Vol.3 Chapter 13

I pushed the door open and stepped into the guild master’s office. The room was spacious and dimly lit, with shelves lined with ancient tomes and relics more for aesthetics rather than practical use.

A large, intricately carved desk dominated the center of the room, its surface cluttered with maps, documents, and other unfamiliar objects. Behind the desk, the Dust sat in a high-backed chair, looking like a proper guild leader for once.

"You're just in the nick of time! I’ve just about wrapped up the preparations for the guild inheritance feature. I bet you’re excited to become our guild leader now, aren’t you? ~” Dust teased with a playful grin as she saw me enter.

Well, that didn’t last long. The moment she opened her mouth, the image in my mind of her being a reliable and respectable guild leader was immediately shattered.

"You seem quite in a good mood today," I observed.

"Oh~ it’s just that I’m happy to have a pretty capable successor," she replied.

"I doubt that; I bet you’re just happy to dump all the responsibilities on me," I remarked dryly.

"Hehe~ you know me pretty well," she admitted with a mischievous chuckle.

I gave her an unamused look in return.

"Well, don’t worry. I’ll be supporting you to the best of my abilities alongside the rest of our guild officers and members. After your duel with Arroganz, I doubt anyone would question your capabilities anymore," she continued.

"A duel you orchestrated… Did you also order him to lose on purpose?" I asked something that’s been weighing on my mind.

"Nothing of the sort. I told him to give it his best shot. It makes the match more believable that way... Although, I did impose a few restrictions, like making him use the same unique weapon he fought you with last time," she replied with a mischievous glint.

I sighed, just as I expected. Well, I’m not entirely opposed to it. As long as the duel served its intended purpose, then I won’t complain.

After a couple more seconds of tweaking her guild UI window, she finally exclaimed, "There! All done!"

As if to prove her efforts weren’t in vain, a confirmation window popped up in front of me.

Dust wants to promote you to the position of ‘Guild Master.’

Would you like to accept? Yes/No.

"...Yes, I accept," I said with conviction, feeling the weight of responsibility settle onto my shoulders.

The moment I uttered those words, my notification bar exploded with new input. A cascade of alerts and messages poured in, each one detailing my newfound status and responsibilities. The title of Guild Master now adorned my profile, symbolizing my role as the leader of the ‘Concord of Heroes’ guild.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I quickly navigated to the guild function. To my amazement, the interface was now brimming with new features and options that had previously been inaccessible—detailed management tools and advanced strategic functions, among many others.

"You can experiment with the guild master functions later~," Dust's voice interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

Oh shoot, I hadn’t noticed I was distracted that much. It’s a bit embarrassing to be called out for it by Dust, no less. Well, I’m always the curious type, so I guess it can’t be helped.

I nodded, refocusing my attention on the matter at hand.

"Oh! But before all that," she exclaimed, suddenly standing up in her seat.

"Have a seat, guild leader~," she continued with a melodramatic, sweeping gesture toward the chair in which she had sat a moment earlier.

"It feels quite off coming from you," I said, humoring her request as I settled into the chair that I always found her in.

The leather was warm and familiar, and I felt a bit out of place sitting in her usual spot.

After I settled in, she leaned over the desk, a playful grin on her face.

Before I could respond, a sudden knock interrupted us, echoing through the room.

"Oh, right on time! Come on in!" she called out, clearly expecting someone.

The door creaked open, and a girl with long green hair and a beautiful face framed by her knight's armor stepped into the room. Her presence was both commanding and graceful, the polished metal of her armor catching the light as she moved.

Serendipity

HP: 100%

"I told you you’d have someone to assist you, right? Well, tada~! Here she is! Our guild’s secretary!" Dust announced with a flourish, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

The girl, clearly taken aback by the sudden introduction, managed to compose herself quickly.

"I’m Serendipity. It's nice to finally make your acquaintance!" she said, her voice steady despite the unexpected situation.

"Likewise," I responded amicably, offering her a reassuring smile.

Although I had seen her a couple of times when passing by the guild master’s room, this was the first time we had been officially introduced.

Dust clapped her hands together, grinning widely. "Well, now that you both are acquainted, I’ll leave it to you to show our new leader the ropes, Seren! I’ve got something to do, so Toodaloo~" she declared as she suddenly vanished.

"Wha- wait! She logged out…" Serendipity said, her voice trailing off in disbelief as she stared at the empty space where Dust had stood moments before.

Typical Dust. I almost sighed but held myself. I had to maintain the appearance of a reliable Guild Master for now, especially in front of a high-ranking officer with whom I would probably spend a lot of time. First impressions are important, after all.

"There she goes again, dumping all the responsibilities on me," Serendipity, however, failed to hold her sigh.

