his focus on perfecting the clone was razor-sharp, his mental capacity was stretched to its limits, but he could feel that he was close to mastering this new ability. Finally, after nearly two months of intense trial and error, it happened!! Leo stood before his illusionary doppelganger, watching as it moved with fluidity and purpose. The clone had a physical presence¡ªit could walk, run, and even mimic Leo¡¯s fighting movements with precision and it was as if a real person was standing before him, created entirely from his mana and willpower. The satisfaction was immense. After months of hard work, Leo had finally seeded in giving his illusions a physical form, and while he could still not create more than one clone at once, creating even one was a major milestone for him. Unfortunately for him however, the system still did not consider his mastery over [Mirror World] to have progressed, as even though he was very satisfied with the clone that he had created, he received no system notification that acknowledged his progress. Chapter 504: Another Global Announcement Chapter 504: Another Global Announcement ¡°What am I missing? Why won¡¯t the system acknowledge my progress? Is it because the clone I¡¯ve created still isn¡¯t good enough? Or is it possible that advancing with [Mirror World] doesn¡¯t even require making the clones solid?¡± Leo wondered, as he could really feel the pressure mounting now. With only 30 days remaining in his istion, the fact that he had yet to reach the status of a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter weighed heavily on him, gnawing constantly at his thoughts. He could feel the pressure mounting now, as he was running out of ideas on what more he could do? ¡°I can¡¯t control two clones at once¡­Just controlling one that¡¯s solid is extremely hard already. I can perhaps create three if the goal is just to make them run around, however, if I have to make them hold objects or throw daggers towards a precise target, then I absolutely can¡¯t control more than one at once¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he ruled out the idea that he needed to perhaps learn how to control more physical clones at once, as even with his enhanced mental capacity, it was impossible for him to control more than one at his level. ¡°Perhaps I should work on improving my control over the clone? I still can¡¯t hit the bullseye more than 5 out of 10 times when I¡¯m controlling the clone to throw a dagger at a target 25 meters away. Maybe I should start there¡­¡± Leo thought, as with no other direction to work on, he decided to improve his control over the clone in aspects such as improving the clone¡¯s nimbleness and dexterity. Currently, the clone was at about 1/10th of his strength, moving much slower and awkwardlypared to his real body, however, 1/10th of his current strength was already impressive enough. The clone could move, lift objects and produce some real impact when needed, however, the movements it made were still notpletely natural, as the framework Leo that Leo used to make its body was not the same as a real human. Not all joints were connected in a simr way and without the clone having actual muscles to control its movements, it did not move in the same natural form as a human would. Hence with no other direction to work on, Leo decided to work on improving the clone to make it more ¡®Human-Like¡¯ in hopes of making it more nimble. Over the next five days, Leo changed several aspects of the clone, improving not just his own control over it, but the clone¡¯s strength too, as at the end of the fifth day, the much awaited System Notification finally came. [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for improving your mastery of the skill [Mirror World] from (Intermediate) to (Advanced) grade. You have received:- +25 levels. +100,000 Gold +2,500 MP ] ¡°YESSS!¡± Leo screamed in tion when he got this system notification, as all his hard work finally seemed to pay off. He had somehow managed to push the mastery of his skills [Mirror World] all by himself, without needing the help of his master. However, to his horror, the system notification that appeared after acknowledging his hard work was not what he had been hoping for, as instead of a notification that acknowledged him bing a ¡®Master¡¯, he instead received a notification informing him that he had made it to the Global Announcements once again. [ Global Announcement :- Congrattions to the yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯, for bing the first yer in the game to reach (Advanced) mastery of Three (Legendary) skills. Awarding him with. +15,000 MP +17,000 Fame Points ] To his absolute horror, the system informed the whole world that he had managed to raise the mastery of three of his skills to the (advanced) grade, and this revtion absolutely gutted Leo, who wanted to keep his strength improvement a low-key affair. Thankfully, the gains he had received from improving his skill mastery were not small either, giving him tonnes of MP and a lot of levels, which helped ease the pain of the global announcement very slightly. *********** (Meanwhile on the global forums) Just like always, once the global announcement broke out, everyone went mental discussing the new achievements of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, who had be almost like an urban legend at this point within the gamingmunity. ¡°Reaching (Advanced) mastery on three skills? That too of the legendary rank? The Boss is on another levelpared to the rest of us, as I¡¯m sure that 99% yers have yet to raise the mastery of any of their skills to even the (Intermediate) grade.¡± ¡°The Boss just shot up by 25 levels on the global rankings¡­. It¡¯s a p in the face to all the fools who were thinking that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had started to slow down. Turns out he was just busy with mastering his skills and even when doing so, he still managed to level up anyhow¡± ¡°Nobody has seen The Boss in action after the Demon Count fight. With him apparently undergoing a new training arc, I wonder how strong he is whenpared to other top yers!¡± ¡°What is there to see? Don¡¯t you remember how the DarkSky guild got wiped out by a single Demon Count in battle just a few weeks ago? While The Boss killed one a few months ago. At this point the man is literally better than the number one guild¡­. ALONE¡± ¡°Man the Third Evaluation is just 30 days away. The Boss is already establishing his legacy unlike any other yer, gaining fame constantly. Must feel good for him to know that he¡¯s only going up in life, never having to worry about being demoted to Sector E¡± ¡°The Boss does it again? Why am I not surprised? I knew it was him when the global notification popped up¡­ I didn¡¯t even need to read who it was addressed to¨C¡± The whole global forum was in awe of Leo, praising him left and right, however, Leo himself was not happy about the revtion at all. Chapter 505: Missing Ingredient Chapter 505: Missing Ingredient (Later that same day) As Leo logged out of the gameter that day, the first thing he did was head to the MP Exchange store. With just a few days left before his house arrest ended, Leo felt unsure of just how close he was to reaching the realm of a master? And to get a better sense of his progress, he decided to visit the store and figure out just where he was still falling short. Having already pushed his third core skill to advanced mastery, Leo felt as if he was long overdue for the title of ¡®master.¡¯ Yet, for reasons he couldn¡¯t quite grasp, that official crowning moment continued to elude him. *Ring* *Ring* *Ring* *Ring* Leo dialed the exchange store as usual, but to his surprise, instead of the grumpy AI voice he expected, he was greeted by a friendly attendant. ¡°Good morning, Sir Leo. I hope you¡¯re having a very joyful morning. This is Raven speaking. How may I assist you today?¡± came the voice on the other end, as for a moment, Leo was thrown off, not expecting such a warm reception. He recalled Raven, the Elf who had visited his apartment with Raya, but he couldn¡¯t quite understand why the elf was being so overly kind¡ªand frankly, a bit cringeworthy¡ªtoday. ¡°Good morning¡­ err, I have a small request,¡± Leo replied, unsure what to make of the situation, as Raven responded immediately, enthusiastically saying ¡°Anything, Sir. Please state your request.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Leo began, ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out what I¡¯mcking to enter the realm of a master in the game. I feel like I¡¯m really close to the transition but missing something critical¡­..¡± Leo half-expected Raven to quote him a hefty MP price for the information. However, to his surprise, Raven didn¡¯t ask for any payment and simply offered the help for free. ¡°Ah, I see. Well, Sir Leo, you¡¯re right¡ªyou¡¯re very close to reaching the realm of a master. However, you¡¯ve yet to meet one small requirement: which is that you need to push your skill, (Shadowbind), to an intermediate level. You see, Sir Leo, one of the conditions to be a master is to bring all of your skills to at least the intermediate grade, and you haven¡¯t done that yet. So if you can push it to Intermediate, your promotion should be an almost guarantee¨C¡± Raven said, as although he didn¡¯t reveal every hidden requirement of the game¡¯s master rank, he gave Leo the crucial piece of information he was missing¡ªand at that too at no charge. ¡°Ah, I see¡­ Well, thank you, Mr. Raven. I truly appreciate your kindness in helping me today,¡± Leo replied, still feeling a bit strange about receiving the help for free, but certainly notining. Given how much he was trying to save MP, not having to pay hundreds for that information was undoubtedly a relief. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to assist you, Sir. Have a great day,¡± Raven responded, his voiceced with exaggerated respect, leaving Leo puzzled at his eagerness to please. After hanging up, Leo couldn¡¯t help but wonder why he¡¯d been treated to such premium service? Yet, without fully understanding the odd behavior of an operator, he eventually let the question fade. ¡°So I just had to achieve (intermediate) mastery on ALL my skills. I¡¯m such a stupid guy for learning a new one before I improved my existing one¡¯s¡± Leo mused, as in the end he could not believe that the final requirement was something so incredibly simple. For days now he had been worried as to what he could becking, but it was something truly minor. What he did not know was that he had been incredibly fortunate that he practiced (Shadowbind) first and mastered his other skillster, as without having the foundation of having learnt (Shadowbind) he would never have been able to push (Mirror World) to (Advanced) mastery, without which he would never be able to reach level 350. His current level was 352, however, 25 of those levels were only because of mastering (Mirror World) which gave nearly four times the level gains of mastering an average legendary rank skill, at a usual +5 or +7 level bonus. Without it, he would be unable to reach the minimum threshold to be a master and would have to hunt and raise his level after his istion ended instead. Thankfully, with how things yed out though, he never had to struggle with this bit, as the next time that he returned to the game he could only focus on improving the mastery of (Shadowbind) without having to worry about anything else in the world. ******* (Meanwhile Raven) Raven, along with the higher-ups both aboard the Arc Ship and back on Terra Nova, had been carefully tracking Leo¡¯s progress for some time. His rapid development and growing potential had caught the attention of some very powerful individuals, and they were keenly aware that Leo was on the verge of something significant. Each advancement Leo made was being observed, analyzed, and reported back, as his rise through the ranks could potentially shift the bnce of power in unforeseen ways. Hence, it wasn¡¯t out of the kindness of his heart that Raven decided to assist Leo today. Raven was no fool¡ª and he knew that getting in Leo¡¯s good graces early could offer him immense advantages in the future. Leo was a rising star, an individual who was destined for a position of influence in the future, and Raven understood that aligning himself with someone who would soon hold great power was a strategic move. His overly polite and amodating demeanor was not driven by genuine care, but by the desire to secure his ce at Leo¡¯s side, knowing full well that those who helped Leo now would likely benefit from his sesster. ¡°Captain Kid, I¡¯m taking your advice and starting to build a connection with Leo¡­. These MP that I have paid out of my own pocket today, I hope I¡¯ll make them back a thousandfold someday¡± Raven said with a sigh, as he looked forward to the day where his investment into Leo started to pay dividends. Chapter 506: On The Cusp Chapter 506: On The Cusp ( Leo¡¯s POV ) The next day, as Leo logged back into the game, much of the frustration that he had been feeling over the past few days started to vanish. It was psychologically easier for him to chase a goal when the finish line was visible, rather than chasing an imaginary target, as although he still had to put some work to achieve (intermediate) mastery in (Shadowbind), with him now having knowledge of what he was supposed to do, he was much more rxed in his approach. ¡°Increasing the mastery of (Shadowbind) to intermediate grade will most likely depend on three factors¡­.¡± Leo talked to himself, as based on the experience of improving the mastery of his other skills, Leo made an educated guess on what he needed to do, in order to improve Shadowbind. ¡°First, I need to focus on the speed of casting the skill. Right now, it takes me around 0.8 to 0.9 seconds to activate it, but if I keep honing my technique, I can reduce that to half the time,¡± Leo said thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he considered the first challenge ahead. ¡°Next, I need to increase the number of chains I can control. Currently, I¡¯m maxed out at three chains, but if I can push that to five or even six, it¡¯ll allow me to bind multiple opponents simultaneously,¡± Leo muttered, biting his lip as he analyzed the second hurdle he needed to ovee. ¡°Finally, I have to enhance the strength of each binding chain, making them capable of lifting heavier weights¡ªat least double what I¡¯m managing now,¡± Leo concluded, convinced that once he sessfully met all three criteria, his skill would naturally advance from basic to intermediate grade. Nodding to himself, Leo felt a sense of rity as heid out the three factors he needed to improve. With the challenges clearly defined, the path forward now seemed far easier, after all, he wasn¡¯t the same Leo from a few months ago. Since mastering [Shadowbind] at the start of his istion, Leo had pushed himself relentlessly, practicing multiple skills that had tested and expanded the limits of his mind. His mental capacity, once constrained, had grown far stronger, and the obstacles that would have once slowed him down now felt almost trivial. Somehow, he had the confidence of raising the proficiency of [Shadowbind] to (Intermediate) grade within 2-3 days of practice, as he confidently got started with the first objective at hand, which was to increase the speed of casting the skill. Reducing the activation time from nearly a second to half that would have been daunting before, but now, with his sharpened focus and heightened mana control, it was a natural next step. Compared to a few months ago, where his control over mana was rudimentary and unstable, the mana flowed through him more efficiently now, and with just a few adjustments to his technique, Leo was able to shave-off precious milliseconds from the casting time with his very first attempt. Within just a few hours of concentrated practice, he had already cut the activation time in half, which was his desired target, as he was able to consistently summon them now in under 0.4-0.5 seconds. ¡°That was faster than I expected,¡± he mused with a slight smile. ¡°One down.¡± Next came the challenge of increasing the number of chains he could control. Previously, controlling three chains had been his limit, and even that required deep concentration. But now, his mind had strengthened beyond recognition. The meditation techniques he had practiced,bined with months of mental fortification, allowed him to maintain focus far more easily than before, which made summoning four chains now feel almost effortless. Where once he had struggled to bnce multiple forms of mana at once, now he controlled the chains with ease, weaving them in perfect synchronization. With minimal effort, Leo pushed himself further, summoning five, and then six chains, with each one obeying hismands without hesitation. It was as if his mind had expanded to epass this newplexity, allowing him to handle what the old Leo never could. The task that would have taken him weeks before waspleted in mere hours and Leo could not be any happier with his progress. ¡°That¡¯s two,¡± Leo said, his confidence growing as he marveled at how smoothly the process had gone. The final task¡ªdoubling the strength of the chains¡ªwas no longer the daunting challenge it once seemed. His understanding of mana maniption had reached new heights, and his ability to infuse mana into the chains with perfect control allowed him to enhance their strength quickly and efficiently. Drawing from his earlier experiences, Leo infused the mana more densely into the framework of each chain, reinforcing them with precision. The process felt almost instinctual now, as if his body and mind knew exactly how much power to add without overloading the structure. Testing the chains¡¯ strength, Leo found that they could now easily lift and restrain objects far heavier than before, without even needing to perform endless trials this time¡ª as his understanding of the process had already been refined through months of diligent practice. Objects that would have shattered the old version of his chains were now easily held aloft. 10 kilograms. 20 kilograms. 50 kilograms. 100 kilograms. 120 kilograms. The weights no longer posed a challenge, and Leo effortlessly reinforced the chains further, bringing them to a point where their strength was undeniable. As he tested the chains, summoning them with perfect control, the familiar system notification soon appeared before him. [System Notification: Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ You have sessfully raised the mastery of [Shadowbind] to (Intermediate) grade.] Leo allowed himself a small, satisfied smile as he saw this notification, he had done it, and this time, the journey had felt smoother, more effortless. His months of istion and intense training had forged him into something far stronger than the person he had been before, as what once would have been an overwhelming challenge for him was now merely a process that took him under two days toplete. However, it wasn¡¯t this notification that Leo was searching for, as once the notification about him reaching the (Intermediate) mastery faded, a new one popped up. Chapter 507: Becoming a Master Chapter 507: Bing a Master Once the notification for Leo reaching (Intermediate) mastery on [Shadowbind] faded, a second, much more awaited system notification reced it. [SYSTEMNOTIFICATION :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for bing the first yer to reach the fabled realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter. This achievement will be noted down in the history of Terra Nova Online, and will be celebrated by generations of NPC ] Leo felt stunned as he looked at this notification, it wasn¡¯t a usual system notification with a mundane blue screen and ck text, but rather a zing red notification with golden text, unlike anything he had ever seen before. Even the boundary of the system notification was different, more regal, making Leo feel that reaching this realm was a bigger deal than anything else that he had ever aplished before, including killing a Demon Count. ¡°Alright¨C!¡± Leo said, with a big grin on his face, however, before he could even properly celebrate, his vision started to go dark, as for some inexplicable reason, he felt difficulty breathing. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* Leo heard the familiar chime of system notifications ringing one after another, however, to his horror he could not see anything, and neither could he breathe. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why can¡¯t I breathe?¡± Leo wondered, as he fell to his knees clutching his throat which was throbbing wildly. However, to his horror, at that moment, his entire body locked-up too, as he became simply incapable of moving his in-game characterpletely. ¡°Am I in danger?¡± Leo wondered, as his heartbeat quickened, and he mentally started to think of all the possibilities. ¡°Am I under attack? Did someone sneak into my mansion?¡± He wondered, as he tried to recall if his body was hit by a poison dart of any sort, but he felt confident that he was not. There was no chance that he was poisoned, which made his sudden lock-up even more bizarre. ¡°Shoot¡­ I really can¡¯t breathe! I can¡¯t move! I can¡¯t see ¡­.. if this goes on for much longer I¡¯ll lose consciousness. I¡¯m already at my limit¡± Leo thought, as he felt like his lungs were ready to explode. ¡°Open system screen¡­.¡± ¡°Open inventory¡­.¡± ¡°Emergency contact operators¡­¡± Leo thought about all the key words, however, without him being able to open his mouth and actually say those words aloud, nothing really worked. A few minutes passed without him being able to do anything about his condition, until he felt like he was on the verge of losing consciousness. ¡°Is this it? Is it impossible for a yer to reach the threshold of a ¡®Master¡¯? Just why have I suffered this sudden penalty?¡± Leo wondered, when suddenly air rushed into his lungs, rejuvenating him with oxygen. *GASPPP* Leo croaked, as he took in arge breath of air, filling his lungs to the brim with fresh oxygen, however, it wasn¡¯t just oxygen that his lungs absorbed, as alongside the oxygen, his new and enhanced body, now also absorbed mana. ¡°Air¡­ fuck¡­. Air!¡± Leo said in a high pitch note, as he gasped for air for several minutes until his breathing returned to normal. Slowly, his vision returned as well, and he felt like he had been covered in a greasy, nasty, slime, as he seemed to have sweated a lot during the time his body was on a lock. ¡°What the fuck happened?¡± Leo wondered, looking up ahead, as he finally saw the three system notifications that had been presented before him. [ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for bing the first yer to reach the fabled realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter. Distributing Rewards :- 1)Improved mana capacity :- Your maximum mana capacity has been increased tenfold. 2)Improved mana regeneration :- Your body can now naturally regenerate mana with every breath that you take. Current rate of absorption :- 0.2 units per breath. 3)Your body has undergone major improvements :- All stats are multiplied by 1.5X 4)Your ss assigned skill ¡®Mimic¡¯ undergoes improvement. Evolves to bing the skill ¡®Copy¡¯. 5)You receive +50 levels! 6)You receive +75,000 MP! 7)You receive +1,000,000 fame points 8) You receive +50,000,000 gold coins ] [ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for bing the first yer to reach the fabled realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter. Would you like to publish this achievement on the Global Forums? Yes No Error¡­.Error¡­.Error! Detected that the yer possesses the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss and cannot refuse a global announcement . Proceeding with the global announcement¨C] *************** [ Global Announcement :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for achieving the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter and bing the first yer in the game to achieve the status of a Master. yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ can now be considered on par with the strongest NPCs within the Empire and has hence became a key figure for the future of the game¡¯s main storyline. ] ***************** Unknowingly, it seemed like Leo had created another global announcement, however, this was the first ever one that was a zing purple global announcement in the history of the game. No yer in history had ever achieved a purple global announcement before, and the impact that it had on the hearts of the masses was not to be underestimated. ¡°Well, well, well¡­ You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± Leo muttered, staring at the rewards in disbelief, as although he was mildly annoyed at making headlines yet again, the sheer awesomeness of the rewards he had received made it easy to forget the minor irritations. This time the gains he had received were beyond extraordinary and had literally catapulted his strength to the stratosphere. With every breath that he took, he could feel the strength of mana now coursing through his veins, as it was just like what Ben said. Once he entered the realm of masters, his mana pathways opened like never before, improving both his maximum mana capacity and mana regeneration rate to unprecedented heights. However, the improvements on the mana front were nothing but the tip of the iceberg, as every single reward that he received today was beyond extraordinary. Chapter 508: Rewards Chapter 508: Rewards The biggest reward that Leo received apart from the improvements to his mana capacity, was the fat stack of MP that he got. Coupled with the MP that he had already umted throughout his journey as a yer, his total MP pool was now at a whopping 100,004MP, crossing the impressive 100,000 threshold. For an average yer, this wealth was beyond imaginable, as one wouldck avenues to spend 100,000 MP even if they wanted to, however, since Leo held the ambition to someday replicate Ben in real life, this MP became crucial for him, as the price to make a clone of Ben Faulkner was a whopping 750,000 units. Apart from the MP, the lump sum of 50 million gold was also extremely impressive, as with this amount of wealth, he could significantly boost the Uprising¡¯s day to day activity. As a merchant he understood just how much money 50 million gold coins was worth, as even the biggest business conglomerates within the Empire could not fork out such a sum casually. Nheless, Leo was in dire need of this money, as to avenge the death of his master, he needed to incentivize the members of the uprising guild to prepare for war, and fighting wars was a costly endeavor. If he were to reward war merit with gold coins, he needed a significant amount of money in reserve as without it, his word would be worth nothing. However, although these two gains were already beyond impressive, the biggest gain that Leo had was undoubtedly the level boost. With the +50 levels that he had gained, he was now at a whopping 402 levels, bing the only yer to breach the 400 level mark. Currently, there were only 3 yers under him who had even breached the 300 level mark, who were the number 3,4 and 5 ranked yers on the global rankings, yet he had already surpassed level 400 leaving them all in the dust. To his joy, an increase in level came with free distribution of stat points, and with his stats having already undergone a 1.5x multiplier upon reaching the status of a master, his current stats were almost twice as much as the next strongest yer in Cervantez. At this point, for the first time since the game began, he truly entered a league of his own, as for the first time ever, he earned the right to call himself ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Open System Screen¨C¡± Leomanded, as after having undergone such massive improvements, he finally wanted to see what his new stat panel looked like. ************ The Boss/ Leo Skyshards Character Profile Name: The Boss, Leo Skyshard (Switch) Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title: [Fake It Till You Make It] (Equipped) ss: Actor (Unique) (Stage: Intermediate) Current Level: 402 [ Vital Stats ] Health Points (HP): 7050/7050 Mana: 27000/27000 Stamina: 5478/5478 [ Core Attributes ] Strength (1034) Agility (1102) Dexterity (1002) Intelligence (982) Endurance (1002) Physique (1003) UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS ¨C 0 [ Learned Skills ] ? (Copy) (Unique) (Beginner) ? (Vanish) (Legendary) (Advanced) ? (The Kill Strike) (Legendary) (Advanced) ? (Mirror World) (Legendary) (Advanced) ? (Shadow Bind) (Intermediate) ? (empty) [ Equipment ] Worn Gear: ck Royal G Suit (custom), Virex ck ops mask 1x Ben¡¯s Old Assassin Robes 2x Poisoned dagger (rare) 12x Assassin¡¯s Daggers 2x strength potion (basic) 12x smoke bombs (rare) 1x designer outfit (rare) 1x detection blocker pocket watch (epic) 1x Daggers Of Love set (Epic) 1x Elven Light Chainmail 1x Legendary Light Armor Set 1x Enchanted Boots 1x Aura Ring [ Inventory ] -63 Bronze Coins -206 Silver Coins -190,020,067 Gold Coins -1x Combat Skill Scroll (Rare) -1x Combat Skill Scroll (Common) -1x Virex token (Imperial) -1x Death Evasion Token (????) -1x Mu Family Token -1x Thunder Talisman -1x Hurricane Summon Scroll -1x Chrono Shard -1x Life Saving Token -1x me Protection Token ********* As Leo took a look at his stat panel, he could not help but grin from ear to ear as he could not find a single department where hecked. Whether it was him being covered in top notch gear from head to toe, him possessing hidden cards, or his own core strength, everything was beyond exemry, as finally he felt ready to face the true Maestro¡¯s of this game. Having entered the realm of masters, Leo finally had the confidence to avenge the death of Ben, and he could now envision a future where he could go toe to toe with some of the strongest foes in the Empire. Regardless of who wronged his master, Leo finally felt as if he was prepared to exact the justice that he deserved. However, little did he know that the master he was trying to avenge, was actually still alive and healthy. ******** (Meanwhile Cervantez) Cervantez felt his mental state be disturbed when Leo became a ¡®Master¡¯. Since he had the knowledge of a reincarnator, he knew exactly how tough it was for a yer to reach the fabled realm of a master, and in hisst life, nobody, including ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reached that realm. ¡°How did he do it? Just how did he reach the realm of a master in under two years?¡± Cervantez wondered, as they had not even reached the half-way point into their journey, yet Leo had somehow already surpassed the limits of what a genius yer could achieve within the game. Even for geniuses, improving the mastery of a skill took months of effort, and even if they were fortunate enough to possess two legendary skills in their skill set, pushing them to advanced mastery was noughing matter. It would take the average genius just about 6 months to master one skill, and a year to master both. Adding time to push other skills in his/her arsenal to Intermediate grade and spending time leveling in the wild to reach level 350, it was next to impossible for any yer to catch up-to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in the next 1.5-2 years, by which their journey would near its end. ¡°How?¡± Cervantez kept muttering, as at this pointmon sense seemed to have left the conversation. Chapter 509: Exposed Chapter 509: Exposed (Meanwhile on the global forums) As Cervantez pondered how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had ascended to the realm of a master so quickly in the game, the Global Forums buzzed with an entirely different conversation. Although Leo¡¯s global announcement of reaching the realm of a master initially sparked excitement and discussions about his remarkable achievement, the conversation soon took a sharp turn in an unexpected direction. ¡°Congrattions¡­. to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for making two global announcements within three days! Everyone at the Hearthshire Guild apuds him!¡± ¡°WHOA! Does this confirm Boss¡¯s status as the undisputed GOAT of the game?¡± ¡°As a member of the Church Of Boss¡­. Today will be celebrated as a holy day in our religion!¡± ¡°How does one guy keep doing this? Why doesdy luck never smile on me like it does on him? Why am I stuck as a bottom feeder?¡± ¡°I miss Earth so much¡­. If I were back on Earth, I¡¯d find this Boss guy and marry him, that way I could at least end up with half of his assets when I divorce himter!¡± ¡°Rx bitch! Ain¡¯t no way ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is going to date anyone that weighs 250 pounds¡±. The initial conversations held in the immediate aftermath of the global announcement were the usual. Some people were in awe, most were jealous and there was some friendly banter going on between people who knew each other on a personal level. However, the real storm only started to brew two hours after The Boss¡¯s global announcement, when an expose article written by a yer named ¡®Critical Thinker¡¯ went viral. The article was titled : ¡®The Boss and Leo Skyshard are the same yer!¡¯ And it detailed all the research that the man had carried out over the past year. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- (Excerpt from Global Forums Expos¨¦ ¨C Written by ¡®Critical Thinker¡¯) The Boss and Leo Skyshard: One and the Same? It¡¯s no secret that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard are two of the most prominent yers in the game. However, after months of careful research and analysis, I¡¯m here to presentpelling evidence that they are, in fact, the same yer. Let¡¯s start at the beginning. Leo Skyshard first came to prominence around the time of the second evaluation, where yers were ranked based on their achievements and progress within the game. Up until that point, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had been an untouchable force, maintaining afortable lead at the top. But then, out of nowhere, Leo Skyshard began to rise¡ªrapidly. Initially, Skyshard was an unknown yer, nowhere to be seen on the top 10,000 leaderboards, but within a matter of days, he skyrocketed to second ce, consistently trailing behind ¡®TheBoss¡¯ by exactly 10 levels. No matter how many levels ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gained, Leo Skyshard always seemed to stay 10 levels behind¡ªno more, no less. A curious pattern, but one that could be chalked up to coincidence. At least, that¡¯s what I thought at the time. However, after months of observation, it became clear that something much more deliberate was at y. Every time ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gained levels, Leo Skyshard would follow shortly after, keeping that same exact deficit of 10 levels. The corrtion was too precise to ignore. Let¡¯s consider some specific dates. On April 12th, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ achieved a substantial level-up following his victory against the demon count, gaining 22 levels in one day. Exactly two hourster, Leo Skyshard gained those same 22 levels. Then, on July 5th, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gained 5 levels after a couple quiet months of no gains and once again, within hours, Leo Skyshard had gained exactly 5 levels, maintaining the consistent gap. How could this happen, time and time again? The argument that Leo Skyshard was simply keeping pace with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ falls apart under scrutiny. No other yer in the game has been able to replicate such precise, near-simultaneous gains over such a long period of time. More importantly, it¡¯s not just the level gains¡ªit¡¯s the timing of their achievements. The level-ups between the two yers always ur within a tight window of just a few hours. The most damning evidence, however, came five days ago. In an unprecedented move, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ suddenly gained 25 levels in a single day. Naturally, the entire yer base was stunned. But within two hours, Leo Skyshard followed suit, gaining 25 levels of his own. The timing was no longer a coincidence. This was the moment I first raised my suspicions publicly, and the feedback was overwhelming. That article was shared over 100,000 times across the Global Forums, with countless yers starting to take notice of the impossible pattern unfolding before us. Now, the final piece of the puzzle has fallen into ce. Just today, both ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard gained 50 levels¡ªyes, 50¡ªwithin hours of each other. This kind of progression is unheard of for a single yer, let alone two separate yers supposedlypeting independently. To suggest that two top-ranked yers, with no known connection, could consistently gain identical amounts of levels at nearly the same time is not just improbable¡ªit¡¯s impossible. The truth is staring us in the face: Leo Skyshard and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ are the same yer. No other exnation fits. Either we are dealing with the same individual using two separate ounts to manipte the rankings, or there is a deeper, undisclosed connection between the two that we are not yet aware of. But given the consistency of the level gains, the simplest exnation is that one person is controlling both ounts. This revtion changes everything. If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard are indeed the same yer, then the integrity of the leaderboard is in serious question. How long has this deception been going on? And how many other yers might be using simr tactics to maintain their positions? The gamingmunity deserves transparency. Until we receive an official response from the game¡¯s developers or the yers themselves, I urge everyone to keep sharing this article and discussing these revtions. Together, we can push for answers and ensure that fair y is upheld in the game we all love. ¨C Critical Thinker ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C This article caught the whole gamingmunity by storm, as no-one was discussing ¡®TheBoss¡¯ bing a master anymore, and instead everyone was only focused on what connection the two top yers shared? Chapter 510: Reactions Chapter 510: Reactions The response to the expos¨¦ by Critical Thinker on the forums was intense. The regr yers weren¡¯t fools, and while critics of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had remained silent for too long, the growing evidence was impossible to ignore. ¡°Are ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ actually the same person? But how is it even possible to have two IDs in the game? I don¡¯t know of any other yer allowed to have dual in-game identities. It just seems imusible¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always found it odd that a ¡®Merchant¡¯ ss yer could top the rankings. Sure, Leo Skyshard is a highly sessful merchant and alchemist, with his products in high demand, but something feels off. No matter how wealthy he is, under no circumstances should a merchant outrank Maestros like DarkEmperor.¡± ¡°I stand with those questioning ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard. One of them needs to speak up, or I¡¯ll be convinced there¡¯s something shady going on.¡± ¡°Hey, everyone. I¡¯m a yer known as ¡®Big Dawg.¡¯ I might not be a big name in the game, but I do have some credibility. I¡¯m one of the fortunate few who have met ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in person, and I can assure you: he and Leo Skyshard are not the same person. The connection between them is undeniable, yes, but assuming they¡¯re one and the same is a stretch. From what I understand, Leo Skyshard is more of a financial backer for ¡®TheBoss.¡¯ While what ¡®TheBoss¡¯ provides in return is still unclear, they are definitely two distinct individuals.¡± A flood ofments followed Big Dawg¡¯s post, as everyone seemed to have something to add to it: ¡°Ohe on, Big Dawg. You expect us to believe that? This is way too convenient! The level gain patterns are too exact. Either you¡¯re in on it, or you¡¯re being yed like the rest of us.¡± ¡°Maybe you all are just mad that TheBoss is better than you. Ever think of that? He¡¯s been the top yer for years, and Leo Skyshard is a genius merchant. They¡¯re good at what they do, stop acting like every high-ranker is a cheater!¡± said one of TheBoss¡¯s loyal fans. ¡°Exactly. The jealousy here is insane. TheBoss grinds harder than anyone in this game, and now people are crying because he¡¯s untouchable. Get good or stay salty.¡± Others, however, weren¡¯t so kind. The conspiracy theories ran wild: ¡°What if this is all rigged from the start? Maybe TheBoss and Leo Skyshard have a dev on their side. How else do you exin their insane rise?¡± onementer gaslighted, pushing more yers into outrage. ¡°Yeah, devs protecting their favorites while we¡¯re stuck grinding everyday? Sounds about right. We¡¯ve been ying this game for years without answers, and now we find out it¡¯s all a scam!¡± another added, fanning the mes. ¡°What if they are not even real yers? Everyone knows that Terra Nova Online is a hyper realistic game, what if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is an NPC created just to support Leo Skyshard? What if it¡¯s all a big scam?¡± One yer spected, as his post in particr got hundreds of thousands of reshares. ¡°Scam? You all are seriously losing it,¡± came a trollish response. ¡°Next you¡¯ll tell me TheBoss is secretly an alien overlord who¡¯s using us all as pawns in his gctic chess game.¡± The thread erupted with memes and jokes, as the forum¡¯s trollers joined in to have their fun: ¡°Breaking News: TheBoss to be crowned King of Terra Nova. Leo Skyshard appointed a court jester.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re too good at the game, they think you¡¯re hacking.¡± ¡°Plot twist: TheBoss and Leo Skyshard are both just highly intelligent pigeons with advanced AI imnts.¡± In the midst of the chaos, cooler heads tried to intervene: ¡°Look, everyone needs to calm down. The devs aren¡¯t going to respond to this. They¡¯ve never been obligated to tell us anything. Whether Leo Skyshard and TheBoss are the same person or not, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that we¡¯re all still here, ying the game, and nothing¡¯s going to stop that. No one can quit, so let¡¯s stop acting like there¡¯s some grand conspiracy.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± agreed another. ¡°Specte all you want, but at the end of the day, we¡¯ll still be forced to log in tomorrow. You think the devs are going to care about your theories? Just enjoy the game for what it is.¡± Still, the controversy raged on, with yers both fanning and extinguishing the mes in equal measure. ¡°You¡¯re all missing the point!¡± yelled another agitator. ¡°The fact that we¡¯re even debating this means there¡¯s something fishy going on. This isn¡¯t about whether we can quit or not¡ªit¡¯s about integrity. If they¡¯re cheating, we deserve to know.¡± ¡°Deserve to know? Since when did the devs ever promise us transparency? It¡¯s not like we can do anything even if we knew the truth,¡± a calm and rational voice replied. But the final blow to the debate came with a chillingment that silenced many of the heated voices: ¡°I work under Supervisor Leo Skyshard at the Arc Ship. If I don¡¯t get answers here, I¡¯ll confront him in real life tomorrow.¡± This finalment threw the forums into stunned silence as everyone waited, anticipating what woulde next. In the end, while nobody really knew who ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was or what his real identity was, ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was a living, breathing person. Because of the blunder that Leo made long back, by using his real name as his second ount name, the whole world now knew who ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was and where exactly he worked. And while nobody could touch him in-game, it was impossible for Leo to avoid the questioning in real life, especially when workers under him met him daily. It was like the situation had turned back to when he first burst out onto the rankings and everyone wanted to talk to him to find out his secret. Later on that controversy died down when his sessful products flooded the market, however, now with a new controversy in the making, Leo was caught in the midst of a big problem once again. Chapter 511: Boiling Point Chapter 511: Boiling Point ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo waspletely unaware of the ongoing outrage on the global forums, as after earning the title of ¡®master,¡¯ he became absorbed in testing his new abilities. He wasn¡¯t fully ustomed to his transformed body yet, and the sudden increase in strength, speed, and agility took him by surprise. The difference in his stats was so immense that, for a brief moment, it felt as though the gravity of the world had lessened, making everything around him feel lighter and more manageable. As Leo moved, every step felt unnaturally effortless, as if the weight of his own body had diminished. His muscles, once ustomed to the strain ofbat, now responded with wless precision, like a finely tuned instrument. He could feel the raw power coursing through his veins unlike ever before, and it was an amazing sensation to have, as it made him feel invincible, almost like the world was at his feet. His senses also felt sharper¡ªcolors more vibrant, sounds more distinct, and his awareness of his surroundings more acute. It was as if the world had slowed down just enough for him to process every detail in real-time. Yet, with this newfound power came a strange sense of detachment. The body he once knew intimately now felt foreign, almost alien. Every action, while more precise and controlled,cked the instinctive flow he had relied on for so long. ¡°It¡¯ll take me a few days to get ustomed to this body¡­¡± Leo muttered, realizing that while the potential of his new form was immense, he stillcked precise control over it, and though it sounded pessimistic, Leo knew this feeling wasn¡¯t without cause. His doubt was soon confirmed when he picked up a dagger and hurled it at the manor¡¯s wall with all his strength, as instead of merely embedding itself into the stone like it would have at his previous peak strength, the dagger shot straight through, shattering the wall and leaving a gaping hole on the other side! This level of change in his strength was definitely not small, and he needed time to get used to it. ******** As usual, after his training time was over, for thest hour of his gaming time, Leo shifted his focus to The Uprising and his future ns. Opening the chat box, he scanned through the daily report from ChaosBringer as was his routine, and once finished, he promptly replied, issuing new instructions on the specific areas he wanted ChaosBringer to prioritize moving forward. As usual, ChaosBringer promptly responded with a thumbs-up emoji, almost as if he had been waiting in anticipation for Leo¡¯s next set of instructions. But this time, it wasn¡¯t just a simple thumbs-up as ChaosBringer followed it up with an unexpected question of ¡°Can we talk?¡± Leo paused for a moment feeling perplexed, as ChaosBringer rarely asked for direct conversations, preferring to keep things strictly business. Hence, sensing that this might be something important, Leo quickly responded with a ¡°Sure.¡± At first Leo assumed that ChaosBringer might wish to congratte him about his ascension to the realm of a master, however, instead of a congrattory message, ChaosBringer only sent him a link to a post on the Global Forums, and added a line underneath saying ¡°The author of this post lives in sector D. I can end his life if youmand it¨C¡± Leo felt goosebumps run all over his spine when he read this text, as although he had killed many individuals within the world of Terra Nova, Leo had never killed a living human in real life. He was not a gangster, and definitely not a mafia boss, which was why such a dangerous text rattled him. However, instead of directly replying with a ¡°No-¡°, Leo decided to open the article link first. The article link was the one written by Critical Thinker, and it was a thorough and well researched expose. The more Leo read it, the more he sweated as everything written beneath the article was absolutely true! The Boss and Leo Skyshard were really one and the same, and it seemed like the walls were closing in on him and his act. It was precisely because of the stupid restrictions of the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss which would see him lose his life if he ever got caught that Leo despised Global Notifications and people¡¯s attention. He was in the limelight way too much and sooner orter something like this was bound to happen. ¡°60 million views and 16 million reshares? it¡¯s almost like a quarter of the Arc Ship has already seen this post and those who haven¡¯t already seen it, will most likely hear about it within the next day or two. Does this mean that my act is about toe to an end¨C?¡± Leo wondered, as the walls seemed to be closing in on him from all directions. The joy of bing a master was suddenly reced by the anxiety of him potentially losing his life, as the more Leo read, the more he panicked. ¡°Calm down Leo¡­ although the article is bad, there is no guarantee that everyone residing it believes it¡¯s true, let¡¯s open thements below¨C¡± Leo said to himself as he opened thements section under the post, which was a raging battlefield between ¡®The Uprising¡¯ devouts andmon yers who wanted to get to the bottom of this situation. Thankfully, it seemed like there were a lot of yers who did not seem to buy this story, however, there were millions who believed it was true. The more radical ones thought it waspletely true and leaned towards believing in some even wilder conspiracies, while even the neutral ones seemed to believe that there was something fishy going on. The connection between ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ could no longer be written off as a mere coincidence, and sooner orter something had to give. He had tried his best to conceal the truth from the world for so long, however, things seemed to have reached a boiling point now. Chapter 512: Shock Chapter 512: Shock With trembling hands, Leo logged out of the game the moment the option appeared, anxiety coursing through him. Was this the end of the road? He wondered, as thoughts like these had reduced the once-mighty warrior to a puddle of nerves. It wasn¡¯t his fault that he couldn¡¯t hide his true level from the leaderboards. It wasn¡¯t his fault that no matter how many levels he gained, his identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was locked in at a constant +10 level difference. These were the system-imposed restrictions of the ¡®actor¡¯ sspletely beyond his control. ¡°The worst part is, if I die, it won¡¯t even be my fault,¡± Leo muttered, as he removed his VR gaming headset and looked around at the real world. For a brief second, Leo blinked, adjusting to the dim light of his bedroom as he pulled off the VR headset, however, almost as soon as he removed his VR headset, an overwhelming pungent stench hit him. He wrinkled his nose, feeling surprised, as it was unusual for his room to smell bad, especially when he did not bring food or other substances in here. Looking down, Leo located the source of the stench, only for him to find his body covered in a slimy, mucus-like substance, as shock washed over him. ¡°What the¡ª¡± Leo muttered, staring at his hands, which were slick with the foul-smelling secretion. His bed was soaked in the sticky mess, and the once-clean sheets were now utterly ruined. He stumbled up from the bed, recoiling from the filth. ¡°What is this?!¡±, he said, his voice shaky as he tried to wipe off the thick, revolting slime from his arms. His mind raced, struggling to piece together what was happening, until he corrted the slime in real life to the power-up he had experienced in the game, as even then he found his in-game character covered in simr looking slime. It was almost like his body had undergone a simr transformation. But how? It was just like in the game¡ªwhen he had ascended to the ¡®master¡¯ realm of power, his virtual body had been cleansed of impurities through these secretions. But here? In the real world? Leo stood frozen for a moment, still processing the bizarre event, with his breath stagnant, as something else caught his eye. On the bed, amidst the filth,y his ankle monitor¡ªa bracelet-like object he hadn¡¯t given much thought to in ages. But what shocked him now was the fact that it wasn¡¯t attached to his leg anymore. His heart pounded as he took a step back, staring at it in disbelief. ¡°What¡­ How?¡± His voice cracked. The ankle monitor wasn¡¯t supposed toe off. Not ever. The monitor was designed to keep passengers like him bound, and there were no exceptions. It did not matter if one was a Sector S resident or a Sector E resident, everyone was supposed to wear the monitor at all times and hence, seeing it being unlocked sent goosebumps all over Leo¡¯s spine. It was next to impossible for the bracelet to just fall off, yet there it was, sitting on the bed, lifeless and unresponsive. Leo¡¯s mind raced with confusion and rm. His pulse quickened, as his thoughts spiraled out of control. He desperately tried to make sense of it. The ankle monitor was like a ve cor¡ªa constant reminder of his captivity, a device that kept him in check both in-game and on the ship. But now it was off. ¡°What does this mean?¡± he whispered to himself, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily on his chest. Could this be real freedom? Or was it something far worse? Stunned, Leo slowly walked out of his room covered in the dirty slime, as he could not take the stench anymore. He walked towards the bathroom, wanting to take a quick bath, however, as soon as he exited his room and took a step into themon walkway inside his apartment, he found himself surrounded by elf operators. ¡°Mr. Skyshard, it¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, I¡¯m Captain Kid¡­. The chiefmanding officer of this Arc Ship¡± said a kind middle aged looking elf, who extended his hand for Leo to shake in a friendly gesture. ¡°Greetings captain, do you mind if I use the bathroom first? I don¡¯t want to get this filth on you¡± Leo replied, mustering all his courage as he instantly yed the role of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, almost unconsciously. Although he felt terrified and vulnerable on the inside, he did not let it show on the outside, as he put a calm andposed front in front of the world. ¡°But of-course, it¡¯s important that you clean this impurity slime off your body as soon as possible¨C¡± Kid said, as he and Raven moved aside, giving Leo space to move past them. ¡°Also, please take this¡­ it¡¯s a special cleaning foam that will ensure that you undergo a deep cleanse, removing all traces of the slime. Please take your time and have a thorough bath, we will be waiting to chat with you outside¡± Kid said, handing over a bath supply kit to Leo, before he headed into the bathroom. *Fsshhhh* *Water trickle* Entering the bathroom, Leo tried to calm down under the shower, as he allowed his muscles and mind to rx. He did not know the purpose behind the captain¡¯s sudden visit, however, judging by his friendly demeanor, Leo assumed that it wasn¡¯t something as severe as him losing his life. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re here to kill me¡­. If they were, they had no need to offer me cosmetics to help clean my body off. However, they may be here to nerf me once again. I absolutely don¡¯t want to spend another 6-12 months in my mansion alone, but I may not have a choice¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he tried to predict the next move of the operators. His ankle bracelet was off, and his body was covered in slime, in what seemed to be a messy day overall. Chapter 513: Freedom Chapter 513: Freedom *Click* After thoroughly scrubbing himself clean from head to toe three times, Leo stepped out of the bathroom in a fresh pair of Sector C robes, with his hair still damp. He walked into his apartment¡¯s kitchen, where Raven, Captain Kid, and Raya were waiting around the table, and to his surprise, as he approached them, he noticed Raya biting her lip slightly. Itsted for only a fraction of a second, but in that brief moment, the lust in her eyes was unmistakable before she quickly concealed it. However, Leo had caught the flicker of longing clearly. ¡®Why?¡¯ he wondered, as although his body had been cleansed of impurities, and though his muscleposition might have improved internally, there wasn¡¯t a drastic external change. He had been in excellent shape even before his realm enhancement, and after a thorough cleanse, his appearance seemedrgely the same. So he failed to understand why Raya, someone who had seen him previously and had shown apathy to him back when they first met, was suddenly interested in him now? But while Leo focused solely on his physical aesthetics, he overlooked something far more significant¡ªhis aura. After bing a master, his entire presence and charisma had shifted, and though he remained unaware of it, the opposite gender certainly noticed. ¡°Greetings Captain¨C¡± Leo said, extending his hand, as he tried to apologize for not shaking it before when he offered. ¡°Greetings Mister Skyshard, I hope you feel refreshed after that bath¡± Kid said, making small talk, as he did not directly rush into the topic he was here for. ¡°Yes¡­ I smell likevender, which is quitedy-like, but it¡¯s still a thousand times better than smelling like that stinky slime, so I¡¯m very grateful¡± Leo said, as he responded to captain kid¡¯s small talk by making some of his own. ¡°So, Leo, we¡¯re here today because you¡¯ve reached the realm of a ¡®Master.¡¯ A truly fine achievement¡­ and we¡¯re here to extend our congrattions,¡± Raven began, breaking the silence, as he tried to steer the conversation into more constructive waters. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s truly magnificent! And you¡¯ve done it in record time,¡± Raya added, her voice bubbling with excitement, as her flushed cheeks and shy smile betrayed her infatuation with Leo. ¡°You¡¯re the only yer to reach the realm of a Master before the Third Evaluation even started.¡± She said, as her eyes sparkled with admiration when she gazed towards Leo. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t pay too much attention to these two,¡± Kid interrupted with a chuckle, waving his hand at Raven and Raya. ¡°They¡¯ve never seen a talent like yours before.¡± His tone shifted, bing more serious as he continued. ¡°But as the Captain of this ship, and a Master warrior myself, I want to formally congratte you.¡± he said, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small token. ¡°This is the universal token for ¡®Master¡¯ warriors. It¡¯s proof that you¡¯re a cut above themoners and a man who has achieved a certain stature in his own profession. Cherish it, as it can open many doors for you¨C¡± Kid said as he passed the token to Leo. ¡°Thank-you¡± Leo said, epting the token as he observed its intricate design. The token was circr, with a shield-like emblem forming the boundary. Inside the shield, the letter ¡°M¡± was boldly engraved in the center, with its two straight lines being entwined by coiling serpents. The snakes seemed to slither up the length of the letter, their scales gleaming faintly, as it seemed like a token of an evil organization rather than a token of a noble warrior. The token itself was made from a dark, metallic material that shimmered in the light, with ents of deep crimson and gold subtly outlining the shield and snakes, giving it a regal and imposing aura. epting the token, Leo nced up at Captain Kid, curiosity growing in his mind. ¡°Doors?¡± he asked. ¡°What kind of doors can this token open?¡± Captain Kid smiled knowingly and took in a deep breath before exining patiently. ¡°Ah, Leo, bing a Master Warrior isn¡¯t just about power or status in a game¡ªit¡¯s a recognition of your standing in the wider universe.¡± He leaned forward slightly, his tone deepening. ¡°The first¡ªand perhaps most important¡ªadvantage of being a Master Warrior is that you can no longer be tracked or enved like amoner. You¡¯ve probably noticed how every passenger on board this arc ship, including yourself until now, used to wear an ankle monitor. That¡¯s becausemoners, by universalw, can be tracked and monitored. It¡¯s how order is maintained, especially in a world as dangerous and chaotic as Terra Nova.¡± Leo¡¯s gaze flicked toward his ankle, where the now detached ankle monitor used to be, a realization dawning on him. ¡°But,¡± Captain Kid continued, ¡°it¡¯s forbidden to track or monitor any warrior who has reached the realm of a Master. You¡¯ve earned your freedom in that regard. No one¡ªno government, no organization¡ªcan legally bind or enve you the way they would amoner.¡± Leo nodded slowly, absorbing the gravity of that first benefit, as he realized that he had achieved freedom¡­.. true freedom. ¡°The second advantage,¡± Captain Kid went on, ¡°is ess. There are many establishments, adventurers¡¯ guilds, and elite organizations on Terra Nova¡ªour destination¡ªthat are only open to Master Warriors and those of even higher status. These ces are hidden from the eyes ofmoners, filled with advanced resources, missions, and powerful connections. Once you step foot on Terra Nova, this token will serve as your key to entering those exclusive ces.¡± Leo¡¯s grip on the token tightened as he imagined the kind of opportunities awaiting him. He had always been driven to push his limits, and now, this status would grant him ess to ces where he could truly test his abilities. ¡°And finally,¡± Kid said with a smirk, ¡°there¡¯s wealth and prestige. Master Warriors are paid far more thanmon adventurers. Your status alone elevates your social standing to a whole new level. Wherever you go, you¡¯ll be treated with respect¡ªperhaps even reverence¡ªand you¡¯ll bepensated generously for any work you take on. That means better missions, higher pay, and a lifestyle far beyond that of most.¡± Leo felt the weight of Kid¡¯s words settle on him. No longer just another adventurer, he was now part of an elite ss¡ªrespected, untethered, and powerful in ways he had only dreamed of. Captain Kid leaned back, studying Leo¡¯s expression. ¡°So, you see, this token isn¡¯t just a symbol. It¡¯s a key to a life very few ever achieve. Use it wisely.¡± Leo nodded, his mind racing with thoughts of the future as the token in his hand suddenly felt far heavier¡ªnot in weight, but in significance. Chapter 514: Low Blow Chapter 514: Low Blow ¡°Well, I appreciate the token, Captain,¡± Leo said, setting it down beside him on the table, as he waited patiently, allowing Kid to take the lead in the conversation once more. ¡°So, Mr. Skyshard,¡± Kid began, ¡°as you¡¯ve probably already figured out, we¡¯re no longer able to track or punish you within the game world. As employees of the Universal Government, we no longer have the authority to take a Master¡¯s life. Therefore, the ¡®Actor¡¯ ss penalty, which would have cost you your life if your identity were to be exposed, is now officially null and void.¡± Kid said, as with that, Kid finally got to the point, exining the crucial details of Leo¡¯s ascension and its implications in both the real and virtual worlds. ¡°So you mean to say, even if I reveal my identity to the whole ship, you can no longer punish me?¡± Leo asked cautiously, as he barely suppressed the glee in his stomach. The ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ curse had been with him since day1, and it had made his life a living hell. Just today, as he read the posts on the global forums, he felt as if the walls were closing down on him because of the actor ss restrictions. However, it seemed like those restrictions were no longer applicable to him. It was almost like he had actually faked it till he made it and now he was invincible. ¡°Affirmative, even if you reveal your identity to everyone, we can no longer punish you¡± Kid confirmed, as a soft smile spread on Leo¡¯s face. ¡°Interesting¡­¡± he said, as he controlled the urge to burst out inughter. ¡°Also, since it¡¯s inappropriate for us to allow a man of your stature to continue living amongstmoners, we have decided to shift you to the VIP quarters¨C¡± Kid continued, as it seemed like the benefits that Leo was going to receive did not just and with him getting rid of the stupid ankle bracelet. ¡°The VIP quarters?¡± Leo asked, wondering as to where this was, as to his knowledge, the Arc Ship only extended up till Sector S, before a massive gate separated the staff section from the passenger section. ¡°Yes, the VIP quarters. They are three mansions with massive training grounds and mana concentration arrays that are only for VIP passengers. Like Raya and Raven have already informed you, this is not the only time that this ship is being used. We are like a bus service on your host, but just an intergctic bus. There are many features on this ship that your transporter has not paid for and hence you passengers don¡¯t receive them. However, this ship itself is capable of a lot more things. Currently, there is someone on Terra Nova who has paid for you to reside in the VIP mansion after taking note of your ster progress, and hence for the rest of your trip, so we are officially upgrading you there¡± Kid said, as Leo felt pleasantly surprised by this revtion. It was his dream to someday slowly ascend to sector S, but somehow he had miraculously gone a step above even Sector S, gaining rights to be a VIP resident now. ¡°Can I bring my brother and Amanda there too?¡± Leo asked, as although he was excited to shift to the VIP quarters, he would only do so if his family could follow too. ¡°Yes¡­ there are 3 mansions thate as part of one VIP unit, so you can bring two guests with you¡± Captain Kid confirmed, as Leo felt ted by this revtion. It was about time that he told the truth about his in-game ID and his exploits to them, and having a mansion to smoothen the talk over was definitely nice. ¡°Finally, though I hate to do this¡­. We must also talk about onest thing¡± Captain Kid said, as his face turned slightly serious. After all the positive news that he had given Leo, there were unfortunately some negative news that he had to share with him as well. ¡°What is it?¡± Leo asked, as judging by the grim expression on Captain Kid¡¯s face, he knew it could not be something good. ¡°Mr.Skyshard, as you must already know, the bnce of this game is vital to our employers on Terra Nova and you disrupt it too much. I¡¯m afraid, although you¡¯re extremely valuable to organization¡¯s on our destination, you¡¯re not valuable enough to derail the whole grooming project and hence, we cannot allow you to destroy the bnce of the game¨C¡± Kid said, as Leo scoffed in disbelief. He had stayed in istion for the past 6 months and he did not intend to stay in one any longer. ¡°I know it¡¯s frustrating, but the demands of our Employers are clear. Of the 747 days left in our journey. You are barred for logging into the game for any more than 247 days. This is a non-negotiable deal, however, worry not, for they are willing topensate you ten times over for your inconvenience¡ª¡± Kid said, as Leo could not believe his ears. These bastards wanted to rob him from 500 days of gaming! And Leo simply refused to acknowledge such a cruel fate. ¡°What?¡± He said in disbelief, as Kid immediately threw his palms in the air, as if to show that it was not his decision to make. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad, if you log once every three days, you can easily log in till the end of our journey, also they¡¯repensating you for your inconvenience ten times over if you think about it¨C¡± Kid said, as Leo felt his left eye flutter in anger. ¡°Whatpensation? A mansion? I¡¯m fine living here, just let me game in peace¡± Leo said, as Kid looked at him with confused eyes. ¡°Oh no, you have misunderstood Sir Leo, thepensation is not the mansion. It¡¯s the new meditation manual¡­. One that can help you on your path to bing a Grand-Master!¡± Raven said, as it was at that moment, that Leo felt all the anger fizz out of his body. Chapter 515: A new deal Chapter 515: A new deal ¡°Oh no, you have misunderstood Sir Leo, thepensation is not the mansion. It¡¯s the new meditation manual¡­. One that can help you on your path to bing a Grand-Master!¡± Raven said, as it was this sentence by him that piqued Leo¡¯s interest. ¡°A new meditation manual?¡± Leo asked, raising his eyebrow, as if he recalled correctly, thest time Raven and Raya were here, the two of them bragged about how lucky Leo was to receive a mediation manual in the first ce. ¡°Yes, a new meditation manual, Mr.Skyshard, issued by a very prominent force on Terra Nova¨C The value of this meditation manual is immeasurable as it will help you reach the next stage, the realm of Grandmasters!¡± Said Captain Kid, as he seemed very interested in the meditation manual himself. ¡°Do you have a meditation manual to take you towards bing a Grand-Master, Captain?¡± Leo asked, as he wanted to ascertain the value of the meditation manual he was receiving. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have one yet, however, once I deliver this batch of passengers to Terra Nova, I will finally have umted enough merit and money to borrow one for a month. While I won¡¯t be able to own it full time like you, I will still be able to learn the core basics and keep practicing on my own, to progress slowly until I can rent it out again¡± Captain Kid said, as he seemed hopeful about his own future. ¡°A Grandmaster level meditation manual is usually only given to an extremely handful number of talents. You can wait for decades for one to show up at an auction, but still might fall short of being able to purchase it. It¡¯s an item that money can¡¯t buy, as unlike master level meditation manuals which are avable for purchase at a sky high price, the Grandmaster level manuals are simply priceless¡± Raven added, as by this point Leo understood that he was getting something extraordinary in return for not logging into the game. ¡°So the 247 days I can log into the game, how do those work? Can I choose any day I want to log-in? What happens if I only log-in for an hour and then log-out, does that count as a day? Or does that mean I have 11 hours of gaming time left for that day?¡± Leo asked, as once he determined that thepensation he was receiving for not logging into the game as much was fair, he decided to understand the specifics of his restrictions. ¡°You have a total of 247 login tokens, and each time you enter the game, one token is used. No matter how long you stay logged in, your total tokens remain the same¡ª247 in all. Since you¡¯re no longer restricted by the ship¡¯s rules, you don¡¯t have to y a minimum of 12 hours a day. You can log in for as little as a minute or y for as long as you want without being forced to log out like the other passengers. However, every 12 hours of continuous gamey will cost you an extra token. So, if you stay logged in for 48 hours straight, you¡¯ll end up using 4 tokens.¡± Raya exined, as Leo let out a deep sigh as he heard those words. He had to be very careful nning his gaming hours from here on out, as he had a very limited time period to game. If he wanted to take over the Empire and kill the Demon King and his Dragon, he needed to utilize these 247 days of gaming to the utmost. ¡®Don¡¯t worry Master Ben, 247 days is enough time for your disciple to find a way to recreate you¨C¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as brimming with confidence he decided to ept the challenge. ¡°Very well, if I have no say on the matter then I ept your terms¡± Leo said, as he looked into Captain Kid¡¯s eyes rather defeatedly. ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s not so bad Mr.Skyshard, while themon yers struggle to increase their value before wend, you¡¯re already a hot favorite for many organizations. What you¡¯re going to be spending your time on, is more important than what the others will be doing¡± Kid said, as he got up from his chair and extended his hand for Leo to shake. ¡°Well, I appreciate you taking the time toe here and informing me about all this personally, Captain. As for me moving to the VIP quarters, the third evaluation is in just 17 days so, let¡¯s keep the shifting date the same as everyone else¡¯s. That way I have time to n out what to say to my brother. Also, I feel like I¡¯m close to perfecting the mind meditation manual, and once I¡¯m done, I intend to pass it onto my brother, will that be okay?¡± Leo said, as he wrapped up his lingering concerns into one question. ¡°Well sure, we can wait till you move out¡­. But as for you sharing the mind meditation manual with your brother, it¡¯s not a decision we can make. The manual is property of the universal government and it has a limited number of uses. I can ask back at HQ to approve your request, but whether they agree or disagree is not up to me¡± Kid said, as Leo nodded in understanding. If he could pass the manual on-to Luke, Leo had no doubt in his mind that his brother could also be a Master level fighter in the next two years with ease, as although he was currently performing better than his brother within the game world, in terms of pure talent, his brother was not too far behind him at all. Given the right opportunities, Luke could easily be better than him, and as his biggest supporter, Leo wanted to give him every opportunity that he could. ¡°See you soon then, Leo, at the second annual rankers meet!¡± Raya said, shaking his hand bashfully as she took her leave, followed by Raven who shook his hand and gave him a knowing nod. ¡°Second Rankers meet?¡± Leo said, rubbing his head in doubt, as he hadpletely forgotten that the rankers meet was supposed to be an annual event, repeated every year. Chapter 516: Lukes Recap Chapter 516: Luke''s Recap Chapter 516: Luke¡¯s Recap ( Luke¡¯s POV ) The past three months had undoubtedly been the most challenging yet rewarding phase of Luke¡¯s journey as a yer. It all started when the Demon Army, led by the Demon Count, attacked Silver-Pine Barony, and just as Luke had feared, against the immense powers of the Demon Count, the DarkSky guild failed to hold their ground, and the Silver-Pine region fell into enemy hands. The fight was one-sided, as whenever the DarkSky forces tried to fight in shape, the Demon Count riding on his wyvern mount would drop AOE spells upon them from the sky, obliterating the Dark-Sky army, and opening up their formation to Demon Assault. It was almost impossible to hold the tide of the demons back, however, even though the fight was rather one sided, the DarkSky guild did not concede ground without having a trick or two up their sleeves. Whenever they gave upnd, they triggeredndmines buried deep within the earth, causing entire areas ofnd to crater and be destroyed, taking thousands of demons with it. Or at other times, they would throw poisoned needle balls on the ground before retreating, so that any demon identally stepping on it would be affected by the poison. In the end, although the Dark-Sky guild lost Silver-Pine Barony, there were less than 25,000 Demon Soldiers alive to hold it, giving the guild the perfect opportunity tounch a counterattack, if only the Demon Count left. And that opportunity indeed came four days after their defeat, as the Demon Count seemed to have left the vicinity, giving the DarkSky guild a chance at revenge. That day, although the yers had long respawned, the Demon Army remained numbered at a mere 25,000 and were unable to hold Silver-Pine Barony, as their forces were routed brutally. The countercharge, led by Luke, saw him gaining 27 levels in one attack, in what was undoubtedly the fight of his life. That day, he truly fought like the Suplex Demon, as regardless of what opponent he faced, whether it be a high demon or a regr demon, Luke became the only human to dominate them all, as he led the countercharge beautifully to reim human control over Silver-Pine Town. However, the victory did not stop there! The demon army was forced to recede not just from Silver-Pine Town but also from Stonebridge Hill, as Luke pushed them out of the Barony as a whole, resetting the battle lines to before they lost the hill, in what was the first sessful counter-human operation against the Demons. It was around this time that his prestige as a war general started to increase, as whenever he gave an order, all the captains and guild members under him listened to him respectfully. This was a kind of respect that could only be earned and not purelymanded by seniority or fear, as the men under him started to gainplete faith in his abilities. However, winning back lostnd meant that they needed to perform tango with the Demon Army all over again, as for the next three months, the DarkSky guild and the demon forces remained embroiled in a state of constant war. During this time, Luke participated in many defensive battles and led his guild to many minor victories, as somehow, even after three months of constant border skirmishes, he managed to hold onto Silver-Pine Barony as a whole. Arge part of his sess was due to the Martial Arts Manual that Cervantez passed to him, as while he was always an excellent fighter, he was never strong enough to take on high demons alone, until he started to practice the Martial Arts Manual, unlocking the hidden strength in his muscles. It was during this period of constant border fighting that Luke realized where exactly hecked as a warrior whenpared to Cervantez and other top yers like ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and eventually he realized that his foundation was too shallow. He had no AOE spells, no solid defensive spells and no high damage attack moves either. All of his moves were extremely basic and although they were well rounded, at this stage of the game when everyone was perfecting their style as a yer, Luke understood that if he perfected his style as a yer with these moves, he would never achieve true greatness. Hence, he made a bold move about two years into the game to learn some new moves, adding one AOE attack and one critical damage attack to his arsenal. To do that, he spent all his savings and borrowed some money from Leo, to purchase two (Semi-Legendary) grade skill manuals, that would teach him the moves from scratch rather than him automatically learning them. Hence, after graduating from the knight academy, for the first time in over a year, Luke became a student once again, as when he was not scouting and performing his duties as the Vice-Guildmaster, he would be practicing his new attack moves, to somehow learn them to basic mastery. It was undoubtedly difficult, asprehending Semi-Legendary moves was tough, however, after three months, Luke was sessful in learning both his moves to (Basic) mastery, adding a whole new dimension to himself as a warrior. The first move that Luke learned was zing Cyclone¡ªa devastating area-of-effect (AoE) attack that unleashed a whirlwind of fire around him. With a single swing of his sword, mes would erupt from the de, forming a swirling inferno that expanded outward in a wide radius, engulfing enemies in its path. Not only did the move deal continuous burn damage to all enemies caught within its reach, but it also knocked back weaker opponents, giving Luke room to maneuver in the midst of chaotic battles. The zing Cyclone quickly became his go-to move when surrounded by hordes of demons, allowing him to clearrge swathes of enemies with ease. The second move he mastered was Heaven¡¯s Strike, a high-damage, single-target attack designed for taking down powerful foes. Gathering his strength, Luke would leap into the air, his de glowing with a brilliant light, before bringing it down with overwhelming force on his target. The sheer impact of the attack was enough to shatter armor and rend even the toughest demons in half. Heaven¡¯s Strike channeled all of Luke¡¯s power into one precise blow, making it an ideal finishing move against high-level enemies or when facing down the most fearsomemanders of the Demon Army. With these two new skills, Luke transformed into a force of nature on the battlefield, capable of both sweeping destruction and pinpoint annihtion. Chapter 517: Realization Chapter 517: Realization (Luke¡¯s POV, one day ago) *************** [ Global Announcement :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for achieving the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter and bing the first yer in the game to achieve the status of a Master. yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ can now be considered on par with the strongest NPCs within the Empire and has hence became a key figure for the future of the game¡¯s main storyline. ] ***************** Just like everyone else in the game, Luke too received the notification about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reaching the realm of a master. ¡°Well¡­. This guy just keeps on racing ahead on his own. He¡¯s in a league of his own. I can¡¯t believe I fought toe to toe with this guy at the finals of the Grand Tournament and almost beat him¡­.¡± Luke muttered looking at the announcement, as he took it as a good hearted joke. There was no point in him being jealous of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as he never held ambitions about bing the top yer himself. He was content improving at his own pace and did not really care about the sess or failure of others. However, while he did not think much about the announcement itself,ter that day when he received the article about the expos¨¨ on ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, was when he started to frown hard. ¡°What is this nonsense? Why are these people ndering my brother?¡± Luke questioned, as his first instinct was to dismiss the evidence before him. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ could never be the same individuals. He knew his brother, if he were ¡®TheBoss¡¯, his brother would have told him long back, however, no matter how much he wanted to dismiss the whole concept as absurd, the evidence against Leo was quite damning. It was simply impossible for the two of them to always gain the same number of levels, all the time and hence for the first time in his life, Luke started to critically think about all his interactions with Leo so far. ¡°Well, when the first time we met at StrongHaven City, he did use daggers as his primary choice of weapon although he¡¯s a merchant¡­..¡± Luke muttered to himself, as the doubts started to creep in. The next clue was about how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ never showed up at the first rankers event, but Leo did. And coincidentally, both Leo and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gained the exact same number of levels from the rankers event. ¡°But no one yer is allowed to hold two ounts¡­. That¡¯s simply impossible¨C¡± Luke muttered, as he knew that it was against the game¡¯s rules for yers to have two ounts, which made the whole matter even more confusing. In the end, Luke decided to believe that perhaps ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his brother had a special connection, one that allowed them to share EXP for some reason, because that was the only way one could make sense of this situation. ¡°Well, I must ask Leo about this today¡­. It¡¯s been a while since we have had lunch together too, so I¡¯ll surely visit him today¡± Luke muttered to himself, as he resolved to meet Leo at lunch. ********* (Present day) Early morning the next day, he used MP to skip his day¡¯s work and headed over straight to Leo¡¯s apartment after logging out. He pressed the bell, and banged on Leo¡¯s door a few times asking him to open the door, however, there seemed to be no response from the other side. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s too early for him to report to work. Did I somehow miss him?¡± Luke wondered, as he sat outside Leo¡¯s door and decided to wait there till he finished his morning inspection and returned. ording to Leo¡¯s routine it would only take him an hour to do so, and hence with nothing else to do, Luke simply hung out in the lobby outside Leo¡¯s apartment, de stressing from his duties as a vice guild master, and thinking about what recipes to cook for lunch. To his shock however, an hourter, when Leo¡¯s apartment door opened¡­. It wasn¡¯t Leo who walked out of the apartment, but rather three alien elf operators, one of whom appeared to be very strong and powerful. ¡°Huh?¡± Luke muttered, surprised, as he did not expect the operators to be personally visiting his brother. As per Cervantez, the operators were mysterious beings who never needlessly mingled with the passengers, so if they personally came out to seek Leo, it was definitely a big deal. ¡°Good Morning Mr.Skyshard¨C¡± said the tall, middle aged looking elf, as before Luke could even respond, the three of them simply disappeared as if having teleported. ¡°How did he know my name?¡± Like wondered, as he pressed the bell on Leo¡¯s door, feeling curious and worried as to what may have happened. The more he tried to find out about his brother, the more shocked he became, as it seemed like Leo was hiding more stuff from him than he could even begin to fathom. *Ring* *Ring* This time, with the operators gone, Leo finally answered the door, as there seemed to be a big grin on his face when he did. ¡°Brother¨C!!¡± He said happily, as despite all the controversy surrounding him currently on the global forums, Leo himself seemed to be in a cheery mood. ¡°Are you okay Leo? Why were the operators here?¡± Luke asked, feeling worried about Leo¡¯s safety, however, Leo simply waved him off and invited him in. ¡°You won¡¯t believe what just happened brother¡­. I have a lot to tell you, I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re here¨C¡± Leo said enthusiastically, as for a moment Luke felt taken aback by his brother¡¯s happiness. Keeping his doubts to himself, he entered Leo¡¯s apartment, deciding to give his brother a chance to speak before he popped the questions himself. There seemed to be something big going on, and Luke did not want to start doubting his brother, before he had a chance toe clean himself. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk over lunch¨C¡± Luke said, as he went straight towards Leo¡¯s fridge, looking for some ingredients to cook lunch with. Chapter 518: The Truth Chapter 518: The Truth (Leo¡¯s apartment, the kitchen) *Chop* *Chop* Luke¡¯s knife rhythmically sliced through the fresh vegetables, each cut precise and deliberate. Across the counter, Leo focused on the broth, its steam curlingzily into the air, carrying with it the savory smell of herbs and spices. The two worked in apanionable silence, but the soft smile on Leo¡¯s face was impossible to miss! He grinned from ear to ear, a quiet reflection of the weight that was about to lift from his shoulders, as for months, he had been carrying a secret too heavy to bear, but today, he could finally tell his brother the truth. ¡°The vegetables are ready,¡± Luke announced, his voice breaking the stillness as he slid the chopped produce towards Leo. Nodding, Leo lifted the lid of the stew and with a simple gesture, invited Luke to add in the vegetables. *Ssh* The vibrant array of carrots, celery, and onions tumbled into the bubbling pot, disappearing beneath the surface, as their addition into the broth intensified the savory smell. *Swirl* Leo began to stir them in slowly, the gentle swirl of the wooden spoon coaxing out an aromatic medley of vors that filled the kitchen, wrapping around them in warmth andfort. ¡°Smells just like mother¡¯s food¨C¡± Lukemented, reminiscing of old times on Earth, as Leo grinned at thepliment. Today was one of those days where Leo cooked not for sustenance but from the heart, and hence the results of his cooking were different. He had been waiting for this day for a long time and now that he had some alone time with his brother, he wanted to make the most of it. ¡°We cooked it with patience¡­. I think it¡¯ll turn out nicely¡± Leo said, as after a few minutes of letting the soup simmer, he took it out into two bowls cing one for himself and one for Luke. *Blow¨C* Blowing gently at the boiling soup, Luke took a sip and immediately felt lost in the vors. Not only did the soup smell just like their mother¡¯s, but it tasted like it too, improving his mood greatly. ¡°This is a 10/10 meal!¡± Heplimented, as Leo chuckled heartily. He was happy to see his brother look this happy, as it made it easier for him to tell him the truth. ¡°So, what was it that you wanted to tell me, Leo?¡± Luke asked, taking a few sips of his soup, as he encouraged Leo to finally break the news. Leo hesitated for a moment, scratching his chin, but eventually let out a long sigh as he started his exnation. ¡°Well, brother, this is a long story¡­ and I¡¯m not even sure where to begin. But I guess the best way is to start from the very beginning, because that¡¯s the only way it will all make sense.¡± Leo said, Luke nodded in understanding, his eyes focused on Leo as he prepared to listen. ¡°So, my ss in the game Terra Nova Online isn¡¯t actually ¡®Merchant.¡¯ I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m actually a special ss yer, called ¡®Actor,''¡± Leo began, deciding toy it all out from the start. ¡°¡®Actor?''¡± Luke repeated, surprised. He had never heard of such a ss before, which was strange given his knowledge of the game. ¡°Yeah, ¡®Actor.¡¯ It¡¯s a unique ss¡ªso unique that I¡¯m pretty sure that I am the only one in the game who has it,¡± Leo exined, his voice lowering. ¡°But it¡¯s not all great. The sses with a penalty¡­ a big one. If my identity as the ¡®Actor¡¯ were ever exposed, I¡¯d lose my life.¡± Luke¡¯s expression darkened with concern, his brow furrowing. ¡°Lose your life? As in¡­ die in real life? Or just lose a life within the game?¡± Leo shook his head grimly. ¡°Die for real.¡± *ng* Luke¡¯s spoon slipped from his hand, ttering loudly against the table. The gravity of what Leo had said hit him hard. This was the harshest in-game penalty he had ever heard of. ¡°So¡­ if anyone finds out that you¡¯re the ¡®Actor,¡¯ you¡¯ll die?¡± Luke asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. Leo nodded, confirming it. ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s brutal,¡± Luke muttered, his eyes glued to Leo, waiting for him to continue. Leo sighed, but a slight smile slowly crept onto his face. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore, because¡ªta-da!¡± Leo said, as he suddenly lifted his leg onto the dining table, revealing the faint tan lines around his ankle where the ankle monitor had once been. Luke¡¯s eyes widened, he felt his heart jump out of his chest when he noticed the missing ankle monitor. ¡°Your ankle monitor? Where is it?¡± he asked in rm, as he had never seen a passenger without one before, not even high-ranking residents like Cervantez could take it off, which made Leo not having it that much more perplexing. ¡°It fell off¡­.. well, technically, I¡¯m not allowed to be enved anymore. But that¡¯s a whole other story,¡± Leo replied casually. ¡°I know it¡¯splicated, and we¡¯ll get to all of it. But for now, let me tell you everything from the start.¡± Luke folded his arms, leaning back slightly. ¡°Hmmm,¡± he grunted, deciding to hold off on more questions. He wanted to hear Leo¡¯s story uninterrupted, letting his brother finally get it all off his chest. ¡°Basically brother, my ss is an ¡®Actor¡¯, so I get to y different roles within the game. One of my roles is ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the merchant, and every quest I get associated with that identity is rted to the merchant ss. However, while Leo Skyshard is a famous yer, I have a second identity that¡¯s probably more famous than Leo Skyshard too¨C¡± Leo said, as Luke¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. By this point he already had a premonition of what Leo was going to say next, however, he could still not bring himself to believe it. ¡°My second identity¡­.. it¡¯s ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Yes, I¡¯m the number one yer in Terra Nova Online!¡± Leo said, as he finally revealed the truth to Luke. Chapter 519: Acceptance Chapter 519: eptance ¡°My second identity is ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡­. I am the number one yer in the game¡± Leo revealed, as Luke stared at him jaw agape. A million different emotions shed by his face at that moment, as he felt exasperated and confused. He felt a bit of pride, knowing that his brother was number one, but also a bit of anger, a bit of frustration, a bit of joy, a bit of nervousness and a lot of confusion. ¡°I know¡­. I know. It¡¯s a lot to take in, also I¡¯m so very sorry for lying to you, but I didn¡¯t lie to you brother because I wanted to, I just lied to you because I had no other option. If anyone were to figure out my real identity within the game or in real life, the ankle monitor would have killed me, so I was forced to lie to survive. If not for the stupid ankle monitor, I would have NEVER lied to you¡± Leo said pinching his throat, as he signaled to Luke that he swore and that he was serious. He really did have no choice in the matter, and if he did, he would surely not have deceived the person that he respected and loved the most in his life. ¡°You¡¯re THE BOSS?¡± Luke asked, ignoring his soup and grabbing Leo by his robes as he shook him from side to side. ¡°You¡¯re the boss, so you fought me in the finals of the grand tournament? You¡¯re the one we tried so hard to recruit? Also you¡¯re a master level fighter now?¡± Luke asked, violently pushing Leo around like a rag doll, as Leo did not dare retaliate. ¡°Yes¡­ all that¡¯s true¡± Leo said, as Luke threw Leo off his chair and jumped onto him to give him an elbow m. ¡°Ouch!¡± Lukeined, as contrary to his expectations, instead of Leo getting hurt, it was his elbow that felt injured, as although he hit Leo hard on his abdomen, it felt like he hit a wall, as Leo¡¯s body seemed to be as hard as steel. ¡°What the hell is that body? Are you Superman already?¡± Luke asked, clutching his elbow in pain, as he rolled on the kitchen floor beside Leo, whoughed like an idiot. At this moment, Leo was so happy that Luke was at least talking to him, as although he was visibly mad and over enthusiastic, it was still much better than him turning off and deciding to not talk to Leo at all. If there was one thing Leo feared, it was breaking Luke¡¯s trust, and hence he was relieved that his brother didn¡¯t disown him. ¡°What? Why are youughing¡­ you moron!¡± Lukeined, as Leo simply rolled over and gave Luke a tight hug on the floor. He could die for his brother. There was no question in his mind that he could, and he was just d that he could finally reveal his truth to him. ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t! Get off me! Get off me! Damn¡­. You¡¯re heavy and strong¡­. No! Get off¨C¡± Luke protested, however, no matter how hard he pushed Leo, he could not shake his grip off, as just like within the game world, in reality too, the difference in their stats had be immense. Luke was no longer in the same realm of strength as Leo after his ascension and hence he could not wrestle Leo the same way as when they were kids. ¡°Hahaha¡­. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. Also, I wasn¡¯t allowed to officially join any guilds or organizations. It¡¯s one of the restrictions of the actor ss. Otherwise I would have joined the DarkSky guild from the start..¡± Leo said, as he let go of Luke, much to his relief. ¡°What the hell? What the hell kind of ss are you ying? What the hell kind of journey have you had?¡± Luke asked, getting back up on his feet, as Leo chuckled and joined him. ¡°Alright¡­. Let me tell you my story¡± Leo said, with a spark in his eyes, as he took his seat on the dining table and resumed consuming the soup. Frustrated, Luke stomped his feet, but also returned to his seat as he waited for Leo to tell him his lore. ******** (Two hourster) For the next two hours, Leo told Luke every small detail about his journey so far, every challenge he faced, every challenge he overcame, and everything funny that happened along the way. Initially, Luke was still distant, his anger notpletely resolved, but as the story progressed, his bodynguage softened. He leaned forward,pletely absorbed in the tale, as every now and then, his eyes would widen in disbelief, or he would scoff at the ridiculousness of some of Leo¡¯s experiences, but his interest never waned. ¡°So, let me get this straight,¡± Luke said, raising a hand to pause Leo mid-sentence. ¡°You¡¯ve fought world bosses, infiltrated THE ROYAL CASTLE, faked your death twice, and you¡¯ve been leading the biggest and strongest underground faction in the entire game?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Leo replied casually, sipping his soup, as if he hadn¡¯t just recounted a tale straight out of an epic fantasy novel. Luke ran his hands through his hair, exasperated, as he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. ¡°And you¡¯re telling me all of this now? After everything? Man, no wonder you always seemed so casual in front of Cervantez, you don¡¯t put him in your eyes much at all, no?¡± He asked, as Leo chuckled and shook his head to signal a ¡®no¡¯. ¡°Hey, I respect the guy, he¡¯s nice and all but I¡¯m number one!¡± Leo said, his tone suddenly serious again, as he gave Luke a knowing wink. ¡°I would have never lied to you brother, it¡¯s just, I had to, for the sake of my own life¡± Leo said, apologizing once again, as this time around finally Luke epted his apology. ¡°Yeah, I get it. It just¡­ it still feels like a lot. But, man, I¡¯m d my brother is the top yer and the second top yer, no matter how crazy this all sounds.¡± He said, as he extended his hand for Leo to shake. *DAP* Leo shook his hand hard, grateful for his eptance, as he felt a huge boulder being lifted off his chest. Chapter 520: The importance of power Chapter 520: The importance of power ¡°So, all that brings me to now¡­¡± Leo said, as after recounting his entire journey as a yer, he finally arrived at the part where he could share his knowledge of the future with Luke. ¡°As you already know, our real life physiques are connected to our in-game characters. So once we be a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter in-game, we apparently get the status of a ¡®Master¡¯ in real life¡± Leo said, as he shed his snake badge to Luke. ¡°This is a token of a Master, this token apparently puts you above the status of amon man on Terra Nova¡­. It¡¯s kind of like a citizenship upgrade. Warriors who haven¡¯t made it to the ¡®Master¡¯ realm are consideredmoners and have no civil rights. While Warrior¡¯s who have made it enjoy some special privileges, one of which is that they cannot be monitored by an ankle monitor. Which is why mine fell off¡± Leo said, as he finally started to tie up the loose ends of his story, clearing many of Luke¡¯s doubts. ¡°I am considered a higher citizen than you now, and I get many special privileges because of it, like not having to reside in any of the sectors going forward¡± Leo said, as Luke tilted his head in confusion. ¡°I have ess to the VIP living quarters now. It¡¯s a section above Sector S, that was sealed up till now because nobody deserved to be there. But with me bing a master, I¡¯ll no longer have to reside in the sectors. We will be soon moving beyond the staff quarters to a special new area¨C¡± Leo said, slightly rubbing his nose with pride as he looked towards the apartment¡¯s ceiling. ¡°We?¡± Luke asked, not sure of how Leo shifting tranted to a ¡®We¡¯. ¡°Yes ¡®We¡¯, meaning me, you and Amanda. I can bring two people with me and of-course I¡¯m bringing you both. Imagine private mansions, staff servants, higher mana concentration, training grounds for spells and no restriction on power outputs!¡± Leo said excitedly, as Luke cheered on as well. ¡°Hell yeah! I badly needed a training ground for my martial arts technique¨C¡± Luke said beaming with joy, as Leo jumped up and down like a child. Growing up with nothing more than bare necessities, living in luxury was one of the dreams of the Skyshard brothers. Although the two neverined about their living standards, everytime that they looked at the urban elites and their affluent lifestyles, they couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of longing for it. Who wouldn¡¯t? Everyone wanted to live life the best way possible, but not everyone had the means to do so. Joining the ship, the two of them had worked their way up from being sewage workers at the start to bing VIP¡¯s now, transcending even what the urban elite could afford. ¡°But is it really okay for you to take me and Amanda with you? I mean, we haven¡¯t done anything to deserve it¡± Luke said sheepishly, as he did not want to freeload off Leo¡¯s sess, especially not if him being there diminished Leo¡¯s benefits somehow. ¡°What are you saying brother? Me and you are a unit. Whatever is mine is of-course yours, apart from Amanda maybe¡­.. but yeah, anything apart from her we share¡± Leo said nodding his head as Luke gave him a tight smack on his head. ¡°Ouch¡ª¡± Lukeined once more, as hitting Leo¡¯s head felt like hitting the top of a stone. It was utterly pointless and hurt him instead. He felt mad at the insinuation that he would even want to share Amanda, however, he found himself unable to punish Leo for it. ¡°Goddamn it! I really need to be a master fast so that I can smack your head¡± Luke said, as Leo chuckled out loud. Although his body did not look much different, judging by Luke¡¯s reaction and how he actually felt nothing when Luke hit him, Leo realized that his body had indeed be much stronger than before. He still did not understand some of the mysteries of the Terra Nova Online world, especially how their in-game progress was linked to real life, however, he was d that it was. Currently there were a lot of secrets about Terra Nova Online and their destination that Leo could not share with Luke, as when he signed the agreement to receive the meditation manual, he also agreed to not reveal any details about the conversation with anyone. If he could, Leo would have already told Luke everything about their destination world and the importance of getting stronger to gain a better footing there. However, with two years still left until they reached the, and with the prospect of living together again, Leo felt no urgency to offer immediate advice. He had faith in his own ability to guide Luke properly, and had faith in his brother¡¯s own abilities to shine, given the right guidance. Leo had already decided that he would help Luke reach the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ before their journey ended, as only if he were a Master, could Luke continue being on the same footing as him. The two of them had experienced both the best and worst sides of society, and given the choice, they would always choose to live on the better side. Back on Earth, they had been naive, oftenmenting how the system was rigged against themon man. But if they wanted to avoid that fate again, the solution was clear¡ª which was to be stronger and more influential than anyone else. ¡ª¡ª¡ªxxxxx ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª End of volume 4! ¡ª¡ª¡ªxxxxx ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C That¡¯s it for volume 4 guys, I hope you all enjoyed it. Volume 5 will now delve into Leo¡¯s domination of the game, with some new charactersing into light and some old ones finally bing relevant again. Overall, Volume 5 has the potential to be the best volume of the book so far, so I¡¯ll hopefully see you all there! /// Chapter 521: New Beginnings Chapter 521: New Beginnings (The next day, Leo¡¯s POV) The next day was an odd one for Leo, as it was the first time since he came onboard the Arc-Ship that he wasn¡¯t forced to y the game ¡®Terra Nova Online¡¯. Having a limited number of gaming days left, Leo did not feel like it was worth logging into the game today, and instead decided to spend his day in the real world, strategizing about his future, to ensure that he could make the most of the days that he had left. ¡°Hmm¡­. On one hand, I don¡¯t need to maintain the facade of being two different yers anymore, however, I don¡¯t see the advantage in revealing my cards. Without my being on the line, I don¡¯t really have to worry about public opinion, do I?¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he realized that he no longer needed to worry about what themon yer thought about him. Currently, there was an outrage ongoing on the global forums where everyone was demanding the truth about his identity, however, with his ankle bracelet gone, Leo no longer needed to really worry about it. The world could think what they wanted, and he could continue to deceive them anyways. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s going to be agenda #1 when I log back into the game¡­.. I need to make a rification video fooling the whole world. With my newfound mastery of [Shadowbind] it¡¯s definitely not going to be impossible¡­..¡± Leo thought, as he easily came up with a n that could prove his innocence to the world. Although it wouldn¡¯t fully reflect the reality of the situation, it would be convincing enough to prevent anyone from questioning it. ¡°Funny how easily solutionse to you when you¡¯re not panicked. I swear I couldn¡¯t have thought of this yesterday¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he chuckled at his own silliness. Yesterday, he was sweating about his identity being exposed, yet just a few hourster, he was nowughing and scheming against the world. [ Mind Meditation Manual : You have sessfullypleted 6 hours of mind meditation today withoutmitting any mistakes. Further meditation is unnecessary ] Right as Leo was plotting about his future within the game, the mind meditation scroll went nk, showing that the 6 hours of daily meditation were up. It was only when Leo looked at this notification that he realized that he was supposed to be actively meditating, however, meditation had be so easy to him after his ascension that he could even multi-task while his brain automatically meditated. His previous record just a day ago was being able to meditate for 5 hours and 42 minutes non-stop before he made a mistake, and he had a strong feeling that he was going to be able toplete the full 6 hour cycle in the next 2-3 days, however, after ascending to the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯, meditation became almost second nature to him. He had to put no conscious thought behind meditation and could even think about other subjects while meditating. It was like he had be a veteran driver, who drove down the same road everyday and could switch off his/her brain during the drive and still manage to not crash. However, when he was a newbie, the same task felt like a challenge and consumed 100% of his focus. ¡°Damn, this means I most likely won¡¯t need to meditate with this scroll much in the future, I¡¯m done with this hell!¡± Leo eximed in joy, as he realized that he could finally move on to newer challenges now. ************ (Meanwhile on the global forums) Meanwhile on the global forums, the issue of Leo Skyshard/ The Boss¡¯s identity had reached its peak. There was not a single yer within the game world who did not feel interested in this news and the demands for rification were getting bolder. Though arguments were made on both sides, the neutrals seemed to have shifted towards the doubters who wanted justice, and joined the calls for rification, with many saying that ¡®If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had nothing to hide, he shoulde forward¡¯. ¡°Guys¡­ instructor Leo Skyshard did not show up for work yesterday, so I was unable to confront him in the kitchen. I find it suspicious that instructor Skyshard did not show up, the same day as the conspiracy shot up!¡± Commented a yer working under Leo, as it was him who had promised the world to confront Leo Skyshard in real life. His message in particr went viral on the global forums, as the doubters used it as ammunition to fan the mes. The controversy only deepened when another yer, iming to work for the Green Jade Merchant group, posted a lengthy testimony that added fuel to the fire. He swore that Leo Skyshard was somehow linked to the now-deceased Ben Faulkner, the former mentor of TheBoss. ¡°I worked in the Green Jade Merchant group when our boss, a NPC, met with Leo Skyshard and Ben Faulkner,¡± the yer wrote. ¡°Ben Faulkner extorted our boss Mr.Wade for benefits, and was confirmed to be helping Leo Skyshard.¡± This revtion set the forums aze, as yers scrambled to connect the dots. The timing seemed almost too convenient, so the yers wondered whether TheBoss had been working alongside Skyshard the whole time? Or worse, that they were one and the same? Adding to the chaos, some yers pointed out that Leo Skyshard and TheBoss had never been seen together, despite both being major yers in the Terra Nova world. ¡°It¡¯s odd, right?¡± one post read. ¡°For two of the most influential figures, they¡¯ve never been in the same ce at the same time. Maybe that¡¯s because they¡¯re the same person.¡± With these new pieces of evidence, the calls for a response from TheBoss grew louder. Themunity, once divided, now leaned heavily toward demanding answers. Yet, despite all the usations, both Leo Skyshard and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ remained silent, setting the stage was set for a revtion that could shake the game¡¯s world to its core. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Special shoutout to patron Cervantez91 for contributing a Gachapon to the book! I will host a special 5 chapter mass release on this Wednesday for the same. // Chapter 522: Seal The Deal Chapter 522: Seal The Deal (The same day) That same day, once the gaming hours ended and yers logged out of Terra Nova, Amanda rushed to find Leo, overwhelmed with fear after reading the growing uproar on the Global Forums. She had seen the usations and the increasing calls for rification, and the longer she thought about it, the more her anxiety grew for Leo¡¯s safety. Usually, Leo was quick to respond to her messages within the game, but today, for the first time, he hadn¡¯t replied to a single one of her private messages, which only escted her worry for his safety, and made it spiral into a full blown panic attack. *Ding* *Dong* She anxiously pressed the doorbell to Leo¡¯s apartment, her heart racing, as within seconds, Leo opened the door. ¡°Amanda? What¡¯s going on?¡± Leo asked, concern crossing his face as he saw her standing there, wide-eyed and breathless. ¡°Leo! Are you okay?¡± Amanda cried out, her voice trembling as she flung herself into his arms, holding him tightly. Leo, startled by her reaction, wrapped his arms around her, bewildered. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. What happened to you?¡± he asked, noticing her tear-streaked cheeks and the panic in her eyes, as he had no idea why she was so upset. Without a word, Leo scooped her up and carried her inside, gently closing the apartment door behind them. He brought her to his bedroom, where heid her down and sat beside her, letting her cling to him as she vented her emotions. Although he didn¡¯t fully understand what was going on, he knew Amanda needed to release the storm of worry that had been building up inside her, and hence he waited patiently for her to calm down. ¡°Leo! The people on the global forums are stupid! They¡¯re stupid, they think that you and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ are one and the same, and there are some idiots in sector E who even go as far as promising the world that they will find you and hunt you for questioning. I-I am worried about your safety¡± Amanda said, as after a full minute of crying she finally told Leo what was worrying her. ¡°Oh? People are talking about hunting me in real life?¡± Leo asked, shaking his head and chuckling, as he felt amused at the idea of anyone daring to hunt him. With his ankle monitor off, there were no longer any limiters on his power. He could actually use [Mirror World] [Vanish] [Kill Strike] and [Shadowbind] now and there was not a damn thing that anyone could do about it. However, he would thankfully never have to use them, as very soon he was going to leave Sector C for good. ¡°Yes! The workers under you are snakes! You treat them too well, and even give them the best possible evaluation grades but they are snakes ready to backstab you. You need to be careful!¡± Amanda said, as Leo chuckled and started to stroke her head. She was a cute one to worry so deeply about him and Leo could not help but feel this quality about her extremely endearing. It was moments like these that made him realize just how much Amanda cared for him, and helped him strengthen his belief that she was indeed the one for him. ¡°You know babe¡­. They¡¯re not wrong. I am actually ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡± Leo said, as he barely held in hisughter when he said those words. At first Amanda¡¯s expression turned nk, then confused and finally angry, as she thought that Leo was trying to pull her leg. ¡°Yeah right¡­. Nice one Leo! Make fun of your security situation¡­. Real mature!¡± Amanda said, fuming as Leo could hear the raspy sounding in and out of her nostrils. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, I am the Boss¡­. Look at my feet¡± Leo said, showing his foot as Amanda was immediately stunned to see his ankle monitor missing. ¡°Your ankle monitor! It¡¯s missing! Where is it?¡± Amanda asked, looking everywhere for it, until Leo picked it up from the side of the bed and ced it in her palms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nobody ising to hunt me, I¡¯ve actually outgrown the binds the legal way and have not broken free of my bonds¡± Leo said, as he reassured Amanda that he had not done anything illegal. ¡°Huh?¡± Amanda asked, feeling surprised, as she tilted her head in confusion. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯ll only make sense if I start from the start¡­. So be patient as I tell you a story, a story I only n to tell you and Luke¡± Leo said, as he began to narrate his tale to Amanda, right from the beginning. At first, Amanda could not follow Leo¡¯s story, as she had no knowledge about how thebat sses worked and how the special ss restrictions came into y, however, by the end, she seemed to understand the whole picture. ¡°So¡­ you really are the biggest big shot in the game? The one and only Boss?¡± Amanda asked, once Leo finished his story, as Leo nodded and gave her a kind smile. ¡°I am¡­. But you ma¡¯am, are my Boss¡± Leo said, poking her belly as Amanda giggled heartily. She was already madly in love with Leo before she even found out that he was an important yer, however, now that she knew that he was the best, it only made her even more proud of her choice. A man being rich and powerful was like a woman being beautiful, as although it wasn¡¯t the most important trait, it did help a lot to boost the attractiveness of the individual. She, just like Luke, was not mad about Leo lying to her, as she epted his exnation on how his very life was on the line if he did not. Since Leo was apologetic about his lies and hade clean at the first opportunity that he got, Amanda forgave her happily, and even decided to reward her in a special way. ¡°Mmm¡­. You bing a master needs to be celebrated properly. How about we go all the way today?¡± She asked, a naughty smile spreading on her lips, as Leo gulped a mouthful of saliva. Leo had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and now that it was finally within his grasp, there was no way he was going to turn it down. ¡°Okay¨C¡± he said, removing his robe, as Amanda bashfully did the same. Their bodies moved in sync from then onwards, as soft moans filled Leo¡¯s room. The two went at it for hours, the love between them tender and passionate, until Amanda was absolutely exhausted, as only then did Leo finally stop. Finally, when it was over, neither of them spoke, as they only enjoyed the embrace of one another, knowing full well that the dynamic between them had changed forever from this moment onwards. Chapter 523: Family Situation Chapter 523: Family Situation (Jacob¡¯s POV, Terra Nova Online) The rumors about ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being one and the same had reached the ears of Jacob as well, and unlike the others who were just specting if the two were one and the same?, Jacob was sure that they indeed were. The Boss was not primarily a yer belonging to the Southern Region, yet he showed up in Thumba City at the same time that Leo was visiting his mother and to make the coincidence even more ridiculous, Jacob found him loitering just behind Elena¡¯s bakery. ¡°The kid was there to change his clothes¡­. He was taking off his belt when I found him. He must be in the middle of changing his identity¡­.¡± Jacob realized, as he chuckled out loud when he found the truth. ¡°I¡¯m just a merchant my ass¡­.¡± Jacob said, grinning from ear to ear, as he realized that his innocent younger child was not so innocent after all. ¡°I guess badassery runs in the blood¡± Jacob concluded, as he realized that his sons were technically ranked 1,2 and 4 on the global rankings. Looking back at their fight, Jacob now chuckled at his foolishness to attack his own kid, as he felt a boulder being lifted off his chest. He was almost obsessed with beating The Boss, however, now that he found out that it was his own kid, he no longer felt the same way. ¡°His technique is not as good as mine, but the kid has potential for sure. If I get a chance to groom him, I can teach him a lot!¡± Jacob muttered to himself as he felt his veins pumping with adrenaline like never before. He was an absent father all his life, however, if there was one thing he was good at, it was stealth assassinations andbat. Hence, although there was nothing else that he could pass down to his kids, just the thought that he could perhaps pass down his experience, made him excited as a father. *Sigh* Unfortunately, despite the excitement that he felt momentarily, Jacob sighed and unclenched his fists as he realized that his son would never learn from him, even if it were in his best interests to do so. ¡°That brat is prideful and hates me¡­He will never give me a chance to be a father¡± Jacob muttered to himself, feeling a bit of self pity, before killing that emotion like a trained soldier. Yes it sucked that he could not be a role model for his children, however, such was life. He had his chance to be in their lives and he blew it in favor of fighting foreign wars, so now he needed to deal with the consequences of his own actions. ¡°But at least that kid did not expose me in front of his mother, he must have known too that I wasn¡¯t an architect¡­.¡± Jacob muttered as he chuckled out loud recalling that conversation. His kid clearly knew back then that he was abat ss yer, however, he still did not say anything about it to Elena, a decision that Jacob respected deeply now. ¡°Tch¡­.such a nice kiddo but you want to support the rebels? Just how did my bloodline turn anti-establishment?¡± Jacob wondered, as although he voiced his disappointment in Leo¡¯s decision, he wasn¡¯t really disappointed at all. Currently, he was working with his military buddies to strike a major blow to the rebel movement, ¡®The Uprising¡¯, however, now that he found out that his son was the one leading it, Jacob no longer wished to pursue the matter anymore. ¡°Fine, boy¡­. If you want to take down the status quo, I¡¯ll help you from the shadows¡± Jacob said, as he decided to go against all of his own beliefs and support the rebels, if that was what his son wanted to do. The probability of Leo ever finding out what he would do for him was thin, however, Jacob decided to support him from the shadows nheless, as he felt like that was what a responsible father should do. ¡°I¡¯ve been missing from your life for 20+ years¡­. I guess this is the least I can do¡± Jacob muttered to himself, as he called for an emergency meeting of his mercenary team. Surprisingly, he had to change their whole agenda today. ******** (Meanwhile Elena¡¯s POV) Elena too found out about all the global outrage, when Rita the kind gamer who taught her about in-game technology, reached out to her and asked her about her son ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. Up till then, Elena had no idea about the conversations on-going on the global forums, however, once Rita told her about it, she panicked and started to text both Leo and Luke to get to the bottom of the matter. Unlike most tech savvy people who could probably type messages with their eyes closed, Elena typed rather slowly, having to find the location of every key on the keyboard as she typed with one finger at a time. And although she typed this slow, she still made a lot of mistakes in her spellings, making her overall texts look weird. Nheless, she persisted for over half an hour, sending multiple messages to both her kids, and although Leo never replied, Luke did, informing her that Leo Skyshard and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were indeed one and the same, however, it was a close protected secret so Elena should not disclose it to anyone. Luke of-course did it because he did not wish to lie to his mother, however, Elena went into a full blown panic mode when she found out. She bombarded Luke with additional questions, mostly regarding Leo¡¯s safety, as Luke had to reply to her in long messages assuring her that both him and Leo were safe and that online outrage was not something to be worried about. However, unfortunately for Luke, telling a mother to not worry about her own child was like ying the flute to make a buffalo dance, which was utterly pointless. No matter how hard he tried, Elena refused to calm down and instead decided to end the conversation saying¡­. ¡®Let me talk to your father¡¯. Chapter 524: Consequences Chapter 524: Consequences (The Uprising¡¯s Group Chat, Terra Nova Online) The organization most impacted by the usations against ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ was none other than The Uprising. Leo Skyshard, the guild¡¯s primary financial backer, had contributed tens of millions of gold coins to the group in recent months, while ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was revered as their spiritual and figurehead leader. Seeing these higher-ups being openly ndered on the global forums by the masses was demoralizing for the guild members, and although they attempted to defend their leaders online, for the first time, the overwhelming public outrage was too much tobat. Outnumbered, theirments were swiftly downvoted, as the vast majority called for an official response from either the game developers or the used themselves. The situation continued to worsen as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ remained silent for two days, theirck of response only intensifying the tension and fueling growing dissatisfaction among Uprising members. ¡°This is outrageous! We can¡¯t let them nder ¡®TheBoss¡¯ like this. As members of his church we won¡¯t stand for it. He just became a master¡ªhow dare these mere mortals challenge him!¡± one uprising member fumed in the internal group chat. ¡°Yes! We must push back. We cannot letmoners ridicule our idol¡ªour god!¡± ¡°We should make an example of those who dare challenge ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard,¡¯ especially yers like BrownRock who even threaten to interrogate Sir Leo in real life¡­.. BrownRock, a Sector E kitchen worker, has no right to speak so boldly on the forums.¡± ¡°All our brothers working in the kitchens should make an example of him. The people need to understand that The Uprising protects its own, and our leaders won¡¯t be bullied without consequence.¡± ¡°Exactly, brothers. Every action deserves an equal reaction, and those who defy us must be silenced. Sir Leo funds the weapons we carry and the sries we earn, so the least we can do for him is defend his honor.¡± Chaosbringer stared at the group chat, his eyes narrowing as the furious conversation unfolded. The members of The Uprising were right. The insults hurled at ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard couldn¡¯t be ignored, especially not with the intensity of the public nder. Chaosbringer admired them both deeply¡ªespecially their leadership, their strength and their wisdom¡ªand to see their names dragged through the mud was infuriating for him. The situation on the forums had gone too far, and he couldn¡¯t sit idly by anymore. The members in the chat were already discussing taking matters into their own hands, and as Chaosbringer read through their heated messages, a grim realization settled in his mind. BrownRock had gone too far, both online and now, apparently, with his threats in real life, and ChaosBringer felt like the attack on the guild¡¯s senior members needed to be answered decisively. With a deep breath, Chaosbringer let his fingers hover over the keyboard for a moment before he typed his response. His message was calm, collected, and brutally cold blooded. ¡°BrownRock must be dealt with. This attack on our leaders cannot go unanswered. Take him out.¡± He wrote, as the second that a message from ChaosBringer dropped in the group chat, the entire chat fell silent for a few moments, as the gravity of his order sunk in. Up till now, although everyone was conspiring to take BrownRock out, no-one was actually serious about it, but with ChaosBringer now ordering them to do the same, the conversation turned real. With his orders crystal clear, one by one, the members working in the kitchens replied, all echoing the same sentiment. ¡°For The Uprising.¡± ¡°For ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Leo Skyshard.¡± ¡°Consider it done.¡± The kitchen staff unanimously decided that they would carry out the order, no questions asked, and that BrownRock would regret challenging the might of The Uprising. ******** (Real Life, The Arch Ship Kitchen ¨C Next Day) The kitchen was bustling as usual, the tter of utensils and the hum of conversation filling the air. Among the workers, the members of the uprising remained quiet, focused on their tasks, as they waited for all workers to show up for the day. They had their orders. Today, BrownRock¡ªreal name David Brown¡ªwould pay for his insolence. Chaosbringer¡¯s decision to take him out weighed heavily on them, but they were loyal to the guild and its leaders. No one defied the uprising without consequences, and certainly no one threatened Leo Skyshard, the man who paid for their bread. *Chop* *Chop* The men chopping vegetables exchanged silent nods as David Brown walked into the kitchen. He greeted a few people casually, unaware of the dark cloud hanging over him. Today, like the past three days, Leo Skyshard was absent from work, and David was not happy about it. ¡°Three days and Leo still hasn¡¯t shown up,¡± David muttered as he set his things down. ¡°He must be hiding something. There¡¯s no other reason he¡¯d go dark right after all this mess on the forums.¡± He said, shaking his head, as he began prepping his station, grumbling to himself about how the higher-ups always seemed to get away with everything. However, it was at that moment that the Uprising members shared another nce, their hands tightening on the knives they held, as they collectively decided to make the move. Unaware of the growing danger, David continued his rant, as the uprising members slowly approached him. ¡°You¡¯d think someone would call him out on it, but no. Everyone just lets him¡ª¡± At that moment, suddenly, the Uprising members moved, circling David in one swift, silent motion. The kitchen seemed to freeze as they drew closer, their expressions cold and resolute¡­.. and before David could process what was happening, the first de struck. *Shua* One of them leaned in close, whispering in his ear, ¡°You should¡¯ve known better than to threaten our leaders.¡± David¡¯s eyes widened in shock and horror as another de plunged into his side. He gasped, pain overwhelming him as more whispers followed, each more chilling than thest. ¡°You thought you could challenge Leo Skyshard?¡± ¡°Never forget who holds the power here.¡± The other kitchen workers watched, horrified, too afraid to intervene as David copsed to the floor, clutching his wounds. His breaths became ragged, his face contorted in disbelief. How did this happen? How had things escted to this point? As his vision blurred, thest thing David saw was the cold, unforgiving eyes of The Uprising members who stood over him, their knives dripping with blood. His thoughts were a chaotic swirl of confusion and terror. He had been taken out, mafia style, aboard the very ship where he had worked every day. ¡°HE PAID HIS PRICE FOR THREATENING A LEADER OF THE UPRISING, AND THE SAME CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF YOU¡± A particrly menacing looking uprising member said, as he waved his knife around to all the other workers, warning them of the consequences of going against their group. The other workers, still frozen in shock, understood at this moment that crossing someone as powerful as Leo Skyshard had consequences¡ªdeadly ones. And while usually, fights between workers were strictly prohibited, that rule only applied when someone of a lower sector attacked someone from a higher sector. Fights between individuals of the same sector were not restricted, which was the primary reason behind sector E being the hellhole that it was. Everyone knew that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ was one of the strongest forces in sector E that controlled the streets and food halls, however, nobody expected them to take out individuals based on their in-game opinions. This was a huge shock to everyone onboard and a reminder of who ran the show around here, as this incident was sure to spread fast amongst worker circles in sector E. ¡°Someone rush this guy to the medical bay¡­. He may survive if he¡¯s lucky¡± said the uprising member who put in the first stab, as poor David was rushed to the medical bay by a coworker, his life hanging by a thread. Chapter 525: Gaslighting the world Chapter 525: Gaslighting the world (Leo¡¯s POV, The next day) Leo waspletely unaware of the crimes that the uprising wasmitting in his name. He was already detached from the world, and since he already knew that he would not be returning to his duties as a supervisor, he wasn¡¯t too worried about any worker confronting him at work either. However, for the sake of not letting the rumors boil over, and to preserve the integrity of his identity, on the third day after bing a ¡®Master¡¯, Leo finally logged back into the game, his goal being to clear his name, and to follow up on the operations of the uprising. [ System Notification :- You have 232 unread private messages. ] As soon as he logged back into the game, the first thing he noticed was that he had 232 unread messages. 65 of them were from his mother, 70 more from Amanda, and surprisingly, ChaosBringer made the third biggest chunk at 55. ¡®What are you, my side chick?¡¯ Leo wondered, as while he could understand the panic from Amanda and Elena, he could not understand why ChaosBringer was acting like a little girl. Opening his chat, Leo quickly read through the messages, as he could not help but chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the rumors on the forums Boss, I have a super n to dete them all¨C¡± ¡°Sorry, my n to dete them all was deted, but I¡¯m mobilizing the guild members to push back as a unit¡± ¡°Apologies, the stupid guild members have failed us. The only option left is to terrorize and kill the most vocal critics¡± ¡°We have terrorized and critically injured BrownRock, that bastard won¡¯t say a damn thing anymore¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud to announce, we will go after 71 more targets, our deep assets in Sector E and D are ready to mobilize in real life¡± Leo thought ChaosBringer was joking; he never imagined in his wildest dreams that the threats would spill into the real world, as to him, they were just part of the virtual game. ¡°Rx ChaosBringer, I¡¯ll address the doubts of the world today¡± Leo replied, as he closed the chat window and focused on replying to his mom next. ********** Once he was done replying to his mom, Leo finally began with his act. Using [Mirror World] he created a perfect clone of himself as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and then changed his own appearance to that of Leo Skyshard the merchant. Once that was done, he controlled the clone to sit in his office as the Baron, while he himself walked to the main entrance of the Manor, and started to record a fake video. Walking confidently past the manor¡¯s gates and towards the main entrance, he stood waiting at the main door, as Butler George the NPC came to escort him personally. ¡°Mr.Skyshard, the Baron has been expecting you, please follow me¡­.¡± The Butler said, as he escorted Leo through the Manor and towards TheBoss¡¯s office. ¡°Baron¡­. Mr.Skyshard is here to meet you¡± he announced, opening the door to TheBoss¡¯s office, as only then did he gesture for Leo to enter the room. As Leo entered the room, The Boss nced up from behind his cluttered desk, surrounded by piles of documents, as after a brief pause, he set his pen down and courteously extended his hand. ¡°Baron,¡± Leo greeted, offering his own hand as they shook firmly. At this moment, Leo ended the live video as he felt like this was sufficient proof that the two of them were most definitely not one and the same, and using this video as irrefutable evidence, he posted it on the global forums under the I.D of ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, with the title of the post reading ¡°Meeting an old friend¡±. The post naturally broke the global forums, garnering over 20 million views in under 20 minutes, with almost everyone sharing it within their friend circles immediately, as it was the first time since the controversy took ce that one of the main characters had posted a rification video. In a way, it wasn¡¯t a rification video, since ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ addressed nothing in the video, however, to anyone with a functioning brain, the video was enough proof to put the conspiracy of ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being one and the same to bed. ¡°Holy shit it¡¯s over; the career of everyone who boldly imed that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ are one and the same is over! Although we don¡¯t know what connection there is between them both, they are at least not the same yer¡± ¡°I would like to offer a flower to the grave of CriticalThinker, the most foolish conspiracy theorist of our time. The man did the research, but came with the most absurd ims to connect the dots. RIP¨C¡± ¡°Leo Skyshard and The Boss must have beenughing their asses off this whole time while we were busy debating this stupid theory. I mean,e on¡ªeveryone knows a yer can¡¯t have two IDs in the same game world. How did we all get sucked into this?¡± The absurdity of the situation finally began to sink in for many. The idea that Leo Skyshard and TheBoss were the same yer was, in hindsight, one of the most ridiculous theories ever conceived in the game. It defied the basic mechanics everyone knew, but somehow, for a brief moment, the entire yer base had been convinced. ¡°This has to be the greatest hoax of all time,¡± another yer chimed in. ¡°We were all hunting for evidence, treating it like some grand conspiracy, and now it feels like we¡¯ve been chasing shadows.¡± The realization spread quickly. What had started as an innocent rumor spiraled into one of the game¡¯srgest witch hunts. Forums had been flooded with ¡°evidence,¡± connecting dots that didn¡¯t exist. yers had poured hours into dissecting everything from skill timings to dialogue patterns, building up an borate case that had now been utterly demolished. ¡°Honestly, props to both of them,¡± a yermented. ¡°TheBoss must¡¯ve been sitting back, watching this circus unfold, just shaking his head while sipping on virtual wine or something.¡± The memes started flowing in almost immediately. A popr one featured an image of TheBoss lounging in his office, feet up on the desk, captioned: ¡°Watching you fools argue for weeks.¡± Another meme showed Leo Skyshard with a magnifying ss, inspecting a map of the game world, with the text: ¡°Trying to find themon sense that disappeared during this whole debate.¡± Trolls, naturally, took the opportunity to stir up new chaos. ¡°It¡¯s all part of a bigger conspiracy! What if they¡¯re secretly working together and manipting the game¡¯s economy?¡± But these were quickly drowned out by the overwhelming response from the majority of yers who were ready to move on. ¡°This has to go down in history as the dumbest debate ever,¡± one yer remarked. ¡°I mean, how did CriticalThinker convince everyone that Leo Skyshard and TheBoss were the same person? His entire post is now just a graveyard of failed theories.¡± It became a running joke in the forums. Any new, oundish theory would be met with: ¡°Oh, so is this another ¡®Leo and TheBoss are the same person¡¯ situation?¡± yers who had passionately defended the theory were either going silent or trying to quietly change their positions. As Leo watched the reactions flood in, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk. The chaos had finally settled, and while the conspiracy theorists were licking their wounds, he was already thinking about his next move. The hoax had copsed, and now, it was time to focus on what really mattered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Fun fact, there is no photoshop in the game world, so videos and photos can¡¯t be manipted. So when the memes are mentioned, they¡¯re actually paintings made by painter ss yers within the game world andter circted as meme images. /// Chapter 526: The second rankers event Chapter 526: The second rankers event (Leo¡¯s POV) After thoroughly enjoying the chaos he had caused by gaslighting the entire server into believing somethingpletely untrue, Leo shifted his focus to the pressing task at hand. The second annual rankers-only event was just four days away, and Leo was determined to attend this edition, especially given how sessful the first one had been for him. Last year, he had gained a significant number of levels from the event, and this time, with a 100-level advantage over hispetitors, he nned to push his limits even further and take on even riskier bets. Still, despite his excitement, Leo couldn¡¯t shake the uncertainty. Would the event follow the same format asst year, or would there be unexpected twists this time? Over the past year, he had devised several strategies tailored for the next event, but all his preparation could be rendered useless if the rules or format changed significantly. ¡°Hmm¡­ I miss ying Terra Nova Online every day,¡± Leo mused. ¡°Logging in only once every three days is going to be rough.¡± He said, shaking his head as he came to terms with the struggle he would have to face daily in theing months. With today¡¯s login used, he was now down to just 246 remaining login days, a number which would dwindle fast considering the milestones he needed to achieve. ¡°Sigh¡­ seven more days until my istion ends,¡± Leo muttered, frustrated by the fact that he still couldn¡¯t leave the confines of his manor. He had grown sick and tired of the ce. Having already reached the realm of a master, he felt more than ready to break free and move forward with his real ns, but the stupid restrictions would not let him do so. His biggest fear currently was that he might identally miss the rankers event, as it could technically happen any day now before the third evaluation began in 7 days time. ¡°I¡¯ll just ask Raya about it after I log-out today¡± Leo decided, as not willing to take the risk of missing the event, he decided to pay the price of a few MP if necessary, to get the knowledge in advance. ********* (Meanwhile Cervantez) While Leo and the other rankers spected about the details of the uing rankers-only event, Cervantez already knew everything. This second annual event was set to be special, with nearly every ranker expected to walk away with a level boost ranging from 5 to 20 levels. However, for Cervantez, the event itself wasn¡¯t the main focus¡ªit was the participants. ording to his memory, this was the moment when his long-time crush, PinkLotus, finally made her public debut. In his past life, although ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reigned supreme at the top of the leaderboard and was considered one of the game¡¯s untouchable kings, he wasn¡¯t the only yer to earn that distinction. PinkLotus had also gained that same elite status, with her crowning moment taking ce during the second rankers event¡ª which was coincidentally also her public debut. Chosen as one of the four guardians in that event, she had initially been underestimated by everyone. But by the end, she earned the title ¡®Queen of Terra Nova,¡¯ not only because she was hailed as the most beautiful yer theizens had ever seen but also because she proved to be one of the most skilled, defeating over 750 rankers single-handedly. Back then, Cervantez was just an ordinary yer who, like many others, fell for PinkLotus and her fiery beauty. But, just like the millions of others who admired her, Cervantez never found an opportunity to speak with her. In his past life, although he followed PinkLotus closely after her debut, practically stalking her like a fan would follow a celebrity, he never once managed to interact with her. She remained aloof, and only the other rankers ever had the chance to talk to her, a reality that made Cervantez jealous of their status. This time, however, things were different. Now a ranker himself, Cervantez had a real shot at being selected as one of the four guardians in this year¡¯s event. Yet, as the event drew closer, his nervousness increased with each passing day, as he had not yet received any system notification that he was being considered for a guardian position. The second rankers event was a little special and unusual¡ª it was a dungeon-style event where the top 5bat yers in the game were chosen to defend the treasure room, while the remaining 9995 rankers were tasked with taking them down and seizing the treasure. Cervantez, in particr, knew this event inside and out, which only fueled his excitement. The dungeon had four main entrances, each one leading to the central boss room where the number one yer¡ª¡¯TheBoss¡¯¡ªstood waiting to defend the final treasure. But reaching that treasure was no easy task. At each of the four entrances, a guardian was stationed to block the path. These guardians were not necessarily the highest-level yers but were selected based on abination ofbat skills, strategies, and overall performance in battle. This detail intrigued Cervantez the most, as he always knew that the rankings board didn¡¯t tell the full story of a yer¡¯s abilities, and this event was designed to test far more than just ones raw power. In his past life, the four guardians chosen included PinkLotus, BigDaddy, Andheri, and SpicyRamen. However, Cervantez had a feeling that the selection pool might be different this year. With a total of 10,000 rankers invited to participate, the remaining 9995 yers were split evenly across the four starting points, with each group randomly teleported to one of the four entrances. Their journey to the central room was a grueling gauntlet of monster waves, traps, and trials, all designed to test their endurance, teamwork, and survival skills. But with every monster they killed, the rankers gained valuable experience and a single level, making the challenge incredibly rewarding. However, reaching one of the four guardians was only half the battle. Defeating a guardian granted the rankers a significant advantage¡ªa gain of 200 levels, distributed among the yers who contributed to the takedown. But Cervantez knew that oveing a guardian was a challenging feat in itself. These yers chosen as the guardians were the elite of the elite, and during the event, their HP pools were enhanced abnormally, allowing them to take far more damage than usual, making them incredibly difficult to defeat. And if, by some miracle, the rankers managed to defeat one of the guardians, their next task was even more daunting, as they then had to face the master-level fighter ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ who stood alone in the treasure room. The challenge here wasn¡¯t just about raw strength¡ªit required strategy, teamwork, and a careful blending of each yer¡¯s strengths to ovee ¡®TheBoss.¡¯ However, this was far easier said than done. The ultimate reward, though, made the risk worthwhile, as defeating ¡®TheBoss¡¯ not only granted the winning group 1000 levels, shared among the victors, but also gave them ess to the treasure room. The treasure room was filled with valuable artifacts, rare items, and skill scrolls, which whenbined with the level boosts, made the second rankers event incredibly enticing. As per Cervantez¡¯s memory,st time around, it was the third group to reach the central room that managed to defeat ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and im the treasure as after fending off two groups, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had been weakened, and he eventually fell to the third wave, though he still gave them a fierce fight. However, although the four guardians and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were eventually all defeated, they had not walked out of the event empty handed either. For the guardians and ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ the rewards were different, as for every ranker they killed, they earned two levels, and if they sessfully managed to defend the treasure room until the end, the five of them were then entitled to split the entire treasure trove among themselves. Thinking about all this, Cervantez couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of excitement. In his past life, he had only watched from the sidelines, but this time could be different. This time, he was amongst the chosen few that were definitely going to take part in the event, and even if he were to not be chosen as a guardian, he was sure to be chosen as a challenger. Cervantez strongly felt that his strength had grown enough to make him worthy of being one of the four guardians, and all he needed now was the confirmation¡ª a system notification inviting him to take this challenge, punching his ticket to be one of the chosen. But with every day that passed without notification, his anxiety grew. This event was everything. It was the proving ground where legends were made, and where yers like PinkLotus had cemented their ce in history. Cervantez knew that if he could secure a guardian spot, he¡¯d be one step closer to realizing his own destiny. But until that message arrived, all he could do was wait¡ªand prepare. Chapter 527: PinkLotus Chapter 527: PinkLotus (Meanwhile, PinkLotus) PinkLotus, a.k.a Alia Valdoria stood quietly, watching as the system notification blinked into existence in front of her eyes : [ System Notification:- Congrattions yer ¡®PinkLotus¡¯, you have been selected as one of the four guardians of the second rankers only event. If you choose to ept, then you may stand to gain dozens of levels from this event. ] [ System Notification :- Do you wish to ept this opportunity? Yes No ] Her fingers hovered near the ¡°Yes¡± button, though she made no move to ept it just yet. The offer of gaining dozens of levels was definitely tempting for her, infact, it was exactly what she needed to reach the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior ¡ªa realm that only ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had reached before her. However, the decision to ept the invitation was moreplicated for her than probably any other yer. Herbat skills as a ¡®Swordsman¡¯ were already second to none, and her (advanced) mastery over three legendary skills moves put her far above most, but without the necessary levels to back those skills, she couldn¡¯t truly im the title of a ¡®Master¡¯ fighter. Fortunately for her, this event could change that, and yet, she was hesitant to ept. She had unhealed trauma from her childhood, trauma surrounding her unparalleled beauty, which had followed her like a curse throughout her life. Before epting the system¡¯s offer, Alia¡¯s thoughts drifted back to her time on Earth as she recalled some horror instances from her childhood. She knew the system didn¡¯t care about her reservations, but that didn¡¯t stop her from considering all the consequences. She had spent two years within the game world avoiding the spotlight, as she deliberately kept herself away from any fame and attention. Even though her skills had already surpassed countless yers, no one knew anything about it because she preferred it that way. She was a solo yer, who spent most of her time in dungeons, which was perfect for her, as ying solo meant that there were no eyes on her, no unwanted interactions, and most importantly, no reason for anyone to know what she was truly capable of. She still clearly recalled how it had been for her on Earth, how every man she encountered had wanted something lustful from her. With her wless skin and perfect figure, they had chased after her, never caring about who she was, only seeing her as something to be owned. If it hadn¡¯t been for her father, using his political influence to fend off the suitors that constantly circled her like predators, she wasn¡¯t sure how much worse her life would have been. That experience had left her wary of attention and especially wary of men, and while the game world of Terra Nova had given her an escape from those realities, she knew that stepping into the spotlight here could bring back some of the same problems. As she contemted the invitation, she couldn¡¯t deny the allure of the levels. It was the only thing holding her back from bing a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter, someone who could stand on equal footing with TheBoss, and perhaps even surpass him. Yet epting would mean stepping into a role she despised¡ªbeing seen, being in the spotlight, and possibly bing a target for the attention she had always hated. Her gaze drifted between the ¡°Yes¡± and ¡°No¡± buttons as she weighed the decision. ¡®Could I deal with the attention if it means reaching Master level?¡¯ she wondered, as on one hand she found the glowing red notification that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ received when he became the first master very beautiful and wanted one for herself as well, however, on the other hand, she was scared toe in public eye. The idea of having her name broadcast to every yer, of being in the middle of a stage where thousands could watch her every move, made her uneasy. Fame came with its own burdens, and though she had always stayed in the shadows, avoiding recognition, this event could thrust her right into the center of it all. But on the other hand, it was an easy chance to gain dozens of levels¡­ The thought of finally reaching the level of mastery she had been aiming for tugged at her, yet the price seemed too steep. Lately, gaining levels as a solo yer had be increasingly more challenging, as she could sometimes not even gain a single level after clearing an entire dungeon alone. Closing her eyes briefly, Alia took in a deep breath as she considered whether the temporary fame would be worth it. In the end, with trembling hands, she decided to click on ¡®ept¡¯, as she decided to take a leap of faith for once. ******* (Meanwhile, the others) Thankfully, before Leo had to log out of the game, he received the system notification that the second annual rankers event was going to be held in 3 days time and would go on for a non-stop 48 hours marathon. He was apparently chosen as the ultimate gatekeeper of the event, and although he did not know what it meant, he decided to ept the role nheless. Apart from him, Cervantez was chosen as a guardian, much to the relief of the Regressor, as being chosen as one affirmed the fact that he was indeed one of the real top yers in the game. The yer ranked number 12, ¡®Andheri¡¯ was also chosen as a guardian over the seventh ranked yer ¡®Big Daddy¡¯. And the fourth and final guardian to be chosen was Luke, closing out the defenders pool. Up till now, nobody except Cervantez knew about the specifics of the second rankers event, however, with the second event being different in style from the first, everyone who got the invite was excited to see what this year¡¯s edition of the rankers event brought for them. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Chapter 1 of 5 for the day. Today¡¯s mass release is sponsored by patron Cervantez91, so please thank him in thements for the same! /// Chapter 528: Preperation Chapter 528: Preperation (Luke¡¯s POV) The first thing that Luke did after epting the guardian role for the uing rankers event, was to look for Cervantez and inform him about the same. ¡°What? You got invited as one of the four rankers too?¡± Cervantez said, surprised to see his Vice Guildmaster making the list, however, he was extremely happy that he did. ¡°You too?¡± Asked Luke, as Cervantez nodded in pride. Being invited to be a guardian was proof that they were truly one of the top yers in the game and that their levels were not for show only and that the system evaluated them to be one of the strongest yers around. ¡°Take pride in this invitation, SkyLion, only four yers get it, and not all four of them are necessarily the top rankers. I¡¯m pretty sure your brother won¡¯t be getting one¨C¡± Cervantez said, as Luke awkwardly avoided eye contact with him as this topic came up. As per Leo¡¯s wishes, he had not told his guildmaster that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ were one and the same, and pretended as if he were unaware about the whole drama. ¡°Speaking of your brother, the video he posted on the global forums was a clever one. I can¡¯t believe how stupid some yers are to believe that Leo Skyshard and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ can be one and the same. Clearly, they have never met your brother in real life¡­.. he¡¯s good but, there¡¯s no chance he can be ¡®TheBoss¡¯,¡± Cervantez said, as Luke choked up on the criticism. Cervantez was very wrong about his brother, however, Luke could do nothing to correct him. ¡°In any case, distractions aside, let¡¯s focus on this event SkyLion, I think the two of us can easily gain anywhere between 100-150 levels from this event if we y our cards right, or even 200 levels if everything goes our way, but that is more or less a pipe dream¡± Cervantez said, as Luke looked towards him in confusion. ¡°Guildmaster, do you perhaps have advance information about this event?¡± Luke asked with stars sparkling in his eyes, as Cervantez nodded solemnly. ¡°While I don¡¯t know too much, I know what the rewards structure is going to look like at the least. At first, us guardians will gain 2 levels for every ranker we defeat, so that¡¯s 50 levels guaranteed if we manage to defeat just 25 rankers. However, after every 50 levels that we gain, the difficulty to gain subsequent levels is increased four times, so from then onwards we need to kill four yers to gain two levels, or roughly 100 yers more to gain 50 more levels. We can keep umting gains this way for a maximum of 200 levels, but that¡¯s just a pipe dream. Also, if we die or eventually fall to the waves of yers attacking us, we will lose 50% of our level gains in total, so realistically, we should be happy if we walk out with 50-100 levels gained from this event¨C¡± Cervantez said, as Luke nodded in understanding. ¡°So how many yers can we expect to face at once?¡± Luke asked, as Cervantez let out a long sigh faced with this question. ¡°Roughly, all four guardians can face a maximum of 2500 yers. However, realistically, only 500-800 of them will make it to the end where we guard the doors. These 500-800 however, will be the cream of the crop, so expect facing the top mages, the top swordsmen, the top tanks in the game all at once in an epic showdown¡± Cervantez replied, as Luke felt goosebumps run all over his spine when he thought about such a scenario. Every yer dreamed of having a moment where they got to face hundreds of powerful opponents alone and this event aimed to achieve just that. ¡°Ofcourse, our HP pool will be multiplied by the same number as our opponents, so for example if we face a total of 500 opponents at the end, our HP pool will be multiplied by 500x giving us a level ying field to fight them. However, while our HP pools will be the same as our opponents, our numbers would not. They will team up as a group and try to thoroughly overwhelm us, which will always work out in their favor¡­ hence, it will be a tough fight¡± Cervantez exined, as Luke seemed to understand the whole format of the event at this point. ¡°So when you say prepare for the event, you mean¡­.?¡± ¡°I mean buying MAX HP potions, the kind that can refill our HP bar fully when drunk, also stocking up on items that can provide us with a breathing room when being overwhelmed. In this event, all guardians will have their critical damage improved by 10x and normal attack damage improved by 5x, making our attacks much more potent than they already are, however, our base stats like our defense, movement speed etc, will remain the same. We need to be strategic here Luke, you¡¯re smart. Think of some ingenious solutions¡± Cervantez said, as Luke gave him a thumbs up sign. After all the information that Cervantez had given him, Luke seemed to have pieced together all the details of the event that were necessary, giving him the ability to thoroughly n for it. ¡°We need to buy trap mechanisms, bombs and more AOE tools¡­.. before the other rankers ever arrive at our location, we can already rig the fight area to our advantage¨C¡± Luke suggested, as Cervantez pped him on the back with joy. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking¡ª what else?¡± He asked, as the duo dived deep into the discussion of what to do at the uing event. For the next few hours the duo discussed contingency ns for all possible scenarios that they could potentially face and once they felt like they had discussed everything there was to discuss, they delved into the purchase of all the items that they needed to gather before the event began. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 2 of 5. Let¡¯s go! /// Chapter 529: A tough universe to live Chapter 529: A tough universe to live (Meanwhile Jacob Skyshard) The four guardians were not the only ones to get an invitation to the rankers only event, as Jacob Skyshard got one too. Having entered the top 10,000 rankings not too long back, he was one of the new yers to be invited to this year¡¯s rankers only event, and just like everyone else who got the invite, Jacob felt hyped about it too. The system invite described the event to be a 48 hours non-stop gaming marathon, where the invited yers would get to test their mettle against powerful opponents and gain dozens of levels in the process. While additional details were missing from the invite description, Jacob felt hyped about it, especially since he knew that both of his kids were most likely going to be there as well. At this point, he had no idea that both of his kids were on the guardian team and not the yer team, as in his head he envisioned an adventure alongside them. ¡°I need to make an excuse so that Elena doesn¡¯t worry if I don¡¯t show up in the real world for two days¡­.¡± Jacob thought to himself, as the biggest hurdle to him joining this event was not the event itself, but rather how he would exin his absence during it to Elena. *********** (Meanwhile the Ship Operators) ¡°Captain, are you certain you want to reduce the number of monsters leading to the guardian chambers by 30%?¡± Raven asked, concern evident in his voice as Captain Kid gave the order for a drastic change in the events set up. ¡°Won¡¯t that severely limit the leveling opportunities for the less talented yers?¡± Raven asked, as he knew that this nerf was not going to affect the more talented rankers but only those who did not have the skill to fight for every kill. ¡°I know,¡± Kid replied with a sigh. ¡°This could mean most yers will only gain 7 to 12 levels from the event instead of the usual 12 to 15. But it¡¯s the only way to give them a fighting chance¡ªabout a 50% shot¡ªat defeating ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and iming the ultimate treasure.¡± He paused for a moment, his expression serious. ¡°With ¡®TheBoss¡¯ reaching the realm of a master, the bnce has shifted dramatically. To even the odds, we need more yers to make it to the boss room. The organization funding this event is expecting us to maintain a 50-50 chance of either side winning the treasure, so we must go through with the monster reduction.¡± Raven sighed as he heard these words, as to him it seemed like the gap between the true rankers and the rest was going to widen enormously once more. The longer that Raven worked at the Arc Ship and for the universal government, the more he realized about how the odds were always stacked against themon man. It wasn¡¯t just about the event¡ªit was about the cruel reality of the universe they lived in. To him it seemed like the powerful could always find ways to get stronger, while the weak were left with scraps, and the second rankers¡¯ event, hyped as an exciting spectacle, was just another tool to solidify that imbnce. ¡°This world¡­¡± Raven muttered, shaking his head. ¡°The strong get stronger, and the weak are left to cheer them on, not realizing they¡¯re sealing their own fate.¡± Kid nced at him but said nothing. The event would be livestreamed on every forum, with multiple camera angles capturing the yers¡¯ every move. For the viewers, it would be an exhrating watch, but it was nothing more than a misdirection. Millions would waste hours of their gaming time watching the event right before the third evaluation and lose their chances to be promoted. Themon yer would think that the rankers had it sweet and easy, however, the average ranker would gain a meager 7 to 12 levels from this event if they were lucky. Meanwhile, the elites¡ªthose with real skill¡ªwould walk away with 20 to 30 levels, pushing them further ahead. And the guardians, along with ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ could easily amass 50 to 100 levels, leaving everyone else choking in their dust. The worst part? Themon yers, those who didn¡¯t even qualify for the event, would still watch with joy, unaware that the gap between them and the elites was growing. They¡¯d debate the strategies, cheer for their favorites, and never realize that their ce in this world was being cemented further with every passing day. Their roles, their futures¡ªit was all going to be decided in real time, and they were going to be too blind to see it. ¡°We don¡¯t set the rules Raven, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. The ascent to the top is a virtuous cycle and the fall to the bottom is a viscous one. You, me, people like us¡ª we can work earnestly for the universal government for decades and never recieve a mediation manual, however, individuals like Leo Skyshard, who are valued by the higher ups can recieve a Grandmaster level manual without even joining the organisation as an official member. Currently his stars have aligned and he¡¯s rising, however, the moment he hits his ceiling and stops making the cut at the top, his demise will begin as well. He will slowly see himself being demoted from the post of the top guy to one of the guardians, then he would fall to the ranks of a top ranker, then an average ranker and finally amoner. Out of 10,000 warriors who reach the realm of a Grandmaster only 3 transcend to be a Transcendental level warrior, and the road ahead is even tougher. I hit my ceiling as a master, and maybe someday I may reach the realm of a Grandmaster but thats the end of the road for me. For you, you still have to work hard to reach the realm of a master and be promoted to the post of a captain, but there¡¯s still a few years of your service left before you can achieve that¨C¡± Captain Kid said, as he ranted about the cruel reality of the universe. The universe had never been fair, and it will never be fair, and hence, Kid asked Raven to stop ranting about it and just ept things as they were. ¡°Aye captain. I see your point¨C¡± Kid said, as he epted the captain¡¯s words and made the changes that he asked him to make. