"W-wait," One of the 3rd-rate Guild Leaders calls out, fear in his voice. "I haven't heard her call out an Art once?! Are you telling me she's taking them all out with just her sword and shield?!"
The surrounding crowd felt chills run down their spines as they looked at the group Gladiolus led. Was she the only one who was a monster or were they all like her? The thought halts them in place and keeps them from attempting to form connections. Instead they watch in silent awe and terror as Gladiolus cuts every Broken Skull member down.
By the time she was done--not even five minutes had passed!--Gladiolus's blue player diamond was now a deep dark purple from the amount of red from each kill. Who knew how many monsters she would need before she could freely enter a town. Otherwise, as someone who had killed so many players in the field, the high level Guards would imprison or kill her... or so those frightened of her hoped.
Gladiolus let out a relaxed sigh with such a bright smile on her face that caused all who saw her to blush despite the conflicting emotions they felt. She hands the necessary loot to Ribbon before going off to find Iris Ash to clean her name.
The video was called "Bloody Gladiolus versus 100!!" was immediately compiled and became a bigger hit than Tara's fight with Whitemount previously.
The powers that be scrambled to get more information about Gladiolus and her Lapis Tome team. They had quite literally popped into existence. Many found that she and five others just the other day were clearing 6 person dungeons and had caught up to the leveling maniacs despite no prior accomplishments. And now she had fought off 100 members of a 2nd rate Guild with only her swordship and shield handling? The difference in a day was too mind boggling!
"I want her back to level 0 yesterday!" Ghostly Tyranny slams on the desk, as he watches his death replay countlessly. The hundred who had died were all present before him, a level lower and the laughingstock of the area. He and the others are lucky that items had a low chance of dropping upon death, having only lost two pieces of weak equipment, otherwise he would have been completely ruined.
"I would rather not risk our forces. I doubt even our Guild Master could match her, let alone a thousand of our people." A voice that sounds like laughter at the end of every sentence meets Ghostly Tranny ears.
He goes completely still as an androgynous elf with beige skin appears by his side. He hadn't even known when they had entered the room.
"What do you want?" He asks Bat Feather slowly.
"The boss says to let them go for now. We got news that Lapis Tome has some connection to the Dawn Blossom Pavilion." Bat Feather emphasizes this with a pointed glare.
Anybody connected to the only Player owned shop couldn't be simple. If just one member of this Lapis Tome was able to kill a hundred of them, who knows what else the two groups had in store. It was better to forget and move on than face annihilation from an upstart Workshop because of a grudge. Despite his fury and annoyance, Ghost Tyranny relents to Bat Feather's wishes but not without cursing Gladiolus to die while cleaning her name.
Ironically, Ghost Tyranny's attempt to bully Gladiolus is what she needs to become the first player to reach level 10 within their region.
It was proven ages ago that the higher the level difference between you and the monster, the more Experience you got. What players didn't realize yet was that Experience within Renovel is actually Essence drawn from slain foes. That's why magic focused classes and Infantry had an easier time leveling compared to Forefends, Vanguards, and Pugilists.
Between Twin Sphere technique gathering Essence at a faster rate and the Soul Realm purifying Essence by circulating to match the player's elemental affinity, it was akin to having an innate double experience bonus. Furthermore, even just killing one monster, Galoidi finds her Player Killer marker lightened by a lot thanks to the Essence purification. When they later confirm these perks, it becomes such a top secret discovery that Pakeeja has to bind the knowledge by a contract within the System. Spilling the secret would severely damage their account and any future ones they wished to make.
Presently, the Frostaxe Region is in an uproar when the System announces that Bloody Gladiolus is the first level 10 player even ahead of those level maniacs and first-rate Guilds!
She would be able to enter the area's first non-capital city. That means Lapis Tome will have an advantage over other Workshops.
Word got out about two things when this happened: the first was that the team consisted of a little over 50 members. They had gone the route of quality over quantity, which had a precedent set only 20 some years ago. The other was that Lapis Tome had a connection to Dawn Blossom.
With another city to set up shop, they are likely going to expand and need new members, exciting independent Artisans. Even contracted Alchemists and Forgers are anxiously waiting for this, tired of the Beginner Trade rooms while being basically ignored by their Guilds for their poor results.
With such a backing and future potential, those that visit the shop are respectful and grateful to the staff, particularly the independent players now that they are earning a little more. Various Guild Leaders and Workshop Commanders are stuck on the first floor, trying to speak with Sassy Daisy for a deal or alliance, but a Vanguard and Witch pair of twins guarded the stairs. Despite being the same level, the faint pressure they gave off left these first-rate players scared to challenge them. Their only chance is for Sassy Daisy to visit the display floor.
