Chapter 22
The White Devil Guild was situated in a medium-sized industrial city, ten kilometers from the player association branch facility. The place was chosen because of the factories that produce many various products, from food to machinery equipment. Similar to Silicon Valley, in the southern San Francisco Bay Area of California, and because Texas has a wide-open landscape that allows for large industrial facilities to be built, making it an ideal location for the guild to operate discreetly and efficiently. The White Devil Guild had established a strong presence in the city, with many members holding key positions in small local businesses.
When Alexsei Sokolov, 42 years old, became leader of the guild, he wanted to change the family mindset and make it an honorable organization that contributed positively to the community. He implemented new policies focused on ethical business practices and philanthropic initiatives, gradually shifting the guild's reputation; the Sokolov clan had many negative associations with criminal activity in the past. Despite initial skepticism, the younger Sokolov's generation's efforts paid off as the guild gained respect and trust within the community, paving the way for a new era of prosperity and legitimacy for the organization.
But they are still very mindful about the manner they show kindness, as their enemies might see this as weakness, so they remain vigilant in maintaining a balance between generosity and strength. This strategic approach has allowed the Sokolov clan to navigate potential threats while continuing to build a positive reputation in the community. Natasha was having coffee at their headquarters. The six-story building is surrounded by five smaller three-story buildings, type warehouse, and multiple smaller residential buildings that can accommodate 50 people, in a walled 20-acre plot of land at the heart of the busiest area, the
Alexsei Sokolov's main business was supplying machine parts for cargo trucks.
All the staff members are related to the Sokolov clan in some level and form; nearly all the personnel were living inside the walls of this fortress-like compound. The tight-knit nature of the Sokolov clan not only fosters a sense of loyalty and unity among its members but also serves as a protective measure against potential external threats. Natasha admired the way her family's business operations were seamlessly integrated with their personal lives within this secure and bustling hub of activity.
Like the Lazarus clan, these kinds of family connections are thriving. Because having a strong family network not only ensures trust and reliability but also provides a sense of belonging and support in times of need. Natasha felt grateful for the sense of security and camaraderie that came with being part of such a close-knit community. Many clans are now coming out into the public after the Tower of Chaos merged with the human realm.
Within just a year, everything changed; the diverse culture, region, and social dynamics of every country, humans found that they were not special, and their negative traits and malicious intentions were not unique. This realization led to a newfound sense of reality, because many people gain powers and special abilities; they gain a perspective, and these events change the earth's landscape and natural order as we know it. War among humans was no longer a result of misunderstandings or power struggles but rather a fight for survival in a world where everyone had the potential to be a threat. And adding to this scenario was the tower outbreak, as monsters attacked people to feed and conquer a new habitat and home.
The balance of power shifted dramatically, forcing humanity to adapt to a new way of life in order to coexist with these newfound abilities. Natasha was raised in the old ways; she still loves the smell of reading books and sipping brewed coffee. She is the light of her clan, as her older brother truly believes she is the key to bridging the gap between the old and the new generation.
Despite her beauty and good looks, she lacked the initiative to show off her strengths. She was raised by her father and five other brothers like this. She loves adventures and taking risks and playing with the boys. She is agile and very competitive. Her body was molded to gain an athletic physique. Looks are similar to famous Russian model Tatiana Kotova when she was 25 years old.
Natasha was like a carbon copy of that person; that is why growing up was a pain, as many guys courted her nonstop just to gain a trophy to show off to their friends. Despite the attention, Natasha remained focused on her passions and continued to excel in her athletic pursuits, proving that she was much more than just a pretty face. Her dreams of bringing home an Olympic medal were sadly cut short when she awoke her power as she also played the world-famous virtual game of Arcane Crusade for recreational purposes. Natasha's skills in the game were unmatched, and now the responsibility to control and use this power shifted her career into being an awakened player.
Her older brother, who was already married, lived outside the main building and raised his family on a remote farm outside the city in a tiny town with two thousand residents, while Natasha was given a modest living space at the headquarters on the top floor of the main building.