It made sense that this kind of thing happened frequently. Dust didn’t seem to be the responsible type. I could already see Serendipity bearing the brunt of the workload on top of Dust’s whimsical personality. I felt for her already.

With only the two of us left in the room, a heavy silence ensued. I couldn’t be blamed! I’m horrible at small talk. All I could do was maintain my practiced poker face as I sat on the Guild Master’s chair, trying to project the confidence of a respectable Guild Master while maintaining eye contact.

You know what they say: fake it till you make it!

A couple of awkward moments passed. The silence stretched uncomfortably until Serendipity finally spoke.

"Uhm, where do I start… Should I explain the fundamentals of a guild? Wait, scratch that. You probably already know all that!" she said awkwardly, her nervousness evident.

I offered her a reassuring smile.

"I’d like to hear your thoughts. I haven’t played the game as long as you, so there might be something I missed. Besides, I’d like to hear it from a different perspective, especially from someone capable like you," I said, trying to put her at ease.

I wasn’t entirely lying. I had learned all about guilds three years ago, and my knowledge might be outdated. A refresher course would certainly be beneficial.

Her eyes widened in surprise at my words. "Y-you really think I’m capable?" she stammered, clearly taken aback.

I realized I had praised her unconsciously. It’s not just flattery, though. I genuinely meant what I said.

"Yes, our guild is running smoothly, even though Dust is our leader. I’m sure you had a significant hand in that. Dust doesn’t seem to be particularly good at the logistical side of a guild," I reasoned, my tone appreciative of her hard work.

She let out a sigh of relief, a small smile tugging at her lips. It was minuscule, almost unnoticeable, but it didn’t escape my keen observation skills. The subtle curve of her lips, the way her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly, and the faint sparkle in her eyes were all telltale signs of the tension easing away.

"I know, right? She always leaves the boring stuff to me!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with exasperation.

For the next few minutes, she ranted, sharing stories of Dust and her antics. I quickly realized that she was a bit of a chatterbox, but I didn’t mind. I’m more of a listener myself, so the status quo is just right for me.

Hearing her talk, it was clear that she was releasing pent-up frustration, finding solace in confiding in a comrade in arms who understood what she had gone through. It looks like we had one major thing in common. I have to thank Dust for being our icebreaker.

In the middle of one of her stories, he suddenly paused, her eyes widening as she realized she had veered off course.

"Oh, sorry! I got sidetracked,” she said, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” I assured her.

“What was I about to explain again… Oh, right, the ins and outs of our guild!”

I nodded, waiting for her to start.

“So basically, a guild’s role is to help players! We accept a wide range of commissions from individuals who post requests. These commissions can vary greatly, from acquiring specific materials and assisting with dungeon runs to a multitude of other tasks like being a bodyguard for rich players. A guild’s services cover everything from the most trivial requests, such as providing a conversational partner or crafting a certain item or alchemical concoction, to the most challenging endeavors, such as venturing into Abyss Dungeons,” she said animatedly.

She thoroughly explained the guild's functions pretty well, if I must say. It was reassuring to know that the core aspects had remained largely unchanged during my hiatus.

Unlike other games, you can’t buy anything with real cash in this game. Items and materials needed to craft it are only acquired through beating hard bosses with pure skills or with the help of other players. That is why commissions are increasingly popular.

However, I couldn't help but notice that she deliberately omitted certain unsavory activities, such as player assassinations and other covert operations. Our guild does not engage in those practices, though, which likely explains their exclusion from her overview.

I nodded, showing that I was paying attention, which prompted her to continue.

“Guild members are compensated for completing these commissions, with the guild retaining a small portion of the earnings to fund its operations. These funds are reinvested to enhance further the guild's capabilities, such as upgrading the forge and other craftsmanship facilities,” she gestured towards our forge’s general direction.

“Additionally, as a guild's level increases, it attracts more commissions, thereby providing more job opportunities for its members. This creates a symbiotic relationship where both the guild and its members benefit. Some players even treat the game as a legitimate job, earning money from player commissions! This is also why most players, like Jarde, take the game very seriously and become highly competitive in climbing up the guild ladder,” she said judgingly.

I completely agree with her take. One of the primary reasons Champions of Andartha has become the most popular game in the world is due to its innovative guild system. In the CoA guild system, the money earned from completing quests goes directly to the players who finish them.

This incentivizes players to spend more on commissions, knowing that their money supports fellow players rather than the company itself.

This system stands in stark contrast to the practices of some greedy and predatory gacha game companies that were extremely popular in the past.

Champions of Andartha was the first to implement this player-centric model. Although it was a risky gamble, particularly in the early stages when the company did not gain much revenue, their dedication to treating the player base with respect and fairness ultimately paid off.