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 3/5 /// Chapter 530: Rankers Event (1) Chapter 530: Rankers Event (1) (Three Days Later ¨C Jacob¡¯s POV) [System Notification: The second annual Rankers Summit willmence in 15 minutes. Please ept the invitation to teleport to the event dimension before the timer expires, or the invitation will be forfeited automatically. We look forward to seeing you there!] [System Notification: Would you like to teleport to the event dimension? Yes No Timer: 14:58] It was finally the day of the event, and barely five minutes after logging into the game, Jacob was immediately greeted by the shing system prompt, urging him to make his decision. He stared at the countdown as it ticked away, feeling the anticipation bubble up inside him. The timing couldn¡¯t have been better for him, since he had already provided Elena with a convincing excuse the day before, exining that the intricate architecture project he had been painstakingly working on was nearingpletion, and logging out for the next 48 hours simply wasn¡¯t an option. With that exnation in ce, the path to fully participating in the event was wide open, leaving nothing in his way. His finger hovered over the ¡°Yes¡± option for a brief moment as a grin crept across his face. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for, as without hesitation, he epted the invitation, ready to face the challenges that awaited in the event dimension. ******** As soon as he was teleported into the event dimension, Jacob found himself standing in an expansive, open in that stretched endlessly in every direction. The only notable feature of this in was a towering, solitary tree far off in the distance, however, it was at least a solid 30 minutes walk away on foot. Surrounding him were nearly ten thousand other rankers, all scattered across the field, their presence adding a palpable tension to the air as they nervously chatted amongst each other. As Jacob observed the rankers gathered around him, he immediately noticed a striking detail about them, that most of them were barely young adults, likely no older than 25 or 27. Their youth was apparent in the way they moved, talked, andughed¡ªfull of confidence, full of fire. They thought they were invincible, and it showed in their prideful eyes. As Jacob scanned their faces, he realized that he was one of the few older men in the crowd, and that suited him just fine. These kids had no idea what it meant to face real danger, real death, and Jacob did not take such fools too seriously. As he moved through the crowd, the idle chatter of rankers filled his ears, which only further worsened his view of them. ¡°Check out this sword,¡± one of them bragged, showing off a gleaming de. ¡°Got it from a raidst night. With this baby, I¡¯m unstoppable. No way anyone¡¯s taking me down in this event.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I just leveled up my [Firestorm] skill,¡± the other one replied, puffing out his chest. ¡°One hit from that, and it¡¯s game over for whoever gets in my way. This is gonna be easy.¡± Jacob couldn¡¯t help but scoff internally, when he heard this, he was a special ops soldier¡ªa real one, not some overconfident gamer who only knew how to use spells to kill monsters. He¡¯d seen the dark side of life, had been trained to kill in more ways than these kids could imagine. With nothing but his bare hands, he could easily kill a man in a hundred ways. But these youngsters, they strutted around like they had the world in the palm of their hands, although most were worthless without their weapons in hand. They had no idea what realbat was like, what it felt like to look into a man¡¯s eyes as you ended his life. The way they spoke about their gear and shy moves¡ªit was superficial, childish. He had faced enemies far more dangerous than any monster these kids had seen in this game, and those enemies didn¡¯t announce their presence with glowing armor or dramatic moves. They came in silently, when you least expected it, and by the time you realized they were there, it was already toote. He felt a wave of disdain rise inside him. These boys thought their swords and skills made them strong, but Jacob knew the truth. It wasn¡¯t the weapon in your hand or the skill you mastered that made you dangerous¡ªit was the experience, the ability to keep your cool under pressure. In the real world, those with the biggest mouths were the first to die. He had seen it countless times. As he walked through the gathering, searching for familiar faces, his mind drifted to his sons, Luke and Leo. The two of them were the primary reason he was here, and although he was sure that they weren¡¯t going to be thrilled to see him, he wanted to watch over them from afar. However, to his dismay, no matter how hard he tried he could not seem to locate them in thisrge crowd. ¡°Has anyone seen TheBoss yet?¡± a ranker asked in a hushed tone. ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯d be here already, right? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be the top yer?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s spotted him,¡± another replied. ¡°I bet he¡¯s watching from the shadows, away from all prying eyes. He¡¯s a real assassin you know!¡± Hearing the name TheBoss, a faint smile crept across Jacob¡¯s face. That was his son, Leo, and Jacob was proud of the reputation his boy had built. Having faced him inbat, Jacob knew just how formidable Leo really was and he respected the boy¡¯s talents immensely. ¡®Is he really hiding in the shadows though?¡¯ Jacob wondered as he started to look for any trace of Leo in the shadows of the various rankers, however, his thoughts were interrupted as the crowd suddenly grew quiet. He looked up and saw why, as a stunning figure approached from the horizon, moving with an ethereal grace thatmanded attention. It was an elf, her silver hair shimmering like moonlight, her emerald eyes piercing as she stepped forward. The field fell silent as she addressed the gathering of rankers, her voice ringing out clear and authoritative. ¡°Wee, rankers. I¡¯m Raya, and I¡¯ll be the host of this year¡¯s rankers summit. Please note that the second annual Rankers Summit will begin five minutes after I¡¯m done exining the event, so please prepare yourselves ordingly.¡± Jacob straightened hearing these words, his focus sharpening. Knowing the rules was important toplete any mission, and hence he focused on what Raya had to say single-mindedly. ¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 4 of 5 /// Chapter 531: Simp? Chapter 531: Simp? ¡°The rules of the event are as follows¡­¡± Raya began, and for a while, every yer listened intently. The event itself was simple, and apart from a few foolish yers who needed rification on minor details, the majority found the concept easy to grasp. Each ranker was poised to gain 1 level for every monster they individually defeated or earn experience points based on their contribution to taking down a monster in a group. The goal was to fight their way to a special room called the ¡®Guardian Room,¡¯ where they would face one of the four event guardians. If they sessfully defeated their guardian, they would earn 200 levels, to be shared among all those who contributed to the fight. However, if they were killed during this phase, they would lose half of the levels they had gained on the journey and be ejected from the event. If somehow they managed to defeat the guardian, they would then gain the right to enter the event¡¯s boss room, where the treasure keeper awaited as the final challenge. Dying in this phase wouldn¡¯t result in the 50% level reduction, and yers could leave with whatever levels they had gained. However, if they managed to defeat the final boss, they would be rewarded with a total of 1000 levels, distributed evenly among the participants, along with ess to a special treasure room filled with invaluable items. The twist in this event was that the 10,000 rankers would be split into four groups, each with identical paths leading to the treasure chamber. However, only one group could im the treasure, making it a race to the finish. If one group entered the boss room, the others would have to wait until that group either defeated the boss or failed, at which point they could make their attempt, and the group that sessfully defeated the boss first would im all the treasure. ¡°Ha, this is some interesting shit¡ª¡± said a yer standing beside Jacob, as although Jacob mirrored his sentiment, he did not appreciate the use of such light cuss words. ¡°It is a nice set-up¡­.¡± Jacob murmured, as he hoped that he might be paired up with one of his two kids in the event. At this point the yers werepletely unaware that the guardians they were to face were none other than their fellow rankers, and hence they were all in for a big surprise when they eventually reached the end of the road. ¡°One more thing¡­. This event will be live streamed across the global forums, so please note that the feed might broadcast your every move in real time¨C¡± Raya said ending her speech, as immediately a wave of chatter broke amongst the crowd. ¡°Live Streamed? Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! Your brother is about to be famous¡± ¡°Live Streamed? Man, I¡¯m camera shy¡­. I¡¯ll get performance anxiety if I think I¡¯m on camera¡± ¡°Muahaha, all the girls will see how handsome I¡¯m now. Girls, hit me in dms to see my sword, it¡¯s long and thick, like every man¡¯s is supposed to be¨C¡± ¡°Err, the event hasn¡¯t started yet, also please don¡¯t show any girl your sword, it¡¯s disgusting¡± ¡°How do you know what it looks like?¡± ¡°Bro, we used to go to school together, I know what it looks like, it¡¯s bent to the right like a banana¡± ¡°Noo it is not¡ª you liar!¡± Jacob felt his eyes twitch when he heard this conversation, as he felt a few brain cells die within him. This new generation talked about weird things and it gave Jacob a massive ick. ********* (Meanwhile Leo) Unlike the other yers that were gathered in an open field, Leo and the four guardians were gathered in the treasure room, where Leo was supposed to defend from. It had been two minutes since the five of them had gathered, however, nobody seemed to utter a word. Leo put his arms behind his neck and stood in a casual pose, while Luke gave him an acknowledging nod. There was a new girl that Leo did not know about, and although she was beautiful, Leo did not care one bit about her beauty. In his heart, Amanda¡¯s spot was irreceable, and hence after making eye contact with the woman once, Leo never bothered ncing at her again. Unfortunately, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Andheri however, as the guy kept staring at PinkLotus with his mouth agape from the second he arrived in the room. PinkLotus was an ethereal beauty, with long flowing pink hair that cascaded down her back, contrasting against her fair, jade-like skin. She wore sleek, form-fitting armor that entuated her perfect D-cup breasts and emphasized her narrow, slender waist. Every piece of her gear, from the polished shoulder guards to the reinforced boots, was top-notch, hinting at her elite status. A finely crafted sword hung at her side, its hilt glimmering under the soft light of the treasure room. Despite her impressive appearance, it was clear that Andheri had only one thing on his mind. His eyes were glued to her chest, his mouth still slightly agape, as if he couldn¡¯t tear his gaze away. PinkLotus shifted ufortably, adjusting her armor twice in an attempt to divert his attention, but Andheri remained oblivious. Leo nced briefly at the scene but quickly dismissed it, he didn¡¯t care too much to intervene, however, the awkward tension in the room continued to grow, until finally, Luke broke the silence. ¡°Hey, Andheri,¡± Luke said, smirking as he leaned casually against the wall. ¡°If you stare any harder, you¡¯re going to burn a hole through her armor. Maybe focus on your sword instead of hers?¡± The remark hung in the air for a moment, the humor cutting through the tension like a de. Andheri snapped his mouth shut, his face flushing as he looked away awkwardly. PinkLotus, for her part, gave Luke a small nod of appreciation, finally relieved that someone had addressed the situation, however, Luke felt conflicted at receiving that nod. On one hand he felt his own heart flutter slightly when his gaze met hers, and on the other, he could see the passionate gaze that his guildmaster had in his eyes when he looked at her. Although Cervantez did not stare at PinkLotus constantly like Andheri, nor did he look at her chest, the guy was clearly infatuated with her, we he stole nces at her face continuously, to the point where he hadn¡¯t even talked to Luke or ¡®TheBoss¡¯ since arriving in the room. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Mass release chapter 5/5, please thank patron Cervantez91 for today¡¯s mass release event in thements below. // Chapter 532: Live Stream? Chapter 532: Live Stream? (PinkLotus¡¯s POV) The moment PinkLotus teleported into the event room alongside the other guardians, a wave of regret washed over her. Almost immediately, she felt the familiar, unsettling weight of someone¡¯s gaze falling on her body, as she found one of the men present in the room tantly staring at her, his eyes drifting over her face and figure as if she were an object on disy. The experience was all too familiar, and it made her question her decision toe here in the first ce. But to her relief, not all the men in the room behaved the same way. The blonde with blue eyes, though clearly captivated by her, was discreet. He stole the asional nce in her direction, but at least he had the decency to avoid making her feel ufortable. Then there was the man with ck hair, whose demeanor was entirely different. Hisck of interest in her was startling, almost refreshing. He exuded a calm, almost paternal authority, and when he caught the other man staring, he didn¡¯t hesitate to tell him off. His actions made her feel an unexpected sense of security, something she wasn¡¯t used to. And finally there was ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ cloaked in his signature ck robes and mask. He waspletely indifferent to her presence, not even sparing her a second look after his initial nce. It was as if her being a woman had no bearing on him at all, and for the first time in a long while, her charm seemed to have failed to affect someone. It was an oddly refreshing feeling for her, leaving her with the realization that he was unlike anyone she¡¯d ever encountered before. ¡®So this is the number one yer? I wonder if he would ept my offer to spar with him,¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as at that moment, a beautiful elf teleported into the room. ¡°Oh? Hey Raya¨C¡± TheBoss said casually as if he already knew the elf, and the elf too bashfully smiled at him, as if she were smitten by his charm. ¡°Hello adventurer, wee to the second rankers event¡ª¡± the elf said, gulping a mouthful of saliva, as she showed the same signs of nervousness and longing that men usually showed when talking to PinkLotus. ¡®Oh¡­ this beautiful NPC likes him,¡¯ thought PinkLotus, as it further improved her impression of ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Let me tell you the rules of this event. The five of you have been chosen as the guardians, and you will be pitted against all the other yers participating in this event. The format of the event is¡­..¡± Raya began, as she exined the entire format of the event in depth to all the guardians. As she revealed details about the event that Luke and Cervantez already knew, Luke excitedly looked towards Cervantez, to give him a knowing nod, but the usually reliable guildmaster seemed to be lost staring at PinkLotus¡¯s back today. As much to Luke¡¯s dismay, he never looked towards him once. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen him behave this way before, the guildmaster is really smitten this time around¡¯ Luke thought, as the signal became clear to him that he had no room to harbor any emotions for PinkLotus and that she was the guild masters to pursue. Finally, after ten minutes as Raya was done exining the event and it¡¯s rules, she gave time to the yers to ask her any doubts that they may have regarding the event, and it was at that moment, that ¡®TheBoss¡¯, asked her a simple question. ¡°So the selection of the guardians, you mean to say that after me, these are the four strongest yers in the game?¡± TheBoss asked, his voice sounding condescending as if he could not believe that this was the best that the game could produce. ¡°Yes that¡¯s correct, ording to our database, after you these are the four bestbat yers with a recorded history of participating in difficultbats. There can be potentially more talented yers, however, they are either not high leveled enough, or they don¡¯t have any extensive history ofbat for us to judge them on, so for now it¡¯s safe to say that these four are the best¡± Raya said, as Leo shrugged his shoulders in response. ¡°Please note that this event will be livestreamed, so once the rankers reach the guardian chambers, theirbat against you will be shown to the whole server. Also, all four guardian chambers have distinct terrain, so it¡¯s up to the treasure keeper to decide as to which guardian will hold what door¡± Raya said, as she tossed Leo a scroll which described what entrance gate had what guardian room terrain attached to it. ¡°That will be all from my side guardians, I wish you all the very best!¡± Raya said, teleporting out of the room, but not before biting her lips longingly as she stared at Leo. With her gone, all eyes now turned to Leo, as he was the one who had to decide what guardian went to what chamber. ¡°Live Streamed? Were any of you informed about this prior to this event?¡± PinkLotus asked, as while Leo studied the information scroll, PinkLotus raised objection to this event being live streamed server wide. For her, there could be nothing worse than her image being live streamed server wide and if possible she wanted to avoid that grim fate. ¡°Well what¡¯s wrong with it being live streamed. I for one would not mind showing off my skills to the world. I¡¯m the best, and I¡¯m not shy to show it¨C¡± said Andheri, winking towards PinkLotus as he tried to insinuate that he was best at something else too, but his cheap humor only garnered a disdainful snark from PinkLotus. ¡°No I wasn¡¯t informed about the event being live streamed, I think all of us got the same invite message asking us to be a guardian¡± Luke replied, as PinkLotus grit her teeth in anger. She was mad at the game developers for putting her in such a tough spot, but now that she was already here, there was nothing she could do about it anymore. Chapter 533: Domineering Aura Chapter 533: Domineering Aura (Leo¡¯s POV) Leo studied the terrain map for a few minutes, contemting who to assign to each location, but after some thought, he decided to abandon the idea altogether. ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± he began, as he addressed the group. ¡°Here¡¯s the terrain map. I know Raya told me to assign you all based on my judgment, but I¡¯m going to trust that everyone gathered here is a capable adult. So, I¡¯ll let you four decide amongst yourselves, as to where you wish to be¨C¡± Leo said, as he tossed the information scroll to the ground, with the others gathering around it. There were four guardian rooms in total, each designated by cardinal direction: North, South, East, and West. The North room featured rocky terrain with a sandy surface andrge, jagged rocks scattered around, providing ample cover. It was a challenging battlefield, as the terrain limited the effectiveness of area-of-effect (AOE) attacks, favoring enemies with superior numbers who could use the rocks for cover. The South room, by contrast, was a maze-like cave system, with interconnected pathways that created a ustrophobic and tricky environment to fight in. It posed its own challenges, but fortunately, the event¡¯s design prevented enemies from bypassing the guardian and entering the central chamber, which would otherwise be an easy feat through thebyrinth. Thankfully, the event was designed in a way where the central chamber only opened after the guardian was defeated, which leveled the ying field for the guardians. Compared to North and South, the Eastern room was the simplest of the four¡ªas it was a simple wide, open grassy field dotted with small, palm-sized rocks. There was no ce to hide, no cover to use for protection in this room, and it was a straightforward battleground where warriors who excelled in dishing out high damage would thrive. Finally, the Western room was the most dangerous. It consisted of a magma pit, with floating inds that shifted unpredictably. Aside from the solid rock where the guardian would stand, every other tform floated above moltenva, creating a treacherous and constantly changing battlefield, as the ever-moving inds made this room the most vtile and unpredictable terrain of them all. With the mapid out, the choice of where to stand was now in the hands of the four guardians as they each expressed their views over it. ¡°I want the open grassy terrain, I feel like it¡¯s the most advantageous map for me¡± said PinkLotus who went first with her selection. ¡°Agh, your voice is as beautiful as your face¡± said Andheri, as like a true simp, he ttered PinkLotus at every chance that he got. ¡°Let¡¯s keep our focus here¡± said Cervantez, clearly annoyed by Andheri¡¯s antics, as he immediately drew the group¡¯s focus back to the task at hand. ¡°Does anyone have any problems with thedy choosing the East?¡± he asked, as nobody raised any objections. ¡°Thank-you¡± said PinkLotus, as Andheri winked at her with a wicked smile. ¡°Ladies first honey¨C¡± he said, as both Luke and Leo simultaneously rolled their eyes at thisment. ¡°I¡¯ll take theva map¡­.. I feel like the limited room for maneuverability will benefit me and my fighting style¡± Luke said next, as both Cervantez and Andheri seemed d that he chose the more problematic map on his own. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me¨C¡± ¡°And me¡± The two of them said, as with that Luke confirmed his spot as the West Guardian. This only left Cervantez and Andheri to make their decision, however, this was the point where maturity took a nosedive for the worst. ¡°I¡¯ll take the south¨C¡± said Andheri, as Cervantez shook his head and said ¡°No I¡¯ll take the South¡± Both of them seemed to want to avoid the more problematic North map, and began vehemently arguing over it. ¡°Brother I¡¯m abat mage. Those rocks are doom for me. I can fight within a cave, but I can¡¯t fight in a terrain full of rocks. Don¡¯t be stupid, this gives us the maximum probability to seed as a group¡± Andheri argued as Cervantez shook his head and did not seem convinced. ¡°Well I¡¯m a magic swordsman and the Rocky terrain isplicated for me to fight in too, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯m epting it¨C¡± said Cervantez, as at this point it was Leo who stepped in. ¡°Look guys, to be honest, I don¡¯t care for any of you. I alone am enough to take on 10,000 other rankers and even without this enhanced HP and all these other buffs I have the confidence to beat them all alone. So it simply doesn¡¯t matter if you go north or south or don¡¯t fight at all, because both of you are irrelevant. So rx and rock paper scissors for it and stop giving me a headache¡± Leo said, as in true ¡®TheBoss¡¯ fashion he made the most domineering statement in the most badass way possible. ¡°Rude¨C¡± muttered PinkLotus under her breath, but although Leo heard it, he didn¡¯t bother reacting to it, while Andheri kept opening and closing his mouth as if at a loss for words. On one hand he wanted to tell Leo that he needs to stop boasting so much, however, on the other hand he was ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and Andheri wasn¡¯t sure if he was boasting or what he said was actually true. So in the end, he simply decided to do as told and rock paper scissored Cervantez for it, and to his dismay, he lost. In the end, it was PinkLotus to the East, Cervantez to the South, Luke to the west and Andheri to the North, as Leo assigned them all to their rooms and they teleported out of the central chamber where he was. ording to Raya, it was going to be 24 hours more before the first group of adventurers reached any of the guardian rooms and until then, Leo decided to sit back and watch the livestream of the event, like millions of other yers were doing right now. Chapter 534: Rankers Event (2) Chapter 534: Rankers Event (2) Once they separated, Luke and Cervantez began setting up the traps they had purchased throughout their guardian rooms. With their prior knowledge of the event, they had made sure to prepare well in advance, purchasing many traps in bulk. Luke, in particr, felt like he had hit the jackpot as hisva room, with its limited maneuverability for his opponents, was the perfect ce toy traps. He strategically ced explosives around the floating tforms where yers would eventuallynd, as well as on various walls throughout the room, ready to be triggered when necessary, creating the perfect set-up to rattle his opponents. Cervantez on the other hand, filled entire sections of his tunnelbyrinth with explosives and drew reference lines to mark safe zones. His idea was to now lure his opponents into a tunnel section and blow it up, killing dozens of rankers at once. In contrast, Andheri and PinkLotus simply waited patiently for the yers to show up, as they, just like ¡®TheBoss¡¯, had nothing much to do during the starting phase of the event. ******** (Meanwhile the various rankers) Once the rankers were split evenly across the four paths, the true challenge began. Each of the four routes had its own dangers, forcing the yers to rely on their skills and wits to survive. During this event, some were sure to rise to the asion, while others were doomed to fall, victims of either their own arrogance or nervousness of the big stage. And unfortunately for those who failed, the world was going to be there to watch their demise. [ The North Path ] A group of eager rankers charged down the North path, their eyes gleaming with greed. At the front of the pack, a foolish ranker named ¡®Scrappy¡¯, global rank 9944,ughed as he brandished his oversized axe. ¡°First to reach the guardians gets the glory!¡± he boasted, charging headfirst into the misty corridor ahead. But the moment his feet touched the ground, a rumble shook the earth. From the walls, armored golems emerged¡ªeach one standing ten feet tall, their rocky fists crashing down like hammers. ¡°Piece of cake!¡± Scrappy roared, swinging his axe with reckless abandon. *Swoosh* *ng* His axe nged uselessly against the stone-like hide of the golem, barely scratching its surface. As a secondter, one of the golems¡¯ fists crashed into him, sending him flying across the corridor, blood spilling as he hit the ground. [ yer ¡®Scrappy¡¯ has been eliminated ] a small message shed in front of the eyes of everyone in his team, as the first yer had already been eliminated less than a minute into the event. Watching from behind, Purple Rock, a cool-headed top ranker, shook his head in dismay. ¡°Fools rush in,¡± he muttered, stepping forward, as with a calm wave of his hand, he summoned a barrage of magical boulders that shot toward the golems. The stones mmed into their weak points¡ªthe joints of their arms and legs¡ªbringing the hulking creatures to their knees. Without missing a beat, Purple Rock raised his staff and cast another spell, this time sending a shockwave that cracked the golems apart, reducing them to rubble. He walked past Scrappy¡¯s fallen form without a second nce, leveling up quietly as he advanced deeper into the dungeon. ¡ª¡ª¨C [ The South Path ] Big Daddy led a small group down the South path, confidently swinging his warhammer. Unlike the North Group, Big Daddy, the rank 8 yer seemed to have the others obeying hismands, as he coordinated the rankers into a directed march. Unlike the golems on the north path, these guys encountered giant insect-like creatures with razor pincers that attacked from the shadows. Big Daddy smashed two of them, only to be overwhelmed by a third, however, just as the swarm closed in, Kane, an Assassin ss ranker darted forward, his twin daggers shing in the dark. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* He dispatched the insects with swift, precise strikes, leveling up as he walked past Big Daddy¡¯s injured form without a word. Hundreds fell on the south path, as although Big Daddy tried to lead them from the front, it soon turned into a every man for himself type scenario. ¡ª [ West Path ] The West path was dark and reeked of decay. It was the perfect path for Jacob, a.k.a Ghost and he made the most of it too. Killing the undead that trembled in his presence for fun, he leveled up like a maniac, gaining almost a level every passing minute. To others watching him on, they felt bbergasted to see the undead flinching and offering their own lives without resistance when Jacob killed them, as while the rest of them struggled for their lives, Jacob seemed to be taking a walk in the park. ¡ª [ East Path ] Finally on the East path, while the yers rarely encountered any monsters, they did face difficulties as they triggered hidden traps and contraptions with every step that they took. Arguably it was the worst part to be taken, as the monsters that they faced seemed to be enough just for 1 in 10 yers to face, while everyone struggled with traps and lost their lives to silly attacks. However, regardless of what path a ranker was assigned to, each path seemed to have its own perils and merits. From the very start, the strongest seemed to push forward, gaining levels, while the reckless were quickly weeded out by the dungeon¡¯s relentless traps and monsters. Right from the get-go, the entertainment value that the viewers received from the event was astronomical, as with every passing minute the streaming number only seemed to climb higher and higher. Whether it was someone getting impaled, someone using a shy move, or some rankers teaming up, it was an exciting viewing experience for themon yers, who never got to see such action on a day to day basis. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Guys we are sitting 14th on the GT rankings and number 10 is just 60 tickets ahead of us. The ranks are incredibly tight together, so can we make the push for top10? /// Chapter 535: Global Reactions Chapter 535: Global Reactions (Meanwhile on the global forums) At first, mostmon yers were blissfully unaware of the special live stream. Hidden among the countless threads of the global forums, the stream initially went unnoticed. However, as it was pinned to the top of every feed, yers soon began to stumble across it, clicking on it as curiosity got the best of them, and soon enough, a steady trickle of viewers tuned in to see what all the fuss was about. The moment they clicked into the stream, they found themselves thrust into the middle of an intense spectacle. Confusion rippled through themunity as they realized they were watching something extraordinary¡ªbut there were no rules, no exnations, just pure chaos as top-ranked yers battled their way through various dangers, traps, and monsters in what appeared to be a high-stakes event. Questions flooded the chat: ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Is this an event? Why wasn¡¯t this announced?¡± ¡°Did I miss something?!¡± ¡°Why are the rankers the only ones who have participated in this event?¡± But even as the confusion lingered, excitement quickly reced bewilderment. The battles were too thrilling to look away from, and as the adrenaline pumped through their veins, yers shared the link across private messages, guild chats, and public forums, rapidly inviting more and more viewers. Soon, thousands were glued to their screens, the viewership skyrocketing by the minute. ¡ª As the live stream continued, the reactions in the chat began to explode in a frenzy of opinions. ¡°OMG, did you see Purple Rock just destroy that golem?!¡± ¡°Scrappy got wrecked lmao. Dude¡¯s global rank 9944 for a reason!¡± ¡°That¡¯s embarrassing. The guy didn¡¯tst a minute, and he was talking like he was gonna win the whole thing.¡± The chat was alive withmentary, bouncing between awe and mockery. ¡°Nah, for real though, who is Purple Rock? He¡¯s too smooth with those spells. Dude¡¯s definitely underrated.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a golem killer, watch him choketer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been saying Purple Rock¡¯s been slept on for a while now. While ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ take all the hype, that guy¡¯s the real deal¡ª¡± Meanwhile, on the South Path, Big Daddy¡¯s struggles sparked even more heated conversations. ¡°Why does this guy always act like he¡¯s the leader? Smh, Kane¡¯s out here cleaning up while Big Daddy just barks orders.¡± ¡°LOL, Big Daddy can¡¯t even keep his own team together.¡± ¡°Kane is straight up ruthless. He didn¡¯t even help Big Daddy. Just moved on like it was nothing.¡± ¡°Yeah, Kane¡¯s ying this smart. Why bother helping when it¡¯s every man for himself?¡± The chat exploded with memes and gifs of Big Daddy getting overwhelmed by insects, many poking fun at his self-proimed leadership. Not all thements were criticisms, though. Some were just thrilled to be watching such high-stakes action, especially with rankers they had long admired. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re getting to see this live. The fact that they didn¡¯t announce this makes it even better!¡± ¡°Bro, this is the kind of content we needed. Real-time, no filters, nomentary. Just pure ranker mayhem.¡± ¡°Facts. No rules, no exnation¡ªjust chaos. It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°I¡¯m getting to learn a lot about my ss from this event, although I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s about or why they are fighting in a dungeon, I love it!¡± However, while themon yers were only warming up when they watched the streams on the north and south path, they absolutely lost their minds when they opened the stream on the East path. Jacob, a.k.a Ghost, was leveling up at an absurd pace on the East Path, mowing down the undead without breaking a sweat, and yers who noticed his mayhem felt their minds blown off by his skill. ¡°Ghost is a monster. The way the undead just give up when they see him¡­ Insane.¡± ¡°Did I just see a skeleton bow down before he killed it?!¡± ¡°Ghost is literally the king of this event. Look at his EXP climb!¡± However, not everyone was impressed by Ghost¡¯s rampage. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair. Why do the undead not attack him but attack everyone else? Is this rigged?¡± ¡°Yeah, no one else even stands a chance. The system is rigged.¡± ¡°Ghost¡¯s ss is suspicious, he¡¯s definitely cheating, or secretly a necromancer; it¡¯s RNG.¡± While some yers debated the fairness of the event, others were too busy celebrating the carnage unfolding, as there was something about watching a yer gain a level every minute that made for an exciting viewing experience. Finally, as the viewers tuned into the west path, they realized that it had the fewest monsters, however, even though it seemed like the simplest path, it was actually the most dangerous. Traps and hidden contraptions imed more lives than monsters ever could, and while most yers understood this logic, the more notoriousmenters, ever the trolls, stoked the fires of chaos with their remarks. ¡°West Path = EZ mode. If you die here, uninstall the game.¡± ¡°I¡¯d make it past these traps in like 5 minutes, easy.¡± ¡°Yo, anyone else notice how TheBoss hasn¡¯t even shown up yet? He¡¯s probably out there rigging the game in his favor as usual.¡± Some yers, eager to stir up controversy, questioned the rankers¡¯ abilities. ¡°Honestly, none of these rankers are as good as they think. It¡¯s all hype. The real yers are the ones grinding every day like us.¡± ¡°Facts. You see how many people Kane just let die? If he was so good, he¡¯d carry them.¡± ¡°If Ghost¡¯s so strong, why doesn¡¯t he just solo the whole dungeon?¡± But amid the critiques, there were just as many supporters, defending their favorite rankers. ¡°You guys are just salty that you¡¯ll never be rankers like them. They¡¯re on a whole other level.¡± ¡°Ghost is literally a legend. Keep hating while he¡¯s out here killing it. He¡¯s a new gen yer, but still in the top 10,000¡± ¡°Purple Rock for the win! I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s gonna surprise everyone.¡± As the event went on, the viewership continued to grow, with new yers joining the stream every minute. Soon, the excitement reached fever pitch, with discussions spilling out of the chat and into the global forums. The event had be more than just a spectacle¡ªit was a phenomenon. And themon yers, whether they loved or hated the rankers, couldn¡¯t look away. However, although they felt like the event was good already, in reality they had not seen the best parts yet. Chapter 536: Impressed Chapter 536: Impressed (Meanwhile Leo) Leo too logged into the livestream watching it progress from his boss room as he was particrly fascinated by the performance of his father. Although Leo didn¡¯t care much for the old man, he couldn¡¯t help but acknowledge his undeniable skill as a yer. Unlike themon yers, who only saw the undead surrendering and Jacob dispatching them with ease, Leo¡¯s keen eye picked up on the finer details. There was an art to the way the old man moved, a grace and precision that others seemed to overlook. Where others saw simple, repetitive decapitations, Leo saw calcted strikes executed with near-perfect timing. ¡°The old man¡¯s improved a lot,¡± Leo muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he observed Jacob¡¯s speed and agility. It wasn¡¯t just about killing undead¡ªit was how he did it. Each of Jacob¡¯s movements flowed seamlessly into the next, his de shing in deadly arcs, always aimed at the exact same critical point: the neck joint. To the untrained eye, it looked almost too easy, as if the undead were barely worth the effort. But Leo knew better. Jacob¡¯s strikes were actually wlessly executed, every blownding with mechanical precision. If it were anyone else but him, they¡¯d have missed those critical weak points once in a while after killing dozens of undead, however, Jacob did not miss, he kept hitting at the same spot again and again, showing just how refined his fighting style really was. ¡°Yeah, the old man¡¯s on the West Path,¡± Leo mused, his smile widening ever so slightly as a thought crossed his mind. ¡°This should be interesting¡­ He¡¯ll have to face big brother if he makes it all the way to the guardian room.¡± Leo¡¯s heart raced at the mere thought of it. His father was talented, no doubt, but his brother¡ªhe was something else entirely. More talented, more ruthless, just the idea of watching Jacob face his brother inbat made Leo¡¯s blood pump with excitement. He could already imagine the brutal exchange that might ur, imagining his brother¡¯s signature suplex hold, repeatedly mming Jacob¡¯s head into the ground, crushing him without mercy. It wasn¡¯t the battle of skill that thrilled Leo¡ªit was the thought of his brother¡¯s dominance, his raw strength overpowering the old man that did. But for now, Jacob still had a long way to go before he reached that point. The West Path was no easy journey, and the challenges would only get harder from here. ¡°I hope you make it to the end, old man¡ª¡± Leo said, leaning back in his seat, as his gaze never left the screen, he felt eager to see just how far the old man could go, and just how much he could really perform. ********* (Meanwhile PinkLotus) Like Leo, PinkLotus too tuned into the livestream, as with nothing else to do, she watched the rankers moving towards her on the East Path and tried to discern their particr strengths and weaknesses. However, although she was primarily focused on the rankers moving towards her, subconsciously she keptparing them to ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Leo¡¯sst statement saying that he did not care how the other four guardians performed and that he alone could take down the 10,000 rankersing towards him, without even needing the extra HP and boosts that this event gave them as rankers made PinkLotus question her whole worldview. She had never seen anyone as domineering as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and although she was an isted yer that did not mix with the world, at times she wondered just how big the gap was between herself and the true top yers, like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and the other guardians. ¡°Hmm¡­. Although I might not be able to beat them all by myself, there¡¯s not a single ranker on the West Path that can beat me in a one versus one. Their skills are good but they don¡¯t threaten me one bit¡­¡± she muttered, as although she watched the stream, seeing hundreds of different rankers belonging to different sses perform, she did not feel an immediate threat from any of them. However, as shepared them to ¡®TheBoss¡¯, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly. Back in the treasure room she did not dare bring it up, however, TheBoss¡¯s aura felt too suppressive to her. She did not know for sure if it were the effect of an artifact, or because he was a ¡®master¡¯, however, she felt weak in her knees in his presence. It was almost like he was an overlord while she was a mere subject, as for the first time in her life PinkLotus felt fearful of a man who did not even have any bad intentions towards her. ¡®Can I beat him in a fight?¡¯ she wondered, however, looking back at how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ imed to be able to take on all 10,000 rankers by himself, she felt like perhaps she was nowhere close to his skill. She did not have faith that she could take down 500 rankers on her own despite the extreme buffs she had received for this event, much less the 10,000 that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ imed to be able to face. ¡°Maybe I can beat DarkEmperor and SkyLion though¡­.¡± PinkLotus muttered, as unlike ¡®TheBoss¡¯, she did not feel afraid in their presence. Of Course without actually facing them in battle this was all a mere spection in her mind, however, having seen them battle in previous videos and having met them in person, she felt confident in her own abilities to best them in a fight, however, she was too shy to ask for a spar. On one hand she was a battle maniac who loved to fight strong opponents, but on the other she was an extreme introvert who hated public contact. ¡± *Sigh*, why couldn¡¯t more guardians be women¡­. I¡¯d battle them joyfully¡± PinkLotus said as she shook her head and resigned herself to her sad fate. She did not have the courage to ask for a spar as of now, but someday she wanted to test her mettle against ¡®TheBoss¡¯ ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ and ¡®SkyLion¡¯, just to see how she fared for real. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Special shoutout to patron ElGuap0 for the 5000 coin magic castle! ThankYou so so much for your support! The corresponding bonus for it will be given on Monday! /// Chapter 537: A dangerous beauty Chapter 537: A dangerous beauty ( 20 hourster ) Bruised and battered, the best rankers staggered through the dimly lit corridors of the dungeon, finally reaching the guardian rooms. Their armor were scuffed, weapons dulled, and weariness from the long journey was etched into their faces. They were the first to arrive at the end of the road, however, since they were the fastest to travel their path, they arrived at their destination much earlier than the rest of the pack. A majority of the countless rankers still struggled somewhere behind them, and this made their early arrival somewhat useless, as the looming sign at the end of the road dered : [ At least 100 rankers are required to open this door ]. Upon reading the sign, those who had reached this point had no choice but to wait, their progress stalled until enough others arrived to unlock the next phase of the trial. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them. After battling a relentless onught of monsters for 20 straight hours, most were far beyond their limits. Typically, a full day of gaming for them spanned no more than 12 hours, with few ever engaging in constantbat for more than 7 or 8 hours without a break. In any other situation, they would have logged out long before now. But today, the second rankers¡¯ special event bound them to the game world, pushing them into uncharted territory far outside their usual routines. ¡°This was brutal, but oddly satisfying. I leveled up 43 times!¡± ¡°43? That¡¯s like three months of grinding packed into a single day, haha. Totally worth the exhaustion. I hit 47 myself¡ª¡± The rankers exchanged excited chatter. Those who had arrived at the gates first were the most skilled, having earned far more levels than the rest. But as more rankers trickled in, it became clear that eachter had gained slightly fewer levels than thest. By the time the 100th ranker arrived, the ranker in question had only managed to gain 29 levels from the event so far, which was a far cry from the 47 that the one who gained the most had achieved. ********** Atst, once the 100 rankers needed to unlock the gate had assembled, the first guardian room to open was the one guarded by PinkLotus on the East path. Despite the East path filled with perilous traps, somehow it proved to be the fastest path to traverse, as those skilled enough to avoid the traps managed to breeze through with minimal trouble. As the door to her guardian room opened, without any warning, the rankers on that path were yanked from the dungeon¡¯s dark corridors and thrown into a vast, open green field as across from them stood their opponent¡ªa fairy-like guardian, her delicate form belying the massive HP bar that floated visibly above her head, shing ominously. ¡°Is this who we are supposed to face? Ain¡¯t no way I can hit her, she¡¯s so damn pretty¡± ¡°That¡¯s it¡­. This game has finally nailed what the perfect human should look like, this is Aphrodite herself!¡± ¡°Forget defeating her, I want to wrestle her in the most physical way possible¡± ¡°Holy hell, I¡¯m a girl and straight, but my heart still skipped a beat when I saw her¡­. She¡¯s so perfect. So, so perfect¡± ¡°I concur, I¡¯m an asexual monk, but I¡¯m ready to ditch my beliefs if she says yes to epting my hand in marriage¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare have any ideas about her monk. That woman right there is your sister inw, she¡¯s destined to be my partner¡± Just as PinkLotus had feared, instead of taking her seriously as a challenge and an opponent, the moment that the rankers saw her, they began treating her as a prize and a trophy to conquer, which caused her blood to boil in rage. Their dismissive remarks stung deeper than any de, fueling the anger that simmered beneath herposed exterior. Without a word, she raised her hand, and the air around her shimmered with energy. [ Sword Tempest ] The spell burst to life, and in an instant, the gentle breeze that had previously whispered through the green field transformed into a swirling storm of des. The rankers had no time to react as razor-sharp swords of pure energy materialized from the storm, spinning in a violent vortex around PinkLotus, before shooting out in every direction with terrifying speed and precision. The nearest fighters¡ªwarriors d in heavy armor¡ªwere the first to fall. Their shields and defenses, designed to withstand monster attacks, crumpled under the sheer force of the assault. Screams echoed across the field as the swords from PinkLotus¡¯s vicious attacks tore through their defenses, leaving nothing but shredded armor and lifeless bodies in their wake. A talented mage at the back tried to summon a barrier to protect the group, his hands glowing with arcane energy, but it was already toote. A de sliced through his defenses as if they were paper, ending his spell mid-cast as he copsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Just from a single attack, PinkLotus imed the lives of over 25 top rankers and did so rather effortlessly. ¡°Talk more and none of you will survive¨C¡± she warned, as it was at this moment that the other rankers realized that they were not fighting a pretty doll, but rather a true merchant of death. ¡°Everyone be careful, her good looks are surely just for deceiving!¡± ¡°She¡¯s powerful, and worth a lot of levels, so what if she¡¯s pretty?, I¡¯m not ready to let my gaming career suffer for you simps¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the basics guys!! tanks and knight¡¯s first, swordsmen and rogues after and finally mages and archers at the back. If we are to take her down, we need to work as a unit¨C¡± The rankers said, as after PinkLotus¡¯s opening attack everyone understood that she meant business. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Apologies, I made a mistake in thest chapter when I said Jacob was on the East path, Jacob is actually on the West path, the same as the one Luke is defending. /// Chapter 538: Dominance Chapter 538: Dominance The rankers reorganized themselves into a proper battle formation after PinkLotus¡¯s first attack took 25 of them out. ¡°Shields up!¡± a knight barked, his voice carrying above the tension in the air. *Thud* Listening to hismand, the tanks immediately fell into position, forming a solid wall of shields. Behind them, rogues and swordsmen crouched, ready to strike when the moment came, while mages at the rear prepared their spells. ¡°Now! Let¡¯s mount the pressure, she¡¯s just one individual and will crumple under ourbined assault!¡± a rogue hissed, gripping his des tight. Without hesitation, a volley of arrows and magic surged toward PinkLotus. Fire, ice, and arcane energy lit up the battlefield, the force of theirbined attack aimed directly at her body. ¡°Absolute Barrier¡± PinkLotus said, casting her most powerful defensive move, as although she was a swordsman by profession, she had obtained this legendary defensive move early into her career as a solo yer. *SHINNGGG* A powerful green barrier enveloped her, shielding her from the iing barrage of attacks, as despite dozens of arrows and spellsing her way, the barrier easily withstood it all. *BOOM* *TREMBLE* The ground trembled with the energy of the ranker¡¯s spells colliding against PinkLotus¡¯s barrier, as the rankers were forced to grit their teeth in dismay watching their attacks being easily neutralized to nothing. ¡°She¡¯s just standing there!¡± a swordsman growled, frustration creeping into his voice as his long distance sword shes rebounded off the barrier harmlessly. ¡°The barrier she uses is strong, it¡¯s just making us waste mana if we attack from range, let¡¯s push closer!¡± A rogue said, as he called for the others to push forward. ¡°MARCH IN FORMATION¡± The knight said, as he led the entire contingent of frontline tankers to go forward slowly. Meanwhile, another wave of spells and arrows mmed into the barrier, but PinkLotus barely moved. The pressure was mounting as the rankers closed in on her location, and yet her defenses held, imprable and unwavering. As time passed, the rankers grew more coordinated, sensing that if they could just sustain this assault, her barrier would break sooner orter, as they assumed that nobody could hold this assault forever. More arrows flew, more spells were cast¡ªmes flickered and lightning crackled in the air as the mages strained to keep the attack going. ¡°She has to have a limit!¡± a mage shouted, casting a powerful bolt of lightning that cracked across the field and struck her barrier. The impact rippled across the shield, but once again, PinkLotus remained untouched. The rankers exchanged tense nces, the sound of their attacks pounding against her defense the only noise in the battlefield. However, with the rogues and swordsmen finally arriving within a twenty meter range of her, they finally started to break rank and charge towards her in a new frontal assault. ¡°She can¡¯t stop all of us,¡± a rogue whispered under his breath, slipping into the shadows, trying to find an opening. Yet, behind that barrier, PinkLotus¡¯s eyes remained cold and calcting, as she watched and waited. Her lips curled into a faint smile as she watched the rankers charge toward her, their eyes showing that they felt confident that theirbined might would be enough to break through. With a calm motion, she lowered her hand, and the green barrier that had shielded her so far vanished in an instant, dissipating into the air as if it had never existed. The rogues, seeing the barrier down, thought their moment hade. Darting forward with deadly precision, they closed the gap swiftly. One of them, a veteran of countless battles, grinned as he flickered in and out of the shadows, aiming to strike her from behind. But PinkLotus was already one step ahead. [Sword Tempest], she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps, as she had managed to lure them into the perfect trap. In an instant, the air around her erupted into a storm of des. Ethereal swords materialized from nowhere, spinning violently in a vortex of deadly steel. *SHUA* *sh* The first rogue, mid-leap, was sliced clean through before he could even scream, his body torn apart by the whirlwind. The other rogues and swordsmen froze in horror as the stormshed out in every direction. Their agile movements meant nothing in the face of such raw power, as one by one, they were caught in the tempest, their bodies shredded as the des swept through them mercilessly. ¡°Fall back!¡± someone shouted from the rear, but it was already toote. The storm imed five more lives, their bodies crumpling to the ground as the swords continued their merciless dance. As the tempest faded, the field was littered with the remains of those foolish enough to get too close. Meanwhile, the tanks and knights who had been slowly advancing with shields raised, hoping to close the gap, were now within range of thevattack. Seeing her barrier gone, they believed they had a chance, as with a coordinated shout, they surged forward. But PinkLotus had already anticipated this move. With a flick of her wrist, her sword appeared in her hand¡ªsleek, sharp, and glowing with an otherworldly light. [Divine sh] she uttered, her tone unchanging, as if the battle was little more than an inconvenience. She raised her de, and a brilliant arc of light exploded from the sword which created a shockwave that tore through the front lines, and the tanks¡¯ shields¡ªbuilt to withstand the mightiest blows¡ªshattered like ss. The knights behind them were thrown off their feet, armor twisted and crushed under the force of her attack. Cries of pain and disbelief filled the air as bodies hit the ground, shields broken, and weapons scattered. ¡°Defend!¡± a knight groaned, trying to lift his battered shield, but PinkLotus gave them no reprieve. Her eyes shed dangerously as she stepped forward, her de trailing light. With fluid, almost effortless movements, she began cutting through the remaining front-liners. Each strike of her de being precise, lethal, and impossibly fast. The rankers were in disarray now, their once-coordinated formation shattered. Arrows from the backline mages and archers flew toward her in desperation, but PinkLotus sidestepped them with ease, her movements graceful and unhurried. ¡°She¡¯s too strong!¡± one of the mages cried, his hands trembling as he attempted to cast another spell. But before he could finish, PinkLotus was already upon him. A single sh, and the mage crumpled to the ground, lifeless. By now, the rankers understood: this was no ordinary opponent. She wasn¡¯t just powerful¡ªshe was untouchable. Every attack they mounted fell short, and every strategy they tried crumbled in the face of her overwhelming strength. ¡°You thought you could win by numbers?¡± PinkLotus murmured softly, almost to herself. Her voice carried across the battlefield, chilling the hearts of those who still stood. ¡°But none of you can reach me.¡± With one final sweep of her sword, thest of the front-liners fell, and silence settled over the battlefield, broken only by the quiet hum of her de as it returned to her sheath. Chapter 539: Global Reactions Chapter 539: Global Reactions (Meanwhile, on the global forums) Themon yers who had just logged back into the game for the second day lost their minds as they continued watching the stream. By now, the rankers had reached the guardian rooms after 20 grueling hours of fighting through hordes of monsters, and for the majority of yers, this was the highlight of the event they had been waiting for. The anticipation for this fight was palpable, and tens of millions ofmon yers had gathered in the forums, eagerly following every moment as their favorite rankers prepared to face off against the feared guardians. As the rankers stood before the massive gates, waiting for the required number of participants to arrive, the forums erupted with excitement. yerOne: ¡°Finally, it¡¯s happening! We¡¯re about to witness the real showdown. I¡¯ve been glued to my screen since yesterday.¡± Noobyer: ¡°Can you imagine what¡¯s behind those doors? The guardians must be some insane NPCs with max stats and crazy skills.¡± MagicBoy12: ¡°Bruh, the rankers look exhausted. They¡¯ve been at this for 20 hours non-stop. I hope they can pull this off!¡± LadyAstra: ¡°Forget that, I¡¯m just here for the chaos. You just know at least a dozen rankers are gonna bite the dust the moment those doors open.¡± The excitement was contagious. Everyone wanted to see how their favorite rankers would fare against the mysterious guardians, the ultimate challenge standing between them and the event¡¯s grand prize. The stream viewership was at an all-time high as more yers tuned in, unable to resist the allure of watching the high-stakes battle unfold. ******** When the first door finally opened, revealing the guardian behind it, the shock that everyone received was unfathomable. Skullcrusher98: ¡°Wait, what?! Is that a fairy?!¡± The camera zoomed in on PinkLotus, standing in the middle of the open green field, her ethereal beauty casting an almost magical glow. As her delicate form was revealed, most who watched her felt their jaws drop, andments poured in like a flood on the forums. RealLifeHero: ¡°Bro, that¡¯s not a guardian¡­ that¡¯s a goddess!¡± Dragonyer: ¡°Ain¡¯t no way. This game just created the most perfect character design ever. I¡¯m logging off to cry in the corner.¡± DarkKnight45: ¡°Forget beating her, I¡¯d let her kill me with a smile on my face. I mean, look at her!¡± SparkMage: ¡°She¡¯s so pretty, I¡¯m simping hard right now. I don¡¯t care if I lose all my levels, I just wanna fight her in person!¡± PhoenixGirl: ¡°I¡¯m a straight-up girl, but even I¡¯m speechless. How is someone allowed to look like that?! I thought this was a game, not a modeling contest.¡± Themon yers weren¡¯t just reacting to her beauty¡ªthey were mesmerized. PinkLotus had unintentionally turned battle-hardened warriors into stammering fanboys and fangirls, and the forums reflected this newfound wave of simping. Grown men and women who usually prided themselves on their gaming prowess were suddenly blushing and stuttering, their battle cries reced with awkward derations of admiration. But then, the real shock came. PinkLotus wasn¡¯t just a beautifully crafted NPC¡ªshe was a yer. A buzzing message on the side of the stream by the developers exined the rules for this phase of the event and in the rules it was mentioned that the five yers with the best battle prowess in the game were chosen to be the guardians. A revtion that shocked many. ShadowWalker: ¡°Wait, what do you mean she¡¯s not an NPC?! Are you telling me one of the guardians is an actual yer?!¡± ZenMaster: ¡°Brooooo, no way! That makes it so much better! She¡¯s one of us!¡± The realization hit hard. The fact that PinkLotus, one of the guardians, was not aputer-generated enemy but a fellow yer, flipped the dynamic of the event entirely. What was supposed to be a showdown between elite rankers and game-controlled bosses had suddenly be a yer-versus-yer spectacle, with far more on the line. The challenge was no longer just about stats¡ªit was about skill, strategy, and experience, it was now a pure showcase of which one amongst them was the better fighter. And as soon as the battle began, themon yers watched in awe as PinkLotus obliterated the rankers with ruthless precision. Her opening move, [Sword Tempest], left the battlefield littered with bodies, taking out 25 rankers before they even had a chance to retaliate. DaggerKnight: ¡°Yo, she didn¡¯t just kill them¡ªshe erased them. That [Sword Tempest] is no joke.¡± RogueKing: ¡°She¡¯s slicing through them like they¡¯re made of paper. And here I thought the rankers were supposed to be the best. RIP.¡± Herbat efficiency was staggering. Every attack was deliberate, every move calcted. There was no hesitation in her strikes¡ªjust cold, lethal precision and while themon yers had initially swooned over her beauty, they were quickly reminded that PinkLotus was not to be underestimated. She was a stone cold guardian and a top5 yer of the game in terms of battle prowess and could not be taken lightly. WarLord: ¡°I take it back¡ªthere¡¯s nothing cute about her anymore. She¡¯s terrifying.¡± ArcaneMaster: ¡°The way she dropped those rogues who thought they could sneak up on her? Brutal.¡± Knightyer: ¡°This is insane! She¡¯s not just strong, she¡¯s wiping the floor with them like they¡¯re low-level mobs. How are they supposed to beat her?!¡± The forum was in an uproar. While most had expected a challenge for the rankers, no one could have predicted the massacre that was unfolding before their eyes. PinkLotus wasn¡¯t just winning¡ªshe was dominating, cutting down the rankers as though they were nothing more than practice dummies. ShadowStalker: ¡°I thought the rankers had this in the bag, but now I¡¯m not so sure. She¡¯s too good.¡± IceQueen: ¡°If this is how she fights, I can¡¯t wait to see what the other guardians are like¡­.¡± As PinkLotus continued her onught, themon yers watched, transfixed. What had started as excitement to see their favorite rankers triumph had quickly turned into awe¡ªand a little fear¡ªas they witnessed PinkLotus, the yer-guardian, tear through the opposition with unrelenting efficiency. The first batch of 100 rankers fell to her sword without inflicting a single point of damage, however could she keep it up as more waves of opponents poured in? That was a question that only time could answer. Chapter 540: Insane Jacob Chapter 540: Insane Jacob (Almost an hourter, The West Path) Nearly an hour after the initial wave of adventurers confronted PinkLotus, the first group of 100 challengers sessfully fought their way through the West Path and managed to arrive at Luke¡¯sir. In stark contrast to PinkLotus¡¯s rtively simple guardian room¡ªa wide, open field with few obstacles¡ªLuke¡¯s guardian room was a treacherousva pit dotted with floating stones and deadly traps. The terrain was perilous, and the first group of adventurers who stormed in were immediately shaken by the sight before them. ¡°Holy hell, it¡¯s scorching in here, like stepping straight into a sauna!¡± ¡°Wait, is that our opponent? The legendary guardian? But¡­ that¡¯s SkyLion, the finalist from the grand tournament!¡± ¡°Look at that HP bar floating above his head¡ªit¡¯s massive! He¡¯s got almost a hundred times the health of a normal yer. This event must¡¯ve given him some kind of crazy boost.¡± The rankers were stunned to discover their foe wasn¡¯t an NPC, but another yer as this revtionpletely shifted their mindset going into the fight. ¡°Come on, it¡¯ll be even easier if our opponent¡¯s just another yer! You¡¯re all worrying for nothing. No way a single yer can win against a hundred of us,¡± a confident ranker dered, encouraging the group to set aside their fears and charge forward. Yet Jacob felt no such reassurance. As Jacob entered the guardian room, a burning eagerness to take down the guardian surged within him¡ªuntil it was extinguished in an instant when he spotted his son standing at the far end of the room. ¡®Luke?¡¯ His thoughts raced as he recognized his son, d in gleaming silver armor, as his paternal instincts went into overdrive. Now, rather than feelingforted by the presence of fellow rankers around him, Jacob grew tense, already beginning to see them as potential enemies, as he had no doubt in his heart on what he should do next. However, drawing on the discipline of a special ops soldier, he held back his anxiety, carefully watching for the perfect moment to strike. ¡°I¡¯ll go forward first!¡± Dered a swordsman who began skipping past the first couple of floating rocks towards the tform that Luke was standing on, until he stepped on a tform that looked solid but was not, as at that moment he tripped and fell straight into the magma. ¡°Aghhh!!¡± He screamed as his character melted down to death in what had to be one of the more painful ways of losing one¡¯s life within the game. [ yer ¡®Huba¡¯ has been eliminated ] A message shed before everyone in the guardian room, as the first amongst them seemed to have fallen. ¡°Everyone! Memorize the correct path, Huba jumped the stones on the right twice before shifting to the left and then left again where he fell¨C¡± ¡°What memorize the path? It¡¯s not like these rocks are steady, they are moving in real time and it¡¯s not like I can jump ten plus meters at will¡± ¡°We can¡¯t rush in recklessly or we will all end up inside theva pit!¡± The rankers said, as a slight panic began to set in their voices. ¡°Well fuck this shit, I¡¯m attacking from range¨C¡± said an archer who drew his bow and aimed it directly at Luke, who simply raised his shield in response. *SPLAT* As the archer prepared to release the arrow, instead of him being able to test Luke¡¯s defenses, he was betrayed by one of his own team-mates instead, as he felt a sword piercing his heart from his back. ¡°Huh?¡± He muttered before dying, as he never even got to see the face of the traitor that killed him. ¡°Oioioi! Why did you kill him? Have you gone nuts Ghost?¡± ¡°Did this guy justmit a murder in between 98 of us?¡± ¡°Whose side are you even on Ghost? Have you lost your damn mind?¡± ¡°What are you looking at, old man? Exin or else we won¡¯t take your actions too kindly!¡± The yers around him said rather violently, as Jacob took a deep breath and put on his bravest smile. ¡°That guardian is mine to beat and mine alone, and I¡¯ll kill anyone here who denies me my PvP battle and a 200 levels jump¨C¡± Jacob said, as instead ofing up with a sorry excuse he took the route of being bold and insane instead. ¡°Get him! The old man has gone senile!¡± ¡°Boo! I hate selfish guys like you the most!¡± ¡°We should fannum tax this old man for his insolence!¡± The young rankers surrounding Jacob turned hostile after his deration and started attacking him all at once. Jacob immediately activated his [Death Overlord] form, transforming into a half-litch, as he summoned his undead helpers to Equalize the numerical disadvantage, before pushing back against them all. *sh* *Dodge* *Shua* *Boom* In a shocking turn of events, instead of Luke fighting against the other rankers alone, it was Jacob who did the job for him instead as he fought tooth and nail for the sake of his own child. ¡°What the fuck is fannum tax you beardless child?¡± He cursed as he chopped down to young rankers around him, before hurling all sorts of vile insults towards young rankers all around him. In true solomando fashion, he killed a total of 31 opponents alone before finally sumbing to his injuries and dying, as although his effort was heroic, he did not have the necessary stats and AOE abilities to take them down all alone. Nheless, his attemptpletely rattled the ranker coalition to the core as not only did they lose more than 30% of their total numbers to nothing, but they also began distrusting each other after this incident. Almost no-one wanted to go on and be the first to challenge Luke, and no-one was willing to provide cover for another either. It was like the alliance hade undone, and this was undoubtedly the best scenario Luke could have ever hoped for. ¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C A four chapter day today. /// Chapter 541: Soft Corner? Chapter 541: Soft Corner? (Leo¡¯s POV) Leo was very hyped to see the fight between Jacob and Luke unfold, however, he did not expect the old man to have a mental breakdown midway. Instead of fighting Luke, Jacob suddenly decided to kill his fellow rankers instead,pletely stunning everyone around him, and everyone watching worldwide. Just like everyone else, Leo could not understand what Jacob hoped to achieve with this insane approach? However, there was an inkling within him that exined Jacob¡¯s motivations. ¡®He shouldn¡¯t be doing this to help Luke¡­. There¡¯s no way that old man is anything but selfish,¡¯ Leo thought, as he could not bring himself to believe that Jacob was doing this selflessly to help Luke¡¯s odds of winning. However, with no other usible theory, Leo couldn¡¯t help but frown deeply as he watched Jacob¡¯s fight progress. At first, the old man fought truly well, morphing into an unseen before half skeletal form which allowed him to summon and control undead. ¡®So he¡¯s got a unique ss¨C¡¯ Leo thought, as he had never seen any other yer use a simr ability before and thanks to this ability, it seemed like Jacob could cover his back using his summons while he himself focused on the enemies ahead. ¡®Good, now veer left and cut another two¨C¡¯ Leo thought as he watched Jacob curse and cut down his opponents like a one man wrecking crew. At first he was flying, being able to take down 10 opponents without taking a single hit on return, however, as soon as his summons started to die, his momentum wavered as the attacks on his life came from every direction. ¡°No! No! No! No! No! You old fool¡­. Don¡¯t go near theva, you will run out of area to maneuver¡± Leo cursed out loud as he saw Jacob slowly maneuvering towards theva, which would further limit his options to escape. However, in a move he never sawing, at thest moment he turned the tide against those chasing him and sent six yers face first into theva pool while he himself returned to safety. ¡°Okay, now that¡¯s some good shit!¡± Leo said, as he enjoyed the old man¡¯s performance and could not help but cheer him as he took down roughly 15 more opponents. However, the second phase of his fight was not nearly as entertaining as the first one as with ack of AOE skills and him being overwhelmed from all sides, he kept bleeding HP till his death. He fought valiantly, with not a single groan of pain escaping his lips, however, he was out of his depth trying to take on a 100 opponents alone. Perhaps if he had a 100x HP bar boost like Luke, he could have won this fight, however, with his measly regr bar, 31 opponents were all that he could handle. Thankfully, he gained 13 levels from killing 31 rankers, which in addition to the 41 levels he gained along the way to the guardian room, put his tally up to 54! However, unfortunately, he lost 27 of those 54 levels because dying in the guardian room meant that he walked out with only 50% of his gains. Nheless, a 27 level boost in less than 24 hours was a great improvement for him and Jacob felt content with his gains. ¡°You fought well, old man. You didn¡¯t bring shame to our fam¡ª, your military background¡± Leo muttered, as once Jacob died he turned off the livestream feeling stuffy in his chest for some reason, as although he did not understand why, he felt slightly sad that the old man fell so pitifully. In his mind he believed he had no soft spot for his father, however, it was moments like these where his true feelings momentarily came forward. ********* (Meanwhile Luke) Just like Leo, Luke too felt his eyes twitch with rage when he saw his father being mauled by other rankers. He too did not understand the motivations behind his father¡¯s sudden move, however, regardless of the reason, he was mad that someone from his family was killed so brutally before his very eyes. *Crunch* Gritting his teeth, Luke vowed revenge, as he waited angrily for any challenger to dare dart forward. However, when instead of charging at him they began arguing amongst one another, Luke absolutely lost his cool and started to taunt them all. ¡°Oh quit arguing amongst yourselves you weasels. The whole global server is watching you! Show some balls ande at me if you dare!¡± He said, as it was the reminder that all of their actions were being watched in real time that sent many rankers into a frenzy to reach for fame. Finally, some of them charged towards Luke, jumping on the floating stones as with a flick of his finger Luke detonated the traps he hadid before, crushing some of the floating tforms and sending several rankers down into theva pits. ¡°It¡¯s rigged! He¡¯s nted traps all across!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust the tforms, they¡¯re not safe! I repeat, it¡¯s not safe!¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not safe, morons,¡± Luke muttered under his breath, his eyes glinting with cold amusement as chaos broke out among the rankers. He watched with satisfaction as panic rippled through the crowd, some rankers desperately trying to backpedal while others hesitated, realizing toote that their footing waspromised. Luke couldn¡¯t help but smirk as a few of the more reckless yers ignored the warnings and charged forward, determined to prove their worth, as with a casual flick of his finger, he triggered another set of traps. *BOOM* A massive explosion echoed through the guardian room as chunks of stone crumbled beneath the ranker¡¯s feet, sending more of them plunging to the bubblingva below. ¡°Idiots. You think you can rush me?¡± Luke spat, his voice brimming with contempt. His rage still simmered beneath the surface, fueled by the image of his father¡¯s defeat, as every yer who fell into theva only seemed to further ignite the fire in his chest. He needed more¡ªhe wanted more, as he wanted to make them all pay for what they had done to Jacob. Chapter 542: Raging Suplex Demon Chapter 542: Raging Suplex Demon The rankers only managed to reach Luke after he had exhausted all of his traps, but not before their numbers had been reduced to less than 25. By this point, there was only a single very predictable path for the rankers to take to reach Luke, and while traveling on that path, they ran the risk of exposing themselves to his quick, devastating attacks. As the first ranker made the final leap onto Luke¡¯s tform, Luke¡¯s fury boiled over, fueled not just by the thrill of the fight, but also by the memory of his father falling to this ranker¡¯s sword in particr, as he was the one whonded the final blow. Luke raised his sword high, eyes narrowing in on his target, as he unleashed his newly learnt move. [Heaven¡¯s Strike] With a single, furious leap, Luke soared into the air, his sword glowing with the intensity of his anger. The first ranker stood absolutely no chance as Luke came down upon him like a meteor, his de cutting through the ranker¡¯s defenses with the force of a thousand grudges. *St* Instantly, the man¡¯s armor shattered, his bones cracked, and his body crumpled to the ground, as his lifeless body was sent flying off the tform into the moltenva below. For a moment, there was silence, but then the other rankers cried out loud in rm. ¡°Wait¡ª isn¡¯t SkyLion only famous for his suplexes? Since when can he unleash such powerful attacks?¡± ¡°Wait, I have seen SkyLion fight against the demon army, there were even posts on the forums that made light of his sword skills, since when is he so good?¡± ¡°His attack is too powerful, let alone one opponent he can probably cleave through three at once¡± The rankers were stunned to see that Luke had new unseen moves under his belt, as it wasmon knowledge within ranker circles that SkyLion was only good with hand to handbat and not his sword. However, that stereotype seemed to have changed, as Luke had clearly improved his sword skills. ¡°He surely can¡¯t do the same skill twice in a row, a skill so powerful needs to have a long cooldown¡± said a ranker as he began moving cautiously towards Luke. ¡°Hey Dawn, if he leaps into the air once again, cover me with a spell, okay?¡± The ranker said as he called on his buddy to cover him with a spell incase Luke took the offensive once again, however, Luke remained unimpressed. He wasn¡¯t interested in giving them the luxury of strategy, and when he saw the enemies regrouping and thinking, he stirred the mana inside his body, causing his sword to re to life once more as it got covered in mes. [ zing Cyclone ] Luke muttered as he unleashed a devastating attack that caught the advancing rankers in a swirling inferno. The rankers immediately crumbled under his AOE onught, with the weaker ones being thrown back, as the mes burned through their defenses. Screams filled the air as some were knocked off the tform, their bodies falling into theva below, but even those who survived barely held on, their health bars shing red as the burn damage ate away at their strength. ¡°Band together¨C¡± one of them said, as the survivors formed a tighter defensive formation, their weapons locked together as they slowly advanced. However, Luke could see the fear in their movements, the hesitation in every step they took. They were wary now, more desperate than ever to close the gap and take him down. But Luke paid no attention to their tactics. He deliberately let them close the gap and step onto his tform, simply because he wanted to, and as soon as they did, he surged forward, his sword and shield moving as extensions of his fury, as he sliced through their defenses with ease.. There was no mercy in his attacks, no hesitation. Every swing, every blow was fueled by a simmering fury, as his bloodlust reached a fervent point. *Block* *sh* *Dodge* A fierce dogfight erupted, with him taking some hits but returning far more in kind. One by one, he whittled their numbers down from thirteen to just two, as by then, his rage had reached its peak. As thest two rankers stood helpless before him, he felt a surge of raw, unrestrained power boil within him. His hands trembled, not with fear, but with a burning desire to destroy, as the sword and shield that had served him so well suddenly felt like restraints to him. *ng* With a deliberate motion, he let them fall to the ground¡ª as he no longer viewed them as weapons, but rather as obstacles to the kind of punishment he craved to deliver with his bare hands. Tossing them aside, Luke felt his muscles coiling with raw power as the rankers barely had time to register what was happening before Luke was already upon them. ¡°Night¨CNight¨C¡± Luke said, grabbing the first by the waist, as he hoisted him into the air with a gusto. *Suplex* With a savage twist, he lifted the ranker into the air and mmed him head-first into the stone tform. The impact was so brutal that the ranker¡¯s body bounced off the ground before copsing in a heap, as a system notification shed in front of the stunned ranker¡¯s vision: [You have been stunned for 15 seconds.] Luke didn¡¯t pause. He immediately grabbed the second ranker, lifting him in the same motion, as if the sheer force of his rage had made him faster, stronger. *Suplex* Again, the ranker¡¯s body mmed into the ground with a sickening crunch, the stone cracking beneath the force of the blow. [You have been stunned for 15 seconds.] However, Luke was far from done. *Suplex* He grabbed the first ranker again, his body barely recovered from the first suplex, and mmed him down with even more force. [You have been stunned for 15 seconds.] And then the second. Again. [You have been stunned for 15 seconds.] It was a relentless chain, the sound of bodies hitting stone echoing throughout the chamber, but Luke didn¡¯t stop, his anger driving him forward with every suplex, every brutal m. This was for Jacob. This was for the humiliation, the pain his father had endured. He was breaking them, body and spirit, just as they had broken his father. By the time it was over, both rankersy motionless on the ground, their health bars drained to zero. The tform was silent, save for the heavy breaths of Luke as he stood over their broken forms. But even as theyy defeated, Luke felt no satisfaction. Only an inexplicable burning anger that continued to smolder inside him. Chapter 543: Opening a path. Chapter 543: Opening a path. The global reactions to Luke¡¯s fight were pretty insane. Everyone was in shock watching the sheer brutality disyed by SkyLion, as nobody expected the fight to be so savage. It was undoubtedly one sided and the way Luke ended their lives was disturbing to watch for most except some weirdos who thrived on gore. ¡°SkyLion had rigged the entire arena in his favor, this wasn¡¯t a fair fight¨C¡± ¡°Man, I hope I NEVER have to face SkyLion, I¡¯d happily fight ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and be stabbed in the heart but I¡¯d never want to be suplexed on my head over and over and over again until it bes a smashed pulp¡± ¡°Everytime I close my eyes, I see SkyLion hitting a suplex on his opponents and it gives me goosebumps. I¡¯m terrified now¡± ¡°Is it just me or is SkyLion suplexing those men extremely hot? I mean if he¡¯s this good at wrestling, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a beast in bed¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just you sister, SkyLion raging is definitely hot! And I love him too¨C¡± ¡°Man I hope someone defeats the guardians, I want to watch the next stage too!¡± Everyone on the forums had varied opinions on the fight, but there still seemed to be a general consensus that SkyLion had be much stronger since theyst saw him in a fight. Most of them remembered him from his time in the Grand Tournament, and some more avid forum scrollers had seen clippings of him fighting in the demon war, however, nobody expected him to be this strong. He lost less than 7% of his total HP bar while facing 100 opponents and although a lot of it could be attributed to his prior nning and the betrayal from Ghost, it was still a thoroughly dominating performance nheless. ¡°Man, the DarkSky guild are one to watch, both their guildmaster and vice guildmaster are terrifying. If it weren¡¯t for ¡®TheBoss¡¯, the DarkSky guild would have the number 1 and 2 yers¡± ¡°Is SkyLion stronger than DarkEmperor? Or is he still considered number 3?¡± ¡°Number3? Call him 4, PinkLotus is better than him for sure!¡± Watching the performance from PinkLotus and the other guardians too, theizens on the forums debated passionately as to how strong SkyLion was, however, to Luke himself none of that mattered, as his personal focus was on simply gaining as many levels as he could from this event. ********* (Meanwhile Cervantez) Cervantez, just like Luke and PinkLotus, also won his first round with ease, as just like Leo, his strategically ced traps and dominating skills helped him take down the opposition with ease. However, unlike Luke, he had no internal help from Ghost and hence in the end he lost 15% of his HP to the first wave and also used up all of his explosive traps. From the next wave onwards, he could only rely on his own skills to survive, however, it wasn¡¯t too bad as unlike Luke who only gained a minimal 25 levels from his match-up, since kills from yers drowning inva or being killed by Ghost were not counted as his own. Cervantez gained much more, having all 100 kills being attributed to himself. In a way, he had picked the best terrain to fight on and he reaped the benefits from it massively. He had confidence to be able to defend against one more wave at minimum and felt like he could perhaps stretch it to two if he really fought well, gaining a windfall amount of levels in the process. ¡°I¡¯m not scared, bring it!¡± He said, as every word he spoke was broadcasted live to the whole world. *********** ( Meanwhile Andheri) While the other three guardians breezed past their opposition, Andheri struggled big time against his. Fighting on a sandy terrain full of rocky obstacles, he could not fight to his full potential as a mage at all, as his opponents found plenty of cover to hide behind and rendered his AOE spells useless. At first he managed to kill a few opponents by using his best spells back to back, however, once his most powerful attack spells went into cooldown and he was forced to fight a proper battle, he quickly found himself surrounded on all sides and attacked relentlessly. His HP bar dwindled at a rapid pace, and Andheri soon found himself panicking as he struggled to regain control of the situation. His spells were on cooldown, his mana reserves dangerously low, and the enemies he faced showed no signs of relenting. They attacked from all sides, their coordinated assaults relentless, and unfortunately for him, every step that he took backward only seemed to trap him further, pinning him against a massive rock formation. His mind raced. He needed to find a way out, but nothing seemed to work in his favor. The rocky obstacles scattered across the battlefield made it nearly impossible to cast his more powerful area-of-effect spells, and every time he tried to charge up an attack, someone would strike him from a blind spot. *SPLAT* A sudden jolt of pain coursed through him as a dagger lodged itself in his side, thrown by a rogue who had darted in close. Andheri let out a strangled gasp as his HP plummeted to below 70%. His vision blurred momentarily, as the panic began to take over. His hands trembled as he tried to channel one more spell¡ªanything to stave off the assault. But before he could finish, a well-timed arrow struck him square in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. His health bar shed red, signaling a critical hit, as making the most of the situation the other rankers closed in too their weapons in hand as some of them stabbed him, some cut him while some sted him with spells at close range. *PAH* Andheri coughed, as he fell to his knees. He saw a system notification informing him that he was paralyzed for 2 seconds as his HP bar dropped dangerously below the 10% mark. At this point, he could see the confidence surging in the eyes of his opponents as they saw the once-mighty guardian faltering. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t end like this¡­¡± Andheri muttered, but it was toote. With one final, crushing blow from a heavy mace-wielding warrior, Andheri¡¯s HP dropped to zero. His avatar copsed to the ground in a heap, and his body disappearing into pixels as the system red the notification of his defeat to the world. [System Notification: Guardian ¡®Andheri¡¯ has been defeated. The North Path is now open.] The rankers erupted in cheers as Andheri¡¯s downfall signaled their victory, while viewers across the world watched in shock at how quickly the mighty had fallen. Chapter 544: The Boss Room Chapter 544: The Boss Room ¡°Andheri has fallen! We¡¯re finally going to see what¡¯s beyond this room!¡± ¡°Oh man, the other three guardians absolutely crushed their opponents, but Andheri went down like a dog. A beautiful dog, an intelligent dog¡­ but still, a pitiful dog.¡± ¡°Look at the levels the rankers gained from defeating him! They¡¯ve leveled up big-time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s next for them? Could they be about to face ¡®TheBoss¡¯?¡± The buzz among themon yers was electric as Andheri¡¯s defeat shed across their screens. Initially, they had expected him to dominate like the other guardians. But after witnessing his downfall, it dawned on them that the overwhelming victories of the other three weren¡¯t the norm¡ªthey were the exception. Had those guardians not been as skilled as they were, they too might have met the same pitiful fate as Andheri, most likely overwhelmed by the sheer number of rankers attacking them all at once. It was only because of their extraordinary talent that they managed to triumph so convincingly, but they weren¡¯t really supposed to fight as well as they did. With Andheri defeated, a total of 77 rankers pushed forward from the North path, entering the central chamber, where they found themselves staring face to face against the undisputed number one yer of the game! Wearing his signature ck robes, his virex corps mask and his assassin¡¯s belt, Leo stood at the center of the room, his arms crossed as he nonchntly nced at his opposition. ¡°It¡¯s him¡ª¡¯TheBoss¡¯!¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± ¡°The GOAT is here!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to see ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in action for so long! Now, we¡¯ll finally witness his power after reaching master status.¡± ¡°All hail TheBoss!¡± The excitement amongst the global viewers hit fever pitch when they realized that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was the final boss of the second rankers event. Goosebumps rippled across their skin as the camera zoomed in on TheBoss¡¯s cold, unyielding eyes, as the stage seemed set for an unforgettable showdown. ¡°Is it just me or does anyone else feel pressured standing in this room too?¡± ¡°I feel suffocated, if I don¡¯t focus on controlling my legs they would undoubtedly start to tremble, but I don¡¯t know why¡± ¡°I feel my usual strength betraying me¡­ what is happening here?¡± Watching The Boss stand so nonchntly, many rankers felt pressured, as although they did not understand why, they felt like they were staring at a tall insurmountable mountain, which they could never hope to defeat. In reality it was simply Leo¡¯s new aura pressure artifact that was making others feel more nervous than they really were, however, most yers did not understand this and attributed the pressure they felt to Leo¡¯s incredible strength. ¡°Haha, is this the power of a Master? He¡¯s not even moving but I¡¯m still covered in sweat. What an incredible aura!¡± ¡°Damn¡­ I think I just peed a little¡± Gulping, the rankers collectively took a step back, as although they entered the central room feeling extremely excited, once they realized who their opponent was, their excitement fuzzed away real quick. ¡°Hey Boss! Long time no see¨C¡± said PurpleRock, as while the other rankers cowered away, he as a top 10 yer confidently took the lead and tried to talk to Leo as if they were acquaintances. In reality the two had never talked face to face, however, they did share a warm up room during the grand tournament where Leo ignored everyone inside. Hence when PurpleRock tried to talk to him as if they were acquaintances, the individual who was the most surprised by his bizarre approach was none other than Leo. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, do I know you?¡± Leo asked, raising an eyebrow behind his mask, as PurpleRock chuckled at his question. ¡°No unfortunately you do not know me, however, I¡¯m hoping that after today¡¯s fight you will!¡± PurpleRock said, as the moment he uttered these words, the very next second he found his own neck, heart and forehead impaled by three daggers. -12,000 CRITICAL HIT! -14,000 CRITICAL HIT! -17,000 CRITICAL HIT! [yer PurpleRock has been eliminated] Before PurpleRock or the other rankers could even realize what was going on, Leo easily killed him as if the other was not even a challenge, as from start to finish none of the other rankers even saw him moving his arm. Still standing with his arms crossed, it almost looked like he had not moved at all, and this made several other rankers scream in horror, as they had never experienced something like this before. ¡°D-did he move? Did anyone see him move?¡± A stunned silence filled the room. ¡°No way¡­ Was that it? He didn¡¯t even¡ª¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t move at all!¡± Panic began to ripple through the rankers, their confidence crumbling under the weight of Leo¡¯s overwhelming presence. PurpleRock, one of the strongest among them, had been dispatched without so much as a flicker of effort. ¡°He took him out in less than a second. We¡¯re all doomed.¡± A few yers at the back began to retreat, shuffling toward the entrance as the tension mounted. ¡°Calm down!¡± one of the remaining rankers shouted. ¡°We outnumber him! It¡¯s just one guy!¡± But even as they tried to rally themselves, their wordscked conviction. It was clear that none of them believed they could actually win. Leo, however, remained utterly indifferent. He wasn¡¯t here for conversation, for games, or to offer them a sporting chance. His task was simple: defend the treasure room, and he had no intention of letting any of these rankerse close to seeding. He tilted his head slightly, as if assessing his prey, and then, with a voice that was cold andmanding, he finally spoke. ¡°Next.¡± The challenge was set, but the rankers were left paralyzed, unsure whether to fight or flee. Chapter 545: Too easy Chapter 545: Too easy (Meanwhile on the global forums) ¡°Did you see that?! PurpleRock is down! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°TheBoss didn¡¯t even move! How did he do that?¡± ¡°Look, I know PurpleRock wasn¡¯t the best, but he¡¯s still a top 10 yer¡­ and TheBoss didn¡¯t even flinch. This is terrifying.¡± ¡°Who else could fight him? There¡¯s no one left who stands a chance.¡± The global forums lit up with reactions, as hundreds of posts flooded in every second, discussing the shocking defeat of PurpleRock. While the other rankers who had entered alongside PurpleRock cowered in fear, the rest of the yer base watching live couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. ¡°I always thought PurpleRock would at least get a few hits in¡­ but no, nothing! Not even a chance!¡± ¡°This is why TheBoss is the best. He just wiped the floor with a top10 yer without moving a muscle!¡± ¡°If this is what it means to be a Master, then the rest of the rankers are done for.¡± ¡°I feel bad for them, but man, it¡¯s incredible to watch.¡± Among the cheers and jeers, there were others who felt an overwhelming dread. Even through the screen, the pressure of Leo¡¯s presence¡ªTheBoss¡¯s presence¡ªwas palpable. ¡°They can¡¯t win. They should just run now, honestly.¡± ¡°Those poor souls don¡¯t even realize they¡¯re already dead. The only reason they¡¯re still standing is because TheBoss hasn¡¯t decided to kill them yet.¡± ¡°This event is over, man. No one is taking down TheBoss. Not now, not ever.¡± The camera panned back to Leo, his expressionless face still hidden behind the iconic virex corps mask. The entire arc ship was watching as he stood still, his arms crossed, his posturepletely rxed. He exuded an aura of power so overwhelming that even yers outside the event could feel it. They weren¡¯t even in the room with him, but they too felt the creeping sensation of fear inching up their spines. At this moment it seemed like the whole world was ready to witness his ughter. ******* (In the central event room) Inside the central chamber, the tension among the remaining 76 rankers had escted to a palpable level. A few brave¡ªor perhaps foolish¡ªones started to rally themselves, convincing each other that they could take Leo down together. ¡°There¡¯s still so many of us! He¡¯s just one man!¡± ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s TheBoss!¡± ¡°We outnumber him. If we hit him all at once, he can¡¯t possibly kill us all before wend a strike.¡± It was a flimsy n, but in the face of overwhelming terror, hope was all they had. However, what they didn¡¯t realize was that Leo had already sized them up. In his mind, this fight was already over. ¡°Boring¡­. Since you won¡¯te, I will¨C¡± Leo said, as at that moment, without any warning, he vanished. One moment he stood still, and the next, his body blurred into motion. A silver streak cutting through the air, as the first ranker screamed as a dagger embedded itself in his chest, followed by another thrown with such precision that it impaled a second ranker in the throat. -9,000 CRITICAL HIT! -11,500 CRITICAL HIT! Before the other rankers could even process what had happened, Leo reappeared, his feet barely making a sound as he glided across the room. His movements were impossibly fast, like a shadow flickering in and out of existence. Another ranker charged at him with a battle axe raised high, but Leo ducked under the swing with ease, his hand shing out. In an instant, the man¡¯s legs buckled as Leo¡¯s dagger found its way into his heart. -10,000 CRITICAL HIT! [yer BarbaricRoar has been eliminated.] Leo moved like a ghost, untouchable, unstoppable. Every time a ranker tried to attack, he was already gone, slipping through their defenses as if he could predict their every move. Several rankers attempted to form a coordinated attack,unching spells, arrows, and melee strikes in his direction. But none of it mattered. Leo weaved through their assaults with the ease of a dancer, dodging arrows mid-flight, stepping through bursts of fire, and sidestepping sword strikes that came inches away from him. With a flick of his wrist, three more daggers flew through the air, finding their targets with deadly uracy. Screams echoed throughout the chamber as rankers fell, one after another, to his wless precision. ¡°Too easy¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, as although he always had faith in his own ability, even he himself never expected this attack to be this easy for him. Nheless, in the midst of the chaos, a group of rankers managed to close the distance, hoping to overwhelm him in closebat. They came at him from all sides, thinking that perhaps in close-quarters, they stood a better chance. But they were nothing but fools. With a single twist of his body, Leo evaded a sword strike aimed at his head, grabbing the arm of the attacker and twisting it violently. The sickening crack of bone breaking echoed through the chamber as Leo disarmed the yer and used the stolen sword to cut down another before kicking his original opponent into a third ranker, sending them both crashing into the floor. He was faster than all of thembined and not just faster, but overwhelmingly stronger and smarter too. Each movement was calcted, each strike deliberate. There was no wasted motion, no hesitation. He flowed from one kill to the next, effortlessly dodging attacks and countering with deadly precision. It wasn¡¯t a fight¡ªit was a massacre. One by one, all the rankers fell to his relentless assault. Blood sttered across the chamber floor as one after another the rankers made a desperatest stand, but they had no chance. Leo¡¯s daggers found their necks before they could even lock in on his position, as within 5 minutes, Leo managed to kill all 76 of his opponents, never having to use a single one of his special moves. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Leo muttered, as after killing thest opponent, he found the new silence of the central chamber bothersome. He had just started to warm up, and the fight was already over. ¡°I hope the next batch is better¨C¡± he said, sitting down cross legged in the room as he observed the carnage all around him. He wasn¡¯t proud. He wasn¡¯t angry. He wasn¡¯t even satisfied. This was just another task. Another victory and he found no reason to celebrate. Chapter 546: Psychological Pressure Chapter 546: Psychological Pressure Leo gained several dozen levels from defeating the 77 rankers, but it wasn¡¯t the one sided ughter that left asting impression in his mind¡ª but rather the realization of how much of a part psychological fear yed into his victory that did. The rankers seemed gripped by terror, and Leo wasn¡¯t entirely sure why. Was it his infamous reputation or the aura artifact amplifying his presence? He did not know, however, either way, what shocked him was how few of them even tried to mount a serious offense. Out of the 77, nearly 60 were more focused on shielding themselves, desperate to survive against his attacks rather thanmitting to an all-out offense and it was precisely this hesitancy, this passive defense, that made the fight feel far easier than it should have been. As he reflected, a thought crept into his mind, as he wondered if this was what the Demon King felt like on a daily basis? The way others crumbled before him, not from physical strength alone, but from the weight of his reputation and the fear he instilled, was something new. For the first time, Leo realized that the phrase ¡®Fake It Till You Make It¡¯ wasn¡¯t just about pretending to be something until you became it. There wereyers to it¡ªfear, perception, and control¡ªthese emotions had far more power than he had ever considered. Today, Leo had no doubt in his mind that he hadn¡¯t just fought the rankers opposing him physically, but that he had dominated them mentally, and psychologically too. Had his opponents seen him as a challenge they could conquer, their approach to this battle would have beenpletely different, however, his reputation undeniably helped him lessen the difficulty of his victory. ¡°Interesting¡­.¡± Leo muttered, a soft smile spreading under his mask, as he waited for the next batch of adventurers to arrive. ******** (Meanwhile on the South Path) On the south path, Cervantez fought valiantly against the second wave of challengers, managing to kill 97 of them, before his own HP tanked below the 10% mark. In his mind, Cervantez already knew that he would be unable to survive against a third wave, however, for his own personal satisfaction, he wanted to somehow clear the second wave, killing thest 3 opponents even with a 10% HP bar. ¡°Come on boys, focus, we can take him down!¡± Said one of his opponents who was a swordsman as he took a swing, forcing Cervantez to dodge by bending his body low. ¡®I won¡¯t fall here,¡¯ he thought, as with a swift, fluid motion, he got back, parrying the second attack with a quick flick of his wrist. *SHINGG* The metallic sound of sword hitting sword rang in the air, however, since Cervantez had superior strength, he was able to overpower his opponent and open his defenses, giving himself the chance to capitalize, as he shed his opponent across his chest. -9,000 HP! [yer Ravenw has been eliminated.] Eliminating the first opponent, Cervantez immediately moved to the second one who came at him with a mace, but Cervantez simply twisted to the side, letting the attack nce off his shoulder as he countered with a lightning-fast thrust to the man¡¯s gut. His sword red with magical energy as it pierced through his midsection, disemboweling the man and giving him a brutal death. -12,000 HP! [yer Irond has been eliminated.] Eliminating two opponents with two moves, Cervantez panted as he faced thest one. At this point he could feel his body failing, his stamina and mana reserves hit rock bottom. This second wave had been hard on him, and without relying on traps or special strategies, defeating the second wave had been a very challenging task for him. Nheless, through sheer willpower alone, he kept moving, hisst challenger hesitating as despite Cervantez¡¯s slow andbored movements, he doubted if it was a deliberate trap. ¡®I should attack from range¡¯ his opponent thought, as he stepped back, however, Cervantez would not let him do it. Summoning thest of his strength, Cervantez feinted to the right, then spun to the left, driving his de through his opponent¡¯s heart, however, not before taking a jab to his own abdomen as well. -15,000 HP! [yer Bloodthorn has been eliminated.] Cervantez copsed to one knee, his sword digging into the ground for support, as although he defeated the second wave of opponents, his own HP flickered at 3%. ¡°I did it¡ª¡± he mused, a soft smile spreading on his face as he retrieved a bottle of max HP potion from his inventory and drank it. [ System Notification :- Potions will not take effect during the second ranker event. This potion will have no effect. ] The system notification denied his HP refill, and Cervantez could only chuckle looking at it. He had prepared for this event by buying max HP potion bottles however they seemed to be for naught now. Struggling back to his feet, he looked at the gates of his guardian room open once more, as a swarm of 100 more challengers rushed in. Clenching his sword, Cervantez put forward his bravest face, as although he knew he was going to fall here, he wanted to at least go out with a big smile on his face. ¡°Look! He only has 3% of his HP left, the guardian is weak!¡± ¡°Quick, we can defeat him quickly if we rush in now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let his stamina regenerate, it¡¯s time to end this¨C¡± The iing yers sensed that Cervantez was a wounded beast nearing his end and hence they circled him like hungry predators. One after another theyunched their strongest attacks, whittling down the HP of the mighty guardian, until he finally went down after giving a honorable performance. [ The South Guardian ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ has been defeated ] A notification rang throughout, as all rankers on the south path rejoiced at his defeat. ¡ª¡ª- Chapter 547: Insurmountable Odds Chapter 547: Insurmountable Odds (Meanwhile On The West Path) Just like Cervantez, Luke too managed to defeat the second wave of the rankers. Thanks to theva terrain and the limited area of mobility for his opponents, he was able to get past the second wave taking no more than 40% damage, keeping him healthy enough to fight another wave. However, although his HP had not dropped to a critically low level, his stamina had. Having fought two waves of opponents, most of his major moves were on cooldown and his stamina bar had degraded significantly. By the end of the second wave, he was left gasping and panting, as the moment the gates opened once again and the third wave of enemies arrived, the problem he faced was no longer taking damage from his enemies, but rather, gathering enough strength to fight against them. The shield and sword in his arm felt like lead and the only move he felt confident of executing was the Suplex, however, the Suplex was a move best for one vs one battle and not a group fight, as it left him exposed to a myriad of counterattacks from other opponents during execution. Hence, Luke struggled heavily against the third wave of opponents, fighting valiantly and showing heart, however, still taking much more damage than what he could dish out. During moments like these, his three core skills. [ Knight¡¯s Honor ] [ Basic Weapons Reinforcement ] [ Basic Body Reinforcement ] Proved to be his trump cards, as while his more powerful semi legendary skills went on a cooldown, it were his basic skills that kept him in a fighting shape, giving him the edge he needed to hold on. However, to viewers watching server wide it was clear that the Luke during the third wave was not the Luke during the start of the first round, as he was visibly slower and less dangerous than before. In the end, he managed to take down 61 opponents of the third wave before losing his life, as he did notably better than Andheri and DarkEmperor in his guardian defense. Unfortunately, he lost 50% of his levels gained after losing his life, however, he still managed to gain a total of 46 levels from the event, narrowing his gap versus Cervantez at the top to just under 2 levels now. ********* (Meanwhile, on the East Path) In stark contrast to Luke and Cervantez, who faltered at the third wave, PinkLotus demonstrated her unparalleled prowess, clearing the third wave with rtive ease, having lost only 20% of her HP. Her tenacity and skill were nothing short of astounding, however, what truly set her apart was her ability to not only ovee the third wave but to charge headfirst into the fourth and fifth waves, obliterating every opponent in her path. Her remarkable performance couldrgely be attributed to her unique fighting style. Unlike most rankers, who relied heavily on stamina or mana-draining techniques, PinkLotus¡¯s strengthy in her mastery of the de. With each precise sh, she showcased her extraordinary talent as a swordsman, a natural-born prodigy whose skills transcended mere game mechanics. Rather than depending onplexbos or shy gamer techniques, she wielded her sword with lethal precision, relying on her innate abilities and the sheer sharpness of her de. As waves of opponents fell before her, it became evident to everyone watching server wide that PinkLotus was simply a ss above the other guardians and that she was undoubtedly in a league of her own whenpared to the other rankers, solidifying her status as the ¡®Queen of Terra Nova.¡¯ They watched in awe as she cut through wave after wave of rankers, their disbelief growing with every kill. After every wave, the yers watching believed that she could surely not defeat another, however she did, only faltering after wiping out the sixth wave, as only then did her HP drop below the 10% mark, putting her life in critical danger. Despite that, she continued to fight valiantly, holding her ground against insurmountable odds until the seventh wave finally imed her life. But by then, she had already achieved the impossible. In total, PinkLotus single-handedly defeated 633 opponents, a kill count that surpassed thebined total of all the other three guardians. And she aplished it without resorting to traps, trickery, or underhanded tactics ¡ª as every kill she imed was earned through raw skill and relentless determination. It left no doubt in the minds of the viewers that PinkLotus was one of the strongest yers in Terra Nova Online, however, the only question they had in their mind was how shepared to TheBoss? ********* (The global forums) ¡°It¡¯s done, even PinkLotus has lost her life now. This means all four pathways to the central chamber are now open!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve counted it out, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has already defeated 427 opponents, however, in total he has a total of 1800 opponents that he still has to face. It looks like the rankers will inevitably win against the guardians in the end, as no matter how strong ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is, surely he can¡¯t hold on alone against 1800 more opponents¡± ¡°Yes, even if we assume that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is twice as strong as ¡®PinkLotus¡¯ which is in itself a ridiculous assumption, but even if it¡¯s true he can only defeat a total of 1200-1300 opponents at best. Short of the 2200+ he needs to take down. Mathematically it¡¯s impossible!¡± ¡°Man it¡¯s all down to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ now. I wonder which group will hit the jackpot and manage to ultimately defeat him. Hahaha. This is gonna be fun¡± ¡°Well, we will finally watch ¡®TheBoss¡¯ die, it will be a legendary moment¡± At this point in the forums, nobody believed that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could pull through to the end. The odds simply seemed insurmountable as although PinkLotus did well, the other three guardians did not do as well, leaving ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to face a mountain of trouble alone. However, what the yers in the forums did not know was how Leo had imed before the event began, that even if the other guardians did nothing and all 10,000 rankers came at him all at once, he still had confidence to beat them all alone, as that was the teaching of Ben Faulkner. Chapter 548: Cracking the code Chapter 548: Cracking the code (Central room, Leo¡¯s POV) Leo had no way of knowing how the other guardians were holding up. Once Andheri fell and the north path opened, he was faced with a near-constant stream of adventurers. The first wave he encountered had fewer than 80 rankers, but the next ones arrived in full groups of 100, making it impossible for him to check on the performance of other rankers. asionally though, he encountered smaller groups, and it was during these moments that Leo understood that perhaps another guardian had fallen, leaving him as the sole defender of the treasure. Naturally, he was neither immortal nor without limits. The bold im that he could single-handedly take down 10,000 opponents, though impressive, was far from the truth. He certainly couldn¡¯t defeat 10,000 rankers on his own, and this became clear during the fifth wave of challengers that he faced, as it was then that he sustained his first injury of the day, when a mage on the opposing side unleashed an AOE spell, recklessly sacrificing his own teammates in a desperate attempt to damage Leo. Fortunately for her, the attack seeded, catching Leo in the explosion, however, unfortunately it also killed 7 of her own allies. Quickly getting back on his feet, Leo regained hisposure as he saw that he had lost less than 3% of his total HP. However, this injury served as undeniable proof that he wasn¡¯t untouchable, and it emboldened his opponents to adopt a more aggressive stance. Up until that point, the psychological pressure he exerted had caused many to hesitate, second-guessing their actions in fear of being humiliated. But once they saw someonend a hit on ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ their hesitations diminished, and their confidence grew. It was as if the single hit had flipped a switch in their heads, as their restraint suddenly vanished and was reced by reckless aggression, as though they had sensed his vulnerability, however small it may be. Before the hit, the rankers would approach him hesitantly, focusing on casting defensive spells or dodging his every move, terrified of engaging him head-on, however, now, that caution seemed gone. Leo noticed this change almost immediately as a mage, who before would have summoned a barrier to protect himself from Leo¡¯s attacks, now stood firmly in ce, chanting an offensive spell with fire in his eyes. Leo watched as a torrent of mes erupted from the mage¡¯s staff, aimed directly at him, as the mage didn¡¯t seem to care whether Leo would dodge or counter, as he only wanted tond a hit. Leo sidestepped the mes with ease, his mind racing as he analyzed this changed psychology of his opponents. Unfortunately for them, as soon as he dodged the attack, it meant that someone else behind him was hit with the same, as the mage¡¯s spell instead of killing him, killed a tank ss yer behind him. ¡®Oh wait, this might not be too bad¡­.. if I y my cards right, I can turn their recklessness to my advantage,¡¯ Leo thought, as while at first he was worried about the change in the fighting style of his opponents, he soon realized that this change in their fighting style actually made them even easier for him to take down than they already were. Leo¡¯s realization came with a slow, creeping grin. As the mage¡¯s fireball exploded against the unfortunate tank behind him, Leo took a moment to observe the chaos his enemies were inflicting on one another. They were so desperate tond a hit on him, so eager to exploit what they perceived as weakness, that they weren¡¯t paying attention to their own positioning or their teammates. It was no longer a coordinated effort but a frenzied rush, and Leo could see the cracks forming in their ranks. He pivoted to dodge another strike, watching as the swordsman who had aimed for him stumbled forward, overextended and vulnerable. With a quick motion, Leo drove his de into the man¡¯s side, not even breaking his stride as he pulled it free. The swordsman fell, clutching at the wound, but Leo¡¯s focus had already shifted to the next group of attackers. Another mage cast a chain lightning spell, the crackling energy arcing through the air toward Leo. But the spellcaster hadn¡¯t ounted for the two warriors rushing toward Leo from either side. With a well-timed leap, Leo vaulted over the lightning¡¯s path, letting it hit one of the advancing warriors square in the chest. The second warrior stumbled in confusion, caught off guard by the sudden elimination of his ally, and Leo capitalized on the moment, cutting him down in a swift, fluid motion. ¡®They¡¯re doing most of the work for me¡¯, He thought, almost amused at how little effort he was expendingpared to earlier waves. Where he once had to break through their defenses or bait them into making mistakes, they were now practically handing him opportunities for free. ¡®Hahaha¡­. What a bunch of losers¡¯ Leo thought, as a group of archers took aim at him from the backline, their arrows flying in towards him in quick session, however, they were too slow to pose any real threat to him. Leo ducked and weaved between them, knowing that even if he didn¡¯t block or deflect every shot, there were plenty of targets for those arrows to hit, and sure enough, a few unlucky rankers in the fray took hits from their own teammates¡¯ arrows, one of them falling to his knees, clutching the shaft embedded in his shoulder, while the other had his man parts pierced in the most unfortunate of battle incidents. Leo couldn¡¯t help but smile as he dodged a pair of attackers. One swung a massive warhammer, the other wielding dual daggers. Before, they might have circled him cautiously, testing his defenses and waiting for an opening. But now? They charged in headlong, oblivious to each other¡¯s presence, and all Leo had to do was sidestep the warhammer¡¯s wide swing, and the hammer¡¯s momentum sent it crashing into the dagger-wielder instead, knocking him off his feet. ¡®Woohoo! Let¡¯s go¨C¡¯ he thought, as he seemed to have cracked the code to survive in thispetition for a bit longer. Chapter 549: Stamina Conservation Chapter 549: Stamina Conservation After every wave of opponents that Leo defeated, he staged the same unfortunate ident again and again after the fifth wave, which made the other rankers feel as if ambushing him out of the blue was the best tactic to take him down. For this, he would purposefully not dodge when an attack came from his blindside and although he could sense iting, he let it connect, just so that the others felt like they could perhaps do the same. Mostly, when his opponents noticed that the untouchable ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was not invincible to sneak attacks, they started to go wild with their attacks, taking little regarding for their team-mates, and this helped Leo conserve his stamina big time, as rather than having to kill all 100 opponents by himself, he simply needed to dodge their attacks and watch them kill each other instead, greatly helping him recover his own strength reserves. As a trade off, he had to lose 2-4% of his total HP after every wave to make this stunt look real, however, he was willing to pay this prize if it helped him conserve energy, as the biggest problem for him after facing 8 waves of enemies was not defeating them, but rather maintaining his own strength so that he could push through 10 waves more. This fight was a marathon and not a 100 meters dash, and Leo knew it all too well. Currently, conserving his stamina was more important than conserving his HP and hence he baited his opponents into killing one another as often as he could. ********** (Meanwhile PinkLotus) After being eliminated, PinkLotus logged into the livestream eager to see Leo¡¯s performance, however, the moment she logged in, the first thing that she was stunned to see was how despite having faced 4 waves of enemies already, Leo still had 100% of his HP intact. ¡°His speed and skill, those are the real deal¡­.¡± PinkLotus murmured to herself, as she watched Leo¡¯s performance with great interest. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the first attack seemed to blow him away, chipping off his HP, as PinkLotus grinned watching Leo struggle. She had already determined that the other rankers were too scared of Leo to fight him to their total potential, however, seeing him take the first hit, PinkLotus believed that they would change their approach. ¡°Let¡¯s see you try ande out of this¡­.¡± She muttered, as just as she had expected, from that moment onwards the approach of the rankers changed significantly, however, things did not quite y out how she expected them to be. Instead of being overwhelmed, Leo¡¯s fights became easier for him instead, as he precisely guided the attacks of his opponents against themselves, turning the situation overwhelmingly in his own favor. ¡°Nonono¡­ this has to be the rankers losing their minds¡­. Why did they ditch their cautious approach and suddenly start behaving like horny monkeys?¡± PinkLotus wondered, as for a moment she thought that it was just this batch of rankers that were brainless, however, her hypothesis proved to be wrong once more and more waves entered the central room and performed simrly. It wasn¡¯t until Leo cleared the 8th wave that she finally realized that it wasn¡¯t luck. That Leo had not been struck because of his negligence, but more because he had orchestrated his own hit. At the start of every wave, he dominated his opponents psychologically¡­. Went all out and made them feel like they had no chance. Then¡­. Sneakily he always allowed himself to take a hit, losing a fraction of his HP, but in turn made the rankers lose their minds as a free for all began. It was like he was an ¡®Actor¡¯ ying the role of a wounded warrior, as everytime he recreated the perfect scene again and again, and manipted the battlefield to his own liking. ¡°He¡¯s terrifying¡­.. Not only is he faster and stronger than me, but his understanding of warfare is on apletely different dimension¡ª¡± PinkLotus said, her throat parching as she admitted these words. She did not wish to believe that there was someone so far above her in this game, however, Leo¡¯s performance was undeniable. ¡®The only reason I lost is because I did not have the stamina to continue¡­. It¡¯s because I did not have it in me to conserve my strength like him, however, while he is facing wayy more opponents than I did, his stamina bar never dips below the 60% mark, as he¡¯s simply not going at 100%. He¡¯s conserving his strength and only doing the bare minimum, as he seems to understand that this is a marathon and not a sprint. He¡¯s a genius far beyond the likes of me¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as from that moment onwards she let out a deep sigh and began watching Leo¡¯s performance from the eyes of a fan rather than a critic. At first she wanted to think that perhaps the gap between the two of them was not toorge and that she could take him on as a rival, however, after watching him defeat the 8th wave, those ideas died as fast as they had arisen. She was not worthy to carry his shoe, much less be his rival, as in this life at least it seemed like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was always destined to stay at the top. ******** (Meanwhile Jacob) Jacob too logged into the livestream after his defeat, and was enjoying the performance of his son with a big smile on his face. Just like everyone else, he too worried that his son might not be able to defeat all the waves of opponents that he had to, however, once he began with his act and turned the rankers against one another, Jacob could not help but feel extremely proud of him as he started to grin from ear to ear. ¡°By lords¡­. Elena has raised a little predator. He puts the bait¡­. He waits for the prey to take the bait and only then does he pull the trigger. What a ruthless boy¡± Jacob said in joy, as he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the stream at this point. Chapter 550: Invisible Enemy Chapter 550: Invisible Enemy (Meanwhile on the global forums) The world watched Leo¡¯s performance with bated breaths. Some bit their nails waiting for his downfall, while others cheered him on awaiting his victory. However, regardless of what side they were on, everyone knew that the performance that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was giving today, was undoubtedly the greatest individual performance in the history of Terra Nova Online, as he alone fought against hundreds of high ranked opponents in what was the greatest solo yer performance of all time. Everyone expected him to fall after the fifth wave, afterall, how could one man manage to beat 500? However, when even at the 10th wave, Leo held strong, having lost only 19% of his HP bar and having 81% of it intact, some of his doubters began to worry that he might actually make it. Afterall, at this point he had already crossed the half-way mark, as with 10 waves of opponents behind him, he only needed to defeat 8 more waves to secure the victory. ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s going to do it isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s going all the way!¡± ¡°What in the world is this gamey? He¡¯s not even using a single special skill, it¡¯s just dagger throws, close range kills and dodges. There is absolutely nothing that this man does that some random other yer can¡¯t¡± ¡°He¡¯s ying the other yers against one another. While the other guardians tired themselves out before they were taken out, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is maintaining his rhythm¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe what I¡¯m witnessing¡­ There are times when you think maybe the hype of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and people calling him a God is too much. However, then you witness miracles like these and wonder if you should convert to one of his believers¨C¡± ¡°Man there¡¯s got to be a limit to how many times he can y the other rankers against one another. I mean what the fuck are the rest of them doing while they wait outside? Surely they¡¯re watching the live feed too!¡± Everyone talked excitedly about Leo¡¯s performance, and those who believed that Leo would not be able to pitt the other yers against one another for too long were absolutely right, as from the 11th wave onwards the approaching rankers seemed to have already figured out that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ deliberately made them fight in a frenzy. ¡°Nobody makes any friendly fire! Even if we die, we need to make ¡®TheBoss¡¯ work for it¨C¡± said a ranker from the 11th wave, as after entering the central chamber, the first thing he did was to remind everyone that they were a team and did not need to kill one another. This of-course pissed Leo, as after taking it easy for a few waves, he finally had to work hard again from the 11th wave onwards as his enemies banded in a tight formation and covered each other¡¯s weaknesses rather than fighting individually. Hence, from the 11th wave onwards, Leo had to use his special skills for the first time ever. Faced with a line of tanks who had locked their shields together, Leo was forced to use [ Vanish ] and disappear behind their lines, as he took them all out from angles they never even anticipated. Of course, when Leo vanished into thin air, the other rankers erupted in panic, having never experienced anything like it before. They were helpless¡ªunable to track him or predict his movements, as once he disappeared, their only option was to react blindly, their fear intensifying with every moment that they could not locate him. At this moment, the rankers that were previously unified by their resolve to not make the same mistakes as the earlier waves, now found themselves in disarray. They swung their weapons in wild arcs, shing at empty air, desperately searching for any sign of their invisible enemy. The sheer terror of not knowing where Leo would strike next gripped them like a vice as the front line, once solid and dependable, shattered within moments as the rankers realized their shields were worthless against an enemy they couldn¡¯t see or predict. ¡°He¡¯s gone! I can¡¯t see him!¡± one ranker shouted, his voice filled with panic as he iled, his sword slicing nothing but shadows. Then, suddenly, a ranker at the far end of the chamber copsed, a thin dagger embedded in the back of his neck. His health bar plummeted to zero in an instant, and he was ejected from the game. His scream echoed through the chamber, sending a chill through the remaining rankers, forcing them to tighten their circle, but their movements were jittery, paranoid. Every step they took felt like they were walking into a death trap. ¡°Where is he?¡± another screamed, his eyes darting wildly across the room. His fingers tightened around his weapon, knuckles white with fear. However, unfortunately for him, his answer came in the form of a sh¡ªa quicksilver blur as Leo materialized for a split second, only to disappear again, taking the lives of four men next to him. *Thud* One after another bodies dropped to the floor, as the other rankers had no idea what to do anymore. This was no longer a guardian fight, this was simply a massacre, as let alone standing a chance against the boss, they stood no chance at even tracking him. With time, the remaining rankers began to lose theirposure entirely. ¡°We can¡¯t fight what we can¡¯t see!¡± one of them yelled, their voice cracking in terror, as the more seasoned yers tried to restore order, barkingmands and urging the group to stay close. But it was no use. Leo¡¯s strikes were surgical, deliberate. He isted his prey, picking them off one by one with ruthless efficiency. For the rankers, this invisible enemy was more terrifying than any monster or boss they had ever faced. There was no pattern to his attacks, no warning before a dagger appeared in their chest or a de sliced across their throat. It was pure psychological warfare, and Leo was its master. ¡°We have to do something big now to win!¡± someone finally cried, their voice thick with desperation. But it was toote. Leo¡¯s presence¡ªorck thereof¡ªhad shattered their resolve. The once organized rankers now scurried in all directions, scattering like ants under a magnifying ss and Leo picked them off one after another with ease. By the time Leo reappeared, it was over. The floor was littered with the bodies of defeated rankers, and the once defiant group had been reduced to a broken, demoralized mess. Leo stood amidst the carnage, his health bar still at 81%, his expression as calm and collected as ever. The world watched in stunned silence, knowing they had just witnessed something truly extraordinary¡ªthe horror of fighting an unseen enemy¡­. The greatest to ever y the game. Chapter 551: An Up-Hill Battle Chapter 551: An Up-Hill Battle After finishing the ughter of the 11th wave, Leo reappeared, ncing at his Mana and Stamina bars with a faint click of his tongue. His Mana bar had dropped to a mere 30%, and although it was rapidly refilling thanks to his newfound abilities as a master, he did not expect his mana bar to fall too steeply so fast. [Vanish] was like a leech on mana, and although the version of the skill where he blended with the shadows did not consume as much mana, the one where he outright disappeared in light, consumed a lot. However, while his mana was lower than he expected the real issue he was facing was his stamina. While invisible, Leo¡¯s Stamina had plummeted from 60% to 35%, as despite being unseen by the opponent, the effort required for him to move swiftly and strike from random angles without detection had taken a toll on him. The strain of constantly relocating for surprise attacks was far from negligible and left Leo in a vulnerable position. ¡®I can¡¯t use such an attack pattern again¡¯ Leo concluded internally, as while his [Vanish] skill was undeniably powerful against those beneath the master level, it wasn¡¯t sustainable for prolonged use in battle. While blending into the shadows required minimal mana, full invisibility drained it at a much faster rate, and maintaining the illusion demanded even more. [Vanish] wasn¡¯t a battle tactic for endurance¡ªit was a method of distraction, an escape mechanism for slipping out of danger unnoticed. ¡®Next time, I¡¯ll just toss a few smoke bombs¡­¡¯ Leo thought, realizing his limits with growing rity. Up until now, although he had ascended to the rank of master and refined his core abilities, he hadn¡¯t tested them in the heat of real battle. This rankers¡¯ event was his first opportunity to gauge his true strength in livebat, and at present, Leo was still unsure of the most efficient way to utilize his abilities. Although he felt confident in their overall power, he still recognized the need to fine-tune his strategy for optimal performance. ¡®No wonder Master Ben never relied on [Vanish] in a fight¡­ He always preferred the smoke bombs,¡¯ Leo mused, recalling his mentor¡¯s tactical approach, as only today did he realize the reason behind it. Unfortunately for him, this was all the time he got for reflection as with the 11th wave gone, the 12th one began immediately. This time, rather than vanishing again, Leo tossed a dozen gas bombs into the room as soon the entire area was engulfed in a thick, dark gray fog. ¡°Aghh¡ª¡± ¡°Oooo¡ª¡± ¡°Gah¡ª¡± As the fog enveloped the chamber and visibility plummeted, Leo made swift work of his foes, blending into the shadows and executing them with precision. This approach, too, was stamina-intensive, but it consumed far less mana, allowing Leo to prioritize restoring his mana reserves while still staying on the offensive. Out of the 100 enemies in the 12th wave, Leo managed to defeat 50 before the smoke naturally thinned and dissipated. However, once the fog cleared, the battle turned into a grueling dogfight, as for the first time, Leo sustained minor hits in a wave, unable to dodge them all. The sheer intensity of constant movement was exhausting, even for him, as with no moment to catch his breath, he started to show signs of fatigue. By the time he defeated thest of his enemies from the 12th wave, his stamina had dipped below 20%, nearing the critical threshold. Now visibly panting, Leo¡¯s shy, fast-paced fighting style that had earned him the infamous title of ¡°Final Boss¡± was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he looked like a grounded warrior, moving only when absolutely necessary, relying on long-range dagger throws rather than his usual up-close, lethal strikes to the throat. ¡®How many fucking more waves do I got to defeat? What the fuck did the rest of the guardians do? p their hands and dance?¡¯ Leo cursed internally, as when the 13th wave approached, he felt pissed that he had to face so many opponents non-stop. Of-course he still had the confidence to defeat them, however, he was now approaching a point where he was hitting his limits. Up-till now, he had defeated close to 1100 rankers already, as apart from a couple of waves where he faced less than 100 opponents, all the other waves had a full 100. However, it wasn¡¯t just that he had defeated 1100 opponents alone, but also the duration that mattered. He had defeated 1100 freshly rested rankers non-stop in a three hour marathon, as while they entered the central chamber fully rested and with a n, he himself had no chance to rest at all. He was constantly moving and constantly fighting, and even as a master he was finally approaching his mortal thresholds. ¡°TheBoss is tired! We can do this! We can beat him¨C¡± ¡°He¡¯s not at his best anymore¡­. Guys, we can take him down!¡± ¡°Having our chance sote is a boon! His HP is down to just over 70%, we can definitely defeat him¡± Said the rankers in the 13th wave, as they surrounded Leo and began attacking him from all sides. Had it been the fresh Leo, he would have easily escaped their encirclement, however, the tired Leo could not. The tired Leo was forced to fight in the best defensive way he could, while picking his chances for counterattacks, as he lost a whopping 21% of his HP bar to the 13th wave, dropping to exactly 50% by the time the 14th wave arrived. ¡°Fuck me¡­. How many more?¡± Leo muttered under his breath, this time outloud, as he nced at his restoring MP bar and grit his teeth hard. This was getting really difficult now and for the first time ever he began doubting if he could really see this through. Unbeknownst to him, he still had 4 more waves to beat, one from each path before he could take the victory home, however, it was undoubtedly going to be an uphill battle from here on out. Chapter 552: Showing Heart Chapter 552: Showing Heart Not knowing how many opponents he still had to face was a psychological nightmare for Leo. He could not n strategically enough on how much stamina/mana to conserve and had to look at every wave that he faced as if he still had potentially more opponents left. This made facing the 14th even more challenging for him than it was supposed to be, as on one hand he had already made ns on how to handle the 15th one his mana reserves returned above 80%. However, for him to conserve his mana while saving his stamina meant that his HP had to take a hit. Hence, just like the 13th wave where he lost 21% of his HP, the 14th saw him lose a further 19%, dropping his overall HP to just over 31% by the time the 15th wave arrived. Naturally, the reactions to him finally slowing down were insane on the global forums, as the monotonous sequence of him dominating every wave seemed to have finally broken, giving the viewers some much needed excitement. ¡°Wow, is this really happening? TheBoss actually looks tired. I thought he was unstoppable, but look at him now, struggling to even keep up. Maybe he¡¯s finally hit his limit.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been fighting for hours non stop. What do you expect? Anyone would be dead by now. The fact that he¡¯s still standing is insane! Give him some credit.¡± ¡°Nah, this was bound to happen. All that shy stuff doesn¡¯tst forever. He¡¯s been taking hits, and now it¡¯s catching up to him. Not so ¡®invincible¡¯ anymore, huh?¡± ¡°Come on, guys, he¡¯s still got a shot. He¡¯s been managing his mana well, and if anyone can pull through, it¡¯s TheBoss. You¡¯re all acting like he¡¯s already lost. He just needs to hang in there for a few more waves.¡± ¡°A few more waves? Are you kidding? He¡¯s barely holding on! His HP is down to 30%, and his stamina¡¯s shot. He can¡¯t keep dodging forever. It¡¯s only a matter of time before someone takes him down.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what anyone says. TheBoss is a legend. Even if he falls here, what he¡¯s done so far is beyond impressive. He¡¯s taken out over a thousand rankers solo! That¡¯s a feat no one else could pull off.¡± ¡°Sure, but what good is that if he doesn¡¯t make it to the end? He was supposed to be this untouchable force, but now it looks like he¡¯s about to crumble under pressure. Maybe he¡¯s just overrated.¡± ¡°Overrated? The guy¡¯s been fighting non-stop without rest! Most of these rankers came in fresh, and he¡¯s still taking them down. If you ask me, that¡¯s a whole different level of skill.¡± ¡°He¡¯s hanging by a thread, though. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gonna make it. One more hard wave, and it¡¯s game over.¡± ¡°You underestimate him. He¡¯s been in worse spots before, and he always finds a way to win. Trust me, TheBoss isn¡¯t done yet.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. I¡¯m rooting for him, but he needs to pull something out of his hat now. One more mistake and it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°Whether he wins or loses, this is one hell of a fight. TheBoss has shown us all what it means to be a master. No one¡¯s walking out of this thinking he¡¯s anything less than a legend.¡± Some credited him for making this far, while others criticized him for not making it far enough, however, the consensus that he could make it to the end seemed to be shifting, as even those who cheered him on seemed to believe that he would hit his limits before the waves ended. ¡°Come on brother, this is thest full wave that you have to face. The 16th wave has only 44 opponents, 17th has only 51 and 18th only has 33. Just push through this one¨C¡± Luke muttered looking at the screen as he realized that although it looked like Leo still had to fight 4 more waves in total, in reality he only had roughly 220 opponents to face in total. This was because the number of rankers that made it to the end of the path were not exactly in the multiple of hundreds, making thest batches on each path having an odd number of participants, with the only exception being the North path which had a full 100. Unfortunately, Leo had no way to know this and had to keep fighting like there was no tomorrow, as in his eyes, the event was far from over. ¡°This is it¡­. He won¡¯t make it, once his stamina goes below the 10% mark he will face a stat debuff that will slow his movements down significantly¡­. This is the end¡± said PinkLotus, as although she was impressed by Leo¡¯s performance so far, even she did not think that he could carry on much longer. ¡°This is the moment where you fight with your heart kid¡­. Not every battle always goes your way. Show the world the Skyshard battle spirit¡­. Don¡¯t give up! Push till the fucking end¨C¡± Muttered Jacob, as he could not control his emotions watching the livestream. Leo was at 31% HP currently and declining fast, as he found the 15th wave slightly overwhelming to deal with. The mighty and untouchable boss, who guided across the battlefield at one point, now stood rooted to his spot, not even moving slightly to dodge, as his stamina bar was at a critically red level of 13%. Panting heavily, Leo only used minimal energy in deflecting iing attacks and throwing daggers as he waited for his mana bar to go over the 80% threshold. Currently at 71%, it was only a matter of a couple more minutes before it recharged to over 80%, as Leo seemed to be only waiting for that to happen, before he officially began his counterattack. ¡°Ohe on now blokes, I¡¯m standing rooted to my spot¡­. Come on, show some initiative ande at me!¡± he roared, as rather than facing ranged attacks, Leo hoped that he could get more close ranged action until his mana recovered. Chapter 553: Vanish + Shadowbind Chapter 553: Vanish + Shadowbind Leo invited the rankers around him to ambush him at once, however, the rankers knew better than to engage ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in close rangedbat and hence did not take the bait. Continuing to attack from a safe distance instead, they tried to nibble down on Leo¡¯s HP, however, little did they know that Leo was reaching the end of his patience. Roughly 30 seconds after no-one rushed towards him, Leo decided that enough was enough and although his MP bar had not reached the desired 80% threshold yet, he seemingly lost the patience to care. ¡°Fuck this¨C¡± Leo said, sounding frustrated as he used [ Vanish ] and [ Shadowbind ] together. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* Disappearing from in front of his opponents, Leo left the rankers scrambling for his location, all the while killing them with ease. Instead of darting around their defenses and using stamina, Leo simply walked beside them, shing their necks as he bound their bodies with [Shadowbind] ¡°I can¡¯t move¡­..why can¡¯t I move?¡± ¡°Aghh¡ª¡± ¡°Oh he got me! I can¡¯t move either¡± The entire central room was soon covered with the screams and horrors of the rankers who were helpless against Leo¡¯s skills, as once Leo actually began using his legendary ranked skills, nobody stood a chance against him. [ Fire st ] [ Earthen Spikes ] [ Thunder p ] Desperate, the rankers began sting the entire area with spells, hoping to take out Leo, however, not one of their spells hit him. Within 10 minutes, Leo managed to kill all 100 rankers within this wave, as by the time he reappeared, he once again stood atop a pile of corpses. ¡®Not bad¡­.¡¯ he thought, looking at his stamina bar which had recovered now to 18%, while his mana bar was at 41%. He could probably repeat this feat one more time, however, if he still had several waves to fight then Leo felt like he might not be able to make it to the end. ******* (Meanwhile on the global forums) ¡°Holy shit! Did you see that? They¡¯re all dropping like flies, and nobody even knows where ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like they¡¯re fighting a ghost! One second they¡¯re fine, the next they¡¯re frozen, then boom¡ªgone! This is unreal!¡± ¡°Forget unreal, this is straight-up terrifying. They¡¯re panicking now, sting spells everywhere, and nothing¡¯s hitting. How do you fight someone you can¡¯t even see?¡± ¡°Bro, he¡¯s just making them look like amateurs. Like, you can literally feel the fear through the screen. The rankers know they¡¯re dead, and there¡¯s nothing they can do about it!¡± ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯s only a matter of time before his luck runs out. He¡¯s been burning through mana and stamina like crazy. He can¡¯t keep this up forever.¡± ¡°Are you serious? This is TheBoss we¡¯re talking about! He¡¯s got more left in the tank than you think. You really think a few more waves are gonna stop him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, man. He¡¯s been at it for hours now. His stamina¡¯s tanking, and the rankers just keeping. At some point, he¡¯s gonna hit a wall.¡± ¡°Yeah? Well, until then, it¡¯s straight-up murder out there. Look at them! No one can even get close to him, and half the room¡¯s already dead!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care how long he¡¯s been fighting. The fact that he¡¯s still taking out rankers like this is insane. No one else could pull this off.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not invincible! He¡¯s gonna burn out soon, and when that happens, someone¡¯s gonna take him down. Mark my words.¡± ¡°Take him down? Dude, they can¡¯t even find him! He¡¯s already taken down over 1250 opponents! Even if he falls here, no one¡¯s forgetting this performance.¡± ¡°You guys are all talk. Watch¡ªhe¡¯s gonna copse, and all the fanboys will be crying when he loses.¡± ¡°Lose? Have you even been watching? He¡¯s already won. He¡¯s taken down thousands of rankers solo. The rest is just icing on the cake!¡± Watching the banter on the forums, Luke couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°That¡¯s my brother¡­ I know you can make it to the end, even when everyone counts you out, I know you won¡¯t fall.¡± Luke said, as he continued watching the livestream and the reactions simultaneously. Meanwhile, PinkLotus sat quietly, her eyes wide with amazement. ¡°How is he still going?¡± she murmured to herself, her disbelief slowly turning into admiration. ¡°He¡¯s trading between conserving stamina, mana and HP. He sacrifices one to regain the other two¡­.. it¡¯s ingenious¡± she muttered to herself, as watching Leo fight she realized that his genius was beyond that of most mortals. A small smile crept across her face. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone fight like this. It¡¯s¡­ inspiring. I didn¡¯t think anyone could push this far. But he¡¯s doing it, wave after wave.¡± she said clenching her fists, as she felt her respect for Leo deepen. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe he¡¯s more than just a master fighter. Maybe there¡¯s something about him that even I don¡¯t understand.¡± she wondered, as once again she believed that maybe he could push to the end. Jacob, meanwhile, watched with a soft grin tugging at the corner of his lips. His eyes never leaving the screen, as he could feel his blood boil as a father. ¡°Come on, kid¡­ keep going. Don¡¯t stop now. You¡¯re almost there.¡± His voice was barely above a whisper, but the pride in it was unmistakable. ¡°This is your moment. You¡¯re writing your own legend with every step.¡± Jacob¡¯s fingers twitched slightly as though urging his son on from miles away. ¡°Don¡¯t let them break you. Push through, even when your body wants to quit. You¡¯ve got more in you than they¡¯ll ever know.¡± There was a glint in his eyes¡ªone that held both fierce determination and the quiet pride of a father watching his son forge a path no one else could. ¡°Just a little more, Leo. Show the world who you really are.¡± Just a few minutes ago, everyone thought that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was done for, however, as soon as he defeated yet another wave, the sentiment seemed to have shifted significantly once more. It was like a rollercoaster where no-one knew how it was all going to end, however, if they did know something it was that they were all witnessing the fight of a lifetime. Chapter 554: Cant Keep Up Chapter 554: Can''t Keep Up Chapter 554: Can¡¯t Keep Up When only 44 opponents showed up during the 16th wave, Leo felt genuinely surprised to see that his total opponents were not a perfect 100 in number. ¡®Could this be thest wave?¡¯ he wondered, as having no chance to check how many other waves were left, Leo hopefully assumed that this wave may be thest. ¡°Alright let¡¯s wrap this up quickly¨C¡± he muttered, as he used [Vanish] to turn invisible. Once again, his opponents were left scrambling on what to do, as none of them had any idea as to how they could perhaps deal with an opponent that they could not even perceive. Once again, Leo began massacring his opponents without taking a single hit, this time not bothering to conserve energy, as he thought that this was thest one. When thest opponent fell, Leo reappeared, standing in the midst of the battlefield, surrounded by bodies. His breathing was heavy, his limbs felt like lead, but there was a sense of relief that washed over him. ¡®It¡¯s over,¡¯ he thought, his vision slightly hazy as he checked his remaining stamina and mana reserves. His stamina had plummeted to 11%, while his mana barely held on at 13%. Both critical levels. But it didn¡¯t matter, right? He had won. He had done it. Or so he thought. As just as he let his guard down, the walls of the central arena trembled, and the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed through the room. ¡°What¡­ no, this can¡¯t be¡ª¡± Leo muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief. A fresh wave of opponents¡ª51 to be exact¡ªentered the room. His heart sank. This wasn¡¯t the end. There were still more waves left, and with his reserves almost entirely depleted, he felt the weight of impending defeat pressing down on him. The rankers, emboldened by Leo¡¯s visible exhaustion, immediately began murmuring amongst themselves. ¡°This is it! Look at him! He¡¯s done for!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ after all this, TheBoss is finally at his limit. We¡¯re going to take him down!¡± ¡°Ha! He¡¯s got nothing left in the tank. Just look at him¡ªhe can barely stand!¡± ¡°This is our chance. The legend ends here, and we¡¯ll be the ones to im victory!¡± Leo, hearing their words, clenched his fists. His body screamed at him to stop, to give up, but his mind refused to ept defeat. He hade too far to let it slip away now. Yet, the reality was harsh¡ªhe was outnumbered, out of energy, and on the verge of copse. ¡°Have the other guardians done anything worthwhile at all?¡± Leo said out loud, as by this point Leo was pissed for real. His rant was obviously heard worldwide, making the other three guardians blush in embarrassment when they heard hisment live. ¡°Finee on then¨C¡± Leo said, grabbing his daggers in both hands, as he charged towards this fresh wave of opponents. On one hand, this wave too had only 51petitors, wayy less than the usual 100, however, that did not make defeating them any easier for Leo. Almost as soon as he started his offensive, Leo¡¯s stamina bar dropped below the 10% mark, entering the critical zone. [ System Notification :- Your stamina has fallen below 10%. All stats will be reduced by 20% in this weakened state ] Almost instantly Leo felt strength leaving his body as he slowed down significantly, and although he was still faster than an average ranker even with the debuff, it just felt a lot more difficult to fight against a horde of rankers, when he was not at his peak. As a result, he soon felt that a sword grazed his left shoulder, and a spell struck against his thigh, as the damage from the attacks sent sharp pain shooting through his body. *Wobble* Leo wobbled, his feet feeling light, as somehow he could not grip the ground as well as before, but somehow managed to stay upright, although barely. His breathing became more ragged, every intake of air feeling like fire in his lungs and his vision began to blur, dark spots creeping in at the edges, as he forced himself to keep moving. *SHING* *SHING* Everytime he lifted his arm to parry an iing attack, he could feel them bing heavier and heavier, as the wound on his shoulder made it harder to lift his dagger for even the simplest strikes. His legs, usually swift and agile, now felt like they were moving through water, bing slow and cumbersome. His HP continued to drop, the slow but steady bleed from the wounds taking its toll as he inched closer and closer to his HP dropping below the 10% mark. ¡°Not yet¡­. I can do more¨C¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he swung his dagger at an oing opponent, but this time his strikecked its usual force. The de connected, but it didn¡¯t drop the ranker in one clean blow like before. Instead, the ranker stumbled back, still alive, which only fueled the others¡¯ confidence. ¡°Look at him! He¡¯s falling apart!¡± one of them jeered. Leo didn¡¯t respond. He couldn¡¯t waste the energy on words, as his focus was entirely on survival now¡ªon keeping his feet moving, his des up, and his enemies at bay. But it was getting harder. His stamina was dangerously low, and each movement cost him more than it should. His muscles burned, his chest heaved with the effort of breathing, and his mind was beginning to cloud with exhaustion. *SPLAT* Another blow came at him¡ªthis time from behind, as Leo barely managed to twist his upper torso just enough to avoid a fatal strike, but the de still cut across his back, adding to the growing list of injuries he was umting. ¡®How long can I keep this up?¡¯ the thought briefly flickered in his mind, but he shoved it down, unwilling to ept defeat. His HP was in critical territory now falling below the 10% mark, as every hit he took from this point forward brought him closer to the brink of defeat. His once-fluid movements had be sluggish, his dodges no longer quick enough to avoid all the attacksing his way. But despite the pain, despite the overwhelming fatigue, Leo kept fighting. With every swing of his dagger, every step forward, he defied the voice in his head telling him to stop. He knew his time was running out, but something deeper¡ªsomething primal¡ªdrove him onward. His body was screaming for rest, but his will refused to bend. Leo fought like a man possessed, every strike carrying the weight of his refusal to give up, even as his world began to fade around him. Chapter 555: Beyond Limits Chapter 555: Beyond Limits Leo felt all of his senses numbing as his stamina dropped below the 5% threshold. [ System Notification :- Your stamina has dropped under the 5% mark, you have entered a near unconscious state, all stats reduced by 60% Vision reduced by 60% Sound sense reduced by 60% Pain detection reduced by 60% ] With his stamina dropping under the 5% mark, Leo could no longer even see his opponents clearly. His speed reduced significantly, to the point where he was no longer faster than his foes and his strength reduced to the point where he could no longer throw daggers beyond a 15 meter range. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* Leo swung his daggers wildly, however, to his horror there were no enemies in the area where he was swinging. His vision had started to double and he could no longer make out where his enemy was exactly standing. 60% of his vision had already cked out and the little area from where he could still see was not reliable. The picture he could see was hazy and to make things worse his sound sense had numbed too. He could no longer hear the approaching footsteps of his opponents, which made defending his blindspots very difficult. ¡®I can¡¯t¡­. I¡¯m not meant to fight in the open¡¯ Leo thought, as even his thoughts started to slow down alongside his physical fatigue. However, because of the sheer will inside him to not give up no matter what, he decided to drop a few gas bombs all around him, just to buy some breathing time for himself. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* Clumsily dropping all the smoke bombs tied on his belt, Leo created a dark smoke cover all around him, however, instead of fighting inside this dark smoke cover, he simplyid t on the ground and started to pant heavily. ¡°Where is he? Where is The Boss?¡± ¡°Everyone beware, his attacks cane from any direction!¡± ¡°Agh fuck this, I¡¯m not waiting for him to kill me!¡± Blinded inside the smoke, the rankers became extremely cautious, as their paranoia caused them to attack one another. When they identally rubbed shoulders against a fellow ranker, or felt a sound approach from behind them, they turned and used that opportunity to attack preemptively, often injuring one another, while Leoid t on the ground. Thankfully, nobody could see what ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was up to, as if anyone were to see the mighty Boss at this moment, lying t on the ground with his belly up, their respect for him would undoubtedly diminish. However, thankfully nobody was any wiser, as for the two minutes that the smoke covered the area, Leo rested with his eyes closed, his stamina inching back to above 5% at 6.5%, removing the extreme debuff that it brought alongside it. ¡°Alright¡­. This is it¡­¡± Leo murmured, getting back to his feet as, by the time the smoke disappeared, he noticed that there were only 12 opponents left alive from this wave. Miraculously, while he was resting, they had internally killed 10 of each other, identally helping Leo¡¯s cause big time. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* With four precise dagger throws, the twelve were swiftly reduced to eight as Leo wlessly impaled four of his targets in the neck. ¡°Damn, TheBoss is still in top form¡­¡± muttered one of the remaining rankers, only for Leo tounch three more daggers his way. *St* *sh* *St* ¡°You bet I am,¡± Leo replied, iming the man¡¯s life with a deadly strike, as he maintained his calm and controlledposure despite hitting rock bottom. However, while he appeared to be calm on the surface, internally his panic heightened when he realized that he was running low on daggers. Despite normally carrying over a thousand in his inventory, today¡¯s fierce battle had nearly depleted them all, leaving him down to hisst set. This meant that after using twelve more, he¡¯d have to start retrieving them from the ground to continue fighting, which was not an ideal scenario at all as it left his open to counterattacks and a whole lot of issues. ¡°How? How are you still going? What kind of monster are you?¡± Asked one of the seven remaining rankers, as Leo looked at him with dead fatigue in his eyes as he said ¡°How do you breathe? How does your heart pump blood?¡± ¡°How does the sun shine? And how does the moon change its phases? Something¡¯s in this universe are just definite and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ winning is one of them. Doesn¡¯t matter how many of youe at me, in the end, I shall always prevail¡± Leo said, as he charged towards that ranker, jumping above his head in a backflip as he killed him by impaling his head from his crown. [ yer Keith has been eliminated ] [ yer Keya has been eliminated ] [ yer She has been eliminated ] [ yer Rosie has been eliminated ] [ yer Mauve has been eliminated ] [ yer Tanya has been eliminated ] [ yer Vana has been eliminated ] One after another, Leo eliminated all 7 remaining opponents of the 17th wave, before slipping below the 5% stamina threshold, as he dropped down to one knee and panted heavily. He was at his absolute limit now and had nothing left to give anymore. ¡®No more¡­. Please, no more¡¯ he begged internally, however, to his horror, the gates opened once more and a wave of enemies rushed inside once more. This time 31 in number. It was the 18th andst wave. However, Leo was not aware that they were thest. For him it was one more wave in a never ending marathon of opponents, as looking at him bent on one knee, his opponents felt confident in being able to y him. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even have the strength to stand anymore¡­. If we can¡¯t beat him now, we might as well stop calling ourselves rankers¡± said one of the 31 who entered, as he prepared to st Leo with his strongest spell. Could Leo survive? Did he have it in him to fight onest wave? Chapter 556: Last Resort Chapter 556: Last Resort Leo knew deep down in his balls that he did not have the necessary strength left in his body to beat these opponents. Hence when they began preparing their most powerful spells against him, Leo knew that he had to use his most desperate gamble yet to survive, because he did not wish to throw the towel just yet. ¡°Come on stupid body¡­. Co-operate just a tad bit more¡± he mumbled, as he sped his hands together and used everyst bit of MP that he had left to use his strongest spell [ Mirror World ]. By now, Leo had already used every other move in his arsenal. He had used Vanish, Shadowbind, Kill Strike and even his dagger weapons mastery to his limits. He had exhausted all of his smoke bombs and was down to thest 5 daggers on his belt before he ran out of them too. The only thing he had not yet used was [ Mirror World ], because he wanted to save it from the world as a trump card, however, staring at the face of definite defeat, he decided to use it anyhow. 4 clones¡­. That was the limit of how many he could summon, before his mana capacity tanked. However, in this situation even 4 clones were enough as the sudden appearance of 4 clones threw his opponents in a disarray. ¡°What? He still had a trump card left even after all that?¡± Said an astonished ranker, however, the others around him did not seem to care. ¡°Finish him¨C¡± said a mage ss ranker, as he unleashed his most powerful spell [Earthen Bullets] against Leo and his clones. The others followed too, sending several long ranged attacks against all of Leo¡¯s clones and his real body, in what was their hasty attempt to end this fight. *Kaboom* *Kaboom* *Kaboom* Explosions rang all across the field, creating a wave of dust and smoke that temporarily reduced visibility to almost nothing. For a brief second, everything seemed to stand still, the silence of the aftermath hanging thick in the air. Then, as the dust slowly began to settle, it became clear that out of the five figures resembling Leo, only two remained standing. The others had seemingly perished in the relentless onught, their forms vanishing in the haze of destruction. The 31 rankers, realizing their momentary victory, paused. But the two remaining Leo-looking figures moved with a deadly purpose, closing the distance between them and their opponents. At that moment, what had initially seemed like an overwhelming mismatch in favor of the rankers quickly turned into a deadly and dangerous close-quarters fight. Leo and his clone moved in perfect synchronization, fighting back-to-back as a unit. Each held two daggers, and together they shed, parried, and counterattacked with ruthless precision. They covered each other¡¯s weaknesses instinctively, a seamless flow of defense and offense. Every time a ranker lunged, one of the Leos would sidestep, creating an opening for the other to strike. ¡°Fuck, both opponents have a physical form, the fake one is not an illusion¨C¡± a ranker noted, as after observing both for a while, he could not determine which one of them was fake? As his observations sent shockwaves through the remaining rankers. Panic began to spread amongst the rankers as they came to terms with an unsettling truth: the clones were not mere illusions as they had believed. This was something entirely new¡­. something that hadn¡¯t been seen in the game world before. TheBoss had always been known for his unorthodox abilities, but this was beyond anything they had imagined. ¡°How is this possible?!¡± one of the rankers shouted, his voice tinged with fear as anotherrade fell to Leo¡¯s relentless assault. ¡°Which one is the real one?!¡± There was no way to tell. Both Leo and his clone fought with equal speed, equal skill, and equal determination. For the first time in the battle, the rankers hesitated, unsure of who to target, as it wasn¡¯t just about defeating a powerful opponent anymore¡ªthis was something that shouldn¡¯t exist. The high-stakes nature of the fight grew even more dangerous as the rankers desperately tried to regroup and mount a coordinated attack. But it was toote. Leo and his clone, feeding off each other¡¯s movements, tore through their ranks, cutting them down one by one. The fight became a blur of steel, blood, and raw power as daggers shed through the air with deadly precision. As the battle raged on, the number of rankers dwindled rapidly. What had started as 31 fiercepetitors was soon reduced to just three. The final trio, bruised, battered, and exhausted, stood their ground, their weapons raised, ready for what they knew would be theirst stand. In a desperate attempt, the three rankers coordinated their strikes, unleashing everything they had left, and thankfully for them they managed to take down the clone, stabbing it through the chest, watching as it crumbled under the pressure. At first, the clone¡¯s form wavered and then it vanishedpletely in a poof of dark smoke, leaving behind the real Leo¡ªor so they thought. Thest remaining Leo, now critically injured, still fought with ferocious intensity. His HP dropped dangerously low, a mere 1%, as he managed to take down two of the remaining rankers with vicious, calcted strikes, however, at this point his stamina also dropped down to 1% alongside his HP, making his movements stop to a near grinding halt. Only one opponent remained now: a lone swordsman. He stood firm, his eyes locked onto Leo, the weight of the entire tournament now resting on this final moment. Leo, barely able to stand, summoned everyst bit of strength for one final attack. His movements were slower now, his body faltering under the strain, but his determination remained unshaken, as with a swift movement, he lunged at the swordsman, his daggers aimed for the heart. But the swordsman was ready. At the veryst second, the swordsman dodged to the side, avoiding Leo¡¯s strike by mere inches, as with a fluid motion, he countered, thrusting his sword directly into Leo¡¯s chest, piercing his heart. For a split second, everything went still. The twobatants stood locked in ce, the swordsman¡¯s de buried deep in Leo¡¯s body. Then, with a soft exhale, Leo copsed to the ground, his body fading into a ck smoke as the swordsman smiled happily. The second Rankers¡¯ Tournament hade to an end, and in the most epic showdown possible, the swordsman stood victorious in a photo finish, leaving the audience in stunned silence. However, although everyone thought it was over, it wasn¡¯t¡­. Chapter 557: Misdirection Chapter 557: Misdirection ¡°I did it! I beat TheBoss!