NPCs aren't commonly included in player counts. A guild may have ten high-ranking humans, ten powerful players, and still employ hundreds of NPCs working behind the scenes.
The High Order is the name given to the top ten guilds. These guilds are home to the strongest players, the most powerful individuals who shape the world. While I haven't personally met every player from these guilds, I've heard countless stories from Rei. Players have developed very different views about the guilds, and Rei's tales paint a mixed picture of their influence.
Ascend, led by Teruki's brother, is an elite and ruthless guild infamous for crushing opposition. It recruits only the strongest players, and its leader ranks second in the world.
Black Cats operate from the shadows. This guild thrives on deception, ambushes, and robbery. A while back, they stole a valuable gem from the capital, yet no evidence was ever found. No one knows who leads this guild, though rumors are plentiful.
Sho is a tight-knit band of friends and family following the strongest player. While most of Sho's guildmates are weaker compared to other guilds, Sho's immense strength more than compensates.
10 Slayers is a deadly squad of ten fighters, each a master of their craft. Pendant holds the ninth position. No one knows exactly how the players are ranked. Some say by strength, others by usefulness.
Order stands as a bastion of unwavering resolve. Rei never tells me much about them, and I'm not even sure they attend the first summit.
Mana is the rival of the Crusaders. This guild consists entirely of spellcasters wielding devastating magic. I've met their leader once, and she is as terrifying as Sho. When it comes to magic, no one surpasses her.
Our Guild ranks seventh. We aren't the strongest or the best, yet we fight hard to claim our spot.
Crusaders are a group with unwavering faith in their leader, Adrian Kundra, one of the best combatants in the tower. He is younger than I expected.
The Reapers are a ruthless guild known for hunting and killing rival guild members. They thrive on chaos and conflict, striking fear into anyone who dares cross their path.
RG controls the ranking system and assigns guild statuses throughout the world. No one knows how they gain this much power or how they integrate so seamlessly with the people of this world.
Finally, we ascended to the top floor and walked to Reyna's room. She beckons Adrian to sit while I stand beside her. Another spider crawls in the corner, and I hope no one notices.
I can't tell if it's the same spider as before or a different one.
Rei speaks, jolting me back to my senses.
"Diplomacy is a very peculiar thing, isn't it?" Rei says.
Adrian smiles. "You're right," he replies. "At the end of the day, we're all just young adults thrown into this mess."
She nods. "That's why it's imperative we strike a deal that benefits both of our guilds."
"This is the first time I've had to handle something like this, so I apologize if I come off as too demanding."
"What are your demands?" she asks.
"I promised Viri that I'd support your guild," Adrian says. His voice darkens. "But I want to know the details of the deal you made with Ascend."
Rei shakes her head and sighs.
"The other guilds know about the deal," Adrian continues, "but not the specifics."
Will she tell anyone? I wonder to myself.
Rei seems hesitant, so Adrian adds, "I won't tell anyone, whether we work together or not."
Rei exhales slowly. "The deal is... if we don't beat the tenth floor first, we'll disband."
Adrian freezes, placing a hand on his face. "Why would you agree to that? Especially with Valen involved?"
"Luckily," Rei says, "Valen is letting us attempt the boss first."
"What do you gain from making a deal like that?" Adrian asks.
"Valen doesn't believe we can protect Tenshi."
"So if you win, Tenshi stays here…" Adrian mutters. "It's not a bad deal. It avoids a challenge with Valen and his guild."
"And what if he goes back on his word?"
"Then hopefully, another guild will step in to support us."
"Sho might," Adrian says. "She's always ready for a fight. But I doubt Sovereign or RG would get involved. They have too much to lose."
"Well," Rei smiles, "What about you?"
"Of course," Adrian answers. "Though I highly doubt I could take Valen."
"I was thinking we could face him together," Rei suggests.
"And what makes you believe that would work?" Adrian asks with a laugh.
"Look at this," Rei says, handing him an orb.
The purple orb glows in his hands before projecting a screen that hovers in the air.
"Is this a memory?" Adrian asks.
"Indeed," She confirms.
The memory engraved in the orb shows our fight with Sho.
-------
(From Reyna's Perspective)
"OverSoul_Phoenix_Flames," I etch into the air.
The moment the command forms, I ignite. My skin glows like molten gold, my hair thrashing wildly like a storm of fire.
I'm not just wielding fire. I am fire.
Heat ripples off me, distorting the air. The ground blackens beneath my feet. Then, with a single burst, I launch forward. The world blurs past me as I streak through the air like a blazing comet.
I barely register Sho's reaction before our weapons clash. Her steel met my flame. Sparks explode outward. She surges back, summoning a gust of wind that pushes me away, but I twist through it, flames coiling tighter around me.
I'm faster. Stronger. Unrelenting.
She throws up a defensive barrier, layers of mana thick enough to repel most attacks. I don't slow down. The fire surges from me in a wave, tearing through her defenses like parchment. The air ripples with heat. I see her flinch as the searing pain catches up to her.
I cut a burning arc through the sky, twisting my body mid-air. My flames push me forward again. Sho barely dodges, her barriers flickering against the relentless blaze. She retaliates with a precise strike.
A clean, practiced motion.
I burst to the side, redirecting myself with a blast of fire. My fist connects.
Sho stumbles back, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
But it's not enough.
I pull deeper. The fire inside me shifts, twisting from bright orange to an eerie, unnatural blue. The heat sears my veins like molten glass. My breath turns ragged. The flames aren't just magic anymore … They're me.
I burn away my own strength, my own life, to keep the fire raging.
Sho barely has time to react before I strike again. Faster. Stronger. My power pours out of me, carving through her barriers as if they don't exist. Her sword arm trembles under the weight of my attack.
I hover above her, flames writhing around me like a living inferno. Power crackles in my outstretched hand.
"It's over," I sneer.
Sho doesn't move. She just... hovers there, her gaze sharp and unreadable.
Why isn't she scared?
Then I feel it.
Pressure.
An unseen force tightening the air.
Sho's grin fades. She inhales sharply, pulling from reserves I didn't know she had. A new energy swells around her. Not defensive, but something... different. Something final.
I lunge. Flames roar with me…
…and then it's over.
I freeze. My blade hovering inches from her throat. The flames flicker and die. Leaving behind only smoke and scorched earth.
My legs give out. I hit the ground hard, chest heaving.
Sho exhales and rolls her shoulders, wiping blood from her lip.
-------
"Sho bled," he says, shock clear in his voice.
"I'm sure we could overwhelm Valen," Rei replied.
"I've been perfecting my skill more and more... it uses less of my life force now. More mana to compensate."
Why is she telling him this?
What use could a guild that doesn't even rely on magic possibly be? I should stop her. I should tell her to walk away. The last time I trusted someone, everything went wrong.
And yet...
I can't.
I have faith in her. A part of me still believes in her, in our friendship. One that hasn't cracked, no matter how much the world has tried to break it.
I trust her.