Star Gazer stared at the person before him. An ordinary face with bck hair parted in the middle. white armor.

  Bleary Mirage had a faint smile on his lips, his eyes exudireme fidence.

  Star Gazer’s eyes turned frosty. He inally po sound out this petitor of his, but apparently that b*stard really came to gloat.

  “Don’t you think you’re too ostentatious? Strutting around before us. Do you hold us for fools?”

  “Don’t overestimate your importance.”, said Bleary Mirage.

  “Brave!”, scoffed Star Gazer. “Don’t get carried away by a single success! It won’t st forever!”

  “Maybe. But it will always be enough to have you guys looking up in admiration.”

  “B*stard!”

  “Who do you think you are?”

  Liam was uurbed as the group yelled at him fiercely watg them all shut up with a wave of Star Gazer’s hand.

  “You seem quite fident. Why don’t we make a bet?!”

  “A bet? Are you brave enough?”

  “Childish!”

  “State the ditions then.”

  “Easy. The dungeon is avaible from level 20 to 25. Whet the first clear wins. Loser has to leave the game.”

  Immediately Star Gazer’s ckeys showed some worry on their faces. They didn’t like this idea, but were hesitant to speak up and undermiheir boss.

  However, their eyes lit up upon hearing Liam’s sentence:

  “I have angestion. If I lose the bet, I will leave the game. If you lose, you pay me five millios.”

  Star Gazer was taken aback, falling silent. He mulled over it, expeg some catch but not able to find one.

  Meanwhile, the others were delighted, urgently whispering him to accept.

  “Fine. If this is what you want.”

  “Great. C, you heard him.”

  Instantly notifications fshed before both parties. firmed the ditions. However, Liam sneakily ged the way the money would be processed, iing Silver Bde as middleman. Or woman.

  Star Gazer didn’t care as he was eager to accept. The deal was too profitable for him. If the best case, he could get rid of a petitor and in the worst case it only cost him some money.

  While the rich heir still couldn’t pte why Liam would propose such a dition, the tter smiled happily. He received an easy five million and the best part was that it might not be a oime deal.

  Should I try to make the oute close, so he feels like he still has a ext time?

  Liam formed some mean pns while leaving uhe mog eyes of Star Gazer’s group.

  After a quick teleportation he was ba Duabalis City. As soon as he left the building housing the teleporters he was met with a familiar agitated voice.

  “Mirage! What took you so long?”

  Liam looked his party approag him with Cye in the lead.

  “Well, m guys.”

  The reeted Liam calmly, but it wasn’t only Cye who felt a certain pressure.

  “Ok ok. No time to waste! We o level up! I’m sure Star Gazer is already w hard to catch up.”

  While speaking Cye g Silver Bde. The two friends had discussed a lot yesterday. They also figured out that Star Gazer wasn’t taken out of the race. He would defiry everything to overtake them. This was his only ce tain the family’s’ respect.

  “Don’t worry. I don’t think Star Gazer is leveling already.”

  “Hm, how would you know?”

  “Because I just met him.”

  “What?”

  Cye wasn’t the only one exg in surprise. The whole party eaking up.

  “What happened?”, asked Silver Bde with and curiosity.

  “We made a bet. Whoever clears the dungeon first wins.”

  “You… what are the ditions?”

  “If I lose, I have to leave the game.”

  Suddenly the se felt silent. Everyone looked at Liam with shock. Reluce could be seen in some eyes.

  Only Cye looked strangely uurbed. Silver Bde g her friend, asking with a frown:

  “Weren’t you the most eager to stay at the top? If we lose Mirage, it will be a thousand times more difficult.”

  “Why would we lose Mirage? I’m sure that if the expert says he will get first clear, no one snatch it away.”

  Cye’s fidence left the others stumped. Somehow, they felt she made sense, but they found it difficult to accept the logic.

  Although Liam was clearly in a league of his own, they only just passed the tutorial. Many of the top pyers were only beginning their rise. Who could tell how many hidden talents would be discovered soon?

