MagicZX had just returned to Lungmen from Kazimierz, still weary from the long journey. He had spent days gathering information across the Kawalerielki—intel that could now be handed over to Tomorrow's Development as completed missions.
Of course, his true reason for staying in Kazimierz was something…—or rather, someone—entirely different: a man he admired, and aspire to be.
While his squadmates took on separate transport jobs across the region, MagicZX had worked solo. Now back in Lungmen, he finally returned to the familiar sight of the Tomorrow's Development headquarters.
He and his squad currently shared a rented apartment. After Qiu Muyu and Xiao Xuegao moved into a new place, he decided to stay behind. Even though they no longer lived together, their bond remained unbroken.
Out of habit, MagicZX opened the faction interface to check if there were any new large-scale operations or missions. For the past several weeks, he'd been uploading his Kazimierz Travel Diary video series, though it hadn't gained the same traction as before. Every content creator knew that the Pioneer tag drew the most attention—and if he wanted to regain his old momentum, he needed to make Tomorrow's Development his focus again.
Most of the strategy team was still busy in Kazdel, so he decided to take on a transport mission heading there next—to see for himself what the new Frontier District looked like.
"Hmm? What's this… a new feature?"
MagicZX tapped on the freshly added button labeled 'Military Rank.'
"Military rank?"
His curiosity was immediately piqued. He already knew Tomorrow's Development had a structured hierarchy, but until now, it applied only to high-level NPCs—like the infamous Black Knight (or, as players now called her, Degenbrecher), whose class was Instructor, or Loughshinny, whose rank was Agent.
Did this mean ranks were finally open to players too?
He clicked deeper into the menu. Seven ranks were listed. His current status: Recruit. The most basic permissions. But even so—just by reaching Soldier, he'd unlock discounts on training facilities and equipment rentals.
"Oh, wow…" he muttered, eyes widening as he scrolled. By the time he reached the Adjutant rank—where players could purchase in-game housing—his pulse was racing. Higher still, Captain and Major ranks allowed players to command others and participate in large-scale wars.
"This… this is insane! My god, Pioneer-sama, you absolute genius!"
MagicZX was trembling with excitement.
He refused to fall behind the other content creators this time. A quick glance at the forums showed only a handful of players discussing the new rank system. Perfect. This was his chance—a chance to reclaim the spotlight.
Two hours later, as the community erupted with buzz about the new ranking feature and the first players began reaching Soldier, MagicZX's video went live.
He posted the link to the forums—and within minutes, views exploded past one million.
"Hey everyone, long time no see. I'm MagicZX," he greeted the camera, sitting in one of Tomorrow's Development's single rest rooms. His tone carried urgency; it was obvious this video had been produced on the fly.
"Let's skip the small talk. Tomorrow's Development has just launched a brand-new Military Rank System—or you could call it a Class System."
"This isn't like the old rank systems you've seen in other MMORPGs, where your title meant nothing and NPCs ignored it completely. No, this is Terra. This is Arknights. We need to think about every possible implication. What do these ranks really mean for us?"
"As you can see, each promotion brings tangible perks—discounts, privileges, access to internal data, and early access to missions. Advancement doesn't just raise your status—it expands your influence within Tomorrow's Development."
"This is a living, breathing world. War and conflict never stop. The flames of Kazdel's civil war are still burning bright… So let me ask—if Tomorrow's Development were ever to declare war on another nation—what would these ranks represent then?"
That line made every viewer's heart race. The chat and comments exploded with excitement.
It all suddenly made sense.
War—the most thrilling fantasy for any male gamer! Real steel, real blood, real battlefields! And Hell let loose! That's the ultimate destination of any PvE experience!
"In fact," MagicZX continued, leaning closer to the lens, "if you look at the two highest open ranks—Captain and Major—you'll notice something interesting. Players who reach those ranks can command squads, issue orders, and even direct strategic operations. Majors oversee entire divisions."
"Think about it. We already know players can give tasks to other players—but what if we could start commanding NPCs too?"