Natasha was still single at the age of twenty years old and preferred it that way; she had a boyfriend in the past but ended the relationship because she felt it was hindering her personal growth and independence. Natasha thrived in her role as an awakened player; the feeling of overwhelming an enemy based on her skill was very addictive. Her main skill was as a spellcaster, and her preferred weapon was an imbued crossbow; her element was water. She was trying to forget all the events that happened a few days ago; it was driving her nuts and upset.
She was still tasked with gathering more members of her raid team, as they also accepted the Drake raid as a secondary attack force, and they will join forces with the other two guilds that they will collaborate with on this quest. Her task was to hire mercenaries that were highly skilled, and she was really set on gaining a Lazarus under her command. She knew that the success of the raid depended on the strength and skill of her team, and she was determined to assemble the best possible group for the mission. As the east Lazaru Guild had already deployed their force toward the rendezvous point,
His brother will also proceed with their plan and also deploy his team toward the rendezvous point to ensure that they will be ready to join forces with the other guilds for the quest. Natasha can't really grasp the situation.
to ease the annoyance she was feeling, so she was trying to calm her mind and nerves as she continued to read the book waiting for that call coming from her team..
The call was about the final number of hired players who will join them tomorrow. So they could catch up with the main white devil attack force. She could only hope for the best, as this was the last day until she joined her older brother inside the tower.
She was an avid reader and regularly trained; the sounds from the compound working personnel could be heard, and it was a normal occurrence inside the facility. As she delved deeper into the book, she found herself becoming more engrossed in the story, temporarily forgetting about the troubling events that was about to transpire.
The familiar scent of paper and ink filled the air, providing a sense of comfort and escape from reality. Suddenly a text came in and made Natasha glance at her phone, momentarily breaking her concentration. She was about to ignore the notification when she saw a partial message. It was about the person who she was looking for.
"Good morning, vice captain. Somebody sent a message concerning the man named Dane Lazarus."
"We were spotted a few blocks from where the player association branch is located."
"It seems he is staying in a worn-down hotel room."
"Maybe the information is wrong, but as you ordered, give any updates as soon as possible." Natasha's heart raced with anticipation as she quickly formulated a plan to investigate further and gather more information about Dane Lazarus' whereabouts. She knew that time was of the essence in this mission, and she was determined to find him and offer him her proposal to join the Drake raid as a temporary member.
Given that the Lazarus guild was spearheading the quest, the issue was that a Lazarus would never sacrifice another guild. However, Natasha was so agitated about losing the challenge with Dane that she decided to just try and convince him personally, even if the likelihood was only one percent. And to sweeten the deal, she will give another high-level magic scroll at her disposal.
Even though she knows the chances are low, Natasha closed the book she was reading and stood up and returned it to her bookcase. The window near the small coffee table she was sitting before overlooked the entire compound; the people working below were all working hard to make sure their company grew even larger, as her brother truly wanted to turn their clan's negative history.
Her older brother was the only person in their clan who was open to joining hands with other guilds, since they all knew that facing an Evolve Drake was very risky and may result in significant casualties. Many guilds with fewer members expressed no interest in King Deryth Cererindur's task, but Alexsei Sokolov viewed this as a chance to establish his clan's value and even win King Deryth Cererindu's grace. However, two additional guilds respond to the king's quest,
So Alexsei Sokolov decided to join forces with the other guilds that were participating. Sadly, the only guild that accepted his invitation was the Lazarus clan. It was Tuesday morning around 7:00 am. This happened two days after Natasha went to the hospital concerning Dane Lazarus's recovery and went back home around 1:45 pm. Because she and her team had the opportunity to watch the actual meet live via long-distance video feed from the high-definition CCTV camera set all around the base's inner and outer exterior.
Outside the tower, 24.8 miles away, lay the White Devil Guild's second stronghold. It was constructed with strong security measures and reinforced walls, much like a military bunker. Given that their base was only a few meters from the plasma storm wall, it was obvious that they were not taking any chances with their defenses. The storm wall of plasma. The tower and the entire continent were encircled by a swirling supernatural force that was made up of broken matter from the surrounding environment, powerful unnatural winds, fire, and electricity. This storm continues to batter almost the whole continent. Since the tower itself was at the very center of the plasma, it was actually the safest location.