¡± screamed the swordsman, his voice echoing across the battlefield as he raised his hands triumphantly into the air. He could hardly believe it¡ªthat he, of all people, had managed to take down TheBoss, the legendary yer known for his unrivaled skills and tactical genius. But that moment was short-lived. Just as the euphoria surged through his veins, he felt a sharp, cold sting in his chest. His eyes widened in disbelief as a dagger pierced through his heart from behind. ¡°Good try, kid¡­¡± Leo said, his voice calm and collected, yet dripping with an undeniable authority. He leaned in close as the swordsman¡¯s strength faded, his body sinking to the ground. ¡°But you¡¯re not on my level yet.¡± With those final words, Leo twisted the dagger slightly, ensuring the swordsman¡¯s demise before pulling it free. The defeated yer copsed, his body dissipating into particles as he was sent to the afterlife, and the second Rankers¡¯ Tournament came to its true conclusion. From the swordsman¡¯s perspective, he never even realized that of the two opponents he had fought so fiercely, none were the real Leo. The audience, too, had been fooled¡ªright up until the very end. The secret behind Leo¡¯s victoryy in his wless deception, as while the swordsman had focused all his efforts on battling what he thought were two versions of TheBoss, the real Leo had been hiding all along. He had strategically dug a hole and concealed himself beneath the battlefield, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and it was only when one of the two clones had fallen that the real Leo emerged, climbing out from the ground with the precision of a predator, unseen and unnoticed until the final blow had already been struck. The audience, now aware of the brilliant deception, could only watch in awe as Leo stood victorious¡ªhaving yed not only his opponents but everyone watching. ******* ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) The global forums collectively fell silent for a moment when they saw Leo winning the second rankers tournament solo. For a couple of fleeting seconds, there were no messages posted on the server, before a dam suddenly broke loose. ¡°What the fuck? What the fuck was that? The Boss just emerged from the ground at the end!¡± ¡°Is TheBoss an NPC? How did he just spawn out of a mud hole?¡± ¡°Oh shit, guys you need to rey the battle scene. Look at the ground before he got hit by those massive waves of attacks and after. If you look closely you¡¯ll see back then that the real Boss dug a small hole in the ground and camouged himself within it. You can make out his form in the sand if you focus, but most of us missed it, as our focus, just like the rest of the rankers, was on the two remaining clones who were left standing. However, there were never just two clones¡­. The real Boss was always still alive!¡± exined amon yer, as once he referenced it, many yers began to rewind and refocus on what actually happened. ¡°Oh shit, he¡¯s right! Look at ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at time frame 36:01:23 and 36:03:11, you can see him peeping out of the ground as he probably controls the movements of his clone. He was always there. But we were just too focused on the ongoing fight to notice¡± ¡°Bloody hell, what does this even mean for the game? Is ¡®TheBoss¡¯ alone really more powerful than all other top yersbined?¡± ¡°History has undoubtedly been made today¡­. History! And don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s going to gain 100¡¯s of levels from this event as well, making ¡®TheBoss¡¯ of tomorrow, iparable to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ we saw fighting today¡± ¡°All heads must bow to the God Of Gamers ¡®TheBoss¡¯ today¡­. Like him or hate him, this performance of his today was historic!¡± ¡°What bothers me even more is the fact that the guardians today were not allowed to consume any potions. What if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could refill his stamina and MP bar? What if he had healers/ mages and other support ss yers buffing him? Can anyone stop him then? He is so dominant today, but he wasn¡¯t even at his 100% for most of it.¡± ¡°I can confidently say today that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is simply not ying the same game as the rest of us. He¡¯s in a league of his own¡± As the second rankers event reached its conclusion and the livestream ended, themon yers were left with shock and disbelief, as the entire server began discussing the performance of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ fervently. By now, Leo was already a household name, however, his performance today solidified his position as untouchable. There were a few who quickly connected his ability to summon clones to him trying to stage his identity as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯, however, in the light of his recent victory, the support for him in the servers was monumental, and the conspiracists could not find their feet. The uprising was celebrating like there was no tomorrow, while the rest of the rankers who participated in the event, looked at the whole experience in shame as they realized that although both themselves and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ were called rankers, they were not even remotely simr in power. Even the bunch of them together could not beat the one of him and it was a stain that was going to stay with them forever. What was more, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was now going to have the special treasury from the rankers only event open to him and his fellow guardians, where those chosen few would get a chance to be even more powerful than they already were. ¡°This is unfair¡­. This is so unfair¡±ined rankers like PurpleRock, but although they whined in private, there was nothing they could do to change the oue anymore. Against all odds, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had won and he had done it all alone. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C That¡¯s it for the month of September, I hope to see you all in October! /// Chapter 558: Keep Faking Chapter 558: Keep Faking (Leo¡¯s POV) [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for defeating yer ¡®La Su¡¯ and winning the second rankers event for the guardians! ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for defeating 1514 rankers in total directly during this event ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for defeating 177 rankers indirectly during this event ] [ System Notification :- Converting all direct and indirect kills to levels¡­. ] [ System Notification :- Congrattions to yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for gaining a total of 202 levels! ] Leo nearly fainted from viewing the stream of notifications that appeared before him. 202 levels? That was too much! For the first 100 rankers he killed, he gained 50 levels, then he had to kill 200 more for the next 50, then 400 more for the next 50 and finally 800 more for the next, and somehow all the other indirect kills only amounted to a mere 2 levels in gains. However, despite the indirect kills being nearly useless the overall gain of 202 levels was massive! Had he not won it all and stayed alive till the end, he would have ended up losing half his rewards and only gain 101 levels instead, however, because he made it till the end and survived he gained a full 202. ¡®It¡¯s over¡­. The rest of the rankers can never hope to catch up-to me in the next year even if I don¡¯t y the game as much¡­.¡¯ Leo thought, as he realized that this was a defining moment in his career as a ranker. With this win, gone were the days where he would need to worry about others surpassing him, as there was simply no-one in the game who could rival him anymore. ¡°Well this sure does give me some mental peace¨C¡± he mumbled, however, before he could getfortable and fall to the floor to regain his stamina and enjoy his win, yet another system notification rocked his screen. [ System Notification :- All status ailments have been removed. yer has been returned to peak condition ] [ System Notification :- Summoning the other guardians to receive treasures ] Right as Leo thought that he could finally rest, he felt strength returning to his body as his stamina, mp and hp all returned to their peak status. ¡®Agh this feels good¡­.¡¯ he thought as his vision returned back to normal and his body felt energized enough to move again. Thankfully, the other guardians were only summoned after his physical strength had returned to its peak, as the first thing that the other guardians noticed when they arrived was how ¡®TheBoss¡¯ looked powerful and domineering once again. ¡°You? How are you back to full strength, weren¡¯t you wobbling just a minute ago?¡± PinkLotus asked, her voice trembling with disbelief as she did not know about the fact that the system had healed Leo. Alongside her, Cervantez and Andheri looked a bit surprised too, however, Leo only chuckled in amusement looking at their confusion, but never offered to say the truth. Instead, he only deepened their confusion as he said ¡°Who said I was wobbling? Who said those rankers harmed a hair on my head because they had the ability to do so? Everything was orchestrated by me from start to finish¡­. If you think you¡¯ve seen my full strength already, you need to think again. I have moves I have not even revealed yet¡± When Leo said this phrase, it made PinkLotus involuntarily tremble as she started to spin stories in her head that weren¡¯t even true. She thought that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had the means to heal himself and restore his stamina like a pdin from the start, however, he just never used it because he wanted to conceal his strength. ¡®I thought he was at his limit, but could he really have defeated all 10,000 rankers alone?¡¯ PinkLotus wondered, as her gaze towards Leo became even more respectful. She had no idea that he had only survived by the skin of his teeth, however, because of the brave act he put on, she mistook him to be stronger than he already was. ¡°Congrattions on the win, Boss, you really fought a legendary battle today¡± said Luke, as unlike the rest he smiled and offered his congrattions to Leo. ¡°Yeah congrattions¡­. Your performance today was something else¡± Andheri followed, as he felt weird not saying something about it. ¡°I¡¯m impressed, although I already knew what you were capable of¡ª¡± Cervantez said, as although he did not say congrattions, the meaning behind his words was the same. What he meant to say was that Leo had exceeded even his own grand expectations of him, and that he was stunned, however, his phrasing of the same was terrible. ¡°Will you fight me someday?¡± Asked PinkLotus, as at this point she could no longer hold in her urge to not spar with Leo. At the start of this event she still felt a bit reserved and did not wish to approach him, however, by now all that reservation had melted. His performance today had shown her just how vast the gap was between them both and she could no longer ignorantly believe that she was the strongest solo yer in the game. She expectantly looked at Leo, her pupils widening as she tried to look as cute as possible, almost reflexively. As a kid, this was her go-to look when she wanted to get something from her father, however, after growing up she had never used it again. Today, almost unknowingly she began showing that look to a stranger, however, before she even realized what she was doing, the strange man rejected her. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t fight weak opponents¡± The Boss said, his voice cold, as he did not give a single thought of consideration to PinkLotus¡¯s request. ¡°What?¡± PinkLotus said, surprised, as she had never been rejected this coldly before, however, she was not the only one to say ¡°What?¡± As Cervantez and Andheri did the same. ¡°Why won¡¯t you fight her¡­. It¡¯s just a spar?¡± Asked Andheri like a true simp, while Cervantez bit his tongue and forced himself to stay quiet after he let the first ¡®What?¡¯ identally slip. If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ did not want to spar with PinkLotus, he could not force him to do so, however, it still burnt him in his heart to see the woman he liked to be rejected so coldly. Chapter 559: The Treasure Room Chapter 559: The Treasure Room ¡°Why won¡¯t you fight her? It¡¯s just a spar,¡± Andheri asked, his voiceced with confusion, as Leo met his gaze with a raised eyebrow. ¡°My body, my choice,¡± Leo responded, his tone casual but firm, as hearing those words, Andheri was instantly silenced, left with noeback. The phrase, ¡°my body, my choice,¡± was typically associated with women advocating for their right to decide whether to keep or abort a baby, and never in a million years did Andheri expect ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to use it as a means to avoid a simple sparring match. The refusal was so unexpectedly clever that for a solid minute or two, Andheri found himself utterly speechless, his mind grappling with Leo¡¯s quick-witted retort. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t alone in his reaction as PinkLotus and Cervantez were equally stunned, their silence echoing Andheri¡¯s inability to respond, as all three stood there, wordless in the face of Leo¡¯s ingenious refusal. ¡°Asshole¡­¡± Andheri eventually muttered under his breath, though the frustration was clear. Unfortunately for him, Leo¡¯s hearing was sharp, and his loud, unbothered reply rang out, ¡°SIMP,¡± leaving Andheri coughing, once again flustered andpletely at a loss for words. ¡°Hahaha¡± Luke chuckled out loud, as watching the other rankers banter amongst themselves, he realized that whether it was the actual fight, or a battle of wits, his brother was undefeated both ways. [ System Notification :- The treasure room is now open. The treasure room contains a total of 191 items exchangeable through contribution points or CP. In this event it has been determined that. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had a 71% contribution, earning him 710 CP. ¡®PinkLotus¡¯ had a 14% contribution, earning her 140 CP ¡®DarkEmperor¡¯ had 6% contribution earning him 60 CP ¡®SkyLion¡¯ had 8% contribution earning him 80CP ¡®Andheri¡¯ had less than 1% contribution, earning him 10 CP ] Before the banter could escte further, a system notification abruptly interrupted them, announcing the opening of the treasure room gates. The group fell silent, but Andheri¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. His performance had been dismal¡ªsix times worse than even the next worst participant. Although his assigned battleground had yed a significant role in his poor showing, the shame of hisckluster performance in front of the woman he admired still stung. ¡°Lead the way, Mr. 1%,¡± Leo quipped, twisting the knife as he made Andheri take the lead, adding insult to injury. As they entered the treasure room, instead of being met by piles of gold coins, glittering gems, and ancient artifacts strewn about in chaotic fashion, the scene that greeted Leo and the others was far from what anyone had expected. The treasure room was a sleek, modern space, almost resembling a high-end boutique. Polished marble floors reflected the soft lighting overhead, and neatly arranged counters stood in precise lines. Behind each counter, elves dressed in tailored suits and proper uniforms, exuding professionalism, awaited the group¡¯s approach. ¡°Wee, esteemed guardians,¡± one of the elves greeted with a deep bow. His silver hair was tied neatly behind his pointed ears, and his voice was smooth as silk. ¡°Congrattions on your performance. We are here to assist you in selecting treasures based on your earned contribution points. If you wish to inspect any item before purchasing, we will dly arrange a demonstration.¡± Leo raised an eyebrow, he had never seen these particr elves before and he had a suspicion that they might be other ship crew members that he had never met before. ¡®Well, this is a surprise. I was expecting a messy heap of gold and jewels, but this¡­ this feels like we¡¯re at some exclusive mall for adventurers¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he quite preferred this set-up to a traditional treasure room. At that moment, a few more elves appeared, handing out sleek, glowing tablets with lists of treasures. ¡°Please take your time to browse our selection,¡± the elf added. ¡°All purchases will be deducted from your contribution points.¡± Leo nced at the tablet, his eyes quickly scanning the list. The variety of items was impressive, ranging from practical potions to powerful artifacts. 1)Max Restore HP Potion ¨C 2 CP: A small vial capable of fully restoring one¡¯s health instantly. Cheap but incredibly useful. . . . 15)Five Level Up Tokens ¨C 50 CP: Directly grants five levels upon use, one of the most practical items for quick progress. . . . . 33)Elven Mana de ¨C 120 CP: A sword imbued with magic, offering an edge in both physical and magicalbat. . . . . 44)Phoenix Feather Cloak ¨C 250 CP: A rare cloak made with the skin and feathers of a phoenix. Protects against 99% me damage, and has a 1% probability of resurrecting the yer after death. . . . . 191)Nightmare¡¯s Whisper Set ¨C 399 CP: A set of daggers made from the most valuable material in the universe, the ck death mineral. These daggers can slice through almost any material without taking damage and can prate any defense with ease. ¡®Hmm, that dagger would be useful in the right situation¡­ but 399 CP?¡¯ Leo thought, weighing his options. He had the points to buy anything on the list, but he wasn¡¯t about to splurge on the first thing that caught his eye. Andheri, still smarting from being dubbed ¡°Mr1%,¡± was fidgeting as he flipped through the tablet, his face reddening even more when he realized he couldn¡¯t afford most of the better items. ¡®Max Restore Potion¡­ at least I can afford something. But damn, 10 CP feels like nothing¡¯ he thought, as he realized that apart from a few basic potions he could buy nothing else today. ¡°See anything you like, Andheri?¡± Leo asked, not missing a beat to poke fun at him, as Andheri scowled in response ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste my CP. I¡¯ll get the potion. Not everyone can be TheBoss.¡± he said, as he decided to bow his head and take the loss for today. Leo chuckled but said nothing, he had enjoyed defeating his enemy through words today and there was no need for additional hostilities now that he was buried. What interested him more was what the other rankers were purchasing, as he kept a keen ear open on what choices they made. Chapter 560: Brotherly Support Chapter 560: Brotherly Support (PinkLotus¡¯s POV) There were a lot of great treasures to pick from in the treasure list and the items epassed basically everything from great gear and great skill scrolls to great perks. [Level up token] was an item that could be bought for 50 CP that could directly grant her +5 levels. Unfortunately she only had enough money to buy 2 such tokens, however, by buying two such tokens she could directly gain 10 levels, which was akin to a month and a half¡¯s worth of leveling. There was also an item listed as [Arc Ship Evaluation Token] and this item if purchased could help her evade an arc ship yearly evaluation. This essentially meant that if she did not have confidence that she could stay back in sector S, she could use this token to extend her stay by one year, however, that token cost 150 CP total and she was 10 CP short to purchase it. ¡®Damn there are so many amazing items above the 200 CP price tag, however, unfortunately I can¡¯t purchase them¡¯ she thought, as she realized that if she had contributed as much as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ she would be able to enjoy a lot of these items. ¡®I wonder what he¡¯s going to buy? The dagger set is very expensive but it seems invaluable¡­. It¡¯s a semi divine grade item, I¡¯ve never seen a semi divine grade item before¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as she looked longingly at item 191, which was the most expensive dagger set. ¡®No point thinking what he will buy¡­. I need to focus on myself and what I should buy here! One item is the level up token for sure, but I¡¯m not going to buy two of it, I¡¯ll only buy one and I¡¯ll go with a skill scroll alongside it¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as in the end she began chatting with the elf attendant on what the best skill scroll to buy would be and decided to spend the remaining 90 contribution points she had left on purchasing suitable skills. ********* ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke, just like PinkLotus, was more inclined towards purchasing adequate skills. His core skills (Basic Body Reinforcement) and (Basic Weapons Reinforcement) were not adequate for his status anymore and he needed to rece them with legendary ranked skills at the minimum. Unfortunately, just one legendary skill cost nearly 70 CP here in the treasure room, which meant that he could unfortunately only purchase one for today. ¡°Excuse me? Can we transfer CP to other guardians here if we don¡¯t need them?¡± A voice asked, as Luke immediately identified the owner of this voice as Leo. Turning around, he saw Leo arguing with the elf employee that he wanted to transfer some CP as a loan and once the elf employee agreed, he immediately sent 140 additional CP to Luke. ¡°Pay me 100MP for each CP I loaned you today,ter¨C¡± Leo said, as Luke couldn¡¯t help but grin from ear to ear as he heard this. His brother had probably already decided what products he wished to purchase and had sent him all the excess funds to use. Before, hecked the money to purchase some better scrolls, but now he had enough. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal¡­. Thanks¡± Luke said, as at that moment, Andheri felt very ufortable. He wanted some additional funds too, however, he could only look on in envy while Luke got the deal he wanted. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get the good stuff¡­.¡± Andheri mumbled under his breath, however, Luke paid him no heed. Leo was his brother, that was the simple reason behind why he was helping him, however, this was not knowledge for the world. The two of them were a unit in real life and within the game world, hence it was natural that they looked out for each other. As Luke pondered over what to buy, the elf employee approached him. ¡°May I assist you sir?¡± He asked, as without hesitation, Luke gave a curt nod. ¡°Show me only legendary skills that benefit the knight ss,¡± he instructed, as the elf, ever efficient, waved his hand over the tablet, eliminating any irrelevant options. The screen flickered, and only skills designed to enhance a knight¡¯s abilities remained. ¡°Here are four options that would best serve a knight like yourself,¡± the elf said, his voice calm and professional. Luke scanned the list as the elf exined each option: 1. [Fortress of the Titan] (75 CP): This defensive skill grants the user an unbreakable stance, drastically increasing resistance to both physical and magical damage. For a limited time, the user bes nearly imprable, though movement is restricted while the skill is active. Pros: Absolute defense against any form of attack, ideal for holding a position. Cons: Immobilizes the user, preventing any movement during activation. 2. [Righteous Fury] (70 CP): This skill infuses the user¡¯s weapon with divine energy, multiplying attack power by two for each sessful strike. The power increase stacks with each hit, growing stronger for the duration of the skill. Pros: Tremendous offensive potential, especially in extended battles. Cons: Drains stamina and mana quickly, requiring careful management to avoid burnout. 3. [Divine Retribution] (65 CP): A counterattack skill that triggers automatically when the user takes a hit. Upon being struck, the user¡¯s next attack deals double the damage they received back to the attacker. Pros: A powerful hybrid skill,bining both defensive and offensive benefits by punishing enemies who attack. Cons: Its effectiveness is dependent on the amount of damage received by the user. 4. [Guardian¡¯s Resolve] (80 CP): A passive skill that permanently boosts health and stamina regeneration by 50%. Additionally, when the user¡¯s health drops below 20%, iing damage is reduced by half for a short period. Pros: Significantly improves survivability, especially in longer, grueling fights. Cons: Purely defensive in nature, offering no offensive benefits. Luke¡¯s eyes scanned the list carefully, as he considered his role within the guild. As a knight, defense was crucial, but offense couldn¡¯t be neglected, especially when he found himself in solo situations. He needed a bnce between protecting his allies and delivering powerful blows when necessary. ¡®Fortress of the Titan could make me unbeatable in defense, but I¡¯ll be stuck in one spot. That won¡¯t help me if I need to move around¡­¡¯ Luke thought, dismissing it as too situational. ¡®Righteous Fury is tempting. The longer I fight, the stronger I get, but I¡¯ll burn through mana fast. Still, it might be able to supplement the offensive power I¡¯m currentlycking,¡¯ he pondered. ¡®Divine Retribution¡­ now this could be useful. It¡¯s defensive, but it punishes anyone who hits me. That could turn the tables on tougher opponents,¡¯ Luke mused, already imagining scenarios where this skill could save him in a pinch. Finally, he lingered on Guardian¡¯s Resolve. ¡®Longer fights won¡¯t be as hard on me with this. And if I¡¯m ever near death, it¡¯ll buy me some time to recover, plus with it being a passive, I won¡¯t need to master it¡¯ Luke thought, appreciating its passive nature and durability. After a few moments of deliberation, Luke made his decision. ¡°I¡¯ll take Guardians Resolve and Righteous Fury,¡± Luke said, as thebination gave him the offensive power he needed and a reliable way to fight for longer. The elf nodded, retrieving the scrolls and handing them over with a smile. ¡°An excellent choice, sir. These will serve you well.¡± Luke epted the scrolls and tucked them away, feeling a surge of confidence as he rejoined the others. ¡®With these skills, I¡¯ll be unstoppable in both offense and defense,¡¯ Luke thought, as he nced over at Leo, who was finalizing his own purchases. ¡®Thanks for the loan, brother. I¡¯ll make good use of these,¡¯ Luke thought, feeling a sense of gratitude for Leo¡¯s support. Chapter 561: Reward Picks Chapter 561: Reward Picks (Leo¡¯s POV) Leo looked at the list long and hard, and after thinking about it carefully, he decided to buy only two items from the treasure room. Firstly, he bought the Nightmare Set daggers for 399 CP as he felt like it may aid him in his mission to y the ck dragon down the line, and secondly he bought the skill [Full Counter] from the list of skills avable for purchase for about 120 CP. Full Counter was a defensive yet highly lethal skill that allowed Leo to reflect any attack back at its source with double the power. It required precision and timing, as Leo had to absorb the iing attack¡¯s force at the perfect moment, using his own mana to redirect it. This skill wasn¡¯t just limited to physical blows¡ªmagical attacks could also be reflected, making it versatile in both close-quartersbat and ranged encounters. The true strength of Full Countery in its ability to turn even the strongest enemies¡¯ attacks into their own downfall, provided Leo could withstand the initial impact. While it was mana-intensive and risky if mistimed, mastering this technique could make him nearly untouchable in battle, especially against overconfident opponents who relied on brute strength. Before participating in the second rankers event, Leo would probably have not seen the benefits of having such a move in his arsenal, however, after the second rankers event he did. He needed a move which did not drain on his stamina and allowed him a chance to fight back when he had no room to evade an enemy attack. With two empty skill slots still at his disposal, Leo decided that [Full Counter] albeit only a legendary ranked skill, was still worthy enough to be learnt. Satisfied, he donated the rest of his CP to his brother, hoping that the man could buy something useful for himself, and get a skill or two more to improve his skill set. ******* (Meanwhile, Cervantez¡¯s POV) Cervantez leaned casually against the wall, his tablet in hand, but his attention wasn¡¯t on the treasure list. No, his gaze kept flickering toward the other side of the room where Pink Lotus stood, gracefully browsing through the avable items. He didn¡¯t dare get too close, but from the corner of his eye, he watched her, hoping to catch even the smallest glimpse of her smile as she examined the selection. ¡®How can someone look so calm even while choosing between legendary items?¡¯ he thought, his heart fluttering at the way her brow furrowed in concentration. ¡®She probably already knows exactly what she wants¡­..¡¯ He stood there, still and quiet, trying to look nonchnt, yet his eyes betrayed him as they drifted back to her again and again. Every time Pink Lotus reached out for an item, he found himself holding his breath, as if her choice might reveal some secret part of her he didn¡¯t know yet. ¡®She¡¯s so focused¡­ should I try talking to her? No, no¡­ what would I even say?¡¯ As if she could sense his gaze, Pink Lotus suddenly nced in his direction. Cervantez panicked, his heart leaping into his throat as he fumbled with his tablet, pretending to scroll through the list. His fingers moved frantically over the screen, though he hadn¡¯t even nced at a single item yet. ¡®Act natural, act natural¡­¡¯ he chided himself, feeling the heat rise to his face. ¡®She wasn¡¯t looking at me¡­ right?¡¯ he wondered, as sweat beads began forming on his forehead. For a few moments, he kept his head down, hoping she hadn¡¯t noticed him staring. But out of the corner of his eye, he could see her returning to her task, seemingly unaware of his awkward attempt at stealth. Looking at this, Cervantez let out a small sigh of relief, but his heart continued to race. ¡®Get it together, Cervantez. She¡¯s just another ranker¡­ okay, not just another ranker, but still. Focus! You¡¯re here to pick a treasure too¡¯ he told himself, as he tried to focus on the list of items, but to no avail. Minutes passed, though to Cervantez it felt like hours, and during these fleeting moments, he couldn¡¯t help but sneak a few more nces at Pink Lotus, and once she was finally done with her selection and began looking around the room, he forced himself to focus on his own choices. ¡®Alright, alright, pick something and go. Stop acting like a lovesick idiot¨C¡¯ He told himself, as only after he had his fill of staring, did he finally make a choice on what item he wanted. Scrolling through the tablet, Cervantez found a sword that caught his eye¡ªa sleek, elegantly crafted weapon that seemed perfect for his fighting style. Without a second thought, he made his purchase, barely acknowledging the weapon¡¯s stats, as his mind was still on Pink Lotus, and on methods to talk to her. However, unfortunately for him, the moment he was done making his selection, the elf employees in the room announced that everyone had made their picks and that the event was now officially over. At that moment, all of them got suddenly teleported out of the treasure room and back to the actual Terra Nova Online game world, as with it, Cervantez lost his chance to talk to PinkLotus in private. ¡°Damn it¡­. I thought I¡¯d definitely at least say hi!¡± He muttered out loud, as at that moment he felt incredibly sad that he didn¡¯t gather the balls to go and introduce himself, despite having the opportunity to do so. ¡®Maybe next time¡­ maybe next time I¡¯ll actually talk to her¡­.¡¯ he thought, as he resolved to definitely not let the chance to talk to her be missed, whenever it may present itself. In its own way, today had been magical enough for him, as although he did not get to talk to PinkLotus, he gained a lot of benefits from the second rankers event and even had the opportunity to memorize her face and expressions to his hearts content at the end. Chapter 562: Attitude Shift Chapter 562: Attitude Shift ( Meanwhile on the global forums ) The moment both ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ gained a simr number of 200+ levels from the grand tournament, the entire server once again buzzed with controversy. Global Rankings:- 1)TheBoss [ Level 612 ] 2)Leo Skyshard [ Level 602 ] 3) Dark Emperor [ Level 412 ] 4) SkyLion [ Level 410 ] 5) Andheri [ Level 384 ] . . . . 9) PinkLotus [ Level 366 ] . . . . 9999) Bhu [ Level 301 ] The difference between number 1 and 3 on the rankings was now up to 200 levels, and the difference between 2 and 3 was a whopping 190 levels. 190 levels meant that even if ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ stopped ying the game all together, the two of them were still not going to lose a rank on the leaderboards for at least a year and a half toe, while most in top 10,000 being unable to ever reach the 600 level mark in their entire gaming career. ¡°The bnce of the game is no longer fair, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ are so far ahead of the rest that it¡¯s not even aparison anymore¨C¡± ¡°The connection between ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ is undeniable now¡­.. not that it matters to small plebeians like us, but it¡¯s undeniable. The two of them have some EXP sharing tool amongst one another, and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ seems to be carrying Leo¡¯s leveling.¡± ¡°I wonder how much Leo is paying ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for him to carry him like this¡­. The bond those two share must be special¨C¡±. ¡°After the rankers event, there is no question that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ alone is worth more than the next 9999 rankersbined. Leo Skyshard was smart to invest in him early.¡± ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m tired of the conspiracy theories and the story that the two yers are one and the same. Today a few people are iming that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ must have used his cloning skill to cast an illusion during their rification video, but I don¡¯t believe it. It¡¯s understandable if the two of them have some EXP sharing pact, but it makes no sense to say that they are one and the same, because if they were, their levels would not be differentiated by 10¨C¡± Discussions rose once again about the identity of the two yers, however, they were much more mutedpared to before. Nobody wanted to speak against ¡®TheBoss¡¯ after his recent performance, as deep down everyone felt scared to their bones after watching him fight. At his peak, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ fought like an invisible ghost, giving his opponents no room to retaliate, and the world took notice of his skills. In the entire game world, if there was one yer that nobody could dare offend, it was ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and hence although many were unhappy about his association with the richest merchant, not many had the balls to do anything about it. ¡°It¡¯s over guys¡­. The discussion about their identity makes no sense anymore. Those two bigshots are never going to give us a rification and wasting our energy on this topic is utterly pointless. If we should focus on something today, it¡¯s the potential of the assassin ss and the skills that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ uses, as if we even replicate his temte and gain 10% of the sess he has, we can still be legendary yers ourselves¡± Oneizen said, as he decided to ignore the conspiracies and focus on the constructive aspect of today¡¯s event. ¡°He¡¯s right¡­. While we are here debating about ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his performance, what we failed to notice is how even the weakest top 10,000 ranker, walked out of this event with a +7 levels gain. The gap between us and the top is widening and we need to focus on reducing that gap and being invited to the next iteration of this event, rather than what TheBoss¡¯s real identity is¡­.¡± Anotherizenmented, as it was because of sensible people like them that the overall conversation took a positive turn. Themoners seemed to finally understand that this game was a race and that they weregging behind big time. The average yer level in the game was around 205, however, the top 10,000 rankers were already way above the 300 mark. At this rate, it won¡¯t be long before the average ranker outranked the average yer by twice the level difference or more, even though all of them had the same starting point just two years ago. Unlike the real world, where they could me their family background,ck of opportunities, or other social factors to be the reason behind their downfall, they had no such excuses in Terra Nova Online. Within Terra Nova Online, everyone had the same start and same opportunities, and it was up to the individual themselves to make the most of it. Everyone who was amoner today, had the potential to be a ranker if they worked hard enough, however, they chose not to. They wasted their time arguing online while the real serious yers strided ahead. ¡°I¡¯ve decided! I¡¯m joining the DarkSky guild anyhow and taking part in the Demon War. I want to level up as quickly as possible!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided that I¡¯ll start raiding difficult dungeons solo¡­. No matter the result, from today onwards I¡¯ll strive for greatness¡± ¡°Enough of the conspiracies and whining,¡± one yer, nicknamed Irond, chimed in, frustration evident in his post. ¡°The truth is, we¡¯ve all been toofortable coasting along, hoping for an easy win. Meanwhile, yers like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ have been grinding non-stop. We need to stop ming the game mechanics and start focusing on what we can control¡ªour own gamey.¡± ¡°Irond¡¯s right,¡± anotherizen replied, ¡°we¡¯ve been wasting time specting on their identities instead of learning from their strategies. Look at the builds they use, the precision of their attacks. There¡¯s so much we could improve just by studying their matches.¡± This shift in attitude sparked a wave of motivation across the forums. yers, tired of feeling inadequate, began organizing strategy groups and forming alliances. They realized that if they ever hoped to close the gap, they had to stop watching from the sidelines and start acting. However, could they even catch up anymore when the gap was already so wide? Chapter 563: Eye for the future Chapter 563: Eye for the future (Real World) Once the second Rankers¡¯ event concluded, Leo logged out of the game, only to discover that four of his login days had been consumed by the event. He had yed continuously for 44 hours, which cost him four entire days of gaming time since each day token onlysted 12 hours. ¡°Sigh¡­ The gains I made this time were worth it, but theck of gaming time I have left is troubling,¡± Leo muttered as he stretched out on his bed. He had gained 202 levels in this event, reaching level 602, which was a massive 33% increase over his previous peak state of level 400. Leo was confident that this gain was sure to help him in his eventual battle with the Demon King. Yet, what concerned him more was the limited game time he had remaining. ¡°The third evaluation is just around the corner¡ªday after tomorrow, to be exact. A lot will change then. I¡¯ll move into the VIP manor, and my pet will finally be born. While I spend most of my days training in reality to be a Grandmaster, other yers will scramble to catch up and reach the realm of Master,¡± Leo thought, mentally organizing his next steps. ¡°I wonder what my pet will be? A legendary dragon? A mighty lion? Or perhaps some rare, unknown species I¡¯ve never seen before?¡± Leo mused, feeling excitement build at the thought. Back on Earth, he had always wanted to adopt a dog, but his family¡¯s financial struggles meant he couldn¡¯t afford to care for one. Now, though, things were different. Now, he was going to have a mythical pet beast, and he intended to raise it with all the love and care he couldn¡¯t afford before. ¡°I wonder if Amanda will like the pet? In the far future, when wend on Terra Nova and I meet it in reality, the three of us could be a family,¡± Leo whispered, his thoughts drifting to the future. He longed for the day he could marry Amanda and start a family, but for now, it was just a dream. The Arc-Ship was still two years away from reaching its destination, and there was much left for him to achieve in that time. But Leo had no doubt¡ªthe next two years would fly by. Once the third evaluation concluded, his focus would shift entirely to capturing territories from the Empire and eventually challenging the throne. It was going to be a long, grueling campaign, culminating in his coronation as the new Emperor. ¡°I must do it for Ben¡­¡± Leo said quietly, a wave of sadness washing over him as he thought of histe master. The game felt different without Ben, and the constant ache of his absence lingered. To Leo, Ben had been more of a father than his real one, making the loss even harder to bear. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why that old fool helped Luke during the second Rankers¡¯ event¡­ He didn¡¯t need to,¡± Leo muttered, his thoughts drifting to Jacob and the surprising turn of events. At the event, to Leo¡¯s shock, their father had fought and sacrificed himself to aid Luke. Although it wasn¡¯t enough to warrant forgiveness, it was an unexpected gesture from a man who had always been distant. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask Luke what he thinks about all of this,¡± Leo mumbled, feeling a mix of emotions stirring inside. He would have been more content if Luke had suplexed their father to the ground repeatedly, but seeing him help Luke wasn¡¯t something Leo could easily process. *Yawn* Yawning, Leo stretched and got off his bed. A new year was about to begin, bringing with it fresh challenges. But he was ready for them all. *********** (Meanwhile PinkLotus) Having crossed the level 350 threshold, PinkLotus found herself on the cusp of reaching the realm of a master herself, however there were still a few requirements that she needed to fulfill before she could be one. ¡®If I be a master, perhaps the gap between me and ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will decrease enough for me to challenge him¡¯ she thought, as she began determinedly making a n to turn this vision into reality. For the first time ever, she had be obsessed with a man and reaching his level of strength, as although she did not realize it yet, she had already begun secretly idolizing Leo. Although his attitude towards her was not the best, there was an indescribable attraction that she felt towards him that made her thoughts constantly linger on him. ¡®If I be a master, he won¡¯t be able to refuse my sparring request¡­.¡¯ she thought, as she confirmed her ns to reach the realm of a master in theing month. It was the start of an obsession and although her obsession with Leo was only limited to her wanting to match his strength for now, it was bound to delve into something romantic sooner orter. Unfortunately for her however, Leo did not have eyes for any other woman but Amanda, and she was to learn about it the hard way. ******** ( Meanwhile the developers ) Captain Kid reported the results of the second rankers event to his superiors and not everyone was thrilled that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ solo¡¯d the whole event. For those controlling the union government on the actual Terra Nova, this was the confirmation they always feared, which proved that the bnce of the game was broken. However, there was not much they could do about it, as there were many who now valued Leo alone more than the whole project. ¡°Increase the difficulty for him on his future path¡­.¡± This was the order that Captain Kid received from the higher ups, as although they decided not to nerf Leo anymore, they did decide to restore the bnce of the game by making his future path more challenging. Hence, unbeknownst to Leo, because of his performance in the second ranker¡¯s event, his eventual goal to be the Emperor and kill the ck dragon had be more difficult. Chapter 564: The pet unveil Chapter 564: The pet unveil (2 dayster, Terra Nova Online) Two dayster, as the game forced all yers offline for the third evaluation, Leo logged in instead, eager for a long-awaited moment. His pet was about to hatch, and the countdown for its birth had nearly reached its end. [ Mystery Egg ] (Hatch Time Remaining: 00:01:25) With just 1 minute and 25 seconds left before the egg hatched, anticipation bubbled within Leo. He could hardly contain his curiosity anymore as he wondered what creature would emerge from the egg? ¡°I don¡¯t care what species it is, as long as it¡¯s a flying pet. Ever since I saw my brother soar through the skies on his griffin, I¡¯ve always wanted a flyingpanion. I want to experience what it¡¯s like to fly over mountains andkes¡ªfeeling the wind against my face.¡± Leo murmured, as he hoped for a dragon, however, did not wish to be fixated on a single species, lest he be disappointedter. Hence managing his expectations, he gulped a mouthful of saliva as he nced at the timer which had ticked down to 45 seconds. ¡°Then again¡­ argend pet wouldn¡¯t be so bad either. A lion or a jaguar, yeah¡ªsomething that could carry me at full speed across the ins. That¡¯d be awesome too. Fast, powerful, unstoppable.¡± He said, as he mitigated his expectations even more, secretly epting his settlement for a beast that could not fly. However, although he mouthed those words, his mind still danced between images of creatures, each more majestic and awe-inspiring than thest, as he dreamt about ying with them, training them and taking care of them like they were his own child. *Gulp* His heartbeat quickened as the countdown reached the final ten seconds, as at that point Leo¡¯s eyes locked onto the egg, which began trembling slightly. *Crack* A crack appeared at the top, then another, as the cracks began spreading like lightning across the surface of the egg. ¡°Here we go,¡± Leo whispered, leaning in with wide eyes, as the egg shook violently, bits of shell falling away, as from within, a small, slimy head began to emerge. Leo¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the tiny baby head slowly pushed through the cracks, and it was¡­ green? A frog¡¯s head, covered in sticky slime, popped out of the egg. Its two small eyes and it¡¯s weird head shape unmistakable. Leo blinked. Wait¡­ What? For a brief moment, his brain short-circuited. Surely this couldn¡¯t be right. His mythical, legendary pet¡­ a frog? No, no, there had to be some mistake, perhaps there was some other legendary species whose head looked like a frog. However, as the egg cracked open further, revealing the rest of the small, plump frog, all of Leo¡¯s hopes and dreams crashed at once. He had obtained a frog! The most unmythical looking creature of all mythical creatures. And as if adding insult to injury, the system notification appeared in front of him too : [ Congrattions! You have hatched a Mythical Pet: Ancient Swamp Frog (Species: ucus Slytherin)] Leo stared nkly at the message. ¡°A frog¡­?¡± He muttered, as his thoughts came to a screeching halt, like a train derailing at full speed. This was it? This was the moment he had been waiting for? His hopes and dreams, all those fantasies of flying majestically through the air or riding across vast ins on the back of a mighty beast, came crashing down and it left him feeling devastated. He rubbed his eyes, looking again at the frog that now stared up at him with wide, unblinking eyes. Leo¡¯s inner voice screamed, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± However, externally he remained mute. ¡°Ribbit¡­.¡± The frog croaked once, its small body wobbling slightly as it tried to stand up, as looking at this sight, Leo couldn¡¯t help but let out a defeated sigh. ¡°Of all the things¡­¡± he muttered, his mind shing back to the griffins, the lions, the majestic beasts he had envisioned, yet in the end, his dream pet¡­ was reduced to a frog. ¡°Well¡­ I suppose I could name you something intimidating like ¡®Thunderw¡¯ or ¡®Skyshredder,''¡± Leo muttered sarcastically, imagining the reactions of his friends when they saw him with his ¡°legendary¡± frog. The frog, oblivious to Leo¡¯s disappointment, blinked slowly, its body still dripping with slime. ¡®This¡­ this can¡¯t be happening¡¯ Leo thought, however, there was no changing his fate anymore. It seemed like his pet was going to be a frog who he would use as a paperweight and based on his memory of frogs on earth he did not expect this one to be too intelligent either. In Leo¡¯s mind, the most useful this frog could be was to eat flies floating around his work light, but that was it, as he did not have much more expectations of the beast, however, he was wrong. In reality, the ancient swamp frog was an overpowered pet that once used to terrorize a swamp co-habited by both dragons and frogs. The frog was so powerful in fact, that itpletely eradicated the dragons over a hundred thousand year period, proving to be one of the strongest species in the universe. Unfortunately, it had a low birth rate and was native to only one in the cosmos, which was why it wasn¡¯t the most popr species ever, however, it was unmistakably overpowered. [ System Notification :- Please assign your newborn pet a name, toplete the binding process, please note that a name once assigned can never be reversed. ] The system asked Leo to input the pet¡¯s name, as a massive keyboard appeared before him. It was the third time ever that Leo saw this keyboard, and just like all his other emotional naming decisions, this time as well, he decided to name his pet something horrible, with the name he finalized being ¡°Dumpy¡± [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ for obtaining ¡®Dumpy¡¯ the ancient swamp frog. ] ¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Yes it¡¯s a frog¡­. Bring on the toad sage memes. /// Chapter 565: Outrageous Goodluck Chapter 565: Outrageous Goodluck While Leo looked at his new pet with contempt, the staff members at the Arc Ship began sweating buckets, looking at the pet he just pulled. ¡°Just how outrageously lucky can one man be?¡± Raven muttered, as he could not believe that Leo managed to pull the second strongest ranked beast in the entire universe as his pet. ¡°The only pet stronger at the mythical grade than an ancient swamp frog is the Eldritch Duck, but the frog is a close second¡± muttered Raya as she began searching for information on the ancient swamp frog on her arc shipputer. For a while, Raya scrolled through the dense, informational text about the Ancient Swamp Frog, the screen in front of her filled with details, until she eventually reached the article written by a notable research organization that specialized in analyzing beast abilities. For a second, she almost couldn¡¯t believe her eyes as she read through the borate tale of this terrifying beast. ¡ª¡ª¨C ¡®The Fearsome Legacy of the Ancient Swamp Frog¡¯ The Ancient Swamp Frog, also known by the formidable title ¡°The Mana Nullifier,¡± is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous mythical creatures in existence. Known for its immense size, extraordinary abilities, and a history of hunting powerful creatures, this beast has cemented its reputation across the universe. Upon reaching maturity, the Ancient Swamp Frog can grow to a size that dwarfs most mythical beasts, often reaching one and a half to two times the size of an average dragon. These creatures boast exceptional longevity, living for 700 to 1,000 years, which allows them to dominate ecosystems for centuries at a time. What makes the Ancient Swamp Frog truly fearsome, however, are its unique abilities. The most notorious among them is its venom. Stored within specialized nds, the frog can release this venom at will, either to immobilize prey or kill instantly. The potency of this venom is unparalleled, and ording to some ounts, a single drop could incapacitate entire groups of enemies within moments. Yet, perhaps even more fearsome is the frog¡¯s unparalleled ability to drain the mana of any target ittches onto. By attaching its powerful mouth to its victim, the frog canpletely disable the target¡¯s magical abilities, rendering them unable to cast spells or defend themselves. This ability is particrly effective against creatures like dragons, who are heavily reliant on their mana forbat and survival. This draining capability has earned the Ancient Swamp Frog its title as the ¡°Mana Nullifier,¡± making it one of the most feared predators in the universe and securing its rank as the second most powerful mythical creature, just behind the elusive Eldritch Duck. The physical prowess of the Ancient Swamp Frog is equally astounding. Its skin is incredibly resilient, providing near-immunity to conventional weapons and magical attacks. This thick, durable hide has proven to be an essential defensive feature, allowing the frog to endure against some of the most powerful enemies. Moreover, the frog¡¯s exceptional mobility further enhances itsbat capabilities. It is capable of explosive leaps, covering distances of several kilometers in a single bound. These leaps,bined with its formidable strength, enable the frog to effectively ambush prey or evade danger with ease, to the point where it is often considered a quasi-flying beast due to its incredible jumping range. The frog¡¯sbination of venom, mana-draining abilities, and nearly indestructible skin have made it a force to be reckoned with throughout its long life. Tales of these frogs hunting dragons for sport, not merely survival, have been recounted on numerouss, including the infamous swamp world of Morvath, where dragons were driven to extinction over the course of a hundred thousand years by these very creatures. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C Raya¡¯s expression hardened as she finished reading the article, her mind racing with the implications of Leo¡¯s new pet. ¡°This¡­ is unreal,¡± she said, her voice quiet but firm. ¡°Leo just bonded with one of the most dangerous creatures in the universe.¡± shemented, as she looked towards Raven who nodded his head in agreement. ¡°The second most powerful mythical beast¡­ and Leo has no idea.¡± Raven said as he let out a low whistle of jealousy. Raya¡¯s eyes flickered back to the screen. ¡°The Mana Nullifier. That ability alone is terrifying. If the frog can neutralize mana, Leo will be able to take down almost anyone who relies on magic¡ªdragons, mages, you name it. They¡¯ll be defenseless against him¡± she said, as her thoughts instantly drifted to Drogo, and the most difficult quest within the game world, which was to kill the infamous ck dragon. Raven chuckled, though the amazement in his eyes remained. ¡°And let¡¯s not forget¡ªit¡¯s practically a flying pet with that jumping ability. On its back, Leo will be able to cross entire battlefields in one leap. That is once the beast matures of-course¡± ¡°Leo¡¯s life is about to change in ways he can¡¯t even imagine,¡± Raya remarked, leaning back in her chair. ¡°That frog will make him a force to be reckoned with.''¡± Raven smirked. ¡°He has no idea what he¡¯s gotten himself into, does he?¡± Raya shook her head, the gravity of the situation sinking in. ¡°Not yet¡­ but he will.¡± The two arc ship attendants sighed deeply as they realized that Leo¡¯s entire life was a string of goodluck. While they struggled to secure a simple promotion within the universal government, Leo obtained universe shaking objects one after another without ever having to work hard for it. Even today, he did not realize the importance of the pet he had just gained, while there were many in the universe who would kill to obtain one. In terms of pure value, a young unimprinted ancient swamp frog was worth two grandmaster meditation manuals, as the mythical beast was almost guaranteed to be a Grandmaster level beast upon maturity and had a 50% chance to reach transcendence. Second only to the Eldritch Duck, it was the ultimate pet, yet Leo Skyshard, being the unassuming fool that he was, named it ¡®Dumpy¡¯. Chapter 566: A bittersweet day Chapter 566: A bittersweet day (Leo¡¯s POV) Leo stared at the small, slimy frog sitting on the ground in front of him, still not entirely sure what to make of it. His eyes squinted as if that would somehow change the creature before him into the majestic beast he had hoped for, but no. It was still just a frog. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Alright¡­ I guess this is my life now. Stuck raising a frog like one of those weird pet keepers back on Earth, the kind who always had lizards or snakes in their living rooms,¡± Leo muttered to himself. ¡°Maybe I should just embrace it. I could start wearing cargo shorts and sandals with socks¡­ really lean into the vibe.¡± The frog, still dripping with slime, stared up at him with its unblinking eyes, and Leo shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t even understand me, can you? You¡¯re just a frog, dumpy¡± he added, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Come on, boy, hop up here.¡± He pointed sarcastically to his shoulder, fully expecting nothing to happen. Plop! Leo blinked as the frog disappeared from where it had been standing, causing him to be shocked when he refocused on the ground. ¡°Wait, where¡ª¡± Leo muttered, as he felt the fear of losing his pet spread through his chest as he began to frantically look around. *Ribbit* The croak came from right next to his ear, causing Leo to whip his head around only to find the frog perchedfortably on his shoulder, its slimy little body wobbling slightly as it settled in. ¡°What the¡ª¡± Leo jumped back, nearly swatting the frog off, but then stopped himself. ¡°You¡­ you actually understood that?¡± His mouth hung open as he stared at the creature in disbelief. To test it out, he cautiously pointed toward a nearby rock. ¡°Okay, okay¡­ jump over there.¡± Without hesitation, the frog leapt from his shoulder,nding perfectly on the rock with a soft plop. Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No way¡­ alright, one more time. Back here,¡± he said, pointing back to his shoulder, as the frog hopped back to him,nding lightly on his shoulder once more. *Plop* Leo stood there for a moment, stunned. His lips curled into a small, incredulous smile as he looked at the frog. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned¡­ you¡¯re not as dumb as you look, are you dumpy?¡± He chuckled, feeling a surprising sense of satisfaction. ¡°At least I didn¡¯t get stuck with the dumbest frog in the universe.¡± he said, as he felt a weird sense of joy knowing that he could at least train his pet to some degree if it had even the slightest amount of intelligence. ********* (Meanwhile, back on the Arc Ship) While Leo yed with his new pet, the majority of the yers on the arc ship eagerly awaited the results of this year¡¯s evaluation with bated breaths. ¡°Operator Announcement :- The third evaluation is nowplete, the theme of this year¡¯s evaluation had been ¡®Legacy¡¯ and those of you who have established a legacy for yourself within the game have earned the right to advance socially¡ª¡± ¡°Your ankle monitors will now change colors, showing whether you are promoted, demoted, or shall spend an extra year within the same sector, and you shall have a two hour time period to then report to your new domiciles in-case you need to shift.¡± ¡°The ship operator team wishes to congratte all those who have managed to secure a promotion this year, and wishes all the very best to those who have not, hoping that they will improve their social standing in theing year. The theme for next year¡¯s evaluation is going to be ¡°Pioneer¡±, as expanding uponst year¡¯s theme of legacy, the theme for the fourth evaluation is going to be Pioneer. We at the arc ship encourage everyone to be pioneers in their own sses, creating new attack moves, new innovations and exploring new locations. We wish that everyone can strive towards changing the world through innovation and shall reward everyone who manages to contribute in this regard handsomely at the next evaluation. Good Luck All!¡± A cold female voice spoke over the arc ship speakers as it informed everyone about the theme of next year¡¯s evaluation. As with every year, the day of the evaluation on the Arc Ship brought with it both joy and sorrow this time as well, as for every passenger promoted from a lower sector to a higher one, there was an equal number facing the disappointment of being demoted, turning it into a bittersweet day of mixed emotions. For those who were promoted, this day felt like the culmination of their hard work and perseverance. They beamed with pride, already imagining the luxuries and privileges awaiting them in the higher sectors¡ªbetter living quarters, better food and services, and the social clout that came with climbing the ranks. The atmosphere in the upper decks buzzed with celebration, as the newly promoted gathered to toast their sess, exchanging congrattions and making ns for their future. However, for those who saw the color of their ankle monitors darken in demotion, the day was heavy with disappointment and dread. Whispers of shame spread through the lower sectors as passengers reluctantly packed their belongings, preparing to move to more crowded and less favorable amodations. Many of them had fought hard over the past year, yet still failed to secure a position that would keep them from slipping lower, and for some, the weight of demotion was more than just a physical relocation¡ªit was a public acknowledgment of their failures, which made their eyes moist with shame. As the arc ship¡¯s corridors filled with movement, the reality of the evaluation day set in. Friends were separated, alliances shifted, and once-closepanions now found themselves on different rungs of the socialdder, and just like every year, this time too, the worst affected were the ones who were making their way into Sector E for the first time ever. The cold voice of the operator echoed through their minds, reminding everyone of the stakes for next year, where only pioneers¡ªthose who dared to change the game¡ªwould thrive. Chapter 567: Mandatory Mission Chapter 567: Mandatory Mission ( Leo¡¯s POV ) [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ for adequately ying the role of a merchant over the past year. Your hold over the actor ss progresses] [ System Notification :- A new mandatory mission has been generated! You cannot decline this mission! ] [ Mission Notification :- You have received a new mission, titled ¡®Birth Of A Beast Trainer¡¯. Mission Details :- You have obtained a mythical pet, the ancient swamp frog and must train this pet to be an adequatepanion while its tender mind can still be molded. For the next 30 days, this little frog will undergo a massive growth phase and hence it is important that you log-into the game daily and spend all 12 of your gaming hours tending to the frog. Mission specifics:- ?You must spend 2 hours a day training the frog how to hunt. ?You must spend 2 hours a day, training the frog on how to use its innate skills. ?You must spend 2 hours a day, telling the frog about tales of your valor, so that the frog grows to respect you. ?You must spend 1 hour a day showing the frog feats of your extraordinary power to imprint your strength in its mind. Completion Rewards :- 1)Dumpy reaches level 250 and bes a sentient beast. 2)Dumpy bes capable of using it¡¯s key racial ability, ¡®Mana Drain¡¯. 3)Dumpy develops a lifelong loyalty to you as its master. Failure Penalty:- 1)Dumpy will lose all respect for you and will refuse to obey yourmands. 2)You will lose all control over Dumpy¡¯s future evolution. 3) Dumpy¡¯s character bes unstable. ] Once the third evaluation waspleted in the real world, Leo found himself being bombarded with a series of notifications within the game world, as he was given a new mandatory mission. This time around, he was given the role of a beast tamer, however, instead of being given a new identity and a new act to y, he was simply given a mission with rewards and consequences. The mission detailed a routine on what he must do in theing days if he did not wish to lose the respect of his pet, however, it was a little too absurd for Leo to follow. ¡°What the fuck? I have to waste 30 of my consecutive log-in days training this frog?¡± Leo said out loud, as he could absolutely not wrap his head around why he needed to waste 30 of his previous log-in days on doing something as stupid as training Dumpy. Leo stared at the mission details, dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. I have to talk to a frog for two hours a day¡­ about my aplishments?¡± He rubbed his temples, trying to make sense of it. ¡°Why does a frog need to know how great I am?¡± Leo mumbled, as it wasn¡¯t just that the task felt ridiculous, but that Leo genuinely couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the logic behind such a requirement? He wasn¡¯t some drunk bard here trying to entertain a roadside frog with tales of heroism¡ªhe had important missions to tackle, global ambitions to conquer! And yet here he was, saddled with a frog-training regime by the system. ¡°Is this some practical joke the operators came up with? Will they all gather and watch me narrate tales of my valor to a frog andugh about it?¡± Leo wondered, as to him, this seemed to be the only reason behind such a request. Either, the operators wanted him to waste his precious log-in days ying caretaker instead of focusing on territory domination, or they were ying a practical joke. ¡°This is seriously going to derail my ns,¡± he muttered in frustration. ¡°I should be conquering kingdoms, not babysitting a tadpole.¡± he muttered, but there was no getting out of it. The system had made it clear: this was a mandatory mission. The swamp frog, meanwhile, croaked quietly at his feet, entirely oblivious to Leo¡¯s growing irritation. But as the system had subtly hinted, this frog¡ªDumpy¡ªwasn¡¯t just any ordinary creature. In the swamp frog world, everything came down to power and leadership. A swamp frog¡¯s respect was earned through dominance and if Leo didn¡¯t establish himself as the ¡°frog leader¡± early on, Dumpy would never respect him in the future and could turn rebellious as it matured. The frog needed to know, beyond any doubt, that Leo was its superior¡ªor all hope of controlling it would be lost. If Dumpy didn¡¯te to view Leo as the dominant figure during this crucial training phase, it would start to see him as apetitor and in the swamp frog¡¯s world, rivals weren¡¯t just challengers¡ªthey were threats, especially when it came to future mates. For the swamp frog, everything boiled down to power, status, and potential breeding rights. Hence, If Leo didn¡¯t assert himself as the leader now, once the frog would mature, it would begin viewing him as an equal or, worse, a challenger. And in swamp frog culture, that meant that Dumpy would make constant attempts to undermine and eventually overthrow Leo from his position as a master. Leo was no professional beast trainer and did not understand the importance of impressing the young swamp frog, but if he were one, he would not waste a second of this precious 30 day time period. This phase was a literal make or break in their future rtionship dynamic and if Leo did not navigate this time tactfully he was going to lose the master-pet dynamic with Dumpy in theing days and that too in the most humiliating way possible. Dumpy could turn into a disobedient, rebellious creature, impossible to control and dangerous to keep, and although Leo himself did not understand it, the stakes were actually much higher than he could ever fathom. *Groan* Leo groaned, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Great. So, not only do I have to train a frog for 30 days, but I have to also narrate tales to it like a fucking nanny.¡± He sighed, looking down at Dumpy. ¡°This better be worth it, little man¡­. You better have some incredible skills that I can train, else I¡¯ll roast you into a soup meal myself on day31¡± Chapter 568: New Residence Chapter 568: New Residence ( Real World, Leo¡¯s POV ) After epting his fate as Dumpy¡¯s new trainer, Leo logged back out of the game, since it was already time for him to shift. This year, instead of simply moving up the hierarchy and going to sector B, he was moving all the way up to the VIP quarters and he couldn¡¯t be happier about it. ¡°This apartment in sector C was the best and most peaceful ce I¡¯ve lived in and I¡¯m sure I will miss it in the future¡­.¡± Leo mumbled, as he packed a handful of things from his apartment like his old sketchbook, sector C robes and his mediation manual before walking out of his apartment door, one final time. ¡°What took you so long? Myself and Amanda have been waiting for ages now¡±ined Luke, as he seemed to be irritated from having to wait so long. ¡°Apologies for the dy¡­¡± Leo said, as he gave a hearty smile to both Luke and Amanda who were waiting for him outside his apartment, to move to the VIP section alongside him. Their ankle monitors, which were supposed to be shing blue to show that they were promoted to sector B instead shed a unique purple color which was not typically associated with any sector. ¡°I¡¯m so excited to see this new mansion you were talking about! VIP? Hehehe, sounds posh!¡± Said Amanda as she clung onto Leo¡¯s shoulder and gave him a happy kiss on his cheeks. Unlike Luke, she did not seem too pissed that Leo had made them wait for hours before showing up, as she seemed more happy that he was taking her with him to the new VIP sector. Leo didn¡¯t have to bring Amanda with him to the VIP sector¡ªhe could have easily relocated on his own. But the fact that he chose to take her along was a significant green g for Amanda, one she deeply appreciated. ¡®He must really care about me,¡¯ she thought, recognizing that Leo¡¯s decision to include her in this new chapter of his life spoke volumes about his feelings. With his status and power, Leo certainly had no shortage of attention from the opposite gender. Yet, despite all the options avable to him, he chose to stay loyal to Amanda and this gesture melted her heart in more ways than one. Hence, she could never be mad at him for simple things like beingte, as for her Leo was already a massive green g on a more important deeper level. ¡°Have the others relocated?¡± Leo asked, as Luke nodded his head in acknowledgement. Most of the Arc Ship passengers had already relocated, with 1.5 of the 2 hours given by the operators for relocation already exhausted. Only a few slow movers were yet to settle down now and even they were about toplete the process, making Leo and group one of the veryst movers within the ship. ¡°Alright, cover your ankle bracelets as best as you can and let¡¯s go over to our new homes¨C¡± Leo said, as both Luke and Amanda tried to hide the purple glowing on their ankle monitors as best as they could, as the three of them began moving towards the VIP sector. Unfortunately, despite Amanda and Luke trying their best to not draw any attention to their ankle monitor colors, the evaluation day was an event where everyone¡¯s focus was on the color of the monitor that the other passenger was wearing. Hence, throughout their journey, there were many who noticed the abnormal color, giving rise to many hushed conversations. ¡°Is that¡­ purple? What does that even mean?¡± a passenger muttered to theirpanion. ¡°Yeah, but look¡ªthe third one doesn¡¯t have an ankle monitor at all,¡± another voice whispered. ¡°That¡¯s not possible, right? Everyone¡¯s supposed to have one!¡± Suspicion and curiosity filled the air as more onlookers took note of the suspicious trio. The absence of Leo¡¯s ankle monitor only added to the intrigue, and while Amanda and Luke tried their best to ignore the attention, the murmurs of onlookers followed them throughout the journey. As they walked through Sector C, Leo¡¯s mind wandered. ¡®This is where I lived for so long¡­ simple, peaceful, but it was nothingpared to where I¡¯m headed now.¡¯ The thought stirred something within him¡ªa mixture of nostalgia and relief. He was moving forward, beyond what he¡¯d once thought possible. Next, they entered Sector B, the ce they would have been assigned had Leo not ascended to the realm of a master. Luxurious apartments lined the streets, with a sense of status and wealth filling the air. It was still urban living, but upscale in every sense of the word. Leo nced around, recalling how Sector B had once seemed like an unattainable dream during his days as a Sector E resident. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d see this ce up close, let alone live here.¡¯ He thought, as the reality was hard to grasp. Sector B, once the peak of his ambitions, was now just a checkpoint on his journey to something far greater. As they crossed into Sector A, the change was immediate. The urban sprawl faded away, reced by individual houses, each standing proudly with spacious yards and private entrances. Leo¡¯s thoughts drifted to his past, when he had often been called to Sector A to massage clients back when he was still a Sector D worker. Back then, these homes had seemed like the pinnacle of sess. ¡®Funny¡­ I used to work here, thinking this was as good as life could get.¡¯ But now, Leo was on the verge of entering a realm far beyond what Sector A had to offer. Finally, they approached Sector S¡ªthe epitome of luxury, or so Leo had once believed. The grand houses, the extravagant architecture, it was everything one could ever dream of. Sector S had always been the final goal for those climbing the ranks on the Arc Ship. This was supposed to be it, the pinnacle. ¡®I used to think this was as high as anyone could go¡­¡¯ Leo thought as they passed through thevish streets. Yet, even this was no longer his destination. He was moving beyond Sector S, to a ce most couldn¡¯t even imagine. As they reached the end of Sector S, a massive gate loomed ahead, which was supposed to signify the end of the area where passengers resided, however, this differentiation only existed for normal passengers. As Leo approached, this massive gate slowly creaked open without a word, as if sensing Leo¡¯s presence. ¡°Here we go,¡± Leo muttered, feeling the weight of the moment as they crossed into the staff sector¡ªan area that was never witnessed by any other passenger before him. Chapter 569: The new home Chapter 569: The new home Contrary to what Leo had envisioned, the staff sectorcked the luxury he hade to expect for crew members. The area resembled something much closer to his life in Sector C, with most of the staff residing in modest apartments and only a select few, such as the captain, enjoying the privilege of having an isted bungalow like those in sector A. As Leo made his way through the staff sector, several elf employees waved at him in greeting. Most of them were unfamiliar faces, yet they acknowledged him with polite gestures. The only person Leo recognized amongst them was Raven, and coincidentally he was the only one he bothered to wave back at, which made the elf very happy. After several minutes of walking through the staff sector, he finally arrived at anotherrge iron gate, which swung open as it detected his presence, unveiling the VIP section thaty beyond the staff quarters. ¡°This is it brother¡­. Amanda, our new home¡± Leo muttered as the massive iron gate swung open, giving way for the three of them to go beyond. As they stepped through, whaty before them wasn¡¯t just another building; it was a sprawling estate unlike anything they had ever seen aboard the Arc Ship. The estate was not marked with any physical wall or boundary, and had the illusion of stretching for as far as the eye could see, yet distinctly ending by a lining of trees and a thin forest that separated it from the next VIP manor. ¡°What the hell¡­. This is huge!¡± Commented Luke, as the first thing that he noticed was the sheer size of the VIP manor, which was as big as a spacious farm back on Earth. At the heart of the VIP estate were three grand houses, facing each other, separated via a massive central courtyard that doubled as a training ground. Cobblestone paths wove between the three houses and the open field surrounding it, evoking an old-world charm. Yet, the scale and sophistication of the architecture spoke of a luxury reserved for only the highest echelon. ¡°Finally,¡± Amanda whispered, awe evident in her voice as her gaze swept over the estate. For days she had been wondering as to what the VIP estate would look like when they would eventually shift there and now all her curious doubts had finally been cleared. The VIP estate was like an old beautiful ancient manor, mirroring the style of 18th century Japan, with three beautiful individual residences and a courtyard. The individual residences, with their stone facades, arched windows, and wooden ents, resembled the estate of an ancient lord¡ªtimeless, almost ethereal in its beauty. And yet, all of this existed within the high-tech confines of the Arc Ship. ¡°The whole area feels like it¡¯s not part of the ship at all, it¡¯s like we are out in the open¡±mented Luke, as the entire VIP section feltpletely different from the rest of the ship. As the three of them stepped onto the stone walkway, a tall figure emerged from one of the houses and approached them dressed in a formal butler¡¯s uniform. ¡°Wee to the VIP quarters. My name is ndor, and I am your personal groundsman for the duration of your stay here. Today, it is my honor to guide you through your new home, so should we begin with the house tour at once?¡± he asked smoothly, his sharp features and silver hair reflecting the disciplined grace of his kind. Leo nced at Amanda and Luke, both of whom seemed equally entranced by the sight of the estate. This wasn¡¯t just a residence; it was a sanctuary, a world apart from the chaos and noise of the lower sectors. The tranquility and grandeur here were undeniable, and hence without hesitation, Leo agreed to ndor¡¯s offer of a tour. ****** As they followed ndor across the courtyard, it became clear that this area was far from the cramped quarters they had once known. The sheer space between the houses and the open ground in the middle gave a sense of freedom that was rare aboard the Arc Ship. Leo¡¯s steps slowed as he took it all in¡ªthe spacious stonework beneath his feet, the meticulously maintained greenery lining the paths, and the towering structures of the manor houses. ¡°The central courtyard can be used as you see fit,¡± ndor said ¡°It has been designed for both leisure and training, should you require it. Many guests who have upied this residence use it forbat practice or physical exercise.¡± Luke¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of training, his gaze lingering on the open space. ¡°It¡¯s perfect for sparring,¡± he muttered, clearly imagining the possibilities. Amanda, meanwhile, seemed more taken with the beauty of the ce. ¡°It¡¯s like something out of an old fairy tale¡­ I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re living here.¡± Leo said nothing, but he agreed. This was more than he ever expected. As they moved closer to the houses, Leo realized something peculiar¡ªthe temperature, the air, everything felt different from the rest of the ship. It didn¡¯t feel artificial; it felt like they were standing in open sunlight under a real sky and it was at that point that Leo stared towards the sky, which coincidentally felt very real and blue. ndor noticed Leo¡¯s questioning nce and smiled slightly. ¡°As expected of a master warrior like yourself, you¡¯ve already noticed. The weather here is special and customisable and mirrors the sensation of the real world. Using ancient magicbined with modern technology, the weather inside the VIP sector is carefully curated. There are runes subtly etched into the walls and sky here allowing the environment to shift to your preference. Whether you wish for rain, snow, or even fog, you may control the weather at your leisure.¡± Amanda¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You mean¡­ we can change it to whatever we want?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± ndor confirmed. ¡°The default setting is this pleasant sunlight, but you are wee to alter it at any time. It¡¯s one of the luxuries reserved for those of your status. Night, day, cloudy, it will all shift as per your leisure.¡± He said, as at this moment Leo felt the saliva dry up within his throat. They had not even seen the insides of their manor yet, but just the outside was incredible beyond their wildest imaginations and a luxury far above sector S. Chapter 570: Made it Chapter 570: Made it It wasn¡¯t until Leo noticed the weather control in the VIP sector that many things began to fall into ce¡ªdetails he had previously overlooked. Perhaps it was his enhanced brain function, now sharper and more attuned to critical thinking, or maybe he had simply never cared to consider the bigger picture until today. Either way, it now seemed obvious to him. The Arc Ship, though massive in size, never really appeared as enormous as it should have. Theoretically, Washington D.C. didn¡¯t house 250 million people, yet the Arc Ship, which was barely the size of 15 football fieldsbined, somehow carried them all. Until now, he hadn¡¯t given much thought to this phenomenon. But today, something clicked¡ªthis vessel was far more advanced and sophisticated than he had ever imagined. It wasn¡¯t just technology; it was magic. The presence of spatial runes lined throughout the ship exined the impossible. ¡°Hey ndor, is the entire Arc Ship lined with special spatial runes?¡± Leo asked, curiosity edging into his voice. ndor paused, a flicker of acknowledgment crossing his features before he nodded. ¡°Indeed, sir. The entire Arc Ship is muchrger than it seems. It¡¯s an engineering marvel,pressing space at numerous points. The walkways are lined with spatial runes that shorten distances, while the interiors¡ªhomes, structures¡ªare fully realized in size. Without these runes, walking from Sector E to D would feel like a cross-country marathon. In truth, the Arc Ship is asrge as the state of Texas.¡± Leo blinked, a bit thrown off by ndor¡¯s knowledge of Earth¡¯s geography. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The level of sophistication on this ship was beyond anything he couldprehend. Technology that bent space like this,bined with magic, was worth hundreds of billions of gold coins, at the very least. As the implications sunk in, Leo felt a deep sense of awe. They were aboard something truly monumental. ¡°Let¡¯s continue with our tour, sir. Let me show you the manors where you all shall be living,¡± ndor said, guiding the trio further along the path. As they arrived at one of the three manor houses, its grand wooden doors swung open to reveal an interior as luxurious as its exterior. The ceilings of the manor soared above them, adorned with intricately carved beams, and the floors gleamed with polished stone that reflected the soft ambient lighting. Every room was meticulously furnished¡ªplush couches, rich tapestries, and art that seemed far too valuable to be housed on a mere ship as the entire atmosphere radiated opulence. Leo stood in the entrance, momentarily stunned by the grandeur of it all. This was going to be his new residence and it was beyond anything he could have imagined, a level of luxury reserved for the truly elite. ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve suddenly be billionaires. This is way beyond urban elite¡ªthis is literal king shit,¡± Luke muttered, his eyes wide as Leo and Amanda nodded, sharing his awe. ¡°This is just one of your residences,¡± ndor chimed in, his voice carrying through the vast hall. ¡°Each house is equipped with unique features, but all are designed for the highest level offort and luxury.¡± Leo¡¯s gaze drifted to a door on the side, slightly ajar. A soft hum emanated from within, as if the room itself pulsed with energy. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± he asked, stepping closer. ndor smiled. ¡°That, Mr. Skyshard, is the meditation and mana room. The concentration of mana in this space is ten times what you¡¯ve experienced in Sector C. It is perfect for honing your skills or simply for rxation.¡± ¡°Ten times the mana concentration?¡± Luke¡¯s eyebrow shot up. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡± Leo stepped into the room, and the moment he crossed the threshold, he felt it. The air was thick with mana, so dense it seemed to hum around him. He stood still, allowing the sensation to wash over him, his body instinctively drawing in the energy. At that point, Leo already understood that this ce would be invaluable for his training, especially since he hoped to start training to be a grandmaster soon. Nheless, he did not linger in the meditation room for too long, as he knew that he would have many chances to do soter anyways and continued with the tour instead. As the group moved forward, their each step revealed something more extravagant than thest. The kitchens were stocked with unfamiliar, alien appliances that Leo couldn¡¯t even name, the bedrooms boasted bedding that felt softer than any material he¡¯d encountered, and the personal library was filled with rare, ancient texts. Every corner of the manor blended magic and technology, creating a perfect environment that catered to both luxury and practicality. Amanda couldn¡¯t contain her excitement as they explored, a wide smile on her face. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d live in a ce like this. It¡¯s incredible.¡± Luke, ever the pragmatist, nodded thoughtfully. ¡°The mana room alone makes this worth it. We¡¯ll be able to train harder and faster than ever before.¡± Leo remained quieter than hispanions, though he shared their awe. This ce was beyond even his wildest dreams. More than just a luxurious residence, it held the promise of elerating his growth in ways he hadn¡¯t foreseen. For the first time in a long while, Leo felt a sense of calm¡ªa rare peace that came with the realization that he was exactly where he needed to be. His entire life, he had only seen struggle. At first it was his mom who had to struggle andter, it was he himself who had to work hard to make ends meet. However, now finally it seemed like he had made it big in life. That for the first time, he had gone beyond basic necessities and reached the indulgence phase of his life. ¡°That¡¯s it for the tour of this manor, the other two manors are also simr in structure and basic materials, however, will be different in interior and resources. If you wish, we can proceed with the tour of the other two manors, or if you are content, then we can proceed to meet Captain Kid, who is waiting with a few wee gifts for you fine passengers in the backyard¡± ndor said, as Leo looked towards the others and instead of continuing with the tour, opted for meeting the Captain first instead. Chapter 571: Gifts Chapter 571: Gifts (Captain Kid¡¯s POV) Captain Kid waited in his most formal uniform for Leo Skyshard to show up. Tucked between his arms was a Grandmaster level manual which was an invaluable treasure, however, the Grandmaster manual was not the only gift he carried today. Usually, he was not supposed to personally cater to passengers aboard the Arc Ship as his dignity as a Captain was above such benign tasks, however, Leo Skyshard was a special case. Leo Skyshard was a special case which if handled properly could easilynd him the biggest promotion of his career as a universal government worker and hence, Kid ced extra efforts in giving Leo Skyshard the personal touch. ¡°Mr.Skyshard, what a pleasure to see you today¡± he said, as ndor escorted Leo and his family members to the backyard, as he greeted Leo with a big smile. ¡°Captain¨C¡± Leo replied, nodding as he walked ahead to shake the captain¡¯s hand. Captain Kid beamed as he sped Leo¡¯s hands together, the formal demeanor making him appearrger than life. ¡°I trust the new lodging in the VIP sector is to your liking, Mr. Skyshard. If at any point something displeases you, or if you have any special requests, ndor will be your point of contact during your stay here,¡± he said, motioning toward ndor with a nod. Leo offered a polite smile, his expression calm andposed. ¡°Thank you, Captain. Everything has been beyond expectation so far. I appreciate the attention to detail, and we¡¯re more than satisfied with the arrangements.¡± Captain Kid smiled broadly, clearly pleased with the response. ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, Mr. Skyshard.¡± He paused before continuing, his tone taking on a more serious note. ¡°Now, if I may, I¡¯d like to present the gifts we¡¯ve prepared for you and yourpanions.¡± With a formal flourish, he reached into therge bag he had brought with him. The first item he pulled out was a tome that seemed to hum with power, its surface adorned with a shimmering seal. It radiated a sense of immense, untapped potential. ¡°This,¡± Captain Kid began, holding the tome carefully in his hands, ¡°is a Grandmaster meditation manual, though I cannot tell you exactly what it contains. The seal on it is special¡ªone that prevents anyone from peeking inside until the rightful owner binds with it. Not even I know what¡¯s inside.¡± He handed the tome over to Leo, who epted it with a look of quiet curiosity. ¡°The manual originates from a powerful n on Terra Nova. Trust me when I say, they¡¯re one of the best, but I¡¯m not allowed to tell you their name as of yet. For now, all you need to know is that it¡¯s a gift, but there is a condition attached to it. The n giving you this Grandmaster level manual requests that you give them the priority to contact you and present their offer before anyone else does. They¡¯re not asking for yourmitment, just that you hear them out first.¡± Leo¡¯s brow furrowed for a moment, considering the offer. Then, with a nod of agreement, he replied, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll hear them out when the timees.¡± Captain Kid¡¯s eyes briefly flickered with a hint of envy as Leo epted the tome, understanding all too well the value of such a gift. But he maintained hisposure, quickly moving on. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find it to be a valuable asset.¡± The Captain then turned to Luke, his expression shifting slightly as he looked at him before turning his gaze back to Leo. ¡°There¡¯s another matter that concerns your previous request concerning Mr. Luke.¡± Kid said, his hand reaching back into the gift bag, as he pulled out an unfamiliar looking stone. ¡°I¡¯ve received clearance from the higher-ups. It seems they¡¯ve reviewed Luke¡¯s performance in the game and have approved of him using the mind meditation manual. So, if you could kindly return it to me Mr.Skyshard for a moment, I¡¯ll unbind the seal that ties it to you, cleansing it for a reuse¡± Kid said, as Leo immediately pulled out the mind meditation manual from his luggage bag and handed it over to Kid, who used the weird stone in his hand to undo the bindings. A faint glow appeared on the manual, and after a moment, the seal on the manual broke, releasing it from Leo¡¯s ownership. With a formal gesture, Captain Kid handed the manual over to Luke, who epted it, shaking the Captain¡¯s hand with a slightly confused look. ¡°Thank you, Captain,¡± he said, though it was clear he didn¡¯t yet fully understand what he had just received or the potential it held. ¡°The mind meditation manual is a rare tool,¡± Captain Kid exined, sensing Luke¡¯s uncertainty. ¡°It will help you enhance your mental focus and increase your mana control. It¡¯s a powerful resource, so I trust you¡¯ll make good use of it.¡± He said, as Luke¡¯s eyes widened with interest listening to his words. This manual seemed much more powerful than the martial arts manual he was currently practicing and seemed to hold much more potential. Finally, Captain Kid reached for thest item in the bag¡ª which was a small, delicate bottle containing a flickering blue me. He held it up for Amanda to see, the me within dancing as though it were alive. ¡°This,¡± he said, handing the bottle to Amanda, ¡°is a spirit me, though a weak one by universal standards. In Fact it¡¯s one of the weakest me spirits in existence, but even the weakest spirit me is no worse than a meditation manual, so this gift is equal in value to what Sir Luke has received. And like Sir Leo¡¯s manual, it is a gift from the same n that¡¯s showing interest in him, and ites with the same conditions. They ask that you give them priority when considering recruitment offers in the future. With this me, your path to bing an extraordinary cksmith will be smoother.¡± Amanda stared at the me with wide eyes, her hands trembling slightly as she epted the bottle. ¡°Thank you, Captain,¡± she whispered, clearly awed by the gift, even if it was modestpared to the treasures given to Leo and Luke. Captain Kid stepped back, his dutyplete, though his mind still lingered on the powerful gifts he had just delivered. ¡°Well then, if there¡¯s anything else you need, I¡¯ll leave ndor at your disposal.¡± He said, as he took his leave from the VIP sector, feeling content in having a personal touch with a rising star like Leo Skyshard. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C This chapter is sponsored by patron Art6733. Please thank him in thements for the same. /// Chapter 572: Self Aware Chapter 572: Self Aware ( Amanda¡¯s POV ) Broadly there were only two types of people in the universe ¡ª one who realized their mistake before it was toote and the other who did not and thankfully Amanda belonged to the first group of people. As Captain Kid talked with Leo, trying to cozy up to him, Amanda felt a gnawing feeling grow in her heart which pointed her towards her own w. And although Captain Kid gifted her with a spirit me, which was supposed to be an invaluable treasure, Amanda understood that the reason behind her getting a gift today was not because of her own merits, but because of her association with Leo. Although she did not make a fuss off it, and maintained her cheery attitude throughout the day, internally she could not have been any more frustrated, as she finally found her eyes opening up to her own shorings. ¡®Gosh! How could I have been so clueless?¡¯ Amanda cursed, as it wasn¡¯t until she was alone in her new mansion, that she crashed into one of the luxurious bedrooms and buried her head into the soft pillows. ¡°If Leo keeps skyrocketing in his self-worth and Ig behind too much, then sooner orter I¡¯ll be a burden to him in our rtionship¡ª¡± Amanda muttered in anger, as a small drop of tear escaped her eyes. Up till now, she had only been focused on Leo and their rtionship as a couple and had been unaware of the social implications of them being together. For her, Leo bringing her along to the VIP sector was her biggest achievement, however, it wasn¡¯t until she saw how Captain Kid treated him that she finally began to view the bigger picture. ¡°Whoever gifted me this me only did so because they wanted to enter Leo¡¯s good graces, not because they value me¡­. And this will continue to be my life, if I don¡¯t improve my own self-worth to be someone worthy ofmanding my own respect. While I¡¯m happy for Leo and will always continue to support his growth, I can¡¯t let him outshine me. If I wish to be his soulmate, I need to obtain aparable social status to him, so that society never views me as a burden on him. Although Leo will never dump me for such petty things, I refuse to be a lucky bitch who struck gold early. I want to be a woman worthy of my man¡± Amanda said to herself, as today she found her greatest motivation to improve in the most unlikely of ces. Right now, it still wasn¡¯t toote for her to try and start catching up to Leo, as if she worked really hard she could probably reach the realm of a Grandmaster Forger before they reached the end of their journey, however, she had to start working desperately towards it now. She could not afford to create low quality products for the DarkSky guild anymore if she wanted to be a Grandmaster and needed to hone her own craft if she wanted to progress. ¡°Although I¡¯m grateful for everything that the DarkSky guild and guild master Cervantez have done for me, I still need to give them a notice that I¡¯ll quit soon. I need to start adventuring out on my own, learn new crafting methods from the dwarves and start experimenting on my own. I can¡¯t be content with the limited sess I currently have and I must strive to improve¡± Amanda muttered, voicing her thoughts, as she decided to quit the guild and be her own adventurer again for the sake of her future. ********* ( Meanwhile Luke ) After receiving the mind meditation manual from Captain Kid, Luke dedicated the rest of his day to experimenting with its teachings. It didn¡¯t take long for him to grasp the immense difficulty of mastering the technique, as the manual required not only precise control of a small pulse of mana circting through his body but also demanded the ability to regte its flow, speeding it up or slowing it down at will. Like Leo, Luke quickly discovered the mental strain this practice induced as after just a 10-minute meditation session, he found himself utterly mentally exhausted, but even so, the benefits of the technique were immediately apparent. The experience of practicing the manual felt simr to undergoing an intense full-body workout, with his mental fatigue mimicking the soreness his muscles would feel after a strenuous session. Hence, despite the exhaustion, Luke knew that once his mind recovered from the strain, it would emerge stronger, and for that, he wholeheartedly appreciated the value of the mind meditation scroll. Before he began practicing the technique, he held a brief conversation with Leo where he learned that this manual was a keyponent in the path to bing a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior, along with several other in-game requirements. This newfound knowledge gave Luke a sense of rity, illuminating the steps he needed to take to grow as a yer. Up until now, he had been unaware that focusing on skills below the legendary rank would hinder his long-term progression and it wasn¡¯t until he understood the specific requirements for attaining the title of ¡®Master¡¯ that he realized the mistakes in his previous approach to growth. With this revtion, Luke felt empowered as now armed with a clear direction for his future advancement he felt confident in reaching the realm of a Master himself in theing year. ¡°With Leo showing me the path, I¡¯m confident in reaching the realm of a master warrior in the next 6-8 months, or at least before the fourth evaluation 12 monthster at thetest. After the second rankers event, I already understood my shorings, but now I have obtained full rity on what mistakes I have made. My foundation itself is shaky and although I am in the process of redeveloping them, it¡¯s a shame I had been going down the wrong path up till now¡­¡± Luke muttered to himself as he realized his mistakes so far, and resolved to improve upon them, now that he knew where he was going wrong. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C In the novel world, the status of a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior is above a ¡®Master¡¯ craftsmen, with the disparity in their status being 1 tier. Hence a ¡®Grandmaster¡¯ craftsman gets the same respect as a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior and so on, which is why Amanda does not have her ankle bracelet removed like Leo, although she is a master forger as of now. /// Chapter 573: Marrow Meditation Manual Chapter 573: Marrow Meditation Manual ( Leo¡¯s POV ) After selecting the central manor as his residence, Leo spent some time with Luke, offering him guidance on mastering the mind meditation manual. Once they finished, Leo retreated to his private meditation room, where he brought out the sealed Grandmaster Meditation Manual he had recently acquired, feeling excited to see what it contained. ¡°Let¡¯s see what sort of manual I have received this time¡­. I hope it¡¯s not the frog meditation manual¡± Leo muttered, as although he felt excited to see what meditation method he had obtained this time, he did not dare hope for something grand after how he had obtained Dumpy recently. ¡°This book does feel a lot more powerful than the mind meditation manual¡­. Even in its sealed state it¡¯s constantly pulsating with mana, almost like it¡¯s an active mana vein¡± Leo observed as he ced the meditation manual in the designated spot in the meditation room, causing it to float in the air, right before his eyes. ¡°Time to bind it!¡± Leo said, as he bit his thumb to draw some blood and then smeared it all over the book¡¯s shining cover to sessfully start the binding process. *FSHHHHH¨C* The book steamed, as the heavy binding cover fell off and the beautiful light golden colored book was revealed underneath. [Marrow Meditation Manual] The book¡¯s title was unveiled, as Leo felt his heart skip a beat reading the cursive text. As the golden book revealed its true form, it slowly opened, disying lines of text written in an ancient script that pulsed with faint light. Initially, the pages were nk, however they soon filled up with information. [ Detected that the host is a ¡®Human¡¯ and contains the primary energy cellbeled as ¡®Red Blood Cells¡¯. Tailoring meditation method to cater to the hosts constitution¡­.. ] The first lines of text were temporary, informing Leo that the meditation manual was fetching knowledge specific to his species, and once it was done, the meditation manual began finally sharing specific information on what it hoped to achieve and how to practice it. [ The Marrow Meditation Method is designed to initiate a fundamental transformation in the practitioner¡¯s body by infusing mana directly into the bone marrow, the primary site of blood cell production. Through this method, the practitioner will gradually evolve the red blood cells within their body, recing them with a new, mana-infused variant ] The first page of text read, as Leo read it patiently. Once he was done, and nodded, the text erased itself automatically, being reced with a new page of information. [ The newly generated cells will carry both oxygen and mana throughout the body, enhancing not only physical performance but also magical potential. However, as with standard red blood cells, these evolved cells will have a lifespan of approximately 120 days. Therefore, it is imperative that the practitioner regrly produces sufficient quantities of these cells to rece the natural red blood cells during each meditation session. ] Leo¡¯s eyes moved quickly over the text, absorbing the intricacies of the technique. [ The ultimate goal of this method is to achieve aplete evolution of the bone marrow itself. Once fully transformed, the marrow will be a self-sustaining organ capable of producing these mana-infused cells autonomously, without the need for further intervention. This, however, can only be aplished if the practitioner maintains a 100% recement rate of the natural red blood cells with their evolved counterparts for a continuous period of no less than one year. ] The manual emphasized the difficulty of the task and once it did so, it began disying the warnings associated with practicing this method. [ During the early stages, the practitioner will find it challenging to produce more than a limited number of these cells per session. The process of converting absorbed mana into cellr evolution requires immense control and focus, as the mana must be channeled slowly and steadily into the marrow. Should the practitioner lose focus or infuse too much mana at once, the process will fail, potentially causing damage to the bone marrow and the cells being produced ] The description was clear and unyielding. [ The path to mastery is long, requiring both patience and precision as only through consistent practice, and a deep understanding of mana control, will the practitioner be able to generate a sufficient number of cells to eventually rece the entire red blood cell poption. The evolution of the marrow into a self-sustaining machine is the culmination of this process, but it can only ur after the practitioner has met the necessary conditions for at least twelve months. ] The clear text left no room for error, clearlyying out the immense task needed to master it. However, once Leo read it all and absorbed it¡¯s meaning, the manual finally stopped with the prelude and began issuing specific instructions on how to practice it to Leo. [ Begin by gathering all avable mana in your body. Pool it within your heart, ensuring a steady umtion without excess. ] The manual instructed, as this time around it waited for Leo to follow its instructions in real time before changing the text being disyed on its pages. For a few minutes the manual remained steady as Leo began gathering mana in the mana veins surrounding his heart, with the page on the manual not flipping until Leo had gathered a sufficient amount. [ A sufficient concentration has been reached! Now carefully direct the mana towards the bones where the marrow resides. The long bones¡ªsuch as the femur and tibia¡ª which serve as the primary sites for marrow production are your eventual goal. Channel the mana from your heart slowly to such bones, ensuring that you do not damage your mana veins when trying to push the mana through the narrow cracks of your bones to the site where marrow is produced ] The manual instructed, as Leo took a deep breath, and began carrying out the instructions. Slowly channeling all the gathered mana I¡¯m his body towards the leg bones where marrow was produced, he cycled them with precise control until he ran into a big problem. Chapter 574: Practising The Manual Chapter 574: Practising The Manual The challenge in guiding mana to his bone marrow production sites was not in the movement of mana from his heart to his femur, but rather, in what came next. Just like how the body hadrge blood vessels like veins and arteries and then much smaller and finer blood vessels like capiries, the same also held true for a body¡¯s mana distribution system. The body had a main pathway to move mana, known as the mana circuit, which was like a smooth highway that moved mana to each major organ, however, the part where this highway ended, the mana circuit branched into several dozen smaller and finer pathways which could handle a very limited amount of mana load at a time. The bone marrow was a specific organ that was connected to the main mana circuit via hundreds of these fine, small, mana passages that could only transport a very limited amount of mana at once, which proved to be a major challenge for Leo. As per the scroll, he was supposed to begin giving the bone marrow a steady supply of mana, however, this step was easier said than done, as once he was done moving the entire mana pool he had gathered near his heart to his femur, moving them down these fine channels without damaging them was a very tall task. It was like trying to divert a raging tsunami through small irrigation channels carved by farmers to water their crops. The force of the mana surging through his body was immense, a torrential flood that threatened to overwhelm the delicate pathways branching from the main circuit. Leo could feel the raw power of his mana, a relentless tide crashing against the narrow passages leading to his bone marrow, straining the delicate bnce. Each time he attempted to push arger portion of mana through, he could almost feel the channels quiver, as if they might burst from the pressure and this scared him immensely. The technique warned that if he did not have a precise control of mana, it might end up temporarily injuring him and Leo did not wish for such an oue. He had to think carefully, almost like a farmer standing by the river, as he held back the floodwaters, releasing just enough through the carefully constructed channels to nourish his fields without destroying them. The trick was to guide the mana in precise amounts, was to let it trickle like water, flowing smoothly into each narrow capiry without overwhelming them. Yet, unlike water, mana was alive, pulsing with energy and power that resisted being controlled. It required finesse, patience, and an acute awareness of every movement within and if Leo had not already gained a significant control over his body¡¯s mana via the mind meditation manual, he might have failed in his very first attempt to control things here. Thanks to his mastery of the mind meditation manual, Leo could now visualize the mana moving through his body as a shimmering blue current, swirling and pushing against the barriers of the tiny passages. The goal wasn¡¯t to force the mana through but to guide it, shaping its flow to match the capacity of the channels. He had to be patient, he had to go slow, ensuring that he did not burst any pathway through extreme load, but still facilitated the transfer that was necessary. As he continued, sweat formed on his brow. Each drop of mana, each careful adjustment, was like the farmer adjusting the flow of water, knowing that too much or too little could either flood the fields or leave them dry and barren, until the text on the meditation manual finally showed a subtle change. [ You have sessfully started the process of bone marrow modification. Hold this flow steady for the next 4 hours to produce 1000 new hybrid cells¡­. ] Leo almost spat a mouthful of blood when he saw this text. After great troubles, the manual finally recognised his efforts and notified him that the process of starting the production of hybrid cells had begun, however, the production rate was nowhere near satisfactory. His body had trillions of cells, and billions of them were red blood cells that carried oxygen from his lungs to all the other individual cells in his body, and producing just 1000/ four hours of such gruesome meditation was nowhere near an enough recement rate required to eventually cycle them out of his body. ¡®1000 is too low¡­. I won¡¯t even feel the difference with such a slow sess rate, however, I can¡¯t overload my mana channels anymore. If I try to speed things up by letting more mana through, I¡¯ll end up causing irreversible damage to my mana veins. I cannot speed things up anymore¡¯ Leo thought, as he was self aware about his own limitations. Although part of him was eager to speed up the process, Leo knew that rushing would only lead to injury. Despite his frustration with the slow progress, he remained patient. Over the next four hours, he carefully channeled the mana gathered near his femur until it was fully expended, resulting in the creation of just 1,000 new cells. Exhausted, Leo felt the toll the session had taken on him. His limbs were heavy, weighed down by the strain of maintaining control for so long. His mana reserves were nearly depleted, leaving a hollow emptiness in his core that made every breath feel shallow andbored. His mind, too, was frayed, as if he¡¯d been bncing on a razor¡¯s edge for hours and his body throbbed with a dull ache, especially around his femur, where the concentrated mana had flowed. It wasn¡¯t pain exactly, but a deep-seated fatigue, like a muscle pushed beyond its limit. As he flexed his fingers, he could feel the slight tremor in them as the aftershocks of intense focus ran through his system. Closing his eyes, Leo let his awareness sweep through his body, assessing the damage. For now, nothing seemed out of ce¡ªno ruptured mana channels, no internal injuries¡ªbut the subtle warning signs of overexertion were there. His stamina had been sapped, his mana reserves drained to a dangerous low and his mental energy was frayed, making his thoughts sluggish. ¡°That took more out of me than I expected,¡± he murmured to himself, feeling the weight of exhaustion pull him down as he realized that practicing this meditation technique was much more dangerous and taxing than the mind meditation manual and the results were different too. Chapter 575: Dumpys Training (1) Chapter 575: Dumpy''s Training (1) Chapter 575: Dumpy¡¯s Training (1) After just one session with the marrow meditation manual, Leo gained significant insight into the technique. Although it wasn¡¯t as mentally demanding as the mind meditation manual, it was incredibly strenuous in other ways. The practice of the manual demanded immense patience, precise mana control, and unwavering consistency and while these factors didn¡¯t actively tax his mind as much, they still posed a considerable challenge to maintain over time. After just one session, Leo realized that it was going to take him several years at minimum to fully master the marrow meditation manual, as even if he could generate enough cells to meet his body¡¯s recement rate today, it would still take another year of rigorous practice to perfect the method. Moreover, reaching the cellr recement rate itself was a long and arduous process and for now at least it was a goal way out of his current reach. ¡°Unless I have some sudden enlightenment which increases the speed of my practice significantly¡­. The chances of me mastering this method before wend on Terra Nova is 0%¡± Leo muttered to himself as he realized that hoping to master the method before theynded on Terra Nova was not going to be possible. Secretly, he was hoping to be a Grandmaster warrior before they reached Terra Nova, however, after practicing the marrow meditation manual once, reaching this goal seemed easier said than done. Nheless, having an impossible target to work towards was a rewarding experience in its own right, as if it was easy to be a Grandmaster, there would be many warriors in the universe reaching that threshold, but the fact that Grandmasters were rare meant that reaching that stage was undoubtedly a very difficult endeavor. ¡°Whatever happens happens¡­. I¡¯ll just work consistently on this manual, 6 hours everyday from now onwards¡± Leo decided, as he closed the meditation manual for today and decided to log into the game, to carry on with his mandatory frog training session. ********* ( Terra Nova Online ) *Ribbit* As Leo logged back into the game, he found dumpy sitting in the same spot on his work desk where he left him as if it had not even moved a single inch in his absence. The only reaction that the frog had to seeing Leoe back was to croak once, after which it went back to staring at him inplete silence. For a moment Leo blinked looking at the frog, wondering if he was seriously going to tell it stories of his own valor? But then after spending a few moments of awkward silence staring into the frogs eyes, Leo let out a deep sigh and decided to go ahead with the frogs training no matter how ridiculous it seemed. ¡°Alright Dumpy¡­.today is the first day of your training, so let me make things crystal clear for you¨C¡± Leo began, as he pointed his finger towards the frog, who kept staring at it with no other reaction. ¡°You have to gain my acknowledgement to take you seriously. Because until you do, you¡¯re nothing to me. You are lucky enough to be born in my house, so I¡¯ll always feed you and put a roof over your head, but for me to love you like a pet, you must show potential! Do you understand?¡± Leo asked, as Dumpy simply kept staring towards him silently. ¡°You know, my very first day in this world¡­. As a new adventurer, I walked in alone into a den of wolves. Everyone else began teaming up together, looking for weapons, looking for ways to increase their stats, but nobody had the balls to fight them wolves. But not your old man here¡­. Because I had the balls to face the ferocious wolf pack!¡± Leo said, as he decided to tell Dumpy the tale of his first day in the game as his first adventure story. ¡°I killed a few scouting wolves and rushed into the den, sliding down the dangerous air shaft in pitch ck darkness. It was a very dangerous mission, one where I could have died at any point, but I never let such problems stop me. I created light in the darkness and used all the strength in my body to find a way to kill dozens of wolves. I must be no older than you. Just a few hours in this world and I was already strong enough to kill dozens of wolves. Can you kill dozens of wolves, Dumpy? Can you? Can you even kill a fly?¡± Leo asked aggressively, as he exaggerated his past aplishments and portrayed them in a way that was not objectively true, but notpletely false either. He had indeed used all the strength in his body to break rocks and seal the oxygen airway to the main chamber killing dozens of wolves, however, the way he said it made it seems like he had defeated them in a physical fight, which was untrue. Nheless, Leo did not care for such details as he kept boasting in front of Dumpy while also berating it for being useless. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you were born in my house and not in a wild swamp. Because I was born with a life threatening condition hanging over my head. If anyone else proved to be better than me, they would have killed me on day1, but I never let it happen. I was always number 1 Dumpy, I was always the strongest. What are youpared to me? What can you do? Come on? Have the balls to say something!¡± Leo demanded, as Dumpy kept blinking as he listened to his story but said nothing. ¡± ¡± ¡°Nothing? You have nothing to say? Well alright, that¡¯s what I thought kid. Better keep your mouth shut before ¡®TheBoss¡¯, because he ain¡¯t taking shit from a newborn. You haven¡¯t earned the right to speak before me, and hence you will remain silent, get it? You will earn the right to speak only after you kill a bunch of wolves for me¨C¡± Leo said, as he set unrealistic expectations for Dumpy to achieve. ¡°We will go down now, and I will match you up against a newborn snake. Don¡¯t disappoint me dumpy. Kill that fucking snake. It¡¯s a dog eat dog world here and you¡¯re the big dog. You understand? You¡¯re the big dog here you stupid frog¡± Leo said, as he stared deep into Dumpy¡¯s unblinking eyes with aggression evident in his gaze. Chapter 576: Dumpys Training (2) Chapter 576: Dumpy''s Training (2) Chapter 576: Dumpy¡¯s Training (2) Leo had absolutely no idea as to what he was doing with Dumpy¡¯s training¡­. He was no beast tamer and he had no clue on where to even start with beast taming, hence when he ced Dumpy in the same small cage as a tiny snake that he had obtained recently, he just hoped that the snake would not bite and kill Dumpy, putting an abrupt end to his pets life. ¡°It¡¯s a mythical beast against amon snake¡­. Dumpy should be fine right?¡± Leo wondered, as he looked at the cage the two creatures were in with confusion. On one hand it seemed like a snake vs a frog was a bad match-up since snakes were notorious frog eaters, but on the other hand snakes were the only match-up that Leo had avable in his house for Dumpy to fight against. Standing by the cage, with his arms crossed, Leo stared at Dumpy with an almost bored expression. ¡°Alright, Dumpy¡­ this is your moment. Show me something, anything,¡± he muttered under his breath, not expecting much. In his mind, he was already preparing to dig a tiny frog-sized grave just in case, as he watched the snake, a small but wiry creature, flicked its tongue in and out, slowly circling Dumpy like it was sizing up its prey. Dumpy, for his part, sat perfectly still, his wide, unblinking eyes staring back at Leo as the little green frog did not even pay attention to the predator that was closing in on him. ¡°Do¡­ something?¡± Leo prompted, waving his hands in frustration. ¡°The snake¡¯s right there, Dumpy! Move! Fight or something!¡± he said, as he pointed towards the snake while doing fast paced zumba, but nothing seemed to work on Dumpy who kept staring at Leo nkly. Then, the snake finally lunged, and Leo braced himself for the inevitable¡ª He epted the fact that his noble pet was about to be snake chow. But, to his utter shock, at that moment Dumpy suddenly sprang into action faster than Leo¡¯s eyes could follow. With an elegant hop, Dumpy vaulted into the air, avoiding the snake¡¯s bite by a hair causing Leo¡¯s jaw to drop in surprise. ¡°What¡­ the¡­?!¡± Leo said in shock as before he could even process what had happened, Dumpy was already back on the ground, staring at the snake like it had just disrespected his entire lineage. The snake, in-turn stunned by Dumpy¡¯s sudden burst of agility, tried to slither away, but Dumpy had other ns, as it croaked threateningly. *Ribbit¨C* Leo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t let that stupid snake get away, Dumpy! Get him!¡± he shouted, as he continued performing his aerobic zumba, thinking that it had some magical effect on Dumpy, as although he didn¡¯t actually expect Dumpy to understand or, even less likely, follow hismand, he still tried his best to guide him. But then, to Leo¡¯splete astonishment, Dumpy moved. The little frog, no bigger than Leo¡¯s palm, leaped into the air once again, andnded directly in front of the fleeing snake, as with a furious determination that belied his size, Dumpyshed out, his hind legs smashing into the snake¡¯s head with a powerful thud. *Thud* Leo blinked, momentarily speechless. ¡°Wait¡­ did that frog¡­ did he actually understand me?¡± he wondered, but before he could even process what was happening, Dumpy began attacking the snake with a relentless series of stomps. His tiny legs moved in rapid session, each blow making the snake flinch and twist in pain. ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s lost it!¡± Leo yelled, throwing his hands into the air. ¡°Dumpy, stop! You¡¯re going to break your legs!¡± Leo¡¯s panic rose as Dumpy continued his brutal assault on the snake, stomping its head again and again. ¡°Oh no, I¡¯ve ruined him! He¡¯s going to be a crippled frog by the end of this! A crippled frog is worse than a dead frog!¡± Leo¡¯s heart raced as Dumpy delivered a final, thunderous stomp, and the snake¡¯s body went still. A deathly silence filled the garden as Dumpy, panting slightly, sat on top of the defeated snake, his wide, unblinking eyes staring at Leo. Leo rushed to the cage, half-expecting to find his frog limping or worse, lying there helplessly with broken legs. But to his utter surprise, Dumpy lookedpletely fine. He wasn¡¯t crippled. He wasn¡¯t even scratched. Leo let out a sigh of relief, but his confusion only deepened. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re okay?¡± he mumbled. Dumpy blinked, his expression as nk as ever. Leo leaned back, scratching his head in disbelief. ¡°Did¡­ did you just kill that snake because you¡¯re actually¡­ strong? Or was it some weird, freak ident? There¡¯s no way a frog could take down a snake like that¡­¡± He stood there, staring at Dumpy for a long moment. His mind racing with questions he couldn¡¯t quite answer. ¡°Was that a coincidence, or¡­ could you actually be¡­?¡± Leo paused, frowning deeply. He didn¡¯t like the idea that Dumpy could be more capable than he¡¯d given him credit for. He was still convinced that Dumpy was nothing more than a dumb green frog with a lucky break. ¡°Nah, you¡¯re just¡­ a frog,¡± Leo muttered to himself, still not fully convinced. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re some kind of a powerful beast or something¡­. I shouldn¡¯t expect too much, but hey congrattions on being strong enough to kill a snake. I, on the other hand, can kill it with just my stare¡­. No need to even lift a finger¡± Leo said, as although Dumpy performed extraordinarily, instead of praising it, he showed him how inefficient it was. Dumpy ofcourse just sat there, as silent as ever, with his tiny, powerful legs folded neatly beneath him, as it listened to Leo¡¯s rant. Leo shook his head, chuckling to himself. ¡°Maybe, just maybe you are not as useless as I thought, Dumpy. Maybe I can train you to be strong enough to kill the rodents infecting my mansion¡± Leo said, as he elevated Dumpy¡¯s assessment from being a fly killer to a rodent killer after his first day¡¯s performance. But deep down, a tiny sliver of doubt lingered in Leo¡¯s mind. Maybe, just maybe, there was more to this little frog than he had ever realized, but he wasn¡¯tmitted to the idea just yet. Chapter 577: Lord Father Chapter 577: Lord Father Contrary to Leo¡¯s beliefs, Dumpy was never a useless frog, it could perfectly understand the stories that Leo narrated to it since birth and it looked up to Leo like an idol. Since it was a newborn frog with undeveloped vocal cords, it could not respond to Leo as calmly as it wanted to, however, it understood everything that Leo conveyed to it nheless. From Dumpy¡¯s perspective, Leo, a.k.a his esteemed ¡®Lord Father¡¯, was a towering figure of strength, wisdom, and incredible valor. Ever since the moment of his birth, when Lord Father had first spoken to him, Dumpy had listened attentively, his tiny frog heart swelling with admiration and awe that it had gotten such an amazing Lord Father. Though his vocal cords were too underdeveloped to respond, Dumpy absorbed every word, every heroic tale, and every grand story that Lord Father narrated and felt happy to listen. In Dumpy¡¯s eyes, Lord Father wasn¡¯t just any adventurer¡ªhe was a legendary figure, capable of defeating armies of wolves and monsters with sheer willpower and that too just after birth.update ?y ?0?e?1st.c¦Ïm Although Dumpy didn¡¯t understand all theplex words that Leo spoke, the emotions and grandeur behind them resonated deeply within him. ¡®Lord Father is the strongest¡­ He is unstoppable¡­ If he can defeat wolves, then one day, I will, too!¡¯ Dumpy thought with wide, sparkling eyes, admiring Leo as though he were the greatest being in the universe. When Lord Father stood over him, recounting his tales of battle and bravery in his office, Dumpy puffed up his little green chest and croaked in pride. It didn¡¯t matter that Lord Father didn¡¯t seem to notice, as ording to Lord Father¡¯s words himself, the little one was not yet worthy of his attention. Yet, despite Leo¡¯s disregard, Dumpy loved him nheless and vowed to one day grow strong like him, and to make Lord Father truly proud of his strength. Then came the moment of the snake. At first, Dumpy had no idea why Lord Father would want him to fight such an¡­ N0vel1st.c0m inferior creature. ¡®A snake? This is nothingpared to wolves,¡¯ Dumpy thought, his little heart beating rapidly. He longed to show his strength against mightier foes, ones worthy of Lord Father¡¯s grand stories but for today it seemed to have a weak opponent as his first match-up. ¡®Why would Lord Father make me face such a lowly creature?¡¯ he wondered at first in confusion? but then blinked, as a new realization dawned on him. ¡®Ah, I see! Lord Father has chosen this snake because¡­ there must be something more to it that I don¡¯t understand. Perhaps this snake is all I¡¯m capable of fighting for now, The Lord Father is wise, far wiser than me. Perhaps this snake holds a secret strength that only he knows of! I must take it seriously!¡¯ Determined to show his worth, Dumpy decided he would not use his tongue or venom. No, if Lord Father had assigned him this task, there must be a challenge to it! He must prove his might through strength alone¡ªjust like Lord Father had done in his stories, and just thinking about it Dumpy¡¯s tiny legs twitched in anticipation. As the snake lunged, Dumpy leaped into action, his heart filled with pride. His body moved on instinct, effortlessly dodging the snake¡¯s bite with grace. In his mind, Dumpy imagined Lord Father watching him with approval, his face gleaming with admiration. ¡®I must not fail! I will impress Lord Father!¡¯ With all the strength his small body could muster, Dumpy hopped andnded on the snake¡¯s head, just like he had imagined his Lord Father to do, while crushing his enemies in the glorious tales.update ?y ?0?e?1st.c¦Ïm Every stomp was delivered with determination, his little legs thudding down again and again, until the snakey still beneath him. Panting slightly, Dumpy paused, standing atop the fallen snake. He turned his gaze toward Lord Father, his small eyes wide and hopeful. ¡®Is Lord Father proud? Did I do well?¡¯ Dumpy thought, staring at Leo with an innocent, almost childlike wonder. But surprisingly the great Lord Father looked¡­ panicked? His voice was frantic, and his arms were iling wildly, making Dumpy tilt his head in confusion. ¡®Oh no! Did I do something wrong? Did I disappoint my lord father? Is lord father¡­ worried about my legs?¡¯ Dumpy blinked, then looked down at his legs, but they were fine¡ªpletely strong and unhurt. The snake had been vanquished without a scratch on him, making him croak softly, as if to reassure Lord Father that everything was okay. When Leo finally calmed down and stared at him, Dumpy could only blink back. He wondered if Lord Father was impressed by his victory? Or if it had not performed adequately enough. He wondered if he had he proven himself worthy of the great and mighty Lord Father¡¯s affection? Or had he failed miserably? Thinking such thoughts, Dumpy¡¯s kid heart fluttered nervously as he waited for the answer, his wide, hopeful eyes locked onto Leo¡¯s face. ¡®Did I make you proud, Lord Father?¡¯ Dumpy wondered, sitting still, his tiny legs folded neatly beneath him as he waited for the praise to flow in¡ª For a while, he remained silent, waiting for some sign of approval, some recognition of his strength as all he wanted was for Lord Father to acknowledge him as a worthy pet, but unfortunately it never happened. Lord Father did not acknowledge it, but did not seem too disappointed either, as if the little one¡¯s performance was barely passable. ¡®One day, I will fight wolves and make you proud,¡¯ Dumpy thought, his tiny heart swelling with determination once more. ¡®One day, I will be as great as you, Lord Father¡¯ He thought, as he kept staring intently into Leo¡¯s eyes, who mistakenly took its intense looks as a sign of extremeck of intelligence. ¡°Is there something on my face? What are you looking at?¡± Leo asked, as to him, he could never understand Dumpy¡¯s pov and how godly he was for the little one. Chapter 578: The plan of attack Chapter 578: The n of attack In addition to spending his daily gaming time training Dumpy and recounting tales of his past valor, Leo dedicated the remainder of his day to orchestrating the uprising¡¯s assault on the Eastern Duchy. The ongoing border conflict with the Demons had be a major source of frustration for the Eastern Duke, who appeared to be the least prepared of all the dukes to handle a rebellion, giving Leo the confidence of a swift victory should the Uprising attack. For months now, he had been pestering ChaosBringer toe up with a strategy to win the Eastern Duchy and although the initial ns that ChaosBringer submitted to him were crude, over the months the two had began to fine-tune those crude ns, turning them into lethal masterpieces. The strategy that they hade up with was built on three pirs: confusion, infiltration, and swift, decisive strikes at key locations. Both Leo and ChaosBringer knew that the biggest advantage that they had in this war was not their near immortal status as yers, but the fact that as yers they could infiltrate deep within enemy organizations without the NPC¡¯S bing any wiser. The uprising, unlike a traditional army, did not need to fight through only frontal assaults and could deal a lot of damage internally through backstabbing and hence that was exactly what Leo and ChaosBringer nned to do.update ?y ?0?el1st.c¦Ïm The duo had already decided that if they wanted to win over the Eastern Duchy, there were 3 critical conflict points that they needed to win, which would be more difficult than the rest. But if they could win these three battles then the war was as good as won! The first and most challenging target was Fort Irond, which was a heavily fortified bastion nestled in the Eastern Forest. It was the Eastern Duchy¡¯s most imprable stronghold, and capturing it was extremely difficult in a frontal assault. Hence it became imperative that the uprising took over Fort Irond by surprise, and to do so the Uprising had covertly ced agents within the ranks of the fort¡¯s support staff¡ªcksmiths, cooks, and even some low-ranking soldiers. These infiltrators, indistinguishable from themon folk, would sabotage key defenses from within at the moment of attack, causing confusion and internal disruption. While the main rebel forces, led by Chaosbringer¡¯s elite units, wouldunch a frontal assault, cing the fort¡¯s defenders in a dual jeopardy. The sabotage would leave the defenders scrambling, making it difficult to mount an organized resistance, while the external assault would all but assure victory. The second target was Briarhelm, thergest city in the Eastern Duchy and the seat of the Duke¡¯s power. The city was already weakened by the redeployment of troops to the Demon front, leaving only a skeleton defense in ce. Over the past few months, Leo had ensured that Chaosbringer¡¯s men were embedded in the heart of the city¡ªmerchants, craftsmen, and even a few within the Duke¡¯s personal guard and that when the signal for war was given, they would stir up panic among the citizens, creating a sense of overwhelming fear that would paralyze the city¡¯s response. At the same time, Leo expected to be summoned by the Duke to defend the city as one of his bannermen, giving him the perfect opportunity to march his forces in, only to turn on the Duke at the most critical moment, capturing Briarhelm in one swift stroke. It was the betrayal of a lifetime, one that would mark him as a traitor of the Empire, but Leo did not care. The Empire had killed his master and they needed to pay for the same. The third and final target was Vinehaven, an economic hub crucial to the Duchy¡¯s trade and resources. Leo knew that without Vinehaven, the Eastern Duchy would be starved of supplies, making it difficult to sustain any prolonged defense and hence, the uprising had quietly built awork of operatives within the merchant guilds and among the port authorities with the help of Leo¡¯s alias identify, ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯. Their n was to cripple the city¡¯s economy by attacking the warehouses and docks simultaneously, ensuring that supplies couldn¡¯t reach the frontlines. With the city¡¯s infrastructure in chaos, the rebellion would seize control before the Duke¡¯s forces could react. However, the brilliance of the whole ny in its synchronization. All three attacks would take ce simultaneously, throwing the entire Eastern Duchy into disarray. The Uprising¡¯s agents, having infiltrated every level of society, would strike from within, making it nearly impossible for the Duke to discern friend from foe and by the time the Duke realized the scale of the rebellion, it would be toote. This was a carefully crafted n that Leo had personally worked on for months and today, he had finally given ChaosBringer the final date for this attack. In 35 days, once Leo was free from Dumpy¡¯s mandatory training, he wanted the attack to beunched and following his orders, ChaosBringer ryed the announcement within the Uprising¡¯s guild chat, setting the n in motion. Every captain, rebel, and mercenary within the guild was informed of their specific role and although none of them grasped the full scope of the operation, still, there was an undeniable sense that something monumental was about to unfold within the group. After months of lying low, the Uprising was finally poised to expand its reach again and this resurgence brought with it a wave of excitement among the ranks, with members eager to re-engage in active battle. Up to this point, few knew that ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ their revered spiritual leader, was preparing to personally take part in the uing conflict. But that was likely for the best. His influence had grown immensely after his victory over the other rankers, and the frenzy of admiration surrounding him had reached a fever pitch. Revealing his involvement too early would have riskedplicating the entire operation, as countless members would have mored to fight alongside him, potentially jeopardizing the carefullyid-out ns, hence his anonymity in the operation so far was probably for the best. Chapter 579: Changing Meta Chapter 579: Changing Meta The second rankers¡¯ event ushered in a subtle but significant shift in the gaming culture, with the change in yers¡¯ mindsets bing increasingly evident with each passing day. Up till the second rankers event, the sense ofpetition that the yers felt amongst one another was on a petty level, with most still being focused on their own gamey, however, all this changed after the second rankers event. As the average yer level increased and alongside it did the difficulty to gain more levels, the brutal nature of the Terra Nova world was eventually revealed to all. At the start, the difference of a couple levels was nothing too much. The gap between a level 6 and a level 8 yer could easily be closed within a day, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the difference between a level 250 and a level 252 yer. For most, reaching level 252 from 250 required a full week of relentless grinding, as leveling opportunities within the game world had be scarce. The monsters roaming the wild remained at roughly the same levels as when yers first entered the game, and the entire map of the Empire had already been thoroughly explored, with all the powerful monster zones clearly marked.update ?y ?0vel1st.c0m This meant that while they could find the same level 130 mountain lions as they did when they first entered the game, killing those mountain lions was no longer as beneficial to them as before, while hunting weaker prey like rabbits and chickens was utterly pointless. The strongest monsters around were barely level 250-350 and they were scarce. With thousands of parties trying to hunt them in limited regions daily, it made leveling difficult for everyone, making it clear that the game was heading towards saturation. Unlike a traditional Earth game that was built on unrealistic concepts of map expansions and unlimited growth, the world of Terra Nova mimicked the harsh reality of constraints. Before the second rankers event, themon yers never really noticed these constraints as evidently, but after the event they became apparent. After the second rankers event, themon yers had understood that the days of steady, leisurely growth were behind them. As resources in the game world dwindled and leveling opportunities became scarce, the idea of infinite progression became a distant dream. The once carefree attitudes of yers who enjoyed the game¡¯s vastndscapes and endless opportunities were now giving way to a more cutthroat mentality. Terra Nova was no longer a world of boundless potential¡ªit was a world of finite resources, and those resources were being rapidly consumed. This meant that yers had begun to realize that reaching new heights in power was no longer a matter of time and effort, but of securing and holding the rare opportunities that still existed. Competition was fiercer than ever before, as leveling became a matter of survival rather than progress. In this newndscape, themon solo yer found themselves at a distinct disadvantage. While once they could roam freely, gaining experience from hunting or small quests, that freedom was disappearing. With leveling in the wild no longer an option, yers had only three realistic avenues left: quests, wars, and controlling leveling zones or dungeons. Quests, while always a source of experience, were notoriously unreliable. Finding good quests that offered substantial rewards had be a rare urrence, with most quests now providing meager returns that hardly justified the effort. To make matters even worse, the top guilds and organized groups often monopolized the few worthwhile quests, leaving only scraps for themon yers. Wars, on the other hand, presented another avenue for growth, but even this had its limits. Powerful guilds like the DarkSky Guild had already staked their im over the major battlefields, particrly those involving the most profitable ongoing war against the Demons. These guilds, with their immense influence and military might, controlled the best war zones, reaping the majority of the rewards. For smaller guilds and solo yers, participating in these wars was not a viable option¡ªthey were either shut out entirely or forced to act as fodder in battles where the real gains went to the elite. This left the final, and perhaps most brutal, option: controlling leveling areas and dungeons. As the reality of limited resources set in, smaller guilds began to vie for control over these valuable regions. Dungeons and high-level monster zones, once essible to any yer with the courage and strength to explore them, had be highly contested territory. Guilds fought viciously to secure these areas, knowing that whoever held control over the remaining leveling spots would hold the key to future progression. The result was a bloody conflict between guilds, with smaller, moderate groups struggling to survive, and solo yers being wiped out almost entirely. The solo yer¡¯s days were numbered, as they could no longerpete in an environment where guilds asserted dominance over every valuable area. Even moderate guilds were feeling the pressure, bing unable to keep pace with the sheer force and organization ofrger, more ruthless guilds. In this new era of Terra Nova, survival hinged on power, n0v?l1st.c0m, control, and alliances¡­. The carefree days of adventuring were gone, reced by a world where only the strongest¡ªand most strategic¡ªcould hope to continue climbing the ranks. This in-turn meant that closing the gap between those at the bottom and those at the top became harder than ever before, with most finding the gap to the top 10,000 unreachable. While the top enjoyed special leveling events like the rankers event, those at the bottom could not even enter dungeons without paying exuberant fees to controlling guilds or joining them and their cause. Just like Cervantez had predicted at the start, the meta of the game shifted quickly from solo adventuring to guild based gamey with organization¡¯s starting to control every aspect of the game. Now, the value of the solo yer was reduced to nothing and conflicts between guilds became the new normal. ¡ª¡ª¨C Chapter 580: Changing Meta (2) Chapter 580: Changing Meta (2) Due to the evolving meta of the game, guilds and yer organizations became informally ssified into four distinct ranks based on their size, assets, and influence. At the lowest level were the [unranked] guilds. These were small groups, often consisting of just 15 to 20 members, who banded together mainly for protection. Without any significant assets to their name, these adventurer groups were formed primarily to avoid being harassed by stronger guilds while hunting in the wild. However, theirck of resources and influence kept them on the fringes of the game¡¯spetitivendscape. Next were the [tier 3] guilds. These organizations typically had around 1,000 members and possessed at least one asset, such as a dungeon or a controlled hunting zone in the wilderness under management. While tier 3 guilds had the capability to raise their members¡¯ levels to match the global average, they often struggled to push beyond that threshold. These guilds operated within a defined scope, providing their members with moderate resources, butcked the power to dominaterger events or territories. Above them were the [tier 2] guilds, which held significantly more power and influence. These guilds often controlled key assets, such as a vige or even a Barony, giving them control over entire regions and more lucrative quest lines.Foow n?w episodes 0n th? ¡±. With membership ranging from 1,000 to 10,000, tier 2 guilds boasted guild masters or vice guild masters who were rankers or individuals who had achieved elite status within the game. These guilds had the infrastructure and resources to help their members surpass the global average in terms of power and often yed central roles in high-stakes events like guild wars and territory wars. Their ability to provide continuous growth opportunities made them formidable forces within the game with many wanting to join their ranks. Finally, at the pinnacle were the [tier 1] guilds, a prestigious group of only five organizations in the entire game. Two of the most well-known were the DarkSky Guild and The Uprising, both of which exemplified the elite status required to be ssified as tier 1. To achieve this rank, a guild needed to have over 50,000 members and the proven ability to produce multiple rankers. These organizations were powerhouses, offering their members unrivaled support and opportunities to reach the top ranks. Joining a tier 1 guild was a dream for most yers, as these guilds had the resources, expertise, and influence to dominate the game. Much of the sess of the tier 1 guilds could be attributed to their visionary leaders as figures like Cervantez and ChaosBringer stood out as pivotal architects of their guilds¡¯ rise to power. Their leadership was instrumental in building these formidable groups during a time when solo y dominated the game as it was only through strategic foresight that they transformed their guilds into global powerhouses that they were today, having invested in them since the early phases of the game. The influence of the tier1 groups extended far beyond the game, shaping the entire yer meta. Members of the uprising banded together even outside the game and were one of the most dominant forces running the show in sector E and D. They were like the mafia and joining them came with many benefits both inside and outside the game. Although the guild meta was one of the big changes that the second rankers event brought with it, it was not the only one. Another big change that it brought was in how yers understood the core principles of their own ss as after watching rankers from each ss in action during the second rankers event, themon yers understood a lot of areas where their gameycked. Skills that the popr rankers used shot up in value post the event and many yers began adjusting their ystyle to be more bnced and well rounded. This shift in understanding led to a wave of experimentation and innovation among yers of all levels. Previously, many yers had adhered rigidly to the ¡°meta¡± of their ss, focusing on specific skill sets andbat strategies that were considered optimal. However, after witnessing the creativity and adaptability of the rankers during the second rankers event, yers began to question the limitations of their ystyles. Mages, who once relied solely on long-range spells, started incorporating mid-range and even closebat techniques into their arsenal, inspired by rankers like PurpleRock, who had seamlessly blended magic with physicalbat. Rogues, traditionally seen as stealthy assassins, began to experiment with more illusion and crowd control tactics, borrowing ideas from Leo, who had used a unique skill set not typical to rogues. Even knight¡¯s and tanks, long thought to be slow and defensively oriented, learned from rankers like Luke, who demonstrated the power of aggressive, offensive tanking in shifting the tide of battle. This newfound openness to experimentation not only elevated individual ystyles but also reshaped the dynamics of guilds themselves. Guilds began to invest in training programs, encouraging their members to diversify their skills and learn from the rankers as the approach changed from quantity to quality. The interest in yers wanting to reach the ¡®Master¡¯ level spiked significantly and many began publishing research on pathways leading to bing a master. Although for most people mastering their skills beyond the basic mastery was something impossible, as not everyone had the fastprehension of Leo, the fact that more people began trying to improve the mastery level of their skills was already a big change. It was almost like Earthlings as a whole were on the best possible path forward with the rising hardships resulting in yers bing more self aware and tougher than before. And the ones who loved this change the most were undoubtedly the aliens, for whom this was the ideal scenario. For them this was the optimal state, which was why they prayed that one single individual hopefully did not ruin it all in theing days. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Dumpy character art is under way. I have already sent themission. /// Chapter 581: He Knows Chapter 581: He Knows (Cervantez¡¯s POV, The DarkSky Guild Office) ¡°So you want to quit the guild?¡± Cervantez asked, as he could hardly contain his surprise over Amanda¡¯s decision. ¡°Yes¡­. I¡¯m very grateful for all you¡¯ve done for me guildmaster, but it¡¯s something that I must do for my own future growth¡± Amanda said, as she felt a little guilty at leaving the guild on such short notice, especially after everything that Cervantez and the guild had done for her. ¡°Is this because I did not get you thetest burner furnace that you asked for? I swear I tried to find it but could not find one avable for purchase¡­.¡± Cervantez said, as Amanda immediately interrupted. ¡°No¡­no¡­ it¡¯s nothing about the guild. It¡¯s just my own decision, guildmaster. Because I feel like I won¡¯t grow as a forger if I don¡¯t meet new people and don¡¯t see them use new techniques. I do repetitive work at the guild, making mass weapons of not necessarily high quality and while it was a fun work experience, I can¡¯t keep doing it if I want to be a Grandmaster. That¡¯s the only reason behind my decision to quit¡± Amanda rified as she did not want Cervantez to think that she was quitting because the guild did not support her enough. ¡°Well alright. If you¡¯ve already made up your mind then go ahead. Also don¡¯t worry about serving out a notice period, we have enough weapons for a while and don¡¯t need you to serve out some corporate notice of two weeks. Just take care of yourself and feel free toe back here if you ever wish to, because this guild will always be your home¡± Cervantez said, as he did not hinder Amanda¡¯s career prospects at all, although he knew that her loss was going to be irreceable. Had he been a greedier guildmaster or a maniptive person in general, he would not have let a talent like Amanda slip through his hands as easily as he did, however, Cervantez was not a lowlife scum. As an ambitious man himself, he respected others having a vision for themselves and did not try to hold them back like a crab. ¡°Thankyou guildmaster¡­.update ?y ?0?e?1st.c¦Ïm Really, thankyou for everything you¡¯ve done for me. If I ever need a more stable home to practice my craft, I¡¯m surelying back here and no ce else¡± Amanda said with a slightly emotional voice, as she did not expect the exit interview to go this smoothly. Back when she was still learning her craft under granny, it was Cervantez who had given her MP and a monthly sry to cover her expenses and had essentially invested in her when no-one else would have. It was only recently that he had started to get a return on that investment with Amanda working for the guild, however, now she wanted to quit. She understood that it wasn¡¯t fair that she was quitting this family style guild that had taken care of her so endearingly, however, she was still happy that Cervantez did not hold her to it and set her free. ¡°Amanda¡­. Send Luke into my office on your way out, okay?¡± Cervantez requested, as once Amanda got a hold of herself and left Cervantez¡¯s office for thest time, she carried out this onest instruction to the T and sent Luke into his office. ********* ¡°You called for me?¡± Luke inquired, as he entered Cervantez¡¯s office. ¡°Yes¡­ Luke, where are you living these days? I¡¯ve been trying to find you in sector B but I could not get a hold of you, Amanda or your brother. I thought surely you guys were not left in Sector C, because that would make no sense, but I could not find you guys there either? But just in-case I checked and I could not find you there either? So I¡¯m just wondering if you¡¯re all demoted to SectorD for some reason?¡± Cervantez asked, as he seemed genuinely worried that he could not find Luke and Amanda in sector B. ¡°Agh that¡­. Yes, we are not living in Sector B¡± Luke replied nervously, as he did not understand how to reply to Cervantez about his current whereabouts. Leo had requested that Luke not tell anyone about the truth of their circumstances, however, while Luke could hide the truth from the whole world, hiding it from Cervantez was a tricky endeavor. ¡°So where are you? Why are you not in sector B?¡± Cervantez asked, as Luke felt as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard ce when faced with this question. On one hand, he did not wish to lie to Cervantez, but on the other he did not wish to betray Leo¡¯s trust either. Hence, for a while he remained silent, but in the end, after letting out a long sigh he told Cervantez the truth. ¡°I¡¯m currently living in the VIP sector. It¡¯s a sector beyond Sector S and even beyond the staff quarters. Me, Leo and Amanda, we have all moved there¡± Luke replied, as Cervantez felt goosebumps run all over his spine when he heard these words. He did not think that Luke was lying, because he had heard about the existence of the VIP sector in his past life, however, as per his memory, the only yer to ever reside in that elusive sector was PinkLotus and that too only during thest year of their journey. The requirement to get into the VIP sector as per his memory was to be a ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter at the minimum, however, currently there was only one ¡®Master¡¯ level fighter in the game. Hence unless that one master level fighter had asked Luke and Amanda to tag alongside him to the VIP sector, none of this would make sense. But Leo Skyshard could not be that master fighter could he? ¡°This makes no sense¡­.. ¡®TheBoss¡¯, ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ ¡­. Sky merchant¡­. Am I the only fool since the beginning?¡± Cervantez wondered, as for a while he felt his mind bing dizzy from the sudden sh of opposing information. Chapter 582: A shocker Chapter 582: A shocker ¡°I don¡¯t get it¡­. I just don¡¯t get it. Unless your brother is ¡®TheBoss¡¯, none of this makes sense. But how can he be ¡®TheBoss¡¯? I mean, if he were ¡®TheBoss¡¯ you would know right? You would never lie to me. We would not have to negotiate with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to join our guild¡­.. It doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Cervantez said, clutching his head, as what started as a casual conversation steered in a very dangerous direction for him. He was not dumb and he could no longer ignore the evidence in front of himself, however, trusting the evidence meant that he needed to start doubting Luke, as this scam could practically never work if his vice guildmaster wasn¡¯t in on it too. However, Luke did not seem like a man that would lie to him¡­. Luke really loved the DarkSky guild, which made this whole situation even more confusing for him. ¡°Why? What does this mean? Are you lying to me, SkyLion?¡± Cervantez asked, as for the first time in this conversation he addressed Luke not by his name but as his gaming ID, which showed his growing weariness of the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Luke said, lowering his head in shame, as he realized that Cervantez had arrived at the truth, however, he could offer no exnation beyond what he had already revealed. However, him apologizing did not help his case at all as the more guilty he looked the angrier Cervantez felt at this whole situation. ¡°The mysterious boss¡­. The one guy who I thought was always better than me. Turns out it was your stupid, emotional, brother?¡± Cervantez asked hysterically, as he could not believe the sound of his own voice. ¡°So that means, since day1 whenever I¡¯ve tried to guide that fool, thinking that I¡¯m doing him a favor¡­. It was me who was actually the fool, as he never needed my help in the first ce. But then? Why does he have two ounts? How can he have two ID in the game? Don¡¯t tell me¡­.. the conspiracy theories surrounding him were all real? But why go to such depths to hide his identity in the first ce?¡± Cervantez asked, as he clutched his hair tighter. Nothing made sense to him and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got as he felt like aplete fool. ¡°When did you find out? You have to tell me when you found out? Please¡­. Make this make sense to me. You know I have only two obsessions in my life, the first is ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and the second is ¡®PinkLotus¡¯. I have to know the truth¡­.¡± Cervantez pleaded, as looking at his condition Luke couldn¡¯t help but relent as although he did not wish to betray his brother and let out his truth like this, he could not see Cervantez suffer so hard either. ¡°Okay¡­.update ?y ?0vel1st.c0¦¬. I¡¯ll tell you the truth, guildmaster, but you must sign a confidentiality contract with me first. I can¡¯t risk the truthing out for the masses, so please understand that this is a necessary precaution¡± Luke requested, as Cervantez almostshed out at Luke for making this request before checking himselfst second. He almost wanted to scream ¡°Oh fuck you and your precaution!¡± Because of how frustrated he felt, however, being the true gentleman that he was, he swallowed his anger at thest second and bit his fist instead of shouting. ¡°Fine¡­. Let¡¯s sign whatever stupid contract you want. Let¡¯s get this over with¡± Cervantez said hastily as he quickly went over the formal procedures with Luke and entered into a binding contract which prevented him from revealing the information that Luke was about to share with him today, with anyone that did not already have knowledge of it. Once done, Luke let out a deep sigh as he began telling Cervantez the truth about Leo. ¡°You are right, guildmaster, I myself had no idea that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and ¡®Leo¡¯ were one and the same until about a couple weeks ago, after his whole identity fiasco in the global forums cooled down. When he became a ¡®master¡¯ warrior, his ankle bracelet fell off automatically and he became a free man. Only then could he reveal his real identity to me, because before then he was under a weird ss penalty where if his identity was leaked, he was going to lose his life. Which was the only reason he worked as hard as he did to keep his real gaming ID a secret¡­..¡± Luke began, as Cervantez listened to his story with absolute attention. ¡°He never wished to deceive me¡­ but he had no other option. And I never deceive you either, because I had no idea. But yes, my brother is ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and has some weird ss within the game world called ¡®Actor¡¯ which allows him to have multiple gaming IDs. Currently he has two identities or roles that he is ying, but they can expand to more in the future¡± Luke said, as he exined Leo¡¯s situation to Cervantez as best as he could while also revealing as little details as necessary. ¡°Like you suspected, he did indeed take me and Amanda with him to the VIP section and we are only there not because of our own merit but because of his merit and our association to him. I apologize I could not reveal all this to you a few days ago, but trust me, I had been looking for the best moment to tell you the news¡± Luke said, as he frantically tried to exin his stance to Cervantez. Shaking his head, Cervantez began to chuckle out loud as after listening to Luke¡¯s story he could almost not digest all the information beingid on him at once. On one hand he was happy that at least Luke had not betrayed him, but on the other, he did not feel too happy about Leo being ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as he could almost not ept someone so mighty being someone so ordinary like Leo. Nheless, he nodded his head and requested that Luke leave him alone for a while, as he had a lot to digest for now. Chapter 583: Second Fight Chapter 583: Second Fight ( Leo¡¯s POV ) On his second day of returning to train the little frog, Leo was surprised to see that Dumpy looked slightlyrger than yesterday. After attaining the title of ¡®Master¡¯ warrior, Leo¡¯s memory and perception had sharpened considerably, and while an ordinary person might have missed Dumpy¡¯s growth, to Leo it was as clear as day. Dumpy had grown about 20-30%rger since the previous day, its size now being roughly the same as half a palm. ¡°Bloody hell¡­. Your head is bigger than it was yesterday¡± Leo noted, as Dumpy blinked at him with nowrger eyes. ¡°Are you going to grow rapidly on me? Is this what the system meant by 30 days of rapid growth?¡± Leo asked, as he scratched his chin in confusion. Naturally, as always, Dumpy only blinked in response as eventually Leo just let out a deep sigh and began Dumpy¡¯s training for the day. ¡°Yesterday, I told you the story of the wolves, but today I will tell you the story of what I did after killing those wolves. The story of the adventure I undertook, leaving my birthce and venturing out into the whole big world, and how it took me just one nce at a moving wild gazelle to understand and copy its ¡®feint¡¯ move. You see, I was somewhat a born genius! One nce at a move and I could replicate it. Even today I¡¯m the same. Of Course I don¡¯t expect you to be as good as me, because there can be no-one who is as good as me, but just try your best to be as much like me as you can¡± Leo said, as he flicked his hair back in pride, revealing his proud full hairline to Dumpy. ¡°So the story goes like¡­..¡± publish?d on websit?: ?0v?l1st.c0m.Leo began, as over the next two hours he recounted the tale of him leaving his starter town and moving towards the Royal Capital, as he exaggerated everything that he encountered in between. He made it seem like there was no greater warrior in the history of the Empire who was born with as much potential as him, and Dumpy absorbed it all with a look of genuine awe on his face. For Dumpy the ability of his Lord Father to copy any move that he saw just once was beyond legendary, and he hoped that someday it would gain simr abilities. ¡°So¡­ Do you understand just how amazing I am, little frog? Do you understand how powerful I was when I was your age?¡± Leo asked at the end as the Dumpy blinked excitedly in response. ¡°Other adventurers went out of their starter towns in packs. But do you know who travels in packs? Wolves! But we are lions! Lions walk alone, Dumpy. And you have to be a Lion! Do you understand? You have to be a Lion!!!!¡± Leo said, flipping a few documents off his desk as he gotpletely riled up. ¡°Roar for me Dumpy! RAWRRR¡± Leo said, mimicking his best roar before remembering that he had a frog in front of him and not a lion cub. ¡± *Ribbit* ¡± Dumpy said, trying its best lion roar, however, unfortunately in the end it was still a frog and could only croak. ¡°Hahaha, that¡¯s right Dumpy, that¡¯s the spirit. Nowe show me that spirit against a King Cobra. It¡¯s twice the size of the snake that you fought yesterday, but I know you can handle it. Why? Because you¡¯re a lion! Come jump on my shoulder¡± Leo said pointing towards his shoulder as Dumpy immediately obliged. Internally, Dumpy felt roaring with motivation as it wanted to absolutely eviscerate the King Cobra that his master was taking him to face.publish?d on websit?: ?0v?l1st.c0M ******* (In the manor¡¯s garden) This time around, Leo did not ce Dumpy in a cage against a snake and instead let both the snake and Dumpy into the open grass. To the king cobra, Dumpy looked like a tasty afternoon meal rather than a powerful foe, as it made the same mistake as the small snake before him and viewed Dumpy to be a meal. *Hisssss!* The King Cobra slithered forward, its forked tongue flicking out, clearly expecting an easy meal. To the snake, Dumpy was nothing more than a chubby green snack sitting on the grass,pletely at its mercy. But Dumpy¡­ Dumpy had other ns. Leo stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, watching with a mix of curiosity and misced pride. ¡°Go for it, Dumpy! Kill that snake! You¡¯re a lion, remember?¡± Dumpy¡¯s little heart swelled at his Lord Father¡¯s words. ¡®A lion¡­ Lord Father has called me a lion!