The guild hall in 123 was smaller than those in other cities, consisting of just one floor and functioning mainly as a bar. Players and NPCs visited for food and drinks, which was my primary reason for being there. I also needed to join a guild. Enchanters, like myself, are less useful at lower ranks.
I'm only Rank 1, and enchanting skills get infinitely more complicated as you climb the ranks. Each rank consists of tens or even hundreds of simplified spells.
Mana_Binding and Activation_ are the stepping stones of enchanter skills. For example, you might use Mana_Binding to create a sword that only you can unsheathe or a ring that only you can remove. That ring could grant immunity to spells but I haven't reached that level yet. Immunities are Rank 6.
Mana_Binding and Activation_ are the stepping stones of enchanter skills. For example, you might use Mana_Binding to create a sword that only you can unsheathe or a ring that only you can remove. That ring could grant immunity to spells but I haven't reached that level yet. Immunities are Rank 6.
The room was dim and had a creepy vibe, with an air of shady deals and secretive business. The walls were plastered with bounties for players, NPCs, and guilds, ranging from 1 copper to 5 platinum. The thought of such money was tempting.
The dark wood bar is cracked on the right side. The crack splinters outward, but it is covered in a slick wax coating.
The server at the front wore a sleek black suit, his black hair neatly styled, mirroring the polished appearance of the NPCs I had seen before. An emblem adorned his chest. A finely crafted compass with a prominent southward point. Each tip of the compass ended in a diamond, all colorless except for the one pointing south, which glowed with a deep green hue.
A symbol. An Emblem.
An emblem of the World Guild.
On the wall behind the bartender, I spot a bounty slip pinned beneath a rusted nail. The paper is yellowed at the edges and soft from age, like hundreds of hands have brushed past it without ever bothering to take it down. A faint layer of dust clings to its surface, and the corners curl inward as if the parchment is trying to hide itself.
The hand drawn portrait in the center is rough but unmistakable. Grey hair that falls in sharp strands over one eye. Red eyes that look like they could cut straight through whoever sketched them. The artist even tried shading the cheekbones, giving the face a sharpness that makes the picture feel almost alive.
The paper reads:
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Bounty Notice
Target: Sho
Description: Sho stands with sharp grey hair that frames her red eyes. She has no scars or other noticeable marks. She is the leader of the guild named after her, a guild she created to house her family and friends. She is the current rank 3 player.
Powers and Mana: Sho holds the second highest recorded mana in the world. She favors wind magic and uses it with overwhelming precision and destructive force.
Details: The target is considered extremely dangerous. For this bounty, the target must be sealed or killed. No alternatives are accepted.
Current Bounty: 25 Platinum upon proof of completion.
Additional Note: The target was last sighted entering the northern caverns on Floor Six. Do not attempt this bounty alone. Ask the bartender for additional power information and updated location data.
Report any information or capture directly to the nearest Guild office.
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I stare at it for a moment, imagining someone actually trying to cash this in. After reading the paper, I chuckle to myself. Who would be dumb enough to try that?
A group of four people approached me, each with a different weapon: one with a bow, one with a spear, one with a sword, and one with a wand. They seemed like seasoned fighters.
"Did you hear? G2 told the other top guilds not to fight the boss on floor 6," said the one with the wand, pointing at a bounty on the wall behind the bartender.
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Bounty Notice
Guild: G2
Description: G2 is a guild with five members. The members of G2 are hereby declared enemies of the realm. Known for their dangerous activities and illicit operations, every individual associated with this guild is considered highly dangerous.
Powers and Mana: Each member specializes in a specific form of magic.
Details: For this bounty, the targets may be killed, captured, or sealed. Dead or alive is accepted.
Current Bounty: One Platinum Coin per member.
Additional Note: Approach with extreme caution. These individuals are moderately skilled. The targets were last seen near their base on the fields of Alva on Floor One.
Ask the bartender for additional details, power information, and updated location data.
Report any sightings or captures directly to the nearest Guild office.
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"I heard they want the experience," the one with the sword added.
"They've become enemies of the guild," the spear wielder said. "So they can't sell the drops and make money."
"I wonder what happened," the bow user mused. "They even have a high bounty. 1 platinum per member."
"How many members do they have?" the wand user asked.
"Five," replied the bow user.
"Five? They're no better than a party. We could definitely get that bounty," the sword user said, laughing as the bartender brought their drinks.
"Good luck with that," I said sarcastically.
They looked at me, puzzled. "Why?" the spear user asked.
"They're still in the top ten, according to RG. They must be insanely strong. You'd need a team of five just to bring one of them down," I said with a laugh, slamming my drink on the table and tossing a handful of twenty copper coins onto it.
A passerby catches my attention and asks, "Bartender, can you tell us about G2?" The bartender freezes for a moment, cleaning a glass.
"Ah, you want to know about G2, do you? Well, listen closely, because these aren't just any players.
Reyna, they call her the Crimson Shogun. She always leads the group, red eyes sharp enough to dare anyone to step up. Blade in one hand, revolver in the other, and fire magic like you've never seen. She's a dual threat, no question.
Viri, the Executioner, stands right beside her. Quiet, unshakable. Deep green eyes, earth magic that hits like a hammer. Shotgun, sword, daggers… you name it. Her title isn't for show; she carries out the Shogun's deadliest orders without hesitation.
Seraphina is the Permafrost. Light green hair that gleams white under light, a mask nobody's ever seen lifted, and a spear paired with a sniper rifle. She pins enemies at any distance, and let me tell you, you do not want to meet her face to face.
Tenshi, known as Angel, is… different. Sapphire eyes that glow, healing allies, punishing foes. Revolver and staff. It doesn't seem like much at first, but in her hands it's divine. Precision, power, and mercy all in one.
And then there's Eli, Skyshatter. Blonde hair, cool blue eyes, moves like a shadow. Hard to say what kind of magic she favors, or even how she earned that name. She's an enigma.
Funny story … on the 23rd, right in the early days of the high human arrival, the entire right side of the city froze overnight. NPCs claimed it was magic gone wrong, but players still whisper about it. Whatever happened, it put G2 on everyone's map, and now their legend is spreading fast."
"Ha, with a reputation like that, you'd be better off going after a simpler target," I say, pointing to a 141 silver bounty on the wall for a guildless player named
"Selene Oberon."
"Why don't you join us then?" the sword user suggested, causing me to lose focus. "We could definitely take one of them down."
"I'm just an enchanter," I replied. "I'm not good at fighting and more importantly I'm not interested in killing other humans."
I left the guild hall as the sun was setting. The city was illuminated by the moon, slowly rising in the sky. Despite its small size, 123 was where I had started. Every morning, I would sell my slime drops to NPCs or the guild.
I was managing a relatively good living on Floor 1, but I wanted more. I wanted my own house and to be useful to a guild. I kept gazing at the moon as it rose, and when it was fully dark, my glasses with Night Vision activated, allowing me to see clearly. I chuckled at how ineffective my enchantments were.
Night_Vision, Mana_Binding, Mana_Activation, Mana_Thread, and Light_Step each were as useless as the previous.
Night_Vision let me see in the dark,
Mana_Binding was used to bind enchantments,
Mana_Activation only worked if a specific mana signature was applied,
Mana_Thread slightly improved durability, and Light_Step made my footsteps quieter. It was no wonder no one wanted me; my class felt useless.
To join a guild, I knew I needed to learn more, learn better enchantments, and improve my skills.
"Floor_2"