Many scientists were aware of this phenomenon: the sensation of being inside a storm's eye differs greatly from that of being outside of it. Relatively little force and silence may be experienced. The tower's advantageous position within a 25-mile radius of the storm's center offered a unique chance for anybody looking to escape the mayhem outside. Those inside the plasma storm's eye experienced a sense of security and serenity that was unparalleled on the continent, despite the peril and devastation all around them.
Additionally, because the plasma storm was sufficiently mild to allow a level 30 barrier protection spell to pass through with minimal turbulence, the sole access into the tower is located above 30,000 feet. This storm was unique since there was absolutely no interference, and all communication was unaffected, enabling people inside the eye to stay in touch with the outside world and get situational updates. Rescue crews were able to coordinate activities and guarantee the safety of anybody attempting to access the tower more easily because of this special feature.
It resembled a live wall that rose miles high and was visible to the unaided eye; no living thing could venture outside of these walls since they would rend and rip apart anything that came into contact with them, and a human body would quickly disintegrate if it did so without any powerful mana protection. Without the right magical defenses in place, breaking through these gates would be practically difficult, as many people who tried to enter without mana perished.
It was almost 2:25 p.m. on Tuesday when Natasha remembered that incident. Natasha recalls that her brother Alexsei Sokolov was spotted waiting for the Lazarus representative to complete the cooperation in the mission deployment, which is scheduled to start this Friday, outside their base. On the side where the storm was continuously raging, her brother was waiting for a person who was silhouetted on the plasma walls themselves. The tall, slender, frail-looking man was seen strolling nonchalantly in the direction of their base. He was traveling from a location where an armored tank could only last a few minutes before being destroyed.
As Natasha recall this vivid memory , remembering something like this was truly unbelievable. Staff personnel that were with Natasha watching the live and secured broadcast at that time held their breath as a frail-looking man casually walked out as if the plasma storm that could shred a tank like it's made of a cardboard box was like a light summer breeze. He greeted Alexsei Sokolov with a soft, mild tone.
Emmit Lazarus might be the oldest among the first batch, but his devastating power was recorded and was seen by all as the first expedition on the tower was founded by the seven large corporations. This included Lazarus Corp, Nexus, Dynamicro, Armeth Tech, Helmars, and Braxus Inc. And Amber Corp. The seven major corporations with executives who were also awakened players were the first batch that went to the Tower of Chaos continent, and their task was to gather enough information and confirm if the tower was similar to the virtual game it was based on.
She recalled this and realized Dane Lazarus was similar to Emmit Lazarus in demeanor. They both never show their true power, unlike the other Lazarus clan member. Sebastian Lazarus is Emmit's son, but he is always in a defensive posture. Even on ordinary days, he is seen as a cautious person, as a thin mana barrier could be seen covering his body every time he goes out in the public, but Dane has no protection whatsoever.
Natasha was already heading toward her team as she tried to look for any sign of where Dane was; her frustration was coming back again until a text came. It was her brother mentioning that their deployment toward the gathering point was moved earlier. The plan changed when the High Strategy guild backed up, and additional supplies were violently interrupted by those unknown masked players.
"Darn it, today is Wednesday, and the deployment was supposedly on Friday. I am running out of time."
"I only manage to hire twenty players; having the new Lazarus player on my team could be a huge advantage."
"Considering the Lazarus elder already agrees with a collaboration with us, I think I can convince him. ?
"Where the hell is he?"
Both guilds were struggling to carry out their plans because they had not anticipated this to occur, and Charlotte was a little hesitant and irritated because she felt betrayed by the elders' decision to work with another guild. Meanwhile, Dane was simply preparing to handle the current situation surrounding the collaboration quest that the White Devil and Lazarus had agreed to undertake.
But knowing his relatives might see his action to be a betrayal, he was feeling conflicted about how to proceed.
"I could hide my identity from them."
"My skill slot has two remaining; I need a skill that is perfect for melee combat."