¡¯ With every ounce of determination, Dumpy lunged forward, his tiny legs springing off the ground in what could only be described as the world¡¯s smallest but most determined leap. The cobra, amused by the little frog¡¯s sudden movement, hissed and reared its head back, preparing to strike. Its eyes locked onto Dumpy, ready to snap down and swallow him whole. But Dumpy was quick¡ªquicker than the snake anticipated. With a speed that defied his small size, Dumpy dodged to the side, avoiding the snake¡¯s first strike with a wless hop. Leo¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°He dodged it again¡­ how? That movement was clearly deliberate¡­. But it¡¯s so fast, not even I can move that fast¡± Leo questioned as he felt his eyes twitch. Dumpy, however, wasn¡¯t just interested in dodging. No, this time he wanted to show Lord Father that he was worthy of being a lion. The King Cobra, momentarily stunned by the miss, didn¡¯t see Dumpy¡¯s next moveing. *Ribbit* With a determined ribbit, Dumpyunched himself into the air once more, this time aiming directly for the snake¡¯s head. In his mind, the cobra wasn¡¯t just any snake¡ªit was a mighty wolf, and he was about to deliver the final blow, just like Lord Father had done so many times before. Leo, watching in stunned silence, could barely believe what was happening. ¡°Is he¡­ is he going for the head?!¡± With a mighty thud, Dumpy¡¯s tiny frog legs smashed into the cobra¡¯s skull. The snake recoiled, clearly not expecting the force behind the attack. But Dumpy wasn¡¯t finished. Just like with the smaller snake from the day before, Dumpy began stomping. And stomping. And stomping. Thud! Thud! Thud! The cobra twisted and writhed, but Dumpy was relentless, his tiny legs moving with the ferocity of a creature ten times his size. Each stomp was delivered with precision, determination, and the unwavering desire to make Lord Father proud. Leo¡¯s hands shot up in the air. ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s doing it again! Dumpy, stop! You¡¯re going to break your legs!¡± The memory of yesterday¡¯s panic surged through Leo¡¯s mind. ¡®Not again!¡¯ he thought, as he could already see it¡ªhis frog, crippled and helpless, all because he pushed it too hard. ¡°No, Dumpy! You¡¯re a lion, not a self-destructive maniac!¡± Leo shouted out to it, but the little one was too focused now to hear his voice of reason. In the end, Dumpy didn¡¯t stop. No, Dumpy had something to prove and hence he kept going on until he delivered the one final stomp thatnded with an unexpectedly loud crunch, and the King Cobra went limp beneath him. Panting, Dumpy stood on top of the defeated snake, his wide eyes looking straight at Leo with a mixture of pride and expectation. Leo blinked, unable to process what he had just witnessed. ¡°No¡­ way¡­¡± he muttered, walking closer to the scene. ¡°Did¡­ did you actually¡­ defeat that thing? Again?¡± Dumpy, still perched triumphantly on the snake¡¯s head, blinked back at Leo. ¡®Lord Father, are you impressed? I fought like a lion!¡¯ Leo knelt beside the now-lifeless snake, poking it cautiously with a stick to make sure it was really dead. Sure enough, the King Cobray still,pletely defeated by the tiny green warrior sitting proudly on its head. Leo rubbed his temples, utterly bewildered. ¡°How¡­ how are you still in one piece? I thought you¡¯d be crippled for sure¡­¡± Dumpy puffed out his little chest, a silent ribbit escaping him, as if to say, ¡®Of course, Lord Father. I am strong because I am your frog.¡¯ Leo stood up, crossing his arms, staring at Dumpy with newfound suspicion. publish?d on websit?: ?0v?l1st.c0m ¡°Okay¡­ this is getting weird. First, you kill a snake yesterday. Now, you take down a King Cobra twice your size?¡± He scratched his chin, a look of disbelief still etched on his face. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s normal.¡± But Dumpy didn¡¯t care. To him, he had proven himself once again. He hopped down from the snake¡¯s head, sitting proudly before Leo, awaiting praise, his wide eyes blinking in eager anticipation. Leo, still reeling from the absurdity of the situation, knelt down, staring into Dumpy¡¯s innocent face. ¡°Are you¡­ actually strong, or is this just more weird luck?¡± Dumpy blinked, his heart swelling with hope. ¡®I am strong because of you, Lord Father. Please¡­ be proud of me.¡¯ Chapter 584: Short TimeSkip (1) Chapter 584: Short TimeSkip (1) ( One weekter ) Over the next week, Dumpy continued to experience rapid growth, expanding from the size of half a palm to nearly half an arm¡¯s length. No longer resembling a cute baby creature, Dumpy now looked more like a fierce, mythical swamp frog, shedding much of his baby fat. His weight, once barely noticeable, now made Leo feel his presence each time he hopped onto his shoulder, making him acutely aware that if Dumpy¡¯s growth continued at this pace, the frog would likely outgrow his shoulder in just a few days. Now, as Dumpy faced off against multiple snakes, it was they who fled from him, no longer seeing him as prey, as his natural aura as a mythical creature had begun to assert itself. Over the past week, Dumpy had also started to develop small teeth and a pair of retractable fangs, with his poison nds bing more active. As a mythical swamp frog, Dumpy possessed the ability to shoot poison through both his tongue and fangs, as well as through his skin, and even a mere touch could prove fatal if he wished for it. Fortunately, from birth, Dumpy had control over his skin¡¯s poisonous secretions, sparing Leo from any idental harm during their y or tickling sessions, but otherwise he was a walking hazard capable of killing any man/monster that he wished to. This was especially true for NPC like Butler George, who Dumpy did not take kindly to, as except for his Lord Father, Dumpy growled and warned any human that approached it, threatening to kill them with his eyes.update ?y ?0vel1st.c0m Over the week, even his voice changed significantly as it no longer croaked in a cute *Ribbit* , but rather had a more guttural roar that sounded like thunder booming. Leo was no longer unaware of Dumpy¡¯s rapid growth and potential. Witnessing it evolve before his eyes, with the strength of a level 100 monster at just eight days old, Leo quickly realized that his pet was far more than an ordinary frog¡ªit was something exceptional. This newfound understanding made Leo more eager to train Dumpy, feeling proud of his pet¡¯s progress. However, he still didn¡¯t fullyprehend the true danger Dumpy could be. If nurtured properly, Dumpy could be as powerful to Leo as the ck Dragon Drogo was to the Demon King. Yet, Leo treated him more like apanion dog, focusing on training as a casual pastime, rather than recognizing Dumpy¡¯s true, untapped potential. However, it was only a matter of time before Dumpy rocked his world, as around the 3rd week mark, it was bound to grow to half the size of Leo¡¯s body and start to speak humannguage. At that point, Leo was sure to understand just how amazing a pet he had obtained. *********** Meanwhile in the real world, Leo settled into the new VIP sector and started to train diligently with the marrow meditation manual. Just as he anticipated after his first training session, this meditation manual was much more difficult than the one he practiced before and even after a week, he made almost no significant progress in increasing the speed or quality of his new cell production. The technique was notoriously hard to get used to and Leo acknowledged that it would take him roughly 6 months to even get a basic hang of it. On the other hand however, apart from practicing the marrow meditation manual, Leo began spending the rest of his free time training in the open grounds of his manor, as to his pleasant surprise, he discovered that he could bring up an endless amount of training dummies in his Manor¡¯s front yard and destroy them unrestricted using his in-game skills. Upon his request, ndor the housekeeper even procured a set of training daggers that he could train with, giving Leo near game-like conditions to train with in real life. While most yers could not channel 100% of their mana or could not produce the full power spells that they possessed in-game because of their ankle monitors, Leo faced no such restrictions. Hence, when given a free hand, he went absolutely wild with his training, as for the first time ever he experienced what it was like to be ¡®TheBoss¡¯ with his real body, rather than inside the game world. At first, using his skills in the real world felt slightly different to using them in-game, as although the world of Terra Nova was extremely realistic, it was still not a 100% replica of reality. The way that the grains of sand moved under his feet, the way the wind moved around his body, the way his weight bnce felt, it was all very subtly different from the game world and that experience felt incredibly confusing to Leo the first time he trained. Also, training in the real world brought with it a sensation that Leo had almost forgotten: the sting of real pain. In Terra Nova, he was ustomed to pushing his limits, diving headfirst into dangerous situations, knowing that his health bar could regenerate, or that he could respawn after death. But here, things were different. In the real world, the slightest misstep or error during training had immediate consequences¡ªsore muscles, bruises, and cuts that didn¡¯t magically disappear after a few minutes or could not be cured with just a health potion. However, what struck Leo the most was how his mind reacted to the knowledge that there was no respawn point waiting for him outside the game. As now, every time he performed a reckless move or an advanced skill, there was a brief hesitation in his mind, which was a reminder that, in the real world, a wrong move could be fatal. During his first real training session, Leo realized that he could not throw himself into dangerous techniques with the same abandon as he did in Terra Nova, where the stakes felt more like a game, as here, the consequences of his actions were permanent. That mental barrier, the instinct for self-preservation, made every strike and every dodge feel more deliberate and made the whole training experience feel more alive. Chapter 585: Short TimeSkip (2) Chapter 585: Short TimeSkip (2) Over thest week, a big change urred to Amanda as well, as she absorbed the me spirit. After receiving the me spirit as a gift from Captain Kid, Amanda did not absorb it immediately, but instead took her time learning more about the me spirit and gathering information about it using MP at the ship¡¯s exchange center. Since it was supposed to be a valuable treasure, Amanda did not wish to just absorb it with haste and potentially waste some of its effects and hence, only after she was satisfied with her research, did she attempt to absorb the spirit. ording to her research, the me spirit was a unique type of natural treasure that was born during a rare environmental phenomenon. Usually they died out within 3 hours of their birth, unless they found a new host or were captured and preserved in special runic jars, like the one Captain Kid gifted her. This spirit, when fused with a human or beast, greatly enhanced the user¡¯s control over mes and hence, it was usually sought out by specialized me mages or cksmiths¡ªthe two professions that required extraordinary control over fire. Each me spirit carried with it a smallw of me, and hence upon absorption they revealed some hidden knowledge about the true nature of fire to the user, which greatly helped one improve their understanding of mes.publish?d on websit?: ?ov?l1st.c0m The additional knowledge was useless for normal mages who only needed to cast a simple fire spell, however, it made all the difference in the world to specialized fire mages, who relied on this deeper understanding of mes to create powerful variations of standard me spells. Naturally, they were also very useful for cksmiths, for whom manipting mes was their bread and butter and hence the me spirit was an invaluable treasure for Amanda who was an aspiring Grandmaster Forger. The location that Amanda chose for the absorption process was the meditation room in the VIP manor. The room had a very high mana concentration, and as per Amanda¡¯s research, she believed that the ambient mana in the air would aid her during the absorption process, plus the environment there was peaceful and quiet, which was ideal to attempt such a task. Hence, sitting at the center of the room, Amanda brought out the me spirit, which was carefully sealed inside a translucent, ss-like container. The container had a peculiar runic seal that covered both the top and bottom of the vessel, which hummed with a faint power. To unseal the runic seal, one only had to twist the lid and open it like a jar of jam, and once ready, Amanda ran her fingers over the cool surface and did exactly that, releasing the spirit inside. *SHUA* The me spirit, free atst, burst forth from its prison and danced through the room, its sudden movement startling Amanda as she did not expect such a reaction. As per her research, the fire spirit should have tried to merge with her body the moment it was released, as without a host these spirits could not live by themselves for a long time. However, her me spirit for some reason kept dancing around the room, its movements being wild as it weaved and spiraled in the air, showing no signs of wanting to merge with Amanda. Amanda watched in horror as the spirit zipped around, filling the room with a faint warmth that washed over her skin, and wondered if it would ever try to merge with her or not? But then, as if sensing her nervousness, the spirit turned its attention toward Amanda and in an instant, it rushed toward her, mming into her chest before she could even react. *PAH* A gasp escaped her lips as the me spirit¡¯s energy surged into her, spreading like wildfire through her body. The heat was overwhelming, far beyond anything she had ever experienced at the forge as every nerve, every muscle in her body felt as though it was being scorched from within. At first it was unbearable, but then bits and pieces of knowledge began surfacing in her mind, as the new knowledge that she obtained about mes from merging with the spirit, distracted her from the pain of the merger. shes of insight erupted in her mind, as she suddenly understood how mana could be manipted to control a me¡¯s temperature, how the mana in her surroundings could be drawn upon to alter the very nature of the fire itself, and these were concepts that she had never even imagined to be possible before. Then, as the fiery sensation in her body spread from her core towards her body¡¯s tips, she underwent some noticeable physical changes as her hair color and eye color began to change very subtly. She knew that it was always going to happen as per her prior research, and a quick nce into a reflective surface confirmed what she could already feel ¡ªstreaks of blue had begun to emerge in her otherwise brown hair, and her eyes, too, had changed, shifting from hazel brown to a murky gray, with flecks of blue swirling within them. This was proof of her merger with a spirit me and in the future if she ever met another forger or a me mage, they would be able to determine that she had undergone a me spirit merger by noticing these features on her body. To Amanda, the entire process of merger felt like itsted for an eternity, though in reality, itsted only a few minutes. Soon, the heat within her began to settle, allowing Amanda to take a deep steadying breath as she felt the connection between herself and spirit beplete. Now, she could feel the me spirit within her, but no longer did it feel like a foreign entity but rather felt as a part of her own self. *Snap* Snapping her fingers, she conjured a small blue me that danced at her will on her tips, as although she could not summon mes at will before, she could do it now having merged with a me spirit. ¡°Interesting¡­.¡± Amanda said, a soft smile spreading on her face as she realized that although she could never have learnt spells like [Fireball] or [mewall] before, she could learn them now giving her a nominalbat ability, although she was a nonbat ss. Chapter 586: Short TimeSkip (3) Chapter 586: Short TimeSkip (3) (PinkLotus¡¯s Recap) In Cervantez¡¯s previous timeline, PinkLotus had only reached the realm of a master around the fourth evaluation mark, as shecked the drive to be truly powerful. However, in this timeline, driven by a sense of rivalry with ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ whose growing dominance left her feeling overshadowed, PinkLotus pushed herself relentlessly to match his achievements. Already close to the threshold, she needed only minor adjustments to reach the master rank and after the conclusion of the second rankers¡¯ event, it took her just 10 days to meet the final requirements and officially ascend to the realm of a master. [ Global Announcement : Congrattions to yer ¡®PinkLotus¡¯ for bing the second yer in the game to reach the realm of a ¡®Master¡¯ warrior. ] A world-wide notification spread the news of PinkLotus¡¯s achievement, and while most yers weed it as a natural progression, others, like Cervantez, found it hard to ept. For the majority, PinkLotus had be a symbol of strength, especially after her impressive showing in the second rankers event, making her rise to mastery seem inevitable. Yet, Cervantez was uneasy, sensing that the events were unfolding too quickly, and the timeline itself felt increasingly unstable. With PinkLotus reaching the realm of a master a full year ahead of when she was supposed to, Cervantez felt a pang of disheartenment. He had already resolved in his heart to attain the rank of master within that same timeframe, nning to enter the exclusive VIP sector alongside PinkLotus. But with her early achievement, his vision felt shattered¡ªhe could no longer follow the same path at his own pace. Adding to the fact that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and Luke were already in the VIP sector and would likely be PinkLotus¡¯s neighbors, Cervantez¡¯s frustrations grew even more as it fuelled his desire to improve as fast as possible. *********** Just as Cervantez had feared, after ascending to the realm of a ¡®Master,¡¯ PinkLotus had her ankle monitor removed and was promptly approached by Captain Kid and other arc ship officials. She was offered a residence in the exclusive VIP sector and immediately relocated to her new home. Along with this, she received a sponsored meditation manual as a gift, under the same conditions given to ¡®TheBoss.¡¯ The terms required her to give priority to the n sponsoring the manual when the time came for her to make her alliances and PinkLotus epted this condition graciously. For a moment, she was stunned to discover the true nature of Terra Nova Online. However, after reflecting more deeply, PinkLotus realized it was only natural that the aliens had a hidden agenda behind forcing all yers to participate in the game. In hindsight, she chastised herself for being too naive, having never questioned the deeper purpose behind it before, however, having been enlightened now she felt a greater rity on what she needed to achieve before they arrived on their destination. ¡°Also Miss Alia, please note that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his family will be your neighbors during your stay in the VIP sector, and although the manor areas here are huge and demarcated properly using treelines. It¡¯s still technically possible for them to barge into yournd unsupervised as unlike the lower sectors there is no ankle monitor authorized gated entry here¨C¡± her dedicated elf groundsman informed her as he warned PinkLotus to not be too surprised if she ever saw someone else loitering in her property, although it was highly unlikely that such a scenario ever happened. However, instead of being surprised by such a scenario, PinkLotus felt excited instead as she asked her elf groundsman if she could do the same and enter his property unannounced, which made the elf groundsman extremely ufortable. PinkLotus had always wanted to spar against ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and now that she was a master that curious desire only increased significantly. She understood very well that she could not force ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to fight against her in the game world, since it was next to impossible to pin him down there and make him fight her if he was unwilling, however, doing so in real life was still very much possible, especially if he was her neighbor. ¡°Miss Alia, please don¡¯t barge into his territory¡­. Around this time Sir Leoes out to practice with his training dummies. Please I beg you¡­ stop now¡± her elf groundsman pleaded, however, on her very first day at the VIP sector, PinkLotus disregarded the groundsman¡¯s advice and marched straight into Leo¡¯s territory. *Boom* *Crunch* *St* Even from a distance, PinkLotus could hear the unmistakable sounds of training¡ªeach strike echoed with force, a clear testament to the power behind them. Her heartbeat quickened as the sharp thuds and asional crunch of shattered dummies reached her ears, as driven by curiosity and a deep desire to finally meet ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ she picked up her pace, her excitement mounting with each step. The elf groundsman¡¯s warnings faded into the background as she rushed toward the source of the sounds. At this point she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this was her chance¡ªa rare opportunity to see ¡®TheBoss¡¯ up close, perhaps even spar with him if the moment allowed. After all, they were equals now, both having reached the realm of master warriors. As she approached the courtyard, she felt her breath being caught in her throat. There, in the midst of shattered training dummies and scattered debris, was Leo¡ªwithout his signature mask and ck robes. He stood tall, his movements fluid and precise as he struck again, a burst of power radiating from him. PinkLotus froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. This was him¡ªthe elusive, almost mythical figure of ¡®TheBoss¡¯¡ªand he was nothing like she had imagined. Gone was the intimidating, shadowy figure she had pictured. Instead, before her was a young man, strikingly handsome, his face unmarred by the wear and tear she expected from someone with such battle prowess. His sharp jawline and intense gaze contrasted with the calmness of his form, making him appear both youthful and deadly. She couldn¡¯t help but stare, momentarily forgetting her purpose as she took in the reality of who ¡®TheBoss¡¯ truly was. Her heart raced, and without thinking, she stepped forward. update ?y N0v?l1st.c0M.¡±I¡ªI¡¯m sorry to interrupt!¡± she called out, her voice breaking through the stillness of his courtyard. Leo stopped mid-strike, his body tensing at the intrusion. He turned sharply, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a sh of anger. His brows furrowed as he took in the sight of her, clearly confused and irritated by the presence of an uninvited guest on hisnd. ¡°Who are you?¡± His voice was low, each word dripping with controlled hostility as he sized her up, clearly displeased. Chapter 587: Luke The Gentleman Chapter 587: Luke The Gentleman ( Leo¡¯s POV ) ¡°Who are you?¡± Leo asked feeling annoyed, as he did not expect someone to suddenly barge in on his training session. This was the VIP sector and hence nobody should have been technically able to barge in on him, however, a woman somehow appeared before him and that too without an ankle monitor. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again¡­. Who the fuck are you?¡± Leo said, pointing his training dagger towards PinkLotus, as instead of being impressed by her natural charm and beauty, Leo only regarded her as an unknown variable. ¡°I¡¯m Alia, but you may know me as PinkLotus, we met at the rankers event? I just became a master and I¡¯m your new neighbor¨C¡± Alia blurted nervously, as she tried to exin her sudden arrival, however, her name only pissed Leo even more. ¡°Okay, it was nice seeing you, please see yourself out of my property as I¡¯m not interested in meeting visitors today¡± Leo said coldly, as he gave her the look of contempt. ¡°Are you training? Do you think we can maybe spar for a moment? You declined before, but since you are already training here and I¡¯m a master now too¡­. Foow n?w episodes 0n th? ¡°vel1st.co¦¬¡±.Maybe we can spar against each other and understand the depth of our strength?¡± Alia requested, as she really wished to have a fight against Leo, however, Leo only scoffed in response. ¡°How rude and entitled are you? Have you never been taught the meaning of ¡®No¡¯ in your life? You might be used to getting whatever you wanted whenever you wanted with others, but I¡¯m not the same. I already told you that I¡¯m not interested in entertaining visitors today, so if you have any semnce of self respect, please see yourself out of my property¨C¡± Leo said, as he admonished PinkLotus for her ridiculous attitude. ¡°I¡ªbut¨C¡± PinkLotus stuttered, as she had never really been talked to so coldly in her life before, and to her surprise she almost broke down in tears because of it. *Sob* *Sob* Tears streamed down her face, dropping as distinct droplets in the mud below as she could not contain her shame. Her intentions were not to be rude, however, she only wanted to spar with Leo and felt excited for the same. Her only motivation to reach the Master realm was to have a fight with him and she did not understand why Leo kept dodging one. He was truly powerful, she had seen it with her own eyes, and just for once, she wanted topare herself against it. However, Leo kept rejecting her and that too in the coldest way possible, as if he had an agenda against her, which made her feel extremely frustrated internally. Usually she was a very polite and kind girl who would never pester someone if they did not like it, however, Leo made her act in ways that were not in-line her usual self. Ashamed at being admonished over it, she somehow found herself suddenly breaking down in tears, as this encounter had turned from being something that she seriously looked forward to, to something that she wanted to forget as soon as possible. ¡°Why is she crying Leo? What the fuck did you do?¡± A booming male voice said, as Luke suddenly walked out of his manor into themon courtyard, feeling angry that Leo had made a guest cry. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need some water?¡± He asked PinkLotus, who said nothing but kept staring at him with teary eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my younger brother¡¯s behavior ma¡¯am, he can behave quite rudely at times to people he doesn¡¯t consider family. I¡¯ll make sure to educate him properly next time¡± Luke said, as he apologized on Leo¡¯s behalf and then signaled him to go fetch the woman some water. For a moment Leo felt wronged, but then as he stared into Luke¡¯s furious eyes, he immediately dropped his protest and rushed into the manor to fetch some water. ¡°Thank You¡­. Also I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll go, your brother is right, I should not have came unannounced¡­. I¨CI just wanted a spar against him. I, it was improper of me¡± PinkLotus apologized, as it was only then as she lifted her head out of her palms, and wiped off her tears that Luke realized who she was. ¡®So cute¡­¡¯ Luke thought, as his heart skipped a beat looking at the breathtaking beauty that stood before him. For a moment he felt himself beingpletely lost in her gorgeous face, as somehow looking at her slightly red nose and flushed cheeks, Luke felt her own heart pinch with pain. ¡®How could Leo make such a beautiful soul cry¡¯ he wondered. If Leo didn¡¯t already have a girlfriend, he might seriously suspect him of being indifferent toward women¡ª because how else could someone not be moved by such beauty? ¡°Water?¡± Leo offered aftering back from the manor, as Luke took the water from his hand and smacked him hard on the head. ¡°Is this the manners I¡¯ve taught you?¡± He asked, offering the water with both hands to PinkLotus, as he bowed his head in apology. ¡°Ouch¡± Leo protested for a second, but immediately fell silent as he looked into Luke¡¯s furious eyes that left no room for disagreement. ¡°Thank-you¡ª¡± PinkLotus said, epting the ss of water as she drank it slowly. The water helped her calm down significantly and helped her regain someposure, as after drinking it she immediately recognised Luke as being SkyLion. ¡°You¡¯re SkyLion correct?¡± She asked, sounding surprised as Luke nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°And you¡¯re TheBoss¡¯s elder brother?¡± She asked again, as she could not believe that both brothers were such monsters within the game. It was almost like a power family straight out of a fantasy novel. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m this idiot¡¯s brother. Please forgive him for his antics. I failed as a brother to teach him proper social etiquettes¡± Luke replied, as he pushed Leo¡¯s head down into an apologetic bow. ¡°Please tell me what you are here for? I¡¯ll help you for sure¡­.¡± Luke said, as listening to his words, PinkLotus¡¯s eyes lit up once more. Chapter 588: A spar? Chapter 588: A spar? ¡°Please tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll definitely help you.¡± Luke said, as he politely offered to help PinkLotus in whatever sphere she needed assistance. For a brief moment, PinkLotus¡¯s eyes lit up at the thought of finally getting the chance to fight ¡®TheBoss¡¯. However, that spark quickly faded as she realized that pushing Leo into a fight wouldn¡¯t be the most courteous move. ¡°Well, allow me to reintroduce myself first. I¡¯m Alia, a.k.a PinkLotus and I¡¯m your neighbor in the VIP sector. It¡¯s my first day here, so please be kind to me.¡± She said, as she especially singled out Leo while saying thest line. ¡°Yes of-course, we will all be kind to you, won¡¯t we?¡± Luke said, as he too threateningly singled out Leo, who immediately nodded his head in agreement. ¡°Absolutely¡­. Neighbor bond is the most important thing on the Arc Ship, we will certainly be kind to one another¡± Leo said half seriously and half satirically as he tiptoed the fine line between expressing his frustration and not pissing Luke off. ¡°I only came here today to request a spar with your younger brother, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be willing to aodate me. I¡¯m sorry for the intrusion, please excuse me¨C¡± PinkLotus said, as she tacitly did not press the issue anymore, however, Luke did not let it slide. ¡°Oh a spar? Leo loves to spar. He will definitely spar with you this fine morning¨C¡± Luke said, deciding on Leo¡¯s behalf, as Leo threw his hands up in frustration. ¡°But brother¡­.. I was in the middle of my dail¡ª¡± Leo began, but before he couldplete his sentence he took a look into the cold eyes of Luke Skyshard and immediately felt his courage draining out of his body. ¡°It¡¯s such a beautiful day to spar, of-course I will spar with her. You want to spar now?¡± Leo said, changing his tune by 180¡ã as he gave PinkLotus the kindest fake smile. ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± PinkLotus chuckled, as she did not expect that the cold and domineering Boss would actually turn out to be such an adorable and obedient little brother in real life. ¡°Thank You so much, fighting you has been a long time dream of mine¡± PinkLotus said, as Leo rolled his eyes at her words. ¡°Thank You for helping me today¡­. Sir Luke, I owe you one¡± Alia said, as she smiled genuinely towards Luke, who felt simply lost in her charm. ¡°Am I supposed to fight her seriously? Or do you want me to let her win?¡± Leo asked, his voice growing increasingly pissed as he approached the limits of his patience. ¡°You must fight me seriously, I¡¯m not here to see you go easy on me!¡± Alia protested, as Leo simply scoffed in response.update ?y ?0?el1st.c¦Ïm He was not sure about the real world, as he had never fought out here before, but at least in the game world, he had the confidence to say that there was no yer near his skill level, PinkLotus included. At his current strength, the only individual in his eyes who was still capable of bringing out his 100% strength was his master Ben, but Ben Faulkner was unfortunately no more. ¡°Woman rx, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself¡± Leo said putting a palm to her face as he simply refused to entertain the notion that she could fight on equal footing against him. ¡°Ha, I hope you can keep up this confidence once I actuallye at you with everything that I¡¯ve got¨C¡± Alia said, as Leo waved her off as being way over her head. ¡°You can fight her with all you got, but I don¡¯t want scratches, broken bones, or any bodily harm brought to her¡­. Understand?¡± Luke said, as his words made both PinkLotus and Leo puff their cheeks in anger. ¡°I don¡¯t need his mercy¡­. I can fend for myself¡± Alia protested, stomping her feet in anger, while Leo wildly waved his hands in a ¡®No¡¯ gesture as he said ¡°I¡¯m an assassin brother. If I can¡¯t even scratch her then what am I supposed to do? Hold hands and start a samba dance?¡± Leo was clearly angry with Luke¡¯s instructions, but despite both parties being unsatisfied about his demands, Luke stuck by it. ¡°There will be no serious injuries here today¡± Luke said authoritatively as his decision made Leo mumble in veiled fury. Leo really wanted to crush PinkLotus¡¯s ego for once and for all today, scaring her beyond her wits so that she would never bother him again, however, his brother barred him from giving her a traumatic experience. It was almost like his brother had some special soft corner for PinkLotus, as Leo simply refused to believe that he was making these decisions while being unbiased. ¡°Those are the rules of this spar Leo¡­. And no amount of your mumbling is going to change my mind. You will not injure her, unless you think you cannot beat her without injuring her¡± Luke said, as he aimed straight for Leo¡¯s weak spot, ying on his massive ego. ¡°Ho¨Cho¨Cho, who said I can¡¯t beat her without injuring her? Who the hell do you think I am, brother? I¡¯m THE BOSS, they don¡¯t call me the number one yer in the game for no reason¡± Leo said, as he refused to take that taunt lying down and decided to walk straight into Luke¡¯s trap instead. ¡°Fine, but you better not use it as an excuse to justify your defeatter, because unlike you, I¡¯m not going to go easy on you¡± Alia warned, as Leo simply stared at Luke waiting for him to warn her as he warned him, but Luke stayedpletely silent this time around. ¡°The betrayal¡­.¡± Leo said with pain in his voice as Luke only coughed lightly in response. Since it was the 23rd century, Luke did not use any misogynistic slogans outloud, however, through his eyes he conveyed his unmistakable message to Leo. ¡®Come on, man up, she¡¯s a woman! Just how dangerous can she be?¡¯ he said, as he instructed Leo to grow a pair and not whine about the small stuff. Chapter 589: Leo vs PinkLotus Chapter 589: Leo vs PinkLotus To spar with Leo, PinkLotus requested a sword from Leo¡¯s groundsman, ndor, who quickly procured one for her. Although the sword wasn¡¯t to her liking¡ªsince its weight bnce felt odd in her hands¡ª with no other alternatives avable on the Arc Ship, she was forced to make do with it. She swung it a few times, attempting to get more ustomed to the weapon¡¯s feel, butpared to her extraordinary weapon in-game, thismon steel sword did not nearly feel as well bnced or forged. Meanwhile, Leo began doing jumping jacks to warm up his muscles again, which had cooled down after he had to abandon his training session midway. Internally, he felt brimming with confidence in his ability to win this spar, as he genuinely believed that he was the best fighter around, however, this was a grave mistake on his part. PinkLotus was the second most formidable fighter in the rankers event after him and that was before she reached the realm of a master. Now that she was a master fighter herself, the gap between herself and Leo was much smaller than what Leo believed it to be, as although the whole gaming world regarded him as an unparalleled talent, he wasn¡¯t actually as far ahead of others as he thought himself to be.update ?y ?o?e?1st.c¦Ïm ¡°Ready when you are, Ma¡¯am¡± Leo said, as he cracked his neck and pointed his dagger towards PinkLotus, who took her own sweet time to get ready before pointing her sword towards Leo. ¡°Alright, we will have this spar as per Grand Tournament rules. One of you shall win when you incapacitate your opponent or make them surrender¡± Luke dered, as he took up the role of the match referee. Both Leo and PinkLotus agreed to this condition and gave Luke a tacit nod signaling the same. With a short twenty-five meter gap between their starting positions, both Leo and PinkLotus felt poised to sh, and waited eagerly for Luke to give the starting signal. ¡°Begin¨C¡± Luke said eventually, as the second he uttered those words, PinkLotus unleashed a powerful sword sh towards Leo, who dodged it purely out of instinct. *Swoosh* The ground of the VIP manor cleaved in a clean cut, tracing the path that PinkLotus¡¯s sword sh had taken, as both Leo and Luke felt stunned by the raw power of PinkLotus¡¯s opening strike. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh* Before Leo could recover or take his first step toward attacking PinkLotus, she unleashed a relentless barrage of sword shes, each strike forcing Leo to dodge frantically, knowing that any one of them, if connected, could easily end his life. ¡®Why is she so fast?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he felt his heart rate rise frantically. The speed with which PinkLotus moved and swung her de was almost next to impossible for Leo to follow, as if he were a fraction slower to judge the path of her attack, Leo had no doubt in his mind that his body would split evenly into two parts. ¡®Fuck, fuck, fuck¡­. This is not a game, this is the real fucking world, take it easy¡­. I won¡¯t respawn if you kill me¡¯ Leo thought, as he made a long face full of panic. Unfortunately, with him no longer having his Virex Corps Mask on in the real world, his expression was now open for everyone to read, including his opponent, who felt immense satisfaction in seeing him so vulnerable. ¡®That¡¯s it¡­. He will definitely take me seriously now¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as she considered Leo¡¯s slightly frightened expression as a sign that he was ready to take this spar more seriously now, versus its real interpretation that he was terrified of dying. Internally, he was only a small slip-up away from screaming like a baby and begging for his life, however, somehow, his ego as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ would not let him behave in such an undignified way, as he suppressed his squeals and began fully focusing on the fight at hand. [Vanish] Leo chose to use Vanish, outright disappearing from PinkLotus¡¯s line of sight, as he believed that if his opponent failed to find him, she would be unable to hit him, however, he was wrong. PinkLotus had already studied his moveset before requesting this spar and had anticipated him to make this move before the fight ever began. Hence, the second Leo used [Vanish] she responded by using the move [Sword Tempest] as she covered the entire courtyard in a storm of des. *Shing* *Shing* *Shing* Metal sparks flew, as after being forced to defend against the swirling storm of des that left no room for him to hide, Leo exposed his location to PinkLotus and was forced to re-emerge for once. *Shua* *Shua* Immediately after re-emerging, Leo threw two daggers towards her, trying to control the tempo of this fight for the first time, however, PinkLotus defended using the move [Absolute Barrier] and blocked the two daggers with ease. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? I haven¡¯t even moved from my starting spot yet¡­¡± PinkLotus taunted, as she felt incredibly thrilled to finally have such a spar. And although she admonished Leo on the surface, internally she was extremely happy to face off against an opponent that could bring out the best in her, and was hence grinning from ear to ear. ¡°Is that all I¡¯ve got? Woman, are you kidding me? Do you see a single scratch on my handsome face? I¡¯m just allowing you to get your moves in so that you¡­. And more so than you, my brother, doesn¡¯t feel disheartened after you lose. Because if not for me showing you mercy, you¡¯d be dead ten times over by now¡± Leo said, as although he was terrified of PinkLotus by now, somehow ¡®Fake it till you make it¡¯ had be a part of his core personality. Unless forced, he was never going to admit that he had troubles in this fight, and would y it cool till the very end. ¡°Hmph¡­ very well then, let¡¯s see how long you can stay this arrogant. Just for thisment, I¡¯m scratching your face next¡± PinkLotus dered boldly as she pointed her sword towards Leo with pride evident in her eyes. ¡°Ha¡­ 3 moves, I¡¯ll end this fight within three moves now. Give you a glimpse of my true power¡± Leo dered in return as he pointed his dagger right back at her. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C This bonus chapter is sponsored by patron Art6733. Thanks to his rampant gifting on the book, I¡¯ve decided that the entire next week will be a bonus week. With us getting a 4 chapter mass release daily, for next Monday through Saturday, for a total of 24 chapters. This is chapter 1 of 4 for today, let¡¯s go! /// Chapter 590: Self Sabotage Chapter 590: Self Sabotage ¡®Three moves? Why the fuck would I make such a stupid deration?¡¯ Leo wondered internally, as although he boldly dered that he would take down PinkLotus within three moves, internally he had no solid n to be able to make it happen. ¡°Very well then, I shall also strike your cheek within three moves!¡± PinkLotus dered back, as she did not ept Leo¡¯s arrogant attitude lying down. ¡®Fuck¡­ since things have already came to this point, then my only hope of winning is to close down my distance to her. I have already thrown two of the five daggers I have avable here and fighting from a distance makes no sense¡­¡¯ Leo analyzed internally, as with a swift burst of energy, Leo started to close the twenty-five-meter gap between, his body moving like a blur.publish?d on websit?: ?ov?l1st.c0m Leo¡¯s muscles tensed, then released in a perfect flow of motion, as each step that he took was calcted, every muscle working in harmony to minimize wasted movement. The wind whipped past him as he darted forward, dagger gripped firmly in his hand, poised for his first strike. *Swoosh* PinkLotus attacked, not wanting to let Leo get too close, however, already being in motion, Leo managed to evade the attack easily this time, as he zoomed past it and arrived upon PinkLotus with momentum. ¡°One¡ª¡± he muttered softly, as he thrust forward his dagger with precision, aiming directly for PinkLotus¡¯s heart. The strike was quick, lethal, and direct and for a split second, PinkLotus¡¯s eyes widened¡ªas she hadn¡¯t expected him to close the distance so fast. Her body reacted on instinct, twisting her torso just enough to dodge the deadly blow. Leo¡¯s dagger all but grazing the fabric of her tunic, leaving a thin cut in the cloth but no more. ¡®He¡¯s faster than I thought,¡¯ she realized, her heart pounding, as for the first time now, even she felt the threat to her life. The brieffort she had felt earlier in the fight when Leo was not counterattacking evaporated now, as she quickly felt the blood from her body rushing to her head, as her brain function went into survival overdrive. Up until now, she had been confident, even a little cocky, with her range advantage. But this¡­ this was different. Now that Leo was in close, she could feel the pressure mounting. ¡®He¡¯s dangerous at this distance.¡¯ she concluded, as she could feel the fight or flight response being triggered in her body now. Leo smiled cockily as he effortlessly shifted his body, pulling back the dagger just as swiftly as he had thrust it. Here, the fluidity of his movements astounded Alia, who understood that she couldn¡¯t afford to let her guard down for even a moment. But she refused to back down. ¡®I promised to scratch that face of his,¡¯ she reminded herself, steeling her resolve, as her ego made her fall precisely into the trap that Leo hadid out for her. ¡®I have to act fast before he gets another chance.¡¯ PinkLotus thought, as instead of noticing how Leo did not make his second move and instead just lingered around her at close range, PinkLotus made the novice mistake of showing her hand to her opponent, as she stupidly tried to attack his face. Swinging her sword upward in a sharp, decisive arc, she aimed directly for Leo¡¯s face, just as she had vowed. At this point, she could almost see it¡ªa single strike that would mar his perfect, arrogant expression. But unfortunately for her, Leo was ready. ¡°Two¡± he said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he saw her deing for him. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ he thought, as this was exactly what he had been waiting for¡ªa predictable strike, aimed right where he wanted it, as with a swift pivot of his body, he sidestepped her strike with almost insulting ease, his dagger spinning in his hand as he slipped past her de. In a sh, Leo¡¯s free hand snapped forward, gripping her wrist and twisting her arm. PinkLotus¡¯s eyes widened in shock, as her grip on her sword faltered. *Snap* Leo applied just the right amount of pressure, using her momentum against her, and within a heartbeat, her sword was wrenched from her hand and sent ttering to the ground. *ng* Her sword fell to the ground, as disbelief became stered all over her face. ¡®How?¡¯ she wondered, the question screaming in her mind as her heart pounded, adrenaline surging. ¡®He was so much faster, and I hadn¡¯t even seen the disarming.¡¯ she analyzed, but unfortunately for her, all this analysis came in way toote. Before she could recover, Leo was already moving, closing the distance between them even further, as he brought his dagger up to her throat with terrifying precision. ¡°Three¡± he said arrogantly, his nose only an inch away from hers, as he stared domineeringly into her eyes. The cold metal of the de pressed against her neck, just hard enough to draw a single drop of blood, as Leo pettily made her bleed ever so slightly as a reminder of her failure to beat him. ¡°That¡¯s enough Leo, you win!¡± Luke said from a distance, as Leo pulled back his de but kept staring into PinkLotus¡¯s eyes, as if to prove to her that she was not on his level. PinkLotus¡¯s breath hitched, and for the first time in her life, she felt truly powerless. Right there, staring at him, the overwhelming realization finally sank in that she had lost quite pathetically to her opponent. Seeing that expression, Leo¡¯s gaze softened, just a fraction, but the smug smile never left his face. ¡°I told you,¡± he said softly, his voice dripping with confidence, ¡°three moves.¡± Gulping, PinkLotus felt unsure on how she had lost the spar, however, because Leo dered that he would defeat her within three moves and actually achieved that goal, she felt as if she was truly not his match. A small part of her brain told her that the difference in their abilities was not thatrge and that although she had lost this spar, she could perhaps win a rematch, however, anotherrger part told her to ept the results of this spar as they were. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Chapter 2/4 for the day. /// Chapter 591: Shock Chapter 591: Shock ¡°Three moves¡­..Just three¡± Leo said, wagging three fingers near his forehead in the purest disy of shithousery that he could muster. Slowly, he backed away from PinkLotus, his smug smile still stered on his face, as he left PinkLotus to contemte the events that led to her loss. In all fairness, the contest between himself and PinkLotus was way tougher than he would care to admit, however, since he was the victor today, none of those hardships really mattered. Because of her bold deration, where she promised to hit his face, he had already anticipated the thrusting attack that she would make aiming for his cheeks and the only reason he could secure victory so easily was because when she did, he was already prepared to counter it. However, in terms of pure strength and skill prowess, she was undoubtedly stronger than him, while he outshined her in speed and versatility. If he fought her 10 times, there was a high chance that he could kill her 6/10 times. However, she was capable enough to defeat him 4/10 times. An undeniably gifted fighter, she was a prodigy on her own and had the potential to surpass him in strength if she kept improving as rapidly as she was. ¡®I made a foolish mistake¡­. I became too cocky and thought that I had the upperhand in this fight¡­. I should not have aimed for his face¡¯ PinkLotus realized in hindsight, as she felt stupid for making such a mistake. Currently, shecked the maturity of a seasoned fighter, as being a solo yer who had never participated in a major tournament, she did not have the same experience sparring against other yers like Leo did. All of herbat experience was based on defeating dungeon bosses and monsters in battle, however, she had never really fought against a yer of Leo¡¯s caliber before, which had contributed to her defeat. Given enough time to train and hone her nerves, she could easily surpass Leo once more, as although he was faster, with the longer reach of her sword, she could easily negate his speed advantage by always keeping him at more than an arms length away. ¡®He¡¯s too strong¡­. He¡¯s the real deal¡¯ PinkLotus acknowledged, as although she felt like she had lost to her own mistake, she also realized that perhaps Leo had not given his 100% in this battle. Despite her using her best offensive and defensive moves, she had been unable tond a single hit on him and after everything was said and done he had walked out of the match scratch free while also exacting a drop of her blood. ¡°Hey Leo¡­. Congrattions on your win, you are the real deal¨C¡± she said after letting out a deep sigh, as despite Leo¡¯s shithousery earlier, she congratted him with an open heart. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Asked Luke as he stepped towards her, only for her to wipe the drop of blood away from her neck and nod happily.update ?y ?0vel1st.c0m ¡°Your brother is unbelievable¡­. No wonder people call him number one¡± She said, smiling brightly as Luke matched her smile feeling equally proud. ¡°I know right? Watching him fight always puts me in a stupor¡­ he¡¯s definitely miles ahead of me¡± Luke admitted without any prejudice, as he was genuinely happy for Leo and his strength. ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short¡­ I wanna fight you too, Mr.Suplex Demon and I wille looking for a fight with you soon¡± Alia said, as after experiencing the battle against Leo, she wanted to have one with Luke as well, since he too was selected as a guardian at the rankers event. ¡°Me? Haha, I might not be your match¡± Luke said, as he politely tried to deny the sparring invite, but did not seem to mind it too much either. If Alia persisted, he would dly take her offer for a match, but if she did not, he would reject her as politely as possible. ¡°Of-course you¡¯re my match¡­. You¡¯re hailed as one of the strongest yers in the game t¡ª¡± just as PinkLotus beganplimenting Luke, trying to convince him into having a fight with her, out came Amanda from her mansion, apparently feeling startled by all the noise outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why is our courtyard destroyed?¡± She asked, drawing attention to herself, as all three of Alia, Luke and Leo looked towards her. ¡°Leo¡­. Who is that pretty woman?¡± Amanda asked next as Leo happily skipped his steps towards her and immediately hugged her tight. ¡°She¡¯s our neighbor babe, she just challenged me to a fight and I obliterated her¡± Leo said, as he gave Amanda a peck on her cheek, purposefully acting all lovey dovey than he actually was. ¡°You fought her? And she¡¯s our neighbor?¡± Amanda asked in surprise, as she kept staring at Alia with her mouth agape, having never seen a woman as pretty as her before in her life. However, although she only felt mildly surprised to see a woman as beautiful as Alia, Alia felt even more surprised to see the infamous boss acting to lovey dovey around a woman, as she could almost never imagine him being capable of suchpassion. The same man that did not even look at her without contempt in his eyes, clung onto a woman and kissed her cheeks for no reason in a public disy of affection which shocked Alia to her core. She stared back at Amanda with her mouth wide open as she could not help her left eye from twitching nonstop. Ever since she was born there was not one straight man who had not turned to look at her twice, yet now she stood across from a woman, whose man did not even put her in his eyes and it made her incredibly jealous and ufortable in her heart for some reason. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// Chapter 3 of 4 for the day. Also, thanks to a reader pitching in, we have been able to create PinkLotus character art, and she looks absolutely beautiful. I¡¯ll be adding it to the character panel today and posting the raw photo itself under this chapter. /// Chapter 592: Realization Chapter 592: Realization Watching the infamously cold ¡®TheBoss¡¯ act so lovingly towards a woman, PinkLotus stood frozen, her eyes widening in disbelief. The same Leo who had just fought her with such intensity, now softened like butter in the presence of this woman. His hands rested lightly on her waist, his lips pressing small kisses on her cheek, all whilepletely ignoring PinkLotus as if she had never existed. This was a side of Leo she had never seen, a side she had never even imagined, as in her head, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a cold and heartless man which was the only reason he never showed an ounce of kindness to her. A big part of her feeling intrigued and drawn towards him was because he never treated her with the kindness that most men would and this made her naturally gravitate towards him, however, she believed that he did so because he was kind to no-one and not because he treated her differentlypared to other women. It was unsettling, but also¡­ humbling. For as long as she could remember, men had always fallen over themselves to gain her attention. One nce, one smile, and they would offer her the world. But Leo? Leo was different. His gaze didn¡¯t even flicker toward her. All his focus, all his affection, was poured into this one woman. A woman who didn¡¯t appear the least bit fazed by her presence.The Novel will be updated first on website:n o v e l Amanda was beautiful, yes, but in a quiet, understated way. Yet, it was clear from Leo¡¯s bodynguage that to him, Amanda was the most important person in the world. The scene unfolding before her felt¡­ foreign. PinkLotus found herself envious, not of Amanda¡¯s beauty, but of the affection she received from Leo. The way he looked at her was as if nothing else mattered, as if there was no one else in the world but her. ¡®Why? Why does he look at her like this when he won¡¯t even spare me a nce? Just what does this woman have that I don¡¯t?¡¯ Alia wondered, as for the first time in her life, she felt small¡ªnot in the sense of being lesser, but in the sense of realizing just how much she had misunderstood. Not every man was like those who fawned over her for her looks, as Leo, despite all his ws, was clearly madly in love with Amanda. And that love had nothing to do with her beauty. As Pink Lotus continued to stare, Amanda nced over and noticed her. With a gentle smile, Amanda broke away from Leo, and walked over towards her with an outstretched hand. ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted warmly, ¡°I¡¯m Amanda, also known as VainKitty in the game. I¡¯m a cksmith by profession.¡± Pink Lotus blinked, momentarily stunned. Amanda¡¯s voice was friendly, open, and with no trace of jealousy or hostility. It was a tone she rarely heard from other women, as for a moment she hesitated, before deciding to shake Amanda¡¯s hand, as she felt the warmth and sincerity in her grip. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Pink Lotus,¡± she replied, still processing the surreal scene. Amanda smiled wider, taking in PinkLotus¡¯s appearance. ¡°You¡¯re really beautiful, you know?¡± she said, herpliment sounding so genuine that PinkLotus almost didn¡¯t know how to respond. Before she could speak, Amanda added, ¡°And I¡¯m sorry if Leo¡¯s been rude to you. He can be a bit¡­ difficult, especially with women. He has a way of making them feel disrespected¡ªunless they¡¯re family or¡­ well, important to him.¡± Pink Lotus¡¯s breath caught in her throat. The ease with which Amanda said it, without any defensiveness or suspicion, made Pink Lotus feel even more off-bnce. Amanda wasn¡¯t apologizing out of insecurity or because she felt threatened. She was just¡­ being kind. This kindness was unfamiliar, and Pink Lotus wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. She wasn¡¯t used to being treated like this¡ªlike a person, rather than a beauty to be admired or envied. All her life, women who she befriended had treated her like an enemy and tried to sabotage her life at every chance they got, which was why she decided to y solo, not trusting either gender. However, both Amanda and Leo defied this norm. Both of them did not seem the least bit concerned about her beauty and treated her normally. ¡°Thankyou¡­. You¡¯re quite pretty yourself¡± Alia replied, as she watched Leo return to Amanda¡¯s side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world. At this point she began to feel a shift deep within her. She had always despised men, believing they were all the same¡ªshallow creatures, driven by their lust for beauty. But here was Leo, so utterly devoted to Amanda, treating her like she was his entire world, which made her feel that this was not true. And Amanda, for her part, didn¡¯t seem to need Leo¡¯s attention to feel secure either. She wasn¡¯t possessive or territorial. She was simply happy, content in her rtionship, trusting in Leo¡¯s love without needing to fight for it. Watching them, Pinklotus could not help but find herself wondering¡­ was this what she had been missing all along? For so long, she had viewed her beauty as both a blessing and a curse. It was what drew men to her, but also what kept them at a distance. She had never believed it was possible to be loved for anything deeper. But watching Leo and Amanda, she realized that love could exist beyond appearances. It could be something built on trust, respect, and an unspoken understanding. And maybe¡­ just maybe, that was the kind of love she wanted too. As Leo tickled Amanda before her making herugh, Amanda pped him yfully asking him to behave in front of guests. Watching this scene unfold PinkLotus couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange longing. She had never thought of herself as someone who needed love¡ªat least, not the kind of love that wasn¡¯t wrapped up in admiration for her beauty. But now, she realized that if she could find someone who loved her the way Leo loved Amanda, she wouldn¡¯t have to fear anything. Not time, not fading looks, not loneliness. Perhaps there was hope for something deeper. Somethingsting. Something worth chasing. As although she hade here today to seek a spar against Leo, what she found instead was the answer to a deep rooted psychological problem that had been guing her for decades now. There were no words of counsel offered to her, however, just witnessing the dynamic between Leo and Amanda was enough for her to realize that this was the kind of love she wanted for herself in life. It was like all the answers she ever wanted were before her very eyes and having found them she felt extremely happy. ¡®Maybe one day, this will be me and my boyfriend¡­.¡¯ she thought, as for the first time sinceing over to Leo¡¯s manor, she smiled genuinely, feeling happy to see the other side of the infamous ¡®Boss¡¯. A side that themon man would perhaps never get to see. A side that was buried under his ck and white mask within the game. Chapter 593: What Kind Of Frog Are You? Chapter 593: What Kind Of Frog Are You? Once Alia left, Leo and Amanda returned to the privacy of their own manor walls, and it was only then that Leo returned to his normal non-clingy behavior. ¡°What happened? Why were you showering me with kisses out there?¡± Amanda asked giggling, as she never expected to see such a side of Leo. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that crazy woman. She behaves like all men in the world are after her just because she¡¯s a little pretty¡­..read first on website:n o v e l . Bleh, for me you¡¯re the only one I love¡± Leo replied, as his reply made Amanda chuckle even more. They had been dating since not too long ago and although she knew a lot about Leo, there were still many situations in life that the two of them had not faced together and meeting other pretty women was one of them. Today, not only had Leo passed with flying colors in her eyes, but had also calmed down her jealous heart in a permanent and longsting way, as she understood that if Alia failed to make Leo waver, there was no chance in hell any other woman would be able to seed. ¡°Well, all that kissing and PDA has got me feeling all warm and ufortable¡­.. looks like you will have to take responsibility for your actions¡± Amanda said, biting her lips as she seductively dragged her feet up and down Leo¡¯s leg. ¡°Oh dly¨C¡± Leo replied, beaming from ear to ear as he lifted Amanda on his shoulders and began marching towards the bedroom like a victorious conqueror. ¡°Kyaaa!¡± Amanda protested,ughing as she made some nonmittal kicks, as the two of them made their way to the soft VIP manor bed, to engage in activities of procreation. For Leo, it was the reward of his victory in today¡¯s spar, while for Amanda it was victory in her choice of a life partner. ******** (A little whileter, back in the game world) On the 10th day after his birth, Dumpy grew to be the same size as Leo¡¯s arm, and about 30% the size of his total height, being nearly 2 feet tall. At this point, all of his baby fat had already melted and his legs and arms began developing in a way that Leo would not expect from most frogs. While for most of his time, Dumpy kept squatting like a frog, looking like a big fat toad¡­.. there were moments where he stood up from his squatting position like a human and fully extended his legs to grow significantly taller. In this pose, he could almost reach Leo¡¯s chest at above 4 feet in height, as it was only when Leo saw him being able to stand that he realized that Dumpy was for sure not a normal frog. ¡°What kind of a frog are you? To be able to stand? It almost feels to me like, given a few more days you will start toad walking on me¡­¡± Leomented as at this point he could finally no longer picture Dumpy as being a frog, as whatever resemnce Dumpy bore to amon Earth frog was being quickly shattered therger it grew. ¡°And what are those arms?¡± Leo questioned, as unlike themon earthly frogs who had short iling arms growing out of their upper body that werepletely non-functional, Dumpy had manly arms with a clearly defined bicep and tricep muscle, like those of humans. ¡°You have a bicep vein bulging from your arm¡­ although it¡¯s just one, it¡¯s something most humans who go to the gym would kill for!¡± Leo noted, as he held Dumpy¡¯s arm in his hands and examined it in great detail. To him, it looked like Dumpy¡¯s arms were created to both contract and expand like humans and had a simr elbow joint which allowed a wide range of movements. The only difference was in the palms, as instead of having a human-like palm with five fingers, Dumpy possessed a frog-like webbed paw with giant circr dots at the end of his finger tips. These paws were extremely sticky and could grip onto anything Dumpy wished to hold easily, however, unlike a human palm which could fold every single finger at will, dumpy could only operate his palm like a w where he could either open itpletely or clutch it close for a grip. ¡°Your palms¡­. They¡¯re not ideal for being able to throw daggers like me, because the art of throwing daggers needs nimble fingers. But¡­ I think you can hold and weild a t sword just well¡± Leo hypothesized, as he sent Albert to purchase a small weightless sword for him and then ced it within Dumpy¡¯s palms. At first Leo did not expect much from Dumpy, as he just gave him the sword to see if the frog could even hold it or not, however, what happened next shocked himpletely. Dumpy managed to grip the small small sword with ease. Leo on his part had expected some fumbling or maybe an awkward swing, but instead, Dumpy held it firmly, his arms moving with surprising coordination. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s give it a shot, Dumpy,¡± Leo said, stepping back. ¡°Just try not to cut off your own foot.¡± Listening to Leo¡¯smand, Dumpy squatted low, his massive legs coiling like springs before he pushed off the ground, swinging the sword. *Swoosh* The de moved in a fluid arc, clean and precise, causing Leo to blink as looking at Dumpy he was sure that this de swing wasn¡¯t a fluke. However, as if to just prove a point, Dumpy swung again, this time faster and with a more controlled motion ¡°What in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Toads is going on?¡± Leo muttered to himself, his jaw hanging slightly open as he watched the disy. This was the first time Dumpy was holding a sword, yet for some inexplicable reason, he wielded it like the de was his better half. Almost like he was born with an affinity for des. ¡°What?¡± Leo wondered again, as Dumpy adjusted his grip, his sticky webbed fingers locking around the handle as he began testing out different strikes, each one more refined than thest. Leo¡¯s mind struggled to process what he was seeing. This wasn¡¯t just some oversized toad swinging wildly; Dumpy was actually wielding the sword with skill¡ªreal skill, and this made him rethink the true nature of his frog all over again. Chapter 594: Not Normal Chapter 594: Not Normal That day, after logging out of the game, Leo¡¯s curiosity about Dumpy finally got the better of him, as being unable to shake the question of what kind of creature Dumpy really was, he decided to head over to the ship¡¯s MP Exchange Store. There, he nned to trade some of his hard-earned MP for information on Dumpy¡¯s true nature, as he felt like he could no longer remain oblivious to what exactly an ancient swamp frog was? ¡°Is a swamp frog a different kind of frog? Or is it just a giant frog? Because the speed at which Dumpy is growing is unbelievable. It¡¯s doubling in size every other day and if it continues with this insane rate of growth, then very soon he will be evenrger than I am¡­.¡± Leo muttered under his breath as he made his way out of the VIP sector and began walking towards the normal sections of the ship. It was a pain to travel from the VIP sector all the way to the nearest MP exchange store in Sector S, however, Leo had no other choice. The value of the information he was requesting was significant enough for Housekeeper ndor to be unable to give it to him for free and hence he was forced to make a visit to the MP exchange store with theck of any other alternatives. However, for his own security, as soon as he crossed over into sector S, Leo immediately used [Vanish] so that nobody would see him walking without an ankle monitor, as thest thing he wanted was a repeat of his trip to the VIP sector where everyone kept staring at his foot. Soon he reached the MP exchange store in sector S, which was entirely empty with just a couple of private phone lines to call the operators. Leo picked up the phone line on the left which was the closest to him and immediately the sector S line pod shut around him, giving him absolutely privacy while making the call. The hum of the empty space made him feel oddly isted and after a brief moment, the other end clicked. ¡°Hello, Mr. Skyshard, how may I help you today?¡± came a smooth, familiar voice as Leo raised an eyebrow and smirked. ¡°Raya, is that you? I just waved at you on my way to enter Sector S.¡± Leo said, as he distinctly recognised the voice of the elf operator that he had talked to plenty of times before. A soft chuckle echoed from the other side. ¡°My apologies, Leo, I wish I could have stopped you there and held a chat, but this is the standard protocol,¡± she said, her voice carrying a yful tone. ¡°I wish I could bend the rules for you¡ªand trust me, I would if it were you¡ªbut I can¡¯t. I¡¯m just a low-level employee on this ship, you know.¡± Her flirtatious undertone wasn¡¯t lost on Leo, and he could almost imagine the glint in her eyes as she spoke. ¡°However, as a VIP if you request for an MP exchange line to be installed in your manor, it¡¯s entirely doable¡­.. The Novel will be updated first on website:?ov?l1st.c0m.all you have to do is make a request¡ª¡± she teased, as the way she said it made it seems like Leo could make any request that he wanted with his status as a VIP and most people on the ship, including Raya herself would feel happy to fulfill it. ¡°Now, what can I assist you with today?¡± she asked eventually, as clearing his throat, Leo shifted to a more serious tone. ¡°Actually, I wanted to inquire about Dumpy. You know, my frog? I¡¯ve got this nagging feeling that¡­ well, he¡¯s not just a normal frog. I know it sounds strange, but there¡¯s something off about how fast he¡¯s growing and¡­ just the way he¡¯s been behaving. I know you may think I¡¯m crazy, but I just saw him wield swords like he has been training for months when it was the first time he held one. I just feel like my frog is not normal for sure¡­.¡± Leo said, as listening to his words, Raya felt unsure on whether she shouldugh or cry? Why would anyone mistake the mythical ancient swamp frog for just a frog? What was Leo even on about? Pausing for a moment, Raya carefully processed her words before saying ¡°Your frog?¡± ¡°Leo, are you telling me you thought the ancient swamp frog was¡­ normal?¡± She inquired again, just to make sure that she was not misunderstanding him. ¡°Yes of-course¡± Leo said, showing no remorse in the fact that he had taken Dumpy to be amon frog when he first got it, which made Raya feel like she could cry tears of blood. ¡°The ancient swamp frog is ranked second on the mythical creatures strength list. It¡¯s much stronger than dragons and is second only to the Eldritch Duck. It¡¯s one of the most ferocious beasts in the universe, which grows up to berger than mountains upon maturity. A full sized swamp frog can eat dragons for snacks¡­. What about it seems normal to you?¡± Raya replied, as her angry response made Leo feel like he was missing something huge. ¡°Wait, you mean to tell me Dumpy is actually amazing?¡± Leo asked, feeling dumbfounded, as he did not expect such a turn of events. ¡°Ancient swamp frogs are anything but normal. They¡¯re highly sought after and known for their rapid growth and unique abilities. They are also notorious to tame and arebeled as the nightmare of beast tamers¡± Raya replied, as she identally slipped more information than she should have for free. *Thud* Feeling enlightened, Leo leaned against the counter, trying to make sense of her words. ¡°Well, that exins a lot. How much MP will it cost me to get the full rundown on Dumpy?¡± Raya¡¯s voice shifted back to business, though still carrying a tinge of frustration. ¡°For all the information you need on the ancient swamp frog, it¡¯ll be 700 MP. A bit steep, I know, but considering what you¡¯ve got on your hands, it¡¯s worth every point.¡± Leo sighed. ¡°700, huh? Alright, I¡¯ll make the trade. Let¡¯s find out just how special this little guy really is.¡± Chapter 595: Broken Misconceptions Chapter 595: Broken Misconceptions Leo sighed as he made the payment of 700 MP. At this point he wasn¡¯t sure if the information that he would obtain would be worth the price or not, but Dumpy had surprised him sufficiently uptil now for him to take this risk. ¡°Payment received. Now, let¡¯s get to it,¡± Raya said, her tone taking on a more serious note as she prepared to deliver the information. ¡°Dumpy, your Ancient Swamp Frog, is no ordinary pet. It¡¯s ranked second in the mythical creatures list and since you don¡¯t understand what that means, allow me to give you some context¨C¡± Raya said, as she cleared her throat and began blowing Leo¡¯s mind. ¡°Dragons are ranked 6th on that list, Phoenix¡¯s are ranked 8th, Nine Tailed foxes are 13th and the Blizzard Leopard is 29th¡± Raya said, as listening to her words Leo began to doubt his whole reality. ¡°Wait? A Frog with no scales and wings is ranked so much higher than a dragon? And 28 ranks ahead of a fucking leopard? What were thepilers of this list smoking when they made it?¡± Leo asked, still not being able to digest the fact that someone had ced Dumpy higher than a dragon and a leopard in the list. ¡°The list is notpiled by experts, it¡¯s a universe renowned fact, just like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ being the number one yer is a fact on this arc ship¨C¡±read first on website:?0vel1st.c0m. Raya replied, as her response left Leo speechless. Dumpy the croaking frog was this amazing? ¡°The ancient swamp frog grows to an impressive 15 to 18 feet tall within the first 30 days of its life, so you can expect it to be twice as tall as you when it¡¯s in a squatting position by the end of its first month. And even more when it stands up¡± Raya said, as Leo felt his jaw drop open. ¡°Wait¡ª15 to 18 feet in a month? That¡¯s insane!¡± Leo said, as although he had noticed Dumpy¡¯s rapid growth, but hearing the actual numbers put it in perspective. ¡°At that rate, he¡¯ll be bigger than a house in no time.¡± Leo pointed out as Raya chuckled softly. ¡°That¡¯s just the beginning. After 30 days, their growth slows down, but they continue to expand. Eventually, they can grow to be twice the size of an Ancient Dragon. We¡¯re talking about something asrge as a mountain¨C¡± Raya added, as Leo felt goosebumps run all over his body when he heard this. ¡°A mountain? You¡¯re saying Dumpy could end up the size of a mountain?¡± He asked again, as his mind raced with images of his adorable frog turning into a towering beast capable of swallowing whole cities. ¡°Yes,¡± Raya continued, her voice steady as if this weremon knowledge. ¡°In fact, they¡¯re known to drive dragons out of their natural habitats. They¡¯re that powerful.¡± Leo shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Dumpy¡­ stronger than dragons? What kind of monster did I get?¡± Leo wondered, as he suddenly felt stupid for underestimating dumpy for so long and calling it a stupid frog. For 10 days, he had only abused Dumpy thinking he was stuck with a weakling, but Dumpy was actually a universal treasure. ¡°Moving on to their abilities. They have many, however the most important one is that they have an innate ability to nullify mana,¡± Raya added, her voice firm. ¡°Any creature theye into physical contact with loses the ability to cast spells. This makes them particrly effective against dragons, who rely heavily on mana.¡± She said, as although she did not explicitly say that Leo could use him to kill Drogo one day, she implied it as best as she could without breaking the rules. ¡°Nullifying mana? You¡¯re telling me Dumpy can make mages and dragons helpless just by touching them? That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Leo said, running his hands through his hair in excitement, as the more he learnt about Dumpy the more interested he became in the frog. He could hardly imagine the implications of having the ability to nullify mana. At this point Dumpy wasn¡¯t just a pet, he was a walking anti-magic tank weapon. ¡°Exactly,¡± Raya said, a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°But there¡¯s more. Ancient Swamp Frogs are born with the innate ability to either wield weapons or cast spells and based on Dumpy¡¯s talent with the sword, it¡¯s clear he¡¯s abat type. If you train him properly, Dumpy could be a Grand Master Swordsman at the very least¡ªperhaps even higher.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he listened to these words. ¡°A Grand Master Swordsman? You mean to tell me Dumpy can out-swordfight most people in this universe if I train him right?¡± He asked, as Raya nodded, feeling amused on the other end of the call. ¡°They can learn anywhere between 5-7 skills just like humans and can elevate their mastery level too. You can train Dumpy to learn many skills and they need not specifically be rted tobat¡± Raya said, as she informed Leo that Dumpy could be trained to perform many trucks as a pet, which may not necessarily be limited to just a singr field. At this point, Leo began to literally tremble from head to toe as the image of his frog swinging a sword shed through his head. ¡°Oh my god¡­. Dumpy has so much potential? And I was making it fight fucking snakes? I needed to train him like Ben trained me¡­ I need to teach him how to perform vanish instead of teaching him how to stomp snakes¡± Leo said in both tion and regret as he felt stupid now for not having taken Dumpy¡¯s training as seriously as he should have up till now. ¡°What else?¡± He asked, as by this point his perception of Dumpy had been shatteredpletely and he wanted to know all there was to know about his amazing new pet. Chapter 596: Unstoppable Together Chapter 596: Unstoppable Together ¡°What else can my dearest Dumpy do?¡± Leo asked, his tone changing remarkably now that he knew what Dumpy was really capable of. ¡°His poison is another thing you should know about. Even as an infant, a single drop of Dumpy¡¯s poison can kill over 50,000 adult humans. It¡¯s corrosive enough to melt epic-ranked weapons and armor with ease.¡± Raya continued, as immediately an image formed in Leo¡¯s mind where Dumpy just simply spat at a bank locker to melt the metal away. ¡°It can melt epic weapons? How did I not know any of this? That¡¯s terrifying¡­.. wait can it only melt metal or also flesh? Because I let him rx on my shoulders everyday¨C¡± Leo asked as Raya let out a deep sigh. ¡°The ancient swamp frog can secrete poison from both its fang-like teeth and also from its skin. If Dumpy deems someone a threat, it can easily kill them with a simple touch and hence ancient swamp frogs are usually only touched by their masters and no-one else¡± Raya said, as Leo felt shivers all over his spine.update ?y N0v?l1st.c0M He had been mistreating Dumpy without a care in the world, however, one misstep and Dumpy could potentially kill him with just a touch. ¡°Upon full maturity,¡± Raya added, ¡°the Ancient Swamp Frog produces the most potent venom in the universe. Assassin ns pay fortunes to get their hands on even the smallest amount. But it takes them close to 25 years to reach full maturity. Dumpy for now is still an infant.¡± Leo swallowed hard. His frog wasn¡¯t just rare¡ªit was a walking apocalypse. ¡°I had no idea Dumpy was this¡­ dangerous.¡± Leo said, as Raya continued with her exnation. ¡°At around six months of age, they grow sorge they must learn size-shrinking techniques to conserve their energy. Otherwise, they would burn through their fat reserves too quickly. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll rarely see them at their full size unless they¡¯re in battle. However, until they learn that ability you must feed them a lot of food daily so that they can keep growingrger without bing malnourished¡± Raya instructed, as Leo immediately noted that he needed to feed Dumpy lots of food. If there was one thing he did notck as a lord, it was money and the ability to procure food and hence he was not too worried about this part. ¡°And finally,¡± Raya said with a breath, ¡°though Ancient Swamp Frogs can¡¯t fly, they can leap massive distances. In their full form, they can jump across entire countries in as few as ten steps, making them one of the fastest forms of transport in the universe.¡± Leo stood there, stunned, unable to speak. ¡°You¡¯re telling me Dumpy could cover an entire country in ten leaps?¡± It was almost too much to take in. His little frog was shaping up to be one of the most formidable creatures he¡¯d ever heard of. ¡°Yes, in every way, shape, or form, Dumpy is an unbelievable creature with extraordinary untapped potential. However, to make him obey you in the future, you must form a deep bond with him now. I would highly suggest that you purchase a beast tamer¡¯s manual on how to train an ancient swamp frog for a cost of 1700MP. If trained properly, Dumpy can be a master level being in under 6 months and a Grandmaster level being in under 2 years. So please¡­. Don¡¯t let him go to waste¡± Raya finished, her tone gentle but firm. The price of 1700 MP was pretty steep, but listening to thest line where Raya imed that Dumpy could be a master level being in under 6 months and a Grandmaster in under 2, Leo felt like he could not take the risk of not developing such a strong future ally. Hence, putting a stone on his heart, he decided to ept the price and ce an order for the book. ¡°Great choice¡­. The item will be given to you within the game world when you log-in. It will be only avable for the duration of your gamey and will not carry over as a physical copy in the real world¨C¡± Raya said, as Leo nodded on his end. ¡°Alright, thank-you for all your help today¡± Leo said, as he hung up the call. As the line clicked, Leo leaned back against the wall, staring at nothing in particr as the weight of what he had just learned settled over him. Dumpy was no ordinary frog. He was a force of nature and 100 times cooler than Luke and his Griffin. ¡°Hohoho, BrownPudding may be able to fly across the length of the Empire, but Dumpy can go from end to end 50 times in the same timeframe. Hohoho, I love Dumpy¡± Leo said, feeling all giddy inside as he could not be more ted at having such a pet. ¡°Well, buddy,¡± Leo muttered under his breath, thinking of the small, rapidly-growing creature waiting for him back in the game, ¡°looks like you¡¯re a worthypanion for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ after all¡± ¡°In the future people will call us, The Boss and The Frog, Children will hear bedtime stories about us!!! Men will cower in our name!!! and Cowards will pee themselves in our presence!!! Together, we shall defeat Drogo and Anos, and then resurrect Master Ben! Together, we will burn down StrongHaven and melt down their castle! Together, we shall be unstoppable!¡± Leo said, clutching his fist in joy, as he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He had been dissatisfied with Dumpy when he was born, but he was dissatisfied no longer. His frog was awesome! And Leo swore to raise it with love and affection befitting a good boy. Chapter 597: What not to do Chapter 597: What not to do ( Next Day, Terra Nova Online ) Next day, as Leo logged back into the game, his attitude towards Dumpy undertook a remarkable shift. ¡°Dumpy, oh, Dumpy¡­. My beautiful¡­ errr green frog! I am so happy to see you¡± Leo said as he patted the frog on his head with joy. ¡°You have grown so well¡­ is Albert feeding you enough? You¡¯re a growing boy and must eat well!¡± Leo said, as he began rubbing Dumpy¡¯s head a bit harder, with the frog clearly enjoying it. Dumpy closed his eyes and opened his mouth with his tongue rolling out as he shifted slightly from leg to leg as Leo patted his head. ¡°Right¡­. Before we start today¡¯s story time, I have some important business to attend to. So go down to the pantry and have a snack for yourself. I will be done with my work and ready for story time by the time you¡¯re back¨C¡± Leo said, as he instructed Dumpy to leave him be for a while, as before starting today¡¯s training, Leo first wanted to take a quick look at the Beast Tamers Manual on how to train an ancient swamp frog, which he had recently obtained for 1700 MP. ¡± *Ribbit* ¡± Dumpy said, as he jumped off from the spot where he was sitting and went straight out of Leo¡¯s office door towards the pantry as instructed. ¡°Open Inventory¡± Leo said, as the inventory tab opened before him with the Beast Tamers Manual already being inside as promised by Raya. Leo retrieved the item and after skimming through the first few pages of index and acknowledgement, opened the first chapter on how to train an ancient swamp frog. [ Chapter 1 :- What Not to Do While Training an Ancient Swamp Frog ] Leo chuckled while reading the heading, as before exining what the proper method was to train the ancient swamp frog, the author had decided to list out what not to do, highlighting the mistakes that one must avoid at any cost. [ Before understanding how to properly train an Ancient Swamp Frog, here are some things that you must not do while training it! Firstly, never show the Ancient Swamp Frog affection or weakness during the first 30 days of its life. If you praise the frog or make it feel like it is amazing or more talented than you are, it will grow up with an arrogant personality and may not respect its master as it matures ] Leo immediately broke out into a nervous sweat as he read the first page, his mind racing back to how he¡¯d just been fawning over Dumpy, showering him with affection and praise.read first on website:?0vel1st.c0m If he hadn¡¯t bought this manual, his newfound adoration for Dumpy could have set him on a path to disaster as he could have identally made the one mistake he should have otherwise not made. ¡°Oh no,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°I was about to make a huge mistake.¡± Swallowing hard, Leo flipped to the next page, his eyes scanning the words with newfound urgency. [ During the first 30 days, the master must demonstrate practical superiority in terms of skill and power. The master must take the frog out on hunts, and if it kills one enemy, the master should kill three without breaking a sweat to prove his/her dominance. Additionally, it¡¯s important to teach one or two basic skills to the frog while it is still an infant, and the master must learn the same skill alongside it, but must do so even faster than the frog to show that quick learning is normal and that the frog is not exceptional for doing so. ] Leo paused, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He had not taken Dumpy out on practical hunts as of yet and had only kept him inside his manor, fighting snakes and other small beasts. He was apparently making a grave mistake and needed to take Dumpy out in the wild. ¡°So, I can¡¯t just let Dumpy grow naturally and think he¡¯s special,¡± Leo muttered. ¡°I have to constantly show him that I¡¯m better¡­ or he might end up thinking he¡¯s the boss.¡± Leo concluded, as he rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. Beasts were known to learn and master skills faster than humans, but it was crucial for him to make Dumpy believe that as his master, he was simply choosing not to learn new skills, rather than being slower than Dumpy in doing so. This would ensure that Dumpy grew up humble and respected Leo¡¯s authority as its master. Leo sighed, realizing what he needed to do. If he wanted Dumpy to grow up respecting him and following his lead, he couldn¡¯t afford to rx. He had to put on a disy of power and skill¡ªproving, over and over again, that he was the superior being in this rtionship. ¡°Great,¡± Leo said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°No more pats on the head, no morepliments. I¡¯ve got to show him who¡¯s the boss¡­ literally.¡± He closed the manual for a moment, staring into the distance, so far through sheer coincidence he had not shown Dumpy a sliver of sympathy and apparently it was the best approach to train a swamp frog. Although he had done so without knowing what an amazing beast Dumpy really was, he needed to now continue with the act until Dumpy had a mature mind with his position as a superior solidly imprinted within. ¡°Sorry Dumpy, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t love you or that you are unworthy of my love, but I guess it¡¯s time to give you the Jacob Skyshard asshole parent treatment. From now onwards, I must do whatever is necessary to make you respect me properly¡­..¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he opened the book and continued reading. Chapter 598: What To Do Chapter 598: What To Do After reading the first warning chapter, Leo sat back down, the taming manual open on hisp. After his revtion about how to treat Dumpy to help him grow into an obedient adult, Leo felt eager to learn more about the finer details of training his rapidly growingpanion. Hence he flipped through a few more pages, settling on the next chapter: [Guidelines for Proper Training of an Ancient Swamp Frog]. [Feeding Guidelines: An Ancient Swamp Frog¡¯s diet is critical to its development. During its rapid growth phase, it needs a bnced diet of raw, mana-infused meat to ensure its body and mana reserves develop at the correct rate. Overfeeding can lead to bursts of aggression, while underfeeding may stunt its growth and create frustration. Feed it twice a day in moderate portions¡ªno more than three pounds per meal.]update ?y ?0vel1st.c0m Leo nodded, making a mental note to adjust Dumpy¡¯s meals ordingly. Albert had been handling the feeding so far, but Leo had noticed that Dumpy never seemed particrly happy with him. The frog often croaked threateningly whenever Albert approached with his food, despite eating everything given to him. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make sure Albert gets the right stuff¡­ but also figure out why Dumpy doesn¡¯t seem to like him,¡± Leo muttered. [Controlling Aggression Towards Companions: Ancient Swamp Frogs are naturally territorial and may view unfamiliar creatures or even people as threats. If your frog shows aggression toward servants orpanions, this behavior must be addressed immediately. When interacting with others, always make sure that the frog sees you assert your dominance and interact calmly with the individual to signal that they are not a threat.] Leo sighed. ¡°That exins why Dumpy¡¯s been croaking at Albert all the time. I haven¡¯t been around enough to show Dumpy that Albert isn¡¯tpetition.¡± He thought back to the times when Albert had nervously left food at Dumpy¡¯s feet, only for Dumpy to watch him with clear suspicion. [To control aggression, never punish the frog harshly. Instead, use a mana suppression technique or create a temporary barrier between the frog and the target. Reward calm behavior with small treats, but be cautious not to show affection.] Leo grimaced reading this part, he had no mana suppression techniques avable to him, nor did he have any barrier skills that could help him iste Dumpy when needed. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll either have to learn a skill specially for Dumpy, or have to rely on the good old fists¡± Leo muttered to himself as he continued reading. [Affirming Positive Behavior: While you must avoid excessive praise, positive behavior should still be rewarded strategically. When the frog sessfullypletes amand or shows restraint, offer them a small treat. However, ensure the reward feels transactional and not emotional. This will affirm the desired behavior without creating arrogance.] ¡°So, treats for good behavior, but no ¡®good boy¡¯ nonsense,¡± Leo muttered. ¡°Got it. Dumpy¡¯s going to get a lot of snacks, I guess.¡± [Skill Training: In the first six months, focus on teaching your pet a few fundamentalbat skills. Depending on whether your frog is a mage type or a weapons type frog, allow them to practice the sword or spellwork and join them in their practice sessions if you can. If you can, be sure to demonstrate the skill better and faster than the frog, to show that quick learning is expected and not exceptional.] Leo smirked. ¡°Time to be the old rat master from the ninja turtles¡­. ¡± He said, as he took this advice to heart. [Warning: Never allow the Ancient Swamp Frog topete with others for attention or kills. This could trigger territorial instincts and createsting behavioral problems. Ifpetition arises, intervene immediately and establish firm boundaries.] Leo scratched his head. ¡°No other pets to worry about, but I¡¯d better keep an eye on how he interacts with the servants. No more of that croaking at Albert.¡± As he read on, Leo realized how delicate the training process would be. Dumpy wasn¡¯t just a pet that would grow naturally into his role¡ªhe required calcted guidance. This wasn¡¯t something Leo could halfmit to. [Note: A well-trained Ancient Swamp Frog bes one of the most loyal and fearsomepanions a beast tamer can have. But mishandling the training can result in an unpredictable and dangerous creature.] Leo sighed deeply. ¡°No pressure, huh?¡± Closing the manual for now, Leo leaned back and let out a deep sigh. He had his work cut out for him, as training Dumpy wasn¡¯t just about keeping him fed and happy¡ªit was about constant discipline and showing him who was in charge. ¡°Alright, I have a general idea of what to do¡­ only to put it into practice now¡± Leo muttered, as he could hear Dumpy jumping back towards his office after having a meal. The frog was clearly very happy having received head pats earlier, however, the atmosphere within Leo¡¯s office had changed remarkably upon his return. ¡°Is that how I¡¯ve taught you to move? Creating loud noises every time you take a step? As an Assassin¡¯s pet, how can you not learn how to conceal your presence? At this rate, instead of being an asset to me during a mission, you will be a liability¨C¡± Leo scolded, as although Dumpy could not understand why it was suddenly being admonished by the Lord Father, it hung its head in shame. ¡°From today onwards your skill training begins, I will take you in the wild to hunt worthy opponents, but you cannot bring shame to my name. At your age, I could already fight¡­.¡± Leo began, as he seamlessly transitioned scolding Dumpy into a life lesson inspired by his own backstory. Although Leo did not realize it, he was behaving more and more like a father by the day, bing genuinely attached to Dumpy although he could not convey it properly. In order to not spoil him, he pretended to be strict, however, his eyes were soft and at times he had to check himself from letting out a chuckle and breaking character. In a way, ¡®Beast Tamer¡¯ was his hardest actor ss role to y yet, however, Leo grew a lot from the experience. Chapter 599: Hunting in the wild Chapter 599: Hunting in the wild After making Dumpy listen to two hours of his heroic exploits, Leo finally decided it was time to take him out into the open for the first time. Since Dumpy would be fighting monsters today and had already demonstrated some skill with a sword, Leo tied a scabbard around his back and ced amon sword inside, entrusting Dumpy with his first weapon. ¡°Today I give you your first weapon¡­. It¡¯s an acknowledgement that you¡¯re bing a man! You understand? You¡¯re a man now! No longer a child¨C¡± Leo said, as the creature that he assigned Dumpy to be today was a man. It was a different creature everyday, sometimes a dog, sometimes a lion and today he was assigned the role of a man. The duo¡¯s destination today was the open fields surrounding the Barony, which were usually littered with groundhogs and the asional wolf pack. The strength of these creatures was around level 110-130¡ªwhich was formidable for someone unprepared, but Leo knew this was the perfect challenge to start Dumpy¡¯s training.update ?y ?0?el1st.c¦Ïm Dumpy hopped beside Leo, his eyes wide with excitement as the duo left the manor for the first time ever. ¡®Lord Father is taking me out to fight! I¡¯ve be a man now!¡¯ Dumpy thought, sneaking a happy nce at Leo. ¡®I¡¯ll make him so proud today! He¡¯ll see how strong I¡¯ve be!¡¯ Dumpy resolved as he decided to give the uing fight his best. Soon, they reached the outskirts of the Barony, where Leo calmly walked ahead, his eyes scanning the fields for enemies, while Dumpy happily jumped beside him, being unable to contain his anticipation. His little heart raced with the thrill of his first real hunt and the desire for subsequent praise from his master. ¡®If I can kill a wolf, will Lord Father finally acknowledge me?¡¯ Dumpy wondered, as he jumped higher than he needed to, to get a better view of his surroundings. As they reached the edge of a farmers field, a group of level 115 groundhogs appeared in the distance, burrowing through the dirt. Leo looked down at Dumpy and gestured toward the pack. ¡°Go on, Dumpy. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± Dumpy¡¯s chest puffed up as he hopped forward with determination. ¡®This is it! I¡¯ll show Lord Father my strength!¡¯ Dumpy thought, as with a swift motion, Dumpy unsheathed the sword from his back and charged toward the nearest groundhog. He swung the de with surprising precision,nding a clean hit and taking down the creature with speed that made even Leo gulp in fear. Currently Dumpy was around level 65, however, the speed with which it moved was akin to a level 350+ human warrior and this disparity was too shocking. The poor groundhog never even stood a chance as let alone defend against Dumpy, it never even saw the froging. ¡®Yes! I did it! Lord Father will be so proud!¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he looked towards Leo for acknowledgement, however, instead of encouragement Leo looked down on it with conceit. Pulling a few daggers from his own waist, Leo flicked a couple with lightning-fast movements, striking down three groundhogs in a matter of seconds. His de barely seemed to touch them before they fell, lifeless, to the ground as from start to finish it did not look like he expended any effort at all. ¡®What?¡¯ Dumpy thought, it¡¯s cute frog eyes blinking in disbelief as it could not fathom how Leo managed to hit three different targets that were so far apart from each other at once? ¡®How did Lord Father¡­? That was¡­ amazing! He killed three so easily!¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he jumped happily at the disy of Leo¡¯s skill. His master was really as powerful as he portrayed himself to be in his stories and Dumpy could not be happier to follow such a man! ¡°Not bad for your first try, Dumpy. But if it were a young me, I¡¯d kill three in the same timeframe you took to kill one¡± Leo said, as he pulled out an exquisite salmon fish from his inventory and tossed it towards Dumpy. ¡°Nheless, this is your reward for doing well.¡± Leo said, as he began affirming Dumpy¡¯s positive behavior actions. *MUNCH* Dumpy¡¯s excitement returned as he caught the salmon and devoured it in one bite. ¡®Lord Father rewarded me! He rewarded me for the first time ever! I¡¯ll surely do even better next time! And get and even bigger reward¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he croaked happily and danced around Leo in big jumps. *Ribbit* *Ribbit* Leo nodded, allowing Dumpy to celebrate before signaling it to follow him as they ventured further into the field. Soon, they encountered a pack of wolves, much fiercer andrger than the groundhogs, their levels ranging from 120 to 130, as Leo identified them as Dumpy¡¯s next opponents. Leo knelt down to Dumpy¡¯s level and gave him his next instruction. ¡°These wolves are tougher. This time, I want you to use your poison. Just a touch is enough. Let¡¯s see how you handle it.¡± Dumpy nodded eagerly, his tongue flicking out in anticipation. ¡®Poison?¡­ That¡¯s no challenge at all! I finally face the legendary wolf, but if Lord Father says I must use poison, I will, afterall Lord Father¡¯s instructions are absolute!¡¯ Dumpy thought as he charged towards the wolves with a vendetta. At first the wolf pack looked confused watching a big fat frog charge towards them, but then as Dumpy showed no signs of slowing down, a few wolves started to charge towards him too, as they did not take his threatening charge lightly. *Swoosh* As the first wolf lunged at him, Dumpy quickly extended his tongue and touched its fur, barely grazing the creature. Leo, who watched this scene from a distance, clicked his tongue in disappointment thinking Dumpy missed, but to his surprise, the effect of Dumpy¡¯s poison was almost immediate. The wolf stumbled mid-charge, its legs trembling as it lost its sense of bnce. Just a few secondster, it copsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth, as within ten breaths, the wolf was dead. *AWOOOOO* The other wolves sensing that Dumpy was a highly poisonous creature dared not get too close to him, as although they surrounded him and circled the little frog like predators, not a single one had the balls to attack it after they witnessed the painful demise of one of their packmates. ¡®I did it! I killed a wolf! Did you see Lord Father?¡¯ Dumpy wondered, as ignoring the wolves around him he kept staring towards Leo, blinking as he searched for signs of approval in his eyes. Unfortunately however, he found none as Leo only shook his head and flicked his wrist casually to kill five more wolves with ease. ¡°Rule one of the battlefield¡­. Never turn your back at your opponents? What were you even doing looking towards me and not focusing on them? Do you want to die, little one?¡± Leo asked, sounding angry as Dumpy lowered his head in shame. In its mind, it did not consider the wolves to be a threat at all as he could always jump over their encirclement, however, judging by Leo¡¯s tone he realized that he had perhaps done something wrong. And hence, he hung his head in shame. Chapter 600: Where is Ben Faulkner? Chapter 600: Where is Ben Faulkner? ( Meanwhile Lin Mu ) Lin Mu had apanied Ben on his journey from the capital city of StrongHaven to the northern duchy, where Ben had departed for an urgent mission. At first, Ben refused to guide her in her path as an assassin, however, after seeing her continued persistence over the months, he eventually allowed her to call him ¡®Teacher¡¯ and guided her in areas where shecked as an assassin. It was only under Ben that she realized just howcking she was as an assassin, and it was only after Ben began training her that he realized what a normal student looked like. Unlike Leo who absorbed every lesson that he gave him within weeks, Lin had to struggle for months to even grasp the basics as she progressed at a rate simr to Ben himself back when he was a student. Nheless, Lin Mu was more than worthy of his teachings, as after spending 7 months together, she managed to master [Vanish] to basic mastery, now being able to blend in the shadowspletely, like Leo and Ben. ¡°I did it teacher¡­. update ?y ?o?e?1st.c¦Ïm.I mastered this technique!¡± Lin Mu said in joy the day she managed to master the move, as Ben nodded happily to her words. ¡°Will you teach me any other moves? Will you teach me the technique that you used back at the castle?¡± Lin Mu asked, eager to learn some of Ben¡¯s best moves however Ben simply denied this request. ¡°I¡¯m sorry little girl, however, my core moves are a legacy left behind by my ancestors. They can only be passed on to my heir or my direct disciple and the only one who fits that criteria is Jin. Although you call me a teacher. I¡¯m not your master, so teaching you Vanish is as far as I can go¡± Ben said, as he bluntly denied Lin Mu¡¯s request to learn his core skills. ¡°I understand¡­.May I ask a different question as a reward for mastering this technique then?¡± Lin Mu asked, as after thinking for a while Ben nodded in agreement. ¡°Sure, you have earned yourself the right to ask me one question¡± Ben said, as Lin Mu beamed with joy. ¡°Can you tell me what exactly it is that we are looking for in this old abandoned castle with such an extensivework ofbyrinths underneath? Just what is this ce? And why are we here?¡± Lin Mu asked as although they had arrived at these ancient ruins over four months ago, they still had not managed to find whatever it was that Ben was searching for here. About three months ago, they finally found the hidden entrance to the undergroundbyrinth maze, which had provided the two with a wide range of bizzare adventures, however, despite the two of them exploring thebyrinth every single day for the past 3 months, they still did not seem to be able explore it in full. Previously, Lin Mu had tried to figure out Ben¡¯s purpose behinding here a lot of times, however, without having the basic context of what he was looking for here, she could not piece together what this ce really was? ¡°This ¡­.is the headquarters of the previous Assassin¡¯s Alliance, the first one. It was founded well before this Empire ever existed, and apparently it houses the secrets of the ancient Faulkner n¨C¡± Ben began, as after thinking about it for a while, he decided to indulge Lin Mu in a bit of lore. ¡°My father had once told me about this ce and that his father had tried to look for this underground entrance but had never seeded. We were almost convinced that this ce is not real, however, then I managed to master [Mirror World] to an (Advanced) grade and that made me question everything all over again¡ª¡± Ben said, as a soft smile spread over his face. ¡°As a little child, my father always told me that the version of [Kill Strike] and [Mirror World] we know is a much inferior version of the real skill. The Faulkner n was only a branch n of the Nightde family who were the rulers of thisnd before the Empire existed and the original leaders of the Assassin¡¯s Alliance. ording to our history, there should be manuals stored safely till date within the alliance headquarters that can reveal the true secrets of these techniques and hence we are here trying to look for them¡± Ben said, as he candidly admitted the real reason for their visit. ¡°My father always told me that if I master [Mirror World] to the next realm, I¡¯ll be able to summon multiple actual physical clones of myself. But I am the first in over 300 years of Faulkner bloodline to be able to reach this stage. It¡¯s ofcourse impressive, but I had only heard about this stage in lore¡¯s which I thought were never true. ording to the legend, the next evolution of the [Mirror World] skill is even stronger, and at a stage where if mastered, a single man can have the same strength as an army. While the true potential of the [Kill Strike] is unknown. At this age, I may be a washed old man, but my disciple is not. There¡¯s not a drop of Faulkner blood in him but he¡¯s the greatest talent I¡¯ve everid my eyes upon. For him I must procure this technique and master it. Just so that I can continue teaching him for a little while longer¡­.¡± Ben said, as somehow Lin Mu felt a teare to her eye when she heard it. The only reason Ben came on this expedition was so that he could continue being Leo¡¯s master and role model for just a while longer and this sweet gesture made Lin Mu¡¯s heart fill up with warmth. ¡°Jin is lucky to have a master like you¡­.¡± Lin Mu said, as she wiped her small tears and smiled endearingly towards Ben. Chapter 601: Deception Chapter 601: Deception Over the next week, time seemed to fly by for Leo and Dumpy as Leo firmly established his dominance in the little one¡¯s mind. Regr hunting trips into the wild became opportunities for Leo to dazzle Dumpy with his prowess, as he showcased himself effortlessly eliminating multiple opponents at once. With a level gap of over 400, these enemies posed no real challenge to Leo, and he made sure Dumpy understood that. Fortunately, Leo¡¯s efforts had the desired effect on Dumpy, as by now, Dumpy had firmly recognized Leo as the superior warrior, holding him in the highest regard. It was clear in Dumpy¡¯s behavior that Leo had be his ideal, the figure he aspired to emte. As from the way he talked to the way he walked, Dumpy eagerly absorbed everything Leo did, mimicking his actions like a sponge soaking up water. He would now fold his hands while watching a battle unfold just like Leo did, and had learnt how to attack only the neck and heart of the opponent like Leo did with his dagger strikes. For Dumpy, it wasn¡¯t a deliberate effort; he mimicked Leo instinctively, driven purely by the depth of his admiration. His actions weren¡¯t fueled by conscious intent, but rather by the sheer respect and awe he felt for Leo. If Leo admonished him once for walking too loud, he immediately began learning ways to reduce the sound of his footsteps as he walked, to the point where it became an unconscious obsession. If Leo mocked him once for missing his target with an attack, he would continuously practice that strike again and again, just to make sure this mistake did not repeat itself, resulting in him disappointing the ¡®Lord Father¡¯ again. Meanwhile, Leo began to secretly learn the skill [Full Counter] on his time off, as although the beast masters manual said that he needed to train a new skill alongside his familiar, Leo decided to get a headstart on Dumpy before mastering it, just to make sure that he did not make a fool of himself by having Dumpy achieve mastery of it first. Over the past few days, Dumpy¡¯s ability to defeat monsters twice his level without breaking a sweat and the potency of his poison when used, made Leo secretly sweat buckets. Although he did not show it, Leo was beyond impressed with Dumpy¡¯s talent and felt frightened at his absurd rate of growth. Infact, Dumpy¡¯s rate of growth scared him to the point where he had to cheat his way into secretly learn [Full Counter] as it was only when he believed himself to be on the cusp of (Basic) mastery of the skill, that he invited Dumpy to join him for the same. *********** ¡°Okay Dumpy¡­. Today we are going to learn your first skill. It¡¯s called [Full Counter] and if you master it, you will be able to return any attack whether physical or magical, back to its caster at twice the power. It¡¯s a very powerful and practical skill to learn and is almost impossible to obtain in this world. It¡¯s a slightly difficult skill to master and hence, both of us will begin learning it at the same time. Your goal is to just learn the technique as fast as you can. Do not worry if your progresscks behind me, for I am ¡®TheBoss¡¯. It¡¯s only natural that my learning speed surpasses yours¡± Leo said, as he rolled out the skill scroll before Dumpy and began reading all the instructions written within, pointing out all the nuances of the technique to the frog, who looked on with interest. Dumpy blinked, hisrge eyes focused intently on the scroll as Leo read through the intricate details of [Full Counter]. Leo took his time, making sure to exin each key point, though in truth, Dumpy had already begun to memorize the instructions. Despite understanding everything, Dumpy remained still, trying to absorb as much as he could while watching Leo demonstrate the motions required to execute the skill. ¡°See, it¡¯s all about timing,¡± Leo continued, stepping back to create some distance. ¡°You have to wait until thest possible second when the attack is about to hit. Then, using your mana, you need to redirect it. The tricky part is gauging the power and focusing on doubling it before it goes back.¡±update ?y ?o?el1st.c¦Ïm Dumpy croaked softly, as if signaling his understanding, as although there was a flicker of uncertainty in his wide eyes, it kept a positive attitude towards learning something new. ¡°ording to this manual, you will know when you have achieved basic mastery of the skill when your weapon of choice starts to make blue mana covered arcs when wielded, so that¡¯s your ultimate goal. Understood?¡± Leo asked as Dumpy croaked in response. ¡°Very well, I will go to that corner of the garden and begin practicing, while you start practicing here. Let¡¯s both master this technique as fast as we can¡± Leo said, as he pped Dumpy on his back before moving away from his training spot. *Ribbit* Narrowing his eyes, Dumpy began following the same motions as he had memorized from the skill manual, as he put power into his hips and turned them while sting mana into his sword. *Shua* The de sliced through the wind clean, however, no blue light appeared, as Dumpy realized that he had failed to perform the move. *Ribbit* Croaking with determination, he repeated the process again, and again, however, even after the first 20 minutes of training he failed at materializing the move. ¡°Ribbit?¡± it croaked in frustration, as it nced over to look towards Leo, whose dagger was already zing with a vibrant blue color. ¡°RIBBIT!¡± Dumpy croaked excitedly as he once again showered in the brilliance of Lord Father. While he had failed to manifest the move once in the past 20 minutes, Leo performed it repeatedly and with ease, as the difference between theirprehension became clear. Chapter 602: Reversed Roles Chapter 602: Reversed Roles Dumpy observed Leo and his movements closely once Leo seeded in performing Full Counter. Instead of the images in the spell manual, Dumpy felt Leo to be a much better role model to follow, as hemitted all of Leo¡¯s movements to memory. As Leo prepared to execute [Full Counter], his body moved with a fluid grace that Dumpycked. By just watching him perform it once, Dumpy understood that the way he jump started the move abruptly was wrong, and the way Leo did it was more efficient.update ?y N0v?l1st.c0M ¡®Lord Father¡­. His grace is unmatched¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he observed all of Leo¡¯s movements closely. To execute [Full Counter], Leo positioned his right foot forward first, angling it slightly outward at around 30 degrees, while his left foot remained anchored behind him. Then, He bent his knees just enough to lower his center of gravity, creating a firm, bnced stance which could withstand the physical force of any attacking his way. ¡®I see, I was bending my knees too much¡­ I must do it like Lord Father¡¯ Dumpy realized, as he noticed how Leo¡¯s posture wasn¡¯t rigid but instead flowed naturally, allowing his body to move seamlessly. Then, once Leo imagined an attacking his way, He finally gripped his dagger lightly, while his arm remained rxed by his side as he waited for the perfect moment to strike. Here, Dumpy noticed how Leo¡¯s right hand barely twitched¡ªas if his body was preparing for something, but the real power came from elsewhere. Finally, as Leo envisioned the attack nearing him, he rotated his hips slightly to the left, his upper body following while his feet stayed firmly in ce. His right foot twisted inward just a little, and his left foot dug into the ground for stability. All the while, his dagger remained steady, perfectly poised at the right angle, waiting for the crucial moment. Then, as he envisioned the attack reaching him, Leo executed the strike. Snapping his hips forward with precision, his arm followed through in perfect synchronization. Mana flowed seamlessly from his core, down through his arm, and into the dagger, as he created the perfect blue streak. ¡®So beautiful! Lord Father is so powerful!¡¯ Dumpy thought, as having seen Leo execute the move, Dumpy realized that the rotation of the hips was crucial to the technique¡ª that Leo was using his core to generate the torque necessary to channel the energy, while he did not do the same. Dumpy¡¯s wide eyes glimmered with admiration as he watched Leo return to a rxed stance, each step of the move having already been etched into his mind. ¡®I understand it now, the correct angle of the feet, the rotation of the hips, the timing of the strike, and the precise flow of mana¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he croaked in pure tion. ¡°Ribbit!¡± He said as he tried to imitate Leo¡¯s stance, positioning his right foot forward just as Leo had done. Then, bending his knees, Dumpy rxed his body, making sure to loosen his grip on his weapon. Slowly, he twisted his hips, mimicking the way Leo had shifted his weight. His small frame moving with a determination to get every step right. Unfortunately for him however, the first attempt was a failure¡ªas his de remained dull, without the blue glow. But Dumpy didn¡¯t let that deter him. He corrected his stance, remembering how Leo had twisted his hips at the precise moment and tried again, this time more focused than before as he visualized the mana flow in his body. ¡°Haha¡­ that kid has actually grasped the right stance so fast¡­ it¡¯s impressive¡± Leo muttered to himself, watching from a distance as he enjoyed Dumpy¡¯s struggles to grasp the move. Just as he had anticipated, Dumpy was a fast learner, however, while he had managed to learn the stance by copying Leo¡¯s movements, the internal flow of mana needed to perform the technique was not something that could be learnt by copying someone else. It needed a deep understanding of one¡¯s internal mana circuit and flow to learn it precisely and hence Leo expected Dumpy to take at least a few more days to learn it at the minimum. ¡°You¡¯re too slow! I expected you to have mastered it already¡ª even if you¡¯re not as fast as me, show some promise at the least.¡± Leo shouted from a distance, as his words unexpectedly became a catalyst for Dumpy to push through to the next stage, as just as Leo made this jibe, Dumpy suddenly felt it. The mana surged through his small body, and as hepleted the strike, a faint blue glow emanated from his de. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but the technique was there. He had somehow grasped the essence of [Full Counter]. ¡°WHAT?¡± Leo said, as the smug smile that he had on his face was wiped right off. Dumpy, after just a few failed tries, executed the technique wlessly. His small de glowed with a vibrant blue arc as he twisted his body with near-perfect timing, and more shockingly the de¡¯s blue light was just as vivid as Leo¡¯s had been. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Leo muttered under his breath, as he felt his mind grow nk looking at Dumpy. Dumpy had managed to master [Full Counter] to (basic) mastery in under two hours¡ªan impossible feat by most standards, especially since it had taken Leo over 14 hours of practice to achieve the same level and hisprehension was already extremely high. ¡± *Ribbit* ¡± Dumpy said, croaking happily towards Leo, as Leo just kept blinking at him nkly. Within just 18 days of being born, the dynamic between Dumpy and Leo had shifted, as it was the frog who was croaking now, while his master watched on in utter disbelief. ¡°Master Ben¡­. Is this what you felt while training me?¡± Leo wondered, as he finally realized what Ben must have felt when he trained Leo as a master. Chapter 603: First Words Chapter 603: First Words ( 4 dayster ) After Leo understood the level of Dumpy¡¯s genius, he became even more careful regarding his training. By now, Leo understood why the Ancient Swamp Frog wasbeled as one of the most difficult species to train, as having experienced the frog¡¯s sheer genius firsthand, Leo now understood how the frog might lose respect for its master if he/she did not possess sufficient talent themselves. Hence Leo increased his preparedness for every single one of Dumpy¡¯s training sessions, as nning the next training session became a task for him rather than Dumpy actually following through with his training regiment. Nheless, no amount of his training could have prepared him for what happened between him and Dumpy on day21, as on day21 Leo felt his soul nearly leave his body with fear. The day began as usual, as Leo started to boast to Dumpy about his victory in the first rankers event against an unknown army on a battlefield, however, he could never have anticipated what came next. ¡°It was my first timemanding an army¡­ I haven¡¯t been trained to lead one, and I was not allowed to participate in the fight directly. If I could, I would have annihted the enemy army alone, but I was forced to y the role of a general. What next? I destroyed the enemy forces atop the hill, as although it was my first timemanding an army, I guided them beautifully to a victory. You see, leadership, ites from with you? You understand? From within you! It¡¯s like when you¡¯re born a fish you don¡¯t need to be taught how to swim, simrly when you¡¯re born as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ , then you don¡¯t need to be taught how to lead an army because it runs in your blood¨C¡± Leo said, as he greatly exaggerated his own military capabilities to Dumpy who kept blinking and listening intently as usual. ¡°You have to be like a Fish Dumpy! Like a fish¡­ there are something¡¯s in life that shoulde from within you. Do you understand? Are you a fish?¡± Leo asked again, as was his usual style of teaching, however, never in his wildest dreams did he expect to actually hear Dumpy replying with an answer. Hence, when Dumpy replied with ¡°Yes, Lord Father, I understand¡± for a second Leo did not even register that he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand¡­ but don¡¯t get too¡ªWHAT THE FUCK, DID YOU JUST SPEAK?¡± Leo said all of a sudden, as he stumbled back in shock causing a few documents from his desk to fall over. ¡°Yes Lord Father, I have developed my vocal cords sufficiently as of today to be capable of conversing in human speech¡± Dumpy said in a child-like voice, as Leo felt his head be dizzy as he heard his pet speak. ¡°Have I gone crazy? Can I hear the thoughts of all animals now? Or did my pet just learn how to talk?¡± Leo wondered, as Dumpy kept blinking at him in confusion. Dumpy did not understand why the Lord Father was so surprised? It was only natural that a child learnt how to speak eventually, was it not? However, Leo¡¯s reaction made him feel like something was not right. ¡°Boy, just so that I know I¡¯m not dreaming, say something again¡± Leo said, as Dumpy blinked twice before saying ¡°Hello I¡¯m Dumpy¡± ¡°The fuck? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?¡± Leo cursed as he threw his hands towards the sky and looked towards the heavens in exasperation. Nowhere in his beast tamer¡¯s manual was it written that the frog would eventually learn humannguage, however, this was only stupidity on Leo¡¯s part and nothing more. All the mythical creatures were capable of human speech and Dumpy was no different. Just like how a dragon was capable of speaking and writing humannguage, so was Dumpy and it was nothing to be shocked about. However, because Leo never expected it, Dumpy¡¯s sudden response took him by absolute surprise, startling him to the point of cursing. ¡°What is wrong Lord Father, if my tongue has offended you then I will chop it off and offer it to your feet here and now¨C¡± Dumpy said, as watching Leo grow so agitated, he immediately unsheathed his sword and pointed it as his own tongue for chopping off. ¡°Ridiculous¡ª¡± Leo said grunting, as by now he regained his usualposure. ¡°I had always known you could speak boy, I just assumed you were a mute because you had not spoken once in 21 days. I expected you to speak your first words a couple weeks ago¡± Leo said, admonishing Dumpy for no reason as the poor frog hung his head in shame. ¡°Respond to me boy, what took you so long?¡± Leo asked, as now that he knew Dumpy could speak, he did not ept Dumpy hanging his head low as an answer. ¡°Apologies Lord Father, Dumpy is a slow learner and does not match your expectations¡± Dumpy said, as Leo stroked his chin and nodded seriously. In reality, his neck and back were drenched in sweat, however, because of his mask Dumpy could not discern his expression and could only hear his voice. ¡°It is fine. I¡¯m happy you have finally spoken your first words after so long. It gives me great satisfaction to know that you¡¯re not a mute pet¡± Leo said, as his praise made Dumpy¡¯s eye glisten with joy as he looked towards him happily and began shifting from feet to feet. ¡°Now that you can speak, it will make my life training you a lot easier. Nice. You have finally became a fish boy, be proud¡± Leo said, as he patted Dumpy on the head once, making Dumpy nearly burst with joy.update ?y ?o?e?1st.c¦Ïm ¡°Dumpy is a fish!¡± Dumpy said, as Leo nodded in pride. ¡°A fish is nothingpared to a dragon boy, and someday you have to be a dragon amongst frogs. Never forget¡± Leo instructed, as at this point even he had no clue as to what he was teaching Dumpy to be anymore. Chapter 604: Dumpys True Nature Chapter 604: Dumpy''s True Nature Chapter 604: Dumpy¡¯s True Nature After Dumpy learnt how to talk, life became a lot easier for Leo who could now properlymunicate with his frog and listen to what Dumpy really thought about him. To his absolute delight, Dumpy seemed like a genuinely well mannered and obedient boy who never talked back to Leo or disobeyed him. Infact, he always referred to Leo as ¡®Lord Father¡¯ and had a reverent tone when addressing him. All this was a delight for Leo who thoroughly enjoyed the respect, however, unfortunately, Dumpy¡¯s behavior was not the same around others. It was only when Leo took Dumpy out of the manor and mixed him with other NPCs that his true nature as a Swamp Frog came out, as it was only then that Leo realized why the Beast Taming manual put absolute emphasis on making the pet respect it¡¯s master, as Dumpy¡¯s behavior towards anyone he did not respect was absolutely deplorable. On day 22, as Leo took him out towards the open fields just outside the Barony, the two of them passed-by some NPC farmers who politely bowed towards their Baron with joy, however, they had a small child who did not show Leo the proper respect. Somehow, this enraged Dumpy as he pointed his sword towards the little kid and said ¡°Show your ruler some respect, Mongrel¡± in an action which made Leo choke up on his own saliva. The little child immediately began to cry, and Leo had to admonish Dumpy over his behavior, as he had no idea why his frog would even do something like that? However, unfortunately for him this was not an isted incident. From that day onwards, whenever Dumpy came across an NPC that did not show Leo proper respect, Dumpy would unequivocallysh out at them with the harshest of insults. Saying absurd statements like :- ¡°You dare meet eyes with the Lord Father? You filthy lowborn?¡± And ¡°Lord Father, that woman there possesses a fairly broad waist. She¡¯s a prime specimen for your breeding. May I abduct her for you?¡± Dumpy spoke of crimes that Leo could not even begin to fathom, giving Leo an extreme culture shock. While the little one behaved like a cute innocent frog in front of Leo, that side of his personality seemed reserved for Leo and Leo alone. In public, he turned into a raging tsundere beast, who could not tolerate the slightest insult to his Lord Father. The most rming incident, however, happened when Leo and Dumpy were just concluding their training session for the day where Dumpy was fighting against his final pack of wolves. At that point, a yer adventurer party approached them, recording in joy as they found the sword wielding frog to be a real novelty. The adventurers, five in total, were dressed in various sets of armor and gear, each equipped for their task of wolf hunting. Judging by their appearance, Leo assumed they were doing a mission to collect wolf hides for one of the local tailor shops in his Barony and hence paid little heed to them. They didn¡¯t seem particrly impressive to Leo¡ªmid-level at best¡ªand certainly not strong enough to pose any real challenge to him, with his 400+ level advantage over them, however, this negligence on his part was a big mistake. As the adventurer group approached closer, they eventually spotted Leo leaning against a tree trunk too, as their mouths hung out of their jaws when they spotted ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Bringing a finger to his mask, Leo signaled them to keep quiet, as he wanted no-one to disturb Dumpy¡¯s hunt. However, by this point Dumpy had already taken note of the adventurers approaching their location and was observing their attitudes towards his master more than his own fight. Since Leo signaled for them to not speak, one of the yers¡ªa tall swordsman with a cocky grin¡ªwaved casually, as if greeting a fellow yer rather than a ruler and this action of his, caused Dumpy to lose his coolpletely. shing through the few remaining wolves in haste, Dumpy freed himself from the task that Leo assigned him and immediately pointed his sword towards the adventurers. Leo frowned, but before he could say anything, Dumpy showed his true colors. The small frog¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously, his demeanor changing in an instant. The usual soft croaking and mild behavior were gone, reced by a palpable anger that radiated from his small form as he said ¡°You dare address Lord Father so casually, you wretched mongrel?¡± Dumpy¡¯s voice, sharp and venomous, rang out across the field, startling both Leo and the adventurers. Before anyone could react, Dumpy hopped forward, pointing his tiny sword with a fierce re in his eyes. ¡°You filthy lowborn scum! Do you know who stands before you? You dare meet the owner of thisnd without showing the proper respect? Bow now, or face the wrath of my de¡± Dumpy demanded, as his wordspletely stunned the adventurers, who could not fathom that the frog could talk. ¡°Hey guys¡­. I told you to not eat those wild mushrooms. Now I¡¯m hearing a frog speak angrily to me¡­.¡± One of the five adventurers said, as the other ones also questioned their own reality. Everyone began wondering if there was something wrong with the wild mushrooms they consumed, but since the system did not warn them of eating a hallucigen, they believed it to be highly unlikely that this was an illusion.update ?y ?0?el1st.c¦Ïm ¡°This is my final warning¡­. Bow!¡± Dumpy repeated, however, the adventurers, still stunned, only kept scratching their heads in confusion. Finally, as a couple seconds passed after Dumpy¡¯s second warning, he attacked them without hesitation, killing all five adventurers within a couple seconds as the adventurers did not even stand the slightest chance to defend. ¡°Dumpy no!¡± Leoined, as he never thought that his frog would actually attack other humans, as although up till now Dumpy had talked about attacking people who disrespected Leo, he had never really followed through with it until now. However, now that he did¡­. Leo finally understood the true nature of the Ancient Swamp Frog. And it was not as simple as he first thought it would be. Chapter 605: Dumpy Unveiled Chapter 605: Dumpy Unveiled (Next day, The global forums) The incident of Dumpy ying the adventurer group went viral on the global forums, with Dumpy bing an overnight sensation. The video was titled ¡°Weird Ninja Frog is TheBoss¡¯s Pet?¡± And it gained over 20 million views in a single day. Just like Leo when he first saw Dumpy, not many yers could understand what kind of a creature he was, as a raging discussion opened up in thements section about the same, with thousands of yers debating Dumpy¡¯s identity. ¡°Is that a frog? Or a human in a frog suit? Because ain¡¯t no way a frog just spoke!¡± ¡°Man, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has the coolest pet in the game. My stupid pet mount is a horse and all it can do is gallop¨C¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Beast Tamer ss yer and I¡¯ve never seen a pet with this aggressive of a personality. I think ¡®TheBoss¡¯ may be purposefully training it to be a killing machine. He might be the best yer in the game, but what he is doing is animal cruelty¡± ¡°Does anyone know what kind of frog that is? I want one for myself¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what kind of frog that is, but it¡¯s tone of disrespect towards the other adventurers is uneptable. It¡¯s nothing more than a puny frog yet it dares disrespect the most superior species in the universe, the humans? I will catch it and turn it into frog soup¡± (Reply) ¡°Good luck trying to catch and cook the pet of the guy who single handedly defeated thousands of rankers. Sure¡ªThat¡¯s a really smart thing to do¡± Just like every other issue, the inte found themselves divided upon this topic as well, as Dumpy¡¯s presence made everyone feel excited about a new dimension of gaming that they had not explored up till now. Most pets in the game that could be obtained up to this point were only useful for transportation, with the only exception to this norm being a handful ofbat pets with limited capabilities, all others were basically glorified mounts and nothing more. Currently, the belief that most yers had towards pets was that the difficulty of training, feeding and raising a pet to be of sufficient strength was an extremely challenging endeavor with the efforts usually not being worth the results that one obtained at the end. However, now that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was raising one, this caused many to suddenly feel interested. Of Course the question on where to get a pet like Dumpy remained and since everyone began asking around for information on how to get one, the inte trolls immediately got to work and began gaslighting the whole server. ¡°A pet like this frog can only be found by those who can see John Cena¡± ¡°Guaranteed pet delivery! Price ¨C Deliver one honest White House public servant in exchange for the pet¡± ¡°A pet like this can be obtained from the train station 9 and ? by running through the brick wall¡­..ifukuk¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this frog the end boss from Mario? If you want one just offer him a princess to kidnap instead¡± Trollments like these filled thement section under the video and even gathered hundreds of thousands of likes, as theizens made fun of those who thought that such unseen before pets could be captured from their nearestke/swamp. However, while themon yers had such aic reaction to Dumpy, the elite yers of the game had apletely different one. PinkLotus could not understand why ¡®TheBoss¡¯ would waste time training pets when the Grandmaster realm was so difficult to attain? For her, as a Master warrior, it was only natural that one would strive for the next major realm now, however, instead of singrly focusing on that goal, Leo seemed to be interested in training pets which was a decision that baffled PinkLotus. ¡°Why? Why would you waste your time like this? Even after our spar do you still believe I¡¯m nowhere near your strength level and that you still have the luxury to dally around?¡± PinkLotus wondered, as to her it seemed like Leo was not interested in their rivalry at all. While she remained obsessed with bing stronger and defeating him, he did not seem to put her in his eyes at all, which was a frustrating experience for PinkLotus. ¡°Just you wait¡­.. someday you¡¯ll regret wasting this time¡± PinkLotus muttered under her breath, as she vowed to make Leo regret wasting his time training pets when they faced each other in their next spar. Meanwhile, Cervantez could also not understand Leo¡¯s motivations for training a pet? Pets were notoriously useless in the world of Terra Nova and unless one obtained a Dragon Egg that had the potential to be the next ck Dragon Drogo, Cervantez saw no reason to train one. ¡°If it were any other top yer who were making this move¡­. I¡¯d write them off as being stupid. However, since it¡¯s The Boss who is raising this pet, there has to be something more to the story than what meets the eye. Since day1, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has been one step ahead of me in this game and since he is raising a pet, there must be a very special reason for it¡± Cervantez concluded, as unlike themon yers who only looked at Dumpy as a unique circus performer. Cervantez gave him the respect he deserved. Finally, as Leo read the articles that were being published about Dumpy on the forums, he let out a deep sigh as things had seemingly once again gotten out of his control. In his ideal n, Leo had hoped to keep Dumpy hidden until they could join the uing rebellion war together in a few days. However, an unexpected encounter with adventurers forced Dumpy¡¯s presence into the spotlight sooner than Leo had intended. This unfortunate turn of events meant that Leo could no longer take Dumpy to train in the outskirts of the Barony, as after the video of Dumpy went viral, the area became overrun with yers, all hoping to catch a glimpse of Dumpy or challenge him to a fight. Chapter 606: Demon Kings Dream Chapter 606: Demon King''s Dream Chapter 606: Demon King¡¯s Dream (Meanwhile The Demon King) Anos flew through the skies on Drogo¡¯s back, as the two enjoyed a quiet ride through the clouds while Anos thought about the next n of action for the Demon Army. Anos had expected the human kingdom to implode upon itself after his attack on one of its biggest cities, however, to his pleasant surprise the human kingdom seemed to be more resilient than what he gave it credit for. ording to the shamans, who spied on humannds through crystal balls. Not only had the humans managed to hold onto theirnds, but they had also managed to subjugate the elves living in the dense forest, suppressing them through sheer military might before they had a chance to rebel. Unfortunately, this suppression of the elves opened up a way for other humans to rebel against the crown, however, as far as the Demons were concerned the entire Empire was still ruled by humans with there being no change in the ownership. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to judge the strength of humans¡­Drogo. On one hand, we faced next to no opposition from the nobles in the city we attacked. They were all as weak as an ant. However, then there was that man in the ck hood, who nearly managed to kill me with his dagger and killed several of my loyal subjects. If the human side has several men like him, it will be difficult to defeat them¡± Anos said, as he spoke about his worries to Drogo, who listened intently. ¡°If all you seek is destruction, then the two of us alone can destroy the entire human Empire. However if you seek to conquer and subjugate, your army must be powerful enough to do so. If your army is incapable of holding onto humannds that you conquer, or is unable to maintain order. All your effort that went into conquering will be for naught¡± Drogo said, as he did not give the answer that Anos seeked, but gave him the right direction to ponder about. ¡°I know¡­. My armies have underperformed massively against the humans. Us demons¡­.we are faster, stronger, superior to humans in every way, but unfortunately we are not as intelligent. Those weapons of war that the humans produce, the tactics that they deploy, if we could learn those we would be unstoppable, however, my foolish tribe doesn¡¯t understand that¨C¡± Anos said as he let out a deep sigh. ¡°If I could do so without any stigma attached, I¡¯d appoint human generals to lead the Demon Army into war, however, the prideful and foolish high demon¡¯s would never ept it. A species that glorifies death in war is doomed. And unfortunately our fighters seek an honorable death more than a prosperous life¡± Anosined, as Drogo chuckled at his words. Anos was probably the only Demon in the realm who saw both the merits and ws of Demons, while everyone else in thend were convinced that they were the strongest species in the universe. Most demons, took more pride in their race than they did in their achievements, and this social environment had created a social stigma where the demons were not ready to mix with anyone but the demon race. They were not ready to exchange for human technology, they were not ready to learn archery from the elves, or craftsmanship from the dwarves, which was the singr reason behind them not reaching the heights that they could have. If only the demons were a part of an Empire like the ¡®Unity¡¯ Empire, they could have truly fulfilled their legacy as the strongest race in the universe, however, their own foolishness prevented them from reaching that stage. ¡°All races are epted in the unity empire, all but the demons¡­. This is what the First Human Emperor said, and I don¡¯t me him for doing so, for all we do is destroy. There is not one cultural aspect about the demons that¡¯s worth taking pride about yet we are convinced that we are the best¡± Anos said, as he looked towards the sky in shame. ¡°So what do you intend to do about it Anos? As their king, how will you lead them to the correct path?¡± Drogo asked, as for a while Anos remained silent, before finally gathering his words. ¡°After we conquer the humannds, I¡¯ll slowly integrate them into our society. Those who have talent amongst the humans won¡¯t be ves but free men and warriors like that ck robed man will be military generals amongst our ranks. The human emperor may have rejected us, but I won¡¯t reject them. I¡¯ll ept humans under my rule and give them rights and punish those demons under me who break myw. It will take time¡­. Perhaps a couple generations before the stigma is reduced, but one day, I¡¯ll truly make the demons the greatest species in the universe¡± Anos resolved, as Drogo chuckled listening to his words. ¡°That¡¯s a noble pursuit. I approve of it¡± Drogo said, as he felt proud serving a master with such noble ambitions. With him by his side, winning or losing the human war was never a doubt. If they truly wanted, they could fly into StrongHaven tomorrow and kill the human emperor, however, Anos had different ambitions than just destruction. As a visionary leader, what Anos seeked was transformation of the Demon Society and the only way for him to achieve that goal was to conquer humannds the traditional way. If the Demon Society was to change, he needed to bring in new social elements into their world and integrate them into their society, as without the injection of fresh ideas and culture, the current Demon Society was doomed to implode sooner orter, when a powerful leader like him died and created a leadership vacuum. Chapter 607: Last Day Of Training Chapter 607: Last Day Of Training ( One weekter ) On thest day of Dumpy¡¯s initial one month training, he grew in size to be an 18 feet tall behemoth when it stood up vertically on both legs. While squatting like a frog, his height was reduced to only 12.5 feet, however, he still looked nearly twice as tall as Leo and was a towering presence in any room that he walked in. He had in fact grown so tall that he could no longer fit in many of the manor¡¯s rooms, and apart from the main hallway that led to the garden and out, Dumpy could visit no other spots. ¡°I quite enjoy listening to your tales of epic adventures Lord Father and it saddens me greatly that you will no longer entertain me with more such tales¡± Dumpy said painfully, his voice sounding gruff and deep as he voiced his dissatisfaction to Leo. ¡°Tales and adventures are for kids Dumpy, REAL MEN, create adventures together. If you think I¡¯ll keep you sheltered forever, then you¡¯re wrong. It¡¯s time for you to go out in the world now, and write your own story¨C¡± Leo replied, as despite looking puny in front of Dumpy now, he did not lose any of his usual suave and confidence. ¡°By Lord Father¡¯smand, I¡¯m prepared to charge into any battlefield you choose and take part in whatever adventure you set before me. I no longer fear writing my own story, but I do fear losing Lord Father¡¯s protection.¡± Dumpy said, as Leo raised his hand in anger. ¡°You will never lose my protection, but if you think I¡¯ll shelter you forever then you¡¯re wrong. You have to start fending for yourself and grow up. And as your first challenge, I¡¯m going to take you with me to an active battlefield soon. I tolerate your insolence in private, but if you endanger my missions, I will not forgive you boy, you better remember that. I have not yetid a hand on you out of love, but if you force my hand, it won¡¯t be a battle where youe out victorious, believe that¡ª ¡± Leo said, as Dumpy hung his head in shame. After the incident with the adventurer group, Leo had given him the harshest scolding of his life and had taught him the importance of showing restraint. Although his motivations to challenge the adventurers were pure, Leo scolded him enough to ensure that a repeat of this event did not take ce. ¡°I will not fail you, Lord Father. I will show restraint, both to your allies and even to your enemies,¡± Dumpy promised. Yet, despite his words, Leo found his promise hard to believe. Even now, if Albert happened to stumble upon their conversation, unintentionally interrupting them, Dumpy would re at the poor butler with murderous eyes, clearly harboring the intent to punish him for the offense, which made Leo feel like the frog had clearly not learnt his lesson. Nheless, since Dumpy had made his promise, Leo nodded in acknowledgment and began his final story for the moment. This time around, he recounted the pain of losing his master, Ben, and revealed his n to wage war against the Empire, vowing to burn it down for the crime of killing his mentor. It was a deeply emotional story, and Dumpy found Leo¡¯s motivations to wage this said war to bepletely justified. He vowed to take revenge not only for Leo¡¯s master but also for his own Lord Grandfather, as he now considered Ben to be his grandfather after Leo¡¯s story. However, Leo did not take Dumpy¡¯s promise too seriously yet, as despite being an impressive fighter, Dumpy¡¯s skills were on par with a level 350 yer at best, with the added advantage of a remarkable burst of speed. While Leo trusted him to hold his own on a battlefield, he doubted Dumpy¡¯s ability to bring down the entire Empire at this stage. As per the beast tamer¡¯s manual, it would take another six months to a year for a normal ancient swamp frog to reach the level of a master warrior, and a few more years to ascend to the grandmaster realm. These were normal standards, though, and if Dumpy proved to be a prodigy, he could cut this time in half. Nheless, for now, Dumpy was not a key factor in the uing rebellion to seize control of the Eastern Duchy and as a result, Leo assigned him the role of an ordinary foot soldier, giving him the opportunity to gain valuable experience in the art of war. ¡°Come, today, I¡¯ll give you the honor of fighting me in a spar, consider this to be your final direct lesson from me. If you manage tond a single hit on my body, a single scratch, I promise to continue telling you the stories you like for a month more. But if you fail, I want you to remain absolutely obedient in the uing war, epting any role I give you with humility and grace¡± Leo said, as Dumpy looked towards him with eyes full of determination. For him, Leo¡¯s story time was invaluable and he wanted to continue listening to his tales of valor for a month more, and hence he decided to fight Leo with all his strength. However, this was a calcted move on Leo¡¯s part, whereby he wished to end Dumpy¡¯s training by directly establishing his dominance. The gap between the two was stillrge enough for Leo to not break a sweat in the spar and hence he remained confident that no matter what Dumpy tried today, the frog would be unable tond a hit on his body. *Shing* Pulling a single dagger out from his assassin¡¯s belt, Leo took a very casual fighting pose as he did not even look too bothered, while Dumpy drew his sword and clutched it anxiously, thinking about a million attackbinations in his head. The atmosphere between them became charged, as after letting out a deep nervous breath, Dumpy finally charged at his master with the intent to injure him. Chapter 608: Bond Cemented Chapter 608: Bond Cemented Dumpy felt extremely nervous while attacking Leo, as in his head the man that he was attacking now was the legendary warrior Lord Father, who had never lost a battle in his life. This psychological disadvantage yed against him, as it made him second guess his very decision. *Block* *Block* *Block* *Block* Without even moving an inch, Leo blocked his first blitz of attacks without even breaking a sweat, as he casually waved his dagger with a single arm to block all of Dumpy¡¯s hardest swung attacks. *Yawn* Yawning arrogantly, Leo began wiping the tearsing out of his eyes as he looked extremely disinterested in the fight itself. ¡®As expected of Lord Father, such attacks that would kill a pack of wolves don¡¯t even faze him¡¯ Dumpy thought, as he decided to suddenly switch it up and attack Leo with his poisonous tongue when he least expected it. *Slooop* Dumpy extended his tongue, thinking he could catch Leo off-guard from close range, however, he was wrong. Dodging the attack with ease, Leo looked at him with a smug smile behind his mask, as he said ¡°By the time you extended and retracted your tongue, I could have chopped it down into three small pieces. This was a stupid move to make, if it were a real opponent that you were facing, this gamble would have cost you your tongue¡±. Leo¡¯s words startled Dumpy, who became even more clumsy with his attacks, as his self doubt reached his peak. If it were any other opponent, he would not have attacked with so many hesitations, however, since he was Leo and he felt as if the normal attacks would never work against him, heplicated his fighting style more than necessary. *Block* *Block* *Block* Blocking his attacks again and again, Leo made sure to ascertain his superiority in front of Dumpy, as it was only after he saw fear creeping into the eyes of his pet that Leo finally retaliated. *Kick* Kicking his knees hard, Leo forced Dumpy to fall t on his belly, as he came down to one knee. This was the first time that Dumpy experienced a head on sh of strength against Leo and it was only now that he understood the vast gap that separated them both. His legs were his strongest muscle and the reason behind his rapid burst of speed, however, after taking just one kick from his master, they became as good as useless as he could not move the muscle at all. Limping, he tried his best to hold on, however, within two moves, Leo managed to disarm him and point a dagger to his chest, as he concluded the battle with ease. ¡°Is this how you wish to follow me into battle? Is this trash skill backing that massive ego of yours you put on disy for the world? If this trash skill is all you¡¯ve got then the next war is going to be yourst one¡­.¡± Leo said, as Dumpy hung his head in shame. ¡°The Lord Father is too powerful¡­.¡± Dumpy acknowledged, as with this, Leo¡¯s position as a powerful master was cemented in his heart forever. Now, even if he surpassed Leo in strength someday, he would no longer look down on him, ensuring that he obeyed Leo forever. ¡°Indeed, your Lord Father is very powerful, which is why you must surpass him someday. The new buds of a tree grow into new branches that make the tree top even taller, so it¡¯s your duty to surpass the realm that I hold through your hard work and perseverance¡± Leo said, as he expressed his hope of Dumpy surpassing him in strength someday, just so that the frog was clear on what he was supposed to achieve and did not be cocky when he eventually surpassed Leo. ¡°This lowly pet won¡¯t disappoint Lord Father¡± Dumpy said, as Leo nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°Reflect on today¡¯s loss well¡­. We head out for war in two days¡± Leo instructed, as turning his back on Dumpy, he began moving towards his own office. [ System Notification :- Congrattions yer ¡®TheBoss,¡¯ you have sessfullypleted the mandatory mission ¡®Birth of a Beast Trainer.¡¯ Your efforts in training the ancient swamp frog have yielded extraordinary results as the bond between you and your pet has been solidified forever, ensuring lifelong loyalty. Mission Completion Rewards: 1. Dumpy has reached level 250, gaining immense power and evolving into a sentient beast capable of performing critical thinking. 2. Dumpy has unlocked his racial skills: [Mana Nullification]: The ability to negate any form of mana-based attacks/spells from materializing within a limited radius. [Mana Drain]: The ability to absorb mana from his surroundings or from opponents, weakening them while strengthening himself. [Giant Leap]: The ability topress mana in its legs and jump long distances. You have further cemented yourself as Dumpy¡¯s undisputed master, ensuring his obedience and loyalty for all future endeavors. Dumpy will no longer see you as a threat or opponent as long as you don¡¯t abuse him physically.] Leo read this notification feeling a sense of relief, as over the past 30 days, he seriously doubted whether or not he could get Dumpy to genuinely respect him. The Ancient Swamp Frog was so amazing that dazzling it was next to impossible, however, through precise nning and an unyielding attitude, Leo had somehow managed to make the impossible possible, and earn Dumpy¡¯s heartfelt respect. ¡°With Dumpy unlocking his racial traits, he has be a dependable pet. As long as I don¡¯t lose his trust by treating it badly, I¡¯ve now gained a lifelong valuable ally that can perhaps help me defeat the ck Dragon Drogo in our ultimate battle¡± Leo muttered to himself, as with his bond with Dumpy being cemented, he felt a huge burden lighten from over his shoulders. Finally, he could now focus all his attention on his long-time goal of avenging his master¡¯s death without any more distractions. Chapter 609: The rebellion begins ( The day of the rebellion, outside Fort Irond ) Fort Irond was the strongest and most important stronghold in the Eastern Duchy, protecting the most vital trade routes of the region. It was nearly impregnable and had enough supplies to oust a year-long siege with ease and hence, it was vital that this fort would fall and fast, for the uprising to take over the entire Eastern Duchy. Out of all the targets that The Uprising nned to hit today, it was undoubtedly the hardest to conquer, however, that was only if it were a fair fight. With some of the uprising members having already infiltrated the working ranks of the fort staff, this operation was more simple now than it would have otherwise been. Today, apart from the uprising rebels that had infiltrated the staffer ranks, a few thousand of the Uprising members had been instructed to gather a couple of kilometers outside Fort Irond, in a natural lond that prevented them from being scouted by the enemy. Their instructions were to gather at the location before 10 am, and hence the early ones began arriving at around 9 am, while thete ones waited till thest 10 minutes to reach. Amongst those who gathered, some were veterans of past skirmishes, d in mismatched armor and carrying weapons well-worn from previous battles. While the others were fresh recruits, still bearing the nervous energy of the inexperienced, their eyes wide with anticipation. The atmosphere was surprisingly light. Laughter and banter floated through the ranks as small groups formed, sharing stories and idle chatter. A pair of soldiers huddled near a rock outcrop, animatedly discussing thetest video they had seen on the forums featuring TheBoss and his new pet. "I swear, did you see how it wielded a sword? Man, if I had a pet like that, I''d use it to give me fighting lessons," one rebel joked, earning a round of chuckles from hispanions. "Maybe we''ll get lucky, and TheBoss will show up today with that thing," another added, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and yful sarcasm. "Pfft¡­ The big boss doesn''t have time for small-time operations. There''s no way he shows up here" Another added, as the group excitedly discussed their spiritual leader. The mood was infectious, and even the more seasoned fighters couldn''t help but join in. At the front of the gathering, standing slightly apart from the rest, the legionmander raised a binocr-like device to his eyes, scanning the distant horizon where the towering walls of Fort Irond loomed. His expression was stoic, but there was a quiet intensity to his movements, a certain tension that belied the easy confidence of the men behind him. Fort Irond was formidable, with walls that rose high enough to cast long shadows over the nearby forest. Its massive iron gates were closed tight, and from this distance, it seemed like a fortress designed to withstand any attack. But today, that iron fortress was bound to fall. The Uprising had a solid n, and all the legionmander had to do now was waiting for the internal rebels within the fort to give the signal for the other men to charge. Themander''s gaze narrowed as he focused on the g atop the fort''s tallest tower. Currently, it was a white g with a blue cross¡ªthe standard of the Eastern Duchy, flutteringzily in the morning breeze. However, for the Uprising''s attack to start, that g needed to change. Once the Uprising''s red g reced the Duchy''s colors, they would march. Find your story on mvle,mp _y,r. ''It shouldn''t take too long now¨C'' Themander thought, as at sharp 10 am, the rebels inside the fort were scheduled to start creating chaos. ********* ( Meanwhile, Inside Fort Irond ) Within the thick stone walls of Fort Irond, a different kind of preparation was taking ce. For months, the Uprising had carefully nted agents within the fort''s ranks¡ªcksmiths, cooks, even a few low-ranking soldiers. They had lived among themon folk and were now indistinguishable from the rest, waiting for this very day. In the bustling kitchens, the tension was palpable. A pair of cooks exchanged quick nces, their hands working mechanically over the bubbling pots and sizzling pans. One of them wiped sweat from his brow and gave a sharp nod to the man beside him. It was time. They had been waiting for the internalmand, a silent message sent within the guild chat. And when it came, they were ready. In one fluid motion, the cook closest to the stoves overturned a pot of boiling stew, sending mes licking up the sides of the wooden counters. The fire spread quickly, feeding on the oil-soaked rags strewn about, and within moments, the kitchen was aze. Elsewhere in the fort, a group of cksmiths moved swiftly down the main alley, pushing a cartden with explosive ammunition. They had positioned it perfectly, right in the center of the main thoroughfare. And the moment they got themand, one of the cksmiths, his face grim and focused, lit the fuse. The others scattered, vanishing into the shadows of the fort''s side alleys, as secondster a massive explosion tore through the alley with a deafening roar, sending shards of stone and debris flying in all directions. *KABOOM* Screams echoed through the fort as guards rushed to the scene, only to be met with chaos. Meanwhile, near the fort''s entrance, a pair of saboteurs had positioned themselves by the main gate''s pulley system¡ªthe only mechanism that controlled the massive iron gates. When themand to begin the rebellion arrived, they quickly sprang into action killing the unsuspecting NPC guards, as they quickly opened the iron gates. Then, as instructed, with one quick slice of their des, they cut the thick ropes that were attached to the pulleys that opened and closed the iron gates, rendering the gates immovable. No one would be able to shut them now, giving the invading forces a clean path to enter. Through the chaos and confusion, the gman climbed the stairs to the top of the tallest tower, unnoticed in the turmoil. With steady hands, he lowered the white g of the Eastern Duchy and reced it with the red banner of the Uprising. For a moment, it fluttered in the breeze, almost unnoticed. Then, the first horn sounded from outside the fort. ********* ( Back Outside Fort Irond ) The legionmander lowered his binocrs, his jaw clenched tight. The red g had been raised. "It''s time," he murmured, his voice low but filled with the weight of themand. He turned to the gathered forces behind him, raising his arm in the air. "Prepare to charge!" The lighthearted atmosphere vanished in an instant as the rebels straightened, gripping their weapons. Nervous energy crackled through the ranks as they formed up, their eyes now fixed on the looming fortress ahead. The horn red again, louder this time, and with a single, unified roar, the Uprising''s forces began to march forward. Their goal being to take down fort Irond, the fortressbeled the impregnable virgin of the east. ¡ª------ /// A/N - Last day of mass release sponsored by patron Art. This is chapter 1 of 4 for the day. I hope you enjoyed it. /// Chapter 610: Victory As soon as the g atop Fort Irond was reced from white to red, the legionmander immediately issued the order to march. "Charge!" His voice rang out, cutting through the air like the sharpest de, as without hesitation, the Uprising''s forces surged forward, the ground trembling beneath the weight of thousands of marching boots. Weapons in hand, shields at the ready, they charged toward the imposing gates of Fort Irond, determined to bring the mighty stronghold to its knees. For the first few hundred meters, there was no response from the fortress. The rebels moved in eerie silence, the only sound in the air being the rhythm of their steps and the asional creak of armor. The massive walls of the fort loomed ahead, and still, no rm was raised. It seemed as though the infiltrators within had done their job well¡ªuntil the shout came from the walls. "Enemies approaching from the West, I repeat enemies approaching from the West¨C" The cry broke the silence like a crack of thunder. An archer on the wall spotted the approaching army, and in an instant, chaos erupted within the fort. More archers rushed to their posts, grabbing bows and nocking arrows with frantic haste, as the fortmander shouted orders from within, his voiceced with urgency. "Archers! Ready your bows! We must hold them off!" By this point, the Uprising forces had closed their distance to the fortress to under 800 meters with the rm havinge toote for the defenders. Panic surged through the ranks of the defenders as they scrambled to man the walls, their movements hurried and disorganized. A few secondster, with arrows drawn, the fort''s archers let loose the first volley. The sky darkened momentarily as the arrows soared through the air, descending upon the charging rebels like a deadly rain. Hundreds of Uprising soldiers fell in the first wave, pierced by arrows that found gaps in their armor. Bodies hit the ground with sickening thuds, and cries of pain and death filled the air. But the Uprising''s legionmander pressed on, unfazed by the casualties, as his eyes remained fixed on the gate. "Return fire!" he roared, as the Uprising''s archers, now within range to counterattack, unleashed their own volley. Though fewer in number, their arrows were well-aimed, and soon the fort''s defenders began to fall, archers toppling from the walls as the counterattack found its marks. Join themunity at m,vlemp _yr. Meanwhile, within the fort, themander''s face grew pale as he realized the enormity of the threat. The Uprising forces were closing in fast, and the main gates were wide open¡ªsabotaged by the infiltrators, giving him no time to waste. "Form the phnx at the gate!" he shouted, rallying his soldiers, as the heavy infantry rushed forward, their armor clinking as they formed a wall of shields and spears at the gate. The phnx¡ªa formidable defensive formation¡ªwas theirst hope to hold the line and keep the rebels from pouring through, as themander knew that if the rebels poured in then this battle was as good as over. "Open the back gate, send a rider to the Duke. Inform him about our situation¡ª" The Fort Commander said, as he sent one of his fastest riders towards the Eastern Capital City, in hopes of securing reinforcements at the earliest. Although he knew that holding the fort till the reinforcements arrived was going to be hard, he knew it was his only hope. "Hold the line!" He cried. "Do not let them through!" He said desperately, as he prayed for his men to hold strong. *CRUNCH* *BATTLE SOUNDS* Soon, the first wave of Uprising soldiers crashed into the phnx, and for a moment, it held. The defenders braced themselves, spears thrusting forward to impale the oing rebels. Shields locked tight, as the sh of steel echoed through the courtyard. "HOLD¡­. HOLD MEN HOLD¡­. PUSH!" The fortmander said, however, although the phnx held strong for a brief moment, it was obliterated just secondster as the opposingmander, the leader of the uprising, cast a powerful spell blowing the front line of the phnx open. *BOOM* With a single, devastating attack, he killed at least a couple dozen men, with many more being sent flying in all directions. The phnx, now shattered, could not hold the charge of the uprising rebels, who poured into the fort like ants. The defenders, now inplete disarray, struggled to regroup, but the sheer number of rebels crashing through the gates was too much to hold back. Arrows still rained down from the walls, but the Uprising''s archers responded in kind, thinning the ranks of the fort''s defenders with each volley. The sh of swords and shields filled the air as the battle turned into a brutal melee. The fortmander, sword in hand, fought alongside his men, but he could clearly see the impending writing on the wall. Fort Irond was falling, and there was little he could do to stop it. The rebels pressed forward relentlessly, cutting through the defenders with fierce determination. The once mighty walls of the fort, so formidable in appearance, now felt more like a prison, trapping the remaining soldiers as the Uprising forces advanced. The battle raged for hours, but by the time the sun began to set, it was over. Fort Irond, the impregnable stronghold of the Eastern Duchy, had fallen. The red banner of the Uprising now flew proudly over the walls, its tattered edges pping in the evening breeze. The courtyard was littered with the bodies of the fallen¡ªboth Uprising rebels and fort defenders alike. Blood stained the stone floors, and the air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and death. The Uprising''s legionmander stood in the center of the courtyard, surveying the aftermath. His soldiers, exhausted but victorious, raised their weapons in triumph, their cheers echoing through the fort. But themander did not join in the celebration. His eyes were already on the horizon, knowing that this victory was just the beginning. The real goal of his group was to control the entire Eastern Duchy. ¡ª------ /// A/N - Chapter 2/4 for the day. Enjoy! /// Chapter 611: A burning city ( Meanwhile at Briarhelm ) At the same time that Uprising forcesunched their attack on Fort Irond, another wave of destruction swept through the heart of the Eastern Duchy¡ªand the home of the Eastern Duke, Briarhelm. As the assault on the fort unfolded, chaos erupted simultaneously within the city. Without warning, six fires zed to life in key locations, shattering the morning calm. The granary, the town hall, the library, the barracks, the city administration office and the sewage nt, were all engulfed in mes, marking the beginning of a well-orchestrated assault on the city itself. *Sizzle* *Sizzle* As the fires raged, the infiltrators left behind a gruesome disy. In front of each burning building, a message was scrawled across the walls in thick, dripping blood. The words left behind being clear and haunting: "The corrupt nobles of thisnd will be judged for their crimes." Beneath each messagey the bodies of the city''s guards and soldiers¡ªpiled high in front of the mes like a grotesque monument. The guards had been silently killed, their throats slit or their bodies crushed, and their blood was used to write the warnings. The sight was horrific, enough to freeze the hearts of any who saw it. Civilians, curious at first, began gathering near the burning buildings, trying to understand what had caused the fires. But as they neared and saw the bloody writing and the bodies of the fallen, panic set in. Gasps and cries of terror spread through the growing crowd, as the entire city was slowly thrown into chaos. "By the gods... what is happening?" a woman whispered, clutching her child close as she stared at the bodies. The message, paired with the sight of the dead soldiers, sent fear rippling through the citizens of Briarhelm, as within minutes, mayhem began to unfold. Screams rang out as people ran from the scenes, desperate to escape the city now engulfed in fire and fear. Meanwhile, inside the Duke''s manor, the East Duke Victor remained unaware of the fires burning in his city. Messengers were dispatched from various parts of the city, each one racing to the Duke''s estate to bring him the dire news of the fires and the dead guards. But unfortunately for them, none of those messengers were scheduled to make it. As they rode through the city streets, they were quietly and swiftly ambushed by Uprising infiltrators disguised as ordinary civilians. The messengers, expecting no trouble from the crowds, were taken out before they could raise the rm, as des shed in the shadowed alleys, and blood spilled onto the cobblestone streets as one by one, the Duke''s messengers fell. The civilians going about their business in the streets continued, unaware that the person walking next to them could be an agent of the Uprising, as the infiltrators, dressed like ordinary townsfolk, melted back into the crowds, leaving no trace of their involvement. Soon, word of the fires spread and panic began to ripple through the city''s defenses. Guards and soldiers, already spread thin due to the redeployment of many forces to the Demon front, found themselves overwhelmed by the chaos. As they tried to rally and organize the crowds, another problem arose on the ethical question of who could they trust? Uprising members, dressed as civilians, began attacking guards in the streets. Some guards were stabbed from behind, their attackers blending into the crowds before anyone could react, while the others were assaulted in broad daylight, but by the time the defenders turned to face the assant, they found themselves looking at a sea of ordinary citizens. "Who did that?!" one guard shouted, clutching his bleeding arm as he scanned the street, his eyes wide with terror. "Which one of you did that?!" The people around him backed away, their faces nk with confusion. But the guard couldn''t help but wonder if they were truly innocent or were they hiding something more sinister? Unfortunately for them, no one could tell anymore, as even the civilians began using one another of being a rebel. Soon, paranoia swept through the defenders, as soldiers hesitated to approachrge crowds, feeling unsure of who was friend and who was foe. Their orders were muddled, and with nomunication reaching the Duke, the guards had no clear direction on how to proceed. To make matters worse, the civilians of Briarhelm, already panicked by the fires, began to turn on the guards themselves. Some took up arms, either incited by the Uprising''s infiltrators or out of their own desperation, adding to the violence, as within just a couple hours, the once orderly streets became a battleground, not between armies, but between the city''s own people. The fires which once started at key locations soon started to spread to other neighboring buildings too, continuing to burn strong as the strong winds carried the mes further. Meanwhile, inside the Duke''s manor, the realization that something was terribly wrong began to dawn on him, though it came toote. Theck of messengers, the distant sight of smoke rising over the city¡ªit was only now that the Duke started to understand the scale of the disaster. But the Uprising''s n was working perfectly. The defenders were too disorganized to respond effectively, and the fires, the killings, and the terror had done their job. The city was in chaos, its morale shattered. "What''s going on here? Someone tell me what the hell is happening to my city?" Duke Victor screamed in anger, however, it wasn''t until 20 minutester that he got the very confusing preliminary report. "What is this? Soldiers killing soldiers? Civilians killing soldiers? Soldiers scared to control rioting crowds?" Victor asked, as he mmed the report on his desk and looked at his scout with eyes of pure rage. "Summon the bannermen! Summon them all. Ask them to march to Briarhelm at once!" He ordered, as panicked by the situation, Victor yed straight into the hands of the uprising. wee to mvle mp,y,r ¡ª------- /// A/N - Chapter 3 of 4 for the day, Enjoy! /// Chapter 612: Summons Chapter 612: Summons ( Meanwhile Leo ) Leo waited patiently in his manor, with his army assembled and ready outside, awaiting their lord¡¯s marching orders. The air was tense with anticipation, but Leo remained calm, knowing that the time for action was near. ording to the internal chat of the Uprising, the tri-front war was progressing splendidly, with every aspect of the n unfolding smoothly as of 1:00 PM. Reports confirmed that the attacks were well-coordinated, and so far, no major setbacks had urred. By Leo¡¯s calctions, the Duke should have already sent a messenger riding a winged mount to notify all the bannermen. That messenger was likely soaring through the skies toward his Barony at this very moment, and Leo knew it wouldn¡¯t be long before he arrived with the formal summons to march. ¡°It¡¯s good to know that I can count on the loyalty of my army to support me in this war. They have decided to betray the state not only because I¡¯ve fed their families and treated them well when no-one else would, but also because all of them loved Ben as their instructor. Ben has trained many of these NPC men personally and his absence is dearly felt by all¨C¡± Leo mused, as he was happy to know that his men had all decided to join him on his rebellion, knowing full well that the consequences of such a decision would be dire. Out of the 25,000 men under hismand, 21,000 had decided to join the rebellion, while a measly 4000 decided to back off from such an operation. Since Leo had promised that no harm woulde to those who walked away, he followed through on that promise and did not persecute them for desertion, however, he also did not let them keep their jobs as active members of the army and fired them all. He had no use for men who were more loyal to the Empire than to him and hence he felt it best to part ways here. At 1:10 pm, just as he had anticipated, a winged messenger urgently rushed into his manor, bringing an urgent message from the East Duke. ¡°My Lord¡­ My Lord!