"And Emma Lillian."
Priam took a deep breath after he said every victim's name from pure memory in front of more than a thousand gathered people.
Behind him was a giant white sword buried in a golden stone block that had the names of every victim on it.
Members of the Liberators, Golden Heart and the Sky Guild were present at the ceremony.
"I bring you all here today to humbly request an alliance. We share a common enemy who wishes to keep us in this game. An enemy who will stop at nothing to defeat us. They are merciless and brutal, and we need to respond.
We have families, lives, lovers, kids, friends outside praying for us. Crying for us. We will go back to them. I will die trying, if I have to, to get us out of this game.
Valenti, Lavonte...and Khan, please step up on the platform.
A tall, blonde young man in black gold armor and a black cape came up first. Valenti, the leader of Golden Heart shook hands with David and Priam and looked at the masses gathered.
Then, an average looking, brown haired man with an unremarkable stature, clad in white red armor and two swords on his back came up right after.
Francisco Lavonte, the third-ranked guildless player.
And finally, a tall man with with tanned skin, brown hair and a well-groomed beard, with a wide frame and red armor climbed up the steps.
Khan, the tenth ranked player. Leader of the Sky Guild.
Five men of demigod power stood together to showcase an alliance of power and hope.
"The Liberators, The Golden Heart and the Sky guild, with Francisco Lavonte, will ally. We will seek and defeat what we think is the main boss monster together.
We are not in competition with each other. We are one. With the same goal. We are brothers and sisters who will face anything and break through any world, to get back to our lives. Our loved ones." Said Priam.
Then David spoke up.
"At least one of us standing here on this platform will be present at all times at the lead expedition camp, and forces from all three guilds will be there. All five of us standing here will arrive the instant we are notified that an encounter with the boss is possible!"
Cheers and roars boomed at the Valiants' headquarters.
"Not even the sky is the limit for us!" Said Khan.
***
Two men were silently sitting on a bench with teas on a table, overlooking a gigantic, circular waterfall below them. Its radius was a kilometer and the depth was unfathomable.
A young adult girl approached the two from behind, breaking their silence.
"Priam has allied with Khan, Valenti and Lavonte against Klaren and what they think is the main boss."
The girl had shoulder length brown hair, fierce eyes and a white dress.
The man on the left turned around on his rotating chair and looked at her.
He also had fierce eyes, and shoulder length brown hair. The girl's brother.
He was in what looked like a white toga.
"Klaren made a move then?"
"Slaughtered the whole expedition camp." Said the girl.
"Hoh. That's not something he can do."
"He must've had help."
"The top 100, or some powerful NPCs. When?" Said the man on the girl's right who turned towards her.
He had a short crew cut, a stubble and also wore a toga.
"Fifteen days ago. Do you want to join them?" Said the girl, looking at her brother on the left. "It could actually be the main boss. Priam went public this time, welcoming everyone it seems."
"No. It's too crowded there, besides, I'm better off hunting regular old bosses right now... like the one we killed down there." The man gestured at the waterfall with his head.
"We really were lucky. Your lightning against that water boss...It was quick and almost easy. Priam lost a limb and five Supreme Knights against a boss, even with Lavonte." Said the man on the girl's right, his head turned towards the man beside him.
"Who knows, it might not even be the main boss, but a regular...or an Epic. Like on the first floor. I'll try getting the main on the next floor." Said the girl's brother.
"I wonder what that guy is even doing..." Said the girl, everyone knowing who she meant.
In the global notification, it said "A player". Suggesting that it was one player and the other was an NPC. An Awakened NPC.
"I'd like to see where he ends up." Said the brother. Sipping his tea.
"You know..." The other man started talking.
"It's been about a year since the game started, from what I can tell."
"Your point?" Asked the girl's brother.
"A month after the game started, the Imperial tournament was underway. The Epic slayer could be there. Especially since he's definitely Awakened, and the prize is very good for a player like him."
A short silence ensued.
"I'd like to see him and maybe reserve him for the future." Said the girl's brother.
"You're saying we should send someone down?" The girl asked.
"No." He replied. "I'll go down there myself."
The girl raised her eyebrows.
"You, personally?"
The man nodded.
"Can I come with?" She asked.
"Sure sis. But don't get your hopes up. I'll test him a tiny bit. See what he's made of now, after killing that monster. He might not be your future boyfriend, but a dead man."
"Very funny." She replied.
"You call yourself a god, yet you're visiting a floor 1 noob personally." Said the other man.
"Gods can come down and toy with mortals. Ever heard of Greek mythology?" The girl's brother replied.
"Well, you'd be Zeus himself, so I guess I understand."
"Exactly. I'll go easy on him of course." The man with shoulder length brown hair stood up and looked at his sister.
"I'm coming with. I'm bored here." She said.
"Will. Take care of the others while I'm out."
The other man nodded.
Priam was called king. Messiah. Hero of heroes. The Lightbringer. The Sun.
But Stefan Zanoza was called a God. By both players and NPCs ever since the third floor.
His aura property of lightning he gained the previous floor ascended him to the fourth rank on the player leaderboard.
He thinks of himself as a god too. He always thought he was better than others. That he always deserved more. That the world had to bend to his will.
Max was going to be his next toy to play with, since the main boss seemed to be in Priam's hands yet again.
He was one of those who wanted to actually fight the main boss. Many in the top 1000 aren't even trying to find it. To fight it. Relaying that responsibilty to someone like Priam or Valenti.
"Let's go get ready, Misa." Said the Lightning God.