Many people, including those who are unemployed due to the rising labor force, have made this game their livelihood. This, in turn, attracts more players from around the world, resulting in an ever-growing player base. The concept of earning income through playing a VR game has proven to be a game changer, more notably in underdeveloped and developing countries from around the globe.

Though they do take a small cut of the commissions, I can’t complain. These funds are essential for maintaining the game, especially to keep the servers operational and to compensate the employees who manage such a vast project.

However, I believe that a significant portion of their revenue comes from sponsors, particularly for tournaments. Liz and I even received a few offers from individuals looking to advertise their products, which I vehemently declined.

“Oh! Good work beating Jarde on that duel, by the way! I have been a fan ever since you beat him that time! I’ve also followed your run through the Champion’s Brawl tournament, and when you guys won the grand finals and beat the next generation of Paragons, I couldn’t hardly believe it! Oh! I’ve even heard that there is a fan club in our guild that was founded after you beat Arroganz in your duel! You’re basically the strongest member of our guild with that level of display!” she said, failing to hide the giddiness in her tone.

That’s… quite a surprise. I thought my reputation among my guildmates was good, but I didn’t expect it to be this good. However, I’m not sure if I'm happy to have my own fan club.

“Ahem, sorry, I got sidetracked again! Where was I… Oh yes, guilds! Speaking of guilds, the guild war is coming up!” she said, her excitement returning with renewed vigor.

Guild war, huh? As I recall, the Guild War was a critical event held at the end of every Guild Placement season. It only happens four times a year, and the Guild Placement rankings hinge on the Guild War results.

Many of the high-paying and more dangerous quests were often commissioned towards the top guilds with higher success rates, given the risk of losing one’s gear if defeated on a hunt. Therefore, ranking high in this season’s guild war was crucial for our guild's development and reputation.

“I heard that most of the top pros aren’t participating because most are taking a break or on vacation after their grueling training for the AC. Oh, have you watched the AC? The finals were legendary! I didn’t expect Murasame actually to win against the strongest duelist in the game!” she got sidetracked again, which seems to be a common occurrence for her.

“…So I’ve heard,” I replied curtly.

I didn’t really watch the game due to my own issues, but it’s impossible not to have heard the news. It’s plastered all over social media, televisions, articles, and even billboards. This just shows how much influence the game has on the real world with its global popularity.

“The tournament was AMAZING! I wanted to buy tickets, but they were sold out even before I had the chance! I had to settle for watching it at home, but the experience was still good!” she said with exaggerated gestures, her hands waving animatedly in the air.

I smiled politely, but internally, I felt a slight discomfort. The topic was one I preferred to avoid, and her enthusiasm only heightened my unease. Trying to maintain my composure, I decided to steer the conversation in a different direction.

“Let’s get back on the topic. Can you explain the guild war rules to me?” I interjected, my tone steady and composed.

I said it more to change the topic that was rather uncomfortable to hear rather than wanting to actually talk about the guild war. It’s good that she didn’t appear to notice my discomfort, though.

“Oh, right! In a guild war, there is an allotted time for players to queue for match rankings during the date of the guild war. You can choose how many players each team will need to fight the battles. There can be a maximum of 5 players per team and 10 battles for each member. Having a winning streak gives higher points. The battles are completely random, but you will be matched based on your win streak, so the more you win, the stronger your opponents are,” she explained helpfully.

I see. So basically, we have the option to either assemble a five-member team to increase our chances of winning and potentially achieve a winning streak or form individual teams for more matches, given that each member can only participate in ten matches.

This highlights the importance of creating suitable lineups to ensure our guild accumulates the maximum number of points. Furthermore, this emphasizes the significance of a guild’s collective player skills, as a guild can only accommodate up to 100 members. Therefore, winning through sheer numbers is not feasible.

One could theoretically deploy 100 one-person teams for a total of 1,000 matches, but this strategy is risky as it is likely to lose against three- or five-member parties if they are on the same skill level and gear stats. Striking the right balance is crucial for success in this event.

After pondering for a bit, I gave my first command as our guild’s master.

"Serendipity, please provide me with all of the guild member’s data you have. Additionally, I would appreciate it if you could send me the results from all the previous guild wars," I ordered, my voice steady and authoritative.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "W-wait, you aren’t delegating the role of creating a strategy to me?" she stammered, her astonishment evident.

I wasn’t quite sure why she was surprised I was taking part in it, but I remembered that Dust was the previous guild leader. She probably was not used to getting that much help since Dust most likely left everything to her to organize.

“I’m quite confident in my strategic prowess. I’ll help you out in devising good lineups for the war,” I said confidently.

"Got it, Guild Master!" her eyes seemed to sparkle as she uttered those words with respect.

Guild Master, huh? Yeah, I'm not going to get used to that title any time soon.