¡± The winged messenger said, as he stumbled into Leo¡¯s office, his voice trembling with urgency as he bowed deeply before Leo. ¡°What is it? Why do you look so pale?¡± Leo replied, showing genuine concern, as he looked up from his pile of documents, pretending that he was busy doing administrative work before the messenger arrived. ¡°My Lord, it¡¯s Briarhelm! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s in mes!¡± The messenger gasped for breath, his hands shaking as he pulled a sealed letter from the Duke¡¯s sigil. ¡°The city burns¡ªfires have erupted across key locations, and the Duke has called for all his bannermen to assemble at once. We need reinforcements, my Lord! The situation is dire.¡± Leo remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. The news of Briarhelm¡¯s mes did note as a surprise¡ªafter all, it was part of his n. But he had to y his role carefully, and hence, rising slowly from his chair, he took the sealed letter from the messenger¡¯s trembling hands and read it with a practiced frown. ¡°Briarhelm¡­ in mes?¡± Leo¡¯s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper as he looked up from the letter, his gaze cold and fierce. ¡°How could this happen? And under the Duke¡¯s watch no less!¡± He said, mming the letter onto the table, as he pretended to be enraged. ¡°I gave my loyalty to the East Duke, and now our greatest city is in grave danger!¡± The messenger flinched, dropping to one knee, his eyes wide with fear. ¡°My Lord, please, the Duke needs your support. He calls on you to march at once, the current forces within the city cannot be trusted, we cannot tell friend from foe, making it a bloodbath!¡± Leo let the silence stretch, allowing the weight of his false anger to sink in. His mind, however, was already several steps ahead. This was exactly the moment he had anticipated, the moment when he would be summoned to ¡®save¡¯ the Eastern Duchy. ¡°Very well,¡± Leo growled. ¡°I will not stand idle while the Eastern Duchy burns¡± The messenger¡¯s face brightened with relief. ¡°Thank you, my Lord! The Duke will be forever in your debt for your swift action!¡± He said, as Leo nodded in acknowledgement of his words. ¡°How many baronies have you informed already? Are there other messengers deployed?¡± Leo asked, as the messenger took out a list and began replying to Leo honestly. ¡°I¡¯ve informed 2 others and there are 8 more on my list. There is another messenger as well, with 10 total baronies on his list¡± The messenger said, as Leo smiled under his mask. *Kek* *Thud* The moment Leo gathered all the information that he needed from the man, he killed him immediately, preventing him from rying the message further to the eight pending baronies. ¡°Apologies my friend, I cannot let you run off too the others, it will only make my job of conquering the whole Eastern Barony harder.read first on website:?0vel1st.c0m Aside from me, 12 other bannermen will answer the Duke¡¯s call¡­. That¡¯s enough men to ughter for sure¡± Leo said as he squatted next to the dead messenger and took a peek at his list. Thankfully, out of the 8 baronies left on his list, 5 were genuinely strong ones, making Leo¡¯s job even easier, as they were not going to be participating in the uing battle anymore. ¡°The stars have aligned perfectly for me¡­. Today is going to be the start of my revenge on the Empire!¡± Leo said, as he clutched his dagger in excitement, swearing to drench it in the blood of a thousand enemies today. Chapter 613: The march Chapter 613: The march (Leo¡¯s POV) The sight of 22,000 men marching out of the Barony was one to behold. Columns of soldiers, disciplined and dressed in uniform, snaked through the town streets and out toward the horizon. The rhythmic thud of boots hitting the cobblestones echoed through the town like the heartbeat of a great beast, which sounded steady and unyielding. The townspeople,moners who knew many of these brave warriors marching today, gathered along the streets to bid them farewell. Some stood in awe, eyes wide as they took in the spectacle of such a vast force, while others whispered among themselves, no doubt wondering what battlesy ahead for their lord¡¯s army? The direction that the army marched in today was not the Eastern Boundary where the Demon War was currently ongoing, but rather the opposite direction towards the West, which confused themoners as to what was going on? Some tried to ask where the army was headed, however, none of the disciplined soldiers revealed any information about their operation.Fastest update ?y ?0vel1st.c0m The front of the army was led by the cavalry, which consisted of mounted soldiers who sat tall atop their armored beasts. Their horses, adorned in steel and leather, snorted and pawed at the ground as they moved with a regal gait. The afternoon sunlight glinted off theirnces and shields in what was an undeniable disy of power and authority. Behind them came the infantry, rows upon rows of soldiers in chainmail and te, their spears and swords held firmly at their sides. Their faces were hardened, eyes set forward, but even the most stoic among them couldn¡¯t hide the energy in the air¡ªanticipation, fear, excitement. The army was a mixture of seasoned veterans and fresh recruits. The veterans walked with a calm, confident step, their movements fluid and measured, while the recruits, though nervous, tried to mirror their discipline. Supply wagons rumbled at the rear, heavy with provisions and equipment, their wooden wheels creaking under the weight as they were pulled by sturdy oxen, slow but unwavering in their pace. Amid the ranks, near the very end of the column, walked Leo, his steps in sync with the infantry soldiers beside him, as just like them, he marched on foot too, refusing the privilege of riding. By his side was Dumpy, who hopped along with a determined rhythm, hisrge eyes surveying the soldiers around him with keen interest. In terms of pure excitement, he was probably the most excited amongst the bunch to head to war, however, his excitement stemmed from his naivety rather than bloodlust. Having only listened to Leo¡¯s tales of valor all his life, he was excited for an adventure of his own and did not understand what the true horrors of a battlefield were. However, his cheery mood was a big relief for Leo, as thest thing he wanted was for his pet frog tosh out at his men, for absolutely no valid reason. ********** Two hours passed by quickly, and the army covered an impressive distance of 45 kilometers in those two hours. It was almost 4pm now and the sun had begun its descent from the high skies. The army was still a good two hours¡¯ march away from Briarhelm, however, enroute they now found themselves merging with the forces of Viscount George, who was also responding to the emergency distress call. Viscount George, a man of striking stature with a grizzled beard spotted Leo among the marching ranks and wasted no time in approaching him as with a nod of acknowledgment, the Viscount gestured for Leo to walk with him. ¡°Lord Boss,¡± George began, his voice deep andmanding, yetced with respect. ¡°I¡¯ve heard much of your exploits¡ªthe winner of the Grand Tournament, and the man who turned a forgotten barony into a ce of strength. I¡¯d value your opinion on what we¡¯re walking into at Briarhelm.¡± He said, as he seeked Leo¡¯s opinion on what the situation seemed like to him. Leo, ever conniving, nodded slightly as he said. ¡°I¡¯m honored that the Viscount has heard about me. What concerns you most about Briarhelm?¡± The Viscount let out a low grunt, clearly displeased with the situation. ¡°To me it seems like the Duke has allowed chaos to fester. I can¡¯t understand how he¡¯s lost control of Briarhelm while being within the city? To be unable to distinguish friends from foe? How did he even let the situation get so bad that there are rats nted within his ranks?¡± The viscountined, as Leo almost stifled a chuckle. If he was not wrong, ording to ChaosBringer¡¯s report to him, there were roughly 100-200 Uprising agents nted within every major Bannerman¡¯s army in the Eastern Duchy, with the Viscount¡¯s army being no exception to the rule. When the backstabbing would begin, his army would face the same fate as the forces in Briarhelm, however, the foolish viscount just didn¡¯t know it yet. ¡°What¡¯s worse is that a massive fire seems to have spread citywide, which is causing panic amongst themoners. The messenger said that the army is trying to impose a curfew, but how can they impose a curfew if the city is burning? Of-course they can¡¯t expect the citizens to stay within their houses as they burn!¡± Georgeined, as Leo listened to hisints intently, nodding in agreement. ¡°From what I¡¯ve gathered,¡± Leo began cautiously, ¡°Briarhelm has be a battlefield of ideologies, not just swords. The rebels have mastered deception and have embedded themselves deeply. The Duke¡¯s inability to root them out is a sign that they¡¯ve infiltrated every level of his administration.¡± Viscount George spat on the ground in frustration. ¡°Rebels,¡± he growled. ¡°Scum. Traitors to the Empire. They¡¯ve infested ournds, turning good men against their lords. They¡¯re a gue, poisoning the minds of the weak. Their cause is nothing but folly. These rats hide in the shadows, iming to fight for justice, but all they bring is ruin.¡± Leo nodded thoughtfully. ¡°They¡¯ve certainly mastered the art of subversion. In Briarhelm, they¡¯ve twisted the loyalty of the people. The Duke faces an invisible war, and that¡¯s why he can¡¯t distinguish his allies from his enemies.¡± Viscount George scoffed, clearly unimpressed with the Duke¡¯s handling of the matter. ¡°The Duke¡¯s weak. In my father¡¯s time, such vermin would be rooted out and dealt with swiftly. But these days? Too much softness. Too much diplomacy.¡± He said, as Leo kept nodding trying to fan the mes. ¡°I agree, it¡¯s a disgrace that we have to serve such a weak Duke. Once all this is over, us bannermen should all gather and discuss if Victory even deserves our loyalty or not¡± Leo said, testing the waters with George, whose eyes beamed up at the mention of this idea. ¡°We should surely do it. Victor needs to understand that he is too weak to lead us in these troubled times and that we need more powerful leadership. s, it¡¯s unlikely that he gives up power¡± George said, shaking his head, as although he called rebels vermin just moments ago, he had no qualms about nning a rebellion of his own when presented with an opportunity. Such was the world of nobles, they spoke of loyalty, honor, and justice, yet schemed for power the moment an opportunity presented itself. Leo found their hypocrisy amusing, if not predictable. They condemned the rebels as traitors, yet when the topic shifted to the Duke¡¯s supposed weakness, Viscount George didn¡¯t hesitate to entertain the notion of rebellion himself. The nobles prided themselves on their integrity, yet Leo knew better. Every one of them was an opportunist, seeking to advance their position, regardless of the cost. They chastised the rebels for undermining the Empire, yet had no qualms about betraying their own liege lord if it meant gaining an inch of power. It was almostical for Leo as to how¡ªGeorge, so quick to speak of loyalty to the Empire, was already thinking of ways to fracture it further once the crisis surrounding the rebels had been subdued. Nheless, Leo kept his amusement to himself, his face an unreadable mask. He¡¯d learned long ago that to survive in this world, one had to y the same game, and hence let George continue his tirade, already thinking of how to manipte this new avenue to his advantage. In the end, Leo knew, it was not loyalty that would win the day, but cunning. And in that, he had no equal. Sooner, rather thanter, George and his army of 25,000 was going to be dead, and it would be the same men beside whom they were marching shoulder to shoulder today that would do it. In a world filled with opportunists, the true puppeteers were those who could turn hypocrisy into advantage, and Leo intended to y his hand wlessly. Fate, it seemed, had a dark sense of humor, and Leo couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing, as the same man who hated rebels to his core was now unknowingly marching shoulder to shoulder with an army of them. Chapter 614 Reaching Briarhelm 614 Reaching Briarhelm Leo was greeted as a hero upon his arrival at Briarhelm. Around 6 p.m., just as the sun was beginning to set, Leo reached the capital of the Eastern Duchy, where the gates swung open to wee him. A few minor barons had arrived earlier with small forces of only a few thousand men each, but it wasn''t until Leo and Viscount George appeared that the East Duke truly felt a sense of relief. "Baron Boss, Viscount George, wee to Briarhelm, thank-you for responding so swiftly to my call" East Duke Victor said, as both Leo and George bowed in respect. "We must act swiftly now, for the rebels are making the situation worse with each passing minute. I''ve already given an order to recall the local defending forces and my army back to the periphery of the city, so every armed man that you encounter on the streets today can be considered an enemy. What I want you to do now is sweep the city sector by sector with your troops and force the civilians who are not affected by the fire back into their homes, restoringw and order at once. I cannot trust my own men, and will need additional help from you once we have regained control over the city, however, the first thing we must achieve is control over the streets¨C" Victor said, as he shared his n with George and Leo. It was a wed n, and Leo could see through it with ease. The n did not take into ount those citizens whose houses were burning in fire and had nowhere else to go? If suppressed for no reason under such stressful times, they would undoubtedly grow to resent the Duke in the future, however, Victor did not seem to care about such details. For him, restoring thew and order of the city was his only priority, and hence he did not care about the means necessary to achieve it. "Worry not my Lord, I''ll deploy my forces at once. They will help restorew and order in the city" George said, as contrary to how he talked about Victor behind his back, whilst in his presence, he became as obedient as a dog. "I will too, however, before I deploy my forces, I''d like to go to a vantage point and survey the condition that the city is in, before I make the deployment. This is so that I can identify the areas that have be the most violent and the areas that are the worst affected by the fires. But worry not my Lord, once I have the data I need, I will also act swiftly to quell rebellion" Leo said, as the Duke nodded understandingly to his request. It was a sensible decision to scout the area before deploying the army and hence Victor suggested that the two of them do it together. "A very reasonable request Baron Boss¡­. Let''s go to the highest point in my manor which couples as a viewing deck for the city. From there we should get a good look at the whole city" Victor said, as he invited Leo to his own Manor''s viewing deck. "Thankyou¡­" Leo said, as he gracefully epted the offer and began following Victor towards his manor, much to the annoyance of George who wanted to use this chance and cozy up to the Duke himself. On their way towards the viewing deck, the East Duke began his rant on the rebels, much to the annoyance of Leo, who had no interest in his hateful words. "These fucking rebels," East Duke Victor spat angrily, his face contorting in disgust. "They''ve infected every corner of the Empire, corrupting the minds of the weak. Traitors, every single one of them! They''re like rats, gnawing at the foundation of our civilization. But I''ll have them all ughtered, burned out of their holes! If it were up to me, I''d hang everyst one of them from the gates!" Victor''s rant continued, his voice growing more venomous with each word, but Leo barely heard any of it. The Duke''s rage-filled words were little more than background noise, drowned out by the dark thoughts swirling in Leo''s own mind. ''How should I kill him?'' Leo mused, his expression remaining neutral, though an evil smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. The thought of plunging a dagger into the Duke''s back, clean and efficient, was tempting. A single swift strike between the ribs, piercing his heart in an instant, seemed like a quiet, ssy end to an arrogant man. However, if he followed this method of assassination, he would miss out on the Duke''s expression as he betrayed him, and Leo really wanted to see his face when he plunged that dagger, as he wanted to say that this one was for his master ''Ben Faulkner'', to the Duke before he died. Hence he wondered if something slower, more¡­ entertaining would be a better option to choose? As to what it could be, Leo''s thoughts drifted to Dumpy''s lethal poison. Just a single drop on the edge of his dagger coupled with a small cut¡ªbarely a nick on the Duke''s skin¡ªwould be enough to make the Duke writhe in agony as the poison coursed through his veins. Leo imagined the man''s face contorting in fear and pain, the once-proud Duke reduced to a pitiful figure gasping for mercy, and the idea seemed almost too delightful to pass up. However, there was always the most straightforward option¡ªslicing the Duke''s head clean off. Decisive. Quick. And it would make a point as instead of telling the Duke why he died, he could then use his head as an example for the world to understand why he died. ''Hmm¡­. What should I pick? Should I eenie, meenie, mini, mo my way into this?'' Leo wondered, as Victor''s voice droned on in the background, oblivious to the fact that the man walking beside him was nning a most gruesome death for him. The Duke had no idea he was living on borrowed time, each step bringing him closer to his end. As they finally reached the viewing deck of the manor, the chaos of Briarhelm unfolded before them. The city was aze, dark smoke rising into the twilight sky, as fires raged across thendscape, consuming buildings and spreading panic among the people below. Screams and shouts echoed from the streets, adding to the already oppressive atmosphere, as the city, once a symbol of order and prosperity, was now a portrait of utter chaos. Leo stood beside the Duke, gazing down at the burning cityscape, his mind still preupied with the question: ''How should I end him?'' As shockingly, even in the face of such horror and tragedy, Leo did not feel an ounce of sympathy for those who suffered below him. Unlike Luke, who had a kind heart and an inherently righteous personality, Leo possessed no such quality. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Having been raised in a tough environment as a child, the only people Leo cared for were his own family and himself, while the world mattered little to him. He was no hero who fought for the masses, nor was he a saint who cared for their plight. However, for those who offended him, Leo was worse than the god of death himself. Chapter 615 True Colors 615 True Colors "So, what do you make of the security situation in this city, Baron? Do you think you can contain this chaos?" Duke Victor asked, his impatience growing. After giving Leo ample time to survey the destruction, he wanted action, as he felt eager for Leo to deploy his troops and curb the uprising at once. Leo didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he knelt, his gloved hand brushing the floor of the observatory which was now dusted with ash from the fires ravaging the city below. He seemed detached, as if contemting something far deeper than the Duke''s question. "Tell me something, Duke," Leo said atst, his voice calm, almost distant. His eyes never left the ash beneath his fingers as he slowly stood. "This burning city... Do you feel responsible for all this carnage?" The Duke scoffed at the absurdity of the question, his face twisting in disdain. "Responsible? Of course not, Baron. It is not I who is responsible for this madness, but the rebels. This is their doing, not mine. Don''t let their propaganda cloud your judgment¡­.. they are the sole reason for this city''s suffering today." Leo nodded slowly, expression unreadable, before he stepped closer, his movements deliberate, almost predatory. The Duke however remained oblivious to his intentions, his arrogance blinding him to the undercurrent of menace building beneath Leo''s calm facade. But as Leo came within mere feet of him, the Duke finally sensed that something was wrong. His eyes flickered down to Leo''s waist, where the Assassin''s utility belt gleamed, lined with daggers¡ªsharp, ready, waiting¡­.. as a chill crept over Victor when he realized the gravity of the situation. "And I suppose, Duke," Leo said, his voice dropping to a colder, more menacing tone, "that you believe you had nothing to do with the death of Ben Faulkner either?" The words hung in the air like a de poised to strike as for the first time, Duke Victor faltered. Confusion and unease spread across his face, as he wondered what Ben Faulkner might have to do with the chaos of today''s rebellion? Victor opened his mouth to respond, but the sudden, icy shift in Leo''s tone and the barely concealed hostility, left him speechless as he struggled to find words to respond with. "What... what are you saying?" the Duke stammered, his voice trembling as he searched Leo''s eyes. N?v(el)B\\jnn However, instead of finding a reasonable man, what he found in his eyes was not the dutiful Baron he had known¡ªbut instead a man consumed with rage. Pure, unbridled rage. And it was only then that the reality of the situation mmed into him with a force he wasn''t prepared for. And when he finally realized the situation he found himself in, it sent goosebumps racing up his spine, as a cold sweat broke across his skin, and without realizing it, he took a shaky, involuntary step back. "You were there that night, weren''t you?" Leo continued, his words sharp as knives. "You watched it happen... and did nothing as they took his life." Victor stood frozen, his mind scrambling to make sense of the sudden, terrifying shift in the man he had always seen as loyal. His mouth opened and closed, searching for something¡ªanything¡ªto say that might save him. "I-I had no choice, Baron," Victor managed, his voice breaking as he raised his hands defensively, trying to steady his shaking legs. "You must understand, it wasn''t my fault. I didn''t kill Ben Faulkner¡ªI had no role in his death!" Leo''s response was immediate and decisive. "No." he said, his voice now sounding like ice, a stark contrast to the mes roaring around them. "You didn''t kill him. But you let it happen. You stood there, Victor. You watched, and you did nothing." The Duke swallowed hard as Leo''s hand drifted toward the hilt of one of his daggers. Panic gripped him as he saw Leo pull on it, as he immediately expressed his protest. "W-what are you doing, Baron?" Victor stammered, his voice rising in desperation. "I''m your Duke! Stop this at once¡­ Don''t force me to call the guards and have you arrested. Restrain yourself!" But seemingly undeterred by his words, Leo only took another step forward, his movements slow and deliberate like a predator closing in on wounded prey as with conviction, his fingers curled around the hilt of the dagger, unsheathing it in one smooth, unmistakable motion. Victor''s breath quickened, his pulse hammering in his ears as he saw the cold resolve in Leo''s eyes. He searched frantically for an escape, any means to summon his guards, but it was toote. Leo was too close, and his intent was unmistakable. "I see you for what you truly are now," Leo said, his voice low and steady, each word dripping with contempt. "A man who stands idle in the face of injustice. A coward." Victor''s heart raced as Leo stepped even closer, the dagger now gleaming in the firelight. "But don''t worry, Duke," Leo added, his tone chilling, "you won''t stand by any longer. I''m going to make sure you y an active role in this war." Victor swallowed hard, his throat dry. "W-what are you talking about?" he croaked, the terror now evident in his voice. Leo''s eyes gleamed beneath the mask, a twisted smile curling his lips. "You will no longer be a spectator, Victor. You will be a symbol. A symbol of the rebellion''s strength and inevitability. Your death will be the message we send to everyone who thinks they can stand by and do nothing. Your life may have been worthless, but in death, you''ll finally have meaning." The Duke''s knees buckled as the weight of Leo''s words sank in. He nearly copsed, trembling, his finger weakly pointing at Leo in disbelief. "You? You''re with the rebels?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper, his terror-stricken face contorting with shock. Leo tilted his head slightly, amused. "Yes," he said, his voice dripping with cold satisfaction. "I am their leader." Chapter 616 The rebellion 616 The rebellion "Yes¡­. I am their leader" Leo said, with amusement evident under his voice, as Duke Victor felt his soul leave his body. Leo saw it all happen in slow motion. The constriction of the Duke''s pupils. The abrupt pause in his breathing. The sudden draining of blood from the topyer of the skin, making him look a shade paler. And the unmistakable smell of ammonia, which suggested that the Duke had just wet himself. He was in shock, and rightfully so, as a situation that he could never have imagined in his wildest dreams now unfolded before him. "You-you''re the rebel leader?" He asked, his voice quivering as he tried to slide away from Leo, however, it was to no avail. *Crunch* Stomping hard on his leg, Leo crushed the Duke''s bone, as he pinned him to the spot. "AGHHHHHH¡ª" The Duke screamed in pain, his pain filled voice propagating throughout the mansion, as his underlings were immediately alerted. "Come on now¡­. Call for help! Do it! Say, somebody please save me! It''s your only shot at life" Leo urged, as he encouraged the Duke to look past the pain of his broken leg and call for help, however, the Duke struggled to stop screaming. For a good ten seconds, all he did was scream, however, then, with a determined strong inhale, he tried to piece together some words as he said "Someb¡ª" However, before he could everplete his sentence, Leo used [Kill Strike] ending the Duke''s life with one decisive blow, as with his new [Advanced] mastery of the move, not only did the Duke die, but the strength of the move made his entire body burst like a balloon. *SPLAT* n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Everything but his head was reduced to a blob of blood and muscle, which scattered around the manor''s entire observation deck. [System Notification :- You have killed ''East Duke Victor'' and betrayed the Empire. If your crime is discovered, you shall be nowbeled as an enemy of the state] A system notification informed Leo, however, Leo did not care for it. It wasn''t him who had made an enemy of the state, but rather the state which had made an enemy of him. They had invited and killed his master through treachery and for that crime the Empire had to pay. *Plop* Picking up his pudgy, defaced head, Leo casually walked towards the observatory''s only entrance/exit point from where the Duke''s troops rushed towards his location. "My Lord, what happened my Lord! I heard a scream" said a soldier as he barged into the observatory deck, only for Leo to toss him the head. "Catch¨C" Leo said, tossing the man the head of his Lord, as for a second the confused man caught it unaware of what it was. "AGHHHHHH¡ª" he screamed a momentter, dropping the decapitated head, as he recognised who it belonged to. "Th-thats the lord!" He said in horror, as just as he said those words, a dagger impaled his neck, ending his life. "How dare you drop the head of your Lord, you ungrateful servant" Leo said, mocking him as hezily began the massacre of the dozens of troops rushing towards his location. *Stab* *Stab* *Stab* With every flick of his wrist, Leo killed a couple troops with ease as he massacred his way out of the Duke''s manor, leaving an open trail of blood in his wake. It wasn''t assassination, it was a one sided massacre, as instead of hiding or fearing the consequences of his actions, Leo openly killed with no care in the world. "THE BARON HAS BETRAYED US... SOMEBODY STOP HIM! THE BARON HAS BETRAYED US!" shouted a soldier loyal to the Duke as he burst out of the manor, rushing to alert the troops. But to his horror, none of Leo''s men reacted in the slightest. They stood still, faces cold and unflinching, their contemptuous stares piercing through his panic. It was only when the soldier caught their expressions that he realized¡ªevery one of them was in on it. With Viscount George and the Duke''s main forces already scattered throughout the city to quell the rebellion, the manor was now guarded only by Leo and his 22,000 soldiers, along with a small contingent of the Duke''s men. "Is that so? Has the Baron truly betrayed the Duke?" one of Leo''s soldiers, a captain, asked casually as he strode toward the panicked messenger. "Don''t¡ªdon''t you daree near me!" stammered the Duke''s soldier, drawing his weapon, fear shing in his eyes. He stood trembling, ready to defend himself. Yet, before he could react, a blur of green shot across his vision and in an instant, his head was severed from his body. "The Duke betrayed Lord Father long before he betrayed him¡­. Get your facts straight, Mongrel," Dumpy remarked, his gaze fixed on the decapitated head, as in his final moments, the dead soldier''sst thought was one of disbelief¡ªwondering if a frog had really spoken to him? "Did you see that? That frog moved like lightning!" "Is that the lord''s pet?" Leo''s soldiers murmured in amazement, as just like the fallen soldier, none had expected such speed from Dumpy. Silent andposed, Dumpy closed his eyes, patiently awaiting his Lord Father''s return, as despite the soldiers'' chatter, he remained unmoved. Since Leo had instructed him to behave and show restraint during the war, to honor his wishes, Dumpy suppressed his violent urges. As a mythical beast, he could hardly bear the presence of lesser creatures, but for his master''s sake, he held himself back, battling the instinct to destroy anyone who dared to meet his glorious bearing with disrespect. It was difficult if he kept his eyes open, however, by closing his eyes and not focusing on the background chatter, Dumpy found himself capable of killing time, until his Lord Father made his eventual return. And return he did, as after nearly 20 minutes since the Duke first screamed, Leo walked out of the manor drenched in blood having massacred all 181 guards within, while locking up the Duke''s family and nonbat servants in the storage room in the basement. The rebellion had officially begun! Chapter 617 Backstabbing 617 Backstabbing As Leo emerged drenched in blood from within the manor, his domineering visage alone caused the soldiers gathered outside to hold their breaths in subservience. The soldiers had never seen their lord in action before and had only heard the tales of his valor. Today, watching him fight alongside them, they realized for the first time as to what sort of a warrior he really was and it left them speechless. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Men, cover each other''s backs and kill every enemy soldier you cross paths with. If possible, pretend to be their Ally unless they attack you first, and backstab them ruthlessly if the opportunity presents itself. There is no honor in fighting with humility. There is no need for you to endanger your lives needlessly. History is written by winners, and if we win, nobody will remember what methods we used to achieve it" Leo saidmandingly, as his men listened to his words in rapt attention. Unlike the nobles of this world, Leo did not talk about fighting with honor or for the sake of theirnds. Unlike a tyrant, he did not ask his men to bring him glory. All he asked from them was to keep each other safe and achieve victory, and it was a message that resonated deeply within every soldier present before him. "We disperse now, but by nightfall, I expect the fighting to wrap up. New forces may join the fray responding to the Duke''s previous distress call, but as long as you can, you must confuse them as well and im their lives pretending to be their Ally. From now onwards, the local rebels and the soldiers wearing the crest of the Crest-Hill Barony are your only friends. While everyone else is the enemy¡­.. We show no mercy to the enemy!" Leo said, as he clutched his fists with conviction. "FOR JUSTICE!" He said, raising his fist in the air, as the soldiers mirrored his sentiment. "FOR JUSTICE!" they echoed, their spirits alight with the fire of battle as they raised their fists in unison. The atmosphere crackled with energy, each man invigorated not by empty words of honor, but by the promise of survival and victory. Immediately as Leo finished speaking, the captains, experienced and loyal, began gathering their troops. "You heard Lord Boss, We fight smart, we fight as one, and we win!" They said, as groups of men broke off, moving with deadly precision as they disappeared into thebyrinthine streets of the city. Their movements were calcted, like a predator stalking prey, not bound by rules but by the simple thirst for victory. Each group had its own mission, its own section of the city to infiltrate and im and as they vanished into the twisting alleys and side streets, their collective excitement was palpable. These were no longer ordinary soldiers¡ªthey were wolves in sheep''s clothing, ready to strike. ****** Leo stood alone as his men dispersed, the sound of their boots fading into the distance. The evening had finally grown darker, giving way to the night, as shadows began creeping across the city like a silent veil. Beside him, Dumpy stood quietly, hisrge eyes glinting in the low light, a subtle tension coiled within the mythical frog''s muscr frame. Without a word, Leo turned and began walking toward the city, his every step silent but purposeful. His long ck cloak billowed in the cold night air as he disappeared into the darkness, a solitary figure with only Dumpy by his side. In his right hand, a dagger caught the faint light of the moon, its sharp edge glinting ominously, the steel ready to taste blood. His presence was an enigma, a force moving quietly through the streets, cloaked by the night, as he became the living embodiment of death and vengeance. He had no need for a squad orpany as the only disciple of Ben Faulkner hunted alone. ******* In a narrow alleyway near the city''s center, a group of Leo''s soldiers approached a gathering of Viscount George''s men. The soldiers, led by Captain Hal, marched in formation, wearing the crest of the Crest-Hill Barony. The Viscount''s men, worn from battle and confused by the chaos of the rebellion, weed them without suspicion. "You there!" one of the Viscount''s lieutenants called out. "What news from the Duke''s manor? We''re stretched thin here. We could use the extra swords¡ªare you here to reinforce us?" Captain Hal stepped forward, his face unreadable. "The Duke''s orders were clear," he said, maintaining a calm and steady voice. "We''re to assist you in holding this position." The lieutenant exhaled in relief. "Good. We need to clear the rebels from the southern sector. We''re outnumbered¡ªif you nk them, we can push through." Hal nodded, signaling his men to move into position. The Viscount''s soldiers felt reassured, believing reinforcements had finally arrived. They focused on preparing for their next advance, unaware of the danger lurking within their ranks. Moments passed, and the tension in the air thickened. Hal''s men fell into formation alongside the Viscount''s soldiers, their hands steady on the hilts of their des. The Viscount''s forces, weary from the long fight, failed to notice the predatory gleam in their supposed allies'' eyes. Then, with a single, fluid motion, Hal drew his de, and before the lieutenant could react, plunged it into his back. The lieutenant gasped, his eyes widening in disbelief. Around him, the same scene yed out as Leo''s soldiers turned on the Viscount''s men, cutting them down with ruthless efficiency. "W-what is this?!" one of the Viscount''s soldiers screamed as he was run through, blood sttering onto the cobblestone street. "You fools," Hal said coldly, wiping his de on the dead lieutenant''s tunic. "Did you really think we''d fight for the likes of you?" Panic erupted among the remaining soldiers. Their formation shattered as they realized the betrayal toote. "Traitors!" one man shouted before he too was silenced by a swift de to the throat. Leo''s men moved like specters, methodical and deadly, ughtering the Viscount''s forces with merciless precision. The street ran red with blood as Leo''s men, emboldened by their surprise attack, overwhelmed their confused and betrayed opponents. It was a one sided massacre, and a ruthless one at that, as the enemy had simply no chance of survival. Soon the battle wasplete, with the final result being that Hal and his men were unscathed, having struck with such precision that their enemies had no chance to fight back. "Move on," Hal ordered, his voice as calm as it had been at the beginning, as he knew that this was just the start. "Let''s move to the next block, the city is ours for the taking." He said, as leaving behind the bodies of their fallen enemies, Hal''s squadron pressed deeper into the heart of the city. His wasn''t the only group who achieved this sort of a victory, as the same scene could be witnessed throughout the city, uring at multiple streets at once. The clueless men of the viscount and other nobles wees Leo''s men as allies, only to be backstabbed in the worst way possible. It was an unexpected betrayal, however, the unexpected nature of it was precisely why it was extremely sessful. Chapter 618: Birth Of The Deadly Duo Chapter 618: Birth Of The Deadly Duo Chapter 618: Birth Of The Deadly Duo (Leo¡¯s POV) While Leo¡¯s forces backstabbed the various groups working for the Duke, Leo himself had a particr target in mind to take out. The target he wished to hunt first was none other than Viscount George and hence, with Dumpy by his side, he scoured the city, searching for his prey. George wasn¡¯t just any other soldier or noble; he was a key figure in the Duke¡¯s regime, and he was the man currentlymanding the highest number of soldiers after Leo in Briarhelm, effectively making him the enemymander. If he was defeated, Briarhelm was assured to fall into rebel hands and hence, Leo focused his energy on taking him out. Unfortunately however, the chaos of ongoing fires and battles within Briarhelm made it difficult for Leo to find George, as it took him a good twenty minutes of constant sprinting to finally spot the man. When Leo first spotted him, George stood tall and fierce in the middle of a street, leading a small group of elite soldiers as they fought off a band of rebels. To his surprise, George led his men from the front, fighting shoulder to shoulder with them like a leader should, instead of shouting orders from the rear like a coward. To Leo, this was an admirable quality, however, it wasn¡¯t admirable enough for him to spare the Viscount¡¯s life. *SPLAT* George¡¯s sword shed in the moonlight as he hacked through the rebels, barking insults to their corpses. ¡°Worthless scum! Traitors, the lot of you!¡± he spat, cutting down one rebel with a brutal swing. ¡°You think you can overthrow the Duke? You¡¯re nothing but rats scurrying in the dark!¡± He said, as he kicked the dead rebel¡¯s head in anger, unaware that Leo was watching him from the shadows, waiting for his chance to strike. Unfortunately for the Viscount, he was far too engrossed in the ongoing battle and too confident in his perceived victory, that he became oblivious to the fact that Leo¡¯s forces were already dismantling the Duke¡¯s control over the city from the inside. ¡°Cowards!¡± George bellowed as he drove his de through another rebel, blood spraying across his armor. ¡°Is this all you can muster? Pathetic!¡± he asked rhetorically, as one by one, the rebels fell to his sword while being outnumbered and outmatched, but their sacrifice held little weight. Most of the men George cut down were yers¡ªdestined to respawn soon¡ªwhile the NPCs lost in battle on his side were gone forever. Still, George¡¯s men mirrored his ruthless example, showing no mercy to the rebels as they hacked through their forces with unrelenting force. George himself led the charge with a vicious determination, his strikes brutal and relentless, setting the precedent for the rest of his soldiers to follow. Despite watching these events unfold, Leo remained hidden, his eyes narrowing as he saw George deliver the final blow to thest rebel of this wave of enemies, as he stabbed the man through the heart with a swift, brutal motion. The rebel¡¯s lifeless body crumpled at George¡¯s feet, and the Viscount sneered down at the fallen man, muttering under his breath, ¡°Pathetic fools.¡± But George had no time to revel in his victory. Silent as a wraith, Leo moved forward, unseen and unheard. He slipped through the darkness like a shadow, closing in on his prey with the stealth of a predator. With his back turned to the battlefield, George assumed his enemies had all been in, however, this proved to be his biggest mistake. In one fluid motion, Leo mirrored George¡¯s earlier strike, driving his dagger into the Viscount¡¯s back, right between the ribs, as he killed George with the same move that George killed thest rebel. *STAB* The cold steel slid deep within George¡¯s body, piercing George¡¯s heart with precision. George gasped, his body stiffening in shock, as he helplessly stumbled forward with his eyes wide in disbelief and his breathing in ragged bursts. He tried toprehend what had just happened? His hands twitching, reaching for his sword, but his strength was already draining away. *Gush* Twisting the de, Leo left no chance for the Viscount to survive, as soon George¡¯s legs gave way beneath him, and he copsed to the ground, lifeless, just as thest rebel had before him. His vision blurred as his heart pounded its final beats, and unfortunately for him, he never even had the chance to see who had ended his life before darkness imed him for good. *Thud* His bodyy motionless on the blood-soaked cobblestones, his eyes still wide open in shock, as hisst breath slipped away in silence. Leo stood over the fallen Viscount, his face a mask of unreadable calm, as without a word, he withdrew his de from George¡¯s back and wiped it clean on the very tunic George had just used to do the same. ¡°Traitor! The Baron just killed the Viscount!¡± one of George¡¯s men cried out, his voice trembling with disbelief as he witnessed his lord fall right before his eyes. But before any of them could react or move to punish Leo, he vanished into the shadows once again, disappearing as if he had never been there. Panic spread through George¡¯s remaining soldiers as they frantically searched for their lord¡¯s attacker, but Leo was nowhere to be found. What followed was a silent massacre. One by one, Leo re-emerged from the darkness, iming the lives of George¡¯s men with lethal precision, dragging them to the pits of hell without so much as a sound. Each soldier was helpless, unable to stop the phantom-like assassin who stalked them. Dumpy, who had stood in silent admiration as Leo took down George, now leaped into action, joining his lord father in battle. Using his unmatched agility, the mythical frog darted between soldiers, assisting Leo in taking as many lives as he could. Together, they annihted the Viscount¡¯s personal guard unit, cutting through them like reapers in the night. In total, Dumpy imed six lives, a small but significant contributionpared to Leo¡¯s devastating tally of forty-two, as in the end, the dangerous duo managed to litter the street with bodies, having left none of George¡¯s men to tell the tale of what happened to their Lord. Chapter 619: Fall Of The East Chapter 619: Fall Of The East Chapter 619: Fall Of The East Leo joining ¡®The Uprising¡¯ in their rebellion was argely muted event. His interactions were mostly limited to his men and Dumpy, which was why not many noticed him fighting for the cause publically. Nheless, with him ying dozens of enemies from the shadows, the fight for Briarhelm ended much faster than it would otherwise have taken, with the uprising securing a definite victorye log-out time. While most yers logged out having real life duties to attend to, Leo stayed back as he took the administration of the city into his own hands. The first thing he did was close the city gates, cutting off any iing military reinforcements, and once the gates were secured, he moved swiftly to round up all members of the Duke¡¯s old guard, imprisoning them at the Ducal manor. There, they were presented with two straightforward choices: The first was to resist the rebellion and face death. And the second was toy down their arms and submit to rebel rule. Over 98% soldiers decided to choose life over a pointless struggle and death, however, a handful of them chose to die with honor, refusing to bow to the rebels. To these idealistic NPC¡¯s, Leo granted them their wish of an expedited trip to the afterlife, as he cemented his control over the city with an iron grip. ******** While Leo fought in Briarhelm, The Uprising also managed to win their fight in VineHaven, thergest port city in the Eastern Duchy. VineHaven was the third and final target that Leo and ChaosBringer had deemed necessary to take control over Eastern Duchy and with its fall, the rebel takeover of the East was as good asplete. With Fort Irond, Briarhelm, and Vinehaven all firmly in rebel hands, the Eastern Duchy had been brought to its knees. The strategic importance of these three locations could not be overstated¡ª as together, they formed the backbone of the Duchy¡¯s defense, economy, and governance. With their fall, the remaining nobles of the East were left isted, vulnerable, and utterly without options. The fall of Fort Irond was the first critical blow. As the most heavily fortified military stronghold in the region, it had long been considered the Eastern Duchy¡¯s shield. Positioned deep in the Eastern Forest, it protected vital trade routes and served as the primary defense against outside threats. Its capture not only removed the Duchy¡¯s main line of defense but also provided the rebels with a secure base from which tounch further operations. Without Fort Irond, the Duchy had lost its most imprable bastion, leaving the remaining cities and towns defenseless. Next came the capture of Briarhelm, the political and industrial heart of the Duchy. As the seat of the Duke¡¯s power, Briarhelm controlled both the governance and the production capabilities of the Eastern Duchy. Its factories, foundries, and craftsmen supplied the Duchy with weapons, armor, and other essential materials for war. By securing Briarhelm, the Uprising not only severed the Duchy¡¯smand structure but also cut off its ability to resupply and reinforce its forces. But the final blow, and arguably the most devastating, was the fall of Vinehaven, thergest port city and economic hub of the Eastern Duchy. Vinehaven was the lifeblood of the region¡¯s trade, connecting the Duchy to the wider Empire and beyond. Its docks were always bustling with ships, bringing in essential supplies, wealth, and reinforcements. By taking control of Vinehaven, the Uprising had effectively strangled the Duchy¡¯s economic arteries. No more goods could flow in or out, leaving the rest of the region starved of resources. This economic chokehold was sure to soon lead to shortages of food, weapons, and medicine, crippling the ability of any remaining noble forces to mount a meaningful defense. With these three pirs¡ªFort Irond, Briarhelm, and Vinehaven¡ªnow under rebel control, the remaining nobles of the Eastern Duchy found themselves trapped. Their territories, cut off from both trade and military reinforcements, were nothing more than isted fiefdoms waiting to fall. The Viscounties and Baronies that had not yet been touched by the rebellion had no means of organizing any significant resistance. Strategically, the Eastern Duchy was now as good as conquered. The Duke¡¯s remaining loyal forces were scattered and broken, unable to coordinate any meaningful defense. The logistical nightmare created by the fall of these three key locations meant that even if the nobles could muster their remaining forces, they wouldck the supplies, organization, and strategic strongholds to hold back the advancing rebellion. Furthermore, the death of the East Duke Victor had crushed any hope of political unity among the nobles. Without the Duke, there was no central authority left to rally the remaining lords. Making any attempt at organizing a counterattack would be chaotic at best, with each noble fighting for their own survival rather than the Duchy as a whole. The Eastern Duchy, once a formidable and prosperous region, was now crumbling from within, but this was only the beginning of Leo¡¯s revenge on the Empire, as withrge chunks of both the East and South under the Uprising¡¯s control, he nowmanded a significant chunk ofnd within the Empire. The rebel movement that started as nothing more than a little disturbance with the capture of a few small Viscounty¡¯s had now grown into a full fledged tsunami, with the capture of entire Duchy¡¯s. Leo understood fully well that with this win he had shifted the identity of the most important enemy for StrongHaven from the demons to the rebels, however, he did not care. The Empire could focus all its energy on the rebels and he still had the confidence to sneak into the imperial pce alone and kill them all. ¡°You have killed my Master Ben, it¡¯s not a crime that can be punished by something as easy as death. For you nobles, losing yournd is more painful than losing your flesh, and hence, I will capture yournds and repeatedly humiliate you before granting you death¡± Leo muttered, as having tasted vengeance once, he now desired it more than ever. Chapter 620: Acceptance Chapter 620: eptance Chapter 620: eptance (The Next Morning: The Baron at the Gates of Briarhelm) Next morning, as the sun barely rose over the horizon, Baron Gregor and his forces arrived at the gates of Briarhelm. The early morning mist clung to the ground, but even through the haze, something felt unmistakably wrong. The familiar white and blue banner of Duke Victor, which had always flown proudly over the city¡¯s walls, was now gone, and in its ce, a deep crimson g fluttered in the morning breeze, marked with the sigil of The Uprising. ¡°What in the red hell is that?¡± Gregor muttered, as he could feel his stomach turn inside out. The red g over the city gates could only mean one thing, and that oue made Gregor feel uneasy to his core. Nheless, hoping that maybe the fight had still not concluded, Gregor rode his horse towards the entrance, only to be stopped by an arrownding in front of him. *Shud* ¡°Halt!¡± Amanding voice rang out from atop the city walls, as rebel soldiers, fully armed and lined along the battlements of the city walls, watched as Gregor and his men approached. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Baron Gregor demanded as he urged his horse forward, ring at the soldiers above. ¡°I am Baron Gregor of the Daveg Barony, summoned by Duke Victor himself to defend this city from rebellion! I demand entry at once!¡± Gregor said, his voice unyielding, as he put on a show of bravery. Nheless, his words were for naught, as out came Captain Hal, whopletely disregarded the Baron as nothing more than a peasant. ¡°Briarhelm is no longer under Duke Victor¡¯s control, Baron. The Duke is dead, and the city along with the rest of Eastern Duchy now belongs to Lord Boss. You have two choices: surrender your forces and swear fealty to our lord, or be annihted.¡± Hal said, as his words caused shivers to run down Gregor¡¯s spine. ¡°The Duke¡­ dead? And the new lord is Baron Boss?¡± He asked, as he could almost not make sense of the situation. The very idea that Briarhelm, the seat of the Duchy¡¯s power, had fallen to rebels overnight was unthinkable, however, to think that a noble had joined hands with the rebels was even worse. ¡°WELL IF YOUR LORD KILLED THE DUKE THEN YOUR LORD IS NOTHING MORE THAN A TRAITOR!¡± Gregor spat, his voiceced with fury. ¡°This rebellion will be crushed, and I will see everyst one of you strung up for your crimes! I swear it on my honor as a noble of the Eastern Duchy!¡± Gregor promised, as responding to his threat, Hal immediately ordered all his men to load their bows. ¡°If that¡¯s your choice, Baron, then so be it. But know this¡ª if you insult Lord Boss before me again, I¡¯ll personally ride out of here and hack your body into a dozen pieces¡­.. this is yourst warning¡± Hal said, as he signaled for his men to hold their fire for now. Gregor¡¯s anger surged, but he understood the gravity of the situation¡­. With Briarhelm already under rebel control, he did not have enough men for a seige, while a frontal assault was straight up suicidal. He had no option but to turn away, which is exactly what he did, as turning to his men, he issued swift orders to retreat. ¡°We will not surrender to traitors,¡± he hissed under his breath. ¡°But I will rally the other nobles. This fight is far from over.¡± With one final nce at the red g, Gregor spurred his horse and led his troops away from the gates of Briarhelm, a burning resolve building in his chest. He had to warn the other lords¡ªbefore the entire East was swallowed by rebellion, s little did he know that Briarhelm was not the only city to have fallen. ******* (Meanwhile Inside Briarhelm) As the sun climbed higher, the streets of Briarhelm slowly began to stir. But instead of the usual hustle and bustle of the city, a heavy stillness clung to the air. The people of Briarhelm awoke to a city that felt eerily different¡ªits familiar routines disrupted, its heart stilled by an uneasy quiet. News of the Duke¡¯s death spread like wildfire. Whispers of his assassination, of the rebellion¡¯s swift takeover, echoed in every alley and corner of the city. People gathered in small clusters, their faces pale with disbelief, as they struggled toprehend the enormity of what had just transpired. ¡°We¡¯re trapped,¡± a middle-aged man muttered, staring up at the closed city gates. ¡°They¡¯ve locked us in.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true?¡± a woman beside him whispered. ¡°About the Duke? That he¡¯s¡­ gone?¡± A teenage boy, barely old enough to be called a man, nodded grimly. ¡°It¡¯s true. The rebels control everything now. My uncle said they marched the Duke¡¯s old guard through the streetsst night, and those who refused to swear fealty were¡­ executed.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes widened in horror. ¡°But what will happen to us? Our city¡­ our homes¡­?¡± As fear and confusion rippled through the people, the rebels began spreading their message. In every square, on every corner, rebel soldiers stood atop crates and wagons, proiming their cause with loud, confident voices. ¡°The Duke was corrupt!¡± one soldier shouted to a growing crowd. ¡°For years, he taxed you into poverty, sending your hard-earned gold to the Empire while you suffered! He cared nothing for your welfare¡ªonly for his own wealth and power!¡± The people listened, their expressions a mixture of uncertainty and anger. ¡°But we, the Uprising, fight for you!¡± the soldier continued, his voice ringing with conviction. ¡°We fight to free you from the chains of the Empire! Under the Duke, you were nothing but pawns in a game of noble greed. But under our rule, you will have a voice, a chance to thrive. No more corruption, no more endless wars for the Empire¡¯s glory. This city will belong to its people!¡± For many, the message resonated. They had lived under Duke Victor¡¯s heavy hand for years, and while they had grown used to his rule, it had never been kind. The promise of a new life, free from oppression, was tempting. Yet, others were less convinced. A group of older men huddled near a market stall, their faces etched with distrust. ¡°They¡¯re no better than the Duke,¡± one of them muttered. ¡°They¡¯ll say whatever they need to gain our trust, but mark my words¡ªonce they have power, they¡¯ll be just as corrupt.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± another replied, his voice quieter. ¡°Perhaps¡­ perhaps things really will change. They say that it¡¯s Baron Boss who is the new rebel leader, and his tale of bringing prosperity to Crest-Hill Barony is legendary. If he¡¯s the ruler, perhaps¡­. Perhaps there is hope¡± ¡°Baron Boss is a fighter not a ruler¡­. He¡¯s an assassin like his master Ben Faulkner, and knows nothing on how to rule¡± A third said, as not everyone felt convinced that Leo could be a kind ruler to them. Nheless, as the day wore on, the new reality slowly began to sink in for the NPC¡¯s and yers of Briarhelm. The Duke was dead and the regime change wasplete. All they could do now was pray that the new rule would be better than the old one. Chapter 621: A new update patch Chapter 621: A new update patch Chapter 621: A new update patch (Meanwhile on the forums) The forum erupted in shock asmon yers processed the news of the Eastern Duchy having fallen to rebel forces overnight. Yet even more startling was the announcement that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had been named the new ruler of the East, solidifying his ties to The Uprising and the so-called deep state. ¡°As both a member of the Uprising and a devoted follower of the Church of Boss, it¡¯s an immense honor to see Lord Boss ascend as the new Duke of the East. Among all yers, he alone deserves to lead us.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ I know The Uprising has its critics, but what they pulled off today is nothing short of extraordinary. Capturing Fort Irond, Briarhelm, and Vinehaven in a single day is a legendary achievement, and we all must acknowledge their tactical brilliance.¡± ¡°The secret to The Uprising¡¯s sess isn¡¯t hard to figure out. Any one of us could infiltrate NPC organizations and destabilize them at critical points. This victory wasn¡¯t about strategic genius; it was about skillfully exploiting the game¡¯s mechanics.¡± A heated debate ignited in the forums, dissecting the tactics The Uprising used to secure their victory, and after a prolonged discussion, the general consensus emerged that if enough small-scale parties coordinated on a joint operation, they could replicate the same sess that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ enjoyed currently, and could easily wrest control of smaller baronies from noble rule. yers argued that the current game mechanics were heavily biased toward the rebels, as by allowing them to infiltrate enemy organizations without facing consequences, the game operators were essentially granting them a free pass to conduct such underhanded attacks. In essence, anyone could replicate these tactics if they had enough members working in sync, as The Uprising¡¯s only true advantagey in their millions of followers who could hold a city once it was captured. However, just as themon yers debated about the tactics that led to the Uprising¡¯s initial sess, a system notification patched the cheat that was working in the Uprising¡¯s favor for so long. [ System Notification :- A new system patch has been introduced!! A new system update will take effect in 6 hours, implementing enhanced security protocols across all NPC-controlled territories. These changes are intended to maintain bnce and prevent unauthorized influence within the Empire¡¯s governance. Effective immediately upon the patch¡¯s release, yers identified as affiliates of any rebel or anti-government group will disy a red status bar above their character, visible to all. This indicator will vary in intensity ording to the yer¡¯s infamy level with a light red color signifying minimal criminal activity, while a deeper red denoting higher infamy. With this update, rebel-affiliated yers will face active pursuit within all NPC-controlled zones. In addition, such yers will be barred from holding any positions or influence within NPC-led organizations, ensuring they cannot destabilize empire operations from within. Due to the growing presence of rebel-controlled territories, yers with a red status bar must restrict their residence and activities to rebel-controlled areas to avoid persecution, while entry into empire-controlled zones will now ssify these yers as hostile entities, making them subject to detainment or elimination by imperial forces. To allow for a smooth transition, all affected yers have been granted a 6-hour grace period to relocate to the nearest rebel territory, and once this period expires, empire security measures will be fully enforced. Depending on the shade of red on the yers status bar, the punishment for being captured by the imperial forces will vary from 7 days detainment at minimum, to a three month log-in ban at maximum, with additional heavy level penalties imposed. So it is advised that all rebels operate with caution] This new system patch, sent shockwaves through the gamingmunity, as just as the yers began nning their own rebellion simr to the one ¡®The Uprising¡¯ performed, the new system patch rendered them toothless in doing so. ¡°This patch just destroyed the rebels¡¯ biggest advantage. They can¡¯t hide within NPC-controlled territories anymore, and with every rebel now having that red bar over their head, the days of covert sabotage are over.¡± ¡°The Uprising may have pulled off a miracle by taking the Eastern Duchy, but they will be under constant threat now. Any attempt to infiltrate NPC organizations will end with them being hunted down by imperial forces. It¡¯s like the game just put a spotlight on every rebel out there.¡± ¡°Just when we were starting to n our own rebellion, this patch makes it almost impossible. The empire zones are now like a minefield. One wrong step, and we¡¯re looking at months of bans or massive level penalties. The risks are insane.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s like the game just shut the door on any smaller rebel groups. Without the ability to blend into NPC ranks, we don¡¯t stand a chance of pulling off even a fraction of what The Uprising did.¡± ¡°So what happens to The Uprising now? They¡¯re thergest rebel movement in the game, but with the empire actively hunting them, how long can they hold onto their territories?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll have to consolidate fast. Sure, they¡¯ve got numbers, but this patch makes holding new ground way harder. They either fortify what they have or risk losing everything.¡± yers continued specting and debating, caught between awe for The Uprising¡¯s achievement and frustration at the newfound limitations. For many, the patch signaled the end of an era that had made The Uprising¡¯s meteoric rise possible, forcing everyone to reckon with a new, harsher reality. There were millions of yers who had to now migrate from the Empire to the rebel controlled areas, and not all of them were members of the uprising. Some were just anti-government, or had a history of violence, while the others were just members of small-time rebel movements that were nowhere as sessful as ¡®The Uprising¡¯. However, because of this new update patch, they were allbeled as ouws now and were forced to go on the run or face the risk of relentless persecution. The game had changed forever once more. Chapter 622: FanBoy Chapter 622: FanBoy Chapter 622: FanBoy With a single patch, the game developers made life for rebels a hundred times harder than before. Previously, if someone had infamy, they would only be jailed if caught by authorities, and the maximum punishment was a 30-day detention. However, after this update, all rebels and criminals were to have a prominent red bar above their heads, making it impossible to roam in public, whether or not they had a run-in withw enforcement. Now, if a rebel was seen by amoner NPC, they would be instantly reported to the authorities, making even simple tasks like buying weapons from a cksmith or potions from a merchant impossible, since they would simply refuse to serve rebel customers. This shift was sure to force the rebels to rely on the ck market for essential items, transforming the game¡¯sndscape entirely. Many yers were yet to grasp these changes that were toe, however, the sharper minds amongst them could see it clearly, as they began hoarding supplies from the merchant shops in hopes of selling them at a premium within rebel territoriester. Tens of millions of yers were forced to leave Empire upiednd at once, as they traveled towards the South and East, towards the nearest rebel stronghold. It was a mass exodus, and it gave birth to sights never seen before. Entire roads became clogged with fleeing rebels, their groups growing as more yers joined the trek to the nearest rebel stronghold. Some of them were proud to be a rebel and wore it on their chest with a smile, while the others felt ashamed of being identified as one. Those who felt proud were mostly affiliated with ¡®The Uprising¡¯ and wanted to ride the rebel wave till the end, while those feeling frustrated were the yers who were living their lives peacefully within Empire controlled towns, albeit having some infamy under their belt. They were the ones who did not benefit with the rise of ¡®The Uprising¡¯, but lost a lot from beingbeled a rebel. Furthermore, within the Empire¡¯s territories, guilds and yer groups reliant on rebel alliances found themselves fractured and their ranks split between those who remained loyal to the empire and those forced into exile. The sudden disappearance of certain guild members weakened many groups, leaving gaps in their defenses and leadership. Meanwhile, NPC-run cities began tightening their defenses, doubling guard patrols and enforcing stricter ess to high-value areas in a glimpse of what life in the future would look like. For now, they did not detain or hunt anyone as the 6 hour protection period was active, however, once it was concluded, rebels were sure to have a tough time remaining hidden in NPC controlled cities. ******** ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) All hell broke loose within The Uprising¡¯s internal chat after the most recent system notification, however, despite hundreds of thousands of members panicking about their future, and millions more asking the guild superior¡¯s about where to migrate? ChaosBringer did not bother with responding to a single one of them. Today was a day of great celebration for him, as today, after The Uprising¡¯s brilliant performance in having captured three key territories in the Eastern Duchy, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had finally summoned him to meet face to face. For ChaosBringer, this meeting was a dreame true, as for him ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was an almost divine being. An unparalleled warrior, an unseen before tactical genius and a mass maniptor unlike any other, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a perfect god for ChaosBringer, and just the thought of him getting to meet the man in person, sent shivers of joy down ChaosBringer¡¯s spine. ¡®I need to look amazing today¡¯ ChaosBringer thought, as standing in front of the mirror, ChaosBringer stared intently at his own reflection. Today wasn¡¯t just any day, today was the day where he was finally going to meet him, the one and only Boss and the man that he idolized, respected, and, if he was honest with himself, downright worshiped like a god. ¡®I have to look absolutely perfect,¡¯ he thought, carefully smoothing down his robe with trembling hands, as he feared wrinkling the expensive fabric. The crimson and ck fabric was impable, freshly pressed and tailored to highlight his rank as an elder within The Uprising. But he wondered if it was enough? Leaning closer to the mirror, he scrutinized every detail of his face. He could not afford any loose ends today, Nor could he afford any blemishes or imperfections. ¡®I need to look nothing short of perfect¡­. not when I¡¯m meeting him¡¯, he thought, carefully adjusting a stray strand of hair and ensuring every piece was perfectly aligned. ¡®Perfect¨C¡¯ he thought, after adjusting his hair, as taking a step back he swept his gaze over his entire figure. Twirling, he took in the sight of the precise cut of his cloak, the polished shine of his boots and the sharp angle of his cor. Finally satisfied, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, as for once, he looked as powerful as he felt. ¡®If he sees me like this, maybe, just maybe, he¡¯ll see that I¡¯m worthy of his presence,¡¯ he hoped, nodding to his reflection with a sense of pride. The mere thought of having the chance to meet ¡®TheBoss¡¯ sent a surge of excitement through him, as although The Uprising had always been his passion, but TheBoss? TheBoss was a god for him. As he left his quarters and walked toward Leo¡¯s temporary residence in Briarhelm, he couldn¡¯t resist ncing at his reflection in passing windows, ensuring that his presentation was wless. Everything had to be perfect¡ª as this moment could literally define him. He could already imagine the envy in the guild chat when he posted a photo with TheBoss, as a proof of their meeting as while millions within the uprising idolized him, none had ever had the chance to meet him one on one. ¡®Just one photo¡­ and they will all see. They will see that every im I¡¯ve made about knowing him was true. They will realize TheBoss himself trusts me and that I¡¯m a part of the guild¡¯s inner circle as I im to be.¡¯ ChaosBringer thought, as a surge of pride washed over him. His fingers itched to open his guild chat and type something, but he held back. This moment was too sacred to be spoiled by premature words. Instead, he straightened his back and quickened his pace, his heart pounding in anticipation. Today was more than just a meeting. It was a chance to step closer to divinity, to brush against the greatness that was TheBoss. Chapter 623: Misunderstandings Chapter 623: Misunderstandings Chapter 623: Misunderstandings ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo chose the servants¡¯ quarters beside the Duke¡¯s manor as his temporary residence. With the manor repurposed as a makeshift prison, these quarters were the closest location he could use as a base of operations, allowing him to stay within reach of the manor. Though far from luxurious, it would suffice for now as now was not time for grandeur or luxury. Beside him, Dumpy was deeply engrossed in contemting the fighting techniques that he had witnessed firsthand today, meticulously analyzing his own performance inparison. For Dumpy, observing Leo in action had been a profound honor, and his Lord Father had not disappointed him in the slightest. Leo had been cold, ruthless, and incredibly powerful¡ªjust as Dumpy had always envisioned him to be. *Knock* *Knock* Around 9 am, early morning, Leo heard a knock on his quarter¡¯s doors, which prompted him to reply softly with a ¡°Come in¨C¡± He was expecting ChaosBringer toe meet him, as the two of them needed to discuss ns regarding taking control over the Eastern Duchy as a whole and weeding out the remaining nobles. However, while he expected ChaosBringer toe meet him, when the man finally walked into his chambers, Leo was left speechless for a moment. Wearing mboyant red robes with a contrasting ck lining and having sharp ugly long nails, painted red and ck in alternate, ChaosBringer looked nothing like a dignified leader. On second nce, Leo noticed the slight hint of make-up on his face, and the excessive hair product use in his hair, as ChaosBringer looked less like a rebel leader and more like a trans-celebrity. ¡°Aghhh¡ª¡± ChaosBringer said, letting a soft moan escape his lips, as he copsed to his knees the moment he entered the room. For ChaosBringer, finally being in TheBoss¡¯s presence was too intense of an encounter to handle causing him to lose footing, however, for Leo, his impression of ChaosBringer plummeted even more, as the moan he let out sent shivers down his spine. ¡°Sir Boss¡­. This lowly one greets you¡­.it¡¯s the biggest honor of my life to meet your eminence¡± ChaosBringer said, piously putting his head to the ground as he raised his hips proportionately, in a dangerous pose. ¡°ChaosBringer?¡± Leo asked, his left eye twitching in disbelief, as he could not believe for a moment that this guy was the biggest rebel movement leader in the entire game. ¡°Yes¡­ that is this lowly one¡¯s name, thank-you for speaking it outloud¡± ChaosBringer said, as Leo felt both his eyes fluttering now as he blinked non-stop. ¡°Is that your glorious pet beside you my lord? The legendary sword wielding green frog? What an honor it is for me to meet him as well¡± ChaosBringer continued, as Dumpy let out a low grunt of joy listening to his words. *Ribbit* ¡°I like this man, Lord Father, he has proper etiquette¨C¡± Dumpy said, as unlike Leo who could note to terms with his attitude, Dumpy instantly gained a favorable impression of ChaosBringer. ¡°Aghhh¡ª¡± ChaosBringer said one more, hugging his own body as he twitched, as for a second time Leo felt goosebumps running down his spine. ¡°The glorious pet really does speak as the rumors suggested. What a unique being. Truly worthy of being Sir Boss¡¯s pet¡± ChaosBringer said, as Leo felt his mind numbing at this point trying to interact with this cartoon character. ¡°Arise?¡± He said, halfmandingly, half self-doubtingly as he had no idea what he was doing. However, as per hismand, ChaosBringer did get to his feet albeit still keeping his head hung low. ¡°How can I be of service, Sir Boss?¡± ChaosBringer asked, as coughing twice Leo tried to finally focus on the task at hand. ¡°We need to consolidate our position and conquer the remaining territories in the East as soon as possible. With the new system announcement, I¡¯m sure we will have an influx of arge number of immigrants, I¡¯m thinking that we can¡­..¡± Leo started to speak about his n in great depth, however, ChaosBringer found himself unable to pay attention to any wordsing out of his mouth. Instead, he found himself fanboying over Leo¡¯s gear as he noticed every aspect of Leo¡¯s body in great depth. ¡®Agh, are those the boots Sir Boss purchased from the special auction? They say it has a speed boost, and also they look ssy on him¡¯ ¡®These in ck robes look so boring, however, if one looks closely they can notice the chainmail he wears underneath. Thankfully, Sir Boss has a great physique, as no-one but him can pull such a boring dress off with such ss¡¯. ¡®Oh my god! Is that his legendary Assassin¡¯s belt! It looks so cool around his waist. I can see the shine of his daggers handles from here¡­. He truly uses only the best weapons¡¯. ¡°Is what I think¡­.. What are your opinions on the same ChaosBringer?¡± ¡°ChaosBringer?¡± ¡°Rebel leader?¡± Leo asked, as to his absolute horror, ChaosBringer did not reply to his words at all and instead kept suspiciously staring towards hisher regions. In reality, ChaosBringer was only staring at the belt wrapped around his waist, however, his gaze made Leo feel awkward nheless. Covering his privates with both his palms, Leo took a step back, as it was only then that ChaosBringer looked up, looking at Leo with confused eyes. ¡°Sorry Sir Boss, I spaced out for a second there, what were you saying?¡± ChaosBringer said, as at this point, Leo felt like he had enough. ¡°Dumpy, you heard what I said, repeat it for the gentleman here¨C¡± Leo instructed, as keeping his hands over hisher regions, Leo asked Dumpy to repeat his words. ¡°Lord Father here said that you need to take control of the Eastern Duchy as a whole within the next 14 days at maximum. The mongrels holding the remainingnds are weak and should not pose much of a challenge. So the least you can do to prove yourpetence is wipe them out and unite thends under the banner of Lord Father. Do you understand weird human?¡± Dumpy said, as he did not repeat Leo¡¯s words at all, and instead cooked up an exnation of his own. ¡°I understand!¡± ChaosBringer replied, as bowing deeply, he epted themand to unite allnds under Leo¡¯s name. ¡°Allnds in the East shall be united under Sir Boss¡¯s name within the next 14 days. This lowly servant shall not disappoint¡± ChaosBringer said, as although Leo said nothing about uniting thends under his name, that was the conclusion that ChaosBringer eventually arrived at because of Dumpy. Chapter 624: The Photo Chapter 624: The Photo Chapter 624: The Photo ¡®What? Uniting thends under my name? That¡¯s not what I said at all-¡® Leo thought, feeling rmed, as his only goal was to take revenge on the Empire for killing his master, while he had no intentions to conquer anything. Nheless, keeping in-line with his personality as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, Leo said nothing and only cast a condescending gaze at ChaosBringer. ¡°That is all, ChaosBringer, you may excuse yourself now¨C¡± Leo said, wanting to send ChaosBringer out of his office as fast as possible, however, to his dismay ChaosBringer opposed. ¡°Good Sir if you may¡­. I have a small request¡± ChaosBringer said, pinching his fingers as he made the gesture for ¡®Small¡¯. Trembling, Leo involuntarily took a step back, as he asked ¡°What sort of a request¡­.?¡± Internally, Leo felt himself being on the verge to rify that he was a straight man with a girlfriend, however, for the sake of his dignity, he barely held back for now. ¡°Can I have the honor of taking a picture with you? I wish to post it in the guilds internal chat. As you may know, the guild members are very enthusiastic about you, and are your biggest well wishers. A photo for them will be amazing in these troubling times¡± ChaosBringer requested, as his careful phrasing of his request made it impossible for Leo to reject. Although hesitant, after thinking about the request for a couple of seconds, Leo relented, and epted the request. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s take one photo together¡± Leo said, as tears began to stream down ChaosBringer¡¯s face when Leo uttered these words. ¡°Sir Boss is so kind¡­.¡± He said, feeling all emotional, as Dumpy nodded in approval. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know how to appreciate Lord Father¡¯s kindness Mongrel, you¡¯re a decent servant¡± Dumpy said, as ChaosBringer gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Thankyou Sir pet frog, those who can¡¯t appreciate Sir Boss¡¯s kindness are worse than scum in my eyes. Thankfully, I appreciate the divine force that he is¡± ChaosBringer said, as Leo felt incredibly awkward listening in on this conversation. Up till now, he had been hailed as a ranker and an idol figure by some, however, never had he been doted on like a divine being before today, and the treatment made him feel incredibly awkward. Little did he know that this was just a short glimpse into his future, as someday soon, millions were going to treat him like an untouchable God, although he would be nowhere near the strength of one. Slowly, ChaosBringer creeped closer towards Leo, until eventually he stood side by side. The games photo feature allowed one to adjust the camera angle for recording and hence ChaosBringer began to set the camera angle to the best possible location, so that both of them looked majestic together, however, because of Leo being a bit taller than him, ChaosBringer found all the conventional angles to be unappealing. ¡°There is only a single light source in this room¡­. And considering our height difference¡­. I got it, this would be the best possible pose¨C¡± ChaosBringer mumbled, as he eventually set the camera angle as high as possible and perched over Leo¡¯s left shoulder for a snug selfie shot. Leo said nothing, however, when he felt ChaosBringer¡¯s breath touch the nape of his neck, the shivers that ran down his body were indescribable. If not for his persona as ¡®TheBoss¡¯, he would have screamed and ran away, as although it was a simple photo, internally Leo felt vited in a thousand different ways. *Click* Thankfully, the photo that ChaosBringer wanted was over quickly, as he thanked Leo and moved away. ¡°Thank-you, Sir Boss¡­ I will surelyplete the assignment that you have given me today within the next 14 days¡± ChaosBringer said, taking his leave, as he skipped outside the room with happy steps. Having aplished everything that he wanted to aplish from this meeting, ChaosBringer felt beyond ted. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was everything that he hoped him to be and more, as ChaosBringer could not believe that he had the chance to meet such a divine being. ¡°His aura¡­.His voice, his pet! Cool! Cool! Cool! Sir Boss is simply too cool! Hehehe¡± ChaosBringer said, hugging himself as he ran out of the servants quarters. He wanted to immediately type a message in the guild chat posting the photo with a long caption, however, since he could only make big waves once, he wanted to first carefully analyze every word that he would put in the caption below, before finalizing the post. Meanwhile, Leo decided internally to never schedule a private meeting with ChaosBringer again, as this single meeting had traumatized him for a lifetime. Leo could feel in his guts that the man did not have pure intentions, and even Dumpy corroborated, as he innocently asked Leo whether males of his species liked to copte with other men? If even a beast could sense that something was wrong with ChaosBringer, Leo had no question in his mind that the man was trouble, however, being the indispensable ally that he was, Leo was forced to tolerate his antics.read first on website:?0vel1st.c0m ¡®If not for him being the leader of ¡®The Uprising¡¯, I would never let myself be put in such a situation¡¯ Leo thought to himself, as he resolved then and there that once he logged out of the game today, he would spend a long bedroom session with Amanda after to forget about this experience. Apart from that, their meeting achieved everything it was supposed to, with ChaosBringer getting his new instructions on what the organization was to do next. As regardless of his behavior, when it came to leading a guild and getting things done, ChaosBringer was an absolute master of execution. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C This bonus chapter is sponsored by patron Jeffrey_Scuch directly via PayPal, so please thank him in thements for the same. Since webnovel doesn¡¯t take a cut when I get paid via PayPal, you can sponsor a bonus chapter for as low as 50$ versus the usual 100 bucks super gift. If interested, please drop ament down below, and I shall reach out to you with details. /// Chapter 625: The photo (2) Chapter 625: The photo (2) Chapter 625: The photo (2) (ChaosBringer¡¯s POV) For ChaosBringer, posting a photo alongside ¡®TheBoss¡¯ felt like the pinnacle of his entire gaming career, as for him, it stood out as a moment that legitimized everything that he had worked so hard to build within ¡®The Uprising¡¯ guild. To outsiders, he appeared as one of the true leaders of ¡®The Uprising,¡¯ perhaps even a powerful figure within its governing circle. But only ChaosBringer knew the sad truth that he was not the leader of the group, nor was he even close to wielding the kind of authority that others assumed he held. The truth about ¡®The Uprising¡¯ that outsiders failed to understand, was that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ was far from a traditional guild with a clear hierarchy or a single, dominant leader. While ChaosBringer was technically the only visible member of the supposed hidden governing circle that ruled the guild from the shadows, the whole governing circle itself was an illusion that ChaosBringer had created. Most of The Uprising¡¯s members believed that the guild was led by a collection of high-ranking figures working together behind the scenes, and ChaosBringer was merely their spokesperson, or a humble messenger, which was not true at all. However, with ChaosBringer having spent countless hours cultivating this image and presenting himself as nothing more than a humble conduit for the orders of unseen powerhouses like ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and others, this illusion had now be an irrefutable fact in the minds of many. While this approach had its advantages during challenging times for the guild, as it helped ChaosBringer deflect me for his own shorings onto others, it also had its disadvantages at the high points, where he could im no credit for the sess. During the lows, ChaosBringer could easily redirect the members¡¯ frustration or doubts toward the mythical higher-ups, deflecting any me away from himself. However, now that the guild was experiencing sess and rising in influence, he found himself in a paradox where while his fabricated leaders received all the glory, while he himself was left in the shadows, unacknowledged for the work he put into maintaining order and direction. And yet, only ChaosBringer was privy to the guild¡¯s most carefully guarded secret that there was no upper circle, no shadowy council guiding their movements, while the world and Leo remained oblivious to this truth. ChaosBringer knew all too well, that without a charismatic figure to rally around, millions would undoubtedly abandon ¡®The Uprising¡¯ if the truth that he was the only member of the mythical governing circle ever toe out, as although he was a great tactical mind, he did not possess the charisma of arger than life figure that most warriors could really behind. And that was where ¡®TheBoss¡¯ came into y. ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a fighter whose reputation was unmatched, and who was a natural-born leader revered by the guild¡¯s members. With his endorsement, ChaosBringer¡¯s vision of the guild¡¯s hidden structure could take on a life of its own, as with this single image of him standing beside ¡®TheBoss¡¯, ChaosBringer knew he could create a seal of authenticity which validated every lie that he ever spoke. For ChaosBringer, the photo was nothing less than a great reset, solidifying his deceptions into perceived reality, as this snapshot granted him more legitimacy than any speech or achievement ever could, as it was the irrefutable proof that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ had a hidden upper circle ruling it from the shadows. In that one image, ChaosBringer found both the security and the credibility he had long sought, all thanks to the unspoken power of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at his side. Hence, he could not help but smile from ear to ear when he posted the image of himself with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in the general guild chat, which immediately resulted in the guild chat bursting withments. The caption of the photo read ¡°Just concluded an in-depth discussion with the members of the governing circle and especially Sir Boss, who is very excited for this next phase of the guilds operations. Our best time is truly ahead of us, with him now fighting with us on the front.¡± Within seconds, the photo got thousands of replies, as the guild members went wild with their reactions. The recent system notification had many guild members worried about the future, however, just this one photo was enough to reset the morale and the tone of the internal chat. The skeptic voices were instantly reced by one¡¯s of joy, as the guild members weed this photo as if God had suddenly decided to leave his heaven and live amongst mortals on Earth instead. ¡°OH MY GOD! CHAOSBRINGER FINALLY MET THE BOSS IN PERSON! SIR BOSS IS FINALLY PERSONALLY TAKING ACTION¨C¡± ¡°I am a fighter who took part in the rebellion of Briarhelm and the word on the ground is that Sir Boss and his pet personally took part in the ughter and that Sir Boss is in control of Briarhelm right now. Although he hasn¡¯t addressed a public crowd yet, him being here already feels like a dream¡±. ¡°If Sir Boss is personally taking action, then it means that something big is about to begin. Perhaps it¡¯s exactly as ChaosBringer said, the guilds best time is yet to start¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to find out what Sir Boss is nning, but him finally stepping out into the light as one of this organizations hidden leaders is undoubtedly a positive sign for us¡± ¡°Sir Boss can kill thousands of rankers alone, with him at the vanguard, it¡¯s impossible for the uprising to lose a fight¡± ¡°I will happily give my life for this group and Sir Boss! He is the greatest yer alive and only he deserves to be the rebel leader!¡± ¡°GARR!! WHEN IS THE NEXT WAR? I CAN¡¯T WAIT TO FOLLOW SIR BOSS INTO BATTLE¡± Most reactions only mentioned Leo and did not seem to care about ChaosBringer being in the image, however, on a deeper level, it achieved everything that ChaosBringer wanted it to achieve, as with the image uploaded, no guild member doubted the existence of the guilds secret governing circle anymore. Chapter 626: Most Wanted Chapter 626: Most Wanted Chapter 626: Most Wanted Over the following days, Leo rarely logged into the world of Terra Nova, dedicating most of his time to meditation and to the practice of his real-worldbat skills. However, in his absence a few major events unfolded in the game world, first and foremost of which being that he was branded as the ¡®Rebel Leader¡¯ and public enemy number one by the Empire. His face was stered in every Empire-controlled town square, his bounty fliers were sent to every major adventurer and mercenary guild and themon popce was brainwashed against him. Branded as an ouw and the worst form of criminal, he was pped with a massive bounty of 100 million gold coins, which was unprecedented throughout the history of the Empire. His wanted poster saw the text ¡°WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE¡± at the top. A photo of him in his signature ck cloak, Virex mask and daggers at the center. And a bounty reward of 100 million gold written in bold at the bottom. It was a rather ttering photo of him, taken during the grand tournament, where he looked rather handsome shing his dagger, however, while Leo was happy with the wanted photo, he was surprised to learn that the system operators had decided to fuck him over big-time, and that too in the worst way possible. 4 days after the call of Briarhelm, as he logged into the game to check on the progress of the uprising, Leo was shown a system notification, which was the single most restrictive and unfair message he had ever read. Apparently, the system operators had woken up and decided that if he were to be captured by the Empire or their forces in his capacity as the ¡®Rebel Leader¡¯, he would be immediately imprisoned indefinitely, bringing an abrupt end to his gaming career. For a moment, as Leo realized that the game wanted to screw him over again, he hurled out a stream of vicious curses, however, once he realized that it was doing him no good, he calmed back down. As per the new system announcement, given his current status as the rebel leader, if a bounty hunter killed Leo within rebel territory, they would instantly receive a bounty of 1 million gold coins from the system with no strings attached. In this case, Leo would still respawn within rebel territory, only suffering the loss of a few levels and items, but nothing critical. However, if he was to be killed in Empire-controlled territory by any yer, the consequences would be far worse. Instead of respawning as usual from the nearest respawn point, Leo would automatically reappear within the Empire¡¯s prison, captured forever. The bounty hunter responsible for putting him there would earn the full reward of 100 million gold coins for delivering him dead and Leo would be imprisoned indefinitely, unable to escape his imprisonment unless the rebels staged a rescue and bust him out. Conversely, if he were captured by the Empire¡¯s soldiers or NPCs instead of yers, the end result would still remain the same as long as he was taken down in Empire controllednds. As from this moment forward each step he took into Empirends would carry the risk of jeopardizing his entire gaming career, with the ever-present possibility of a permanent confinement awaiting him. Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t the only yer to suffer such a grim fate, as there were several rebels with a bounty on their heads who also suffered the same fate Most of those who got this notification held the minimum rank of a Captain or higher within the Uprising¡¯s military system, however, none of them had it as bad as Leo. While their bounties were a measly 1 million gold coins at best, Leo¡¯s bounty was astronomically higher in his capacity as ¡®Rebel Leader¡¯, making him the biggest target to take down. ******** Secondly, and more positively the campaign against the remaining Eastern Lords progressed very smoothly for the rebels, with them being able to conquer over 70% of the Eastern Duchy in under 4 days, with 12 baronies being defeated with ease. With Fort Irond firmly under their control, the Empire was unable to send any reinforcements to help the remaining Eastern Lords pushing back against the rebellion, as with the Demons to the Empire¡¯s boundary cutting off their chances to flee and the rebels pressing in on them from all sides, the Eastern Lords failed to hold onto theirnds. Baron Gregor and a couple other Baron¡¯s were thest bastion of the Empire¡¯s loyalists, however, ChaosBringer anticipated that even they would fall within the next week, if nothing unexpected happened. Unfortunately, taking control of the Eastern Duchy also meant that the rebels were now forced to hold the lines against the Demon Army, as with the Empire¡¯s forces decimated or dispelled, the rebels were forced to guard the boundaries. On the plus side, securing the Eastern Battlefront against the demons presented the rebels with the unique opportunity to gain tonnes of levels on a routine basis, and with millions of rebels fleeing from all over the game map towards rebel strongholds, many felt interested in holding the boundary. However, on the down side, the rebels now found themselves tied down to a long war against the demons, which would force them to always position arge fraction of their troops to safeguard the Eastern lines. Gone were the days where they could easily relocate their forces as per the battle they needed to fight, as with the Empire heavily restricting their movements within theirnds and the demons being a constant source of threat on the other side, the rebels were forced to consolidate their positions in the East, regardless of their own ambitions. The game¡¯s meta was undergoing a rapid shift and with leveling opportunities bing scarcer and scarcer by the day, the rebel movement was the final catalyst needed to ignite the mes of war that would envelop the entire game. ¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Guys we have a real shot at finishing within top10 of GT rankings this month. Please support the book with as many tickets as you can. If we do make it to the end within top10, I¡¯ll do a 5 chapter mass release on 1st November as a thank-you! /// Chapter 627: Mission Complete Chapter 627: Mission Complete Chapter 627: Mission Complete After the banishment of rebel yers from Empire-controllednds, the rift between rebels andwful yers grew wider than ever, sparking the formation of guilds dedicated solely to tracking and eliminating rebels. For smaller and mid-sized guilds thatcked control over significant resources, opportunities to level up in the wild were limited. Consequently, hunting rebels presented an incredibly lucrative opportunity, offering these guilds a path to escape mediocrity. Rebel hunting provided not only substantial level gains but also mary rewards from the Empire, alongside increased fame and favor within the Empire¡¯s NPC circles¡ª which was an all-around invaluable boost. A few days after the rebels were driven out of the Empirends, nearly everyone on thewful side of the Empire seemed eager to join the hunt, driving the conflict between rebels andwful yers to new heights. In the wild, yers with the infamous red mark above their heads were prime targets for ambushes bywful yer parties, though the reverse also held true. Rebels andwful yers hunted each other with relentless aggression, turning the conflict into a fiercepetition that once again shook up the leveling leaderboards. The leaderboards, stagnant for ages, began to shift dramatically as hunting down yers, rather than monsters, became the more rewarding path. Defeating a rival not only offered significant level gains to the victor but also costed the fallen yer dearly, stirring up a new surge ofpetition on the leaderboards. In general, if a yer gained one level by killing a rival, the rival lost 1.2 levels for dying, making the losses higher than the gains. However, at the same time, if killing a rival at level 235 yielded one level, killing a monster at level 235 only gave 0.3 levels, making killing yers the clear superior choice out of the two. This trend attracted even more yers to the rebel-hunting business, igniting a yer-versus-yer conflict like never before. The frustrations of ordinary yers, long stifled by limited leveling opportunities, erupted as they shed with rivals, as with the rise of the rebel wars, the game appeared to enter a decisive phase. For each level gained from a yer kill, the losing side lost an even greater amount, indicating the shift away from normalcy. The game world seemed to be headed toward a stark division, and soon, only the elite and the below-average would remain, with little room left for mediocrity. Skilled yers were sure to gain momentum from the rebel wars propelling themselves above the crowd, while those struggling to keep up were sure to find themselves at a disadvantage. Unable to match the pace of their more talented peers in yer-driven leveling, they were most likely to dip below the global average, whether it was through their ownck of skills or losses while dying to rival enemies. This meant that the game was heading for the final distinction, where the better yers would rise above the crowd and be more favorable picks for various resident factions when they arrived on Terra Nova, while those underperforming would be doomed to a life of fruitlessbor forever. *********** ( Meanwhile Ben ) After relentlessly searching for days, Ben finally managed to find the secret archive holding the knowledge of his ancestors. It was hidden quite deeply within thebyrinth that was the previous Assassin¡¯s Alliance, however, while it could have fooled another assassin, it could not fool the senses of Ben Faulkner. Noticing how the sound of his footsteps echoed slightly differently in one section of thebyrinth, Ben decided to explore that particr hallway extensively, until he found the false wall that opened into a hidden pathway mechanism. Although he never found out how to open the hidden mechanism, he broke down the wall to reveal the pathway behind it, which eventually led him to the treasure room where the skill scrolls were stored. Within the treasure room, he not only found theplete manual for [Mirror World] and [Kill Strike] but also found other invaluable skills which he felt would be useful for Leo. There was a tonne of knowledge avable in the hidden assassin archives about different types of poisons, different types of assassination methods and the use of various types of assassination weapons, that was all lost in the modern world. However, what caught Ben¡¯s eyes the most, was the method to make one¡¯s bones more flexible, changing theirposition from being this solid hard structure that could break into fragments if hit hard, into this new form whereby they took a more flexible form, which could bend without breaking but was still equally strong. In essence, it was the first step to learning how to [ShapeShift] and although the knowledge was iplete, the rudimentary volume itself sent shivers down Ben¡¯s spine. Although difficult to master, just having ess to such skills and knowledge gave Ben the confidence to continue serving as Leo¡¯s teacher for many more years toe, as although he had not mastered the contents of the knowledge he found here in the ruins, he had faith in himself that he could master them while teaching them to Leo. Hence, after what was months of relentless treasure searching, Ben found himself prepared to return to Crest-Hill Barony again, as he considered his expedition to the ruins to bepleted. ¡°Lin Mu, prepare for return¡­. We begin moving back towards the Eastern Duchy from tomorrow¡± Ben announced, as Lin Mu beamed at those words. ¡°I hope you have found everything you were looking for, Teacher¡± she said, as Ben smiled kindly towards her in return. ¡°Yes I have¡­. My purpose foring here isplete¡± Ben said, not borating on what he discovered, as the secrets thaty within the ruins were only for those belonging to the Faulkner family to share. Thankfully, Lin Mu never pressed him on what he found either, knowing full well that only her brother Jin was worthy of knowing the contents of the scrolls that Ben had discovered here today. Chapter 628: Bens Shock Chapter 628: Ben''s Shock Chapter 628: Ben¡¯s Shock ( Ben Faulkner¡¯s POV ) The next day, as Ben made his way out of the ruins and towards the nearest vige, he was surprised to see that there was an increased patrol activity near the vige border by the Empire¡¯s soldiers. The vige he was visiting was called ¡®Freierhelm¡¯ and it was not a border vige under threat by demons, nor was it a particrly important industrial hub that needed to be protected, which was why the added security seemed suspicious and out of ce. ¡°Since when does Freierhelm have patrol?¡± Ben muttered, as he easily snuck past them to enter the town alongside Lin. Once inside, the vige itself seemed normal with themoners not seeming too worried about some catastrophic event on the verge of unfolding which could exin the sudden bump in security, which made Ben wonder if there was an increased threat from wild beasts in the area? Because if not, the added security made no sense once again. ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s not like I need to think too deeply about why a small vige like this has a few extra soldiers to protect it anyways¡­.¡±read first on website:N o v e l 1 s t . c o m. Ben muttered eventually, as he decided to disregard the warning signs and walk towards the nearest tavern for a drink. It had been over 6 and a half months since hest had the luxury of sipping alcohol and since the journey to the East was going to be a long one, Ben wanted to stock up on a few drinks for the journey. However, it wasn¡¯t until he reached the town square and saw the posters piled up at the center, that everything made sense. ¡°Oh no¡­. Oh nono no nono nononono¡± Ben muttered, as he hurriedly stepped towards the wanted wall, his eyeballs popping out in disbelief, as he recognised the portrait of his own disciple at the top. ¡ª¡ª¡ª Rebel Leader ¡®TheBoss¡¯ Wanted Dead Or Alive. Bounty ¨C 100 million gold coins. ¡ª¡ª¡ª ¡°This stupid idiot! Rebel Leader? What the fuck is that brat thinking?¡± Ben cursed, as he bit his own palm in an effort to curb his anger. He was gone for a mere 6 months! Just 6 short months and had explicitly told his disciple to not do anything stupid in those 6 months, yet now as he came back, he saw that his disciple had alreadyunched a war against the Empire? ¡°Why?¡± He muttered, stomping his feet in disbelief, as Leo¡¯s actions left him at a loss for words. Giggling, Lin Mu tore Leo¡¯s most wanted poster off the wall and brought it closer to her eyes to inspect. Unlike Ben, she smiled looking at it as she lovingly ran her fingers across his mask. ¡°Well¡­. At Least they put up a good photo of him in these posters, he looks absolutely handsome here¡± Lin Mu said, as she did not seem to care that Leo had rebelled against the Empire. For her, the Empire was not a force of good to begin with and she did not mind a regime change at all. Hence, she was not upset about it like Ben was, and only found the situation to be amusing at best. ¡°100 million? What is that absurd bounty? Back in my day my own bounty was barely 20 million and everyone and their mothers still wished to hunt me down. Thankfully, I was Ben Fucking Faulkner and could handle the bounty hunters that came after me, but that boy is still a child¡­.¡±read first on website:N o v e l 1 s t . c o m. Ben said, throwing his hands up in disbelief as he felt genuinely concerned over Leo¡¯s bounty amount. ¡°How is his bounty higher than mine? I killed the Emperor, I¡¯m a goddamn King yer, just what did this boy do to have a five time higher bounty than me?¡± Ben wondered, as Lin Mu chuckled silently at his words. Although he was scolding Leo and clearly upset, he also seemed genuinely impressed by his disciple, as although a troublemaker, he was definitely not an ordinary troublemaker at the least. ¡°If we go to the nearest tavern, I¡¯m sure we can find some gentleman to tell us the tale¡­.¡± Lin Mu offered, as letting out a deep sigh Ben relented. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go to the tavern and find out what my stupid disciple did¡­ I knew I should have not left him alone. That fool can¡¯t take care of himself for 6 days, but I foolishly left him alone for 6 plus months. I¡¯m an absolute idiot¡± Benined, as Lin Mu giggled in amusement. To her, the dynamic between Ben and Leo was the cutest thing ever and she enjoyed every troublesome moment of it. ********* ( Within the tavern ) Within the tavern, as the locals began to talk about the tales of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his rebel army, even Ben felt a shiver run down his spine. The way the locals spoke of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, they made him seem like a mythical figure like the Demon King, only a hundred times worse since he was a human. ¡°The Boss is a cold blooded demon in human skin¡­. Him and his army marched shoulder to shoulder with the Lords of the East, and entered Briarhelm as an ally. However, once there, he backstabbed them all like a snake and dyed the streets of Briarhelm red with their blood. They say he was unstoppable and the East Duke died at his hands like a dog, but instead of burying the Duke like any honorable man should, he put his head on a pike in the center of the city square to remind the people of Briarhelm that there was a new ruler in town. They say he feels no emotion. He¡¯s as cold as theye¡± said a drunkmoner, who shivered while telling TheBoss¡¯s tale.read first on website:N o v e l 1 s t . c o m However, while his words were not very reliable, everyone else in the town also seemed to be of the same opinion as him, in believing that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was a stone cold killer, no worse than the demon king himself. By this point, his infamy was sky high and with every passing day, the rumors about his deeds of cruelty became more exaggerated than yesterday. Chapter 629: Anger Chapter 629: Anger Chapter 629: Anger It took Ben a few hours to digest the news surrounding his disciple, but after talking to various sources and filtering out the parts that obviously sounded fake, Ben pieced together the following information. 1)That his disciple had dered himself to be the new ruler of the East and the leader of all rebels, making him state enemy number one. 2)He was currently in the process of wiping out the current nobility of the East, with him having captured 90% of the Eastern Duchy already. 3)He was directly challenging the territorial integrity of the Empire, making himself a bigger enemy of the state than Ben in his prime, as while Ben only killed the Emperor, Leo was taking away thend that made the man holding the throne of StrongHaven Emperor. Apart from these facts, it seemed like the Empire and their propagandist mouth pieces were actively promoting rumors that made ¡®TheBoss¡¯ seem like a heartless killer, and although Ben knew better than to believe such rumors, the reputation that his disciple was gaining was one of a tyrant and a cold conqueror. Secretly, Ben was beyond impressed with what Leo was able to achieve in a short span of 6 months, as capturing the Eastern Duchy from a ruling Duke was no easy task. However, while he was impressed internally, on the surface his anger bubbled like never before. He could not understand the motivation behind Leo trying to take down the current regime, as although he was impressed by his results, Ben could not respect his motivations. Ben valued his retired life at Crest-Hill Barony and wanted to someday join the charge against the demons with the men he trained. He had never set his eyes on the throne in StrongHaven, and had taught his disciple to not do so either. Regardless of how magnificent the position of the Emperor seemed, Ben knew that every Emperor sat on a throne of lies and thorns and hence it was not a life he wanted for Leo. Instead he wanted Leo to pursue his assassination arts to the fullest and someday be a stronger warrior than Ben, bringing glory to the Faulkner family. However, now as he saw Leo straying away from that path, Ben could not help but feel angry, as he believed that his student had strayed away from his true calling as a warrior elite. ¡°Haha¡­.So my boy, you have started down the path of foolishness¡­.. It¡¯s disappointing but it doesn¡¯t matter¡­. read first on website:N o v e l 1 s t . c o m.When I meet you again, I will put you back in your ce¡± Ben muttered to himself as he began cracking his knuckles in anticipation. In his mind, he could already picture the one-sided beating that he was about to dish out to his student. Unaware that the gap between them was no longer asrge as Ben remembered it to be. ********** (Meanwhile Luke) Following the daily practice of the Mind Meditation Manual, Luke found his gaming abilities improve by leap and bounds. Getting rid of his inferior moveset, he reced his moveset with (Legendary) grade or higher skills that were nearly impossible to obtain within the game world, unless you had unbelievable connections. Thankfully, with Leo bankrolling him and his standing as the vice guild master of the DarkSky guild, Luke had the ability to purchase the skills he needed, albeit at a ridiculously high price. Nheless, once he began to work on the correct path, the results came flowing for him fast. Within a week, he managed to push the mastery of two of his new moves from (Basic) to (Intermediate), surpassing even Leo¡¯s speed for the same. Having practiced mind meditation, Luke found grasping concepts that previously feltplex to him, extremely easy now, as his whole perception of the world seemed to change. Knowledge, that he only understood vaguely before, became fundamentally clear to him now, as after practicing the mind meditation manual, he started to feel like he had been seeing the world through foggy lenses all his life and the fog had just started to clear for him now. Previously if he gave an opponent a suplex, he did not truly grasp the concept of the range of motions necessary to nt someone on their head, however, after practicing the mind meditation manual, it was like he became aware of every muscle contraction in his body. He could feel the precise moment where his muscles tensed up now and how the flow of energy went from his feet to his hips to his arms and back, that allowed him to perform a suplex and after studying it, he understood the points where this energy was lost and managed to improve it easily. It was an indescribable feeling for him, as he unlocked the secrets of his own body, understanding it like never before. All his life, he had known that muscles were responsible for movement, however, he had never bothered to truly understand how until now, but after he did and began studying his own body under movement, he started to understand what to look for in opponents when they tried to attack him. If the opponent tightened a particr muscle and Luke could see it, he could then anticipate the opponent¡¯s attack before it even came and this was a life changing discovery. It wasn¡¯t any skill or skill rted move, however, it was just a fundamental concept that Luke could now understand, which made him a better fighter than he was before. It was almost like the mind meditation manual unlocked his true potential, ushering him into a zone of constant improvement that he had never felt before, as every passing week, Luke became iparably stronger than the Luke a week before and this speed of growth was nearly terrifying. ¡°If I can keep this up, then I can perhaps reach the realm of a master before the next system evaluation takes ce¡­¡± Luke mused, as thanks to Leo lending him the mind meditation manual, he felt like he could finally start to close down the gap between them as warriors. Chapter 630: Dumpys Growth Chapter 630: Dumpy''s Growth Chapter 630: Dumpy¡¯s Growth (A few dayster, Terra Nova Online) Dumpy continued to grow at an absurd pace even after his initial 30 day growth period was over, with his size increasing to nearly 22 feet, making him half as tall as an average tree. With his massive frame, Dumpy could now easily jump over castle walls and tall buildings that too with Leo on his shoulders, and although Leo did not use him as a mount for transportation, Dumpy¡¯s size was now sufficientlyrge enough for him to carry Leo without feeling the burden of his weight slow him down. Dumpy now looked more like a proper beast rather than a harmless frog, as if before one would mistake him for an absurdlyrge frog, they could no longer do the same now. Dumpy was the same size as a troll, only much faster and lethal, and hence, he was in every sense a mythical beast now. A big advantage of his size was that he could now wield two handed great swords with a single hand, as the mass of the swords did not bother him at all. This gave his attack power a big boost, as his sword shes that used to be only fast up-till now, became extremely power packed too. Since Leo was no expert in swordsmanship, he did not provide Dumpy with too much guidance on how to wield the sword, however, Dumpy naturally seemed to levitate towards using two swords at once, bing a dual wielder. With his inherent talent being extremely high, Dumpy seemed to improve in his swordsmanship by himself every passing day, as coupled with his size and mass, he was now capable enough to defeat an average level 350-370 yer by himself. At this rate of growth, Leo had no doubt in his mind that Dumpy would soon be able to take down the average ranker, as if given a month or two, Dumpy was ontrack to surely overtake the strength of 99% yers in the game. Before the system notification where Dumpy¡¯s loyalty towards him was cemented forever, Leo did worry about his absurd growth rate, however, once he managed to cement Dumpy¡¯s unwavering loyalty towards him, Leo was not too worried about it anymore. ording to the beast tamer¡¯s manual, once the ancient swamp frog epted a master wholeheartedly, then regardless of the master¡¯s strength, the beast was sure to be loyal and faithful towards their master forever. And this was evident in Dumpy¡¯s behavior too, as although he was an aggressive beast with an inherent superiorityplex, he never contradicted or broke Leo¡¯s direct orders, nor did he have the gall to ever talk back. While he was extremely aggressive to outsiders, in front of Leo at the least, Dumpy was the same cute frog that hatched from the mythical egg and the dynamic between them was unlikely to shift forever. To aid in his growth, Leo bought Dumpy all the sword manuals, all the swords and training gear that he wanted, however, unfortunately, he could not secure a worthy teacher for Dumpy, as with him being branded a rebel, there was not a single swordsmanship master within the Empire who seemed to be willing to coborate with him anymore. This meant that Dumpy had to master all his sword skills by himself, and had no expert guidance to rely on, to avoid making mistakes one naturally did while learning. ********** ( Leo¡¯s POV ) Leo hardly logged into the game world once every three to four days as he wished to conserve his remaining log-in days as much as possible, however, today as he logged in, he found a messenger waiting for him outside his chambers, with a seemingly important message. ¡°Come in¡± Leo said, inviting the messenger inside, as the uprising member walked into his chambers with trembling legs. ¡°Sir Boss¡­.. ChaosBringer wishes to meet with you sir. There is some good news. We have sessfully routed out thest remaining nobles holding out against your rule and have secured aplete victory in the East. Leader ChaosBringer wishes to discuss some details on the victory parade, so if you would indulge him with some of your time, we would be grateful¡± The man said, not daring to look into Leo¡¯s eyes directly, as the pressure that came off from Leo¡¯s body felt to stifling to him. If it were anyone else who wanted to meet him, Leo would not deny the request, since he had nothing much to do today anyways, however, because it was ChaosBringer who wished to meet him, Leo outright denied the request. ¡°Tell him I don¡¯t have time to take part in such celebrations. Inform him that I¡¯m happy with his work, and that I respect the fact that he managed to unite the East in under 10 days. However, petty matters like these can be handled by him and don¡¯t need my approval¡± Leo said, shooing the uprising member away, as he only shivered and convoluted once he was gone. ¡°Like hell I¡¯ll meet that creep in private¡­. read first on website:N o v e l 1 s t . c o m.If possible, I don¡¯t want to meet him ever¡± Leo said, shaking his head, as he felt goosebumps run down his spine. If not for ChaosBringer being the undisputed leader of the uprising, Leo would never even tolerate that man, however, because of hispetence, he was forced to. ¡°That aside, he ispetent indeed, I just gave him a random deadline of uniting the East within 14 days, but he actually did it in 10. If nothing else, that man is a great tactical mind¡± Leo muttered, appreciating the tactical genius of ChaosBringer where it was due. Pacing around the room, Leo began to rub his chin, as after receiving the news about the rebel victory in the East, Leo began wondering if it was time for him to take the next step? Logically, he should carve open the Empire step by step until he eventually reached the Capital City of StrongHaven with his men, however, that was not what Leo intended to do. His time within the world of Terra Nova was limited and he could not afford conventional warfare for months, especially when his end goal was to defeat the Demon King. Hence, Leo wondered if it was time to take a bold risk? However, with his whole gaming career on the line if he dared be captured or killed within Empirends, following through with his n was riskier than ever before. Chapter 631: Ben Meets Dumpy Chapter 631: Ben Meets Dumpy Chapter 631: Ben Meets Dumpy ( Meanwhile Ben ) While Leo contemted his next steps, Ben abruptly left the boundary of Crest-Hill Barony, when he failed to find Leo within. Initially wanting to confront him, Ben went aggressively looking for him back at the Manor, however, to his dismay he only found Albert back there and no-one else. Apparently, Leo had chosen to reside in Briarhelm instead of returning home after his victory, which only infuriated Ben even more. ¡°That boy is forgetting his roots! He built this town-up from the shit-hole that it was when he first arrived here into the wonderful ce that it is today. Not one resident here resents him even though he is a rebel, yet he chooses to reside in Briarhelm. Foolishness!¡± Ben condemned, as he swiftly left Crest-Hill Barony and headed straight towards Briarhelm with Lin Mu by his side. Choosing to hire a horse, Ben rode the poor mount at its top speed for hours, reaching Briarhelm in just under 6 hours, where he ditched the mounts and entered the city in secrecy. ******** ¡°Look at this ce¡­. There¡¯s barely any citizens out on the streets, no hustle or bustle of traffic, no yful screams of children. This is a city of dead men. Just what has that brat done to this ce?¡± Ben wondered, as after the rebel victory, to maintainw and order in the city, ChaosBringer had decided to put it under a strict curfew until the rebels could establish the new normal. Leo had coincidentally nothing to do with how the city was run, as that was thest thing he really cared about. However, since he was the ¡®Rebel Leader¡¯ in the eyes of the Empire, Ben assumed that this was all his doing, which made the old assassin even more angry towards his disciple. ¡°I will give him a good spanking when I get my hands on him¡­. I¡¯m going to enjoy toying with that boy¨C¡± Ben said, as he rubbed his hands in anticipation. Beside him, Lin Mu giggled at his words, as contrary to Ben, she quite enjoyed the calmness of the city. Unlike the usual chaos, the calmer city seemed clean and orderly, which was coincidentally how she preferred her surroundings to be, and hence, she quite respected Leo¡¯s decision to make it this way. Naturally, she did not voice her opinion in order to not offend Ben, and instead only asked him an alternate question. ¡°Teacher Ben, this city is huge, how will we even find Jin here?¡± She asked, as Ben smiled rather evilly and pointed towards two rebel soldiers who were on patrol. ¡°See them?¡± He asked, as Lin Mu nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We will torture them for the information we need¡± Ben said shamelessly, as before Lin Mu could even register her protest towards such an approach, Ben already knocked one of the two guards out with a blow to his neck, and dragged the other to a dark alley where he started to beat him up. A few secondster, he walked out of the alley with a slightly bloody fist, as he gave her a thumbs up sign with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got the location of the brat, let¡¯s go¨C¡± he said, as Lin Mu shook her head in disappointment. She could see now where Jin got his erratic nature from, as in more ways than one, the master-disciple duo had the same personality overall. ******** Leo was housed in the servant quarters near the Duke¡¯s manor, and his apartment was an isted one that used to be previously upied by the head butler and his family. Nobody except Dumpy was allowed near his house, and the only point of physical contact appointed between him and the uprising was a single uprising member, who Dumpy was instructed to let-in as and when necessary. Over the past few days, when Leo had not logged into the game, there were a few instances of yers who tried to sneak into his house in hopes of assassinating him, however, they had all been eliminated by Dumpy without fail, as Dumpy guarded Leo more fiercely than a dog. Most of those who tried to take down Leo were low level uprising members who were tempted to im the 1 million gold coin bounty on his head, however, to their dismay, they were dispatched to their quick deaths before they could even set a single foot inside Leo¡¯s home by his massive pet. And surprisingly, the same happened to Ben and Lin Mu as well, as to Ben¡¯s surprise, the second they walked into the perimeter controlled by Dumpy around Leo¡¯s apartment, the giant frog who was in the middle of his sword training session, immediately leapt into action, as it tried to intercept the intruders before they disturbed his master. *THUD* Landing strongly a few meters in front of Ben and Lin Mu, Dumpy pointed his sword towards them, as he gazed down upon them in contempt. ¡°How dare you mongrels try and sneak-up on my master! How dare you show killing intent against him! For this heinous crime, I, Dumpy, his glorious pet, shall never forgive you¨C¡± Dumpy said, as just like Leo who could not register that a frog was talking to him the first time Dumpy spoke, Ben had the exact same reaction. ¡°Who dare I? How dare you puny frog¡­. WAIT WHAT? DID THIS FROG JUST TALK?¡± Ben said, looking surprised, as he blinked in absolute disbelief towards Dumpy. Beside him, Lin Mu also stared at the frog with her mouth agape, as just like Ben, she too had never seen or heard of such a creature before in her entire life. Today, since Ben was in a masked disguise, Dumpy was unable to recognise who he was, but if it were not for that mask that Ben wore, Dumpy would have identified him immediately as Lord Grandmaster. Back during his infancy days, Leo had often shown him photos of Ben, talking in great depth about his tales, however, because his face was covered today, Dumpy was unable to recognise him. Ben had only covered his face today, because he wanted to give Leo a good beating before revealing that he was back, however, because of this small decision, Ben identally started a chain of events that he had absolutely no control over. Chapter 632: Ben Versus Dumpy Chapter 632: Ben Versus Dumpy Chapter 632: Ben Versus Dumpy ¡°Of Course I can talk, you filthy Mongrel. I¡¯m a mythical beast. Not a mixed poodle¡­¡± Dumpy said, sounding agitated as it absolutely hated being grouped with themon frogs that were found in thisnd. To him, his disgust towards the intruders seemed justified, as he was not a frog, he was a mythical beast and he had pride within himself to match one. However, to Ben, the angry beast seemed nothing more than an amusing child, as he decided to discipline the brat before he disciplined his master. ¡°Is that so? So you think you¡¯re better than a mixed poodle, brat? No wonder you call that lousy kid your master, the two of you are cut from the same cloth!¡± Ben responded, scoffing at Dumpy¡¯s ridiculous ims, as although an inferior fighter might have felt intimidated when in the presence of such a towering beast, Ben did not. ¡°ENOUGH! HOW DARE YOU DISRESPECT MY MASTER¡­. YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR WORDS WITH YOUR LIFE, MONGREL¡± Dumpy said, absolutely blowing a vein, as he charged towards Ben with blinding speed. ¡°Watchout¨C¡± Lin Mu said, as she reflexively reached into her Assassin¡¯s belt to draw out her weapon, however, before she could do so Dumpy was already upon her, his unreal speed despite his heavy mass catching her off-guard, as Dumpy sent her flying into the distance with a direct blow to her chest. *Crash* Crashing into a building a few dozen meters away, Lin Mu coughed a mouthful of blood, as she was left utterly stunned by the strength of this unknown beast. She wasn¡¯t prepared to face such a powerful creature, and could not retrieve her de in time to block, which was the sole reason behind her being taken out of the fight as fast as she was. *p* *p* *p* pping calmly, Ben appreciated Dumpy¡¯s speed and performance, as although wed, Ben could notice the beauty behind Dumpy¡¯s unconventional swordsmanship. ¡°One weakling down¡­. Another left¡± Dumpy said, as without breaking a sweat Ben simply opened his palm towards the beast and signaled for it toe. ¡°You dare taunt me? You puny Mongrel¡ª¡± Dumpy said, sounding furious as he charged towards Ben at the same speed that he charged towards Lin Mu with, however, to his surprise, while he could catch out Lin Mu with ease, he couldn¡¯t even catch the shadow of Ben as he moved, as the old assassin dodged Dumpy¡¯s attacks with ease. *SPLAT* To Dumpy¡¯s absolute surprise, an ¡®X¡¯ shaped scar appeared on his chest, which although not deep, hurt like hell as he was forced to buckle to his knees. For some unknown reason, his vision started to be blurry and although his body felt fine, as he turned to face his opponent, Dumpy could no longer control his muscles properly. ¡°W-when did you attack me?¡± Dumpy asked, as he could not even see Ben move, let aloneunch an attack, as it was only at this point that Dumpy realized that he was facing an opponent much stronger than himself. Pulling his sleeves back, Ben revealed the hidden des tied to his arms, which though concealed under his robes, could be deployed easily when needed. These des wereced with a paralysis agent which could incapacitate an opponent for a few minutes, which was the reason behind Dumpy feeling as weak as it did, despite not losing much blood. However, much to Ben¡¯s joy, even when facing such unfavorable odds, Dumpy¡¯s killer eyes never softened. He kept staring at Ben with fury in his eyes even when he could not control his muscles, as instead of fearing death, the beast seemed more annoyed that it could not protect its master. ¡°You¡¯re too green to take me on poodle, perhaps when you grow into a wolf, I¡¯ll take you more seriously¡ª¡± Ben said, as he flicked a small pebble towards Dumpy¡¯s forehead. ¡°That poison you are secreting from your skin, I can smell it in the air around me. Don¡¯t exert your body more than you already are. You won¡¯t trick me into touching you, nor is your tongue fast enough to catch me. So just take some rest and take this loss¡± Ben said, as just as hepleted those words Dumpy extended his tongue trying to catch Ben off-guard, but missed horribly. *Sigh* Sighing, Ben shook his head from side to side, as he pretended to be disappointed in Dumpy. ¡°Rx little one, I¡¯m out of your masters league, not just your own¨C¡± Ben said, as Dumpy refused to acknowledge those words. ¡°Rubbish! My master is the strongest in this world. You better run before hees here you Mongrel¡± Dumpy replied, as listening to his words, a big smile spread on Ben¡¯s face. Although he pretended to be disappointed in the frog, Ben was secretly overjoyed to meet such a capable warrior, as the prospect of training him as his grand disciple, sent a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. Also, the sense of loyalty that he held towards Leo was absolutely admirable, which made Ben instantly feel more amiable towards it. Unfortunately, since he was here to teach Leo a lesson today, he could not show the frog any favor, as if he did, it would reveal his identity before he got a chance to fight Leo. ¡°Oh yeah? I should run before hees? Fine then¡­. Why don¡¯t you call him¡­. Let¡¯s see for once and for all, who amongst me or him is the mo¡ª¡± Before Ben couldplete his words, he felt his body being restrained by shadows, as five extremely powerful daggers came flying in his direction. ¡®Fuck¨C¡¯ thought Ben, as he barely blocked four, while the fifth one grazed past the sillheoutte of his robes, tearing the fabric but thankfully not touching his skin. He sobered up instantly, his previous cocky demeanor being reced by a focused sense of calm, as he overloaded his restraints by making his mana through them, to eventually break free. ¡°Who dares attack my pet? Have you decided to throw away your life?¡± Said an angry voice from the distance, as within a split-second, Leo appeared between Dumpy and Ben, his dagger pointed towards the unknown assassin. ¡°Hahahaha¡­.. you¡¯re so screwed now!¡± Said Dumpy, as he felt ted that his master was finally here. Chapter 633: Ben Vs Leo Chapter 633: Ben Vs Leo Chapter 633: Ben Vs Leo ¡°Hahahaha¡­.. you¡¯re so screwed now!¡± Dumpy said in tion, as his Lord Father had finally arrived. Dumpy acknowledged the strength of his opponent as being superior to his own, however, he was sure in his heart that no matter how strong his opponent was, there was no way in hell that he was stronger than his Lord Father¡­.. For his Lord Father was the strongest warrior in the whole wide universe. Hence, when Leo finally arrived at the battlefield, Dumpy immediately let out a sigh of relief, as he knew that he was finally safe from the tyrant trying to kill him. ¡°How dare you try to kill my pet, are you tired of living?¡± Leo asked the masked assant, as Ben felt his left eyebrow twitch at the question. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are to question me?¡± Said Ben, as witnessing Leo¡¯s domineering attitude towards him, Ben felt his urge to beat the shit out of Leo deepen. ¡°Very well, I see you are the type that doesn¡¯t understand the difference between themselves and Mount Tai till they are on the verge of death. Very well, as your educator and principal, I¡¯ll enlighten you today¡± Leo said, as tired of the opponents arrogant attitude, he decided to speak via his hands instead of his words. *Swoosh* *Swoosh* Throwing two daggers towards Ben, Leo purposefully made him focus on the trajectory of the daggers instead of his own movement behind them. *Block* *Block* Ben blocked the daggers with ease, however, he could almost not see Leo¡¯s movement behind them at all. *BLOCK* ¡°What?¡± Ben muttered, as he reflexively blocked Leo¡¯s real attack, not because he could actually see Leo¡¯s movement, but because it was abination attack that he taught Leo himself. ¡°Fast¡ª¡± ¡°Fast¡ª¡± Leo and Ben said together, as both of them acknowledged the unreal speed of their opponents. Till the very end, Leo felt certain that his opponent would be unable to read his movements, which was why when Ben eventually blocked it perfectly, he felt stunned. Meanwhile, Ben did not expect such an unreal burst of speed from Leo, as thest time he saw him, Leo was not half as fast as now. With this single exchange, both Leo and Ben understood that this battle was going to be much tougher than they anticipated it to be, as the strength of the opponent was definitely not normal. ¡°Very well, take this then!¡± Leo said, as he threw ten daggers at once towards Ben, but instead of rushing towards him, he used [Shadowbind] to restrict his movement this time around, making it impossible for Ben to maneuver. *Booom* Dropping a smoke bomb, Ben blocked Leo¡¯s vision, as the 10 daggers that Leo threw, sailed past the smoke without hitting their mark. A couple secondster, as the smoke dissipated, Ben was no longer within the vicinity of the smoke bomb, as he seemed to have disappearedpletely from the area, having broken free from his restraints. ¡®How does he keep breaking free of my restraints?¡¯ Leo wondered, as he could not understand the concept behind Ben breaking free of his restraints with such ease, while Ben internally appreciated the fact that Leo had learnt such a useful new move. ¡®Looks like the brat hasn¡¯t been cking in his training since I have left, I see he has picked up a new move in these past months¡¯ Ben thought, as he stalked Leo from the shadows, having blended his presence amongst them after the smoke bomb. Ben watched on, as Leo nervously searched for him all around, however, unfortunately for the kid, his skill wasn¡¯t powerful enough yet to detect Ben Faulkner. ¡®That¡¯s it boy¡­ turn, turn for your master and expose your back to me¡¯ Ben thought, waiting for Leo to make a mistake, as the second that Leo did, he unleashed a barrage of daggers towards Leo from the shadows. ¡®Got you¨C¡¯ Ben thought, as he saw the daggers closing in on his disciple, however, to his shock they sailed past his body as if it was made of thin air, as the body which was nothing more than illusion dissipated. ¡®It was a clone!¡¯ Ben thought in rm, as he immediately tried to change his location, however, it was toote. Hiding within the shadows, he became a sitting duck for Leo¡¯s [Shadowbind] as the second he threw the daggers, Leo zero¡¯d in on his location and bound him with more ropes than he could break free from. ¡°Gah¨C¡± a small gasp of pain escaped Ben¡¯s lips as he felt one of the shadow ropes shamelessly tighten around hisher regions, as in a dastardly move, it seemed like Leo wanted to burst his balls. *Step* *Step* *Step* Dagger in hand, Leo walked coldly towards Ben, his eyes emotionless as he walked towards him with the intention to pierce his heart. ¡°I could almost not detect you¡­. But then you exposed yourself like the fool you are¡± Leo said, as he closed the distance between them and prepared to deal the final blow. ¡°It was a good fight, but s this is as much as you ount for¡± Leo said, as he looked straight into Ben¡¯s eyes and prepared to perform [Kill Strike] Ben, shocked by how the battle had turned out, felt the words ¡°Stop, I¡¯m your master boy¡ª¡± reach the tip of his tongue, however, instead of saying those words and disgracing himself in front of Leo¡¯s eyes, Ben decided to fight back to the best of his abilities. He had underestimated Leo in this battle so far, however, his disciple was stronger than he believed him to be. This forced Ben to bring out his strongest moves, as instead of surrendering, he decided to use his most powerful move yet. [Mirror World] Invoking mirror world, Ben summoned two physical clones of himself beside him, as those clones immediately attacked Leo, saving Ben from the fate of being stabbed to death. Chapter 634: Reunion Chapter 634: Reunion Chapter 634: Reunion *Punch* *Punch* The sudden appearance of the clones took Leo by surprise as he failed to dodge their attacks in time. ¡°Gah¨C¡± he said, keeling over, as the sheer force of the clones¡¯ attacks towards his gut made him double over in pain. *Drip* A drop of blood escaped his lips, sttering onto the floor. But more than the pain, it was the insult that ignited his fury. In less than a second, he recognized the technique ¡ª and the fact that his opponent had dared to use [Mirror World], and it was this impudence that made him lose his mind. The realization that his enemy had dared to use his master¡¯s move made Leo¡¯s eyes turn bloodshot, as he murderously looked into the eyes of his opponent. ¡°How do you know that move? That¡¯s my master¡¯s technique¡­ WHY DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT?¡± Leo asked, his voice shaking with rage, as his mind turned numb from fury. [Mirror World] In response, he summoned over 30 clones of his own, as regardless of the mana cost and the strain on his body, Leo decided to show his opponent that he wasn¡¯t worthy of using his master¡¯s moves. Using mirror world, Leo summoned an entire army of clones, covering the entire street with his look-alikes, and although at first Ben assumed that they would all be illusions at best, since that was the level of Leo¡¯s proficiency with the movest time he saw him. When Leo¡¯s 30 clones began to physically gang-up and beat Ben¡¯s two, Ben could almost not believe his own eyes. ¡®How did this brat learn to perform the next stage of Mirror World? I have certainly not taught him about it yet¡­ then why has he mastered it better than I have?¡¯ Ben wondered, as to him, it seemed impossible that Leo had grasped the next stage of [Mirror World] without Ben having to provide him any guidance. *Bam* *Bam* *Bam* Within seconds, Leo¡¯s thirty clones absolutely dismantled the two Ben clones that Ben had summoned, as at this point, Leo¡¯s murderous intent reached a fever pitch. ¡°I will give you onest chance to tell me your real identity¡­ and where you learned to perform the move [Mirror World]. If you dare lie to me, I promise you won¡¯t suffer an easy death. For the crime of impersonating my master¡¯s technique, I¡¯ll make you beg for death¡ªbut even then, I won¡¯t let you die. I¡¯ll heal you and torture you all over again, until there¡¯s not a shred of vitality left in your body to support regeneration¡­¡± Leo said with his voice cold and his gaze unwavering, as he made it clear he was done ying games. At this point, Ben could feel it in his bones that Leo meant every single wording out of his mouth, however, what he could not understand was why Leo could still not figure out his identity? Only the two of them could perform [Mirror World] in this whole wide world and hence his identity should have been obvious to Leo by now. ¡°Who am I? Brat you dare question your master now¨C?¡± Ben said in his usual tone, as dropping the voice disguise that he had equipped so far, Ben decided to end the farce as well. Internally, he felt frustrated at having to end this fight on the back foot, as his disciple had clearly outmuscled him this time, however, to his absolute surprise, the second he spoke those words instead of greeting his master in joy, Leo immediately dismantled all his clones and binds, and fell to his knees trembling. ¡°M-a-ster?¡± He said, his voice cracking as an uncontroble stream of tears started to flow from his eyes. At this point, Ben could not understand why Leo had such an exaggerated reaction to his return, however, since his binds were undone, he casually removed his mask and revealed his true face to Leo. ¡°Oye¡­Oye¡­Oye Kid, have I really taught you so poorly? Why are you believing the enemy so easily? What if I was an enemy pretending to be me? Wouldn¡¯t you be dead then? And what is this girl like rea¨C¡± Ben said, however, before he couldplete his words, Leo threw himself towards Ben, hugging him tight as if he could not believe that his master was really in front of him. *Sob* *Sob* Sobbing uncontrobly, Leo buried his face against Ben¡¯s chest, hugging him with every ounce of strength he could muster, as he squeezed him as tightly as his arms would allow. ¡°MASTER¡­ IT¡¯S REALLY YOU¡­ IT¡¯S YOU¡­ IT¡¯S YOU¡­¡± Leo repeated, reassuring himself he wasn¡¯t dreaming as watching Leo¡¯s reaction, Ben finally sensed that something was deeply amiss. Knowing Leo well, Ben understood that he wouldn¡¯t react this way unless he truly believed Ben was gone forever. Though what Ben couldn¡¯t grasp yet was why Leo thought he was dead? as for now, he simply consoled his disciple. ¡°It¡¯s okay kid, I¡¯m here¡­absolutely fine and alive. Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I¡¯m Ben Fucking Faulkner, did you really think I would die?¡± Ben said, stroking Leo¡¯s head, as although he tried to appear tough, for some indescribable reason, his own voice began to crack, as he resonated with the intensity of Leo¡¯s emotions. ¡°It¡¯s Lord Grandfather? No wonder I lost to him in battle. Today is a glorious day for sure¡ª¡± said Dumpy from a distance, as watching the heartfelt reunion between Leo and Ben, even Dumpy shed a tear of joy. ¡°I knew it¡­.. not even death could defeat Lord Grandfather, he must have fought his way against the King of the underworld and came back to the world of living after fighting through a sea of dead. What a glorious return¡­. Worthy of being my Lord Grandfather indeed¨C¡± Dumpy said, bobbing his massive head up and down as he cooked his own fantasy story about Ben¡¯s return in his head. Ben looked towards the giant frog, and blinked in confusion, as a part of him really wanted to smack the giant frog on his head for cooking up such an absurd tale. However, another wanted to pet his head for calling him ¡®Lord Grandfather¡¯ so affectionately. In the end, Ben decided to ignore Dumpy for now and focus on Leo, who still did not wish to leave his side. ¡°What¡¯s the matter boy¡­why are you clinging to me like a sloth clings to a tree?¡± Ben asked, patting Leo on the back, as Leo finally said the words that had been haunting him for months now. ¡°They¡­ they said you were dead¡­. I-I thought I lost you¨C¡± Leo said, as he began to break down into tears once more, much to the dismay of Ben. The old man had never seen his disciple so weak and broken before and seeing him so weak made Ben feel a pinch in his heart as well. ¡°Silly boy¡­ it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here now¡± Ben replied, as he desperately tried to console Leo, as best as he could, but failed to soothe him even slightly. Whatever Leo was feeling today, Ben could do nothing to soothe him, as the emotions he was holding back like a torrent for months now had just broken free. There was no stopping the tears now, as all Ben could do was wait for the storm to pass. Chapter 635: Acceptance Chapter 635: eptance Chapter 635: eptance ¡°Silly boy, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here now¡­¡± Ben said, as for a good five minutes Leo did nothing but cry his heart out. Growing up, Leo never had anything akin to a father figure around him and hence having Ben in his life filled that void. Ben was more than just an NPC for him, he was like a second father and Leo loved him ordingly. The pain of losing Ben felt akin to the pain of losing a family member for Leo, and it had been extremely difficult for him to cope with the loss. The pain of living in someone¡¯s absence did note in a single, overwhelming wave that faded over time, it was instead a constant reminder that the memories shared with them could never be recreated. Leo did feel a deep sadness in the first few days after he learned of Ben¡¯s death, but it was not only those first days that weighed heavily on him. Everytime he thought of a quote said by Ben while he was training, of every time he entered a room where he shared a treasured memory with Ben, Leo felt his insides welling up, as the pain of that loss bore down heavily on him. Having spent a good 50% of his gaming career alongside Ben, Leo was beyond attached to the old man, and hence thest 6 and a half months without him had been especially cruel on Leo. However, once he cried his eyes out, the initial shock and pain were reced with joy, as he finally let go of Ben and smiled foolishly from ear to ear. ¡°You¡¯re okay? Of-course you¡¯re okay, I knew you couldn¡¯t be dead¨C¡± Leo said, wiping the tears off his eyes as he smiled goofily. Ben looked confused still, and since it seemed like Leo had recovered enough to hold a conversation, he gently asked him why he thought he was dead? ¡°Did you not get my letter boy? The one I sent from the capital informing you I wasn¡¯t dead?¡± Ben asked, as Leo blinked at him in confusion and asked ¡°What letter?¡± It was at that point that Ben understood everything that went down, as he realized that Leo never read the rification letter that he had sent him. The fool seemed to have believed that he was dead just like the rest of the Empire and had apparently mourned his loss greatly. For a second, Ben¡¯s gaze towards Leo softened as he could not even begin to imagine the pain that the kid had gone through over the past few months, however, instead of consoling him once more, Ben raised his fist and smacked Leo on the head hard. *Smack* ¡°Ouch¨C¡± Leo said, rubbing his head, as he could not understand why Ben would hit him? ¡°What? Why did you hit me, old man?¡± He asked, feeling confused as Ben looked at him with the most ruthless face. ¡°Do you really think anyone but the Demon King or his mount dragon really has the skills to kill me?¡± Ben asked, as Leo scratched his hair in shame. Leo had long known that his master was indeed really strong, however, with there being multiple eye-witnesses to his death, Leo assumed the worst. ¡°B-but if you weren¡¯t dead, where were you all these past months? It took you 6 months toe back?¡± Leo asked, feeling wronged as Ben pped his face in annoyance. The reason for him not returning for 6+ months was written in the same letter that told Leo that he wasn¡¯t really dead and with Leo not having read that letter, the kid naturally had no idea as to why Ben had not returned home. ¡°Let¡¯s take this conversation to your quarters, I guess tonight¡¯s going to be a long night¨C¡± Ben said, letting out a deep sigh, as at that moment Lin Mu returned to the scene slightly limping. ¡°Ayyy Lin Mu is here!¡± Leo said, looking at his NPC sister in joy, however, Lin Mu herself could barely muster a smile. Dumpy had really done a number on her and although Lin Mu did not wish to admit it, she needed to rest for a week minimum to recover. ¡°Have you two made up? Damn, I missed the fight between you two¡± Lin Mu said, as she tried to assess who won based on the condition of their clothing, but could not decipher much information from it. ¡°Perhaps if you were not such a pathetic weakling, you could have witnessed the majestic fight unfold with your own two eyes like myself. s, you have no-one to me but yourself¡± Dumpy said, as mindlessly lectured Lin Mu for her weakness. *Twitch* Lin Mu felt her right eye twitch in rage when she heard Dumpy¡¯s words, as despite her injury she suddenly felt ready for round two of fighting, just to discipline the impudent frog. ¡°What did that toad just say?¡± Lin Mu asked metaphorically, as she did not actually want a repeat of what he said, but Dumpy gave her that anyways. ¡°Is your hearing as weak as yourself? Can you not hear my words from such a short range human girl? I was considering you as a breeding partner for my master given your adequate waist to hip ratio, but if you have gic defects then perhaps it¡¯s best that we disqualify your candidacy¡± Dumpy said, as his words rendered Lin Mupletely speechless. ¡°Apologies master, let me introduce my pet Dumpy¡­. He¡¯s a mythical beast called an ancient swamp frog. He¡¯s only a few weeks old and just like a small child doesn¡¯t know any better as to what he is speaking¡± Leo said, apologizing to both Ben and Lin Mu for Dumpy¡¯s words, as his frog seemed to be more and more unhinged by the day. ¡°A few weeks old and already so strong? A mythical beast indeed¨C¡± Ben said, as he nodded in acknowledgement for Dumpy, which made the frog¡¯s chest swell with pride. His Lord Grandfather had just acknowledged his strength, it was probably the proudest day of his life. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 1 of 5 for the day. /// Chapter 636: Catching Up Chapter 636: Catching Up Chapter 636: Catching Up It took Ben and Leo a few hours of discussion to clear up their misunderstandings, with Ben only forgiving Leo once he understood that all of Leo¡¯s actions so far as a rebel had been driven by the belief that Ben was dead. Upon receiving the sad news of his death, Leo, filled with hatred towards the Empire, decided to take matters into his own hands, which was why he became the rebel leader, and once Ben recognised these facts, it became easy for him to forgive Leo. Naturally, this also made his attitude towards Leo a lot softer, as instead of scolding him for his lofty ambitions, Ben now praised him subtly at every chance that he got during the course of their conversation. ¡°Boy, I still don¡¯t understand how you managed to master [Mirror World] to the advanced stage? 37 years¡­. That¡¯s how long it took me to do it, yet you did it in under 3. There has been no-one like you in the history of the Faulkner n¡± Ben praised, as he patted Leo¡¯s back in joy. Embarrassed, Leo scratched his chin and remained silent, as it was true that he could only progress so fast because he believed that his master was dead. If not for the raging emotions within him, which made him unable to rest even for a second while training, Leo would perhaps not have mastered [Mirror World] as fast as he did, which was why, in hindsight it seemed like everything had worked out for the best. ¡°The current Emperor is nothing more than a boy. The North Duke is his guardian and the man that holds all the power within the Empire¡­.. Since you have already decided to walk the path of being a rebel, I guess there¡¯s no turning back now. The only way out of this mess for you is to kill the two remaining Duke¡¯s, their sons and Julien¡¯s remaining heirs. The East Duke is dead. The South Duke is toothless. So if you manage to kill the North and West Duke¡¯s, and their heirs¡­. The Empire will implode on itself¡± Ben said, as once he determined that Leo was not seeking the throne for selfish reasons, he became more inclined to help the boy. ¡°I see¡­¡± Leo responded, nodding attentively, as while he was not used to listening attentively to anyone, Ben and Luke were the only two people in the world that always had his undivided attention. ¡°Lord Father, if I may¡­..¡± Dumpy said, raising his hand and interrupting the two, as Leo immediately red towards him to warn him off. ¡°You may not boy, this is a discussion between adults here¡± Leo said, as he immediately received a smack on the head from Ben as a reprimand. ¡°Let the frog speak boy¡­. Don¡¯t be rude¡± said Ben, as he gestured for Dumpy to speak, much to the frog¡¯s joy. ¡°The names you have just mentioned, give me a month¡¯s time, and I will present before you all their heads which shall be decapitated in your name. If you just allow me, I will prove myself worthy¨C¡± Dumpy said, as instead of looking towards him, Leo instead gave Ben ¡®The look¡¯, as Ben coughed nervously. ¡°Did you drop this frog on its head when it was little?¡± Ben questioned, as Leo exasperatedly threw his hands in the air in a show of protest. Unlike Ben who did not understand Dumpy¡¯s true nature yet, Leo already did, which was why he shot Dumpy down before he could speak his mind. Leo was sure that Dumpy would make some ridiculously bold im, as in Dumpy¡¯s mind the whole world was a battle saga, with the women being there to breed and conquer while the men were there to be vanquished. He was extremely detached from reality and did not understand the difficulty of the mission he suggested to undertake, making it sound like child¡¯s y when it was nothing but. ¡°You¡¯re not strong enough to take them all down yet, little frog, the North Duke is nearly as strong as me, while the West Duke is even stronger than the North Duke. You can¡¯t possibly hope to beat one of them, much less both of them, making your ims absurd¡± Ben said, trying to reason with Dumpy, who slumped in shame upon listening to these words. ¡°I see how it is¡­. Dumpy is a useless frog¡± Dumpy said, sounding sad, as now Ben did not understand what to do anymore? He did not wish to discourage the frog, but he could not encourage him either. It was like dealing with a five-year-old whose dream was to be Superman. You couldn¡¯t let him jump off the roof, but you also couldn¡¯t crush his dream of bing a hero one day, making the situation veryplicated to handle. ¡°Master did not say you were useless, he just said you¡¯re not strong enough yet. But since he¡¯s back here now, perhaps after he teaches you a few techniques here and there, maybe¡­. Just maybe you can be as strong as me¡± Leo said, trying to uplift Dumpy¡¯s mood, as listening to his words Dumpy became energetic once again. ¡°Is that so? Will Lord Grandfather really teach me? Will he?¡± Dumpy asked, panting happily, as looking at his excited face, Ben could not hope to say no. ¡°I will, but I don¡¯t teach kids who interrupt adults as they talk, so be a good boy and let us finish our conversation¡± Ben said, as Dumpy immediately brought a finger to his lips and sat in a corner without uttering a single noise. ¡°Haha¨C¡± Leo chuckled, as at times he did find Dumpy to be incredibly cute. Ben too smiled looking at the pet, as Dumpy proved to be much more interesting to him than Ben had anticipated, with the little one having a one of a kind personality. Nheless, having the talent to back up his arrogance, Ben could foresee Dumpy bing a great fighter one day, which was why he had no qualms to train him upon Leo¡¯s request. ¡ª¡ª¨C /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 2 of 5 for the day. /// Chapter 637: PinkLotuss Resolve Chapter 637: PinkLotus''s Resolve Chapter 637: PinkLotus¡¯s Resolve ¡°So¡­ what about your side of the story? What all did you aplish in the past 6 months?¡± Leo asked Ben, who shrugged his shoulders to y it cool, however, the smile on his face gave it away. ¡°I¡¯ve found the key to bing a grandmaster warrior boy. The secrets of the Assassin ns that controlled thesends before the Empire was even established. The next stage of [Mirror World] The next stage of [Kill Strike] And The first stage of [Shape-Shift] I¡¯ve found them all¡± Ben said, as Leo nodded with his eyes wide, clearly impressed by Ben¡¯s findings. ¡°We searched for these treasures for 6 months straight, it was by no means easy. But Teacher Ben here was determined to find them and someday pass them on to you¡± Lin Mu said, as a soft smile spread on Leo¡¯s face under his mask. ¡°Teacher Ben?¡± Leo asked, as Ben waved the question off. ¡°The girl is skilled so I gave her some guidance¡± Ben said, as Leo did not probe into the arrangement anymore. The fact that she only called Ben ¡®Teacher¡¯ and not ¡®Master¡¯ meant that she wasn¡¯t a chosen disciple, but Leo was happy that Ben trained her regardless, as he knew that Lin Mu had suffered a lot when working for Dem Paltrow. ¡°Expect to return to Mount Faulkner boy, for some good old training once you¡¯re free from this rebel nonsense. For the two of us have to master the secrets I¡¯ve just uncovered¡± Ben said, as Leo gave him a thumbs up sign. ¡°I n to wrap this nonsense up within the next three months master. Do not worry, now that I know you¡¯re alive, I don¡¯t have to make this as painful on the opponents as before¡± Leo said, as Ben being alive really gave him a lot of leeway on how he wanted to execute his revenge. ¡°What do you mean? How are you nning to conquer the entire Empire in the next three months?