It's at this moment that three figures simply walk past the duo. The waiting leaders are about to riot, but stop when they recognize the tall back of the Iron Wall.
***
A Dwarf girl with an ivory toned skin and chestnut brown braid stood out among the Central African and South Asian based NPCs walking the streets of the capital of the Asizi Kingdom. The buildings in this Eastern Continent city took after the Sahelian architecture style. Trotting beside her was an adorable black and white Collie with sparkling phthalo green eyes. This dog catches the attention of the various passersby as a Pet system has yet to be implemented.
She was lucky enough to find a class specific quest, which are about as rare as Hidden or Epic quests. Being so set on getting to the capital's transportation hall is the only thing on her mind, that she doesn't notice everyone's attention being drawn to her familiar. Clearly the dog is some sort of reward for a rare quest!
Abruptly, her path is immediately overcast. A larger than normal Gigantis teen stops in front of her. He is conventionally attractive in all the right ways with his bouncy black hair and ocean blue eyes. On his chest is a badge of a cracked heart. Those watching recognize him as the brightest new recruit, Elegant Chance, from the first-rate Guild Scissor Heart.
"You look lost! How about I show you around?" The Pugilist says with his voice full of charm. Many girls threw themselves at him simply because he was a member of a first-rate Guild. With him being level 9, they ask to be level carried and would swoon at him as he walks by.
He doesn't take an interest in them but here was someone he should definitely try to pull to Scissor Heart. One has to know that magic users are weaker on the Western Continent, Summoners even more so! Like other Crafts, summon's got stronger based on their user's Craft Proficiency, so to find a Summoner on the level was rare! If he could gain her trust, then he'd be making his Guild even stronger.
"Could you please move? I'm in a bit of a hurry."
Someone coughs as a way to fill the unexpected silence hung in the air.
"Don't you know who I am? Who am I with!" He points to his Guild symbol as if that means something. He's clearly taken aback that she has rejected him and so swiftly at that.
"Can't say I have, sorry! Now, if you'll excuse me!" She skips around him and begins to carry on. Indignation frames the Pugilist's features. He twirls around so fast to grab her wrist that people think for a moment that he had generated wind. Or at least that's what they first thought.
Instead, billowing phthalo green Wind Essence begins swirling. They all quickly look, finding the friendly and adorable Collie has changed: emerald green fur stands up as its eyes have shifted to black with wisps of wind coming off its claws. But no, this Wind Essence surrounds the dwarf girl, who steps promptly to the left as he dove for her much smaller limbs. As if she were predicting his movements, she lifts her foot and stamps down. The moment his hand touches the ground, it's locked in place with the heel of her foot grinding into it.
The crowd's shocked! This scene has turned what they knew on its head! Just how could a Dwarf Summoner be stronger than a Gigantis Pugilist?!
"Don't you know who I am? Who I'm with!" She spits his words back in his face as he tries to wiggle himself free. He refuses to use his other hand to remove her as the wild looking dog bares its fangs. Where are the city guards?! How could they just let this happen! Wasn't this assault?
"I am Citrine Chevalier of Ruby Blade! I suggest in the future when someone rejects your advances, you respect them as a person and move on instead of acting like a brat."
"Come on, Jackie, let's go girl!" Citrine Chevalier announces for all to hear. She only used a bit of her Soul Realm's Essence to create a wind pressure to make up for the difference in physical strength.
She releases him, ready to finally continue to the transportation hall. Elegant Chance slams his fist on the ground before rising and charging at her, his fist glowing with an Art.
At that moment the guards seem to materialize, with swords and spears at his throat from all sides. Fighting within the city's wall is not allowed. Elegant Chance is dragged away to jail, sentenced for 12 hours, but Citrine doesn't even turn around as she scratches her familiar behind the ear.
The video that is released onto the forums explodes with popularity! It challenges the notions that had been held about the classes, especially Summoners. Those Summoners that have been largely depressed suddenly felt invigorated and hopeful, many suddenly seeking out whatever quest that gave out such a beast.
Citrine's declaration brought attention to Ruby Blade causing people to realize what kind of team it was. Firstly, those that operated in the Asizi Kingdom realized that the several Summoners they had seen all had similar beasts with gem-like eyes.
When they looked deeper, it was found that Ruby Blade had cleared several dungeons lately and set Speed Records as they did. What confuses the top rank Workshops and first-rate Guilds is that it was all Hard Mode.
Something is setting this small team of 50 apart from everyone else but they can't place it. These fearsome newbies clearly have powerful casters which is outside the norm for the martial focused continent!