That suggestion stunned his audience.
Hiring NPCs to work for them had always given players a certain thrill of power. As the so-called Fourth Calamity—a tongue-in-cheek term for the chaos players brought to Terra—they loved bending the world to their will.
Up to now, the most they could do was hire NPCs as guards, caretakers, or warehouse attendants to sell their items on the market. The more ambitious guilds in the Kazimierz had even spent fortunes purchasing indentured servants to protect their estates.
It was one thing to fight on your own in a war…
But what if you could command NPCs in battle?
That single change transformed the entire nature of the game—from a typical MMORPG into something closer to an RTS, like StarCraft. It was a new kind of challenge for the players—and one they were eager to dive into.
"Right now," Magic ZX explained, "our group makes up the largest faction within Tomorrow's Development. The second largest are the Sarkaz mercenaries. Because Tomorrow's Development has a branch in Kazdel, we've got quite a few mercenaries from different parts of that region. Now imagine this—what if, in the future, we could command them in battle for Tomorrow's Development?"
Magic ZX chuckled. "The real Ark told me the ranking system in Tomorrow's Development hides plenty of untapped potential… not to mention that once you're promoted to Lieutenant, you can even buy property under the company's name."
"Alright, brothers, we'll meet again! I'm off to grind!"
The screen abruptly went black.
"????"
"Wait—he just left?"
"What the hell, stop talking and go grab the quest already!"
It took the players a few seconds to process what had just happened before they scrambled into action—checking quest logs, experience requirements, and the missions needed for rank advancement. The dullness that had plagued the late 2.0 era was instantly gone. Now, they wanted nothing more than to pour all their energy into Tomorrow's Development—to take on missions and grind hard.
After all, what's the real fun of playing an MMORPG? Don't tell me it's just chatting or looking for an in-game partner… right?
Well, maybe that's part of it for some of the female players. But for the vast majority, the moment they saw that announcement, they went full throttle—grinding like their lives depended on it.
Meanwhile, players starting in the newbie villages—or those stuck far away in distant nations like Higashi or Bolívar—could only hope that a powerful veteran might one day come to rescue them. Traveling to Lungmen or Kazdel was still far too difficult for them.
Magic ZX quickly leveled up and became a Soldier. He glanced over the requirements for promotion to Squad Leader: it involved hunting several specific mobs in different regions and submitting materials to Tomorrow's Development. For example, he'd need to collect samples from slime-like creatures native to Iberia. Thinking it over, he began typing in the chat window, looking to rally a team for the hunt.
While the casual and hardcore players were feverishly grinding for promotions, the raiding team tackling the hardest dungeon had finally reached the last phase—Phase 5.
In this stage, eight players faced the ultimate trial from the Chamber of Commerce: a summoned spirit of the Champion Knight, a title bestowed upon the greatest winner of past tournaments. The Champion's soul wielded mastery over every form of combat—each phase showcasing a different weapon—so fast and varied that it was almost impossible to keep up.
It was a dark kind of irony that the Chamber of Commerce, who exploited the tournament for profit, now summoned the very Champion's soul to fight them.
Yanfei's evasion and agility buffs barely allowed her to dodge the Champion's sword attack—Heavenly Mountain Blaze, a deadly linear AoE. Rolling aside, she reloaded her Art bullets and dove behind Xi Yiye who was holding her ground with a greatsword.
She roared, activating Restrain, momentarily reducing the Champion's attack power.
At the front, the main defender—ID 955—switched places with the off-tank and shouted, "Final phase—archery form incoming!"
"HP… 5% left!"
"So what do we do? Run away!?"
Yanfei narrowed her eyes. The archery phase had full-screen AoEs—the most dangerous part of the fight. One mistake meant instant death. If they lost too many players here, they might not have the DPS to finish the boss.
She'd been raiding for months, and despite the exhaustion, she couldn't deny the thrill of it.
She unslung her sniper rifle, dropped to the ground, and fired between heartbeats as a shockwave swept overhead.