¡± Ben asked, as Leo simply smiled but did not respond. It was absurd to think that one man could conquer the entire Empire within 90 short days, however, Leo had a solid n of execution. If everything worked in his favor, he had the confidence to conquer the Empire within the next 90 days, however, he did not wish to voice his ideas just yet, fearing that Ben might call him insane. ¡°Leave such boring details to me master, you¡¯re finally back to civilization after such a long time, you should focus on having a drink and rxing with me. The serious questions can wait tillter¨C¡± Leo said, as he did not want to talk business anymore and only wanted to enjoy Ben¡¯spany which he had missed thoroughly over the months. Relenting, Ben agreed to his request, as Leo ordered the best liquor for them both. Many things had changed over the past 6 months, with Leo now bing a master warrior and a rebel leader, however, the bond between the two remained the same. Unchanged by changing times. ********* (Meanwhile, PinkLotus) After suffering a defeat in sparring against Leo, PinkLotus worked hard to improve her skills within the game world, focusing heavily on short-range, high-speedbat, which had previously been her weak suit. She wasn¡¯t ustomed to close-quarters fighting, where every second counted, and each movement had to be precise and deliberate. But that fault in her fighting style only ignited her determination to improve even more. She felt that somehow her reflexes were slowerpared to Leo in closebat and hence, after paying a hefty MP fee to the system, she asked for the best method to train her reflexes in return. The system guided her towards a secluded spot on the game map, where in the middle of a dense forest a waterfall cascaded down into a secluded pool, and her task there was to slice the misting off from the waterfall, with each mist particle that she missed to be considered as a hit on her body. To begin training, she first had to send a powerful sword sh towards the waterfall, slicing it¡¯s flow in half, which led the subsequent fall of water to produce thicker mist particles, that could be sliced clean by a swords width. A rock was uniquely positioned at the perfect distance near the waterfall, whereby, PinkLotus had to slice just the perfect amount of hits that a master swordsman should be able to handle, giving her the ideal environment to train her reflexes. *sh* *Ssh* At first, she could not slice through more than a couple mist droplets without finding herself drenched in water, however, slowly she realized that it was not about slicing each water dropletsing her way as fast as possible, but rather analyzing their direction and choosing sword arcs that could slice through the most amount of water drops at once, without any wasted energy. In essence, improving her reflexes was not just a matter of improving her physical speed, but rather her read of the situation and her brain capacity to process such information as fast as she could. Once she realized this, her training progressed smoothly, albeit not as fast as she was used to, as despite training for over half a month, she could not even slice through 30% of the droplets at once. However, just this short improvement in her fighting style was undoubtedly a giant leap forward for her as a warrior as she had began to make-up ground on what was her biggest weakness at this time. If she could only improve her reflex to match that of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, she had the confidence to humiliate him in battle which was her ultimate goal. ¡°You just wait¡­. Within the next three months I will challenge you to a spar all over again¡­. And this time I will win for sure!¡± PinkLotus said to herself as she gave herself a new deadline to beat Leo. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 3 of 5, hope you enjoyed it! /// Chapter 638: The Plan Chapter 638: The n Chapter 638: The n Even before Ben exined to him the road to an imperial defeat, Leo already understood how to achieveplete victory and had been plotting with ChaosBringer on how to achieve it. For Leo, the road to aplete victory was simple. He needed to infiltrate the StrongHaven castle and kill every single one of the royal family members present there, down to thest Evanus child within. Since the North Duke was there too, he had to kill him as well, and the whole Empire needed to know that it was him who did it. Just like Ben before him, Leo intended to take on the role of a kingyer, and be notorious throughout the realm for his strength. Of-course, he wasn¡¯t a fool and did not genuinely believe that he could just waltz into the imperial castle alone and y everyone in there without a worry, as he knew that it wasn¡¯t as easy as that. The Virex Corps, The various other masters present within the castle boundaries were all unknown variables that could not be taken lightly and hence Leo had started to work on aprehensive n to make this solo operation work. He already had the snake controlling stone, and with the help of ChaosBringer, he had already found the ess points in the Empire¡¯s sewer system that he could use to sneak his snakes through into the pce. This was the reason behind him collecting snakes for months now, as he intended to unleash them all within the pce to cause panic and chaos within on the night of his attack. However, just sending in snakes was not enough. Leo, in his role as ¡®Leo Skyshard¡¯ the legendary merchant, had sabotaged the shipment of antivenom shipments scheduled for the pce, as the current lot that was stored within the pce was actually just water that waspletely ineffective. This meant that when the n was eventually triggered, the anti-venom medicine that the medics would turn to, would actually prove to be defective, causing severe panic within the administration. It was amidst this panic, that Leo nned to sneak in and start his murder spree, as although he was unsure as to whether or not he could kill everyone in a single night. He had the confidence in himself that he could at least kill the king and make it out alive, with not a single royal soldier having the strength to stop him. Of course, like every big n, this n too was extremely dangerous, with the new system rules making it so that his whole gaming career was on the line if he attempted this mission, however, with his mind already made, Leo felt willing to take this risk, despite knowing that it could potentially spell the end for him. However, while he was confident about the execution of his own n, the part that he did not feel confident about was the aftermath. Even if he killed the top leadership of the Empire and plunged it into Chaos, it wouldn¡¯t help him win the Empire unless he could conquer it swiftly. However, with him unwilling to spend months struggling against other yers for a few hundred yards ofnd, Leo had a different n to seize control of the Empire swiftly after he took out the top brass. He intended to reach out to prominent guilds in each region and offer them a deal to join hands with him. Since the Uprising already controlled much of the south and east, he did not intend to give any southern or eastern guilds a seat at the table, however, he wished to do so for the western and northern guilds. From the west, he wanted to invite DarkSky and WhiteSaber guilds to form a coalition within and from the north, he wanted to invite three big guilds. In return for offering them the position of a Duke, Leo wanted them to swear fealty to him, however, he wasn¡¯t sure yet as to how these negotiations would pan out. If the other guilds agreed to join him, then once the central leadership vacuum was created, they could all assert control over their own regions and join him to form the government. However, if they did not, then conquering thosends with the Uprising could prove to be a headache, especially with the demons active at their borders. Overall, there were many smaller nuances to this n as well, such as the uprising asserting full control over the south and Leo having to negotiate terms with the various racial kingster, however, if all the stars aligned for him correctly, if he followed this n, Leo saw a path to him bing the Emperor within the next three months. ¡°I would have told master about this n, if I had faith that this n would indeed work out the way I¡¯m envisioning it to work out, however, as of now there are many fine details that I have yet to think of. Such ns cannot be rushed and I will only reveal this n to master, once I¡¯m fully sure of it working out¡± Leo mused, as it wasn¡¯t that he did not wish to let Ben in on the loop on what he was nning, but it was just that it was too early for him to say anything yet. ¡°Damn in hindsight I feel like I should have treated Cervantez more kindly¡­. Now that I have to negotiate a deal with him for the DarkSky guilds support, I¡¯m not sure I can do that with him not liking me at all¡± Leo muttered to himself, as he winced thinking about his rtionship with Cervantez and how strained it was. ¡°Thankfully I have brother to rely on¡­. Surely brother will see the merits of my n¡± Leo said out loud, as he crossed his fingers and desperately hoped that Luke would lend him an ear once he logged out of the game today. ¡ª¡ª¡ª /// A/N ¨C Mass Release Chapter 4 of 5 for the day. Thankyou for all your support! /// Chapter 639: Clashing Viewpoints ( Real World, The Arc Ship) After logging out of Terra Nova Online, Leo sought out Luke to talk about the n he had in mind, as he hoped to secure his support. "Hmmmm¡­.." Luke mused listening to Leo''s n, as while he felt incredibly interested in joining the ruling coalition that would control the entire Empire, he wasn''t sure if it was in the best interest of the DarkSky guild to join the rebellion in the way that Leo suggested. Currently there was a strong anti-rebellion sentiment within the guild, with most guild members holding a negative bias against the rebels, which made Luke question whether or not they would ept this arrangement. "So¡­.what do you think?" Leo asked, as Luke let out a deep sigh and began running his hands through his hair. "I don''t know Leo¡­. It certainly doesn''t seem like a bad proposal. Joining hands with you will directly alleviate the DarkSky guild to the position of a Duke, with vast amounts ofnd and resources under our control, however, I''m not sure if my guild members really want that" Luke said, as Leo simply refused to believe his argument. "Why wouldn''t they agree with this arrangement though brother? I mean, in the end they''re the ones getting richer, correct? What''s there to lose for you in this deal?" Leo questioned, as Luke chuckled at his aggravated response. "Dear brother, you don''t understand, not everyone is motivated in this world by power, fame and money like you. Some people prefer honor, some want respect, and some want the satisfaction of knowing that whatever it is they did, made a difference in the world" Luke exined, as Leo looked at him like he was speaking an aliennguage. "My guild members are mostly honor driven, that''s the culture we have at the DarkSky guild. The environment is more like, "Oh we can''t back down, we are DarkSky members" "Oh we cannot ept defeat, we are DarkSky members" "Oh, we must surely strive to be the best, we are DarkSky members". Basically, we like to call ourselves the number one guild and we behave ordingly. Honor is a big part of the guild culture, and joining rebels will go against the honor of many men" Luke exined as Leo threw his hands up in exasperation. "Are the wordsing out of your mouth making sense to you? What is honorpared to dukedom? Also, people join the other side all the time¡­. The rebels aren''t really ''Evil'' brother, we are not the demons¡­ surely it can''t be that bad that you wanna join us" Leo said, as Luke looked at him with disappointed eyes. "You have no idea as to what the image of the rebels is in the wider world, do you?" Luke asked, as Leo blinked towards him cluelessly. "The rebels are seen as no better than demons within the righteous guilds. In-case you don''t know, ''The Uprising'' runs the house in sector D and E, with them regrly bullying any member in the lower sectors that is not a part of their group. They are like the local mafia, the goons that our mother told us to stay away from as kids, because those goons, kill, plunder and destroy" Luke said, as Leo raised his finger in protest, but pulled it back down when he realized that Luke was just getting started. "I have members within the DarkSky guild that have been on the receiving end of The Uprising''s bullying and want nothing more than to destroy them. I know, not all members of your rebel group are bad, however, the broader perception of you lot is not pretty at all. You are the ma for murders, ouws, criminals and gangsters. That''s the image your group has within the wider masses, as if you take a deep look into how your underlings run the show, you will realize that my words are not wrong at all. You rule yournds like tyrants, ce curfews on the NPC, have no room for dissent or protests and crack down hard on anyone that stands up against you. You might believe that your group is anti-establishment, however, you guys are really not the better alternative that you think you are, which makes joining hands with you moreplicated than you think¡­." Luke exined, as despite his best efforts Leo still failed to pick up on his point. "But this is a game brother¡­isn''t the end goal to buy nice items, be powerful and gain levels? It''s not like this is the real world, surely your guild members can''t be that serious about not willing to cooperate with us" Leo said, as Luke graciously epted his doubts as a valid remark. "You''re absolutely right, this is just a game, which is why I am personally inclined to join you, however, I cannot give you a decision immediately. I need to talk to my guildmaster, weigh the pros and cons of joining you and only then can I give you my final answer¡­.. Trust me, that as your brother I will surely try my best to rally support for your cause, however, if I fail, do understand that it wasn''t because I did not try hard enough, but because the group you represent is problematic. Today, there''s not a single yer in the world of Terra Nova who will turn down and invitation from ''TheBoss'', as there is no one who does not respect you and what you represent individually. However, as the rebel leader, your position ispletely different to that of yourself as a yer" Luke exined, as with this he concluded his meeting with Leo. "Alright, you trying your best is good enough for me" Leo said, shrugging, as although he could not see the merit behind Luke''s words, he had faith in his brother to not fail his expectations regardless. ¡ª----- /// A/N - Mass Release Chapter 5 of 5. Thank You so much for all your support in the past month. It was a big dream of mine to reach top10 in GT rankings and get a badge of honor for this book and thanks to your support we finally did it. I have no other words to describe how happy I feel, except saying thank you once again. /// Chapter 640: Cervantezs Problems Ever since Luke informed Cervantez that he was moving to the VIP sector and that his brother was ''TheBoss'', their rtionship had not been the same. Although on the surface the two functioned normally, with neither of them avoiding each other, the warmth andfort that they once shared was not reflected in their conversations anymore. There was a constant underlying tension whenever the two of them were in the same room and there was an evidentck of blind trust, which led to a slight deterioration in their rtionship. This odd dynamic had forced their rtionship to turn strictly professional, withmunication reduced to only the most necessary exchanges. Unfortunately for Cervantez, this shift didn''t trouble Luke as much as it troubled him, as while Luke was immersed in his personal growth and on making remarkable strides through the [Mind Meditation Manual], Cervantez could not move-on from their deteriorating dynamic. Luke''s casual aloofness became an increasingly sore point for him as although he kept his growing frustrations to himself, he couldn''t help but feel an increasing sense of jealousy towards Luke every passing day. His jealousy stemmed from the fact that PinkLotus had also achieved the rank of master a few days ago and had taken to the VIP residence as her new home. This gave Luke ample opportunities tomunicate with her, however, Cervantez did not have the same privilege. Desperate to spend more time with her, Cervantez threw himself into training daily, aspiring to reach the realm of a master. Yet, the path to bing a master warrior was long and grueling and to his absolute dismay, despite his best efforts, the reality of the situation was that unless he had a miraculous breakthrough, he had no real shot of attaining the master realm within the next 12 months at the minimum. Hence, unable to attain mastery himself, Cervantez found it difficult not to resent Luke''s privileges, as unlike him, Luke could enjoy the benefits of the VIP sector, not through his own mastery, but simply due to his status as TheBoss''s brother. "Damn it, damn it, damn it! This is not who I am¡­ I am not a petty man, so why do I feel so jealous just because my vice guild master is doing better than me in life? I should be happy for him, but I''m not¡­" Cervantez wondered, as he clutched his palms and tried to figure out what was wrong with him? He knew for sure that at his core he was definitely not a jealous kind of man, who could not tolerate the sess of those who worked under him. He was the kind of man that rooted for his friends to win, regardless of his own circumstances, however, whenever something rted to PinkLotus came up, it was almost like his mind refused to align with his personality. "Why? Why am I so obsessed with PinkLotus? It''s not like she was my girlfriend in my past life, I had not even held a conversation with her? So why do I feel so possessive about her?" Cervantez voiced, as he could not understand why he had this obsession over PinkLotus when the two of them never shared a deep bond, in this life or the past. Yes, PinkLotus was beautiful, perhaps more so than any other woman on the Arc Ship, however, that was not reason enough for Cervantez to feel this obsessiveness around her. He could feel that something was amiss here, however, whenever he tried to think too hard about it, he felt a searing headache threatening to split his brain in half, as somehow he could not question his feelings for PinkLotus, or he was instantly punished by some unknown force. "Gah¡­. Not this headache again" Cervantezined, as clutching his head, he sat down in one corner of his office. The pain was so severe that even moving his head a single inch, gave him a severe case of vertigo, as just thinking about why he liked PinkLotus? left him nearly incapacitated. What Cervantez did not know was that just like every other special yer on the Arc Ship, he was an ongoing experiment as well. The regressor ss was not real, and he had not been mysteriously sent back in time to live for a second time. What actually happened was that upon his system evaluation at the start of the game, he was evaluated to be the most suitable yer for the ''regressor'' experiment, whereby he was imnted with the memories generated by the game world A.I. of events that were most likely to unfold. The future he thought was real, was not actually real and the feelings he had for PinkLotus were not real either. The feelings he had for her, were nted by the system, who wanted him to chase her relentlessly, pushing his own boundaries in hopes of someday forming a connection with her, however, it was not really an obsession of his own. This was the main reason behind why he could never question his feelings for PinkLotus, as the moment he tried to do so, the program imnted in his head messed with his brain signals and manufactured a severe headache within him. The program made him physically incapable of thinking too much about the reason behind his feelings towards PinkLotus, as it was a control measure imnted by the operators to make sure that the ''Regressor'' experiment did not fail midway. The ultimate dream that the operators had for Cervantez, was that his obsession over PinkLotus would someday force him to be a Master warrior, however, the methods they used to achieve this were nothing short of cruel. The system made Cervantez obsessed over something he never truly wanted in the first ce, and it was now interfering with his real life rtionships, with him having no clue as to why? *Knock* *Knock* As he sat paralyzed in the corner of his office, he heard someone knock on the door, however, his stupid vertigo would not let him lift his head and answer. He hoped that whoever it was would just stop knocking and let him be at this moment, but then, he heard the unmistakable sound of the office door unlocking, as someone just walked into his office, without him asking them to. ¡ª------- /// A/N - Guys I have some GREAT news to share. Our book Terra Nova Online has been shortlisted as one of the 15 books recieving an award at this year''s WSA ceremony. I know some of you won''t be able to understand how significant this is, but take it this way, that the WSA awards are the Oscar equivalent of webnovel industry awards, and it''s a career milestone for me. We are sure to win something at the ceremony now, whether it''s gold silver or bronze. But we win something for sure. Now there is an event page open within the webnovel app where you can vote for Terra Nova Online, and help push it higher, and whether we win gold, silver or bronze, nowpletely depends on the votes you guys cast. So please support me and cast a vote at the event page, it won''t even take half a minute, so please consider doing it. At the time of writing this, we trail the leader by only 51 votes, and I''m sure we can bridge it, but even if we can''t, every vote really matters a lot. Also apologies for the longer than usual author note, but I couldn''t help it/// Chapter 641: Phony Values "Guildmaster?" Luke said, feeling concerned as to why Cervantez was keeling over in one corner of the room while clutching his head, as he immediately rushed to his aid. "Guildmaster, are you okay? Why are you keeling over? Did something happen here?" Luke asked in a panic, as Cervantez bit his tongue. The pain that Cervantez felt currently was unbearable and Luke was unknowingly making it worse by shaking him, which made Cervantez feel likeshing out at him. However, being the gentleman that he was, he bit his tongue instead, as despite all the pain he tried to keep a straight face. "I''m okay, just give me a moment, I''ll be right with you¡ª" Cervantez said, barely piecing the words together, as Luke gave him some air to breathe. Moving back, Luke immediately locked the door to Cervantez''s office, and then proceeded to wait patiently for him to recover, while making a very concerned face. It took Cervantez a good five minutes to get back to his feet and move, however, Luke waited in absolute silence all this while. Only when he got back up and nodded towards Luke did Luke finally voice his concerns again as he asked "Guildmaster are you okay?" "I''m fine, SkyLion, it was just a mild case of vertigo, nothing to worry about" Cervantez replied, as although Luke understood immediately that Cervantez was lying, he did not feelfortable to push on the subject more. "Guildmaster, I just want to let you know that we are no longer on Earth and many forms of cancer are very much treatable on this ship. If you ever need MP for a surgery, you know you can count on me" Luke said, as although he was unsure of what problem Cervantez was facing, he decided to go with ''Cancer'', just in-case, Cervantez was indeed suffering from a tumor. "What? No¡­." Cervantez replied feeling surprised, as Luke''s words oddly made him chuckle. "I don''t have cancer, Luke, don''t worry about me¡­.. tell me what you are here for?" Cervantez said, as looking at him chuckle, Luke let out a sigh of relief. "I was here because there''s a proposal I have received from my brother that I wish to run by you. I have my own views on it, but before I share my perspective I want to share what he has offered us first¨C" Luke said, as Cervantez gestured for him to go on. Having his permission, Luke went on to discuss Leo''s proposal in great length with Cervantez, who had a very simr reaction to Luke''s own as he heard it for the first time. "It''s a very interesting proposal, however, working with the rebels might not sit well with the guild members" Cervantez said, as he seemed to hold the same view as Luke regarding this partnership. "That''s what I told him as well, however, I also see how this can be an opportunity for us to expand like never before. The West Duke will never promote us to the position of a Count or Marquis and we can''t rebel against to seizend as we please, because that would essentially make us rebels. So, for the sake of the guilds future, if we are to rebel, it might as well be alongside my brother''s forces" Luke argued as Cervantez nodded in agreement. "The proposal is not bad at all, we stand to gain a lot from this partnership, however, this is a decision the two of us can''t make alone. Let''s talk with the core members once and take a vote on what to do here, because while this is undoubtedly a once in a lifetime opportunity, it''s not something we can jump into without critical thinking" Cervantez said, as Luke wholeheartedly agreed with his assessment. "Alright then, please schedule a meeting as soon as you can guildmaster" Luke said, taking his leave, as Cervantez nodded in acknowledgement. "Also, if you are facing a health scare¡­.. do know that I always have your back" Luke said before leaving his office, as his words made Cervantez feel a heap ofplex emotions. In more ways than one, he could find no fault with Luke, who was a great vice guild master and friend, however, now that he had begun to outshine him, Cervantez could not help but start viewing him as a rival, which was a position that was initially reserved for ''TheBoss'' in his heart. However, with ''TheBoss'' way out of his reach now, and Luke just beginning to overtake him, Cervantez felt the pinch ofgging behind a rival all over again. ******** (Meanwhile the other guild leaders) TwoFang, the guildmaster of the WhiteSaber guild, kept staring nkly at his screen when he received a direct message request from none other than ''TheBoss''. TwoFang was ranked 7777th on the global leaderboards, and was one of the cannon fodders that Leo had in during his rampage at the second ranker''s event. For TwoFang, receiving a message from ''TheBoss'', was nothing short of a huge honor, which was why, an emergency meeting was convened with the WhiteSaber guild elders the moment he received TheBoss''s proposal. "Is it true? Does The Boss really wish to cooperate with our guild? Will we really be overlord of the Western Duchy in theing months?" Asked the guilds vice guild master who felt extremely excited over such a proposal. "My vote on the matter is clear, if ''TheBoss'' extends a hand of friendship towards you, you don''t turn it down" said a guild elder, who was already blinded by the potential benefits that this deal could bring to the guild. "So is everyone here in agreement that we help ''TheBoss'' when the timees?" TwoFang asked, as the WhiteSaber guild unanimously voted to join his cause. Unlike DarkSky, the WhiteSabers seemed to have no qualms about joining the rebels, as although their official stance was one where they hated the rebels¡­. With the opportunity to grasp more power and resources, none of that phony hatred really mattered anymore. Chapter 642: Betrayal Chapter 642: Betrayal Chapter 642: Betrayal (Leo¡¯s POV) Unlike the DarkSky guild, who seemed to be taking their own sweet time contemting Leo¡¯s offer, the WhiteSaber guild was quick to respond with a ¡®Yes¡¯. ¡°Esteemed Sir Boss, Thank-you for reaching out to us and considering our organization as one of your future allies. The WhiteSaber guild solemnly pledges to acknowledge you as Emperor and join your cause, provided you can kill the existing NPC nobility and seize control over the central, southern and eastern region. Looking forward to our happy future coboration¡ª The WhiteSabers¡± It was a short and sweet yes, which emboldened Leo, as this was more in line with how he expected most organization¡¯s to behave. ¡°They don¡¯t have much to lose by joining hands with me, this is the logical response¡± Leo concluded, as emboldened by the response of the WhiteSabers, Leo reached out to three major guilds in the North, namely the ¡°Gctic Rangers¡± ¡°Astral Pandemonium¡± and ¡°Freshmen¡±. He gave them the same terms that he offered to the WhiteSabers, and just a couple hours after he reached out to them, all three of the major northern guilds epted his proposal with open arms. His identity as ¡®TheBoss¡¯ carried weight within the gaming world and although Leo did not realize just how big of a deal he was, guild masters of major guilds trembled in fear when they received a message from him. The responses that the three guilds gave him were also simr to that of the WhiteSaber, where they mentioned that it would be an ¡®Honor¡¯ to work with him, which made Leo wonder what the hold-up was for the DarkSky? Everyone else seemed to be happy to coborate with him, but it was only his brothers guild that seemed to still be contemting this golden deal, even though it was clearly for their best. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m sure my brother will pull through for me¡­. In any case, I can wait for a couple more days for his response¡± Leo mused, as although the hold-up annoyed him, Leo decided to be patient for now. ********* ( Meanwhile the DarkSky guild ) At the DarkSky guild headquarters, Cervantez called for a meeting of the six remaining guild elders, after Amanda vacated her spot when she left the guild. The remaining elders were, Lysa the mage, Tor the berserker, C the tank, Jex the archer, Snoop the scout, and Toni the inscription master. Alongside Luke and Cervantez, the full council consisted of eight members and for the subject of whether or not the DarkSky guild should join the rebels, Cervantez decided to put the decision on a consensus vote. Once the meeting began, Luke re-exined Leo¡¯s full proposal before the council, exining both the pro¡¯s and the cons of epting such an offer, and the council listened intently to his words. Once he was done, Cervantez tabled the matter for a vote, where each member expressed their opinion on what to do. ¡°I say we let ¡®TheBoss¡¯ kill The West Duke, but instead of joining him, we then seize the Western Duchy for ourselves and backstab him. This way, we can take the umbre of righteousness and take the power thates with it too¨C¡± Toni suggested, as he voted against joining hands with the rebels. ¡°I agree with Toni on this one, if the situation will really turn out the way ¡®TheBoss¡¯ thinks it will, then we can just use his naivety to our advantage. We can rally the righteous yers behind our guild and drive him out of the Western Duchy which will be thest safe haven of the Empire. The rebels will already be stretched thin trying to take hold of the southern, central and eastern states, it would be impossible for them tounch a powerful campaign in the west too¡± Lysa said, as she voted against joining ¡®TheBoss¡¯ too. ¡°I don¡¯t think double-crossing ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is honorable, I don¡¯t want to face such a great warrior while having used such cheap tricks¡­.. I vote towards joining his cause, he¡¯s a man I won¡¯t feel ashamed bowing to¡± Tor said, as he did not agree with the approach that Toni and Lysa suggested and instead voted for joining ¡®TheBoss¡¯. ¡°Well, I agree with Tor¡­. I don¡¯t think the guild stands to gain much by betraying ¡®TheBoss¡¯, so my vote is to join him¨C¡± Luke said, who could feel his heart beat loudly in his chest, as he did not appreciate the direction this conversation was going in. ¡°Well I disagree with the Vice Guildmaster here¡­. I think it¡¯s a great chance for us to truly rally support behind us. We are already the best guild in the game, and although ¡®TheBoss¡¯ is powerful, the rebel forces hemands are not that formidable. They only win because they take the local administration by surprise and have spies infiltrating their ranks, however, they don¡¯t have the skills to win in an open war. If we have time to prepare against them, which we do, now that we know their n of action. I think we can use this chance to take the Western Duchy all for ourselves and be Kings¨C¡± Snoop said, as he voted against joining ¡®TheBoss¡¯. The vote was now 3-2. And three members were yet to cast their votes. After a lot of contemtion, C the tank decided to not go against ¡®TheBoss¡¯, and voted in favor of joining him, which tied the vote 3-3, leaving only Jex and Cervantez to decide. ¡°Well, my vote will be the same as the guildmaster, I don¡¯t mind going either way, so to avoid a deadlock, I¡¯m supporting the guildmaster on this one¡± Jex said, as all eyes turned towards Cervantez, who now held the decisive vote. While the other members had no idea who ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was, or what was his real identity or connection to Luke¡­. Cervantez was fully aware of it all. Luke hence took a sigh of relief, as he believed that surely the guildmaster would not wrong him here. However, to his absolute shock and horror, Cervantez decided to not join Leo, in what Luke took as a personal betrayal. ¡°I think I agree with Lysa and Toni on this¡­. This is a chance for our DarkSky guild to build a legacy for us and our members. I say we don¡¯t join the rebels. I say we fight back¡ª¡± Cervantez said, as listening to his words, Luke felt his heart drop within his chest. Chapter 643: Aftermath Chapter 643: Aftermath Chapter 643: Aftermath (Luke¡¯s POV) Luke simply stared at Cervantez in disbelief for a while, as he could not understand why the guildmaster would betray him like this? In private, when the two of them held a conversation, Cervantez did say that joining hands with the rebels wasn¡¯t entirely unfeasible since the guild did stand to gain a lot from this alliance, however, in the end he seemed to decide against it. ¡°Start preparing for a two front war. We still need to stave off the demons, but we can¡¯t ignore the threat of rebels either. Start expanding your divisions and recruiting more men. Increase the purchase of weapons. Don¡¯t leak the news within the guild that we are expecting a war to break out just yet, but start arranging mock drills and tactical practice sessions. If we¡¯re going to do this, then we must do this right¡± Cervantez said, as Luke let out a self-deprecating chuckle as he stood up from his seat. ¡°The meeting is not yet over, Vice-Guildmaster¡­..¡± Cervantez said, however, Luke paid no heed to his words as he walked out of the room in anger. ¡°What happened to him? Why is the vice guild master upset?¡± Lysa asked, as the majority of the guild members could not understand the reasoning behind Luke¡¯s frustrations. ¡°This behavior is unlike him, Vice Guild Master SkyLion is not an emotional man that gets upset easily. There must be a deeper meaning behind his departure¨C¡± Tor observed, as the rest of the guild members agreed with his assessment. Everyone within the DarkSky guild knew Luke very well. He was the guild¡¯s backbone, and at times even more important to the guild than the guildmaster. Nobody liked to see him upset, and hence everyone felt worried by his response. ¡°Should someone check on him? Should I?¡± C asked, as Cervantez raised his hand in disagreement, asking C to stay put. ¡°Give him space¡­. You guys don¡¯t know what he¡¯s going through¨C¡± Cervantez said, as he prevented any guild member from going after Luke, and decided to personally talk to himter, when he was more calm. This was a poor decision on Cervantez¡¯s part, as the longer he left Luke alone the more his rage bubbled, as the feeling of betrayal only intensified. Hence, when after a few hours, Cervantez came looking for Luke, the man that he faced was not the usual and cordial vice guildmaster that he knew. ¡°Listen, Luke, about my decision¡­.¡± Cervantez began, however, Luke simply pulled up his finger in rage and pointed it towards Cervantez, with fury evident in his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­. Just don¡¯t¡± Luke said, as he grit his teeth and contemted what words he should use? ¡°There is NOTHING that I have not done for this guild and for you. I am very grateful for EVERYTHING that you have done for me, as without you I probably would not be the yer that I currently am, but all that ends today. You have betrayed my trust, and I no longer consider you to be a friend. The others have no idea as to who my brother is, but you do. You know who my brother is, and you know my rtionship with him and you still took this incredibly selfish decision of putting the guild against him. It¡¯s over man, I can never respect you the same again¡± Luke said, as Cervantez rolled his head in disappointment. ¡°Seriously? Are you seriously offended by such a small decision? If you thought it¡¯s going to be a 100% sealed deal, why did you not promise your brother an alliance with the DarkSky guild before you came to me? Why did you not make all the choices yourself? You certainly have the power to¡­. If you did not want to put it to vote, why let me take the discussion to the council? Why not tell me in private, that listen guildmaster, I expect us to take this proposal hands down, and wag our tails before the great Boss like the dogs that we are. Don¡¯t put this on me now SkyLion. We took it to vote like mature adults and it did not turn out in your favor. There¡¯s nothing for you to cry about now¡± Cervantez said, as instead of consoling Luke, he decided to spit facts instead. ¡°Why did I not make the decision? I did not make the decision because I RESPECTED your authority as my senior in this guild. Why did I let it go to the council? Because I don¡¯t care if the council rejected the idea, but the council did not. The vote was tied 3-3 and YOU had the deciding power. I am not upset by the oue here, I am upset by how that oue came to be. You can spin it a million ways guildmaster, but the fact remains that you broke my trust¡± Luke said, as he refused to let Cervantez pin the me on him. ¡°Oh you seriously need to grow up here, SkyLion. Not all of us have younger brothers to carry us in life. Some of us have to make a name for ourselves, and this is a chance for us to do exactly that. This is our shot at leaving a legacy. We can be thest bastion of hope for the anti rebels¡± Cervantez said, as Luke simply scoffed at his words, not bothering to dignify it with a response. ¡°Deliver the news of our refusal to your brother in person. But if you don¡¯t have the balls to do so, I¡¯ll draft a message myself, the choice is yours. Also, when you finally grow up and decide to put this incident behind you,e meet me in my office, so that we can finally discuss strategy on how to fight the rebels in three months¡± Cervantez said, as he walked away from Luke rather arrogantly, turning his back on his friend and ally. His words, especially hisst sentence, stung deeply in Luke¡¯s heart, as if the betrayal felt bad, the aftermath was surely even worse. Chapter 644: Brotherly Disagreement Chapter 644: Brotherly Disagreement Chapter 644: Brotherly Disagreement ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Logging out of the game, Luke felt absolutely devastated at the thought of having to face Leo. Ideally, he did not wish to let his brother find out through Cervantez that the DarkSky guild had rejected his proposal, however, he could not muster the courage to face Leo all by himself either. In life, there were only a few rare moments where Leo ever ced any expectations on him, and this was probably the first time since they came on the Arc Ship that he asked for his help. However, Luke had failed to meet his brother¡¯s expectations and felt extremely ashamed about his failure. Nheless, having no other option but to report the bad news, he walked towards Leo¡¯s mansion with a sunken heart, and knocked on his door with trembling hands. ¡°Come-in¡± said Leo, as Luke entered the door, only to find his brother shirtless, doing push-ups on the floor. ¡°Oh brother¡­ What brings you here? Isn¡¯t this your meditation time?¡± Leo asked, as he felt surprised to see Luke visit him, so early in the morning. ¡°No, there¡¯s something weighing on my mind¡­. We need to talk¡± Luke said in a solemn tone, as listening to his grim voice, Leo immediately stood up, his eyebrows furrowing as he picked up the guilt behind Luke¡¯s voice. ¡°What happened?¡± Leo inquired, as Luke let out a long sigh and began his apologetic exnation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, brother, the DarkSky guild has decided to reject your proposal¡­.¡± Luke began, as Leo blinked in confusion at his words. ¡°They did? But why? I don¡¯t get it, every other guild that I approached happily epted my proposal, why did your guild reject it?¡± Leo asked, as he did not feel too offended yet and only curious as to why his brothers guild rejected his offer. ¡°My guild has decided to backstab you. Now that they know your n, they have decided to prepare to thwart your attempt at taking control of the Western Duchy. So when you kill the West Duke, the guild intends to im the Western Duchy as an independent territory¡± Luke said, as only now did Leo start to feel offended. ¡°Oh?¡± He said, raising an eyebrow, as he did nothing but observe the facial expressions of his brother. ¡°The decision was made by the council of elders, everyone had one vote to cast. I voted to join you¡­. But the majority of the guild voted otherwise. There was nothing I could do at the end¡­. I-I failed you¡± Luke said, as Leo¡¯s breaths started to be more haggard now, as he could hardly contain his anger. ¡°Well, what happened, happened yeah¡­. But then you quit the guild right? I mean, surely you¡¯re going to join me against them in this fight, yeah?¡± Leo asked, as Luke only hung his head in shame in response, having no words left to respond. ¡°HA¡ª SO YOU DID NOT EVEN QUIT¡± Leo said, chuckling out loud, as he was audibly disappointed in his brother. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Leo, I wish things didn¡¯t turn out this way¡± Luke said, as Leo simply shook his head and refused to ept his apology. ¡°You know, brother, I¡¯m notparing the two of us here, or questioning your love for me. But I WOULD NEVER do this to you. If you needed me to quit the rebellion or betray the world, it would not take me two breaths to do so. Because for me, familyes first and the worldes next. But clearly that is not the case for you. Time and time again, you prioritize your guild, your career and your friendship with Cervantez over your brother and it stings me deeply, everytime I think about it¡± Leo said, as he began venting his anger out on Luke, expressing pent-up feelings that he had been holding back for a long time. ¡°You are the Vice-Guildmaster of the DarkSky guild, but I have yet to see you make a single major decision by yourself. The current you is no better than Cervantez¡¯s right hand man, and you may be happy being just that, but I¡¯m not happy seeing you be that. It doesn¡¯t sit well with me that you¡¯re number two, and that the decisions you make hold so little weight in your guild that you devote your heart and soul to¡ª¡± Leo said, as he pointed his finger towards Luke¡¯s heart and poked him on his chest a few times. ¡°Prepare your guild well brother¡­. Since you have chosen to be my enemy, I hope you prepare them real well. Because when Ie down on that battlefield, it won¡¯t matter how many men you have on your side, I¡¯m going to crush them all, that is my promise. I don¡¯t need the DarkSky guild to conquer the Empire, and I¡¯ll take the West with or without your support¡± Leo said, as he pushed Luke¡¯s shoulder away and turned his back on his brother, just like Cervantez turned his back on Luke just a while ago. ¡°I hope that someday you will put your family first, brother. I hope someday you will respect me the same way I respect you¡± Leo said walking away, as he entered the mansion¡¯s meditation room, leaving Luke all alone to wallow in disgrace. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong Leo¡­. You¡¯re not wrong at all¡± Luke mused, gritting his teeth, as somewhere deep down, he knew that every word that Leo spoke today was true. Unlike Leo, who hadplete faith in his own abilities, Luke felt more secure ying the role of a number two. Having grown without any backing or support back on Earth, all that Luke searched for was a reliable shoulder to lean on, and when he found such a shoulder in Cervantez, he had attached himself to that man too deeply. Just because Cervantez guided him well during the early stages of the game, Luke happily devoted his life to the DarkSky guild, but it was only today that he realized the folly of his ways. The guild he helped create was now going to be a thorn in his brother¡¯s side, and despite him being the Vice-Guildmaster, he could do nothing about it. What good was his position within the guild, if he could not even make such a simple decision? As today, Luke realized just how naive he had been up till this point, having put blind faith in strangers, who did not respect him the same way he respected them. Chapter 645: A friendly visit Chapter 645: A friendly visit Chapter 645: A friendly visit ( Luke¡¯s POV ) Luke was unable to focus on his meditation for the rest of the day and rightfully so, as his mental state was no longer stable. A whirlwind of thoughts constantly bothered his mind with words from both his brother and Cervantez ying in a loop, aggravating his emotions. ¡°Is Leo right? Should I have left the DarkSky Guild?¡± Luke wondered, as he contemted the consequences of his actions. On one hand, he had the confidence to join any other guild of his choosing at a rtively high position even if he left DarkSky guild, but on the other, he did not really feel like quitting either. He quite enjoyed his time at the DarkSky guild, and despite his recent squabble with Cervantez, he truly felt like the DarkSky guild was his own child and something he had helped build from the ground up. ¡°I need to quit¡­. I have to. Because I¡¯m clearly not respected enough back there, for me to stay. Yes, I love the ce, and yes it¡¯s scary to move on, not knowing if I¡¯ll ever find a family like the DarkSky guild again, but I have to do it¡ª¡± Luke mused, as he inclined towards leaving the guild, however, could not decisively make his mind about it. ¡°Hello¨C is anyone here?¡± A sweet voice interrupted his thoughts, as looking up, he saw PinkLotus walking into their manor¡¯s front yard, with a training sword in hand. ¡°Apologies, Alia, but Leo is currently meditating¡­.¡± Luke said, as instead of greeting Alia, he coldly asked her to visit again. ¡°Oh? But I¡¯m not here for him today¡­ today I¡¯m here to spar with you, if you¡¯re not too busy¡± Alia said, as Luke widened his eye in surprise. ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked, scratching his chin, as he shook his head and let out a deep sigh. ¡°My apologies for assuming you¡¯re here for my brother¡­.. I was rude¡± Luke said, as PinkLotus gently smiled towards him, waving the matter off as if she did not mind it at all. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­. I came unannounced anyways¡­.¡± She said, as she hopped on the porch and took a seat beside Luke, cing her sword beside him. Her unexpected move to directly take a seat beside him, shocked Luke, as he did not take PinkLotus to be the friendly type of girl that liked to have a chat with strangers. ¡°You don¡¯t look so well today¡­ are you okay?¡± She asked, as Luke furrowed his brows and mustered his most cheerful voice. ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­. Why do you ask?¡± He said, putting on a brave face, as PinkLotus only softly smiled at his words but said nothing. For a while, the two sat in silence, ncing off into the distance, before PinkLotus slowly broke the ice, as she said ¡°Your cheeks. They have subtle tear marks from where your tears have streamed down. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell anyone. But I can see them¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luke said, feeling embarrassed as he abruptly began rubbing his cheeks to get rid of the evidence that he had shed a few tears in silence. It was an extremely embarrassing moment for him as he did not expect to be caught crying by such a beautiful woman, as somehow he felt like it made him a lesser man. However, PinkLotus instead found his behavior extremely endearing, as this was the same way that she reacted to pain herself. Back on Earth, whenever she wanted to cry, she would do so while sitting on her porch looking towards the sky, shedding a few tears in silence without anyone being any wiser about it. She was not the kind to kick up a fuss or cry in front of others, which was why she knew that Luke could use somepany today, especially when he was feeling so vulnerable. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we have all been where you are. Nothing to be embarrassed about¡± she said, smiling kindly towards him, as watching her bright smile, Luke instantly felt his heart drop slightly. ¡®So beautiful¡­¡¯ he thought, as a small smile spread on his own face, as a result of watching Alia smile. ¡°See¡­. You look good when you smile, like a handsome knight¨C¡± PinkLotusplemented, as Luke chuckled at her response. This light conversation was probably exactly what he needed right now, as left alone, his mind had begun to overthink about every aspect of his life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I am not in the best mental state to fight you today, so we might have to reschedule¡± Luke said, as PinkLotus simply shrugged in response. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not like we are short on time on this Arc-Ship. Sometime again this week works perfectly for me¡± she said, as Luke appreciated this understanding nature of hers, which perfectlyplimented her beauty. ¡°Thanks¡± he said, as Aliaughed lightly at his response. ¡°You are a knight, always so uptight and gentleman-like¡± she joked, as Luke blushed at her words. ¡°So, Mr.Knight, why were you down and crying today? Maybe telling me will help¡± Alia offered, as after thinking about it for a while, Luke decided to give her a very brief rundown of what happened. ¡°So I¡¯m just wondering if I should leave the guild or not¡­.?¡± He asked at the end, as Alia immediately encouraged him to quit. ¡°Of course you should. It doesn¡¯t matter if you will ever find a new home which is as good as the old one, if someone or something threatens your family, you have to quit, no? I mean, I can¡¯t imagine you sitting down and actually strategizing against your brother¡¯s forces now¡­. So what¡¯s the point in staying back?¡± Alia said, as when she put it that way, Luke felt like the decision was extremely obvious. ¡°You¡¯re right. I have to quit¡± Luke said, as Alia gave him a cheerful thumbs up. ¡°Attaboy!¡± She encouraged, as at that moment, Leo stepped out of his mansion toe practice outside, only to find PinkLotus chuckling alongside his brother. ¡°You witch! What are you doing here?¡± Leo said, as immediately, PinkLotus¡¯s usual calm demeanor vanished, as her right eye began to flutter with anger. ¡°WHAT did you just call me?¡± She asked, turning towards Leo with fury, as Luke witnessed the two sides of PinkLotus, within a split second. Chapter 646: Resignation Chapter 646: Resignation Chapter 646: Resignation ( Terra Nova Online, The DarkSky Guild Headquarters ) A soft smile spread on Cervantez¡¯s face when he saw Luke entering his office, the next day after their fight. He had been feeling anxious over the past 24 hours regarding his decision to confront Luke with harsh words, however, seeing him voluntarily walking into his office today, Cervantez felt a bit at ease. ¡°So¡­.I assume you have calmed down¡± Cervantez said, as Luke nodded his head in acknowledgement. He was indeed calm now, and had moved past the verbal spat that the two had yesterday. ¡°Good, before we start talking, I must say that I am sorry for the words that I spoke yesterday. Some of them were purely out of anger and said in bad taste, so I hope you can forgive me, SkyLion¡± Cervantez said, as Luke extended his hand with a soft smile on his face. *p* Cervantez shook his hand energetically, feeling happy that the two of them could move past their differences. ¡°So, did you deliver the news to your brother? How did he receive it? I¡¯m sure it would not have been an easy conversation¡­¡± Cervantez inquired, as Luke shook his head from side to side, waving his hand to show that the statement that Cervantez made was vaguely correct but not entirely. ¡°Not really, he did not seem to care about the DarkSky guild as a whole. He was just disappointed in me. He said it did not matter if the DarkSky guild joined him or not, he possesses the confidence to crush us with ease¡± Luke said, as Cervantez clenched his palms with rage as he heard this sentence. ¡°Crush us with ease he said? Well well well, isn¡¯t that interesting?¡± Cervantez said, smashing his fist on the table, as he seemed pretty riled up by that statement. ¡°Your brother is a great yer no question, but if he thinks he can take down the number one guild in the game with ease. He¡¯s wrong¨C¡± Cervantez said, as he found himself unable to ept Leo¡¯s light dismissal of the guild. ¡°Well yes, I don¡¯t think he should underestimate the guild, but I¡¯ve never seen him being wrong before. So¡­. Yeah, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s foolish in his assessment either¡± Luke said, as Cervantez threw his hands up in disbelief. ¡°I know he¡¯s your brother SkyLion, but the bias in your words is unreal. We are the number one guild in the world, or do you not believe it?¡± Cervantez asked, as Luke let out a deep sigh when faced with this question. ¡°I do believe we are the number one guild and trust me when I say this, that I¡¯m probably one of the few people who loves this guild like it¡¯s my own baby. However, although I love this guild, I don¡¯t feel like I can be a part of it anymore¡± Luke said, as his words took Cervantez by surprise. ¡°Y-you? What?¡± Cervantez asked, his face bewildered, as steeling his resolve, Luke spoke the words he had rehearsed several times beforeing to this office. ¡°I am very grateful for all that you have done for me, Guildmaster, as without you I would have been unable to be the yer that I am today. And in return, I have also helped you make DarkSky guild into the giant that it is today, taking my role as the Vice-Guildmaster with the utmost sincerity. However, I don¡¯t feelfortable with the guilds recent decision to take on my brother and while it maybe the best decision for the guild, I want no part of it. Leo is my blood brother, and I cannot willingly take up arms against him. Hence, I have decided to resign from my position as Vice-Guildmaster and I intend to leave the guild today¡± Luke said, as Cervantez was stunned into silence as he heard those words. For a while, he couldn¡¯t open his mouth at all, as words started to fail him. Internally, he was a mush of panic, anger and betrayal, however, externally he remainedpletely stoic. He felt panicked, because Luke was literally the backbone of the guild. He was the chief scout, the chief strategist, and was extremely efficient in internal management as well. It was impossible to find someone of his caliber that the guild could trust fully, which was why his loss was immense. Secondly, Luke was also a brand ambassador for the guild. He was a high profile ranker who had a massive following of his own as the ¡®Suplex Demon¡¯. His exit from the guild was bad PR, as it would raise both external and internal questions, given how popr he was both internally and outside the guild. He also felt angry at Luke because he felt that Luke¡¯s decision to quit the guild after everything he had done for him was incredibly selfish. Luke was a nobody when Cervantez scouted him, and although he only did so because he was aware of Luke¡¯s potential, he did help Luke be the man he was today. Lastly, he felt betrayed, as he believed Luke was his closest and best friend in the whole world. The guilds name ¡®DarkSky¡¯ came from a merger of their two names DarkEmperor and SkyLion, and him quitting now was an insult to that bond. However, despite the whirlwind of emotions within him, Cervantez did not express any of it externally, and only extended his hand like a gentleman. ¡°Very well, if you¡¯ve already made your mind then, I¡¯ll ept your resignation¡± Cervantez said, as he stripped Luke of his rank and position within the guild the moment the two shook hands. Gone were the imperial blue robes that were marked with the sigil of ¡®DarkSky¡¯ as Luke was removed as a member, leaving him as nothing more than a solo yer. ¡°Until next time then¡± Luke said, taking his leave, as oddly he did not feel heavy while making his exit. Instead, he felt quite relieved, as although this was a tough decision to make, somehow he knew it was the right one. Chapter 647: EndGame The news that Luke had left the DarkSky guild spread throughout the internal guild chat like wildfire, leaving most of the guild members in utter bewilderment. "Holy shit¡­ SkyLion is no longer Vice-Guildmaster, his name has been darkened from the group chat" "What happened to the Vice-Guildmaster? Why can we no longer tag him in the guild chat?" "Guys, I think the Vice-Guild Master has left the guild¡­.. or he''s been fired." "Does anyone know why the Vice-Guildmaster is no longer a guild member? Why was there such an abrupt decision made?" Themon guild members demanded a response from upper management, however, even the guild elders were as bewildered as themon members, with nobody knowing as to why Luke left except Cervantez. Lysa, Tor, Toni, and many more flooded the dms of both Luke and Cervantez, demanding an exnation, however, Cervantez holed himself up in his cabin, refusing to reply or meet anyone, while Luke left the guild premises, heading towards the meeting point where he was to meet PinkLotus. He too, did not bother replying to any guild members, as he did not wish to engage into a debate with them today. Unfortunately, the longer this discussion remained unaddressed, the wilder the rumors became, with members theorizing everything from Luke being a spy, to him being dissatisfied with Cervantez and more. In the end, Cervantez only issued a small and curt message to all guild members, writing. "Ex-Vice Guild Master SkyLion has left the DarkSky Guild voluntarily for personal reasons. Starting tomorrow, applications will be considered for the now vacant position of the Vice Guildmaster" The message did not exin why Luke had chosen to quit the guild, or what were his future ns, as theck of exnation made many within the guild feel agitated. It did not take long for the news to reach the wider masses as well, as many on the global forums felt their interest being piqued by such juicy gossip. The number3 ranked leaving the DarkSky guild was not a small affair, and it brought a lot of attention to the guild and it''s internal structure. "It''s done, the DarkSky guild will never be the same again¡­. They have just lost one of their strongest pirs" "I wonder which guild managed to poach SkyLion? Was it a sry issue? Or was it some game item that we can''t fathom?" "Is this some joke? Or a bigger conspiracy we are not aware of?" Themoners discussed Luke''s exit with gusto, wildly theorizing about why a yer like him would leave his well established and prestigious position so abruptly. s, no matter how much people theorized nobody even got close to guessing the truth, as the truth of his exit was buried between himself and Cervantez forever. ************ ( Meanwhile Leo ) Feeling furious with the DarkSky guild''s decision to backstab him, Leo decided to do the unbelievable and approach the demons for an alliance. Since ChaosBringer had long found out the whereabouts of the ''Demon Whisperer'' and had struck a deal with him to train several of the uprising guilds members to speak Demon Tongue, Leo intended to now send a delegation to the demon front and request for a meeting with the Demon King. "They want to hold-out against me? They want to rally the support of the masses and be thest bastion of resistance? Let''s see them trying to hold out against thebined might of the Demon Army and the rebels. Let''s see if they can fight a two-pronged war and still hold out" Leo muttered, as consumed by his anger, he decided to plot with the demons to take out the DarkSky guild, when the time came. To his surprise, ChaosBringer approved of his n wholeheartedly, provided that he could establish a working rtionship with the demons, which seemed like an near impossible task. So far, the demons had not presented themselves as a rational and reasonable species that were interested in coborating with the humans, however, with the power of [Demon Tongue] by their side, Leo hoped that perhaps he could make a breakthrough, especially since he knew about the secret of the Demon King. He had especially informed his envoys that incase the Demon King refused to listen to his words, they were to deliver a sealed scroll to the demon king, where Leo had painstakingly drawn the tale of how the Demon King really came to obtain Drogo like aic. Drawing based on his memories, Leo depicted the scene of the previous demon king delivering the egg to his son, so that he could bind with the dragon as soon as it was hatched. It was a small panel, but what it did was prove that Leo knew about the Demon King''s past and his reality. It was a ckmail material, ast resort topel him to negotiate, in-case words of reason failed. However, overall it was a big gamble. The whole world already viewed the rebels as tyrants and madmen and them coborating with the demons would only further solidify this impression. Once they went through with this alliance, it would spell the end of their career as the anti-establishment force, which was why it had toe at the very end of their campaign, when they had already finished unifying the Empire under one g. In the end, Leo did not intend to fight the demons forever either, and once their coboration to take down the DarkSky guild had ended, Leo intended to challenge the Demon King to a legendary one on one fight, with the only participants being them and their mounts, to decide, who will be the one true ruler of allnds. He did not wish to invite the Demons into the Empirends and gift them a piece of the Empire forever, instead, after using them to defeat the DarkSky guild, Leo wanted to trick the Demon King Anos and his mount Drogo into a one on one fight to try and kill them andplete his final conquest in this game, for once and for all. Chapter 648: Ben trains Dumpy ( Ben Faulkner''s POV ) After settling within the rebel city of Briarhelm, Ben decided to amuse himself by fulfilling the promise he made to Dumpy and take him out to train one time. In Ben''s mind, it was supposed to be a short session, no more than 2 hours where he tested the frogs aptitude and potential for learning, as although he did not see the frog as a serious student, he did not wish to break his heart by not fulfilling his promise either. "Rx boy, don''t swing your des with just brute strength, time it, time every twitch of your muscle and connect it precisely to deliver one precise strike. Before learning how to fight, learn how to cut. Your current stroke is not perfect. It breaks at several points and the final impact is not at optimal angle. Your body has still notmitted the sword to your muscle memory and if I ce a toothpick on a rock, you''ll find it hard to even hit it 10 times in a row without missing¡­.." Ben said, as he admonished Dumpy on his sword form, as although he was not a sword genius himself, he could understand some basic concepts of the sword just well enough to teach Dumpy. "Watch me, I''ll only show you this once¨C" Ben said, as he poked a thin toothpick into a stone just so that it stood barely still. Then, slicing down on it vertically with a dagger, Ben sliced the top of the toothpick ever so slightly to make the smallest of incisions. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* . . . *Shua* Repeating that movement 9 more times, Ben chopped up the toothpick every so slightly more every time, until it eventually split in half. "See this? The wood used to make the toothpicks has splintered evenly. There''s not a single mis-stroke. That''s the control I possess over my de, and this is the control you should possess over yours too at the minimum" Ben exined, as Dumpy watched on with awe. For Dumpy, this whole training exercise was beyond mesmerizing, as his legendary ''Lord Grandfather'' was finally giving him a private lesson. Just like his Lord Father, his Lord Grandfather also did not disappoint with his strength, and on their very first training session together, impressed Dumpy a lot. "I see¡­. Lord Grandfather is indeed correct, my strikes are not even, it''s something I need to work on for sure" Dumpy acknowledged, as picking his des he tried to recreate what Ben did with utmost focus. *m* On his first attempt, instead of shing the toothpick, he misjudged his aim and shed the rock beside it, his de hitting the rock, as Ben scoffed in disappointment. "Do you need to wear prescription sses boy? Or is your eye-hand coordination just too poor?" Ben mocked, as Dumpy hung his head in shame. Repeating his attempt, he hit the toothpick once again, this time managing to cleave it in half, however, he did it using just one strike instead of 10, beingpletely unable to control his power. "What is this? A wood hacking contest? Where is your restraint?" Ben mocked, as Dumpy hung his head even lower and tried again. Up till now, Ben was only amusing himself, not taking Dumpy''s training seriously, as the drill that he had shown Dumpy today, he expected the frog to practice it non-stop for the next 6 months at the least before it could master it. However, when on just his third attempt, Dumpy managed to pause a third of the way into cleaving the toothpick and delivering a second strike, Ben felt his brain freeze for a moment. ''What? Was it a lucky break, or did the kid really show such precise control over the power of his de?'' Ben wondered, as although he was all smiles and taunts up-till now, he finally began watching Dumpy''s training more seriously now. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* On his fourth attempt, Dumpy managed to get-on to 3 shes, and on his fifth he managed to go upto six. At this point, Ben felt his mind go numb with disbelief, as a student was not supposed to progress this fast. ''Just what the fuck am I witnessing? Is that frog really even more of a geniuspared to Leo? Or am I just too old to assume that one needs 6 months of practice to master this drill?'' Ben wondered, as he watched with bated breaths as Dumpy progressed smoothly over the hour. "7¡­8¡­8!!! Ribbit¨C" Dumpy cursed, as on the two hour mark of his training, he could only cut the toothpick eight times before it broke. He felt like he was extremely close to the end, however, controlling his heavy sword that weighed nearly 30 kilograms, was much harder for himpared to Ben wielding his 300 grams dagger. Regardless, he seemed to be closing in on the finish line, as by this point Ben felt his entire back drenched in sweat. Ben finally understood the true potential of Dumpy, and what it could be in the future, which left him with a million doubts on how Leo obtained him in the first ce. However, more so than his doubts, Ben began to panic about the frog''s personality, as although Lin Mu survived her encounter with the frog barelyst time. If this beast was allowed to mature, Ben felt confident that nobody would be able to survive an idental encounter with this beast. "8¡­.9¡­.10!" Dumpy said, jumping in joy, as Ben bent forward and inspected the cut. It was a clean cut, signaling that Dumpy had truly mastered the method of cutting, grasping both the concepts of precision and power control. "I did it, Lord Grandfather¡­. I did it!" Dumpy said in joy, as Ben blinked towards him nkly feeling a loss of words to say. "I know it''s not as good as you or Lord Father, but regardless of how slow I am, I''m happy I finally arrived here" Dumpy said, further adding insult to injury, as Ben wondered where this frog got this bullshit ideas from? "You call that slow?" Ben murmured, as shaking his head in dissapointment he left the training ground with his hands and feet trembling in fear. ¡ª------- /// A/N - This bonus chapter is sponsored by patron AceKing137. Please thank him in thements for the same. /// Chapter 649: Flirting (Meanwhile PinkLotus and Luke) PinkLotus wasn''t ustomed to havingpany alongside her within the game world, however, with Luke deciding to quit the DarkSky guild, she offered to help him for a few days, until he found his purpose again. It was only a casual offer and she did not really expect Luke to take it when she suggested it, however, to her surprise he did. He epted her offer and joined her near her training location in the deep forest, where he mostly focused on hunting nearby animals, while PinkLotus continued with her reflex training. asionally, the two of them would meet during their breaks and share a small conversation, but it was mostly just small talk and nothing meaningful. "So is this how you spend your days gaming? Just slicing away at water droplets?" Luke enquired, as PinkLotus chuckled nervously in response. "Yeah. I''m trying to improve my reflexes, your brother, he''s ridiculously fast" PinkLotus replied, as Luke nodded as if it were only natural. "My brother is indeed naturally gifted when ites to reflexes. He is absent minded at times, but even back on Earth if he identally dropped a work tool, or stumbled and was on the verge of falling, he would recover with unbelievable speed, doing things that look almost superhuman-like. The explosive speed and fast reflexes are natural for him, which is why the Assassin ss suits him so well" Luke said, as he talked about Leo with pride evident on his face. "Gosh, I can''t believe how different the two of you are¨C you are such a gentleman, so refined, polite. Even when you talk you are so calm and your voice is soothing, however, your brother is such an irritating personality, it''s hard to believe you two are rted" PinkLotusined, as Luke chuckled with joy. "He''s actually the sweetest individual in the family. It''s just that he''s not kind to strangers. For Leo, the distinction for people is as simple as family and the rest. If you''re family or like family to him, he will die for you. If not, he will not spare you a nce" Luke exined, as PinkLotus shook her head in disappointment. "I want to get along with him so bad¡­.. the way he treats that Amanda girl, I get jealous at times. Not because I like him romantically or anything, but just because of how kind he is to her. He''s the ideal bad guy that every girl wishes to tame. Cool, ck assassin type guy who is cold to the world but lovey dovey to the one person he loves. It''s like the perfectbination! But only for the one woman he loves, to everyone else he''s a jackass" PinkLotus said excitedly, as she shared her true opinion about Leo. "Hahaha! Well, I don''t think Leo has eyes for any other woman but Amanda¡­. So the only way he will ever ept you as family is if you be his sister inw" Luke joked, however, PinkLotus was stunned to silence by his remark. "But to be his sister inw wouldn''t I have to date you?" She asked, as it was only then that Luke realized the implications of the words that he just spoke. Blushing, he tried to rify rapidly, but his haste only made him stumble through his sentence without making any sense. "Well, no, that''s not what I meant, I was just making a general statement, gosh, I''m so sorry, please don''t be offended¡ª" Luke said, waving his hands in apology, as PinkLotus burst out inughter. "Haha, sometimes I can''t understand you, Luke Skyshard. At times you have the look in your eyes that most other guys have when they look at me¡­. The dreamy look that tells me that they like me. But you never act on it, always keep a respectful distance and at times you look at me as nothing more than a friend which makes me feel safe around you. For now, I''m not interested in bing anyone''s sister inw, or ''girlfriend'' for that matter, but I will surely not date a man weaker than myself. So if you do n on impressing me someday mister, I suggest you work hard on beating me in a spar¨C" PinkLotus said, as she yfully handed Luke a roadmap to her heart. "What? Cat got your tongue? Did you think you''re the only one who can make a joke?" PinkLotus teased, as she chuckled and moved away. "Break time is over, see you around, brother inw" PinkLotus said, as she returned to her training rock and began shing the waterfall, leaving Luke behind to handle his flush red face. When he met PinkLotus for the first time, Luke did not assume that she would have such a yful side to her. However, the more the two of them spent time together, the more thefort between them grew, which felt like an oddlyforting sensation to Luke. ''To win her heart I have to beat her in a spar, yeah?'' Luke wondered, as although he had never really thought about dating PinkLotus up till now, because the thought was now nted in his head, he began to seriously consider it now. "Very well, to beat a master I have to be a master. So I''ll consider this to be an additional motivator for my training" Luke muttered to himself as he swiftly left the spot he was sitting and headed into the forest to find new hunting/ training targets. He was making rapid strides towards bing a master, however, as things stood he was still 6 months away from bing one at the least. At this pace, PinkLotus was sure to get much stronger than him in theing months, the gap between them only widening as she improved with her solo training, so if he wanted to catch up to her, he really needed to make rapid strides now, for otherwise it would soon be impossible. Chapter 650: Approaching the demons ( Meanwhile Daemonacles ) Daemonacles was one of the few individuals within the Uprising guild, who were chosen to learn the Demon Tongue from Eren. He was only a level 119 lifestyle yer who had no shot at bing a ranker, and hence Daemonacles had no qualms picking up other special skills that could potentially raise his value. And raise his value he did, as after spending 4 months learning the Demon Tongue from Eren, Daemonacles finally got the fateful notification from the system that signaled that he had achieved basic proficiency in speaking and reading the Demon Tongue. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I did it¨C" he said in joy, when he finally managed to master the Demon Tongue, and not long after he did, he received his first guild mission from none other than ChaosBringer himself, where he was entrusted with a sealed scroll and an important task. "You and three other men are to ride together into the Demon Territory and im that you are there to seek an audience with the Demon King¡­.." ChaosBringer instructed, as listening to the name of the Demon King, Daemonacles began to tremble in his boots. "D-D-Demon King?" He asked, as ChaosBringer nodded his head and pped him on his shoulders with conviction. "The Demon King indeed. Also be brave. You are not just a mere man, you are the messenger of Sir Boss! The strongest yer in the game. So put your chest forward and talk to the Demon King like he''s your equal. Demon or Human, a messenger is harmed nowhere, or at least I hope, so don''t worry" ChaosBringer said, as he tried to mentally sike up Daemonacles. "You hope? You mean you don''t know?" Daemonacles asked, as ChaosBringer wrapped his arm around his shoulder and walked him to the door of his office. "The scroll I have given you, just give it as ast resort to the Demon King, it''s a handwritten note by Sir Boss and he is sure that the Demon King will listen to your request once you submit it" ChaosBringer said, as he kicked Daemonacles out of his office and sent him toplete the mission. Apanying him were three other guild members who had achieved the same proficiency as him in speaking the Demon Tongue, however, together, all four of them felt terrified of walking into the Demonnds. ******** Riding East with a white g hoisted high, the four messengers crossed into demonnds from the human controlled boundary, and almost as soon as they crossed, they were met with a contingent of High Demons who charged towards them on their demonic steads, with spears pointed towards them. "DONT KILL US! WE ARE MESSENGERS WE COME IN PEACE¨C" Daemonacles shouted in demon tongue, as listening to the human speak Demon Tongue, the charging high demons relented, aborting their charge. "You speak our tongue?" The Demon Captain asked, as Daemonacles and all his surrounding men nodded. "Indeed sire, we can all speak your tongue and are here to seek an audience with the Demon King. Wee bearing a message from Lord Boss, the strongest human warrior to be born in the past 400 years and an unparalleled genius of the human race. He wishes to deliver a message to your king, so if you will be so kind as to guide me to him, I will be eternally grateful" One of Daemonacles''s associates said, as the Demon Captain chuckled at his words. "The strongest human? Are you referring to the ck clothed man that killed Count Campbell a few dozen moons ago?" The Demon asked, as Daemonacles and his associates nodded. "Yes, yes, him¡­" they said, as although the High Demon was referring to Ben, the uprising members confused him for Leo by the Demons description. "That human is indeed worthy of respect. Follow me¡ª" the High Demon said, as he decided to lead the humans to his supervisor the count, not because he respected humans or was impressed by them speaking Demon Tongue, but because the humans imed that they were messengers of the ck clothed man. The ck clothed man was a legend amongst the demons now, after his impressive fight performance before and there were many Demon Counts who wished to take a swing at him, just to determine who was stronger and create a legacy for themselves. However, this behavior of the demons was misinterpreted by the uprising members, who vlogged about their journey into the demon realm constantly in the guilds internal chat. "Guys you won''t believe! Even the Demons respect Sir Boss. We just crossed over and the mean looking Demon backed down from killing us when we named Sir Boss! They call him the ck clothed man and say that he is worthy of respect! Isn''t Sir Boss the best?" One member wrote, as this post instantly became viral within the guild chat, with Church Of Boss members treating it like an earth shattering event. "The glory of Sir Boss is not limited to the human realm. His glory extends to all the realms¡­.. to infinity and beyond" "Sir Boss is surely the only yer to make even the demons acknowledge him. Nobody else cane close!" "Sir Boss is my idol. I hope I can someday get to meet him in person! Every single day he bes more and more cool in my eyes" "I heard that once Sir Boss crossed into Demon Territory and killed a few demons. Now that area is called the BOSS ZONE" "I heard Lord Boss can make NPC women pregnant with just a gaze towards their bellies" (Reply) "What? Are you high or something???" (Reply) "No but wouldn''t it be cool if he actually could?" (Reply)l " :| " The internal chat turned absolutely ridiculous, with worshippers fabricating wild stories about Leo that were not even close to the truth. And although most individuals understood that the others in the chat were trolling and having fun, there were a few who took the trolling as truth and spread it to the global chats for the world to be amazed at. Chapter 651: Count Dino ( Demon Count Dino''s POV, Demon Territory ) Dino was one of the stronger demon counts in the king''s council, and a being with considerable power and influence within the demon society. At first, when his subordinates brought a bunch of human scum before him, he almost felt the urge to decapitate them for wasting his time. However, when his underling informed him that they were the envoys of the ck robed man and spoke passable Demon Tongue, Dino immediately turned interested. Daemonacles and his colleagues were presented before him in one of thergest war tents, where Dino sat with two plumpy demon women on his thighs. "Wee, Envoys of the ck robed man. I''m Count Dino, what message do you bring?" Dino said, as he expanded his aura, and almost immediately Daemonacles and his colleagues buckled to their knees, feeling overwhelmed by the Demon Count''s strength. "Hahaha, puny humans" Dino''s guards said,ughing audibly at the messengers, whom they categorized as weak and unworthy of respect. "Great Count Dino¡­. I''m Daemonacles, a messenger of Lord Boss¡­. Or as you know him, The ck Robed Man" Daemonacles said, as he managed to raise his head and look the count in the eye after much effort. "I''m here seeking an audience with the King Of Demons, for I carry a message for him that I must deliver in person. So if you can be so kind and guide me to the Demon King, I will appreciate it greatly" Daemonacles said, as Dino immediately rejected his offer. "To waste the time of the Great Demon King with the likes of you, is an unforgivable crime. Even your master, The ck robed man is not worthy enough to seek an audience with him, let alone you¡­. Weak human" Dino said, as he did not seem interested in granting Daemonacles an audience with the king at all. At this point, Daemonacles felt incredibly nervous, as although he had a trump card to convince the Demon King to agree to meeting with Lord Boss, he did not possess one to convince this Demon Count to take him to the King. If he failed to convince the Demon Count here to agree to his request , his mission would undoubtedly fail, which was why Daemonacles decided to use a gamble. "The message I need to deliver to the Great Demon King, is not something that the humans wish to deliver to him. It''s rather information that the king requested that he be brought. We are simply obliging his whims here" Daemonacles said, lying through his teeth, as he cooked up a story to hopefully fool the demon count before him. "Is that so? The Demon King requested this information?" Count Dino asked, feeling surprised that this was the case, as he had not heard about the Demon King being in contact with humans. However, it also seemed like something that the visionary Demon King was capable of, hence Dino could not dismiss it as trivial either. Shifting ufortably, he tapped on the waists of the demon women sitting on hisp, and gestured for them to move away. "Very well then, you may deliver the information to me, and I shall promise in my honor to carry it to the King," Dino proposed, as he demanded that Daemonacles hand him the message. "No!" Daemonacles opposed, taking a scared step back, as Dino''s expression immediately soured. "No¡­.I cannot, because it''s written in humannguage, unless you know how to read it, it''s useless in your hands" Daemonacles said, stumbling through his words as he came up with a brilliant excuse. "Is that so? The scroll is written in humannguage eh?" Dino asked, aggressively scratching his ear, as he wondered how to tackle this issue? After a while, he relented and let out a deep sigh, as he informed Daemonacles that he will take him to see the King. "Very well, I''ll take you and you alone to seek an audience with the King, and in the meantime the rest of your colleagues will be kept prisoners here. If I find out that you were lying to me, they will spend their entire lives as lowly ves in my army" Count Dino said, as the faces of the uprising members beside Daemonacles paled immediately. "No¨Cno, surely that''s not necessary, I mean, I''m not lying to you¡ª" Daemonacles began, as Dino interrupted him immediately. "If you''re not, then you have nothing to worry, I''ll let you return alongside them freely once our business is concluded. But for now they will stay here in captivity" Dino concluded, as he snapped his fingers twice to signal for his men to spring into action. "No! No! Don''t touch us! No!" Said one of the uprising members, as the High Demons brutally restrained them with nothing but their bare arms. Their scared screams and haunted expressions were burned into Daemonacles''s memory as they were dragged away, however, there was not much he could do about it. The demons were not the most rational of species and Count Dino especially did not seem in the mood for any more negotiation. Daemonacles could only hope that the secret letter that ChaosBringer gave him would be enough for him to win back their freedom, because if not, all of them were doomed to a cruel fate within the demon army. "We ride at dawn tomorrow. Tina here will take you to your temporary quarters. We don''t offer much for hospitality, but if you require a human ve to suck on your manhood before sleep, just inform the patrol guard outside your tent¨C" Dino said, as he snapped his fingers once again, only for another high demon to drag Daemonacles away as he was put in a tent that was under constant supervision from all sides. Thankfully, it was log-out time already, as for once, the mundane reality of the Arc Ship felt much less stressful to Daemonacles rather than spending the night within the wretched Demon Camp. Chapter 652: Lore ( Daemonacles''s POV, The next day ) The next day, as Daemonacles logged into the game, he was instantly dragged out of his resting tent by the demons and dragged out for the journey. "Climb!" He was ordered, as they forced him to ride a demonic mount that looked more ferocious than a wild boar in its mating season. Trembling, Daemonacles climbed atop that mount, worried for his own safety, as while the other demons around him did not seem to mind the wild nature of their mounts, Daemonacles felt extremely worried about it. His mount constantly snorted and jumped around, trying to throw him off, as the mount, just like the demons around it, felt like the human was unfit to ride it. Thankfully, Daemonacles barely hung on by holding on to the crude demonic saddle tied around the beast. However, he did so just barely. If the Demonic Beast used just a little more of its strength, Daemonacles was sure to be sent flying and hence he could not rx for a single moment throughout his journey towards the Demon Capital. To make matters even worse, a constant stench apanied the demonic mount he rode, which smelled like rotten eggs mixed with pee. It was by no means pleasant, and unfortunately for Daemonacles, it was too strong to ignore. Coupled with the mount''s wild antics, the whole experience made him feel nauseous, as he threw up several times along the way. "Puny human, you have such a weak stomach! Not even a couple hours ride in and you have already puked twice. It''s almost like you puke more than the beasts shit" Count Dino said, mocking Daemonacles, as his subordinatesughed heartily at his joke. "Hahaha! I bet the weak human pukes so much he doesn''t even need to shit at all¨C" "Weak human might die by the time we reach the capital" "Hahaha, our two year old children are tougher than those humans" Thements of the demons felt jarring and insulting to Daemonacles, who shrunk down and turned extremely reserved and quiet. Within the game world, puking wasn''t a natural response that could be suppressed or controlled and hence Daemonacles had no control over when or why he would puke. A few seconds before he did, a system notification informed him that his character was unable to tolerate the stench and was hence going to puke in a few seconds, and right on time, it did. It was a very unpleasant experience overall, however, Daemonacles was forced to tolerate the humiliation for now. ********** After a few hours of riding through the wild demondscape, the group finally reached the Demon Capital, which looked nothing short of hell to Daemonacles. Dark widespread cityscape with little to no regtions. A single tall castle built atop a steep mountain. And a single ck dragon hovering in the skies above it. The Demon Capital was just as he envisioned it to be, with no technological wonders, no architecturally beautiful buildings. Just a packed city, with ruthless demons trying to make a living for themselves. "Behold human, the grand Demon Capital. It''s a sight that not many of your kind get to see¨C" Count Dino said with pride, as although thendscape looked hellish to Daemonacles, it was absolutely beautiful from Dino''s POV. Infact, before they entered the city, he paused for a while on their trail, to observe and soak in the beauty of the Demon Capital. "Is that the legendary ck Dragon? The Demon King''s Mount?" Daemonacles asked, pointing towards Drogo in the sky, as a soft smile yed out on Dino''s lips listening to his question. "Indeed, that''s Drogo, the king''s stead. The only dragon within the New World" Count Dino said, as his terminology confused Daemonacles. "The new world?" Daemonacles asked, as Dino raised his head in confusion and proceeded to exin the lore of thend to Daemonacles. "Yes, the new world. That''s what we Demons call this continent, but of course we are not natives of thisnd. Both humans and demon''s only came here 500 years ago. But this is not our birthnd. We were born on the old continent, thend that the dragons rule!" Dino said, as Daemonacles absorbed this lore as a new piece of information. So far, any attempts to go beyond the set boundaries of the game map had resulted in resounding failure, however, ording to the local maps possessed by the NPC''S, there were some other continents in the world of Terra Nova, that were far away from their current location. "Drogo is the only dragon on this continent. If our king did not subdue him, he would rule thisnd for sure" Dino said, as he spoke about the Demon King with absolute reverence in his voice. "Is the Demon King that powerful?" Daemonacles asked, as Dino chuckled out loud at that question. "The Demon King alone can wipe out the human Empire. He''s the strongest warrior in the history of our kind" Dino answered with confidence, as listening to his words, Daemonacles felt shivers run down his spine. The way the demons talked about their king was the same way that the rebels talked about ''TheBoss''. Objectively it was hard to believe that one man could defeat thousands of rankers alone, however, ''TheBoss'' actually managed to do it. Simrly, it was hard to believe for Daemonacles that the Demon King alone could wipe out the entire Empire if he wished to, however, he did not doubt the authenticity of it. The Demon King was the final boss of this game world, the one warrior that could not be defeated, so it made sense that the Demon King was as strong as this. "We are here! We begin the ascent towards his pce now human, so you better be on your best behavior¨C" Dino warned, as they reached the pce gates, which unfolded into an endless spiral of stairs towards the main pce. Dismounting, Daemonacles followed Dino dly up the flights, as his heart pumped wildly in anticipation of meeting the Legendary Demon King. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 653: Subtle Threat Chapter 653: Subtle Threat Chapter 653: Subtle Threat ( Throne room, The Demon Castle ) Daemonacles had his own wild imaginations on what the throne room of the demon king might be like, however, when he finally arrived at the venue, he waspletely blown away by the gore filled grandeur of the ce. The whole ce screamed of violence with skulls of vanquished enemies littered everywhere. The overall atmosphere was extremely suppressive and Daemonacles felt his breathsing in short bursts, rather than his usual calm rhythm. However, if one could look past the demon-kind¡¯s unexinable love for violence, the ce could only be described as majestically beautiful. The throne room resembled an ancient church in many ways. The halls were wide and tall, with natural light falling in through small slits near the ceiling, illuminating the otherwise pitch dark ce. And at the center, where usually a statue of a deity was ced, there was the Demon King, sat atop his throne, as he looked down on Daemonacles with a cold indifference in his eyes. It almost felt like nothing in the world could cause those indifferent eyes to spark, because there was nothing worthy in this world that could excite the Demon King. His aloofness, coupled with his majestic body and attire, made him look like the manifestation of the Death God, as Daemonacles felt awe-struck in his presence. ¡®So this is him¡­this is the legendary Demon King!¡¯ Daemonacles thought, as for a moment he forgot how to breathe, feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the situation that had overturned his natural instincts. The man who sat before him was the greatest NPC boss of this game. The strongest warrior who had tamed a dragon. A legend unlike any other. ¡°Dino, why have you brought a human to this chamber at this hour? The council meeting is not scheduled until two dayster¨C¡± The demon king said, his voice sounding hoarse and deep, as he seemed displeased by this sudden visit. ¡°Apologies, your eminence, however, this human is the messenger of the ck robed man. He ims he has brought information for you that you requested from the human side and that he must deliver it to you personally¡± Dino said, as listening to this response, Anos shuffled on his throne, his cold eyes constructing, as he did not seem amused by the lie. ¡°Came here to deliver the information that ¡®I¡¯ requested? Very well, what information do you bring for me? human?¡± Anos asked, as the second he focused his gaze on Daemonacles¡¯s body, he suddenly lost control over his in-game character, and fell t on his belly as if a five tonne rock was crushing him. ¡°Choose your next words carefully human, for they may be yourst¡± Anos said, as although he did not even lift his finger, just the aura artifact he had on him, was enough to suppress someone like Daemonaclespletely. ¡®What ridiculous strength!¡¯ Daemonacles thought, as unaware that the Demon King had a special artifact to achieve this effect, he misunderstood this strength to be the Demon King¡¯s own, just like the rest of the world did. ¡°P-please¡­. Take a look at this scroll before you kill me¨C¡± Daemonacles pleaded, pulling out the scroll entrusted to him by ChaosBringer, as before he even had the chance to say a single word, he was already pushed down to hisst resort by the violent Demon King. ¡°Very well¡­.¡± Anos said, feeling intrigued, as he refrained from killing Daemonacles on the spot, and signaled for Dino to bring him the sealed scroll. ¡°Pray you don¡¯t die¡­ FOOLISH HUMAN¡± Dino said, snatching the scroll from Daemonacles¡¯s hand as he respectfully approached the throne and kneeled as he offered it to his king. *RIP* Tearing the seal open, Anos unflurred the scroll in his hands only to be hit with a series of small drawings. The drawings showed the journey of a small demon child, whose father secured a dragon egg for him. Then, the moment that ck dragon hatched, the young demon bound with the dragon, however, this secret was not known to the world for years. In the end, many yearster, the young demon became the next king and rode that dragon into a great human city, where he met the ck robed man. It was the story of the Demon King¡¯s life, and a subtle threat, that the human who wrote this scroll knew about the true circumstances as to how Anos truly tamed Drogo. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA¡ª¡± Anosughed, almost hysterically, as he understood the drawings perfectly. Although they were drawn by a human, art was a universalnguage. Despite the racial differences between them, Anos understood the underlying threat conveyed by this image precisely, and it made himugh rather hysterically. His usually cold eyes, that seemed like they would never spark up, suddenly brightened, as he felt the thrill of the hunt rushing through his veins once again. How long had it been since he wasst threatened? It has been a long time indeed, as Anos could not even recall an incident since he became King where his authority had been challenged. Reading the scroll, he felt oddly refreshed, as the nervousness of his act being finally exposed, made his skin tingle with anticipation. ¡®Will he do it? Will the human really dare to expose me?¡¯ He wondered, as just the thought of being caught after all these years made him chuckle out even louder. His aura strengthened, as Dino who stood beside him felt unusually stifled by the pressure. As a loyal subordinate, he could feel that the Demon King was riled up, and was ready to go to war, however, he could not understand why? Today was the first time that he saw the King behave this way, and it scared him to his bone. It was him who had brought the human here, and if the scroll contained something profane, he might have to share the me alongside the humans¡­ which was an oue that terrified him to his bones. Chapter 654: Agreement Chapter 654: Agreement Chapter 654: Agreement *Gulp* Gulping nervously, Dino put his head down as he desperately hoped to not be decapitated. ¡®It¡¯s over, today I shall bear the brunt of the King¡¯s wrath¡¯ he thought, as at that moment, he regretted his decision to bring the human here dearly. ¡®If I survive today, I vow to never trust a human again¡¯ he resolved, as to his joy, he did survive this encounter. ¡°The man who gave you this letter is surely interesting¡­ what does he want?¡± Anos asked eventually, as even Daemonacles felt shocked to hear these words. ¡®Just what did ChaosBringer give me that made even the Demon King change his mind? Just what was it that the scroll contained?¡¯ Daemonacles wondered, as struggling back to his feet, he tidied up his robes. ¡°Sir Boss requests a one on one meeting with your highness¡­.. within the human realm, his status is akin to that of a King, so it will be a meeting between equals¡± Daemonacles said, as his words instantly offended Dino. ¡°Watch your tongue, Human, don¡¯t you darepare our King, the strongest warrior to have ever been born, to a pathetic human. They are not equals¡ª¡± Dino warned, as Daemonacles shuddered in fear. Count Dino was twice his physical size and looked extremely ferocious. Daemonacles could not help but flinch when he directed some of his killing intent towards him, however, despite the threats, Daemonacles continued with his mission. ¡°The Empire is no longer controlled by one Emperor, it¡¯s instead carved into half by us the rebels. Our leader, The rebel king, is the man who wishes to meet you, and the man that has once faced you during your incursion into humannds¡­¡± Daemonacles said, as Dino scoffed at his words. ¡°Rebel King? That¡¯s no true king! Also what do we care who rules the humannds, THEY ARE JUST HUMAN LANDS for us¡± Dino said, as Anos contemted the human proposal in silence. Anos understood that agreeing to the humans¡¯ request to meet the ¡°Rebel King¡± would deeply unsettle demon society. Conversation was not the Demon way and if as the Demon King, he engaged in a friendly exchange with a human, his people would feel humiliated and betrayed. The demon code dictated that any human he wished to speak with should be his ve, kneeling before him in the council chamber¡ªa stark contrast to the human ideal of equal dialogue. Yet here he was, pressed into an arrangement he would have preferred to refuse. The human he was to meet somehow knew his most guarded secret¡ªa secret known to no other and one he could not afford to have exposed. Protecting that secret left him with no other choice. Hence, although he was fully aware that meeting with the humans under a truce would provoke dissatisfaction among his own, he had no alternative but to agree. ¡°Tell your leader that the information I requested from him has amused me greatly. As a reward for his service, I will meet him, but make no mistake, this meeting will not be done as equals. It¡¯s my magnamity that I am gracing him with my presence and not the other way around¡± Anos said, as Daemonacles instantly bowed in gratitude. ¡°I will ry your message, Great King¨C¡± He said, breathing a sigh of relief, as his mission here seemedplete. ¡°If it makes no difference to you, Great King, please meet our leader 5 days from now, at the same border that Lord Dino controls¡± Daemonacles said, as Anos gave him a curt nod in response. ¡°Send him home Dino, this meeting is over¡± Anos instructed, as Dino immediately executed his instructions. Dino did not understand, as to why the Demon King chose to meet and hold talks with the weak humans? However, he had faith in him as a visionary leader enough to not question his decision. In his eyes, the Demon King was fostering a secret rtionship with the human side, but he could not figure out why? ¡°You are a very lucky human for the King to have spared your life and agreed to your request. I have never seen him so riled up, whatever information it was that you delivered, must be something very important¡± Dino said, as Daemonacles agreed with his assessment. Although he was unaware as to what arrangement the Demon King and the upper management of the uprising had brokered, he felt excited to see it all unfold over the next few days. ******** ( Meanwhile ChaosBringer ) As soon as Daemonacles left the Demon King¡¯s castle, he wrote a message to ChaosBringer informing him that the mission was a sess. The report Daemonacles submitted was detailed and informed ChaosBringer about everything he had learned during the mission, including the lore of the world, some details about the demon society and his entire encounter with the demon king. A soft smile spread on ChaosBringer¡¯s lips as he read that report, as he could not believe that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ was actually going to hold a biteral talk with the mighty Demon King! Just the thought of all the chaos that would unfold as a result of this meeting made ChaosBringer shiver with delight. He could hardly contain the exhration bubbling up within him, which surfaced as a manic thrill that caused his body to convoluted in joy. The very notion of a diplomatic conversation between humans and demons was enough to send ripples of shock and suspicion through every corner of society. Allies, enemies, and neutral parties alike were sure to question the rebels¡¯ motives, wondering if they sought power, survival, or something far darker. However, despite knowing the consequences of such an alliance, ChaosBringer reveled in the idea of the whispers that would soon spread through the human kingdoms. He wondered as to if the other yers and NPC¡¯s would see the rebels as traitors for plotting an alliance with their sworn enemies? Or would they consider it a stroke of brilliance, an audacious gambit that could bring unimaginable power to their side? Either way, ChaosBringer knew this was a game-changer. The prospect of humans and demons working together was groundbreaking¡ª it was an unholy alliance that would shake the very foundations of the game and just imagining it sent a chill down his spine. Chapter 655: Anticipation ( Anos''s POV ) After being ckmailed by a human, Anos felt a surge of unease within him, which felt like a foreign and unfamiliar sensation, since anxiety had eluded him for years now. Seekingfort, he turned to the only friend he had in this world: Drogo, the ck dragon, who was more than happy to ride and listen. Together, they soared through the skies as Anos shared the details of his encounter with the human messenger and how he managed the unexpected situation. At the end, he also shared his own perspective on the matter, and Drogo listened to it all with impable patience, his silent focus only breaking at the story''s end with a deep, rumblingugh. "So, humans have the audacity to ckmail you? How fascinating," Drogo mused, ncing over with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "It is, isn''t it?" Anos replied with a faint smile. "Oddly enough, I''m more entertained than troubled. The knowledge they hold doesn''t frighten me; it''s amusing, if anything." Drogo''s wings stretched wide as he nodded in acknowledgment. "Old friend, you have nothing to fear. As long as I''m by your side, it matters not what truths the humans possess. Should they daree for you, theye for me as well." Anos gave a satisfied pat on Drogo''s back, a surge of reassurance filling him. With Drogo by his side, he truly had nothing to fear, as together the two of them could rewrite their own version of the truth. "Precisely. That''s why I find this situation more amusing than threatening. If they cross the line, we''ll erase them before they even think of exposing the truth." Anos said, as he reclined on Drogo''s back, gazing at the orange hues of the evening sky. For a moment, the two rode in silence, until Drogo eventually spoke again. "In five days, I''ll join you at this meeting. I''d like to meet this human who has the nerve to ckmail you." He said, as Anos hummed in agreement. He was already nning to bring Drogo along, as if he was to step into the human domain, he intended to make a formidable impression at the least. ********* (Meanwhile Leo) ted by the Uprising''s sess in drawing the Demon King to the negotiating table, Leo eagerly began his preparations for their uing meeting. With a profound understanding of the Demon King and his hidden motives, Leo knew precisely how to appeal to him to make him more amiable to work with the humans. Hence, without hesitation, he issued a detailed set of instructions for the uprising members to follow, as he tried to prepare for the uing meeting in the best way possible. Leo understood his limits very well, just as he suspected the Demon King knew his own, and hence, he knew that as long as the demon king was not too gravely offended, the chance of this meeting turning violent was less to none. There was no need for excessive security in the meeting, however, what was necessary was grandeur. The two of them bore the weight of legends, but those legends came with expectations neither of them could quite fulfill in raw strength alone and hence, Leo understood what the Demon King would do when approaching the meeting, as he could imagine himself doing the same if he switched roles. Leo understood the need to show off, to project strength in such a meeting, and hence to please the king, Leo decided to give him the perfect stage that he most definitely desired. Leo instructed the Uprising to clear a circr piece ofnd near the eastern border first and tten it to perfection. The first priority was to create a fitting entrance for the Demon King and his fearedpanion, the ck dragon, to satisfy the demon king''s desire to show off. Somehow, Leo was certain that the Demon King would only show up on his mount, as he knew that he would do the same if they switched the roles. Leo envisioned a circrnding spot for this purpose, reminiscent of a grand helipad but built for mythic creatures, ringed with torches along the perimeter, whose flickering mes would create an aura of mystique, perfect for the asion. Around this opennding, a perimeter was to be established¡ªa sturdy fencing to form a barrier against prying eyes. Only those permitted were to witness this meeting, as for the rest, the event unfolding was to remain cloaked in secrecy and intrigue, fueling stories they could not confirm nor deny. Leo was certain the Demon King would arrive in splendor, descending from the skies on his dragon''s back which would be a disy to remind Leo and anyone watching of his power. And so, Leo nned his own entrance ordingly. He nned to stride into the arena nked by his most elite soldiers, their uniforms pristine, their expressions stoic and loyal. The air around him would be thick with discipline and loyalty, the kind that only the greatest of leaders couldmand. Together, they would step forward with the practiced rhythm of a war march, each step striking the ground in unison, sending subtle but deliberate tremors into the earth. Leo''s goal was clear: to make this meeting between human and demon a spectacle that would linger in the minds of all who dared to imagine it. He knew the stakes, and he knew the Demon King would be watching for any signs of weakness, just as he would watch the Demon King. Yet, in this theater they had both crafted, he was certain that he would have the upper hand in the end, as while he knew the Demon King was merely acting, the other side did not have such information on him. "This is going to be the most exciting meeting of my life. I''ll get a chance to gauge the strength of my enemy in person, before I eventually face him in battle" Leo mused, as instead of being nervous, he quite looked forward to meeting the Demon King, who was a man living the same fake life as his own. Chapter 656: Getting Ready (Five dayster, Dumpy''s POV) Five days passed in a sh, and finally the fateful day where Leo was to meet with the Demon King, arrived. The Uprising had already prepared the meeting venue thoroughly on the edges of the Eastern Boundary and the whole area was safeguarded heavily ahead of the event. Locals were evacuated far away and the guild was on constant lookout for spies, as there could be no outside witnesses to what was about to unfold. Since Leo had decided to take Dumpy with him to the meeting, the frog was being prepared for the meet as well, as he was fitted with his newly custom designed armor and war paint. "Touch me and you die human. The toxin that covers my skin is worse than the strongest acid you can imagine. So be careful when you dress me and make sure that your filthy hands don''t touch my skin¨C" Dumpy warned, as he felt absolutely repulsed by the thought of filthy humans touching him. However, the second Leo walked into the courtyard, he changed his tune immediately, fearing punishment from his Lord Father. "Are you behaving well?" Leo asked as he rubbed Dumpy''s head lovingly, as the same frog who warned the other humans to not touch his skin, now lifted his legs feet by feet in joy as Leo rubbed his head. "Ofcourse I am Lord Father, Dumpy is a good frog" Dumpy said, as Leo gave him a happy nod. Leo himself looked impable today, as instead of the usual ck robes that he wore, he brought out the newer robes that he had purchased at the system auction, alongside every essory that he had in his arsenal. "You look especially handsome today Lord Father, what is the asion? Are we finally going to a breeding contest?" Dumpy asked, as Leo chuckled and shook his head. "No, silly boy, we are going to meet our biggest enemies. But today we won''t fight them. Today we just show them our strength, so don''t you dare embarrass me today!" Leo said, as Dumpy nodded seriously. ''Their biggest enemy'', it was all Dumpy heard before his over imaginative mind began to cook stories. Naturally, it made him even more psyched up for the event, as he brought out his focused face. "I will not embarrass Lord Father!" he said with conviction, as Leo nodded in acknowledgement. "The shiny des on your belt, Lord Father, they are not your usual daggers¡­. What are they?" Dumpy asked curiously, as Leo unsheathed just one of the daggers hanging on his belt and slowly ran his fingers across the edge. "These¡­. These are the sharpest daggers in this world. Sharp enough to slice through dragon-scales like it''s paper. Your Lord Father had to fight against 1500 of the strongest warriors on this alone to get his hands on this de" Leo said, as he recalled his adventure at the second rankers event, where at the end he purchased this set, for the sole purpose of someday using it to kill the demon king. "But Lord Father, if you have something so powerful, wouldn''t it be better to keep it hidden? Why disy it in the open?" Dumpy asked, feeling confused, as he did not understand the logic behind revealing one''s trump card to their enemies, especially when they did not intend to fight today. "This question is why I still consider you to be a child¡­. Child. Youck the maturity of a seasoned warrior. The fight inside the mind starts before the fight starts on the battlefield, and although we won''t sh until months from now, the fight officially starts today" Leo said, poking his brain, as his wise words made Dumpy''s mind short circuit. "Ribbit¨C" Dumpy said, blinking in confusion, as he could not understand a word that his Lord Father said, but it felt incredibly profound nheless. "When we meet the Demon King, pay special attention to his pet. The ck Dragon, that beast is your arch rival" Leo said, as Dumpy blinked in excitement. "I have an arch rival?" He asked, as Leo gave him a thumbs up. "You''re too weak to be considered his rival, but today you''ll get to see just how strong you really need to be in the future" Leo said, as Dumpy gulped in anticipation. It seemed like the meeting they were setting off for was extremely important, and it made him very excited for it as a result. "Why is Lord Grandfather noting?" Dumpy asked, as in his mind, if the meeting was so important, leaving Lord Grandfather behind made no sense. "Ofcourse he is, however, he will be protecting us from the shadows. I don''t expect the meeting to go south, but in-case it does, your Lord Grandfather will be the one to get us out of the mess alive. You always need to have a n B and he is our n B" Leo said, lying through his teeth, as Ben wasn''t reallying to the meet. Ben was a man who strongly hated the demons and had an inbred racial bias against them. He was never going to approve of Leo colluding with the demons to achieve his means and hence Leo decided to conveniently lie about this meeting to him. Of-course, since the old man was now training Dumpy in his free time, he could not tell Dumpy the truth, as Leo feared the dumb frog bbering the details of the meeting if he did. "I see, so Lord Grandfather is our n B. Lord Father is indeed so wise" Dumpy said in awe, as whatever Leo did, seemed perfectly logical in his eyes, even if he could not grasp the true meaning behind such actions. "Alright, looks like your paint is done, we are ready to move" Leo said, once Dumpy was fully dressed, as together, the two of them set off for the meeting. ¡ª--- /// A/N- I''m currently traveling and do not have a stable inte connection, so the updates mighte at abrupt times for the next two days, as I will update chapters anytime I get the chance. /// Chapter 657: The meet (1) (The Eastern Border) Leo arrived at the designated meeting spot near the Eastern Border about half an hour before the agreed upon meeting time. As per his prior instructions, ChaosBringer had perfectly prepared the meeting venue, adding small brilliant touches of his own, to make the concept even better than what Leo had originally envisioned. Leo personally inspected all the preparations before the Demon King arrived, and only once he was satisfied with everything, did he resign to a waiting tent, eagerly awaiting the Demon King''s arrival. Behind the scenes, ChaosBringer was running a tight-shop, as while Leo rxed, mentally psyching himself up for the uing meeting, ChaosBringer worried about the million back-end problems that could arise as a result of the meeting. He had already vetted all the security personnel present around the venue today and had hand-picked only the most loyal and trustworthy individuals for the job. He knew that the alliance between the rebels and the demons could not be revealed for now, and hence, to ensure that the secrecy of this meeting was maintained, he worked really hard to ensure that there were no leaks. He kept in touch with the scouts, constantly monitoring the situation, as he worked hard to maintain the perimeter and prevent any security breach. Today, nobody was allowed in a 100 kilometers radius of the meet, as ChaosBringer did not wish for anyone to even identally witness a dragon flying into humannds from afar. Thankfully, him being busy with the arrangements meant that Leo was left alone, which was exactly what he wanted. With Dumpy by his side, and a contingent of soldiers ready to march alongside him into the venue, Leo wasser focused on ying his role as ''TheBoss'', as he felt his entire existence almost overflowing with confidence and swagger unique only to ''TheBoss''. "I am the best¡­. I will kill you one day" Leo muttered softly to himself, as he took in deep breaths. He was excited, nervous and focused all at once, which was an odd state for him to be in. *Flutter* *Flutter* Suddenly, as he was psyching himself up, he could feel the leather tent he was in starting to flutter due to strong winds, as he immediately understood that a dragon was nearby. The tent wasn''t fluttering due to the winds, but rather because of a certain ck dragon fluttering its wings, as just feeling the strength of the beast, Leo felt a soft smile spread on his face. "Here theye¡­." He muttered, as right when he said it, a loud Dragon roar, pierced his ears. *ROARRRR* Goosebumps arose on his skin, as he shuddered for a second. The roar of a dragon wasn''t something that most humans could withstand, however, it had no fear debuff effect on him, now that he was a master. [System Notification:- You have heard the roar of the ck Dragon Drogo, You have been afflicted by Dragon''s fear! Unable to move for 15 seconds!] [System Notification:- You have resisted the fear of ck Dragon Drogo, as a Master Warrior, you escape the dragon''s power] Easily shaking the roar off, Leo stood up from his seat and began stretching his neck, however, beside him Dumpy began to shiver rather violently. "Lord Father¡­. What was that sound?" He asked, looking confused, as the primal blood within him reacted strongly to the sound of a dragon. "It''s the sound of your arch enemy Dumpy, the roar of a dragon¨C" Leo said, as Dumpy made the most mean face ever. "It''s the most vile and repulsive noise I have ever heard, Lord Father, I cannot resist the urge to cut the tongue of the beast that made this noise!" Dumpy said, as Leo burst outughing. The ancient swamp frog was hailed as the ''Dragon yer'', so it was only natural that Dumpy hated the sound of the overgrown lizard. In the wild the two of them were natural enemies and the hatred between the two species was almost built into their bones. "You will have your chance to do exactly that soon my boy, but today, we behave, okay?" Leo said, as Dumpy nodded in acknowledgement. He realized that today was a big day for Lord Father and that he could not embarrass him today. Hence, although he hated that lizard already before even ncing at it, Dumpy decided to not confront it today. "Alright then, I guess 15 seconds have passed, I hope the others outside the tent are okay, because it''s time to make our entrance" Leo said, as he strode outside the tent and checked on the condition of his men. A few of them had already recovered and were able to move again, however, a few were still paralyzed in fear due to the Dragon Roar. Such was the terror of a Dragon at the grandmaster stage, as a single roar from the beastpletely incapacitated some of the strongest warriors of the uprising for almost a full minute. Waiting patiently, Leo gazed towards the sky until all his men were ready to move, and once they were, he took his practiced spot at the center of the marching file, and began walking towards the meeting spot with his usual suave. *Throb* *Throb* With every step that he took towards the meeting venue, his heartbeat fastened, as somehow, the closer he got to the meeting venue, the more nervous he became. ''Its fine¡­. You are TheBoss¡­.. Fake It Till you make it! Smile man! Smile! Smile like you fucking own that room'' Leo thought, as beneath the Virex Corps Mask, he smiled brightly, although only to psych himself up. Within a few seconds, he reached the meeting venue, as he walked through the entrance of the ming fences, and the first thing that he saw upon crossing those fences, was the massive ck Dragon Drogo. The ancient beast looked at him with wise eyes, as although every inch of his being wanted to look away, Leo fought the urge to cower away and stared directly into the beast''s eyes instead. *Chuckle* The ck Dragon chuckled when Leo refused to look away from it, as in this gazing contest it became the first one to back off. The amusement it received from this minimal exchange was written all over its face however, as although it backed away first, the fact that a human dared directly look into its eyes and that too for so long, amused the old one. Chapter 658: The meet (2) Chapter 658: The meet (2) Chapter 658: The meet (2) Only after the ck Dragon broke off their intense stare did Leo shift his gaze to the Demon King, who was already seated in one of the two grand chairs at the negotiating table. ¡°Wee!¡± Leo greeted, his voice sounding deep with a hint of some fake well practiced warmth as he spread his arms while walking, in what was his perfect practiced entrance. Leo expected the Demon King to give him a fake smile back, or atleast a nod of acknowledgement, however, instead of a courteous reply, the Demon King merely looked at Leo with a detached gaze. It was a bored gaze that seemed to put Leo beneath him, as in the most disinterested tone ever, the Demon King replied ¡°You¡¯rete, human leader. I arrived before you.¡± Unlike him, the Demon King was barely clothed. Sitting in a slightly slumped posture, that signaled that he wasn¡¯t really serious, the Demon King sat across him without any essories or weapons on his body, except for his aura enhancer hanging from his pants, as instead of his wealth or nobility, the Demon King chose to disy his bare masculinity. His ripped abs were on full disy despite his slumped posture, as just one gaze on his body was enough to make anyone believe that the Demon King was at the pinnacle of the Demon Physique. Usually, a warrior wore their battle scars with pride, however, there were no ugly battle scars on the demon king¡¯s chest, as despite being hailed as one of the most ferocious warriors of the Demon-Kind, the king disyed a clean chest, as if to show that he had never been hit before. It was a flex of his strength that added an aura of untouchability to him, however, unfortunately for him, Leo was already aware of all his tricks and secrets. Not falling for the humble appearance, Leo took his seat across the Demon King with confidence, as he said ¡°Us humans call this being fashionablyte. But my apologies for the inconvenience nheless¡± The Demon King raised an eyebrow at his response, however, said nothing to counter it. He found his counterpart¡¯s confidence to be quite amusing, however, did well to conceal his amusement. ¡°So¡­ are we going to hold our conversation before a human audience?¡± The Demon King asked, as Leo only snapped his fingers in response. *Snap* *Snap* Immediately, all the men who had escorted him into the venue rushed away, leaving Leo to chat with the Demon King in privacy. Well, not exactly privacy, as just like the Dragon behind the Demon King, Dumpy stayed behind Leo, standing there with his arms crossed and his mouth shut. ¡°I assume the frog is here to stay then?¡± the Demon King asked, as Dumpy immediately retorted with a reply saying, ¡°The name is Dumpy, I¡¯dmit it to memory if I were you¡±. At this moment, both the Demon King and the ck Dragon behind him blinked in confusion, as just like everyone else in the world of Terra Nova, they too had never heard a frog speak before. ¡°Did that frog just speak?¡± The Demon King asked, as Leoughed heartily in response. ¡°The frog is my pet. Pardon it¡¯s crude tongue, it¡¯s a mythical beast and has a little bit of an attitude issue¡± Leo said, as Anos straightened his posture slightly upon hearing that Dumpy was a mythical beast. ¡°That overgrown frog is a mythical beast? How amusing!¡± Anos said, his voice cracking up ever so slightly, as he mistakenly took Dumpy for a practical joke. ¡°I feel a faint sense of fear standing in front of this frog. It¡¯s most definitely a mythical beast¡± Drogo said, as just like how Dumpy could feel his distaste for Drogo when he first heart his roar, Drogo could feel the fear embedded in his bones as he stood across Dumpy, although thetter was much weaker than him. ¡°Oh?¡± Anos said in shock, as only when Drogo acknowledged the frog¡¯s strength, did he take it seriously as well. Anos was surprised to find out that the human infront of him was also in possession of a mythical pet, as the pet¡¯s presence made him rethink his entire approach to this meeting. Although he did not let it reflect on his face, Anos felt increasingly ufortable talking to Leo, as whatever psychological intimidation he wanted to pile on the other party seemed to have no effect at all. He came in here bare chested to show his superior physique, however, the human was clearly not impressed. His aura was on full st, however the human seemed unaffected. As if to match the aura artifact on his belt, the human wore an identical one on his. And finally, to counter Drogo, his biggest support, the human came-in with a mythical beast of his own, nullifying any psychological advantage that Anos could have had in this conversation. To make matters worse, the human before him was awfully confident and nonchnt, to the point where Anos felt like he was looking into a mirror. When he looked into Leo¡¯s eyes, he saw the same brashness, arrogance and suave that he found in his own, and this experience of looking into a mirror felt foreign and ufortable to him. He was not prepared for such an encounter and hence it took a moment for him to process this series of unexpected events. ¡°Thanks for epting my invitation toe and meet me today. I feel like I have a proposition that will be beneficial to the both of us¡­.¡± Leo began, as Anos gestured for him to continue, as he continued to observe Leo¡¯s bodynguage closely. ¡°The proposition I have for you is to ally with me and attack the humans holding the western boundary in a joint attack. Pincered from two sides, the humans are sure to fall. Allowing both of us to make significant territorial gains¡± Leo said, as Anos immediately scoffed at the proposal,ughing hysterically as he covered his eyes with his palm. ¡°HAHAHAHA¡­¡± Heughed maniacally, and for a long while too as he made Leo feel slightly ufortable. ¡°And here I was beginning to take you seriously. And here I thought you were different. Tch, tch, tch. It¡¯s such a pity¡­ I really thought I met my counterpart and a True Human King. However, you¡¯re just another coward¡± Anos said, his disappointment evident in his voice, as Leo felt utterly confused as to what was going on? Chapter 659: What it means to be King Chapter 659: What it means to be King Chapter 659: What it means to be King ¡°Just when I was beginning to take you seriously, you turned out to be nothing more than a coward,¡± the demon king said, his voiceced with genuine disappointment as his sudden judgment surprised Leo. Leo wasn¡¯t even done fully exining his proposal yet before the Demon King suddenly arrived at an abrupt conclusion, which took Leo by surprise. Usually, Leo would consider suchments as an attempt to gaslight him, however, this time, Leo could clearly tell that Anos wasn¡¯t just trying to provoke him, but that he truly meant it. For a fleeting moment, Anos had felt a rare pressure in Leo¡¯s presence¡ªa sensation he hadn¡¯t encountered in ages. He had almost believed Leo was different, someone worthy of facing him as an equal. But as soon as Leo began with his proposal, that illusion shattered, leaving only disdain in its wake. ¡°Sorry? Why am I a coward?¡± Leo asked, surprised by this sudden judgment, as Anos let out a deep sigh and stood up from his seat. Chuckling, Anos pinched the top of his nose as he shook his head. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was meeting a man just like himself, however, because he was, it only made the whole situation that much more amusing to him. ¡°Tell me honestly, human, you¡¯re no king and you¡¯re no strongest warrior, are you?¡± Anos asked, as suddenly Leo felt a bad sensation starting to well-up within him. ¡°You¡¯re trying to be those things, sure, but you¡¯re not there yet¡­. are you?¡± Anos said, as he saw straight through Leo¡¯s act. ¡®How?¡¯ Leo thought in absolute shock, as his pupils dted in surprise. His opponent had seen through his facade, and that too so easily¡­.. however Leo could not figure out how? He had said nothing that would reveal his social standing or his power level, but somehow, the Demon King seemed to have seen right through him. Naturally, he tried to deny it, however, before he had a chance to deny it, the Demon King made a statement that made him stop dead in his tracks and reconsider. ¡°Don¡¯t be in a rush to respond human, think about your next reply very, very carefully, because whether we co-operate or not will depend on your response. The truth shall set you free, and the lie will have you buried. Say the truth, and I¡¯ll guide you as a senior. Lie, and I will fly back with Drogo, never to see you again¡± Anos said, as his words made Leo rethink his hasty reply. Of-course Leo did not wish to admit that his opponent had seen right through him, however, there was something about the fire in Anos¡¯s eyes as he looked towards him now, that made Leo believe that perhaps it was okay to tell him the truth. It was an inexplicable decision, as every fiber of his being warned him against breaking his act and admitting it, however, Leo chose to go with his heart and admit it nheless, as he said ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not there yet, but I¡¯m trying to be¨C¡±. It was a very difficult admission for Leo to make and he regretted it immediately when he did, however, despite how bad it felt, it was actually the right choice to make, as smiling Anos sat back down at his seat. ¡°I changed my mind. You¡¯re no coward¡­. Human. Tell me your name. I guess the two of us aren¡¯t that different after all¡± Anos said, gesturing for Leo to speak, as his face now turned much more amiable than before. He seemed to be please by Leo¡¯s reply and because Leo chose to speak the truth, Anos decided to carry this conversation forward. ¡°My name¡¯s ¡®Boss¡¯. ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Pleasure to meet you Demon King Anos¡± Leo said, as Anos nodded back in acknowledgement. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you tell me how you realized that I¡¯m no king and that I¡¯m no strongest warrior? To be honest, it¡¯s not a perception that¡¯s false, because that¡¯s what most people in the humannds do genuinely believe, so I wonder how you saw through me?¡± Leo asked, as Anos chuckled and decided to pander to his curiosity. ¡°You don¡¯t understand the first thing about being king boy, that¡¯s how I know you¡¯re no king. If you ally with me and achieve victory on the battlefield, there¡¯s not a single human alive who will respect you as a King, because a King¡¯s job is not to deliver victory to their people at any cost. That¡¯s the job of amander. The job of the King is to uphold hope. And you kill the hope of your people the second you ally with me. Your worldview which revolves around personal sess and victory is narrow and shallow. It¡¯s okay, as long as you want to be the strongest warrior and a lone wolf. However, the moment you want to be a King, your act needs to change¡± The Demon King said, as he began to honestly answer Leo¡¯s question without any bias or deceit. ¡°What do you think the definition of an ideal king is? What values do you think a good king should have?¡± Anos asked, as an excited expression lit up on his face. He was clearly enjoying this conversation much more thoroughly now, and it was evident on his face, which was alive and expressive now instead of the uninterested calm that was before. ¡°Do you think a King should be righteous and virtuous? Do you think a King should be powerful and inspire fear and confidence? Do you think a King should be benevolent and hardworking? Or do you think a King should be grand and extravagant? What do you think is the ideal match of qualities that makes a king? What kind of a King are you trying to be?¡± Anos asked, as after thinking about the question for a while, Leo replied saying:- ¡°A King should be both loved and feared. A King should work for the betterment of his people and try to provide them with the best life possible. I agree with you on the fact that a true king inspires hope, which is why that¡¯s the kind of King I want to be¡± Leo replied, as Anos shook his head in disappointment. ¡°WRONG¡± Anos shouted, and extremely loudly at that, as he felt disappointed in how foolish Leo was. ¡°Wrong?¡± Leo questioned, sounding confused, as Anos nodded with a soft smile on his face and repeated ¡°Wrong!¡± ¡°Let me tell you ¡®TheBoss¡¯, what a true king is like. Because when I do, I¡¯m sure you will see why I was able to see through your act so easily¡­¡± Anos said, as Leo awaited his next words with bated breaths. ¡°When trying to understand what a true King should be, you cannot approach the question with practicality. Us adults have extremelyplex minds and our active minds often cloud our understanding of desires. Ask an adult what a King should be like and they tell you rubbish like working for the betterment of all and loving one¡¯s people, however, ask a kid what it means to be King and they will give you the most urate response. They will say, to be King is to be able to do ¡®Whatever one wants in the world¡¯ and that is the true embodiment of what it means to be King¡± Anos began, as Leo felt enlightened by his words. The way Anos exined the character of a ¡®King¡¯, Leo found himself on the cusp of greatness, as he seemed to begin to understand a perspective he hadpletely failed to observe before. Chapter 660: Realization "Think about it Boss, if you ask a kid what it means to be King, do you think they care about projecting fear on anyone? Or gaining someone''s admiration or respect? They most certainly do not, because on a fundamental level, us sentient beings don''t desire it as much as we desire freedom" Anos exined, as his words oddly madeplete sense to Leo. "A King shouldugh louder and longer than everyone else in his council. His rage should burn brighter and stronger. Why? Because then it makes everyone around him jealous. Because then, it makes everyone wish they were King themselves. If you want to be a good King, do what your heart tells you, when it tells you, what it tells you. Because that''s the life everyone else will envy¡­.." Anos exined, as he taught Leo what it meant to be a King. "Imagine living a sorry life as a civil servant. Not embracing the luxuries of life, not sleeping enough just so you can solve a few more of your people''s never ending problems¡­.. Do you think that''s a good King? Or a King at all? Do you think anyone would want to switch ces with that pushover?" Anos asked, as Leo immediately felt a replye from within him that said ''No''. "To hell with the people and the masses, their problems are never going to end, because there is no perfect world. Dedicating your life for others is the most stupid way to live. A better way to live is to only live for yourself. Only implement policies that better your life. Only work enough to not get toppled from power, because that would make your life worse in the long run. But otherwise? Fuck them people. Fuck them all. Live like you want to live, do what you want to do. That is the true way of a king" Anos said, as Leo immediately understood at that moment as to why Anos was able to see through him. "You wanted to know why I was able to see through you? Because only a fool wants victory at any cost. While a true king will only ept victory on his own terms. You think your men will respect the fact that you coborated with the demons to kill fellow humans? No, that will just make them think that you are a snake who is prepared to bite anyone to stay alive. You want their respect? Their envy? You charge into the battlefield alone and win an improbable victory alone. When they realize that you have the freedom to do whatever you want, just simply because you are yourself. That''s the day you will automatically be their King" Anos said, as although Leo already understood where his act failed, listening to Anos exin it was still beneficial to him. "Don''t worry, my father did not understand what it meant to be a King either. He worked for the good of my people. But it only made him less of a king. Which is why he taught me early to not follow in his footsteps" Anos said with a painful smile on his face, as he recalled a bittersweet past. He too did not understand what it meant to y the role of a king until his father taught him, and today, it was only because of his father''s teachings that he was hailed as the greatest Demon King alive. If not for his timely advice today, Leo was undoubtedly heading down the path of doom, as although allying with the demons was a quick fix to all his problems, it was also the wrong fix to all his problems, as although he would win the fight against the DarkSky guild with it, he would lose the war in the long run. "I see¡­. Thankyou for your insights Demon King" Leo said, as Anos stood up from his seat once more and walked towards Leo non-threateningly. Reading the room, Leo stood up too as he walked half-way to greet his counterpart. "I''ve never done this before with a human, but let us shake hands" Anos said, offering his hand to Leo, who shook it with much respect. "Today''s meet was an honor" Leo said, as Anos nodded in agreement. "Seek me out again when you do be a True King and I promise that I''ll agree to your requests then" Anos said, as with that he concluded their meeting. Turning back, he walked back towards Drogo who kept staring towards Dumpy with kind eyes. "Until next time then, Frog Dumpy" said Drogo, as Dumpy simply scoffed in reply as he said "I''ll probably kill you the next time we meet". It was a bold deration, and one that made Drogo chuckle out loud, however, he did not take it to heart. pping his wings, Drogo took off with the Demon King as soon as he mounted, as the meeting between Leo and Anos ended without Leo achieving his set objective. However, although he did not get what he wished for, Leo was not disappointed by the meeting at all. Now that he understood what it meant to be King, he suddenly realized that there was a whole new dimension to ying a character, as although he knew exactly how to y the role of ''TheBoss'' the fighter. He had no idea of how to y the role of ''TheBoss'' the leader. Hailing from Earth, he had a very narrow and idealistic view of leaders, and he believed that it was the duty of a leader to work for the greater good. However, it was only after meeting Anos today that Leo realized that a true king was never meant to be working for the greater good, and was instead meant to live for themselves. "I get it now¡­. Everything makes sense" Leo said, letting out a deep sigh, as although he realized that theing times were tougher than he liked them to be, he feltfort knowing the fact that he was at least on the right path now. Chapter 661: Aftermath (ChaosBringer''s POV) ChaosBringer had envisioned a whole future where the rebels worked with the demons to overturn the existing world order. However, after Leo and Anos refused to cooperate, that vision of his crumbled rather spectacrly. [What do you mean we won''t be working with the demons?] He wrote in shock, once Leo informed him of the whole ordeal over chat. However, his shock was only met with a cold response of [It is what it is] as Leo concluded the matter without offering any additional exnations. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Us not coborating with the demons means that I need to figure out a method to capture the West all by myself now" ChaosBringer said, clutching his hair, as the rebels not cooperating with the demons, made his job as the guilds strategist that much more tough in theing days. While Leo simply enjoyed the luxury of walking into a meeting with Anos and walking out without any consequences. All the hard work of organizing that meeting and the aftermath that followed fell on ChaosBringer''s shoulders, who had to handle all the headaches associated with it. In a way, his was a thankless job, as while he thoroughly enjoyed causing chaos, most days, it was his own life which remained in a constant state of crisis. ********** (Meanwhile Leo) Feeling enlightened due to his meeting with the demon king, Leo logged out of the game with a smile on his face, as although he did not achieve what he wanted from the meeting, he personally felt like he gained something even more important than what he initially wanted. For him, the deadline for future events had not changed although his initial n had failed. Which meant that although the rebels were no longer going to coborate with the demons, he still nned to go through with his assault on the royal pce in three months and also try and be the one true Emperor. For him, the eventual goal of amassing enough MP to order a new Ben Faulkner clone in real life had not changed, as although he found out now that Ben wasn''t actually dead, the trauma of once living without Ben was enough for him to work hard and ensure that he never had to experience that again. Hence, Leo informed ChaosBringer to prepare the guild for war, as despite the failures of the meeting with the demons, Leo intended to go ahead with everything else as nned, as he delegated the burden of figuring out how to deal with the DarkSky guild on ChaosBringer, making it his problem now. ********* (Meanwhile Dumpy) Dumpy found a lot of his previous delusions busting once he met with the ck dragon Drogo, as although he did not express his fears explicitly to Leo, internally, he felt beyond shook after the meeting. He could feel the ck dragons strength and aura when he sat that close to the beast and although he did not tremble in the dragons presence, he could see it in the beasts eyes that it could kill him with a blink of its eyes. The power difference between them wasn''t slight at all and this massive chasm in power made Dumpy realize just how weak it was in the grand scheme of things. Not only was the ck dragon massive in size and oozing with natural mana throughout its body, but it was also very calm and wise, making it a formidable opponent. Compared to the massive beast, Dumpy wasn''t even a fifth as big or a third as tall and this size difference put a massive psychological pressure on him, as Dumpy took pride in beingrger than most beasts and especiallyrger than humans. As a result, after the meeting Dumpy silently vowed to eat a lot more food and be asrge as it could in theing days, as having epted the ck dragon as its eventual foe, Dumpy vowed to train hard to beat him, no matter what it took. As things stood, Dumpy was already supremely talented and naturally powerful, however, with the added motivation of having to catch up to a foe, he turned into an absolute unit in training in the days that followed their meeting with the ck Dragon. Gone was the shit-talk, and the arrogance, and in-came the focus and the mad drive to improve, as Dumpy started to train from dawn till dusk, without so much so as taking a break to breathe in between. Ben, who observed this remarkable shift in beast''s attitude firsthand, could not understand the reason behind it, however, he was d for it nheless, as Dumpy started to progress faster than usual in his training and at absolute limits of its capabilities. Over the next month, Dumpy managed to master [Vanish], [Kill Strike] and [Silent Step] amongst the assassin pool of skills to [Intermediate]pletion. And also managed to learn [Full Counter] to (Advanced) grade, alongside (Sword sh), (Mountain sh) and (Heaven sh) techniques to (Advanced)pletion. His progress with the sword in particr was so impressive that within just a month he reached a point where Ben had nothing left to critique in his technique anymore, as from that point forward Dumpy just began to transcend normal logic. Arriving at the cusp of bing a (master) Dumpy only needed to learn one more (Legendary) grade technique to be a true master grade beast, however, with him unable to grasp the concepts of [Mirror World], that final high level technique had to be found by himself. ¡ª-------- xxxxxx ¡ª---------- End Of Volume 5 Dominating The Game. ¡ª-------- xxxxxx ¡ª----------- /// A/N - Hey guys, that''s it from my side for Volume 5, hope to see you all in volume 6, ''The Last Emperor'', where the in-game action reaches its climax, with Leo taking on the establishment, and the rebels taking on the world alongside him. I hope you enjoyed volume 5 as much as I did, but I''m sure volume 6 will be much more exciting and better, so do stay tuned!/// Chapter 662: New Beginnings (3 monthster, Real World) In the past 90 days, Leo barely logged into Terra Nova Online for a grand total of five times as he instead dedicated all his energy to advancing with the Marrow Meditation Manual in the real world. Since his encounter with the Demon King, Leo felt as if he''d unlocked a profound new outlook on life and to consolidate this newfound rity, he believed meditation was the ideal state of mind to embrace. Until now, his life had been a relentless quest to survive by any means necessary¡ª which meant that achieving victory was his only option. But in chasing sess so fiercely, he had scarcely noticed the exact moment where he had transformed from the underdog into the favorite and only after meeting with the Demon King did he realize that he could no longer continue behaving the way that he was, and that he needed to revamp his entire personality. He was a champion now, a man aiming to be the Emperor, hence, he needed to start acting like an Emperor now, because that was the only way that the masses were ever going to embrace him. Leo recognized that winning at any cost was no longer a sustainable solution to his problems and once this understanding dawned on him, his focus shifted from chasing the short-term gains to seeing the bigger picture and pursuingsting growth. "Focus¡­. Focus on the creation of new cells" Leo mumbled, as beads of sweat formed on his forehead from the strain of his meditation, however, he did not stop. Today was the day he was going to reach 10% recement rate of his RBC''s, which ording to the manual was the first minor stage ofpletion. It had taken him nearly 4.5 months in total to reach this point, and although on his first day practicing the manual, he could barely create any cells before losing all mental strength, after 4.5 months of practice, he was finally creating enough new cells to reach a positive recement rate. On an average he achieved a +0.11% progress everyday, taking him roughly 90 days to hit the 10% mark. *Flutter* *Flutter* The moment Leo reached the 10% recement mark, the meditation manual before him fluttered ever so slightly, as the text [ Congrattions forpleting the first minor realm ] appeared on it. Reading the text, Leo let out an exhrated sigh or relief, as tears of joy began to streak down his cheeks. "I did it! I really did it¡ª" he said, crashing t down on his back, as he stained the cotton matt of the meditation room with the sweat on his back. Although the concentration of the new cells in his body was at merely 10%, Leo could already observe the benefits it brought, as with only 10% enhanced cells, his muscles strength, reflex speed and mana holding capacity had already shown significant improvements. At first, when he was just another normal yer, Leo could not understand how a grandmaster level fighter was considered to have enough strength to tten a mountain alone, however, now as he was on the road to bing a grandmaster himself, Leo could finally understand how. The strength that he felt coursing through his veins although he was a far-cry from the grandmaster realm was no joke and even at his current limited capabilities, Leo felt his fists being strong enough to punch through steel walls, which was by no means aughing feat. Killing a man was as simple as flicking a finger at his skull for Leo now, as although he was not strong enough to split mountains yet, he was surely strong enough to split skulls with a casual flick of his pinky. These gains, while not tranting to levels, or immediate improvement inbat abilities, were crucial to pursue long-term growth, which was why instead of focusing on the politics of the uprising, or the state of the world within Terra Nova Online, Leo chose to focus solely on his meditation for the past few months. *Knock* *Knock* As Leoid t on his back, enjoying the strength coursing through his veins, he heard a soft knock on his meditation room door, as he sighed and said "Come in". *Slide* The entrance door soon slid open, as a smiling Luke entered. "Blurghh¨C" Leo said, seeing the stupid grin on his brother''s face, as although his brother had not spoken a single word yet, Leo could already understand the reason behind his smile. "Ohe on now¡­. I haven''t even said anything yet" Lukeined as Leo covered his eyes with his arm and rolled over to show Luke his back as he said "No! My answer is No! Brother, tell the witch I will not spar with her". Without Luke even uttering a single word, Leo already knew that he was smiling because PinkLotus hade over, however, Leo simply did not wish to fight that woman. Every few days she woulde requesting for a spar and every few days Leo had to coldly decline that request, because he was simply not interested. If it were someone else, they would get the hint and stop bothering the other side, however, PinkLotus was as stubborn as they came. No matter how Leo rejected her, she came back with a thick skin next week, and somehow, his brother seemed to enjoy everyst moment of it. Ever since he had quit the DarkSky guild, his rtionship with both Leo and PinkLotus had improved significantly, as without the baggage of the guild dragging him down, Luke once again became the chill, fun guy that he used to be back on Earth. "At Leaste outside and reject her to her face Leo. Don''t make me do it on your behalf... Come on¡­. Man up" Luke urged, as he grabbed Leo by his foot and dragged him out towards the courtyard, while Leo remainedpletely still with his head towards the floor. This was the 12th week in a row that she had came asking for a fight, and Leo was really fed up of this routine now. Chapter 663: Mind Games Leo only acknowledged PinkLotus''s presence after Luke had practically hauled him to the manor''s entrance and ced him a few feet away from her. Brushing the dust off, he stood up, casting a brief, disinterested nce in her direction where he barely opened his eyes as his apathy towards her shined as sharp as a de. "Leo, I''m here to challenge you for a spar! Please, give me my rematch, I¡ª" "No." PinkLotus began speaking, however, before she could finish her sentence, Leo cut her off with a cold, dismissive "No," leaving PinkLotus visibly flustered and angry. "Why won''t you fight me? You''ve been dodging me for weeks! What, are you so scared of me that you can''t even pick up your weapon? Have you lost your balls?" she taunted, her voiceced with frustration as she tried to bait him into a fight. But it was futile. "Yes, I''m afraid to fight you," Leo replied tly, "now please, go back." *Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp* PinkLotus stomped her feet in fury, cheeks puffing as Leo''s casual admission of defeat left her without the satisfaction she sought. She didn''t want mere words; she wanted to face him at his best and prove herself by beating him, however, his indifferent, ego-less reply only stoked her frustration. "Why won''t you fight me? Wouldn''t it be good practice for you too?" she questioned, as she almost pulled at her own hair in exasperation, unable to fathom the reason behind Leo''sck of enthusiasm. She was a battle fanatic, eager to fight at every opportunity, but Leo was different. He had no interest in pointless fights, especially not with a fierce swordswoman whose unrestrained attacks could easily be fatal, however, PinkLotus could not understand this. *Sigh* "Look," Leo said, letting out a deep sigh, "there''s nothing for me to gain by fighting you, and I''m not running a charity. My time is valuable, so if you want some of it, you''ll have to offer something of equal worth." "What''s the price for a spar? Name it," PinkLotus replied, her confidence unwavering. After a moment''s thought, Leo responded, "The price is a call to war. You must join me on a battlefield of my choice and help secure victory for my forces. Also, if you lose¡ªand you will¡ªyou can''t challenge me again for a year. That''s my price, so think carefully before you ept." The time for a major war within the game world was fast approaching, and Leo knew that PinkLotus could be a powerful asset on any battlefield he chose. Seizing the opportunity, he decided to secure her support in exchange for a spar, while also setting conditions to ensure that, after his inevitable victory, she wouldn''t challenge him again for another year. It was a win-win situation for him, and when PinkLotus eagerly epted his offer, Leo barely managed to suppress a smile. "I ept! I''ve trained hard over the past few months, and I''m confident I''ll be able to kick your butt!" she dered, drawing her training sword, as Leo only shook his head slightly in response. He walked back into the manor to retrieve his training daggers, and after returning outside, pointed one of them at her in silent readiness. "Just so you know woman, I''m an assassin, I fight to kill, not to spar" Leo said, as PinkLotus made the most ugly face at hisments. For her, this spar was near sacred. It was a fight between two of the best fighters in the world, however, Leo always somehow found a way to undery it''s significance. "Yap, yap, yap¡­. I wonder how your girlfriend even likes you?" PinkLotus said, as she stuck her tongue out towards Leo in protest. "My girlfriend is a proper woman. Non-Violent, loving and supportive. She''s not a sword maniac like you. I don''t want to get personal here, but tell me, have you ever had a boyfriend in the past?" Leo asked, as his taunt made PinkLotus''s left eye flutter with anger. "MEN throw themselves at my feet begging to be my boyfriends¡­." She said, as Leo wagged his finger at this response. "But the question is, have you ever had one? It''s a simple yes or no question¡­" Leo said, as Pinklotus began to stomp her feet once more in anger. "No, but it''s not because I can''t get one¡­." She said, as Leo gave her the most evil satisfied smile in response. "Exactly woman, you''ve never had a boyfriend before¡­. And although it may be shocking to you, it''s not shocking to me at all that you haven''t had one. Come on now, which sane man wants to date a rude sword freak like you? Perhaps you should introspect and realize that maybe it''s not the men. Maybe it''s you who is the problem" Leo said, as he hit PinkLotus right where it hurt. In her entire life, no man except for Leo had ever talked to her this way, hence when pressed into a corner, PinkLotus stuttered and failed to find a way out. "You, you, you¡­ you" she said, pointing her finger towards Leo in anger, as Leo simply nodded his head and replied in the most pandering voice ever. "Yes, me, me, me, me¡­. I, have a girlfriend. You''ve met her. She''s a real person. I''m normal. You''re not" Leo said in a way that even a child could understand, as PinkLotus found her entire face flush red. "Enough talk, let''s fight now" she said, clutching her sword hard, as she grit her teeth and looked towards Leo with the most furious eyes ever. Smiling, Leo took his battle stance as well, as he knew that he had got PinkLotus right where he wanted her to be. She was an excellent fighter and Leo wanted to mess with her head before the fight began, which was why he purposefully brought up this topic. He of course knew that with her beauty and charm, PinkLotus could date any man she wanted, however, he presented a different story before her, only to mess with her head. And it worked too, as in her rage, PinkLotus seemed to have abandoned the strategy of defense and seemed ready to rush in and fight, as soon as the fight began, which was exactly what Leo wanted. Chapter 664: The second spar Chapter 664: The second spar Chapter 664: The second spar Enraged by Leo¡¯s taunts, PinkLotus charged headfirst towards Leo, abandoning her ranged advantage that should have given her an upper hand in the fight. *sh* *sh* [Sword Tempest] Starting with an absolute flurry, she sent two massive shes towards Leo, before following it up with [Sword Tempest] as she immediately put some serious pressure on Leo to dodge and defend, straight from the get-go. ¡°The fuck¡­¡± Leo cursed, as he moved in a blur, trying to dodge and block the opponents initial barrage. *Block* *Block* *Block* . . . *Block* Blocking about 25% of her attacks and dodging the remaining 75%, Leo managed toe out of the initial barrage unscratched, however, he was forced on the back foot from the start. ¡°Haaaaa!!!¡± PinkLotus screamed as she closed the distance between the two, and after managing to do that in a blur, she swung her sword towards Leo¡¯s waist, with the intention to cleave him in half. *BLOCK* Blocking with both hands, Leo tried to deflect the attack upon impact, however, to his horror, the sheer force of the blow sent him flying backwards, as he found himself back flipping through the air. *Crunch* *Slide* After being forcibly pushed back by about 20 meters in the air, Leo slid for an additional five members afternding, as only then did he manage to regain his footing. And even more shockingly, it turned out that being sent back was not the only problem Leo had to suffer, as apart from being sent back, he also suffered from a crack in his dagger due to PinkLotus¡¯s attack, as the powerful blow managed to severely damage both his daggers, rendering them practically useless. ¡®What insane strength¡­¡¯ Leo thought, as he appreciated the opponents prowess, as although the daggers he used in real world were not as good quality as he used in the VR world, they were notpletely trash either. Damaging them to this degree with one blow was no easy feat and Leo acknowledged it gracefully. *Drop* Dropping the damaged daggers, Leo brought out another set from around his waist, while PinkLotus charged towards him for yet another flurry. ¡°You¡¯re going down today! I¡¯m going to get you for sure!¡± PinkLotus said as she shifted her stance from a one handed sword grip to a two handed one, before sliding her feet as she prepared for a big move. [Colossal sh] she said, as she gathered her mana and sent a powerful vertical sh towards Leo, that contained 30% of her mana reserves. Strong enough to cleave the entire manor behind Leo in half, if left unchecked, the move created a rift in the ground below as it traveled towards Leo, causing goosebumps to arise on his skin. ¡°If I fuck this up, I¡¯ll die¡± Leo thought, as although it was risky, he decided to send this powerful attack packing towards it¡¯s sender, as instead of dodging, he patiently waited for his chance to strike back. ¡°This is it¡­. You¡¯re done now¡± PinkLotus said, when she realized that Leo could no longer dodge the attack, however, to her shock, the whole tide turned at the veryst second. At the final moment before the attack was ready to cleave him in half, Leo turned ever so slightly to ce his right leg behind his left one. Then, turning with the force of his full body, he shed towards the iing attack with a dagger that streaked with blue light, as he mouthed the words [Full Counter]. At that moment, his dagger collided with the iing attack and shockingly, instead of continuing in its pre-destined direction, the attack suddenly changed its course, taking a precise 180¡ã turn, as it began moving towards PinkLotus instead. ¡°No! How?¡± PinkLotus cursed, as not only did Leo deflect her strongest attack, but he also made it muchrger, faster and stronger than before, leaving PinkLotus absolutely defenseless against the counter. ¡°Bye, bye, bye¡ª¡± Leo said, waving his palms, as he knew that the fight was effectively over before the attack ever hit PinkLotus, as the only emotion he felt at that moment was pity and worry for his opponents safety. From that moment onwards, although PinkLotus tried her best to defend against the attack by putting her whole back behind the defense and trying to soften the blow, eventually, her weak sword just broke under the attacks strain and the subsequent aftermath, saw her clothes being torn in half and her chest receiving a deep gash, as she was sent flying backwards. ¡°ELANDOR, GET HER TO THE MEDICS¡± Shouted Luke at the top of his lungs, as the moment the fight was concluded, he rushed towards PinkLotus to cover her now injured body with his own robes and prevent excessive blood loss. The spar had decisively gone in favor of Leo, and at the end, his opponent passed out after being unable to defend against hisst blow. Thankfully, it was not a lethal injury and after being rushed to the medical wing, she recovered in just a short few hours, however, unlike their first spar that was much closer in terms of skills, this proved to be a much more decisive victory for Leo. On the plus side, this was a huge boost to his confidence, as he needed to win this spar to feel good about his odds of taking down the entire imperial castle by himself. However, on the down side, this defeat was a major psychological blow for PinkLotus, who once again began to doubt if the gap between herself and Leo was ever as small as she imagined it to be? Objectively, she had lost today against Leo only due to her bad strategy, as instead of going fighting a fast paced high intensity reflex battle against him, for which she had trained for months, she went for a high impact battle that could be decided with just a few short moves. Because of her anger heading into the fight, she made a series of bad decisions that led to her defeat, however, looking back she could not spot them as clearly as she should. Chapter 665: Reflection Chapter 665: Reflection Chapter 665: Reflection (PinkLotus¡¯s POV) After her defeat, PinkLotus woke up inside the Arc Ship¡¯s VIP infirmary, a few hours after suffering the serious injury. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ she wondered, as she looked around her foreign surroundings in confusion. ¡®Who is that handsome man beside me?¡¯ She wondered, as looking around, her eyes eventually fell on Luke, who seemed to be arguing about something with the elf doctor beside him. ¡®Why is my stomach bandaged?¡¯ She wondered, as eventually her gazended on her own stomach, however, the moment it did, the memories of her fight against Leo came flooding back in her mind. *GASP* She gasped loudly, sitting back up on the recovery room bed as she clutched her stomach in panic. Thest memory she had before fainting was of her stomach being cut by Leo¡¯s attack, as she suffered a gnarly wound. ¡°The gash, it¡¯s gone¡­. I¡¯m okay¡± she said, sounding confused as she checked her own body for injuries but found nothing worth noticing. The pain in her abdomen was gone and the ugly gash that should have be a permanent mark on her skin was not even visible. The alien surgeons had done a perfect job on her body and ensured that she recovered fully. It was as if the injury had never even happened and the only memory of the defeat was in her own head. However, the defeat did happen. PinkLotus knew it did, and that left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth. ¡°I lost, again¡­. And this time even worse than before¡± she said, reflecting on her fight, as she realized for certain now that the gap between herself and Leo was too wide to bridge within a few short weeks of training. Devastated, she buried her face in her hands, unwilling to confront the world after such a humiliating defeat, however, Luke had other ns. ¡°Hey, are you okay? How do you feel?¡± Luke asked, his gentle voice breaking through as he rested his hands lightly on her shoulder in an attempt to lift her spirits. But his kindness only intensified PinkLotus¡¯s shame, as her cheeks flushed and tears began to stream down her cheeks, as she realized that Luke had been right there, witnessing every moment of her failure. *Sob* *Sob* After a few seconds, Her sobs became harder, and she pressed her hands even tighter against her face as she felt mortified to be crying so openly in front of Luke. Having recently started to develop a soft spot for Luke. Thest thing that she wanted was to appear weak and unappealing before him, however, the situation did not seem to be in her favor. As the first guy she felt trulyfortable around¡ªsomeone who treated her like a friend without expectations¡ªAlia started to find herself drawn to Luke in ways she hadn¡¯t expected. And it was precisely this budding affection that made her feel so vulnerable, as she hated the fact that he was seeing her like this, in such an exposed and defeated state. ¡°Hey, hey, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re okay, you have already made full recovery. It¡¯s like the wound never happened¡± Luke said, as his words only made PinkLotus cry even more ¡°Y-you saw it didn¡¯t you? You saw my wound?