Second World

”Thatʼs why we will have no worry even if we place strict requirements for those outer members,” John said. ”Many will want to take their places if they quit. Also, there is another thing that had caused many independent players to flock to us.”

”Oh? What other thing?” Jack asked.

”Because one of the leaders of our guild is the Demon of Crestfall Plain. Since that time when your rumor started going around and when you beat all the challengers. You have gotten rather famous. Many have wanted to become your friends, but they are afraid. Now that they could be in the same guild as you, they can be a part of your group without having to face you directly.”

”Wait a minute… Why are they afraid of me?” Jack asked in confusion.

”Because there has been a nasty rumor about you killing most of your friends for even a small offense, like looking at you in the wrong way, talking too loud at you, and such.”

”What bullshit is that? Which a*shole spread that kind of rumor?”

”Yours truly,” John said.

”What the…! Why did you do that?!”

”Do you prefer to getting swarm by all those players every step of the way when you are in town? I did this for your sake!”

”Uh, if you put it that way, then I guess I have to thank you,” Jack said. But after a while, he added. ”I find it difficult to believe you do it for my sake. Tell me the truth, why do you spread that nasty rumor.”

John shrugged, ”call it a fit of irritation. Everyone kept on saying that the coalition was beaten back solely because of you. Did no one remember that it was my brilliant strategy that was the one that had defeated the coalition?”

”Peh! Such a narrow-minded strategist,” Jack spat.

”Iʼm still smarter than you!” John retorted.

”Iʼm still stronger than you!” Jack shot back.

”Well, if you guys are done quibbling. Can we please get back to the serious matter?” Jeanny said. ”With the situation where we are the only one with guild headquarter, we have no competitor. We have to capitalize on it as best as we can. And from what Peniel told us, there will be more benefits with later structures. As long as we can keep this headquarter for ourselves, we donʼt need to worry about our guildʼs future. Thatʼs why we need to do all we can to defend it. With additional members, we will also have sufficient player army in addition to our Squire troops.”

”Thatʼ right,” John agreed. ”Even if some of those players canʼt be trusted, we can always put them in the front line as cannon fodder.”

”Why do you always have to make everything sound so bad?” Jeanny complained.

”Great… Hey, by the way, where is the fun part of our tenet?” Jack asked.

John gave him a glance before saying, ”The core members have no obligation. Even if they donʼt contribute, they wonʼt get kicked out of the guild. So they can have as much fun as they like. Satisfy?”

”Thatʼs more like it. Games should have more freedom,” Jack grinned.

”Freedom is overrated. Do you know what total freedom is? Chaos! I donʼt like you? Then I am free to kill you as long as I am powerful enough. Do you want to live in a free society like that? Civilization was born out of rules and regulations. It is the tool we create to combat the freedom that bred chaos.”

”But too many rules will make you a dictator. Who would want to leave in a society like that?” Jack countered.

”Thatʼs why we have to maintain a balance. Are we going to debate about philosophy here?” Jeanny mediated. ”Letʼs get back to the matter at hand. If we give such leniency to the core members, wonʼt that create jealousy with the outer and inner members?”

”Donʼt worry. If they complain, we just send Storm their way to straighten them up,” John said. ”He is the one that insisted on fun, so he will be the one that takes care of the consequences.”

”No problem. Anyone dare to complain, I will whoop their asses!” Jack declared.

Jeanny shook her head helplessly.

Jack then told them about Silverwing and William of Wellingtonʼs proposal for an alliance. John said he would think about this further. If they went into an alliance, a ground rule would have to be decided. Jack was never good with political relationships, so he said he would let the two of them decide on it. He however vouched for Silverwing and told them that he could be trusted.

Jeanny also mentioned that he might try to make peace with Wicked Witches. She was after all an ex-member of that guild. It would not be good if their two guilds are enemies.

Jack told her that with Queen Magentaʼs personality, it would be a hard sell. Not to mention that guild was in a coalition that had been in conflict with most members of their guild in the past. Jack said not to expect too much friendliness from that guild.