The Art bullet struck the Champion's head—a critical hit.
The health bar plummeted to 4%.
But that burst damage drew aggro—the Champion's hatred shifted toward her for a split second.
"Hold it! Hold it!"
955 slammed her shield, shouting Taunting Roar, regaining the Champion's focus. The Champion swung his final sword—
"Castle of Stone!"
His body turned to golden stone as he stood unmoving, bracing against the fatal blow. The heavy armor's invulnerability skill—five-minute cooldown, complete damage immunity, but zero mobility.
"Push, push, push!"
Everyone unleashed their strongest attacks. Yanfei fired shot after shot, her rifle echoing beside the chanting of the Caster next to her. A fiery serpent leapt from her hands, coiling around the Champion's stone form.
Xi Yiye gripped her mechanical blade, executed Chaotic Snow Moon Flower, and dashed forward once more—timing it perfectly as 955 held the boss's attention—then unleashed her ultimate skill: Heaven-Shaking Blade!
"Archery phase incoming!"
"Watch the AoE!"
"Just one percent left—finish it off! Come on!!!"
Amid the shouts of the eight players, Yanfei's passives—Tranquil Mind and Cold Blood—activated, boosting her critical damage. She steadied her aim, fired a single, perfect shot—
Bang!
The bullet struck the Champion's head. His body froze in place. Slowly, he began to rise into the air, gazing down at the exhausted eight members of Yanyu Pavilion. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a smile—then, his form scattered into glittering starlight that drifted away into the night sky.
Golden rain poured from above, shimmering like a real-life victory confetti shower. The feeling that welled up in everyone's chest was pure triumph—the radiance of victory, the joy of achievement, the honor of glory itself.
"What a magnificent battle."
The Black Knight—who had shielded them earlier from a lethal AoE during Phase 5—stepped into the Bloodrain Arena. Her long golden hair swayed lightly in the wind as she smiled.
"The Kazimierz Knight Tournament is full of injustice, of bitterness—but when faced with unfairness, one must speak; when faced with resentment, one must advance. Those were the words of someone important to me, and now, I pass them on to you."
Turning slightly, she kept that same calm smile.
"You are champions. I hope you'll continue to be invincible in the battles to come."
With that, she sheathed her heavy sword, and her figure slowly faded into the depths of the corridor. There was something in her departing silhouette—perhaps, a faint trace of relief.
[Mission Complete]
[Achievement Unlocked: "Conqueror of the Midnight Rain Knight"] — Defeat the Champion Knight's spirit in the Bloodrain Arena.
[Title Earned: "Crowned Glory" — The Knights Legend]
"S–Success!!!"
Yanfei leapt up, sniper rifle slung over her back—no one could tell where she found that kind of energy, carrying such a heavy weapon and still managing to jump so high.
"We did it! We're the first to clear it!"
For a moment, all of Yanyu Pavilion's professional players burst into laughter. They clapped each other on the back, some even hugging tightly with tears in their eyes. After so many grueling days of struggle, doubt, and anxiety over the team's progress—everything melted away.
Because now, they weren't just winners.
They were champions.
No—Crowned Legends.
Yanfei wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. She noticed something new had appeared in her inventory—a strange token-like item. Maybe "totem" would be a better word for it.
She wasn't sure what it was for, but right now, she couldn't care less. Her heart felt lighter than ever.
If The Pioneer were standing in front of her right now, she might've thrown her arms around him—and maybe even kissed him right then and there. Even if it meant getting logged out immediately, it would've been worth it.
"Hey, the faction shop just updated."
Xi Yiye, browsing through the faction interface, noticed a new section had appeared beneath the dungeon exchange tab—
[Bloodrain Arena: Champion Knight]
"This totem… it looks like it can be traded for rare weapons!"
955's eyes widened. "Wait—it's a blue-tier rare weapon? With lightning effects? Damn, that's insanely cool!"
"We can exchange later! First—screenshots!"
"Yeah! Picture time, picture time~!"