New Life Online 207 The Researcher

That time, we decided to start our job to be a small band of mercenaries. We help villagers in exchange for supplies and even the other cities with raids but we really kept our guild's ident.i.ty low. At the same time, we also invite people to join us. We were able to gain reputation while keeping our guild a secret but our scouts reported that other guilds are already spying on us. We might not really open to the public but we are well known.

Our guild started to grow as we were able to get richer. With enough people, we can dispatch reinforcements to travel across the gra.s.sland to offer a.s.sistance when needed. We also dispatch explorers to explore some undiscovered areas near our guild. We managed to improve our guild members equipment and we gave our people the freedom to do what they want as long as they obey our rules.

Jay's dream, to help the needed, is starting to come true. Our guild grew larger and faster than we thought and we were able to secure our guild with best defenses, not as strong as the other guilds but it's enough to stop the raiders from getting inside.

Then we thought our progress would slow down from that but it didn't. Our explorers managed to discover something incredible! They discover some gemstones, not just gemstones but it reacts to players when touched. It sucks the mana out of players! That's right, it absorbs our mana and stores it inside. What's good about it? Well, at first, nothing really. But our researchers... yes we have researchers... they tried their best to figure out the best use of it and yeah... when socketed to weapons or armors, they boost the magical effects of the equipment depending on the elemental affinity of the user, though it needs to be recharged from time to time if used.

We call those magical gemstones "Power Stones". Also, not only that. When hit by slight magic, it releases a powerful explosion depending on the stored mana. That's when they invented some new mechanisms that benefit the defense of our guild. They created these machines we call "Dragon Cannons". (They created this by inserting the gem inside this cannon thing and then a magic user, even if he's not that good, hits the gem inside. An explosion will occur and it would burst but fortunately, these cannons can withstand the power and all the power of the explosion would just burst in one direction.) The explosion of this cannon won't really travel that far but it's enough to hit those nearby, a good way to stop the Defenders to push forward.

Our researchers are currently trying to build other weapons too but Jay said that if this comes out in public, it would literally mess the game's world economy. Also, with so much power stones we have, our guild will the first target for sieges. Guilds might even team up just to beat us. It won't really be a good situation for us if this happens. So up until now, we still keep it as our guild's most secret.

Also, I've heard that Jay and Aurora were once rivals but it stopped when Jay decided to make his own guild. Jay focused too much on guild development that he forgot to train that much.

Of course, we heard a lot of news regarding what's happening in other parts of the New Life Online World but we didn't really partic.i.p.ate too often so we won't get any attention. We heard about the Order of Light Tournament and the final match was a mess. I heard it's this Scythus guy's fault and that's not the first time we heard his name. We heard that he also made a scene in that guild and killed a lot. Not only that, he even built his own guild with his friends. Unfortunately, our scouts told us that it's too dangerous to spy on them because they have one of the best archers so far that has incredible detecting skills, not to mention that this Scy guy can literally fly whenever he wants which I think is absurd.

Then one day, we heard about the invasion. It's too complicated for us to help because Jay, our guild leader, doesn't have a really friendly relations.h.i.+p with Order of Light so we waited for the best moment while all the thirteen guilds are waiting below the Snowy Mountain near the Vanguards Guild. Then bad news came, the entire Alliance army was wiped out and the Vanguards Guild was fallen to the hand of the World Boss which they call "The Frozen King". We never expected that. And so our guild leader decided to help the guild he once used to work with. The second invasion started sooner than we expected and as soon as we arrived near the city, there's this big magic dark ball something that would literally destroy the city but after it hit the city, it disappeared as nothing happened. We arrived at the West Gate but we were too late to join the action. This one girl defeated the Frozen King and Order of Light secured the Soulstone.

And that's when I found out that Petula joined the guild of Scythus. She may really have some good reasons for this. How in the world did they invite her? So after that, they invited us for their celebration. Jay talked to them for a bit but they just want us to leave the city as soon as we can so we did... with another guild that is also hated by the Order of Light guild, Scythus' guild. Coincidentally, Jay and this Scythus guy are best friends and so we started the celebration and a real life fancy celebration.

*Click* I heard something snapped and it seems that my sister is trying to get my attention...

"Hey... What's wrong with you? I know you're blind but are you deaf now too?" Maybe I dozed off a little.

"Sorry sis, what was your question again?"

"Oh, nevermind. Just finish your breakfast because we really have to do something important later on. I'll see you later sis."

-Life Guild, Life Inn-

And after that... Of course, I logged in back to the game.

I met again with my group and I can tell that my guild members are currently waiting for me.

"You're late Banana Girl. It's time for us to leave. Say goodbye to your little Sis." Jay said. We just talked about earlier really...

"Oh sure. Just wait for a bit." So I headed to their Guild Hall and it seems they are having a meeting and the door is locked. Maybe it's really important or something and I don't want to disturb them so I decided to go back

"So did you say your goodbye?" Jay asked.

"Nah, I'll just talk to her later. Let's move out then." We said our goodbyes to the cook of the bar and other present members of their guild. It will take a lot of time again before we can reach our guild this time. Traveling isn't that bad.

-Other Side Guild-

Yup... It took us a lot of time before we made it into our guild. It's midnight time already, we already had a break too in real life. Thank G.o.d... It's really exhausting.

"Hey guys, we're glad that you're back." Rafrov, Jay's close friend and the head of our research department, welcomed us back. He didn't join the real-life party because of personal reasons.

"It's nice to be back. Any news lately?" Jay asked.

"Well, there's huge news actually. We've got a report that Life Guild sieged the Raven City. They breached the wall so easily and I also heard that the Defending army surrendered. I also heard that their leader is nowhere to be found so I guess maybe she ran away or something." Rafrov reported.

"What?! Seriously? Maybe that happened after we left their guild." Yes, I remember Sis told me that they will have to do something important.

"Yes, and they also freed all the slave monsters and creatures which I think is not a bad idea. Some of the creatures are Elves which are not friendly in nature but can talk to humans so they can still be persuaded with proper communication." Oh, so not all monsters are bad huh...

"Yup, you're right Son, though I think he did that because he's already friends with the Elves. Also, Scy is technically our best friend in real life and you know who he is. I know he means well. So let him be for now and if he gets in trouble, we are here to help him, right?" Jay replied. Yup, his name is Son. Maybe Son is a shorter version of a long name but maybe it's not.

"You mean our best friend who just woke up a couple of months ago? Wow, that's a huge accomplishment, building your own Guild that fast. It took us quite a while too. There's a lot of rumors about him, so how is he, is he a good fighter?" Rafrov asked curiously.

"Nah, I tested him out but he chose not to fight." He replied...

"He got beaten in just one hit. Haha." I blurted out and laughed. The others laughed at him too.

"Just shut up, Banana Girl. You saw what happened. He cheated." What a sore loser.

"Well, he's quite the gamer when we were in high school playing some online games so you know, he's always ahead of us but never brags about it. He's the compet.i.tive type." It seems Rafrov also grow with them for a long time.

We talked a bit for a while but it seems that we're done for the night. I guess I'll go to my usual training spot.

While I was walking north of our guild, I roamed around looking for monsters but I guess the more our guild gets bigger, the fewer monsters show up. So I guess...

"What the?!"

*SWOOOOOs.h.!.+* I felt something moving above me with great speed that I panicked a bit. I was shocked by it and turns out... did I hit a bird? I killed a bird for no reason... oh just wait, there's something written on it.

-Life Guild-

*Elou's POV*

Oh man! Someone killed Chicken Withwings again!