He, however, also told her that if possible, tried to poach Selena or other competent Wicked Witches members to their guild. Jeanny replied by rolling her eyes at him.

Jack left Peniel with John and Jeanny as he went outside to grind monsters around the Heavenly Citadel. The headquarter was still located in the wilderness, so there were monsters wandering around in the vicinity.

Yet, the monstersʼ levels were not as high level as the Bandit Outpostʼs outlaws, those outlaws had been boosted due to the outpost upgrade from small to normal-sized. The natural level of the monsters around this part was around level 25-30, mostly populated by the Earth Salamanders which Jack had fought before he discovered the Bandit Outpost in the past.

He met with The Manʼs team. Some were playing bodyguards to the workers who were constructing the barrack, some were escorting the two workers who were harvesting food from the grassland and forest nearby. With their level and number, dealing with the normal monsters around this part was not a problem. It was a good exp gathering activity as well.

He also saw Fierce Flame with them. Her Savage Wind Wolf was dashing around the slow Earth Salamanders as it dodged their acid breath. Once in a while the wolf body turned into a blur as it blitz around the salamander, damage number appeared as it performed its blitz attacks. The salamanders were so distracted by the Savage Wind Wolf that Flame just stood in her place and kept shooting arrows at the salamanders like nobodyʼs business.

This was the first time he had seen the Savage Wind Wolf in action. All the time before when they were together in the expedition and during the raid on the Bandit Outpost, they had always fought against a much higher level of monsters, so Flame never summoned her pet out to fight. Now that Jack saw their coordination, he admitted that a strong pet could indeed enhance an Archerʼs prowess by a large deal.

Jack said a brief hi to all of them before rushing away. He ran around slaying any monsters he encountered. He made sure not to wander too far otherwise Peniel would get teleported to him.

The next morning, the four met again in the Guild Hall before Jack took off.

”So, what did you talk about last night?” Jack asked the three.

”Guild business, something a bogus leader like you had no need to know of,” John replied.

Jeanny giggled. ”Apart from discussing more features of this guild headquarters, we were also preparing a guide for the members.”

”A guide?”

”Yes, a general guide on this world, the advanced classes, the elite classes, and the standard skills of these classes. Some more detailed explanations for special kinds of skills like an Archerʼs Pet Taming skill. Also where to go to change class, what to prepare. About factions. Somethings like that.”

John then added, ”of course, we donʼt give this guide to just everyone. Outer members will not get any guide. Only inner members can see this guide, but even then it will only be general guides. Something that I believe other guilds are also already privy to. The more detailed guide will only be available to our core members. These core members will be our main strength, so we need them to help them improve as fast as possible.”

”Great, then I will leave the guild in your two capable hands,” Jack announced.

The two didnʼt respond, they just gave him a cold look.

”Come on, Iʼm not bailing. I really have to go because I have something important to do,” Jack said. ”Here, I will donate these coins to the guild. Take it as compensation for my absence, okay?”

Jack opened his guild status window and did the donation. John and Jeanny opened their guild window as well. When they saw the number of coins entered, both of their eyes bulged out.

”That was generous of you,” Peniel commented as she sat on Jackʼs head.

Jack had donated 100 gold coins, earning 1000 contribution points in exchange. He didnʼt have much use of the contribution points at this time, but he figured the guild would require the coins for fast development. Although the squire would not need coins for upkeep, they still required coins when recruiting, so this donation should give John and Jeanny an easier time to plan ahead.

”Well, in this case, you are forgiven,” John said. ”Now scram. We will call you again if we need something.”

”Thank you, Storm. You take care of yourself. Donʼt be too reckless,” Jeanny said.

”I will. You take good care of yourself as well,” Jack said to Jeanny, purposefully ignoring John.

”Asking him to not be reckless is the same as talking to a brick wall,” Peniel commented.

”No one asked you,” Jack said to the fairy.

😉