  Liam sed the flicted faces, but he didn’t take the hints of doubt to heart.

  “However, you could have discussed with us beforehand.”

  A distent voice suddenly drew everyone’s attention. It was Fortune who looked at Liam with an unhappy frown.

  The tter was taken aback. His brows furrowed as he mulled over the words.

  “Maybe you are right. I just didn’t sider this a big matter. But I could’ve informed you. Sorry.”

  “That’s better.”

  Watg the exge, Silent Acacia plucked up his ce. He felt now was the right time to speak about some important matters.

  “Guys, maybe we should have a serious discussion. It might be time to express oals in the game and pn for the future.”

  Suddenly the atmosphere turned solemn. The party members looked at each other. Everyone subtly felt that this was an important step in their lives.

  “Acacia is right. Why don’t I begin?”, offered Silver Bde.

  “You all know that I hired you in the name of Colville strus. Obviously, I’m from the Colville family.

  It is that our family head pns to retire in a few years, searg for a successor. I wish to fight for the position, mainly for my parents.

  The family head pces a lot of importan the game, so here I am.”

  Silver Bde didn’t expin more, causing Silent Acacia to speak up:

  “Thank you. Since I made the suggestion, I will tinue.

  I have always wao be a pro pyers ever siering a game for the first time. I have worked hard and finally got a tract for the game RR two years ago.

  However, despite having the reputation of a ‘prodigy’, my first split was unfortunately disastrous. The team ruthlessly kicked me out.

  Luckily, I have Quickstep. Her following me made it somewhat bearable.”

  Silent Acacia almost chocked but tinued as Quickstep grabbed his hand.

  “Now I wish to return to propy, winning tours in Fate of aboul and showing my old team that they made a mistake!”

  The others wore solemn faces hearing the emotions in Silent Acacia’s voice. He might be the most ied among them.

  Radiant Shield and Bloody Edge didn’t seem surprised, obviously already knowing about the hunter’s story. They looked at each other before Bloody Edge spoke up.

  “Me and Radiant Shield are in college. There isn’t much to say. We would like to earn money by gaming instead of w a b office job.”

  Balm puffed up her chest. She took a deep breath, her voice full of vi:

  “Me and Cye always had a wish to found a guild and rise to the top!”

  Liam looked at the young woman in surprise. Balm usually appeared rather casual, but it was obvious that she took this wish serious.

  “Exactly! Everyone will look up to us!”, echoed Cye with a grin.

  The atmosphere eased up a bit while Fortune spoke with a shrug:

  “I want to be a top creator. I won’t deny that I enjoy the attention and the lifestyle.”

  “Reasonable. I o earn some money as well and look forward to some good fights.”

  Almost everyone had spoken, prompting them to turn their eyes to the usually quiet Watchful Eye.

  “I will follow the young dy.”

  Silver Bde rolled her eyes, feeling embarrassed. Luckily the others thought it was only natural.

  “And I want to be powerful.”

  Suddenly the party members stared at Watchful Eye. It was surprising as the taciturn man showed a hint of childish longing.

  But no one ridiculed him, accepting it quietly.

  “Let me summarize.”, said Silent Acacia with a relieved expression.

  “All of us are profiting from being at the top. Be it for money or otherwise. How we make sure to meet everyone’s goals?”

  “In my opinion…”, said Liam. “… is Cye’s and Balm’s wish the most difficult. A successful guild needs many parts to work together seamlessly.

  I suggest you two found yuild and hire us as the core team. You pay us a sary ive out shares.

  Silver Bde could bee the main sponsor, but she alone probably isn’t enough.

  For the guild to work well and for Fortuo get good tent we as the core team o stand out, getting first clears and solving difficult quests.

  Balm is i in alchemy, right? You should work hard and advance your profession. Alchemy earn a lot of money which we’ll need for the guild. You also hire others and make a business out of it.

  However, we are still missing one important position. A manager.”

  “I might know someone.”

  Feeling all eyes turning towards him Radiant Shield mentioned a familiar name:

  “Sun’s Knight.”