The morning sun filtered through the hazy skies of Earth, gleaming off the towering metal spires that cut the skyline like broken blades. Sho flicked his panel, bringing up a private line.
> [Call Initiated: AL]
"Yo!."You're alive," came the lazy voice on the other end. AL's tone was casual, almost bored—but Sho knew the truth,Behind that lazy tone ,AL had ears everywhere—he knew every bit of news and information around the globe."
"I need info. Let's meet," Sho said briefly.
A few minutes later, in a dingy ramen bar tucked behind a dusty VR parlor—smelling of broth, spice, and backchannel deals—set the stage. Sho sat at a corner table as steam curled from two bowls of miso.
"You've been decided?, " AL said, slurping soup. "You finally gonna join a guild or what?"
Sho didn't answer directly.
"Tell me about the guilds."
AL leaned back and grinned. "Four major guilds run the show so far. Government only officially funds the National Players Guild—think of it as a way to maintain unity and prevent chaos."
"Four major guilds?.."
"Yep. Real monsters run them. And I mean that literally."
He tapped his Panel with information about the guilds, Maked his panel showed to friends.
Al opened his system panel then shared a panel to sho , a panel full of guild info popped up on sho.."
🏋️ Four Major Guilds
🧊[Aetherlight Dominion ]
•Guild Leader: Sevria Icelorne (❄️ Cryo Archmage) – a tactical genius known as the Ice Queen.
•Right Hand (Vice Leader): Lucien Vale (🧸 Ice Apostle) – master of mana suppression and field control.
•Left Hand (Vice Leader): Vio Seirra (🌀 Gravity Warper) – blindfolded, controls space manipulation.
👹[Beasthelm Guild]
•Guild Leader: Ragnar "Howlking" Dreiss (🐺 Apex Lycan) – known to have cleared a full D-Class floor solo.
•Right Hand: Kael Wildfang (🐅 Beast Shifter) – loud shirts, louder punches.
•Left Hand: Mira Thornjaw (🐍 Venom Dancer) – lethal charm, poisons for blood.
🛡️[Iron Halo]
•Guild Leader: Dame Callis Verdan (🛡️ Iron Paladin) – battlefield commander with an indestructible core.
•Right Hand: Ryze Etren (⚙️ Tactile Engineer) – creates mana constructs mid-battle.
•Left Hand: Eyla Venn (🗡️ Mirror Sentinel) – reflects power with her Mirrorblade.
🌐[ National Players Guild (NPG) ]
•Guild Leader: General Artemis Raye (🔫 Chrono Enforcer) – manipulates time in combat.
•Right Hand: Nathaniel "Stats" Kwon (📊 Analyst) – predicts battles with AI-enhanced foresight.
•Left Hand: Sgt. "Brick" O'Malley (🪝 Wallmaster) – immovable tank with a named shield, Matilda.
Sho nodded slowly.,stood, sliding on his coat. "Take me to the assessment building. I'm getting ranked."
🏛️Government Rank Test Facility
The entrance buzzed with players—some wide-eyed rookies, others hardened climbers. Recruiters stood like vultures in clean coats. Screens displayed current assessments and power stats.
But when Sho stepped through the gate—
Silence.
An unnatural hush blanketed the air. A few turned.Lucien Vale looked up from across the room.
From a distance, Lucien, narrowed his sharp golden eyes.
"That aura..." he muttered.
Beside him, Kael—tall, tanned, ripped, and wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt—cracked his knuckles. "I felt that too."
Lucien stepped forward, approaching the new arrival. He walked slowly, as if the air around Sho itself was resisting his steps.
Lucien stopped just beside him. His cold aura prickled against the skin.
"Suppress it," he whispered.
Sho blinked. "...ahh my bad."
Kael laughed. "First-timer, huh?"
Sho smirked.
A nearby staff noticed. "You don't know who you're talking to? That's Lucien, Vice Leader of Aetherlight. Ice-class S-rank. And that's Kael, Beastrank's muscle."
Sho gave a casual nod. "Cool."
Before anyone could ask more, a rookie appeared behind him—tall, smug, sipping juice with a loud slurp. He purposely bumped Sho's shoulder. The juice splashed slightly onto his back.
"Yo, you're in my spot," the rookie said smugly. "Didn't think a normal person would be here..."
Sho turned slowly. "Ah... sorry. Go ahead."
"Damn right. Learn your place weakling."
Sho smiled. "Even weaklings get to line up, right?"
Lucien on the other side tilted his head inspecting sho. "No mana trace… even beasts have some."
Kael's smirk widened. "So what is he, then?"
[ The Rank Test]
Inside the assessment chamber, Sho stood shirtless before a suspended orb glowing with runic light. The attendant gave a curt nod.
"Inhale. Exhale. Release aura. Steady pulse."
Sho placed his hand inside. Liquid silk.
> 🔵 Blue… 🟢 Green… 🗾 Yellow… 🟠 Orange… 🔴 Red…
The orb pulsed. Then—
> 🕾️ Purple.
"...A-rank," the attendant whispered, stunned.
A loud beep followed. A printed card slid out from a side port.
Sho grabbed his ID, slipped his shirt back on, and walked out casually.
Outside, the rookie who mocked him was celebrating.
"A-rank, baby! From Aetherlight!"
Others clapped and whispered.
But then someone saw Sho's ID.
"Wait... he's A-rank too?!"
The rookie turned pale. "This guy?!"
Kael let out a whistle. "Thought he'd hit S, to be honest."
Lucien frowned. "Or higher."
Sho passed them both.
Kael raised a hand. "Join Beastrank, black coat. We need your flavor."
Lucien flicked a card toward him. "Or Aetherlight. Precision over chaos."
Sho caught the card without looking.
"Sorry. I'm solo. Not into group fights."
He vanished into the air.
"…Where'd he go?" a guard asked.
Kael laughed. "Now that's interesting."
Lucien's golden eyes stayed locked on the exit.
"Well keep watching. That one's not ordinary."
[End of Chapter]