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nKieran opened his eyes with a quiet exhale, still in the same seated position he had been in when he left this world. He was on the top floor of the Godhand Bazaar, and seconds later, Altair opened his eyes sitting across from him.

nThey exchanged a few wordless glances, analyzing themselves for anything out of place. Only after confirming their current condition was manageable did the two meet each other’s gazes once more. .

nKieran led the conversation by way of the preamble.

n“So… how are you feeling?”

nAltair remained quiet for a few seconds, examining his condition with more painstaking effort than Kieran cared to put forth. This wasn’t the first, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last time Kieran wasn’t in peak performance state.

nThe logic behind sometimes not being in that condition was simple. There would be times when the situation called for every ounce of potential he could eke out from a disadvantageous standing.

n“It isn’t the worst, but it’s always not the best. I wouldn’t complain. At least there’s no issue in terms of my stats.”

nKieran nodded.

nHe expected that a change in their bodily condition on Earth could only dictate how well they could pilot their characters in this world. It was more like a weakened internet connection or faulty controller while gaming, which could cause unforeseen issues.

nAfter ensuring their condition was fit to move around, the two didn’t idle within the topmost floor anymore. They had returned for a reason, and checking on the state of everything was the primary objective.

n“What’s our next move here?” Altair asked.

nKieran’s posture changed subtly as he leaned back, contemplating their course of action.

nHe intended to deal with Sanguis Requiem, addressing its stagnation, which had likely come from the fact many of the leading members had accompanied him on the conference trip and upon return… Bastion was met with misfortune that affected how often he logged into Zenith Online.

nHowever, Bastion was one person, and everything Sanguis Requiem was experiencing couldn’t stem from one person. That understanding made determining their next move decidedly easy. “We need to find out exactly what Ezra meant by our guild is in a weird state of flux.”

n“And what would you have me do?”

nKieran thought about it, then snapped his fingers.

n“Find a large hall, preferably a theater or a similar construct. Anything capable of holding a massive audience.”

nAltair furrowed his brows, his gaze sharpening into a glare.

n“Having me do the grunt work? What a pity. But I’ll get it done nonetheless.”

n“Don’t you be like that, bud. Besides, you owe me. We didn’t forget the whole ordeal about my face, did we?”

nAltair grunted affirmatively before sighing and retreating a step. His figure was bathed in liquid darkness so cold its chill permeated the room even after the wielder of darkness had disappeared into its unknown depths.

nKieran rolled his eyes at the dramatic exit but paid it no mind after it had been made.bender

nInstead, he focused on scrolling through the guild menu. As the

nGuild Leader, he had access to a variety of nifty perks, such as the ability to immediately expel or accept someone into the guild, expressly manage the guild’s funds, identify how many members were on, choose between sending messages by member rank, to everyone, or simply individual messaging.

nIt was an influential role, but that was to be expected as the one singlehandedly responsible for its creation. There was a lot of power but also responsibility wrapped up inside the position.

nAfter a moment, Kieran decided to mass message everyone, instructing them that they were to be within Aeredale City within a suitable time frame. Though he didn’t place an exact time to account for anyone with responsibilities outside of Zenith Online, he did attach an ultimatum.

nIf they didn’t have proof of a pressing matter or if they weren’t limited by immutable constraints, absence from the mass summons was going to result in immediate expulsion.

nA threat, no doubt. But it had to be made if the guild had fallen into a state of crippling inaction.

nIf their current members had lost their drive, though it could be a consequence of poor policing and absent commanders, it showed how frail their characters were. And spots in a guild were finite.

nKieran had an inkling that the guild’s current status resulted from an increase in official guilds floating around Zenith Online. Many members were likely already jumping ship in search of a more outstanding name. Such was the brevity of valor and glory. If Kieran didn’t continue to strive for greater peaks, the guild would have a short life.

nCompetition was stiff, and though Kieran’s accolades were exceptional, they weren’t staggering to the point no one could catch up to him. At least… that’s how many viewed it.

nA rising star often reached a ceiling and found no further growth.

nIt was that instilled thought that kept people searching for prominent coattails to cling to. However, Kieran wasn’t looking for parasites, nor was he looking to accept fodder who would only boost their numbers but boasted no genuine merit. 𝑖𝘦.𝘤𝑜𝘮

nThat was empty strength.

nKieran understood there was truth in the “strength in numbers” adage, but logic could be discarded once fantasy entered the grand perspective. Xenith abided by the law of the jungle – the survival of the fittest. Those weaker than the predator would be hunted and become helpless prey.

nAnd the day Sanguis Requiem was seen as prey perhaps wasn’t too far off.

nNot long after sending that mass message, Kieran’s interface began to be flooded by message requests. He knew it was guild members because it was set to ignore most incoming messages from unknown parties. That didn’t include anyone with a semblance of a relationship with him.

nKieran started to sift through the message, but after realizing they all sounded inherently similar, he stopped.

n‘Always complaints. Never an attempt to provide a solution!

nKieran sighed. His opinion of the members he had some say in picking was… well, somewhat of a letdown. They were motivated during the recruitment, but those embers of inspiration seemed to have already petered out.

nKieran wasn’t averse to second chances, but he also wasn’t a charitable person who championed nonsense. There was only so much as a leader he could tolerate, which is why gathering everyone would be their chance to rekindle whatever drive they had lost. Should they fail to rise to the occasion… then the consequences were theirs to bear. After all, Kieran firmly believed that drive wasn’t imparted but rather awakened. You either were driven, or you weren’t.

nHe sauntered down the steps, walking through the industrial third floor filled with the clamor and shuffling of production. Every division sounded hard at work, unlike their counterparts, but that was understandable considering working their Profession was how they increased their level to prepare for a Tier Evolution.

nKieran closed his eyes and inhaled.

nThe noises, scents, and sensations assaulted him all at once.

nThere were pungent aromas from the mixing of brews, a burnt, almost poignant smell coming from purified metals, and subtle mystical fluctuations in the air from people fortunate enough to learn enchanting from Agatha.

n‘So much to address, but it’ll all happen in due time!

nUpdated from 𝑖𝘦.𝒸𝘰𝘮

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