¡± She asked, as at that moment, Luke misunderstood the reason behind her tears. While PinkLotus cried thinking she had shown her weakest side to a man, Luke assumed that her tears were because he saw her exposed stomach and chest after she had been injured by Leo. Blushing, he tried to rify that he had not seen her exposed nipples and that he had wrapped her around in his own robes to protect her modesty, however, failed to connect the words to convey this message. ¡°Look, I did not see your chest okay, I covered you with my robes and tried to stop the bleeding. I swear, your modesty is intact¡± Luke said eventually, trying to console PinkLotus, as at that point she stopped sobbing for a moment, only to look at Luke with the most confused expression. It was only then that she realized that Leo had ripped her clothes in half when he shed her and that she could have been exposed indecently, if not for Luke who saved her. ¡°Oh, god, no¡± she said, crying once again, as she felt terrified to think what could have been. Leo had shown her no mercy during the spar, going as far as shing her clothes in half, as PinkLotus began to shudder at the very thought of Luke having seen her naked. She was a pure virgin, and had never performed naughty acts with a man before, which was why even the thought of exposing her body to a man felt frightening to her. She wanted to thank Luke for being such a gentleman, however, acknowledging the subject only made her blush deeper in shame, as at this point she just hoped that she could dig a hole and bury herself in it. ¡°Your brother is an asshole¡± she said instead, as Luke began to scratch his head in confusion. He felt a severe sense of deja vu, when PinkLotus said those words, as somehow whenever Alia came to visit Leo, their conversation ended with Alia calling him an asshole for sure. The two of them were pr opposites that could not coexist together, and with Leo having this cunning ability to annoy PinkLotus to her limits, the poordy always left their manor fuming. ¡°I apologize on his behalf. He sometimes does not understand how hard to go in a fight. He could have killed you, it was too excessive in a spar¡± Luke said, apologizing genuinely, as it was only then that PinkLotus realized that she could have actually DIED in this spar. This was not the game world and the threat on her life was very real. Thankfully, she survived, but if she was a tad bit weaker, she could have genuinely died today, which felt like a mortifying thought to have. ¡°I could have DIED?¡± she said in shock, as it was at that moment that Luke understood that he fucked up. Instead of consoling Alia, he was only making things worse, which made for an interesting soap opera for the alien doctor to watch. Chapter 666: Developments (Meanwhile in Terra Nova Online) Over the past three months, while Leo scarcely logged into the game, significant developments unfolded in his absence. During his time off, the animosity between the rebel and righteous yers intensified dramatically, with each faction escting their attacks and inflicting considerable damage on the other. The righteous guilds especially began organizing targeted excursions into rebel-controlled territories, aiming to hunt down the most notorious rebels with the highest bounties on their head and haul them back to empire-controlled zones for substantial rewards. Conversely, the rebels plotted raids on strongholds under righteous guild control, such as dungeons and resource mines, repeatedly attacking and looting these areas to disrupt their opponents. While the sess of these missions varied, hovering around a 50-50 chance for both sides, the operations that did seed were boasted about on global forums, fueling the enmity on both sides as each new victory added to the conflict''s intensity. "I hate the rebels! They''re all lowlifes, scum, the scourges of this world!" "I despise the righteous yers and their treacherous tactics. Today, they ambushed me in the wild, dragged me back to the righteous zone, and jailed me for 30 days, shattering my chances for promotion to Sector C at the next evaluation. The righteous path yers have ruined my life." Initially, the differences between righteous and rebel yers were minor, even solvable. But as the hostilities escted, resentment hardened on both sides. Some rebels, imprisoned and with their hopes of promotions being dashed, cheered-on from the jail as their friends sought revenge on their behalf and destroyed a righteous-controlled resource mine for them. This in turn crippled a righteous guild''s ie stream affecting the entire organization, which further fuelled the hatred and prompted them to retaliate. Hence, with each retaliatory strike, both sides amassed grievances that could no longer be resolved, and the hatred between them deepened, spreading like wildfire. It was an unfortunate race to the bottom, as the casual gaming environment observed within the game world during the first two years onboard the ship, died an absolute death. Terra Nova Online had turned into an active war zone, with the yers within the game bing extremely selfish and prized. It was a toxic and dangerous game that mimicked real life, rather than a stress busting virtual world, which took a toll on the mental health of most yers, except a chosen few. However, if there was one man who thoroughly enjoyed this chaos, it was ChaosBringer, for whom this was the ideal world now. In the past 3 months, while Leo was absent, he worked extremely hard to stabilize the position of the rebels within the Eastern and Southern Duchy areas that they controlled. The rebels were under constant threat by the righteous guilds, who wanted to take a bite of the territory they controlled, however, despite their best efforts there was not a single inch of rebelnd lost in thest 3 months. ChaosBringer, strategizing at his ruthless best, ordered to increase the production of critical resources like weapons, potions and Armor within the rebel territory by enforcing a series of strict measures. Every other industry except essential services like agriculture, clothing and housing was shut-down, and all the other manpower was diverted towards fulfilling the war machine. New forges were constructed for production of weapons, forests were razed for firewood and fuel and NPC recruitment within the rebel army was bolstered. Every able bodied man and woman that was not involved with the essential sectors of life and was pursuing some other passion was forced into eitherbor for the war effort or to join the army, as ChaosBringer turned the entire Eastern and Southern Duchy, into the modern equivalent of Soviet Russia. Life was tough, night curfews were regr, and any anti-government sentiment was cracked down hard. The only way to survive or thrive in the rebel territory for the NPC''s was by joining the government and bing one of the oppressors, whichpletely crushed any room for revolt. Of-course this was not a long term solution and ChaosBringer knew it well, however, he just did not care for it. Having the knowledge that he did not need to rule them forever, and just needed to use them long enough for the Uprising to take over the rest of the Empire, he decided to exploit them thoroughly, no matter what the long term consequences of his actions would be. It was by all means a heartless way to rule, however, it turned out to be the biggest strength of the rebels, as with a near unlimited supply of arrows and long range weapons, the rebels fortified their boundaries unlike any other. With a near unlimited supply, the rebels rained down arrows and spears towards any approaching army without restraint, forcing them to retreat or suffer major losses, in what was an extremely wasteful way to fight. However, it was only because of this logistical superiority that the rebels managed to hold on to their territories like they did, as ChaosBringer''s war machine became a big source of support for the Uprising''s ambitions. The righteous forces, no matter how hard they tried, could never match the sheer production scale of rebel forcedbor as their free way of life absolutely forbade it. With the people in the Empire pursuing professions such as art, craft and other trivial pursuits, their overall war productivity was nowhere close to the rebels, who worked towards a singr goal. In the end, this only served to further degrade the impression of the rebels in the minds of the righteous groups, as the NPC''s who managed to defect and escape to righteous zones, talked about a grim tale of oppression and hellishbor. The righteous yers protested against such practices on the global forums and called the rebels ''All that was evil on Earth'', however, the rebels did not care as they knew that they were winning this war long term. Continue your saga on m|v-l''e-NovelBin ¡ª---- /// A/N - Join the novel discord if you haven''t already! I''ll post the link in thements section below. /// Chapter 667: Its time Chapter 667: It''s time Chapter 667: It¡¯s time By the time Leo finally logged back into the game world after achieving minor sess in his meditation, the entire state of the game had changed drastically; however, Dumpy had changed even more. In the three months where he scarcely met his pet, the frog had transformed from a tiny 20 feet giant, to now a massive 60 feet giant, as Dumpy now looked as big as a house. Usually, size was considered as a hindrance to speed, as therger one was, the more difficult it became for them to move, however, Dumpy defied this norm. Despite being asrge as he was, Dumpy moved like the wind, with his movements often causing buildings beside him to tear open in half, as he became a hazard to live in the city. Thankfully, he mastered [Size Regtion] after he crossed the 50 feet size threshold and became capable of manipting his own size. Growing as short as 20 inches and asrge as 60 feet, Dumpy became the most portable pet in the game world and an invaluable asset by Leo¡¯s side. Furthermore, Dumpy also entered the realm of a [Master] warrior in these three months, bingparable to Leo in overallbat strength, and surpassing Ben as a very slight superior. Everyday during training, Ben found himself growing increasingly out of breath while he spared against Dumpy, as although he did not like to show his weakness to his juniors, Ben found himself unable to keep-up with Dumpy¡¯s sheer size and strength at times. ¡°I¡¯m getting too old now¡­. I don¡¯t have it in me to fight monsters like your master and you¡­.¡± Ben muttered under his breath during one of his training sessions against Dumpy, as while the frog seemed to enjoy the challenge, Ben found his mind bing light from the strain of thebat. Within just three short months, Dumpy had gone from a frog that could not challenge him, to a frog that had surpassed him in what was the most rapid growth spurt that Ben had ever seen. The old assassin had no doubt in his mind that in the next year or so, Dumpy would easily surpass Leo and enter the realm of a grandmaster, as no human has the growth potential even remotely close to this beast. Nheless, for the sake of his own dignity, he kept pushing through, not losing a single spar in these past three months and keeping up the facade of his superiority. In Dumpy¡¯s mind, the Lord Grandfather was only going easy on him to not injure him, however, the truth was far from it. ********* (Present day) Today, as Ben sat panting under a tree, utterly exhausted after his spar with Dumpy, Leo walked towards the two of them, with a wicked grin under his mask. ¡°Ho, ho, ho, the old man looks out of breath,¡± Leo teased, as Ben shot a warning re to Leo, making him instantly shut up. ¡°You try fighting him for an hour straight, then, *cough*, *cough*, *wheeze*¡ª¡± Ben said, as he clutched his chest in pain. He had not fought this intensely for years now, and could physically feel his lungs protesting against him when he did. ¡°Nah, I¡¯d be fine¡­. I¡¯m young you see¨C¡± Leo said, gesturing towards his fit body, as Ben sent a dagger flying towards his throat. *Whoosh* Leo dodged narrowly, as the dagger whizzed past him, in what was an unexpected attack. ¡°Young my foot¡± Ben groaned, as Leo chuckled out loud. Seeing the old man behave so grumpy was a pleasure for Leo, as although the old man seemed disgruntled on the surface, he was extremely satisfied on the inside. Ben wasn¡¯t the jealous orpetitive type and nobody was prouder than him when the next generation surpassed him, which was why despite all hisints, Ben was very happy underneath it all. ¡°Dumpy greets Lord Father¡± said Dumpy, as the moment he saw that the conversation between his Lord Father and Lord Grandfather had concluded, he finally decided to intervene. ¡°You look strong boy, good job¡± Leo said, giving Dumpy a headpat, as Dumpy began to shuffle from foot to foot as Leo did so. Although he had grown up considerably, at his heart Dumpy was still a child looking for Leo¡¯s love, which was why he enjoyed the headpats thoroughly. ¡°The two of you need to freshen up, we are leaving Briarhelm for the capital¡± Leo said, as the aura between the three changed instantly when he uttered those words. The casual joy was reced with a murderous tension, as Ben grinned evilly. ¡°Is it time already?¡± Ben asked, as Leo nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s time to weed the royal family out. We march for StrongHaven today¡± Leo said, as Ben struggled back to his feet and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Many years ago, my life as an ouw began when I killed the previous Emperor on his sick bed. I guess life hase a full circle since then¡± Ben said, as he clutched his dagger hard. ¡°I have trained hard for this mission Lord Father, I will not let you down¡± said Dumpy, as the little one felt his blood pump with anticipation. It was going to be the three of them, versus the entirety of the royal guards, Virex Corps and various royal family members, in a night that was sure to be etched into the history of the Empire as a ck day. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// A/N ¨C Guys I have some GREAT news to share. Our book Terra Nova Online has been shortlisted as one of the 15 books recieving an award at this year¡¯s WSA ceremony. I know some of you won¡¯t be able to understand how significant this is, but take it this way, that the WSA awards are the Oscar equivalent of webnovel industry awards, and it¡¯s a career milestone for me. We are sure to win something at the ceremony now, whether it¡¯s gold silver or bronze. But we win something for sure. Now there is an event page open within the webnovel app where you can vote for Terra Nova Online, and help push it higher, and whether we win gold, silver or bronze, nowpletely depends on the votes you guys cast. So please support me and cast a vote at the event page, it won¡¯t even take half a minute, so please consider doing it. At the time of writing this, we trail the leader by only 51 votes, and I¡¯m sure we can bridge it, but even if we can¡¯t, every vote really matters a lot. Also apologies for the longer than usual author note, but I couldn¡¯t help it/// Chapter 668: The Hunt Begins (Leo''s POV) A few hourster, Leo, Ben, and Dumpy made a quiet, unnoticeable departure from Briarhelm as they exited the city in the most discreet of ways, avoiding the curious gazes of the patrolling uprising members at all cost. Although the uprising guild members did not mean any harm. Usually, whenever one of them spotted Leo, they took a photo and posted it on the forums as a flex, and while Leo did not usually mind it, he did not want such a bother today. The only member he did feel obliged to inform, was ChaosBringer, however, even he was given strict instructions to not leak any information about this event, as Leo wished to take no chances whatsoever. "If we keep moving by foot, it will take us at least 3 days to reach the Capital" Ben said, once they began their journey, as he proposed hiring a fewndmounts for their journey. "No, I don''t think we should take mounts this time master. I''m a highly wanted man in the Empire, so I want to bring as less attention to myself as I can" Leo replied, as Ben nodded in acknowledgement. Having lived the ouw life himself, he knew all about being wanted for bounty, and hence, he understood Leo''s reasoning behind not wanting to choose a mount. "Master, if you wish to ride me, I have no qualms. I will get you to the capital within a few hours" Dumpy said in his short 20 inch form, as he rested on Leo''s shoulders. The little frog wanted to expand in size and carry both Leo and Ben on his shoulders to the capital, however, Leo did not want such unnecessary attention. The moment he would cross into the Empire controlled territory, a prominent red marker was sure to be disyed over his head, and hence Leo did not want to attract any more attention than what he absolutely needed. "No¡­ you stay put for now and watch my back" Leo instructed, as he refused Dumpy''s request and instructed him to watch his back instead. The threat of crossing the rebel controllednd was rtively low and hence, the first few hours of their journey proved to be rather uneventful, however, 12 hourster, the moment the group stepped into the Empire controlled boundary, everything changed drastically. [Global Notification :- The rebel king ''TheBoss'' has crossed into Empirends on his own volition! Hunting him down within the next 72 hours, will now result in a 20x kill EXP bonus and triple bounty reward] The second Leo stepped into the rebel controllednds, a global announcement informed the entire world that he had entered the Empire controllednds, triggering a mad frenzy to hunt him. ''What the fuck?'' Leo thought in horror, as he was literally risking his gaming career by entering the Empire Lands and game operators were making it worse by announcing it to the world. ''Well thankfully, it atleast does not reveal my real-time location. I could have crossed the border from anywhere. I might not necessarily face any more trouble than I might have normally'' Leo thought, trying to stay optimistic, however, the operators did not allow him even that small ray of hope. [Global Notification :- For every hour that ''TheBoss'' safely survives inside Empirends, he will receive +2 levels as a reward. However, he will have his location exposed to the world after every 120 minutes. Current location :- 123.451.222N, 446.771.884W ] Just as Leo thought that maybe, just maybe things were not as bad as they seemed, the operators exposed his exact location to the whole world, as if there were a few people before who had no idea as to where he was, they surely did know now. "What''s the matter kid? Why have your steps paused?" Ben asked, as he threw Leo a concerned nce. For a moment, Leo considered turning back and dying the mission for another day, considering the enhanced difficulty to seed, however, after contemting about it for a few seconds, he decided to go ahead with it anyways. Stay connected through m-v l|e-NovelBin He was no longer at the risk of losing his life and although him being captured and unable to y the game anymore would be a horrifying oue, he could still meditate and improve in real life enough topensate for not ying the game. The only reason he was pushing so hard in the game now was to gather enough MP to create a Ben clone, and the only way to reach that goal, was by taking risks such as this one. "It''s nothing master, I just have a feeling that our road towards the capital won''t be smooth¡­" Leo said without borating, as he resumed his walk, while also unsheathing his dagger as he prepared to face any unexpected danger that loomed ahead. ******** (Meanwhile on the Global Forums) "TheBoss in Empire territory? Arrogant as ever. This is going to be fun." "Finally, he''s out of hisfort zone. Time to show him he''s not untouchable." "20x EXP and triple bounty? He''s practically begging for a beating." "This guy thinks he''s invincible, but we''ll see how tough he is with every guild gunning for him." "Let''s give him a warm Empire wee. Bet he won''t be so smug when he''s cornered." "Does he actually think he can slip past us? We''ll hunt him down like the pest he is." "Nothing but a cocky rebel. I''m calling in my whole squad for this ¨C TheBoss isn''t getting out alive." "He''s marked, he''s exposed, and he''s ours. Time to end this wannabe king." The forum exploded with simr derations. Guilds scrambled to rally their members, each one eager to im the bounty and prove themselves against the infamous Boss. Strategies circted like wildfire, ambush points nned, and the Empire''s forces mobilized. To them, this wasn''t just a hunt¡ªit was their chance to strip away his legend and put an end to his reign, which was why, there was not a single yer who did not n his participation in this hunt. -------- /// A/N - Only 14 votes behind number 2! Let''s get it guys! We are on fire, Also do drop ament under the event page while you''re there voting. /// Chapter 669: Convergence After Leo''s exact location was exposed by the ship operators, the various righteous faction yers quickly mobilized response teams into action. All the nearby towns and viges that surrounded the area were alerted, and operating guilds within them were asked to prepare for war. Everyone in the world of Terra Nova Online knew that ''TheBoss'' alone was akin to a walking army, and hence no-one took him lightly, however, nobody was scared of dying at his hands either. This was a chance for the righteous faction yers to overshadow his legend and bring the strongest yer in the game to his knees and hence, everyone was enthusiastic to do it. Apart from the nearby viges and major roads, there were patrol squads deployed in the forests and small agricultural trails as well, to ensure that ''TheBoss'' had no shot of moving past their perimeter unnoticed. Overall, a massive man-hunt began, with there being an unsaid understanding between all righteous faction yers to confirm Leo''s location on the forums, once any of them encountered him. This meant that, regardless of Leo moving on, or killing an opponent, as long as he encountered one of them, his location was sure to be exposed, as after respawning from death, the righteous faction yer that he killed, would create a post confirming hisst known whereabouts, helping others nearby to zero-in on him. What this essentially meant was that Leo had to slip-past them all without killing them, going into full stealth mode, to keep them all guessing till the very end. "Master, in-case we face a small group of opponents and can get past them without killing them. Don''t kill them as far as possible. Let''s remain stealthy and move like the wind" Leo instructed, as for the first half an hour of the team''s journey into the righteous factionnds, they avoided any and all fights as per Leo''s instructions. With all three of them capable of using [Vanish] they circled around enemy patrols without revealing their location and managed to cover a lot of ground, unnoticed. However, once they reached the small vige of Duffledem, they could not avoid a fight anymore. With around 250-300 men guarding the vige, Duffledem was incredibly hard to slip-past unnoticed, as the yers in Duffledem had surprisingly covered the entire vige roads in a lightyer of wheat flour, to make sure that incase someone that they could not see, did indeed step onto the roads they would be able to detect him nheless. In a way, it was a genius strategy, as without them covering the entire vige in flour, Leo and Ben would most likely have used [Vanish] to breeze past, however, they could not do so anymore. "The rooftops of this vige are made of straw and wood, we cannot jump from rooftop to rooftop to cross this vige. Looks like we must butcher our way through" Ben said, as he studied the vige from a distance, feeling shocked to see them waste such arge quantity of flour, just toy out a trap. "Yes, I guess we can''t avoid this fight, but we can make it quick" Leo said, looking at the map of the world, and calcting just how long it would take the other troops to converge on their location once the fight broke off. If possible, Leo would never have preferred to travel on a well paved conventional road, however, unfortunately, the paved roads that went through towns and viges were the fastest roads leading to the capital. If he tried to go through the forests and swamps, his travel time to reach the capital would increase by triple as much, and with his location being exposed every two hours, taking such a dangerous route was akin to a death sentence. After thoroughly contemting all his choices, Leo eventually came to the conclusion that despite the risks, traveling on the conventional roads was the best choice for him, which meant that he had to go through Duffledem, even though it meant starting a fight. "Dumpy¡­. It''s time" Leo said, as Dumpy leapt from his shoulders and assumed a 12 feet tall body, while also unsheathing his dual des. "Fret not Lord Father, this lowly one will not slow you down" Dumpy said confidently, as Leo gave him an encouraging nod. With the three of them together, there was no chance in hell that a meager 300 men could stop them, which was why Leo headed into Duffledem with the confidence to conclude the next fight within the next five minutes at best. ********** (Meanwhile within Duffledem) Two yers stood near the outskirts of the vige, leaning on their spears as they scanned the quiet surroundings. Despite their attempts to lookposed, a strong undercurrent of tension hung in the air. "Man, can you believe it?" one of them muttered, kicking at theyer of flour covering the ground. "The guildmaster''s gone too far this time. He forcibly took the vigers'' grain stockpile and used it for this ridiculous stunt. These people barely have enough to survive, and we''re out here wasting their food like it''s nothing." The other yer nced at him with a raised brow. "Yeah, but think about it. Isn''t it kind of genius? TheBoss relies on that invisibility trick of his. This way, even if we can''t see him, he can''t just walk through without leaving tracks. It''s the only way we could hope to catch someone like him." "Still," the first yer replied, his voiceced with doubt. "It feels wrong, you know? I mean, sure, TheBoss is dangerous, but taking food from starving vigers? There''s gotta be a better way than this." Before the second yer could respond, a faint whistle cut through the air. The first yer staggered, his words abruptly silenced as a dagger embedded itself in his throat. Hispanion barely had time to process what had happened before he himself copsed to the ground, his avatar disintegrating into particles as a cold system notification popped up: [You have been killed.] There was no warning, no time to react to any signs of threat, before they suddenly lost their lives, however, although they died and lost a few levels. The moment they revived at the nearest re-spawn point, they typed a message on the global forums, alerting the world about what they witnessed. "CONFIRMED SIGHTING OF THEBOSS! Location: Duffledem. Fight currently underway. Prepare to converge!" One of them typed with trembling hands, as the notification hit the forums like a thunderp, sending a wave of activity rippling through the righteous faction. Within moments, messages of excitement, ns for ambushes, and cries for reinforcements flooded the thread, as thousands of yers who were on the ready to move, began to ride towards Duffledem, eager to catch ''TheBoss'', before he slipped away. Many knew that they were too far as of now to effectively reach ''TheBoss'' before the fight concluded, however, they mobilized immediately nheless, as they wished to stay hot on TheBoss''s trail. Although not yet, they had faith that their chance to fight him would eventuallye, and hence with an eye towards they future, they began to converge near his position just the same. Chapter 670: Flamboyant (Dumpy''s POV) Dumpy had not yet mastered the art of throwing daggers, which meant he couldn''t discreetly eliminate unsuspecting opponents like his Lord Father or Grandfather could. Hence, when he saw Leo and Ben taking out enemies from a distance with such precision, he was filled with admiration towards them. The sight of them fighting side by side made his blood boil with excitement, fueling his desire to one day achieve their level of skill. "Let''s go¨C" Leo signaled, as Dumpy became the first to sprint into action. Having no role in taking out the perimeter guards, he felt restless to jump into battle, and hence, as soon as Leo gave the signal, he became the first to jump into battle, whistling past both Ben and Leo to enter the vige. "Puny humans, face my wrath¨C" he muttered under his breath, as he leapt over the 18 foot high spiked wooden wall with ease andnded straight inside the vige perimeter. *THUD* Hitting the ground with a thunderous impact, Dumpy immediately became the center of attention of all the surrounding soldiers, as his massive amphibian form towered over the startled guards. "Wha¨C" one guard said, but before he could evenplete his sentence, Dumpy''s dual des gleaned wickedly, as without a shred of hesitation, he surged forward as a blur of speed and power. The first guard didn''t even have time to cry out, before Dumpy''s de shed through him in a single stroke, the force of the impact being so overwhelming that it sent the sliced bodily halves onto the nearby walls and broke the bones within itter. Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin The dead man''s eyes became wide with horror as he died one of the most brutal in-game deaths that he had ever experienced, his avatar crumpling lifelessly on the ground. However, Dumpy did not stop there. Pivoting with the momentum, Dumpy hurled himself at the next cluster of four guards who never even had the chance to catch his silhouette before he ughtered them all. "Ribbit! DIE PUNY HUMANS" Dumpy said, enjoying the carnage now, as he moved towards the next nearest group of 7 soldiers that was in his line of sight. Unfortunately for them, 6 men in this group died before they could even notice who exactly the enemy was and the 7th who seemed to be their leader onlysted a total of 5 seconds at best. Being a pdin by ss, he managed to desperately raise his shield in an attempt to block the oing assault, but Dumpy''s sheer strength shattered his defense like brittle ss. With just a single blow, Dumpy blew apart his defenses with ease and managed to follow it up immediately with a strike from his second de, cleaving through the man''s torso, as the seventh yer also lost his life in a sh. "This is more like it¡­." Dumpy said, as he jumped towards the next group standing at the center of the vige square, not even taking a moment to breathe as he did so. Leaping high into the air, Dumpynded in the center of this next group of guards, who were startled by his sudden arrival. *Thud* As hended in the middle of them all, his massive frame caused the ground to tremble, knocking a few off their feet. Then, as he spun his dual des in a deadly arc, he managed to catch three soldiers at once, their blood spraying across the cobblestone streets, mixing with the flour on the floor as he decapitated them all at once. "Enemy!" A fourth managed to shout, however, those were thest words out of his mouth, as Dumpy quickly killed him and a couple others with him as well, to wipe out a majority of the group. The guards'' who remained alive now, had their faces turn pale with terror as they realized what they were up against. "M-m-monster!" One of them said, trying to run away, as he broke formation and ran, however, unfortunately for him, Dumpy proved to be faster. Bounding over him in a single leap, Dumpynded behind the man and delivered a precise strike to the back of his neck, causing the guard to fall forward like a puppet with his strings cut. Watching all this carnage unfold, another group of defenders attempted to regroup near a storage shed which would make it impossible for Dumpy to enter in his 12 foot tall form since the entry door was only 6 feet tall, however, Dumpy did not give them that chance. Charging with a roar, he smashed through the flimsy wooden structure, scattering debris and bodies alike, as his dual des moved like extensions of his will, cutting down anyone in his path. "W-what is that thing?!" one soldier stammered as he backed away, trembling, however, Dumpy only turned toward him, with a cold look in his eyes, as without a word, he lunged forward, his de slicing cleanly through the man''s midsection, as he sent him to the afterlife. The soldier''s weapon ttered to the ground as he copsed, his expression frozen in disbelief, as Dumpy single-handedly wiped off nearly 12 remaining soldiers within the shed, to bring his kill count to 30 within just two minutes of entering the vige. The vige square eerily silent now, looked like a scene straight from a horror movie, as apart from one massive frog with bloodstained swords in his hands, there were no alive humans to be found. Save for the soft rustle of the wind and the faint drip of blood pooling in the streets, there was no other sound to be heard either, as Dumpy stood proud amidst the carnage, his chest heaving as he surveyed his handiwork. He thought he had done a good job so far, however, while he killed 30 soldiers at best, both Leo and Ben killed over a 100 each, as although Dumpy moved forward with gusto, the two of them had years of experience behind them. Making the most of their daggers and long distance reach, Ben and Leo took out entire groups of soldiers from range without ever having to engage against them, as while Dumpy mboyantly killed a few, the two silently killed three times as many men, with much less effort. Chapter 671: Mounting Problems ( Leo''s POV ) "Good job kiddo, not bad for your first fight" Leo said, as he patted Dumpy on the back after his mboyant ughter spree. "Huh¨C" Dumpy said, feeling startled as he never even sensed Leo approaching, until it was toote. Thankfully, he did not have his skin coated with poison at the moment, because if he did, he could have identally injured Leo. "You killed way more men than me, Lord Father, I cannotpare to you and Lord Grandfather yet" Dumpy said, as afterparing the destruction left behind by his seniors, he felt quite ashamed of his own performance. "It''s alright, everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses¡­. Don''t fret about it" Leo said, as he understood that Dumpy''s strength wasn''t in massbat, but rather in precisionbat. Although Dumpy had killed only 30 men, his overall performance was quite impressive, which was the more important criteria to focus on. "I will reach your level someday, Lord Father" Dumpy said aspirationally, as this incident further solidified his image of Leo as the ultimate fighter. In simr situations, Leo outperformed him 3x, which made Dumpy believe that he was at least three times as strong as him although it was not objectively true. "Good ambition¡­.. but let''s talk about itter, for now let''splete the wipeout of this vige and get the hell out of here" Leo instructed, as he encouraged Dumpy to follow him as the two went on yet another tear of the enemy lines. Out of the 300-350 odd men guarding the vige, they had already killed about 230, which sent the morale plummeting for the few men left standing. Naturally, as Dumpy and Leo resumed their ughter, the remaining few could not hold their ground at all, as with Leo covering Dumpy''s back, and the massive beast taking the offensive lead, the two of them became an unstoppable unit, as they managed to cleave through the remaining opponents within a short timespan of one and a half minute. "It''s done¡­. This vige is a wipe" Ben said, as they reached the exit gate of the vige, having ughtered their way through the full length of it. "Approximately 4 minutes, not too shabby" Leo said, as he made a point of noting the time taken for them to kill these many enemies. Before the fight began, Leo had estimated that the team would need 5 minutes to finish the job, but they did it in just about 4. Leaving the vige in a rush, they continued down the paved trail towards StrongHaven, with Leo expecting more trouble toe up ahead soon. Although 5 minutes was not enough time for other enemies to converge on their location, with the message exposing their location already out on the global forums, the trouble up-ahead was sure to be much more intensepared to before. ********* Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin ( Half an hourter ) About thirty minutes after his massacre at Duffledem Vige, Leo finally encountered his first wave of opponents charging toward him along the paved road. The thunderous tter of their mounts'' hooves echoed through the air, serving as an unmistakable warning of their approach long before they ever came into his field of vision, as the sound of their approach gave Leo some time to prepare for their arrival. "Enemies approaching" Leo said, as Ben nodded towards him with a practiced calm. The two of them looked into one another''s eyes and began contemting ways to avoid the enemy without having to confront them, however, before they could arrive at a conclusion on how to proceed, Dumpy aggressively leapt forward into action. While Leo wanted to leave the paved road trail and hide within the shadows cast by the long trees surrounding the roads, Dumpy leapt into the air andnded before the enemy contingent, as heunched the [Boulder Splitting sh] against them. *Shua* Killing 20 men, and their mounts in a single blow, Dumpy managed to wipe out the entire enemy contingent in a single attack, as he turned towards Leo with a satisfied smile. "Lord Father, the problem has been solved" he said, as Leo pped his forehead in frustration. Dumpy had no idea that the problem had not been solved, but had only been made worse by his actions, as by killing the enemies, Dumpy just exposed Leo''s location to the world once again. In this situation, hiding and letting them pass would have been a much better oue than fighting, as while a group of 20 adventurers did not pose a huge problem to Leo, having his position confirmed once again did. When the first message regarding him being in Duffledem was dropped on the global forums, the enemy troops were still a fair distance away from his location and still only converging in real time, however, they were all a lot closer this second time around, having been on the same trail since thest 30 minutes. This meant that enemies within a 10 mile radius were now aware of his exact location, causing a plethora of problems for Leo. He had a couple minutes to react at best, before an endless stream of enemies swarmed him where he stood, which was why Leo acted quickly and started to dash into the woods, going off the main trail. "Follow me¡­ fast" he said, as he dragged Dumpy and Ben off the main trail, helping them avoid the hundreds of enemies that were converging on hisst known location fast. ********* *Dok dok dok* *Tuk tuk tuk* The sound of hundreds of horse hooves filled the entire forest around the trail, as hundreds of adventurers excitedly closed in on Leo''sst known location. "Look! There''s blood here, and footsteps leading into the forest! Tracker get here¡­. TheBoss seemed to have gone this way¨C" one of them said, as arriving at the scene of ughter, where Dumpy killed yers and mounts alike, the yers managed to find the trail of footsteps that gave away the general direction where Leo was moving. "Attention all! Attention all! TheBoss is moving eastwards from 124.567.889N and 223.445.557E. He is making his way through the forest and seems to be with his freak monster pet frog" Leo found his exact whereabouts leaked on the global forums thanks to Dumpy''s careless action, putting a dozen or so yers hot on his trail, with just a few minutes gap between them. With the next two hourly location drop being only a few more minutes away, Leo found himself in a tough spot, as surviving till the end of gaming day today seemed like a tall task. Chapter 672: Shame Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin ( A random righteous faction yer''s pov) *Snap* A tree branch snapped under Carter''s foot as he made his way through the forest with a maniacal frenzy. Carter, the chief scout of the Double Orange guild, found himself hot on the trail of the most infamous yer in the game: TheBoss, as he tracked the path taken by him and his aplices through the thick forest. His eyes were sharp, scanning the faint impressions on the forest floor, as he actively searched for some broken twigs, and the asional patch of disturbed soil that could confirm the path taken by his target. "This way!" he shouted over his shoulder, his voice cutting through the rustling trees as he instructed the hundreds of teammates behind him on what route to take. "He''s not far now¡ªfootprints are fresh!" He encouraged, as he could feel that the opponent was not more than a couple minutes ahead of them now, however, he had no confirmed visual on the enemy yet. The forest was dense and the shadows cast by the tall trees seemed to be ying tricks with their vision, however, Carter, guided by his years of experience as a lead scout, seemed to be confident in the path he was leading his guild towards. He strongly believed that every snapped twig or crushed leaf told a story, and hence tried to desperately piece it all together, for a confirmation on the path that the enemy took, through a wide jungle floor that pretty much looked the same all around. "Pick up the pace, damn it!" he yelled again, his voiceced with urgency. "The trail''s too clear for him to be far ahead. We can catch him if we hurry!" he said, as behind him, his guildmates struggled to keep up, their boots crunching against the forest floor to leave arge trail of their own. "Carter, are you sure we''re almost there? I want to take a speed potion if we are, but it will wear off in ten minutes if we are wrong?" one of them asked, his voice tinged with nervousness. "Shut it, Nathan!" Carter snapped, leaping over a fallen log with practiced ease. "Do you want the glory or not? This is TheBoss! You think he''s gonna just sit still and wait for us to take a potion when we see him? It''s a risk you must decide to take yourself... Move!" Carter said, as he encouraged Nathan to drink the potion without confirming that he should. At that point, the forest seemed to close in around them as they advanced, the canopy above thickening, as it cast dappled shadows on the ground. The tension was palpable, the air heavy with anticipation. "There! More broken branches!" Carter pointed ahead, his heart pounding as he pushed forward with renewed vigor. "He''s running, but he''s not that far. We''ve got him!" Nathan however,gging slightly behind, muttered under his breath, "You might want to slow down Carter, the guild is already spread thin in this chase, I can barely see the guy behind me, who can barely see the guy behind him, I think overall, there must be a kilometer gap between you and the guy that''s the furthest away from here" Carter heard Nathan''s words, but chose not to answer. Unlike the slowpokes at the back, he couldn''t afford to slow down during the hunt, as if he did so he risked losing TheBoss''s trail forever. Regardless of how slow his back markers were, he needed to keep moving at the least, and hence that''s exactly what he did. Every step brought him closer to the legendary Boss, and every sound from the forest amplified the pounding of his heart. "Stay together! Eyes sharp! He''s leading us somewhere, but it doesn''t matter. We''ll end this here!" He said, however, he didn''t know if he was yelling at his guildmates, or himself, as all he knew was that the hunt wasn''t over¡ªnot yet. "I GOTCHU" He yelled, the moment he could hear the crunching of the leaves up ahead of him, as at that point Carter felt assured that he had tracked ''TheBoss'' down. However, as he finally caught up to the beast leaving the trail that he was chasing, what he saw at the end wasn''t ''TheBoss''. Disappointingly, the beast that he finally encountered was a herd of exhausted deers, who seemed to be running away from him for thest 3 kilometers. "What is this? Is this some joke Carter?" Nathan asked while panting heavily, as the effects of the speed potion that he drank nearly wore off. Being one of the few that had followed Carter blindly into this mad chase through the forest, Nathan felt extremely frustrated at the end to see that they had encountered a bunch of deers, as he felt a strong desire to punch Carter then and there. "No¡ª no! I''m sure I was tracking human footprints¡­ 3 of them, 2 men and one Beast, this is impossible? Since when did I mistook them for deer? No! No! Nooo¡ª" Carter said clutching his head, as he fell to his knees in disbelief. He could not understand how he went wrong? Or even where he went wrong? However, it did not matter. Him being proven wrong, meant that he had led the guild towards a wild goose chase, and such an oue meant that his credibility within the guild was sure to be destroyed forever. [ Global Notification :- TheBoss''sst known location is 123.456.777N and 144.555.666E ] A system notification informed all yers about TheBoss''s live location, and ording to the coordinates exposed, ''TheBoss'' was 17 kilometers away, once again on the paved road trail, as Carter, Nathan, alongside thousands of other righteous faction yers, seemed to be looking for him in the wrong ce, by trying to trace him in the forest. "DAMN IT! WE HAVE BEEN DUPED BY ''TheBoss''. It will take us at least an hour to get-back on the road¡­. Damn we fucked our chance to catch him" Nathanined, as Carter buried his face within the dead forest leaves out of shame. Chapter 673: One Step Ahead (Leo''s POV) Leo snickered non-stop, when he perfectly timed hisst-known location to be the road, when he wasn''t actually traveling by the road anymore. In reality, he was traveling through the forest; however, to misguide his opponents, he made this perfectly timed maneuver appear as though he was still on the road at the precise time his location was revealed, to leave a false trail that would waste the time and resources of those who pursued him. ''Take that! Fools¨C'' he thought, as he started to venture deep into the forest again, his mind recounting the events of thest half hour, where he duped not one, but hundreds of adventurers, multiple times over. Initially, the trail that Carter and the other members of his guild picked up, had not been the wrong one, however, with the forest trees casting long shadows to hide in, when the group did eventually catch-up to them, all that Leo and team did to avoid them was to hide in the shadows of therge trees, standing with their weapons at the ready in-case someone did notice them. However, to their fortune, just as their own trail ended, an ovepping deer trail began, which identally led Carter and his men on a wild goose chase, giving Leo and team ample time to move in a different direction. It was undoubtedly a fortunate event for them to be able to ditch the closest mobs hunting them, as with them gaining a slight room for movement, Leo managed to mislead the world about his next move, ying an borate prank on them all. "TheBoss is moving down the road! He''s dead meat now!" "This is Mojo from the Hunters guild! We have 12,000 members blocking the road ''TheBoss'' is moving down, he will surely not pass us!" "This is Frazier from the Medallion Guild, we have 7,000 men just a kilometer away from TheBoss''sst known location! He will surely not slip away under our watch" "It''s finally time for the rebel scourge to die! With so many men encircling him, there''s no way that ''TheBoss'' survives¡­." In the spirit of cooperation, the entire server coordinated their assault on ''TheBoss'', as those who were near his location, looked for any breaking news on the forums, incase they needed to move, while the rest watched on for the juicy live updates. At this point, the entire righteous faction was awaiting the news of TheBoss''s downfall, however, even though there were hundreds of thousands of men actively hunting him down, nobody could get a hold of him. While the Medallion and Hunter guild members kept looking for him down the road, Leo casually gave them the slip by moving through the forest, as although the guild members waited patiently for the next couple hours, their arms drawn to a ready, they never saw even the shadow of ''TheBoss''. ********** (Two hourster, the global forums) "Where is ''TheBoss''? Why have we received no new updates?" "What is thetest development? @fraizer, if you have been wiped out, at least let the rest of us know¨C" "Hey everyone, this is Ali from the Medallion Guild, and I''ll just like to brief you all on what''s going on... We have been waiting for ''TheBoss'' down the paved trail for the past 30 minutes, but we have not seen or heard him. So we are still waiting..." "A Man¡­.. We from the hunter guild have blocked the road a couple kilometers after you guys, if the Medallion Guild does not encounter ''TheBoss'', we probably won''t either¡­." "What is ''TheBoss'' doing? Is he too scared to move? Is he really going to stay in one ce until we actively find him? Or has he started to retreat?" "I mean, it has to be retreat, because ''TheBoss'' is definitely not going to risk going deeper into our territory especially when he knows that things will only get harder from here on out. I think he has ruffled enough feathers, but this is as far as he goes" [ Global Notification :- Last known location of ''TheBoss''. 123.456.789N 223.455.777E ] Just as the conversations on the global forums intensifies, with people specting about TheBoss''s retreat. The system dropped his location once more, only to shock the world with where he was. "ording to this location he''s still on the paved road trail! What the hell is the Medallion and Hunter guild doing? He''s already bypassed them both and is 33 kilometers from the huge town of Bilspread" "Hahaha! TheBoss walked right past these foolish guilds, but they could not even detect him! He probably used his invisibility skill to slip past them and might even have danced and shown them the finger as he did" "The performance by the Medallion and Hunter guild is actually disgraceful, these two have wasted the time for all of us¡­." "Guys! At Least we know now that he''s heading for Bilspread. Reinforce the town! Let''s ensure that ''TheBoss'' cannot escape Bilspread without a fight!" "Cover the town floor in wheat flour! Doing so forced TheBoss to fight in the small vige of Duffledem a few hours ago. If not he will just use his invisibility to slip through¡­." The server erupted with criticism for the Medallion and Hunter guild, as they werebeled as being ''ipetent'' for letting TheBoss slip by. However, the focus quickly shifted from their ipetence on what to do next, as analysts tracked TheBoss''sst ventured path and deemed that he was headed for Bilspread, which was extremely close to hisst disclosed location. With this message from the analyst, receiving 120 thousand likes and 70 thousand re-shares, the post instantly became super viral, as many yers began coordinating on how they could take ''TheBoss'' down when he arrived at the town. With one yer suggesting the use of flour, the yers of Bilspread began raising the houses of NPCs and ruthlessly stealing their grain stores, as they covered the streets of the massive town with flour, in an event that horrified the NPC''s who witnessed their wasteful actions. Chapter 674: By-pass Chapter 674: By-pass Chapter 674: By-pass (30 minutester, Bilspread town) Bilspread town was thrown into chaos over the news about the potential arrival of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as the yers throughout the town mobilized in a frenzy to try and prepare for his arrival. Learning from the mistakes of the adventurers in Duffledem vige, they began creating proper blockades along the streets, meant to stop armies, as although their enemy was a single individual, they took maximum precautions to try and stop him. However, while most yers found themselves busy with some task or the other, there were a select few, who already assumed their battle positions, and were now simply awaiting the arrival of ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Jake, an adventurer from Bilspread, who was one such yer who had already assumed his final position, swung his sword through the air with exaggerated ir. He was practicing his moves in the middle of the town square, surrounded by piles of flour-streaked streets and the chatter of other adventurers. ¡°Yeah, just like this,¡± Jake muttered under his breath, lunging forward in an awkward stance. ¡°When he tries that shy invisibility trick, I¡¯ll block him here¡­ then BAM!¡± He spun clumsily, nearly losing his bnce as his oversized boots scraped against the cobblestone. ¡°TheBoss won¡¯t know what hit him.¡± To Jake, it felt like a perfect strategy, one that would undoubtedly make him the hero of Bilspread. To anyone watching, however, he looked ridiculous¡ªmore like a drunk soldier fighting imaginary ghosts than someone capable of taking on the most dangerous yer in the game. Nearby, amotion broke out as an old NPC woman wailed uncontrobly, her trembling hands clutching the edge of her shawl. Two adventurers, Jake¡¯s guildmates, stood in front of her, trying to calm her down. ¡°Listen,dy,¡± one of them said, clearly exasperated. ¡°You¡¯ll be reimbursed in full. The guild willpensate you for the flour, alright? Just stop crying already.¡± ¡°My flour! My hard-earned flour!¡± the old woman cried, her voice shaking with grief and rage. ¡°Do you think your money can undo the waste? That grain was meant to feed my family for the entire season!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just flour, calm down,¡± the other yer said dismissively, waving a hand as if to shoo her away. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re doing this for the greater good. TheBoss will be here any moment, and this flour will help us stop him. You should be thanking us.¡± ¡°Thank you?¡± the old woman spat, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Thank you for stealing from me? For throwing away what little I have?¡± She pointed a gnarled finger at the yers, her voice rising with every word. ¡°May your souls be cursed for your greed! May the gods punish your arrogance!¡± The adventurers rolled their eyes in disappointment as this happened, with one muttering, ¡°NPCs really know how to hold a grudge,¡± as they turned away, leaving the woman to weep on the ground. Jake, too focused on his shadow fight, paid no mind to the scene behind him. He stepped forward with a clumsy thrust, grinning as he imagined the glory awaiting him. ¡°Any second now¡­¡± he murmured. ¡°TheBoss will walk right into my trap, and then I¡¯ll be the one everyone¡¯s talking about.¡± he said out loud, however, little did Jake know that the arrival of TheBoss would be nothing like he imagined. ******** Just like Duffledem before, Bispread was one such town enroute to the capital that Leo could not easily avoid. Circling around the town meant traveling for an additional hour to hour and a half, however, going through it meant facing a minimum of 5-7 thousand enemy soldiers. Either way, it was a lose-lose situation for Leo, who was currently being chased and hunted by almost every single righteous faction yer alive. ¡°Master, we are approaching the town gates fast¡­. Do we prepare for yet another big fight?¡± Dumpy asked, when the group reached the absolute vicinity of the town, as Leo shook his head in response. ncing towards Ben for confirmation, Leo re-confirmed the n he was cooking in his head, as although the two of them spoke no words, their silent nods and eye blinks conveyed the entire story. Unlike Duffledem where most houses were made of stone, mud and straw, the houses in Bilspread were made with properrge bricks and binding agents. This meant that unlike the infrastructure of Duffledem, which could not support their weight, should they run on the roof-tops, Bilspread houses could. It was because of this phenomenon, that while having a silent conversation with Ben, Leo tilted his head slightly towards the sky, to which Ben responded with an affirming nod. The two of them had the same n to use the rooftops and avoid fighting as much as possible, and hence, upon approaching the town wall, instead of leaping through to the other side, they vertically climbed it to the top instead, so as to get the best elevation tond on the nearby rooftop. Silent as the night, the trio did not even make a single sound when they made thisnding, as while poor sobs like Jake remained waiting for their arrival on the ground below, constantly looking at the flour scattered in front of them for foot marks, Leo, Ben and Dumpy made their way fast through the city, without anyone being any wiser. With Ben at the lead, they dismounted the rooftops at strategic intervals to perform narrow alley crossings and bypassing easy spotting points, and in just 25 short minutes, they managed to climb out of the town walls through the other side, as they bypassed Bilspread without ever spilling a single drop of blood. ¡°Nicely done¨C¡± Leoplimented when they were out in the clear through the other side, as Ben gave him a wink of approval. With the righteous faction yers still waiting for them to show up, Leo somehow managed to shrug their pursuit off, yet again. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C ///A/N ¨C Hey guys! I just want to drop a big thank-you to you all for voting for the novel in such impressive numbers under the event page. Although we could not catch the first two books, we are third by a solid margin and I¡¯m extremely proud of where we stand. Once again, thank-you for all your love and support, it¡¯s honestly extremely humbling for me //// Chapter 675: Down-Time Chapter 675: Down-Time Chapter 675: Down-Time [Global Announcement :- Thest known co-ordinates of yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯ are 122.456.789N, 145.667.778E ] Exactly a couple hours after the previous global announcement, a second one followed, which informed the righteous faction yers that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had already bypassed Bilspread town and was currently moving deeper and deeper into Empirends, with little to no opposition. Naturally, this caused quite the stir on the global forums, as the righteous faction yers were now left scratching their heads on what was going on? ¡°What¡¯s going on guys? If we draw a line on the map on where ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was two hours ago, versus where he is now, it¡¯s clear that he has moved in a near straight line. It¡¯s impossible for him to do so, without crossing the town of Bilspread, so howe none of you managed to spot him?¡± ¡°TheBoss is making a fool of all of us, there¡¯s less than 15 minutes of gaming time left in the day and we have been unable to pin him down. He¡¯s brazenly roaming around in ournds, and not a single one of us can catch him¡± ¡°Is it really this easy to be an ouw? I mean I never thought about it before, but now that I think about it, the entire gaming map is quiterge. As long as one hides in the woods or some outskirts, they can perhaps get away with being a rebel. I thought catching criminals was easy, but after looking at ¡®TheBoss¡¯, I realize it¡¯s not¡± ¡°The rebels areughing at all of us in thements section. They¡¯re having the time of their lives. Here we are desperately trying to take down just one yer, however, somehow we can¡¯t even pin him down, we are humiliating our own faction by our poor performance¡± ¡°Laughing? Beneath that bravado the rebel faction yers are scared for their life. If the boss is finally caught and captured, they will have no face left to show. Although they¡¯reughing now, they will be crying for sureter¡± After the failure to stop ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at Bilspread, the global forums found themselves in a heated debate before the gaming hours ended. Everyone wanted to get an understanding of the situation before they logged out, so that they could strategize better before they logged in tomorrow, however, they had no idea that all their nning was futile. The mandatory gaming/ working hour rules did not apply to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who lived in the VIP sector, and hence, while the rest of them strategized on how to catch ¡®TheBoss¡¯ once they logged into tomorrow, Leo made the most of this time to elerate as hard as he could. Once the gaming time was officially over and the majority of yers had to return to their on-ship duties, Leo began his mad dash down the main road, as he ordered Dumpy to assume his full size and rode on his back alongside Ben. ¡°Dumpy, I have been carrying you on my shoulder for most of this day, so that you can cover for me and master Ben at night. We will try to sleep and get some rest, while you continue down the road and carry us¡­ Try and be gentle when yound, so as to not wake your Lord Grandfather up in his rest, but also maintain a steady pace, for we need to cover as much ground as possible through the night¡± Leo instructed, as Dumpy erged to his full size and allowed both Ben and Leo to mount on his back. ¡°Worry not Lord Father, Grandfather, this lowly one will not disappoint¡ª¡± Dumpy said, as while Ben and Leo rested on his back, Dumpy began making giant leaps down the road, trying to cover asrge a distance as possible with each jump. Compared to Leo and Ben running on foot, riding Dumpy was thrice as fast, as in the eight hours of nightfall, whereby the group encountered no major problems apart from a few patrolling NPC¡¯s, they managed to cover a days worth of journey,pleting nearly 60% of their trip from the Eastern Duchy to the Capital. By the time that the sun started toe back up and Dumpy was exhausted from his duties, they had already crossed up-till Tianmen City, with Ben and Leo having rested enough to carry on with the journey for next day. ¡°30 minutes till the yers log back in¡­.¡± Leo muttered, as checking the in-game clock, he rushed to move-past Tianmen City before the yers logged back in, so that he could hit the open road again without facing a big obstacle. ¡°Good Job Dumpy, shrink and rest on my shoulders now¡± Leo said, as once they arrived near the city gates, he switched ces with Dumpy, allowing the little frog to rest on his shoulders, while he and Ben made their way through therge City. Since it was extremely early in the morning, the streets were not as bustling as usual, while the guards seemed to be changing shifts, with the night¡¯s watch retiring for the day and the day guard taking charge. For Leo and Ben, this was the optimal time to cross the streets unnoticed, as although they ran through countless ¡®Wanted¡¯ posters of Leo stered through the city, not one civilian or guard managed to pin him down before he exited the city. Overall, Leo achieved everything that he could have hoped for in the down-time where the righteous faction yers were not logged into the game, as by the time they dide back online, he was nowhere near where they expected him to be. While most yers expected him to be near Bilspread town, where theyst saw him, Leo had already crossed Tianmen City, which caused a major uproar amongst the returning yers. Many had spent hours trying to strategize about how to capture him once they returned to the game, however, they now found themselves half a day away from TheBoss¡¯s location, havingpletely lost the opportunity to chase him. Chapter 676: Assembly Point Chapter 676: Assembly Point Chapter 676: Assembly Point (The Global Forums) ¡°Nah, nah, nah, what the hell? How has ¡®TheBoss¡¯ covered nearly 350 kilometers while we were offline? Is he riding a horse or a Griffin?¡± ¡°This makes no sense¡­. Did he specifically arrange for a mount and only logged out after jumping into a carriage of some sort? How else did he travel such a long distance while we were offline?¡± ¡°Agh, guys, we are fucked, I¡¯m from the Smithsonian guild and we were in Tianmen City until yesterday. We had traveled all the way to Bilspread town hoping to catch ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, now he¡¯s back near Tianmen¡­.. our time, energy and hopes have been dashed¡± ¡°An average mount covers approximately 20-25 kilometers an hour, but ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has covered twice as much distance. Either he has a legendary horse or something, or he¡¯s riding goddamn cheetahs¡± ¡°Guys at this point, should we consider giving up? TheBoss might actually be invincible¡­. He¡¯s always been two steps ahead of us¡± ¡°Guys we must not lose hope so soon! We must kill ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at any cost. If we can¡¯t apprehend such a dangerous man within our ownnds, we can forget about apprehending him within rebelnds. Even if it feels impossible, we must do it¨C¡± An intense discussion broke off on the forums once the yers logged back into the game, with many feelings disheartened regarding TheBoss¡¯s progress over the night. Since most yers had no idea that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ could continue ying the game through the night, they assumed that he had logged off while in a carriage of sorts, so that his body¡¯s location moved while he was offline. Nobody suspected that ¡®TheBoss¡¯, was actually online and vignt the whole time, keeping his secret safe for now. ¡°Oh hell no guy, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ has already gained 32 levels. It seems like even when we were logged out, he still gained levels for being within the rebelnds. If this continues, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ who is already invincible at the top of the level charts, might gain a 100 levels from this trip and be even more invincible than before. I must remind everyone that for every hour that we don¡¯t take him down, he keeps bing stronger¡­¡± ¡°Is it really fair to award an off-line yer with levels? Are the operators even being fair to the rest of us?¡± ¡°Fair? Mate ¡®TheBoss¡¯ literally has the entire righteous faction hunting him like crazed men right now¡­. And you¡¯re talking about fair? Is having your location exposed every two hours fair?¡± Once the yers checked the level leaderboards, another major debate sparked off, as many righteous faction yers felt disheartened that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had gained 32 levels since entering the Empire controllednds. The operators had decided to award him with +2 levels for every hour that he survived within Empirends, as apensation against his location being exposed, however, Leo did not even care for it right now. He was already 200 levels ahead of the second ranked yer and did not actually need the extra levels, as they did little to boost his strength at this point. For him, having an additional 32 levels only barely increased his overall strength by +1%, as after gaining 700 levels in the game and thousands of stat points, the percentage increase in his power for gaining a few more wasn¡¯t as significant as before. However, the cumtive effect was pretty good, as although+32 levels wasn¡¯t much, if he managed to survive for a full 2 days within enemynds and gain +100 levels then the total strength he would gain would be significant. With most yers currently still struggling to gain +1 level a week, there were many who felt incredibly jealous of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his gains, however, these yers failed to understand that the achievement that the Boss made by staying alive while being hunted by an entire faction was equally impressive. If any other yer were to try this, they would have undoubtedly been killed by now, as only Leo possessed the unique skill set to somehow pull this off. With Ben and Dumpy by his side, he had powerful yet limited allies by his side that made his party small and agile, yet powerful. With all three of them knowing how to use [Vanish] and Ben having a lifelong knowledge of how to avoid patrolling soldiers, they were uniquely poised to bypass critical detection points, as without all these abilities, it would be incredibly difficult for Leo to move like he did. However, with most yers only focused on his sess and not his brilliance, they did not see this side of his story, which made them feel incredibly jealous of his goodluck. ¡°Attention all! I have analyzed TheBoss¡¯s movement path and have concluded that he¡¯s headed for the capital city of StrongHaven! Hunting him in the wild is going to be futile and although I wee people to try, I must encourage all the righteous faction rankers to gather in the capital city of StrongHaven, to create our best chances for taking down ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Since it takes time for us to travel in this world without teleportation gates, we must decisively decide on a single confrontation spot and I suggest that we do it in StrongHaven. So please help spread my message as far as possible¡­.¡± a popr analyst yer wrote on the forums, with his message garnering millions of reshares. Based on Leo¡¯s current movement trajectory many other yers also came to a simr conclusion that he was headed for StrongHaven, and although there were many who refused to believe it and strongly disagreed over the idea of confronting him in a big city, with most yers convinced, the n was a sess nheless. Rankers who could arrive at StrongHaven within the next 8-10 hours began riding hard towards the capital in hopes of confronting ¡®TheBoss¡¯, as the righteous yers understood, that if they did not mount a unified offense in StrongHaven, they might never be able to take down ¡®TheBoss¡¯. Chapter 677: The Trap Chapter 677: The Trap Chapter 677: The Trap (A couple hourster, StrongHaven City) Extensive preparations were set in motion to brace for the imminent arrival of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in StrongHaven City, transforming every square inch of the metropolis into a heavily fortified battleground under the careful watch of the righteous faction rankers and their guilds. By this point, the righteous faction guilds hade to recognize the ingenious methods that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ had been employing to evade their detection so far, and although, each humiliating defeat that they suffered at his hands up till now was like painful a painful pill to swallow, it had also be a hard-earned lesson that taught them how to confront ¡®TheBoss¡¯ going forward. ¡°Quick, quick, send Devon to the neighboring square¡­.. we already have Gmoney here, we don¡¯t need another mage that can cast [Thermal Vision], send him over¨C¡± A knight ss yer, who served as a captain in a major guild said, as he transferred a member of his team to the neighboring guild, as theycked a mage who could use the [Thermal Vision] spell. [Thermal Vision] was a (Rare) skill scroll which had little to no practical applications except granting the user the ability to see in the night and via walls. However, with the righteous faction guilds struggling to deal with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and his invisibility, it suddenly emerged as one of the most useful spells in the game. Every single copy of the spell avable at the skill-scroll store was purchased by major guilds and their member mages were forced to learn it immediately. This was done so that there remained at least some members in every party that could spot ¡®TheBoss¡¯, even when he was in his invisible form, so that he couldn¡¯t run past them undetected. Regardless of which guild was patrolling what city square or corner, a mage capable of using [Thermal Vision] was deployed down every street and block, to ensure that ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was spotted and stopped as soon as he entered the city. The second lesson that the righteous faction yers had learned was to not use social media for theirmunications too much. So far, every strategy that they made was discussed on the open forums, which was easily essible by ¡®TheBoss¡¯, in-case he was paying attention. To counter this problem, inter guildmunication lines were opened, with one member from every guild being present in the central town square, from where they could all type individual messages within their guild chats, spreading the samemands to all guilds without having to use the official forum channels. This ensured the sanctity of theirmunication, and protected them against any leaks made to ¡®TheBoss¡¯ or his rebel aides. The third step that they took to counter ¡®TheBoss¡¯, was to post a guild member on every rooftop and dark alley, to ensure that he did not slip-by the city undetected. Millions upon millions of yers were mobilized for this job and soon every single square inch of StrongHaven City waspletely covered by righteous faction yers. Finally, and most importantly, the top rankers who had gathered to take down ¡®TheBoss¡¯, spread evenly amongst the cityscape, with each ranker being on their toes and ready to rush to any corner of the city, as soon as TheBoss¡¯s location was confirmed. The n was to overwhelm and pin ¡®TheBoss¡¯ down as soon as he was detected, in what seemed to be a full proof n to take him down. 2700 of the top 10,000 rankers had gathered inside StrongHaven City to help take ¡®TheBoss¡¯ down, in what had to be thergest co-operative quest undertaken by yers within the game. Today, as they waited for the first signs of the boss to show up, not a single yer slouched or dared bex, as everyone remained sharp and on their toes, suspicious of even the wind whistling past them. The entire righteous faction wanted to take ¡®TheBoss¡¯ down, at any cost necessary, and hence when the system message came that thest known coordinates of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, was just 45 kilometers away from StrongHaven City, everyone immediately became fully prepared. [Global Notification :- Last known coordinates of yer ¡®TheBoss¡¯. 123.456.789N 445.667.76E ] ¡°This is it guys¡­. TheBoss is barely two to three hours away from getting here¡­. Finally, our time to take him down has arrived¡± ¡°As long as he steps in this city. He¡¯s going to be dead meat. There are literally over 3-4 million yers here, just waiting to take him down. If he dares arrive here, there is absolutely no way he would survive¨C¡± ¡°Guys do you really think ¡®TheBoss¡¯ will dare walk into StrongHaven? I mean, no matter how powerful he thinks he is, doing so would just be in suicide no? Who the hell can survive this set-up?¡± ¡°If ¡®TheBoss¡¯ walks into StrongHaven and somehow walks out of it alive, then I don¡¯t care about this factional division anymore, I will join him and worship him as my god. But let¡¯s be realistic here¡­. He¡¯s not going to arrive, and if he does he¡¯s not going to survive¡­.¡± The righteous faction yers began to chat in their free-time on the guilds internal chats, and the discussion seemed to be extremely optimistic. Everyone believed that it was impossible for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to surviveing to StrongHaven and hence there were many who thought that he just wouldn¡¯t show-up. Even ChaosBringer who was on the end of his nerves because of Leo entering Empirends, sent a personal message to him in all capital letters, warning him to not enter StrongHaven, as the few assets that he still had within the righteous faction, warned him seriously about the trap that they had set-up for him. ¡°NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, DON¡¯T GO TO STRONGHAVEN, I REPEAT, DONT GO TO STRONGHAVEN¡­. THERE¡¯S AN AMBUSH FOR YOU THERE THAT YOU CAN¡¯T SURVIVE¡± ChaosBringer wrote, however, when Leo read the message, he only chuckled out loud. He was going to enter StrongHaven no matter what, and even though the world was against him, Leo had the balls to enter the city regardless. Chapter 678: Hype (Leo''s POV) "Hahaha¡­..Yes, I feel it now" Leo said out loud, a big grin spreading under his mask, as he ran on the road alongside Ben, while Dumpy rested on his shoulders. The excitement that he felt at the mere thought of facing a city full of hostile enemies was something abnormal, as most yers in his position would feel scared or intimidated. ''Why am I so excited? Why is my heart beating faster and faster, although I''m most likely approaching my death? Why do I love the thrill of the hunt so much that the thought of facing a million enemies is exciting for me?'' Leo wondered, as he ced a hand on his heart and felt his heart throb loudly. ''Regardless of what happens today¡­ I''m going to be the first and only yer in the game who will ever get to face ALL other yers at once. A fight like this¡­ I will perhaps never experience it again,'' Leo thought, as his grin became even wider. Regardless of the oue, today was going to be a defining moment in the history of Terra Nova Online, and he was just d to be the main character of this event. No other yer in the game was ever going to recreate what he was going to experience today, and just that thought of getting to experience a legendary event, made Leo''s blood boil with excitement. As of now, he had no real idea about how dangerous it was going to be once he entered StrongHaven City, but he knew it wouldn''t be easy. If ChaosBringer had resorted to warning him in all capital letters not to enter the city, Leo understood that the situation had to definitely be extremely dire for him to do so. ''If I die¡­ I still have one death evasion token left. I can just use it and flee for my life'' Leo thought, preparing himself for the worst-case scenario. Since he was still holding onto hisst death evasion token, Leo had faith in his ability to use it and get out of the city if the worst came to pass. Yet, at this point he was definitely hoping for a better oue. ording to his calctions, by the time he reached StrongHaven City, there would be about two hours of gaming time left in the day and Leo''s best hope was to survive until nightfall¡ªwhen he nned to infiltrate the pce under the cover of darkness and start his raid on the royal family. Attacking the pce during the day was akin tomitting suicide, since he believed that themon yers were sure to breath the gates and rush inside should they know that he was there, and hence Leo did not wish to take such an extreme path. He wanted to instead reach StrongHaven City before nightfall, and reach the gates of the pce right around the log-out time, to enjoy the full night of peaceful solo gaming, fighting against the Emperor and his guards. Leo knew that if he was caught fighting the royal guards while the rest of the yers were still active, then he would have no chance to survive, as he knew that he did not have the ability to fight the royal guards, the Virex Corps and the top ranking yers of the righteous factions all at once. "Are you scared boy?" Ben asked, once the city walls started toe into view, as although they were still a few kilometers out, Ben could already see therge number of men covering all the walls around the entry gates, acting as sentries for all iing visitors. "Nah¨C" Leo replied, as although he knew that the fight was about to begin in just a few minutes, from the moment they approached the gates, Leo did not feel too threatened by it. Whatever was to happen was going to happen, however, with Ben and Dumpy by his side, he was not afraid to even charge through the gates of a city if he had to. "Well it''s good not to be scared¡­.. I''m not scared either, but in-case I don''t make it, just know that I was a dead man before I met you, and that teaching you has given my life new meaning. I''m grateful for all our time together" Ben said, as he covered a small tear forming at the corner of his eyes. "Oye, oye, oye old man, why are you talking like we are heading to our deaths? The two of us stood against the fucking demon king and his minions and didn''t die. There''s no chance in hell that these puny humans get us" Leo said, as he reassured Ben that they were not going to try, while also lightening the mood. Experience more on m-v|l e''-NovelBin "Gosh you sound like that frog" Benined, as his face turned into a slight frown at the mention of the word ''Puny human'' by Leo. "Huh? What? Did someone call me?" Dumpy said, suddenly waking up at the mention of the word frog, as after spending most of the day asleep on Leo''s shoulders, he woke up at the perfect time, just as the trio was about to reach the city. "Speak of the devil¡­." "And he shall arrive" Ben said and Leopleted, as the duo gave one another a knowing nod. In more ways than one, the two of them were really akin to father and son, as apart from sharing the same skill-set and sense of humor, the two also had the same crazy look in their eyes, right before they were to go on a hunt. Possessing balls of steel, both men were not really afraid of death, and had absolute faith in the superiority of their skills, which made them the deadliest duo in the entire game world. As if their duo was not perfect enough already, they were somehow joined by an egotistical mythical frog, whose skills were by no means inferior to their own, and somehow the three of them became the most unlikely trio in the history of the Unity Empire. The trio of old man, kid and frog, with ambitions to shake the world. ¡ª------ /// PS- The new cover for Terra Nova Online is finally up! Do check it out, also I''ll also post a copy in thements below /// Chapter 679: Entering StrongHaven Chapter 679: Entering StrongHaven Chapter 679: Entering StrongHaven [Global Notification:- Last known coordinates of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ are:- 123.456.777N 334.555.778E] About 2 hours before the yers were supposed to log-out of the game, thest global notification of the day shed in front of their screens. As per the notification, ¡®TheBoss¡¯ was now merely a few hundred meters outside StrongHaven City, causing all righteous faction yers to immediately be vignt. ¡°He¡¯s here! TheBoss is here! All men be ready¨C¡± The various guild masters and captains shouted, as the entire city seemed to hold on-to their breath, awaiting his arrival. Nervous sweat poured down the face of several righteous faction yers, while memories of their previous cold ughter surfaced in the minds of many rankers. As a result, both kinds of yers gripped onto their weapons hard, as they grit their teeth in anticipation of today¡¯s fight. The strongest yer was finally here¡­.. ********* ( Near the StrongHaven City wall. Inside StrongHaven City ) The yers stationed near the entry walls, all looked nervously towards the entry gates, where alongside the NPC¡¯s guarding the city, at least a dozen rankers stood, waiting for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to show up. Of course, they did not actually expect him to walk through the front gate, however, they reinforced it nheless, to cover all possible points of entry. What they expected however, was for ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to enter the city in his usual mboyant fashion, diving from the top of the wall andnding in the middle of the street with a ir, which was why, although there were a few rankers posted near the entrance, a wide majority of yers had their eyes fixed on the walls and any sign of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ entering. ¡°Mages, do you see anything with your heat vision?¡± Asked a righteous faction guildmaster, as he inquired if TheBoss was trying to slip-into the city undetected. With his arrival expected at any moment now, everyone was on their toes, and the guildmasters were no different. Feeling just as anxious as everyone else, they kept checking on the mages and what they saw, as currently only the mage ss yers who had learnt the heat vision spell were the ones capable of spotting ¡®TheBoss¡¯, in his invisible form. ¡°No guildmaster Rayan! I see nothing yet¡­¡± ¡°No signs of TheBoss for me either¡­¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t seen him yet¡­.¡± ¡°The flour patterns on the floor have not been disturbed either¡± ¡°No signs of him here as well sir¡± His guild members replied one after another, as everyone tried to keep one another in the loop, to ensure perfectmunication. ¡°Alright, keep being vignt¡­ he¡¯ll be here any moment now¡± said guildmaster Rayan, as he gripped his spear harder. The tension in the air was so thick that Rayan could almost feel as if he could physically cut through it with the tip of his spear if he tried, however, he self-deprecatinglyughed at himself for even feeling so nervous. ¡°He¡¯s just one man¡­Why am I even so scared?¡± Rayan murmured to himself, as just for a second, he made the mistake of looking away from the wall and looking towards the spear in his hands instead. *SHUA* *SPLAT* Precisely at the second that he looked away, a dagger came flying down from the sky and pierced his head in a brutal attack that saw pieces of his brain stter everywhere. The high speed of the dagger coupled with the eleration due to gravity from the height that it was released, gave Rayan absolutely no chance for survival as he died an instant pitiful death. *Thud* Crashing onto the surface below, his lifeless body hit the terrace floor with a loud *thud* noise, as all the yers around him felt a jolt of fear running through their bodies. *SPLAT* *SPLAT* *SPLAT* A series of daggers came down from the sky, taking out one opponent with every shot, as the defending righteous faction yers were left powerless. ¡°INCOMING¡­.¡± Some of them shouted, as many began to prepare for an aerial assault, with those having shields raising their shields, while others casting spells or finding small shades to cover. So far, they could still not see ¡®TheBoss¡¯ in person, and although the daggers continued to rain for a full minute, there was no visual confirmation of ¡®TheBoss¡¯ yet. ¡°Where is he? Where is that coward?¡± ¡°What even is the trajectory of these attacks? I can¡¯t look past the top of the wall, but these daggers don¡¯t seem to being from the top. Someone is throwing them in a parabolic curve from the other side ¡­.¡± ¡°Do we see him? Has anyone seen ¡®TheBoss¡¯ yet? What exact sector is he in?¡± The yers near the wall asked one another, however, although everyone was curious on what exactly was going on, nobody had a precise understanding of the situation. ¡°THERE HE IS! I SEE SOMEONE ON THE WALL¡­.. SOMEONE JUST LEAPT THROUGH¡­.¡± One of the mages shouted, as he pointed towards a section of the wall from where a ck hooded figure seemed to be descending. Instead of directly jumping down the wall, this particr figure seemed to be sliding down the wall while raising a sandstorm, as it clearly seemed to be in no particr rush of entering the city. ¡°He¡¯s here! We have eyes on ¡®TheBoss¡¯, he¡¯s near the Davidoff bakery. Everyonee here!¡± ¡°I SEE HIM TOO¡ª¡± ¡°GUYS EVERYONE ASSEMBLE NEAR THE WISCONSIN BREWERY, I HAVE EYES ON THE BOSS¡± ¡°What? I also have eyes on ¡®TheBoss¡¯, he¡¯s clearly near the Darrell brothers alchemy shop¡± ¡°I HAVE EYES ON THE BOSS¡­. HE¡¯S AT THE WESTERN ENTRANCE¡± One after another multiple yers imed to have eyes on the boss as the entire city was thrown into disarray as to where Leo really was? Using the [ Mirror World ] skill, Leo had created 130 clones of himself, all of whom jumped down the wall from different sections, as he threw the entire city into aplete disarray on where he really was? When looked from afar, it seemed like everywhere one looked they saw a ck hooded man sliding down the walls, causing the righteous alliance to immediately panic. They were prepared for every oue¡­ yet they seemed to be outmaneuvered and outsmarted by ¡®TheBoss¡¯ once again. Chapter 680: Deceit "Guildmaster, which one is the real Boss? I can notice at least a dozen of them already?" a mage with [Thermal Vision] on asked in confusion. "What are your orders? Which exact clone should we focus on?" asked a swordsman ss yer, as themon yers seeked guidance from their supervisors on what to do next. The initial orders that they had received were to spread out throughout the city and remain vignt, so that when ''TheBoss'' finally did enter, they could all converge towards his location, ensuring that he did not escape the perimeter alive. However, with the righteous faction yers now unable to determine which one of the clones was actually the real Boss, they found themselves in a turmoil. With their initial n no longer feasible, they had to quicklye up with a new one, however, with them unable to use the public global channel to ry newmands, the time taken for them toe up with a new strategy and propagate it to every guild, was significantly long. The decision makers consisted mostly of the topmost rankers that had gathered near the town square, who began to fervently remake the existing battle ns, to better respond to this new unexpected situation. [ Don''t converge! All yers must try and take-out all the clones, while keeping a special eye out for any presence of the frog monster, as the individual following the frog, is most likely to be the real Boss ] After a short discussion, this was the message that the rankers decided to circte amongst all, as the new order was to engage with each and every boss clone, treating them all as if they were real, while keeping an eye out for Dumpy, as the highest ranking rankers believed that the clone fighting alongside Dumpy was the one that was most likely to be the real body. Hence, a city-wide manhunt began, not only for the real body of Leo, but also for Dumpy, whose presence was to be reported immediately. However, despite the best efforts of the righteous faction yers to locate both the real bodies of Leo and Dumpy, all of them came short, with the duo seeming impossible to find. ********** ( Meanwhile Leo ) As things stood, it turned out that while the righteous faction yers frantically scrambled to locate and eliminate the clones, Leo executed his diversionary n wlessly. Moments before the clones leapt from the walls and entered the city, the real Leo, diverted his focus to a precise section of the StrongHaven City wall, that seemed to be slightly more damp and moistpared to the rest, while being covered in green moss. "Dumpy, melt this whole section of the wall" Leo instructed, as he pointed towards the floor, with Dumpy immediately executing his instructions using his highly corrosive poison. *Sizzle* *Sizzle* With a single spittle from Dumpy, the entire section of the wall that Leo wanted to melt, started to disintegrate as if it were a thin sheet of paper set on fire, revealing the main sewer line underneath, that ran from the heart of StrongHaven City, all the way to the nearby Evergreen river, where it was dumped untreated. Usually, it was impossible to enter the city from beyond the wall, however, with Leo having already studied theyout of the underground sewer system extensively, he knew the exact spot where the main sewer lines intersected with the main wall, and he used that knowledge to enter the city today. Hence, while the righteous faction yers madly hunted his clones like rabid dogs, his real body already descended into the underground, past their set-up detection points. "Follow me¨C" Leo said, once the trio descended into the stinky and rat infested sewers of StrongHaven City, as although both Ben and Dumpy felt ufortable traveling via such unhygienic pathways, Leo felt no such reservations. Having previously worked as a literal sewage worker, shoveling human shit, he could now tolerate the pungent stench and the sticky air around him rtively well, as although it repulsed him, it did not impair him like the others. The sewer system itself was essentially abyrinth of interconnected tunnels that all opened to the main line. After descending underground, Leo found some of these tunnels to be dry, while the others seemed flooded with foul-smelling water. It was the perfect ce to disappear, as a start, as if navigated properly, it led straight to the heart of the city, providing a risk-free exit near a prominent bakery situated in a tight and dark alley, which was the trio''s eventual destination. ******* (Meanwhile above ground) Meanwhile as Leo and others navigated the sewers, the surface turned into a picture of pure chaos. StrongHaven City, once a bastion of order and safety, now felt more like a war zone, as the clones of Leo had transformed the city into a battlefield. Each clone acted independently, drawing from Leo''s own fighting style and strategy to sow confusion. They darted through alleyways, scaling rooftops, and leaping from balconies to keep the righteous yers chasing shadows. Some clones ran in in sight, deliberately taunting their pursuers, while others engaged in hit-and-run tactics, taking out individual yers before vanishing into the crowd. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin In the narrow streets of the merchant district, a group of yers surrounded a clone, thinking they had cornered the real ''TheBoss.'' However, the clone only smirked at those yers, tossing a smoke bomb to obscure their vision before unleashing a flurry of shadowy chains. The yers screamed as the chains wrapped around their legs, pulling them to the ground, only for the clone to vanish as reinforcements arrived. Near the government granary, another clone created havoc by setting fire to a row of market stalls. mes roared into the evening as yers tried to douse the inferno while also chasing the elusive figure, who seemed to disappear the moment they got close. From above, the city looked like a hive of activity. yers raced through the streets like ants, their movements disjointed and erratic as they chased after fleeting glimpses of hooded figures. Mages with [Thermal Vision] spells were overwhelmed, their spells showing multiple heat signatures moving simultaneously across the city, as despite their best efforts, they couldn''t determine which heat signature belonged to the real ''TheBoss.'' "What kind of madness is this?" a knight ranker shouted, his voice echoing through the chaos. "He''s everywhere and nowhere at the same time!" In every district, confusion reigned. yers shouted conflicting orders, guildmasters barked franticmands, and alliances crumbled under the strain of disorganized mayhem. The righteous faction''s once-meticulous ns unraveled as their forces began to be stretched thin, chasing nothing but illusions ****** Meanwhile, below the surface, Leo could hear faint echoes of themotion above, the sound of explosions and distant shouting reverberating through the sewer walls. "Sounds like they''re having fun up there," Ben said with a chuckle, adjusting his gear, as he felt that Leo''s n was going smoothly at least up-till now. Ben could not understand how Leo was sustaining the strain of maintaining so many clones at once, however, with Leo having to drink a max MP potion bottle every other minute, Ben understood that the strain ced on his body was surely not small. Despite this, Leo showed no emotion on his face, and only spoke when they reached a particrlyrge cross-section within the sewer system, that seemed to be infested by at least a hundred thousand snakes. *HISSS* *HISS* The snakes hissed, the moment the group reached the area, as for a second, both Dumpy and Ben were taken aback, just by the sight of how many snakes had gathered in that one small area. "What the hell? Just how many snakes are here?" Ben wondered, as Leo let out a big grin when he saw the scene before him. In the past three months, one of the jobs that he had given ChaosBringer, was to transport the snakes that he had trained over the past year, to the underground sewer system in StrongHaven, and although, the rebel demarcation had made it difficult for ChaosBringer toplete the project, it seemed like he had pulled through brilliantly at the end. "Don''t be scared, master¡­. This is all a part of my n" Leo said, as he brought out the [Snake Gem] from his inventory, whose mere presence caused all the snakes in his surroundings to turn calm and obedient. "Go¡­Kill" Leo instructed, as he directed them to one of the narrowest sewer streams in the intersection, which was barely a feet wide, as it was only this particr stream that opened into the royal pce. With the stream being only half a feet tall and a feet wide, it was notrge enough for Leo to fit through, which was the only reason behind him not using it to infiltrate the pce himself. The StrongHaven pce was constructed in a way that it was not vulnerable to underground attacks by humans, however, it was still wide enough for snakes to slither through. For days now, these snakes had been waiting for Leo to show up, while surviving by hunting on sewer rats, however, now that Leo was finally here, the snakes finally received their orders to attack the pce, starting Leo''s attack on StrongHaven pce in essence. "54 minutes till the yers are forced to log-out" Leo muttered under his breath, checking his watch, as he began making his way towards the nearest exit point. As after guiding the snakes to start with their mission. Leo finally felt ready to start his own. 45 minutes. That was the time frame that Leo had decided to fight against themon yers in, as with Dumpy and Ben by his side, he was confident to hold our for that long. *Snap* With a simple snap of his fingers, he ended the [Mirror World] spell, with his clones across the city turning to smoke, as he took a few minutes to catch his breath and drink a few more bottles of stamina and mana potion. Then, as he felt prepared, with precisely 45 minutes left on the clock, he exited to the surface, with Ben and Dumpy following, as he finally unsheathed the daggers on his belt. "Righteous faction yers¡­..Here Ie!" Chapter 681: Earth Shattering "Righteous faction yers, brace yourselves¡ªhere Ie!" Leo dered with a cocky grin, his voice brimming with confidence, as with practiced agility, he began to leap from one narrow alley wall to the other, steadily ascending toward the rooftop. *Thud* Once he reached the top, hended atop the bakery''s red tiled roof surface with barely a sound, as he bnced himself gracefully on one foot. Standing tall, Leo scanned the surroundings with a steady, calcting gaze, his expression calm yet intense as he took in the scene. His clones had disappeared city-wide a couple minutes ago, and the majority of yers were left scratching their heads as to where he was? Everyone was asking one another if they had seen ''TheBoss'', as the entire city was in a disarray. If Leo truly wanted, he could have waited out the entire next 45 minutes hiding, and it would be impossible for the righteous faction yers to locate him, as once he was in the heart of the city, there were no means for them to locate him, if he did not want to reveal his location. As he looked around, he could see the rankers in the town square aggressively holding each other by the throat, as they seemed to be disagreeing over something major. He could also see the mages hovering near the city walls, trying to locate Leo through their Thermal Vision, but so far that could see nothing. Just under him, on the city street, he could see a group of adventurers bantering as they walked with hurried steps down the road, yet none of them seemed to look towards the rooftop where he stood, as Leo simply chuckled at their naivety. With a prominent redbel brightly disyed over his health bar on his head, Leo enjoyed being the target of public ire, as he spread his arms and dared the city unfolding before him to try and take him down. It took a while, but a couple minutester, one of the righteous faction yers, stationed atop one of the apartment terraces, did manage to notice a red blip over the city skyline, as although for a few seconds he wasn''t sure if his eyes were deceiving him, after a while he did confirm that it was ''TheBoss''. "It''s ''TheBoss''! It''s him! He''s standing on the Terrace with his arms folded. He''s there! Look guys! I found him!" The yer shouted, frantically pointing in Leo''s direction, as his wild shouts gathered Leo''s attention. It did not take long before others noticed Leo''s location as well, as the guild messages went into overdrive, with people all over the city being alerted about where he was. Leo locked eyes with the yer who found his location, and although the man was almost half a mile away, Leo appreciated his hard work by sending a single dagger in his direction, which precisely stabbed the man in his throat. "Be honored¡­. You have been killed by TheBoss personally¡­. It''s a high point of your life¨C" Leo said, as by that point thousands of yers surrounded the rooftop where he was standing, everyone looking at him nervously. Leo knew that this was a legend defining moment for him, and although the previous version of him would never have done something so stupid, after his conversation with the Demon King Anos about what it meant to be a true king, Leo understood what exactly he had to do. With millions of yers live streaming this moment, and hundreds of millions more watching it live, Leo knew that his words and performance next would be immortalized forever, and hence he chose it very carefully. Spreading his arms, Leo taunted the entire righteous faction standing before him defiantly, as he said¡­.. "I''m just one man, and you''re a whole city. Yet not one of you is man enough to take me down where I stand. Because even now, even when I''m alone, there''s not a single one of you who has the balls to enter a 50 meter radius around my location. Hence it doesn''t matter how many of you try to bring me down. Because there''s no way in hell, ''TheBoss'' loses to ball less eunuchs" Leo said, as he began tough heartily. *HAHAHAHA* Hisughter reverberated throughout StrongHaven City, making the blood of righteous faction yers boil with rage, however, the damage had already been done. Although, all of them charged towards Leo at once now, the image of them hesitating to enter a 50 meter radius of Leo had been set in history forever, as no matter what the result of this fight would be now, history would remember how a million men hesitated to go against one. "Bastard is spouting nonsense! Get him¨C" "Nobodyes in my way! I''m preparing my strongest spell" "Fuck your spell, I''m going in¡ª" *ARGHHH* The surroundings around Leo were thrown into a disarray, as hundreds of yers tried to scale the walls of the bakery at once, damaging the structure immensely, while others started tounch long ranged attacks. [Mountain Splitting sh] Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Just as a section of the yers thought that they could scale the walls and reach Leo''s location, Dumpy emerged from inside the bakery,unching a Mountain Splitting sh so powerful, that he killed about a hundred fifty yers with a single blow. Not only was the entire crowd in a 150¡ã arcpletely eliminated, but the surroundings buildings were also cleaved in half, as the yers atop those buildings, lost their footings and hence got disrupted in theunch of their long-ranged spells. "Who dares attack my master? Mongrels! Know your damn ce!" Dumpy said angrily, as ted in Full Body Armor and having assumed a respectable 15 feet tall body size, he looked like an absolute beast. *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* *Shua* . . . . . *Shua* On the other side, covering Leo''s back, a ck robed assassin took down another 40 yers through rapid attacks from his dagger throws, as emerging out of nowhere, he cleaned house, preventing anyone from closing in on Leo, before assuming his rightful ce on his back, atop the bakery. "This should be fun¡­." He said, his old voice sounding mirthful, as the entire gaming world shook, when they got a good look at his face. Chapter 682: Off his game? "Is that? No¡­. It can''t be" "I''ve seen that face before! I''m sure I have, but that man is dead¡­." "Did the world not receive a report that he died alongside the previous NPC emperor Julien D Evanus? How is he still alive?" "Who is it? Stop talking in riddles? Just who the hell is that man?" "He''s Ben Faulkner, The Kingyer, The notorious assassin leader of the Assassin Alliance, one of the strongest NPC in the game, and a retired legend. Him joining this fight is bad news for us¡ª" Murmurs spread throughout the yer base when they noticed that Ben Faulkner was still alive, as although reports received by them so far did mention that ''TheBoss'' was likely traveling with his pet beast and a man, nobody mentioned precisely that the man was none other than Ben Faulkner. "But he was dead¡­. Everyone knows he was? Wasn''t he? I mean what the hell is going on? Did he also kill Julien D Evanus?" Many conspiracy theories began to emerge once Ben Faulkner''s face was revealed to the masses, however, while a few yers were scared of his pedigree, there were a lot that did not seem to give a fuck. "What does it matter who he is? If he''s with ''TheBoss'', we kill him too! There''s only 38 minutes left till the y-time runs out today and I don''t want to drag this fight till tomorrow!" One ranker said, as instead of backing down, he took the lead and charged at Leo alone. "Out of my way¡­. Beast" he said, as he tried to leap over Dumpy by using his massive shoulders as a jumping base. However, the second his boots came into contact with Dumpy''s skin, they began to sizzle and burn, as by the time he leapt over him and was mid-air, they disintegratedpletely with a single drop of Dumpy''s skin acid touching his feet. "ARGHHHHHH¡ª" He howled in pain, as his muscles convoluted at awkward angles. As let alone touch Leo, he fell off the terrace hriously, dying a painful and gruesome death, where none of his bodily muscles responded to his brainmands at all, making him die from the most painful of seizures. "Pathetic mongrel¡­." Dumpy said, brushing the dust off his boots off his shoulder, as the sight of their friend dying such a horrifying death, made many yers tremble in fear. Over 90% of them did not even understand what happened? Or how their friend died, as all they saw was him leaping past Dumpy and then dying of a sudden ailment. Most of them failed to notice the burned boot either, as they wondered just what sort of a spell caused him to die this way? "What happened? How did he die?" "What did that frog do? I''m sure he did not even move a muscle?" "What''s going on? Has ''TheBoss'' hacked the game?" Themon yers found their brain short-circuit at theck of information, as Leo enjoyed the fear in their eyes with a soft smile under his mask. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that over a 100 mages had gathered together, not even two blocks down from his location, and were collectively chanting a spell. If Leo wanted, he could have disrupted their spell with ease before they ever cast it, however, he did not. Using ''Copy'' instead, he patiently watched what they did, as he understood that the rankers surrounding him were tacitly waiting for this exact spell to work-out before they took action. "Is this it? Is no-one going to charge at him? He''s right there? What the fuck are the rankers doing?" Onemon yer asked, as he looked around frantically, but no-one seemed to respond. At first nce, it seemed like everyone was reluctant to fight ''TheBoss'' and die, however, that was not the truth. The rankers smiling smugly thought that they were wasting Leo''s time, while their strongest spell was being prepared, while Leoughed smugly in-turn, having already seen through their strategy. It was like a high stakes game of 4D chess, which felt hopeless to the pawns, however, incredibly interesting to the controllers. And although the opponent thought they were winning, Leo was in fact two steps ahead of them all. *BOOM* A sudden surge of mana took everyone by surprise, as a vibrant rainbow pir of energy, seemingly stretching towards the sky, shot up from the collective location, where the mages were chanting. "IT''S DONE! WE GOT HIM" "Hahaha¡­ here ites!" "Quick, pin him down now. He must not be allowed to escape this attack¨C" Suddenly, as the pir of energy shot-up, the rankers finally made their move, as they rushed towards Leo from all sides. The fighting, once again suddenly turned intense, as Dumpy found himself being swarmed by opponents on all sides. "Come! Come at me mongrels, I''ll show you the power of the great ancient swamp frog!" Dumpy said, fighting at his absolute peak potential, ying enemies with his sword and spitting acid at their faces. Surprisingly, he managed to hold off 7/10 opponents trying to get past him, as not even the rankers could escape his wrath. Technically sound, physically strong, and trained by Ben Faulkner himself, Dumpy was much stronger than the average ranker who found themselvespletely unmatched against him. Meanwhile, Ben did the same, managing to hold off 6/10 opponents trying to get past him, as in the end, Leo only had to fight a handful of opponents at once. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin With most of his focus, still on copying the spell being cast, Leo fought rather sloppily and as if he were distracted, as he put minimal effort in dodging, blocking and countering. His goal now was to copy the best spell that his opponents were casting topletion, and hence, although he took a few close calls, Leo did not budge at all. "That''s it¡­. We got him exactly where we wanted!" "The boss seems off his game today, we can take him down¨C" "No mercy!" The rankers around him shouted, as they hyped each other up, until the mages attack finally started to materialize in the sky. Chapter 683: A majestic counter In the world of Terra Nova, there were two types of mage spells that could be cast. First were spells that could be cast individually by single yers, where the spells they cast took up a spot inside their skill panel. And the second were group spells that needed a certain number of mages coborating together to be cast. These group spells did not take up any skill-slot inside the mages individual stat panels, and often did not require every single mage in the group to chant the exact incantation for the spell either. Most of the low-leveled group spells only used the bodies of the mages casting them as a power source to fuel the main spell, while the caster was usually only a single mage. And the spell that Leo faced today, was one such group spell, called [Rainbow Shot]. To cast the rainbow shot, a bunch of low leveled mages coborated and provided their strength to one single ranker, who upon gathering enough energy for the spell, chanted the specific incantation to materialize it. From afar, the spell looked like a beam of rainbow colored energy stretching towards the sky, however, once the chant wasplete, a single massive arrow, which was the size of a couple residential houses put together, descended from the sky, hurtling straight towards Leo. "DON''T MOVE¡­. PIN ''THE BOSS'' DOWN TILL THE LAST SECOND" One of the rankers near the scene shouted, as while the rainbow shot descended towards Leo, the others tried their hardest to keep him from dodging it. [System Notification:- You have sessfully copied the move ''Rainbow Shot''. This move can now be replicated three times.] Just as the attack fully materialized, Leo received a system notification informing him that he had copied it sessfully, as only then did he stop observing the move. *sh* *sh* *sh* Suddenly turning the tides of the battle, Leo killed all the rankers surrounding him, as although he was only focused on copying the move and surviving until now, once he had copied the move sessfully, his full attention returned to the fight at hand. "Buzz off¨C" he said with authority, as within just a split second, he cleared all his opponents from the roof, as he prepared to intercept the iing attack. *Tremble* *Tremble* The ground underneath his feet began to tremble, and the air around him turned ionized as the rainbow shot approached from the sky. The sheer presence of the move radiated serious power and destructive capability, causing many weaker yers to feel their throats dry up as they looked towards it. For a moment, Leo could feel his hair floating towards the sky, as if it were levitating in zero gravity, however, that was just static electricity ying its tricks. The ionized air had turned his hair into those akin to a Super Saiyan, but that change was only temporary. ''I got this¡­'' Leo thought, as a soft smile spread on his face. Even while staring down such a powerful attack, Leo did not feel an ounce of fear or hesitation, as such was his belief in his own limits and abilities. He was sure that he could take this attack and counter it, which was why he did not even attempt to dodge. The righteous faction yers on the other hand began to celebrate their inevitable victory, thinking that the fight was over, as for them, they could not see how Leo could survive such a powerful attack, now that he had no room left to dodge. "It''s over¡ª" one of them said, as he clutched his hands in joy, however, unfortunately for him, he celebrated too early. *Inhale* Taking a deep breath, Leo ced his right leg behind his left one, as he unsheathed the terrifying Nightde Steel Dagger from his belt. This was a dagger from the notorious dagger set that he had obtained after the second rankers event, specially for the purpose of killing the demon king, however, he had never used it until now. However, since this was a special asion, and he could feel that none of his other daggers were upto the task, Leo finally unsheathed one of the daggers from the set, as he used his newest learnt move. [Full Counter] he said in a soft tone, as at the precise moment where the rainbow shot were to wipe him off existence and obliterate everything around him in a two mile radius, Leo dared to fight back, the steel of his de pushing back against the pin-point tip of the mana arrow. "Arghhhhhh¡ª" Leo screamed, as the force of the attack was too much for him to handle with ease, however, he did not give in. When one hand wasn''t enough toplete full counter, he put his second hand behind it, twisting his entire body with full force, as he relentlessly pushed back against the attack. "Impossible ¡ª" muttered the onlooking righteous faction yers, as none of them expected to see such a sight unfold before them. The shock waves generated by Leo''s sh against the giant arrow forced many of the righteous faction yers in his immediate vicinity to their knees, as they struggled desperately to avoid being swept away. Yet, while most yers could barely remain upright, Leo somehow managed to defy the overwhelming force, steadily pushing back against it. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin The de in his hand sizzled and burned, however, the superior grade de held strong. Had Leo used an inferior quality de for this move, he would have undoubtedly died trying to stop it, as the de would give in before his body, however, because he used the de made from the sharpest material in the universe, which was extremely durable as well, he was somehow able to hold on¨C. "Come on now¡­. BREAK" He screamed, as with the world watching live, Leo somehow managed to split that one massive arrow into ten thousand tiny pieces, which splintered and crashed all around him. *Boom* *Boom* *Boom* . . . *Boom* Everywhere that the splinter of the arrow dropped, a mini crater was formed as hundreds of thousands of righteous faction yers surrounding Leo, unequivocally lost their lives to their own power. While he alone stood tall and strong, for an entire mile radius around him. Not a single building, not a single yer managed to survive unharmed, as he alone stood tall over them all. "That''s my Lord Father! Mongrels¡ª behold his glory!" Dumpy said in joy, as for him, this became yet another instance of Leo''s magnificence being solidified into his memory. However, while he rejoiced, the righteous faction yers screamed and howled in horror, as this was not the oue that they had expected. The move cast by the coboration of hundreds of mages was supposed to take him out. However, The Boss somehow found a way to use their own move against them, in a disy of supreme strength. ¡ª----- /// A/N - Hey guys! Today is thest day of voting for the WSA event. Whether we get gold, silver or bronze will all be up to fate after today. So if you haven''t voted already, please do. And if you want to send a video submission, showing your love for the book, please do that too. /// The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 684: Reactions (The spectators watching world-wide) Apart from the millions gathered in StrongHaven City, who were trying to bring ''TheBoss'' down, there were hundreds of millions more across the game who were watching the stream live. When the rainbow shot descended, it was unlike anything that a majority of the yers had ever seen before, as group spells of this scale were simply unheard of. Somehow, through the coboration of several skilled mages, the righteous faction had prepared this trump card to take down ''TheBoss'' and had done a decent job of pinning him down too, however, despite their best efforts, ''TheBoss'' seemed to be a step ahead. At the critical moment where the attack were to strike him, he somehow managed to counter the move, splitting it into thousands of smaller pieces that rained destruction all around him but not at him. Combined with the sheer number of yers gathered in his vicinity to prevent his escape, the attack became far more devastating than it otherwise might have been. Striking amidst the densely packed crowd, it transformed into a merciless life-iming machine, cutting down countless lives in an instant. "Nah, I''m done watching this stream, ''TheBoss'' is too cold¡­. He''s too cold. That man can''t be defeated." "Hey guys, do you really think we are ying the same game as him? There''s an entire city full of yers fighting against him? So why the hell is he the only one standing?" "Guys I''m not exaggerating when I say this¡­. ''TheBoss'' is literally 50% of the rebel faction''s strength. The man can take on cities on his own, we must find a way to stop him!" "TheBoss gained 42 levels from this¡­. He killed so many yers, he gained 42 levels. HE JUST BECAME MUCH STRONGER¡­.." "We are watching a master at work¡­. There''s no bigger rebel hater than me, however, even I can''t hate ''TheBoss''. That man is pure fighting ss. A genius like no other" "Fuck, I got goosebumps watching him fight, eventhough I''m a righteous faction yer" "Even if he does die here today¡­. The legend of ''TheBoss'' will never be forgotten!" The righteous faction yers could not contemte whether they should be impressed or afraid of ''TheBoss'', as not even they could resist appreciating him after this performance. The rebels were of course over the moon, busy zing ''TheBoss'' as if he were the embodiment of a god, as they worshiped him on the forums non-stop. Comments like "The Boss needs new haters now, the old ones became his fans" And "Them : We have an army. Us: We have The Boss" Became viral. Jacob, Amanda, Luke, Cervantez, PinkLotus, all of them had their hands covering their foreheads, as not even they as Leo''s closest confidants could believe what they were witnessing. "So this is your true power¡­." PinkLotus said with a sigh, as she realized just how big the gap was between herself and Leo, and just how naive she was to think she could actually take him down in a spar. Discover stories at mvl [Full Counter] was the same move he used to take her down in theirst spar, but only today did she understand the true capabilities of that move. "Way to go Leo!" Murmured Luke, watching the livestream, as he could feel his chest filling to the brim with pride. "Hmm¡­" said Jacob, a soft smile on his face, as he enjoyed the stream with a content heart. Although Leo was never going to find out, Jacob had actually spent the 40 gaming hours, destroying bridges and sabotaging roads leading to StrongHaven, so that at least a few hundred yers could not make it in time, as he tried to y as much of a part as he could to keep his son safe. Finally, Amanda saw the stream and felt herher regions tingling, as she never felt like she wanted Leo more than she did now. Currently, standing tall over a destroyed city, Leo looked the epitome of a manly hero and Amanda fangirled over him hard. If Leo saw her right now, biting her hand just to contain her excitement and stop herself from screaming in fandom, he would probably die fromughter, however, that was how hard Amanda crushed on him right now. She knew she was incredibly lucky to have a boyfriend like him, and she wanted to show her appreciation for him, the moment she could get her hands on him in reality. ******* ( Meanwhile Ben ) Looking at the destruction around him, Ben felt a shiver run down his spine, as life seemed to hit him like a truck. Looking at Leo and Dumpy right below him on the street, Ben felt his mouth opening to the widest of grins, as he realized just what sorts of monsters he had created. With this counter that Leo just performed, Ben no longer had any doubt in his mind that his disciple had far surpassed him inbat capabilities, as if it were him, he was sure he could not do the same. Just a couple years ago today, he could remember clearly how he was sneaking through the cityscape alongside Leo, as they spied on the arena set-ups for his next grand tournament fight, however, the kid that followed him back then, had turned into a proper man now. In just a short timespan of two years, Leo had gone from being his shadow, to being his senior and Ben could not have been any more proud. Standing beside him today, Ben truly felt like the time where he could retire wasing near as the new generation no longer seemed to need his support. "What a move boy¡­.. I''m impressed" he said softly, however, Leo heard it, as he turned towards him and gave him a thumbs up. The fight was not over yet, and the survivors were slowlying back to their feet, however, the sheet destruction that Leo had left in his wake caused them to need a full five minutes to regroup, giving Leo ample time to drink more potions and return to his peak strength as well. Chapter 685: Dominance Leo checked his watch once the righteous faction yers began to slowly gather around his location once again, after his rout of the first batch. ''7 minutes to go¡­.'' he thought, as he cracked his neck from side to side andzily stretched his arms. Countering the rainbow shot had put a lot of strain on his body and had left a lingering feeling of slight difort, which was why he felt the need to stretch to return back to his best. "This is not over¡­.We must take him down anyhow today" one of the righteous faction yers said, as he charged towards Leo, only to be ughtered by Dumpy before him. Just when it seemed like the fight was about to resume, with hoardes of righteous faction yers trying to swarm and take down Leo, something unexpected happened. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* The streets of StrongHaven began to reverberate with a rhythmic thumping sound, as from afar, Leo could notice the royal guards and the Unity Empire Army marching towards his position. "BY THE COMMAND OF THE EMPEROR''S GUARDIAN, THE NORTH DUKE DENVER WILLOW, WE HEREBY ANNOUNCE THE IMPERIAL ORDER TO CAPTURE REBEL OUTLAW LEADER ''THE BOSS''. SURRENDER PEACEFULLY NOW, OR BE SLAUGHTERED WHERE YOU STAND" Announced Sir Gareth, a Master Knight of the Unity Empire, as he marched with a righteous fury towards Leo. Until now, all of Leo''s interactions on his journey to StrongHaven City had been predominantly with yers, with no significant involvement from NPCs. However, upon finally reaching StrongHaven City and stirring up some chaos, Leo seemed to have finally forced the Royal Army into action. Led by Sir Gareth, several regiments of infantry were dispatched to subdue him, with Leo immediately identifying how this attack by the NPC army could potentially be a big headache for him, if not dealt with promptly. In his original n, Leo had intended to begin infiltrating the castle the moment themon yers logged out. But with arge army of NPCs, including a master knight, marching towards him, Leo felt a growing sense of frustration. If he didn''t address this situation quickly, he risked wasting valuable night-time fending off Gareth and his forces, which would undoubtedly derail his main objectives, and hence, to avoid such a grim scenario, Leo decided to promptly take action. "Master, Dumpy, cover for me for a couple minutes, I''ll have to try something new¨C" Leo suggested, as both Dumpy and Ben nodded in acknowledgement of his request. With his mana bar full, Leo began trying to recreate [Rainbow Shot] and although his total mana reserves were much lesser than when a group of mages coborated to produce this move, Leo still managed to create an inferior but sufficiently strong version of the move. Find more to read at mvl "Move out of the way! Don''t obstruct the royal army or you shall be charged with treason! Move¨C" Sir Gareth screamed, as he made way through the crowd of yers as if they did not matter at all, with any yer that did not move being arrested immediately and thrown into jail. Suddenly, the entire spirit of taking Leo down fizzled off amongst the righteous faction yers, as they turned from being the aggressor''s to spectators, as they let Sir Gareth perform his duty unimpeded. "Everyone give way to Sir Gareth! He''s a master knight and can fight toe to toe with ''TheBoss''. The chances of him taking ''TheBoss'' down are much higher than us¨C" "Yeah guys! There''s no need to die unnecessarily, let''s just assist the royal army wherever they need our help from a distance" "EVERYONE MOVE! MAKE WAY FOR THE ROYAL ARMY" The various captains amongst the righteous faction yers ordered, as they quickly evacuated the area around Leo and waited patiently to see the scene before them unfold. [System Notification :- Today''s gaming time is over, please find a safe spot and log out of the game within the next 5 minutes!] A system message swept through the board, with all righteous faction yers being given the warning to logout. While a few logged out immediately, not wanting to show-upte to work, a few did not log out as fast, and waited for a while longer to observe the scene unfolding before them. "Will the system allow ''TheBoss'' to logout? Or will he be captured and detained before he can?" The righteous faction yers wondered, as it was likely that the system did not permit ''TheBoss'' to logout when he was not around a safe-zone. However, ''TheBoss'' defied their expectations once more, by suddenly having his body being covered in rainbow colored aura. The beam of energy that he produced did not seem to reach to the sky like the mages before him, but still looked like a fairly tall skyscraper nheless. "Is that?..... Could it be?" The righteous faction yers wondered, as for a moment they could almost not believe their eyes. How could ''TheBoss'', who was not even a mage, recreate the Rainbow Shot? An attack that took the coboration of several highly talented mages to produce! It did not make any sense! Yet, he somehow seemed to defy the odds and do it anyway, as many yers observing this found their minds turning numb witnessing his limitless potential. ********** (Meanwhile Dumpy) While the righteous faction yers retreated and scurried away like ants after the arrival of the royal army, Dumpy stood tall and proud under the bakery building, as he carried out his duty as his master''s vanguard with absolute sincerity. Since his master had asked him to not let a single opponent pass for the next few minutes until he was done trying something new, Dumpy felt more resolute than ever to not even let a single opponent pass by him. "Move away, beast! Or you too shall be in" Sir Gareth warned, when he finally arrived within a fifty meter vicinity of Leo, only for Dumpy to scoff at his words in disgust. "Fucking Mongrel, do you not even understand who you are talking to? I''m an ancient swamp frog you filthy human, grovel at my feet for mercy, or I shall SLAY YOU where you stand¨C" Dumpy said arrogantly, as his words surprisingly had no effect on Gareth. "So you chose death¨C" Gareth said, jumping towards Dumpy with confidence, only to be taken aback by his strength when the two actually crossed des. *Shinggg¡ª* *Crash* With a single swing of his sword, Dumpy sent Sir Gareth flying back into his army of soldiers, knocking down a few rows of men with ease. It was only at that moment that Sir Gareth realized that the beast standing before him was no normal being but a beast having the strength of a master warrior at the minimum. "What the hell? Where the hell did such a creaturee from?" Gareth wondered in surprise, his eyes growing wide, as he became more wary of Dumpy. *Inhale* Taking the initiative to strike first, Dumpy started to Inhale arge amount of air and inte his lungs, as he prepared for an AOE move. The attack he wanted tounch was called [Acidic Poison st] and it was an inherent racial move for the ancient swamp frog, where he sted his enemies with an extremely corrosive and poisonous liquid that could cut through both metal and skin. "SHIELDS UP¡ª" Gareth said, ordering his knights to prepare for the iing attack, but it was for naught. As when Dumpy finallyunched his move, there was not a single shield that could protect the royal army, with everyone sttered by the acid feeling intense pain and suffering. *Screams* *Sizzling metal sound* His acid melted straight through themon metal shields of the knights and even melted through Gareth''s own epic ranked shield, as Dumpy ughtered a few dozen men in the most painful way possible. "What is this beast?" Gareth wondered once more, as dropping the melting shield in his hands, Gareth paused for a moment to recalibrate his whole fighting strategy. He came here to fight Assassin''s, but Dumpy was not in his calctions, which sadly threw him off his game. Unfortunately for him however, by now, Leo was already done with his preparation of the [Rainbow Shot], and hence, by the time he could recover or figure out what to do next, Gareth suddenly found himself neck-deep in trouble once again. *SHUA* An arrow the size of two Dumpy''s stacked one over another, traveled at an extremely fast speed towards Gareth, as Leounched the attack sessfully. [Single de, Cross sh] Using an attack of his own, Gareth desperately tried to nullify the iing blow, however, his attack was no match for the Rainbow Shot, which decimated the cross sh with ease. *SPLAT* The arrow embedded itself into his chest, passing clean through as he spat a mouthful of blood. "Not good¡­." He muttered, realizing the disadvantage he was in, however, before he could recover, he felt a cold hand grab his chin, as a silent Assassin slit opened his throat. "Goodnight, brave knight" said Ben, as while Gareth was focused on defending against the rainbow shot, Ben seemed to have snuck-in behind him, taking his distraction as an opportunity to strike. In the end, the brave master knight died without getting the chance to even disy a slight portion of his true abilities, as the dangerous trio never gave him the chance to even get going in this fight. The three of them together were an unstoppable menace, and the ease with which they defeated a master level opponent was a simple proof of their unstoppable dominance. Chapter 686: Being Monitored Continue your adventure at mvl The yers who were lingering around till the very end, were forced to log-out after they witnessed Sir Gareth''s death as they simply ran out of log-in time. This meant that thest scene they saw before leaving the game, was ''TheBoss'' and his allies facing-off against thousands of royal army troops, who seemed nervous and agitated after the death of their leader. In their minds, they expected to log-into the game world tomorrow and find ''TheBoss'' somewhere within StrongHaven City, bruised and tired from his fight against the NPC''s, however, they were utterly wrong in this assumption. The world was about to turn upside down the next time they logged in, as ''TheBoss'' was aiming to achieve the impossible. ********* (Meanwhile Leo) Leo knew that he did not wish to linger around for too long once themon yers logged out of the game, and Sir Gareth was neutralized, and hence once those two conditions were achieved, he gave Ben the signal to activate the ''Escape'' n. [Mirror World] With both him and Ben, creating a single clone of themselves using the skill mirror world, the duo tacitly diverted the attention of the royal army soldiers towards their clones, while they themselves began to covertly exit the area alongside a shrunken-up Dumpy. It took them a while to make their way through the immediate areas surrounding the bakery, however, after roughly twenty minutes of careful movement, they finally made their way out of the perimeter and were in the open to make their way towards the castle. "Boy, I know you''ve already made-up your mind to do this, so I''m not trying to discourage you¡­.. but I must warn you that the enemies we are about to face won''t be as easy to kill as Sir Gareth. The North Duke is very strong, and it''s my understanding based on how the air around the castle is shimmering that Lady Vivienne is present within the castle walls too. Both of them are fighters that are equal or surpass me in strength, so fighting them won''t be easy. Add the Virex Corps and the Royal Guards to this equation and this assassination bes much moreplicated than you think" Ben warned, as Leo nodded listening to his words with a smile. He did not expect murdering the royal family to be an easy mission at all, however, it was something he had decided to do regardless. "Any tips on how to take those two out should I face them?" Leo asked, as Ben thought about his question for a while. "Vivienne is a mage, so getting close to her will always be beneficial. If you don''t give her time to cast her spells, she will be akin to a toothless lion. The North Duke is moreplicated, that man has fought and held his own against various Demon Count''s over the years and is hailed as one of the strongest swordsmen of the Empire. Our best chance of taking him out is if we assassinate him in his sleep" Ben suggested, as Leo took his advice to heart. Taking out the North Duke was a priority if they wanted to seed and hence, Leo made-up his mind to try and take him out, the moment they infiltrated the castle. ********** (Meanwhile within the castle) Contrary to Leo''s expectations, nobody within the castle seemed to be enjoying a peaceful night of sleep, especially with the ongoing ruckus in the city. Ever since the massive fighting broke out city-wide, the North Duke Denver Willow was the first to monitor the situation, and he was nowhere close to being fast asleep. "What do you think? Lady Vivienne? Is it smart to allow them to enter the castle? Or should we send the Virex Corps out to intercept them now?" The North Duke asked Vivienne, as the two monitored the movements of both Ben and Leo closely as they made their way through the streets of StrongHaven towards the castle. Vivienne, through a magic crystal ball, had put a tracer spell on Leo while he caused a ruckus in the city, and although Leo managed to ditch the majority of the royal guards with his clone, he could not ditch Vivienne, who was still monitoring him constantly. "I think we should let them enter¡­. Ben Faulkner was supposed to be dead, apprehending him will give us more rity on what happened the night where the Emperor died¡­." Vivienne suggested, as Denver let out a deep sigh. He did not wish to endanger the safety of the royal family as much as possible, however, Vivienne''s n seemed like the only possible solution to catching the two alive. The current Virex Corps without Cedric to lead them were not the same as before, and although the Virex Corps were still a force to be feared, they were not up to the task when it came to capturing a man like Ben Faulkner. "We need to protect the Young Emperor at any cost, also, we must not let them enter the Castle itself. Cast a detection spell all around the castle perimeter, and prepare to intercept them the second they enter this area¡­. We will then fight them with all that we''ve got" Denver instructed, as Lady Vivienne began rubbing her palms with joy. "Your request will require me to expend significant mana¡­. Perhaps if you can lend me a few high grade mana stones, it would be¨C" "Yes, you can take 15 high grade mana stones from the treasury, but I expect your full cooperation during this raid. We must detain Ben Faulkner and his disciple today and for that I''ll need your unwavering support" Denver said, as Vivienne gave him a joyful ''OK'' sign. Helping the royal family was always a highly profitable endeavor and she had no doubts in her mind that by helping Denver Willow today, she was poised to receive significant gains in the future, especially if her contribution in taking Ben Faulkner down today proved to be noteworthy. Chapter 687: A well crafted Ambush Minutes before Leo and Ben arrived at the pce grounds, the Virex Corps, Royal Guards, and special troopers were ced on high alert in anticipation of the impending conflict. Meanwhile, the Royal Family, including the Young Emperor, were swiftly evacuated from their chambers to a secure panic room within the castle that was protected by the best soldiers within the castle. The room they were ced in had a singr point of entry, and had no secondary doors or windows to speak of. The idea was to not allow anyone into the room, as the singr point of entry was guarded by a corridor full of men. For an Assassin, such a design was their bane, as unless one was ready to enter into a nitty-gritty close dog fight, it was impossible to sneak-into the panic room undetected. In this way, Denver made all the necessary preparations to ensure the protection of the royal family, while also making ns to confront Leo and Ben with the sincerity they deserved, taking nothing up for grant. ******** ( Leo''s POV ) Roughly 30 minutes after themon yers logged out, Leo finally managed to make his way to the Royal Castle, as he stood just outside the building, blending into the shadows cast by its long walls. Enjoy exclusive chapters from mvl Beside him, Ben surveyed the guard rotation patterns based on the thumping sounds of the metal boots, and once he had figured out their pattern, Ben gave Leo the signal to climb-up the wall. Leo exhaled softly and nodded, his mind already calcting their entry point. Then, after quickly surveying their immediate surroundings, he tapped on Ben''s shoulder and gestured to a section of the wall where shadows pooled in the moonlight, a spot just out of sight of the wall patrols. Ben responded with a subtle nod, his hand moving in silentmunication to indicate which guards they should neutralize first, as Leo nodded back in acknowledgement. With a silent precision and Dumpy on his shoulders, Leo leapt from the shadows they were hiding in and scaled the castle wall, his movements quick and fluid, honed from years of practice. As he reached the top, he peered over the edge, as from his vantage point, the grounds below appeared deserted. ''No immediate threat¨C'' he thought, as he quickly neutralized the guard that was patrolling with his back towards him, while Ben did the same with his. "Odd," Leo muttered under his breath, his instincts prickling. "It''s too quiet." Ben noted, as although the flickering of torches along the walls cast long shadows into the pce gardens, there were no signs of life. "Should we reconsider? This doesn''t feel¨C" Leo began, however, Ben raised his hand promptly to cut the boy off. Gesturing toward two guards stationed near the gate, he signalled to Leo about their next move, as Leo nodded grimly. Then, with a silent motion, the pair descended. The night was their ally as they moved like shadows, with Leo creeping up behind one guard, as his dagger shed briefly in the moonlight before plunging into the man''s neck. Ben, meanwhile, dispatched the other with a swift, silent blow to the temple, as both him and Leo lowered their bodies gently to the ground, leaving no trace of the intrusion. "Clear," Leo whispered, as Ben gestured toward the central courtyard, their next target. Although something felt off, since they were already inside the castle, Leo decided to go with the flow, as although he could sense that something was off, he decided to suppress that instinct for now. Following Ben''s lead, Leo swiftly moved across the grounds, their boots making barely a sound against the cobblestone. Every corner they turned, every shadow they passed, revealed nothing unusual, as it all appeared almost too easy. Finally, as they reached the center of the grounds, Leo nced around uneasily. "It''s like no one''s here¡­" he murmured, as by this point rm bells began ringing in his head, as Ben concurred the same. "That''s the problem," Ben replied grimly, his voice low. "Something''s definitely wrong." And then it happened. The air shimmered around them, like the ripple of heat waves on a summer day. The torches lining the grounds flickered violently, and the once-deserted courtyard transformed before their eyes. Where silence had reigned before, the space suddenly came alive with movement, as hundreds of soldiers stood in formation, their weapons glinting in the torchlight. The Virex Corps, Royal Guards, and special troops surrounded them on all sides. "What the¡ª" Leo started, but his words were cut off as the ground beneath him lit up with a faint, glowing sigil. The air crackled with energy, and before he could react, an invisible barrier sprung up around him, trapping him and Dumpy within a confined space norger than a few square meters. A simr barrier enveloped Ben, separating the two and locking them in ce. "Vivienne," Ben growled, his eyes darting toward the main castle. "She''s behind this." He concluded, however, before he could say more, a loud voice cut him off. "SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY! YOU ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED!" A man yelled, as he rushed up near the barriers and demanded that both Ben and Leo remove their utility belts and raise their hands in the air. Unwilling to do so, Leo simply ignored the man and swept his gaze across the crowd. The soldiers standing behind the man, hundreds strong, stood with their weapons at the ready and their faces looking tense yet resolute. They seemed to be anticipating their arrival and did not look shocked that Ben Faulkner was here, as if they already knew he was alive. Leo''s mind raced as he tried to assess their options, but the barrier made his situation slightly moreplicated, as it left him no room to move. "It''s an illusion spell,yered with a concealment barrier. Vivienne''s handiwork, no doubt. She used it to mask the soldiers and catch us off guard." Ben said, his voice low and steady as he exined the situation to Leo. The two of them had felt that the pce grounds were too quiet, but that was only their illusion. The pce grounds was never really quiet, but the master mage''s spell simply made them feel like it was. "So, we walked right into their trap¡­" Leo said, clenching his fists in anger, as a frontal fight was not at all what he was hoping for. He was here for chaos and quick assassination, however, he had identally walked into a war zone. Chapter 688: Stalling For Time "I won''t repeat this twice¡­. Surrender now or the consequences of not doing so will be grave! There is no way for you to break the barrier spell that you find yourselves currently trapped in, and even if you do, there are a thousand soldiers who have locked their weapons at you, who will ughter you where you stand without hesitation.... You cannot escape, so it''s only wise to surrender!" The Royal Soldier said, as he demanded that both Ben and Leo surrender right this moment. "Master, if you wish I can nullify mana in our surroundings, helping you break out of this concealment¡­." Dumpy whispered in Leo''s ears, however, Leo purposefully chose to not respond. Leo knew that Dumpy could help him break out of the barrier the second that he requested him to, however, he did not wish to reveal his trump card against the master mage Vivienne so easily. Leo understood that nullifying her mana at the critical moment could help create an opening for him to kill her, and hence, he did not wish to use Dumpy''s mana nullification ability so early and reveal all his trump cards. Relenting, he pretended to raise his arms in the air, as he threw a casual nce towards Ben who seemed to take a swipe at the barrier spell, only for his dagger to bounce off harmlessly against the barrier''s surface. "Imprable?" Leo asked. "Imprable!" Ben confirmed, as he re-sheathed his dagger and put his own hands behind his head as well, toply as his captives demanded. "Good! Now drop down to your knees and spread them as wide as possible! Do it slowly¡­. Make no sudden movements" The Royal Guard demanded, as Leo simply chuckled at this request. "Hey, hey, hey¡­. I''m not doing that, are you crazy?" Ben said, as the Royal Guard immediately felt frustrated by the attitude of the two. "Why won''t you do it? Do you think I''m negotiating here?" The Royal Guard said, as he pointed his sword towards Ben, who pretended to be scared as he took a step back. "It''s not a negotiation, master, the guy has already made up his mind, he''s gonna do it in the open¡­." Leo said, ying along with Ben, as he tried to buy time. "Really¡­.. in front of a thousand other men? I mean¡­.. woah, and I''m an old man too¡ª" Ben said, looking over towards hisher regions, as he crossed his knees as if blocking the view of others. "Yeah, in front of so many people¡­.. kinky stuff for sure" Leo corroborated, as their internal conversation made the Royal Guard sweat. "What are you two talking about? I''m not kinky¡­." He said, as both Ben and Leo burst outughing at once when he said this. "Hahahahaha...He says it''s not kinky master!! Can you believe it?" "He wants me to get on my knees and spread my legs, what do you think is gonna happen? Will he shove it into my face, or is he a sleeper that wants to take mine?" Ben wondered, as Leo pretended to ponder seriously about his question. "I mean look at him master¡­. It''s clear this guy likes to swallow¨C" Leo said, as at this moment, the entire crowd of soldiers behind the Royal Guard that was shouting burst outughing at the joke. The tag of ''He swallows'', was probably never going to leave the man for his life, and although he did not really do it, such tags were not usually logical or based in reality in the first ce. "What nonsense are you two about? I don''t swallow!" The man said, as his confession only made his own situation worse. "Ladies and gentlemen, he spits!" Leo said with disappointment, as a couple of soldiers boo''d in agreement, but were silenced immediately by their superiors, who asked them to hold theirughter. "ENOUGH! GET ON YOUR KNEES BEFORE I COUNT TO THREE, OR BE KILLED!" The furious royal guard said, as he could not handle the banter anymore. Outwitted by Leo and Ben, he did what any other brutish man would do in his position, which was to respond to a civil conversation by shouting. "Woah, woah, woah¡­.. did you really raise your voice at my master?" Leo asked, putting his hands down from around his head, as he looked the royal guard before him dead in the eyes with fury. "So what if I did? He''s a piece of criminal scum and so are you! So what if I raised my voice at you!" The man said, doubling down on his stance, as he unknowingly dug his own grave deeper. "So what? Hahaha. I''ll show you what¡­." Leo said, as he sped his hands together and used the spell [Shadowbind]. Within a split second, he enveloped the entire body of the royal guard in dark vines, with an especiallyrge number of vines, choking his throat out. "LET HIM GO!" "FIGHT! FIGHT! KILL THEM BOTH" The moment Leo attacked the royal guard, the other royal guards sprung into action, trying to protect their own, as they started to attack the barrier formed around Leo and Ben relentlessly. Leo rxed with a smile under his mask, knowing that the imprable barrier around him would keep him safe, while the guards on the outside struggled with no results to try and take him down. *sh* Continue reading on §Þ?? *Bang* *Scratch* The guardsunched all sorts of attacks/ spells on his barrier, but they all deflected harmlessly, as Leo slowly but surely choked the man in his hold out, until his limbs were no longer moving and struggling. With the same barrier that was supposed to be his prison, now acting as his shield, Leo punished the man who raised his voice against his master, all the while buying time for Ben to study its mana flow. "NEVER, Raise your voice against my master" he said, when the royal guard finally dropped dead, as by that point Ben also made a breakthrough in understanding how to break out of the barrier. Chapter 689: A battle of nerves (Meanwhile, Lady Vivienne and Duke Denver Willow) From their vantage point high within the castle walls, Lady Vivienne and Duke Denver Willow stood side by side, their expressions unreadable as they observed the unfolding events in the pce gardens below. The moonlight illuminated the scene with an eerie glow, reflecting off the shimmering barriers that held Ben Faulkner and his disciple, TheBoss, captive. Denver crossed his arms, his piercing gaze fixed on the two prisoners. "They don''t look worried," he remarked, his toneced with both curiosity and unease. "Despite being surrounded by a thousand of our best soldiers and trapped in an imprable barrier, they seem¡­ calm." He said while grinding his teeth, as he could not understand the reason behind the enemy''s calm mindset. Vivienne, leaning lightly against the stone parapet, tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a faint smile. "Calmness can be deceiving, Your Grace. But I must admit, theirposure is unsettling." Denver''s brow furrowed as he turned to her. "Do you think they''re hiding something? Some trick or contingency n we haven''t ounted for?" Vivienne tapped her fingers thoughtfully against the cold stone, contemting the question. Continue reading stories on §Þ?? "It''s tempting to think so," she admitted, "but I doubt it. Ben Faulkner has always been a man of conviction, and his pupil seems to follow in his footsteps. These two are not the kind to crumble under pressure, even in the face of death. That doesn''t necessarily mean they have a hidden ace. Sometimes, people like them simply ept their fate with stoic resolve." The North Duke''s frown deepened. "That''s a dangerous kind of person to face in battle," he said, his voice heavy with caution. "Desperation makes people reckless, but resolve makes them unpredictable." Vivienne''s sharp eyes narrowed as she watched the younger of the two captives with curiosity. To her absolute surprise, Faulkner''s disciple had suddenly wrapped the royal guard captain in dark vines of shadow magic, choking the life out of him with almost unnerving calmness. The sight of which made her lips press into a thin line. "That boy¡­" Vivienne said softly, her voice tinged with both admiration and unease. "He uses magic although he''s an assassin and that too with precision, not emotion. He''s dangerous, not because he''s reckless, but because he''s methodical." Denver nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowing as he observed the soldiers outside the barrier. They were attacking relentlessly, their swords, spells, and arrows nging harmlessly against the shimmering walls. "He''s manipting them," Denver noted. "They''re ying into his hands. Look how he''s using the barrier as a shield, biding time for something." Vivienne smirked faintly, impressed despite herself. "Smart, isn''t it? Turning our own trap into his advantage." "Should we break the barrier?" Denver asked suddenly, his voice low and contemtive. "If we leave them in there too long, it might give them time to figure a way out¡ªor worse, use it against us. But if we break it now, we might y straight into whatever game they''re nning." Vivienne raised a hand, her sharp eyes glinting in the moonlight as she silenced him with a small gesture. "No," she said firmly. "Not yet. Let them squirm a little longer. If they have a n, they''ll have to show their hand eventually. Breaking the barrier now might give them an opportunity we don''t want them to have." Denver turned back to the scene below, his jaw tight. "You''re certain? This feels¡­ wrong." "I''m never certain of anything," Vivienne replied with a wry smile. "But one thing I do know is that impatience is the downfall of every good strategist. Let''s see what they''re up to first. There''s no harm in waiting a little longer." As they continued to watch, Vivienne''s thoughts turned inward. She found herself both intrigued and annoyed by Leo and Ben''s audacity. Their stoicism reminded her of the countless battles she had fought alongside or against individuals with nothing left to lose. But this was different. This wasn''t the resignation of cornered prey. It was the quiet confidence of predators who had not yet revealed their ws. Denver, meanwhile, clenched his fists as he observed the chaos below. "If they kill another one of my men, I''m going down there myself¡­.." he said with authority, as he seemed to have made-up his mind on what to do next. However, Vivienne shot him down with a sharp look. "No, you''re not. Not until we''re certain of their game. For now, let''s wait. The moment we act, they''ll act too. We must ensure we''re ready to counter whatever they''re nning." she said, as she demanded that Denver stay his hand for now. The game they were currently ying was that of cat and mouse and the first one to show their hand was bound to be the loser. This was a battle of nerves and hidden cards and the Royal Soldiers currently held the upper hand with both Leo and Ben trapped. They could only lose their advantage from this moment onwards, while the opponent had nothing to lose on their end. Hence, Vivienne suggested that they wait for a bit longer and let things take their natural course. "Hmm¡­" Denver said with a frown on his face, as he begrudgingly epted Vivienne''s suggestion. Looking down, he saw the soldiers continuing their fruitless attempts to breach the barrier, as Leo and Ben stood unnerved within their prisons. ********* (Meanwhile Ben) While Leo distracted and annoyed the soldiers, Ben ced his hands along the mana barrier, trying to understand the flow of the mana spell that was giving it a physical form. Simr to how he broke out of Leo''s Shadowbind back when he fought Leo a few months ago, Ben knew he could break out of this barrier spell too, as long as he overloaded the barriers mana flow at the right points. To do so, he studied the constitution of the spell patiently, until he found the Achilles heel of the spell, at which point he signalled to Leo that he was ready to break out. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 690: Fight Breaks Out "Boy¡­" Ben said quietly, his voice steady as he ced a hand firmly on the invisible barrier''s shimmering surface. His eyes, sharp and focused, scanned the intricate web of mana flowing through the spell, pinpointing the faintest irregrity. Then, throwing a nce towards Leo, he simply looked into his eyes and then towards his palm once again, as without needing to say more, his nce alone conveyed his intent to Leo. "Oh?" Leo responded, catching on quickly as he mimicked Ben''s actions, cing his own hand on the barrier near the same spot. The surface felt cool and smooth, like touching ss, but a faint hum of energy buzzed against his fingertips. "Not quite," Ben muttered, tilting his head slightly as he studied the position of Leo''s hand. "A little more to the left." Leo shifted his palm slightly, his movements precise and deliberate. "Here?" Ben nodded. "That''s it boy, now just follow my lead on three" he said with a steady and calm voice, though his muscles tensed in preparation. Leo''s mind immediately started counting. One¡­ Two¡­ "Three!" In perfect synchronization, both of them poured their mana into the precise weak point Ben had identified in the barrier. The barrier resisted for the briefest of moments, the shimmering energy rippling outward like waves on water, before a sharp cracking sound echoed through the courtyard. *CRACK* With a deafening shatter, the barrier broke apart, its fragments dissolving into the air like shards of light, as both Leo and Ben burst out of the broken barrier with a fury, as they began to ughter the men in front of them. The duo moved like a storm, their des shing and slicing through the soldiers nearest to them. Their sudden burst of speed and ferocity caught the royal guards off-guard for a moment, but the well trained soldiers quickly rallied, forming a tight circle around the pair. "Surround them!" amanding voice barked from the ranks. "Don''t let them escape!" another one said, as the royal soldiers began moving with practiced precision, their shields locking together as they began to close in. Spears thrust forward from behind the shield wall, forcing Leo and Ben to stay on the defensive. Leo gritted his teeth as he parried a spear aimed for his chest, twisting his body to avoid another strike. His de danced in his hand, shing through the spear shaft and driving forward to pierce the soldier''s armor, as the man crumpled, but another quickly stepped in to take his ce. "They''re trying to box us in!" Leo shouted, his voice sharp as he spun to deflect an iing strike from his nk. "I know," Ben growled, his tone calm despite the intensity of the fight. His de moved with precision, striking at joints and weak points in the soldiers'' armor. Every swing that he made was efficient and every strike was lethal. "Stay close to me and don''t let them close the gap." he instructed, as faced with such insurmountable odds, Ben decided to take on the challenge one soldier at a time. Thankfully, Leo was up to the task of covering his back, as the duo moved like a well-oiled machine, their backs almost touching as they shifted positions to prevent the encirclement from tighteningpletely. Ben''s experience showed in his ability to predict the soldiers'' movements, his strikes creating small openings for Leo to exploit, while Leo''s aggressive attacks and explosive speed, pushed the encircling soldiers back. "Focus on breaking their formation," Ben instructed, his voice steady even as he parried a strike and countered with a brutal sh that tore through a soldier''s neck. "They''re strong, but they''re relying on numbers and discipline. Disrupt that, and they''ll falter." Leo nodded, his mind racing as he adapted to the situation. He sidestepped a shield bash, using his momentum to drive his de into the exposed armpit of an advancing soldier. With a quick flick of his wrist, he withdrew the de and spun, shing at another attacker''s thigh, sending him crumbling to the ground. "They''re disciplined, I''ll give them that," Leo muttered, his breathsing in short bursts. "But they''re not used to fighting someone like us." "Lord Father, allow me to contribute as well" Dumpy said, while being perched on Leo''s shoulder, as suddenly he croaked and leapt into the fray. The ancient swamp frog then opened its maw, unleashing a burst of corrosive venom that sttered against the shields of the soldiers, eating through the metal and causing chaos in the ranks, before climbing back on Leo''s shoulders to guard his back. "Good boy," Leo muttered with a grin as the surrounding soldiers recoiled, their formation momentarily disrupted. "Don''t get cocky," Ben warned, stepping forward to capitalize on the opening. His de shed as he drove into the gap, cutting down two soldiers in quick session before retreating back to Leo''s side. Discover hidden content at §Þ?? "There were a few Virex Corps soldiers standing there that have vanished, expect an assassin attack from all sides now." he warned, as contrary to Leo who only focused on the immediate enemy ahead, Ben focused on the whole picture, showing his superior experience when it came to such battles. And true to his doubts, the very next moment, an assassin popped up from behind Leo, slipping undetected past his defence, only for Dumpy to intercept his attack while being perched on Leo''s shoulder and retaliating with an acid spit straight to the man''s mask. "Filthy Mongrel, keep your unsanitary dagger off my Lord Father" Dumpy said, as his acid melted straight through the man''s brittle face mask and subjected him to a painful death. The soldier had genuine shock stered in his eyes when he died, as he did not expect someone as small as Dumpy to be able to block and counter his strike that was made with so much power. Theoretically a short 6 inch frog should not be able to block such a powerful attack, but Dumpy did. And that too with ease. With such a powerful guardian perched on his shoulders, it was near impossible to touch Leo undetected. Chapter 691: Denvers Entry (Vivienne and Denver''s POV) Vivienne''s sharp eyes studied the scene below from the observation deck, her fingers lightly gripping the stone railing. The faint shimmer of the barrier enclosing Ben and Leo reflected off the moonlight, and she watched intently as the two captives pressed their hands against its surface. "What are they doing?" Denver asked, his voice tense with both curiosity and concern. He stood beside her, his arms crossed, and with eyes fixed on the unfolding events. "That barrier is one of our strongest spells. Do you think they''ve figured out a way to break it?" he wondered, as Vivienne shrugged her shoulders in response. "Possibly," she admitted, her gaze narrowing. "Ben Faulkner isn''t the kind of man to resign himself to captivity, no matter how imprable a spell may seem. If there''s a weakness, he''ll find it." Her words hung in the air as the pair below adjusted their positions, Ben''s sharp movements guiding Leo to a specific spot on the shimmering surface. "They''re coordinating," Denver observed, his frown deepening. "It''s not just instinct¡ªthey''ve found something. Should we interfere? Strengthen the barrier?" Vivienne shook her head, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "No. Let them try. If they break it, I want to know how. It''s always better to study your enemies while they work. Besides, if they fail, it will demoralize them further." Denver exhaled slowly, his jaw tight. "And if they seed?" Vivienne shrugged lightly, though her eyes betrayed her calcting nature. "Then we''ll deal with it. We still have the numbers, and the barrier has already served its purpose¡ªit stalled them long enough for us to prepare." Below, Ben and Leo moved in perfect synchronization, their hands pressing against the barrier with calcted precision. The faint ripple of mana became visible, tracing intricate patterns across the surface. Denver''s eyes widened slightly. "They''ve found the focal point," he muttered. "That shouldn''t be possible." Vivienne didn''t respond immediately, her gaze locked on the scene below. "It''s not surprising," she finally said, though there was a hint of unease in her tone. "Ben has decades of experience, and that boy¡­ he''s more dangerous than he looks. Watch closely, Your Grace. This is a rare opportunity to see how they operate under pressure." As the faint ripples grew more pronounced, Vivienne leaned forward, her smirk fading into a serious expression. "They''re about to make their move." ***** Below, the air around the barrier shimmered violently as Ben and Leo channeled their mana into the weak point they had identified. The courtyard was eerily silent for a moment, save for the faint hum of energy building to a crescendo. "Three!" Ben barked, and in unison, the two unleashed a surge of mana. The barrier resisted for the briefest of moments before a deafening CRACK echoed through the courtyard. The spell shattered like ss, fragments of glowing energy scattering into the air. From the observation deck, Denver''s fists clenched as he watched the duo burst free, their weapons already in motion. "They broke it," he said through gritted teeth. "I need to intervene before more men die." Vivienne raised a hand to stop him, her voice calm but firm. "Wait. Let''s see how they fight now that they''re free. They may reveal more of their strategy." Denver hesitated, his body tense as he watched the pair cut through the nearest soldiers with brutal efficiency. Then he could not resist anymore, as he refused Vivienne''s advice and decided to go ahead anyways. "They''re ughtering my men," he said darkly. "There''s no honor in letting this continue." He concluded, as he gripped his sword and leapt off the side of the parapet. Vivienne''s eyes flicked to him, her expression unreadable. "Honor doesn''t win wars, Your Grace. Patience does¡­.." she said, however, her words fell on deaf ears, as Denver jumped straight into battle. ******* (Meanwhile at the pce gardens) The pce garden was a whirlwind of chaos as Leo, Ben and Dumpy tore through the ranks of royal soldiers with absolute precision. The royal soldiers tried their best to pin them down, but they found it difficult to do so, as the trio''s coordination seemed unbreakable. However, despite their skill difference, the relentless pressure from the royal guards forced the trio to fight tooth and nail for every step, as they had no room to even breathe for a second. If the three of them were careless even for a split second, they ran the risk of being injured critically or even losing the life, as the entire fight seemed to be hanging by a narrow thread, tilting ever so slightly in the favor of the trio, however, that dynamic was about to change. *CLANG* With a deafening CLANG, Denver entered the battlefield, as his sword strike reverberated throughout the courtyard knocking both powerful Ben and Leo backward. Immediately the bnce of power shifted in the favor of the royal guards, as knocked back, the trio wasted a precious few milliseconds trying to regain their footing. "Enough!" a deep voice shouted, as Denver Willow personally stepped into the fray, his armor glinting in the torchlight, his massive broadsword resting against his shoulder. The royal soldiers immediately froze as amanding voice cut through the noise, as his presence alone seemed to drain the air of its tension, recing it with a heavy sense of authority. "You''ve proven your skill," he said, his voice steady andmanding as his gaze swept over Leo and Ben. "But your fight ends here." Then, before either could respond, Denver moved with startling speed for a man of his size. His sword swung in a wide arc, forcing Ben and Leo to leap apart, as he predicted their counter and acted before Ben or Leo could make a move, striking preemptively. *SHUA* His de struck the ground with a thunderous impact, sending shards of stone flying and leaving a deep gouge in the cobblestone. Leo winced as a thin line of blood appeared on his arm¡ªa shallow cut from Denver''s initial strike. Experience exclusive tales on §Þ?? While Ben, too, staggered slightly, a graze appearing on his side where Denver''s de had barely missed. The two took damage for the first time in the fight, as they realized the actual danger that Denver Willow posed. The man was no pushover and he was proving that with actions rather than words. "That was a warning," Denver said coldly, his voice carrying the weight of finality. "Surrender now, or I won''t hold back next time." Chapter 692: The fight (1) Denver''s arrival at the royal courtyard infused the soldiers with newfound confidence, transforming the atmosphere in the royal courtyard entirely. The once-reserved guards standing behind him now radiated an aura of menace, their demeanor shifting from meek sheep to predatory wolves as their eyes gleamed with ruthless intent. Denver''s presence alone seemed to inspire confidence within their ranks, which was the ultimate proof of hispetence as a leader, as while many men could inherit positions of power through high birth, very few could justify their power by actually earning the acknowledgement of the men they led. Staring across such a motivated force, Leo and Ben felt the weight of the pressure mounting, their sharp instincts warning them of the brewing storm. They could see that Denver Willow meant business, and that his threats were more than just empty words, however, for them, it still did not change the overall equation at all. If they did not surrender here, chances were that they would have to brace for a very difficult fight, however, this did not seem to deter the pair, who had already made up their minds to see this fight through, no matter the consequences. *Clutch* Tightening the grip on his daggers, Leo let out a slight smirk beneath his mask. Denver''s imposing figure andmanding presence didn''t seem to intimidate him, as instead, it only seemed to fuel his defiance. "Surrender?" Leo said mockingly, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he tilted his head. "You seem to have mistaken me for one of your subjects, Fake Emperor, Usurper of the Unity Throne¡­.. Tell me, do you practice that whole ''Menacing Emperor'' act in front of a mirror? Or does it juste naturally?" Denver''s jaw tightened, his expression darkening, Leo just insulted his position as caretaker of the royal throne, and Denver was not amused at all. "You think this is a game, boy?