"the six criminals I claimed were all taken down by my hunting skills,"
"and luckily those six were too conceited to begin with; they were all caught off guard."
"but the remaining criminals, already caught wind of my hunt, and they all are now hiding in different locations, making it difficult for me to track them down."
"The issue with the Evolve Drake will be managed by the Charlotte guild; my concern is those masked players that nearly killed Bonnie and Cody."
"They are still an open threat to them, and I am lacking information, as Miko can't gain any information inside the tower without being inside it."
" going there as Dane Lazarus will create so many questions, especially the fact I was able to enter the area without a ticket, "
"and the fact is, I am a nobody, and my abilities are very suspicious. I can and will bring more harm to everybody I know."
"It's really not that easy. It might be a blessing for others, but with my contrived personality and unique abilities, it could potentially put me in even more danger if I'm not careful about how I approach the situation."
"I need to strategize and gather more information before making any decisions that could jeopardize my safety and the safety of those around me."
"sigh! What a pain."
"Having this ability is supposedly overpowered, but considering all the things happening, I just can't act on it impulsively. I need to weigh the consequences and plan my next steps carefully."
"Maybe it's just me, but this is more tiresome than what I expected to,"
"Reading comic books about gaining power looks fun, but actually it's really complicated; there are so many factors to consider when using it in real-life situations. It's definitely not as simple as it seems in the comics."
"and people aren't that stupid. The deaths of those six were all well-planned, and the execution was flawless, but the best part of those kills was they actually took their guard down; their instincts were dulled because they relied too much on their powers."
"Maybe that's the answer to my first problem: I am still overthinking things."
"I didn't know I was a genius to begin with; they all assumed I was because of my skill in coding."
" my core personality I what makes me different, not my intelligence or abilities. I need to embrace who I truly am and stop trying to fit into a mold that isn't meant for me. Being authentic is more important than trying to live up to others' expectations."
"The path to genuine self-acceptance begins with a deliberate excavation of my own being. "
"I need to dismantle the layers of learned behaviors and societal expectations, carefully examining each characteristic, both the perceived strengths and the so called flaws."
"This isn't about judgment, but about understanding. What are the underlying drives that shape my actions? "
"What are the core values that resonate deep within? By identifying these fundamental pieces of myself"
"my quirks, my passions, my vulnerabilities"
"I can begin to grasp the unique tapestry that is me."
"My approach to life tends to be characterized by a certain detachment, a perspective that prioritizes logic and reason over emotional impulse. When faced with a problem, my instinct isn't to react with feelings but rather to dissect the situation, analyze the variables, and identify the most practical solution."
"This inherent inclination towards logical thinking serves me well in navigating complex challenges, allowing me to maintain a clear head and make decisions based on objective assessments rather than subjective feelings. I am acutely aware of this tendency, this almost unwavering commitment to rationality."
"However, this self-awareness also reveals a potential drawback. While my logical approach helps me find effective solutions, it also creates a barrier when it comes to connecting with others on a deeper, emotional level."
"The realm of heartfelt feelings and intuitive responses, often the bedrock of close relationships, can sometimes feel foreign to me, making genuine empathy and emotional resonance a challenge."
Dane's late father and mother were not ones for grand displays of emotion. Their love wasn't a roaring fire; it was more like a steady, dependable ember, glowing warmly but rarely bursting into visible flames.
They weren't people who readily wore their hearts on their sleeves; instead, their affection was expressed through quiet acts of service and a consistent, unwavering presence. This reserved nature extended even to something as simple as a smile. Instead of a spontaneous, joyous grin, their smiles often felt carefully considered, almost calculated. They would smile, and then, almost invariably, they would offer a logical explanation for whatever prompted it.
"I'm smiling because I finished the garden quicker than expected," or "I'm pleased as I managed to solve that difficult problem."
It was as if they felt a need to justify even a fleeting expression of happiness, grounding it in a concrete, rational framework, rather than letting it exist purely and simply as a feeling.
"This is who I am: like a steady flame, I need to have a reason for everything, even something as simple as a smile."
"I hunt because I love the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of a successful killl."
"And the best place to hunt is inside the world I help create."