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You''ll regret underestimating my mercy." Leo chuckled, his tone light but his stance unwavering. "Regret? No, no. The only regret I have is that I didn''t bring popcorn for this show." He gestured vaguely at the soldiers behind Denver, adding with a grin, "By the way, your backup dancers are a little out of sync. Might want to work on that." The taunt hit its mark as Denver''s face contorted with restrained fury. His hand tightened around the hilt of his broadsword, as he seemed to be on hisst straw. "Enough of this nonsense. You will kneel or die." He threatened, as Leo''s smirk immediately vanished at this threat, his eyes gleaming with a sharp determination instead. "Dumpy," Leo said calmly, his voice carrying amanding weight. "Grow." The ancient swamp frog on his shoulder croaked in acknowledgment before leaping into the air. Mid-jump, his body began to expand, muscles rippling and skin stretching as it grew to its full size. By the time itnded, Dumpy towered over the courtyard, a 40-foot colossus of amphibian power. *THUMP* Dumpy''s mere presence seemed to even out the odds, as coupled with his intelligent eyes and natural superiorityplex, Dumpy in his full size truly looked like a one man ughter crew. "Take care of hisckeys," Leo ordered, pointing toward the soldiers behind Denver. "And support Lord Grandfather. He''ll need you to keep them off his back." *RIBBIT* Dumpy let out a thunderous croak in response to Leo''smand, his massive eyes gleaming with a fierce light. "As you wish, Lord Father," he said, his deep voice reverberating through the courtyard. Then, without hesitation, Dumpy charged forward, his enormous twin swords slicing through the air and scattering soldiers like leaves in a storm. Denver''s eyes widened briefly at the sight of the monstrous frog, but he quickly regained hisposure. "A beast? Is this your ace?" he sneered, as he aimed an attack at Dumpy''s neck, only for Leo to intercept it midway. "Ace or not, you''ll have to deal with me first." He said, twirling his daggers, as he assumed a low and ready stance. "Let''s see if you can keep up, Your Fake Emperor Grace." he taunted, as he assumed the role of neutralizing Denver by himself. ************ Denver moved first, his broadsword carving a wide arc through the air. The sheer force of the strike sent a gust of wind rushing toward Leo, but the assassin sidestepped gracefully, his movements fluid and precise. Leo darted in close, his twin daggers aimed for Denver''s midsection, but the swordsman twisted at thest moment, parrying with a well-timed swing that sent sparks flying. "You''re quick," Denver admitted, his tone grudgingly respectful. "But speed alone won''t save you." Leo grinned, feinting left before darting right, his des a blur of motion. "Quick enough to annoy you, though. That''s a win in my book." Denver''s sword came down like a hammer, forcing Leo to roll to the side. The ground cracked beneath the weight of the blow, debris flying in all directions. Leo used the chaos to slip behind Denver, his daggers aimed for the back of the man''s knees, but Denver spun, his de meeting Leo''s with a deafening ng. The sh of steel continued, each fighter testing the other''s limits. Denver''s strikes were powerful and deliberate, each one capable of ending the fight with a single hit. Leo, in contrast, was a blur of agility and cunning, using feints and misdirection to keep Denver off bnce. "You''ve got skill," Denver said, his breathsing heavier now. "But youck discipline." "Discipline''s boring," Leo quipped, narrowly avoiding a thrust aimed for his heart. "I prefer results." Denver lunged, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision, however, Leo met him head-on, his daggers deflecting the strike as he pivoted, using the momentum to sh at Denver''s thigh. -25,111 A notification streaked over his head, as the master swordsman seemed to lose the first bit of his HP. *Hiss* The swordsman hissed in pain but didn''t falter, his counterattack forcing Leo to backpedal. ******** While Leo faced Denver, Ben and Dumpy turned their attention to the hordes of royal soldiers swarming the courtyard. Dumpy, now a towering behemoth, swung his massive swords with precision, each strike sending soldiers flying. The ground shook with every step he took, his sheer size and strength overwhelming the formation. A group of archers on the battlements loosed a volley of arrows, but Dumpy opened his maw, unleashing a torrent of corrosive venom that dissolved the projectiles mid-air. The archers scrambled, their formation breaking as they tried to avoid the acidic spray. Ben, meanwhile, moved with practiced precision, his de a whirlwind of death. He weaved through the chaos, taking advantage of the openings Dumpy created, and when a group of soldiers tried to nk the giant frog, Ben intercepted them, his strikes swift and lethal. "Dumpy, left nk!" Ben called, his voice cutting through the noise. Dumpy responded immediately, pivoting his massive body to swipe at the approaching soldiers. The force of his swing sent several men flying, their armor dented and shattered. "They keeping," Ben muttered, his tone calm but focused. "We need to thin their numbers faster." "As you wish, Master Ben," Dumpy replied, his deep voice rumbling like thunder, as the frog mmed his forelimbs into the ground, creating a shockwave that toppled the soldiers nearest to him. Those who weren''t outright crushed scrambled to retreat, their confidence shaken by the sheer power of the monstrous beast¡­. Beingrge in size meant that Dumpy could pack a lot of power behind his attacks, however, it also made him a bigger target to hit. It was a double edged sword and the longer the fight went on, the bigger disadvantage it would be for him to be this size. For now, it was under control, however, even Dumpy understood that he could not keep this up forever. Something had to give¡­. And fast. Chapter 693: The fight (2) *Drip* *Drip* Denver staggered slightly as blood seeped from the gash on his thigh, staining the cobblestones beneath him. He adjusted his stance, gritting his teeth, as he steadied his broadsword. Despite the pain, his movements remained deliberate and measured, his eyes locked onto Leo with a newfound intensity. "You''re better than I thought," Denver admitted, his voice low but firm, as he realized that Leo deserved more of his respect than he initially gave him credit for. Coming into this fight, he truly believed that Ben Faulkner''s disciple was the lesser threat of the two, however, after fighting Leo once, Denver immediately realized that he was sorely mistaken. Ben Faulkner''s disciple was equally as talented as his master, if not better, and could kill him at the slightest of mistakes, making him a formidable opponent. "Hmm¨C" Leo mused, not responding to Denver''s words as his mind raced fast. This wasn''t like the fights he had faced before, as every movement that Denver made felt calcted, every swing of his sword carried lethal intent, as for the first time since he had dueled PinkLotus, Leo felt the icy grip of mortality tighten around him. One mistake could mean his death and he felt it all too strongly. The previous move where he was pushed back seemed simple enough, but it was not. After he had shed Denver''s thighs, he had hoped to sh his neck, however, he was sent flying back instead with a counter from his broadsword. When looked from afar, it only seemed natural, however, from close range, Leo never even saw iting. From his angle, Leo could not even begin to understand how Denver pulled such a counter off with a bent arm, however, the fact remained that he did. The man was strong and dangerous, and Leo acknowledged it too. ******* Seeing Leo lost in thought, Denver lunged, his broadsword cutting through the air with a deafening whistle. Leo ducked low, the de narrowly missing him, as he retaliated with a flurry of dagger strikes aimed at Denver''s torso. The swordsman twisted, parrying the strikes with impressive speed for a man of his size, as sparks flew when steel met steel. Leo darted back, his mind analyzing every detail. His opponent was fast for someone wielding a weapon that size, however not as fast as him, and hence Leo tried to close the distance again, using his agility to get under Denver''s reach, but Denver seemed to have anticipated that move. [de Surge], Denver growled, mming his sword into the ground, as a shockwave erupted, forcing Leo to leap away as the force beneath him shattered with a violent impact. *Crack* "The fuck" Leo mused, as had he not abandoned his n to attack and bailed out at thest second, Leo had no doubt in his mind that the shockwave from Denver''s move would have crushed his bones, as the read that Denver had on his future movements seemed to be spot-on. *Tap* Jumping back, Leonded lightly, however, his heart still raced. ''This guy isn''t just strong¡ªhe''s tactical. He''s reading me'' Leo thought, as he felt the whole experience of his opponent having a read on his future moves to be unnerving. As the fight continued, Leo found himself pushed to his limits. Denver''s strikes were relentless, each one faster and more precise than thest, as the fight no longer felt like it was happening in real time, but rather happening in their brains before it happened with their bodies. There was an almostg between the sh actually happening and Leo perceiving it to happen, and this was the first time that he found himself being involved in a fight of this caliber. For the first time in a long while, Leo felt truly tested, as he realized that this wasn''t a fight he could win with cunning alone. Denver wasn''t an overconfident yer or an arrogant NPC¡ªhe was a seasoned warrior, someone who treated every move with deadly seriousness. ''This isn''t like PinkLotus. That fight was a duel of skill. This... this is survival'' Leo realized, as although both PinkLotus and Denver were swordsmen, the way they fought waspletely different. PinkLotus was almost a whole ss weaker than Denver, not in terms of skills, but definitely in her fighting style and how she conserved her energy in battle. While Denver seemed to be more stable, almost like an immovable mountain who had no evident weaknesses to exploit. "Where is your focus boy? You won''t find my weakness by just thinking outside the box" Denver said, predicting Leo''s thoughts once again, as he swung his sword in a wide arc, forcing Leo to dodge, only for Denver to pivot mid-strike and send the de crashing into Leo''s side. -27,800 Pain exploded across Leo''s ribs as the edge of the de grazed him, slicing through his armor and leaving a burning gash. Leo staggered, his breath hitching, as anger red in his chest, mixed with pain and surprise. He clenched his teeth, his free hand briefly pressing against the wound. ''He got me'' he thought, as the realization burned as much as the injury itself. But he didn''t stop. He couldn''t afford to. He pushed through the pain, his eyes narrowing as he reassessed Denver''s movements. Never had he been injured like this in a fight before, however, Denver Willow was different. In him, Leo seemed to have truly found his match. "A very fine Armor you''ve got there¡­. Usually this strike would cleave a man in half, but there''s barely a gash on you¡­. What type of chainmail is that? I guess I''ll have to study it once I take it off your corpse" Denver said, as he genuinely seemed impressed with Leo''s gear, which irritated Leo. "Very well then¡­. Two can y that game" Leo said, as he activated [ShadowBind] and decided to take the initiative to attack first. Dark tendrils erupted from the ground to ensnare Denver''s legs, causing Denver to grunt, as his sword shed in an attempt to sever the bindings in a single powerful swing. However, this proved to be exactly what Leo was hoping for, as he used the momentary distraction to dart forward, his daggers aimed for Denver''s exposed side. Denver, however, wasn''t caught off guard. [Iron Guard], hemanded, shifting his stance, as his broadsword came up in a perfect block, the force of Leo''s strike reverberating through both weapons. *SHINGGG* Denver retaliated immediately, his de carving a brutal horizontal sh that forced Leo to flip backward to avoid decapitation. *Thud* Leonded in a crouch, his breathing heavy. The pain in his ribs was sharp, but he channeled it into focus¡­.. his attempt to break the enemy''s defence seemed to be unsessful, as he was forced to try all over again. Lunging again, he feinted to the left before pivoting to the right. This time, Denver got his prediction on his movement wrong, as while he tried to block Leo on the right, Leo instead simply threw his dagger from close range in an unconventional attack, targeting his left shoulder. *sh* His dagger grazed Denver''s shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood, but the wound was unfortunately too shallow to make a big impact, as Denver winced but didn''t falter. "What sort of a childish way to fight is this?" He growled inint, as he retaliated with a wide sword arc of his own. ¡ª------- /// A/N - Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers! I''m very thankful to have all your love and support for this series! /// Chapter 694: The fight (3) "What sort of childish way to fight is this?" Denver growled, his frustration seeping through the cracks of his usuallyposed demeanor. His broadsword gleamed in the torchlight, poised for another swing, but his grip tightened, and his knuckles whitened as he watched Leo with growing irritation. Leo''s movements were unlike anything Denver had encountered before. Instead of adhering to any discernible rhythm or technique, Leo darted unpredictably, throwing his dagger one moment and then feinting with exaggerated motions the next. At one point, he even kicked his airborne dagger, causing it to spiral mid-flight and hit Denver squarely with the t side, as the entire attack made absolutely no sense? "Oops¡­." Leo said, as it was clear from his voice, that he did not intend for the dagger toe towards Denver with its t end. He very much wanted to impale the man, but had misjudged how to kick it, since he had never practiced such a move before. At this point, Leo only fought on instinct, trying every wild idea that came in his mind as he did not adhere to any conventional methods. Of-course this pissed Denver who thought that Leo was not taking him seriously, as the clinking sound of the de''s t edge against his chest te drew a sharp snarl from him. "Fight like a warrior, not a fool!" he barked, stepping forward aggressively. But Leo only grinned beneath his mask, his movements remaining erratic. Every strike he attempted, every move he made, seemed tock cohesion. Yet, the randomness forced Denver to stay constantly alert, unable to predict where the next attack woulde from. "You''re not used to this, are you?" Leo teased, his voiceced with mockery. "All those years of training, wasted on perfect form and discipline. Guess what, Mr Wannabe Emperor? I''m unlike anyone you have faced before." Denver''s nostrils red as he swung his broadsword in a brutal horizontal arc, forcing Leo to duck low. But as the de sailed harmlessly over him, Leo took the opportunity to toss another dagger mid-spin. Unfortunately, It ricocheted off Denver''s gauntlet, spinning harmlessly to the ground, but the attempt made Denver lose his temper even more. "What are you trying to achieve with this nonsense?" he spat, eyes narrowing, as he stepped back, as not matter how hard he thought, he could not make sense of Leo''s actions. Of-course Leo was no fool either, he did not y the part of a jester only for the sake of it, as he did actually have a n. While Denver''s attention was wholly consumed by his antics, Leo actually nned something darker and deliberate in the background. Hidden by the chaos, Leo had already activated [Mirror World], creating a single clone of himself, which now moved silently in the shadows, its presencepletely masked by [Vanish]. The real Leo kept up his erratic attacks, knowing full well that Denver''s focus was entirely on him, and that in his enraged state of mind, he had missed the subtle changes to his surroundings. And hence, he threw another feint, this time deliberately stumbling as though he were losing his bnce, causing Denver''s eyes to gleam with triumph. "You''re faltering," Denver growled. "This ends now!" he said, as his broadsword came down in a devastating vertical strike, aimed to cleave Leo in two. However, as Denvermitted to the attack, the invisible clone finally made its move. Silent as a shadow, it closed the gap from behind, sweeping Denver''s legs out from under him with a low, precise kick, causing the master swordsman''s bnce to falter. *Crash* Surprised, Denver stumbled forward and crashed to the ground, with his broadsword unfortunately ttering from his grasp. "Damn you!" Denver roared, trying to push himself up, but the clone was faster. It leapt onto him, dagger raised high, the de glinting with lethal intent as it drove downward toward his heart. [Kill Strike] Just as the dagger was about to pierce Denver''s chest, a radiant golden barrier red to life. The clone''s de struck the shimmering surface with a sharp crack, stopping mere inches from Denver''s body, as a pulse of energy sted outward, throwing the clone back, its form dissipating into wisps of smoke as it hit the ground. From above, Vivienne''s voice echoed, calm butced with authority. [Radiant Shield], she announced, her presence undeniable. Denver blinked, disoriented but alive, as he looked up at the figure descending gracefully into the courtyard. Vivienne''s robes shimmered in the moonlight, her sharp eyes fixed on Leo. "My my Denver¡­.. the boy almost managed to kill you" she said, as she kicked his sword back towards him, giving Denver the chance to get back to his feet once again, weapon in hand. "Yes he did¡­.. many thanks Lady Vivienne for saving my life¨C" Denver admitted candidly, as the fear of losing his life, cooled off all the anger that he previously had towards Leo, clearing his mind once again. "That boy¡­. He''s even stronger than his master if he can beat you in a battle with such ease. It''s a shame he''s an enemy of the Empire, otherwise he could be the next chief of the Virex Corps¨C" Vivienne said, as Denver nodded in agreement. "Usually, I never do this, however, this time I will have to agree with Vivienne. You, boy, I''ll give you onest chance to surrender and I promise on my honor that no harm wille to you and your master. You''re a great talent and it would be a waste for us to kill you here. Bend the knee and I promise to pardon you and set you free" Denver said, as Leo simply rolled his eyes at the man''s stupidity. "Did your mum identally drop you on the head when you were a child or something? Do you really believe men change so simply? If I did not want to kill all of you, do you really think I''d have waltzed in here alone? What part of me screams weasel to you? And what gives you the confidence to say you can y me? I''m ''TheBoss'', the only disciple of the legendary assassin Ben Faulkner, and the King Of the Rebels. Unlike the man-child you call the Emperor, I''m a proper warrior who can toppe cities alone. I would rather die than bend the knee, so stop boring me with your nonsense ande at me if you can!" Leo replied, as he refused Denver''s kindness with the harshest of words. Chapter 695: The fight (5) "Bold speech," Vivienne said with a smirk, her sharp voice cutting through the tense silence. "Perhaps we can engrave it on your tombstone when you die. It would be amusing, for I''ll take my dogs on a walk and make them piss on it daily." She said, her words dripped with venom as she levitated gracefully into the air, her robes billowing around her. Her hands began to glow with a pulsating golden light, runes forming in the air around her as she prepared her spell. Denver wasted no time either as with a determined roar, he rushed forward, his broadsword raised high, as he closed the gap between himself and Leo. His intentions were clear¡­.. now that Leo had refused his kindness for a second time, there was not going to be a third. With Vivienne in the fray, Denver had the confidence to kill him easily now, and hence he intended to finish this fast. ******** (Leo''s POV) Leo''s breath hitched as he assessed the situation, his mind working furiously to calcte his odds. ''Two master warriors¡­.'', he thought grimly, his sharp eyes flickering between Denver and Vivienne. ''A swordsman who could kill me with a single mistake and a mage who could obliterate me from a distance. If this isn''t checkmate, it''s damn close¨C'' Leo realized, as he took a few steps back, widening the gap between himself and his opponents. He tightened his grip on his daggers, their familiar weight grounding him, as despite the mounting pressure, he couldn''t help but feel a flicker of relief at the sight of Vivienne finally revealing herself. ''She''s finally here,'' he thought. ''If I can finish this fight, I can finally achieve what I came here for¨C'' He presumed, as with Vivienne showing herself, all the bigshots within the castle had supposedly made their move. Now, if he could take them down, he could win this fight, however, his relief was fleeting. Fighting two master warriors was no joke, and although he knew that if he won this fight, he could perhaps go on and finish the mission. For now, he could see no roads leading to victory. Alone, he could not hope to face the both of them and hence he threw a hopeful nce towards the corner of the battlefield, where Ben and Dumpy were locked in their own skirmish. Ben was fighting with precision, cutting through waves of royal soldiers, but the sheer number of enemies kept him too upied to help. Dumpy, in his towering form, swung his massive swords to scatter the soldiers, but even the ancient swamp frog seemed overwhelmed by the relentless assault. ''No help is going toe from them,'' Leo realized, as in the end, he seemed to be all alone in this endeavour. ******* Denver charged with the force of a storm, his broadsword cleaving the air as he aimed for Leo''s torso. Leo ducked low, the de whistling inches above his head, as he retaliated with a quick sh aimed at Denver''s exposed side. Denver parried effortlessly, the sh of steel echoing across the courtyard. Vivienne, meanwhile, floated higher, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air as golden light coalesced around her. [Mana Chains], she intoned, her voice resonating with power. Golden tendrils of energy shot toward Leo, aiming to bind him in ce as Leo twisted mid-dodge, his movements sharp and precise, but one of the chains grazed his leg, briefly slowing him down. -1500 Denver seized the opportunity, his de descending in a deadly arc, as Leo barely managed to leap backwards, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the de''s sheer force sent a gust of wind so strong that it threw him off bnce. *Thud* Knocked back on his rear, Leo tried to quickly get back on his feet, however, Denver immediately pressed the advantage, his strikes relentless and heavy, forcing Leo to backpedal. ''Fuck my leg feels numb'' Leo thought, as pain shot through Leo''s leg around the area where the chain grazed him, however, he only grit his teeth and continued fighting. The chain that hit him, apparently had paralysing properties and it was slowly shutting his leg down. ''This is bad¡­.'' he thought, his mind racing as he realized that very soon he would be unable to keep pace with Denver and fall prey to his attacks. Still, his assassin''s instincts wouldn''t let him give up. He analyzed every move, every opening, searching for a way to turn the tide. But unfortunately, there were none. With Denver aggressing and Vivienne covering, Leo had no shot to create an opening worthy enough to exploit, leaving him with one option and one option only. ''I need to take Vivienne out first¡­. But I''ll have only one chance to do so. If it works, I can win, if not I''ll fall¡­.'' Leo thought, as he saw just one path to victory in his current situation. ncing towards Dumpy, Leo prayed and hoped that the frog would manage to use [Mana Nullification] when he asked him to, as that seemed to be his only road to victory. Ever since he came here and found himself trapped in Vivienne''s magic, Leo had been saving Dumpy''s inherent racial move as ast ditch ace to take out Vivienne, and now seemed like the ideal time to do it. If he could somehow get close and use mana nullification at the right moment, Leo knew that he could stun Vivienne enough to im her life, however, he would only get one such shot. If he failed, Vivienne would pull away and Denver would change from going on the offense to defense, changing the fighting dynamicpletely. "You better not fail me boy¡­." He mumbled, as he beat his numb leg with the blunt side of his dagger to get some blood flowing and charged towards Vivienne while trying to hold Denver back with a bunch of [Shadowbind] chains. "Coming for me? How predictable¡­.." Vivienne mused with boredom, as she began casting a defensive spell around herself in anticipation of Leo''s uing attack. Chapter 696: Turning Tables After slipping past Denver, Leo ran towards Vivienne with all the speed he could muster. His breaths were ragged, each inhale scraping against his throat like shards of ss. The stinging sensation in his leg was impossible to ignore now¡ªas it had grown from a slight tingling sensation at the start to a cold, numbing pain now, that crept from the spot where Vivienne''s mana chain had grazed him. Areas where his muscles should have been twitching in anticipation of explosive movement felt disturbingly still now, as if his leg had been detached from his control. ''I can''t feel it, I can''t feel the movement of my muscles'' he realized grimly, as the loss of sensation robbed him of the agility he usually relied on, making his stride uneven and his bnce precarious. He felt like his entire limb was being deprived of blood flow, making it impossible for him to move or make his muscles obey his will, as he slowed down significantly. Each step sent a dull ache radiating through his body, but he clenched his jaw and pushed forward regardless, as he simply had no other choice. Ahead of him, Vivienne floated serenely, her hands glowing with an ominous golden light as she wove intricate runes in the air. Her expression was calm, almost amused, as if she were watching a desperate animal make its final lunge. "Coming for me? How predictable," she mused, her voice dripping with condescension. She waspletely confident in defending herself against his attacks, afterall she had done so before when trying to save Denver''s life. Hence, having an exact gauge of her opponent''s abilities, Vivienne relished the hunt and was not fazed by Leo''s dash at all. On his way towards Vivienne, Leo''s sharp eyes flicked toward Dumpy, who remained locked in battle with the royal soldiers. His heart pounded¡ªnot from exertion, but from the weight of his gamble. ''Don''t fail me boy'' Leo thought, as the ancient swamp frog, as if responding to his master''s unspoken will, nced briefly in his direction as at that moment, the two met eyes, giving Leo the chance to re towards Dumpy demandingly. ''Don''t fail me now¡­.'', Leo thought, as he broke eye contact with Dumpy, in favor of focusing on the heavy footfall of Denver who was closing in fast behind him. *Thump* *Thump* *Thump* With Leo slowing down significantly, Denver managed to close the gap between the two, giving him the opportunity tounch a sword sh from close range. *SHUA* A sharp whistle sliced through the air¡ªthe telltale sign of a broadsword arcing toward him, as without even looking back or missing a beat, Leo performed a front flip, dodging the move perfectly. *Thud* ''Fuck, I can''t feel my leg'' Leo thought, as he nearly staggered and fell. The numbing sensation that started in his thigh, now seemed to grip his entire left leg as he seemed to be moving a lead-filled limb instead of a live one. However, despite his evident disability, Leo knew that he couldn''t afford to hesitate. If he faltered here, it was going to be all over for him, and hence, mustering all the strength in his body that he had left, he turned swiftly, throwing one dagger towards Denver, and then, without missing a beat leapt towards Lady Vivienne. *Block* Denver blocked the daggering for his head with ease, as he swatted it away with his sword. However, to block the dagger, he paused for a split second, giving Leo just enough time to leap towards Lady Vivienne, unopposed. "Watchout¨C" Denver shouted, however, it was a shout of courtesy more than a shout of worry. He did not actually worry about Lady Vivienne''s safety and had faith that she would manage toe out of this situation unscathed. However, this assumption was unfortunately wrong. "DUMPY USE MANA NULLIFICATION NOW¡ª" Leo shouted, at the top of his lungs, as just as both his legs left the surface of the ground, Vivienne activated her defensive spell, the [Radiant Shield]. Golden light erupted around Vivienne, the radiant energy swirling in intricate patterns as her [Radiant Shield] formed all around her. The golden aura spread outward, epassing her in a protective barrier that shimmered like liquid sunlight. As the barrier took hold, her lips curled into a smirk of triumph, as she feltpletely confident in the imprable wall of magic that surrounded her. With her spell having been sessfully casted, she did not worry for the approaching Leo, as below her, Leo hurtled through the air, his dagger gripping tightly in his hand. Leo''s entire body moved with precision through the air, every muscle coiled and taut, ready to strike with lethal intent. The moonlight reflected off his de, casting a fleeting gleam as he closed the distance between himself and Vivienne in a blink. The cold night air stung against his eyes and neck through the gaps in his face-mask as he made the leap, but he ignored it, his focus locked entirely on his target. *Thump* *Thump* Each beat of his heart echoed louder in his ears as he pushed himself forward, as with every breath that he took, he came closer and closer to his target, however, the barrier ahead of him still shimmered with unyielding strength. ''If this fails¡­. I''m dead'' Leo thought, as when he reached the peak of his jumping trajectory, he looked into the eyes of Vivienne who had a smug smile stered all over her, with her barrier still holding strong. Then, as he began his descent, preparing to strike at her heart, Leo mentally prepared for the worst, as he no longer hoped for any miracles toe through. However, miracles did arrive for him right when he needed them, as just as he began his descent, reaching his peak velocity to strike, something began to shift. The golden shield flickered, its shimmering surface rippling unnaturally. Vivienne''s confident smirk faltered, her eyes narrowing in confusion, as she did not understand what was going on? It was as if the flow of mana from her body to sustain the spell was suddenly disrupted by an unknown phenomenon, and as a result she found herself unable to maintain the barrier. The closer Leo came, the more unstable her barrier grew, as the intricate patterns creating the golden veil began to unravel like threads of fabricing apart. "What is happening?" she whispered, panic creeping into her voice, as her gaze darted to the edges of her shield, where faint wisps of energy began to dissipate into the air. Leo could see it now¡ªthe change in her expression. Her previous confidence gave way to nervousness, and then, as the dagger''s tip neared the golden surface, the nervousness in her eyes turned into outright horror. "No!" Vivienne screamed, her arms iling as the second Leo''s dagger touched the weakened barrier, the spell crumpled like broken ss, leaving herpletely exposed to his strike. Her wide, terrified eyes locked onto Leo''s as his dagger drove forward, unstoppable and precise, however, she could do nothing about it. On the contrary, with a predator''s gleam in his eye, Leo plunged the de into her chest, piercing her heart. [Kill Strike] He hissed coldly, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with finality, as he put an end to the master mage''s life with his most powerful move. *BOOM* The moment the dagger struck, a surge of dark energy erupted from the de, detonating with devastating force. A massive circle was blown clean through Vivienne''s chest, her body jerking violently from the impact, as blood sprayed in all directions, with the st reducing the master mage''s life to nothingness. *Plop* *Spray* Bits of flesh and blood that Leo had blown off her body hit the floor before her, as her lifeless form tumbled from the air, her expression frozen in a mix of shock and fear. A momentter, she hit the ground with a sickening thud, her once-pristine robes now soaked in crimson, as the light that had once always surrounded her, was now gone. *Land* Landing on top of her, Leo revelled in the glory of his kill, as he looked towards Dumpy with evident pride in his eyes. Clutching his hands, Leo felt the primal blood rush course through his entire body as he screamed at the top of his lungs with exhration evident in his voice. "NICE ONE BOY!" he said, his words of appreciation genuine, as Dumpy felt his chest swell in pride as he heard those words. For the first time in his life, he had received a heartfeltpliment from his esteemed Lord Father, and hence, Dumpy felt as if he were on cloud nine. On the other hand, Denver stood frozen, his broadsword hanging limply at his side, as he stood with his eyes wide in disbelief and jaw hanging open, as no words seemed toe to him. "No¡­" he muttered finally, the word barely audible, as he trembled with denial. The unshakable image of Vivienne¡ªthe master mage, untouchable and proud¡ªshattered before his eyes. His chest heaved as anger and grief surged through him, as he failed to process the news of her death in a logical way. The image of Leo standing tall above her, blood dripping from his dagger, burned itself into Denver''s mind like a brand. "You¡­" Denver growled, his voice low and filled with unrelenting rage. "You''ll pay for this." He said, as he charged towards Leo, like a mad beast. "I will? Or you will?" Leo said, as with his limp evident, he shifted towards Denver, ready to take him out next. Chapter 697: Rage Denver charged with reckless abandon, his broadsword cleaving through the air with deadly precision. His footsteps thundered against the cobblestones, each one reverberating with unrelenting fury. His entire being was consumed by grief, anger, and guilt¡ªemotions he could no longer suppress. "You''ll pay for what you''ve done!" he roared, his voice cracking under the weight of his rage. Each swing of his sword carried the force of a man who had lost his sanity in a single moment, as while Vivienne had managed to save his life just a moment ago, he had failed to save hers in return. The master mage, a long time friend of his, died right before his eyes, and the loss of her life felt too much for Denver to bear. *SHUA* Leo barely managed to sidestep the first strike, his breathingbored and his movements sluggish. After fighting against two master warriors for so long, he could no longer move like he was at his peak and it reflected in his performance. To make matters worse, his injured leg felt more like a dead weight than a functioning limb, and every attempt to dodge Denver''s relentless blows slowly became increasingly futile. ''This is bad,'' he thought grimly as Denver''s next strike grazed his side, tearing through his armor and sending a sharp jolt of pain up his ribs. -27,500 His mind raced to find an opening, but Denver''s attacks were relentless, and the swordsman''s raw power left no room for error. Another strike came down, and this time, Denver''s broadsword shed clean across Leo''s mask, ripping it apart in one brutal motion. The Virex Corps mask, the symbol of his invincibility shattered from the blow, fragments scattering to the ground as a thin line of blood appeared on Leo''s exposed cheek, dripping down his jaw and neck. Leo staggered back, his face now half visible¡ª as instead of looking pristine and untouchable, he looked bloodied, battered, and smeared with dirt. His chest heaved with every breath, and for a moment, the courtyard seemed to fall silent, at the reveal of half his face, save for the sound of Leo''s ownboured breathing. "You''ve lost," Denver growled, his voice low and venomous. "You have nothing left to hide behind. No mask, no tricks. You''re finished." But instead of despair, a twisted grin spread across Leo''s face. Blood stained his teeth, and his eyes gleamed with an almost feral light. Even now, even when he knew he had no tricks left to pull, and no sensation in one of his legs, he still smiled like he had the upper hand, as the ''Act'' he had put on for years now, seemed to finally be a true part of him. After ''Faking it'' for all these years, the invincibility act was no longer just a performance for Leo, but rather a way of life. The belief that he could still find a way out of this mess, even though he did not know how, was absolute in his heart, and hence, even on the back foot he smiled, as he taunted his opponent to dare continue, if he had the balls. "Lost?" Leo repeated, his voice rasping but filled with defiance. "You think shing my face means you''ve won? Hate to break it to you, Mr Fake Emperor, but this is just getting fun. The mage is dead, and you''re next. Believe it¡ª" Denver''s expression darkened as Leo straightened, wiping the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand. Despite the injuries, despite the overwhelming odds, Leo stood tall¡ªbroken, but unbowed. "Is that it?" Leo taunted, his grin widening. "I''ve fought drunks with better swings. Come on, show me what you''ve got." Denver''s grip tightened on his broadsword, his knuckles whitening as rage boiled over once more. "You''re mocking me?" he snarled. "After all this?" Leo shrugged, the motion strained but casual. "You''ve got one chance left to kill me¡ªdon''t miss it." With a guttural roar, Denver lunged forward, his de shing in the moonlight as he brought it down in a devastating overhead swing. Leo twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, but his injured leg buckled, and he stumbled, barely regaining his footing. Denver pressed the attack, his swings faster and more brutal than before. Each one forced Leo to retreat further, his back now nearly against the courtyard wall. But through the storm of blows, Leo''s sharp eyes never left Denver. He was studying, analyzing¡ªwaiting. Denver, blinded by his anger, failed to notice the cracks forming in his own defense. His strikes, though powerful, were bing ovemitted, leaving brief but exploitable openings, as somehow he failed to see through Leo''s bluff. Having seen Vivienne die before his very eyes, Denver was no longer sure if he really had the upper hand in this fight? Or did Leo have an ace up his sleeve that could actually kill him? That doubt made him act with impatience¡­. He wanted to end the fight before Leo could pull off his tricks and hence he over-extended and overmitted. Looking at his confident smile, Denver felt uneasy in his heart, unsure of what was about to happen next and hence he made mistakes that he would have otherwise never made. ******** (Meanwhile Leo) Faced with Denver''s relentless barrage, only one question kept appearing in Leo''s mind on a loop, which was ''How?''. ''How do I surmount these odds?'' ''How do I create an opening?'' He wondered constantly, as his eyes darted between himself, Dumpy and Ben, as he explored all possible options, and all possible oues. Unfortunately, just like before, Dumpy and Ben could still not help him in his battle, leaving him alone to figure out this problem. However, to his joy, he could notice some weaknesses in Denver''s fighting style now, which were not evident before. *Block* *Block* *Dodge* -16000. As a small sh against his ankle made him buckle, Leo could notice how he could have injured Denver critically if he were faster, however, only because he was so slow now, did Denver actually dominate. Instead of fighting sensibly, Denver was deliberately targeting his weak leg and forcing him back, as at that moment, Leo finally understood how to achieve victory. Chapter 698: Climax The path to victory suddenly clicked in Leo''s mind, like thest puzzle piece fitting toplete a full picture. He could already see the openings in Denver''s attacks before, however, with his reduced speed he could not understand how to take advantage of them, until he thought of an ingenious solution. ''He''sing at me relentlessly¡­. His rage has made him incapable of critical thinking and I can use this to my advantage¡­.. from here on out, if I slow down my fighting ever so slightly every passing second, he would still attack relentlessly trying to harm me, however, he won''t be wary against my counter, thinking I''m too slow to pull it off, when I''m not¡­'' Leo thought, as his solution to the problem he was in was to pretend to be slower than he really was and bait Denver into making mistakes. It was a dangerous strategy, one that could easily see him lose a limb or two if executed it wrong, however, Leo somehow had the confidence to pull it off. The mischievous glint in his eyes only heightened when he decided to go through with it, as deliberately slowing his response, he allowed Denver to graze him as he staggered back, slowly approaching the cold pce wall. "This ends now¡­. I''ve had enough of your madness!" Denver said angrily, as he pressed on like a mindless beast. His sword whistled through the air,ing down towards Leo with the clear purpose of cleaving him in half, as Leo''s eyes closely tracked the movement, his body twisting just enough to avoid the strike, as he let the de m into the wall behind with a deafening ng. Staggering back, Leo allowed himself to lean onto the wall, appearing unbnced, as his posture faltered. Denver, with his rage blinding him, pressed the attack without hesitation, his strikes growing more ferocious and more erratic. "You''re finished!" Denver bellowed, his broadsword aiming for Leo''s neck as he aimed to decapitate Leo with one final blow. With no room to limp back, Leo''s only other option to dodge the iing attack was to duck, and hence, he ducked causing the sword to whistle past his hair, cutting out a few strands. *Kick* As if having anticipated the dodge, Denver brutally kicked the ducking Leo on the chin, sending him flying back to his feet, as he re-attempted the decapitating blow. Once again, Leo ducked, this time even slower than before as the edge of Denver''s sword chipped the top of his skin, drawing a fresh stream of blood from his temple. -1,200. The de barely scraped above his bone, cutting his skin and leaving a bald spot, as just a centimetre lower would have exposed his brain. The trap had beenid out perfectly, as Leo could not possibly hope to dodge any slower, and Denver started to believe that he had the fight in the bag. "Stand up, you rat!" Denver shouted, kicking Leo back up once again as he pinned him down against the wall with one foot and held his sword with fury with both hands. "This is for Vivienne¨C" he said, plunging the sword straight towards Leo''s heart, as with his body hanging lifelessly against the wall, it seemed like Leo could not hope to dodge the move at all. In Denver''s mind, the fight was over, and in his rush to end it. He failed to notice how Leo was still clutching onto both the daggers in his arms tightly, as although his body appeared lifeless, as the veryst second, his left arm suddenly moved, as his left dagger deflected the iing thrust, moving it away from his heart, towards his right shoulder, while his right hand dagger moved for Denver''s neck. *SPLAT* *SPLAT* In a double damage move, Denver somehow managed to pierce his great sword through Leo''s shoulder into the wall behind him, pinning the assassin onto the pce wall, however, in return Leo managed to nt his dagger into the side of Denver''s neck, blood oozing from the wound as Leo punctured the master assassins critical veins. -970,000 CRITICAL HIT! "H¡ª" Denver tried to say how? However, only blood poured out of his mouth as no other sound came except a silent H. His grip over his sword loosened as he slowly slid towards the floor, eyes staring towards Leo with hatred as he never saw his own demiseing. Assured of victory, Denver believed he had already won the fight when he made the final thrust, however, in a disy of unbelievable speed, his opponent outwitted him. While his legs limped, his upper body was still functioning at full speed and hence when he tried to take his opponent out while he hung against the wall, the legs never came into the picture. It was a mistake he would not make if he were cautious, however, with rage blinding him, Denver never saw iting. ''Scum¡­.'' He thought, as his mind darkened, as he could not believe that in the end he lost his life to such an unorthodox fighter. On one hand, he could appreciate the beauty of his boldness, however on the other, the simplicity of the strategy left him angry and speechless. However, in the end, none of it mattered, as he was never going to get a second chance to rectify his mistakes now that he was dead. "Wooo¡ª that was close" Leo said, pulling the sword out of his shoulders, as blood sttered out of his body like a fountain. Stumbling, he fell on his feet, and observed the slew of system notifications waiting for him, which he had once ignored during the battle. [System Notification :- You have entered a state of profuse bleeding, you will lose 250 HP every second until the wound is closed] [System Notification :- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss'' for killing the North Duke, Denver Willow (Level 820). You have gained +10 levels +120,000,000 infamy points across Unity Empire] [ System Notification :- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss''.....] With a total of 120 pending notifications to read, Leo dismissed all of them after reading a couple, as he reached into his inventory and pulled out a healing potion. He had less than 10% of his HP left and he did not wish to bleed to death, making healing his first priority. Chapter 699: Unfinished Business *Gulp* *Gulp* The cool sensation of the HP potion going down his throat felt refreshing to Leo, as the smooth, consistent liquid helped take his mind off the pain stinging all over his body. A sh wound here, a stab wound there¡ªhis entire body was a mess of injuries, each one a testament to the brutal battle he''d just endured. His muscles ached and his breathing came in ragged bursts, as every movement of his lungs sent fresh jolts of pain through his battered frame. However, the worst injury of them all was undoubtedly the deep sword gash across his right shoulder, which continued to ooze blood despite the potion''s gradual healing effects. The torn flesh throbbed painfully, each pulse a reminder of the devastating blow Denver hadnded at the end, as while the minor injuries healed fast, this particr wound did not seem to close down at all. *Huff* Leo let out a shaky breath, his free hand clutching the wound as he leaned against the cold, cracked pce wall for support. His sharp eyes flicked toward Denver''s lifeless form that slumped on the cobblestone floor, with the pool of his own blood beneath him growing wider by the second. "That bastard didn''t make it easy," Leo muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. The battle could have easily ended with Denver as the victor, but it seemed likedy luck was on his side today, as it often had been ever since he boarded the Arc Ship. Tilting his head back, Leo stared towards the sky for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts amidst the chaos that still raged around him. However, instead of the serene calm that he so desperately craved, the sounds ofbat echoed in the distance, filling his ears with nothing but more carnage and chaos. shing steel, shouts, and the asional explosion were all he could hear when he closed his eyes, as without even needing to look at the battle, Leo could already imagine how it was. Regardless, he opened his eyes and threw a nce in the direction of the battle, where he saw Dumpy and Ben to still be fighting, as they kept the remnants of the royal forces at bay. The two of them fought ferociously and although they were not surrounded or on the verge of dying, they did not have an evident upper hand either, as Leo could see that they needed every help that they could get. Pushing himself upright, Leo winced as the motion sent another spike of pain through his shoulder. "No rest for the wicked," he murmured, gripping his daggers tightly as his focus sharpened once more. However, the moment he tried to take the first step, he stumbled and fell face first once again, as his left leg simply refused to carry his weight. "What?" He wondered, punching his leg, however, no matter how hard he tried, his limb did not seem to recover. Even after her death, Vivienne''s attack still seemed to hound him, as despite taking a healing potion, Leo could still not feel his leg recovering at all. "What the fuck? What is this injury?" He wondered, as he opened the system notification panel once more and shifted through all the notifications once again, looking for the one describing his injury. [ System Notification: You have been shed by the Mana Severance Chain, an advanced paralysis spell disguised as a physical strike. This magical injury disrupts mana flow and neural signals to the affected limb, immobilizing it for the next 40 minutes. Attempts to use the limb may result in further damage or extended immobilization. ] Leo''s eyes narrowed as he read the description. "Forty minutes?" he muttered under his breath, his frustration mounting. His fingers drummed against the dagger hilt in his right hand as he processed the gravity of his situation. The inability to use his left leg effectively meant he couldn''t fight, dodge, or even retreat properly, which for an assassin, was akin to a death sentence. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm despite the surge of anger building within him. "Damn that woman," he growled, his gaze flicking toward the bloodied remains of Vivienne, as even in death, the master mage''s cunning lingered, her spell proving to be a thorn in his side. Leo pushed himself back up against the wall, bncing awkwardly on his one good leg. He tested the injured limb again, but it remained stubbornly unresponsive, as a sharp pang shot through his nerves as he applied even a little pressure, forcing him to grit his teeth and lean against the wall once more. ''Alright,'' he thought, his breathing slowing as he shifted into problem-solving mode. ''Forty minutes. I need to hold out until then.'' he thought, as he gazed toward the ongoing battle where Ben and Dumpy continued their relentless assault on the royal soldiers. ''Sorry boys, this time you''re on your own'' he thought, as he clutched a couple daggers and stood on stand-by to provide long range assistance as and when needed, but powerless otherwise. ¡ª----- (Meanwhile Ben and Dumpy) While Leo was busy fighting Vivienne and Denver, Dumpy and Ben had an equally difficult challenge of their own. Facing off against hundreds of well-trained royal soldiers, the two had to be constantly on guard, as a single mistake could easily end their lives. Over thest 30 minutes, the duo managed to kill a total of 397 soldiers, theirbined efforts keeping the enemy forces at bay, but it was a brutal and exhausting battle. Dumpy, towering over the battlefield in his colossal form, was a relentless force of nature, and his twin swords carved through the enemy ranks with devastating sweeps, each swing scattering soldiers like ragdolls. Yet, his enormous size made him an easy target. His thick skin deflected many projectiles, but not all. Arrows peppered his body, and a deep sh from a halberd marred his hind leg, causing him to limp slightly. His underbelly bore burn marks from magical attacks, and the strain of his continuous movements was beginning to show in his slower swings and heavier croaks, as although he still held strong, it was clear that he was slowly beginning to tire out. Ben, meanwhile, fought like a whirlwind of steel. His precise strikes felled soldier after soldier, but the overwhelming numbers meant he could never afford a moment of reprieve. A gash across his left arm bled freely, and his right thigh carried the bruises of a close call with a hammer blow. His movements remained sharp, but the fatigue of prolongedbat was evident in the slight hesitations in his dodges and counters. The royal soldiers were no amateurs. Their formations were tight, and their teamwork impable. Shield-bearers created imprable walls while spearmen thrust forward in calcted strikes. Support mages enhanced their movements with haste spells, while healers revived the wounded, making the battle an uphill struggle for Ben and Dumpy. Yet, despite their injuries and the mounting pressure, the duo held their ground. Dumpy''s massive form kept the soldiers from advancing, while Ben exploited every opening, ensuring that the line didn''t falter. The two fought not just for survival, but to ensure that none of the soldiers could divert their attention to Leo, as even when the soldiers noticed that their Duke was in danger, none of them were allowed to interfere. Chapter 700: Only Madmen (20 minster) The courtyard, once alive with the thunderous sh of steel and battle cries, nowid in grim silence, with littered bodies strewn across the blood-slick cobblestones. Over the past twenty minutes, a brutal and unrelenting battle had unfolded, leaving Ben and Dumpy as the only figures standing amidst the carnage. Their progress had been hastened once the enemy numbers thinned and gaps began to appear in their defenses, allowing them to exploit every weakness with ruthless efficiency. The air hung heavy with the metallic scent of blood, mingled with the faint, acrid residue of dissipated magic. Broken weapons, shattered shields, and remnants of armor were scattered haphazardly, a testament to the ferocity of the fight that had raged moments ago. Dumpy stood towering over the battlefield, his colossal frame battered and bloodied but unbroken. His massive swords dangled loosely in his hands, their edges dulled and smeared with gore. Arrows protruded from his thick hide, and deep gashes marred his forelimbs and nk, yet his glowing eyes reflected a proud defiance. Despite the toll of the fight, the ancient swamp frog remained resolute, his sheer presence a warning to anyone who might dare approach, however, despite his best efforts to look tough, his size shrank significantly once the battle was over, as he reduced his form to a mere human sized frog. Beside him, Ben stood hunched slightly, his daggers nted firmly into a mound of dead soldiers for support. His usualposure was cracked, his chest rising and falling heavily as he fought to steady his breathing. A long sh ran across his left arm, and bruises darkened the exposed parts of his skin, but his grip on his de remained firm, his sharp eyes scanning for any remaining threats. The pair had faced overwhelming odds, cutting down soldier after soldier in a relentless storm of des and fury. The royal forces had fought valiantly, their training and coordination making every step a struggle, but thebined might of Ben''s precision and Dumpy''s sheer power had proved too much for them. Now, with thest soldier felled and the din of battle finally stilled, the two warriors stood proud amidst the aftermath, with Leo left as their only spectator. "You''ve been resting twenty minutes now, youzy piece of trash, mind hobbling over here now?" Ben shouted in annoyance, as his words urged Leo to try and get back to his feet. As he stood back up, Leo could feel some of his muscles in his paralyzed leg roar back to life once again as the effects of the mage''s attack seemed to be waning. Hobbling, he moved over to where Ben and Dumpy stood, as he gave both of them an approving nod, before deciding to do some mischief. "What took you guys so long? I finished my fight ages ago¡ª" Leo said, as Ben gave him the most expressionless re. "Really? Boy? You''re willing to test my patience tonight?" Ben dared, as Leo chuckled out loud. *Shua* *SPLAT* Reflexively, without even ncing over, Leo threw a dagger across the garden, killing a Virex Corp operative hidden in the shadows as he took him out before the operative could cause any harm to Ben or Dumpy. "No master, of-course I''m not willing to test your patience¡­. The job is not yet done, I''ve killed 17 Virex operatives lurking in the shadows while you were busy with your fight, but I''m sure more have brought the news back that Vivienne and Denver are dead. The new chief of Virex Corp has not participated in this fight either, so it''s safe to say that we can expect hell once we enter the castle¡ª" Leo said, as Ben nodded grimly to his words. "I''m afraid the new Virex Chief will not be found within the castle walls then. Most likely, he''s already outside looking for reinforcements, and if my estimates are not wrong, he will charge back in here any moment now, with the royal army in tow. We have 10 maybe 15 minutes to pull this off, or-else this mission will be a lost cause" Ben said, as Leo nodded in agreement with his assessment. The hordes of royal soldiers that they had ditched in the city streets were roughly 30 minutes out from the castle at best, and if the new Virex Chief had set out to fetch them the moment Denver died, they could be here at any moment now. The trio had 10 to 15 minutes at best to try and kill the Emperor and his family before the royal guards swarmed the castle grounds, which was going to be next to impossible considering the entire castle was on guard against them and filled to the edge with soldiers. "Only a madman will attempt this mission from here on out¨C" Ben said, looking at the gash on his arm, as Leo nodded in agreement, cing his palm on the exposed side of his broken mask. "Aye, only madmen¡­." Leo agreed, as his lips curled into a grin and his eyes turned predatory. "I''ll take the dungeon¡­. Pay a visit to Nathan D Evanus¡ª" Ben said, as Leo gave him the thumbs up. "I''ll take the young Emperor and his mother. See you back here in 10!" Leo said, as Dumpy shrunk to the size of a pocket frog and jumped on his shoulders. "Let me apany you master, I''ve never seen an emperor die before!" Dumpy said, as Leo patted his head with joy. "Very well then boy, let me show you how to be a Kingyer!" Leo said as he hobbled into the castle entrance, with two daggers in hand. ¡ª------- /// A/N - Hey guys! It''s December and keeping up with tradition, December means we will hold lots of fun events, including mass releases. So far I''ve nned riddle events, pop quiz and character naming events, but if you have any cool suggestions I would be open to them in thements below. For a full list of events and prizes, check thement under the chapter. Cheers! /// The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 701: Grand Entrance (Leo''s POV) With every step Leo took, he felt a little more sensation returning to his legs, as though life was gradually seeping back into his damaged nerves. His right shoulder, while far from fully healed, had recovered enough to grant him a limited range of motion which he felt was enough to continue. His body was still battered and far from its peak, but Leo knew that he had to make do with the hand he was dealt. He didn''t need perfection¡ªHe just needed enough from his body to somehow push through the final leg of his mission. Slowly, but steadily, he approached the west castle entrance door, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. This entrance was the closest route to the Emperor''s quarters, and with everything he''d faced so far, he knew the odds of it being unguarded were slim, and hence, acting out of caution, before opening the door he ced his ear against it, just to check for any sounds. And thankfully, just as he suspected, the moment he put his ear to the door, he heard faint noises reach his ears. Muffled conversations and the unmistakable panting of men leaked through the heavy door, causing Leo to immediately stiffen. ''There''s definitely an ambush waiting for me on the other side,'' he thought grimly as stepping back, he gazed over the surrounding architecture, analyzing the situation. Eventually, his eyes locked onto the frame above the door¡ª which he identified as the perfect spot to ambush the ambushers. *nt* Without hesitation, he drew a dagger and nted it into the wall just above the entrance, as then with a practiced ease, he hoisted himself up and perched silently above the door, his body perfectly bnced. With his free hand, he reached down and nudged the door open ever so slightly. *Creek¨C* *st* *Shua* *SHUA* The moment the door creaked open, chaos erupted. A torrent of attacks¡ªfireballs, ice spikes, throwing daggers, and javelins¡ªburst from the shadows, tearing through the air and into the empty space before the door. Leo''s lips curled into a faint smirk as he crouched above, watching the ambush unfold harmlessly below him. ''Exactly as expected,'' he thought coldly, his grip tightening around his dagger as he prepared to turn the hunters into prey. "On my signal, boy¨C" he said, scratching Dumpy''s neck, as he prepped Dumpy for what was toe next. *Thud* *Thud* The soldiers poured out of the west castle door cautiously at first, their heads swiveling in every direction, weapons gripped tightly in their hands. The initial group of half a dozen scanned the area, their confusion evident as they failed to locate Leo. "Where is he?" one of them muttered, his voice trembling slightly. "He was supposed to be right here¡ª" Another soldier silenced him with a gesture, his sharp eyes darting around. "Spread out. He''s here somewhere. Find him!" Then, as the seconds passed, more soldiers emerged, a steady flow of boots ttering against the expensive marble floor as the contingent swelled to several dozen. They moved in groups, covering each other''s blind spots as they fanned out across the courtyard. Yet, despite their efforts, they found nothing but eerie silence. This was to be expected however, as Leo crouched silently above the entrance,pletely invisible thanks to [Vanish]. His lips curved into a predator''s grin as he watched the chaos below unfold, as he knew that the enemy was just ying into his hands by pouring out around him like this, with their backs exposed to him. ''They''re just like little helpless piggies¨C,'' he thought, gripping a pair of daggers tightly in his hands as his eyes locked onto the unsuspecting soldiers below. It was only a waiting game from then on, as the moment he felt the group was spread thin enough, Leo made his move. Flick Flick In rapid session, Leo threw daggers towards the unsuspecting soldiers with absolute precision, with his daggers finding their mark every single time with lethal uracy. Only a split second separated the time between when the first soldier crumpled with a weapon lodged in his neck, as just a heartbeatter, nine more fell, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground in a sickening symphony of thuds. Shouts erupted as the remaining soldiers whirled around, weapons raised. "Up there! He''s¡ª" one of them tried to warn, as another dagger silenced the man mid-sentence, utter chaos descending on the courtyard. Leo moved like a ghost, repositioning faster than their eyes could track. The steady flow of daggers from his hands was relentless, each flick of his wrist iming another life, as within moments, nearly twenty soldiersy motionless on the ground. "Ribbit¨C" From the other side of the courtyard, Dumpy joined the fray. The colossal swamp frog let out a low croak, his tiny form lumbering forward as his throat swelled ominously. *SPRAY* Then, with a mighty expulsion, he unleashed a spray of highly corrosive poison toward a clustered group of soldiers. Screams of agony filled the air as the soldiers caught in the toxic spray writhed on the ground, their armor and flesh dissolving in gruesome fashion. While those who managed to avoid the initial spray stumbled back in terror, their morale shattered. "Fall back! Regroup inside!" one of the surviving soldiers shouted, but his words were cut short as a dagger found his heart. However, as per hismand, thest stragglers began retreating toward the castle door, desperation clear in their movements. "Close the door¡­ don''t let the monster in" one of them instructed, as the soldiers tried to seal the door shut the moment thest of them entered, however, Leo did not let them seed in doing so. Kicking the door open in style the second thest man entered, Leo entered the royal castle with a swagger, as he killed a couple men right as he entered. "Well, I''ll find my way from here gentleman, thankyou for opening the door for me¨C" Leo said, as he strode forward with measured steps, his daggers gleaming ominously in his hands. The soldiers who remained barely had time to react, as Leo moved through them like a force of nature, each sh and stab cutting down another opponent. In the end, the final few fell in quick session, their cries of pain fading into silence as Leo carved a path through their ranks, creating a river of blood to mark the asion of him entering the royal castle. "You''re next¡­. Emperor!" He said, as he moved-in, progressing calmly towards the emperor''s room, leaving nothing but bloody footprints in his wake. ¡ª---- /// A/N - Weekly Mass Release Goal Counter. (2100/15,000) 14%pleted /// Chapter 702: Snake Problem As Leo walked inside the castle, making his way towards the Emperor''s room, he could hear the chaos that had gripped the entire structure. Sounds of men screaming and weapons hitting walls could be heard throughout the ce, as Leo knew at that moment that his ''Snake n'' was working just as he had envisioned. ********* (An hour ago, The Royal Castle) The castle had been in a state of uneasy vignce for hours, ever since Leo began to mboyantly fight in the streets of StrongHaven City, however, this vignce reached a fever pitch the moment he infiltrated the castle walls. With Denver instructing them all to be on high alert before he himself joined the fight, guards constantly patrolled the hallways, their heavy boots echoing against the cold stone floors, as every corner of the vast structure was manned with soldiers, their weapons at the ready as they awaited orders. The chaos outside had demanded their attention, but unbeknownst to them, the real nightmare was actually about to unfold within the castle. It started small¡­.. With just another soldier patrolling the hallway, who suddenly felt a strong itch in his leg, followed by a sharp stinging sensation all over his foot. "Motherfucker¡ª" he cursed, jerking his leg as off flew a tiny green snake, causing him to panic. "What the hell?" He wondered, as he quickly tried to stop the blood from around the bite wound from circring, however, just as he leaned down to clutch his leg, a heap of snakes suddenly fell over him from the ceiling, biting him at several locations. "AGHHHHHH¡ª" The soldier said, letting out a blood curdling scream as he alerted the entire pce, and garnered the attention of his partner who was walking not more than ten paces ahead. "Gabe?" His partner said, turning with confusion, however, by the time he turned, he could only see his friend drop to the ground dead, with snakes slithering all over his body. "Huh?" He wondered, looking around in panic, however, before he could react, another snake emerged from the shadows above, striking his neck with deadly precision, as he too met the same fate as his friend, dying a mere couple minutes after being bitten. By the time the reinforcements arrived from hearing the screams, it was toote to save the two soldiers who were bitten, as slowly but surely, screams began to be heard from every corner of the castle, as more and more people began to be bitten. In another hallway, a soldier wiping sweat from his brow paused after he heard a faint hiss. He squinted into the dim light, his eyes scanning for the source of the sound. But before he could even draw his sword, a snake coiled itself around his arm, biting deep into his flesh. His screams echoed down the corridor, summoning reinforcements that would never arrive on time, as the situation only progressively got worse. Snakes poured from every crack and crevice within the castle. They slithered through the venttion grates, spilled out from beneath loose stones in the walls, and even emerged from the toilets in the castle''s deserted bathrooms. One by one, the soldiers fell, their formations breaking as panic spread faster than the venom coursing through their veins. "Snakes!" one soldier screamed, his voice ragged with fear. "They''re everywhere!" Another group of guards tried to solve the snake issue by confronting them in arger corridor, their shields raised and spears at the ready. But the snakes were relentless, striking from all sides. A few spat venom into the eyes of their opponents, while others kept moving relentlessly until they dug their fangs into their opponents. For every head the soldiers severed, three more seemed to take their ce, as the entire pce was converted into a warzone. As minutes passed, desperation began to set in for the royal guards, as they tried to get rid of the snakes through any means necessary. Fires were lit in a futile attempt to burn the snakes, but the mes only trapped the soldiers in a hellish inferno. Eventually, the castle became a war zone within a warzone, as its once-strong defenders were reduced to terrified prey. ******* (Present Moment, Leo) Leo heard the chaos long before he saw it. The muffled screams, the frantic shouts, and the unmistakable hiss of serpents slithering through the castle echoed through the west entrance. As he approached, the sounds grew louder, more vivid, painting a picture of utter mayhem inside. As he strode into the first main corridor, the chaos hit him like a wave. A group of soldiers sprinted past him, their faces pale with terror, their weapons abandoned. They didn''t even notice Leo standing in the shadows, as their focus solely seemed on escaping the nightmare that had consumed the castle. Leo smirked as he walked deeper into the halls, his eyes scanning the scene with cold detachment. The floors were littered with bodies¡ªsome writhing in pain as venom worked its way through their veins, others already still, their faces frozen in expressions of agony. "Are you seeing this Dumpy? This is called preparation and nning¡­. It''s important in missions as big as these" Leo said, as Dumpy nodded in understanding. "It''s most impressive master. These tiny beasts are weak alone, but in hordes they can be troublesome" Dumpy said, as he gave a silent nod of acknowledgement to a snake who was biting into a human soldier''s nose. "Ooo¡­ master, look at that one!! Should we help?" Dumpy said, pointing towards a royal soldier who was locked in a desperate struggle for his life. The soldier sliced at a snake coiled around his arm, the snake''s fangs still embedded in his flesh, while his partner tried to help, only to scream as a second snake wrapped around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. "Nah¡­ they''ve got this" Leo said, as he stepped over the carnage with ease, his movements deliberate and unhurried. His snake n was working better than he had imagined, and he was thoroughly enjoying every second of it. ''Efficient little killers,'' he thought, his lips curling into a faint smile as he passed a pile of corpses surrounded by hissing serpents. "Feeding them all for all these months was worth it¡­." Leo said satisfyingly, as he finally felt like the cost of raising them all these months had paid off. ¡ª------ /// A/N - Weekly Mass Release Counter (2700/15000) 18%pleted. Special shoutout to bukli_arjui for the donation. /// Chapter 703: Troubled Soul The deeper Leo ventured into the castle, the better his understanding of the overall chaotic situation became. Apparently, the most tumultuous areas within the castle currently were the four main diagonal halls that connected every corner of the pce. These passageways had be a battleground, as the majority of snakes had emerged through sewer vents leading to the castle''s bathrooms, a majority of which opened into these four main connecting hallways. A smaller number of snakes had surfaced from pipes connected to kitchen sinks, remote taps, and other isted outlets, but the concentration of chaos remained firmly centered in these diagonal corridors due to the sheer volume of toilets located there. In contrast, the smaller hallways connecting individual rooms were rtively less affected. However, with the constant screams and battles raging throughout the castle, most guards had abandoned their posts, leaving their assigned positions unguarded, providing Leo with ample opportunity to sneak past their posts unnoticed. Using [Vanish], he slipped past watchful eyes with ease, while Dumpy, now in his tiny frog form, was practically invisible to anyone not actively searching for him. Together, the duo made their way from the west entrance through the winding chaos, moving stealthily and undetected, until they finally reached the Emperor''s quarters. But as Leo stepped into the chamber that was supposed to house the Emperor, he was met with an unexpected sight: the room was eerily empty, with not a single guard stationed outside or within. "Where is he? Where is the damn Emperor?" Leo muttered, his voice low but filled with frustration. He had fully expected to find the Emperor here, yet there was no sign of him. "Think, Leo, think... where could they have taken him?" he whispered to himself, his sharp mind racing. Then, drawing a parallel to protocol he''d read about in his own world regarding the president of the United States in emergency situations, his thoughtsnded on the idea of a panic room. "If I were the Emperor, I''d be taken somewhere secure¡ªlikely underground. It''d be idiotic to stay above ground where a dragon could just swoop down and incinerate everything," Leo reasoned aloud. "Most panic rooms are built below ground, away from aerial threats... I need to hence find a passage leading to an underground floor," he muttered, piecing togethermon sense with the conventions of web fiction. "Yep, the entrance has to be somewhere close to his room or the throne room¡­ the two ces that the Emperor frequents¡­." Leo reasoned, as he made an educated guess. "Dumpy, find an underground entrance, it may even be hidden behind a fake wall, but find it anyhow¨C" Leo instructed, as he took a quick look at the in-game time, and realized that 7 minutes of the 15 he had to find and kill the Emperor, had already passed. If he did not find the man fast, then all of his effort so far woulde to nothing, as the royal army would swarm the pce, making it impossible to touch the Emperor. ****** (Meanwhile Ben) Unlike Leo who struggled to find the Emperor, Ben had no trouble finding Nathan D Evanus, who was chained in the basement of the royal pce, in one of the only four detainment cells there. The security leading to his cell was minimal, and Ben only had to kill a couple dozen men to reach it, making the overall difficulty of the mission rtively easy. *sh* *Creeek¡ª* shing open the chains barring entry to his cell and also slicing apart the door lock, Ben opened the door to Nathan''s cell, as Nathan looked back at him with soulless eyes. There was no fear in his eyes when he saw Ben, and although he recognised the legendary assassin, there seemed to be no shock or surprise in his eyes to see hime. "Are you here to kill me?" Nathan asked with an emotionless voice as he raised his head and exposed his neck for Ben to sh. "Yes¨C" Ben replied calmly, as he took a dagger slowly upto Nathan''s throat. "You plotted to kill your own father¡­. You deserve this¡ª" Ben said, as a soft tear escaped Nathan''s emotionless eyes. "Yes I do¡­. I regret plotting to kill my father and definitely deserve to die, however, my half-brother deserves it even more!" Nathan said, as his entire body trembled uncontrobly at that moment. He seemed to have long epted his fate of death while inside this prison, however, something had forced this change in him, and it did not appear self-induced. "Oh?" Ben asked, as Nathan began to speak his final words. "That little bastard, he''s not as innocent as he seems! He''s a sick pervert and aplete wackjob at the head. I only wanted the throne for my own ambitions, but Marcus doesn''t even care for it. Even Though he''s only 14, he is sick in the head. He, or someone under him sends men down here to rape me on the regr. Although I''m a man¡­ I''m drugged, raped and stripped of my dignity on the regr¡­.. I''m a fucking prince, yet I''m fed dog-food and forced to pee in a jar. I-I don''t want to live this life. I was wrong to kill my father, but I don''t deserve to live like this¡­ I would rather die!" Nathan said, as bringing his own neck to the de, he shed it on his own free will rather than Ben doing the job. *SPLAT* Blood sttered all across the prison cell, as the shallow wound that Nathan inflicted on himself was not clean enough to grant him a clean death. *Gag* *Cough* Gagging and Coughing blood, Nathan struggled on the floor as Ben looked on with pity. "Fool¡ª" Ben said, as he bent over and granted Nathan a quick death, severing his arteriespletely so that he did not have to suffer anymore. It was one of the most unexpected deaths that Ben had ever witnessed, as he had never seen a royal as broken as Nathan. Ben could still remember this kids intelligent eyes back at the master''s banquet less than a year ago, however, a lot seemed to have changed since. "While I don''t think his brother the Emperor would be aware of what''s happening down here, I''m sure there''s someone within the castle who took out their frustrations with the royal family on poor Nathan¡­." Ben said, as just for a moment, he felt genuine pity for the troubled soul he just killed. Chapter 704: Finding the Hidden Entrance (Dumpy''s POV) As per Leo''s instructions, Dumpy began to quickly look for any possible hidden staircases that lead to the basement, however, without having a clear idea on what exactly to look for, he was mostly just hopping around, observing the floor intently. ''Why do these humans have to make everything soplicated¡­.. why can''t they just live in muddy swamps?'' Dumpy wondered, as after a couple seconds of trying to search for the hidden entrance, he already became frustrated with humans and their desire to build brick homes. ''Even those overgrown lizards with wings live in caves or near volcanic pits. Yet these puny humans make such borate structures¡­.. and for what?'' Dumpy wondered as his disgust for humans and human architecture only grew. ''Their doors can''t fit me in full size¡­. Their hard marble floors are too cold to walk on in winters and when you kill a man on them, the blood just pools all around instead of seeping into the soil¡­.'' Dumpy thought, as to him, the whole concept of having hard floors seemed pointless. Compared to open grass, Dumpy could only think of disadvantages of having a hard marble floor, as his train of thought soon wentpletely off the rails once he began to think about floors and his general disgust of humans. ''I don''t understand how master is a human? He''s so different from the rest of them. He''s like a frog amongst humans, while the rest of them are useless¨C'' Dumpy thought, as he began zing his master hard in his thoughts. ''The way master defeated that mage and that swordsman¡­. It shows why he''s so strong! Master is truly the best, '' Dumpy thought, as he began to suddenly feel giddy as he jumped higher and higher without even noticing. ''I wish master was a frog¡­. We could have so much more fun if he were¡­. We could go and breed with other frogs if he were a frog, but he doesn''t seem to like frogs or even humans¡­.'' Dumpy thought, as he frowned a little when he reflected on his master''s sexual tendencies. ''This world needs more of master''s offsprings, yet instead of spreading his powerful seed, master focuses on raising snakes and meeting other men. The humans around him have this strange concept of taking in only one woman as their lifelong partner¡­.. however, that''s just absurd. The strongest stud deserves all thedies, that''s how survival works and my master is the strongest stud¡­ but he may be an impotent one'' Dumpy thought as he disappointingly shook his head. "Oh master¡­. Don''t worry, I''ll find a cure for your illness one day, please rest assured¨C" Dumpy muttered out loud, as lost in his thoughts, he identally collided against a wall that pushed back just a little when he did. "Oh?" Dumpy thought, bashing into the wall headfirst once more as once again the wall pushed back just a bit more yet again to reveal a sliver of the hidden passage underneath! "I found it¡ª Master! Master! I found it¨C" Dumpy screamed, as suddenly a snake emerged from the passage he had just uncovered, only for Dumpy to swat it away like an annoying pest. "Know your ce, filthy Mongrel¡ª" he said, as the poor snake was flung away a full twenty meters before it fell. "You found the entrance?" Leo enquired, as he rushed over after hearing Dumpy''s voice. "Yes, we need to push this wall back to unveil it, it''s a false wall built on a mechanism!" Dumpy said, as Leo put the frogs theory to test and pushed the wall back with all his force. To his surprise, the wall actually pushed back, and quite easily at that as Leo did not actually expect it to work. All his life he had only ever seen hard walls that never moved an inch, and hence pushing one back was quite a novel experience for him. "GOOD JOB DUMPY!" Leo said happily, as after pushing the fake wall all the way back, Leo uncovered the hidden entrance that led straight to the panic room, as clutching his dagger, Leo rushed in, prepared for the final fight. ********** (Inside the Panic Room) Just like the rest of the pce where snakes terrorized the soldiers guarding the structure, the soldiers gathered outside the panic room also found themselves in a big snake problem. Being built underground, the panic room had a few air vent openings for air cirction, and thanks to these vents, a lot of snakes managed to reach the hidden structure, causing mayhem to unfold underneath. Thankfully for the royal soldiers, with everyone present down there being an elite soldier, they reacted to the crisis of snakes falling from overhead much better than the rest of the pce soldiers, however, they still faced significant issues of their own. For one, they had to unlock the door to the panic room and a few soldiers had to fight from the inside, as a few snakes had managed to reach the insides of the panic room through the air vents. And for another, they had to break their usual formation to better deal with the snake threat, which left them vulnerable to attacks when Leo finally arrived. Ideally, as per protocol, they were to never open the door lock, as even if all of them died, the lock was designed to be unbreakable and could keep the royal family within safe for days. However, with the unexpected snake crisis, all those measures had gone to hell, providing Leo with an unprecedented opportunity toplete his mission and exterminate the royal family, for once and for all! ¡ª---- /// A/N - After carefully deliberating on the request made by some of you via discord, the weekly bonus chapter goal has been modified to individual chapter goal. Hence now, for every 2500 coins received in gifts, a bonus chapter will be released the same day. This is a bonus chapter for the same, and the counter resets to 200 / 2500. /// The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 705: Duped "Virex Corps members... and Royal Guards? Always a pleasure!" Leo muttered, a sharp grin tugging at his lips as heunched himself into the fray. With only Dumpy at his back, Leo faced down at least a few dozen adversaries, the odds stacked overwhelmingly against him¡ªbut the overall situation was still precisely how he liked it. "He''s here! Ben Faulkner''s disciple is here! Protect the Emperor at all costs!" one of the guards shouted, his voice trembling with panic as the chaos of battle erupted. The shout galvanized a handful of soldiers, who scrambled toward the panic room in a desperate bid to lock themselves inside with the Emperor, hoping to escape the deadly storm that was Leo Skyshard. But Leo, ever the tactician, was far too sharp to let such a scenario y out. *Stab* *Thunk* *Stab* Daggers hissed through the air with pinpoint precision, embedding themselves in the door''s locking mechanism with a series of sickening thuds, as Leo deliberately jammed the gate. The soldiers halted, their faces twisting in confusion and despair as they realized what had just happened. "He''s jammed the door! We can''t close it!" one soldier barked, his voice rising in panic. They fumbled with the door, desperately trying to dislodge the daggers. But their distraction was all the opportunity Leo needed. "Big mistake," he said, his voice a cold whisper that cut through the chaos. *Thunk* *Thunk* Before they could react, more daggers sailed through the air, striking unerringly. Each one buried itself deep in the skulls of those unfortunate enough to stand in his way, as the poor soldiers crumpled to the floor like marites with their strings cut, blood pooling beneath their lifeless bodies. Leo stepped forward, his movements fluid and unrelenting, his each kill a calcted act. The panic room door creaked open slightly, as if mocking the remaining guards'' futile efforts. "I suggest you surrender," Leo growled, his voice dripping with menace. "Or don''t. I could use the warm-up." Behind him, Dumpy croaked menacingly, the guttural sound echoing through the room like a death knell. The surviving soldiers hesitated, their morale visibly crumbling as they realized they were not fighting a man¡ªthey were fighting a monster. However, the Virex Corps dogs, loyal as they were, decided to fight to the bitter end anyways, as despite knowing that they were no match for Leo, they chose to fight till the bitter end nheless, as they fought him with reckless abandon. Some had tears in their eyes as they willingly charged towards their demise, while the others seemed to be a bit more angry. However, no matter what emotions they carried at the moment of their death, die they did, as Leo mercilessly ughtered everyst one of them. *BAM* Kicking open the panic room door with all his strength, Leo stepped inside with a calm smile on his face as he fought against thest few soldiers who opposed him. In the far corner of the room, he could see the terrified queen clutched onto the ground with her youngest child, while the young Emperor stoodst behind his guards, nervously gripping a sword in his hands. "Oh?" Leo said, as he shed past thest guard, only to look the Emperor in the eye who swung his sword around wildly in front of Leo. "GAHHH¡ª" "HYAAA¡ª" He screamed as he swung his sword around with all his power, however, it was futile. While the weapon did seem to give him some semnce of courage, it quickly drained from his face when he saw Leo''s half crooked grin as he blocked his petty sword swings with nothing but his bare hands. "Agh, your majesty¡­. This loyal subject greets you!" Leo said, as he yanked the sword off the poor boy, the force of the pull dragging him to his knees as the young Emperor humiliatingly knelt before Leo. "NOOOO¡ª" His mother yelled from a distance, as Dumpy instantly jumped and killed her off, so that she would not be a nuisance. "Wow, your mother has got quite the shout¡­. It almost stings my ears" Leo noted, as he simply ignored the fact that the Empress Dowager was now dead and chose to focus on herst scream instead. "Monster¡­. If you can stay so calm in the face of brutal¡­. Cold blooded murder, you''re nothing but a monster!" The young Emperor said, as he closed his eyes and simply epted his fate of death. There was a slight fear in his eyes right before he shut them off, but his facial expressions looked resolute. He did not try to barter for his life, he did not try to begin. He did not even try to say empty words and just closed his eyes, as if the end was already here. "Is this it? Do you have nothing more to say? Your little sister is crying in the corner¡­. Will you not even try and save her?" Leo asked, scratching his head, as he could not understand how a 14 year old Emperor could be soposed in the face of death? Something felt amiss and Leo could just not wrap his head around what it was? "Shut-up! It''s not like you shall spare me even if I beg! So what point is there for me to die without dignity, at least this way, I get to die without giving you the satisfaction that you killed me¡ª" Marcus said, as it was at that moment that Leo smiled harder. "Let''s go Dumpy¡­. We''ve been duped¡­. This is a fucking illusion, this is not the real panic room, this is not the real Emperor, there''s some fucking mage nearby that''s ying tricks on us¡ª" Leo said, as Dumpy''s eyes widened with disbelief listening to his master''s words. For a moment, Leo could see the eyes of the young Marcus flicker, and to his dismay, they did not flicker with relief, but rather panic, as the young prince seemed more panicked that Leo let him off, than he was about being killed. ''Agh damn it!'' Leo thought, gritting his teeth, as the expression in the young emperor''s eyes only confirmed what he already suspected. He had been duped. Chapter 706: Diversion Six key individuals made up Julien D Evanus''s war room. Nathan D Evans, The royal prince. Thalion Ironfoot, The chiefmander. ric WindStrider, The chief strategist Nysa, The Information head Sir Cedric, Virex Corps Head And Zephyr Lightweaver, The Master Mage Of these six, Nathan, Thalion and ric betrayed Julien, while Cedric died inbat. In the end, Nysa resigned from her post as the information head, refusing to serve a young Emperor, leaving only Zephyr Lightweaver, the current mage association president and a prominent master mage, behind as a member of the old guard. Before entering the pce, Leo had expected to enter into a conflict against the master mage, however, when he fought against Vivienne, he hoped that maybe, just maybe, Zephyr had been reced by Vivienne and that the recement had not been mademon knowledge yet. However, that hope of his seemed to be naive and wrong with him only realizing the folly of his ways, when he was on the verge of killing the fake Emperor. ''Fucking Mages and their tricks¡­.. I swear I''ll kill him first when I get my hands on him!'' Leo thought, as he fumed, marching out of the hidden basement, and heading straight for the throne room. *Hop* *Hop* Behind him, Dumpy jumped confused as although he did not dare question the judgement of his master, he genuinely did not understand what was wrong? "What''s going on here master¡­?" Dumpy asked eventually, as Leo began his angry mumble. "What''s going on here is that your master is too smart to be fooled¡­.." Leo began, his words and tone sounding a lot more rushed than before. "Nobles around the world are the same Dumpy¡­. Slimy and Scaredy like bleeding cockroaches. They would beg for their lives and offer you money the moment you put a sword to their neck and not one of them will ever willingly throw their lives away. That bravery you saw back there? That was fake¡­. Not one noble, not in the least a royal who has not seen war, can ever hope to have balls like that!" Leo muttered, as Dumpy nodded behind in agreement. If his master said something was wrong, Dumpy simply believed something was wrong, even if his eyes told him otherwise. ********* (Meanwhile within the Throne Room) Within the throne room, Nathan, Marcus and every single other Evanus family member, now began to tremble with their arms around one another, as they did not understand what next to do? Sir Zephyr had created perfect marites for them to control and all they needed to do was act, however, their pride caused them to fail. The first one to go overboard was Nathan, who with his fake rape story and eagerness to die, sent rm bells ringing up the mind of Ben Faulkner, who although said nothing, spotted the lie from a mile away. Zephyr instantly criticized Nathan for going overboard, once the act was over, however, the young adults brain could not handle the criticism too well. His alone time in the prison had caused him to indulge in quite the dark fantasies and it just happened to leak in front of Ben Faulkner, blowing away his cover. However, as if making that mistake once was not enough, the younger brother Marcus did it again by refusing to grovel before he died, as even the slightly slow Leo figured out that it had to be fake. Had Marcus just done as he was told and fallen to his feet to beg, Leo would never have realised that he was not the real Emperor, and would genuinely believe that his goal here had been aplished, however, his stupid pridepromised the mission and alongside it, the safety of his family. "Idiots¡­. I''m protecting a bunch of idiots¨C" Zephyr cursed, as he clutched on the few good hairs left on his head and tried to yank them out from sheer rage. Creating those life-like marites that shared the same vision and voice as the royal family members had not been easy, and for him to maintain the illusion for as long as he did, was not easy either. By now, he had depleted nearly 80% of his mana capacity and could not hope to hold back Ben Faulkner and his apprentice, if they came looking for a confrontation. "Goddamn it! Jao you fool, where are you?" Zephyr cursed, as he wondered where the new leader of the Virex Corps was? As by now, the entire pce was meant to be flooded with royal soldiersing to save their Emperor. ****** (Meanwhile Jao) Jao led the troops towards the pce gates with hasty steps, as the royal army of 15,000 strong followed in tow. "Quick! We must be quick! Time is of the essence here¡ª" Jao said, shing the seal of the Emperor, as he urged all men to not ck off. The seal gave him temporary powers tomand the army, however, assembling them had proven to be no easy task. The army had fragmented itself into smaller units patrolling the streets far and wide, which made assembling them all very hard for Jao, setting him back quite a lot of minutes which were otherwise critical for the safety of the Emperor. "Open the gates! Quick! Open the gates! The royal army is here¡ª" Jao shouted as the army approached the gates, however, to his dismay, everyst garden guard had already been killed, meaning that no-one was manning the walls. 10 seconds¡­. 20¡­.. Time passed, however, no-one replied, as Jao was eventually forced to leap over the wall and crank the lever himself, to slowly open the path for the army to enter. "Towards the throne room! Go towards the throne room! It''s in the center! Any passage will lead you there¡ª" Jao screamed, as he directed the army soldiers towards the throne room where he knew the Emperor was hiding. "I hope you''re still alive my liege" he prayed, joining the sprint himself, as he made a beeline for the throne room. Chapter 707: Cowards Ben and Leo arrived outside the grand entrance of the throne room almost simultaneously, their footsteps echoing faintly in the vast, gilded hallway. "You?" "You too?" They exchanged a pointed look, each raising an eyebrow as they gestured toward one another. In those two simple words, an entire unspoken conversation passed between them, encapsting the chaotic journey they had endured to reach this very spot. "Yup." Ben finally nodded, the corner of his mouth twitching into a smirk. Without a moment''s hesitation, he raised a booted foot and kicked the towering double doors wide open, the sound reverberating like a cannon shot. Inside, the throne room was a scene of desperation and defiance. The royal family, dressed in their ornate finery, huddled together behind a shimmering orange barrier¡ªa protective shield conjured by the mage Zephyr. Their expressions betrayed a mixture of fear and disbelief as they clung to their illusion of safety. "Well, well, well, look what we have here." Leo''s voice dripped with mockery as he stepped forward, his piercing gaze locking onto the quivering figures of the Evanus royal family. His eyes then flickered to the other group sheltered under the same shield. "Oh? The Willows too?" he muttered, his toneced with amused disdain. It seemed Zephyr''s loyalties extended beyond the crown. Not only had he chosen to shield the bloodline of the Evanus dynasty, but also the members of the North Duke''s Willow family who were currently apanying him during his stay at the capital. "Interesting," Ben remarked, his sharp eyes scanning the scene as the air within the throne room grew taut with tension. "Don''te any closer! Stay back!" Nathan D. Evanus shouted, his voice trembling with fear in a stark contrast to the lifeless monotone of the puppet Ben had dispatched earlier. "The royal army is on their way! They''ll be here any minute¡­ If you waste time breaking this shield, it''ll be your lives that you lose first!" He said, as his desperate words echoed through the throne room, but instead of deterring his opponents, it only served to amuse them even more. "The boy''s not wrong," Zephyr added, his tone calm yet calcting as he attempted to bolster Nathan''s warning. "I can already hear the faint rhythm of their boots marching through the pce gardens. Thirty, maybe forty seconds at most, and this room will be crawling with royal soldiers." He said, fixing his sharp eyes on Ben and Leo, hoping to provoke hesitation, or at the very least, dy their inevitable assault. However, Ben just snorted dismissively, his lips curving into a cocky grin. "Forty seconds? That''s plenty of time." Leo rolled his neck, a quiet series of cracks breaking the tension in the air. He mirrored Ben''s grin, a dangerous glint in his eyes, as he gestured "Shall we?" Ben gave a curt nod, his de gleaming in the dim light as Leo''s daggers caught the same glow. "Dumpy, use Mana Nullification!" Leomanded, his tone sharp and decisive, as though he weremanding a Pokemon instead of a Swamp Frog. However, without missing a beat, Dumpy sprang into action, croaking once before releasing an unseen wave of power. *Sizzle* *Sizzle* The orange barrier shimmered violently, its once-imposing glow flickering erratically, as in mere microseconds, the formidable shield, designed to repel any assault for several minutes, began to crack under Dumpy''s spell. "Break!" Leo shouted, lunging forward as with a resounding shatter, the barrier disintegrated, its remnants dissolving into the air like embers extinguished by a gust of wind. The throney exposed, its upants vulnerable and wide-eyed as Zephyr, the master mage and the onlypetent fighter in the room, staggered back, his expression betraying both disbelief and fear. Nathan and the others cowered behind him, clutching one another as the realization dawned: theirst line of defense had crumbled like paper. The first to fall was Zephyr, who stood no chance against thebined might of Ben and Leo. The moment Dumpy''s Mana Nullification took effect, Zephyr froze. His hands, once brimming with magical energy, fell uselessly to his sides. In the same instant, Leo closed the distance between them with brutal efficiency, his de shing as it severed Zephyr''s throat in a single, precise motion. The master mage copsed without a sound, blood pooling around his lifeless body as the royal family screamed in terror. "Next," Leo muttered, already moving toward Nathan D. Evanus, the so-called first prince, while Ben darted towards Marcus and his mother the Empress Dowager. "Nooo! Please, spare me! I-I-I''ll give you anything, money? Land? The throne? Take whatever you want, but please don''t kill me! Please! I''m just a small child, I haven''t even lost my virginity yet¡­ I haven''t even married yet¡­ please!" Nathan begged on his knees, as Leo mercilessly took his head off in one clean blow. Time was of the essence now and he could not afford to waste any toying with the kid, no matter how amusing he seemed. Meanwhile, Ben killed the Empress Dowager and knocked her young child out cold by hitting a pressure point on his neck, leaving only Marcus and the Willow family conscious. "We won''t kill them, boy, we spare the young kid and the Willows" Ben dered, as Leo nodded in agreement. It wasn''t his intention to spare anyone when he came into this room. However, if Ben said they needed to be spared then Leo did not wish to argue with his master. "Can- can you spare me too? I''ll serve as your dog! I''ll even lick your boots and bark if you ask me, p-please j-just let me live" Marcus pleaded, sping his hands together as piss rolled down his legs in what was the disy of true royal courage. It amused Leo how different Marcus seemed nowpared to before, as while he remained unbroken and unflinching when it came to having his marite killed, he was nothing but a coward when push actually came to shove. ¡ª------ /// A/N - The character voting event page is online on the webnovel app and as a troll, I''ve enrolled Dumpy for the event instead of Leo. So Lord Dumpy Fans! It''s time to take him to the top! Also, Bonus Chapter Goal count - 230/2500 /// Chapter 708: KingSlayer In stark contrast to the egoist marite that Leo encountered before, the real Marcus D. Evanus knelt before him without shame, his trembling and his tongue stuttering as he begged for his life. The blood-stained remnants of his royal attire clung to him like a mockery of his former power. Tears and snot streaked his pale face as he sped his hands in desperation. "Please¡­ please don''t kill me!" Marcus sobbed, his voice cracking under the weight of fear. "I-I''ll do anything! Money, power,nd¡ªwhatever you want, it''s yours! Just spare me!" His words stumbled over one another, desperation rendering him incoherent. Leo stood over him, the weight of the moment reflected in his cold, calcting gaze. His body, battered and bloodied, exuded an air of menace that Marcus couldn''tprehend. His daggers gleamed faintly in the dim light, their edges wet with the blood of those who had fallen before him. "Pathetic," Leo muttered, his voice low and sharp, cutting through Marcus''s frantic pleas. "You call yourself an Emperor? A ruler? You''re not even a man. You''re a sniveling boy ying dress-up." Marcus flinched at the words, his lips quivering. He tried to stammer a reply, but the sound of his own breath hitching drowned him out. "Look at you," Leo continued, his toneced with disgust. "Kneeling, groveling. Do you even understand what it means to lead? You don''t deserve the throne. You don''t even deserve your name." The words crushed Marcus further. His hands fell limp at his sides, his body sagging as though the fight had left him entirely. "Please¡­" he whispered, the word barely audible. Leo stared at him for a long moment, his face impassive. Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward and drove his dagger across Marcus''s throat in one swift, merciless motion. Marcus''s eyes widened in shock as blood gushed from the wound, soaking the cor of his tattered robes. He gurgled, his hands feebly reaching for his neck as though he could stop the inevitable. His body slumped forward, lifeless, copsing onto the crimson-stained floor. The throne room fell silent, the oppressive weight of the act settling over everything. *Ding* A glowing system panel materialized before Leo, casting an eerie light across his expressionless face. [System Notification:- You have in Marcus D. Evanus, the reigning Emperor of the Unity Empire. Main Quest "The Downfall of the Unity Empire" has beenpleted. Specific rewards will be distributed upon consolidation of power.] Before Leo could even absorb the implications of the notification, another one appeared before his eyes. [System Notification:- New Main Quest Unlocked: "Consolidation of Power." Objective: Solidify control over the Unity Empire by eliminating rival factions, securing loyal alliances, and establishing yourself as the undisputed ruler. Rewards: ?????? Penalty for Failure: The war against rebels will continue. ] Leo exhaled sharply, swiping the panels away as his lips curled into a grim smile. "Figures," he muttered. "The work''s never done." Before he could turn, a thunderous crash echoed through the hallway as the throne room doors burst open yet again. The Virex Corps Chief stood in the doorway, nked by a squad of heavily armored soldiers. His eyes scanned the room, locking onto Marcus''s lifeless body sprawled at Leo''s feet. "No¡­" Jao whispered, his voice breaking. His body trembled as he stepped forward, his hands clutching his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "NO!" The grief in his cry reverberated through the room, raw and unrestrained. Tears streamed down his face as he staggered forward, his gaze never leaving Marcus. "I failed you," the Chief choked out, his voice cracking under the weight of his anguish. Then his sorrow twisted into rage. His tear-filled eyes burned with hatred as he turned to face Leo and Ben. "You''ll pay for this!" He said, as before either Ben or Leo could react, the chief of Virex Corps raised his de and charged towards them, his movements fueled by unbridled fury. However, Ben''s response to his threat was instantaneous as well, as with the precision of a seasoned tactician, he grabbed the unconscious Evanus child from the corner of the room, pressing his dagger firmly against the boy''s throat. "Stop!" Benmanded, his voice cold and unyielding. "One more step, and the Evanus line ends here." The Chief skidded to a halt, his de inches from Ben''s throat. The soldiers behind him froze, their weapons raised but hesitant as the tension within the room reached a fever pitch. "You''re bluffing," the Chief spat, though his voice wavered. Ben''s dagger pressed harder, drawing a thin line of blood from the boy''s neck. "Try me," he said, his tone icy. "You think I care? Push me, and I''ll make sure your Emperor''s bloodline ends tonight." The soldiers exchanged uncertain nces, their resolve faltering as they weighed their loyalty against their survival. "You''ve already lost," Ben continued, his lips curling into a smirk. "Let us walk out of here, or I''ll make sure you lose more than just your pride." The Chief''s grip on his sword faltered, his shoulders sagging as the reality of the situation dawned on him. For a second his eyes flickered to the dead bodies of Nathan D Evanus, Marcus and their mother, and then between thest living Evanus child and the Willow''s who were being rounded up by Ben Faulkner''s disciple. In his heart, he did not wish to let the criminals who caused so much death and destruction to the royal pce walk away free, however, he was sworn to protect the royal bloodline and hence he could not punish them here even if he wanted. With thest Evanus child in Ben''s grasp, he had no other choice but to reluctantly lower his head, as he dropped his sword. "Everybody stand-down!" Jaomanded, as Leo, Ben and Dumpy scrambled away, right through the eyes of vengeful soldiers who could do nothing but stare as they escaped. "Hahahaha¡­." Leo chuckled, finding this situation hrious, as this undoubtedly had to be one of his life''s best adventures. Chapter 709: Taunt The royal guards followed Leo and Ben all the way to the pce gates, their steps heavy with restrained fury. They kept just a few feet behind the duo, their weapons gripped tightly, as though they were desperately holding back the urge to strike at the dastardly Assassin''s. The hate emanating from their eyes was palpable, searing and relentless. It wasn''t mere anger¡ªit was a visceral, unyielding loathing, the kind that carved itself into the soul and demanded vengeance. It was unlike anything Leo or Ben had experienced before, as this seemed to be hate in the purest form. The royal guards seemed to hate them for what the two did to their Emperor, however, they seemed to hate letting them walk free even more. As Leo and Ben reached the pce gates, several guards shifted uneasily, their gazes locked on the duo''s retreating forms. Their trembling fingers and shallow breaths betrayed a fragile restraint, and more than one man seemed ready to break rank, their bodies leaning ever so slightly forward as if prepared to leap, regardless of what the consequences of that leap would be. But begrudgingly none did. They simply watched, their silence more deafening than the battle cries that had filled the pce mere minutes ago. The tension was suffocating, a choking weight that hung heavy over the procession, as every step that Ben and Leo took toward the gates stretched the moment unbearably thin, as if the hatred itself might burst into mes at any second. "Halt there¡­. soldiers, not one of you shall step outside the royal gates, or else I''ll kill the little boy!" Ben threatened as soon as he and Leo crossed the threshold of the pce gates and into the city streets. "Like hell we will! Faulkner! What if you kill him and throw him in a ditch once we stop following you?" Jao, the Virex Chief said, as Leo looked at him with pity evident in his eyes. "You can take that chance then¡­. And maybe he died¡­. Or you can take the chance toe at us and he DEFINITELY dies" Leo said, as his words deterred Jao and the other soldiers who faltered ever so slightly. "The two of you! You''re an insult to the civilized race of humans¡­. You''re worse than demons. An OUTLAW master and an OUTLAW disciple. You will never find peace within the Unity Empire, I promise, I''ll never let you breathe in peace!" Jao vowed, as Leo curled his lips into a challenging grin. *Inhale* *Exhale* *Inhale* *Exhale* Taking in long and deep breaths, Leo mocked Jao right to his face, as he made a point to show that he breathed easy even in this moment. "Come on big guy¡­ I''m right here and breathing easy¡­. Do your worst. If you think even for a second that you can beat me,e try me. I''ve killed THREE master warriors and ONE emperor with these very hands today, and countless of your best soldiers. If you think you''re special,e be my guest" Leo taunted, as his words caused many behind Jao to feel their throats going dry. What Leo said was entirely true, he had waltzed into the capital city all alone, apanied only by his master and a frog, yet it was the city that was ruined in the end while he still stood strong. Never in the history of the Empire was there a man this powerful, apart from perhaps the founding Emperor who was a Grandmaster, however, other than him, ''TheBoss'' was the strongest human to ever be. Standing across such greatness, there were many men who felt their knees go weak, as although they hated Leo and his guts, they could still not deny his strength. "Nobody can escape judgement forever. You will pay for your sins boy, sooner orter you will¡ª" Jao shouted at the top of his lungs, as Ben and Leo retreated back to the corner of the street, out of their eyesight. Any chance that the royal soldiers had to follow Ben and Leo was now disappearing fast, as after getting out of eye-sight, the duo simply began to run like the wind, making their way out of the city as fast as they could. "34 minutes till the rest of the yerse online¨C" Leo muttered to himself, checking the in-game clock, as all things considered he felt like he and Ben had done a pretty decent job. Unless nothing unexpected took ce, 34 minutes was enough for him to escape the boundaries of StrongHaven City, giving him ample chance to escape the rush of yers that woulde searching like hungry hounds for him once they came back online. "We did it, Lord Father! Lord Grandfather! Wepleted the mission¡ª" Dumpy said, chuckling while perched on Leo''s shoulders, as for him this was his first taste of real adventure. In his mind, all of his Lord Father''s life-stories were adventures of equal proportion, however, little did he know that his Lord Father had outdone himself on this one. Nobody but him could have pulled off what he pulled off here today, and the gains he was set to receive from this situation were equally high. "Haha, the job isn''t done yet¡­. We will only be safe once we are home" Leo said, as although internally he felt extremely giddy, he understood the importance of keeping a rational mind in such circumstances. "Dumpy¡­ go sit on your Lord Grandfather''s shoulder, and protect him in case there''s trouble¨C" Leo instructed, as Dumpy immediately jumped from his shoulder onto Ben''s, much to Ben''s surprise. "What happened boy? Too tired to carry the little frog?" Ben inquired, as Leo simply shook his head and denied the allegation. "No¡­ I''m taking a different path home, master, I''ll see you on the other side" Leo said, as without waiting for Ben''s answer, he branched away from him, knowing full well that being alongside Ben and Dumpy will only bring unnecessary trouble for them both on their way home. Instead, he preferred fighting alone now, where his survival was his own responsibility. ¡ª-------- /// A/N - Bonus chapter progress 300/2500. Also here is the first riddle of the month, solving which will give you a coupon code for 100 Fast Pass or We can purchase coins. The Encoded Word: 6.2 - 3.5 - 9.2 - 2.2 - 2.2 - 7.3 - 13.1- 4.4 - 5.5 Drop the answer in thements below. The fastest one to solve wins! /// Chapter 710: Reactions (34 minutester) As soon as the righteous faction yers logged back into the world of Terra Nova, they found themselves being sted in the face by countless system notifications, each one painting a more grim picture than thest. [Global Announcement:- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss'' for defeating Master Mage Vivienne, one of the 26 master warriors of the light faction. ] [Global Announcement :- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss'' for defeating Master Swordsman Denver Willow, the appointed caretaker of the Unity Empire and one of the 26 Master Warriors of the Empire] [Global Announcement:- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss'' for defeating Master Mage Zephyr, The current chief of the mage''s association and one of the 26 master warriors of the light faction. ] [Global Announcement:- Congrattions to the yer ''TheBoss'' for defeating Marcus D Evanus, The Emperor of Unity Empire and its nominal leader.] [Global Announcement:- The Emperor is dead! And the citizens have began to panic, an emergency event is triggered! ¡ª> Emergence Notice : Because of the Emperor''s death, all light faction yers will witness a 35% stat decrease for all their stats for the next one month. The debuff will increase to 50% for all righteous faction NPC who will be particrly weak during this period. The emergency quest, ''Protect The Empire'' is now underway.] [Emergency Quest Notification :- Quest Title :- Protect The Empire. Duration :- 30 days. Description :- Protect StrongHaven City from a rebel takeover for the next 30 days, after which a new Emperor will be appointed to the throne. Failure Penalty:- The rebels will win the faction wars and the rebel leader will be the new Emperor] [Global Announcement :- Thest known co-ordinates of ''TheBoss'' are :- 123.456.789N 445.556.778E ] A series of system notifications rocked the righteous faction yers, who suddenly felt a bulk of their strength leaving their bodies. A 35% all stat debuff penalty was applied to all light faction yers, effectively dropping the average level count of a yer by 100-150 levels, since the average yer ranged between 300-400 levels currently within the game. "What? What? WHAT? HOW DID ''THE BOSS'' DO ALL THAT WHEN WE WERE ALL LOGGED OUT?" "I got it guys! I figured out the secret of ''TheBoss''. Unlike the rest of us, he doesn''t have to log-out, that''s how he''s always ahead of the rest on the leaderboards, he gets to y extra hours in the game everyday!" "How did The Boss y through the work day? I demand exnations from the game operators, or I''ll call this bias¨C" "The Boss is making his way back to the rebel territory! He''s moving fast¨C , How are we nning to catch him?" "Catch him? The man was untouchable even when we cornered him, do you really think anyone can touch him now that we are all 35% weaker?" "Nah, nah, nah, this doesn''t make sense, even if all the yers were logged out, it still does not exin how ''TheBoss'' defeated 3 master warriors and managed to murder the Emperor all in one night? Even if we yers were not there, the Emperor''s security shouldn''t be weak¨C" "What the hell is his level? How can a man be level 922? When the second strongest yer is barely level 560? What is this disparity?" "Is he even a yer like the rest of us at this point? Or is TheBoss already a demi-god amongst us men?" Fear, shock, horror, were just some of the feelings that the righteous faction yers felt upon returning to the game, as most just failed to process the news thatid bare before them. Most of them could not even catch the heels of a master warrior even if they tried, yet ''TheBoss'' had killed three in one night and was still in a condition to move and run, as he made his way back to the rebel controlled zone. He was barely one man, yet he waltzed alone into the Empire controlled territory, marched against all odds to the capital, and somehow managed to kill the Emperor in the darkness of the night, all the while having the entire power of the righteous faction against him. What he achieved defied all norms ofmon sense, and hence his legend grew, and that too at an unprecedented pace. The weaker minds rejected his achievements, dismissing them as fabricated or the result of unfair advantages granted by the system. Forums buzzed with conspiracy theories and outrage, while the more level-headed yers struggled to piece together how such a feat could even be possible. "It''s rigged! The devs must be favoring him. There''s no other exnation for this nonsense." "TheBoss is either cheating, exploiting bugs, or he''s a goddamn NPC pretending to be a yer!" "I don''t care how strong he is¡ªthere''s no way he did this alone. He must''ve had an army with him, or maybe even hacked the game to disable NPC defenses." Yet, amidst the cacophony of disbelief, a few voices dared to speak differently. "No, you don''t get it. This guy''s been a monster since day one. He''s been out-thinking, out-ying, and out-leveling us all from the beginning. He''s simply in a league of his own." "Don''t you remember the wolf controversy? The time when he soloed the first dungeon designed for twenty yers? TheBoss isn''t just strong¡ªhe''s unstoppable." "What if this isn''t even his peak? What if he''s just getting started?" As spection and arguments raged, the rebel faction yers began celebrating their unlikely victory in silence. For them, this night wasn''t just a turning point in the war¡ªit was a revtion. The whispers of ''TheBoss'' being their savior turned into a resounding chorus, as the myth of his invincibility spread like wildfire. In a game designed to force bnce and cooperation, and where guild and faction warfare reigned supreme, TheBoss was like a wild card, who could tip the entire scale in his own favor, no matter what side he supported. He was an army of his own, and there was no other yer that could match him. The fear he instilled in the heart of the enemy was just as strong as the confidence he instilled in the hearts of his allies, as in the minds of many, he became the epitome of what a yer could be. Chapter 711: Mobilization Despite the demoralizing system notification, many righteous faction yers, undeterred by the debilitating debuff, continued their pursuit of Leo, refusing to ept defeat. Resigning to their fates was simply not an option for these yers, who saw stopping Leo as theirst chance to restore bnce to the heated war between the righteous faction and the rebels. He was turning from being the undisputed strongest yer, to bing the undisputed strongest force within the game, which was very concerning for many. With him still needing to cover a significant distance before reaching the safety of rebel-controlled territories. His pursuers clinged on to the glimmer of hope, that with coordinated efforts they could definitely intercept and neutralize him even in their weakened state. Based on hisst known location outside StrongHaven City, many assumed he would retrace the same route he had used to infiltrate the capital and hence preparations were swiftly made to intercept him enroute to the next minor town. Ambushes were prepared and righteous faction yers waited with weapons in hand for any signs of his arrival, only to be disappointed when he never showed up. Unfortunately, it seemed like their ns had unraveled spectacrly when, two hourster, system updates revealed a new location for Leo¡ªone that indicated he was taking an entirely different trajectory. The sudden change in direction rendered their efforts so far useless, as his new path was not one that they had expected him to take, leaving them scrambling to adjust as they questioned if they could ever outwit their elusive target. However, while the majority yers only bothered themselves with catching Leo, there were a few who were focused on the bigger picture. *********** (Meanwhile ChaosBringer) For ChaosBringer, the constant stream of system notifications that he received just after logging in were like Christmas Giftsing early, as he nearly doubled over with joy. "Holy shit¡­ TheBoss did it, that madman! He somehow killed the Emperor! Oh how glorious! That man''s a god¡­ A GOD! His capacity for chaos is unprecedented! Ohh¡­ I think I''ll orgasm, I''ve never felt such joy serving under a man ever before" "It''s not enough¡­. I must not let him down, he''s created this opening and we must not let him down¡­" ChaosBringer murmured, as he barely grabbed a hold of himself and began nning the steps ahead. The Emperor was dead, which meant that it was time for ''The Uprising'' to activate their partners in the North and West andunch an assault against the Empire''s forces. With the righteous yers debuffed 35% and the NPC''s 50%, this was a heaven-sent opportunity for the rebels to run a riot, and ChaosBringer did not wish to let a single second of this debuff period to go to waste. Cracking his neck, he instantly began typing amand for the Uprising, to coordinate mobilization, as he decided tounch an attack to unify the south and march towards the central regions, right from this very moment. [Brothers and Sisters of the Uprising, The moment we''ve dreamed of is finally upon us. The Emperor is dead, struck down by none other than ''TheBoss,'' the champion of rebellion and the greatest force Terra Nova has ever known. His actions tonight have shaken the very foundation of the righteous faction, and has carved open a path for the rest of us to capitalise on¡­. And we cannot let him down! With the righteous NPCs weakened by 50% and the righteous yers struggling under a 35% debuff, the scales have tipped in our favor. This is the time to act, to take what is rightfully ours, and to show the world that The Uprising cannot be stopped, so listen to my directions carefully. Here is the n :- 1. Prepare for March: All active units in the South are to regroup immediately. Stock up on supplies, weapons, and potions and prepare to capture the key regions in the south that we still don''t control. 2. Secure Key Points: Hit the towns and resource hubs along the way. We''re not just marching to fight; we''re marching to conquer. Leave no righteous stronghold untouched. 3. Coordinate: Squad leaders, make sure your units know their roles. Stick to your designated routes, and report any unexpected resistance. Remember, the weakened state of the righteous faction is temporary¡ªwe must capitalize now, and hence every unit that is not stationed in the south will march towards StrongHaven, as we must take down that city, to cement our control. Unless we fuck things up big-time, the righteous faction yers will have no answer to our strength for the next thirty days and hence victory is all but assured. This victory belongs to TheBoss, to us, and to the future we''re building, so make sure to march with pride, for every step forward is a step toward OUR REBEL Empire. For The Uprising! For The Boss! Glory will be ours¡ª] The second ChaosBringer dropped this message, the guild chat erupted with a blend of fiery determination and reverent praise for TheBoss and the rebel desire to win the faction war. "Thanks to TheBoss, we actually have a shot at flipping this faction war on its head!" "Let''s be real¡ªif TheBoss is leading the charge, our victory is practically guaranteed." "This is the game-changer we''ve been waiting for. It''s time to show those righteous faction dogs who are the real bosses around here!" "Conquer the South, take the Central. It''s time we win this war!" "The Emperor is dead. The Uprising is alive. Let''s get it done!" yers scrambled to ready themselves, their morale sky-high despite the immense task ahead, as the uprising squad leaders began to immediately organise their groups for the March ahead. Coordinating every small detail in smaller internal group chats. "We can''t waste this opportunity. TheBoss gave us the opening¡ªwe have to finish the job." "Grab your supplies! Stock up, people! Chaos isn''t kidding; time is short!" "You think the righteous faction can recover from this? Nah, man, their days are numbered!" The rebels were roaring to fight back, and their chance to shine had finallye. ¡ª------- /// A/N - Bonus chapter counter 3220/2500, hence a bonus chapter will be issued today! And the counter resets to 720/2500. Special shoutout to patrons Cervantez91 and patron Huuhhhhh for the 1000 and 2000 coin donations respectively! /// Chapter 712: Future Planning Chapter 712: Future nning Chapter 712: Future nning (The DarkSky guild Headquarters) While ChaosBringer and the rebel faction celebrated TheBoss¡¯s killing of the Emperor, Cervantez and the DarkSky guild entered a state of panic because of it. ¡°A 35% debuff? Is this a joke? Why must the entire righteous faction suffer because the Emperor is dead? How is that fair?¡± Lysained, as she simply could not ept over a third of her stats being locked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t fair on ¡®TheBoss¡¯ to have his location exposed every two hours. He managed to kill the Emperor, having surmounted impossible odds and outsmarting every righteous faction yer along the way. Although no-one from our guild participated in his hunt personally, none of usined about it being unfair either. Infact I remember you particrly following the hunt closely Lysa, evenughing gleefully when his back was against the wall. However, now when the rules are against us, you immediately find things harder to ept¡­¡± Cervantez said, as he rejected Lysa¡¯s notion that it was unfair. The entire righteous faction was coordinating to kill one man, if nobody protested for him when the odds were stacked against him, nobody had the right to protest now either, just because the situation did not favor them. ¡°But 30 days? 30 bloody days?¡± Lysained, banging her palm on the conference table as she seemed on the verge of popping a vein. ¡°The Uprising, being the opportunistic snakes that they are, will immediately try to make the most of this situation¡­. How are we to defend against them in this weakened state?¡± Lysained, as Cervantez and the other elders in the room let out a deep sigh. What Lysa said wasn¡¯t untrue at all and a 35% debuff was definitely a big problem, however,ining about it was going to solve nothing. As bad as the situation seemed, they had no other option but to ept it and move forward, as just like Lysa feared, the uprising were definitely going to try and make the most of this situation. ¡°The main problem is that he did it too fast¡­. I did not expect the Emperor to be dead so soon. It will be harder to rally NPC support with the Emperor now dead, and I¡¯m sure there will be many righteous faction yers who will jump ship to the rebel side now that things don¡¯t seem so smooth on this end anymore¡± Tor said, as he voiced what everyone else on the table feared. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t afford to worry about the bigger picture right now. The North, South and center are sure to fall, so all we can worry about now is to protect the west. We knew this day wasing, so even if it¡¯s a little early than what we anticipated, it¡¯s not like we arepletely unprepared. We will defend the west, even if it¡¯s thest thing we do¡± Cervantez dered eventually, as he ordered his men to not worry about the affairs of the rest of the Empire and solely focus all their attention on securing the west before the vast majority of enemies poured in. ********* (Meanwhile the Whitesaber guild) Whitesaber was The Uprising¡¯s partner guild in the Western Duchy region, who were promised a partnership with the uprising, as long as they managed to capture the western region. After sending a notice to mobilize all the uprising guild members, the second message that ChaosBringer wrote was to the Uprising¡¯s partner guilds in the North and the West, of which there were three in the north and just one in the west. The message read :- [ As per our previous agreement, The Emperor is dead and the opportunity to strike and rebel has finallye. The Uprising¡¯s forces will capture the South and Center as promised, however, we require you to honor your word as well. The Uprising¡¯s victory is all but assured with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ as its leader, however, whether we partner with you or not, now depends on your performance. With or without your help, ¡®The Uprising¡¯ will unite the Empire under one banner sooner orter, however, now is the chance for you to prove yourpetence and be partners and overlords of your own regions. The North Duke is dead, and the Empire¡¯s NPC¡¯S are weakened by 50%. A better chance to strike will nevere. Your rewards will depend on your contribution and believe me when I say this, we will not be stingy with the spoils of war. We at the uprising will be hoping to hear back news of your resounding victory in theing days¡­ Please feel free to connect with us in-case you need any supply or logistic assistance, or if you need urgent manpower. -With regards, Uprising Spokesman, ChaosBringer] As soon as the guildmaster of the Whitesaber guild received this message, he immediately began to mobilize his guild as even he could sense the change in tides. Initially when the Whitesaber guild epted the proposal to team up with ¡®TheBoss¡¯ and rebels, there were a few elders within the guild who remained doubtful about the rebels abilities to unify the east, center and south under their control, however, all those doubts were now dispelled. With the Emperor dead and the NPC¡¯s demoralized, the current scales of war were tipped overwhelmingly in favor of the rebels and this was thest chance for guilds like them to partner up. If they failed this chance, it was more than likely that ¡®The Uprising¡¯ would never partner with them again, and hence to maximize their own benefits, they had to win as much territory as possible. ¡°Prepare for war¡­ we march tomorrow! Send orders to all guild members to prepare for war and recall all those who are away for levelling or adventure. The entire guild will take part in this war for the sake of our future and by the grace of the gaming gods we shall prevail! We will win this war, and we will be the next overlords of the west¡± The guildmaster said, instructing his vice guildmaster who immediately began typing the message as he prepared the men for war. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 713 Parental Worry (PinkLotus''s POV) PinkLotus frowned deeply when all her stats were reduced by 35%. She too was tracking the development surrounding ''TheBoss'' closely, and while she did not feel surprised that he seeded in outsmarting everyone, she felt annoyed at receiving a penalty for his sess. "Why must I be penalized? I technically don''t belong to any faction. Although I''m not a rebel, I''m not a righteous yer either¡­ gosh, this is so annoying" she cursed, as she did not feel content with the current state of affairs. As far as she was concerned, her personal strength mattered more to her than the sess or failure of the righteous faction, which was why she felt beyond livid at the unfair penalty. "You know, if you think about it, you''re more than likely to fight a war in this weakened state very soon¡­." Luke said calmly, as he stood beside her near the waterfall where she usually trained. "Oh?" PinkLotus replied, sounding surprised as she waited for Luke to exin his statement. "The righteous faction is weakened, the rebels are sure to make a move¡­. If Leo were to ever cash-in his bet and have you fight for the rebels, it''s going to be pretty soon" Luke exined, as he reminded PinkLotus about the terms of theirst spar. "Right¡­" PinkLotus said grimly, her eyes widening as shbacks of their previous battle shed in her head. In return for epting her request to spar, Leo had put forward the condition that were she to lose, she was to join him in war whenever he called for it. That day, he defeated her brutally and he was roughly 122 levels stronger nowpared to that day after his recent rampage within the light faction. The gap between them was widening at a rapid pace and whatever little hope she had to catch-up to Leo, seemed to be slipping away every passing day. "Stupid¡­Stupid game developers, I hate them¡­" she cursed as she started to hack away at the waterfall in fury. Beside her, Luke stood with a soft smile on his face as he began analyzing the future events with a calm head. Even Though he was not a part of the DarkSky guild anymore, he could envision exactly what everyone in the guild must be discussing at this moment and how they would react to this news. "*Sigh*, I wish I was back in a group again¡­. Solo y is kinda boring" Luke muttered to himself, sighing as he missed his leadership post within the DarkSky guild. However, although he missed the whole experience, he did not feel keen on returning, as he knew that the DarkSky guild was not the right fit for him anymore. If he were ever to join a guild again, Luke felt sure that it would either be his own new guild, or another organisation, however, he was not keen on joining the DarkSky guild anymore. ******** (Jacob and Elena''s POV) Elena and Jacob both found themselves sitting within Elena''s restaurant, located inside a remote righteous faction tier1 town. Jacob was on his way to disrupt some pursuers who nned to camp and kill Leo, however, once Leo changed his course and veered away from where Jacob was stationed, Jacob decided to give-up on the chase and instead decided to spend the rest of the day with his lovely wife at her own restaurant. "Jacob, I talked to Rita today, she''s saying that there are at least a 100 million yers trying to kill our son''s best friend ''TheBoss'' and that he''s the most dangerous man to ever live¡­. Is that true?" Elena asked, with concern evident in her eyes as Jacob failed to form a proper answer. "T-that, right¡­ no¡­" he said, lying through his teeth, as although it was indeed the truth, Jacob decided to not make Elena worry about it. "Rita doesn''t know anything Elena, Leo is only business friends with ''TheBoss'', the two aren''t really chummy, the actions of ''TheBoss'' does not concern our son" Jacob said, as Elena nervously clutched her cooking apron around her neck. "I don''t like our son being friends with such a dangerous guy¡­ but he''s all grown up now, and I can''t even scold him. Jacob¡­ Please talk to him when you can? He doesn''t need to be friends with a Kingyer. Even if he earns a few less gold coins a month it''s okay, but don''t let him stay with a badpany" Elena said, as Jacob nodded his head in agreement. "I''ll talk to him, don''t worry¡­." He said, as his reply made Elena instantly beam into a smile. "Both our kids are kind-hearted and morally decent¡­. All this murder, carnage and this deplorable game world, it doesn''t suit us¡­" Elena continued, as Jacob felt it hard to swallow the food she had cooked when she talked about the game this way. Only Jacob knew that all three of them were dangerous murderers and killers, as all three of them were within the top 10,000 ranks of the game, being three of the strongest yers all around. However, in front of Elena all three of them were as straight as an arrow, not even daring to harm a fly, because they knew better than to upset her. If not for her, Jacob had no doubt in his mind that the three of them were unhinged to their cores, however, any semnce of decency that they had was only because of Elena and the values she instilled in them over the years. Jacob quite enjoyed watching his enemies squirm and die, and he enjoyed the thrill of the hunt as well and somehow, he knew that his children did too. Usually, such individuals became prone to mental instability, however, because of Elena the three of them retained some modicum of decency. She was the guiding light in their lives, however, with the boys not being around her anymore, slowly but surely that light was starting to drift away. ¡ª------ /// A/N - Bonus chapter for hitting the gift target. Gift progress 2730/2500. Which means there will be yet another bonus chapter tomorrow! Counter resets to 230/2500. Special shoutout to patrons AceKing137 for the 2000 coin donation! /// The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 714 Improvement (Leo''s POV) Experience tales with empire Far removed from the intricate strategies devised by yers like ChaosBringer and Cervantez, Leo kept his focus squarely on survival. Navigating treacherous terrain, he pressed forward toward the safety of the rebel-controlled zone, his singr goal being to finally log out of the game after several hours of intense action. [System Notification: Congrattions, yer ''TheBoss,'' for surviving yet another 2 hours within the Empire-controlled zone. You receive +2 levels.] A glowing system notification appeared in Leo''s view, briefly breaking the monotony of his trek. Gazing at the system bar, he allowed himself a soft grin as he found a glimmer of joy amidst the relentless grind. "The only redeeming part of my location being exposed every two hours is getting these +2 levels. At this rate, I''ll hit level 1000 soon enough¡­ and that will certainly be something to see." Leo mused, as he opened his stat panel to check on his progress. ********** TheBoss/Leo Skyshard''s Character Profile Name: TheBoss, Leo Skyshard (Switch) Race: Human (Status: Restricted) Title: [Fake It Till You Make It] (Equipped) ss: Actor (Unique) (Stage: Intermediate) Current Level: 946 [Vital Stats] Health Points (HP): 9650/13050 Mana: 37000/37000 Stamina: 7228/9478 [Core Attributes] Strength: 1634 Agility: 1702 Dexterity: 1602 Intelligence: 1582 Endurance: 1602 Physique: 1603 UNASSIGNED ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 20 [Learned Skills] ?(Copy) (Unique) (Beginner) ?(Vanish) (Legendary) (Advanced) ?(The Kill Strike) (Legendary) (Advanced) ?(Mirror World) (Legendary) (Advanced) ?(Shadow Bind) (Intermediate) [Equipment] Worn Gear: ck Royal G Suit (custom), Virex ck Ops Mask Ben''s Old Assassin Robes Poisoned Dagger (Rare) x2 Assassin''s Daggers x12 Strength Potion (Basic) x2 Smoke Bombs (Rare) x12 Designer Outfit (Rare) Detection Blocker Pocket Watch (Epic) Daggers of Love Set (Epic) Elven Light Chainmail Legendary Light Armor Set Enchanted Boots Aura Ring Nightde Dagger Set [Inventory] Bronze Coins: -63 Silver Coins: 206 Gold Coins: 1,000,020,067 Virex Token (Imperial) x1 Death Evasion Token (???) x1 Mu Family Token x1 Thunder Talisman x1 Hurricane Summon Scroll x1 Chrono Shard x1 Life-Saving Token x1 me Protection Token x1 Snake Charm Crystal x1 ************ His stats reflected his current strength¡ª where none dipped below the impressive 1500 mark. This meant that even under a debilitating 30% strength debuff, every attribute of his would remain well above 1000 which was a testament to his monstrous progress as a yer. "Is this whatpounding really feels like?" Leo mused, a smirk forming. "Fake it till you make it sounded like a cruel joke back when I was stuck fighting for my life every day. But now? Now it''s unstoppable. Those desperate times¡­ maybe they were exactly what I needed to reach this point." Leo muttered to himself as his thoughts drifted to the past. Back when he just started to y the game, survival had once hinged on staying a step ahead of Cervantez and the other rankers to maintain his ruse, forcing Leo to take insane risks that often pushed him beyond his limits. However, what had started as a desperate scramble had snowballed into an unstoppable avnche over the years, eventually bringing him to the point where he was today. ''I can''tin about my journey now¡­ I have no regrets'' Leo thought, as his eyes drifted from his stats to his inventory, where he noticed a key issue. "Only 12 sets of daggers left," Leo muttered, running a hand over his chin. "I came into this mission with over 250. If this keeps up, I might run out of weapons entirely." The toll of recent battles had been severe. Despite salvaging and reusing daggers when possible, his arsenal had dwindled to just 12 sets of daggers now or roughly 144 daggers in total which was a tiny tally for an assassin who had hundreds of opponents constantly on the hunt for him. "If I have to use Amanda''s gift¡­" His expression darkened. "That''ll really piss me off." Leo mused, as just the thought of having to use the Nightde Dagger set or the daggers of love set,pletely pissed him off. *Thump* *Thump* The tter of hooves and distant voices broke through his thoughts, instantly setting him on edge. "He''s on this road! TheBoss''sst known location ces him here!" "The footprints in the mud suggest a solo traveler passed through. He must be close!" "We''ve got 200 men. Use our numbers¡ªoverwhelm him the moment we find him!" The voices of righteous faction yers carried through the air, their determination unmistakable. "It seems like the righteous faction is finally catching up to my path change¡­ trouble will follow me continuously from here till home then" Leo muttered, as he prepared for battle. "It''s him! It''s the Boss!" Said one of the righteous faction yers leading the vanguard, as with Leo not keen on escaping, he let the enemies approach him undeterred. "Someone share the information on the forums that we have found ''TheBoss'', share our live location. And the others fall into formation, we need to fight as one!" said the leader of the group, as many righteous faction yers dismounted and quickly got into battle formation. "Well you''ve found me¡­. Let''s see what you can do with the 35% debuff!" Leo said, as he threw a couple of smoke bombs amidst the group and charged into battle with nothing but two daggers in hand. "Aghh¨C" "Where is he?" "I can''t see nothing¨C" "Jake are you okay?" "Agghhhh" Once the smoke took hold, chaos unfolded as within seconds dozens of yers died. Eventually, a couple minutester, as the smoke dispelled, Leo turned out to be the only yer left alive as he wiped out the party of 200 in just under 2 minutes. "Too easy" he mused, as with the 35% debuff themon yers were no longer a credible challenge to his safety. For him, killing a bunch of level 300-400 yers was no different from fighting children and hence he stopped avoiding them and started ughtering them whenever he came across one such group. ¡ª------ /// A/N - Bonus chapter for hitting the mass release target. Mass release counter 2230/2500. Special shoutout to patron liljay439 for the 2000 coin donation! /// Chapter 715 True Chaos Over the next 12 hours Leo was relentlessly pursued by righteous faction yers, their numbers and determination seemingly endless. His survival was abination of sharp instincts, clever tactics, and sheer grit. He evaded some groups by using [Vanish] and smoke bombs, disoriented others with quick, calcted ambushes, and deftly circled aroundrger patrols to stay ahead of his pursuers. However, despite his best efforts, fatigue had begun to take its toll on his body. The castle fight had left him battered, and with his supply of health and stamina potions depleted, he was out of quick fixes for his degrading physical condition. Towards the end of the gaming day, when the righteous faction yers were to log out once more, the situation degraded for him to the point where every movement feltbored, his muscles screaming with each step as he pushed forward toward the safety of rebel-controlled territory. But the rebel zone was still a day''s journey away, and the weight of exhaustion was bing impossible to ignore. "I''ll have to take a few hours of rest¡­. I can''t continue like this anymore" Leo muttered to himself near the end, as although the night was the best time for him to cover lots of ground when he had no threats chasing him, tonight he was forced to take rest, atleast until a majority of his stamina bar recovered. Leo calcted this to be a necessary sacrifice, as he understood that without resting today, he was sure to fall prey tomorrow. Thankfully though, while Leo struggled, the righteous faction yers fared no better. The deaths of the Emperor and the North Duke spread like wildfire across the empire, throwing the entire righteous faction into disarray. Soldiers and yers alike were debilitated by the stat debuffs, their morale shattered as chaos engulfed the once-organized faction. Even with their numbers, their ability to organize an effective pursuit seemed to be faltering as problems erose for them in every corner. ********* The death of the Emperor and his entire bloodline sent shockwaves through the streets of StrongHaven City, the heart of the Unity Empire. News spread faster than wildfire, whispered in hushed tones at first but soon shouted from rooftops as panic began to set in around the evening following the emperor''s death. "The Emperor is dead! The rebels sent their best¡ªjust one man¡ªand he ughtered them all!" cried a baker, abandoning his stall as customers fled without paying. In the crowded streets, merchants hastily packed their wares, leaving goods and coins scattered on the cobblestones. Children clung to their mothers, crying amidst the chaos, while nobles in gilded carriages shouted orders to their drivers, desperate to escape the chaotic city that could very well soon turn into a failed state. All around, the once-proud capital devolved into a chaotic choir of despair, as rumors spread like poison, each more exaggerated than thest. "I heard ''TheBoss'' didn''t just kill the Emperor¡ªhe killed the Duke of the North too!" "They say he used magic to turn invisible and walk straight into the throne room!" "Invisible? No, no. I heard he killed 5000 guards on his way in and walked out without a scratch!" The city''s heart, its bustling marketce,y in shambles. Stalls overturned, their goods spilling into the streets as the only sounds that could be heard were the shouts of a frightened popce. Amidst this chaos, City guards patrolled the streets in disarray, their usual discipline broken. Some argued over who should takemand, while others shouted at panicking citizens to stay indoors. "Calm yourselves! Order will be restored!" one guard shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of his own uncertainty. But the citizens were far from calm. Rocks and debris were hurled at soldiers in misced anger. While one group of townsfolk surrounded a patrol, shouting usations of ipetence: "You couldn''t even protect the Emperor! How are we supposed to trust you with our lives?" The guards raised their shields, unsure whether to retreat or respond as the tension escted with every second, threatening to erupt into violence. ******* Find your next read at empire (In the Noble Quarter) Behind gilded gates of the noblemunity in StrongHaven, nobles huddled in their manors, whispering among themselves. "This must be rebel propaganda," one baron muttered, pacing the length of hisvish hall. "No one man could breach the pce walls, let alone kill the Emperor." he said, as he refused to beleive the rumors that were floating around, however, the others around him seemed less optimistic. "He''s dead¡­ such rumours would be quelled by now if he wasn''t¡­" said a viscount who looked like he had lost his soul. "If the Emperor is truly dead, what stops the rebels from marching here next?" another noblewoman hissed, her knuckles white as she clutched her pearls. In the end, a decision was made to send emissaries to the remaining loyal generals to prepare a convoy to escape the city, but the nobles argued over who should go, none willing to leave the safety of their manors. The name ''TheBoss'' was on every tongue, whispered in fear and awe alike. "One man versus an empire¡­ Is he even human?" "The rebels will win now. With ''TheBoss'' on their side, there''s no stopping them." ********* (Meanwhile in the slums) As the city unraveled, banners bearing the Emperor''s crest were torn down by angry citizens in the slims, reced with crude symbols of rebellion and photos of ''TheBoss'' that were once ced there during his time at the grand tournament. The downtrodden, who were already discontent with the status quo, saw this as an opportunity for change and decided to support the rebel leader wholeheartedly as with the Emperor dead, they became the first to embrace the change. The golden age of the Unity Empire seemed to crumble in real time, its foundation shaking beneath the weight of a single assassin''s de. The chaos was far from over, but one truth echoed through the streets¡­. That StrongHaven would never be the same again, now that the Evanus bloodline was at an end. Chapter 716: True Chaos (2) Chapter 716: True Chaos (2) Chapter 716: True Chaos (2) The chaos across the Empire did not affect the NPCs alone, as yers also faced major difficulties. For the righteous faction yers, the aftermath of the Emperor¡¯s death was nothing short of catastrophic, as in just a single day¡¯s time with the news of the emperor¡¯s death spreading, the capital city came to a screeching halt. StrongHaven City, which had once been an organized and thrivingwork of the games strongest guilds and the single location to obtain the games best NPC quests now seemed like a crumbling empire¡ªboth figuratively and literally. The first and most immediate problem that the yers encountered was the sudden refusal of NPC workers to cooperate. cksmiths, who had loyally forged weapons and armor for guilds, closed their shops without exnation. Miners tasked with collecting vital resources abandoned their work posts, leaving the service of guilds that employed them in a mass strike. Couriers, who once ran across cities delivering important messages and goods for yers, simply vanished without a trace as the copse of critical infrastructure took ce right before the yers eyes. However, as if the situation was not bad enough with the infrastructure copse, the second blow came with the abrupt copse of all government services. The royal bounty boards, a vital source of ie and rewards for yers, stood bare. A red notification hung over the boards dering that the ¡®Service Is Temporarily Unavable¡¯, as Quest-givers who once offered lucrative missions to yers were nowhere to be found. ¡°What the hell! I had an ongoing quest to submit 7 archaic spider fangs¡­ it was going to pay me 30 gold and lots of experience, however, the quest can no longer be submitted! I¡¯ve been working on it for 15 fucking days¡­¡± one yerined, as suddenly he realized that he could not turn his quest in anymore. Even the stables where one could hire horses to travel out of the city, a service that was almost never out of horses usually, now ran out of horses to rent as they too abruptly closed shop. This turn of events, unfortunately left millions of yers stranded in StrongHaven City, as there were many who had flocked to the city just to take part in the historic hunt of ¡®TheBoss¡¯, however, they now found themselves suddenly cut off from their guildmates and supplies, unable to travel to outposts where reinforcements were desperately needed. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± one yer shouted in frustration, banging on the locked doors of the stable farm. ¡°I was supposed to report back to Ipswich town! How am I supposed to move now?¡± Another yer, equally exasperated, replied, ¡°You think that¡¯s bad? My escort quest failed because the NPC just up and left! I didn¡¯t even get to turn it in!¡± Finally, on top of everything else, the streets themselves turned extremely dangerous for the yers. NPC guards, already spread thin, were unable to maintain order amidst the chaos as groups of looters roamed freely, ambushing yers and NPCs alike. For righteous faction yers, this addedyer of danger made even the simplest tasks perilous. Quests that required moving through city streets became an ordeal, with yers having to fight off mobs of angry citizens or bandits. However, perhaps the most surprising bacsh came from the NPCmoners. The righteous faction guilds¡¯ decision to loot flour and grain for their defense strategies hade back to haunt them in spectacr fashion, as the moment the Emperor died, so did the patience of themoners. In the slums, furious NPCs stormed guild outposts, demanding justice. As at the Sunspire Vanguard guildhall, one of the stronger guilds within StrongHaven, whose members had partaken in the looting, a mob of farmers gathered, their anger palpable. ¡°You took our grain to scatter on the streets!¡± one old man shouted, shaking his fist. ¡°You called it a strategy, but what about us? Our children go hungry while you y war!¡± Rocks and debris rained down on the guildhall¡¯s windows, shattering the ss as yers inside scrambled to figure out how to respond. ¡°Do we fight them?¡± one guild member asked nervously, clutching his weapon. ¡°No, you idiot!¡± another barked back. ¡°If we attack the NPCs, the entire faction¡¯s morale will plummet further. Just stay inside!¡± his superior replied, as the guild members were forced to hole up within their headquarters, unable toe out. ****** (Meanwhile on the forums) Across the forums, yers from the righteous faction shared in the rising frustration and fear as the situation only seemed to go from bad to worse. ¡°What¡¯s happening to this game? I can¡¯t evenplete basic quests anymore!¡± ¡°This is all because of TheBoss! If we don¡¯t stop him, the righteous faction is finished.¡± ¡°We cannot hunt TheBoss when there¡¯s trouble at home¡­ the unrest that started from the capital will soon spread to every corner of Empire controlled territories. If we don¡¯t contain it, all the guilds currently holdingnds will find it hard to maintain control¡± ¡°If we kill ¡®TheBoss¡¯, all of this mess will probably solve itself¡­¡± A heated discussion took ce on the forums, with one faction suggesting that the only way out of this mess was to double down and hunt ¡®TheBoss¡¯ at any cost, however, not not everyone was convinced they could stop him. ¡°Kill him? He¡¯s already won. We¡¯re down 35% in stats. The NPCs hate us. What chance do we even have?¡± The more rational side replied, as many rejected the notion of partaking in yet another grand hunt, after their past failures and decided to cut losses by managing the bad situation as best as they could. As the chaos continued to unfold, one truth became increasingly clear, that the righteous faction was no longer just losing a war¡ªit was falling apart from within. A majority of the yers struggled to keep their guilds afloat, as the rebels prepared to take advantage of the crumbling empire. Yet, despite how bad the situation looked already, the fact of the matter was, that the righteous faction¡¯s real nightmare was actually only beginning. ¡ª¡ª¡ª- /// Bonus chapter for hitting the mass release target. We were at 2230, and we have recieved 4050 coins in gifts. The counter resets at 3780/2500. Special shoutout to StanleyKun and Haiiko for the 1000 coin gifts. And Huuhhhh for the 2000 coin gift!/// Chapter 717 Almost Home ( Leo''s POV ) After resting for roughly 6 hours and rejuvenating his stamina bar back to maximum, Leo began to slowly make his way back towards the rebel controlled territory at a pace which did not deplete his stamina. He enjoyed roughly 4 hours of nearly uninterrupted walking through the serene early morning scenery of the game, as he enjoyed the sunrise over the neighbouring farm fields and managed to cross a minor vige before the yers logged-in yet again. Leo now had to cover roughly 20 hours of journey on foot to reach the safety of rebel controlled territory which meant that if he could survive the tide of yersing after him through the traditional gaming day, even if he was slow and made little progress, he could still definitely reach his destination by midnight, finally putting an end to his crazy adventure. "One final push¡­" he muttered, steeling his resolve as he began to jog yet again, with the first notification of the day being the same one that exposed his location yet again. ********** Aware of his ability to move through the night now, the righteous faction yers quickly understood that if they failed to hunt him tonight, Leo was going to make it back to the safe-zone by tomorrow, which meant that it was a now or never for those who dreamed to hunt him. However, for roughly 70% of the righteous yers who were nowhere near his current location and could not reach in-time, the dream to hunt him down was already over, as only those who were tracking him from the start and were close-by, now stood a chance to finally mount a resistance. "TheBoss still has to cross Redallion Town to reach the safe-zone. No matter what subroute he takes, all paths eventually converge at Redallion Town, and hence any meaningful ambush can only be set-up there" An analyst wrote on the forums as after analysing Leo''s path thoroughly, he came to the conclusion that Leo was headed for Redallion Town. ording to him and a host of other experts, Leo was enroute to reach Redallion Town in 6 hours time, giving righteous faction yers in the area ample time to assemble and set-up an ambush. "Alone or in small parties of 100-400 people, we stand no chance against ''TheBoss''. If 1400 top rankers failed to defeat him during the event, 2000mon yers are most definitely not going to. The only shot we have is to gather at Redallion and take down ''TheBoss'' with a force of 10,000 men or more" A yer wrote, as his post became upvoted and shared by thousands. Slowly but surely, support for the ambush at Redallion grew, as a thousand¡­five thousand¡­.. ten and soon twenty thousand men assembled at the ce. The news of the Emperor''s death had sent the small town on its edge, however, surprisingly it remained one of the few ces across the Empire wherew and order did not copsepletely. The local NPC authorities and local guard were sessful in enforcing a curfew, managing the riot situation sessfully, however, the situation still remained extremely vtile. Hence, when thousands of armed yers suddenly flooded to the town, tensions began to re as themon NPC''s did not take kindly to the foreign presence. Hours passed by, and roughly around 40 minutes before ''TheBoss'' was scheduled to arrive at the ce, a small fight broke out between the righteous faction yers and the NPCmoners, as a bunch of small kids pelted stones at a group of undisciplined yers, who angrily retaliated by restraining and hurting the boys. This small incident, when witnessed by themon popce, sparked an immediate unrest as riots broke out town wide. Commoners began shing with the yers on the streets, as farmers and housewives armed with sickles and kitchen knives began demanding that the foreigners begone from theirnds. The towns mayor and local guards, also turned against the yers, asking them to observe the curfew and not patrol the streets armed, which led to the yers fighting back against the NPC''s, making the situation turn from bad to worse. For the yers, this was theirst shot at taking down ''TheBoss'', and they could not observe a curfew under any circumstances, however, the local authorities were not willing to take ''No'' for an answer. Unfortunately, this led to a situation where by the time Leo reached the town, the yers became too busy to even locate him, as he navigated the chaotic streets with ease and bypassed the town with his excellent hiding skills, managing to get around thest yer holdout. An hourter, as his location was revealed yet again and the yers realized that he went past Redallion, all hope finally seemed lost, as apart from a few extremely determined and delusional people, all else lost hope to catch him. "It''s over¡­. We have lost¨C" "In the end I guess it was just never meant to be" "I guess it wasn''t ''TheBoss'' who won. It was ''We'' who lost" Sad messages like these flooded the forums, as the morale of the righteous faction yers hit a rock bottom. For Leo, thest day of his journey which he anticipated to be the most difficult, surprisingly turned out to be the most quiet as apart from killing a few hundred weak yers, he encountered no major trouble at all! In the end, by the time the normal gaming day ended, he was only a few dozen miles away from safety, as he could almost breathe the freedom from where he was. "I''ve done it¡­. I''ve achieved the impossible!!!" He said to himself, clutching his fists, as only now did he let himself believe that he was going to make it¡­. That he was going to win against all odds. Stay connected via empire ¡ª----- /// Bonus chapter for hitting the gift target, the previous tally was 3780/2500 which now resets to 1280/2500. Let''s go guys! We arepletely on fire today¨C /// The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!