Infinite Realm

"Wait. Would you like to be a part of my guild?"

Sato turned to face the speaker with a incredulity plastered all over his face.

"What did you say?"

Presuming that he was pleasantly surprised by the offer, Yukino repeated herself, "As a valued core member of the guild, my words are appreciated and recommended by the upper echelons. Thanks to my achievements to the guild, I'm granted to quotas to directly recruit any player of my choice into the guild. Videlicet, the recommended player wouldn't need to buy a recruitment form nor participate in the recruitment test. So once again, would you like to join Emperor's Might?"

Sato's eyes widened as he was sincerely surprise since he never expected an invitation to come out of the blue like that.

'What did I do? Did I mistakenly reveal anything? But I still held back right? And since when was getting scouted for a super guild that easy?!' Sato's mind was at a mess right now and less should be said about Fudo who was trying to comprehend what was going on.

At first Kylian, Dream Tiger and everyone else didn't believe their ears but as Yukino repeated the same question, going further to even give explanations, they were truly surprised and wondered why the acclaimed Snow Goddess would set her eyes on Sato. Even if he was strong, from his performance, Sato was barely able to match up with their guild leader but yet Yukino seemed to think highly of him.

In recent times, the VR gaming sector has been thriving at an absurd rate with more people seeing it as a window of opportunity to success. After the Great Reparation,the world population had plummeted by more than 60%. As time went on the population had recovered a bit, currently peaking at 5-6 billion humans or thereabout thanks to the efforts of humanity. According to analysts, at least 2 billion, that is at least 30% of the world's current population, are gamers. Some of them are professional gamers, a few are part timers[1] while a few are leisure players or rather people who use VR games as an escape from the solitude and sufferings of life.

For the more focused and serious professional gamers, strength and skill are what they need to conquer the gaming world and leave behind their mark in gaming history. Most times, one can't achieve this on their own and hence require external support and this is were guilds come in.

A super guild, for decades, has been seen as the peak form of any gaming guild; the end level and number one goal of guilds and also the aspiration of at least 90% of players. If a player desires to achieve the peak of gaming skill and leave behind their mark in gaming history, being a member of a behemoth like a super guild is a necessary factor that makes such a goal easier. Why? Because super guilds have better special training services and better resources that can increase the strength of VR gamer at a very impressive rate when compared to the services of lesser guilds or solo training. There's a famous saying in the gaming world tat goes 'behind every world class player is super guild foundation'[2].Though this saying doesn't really apply to every legendary player, at least 70% of them went through this route.

'This bastard…' Dream Tiger gritted his teeth.

Dream Tiger had always dreamt of going to a super guild. In his own opinion, East Crow guild is but a spring board for him; a junction to sharpen his skills and improve himself a bit more. Despite all the support and the training the guild had given to him, Dream Tiger wasn't attached to it in whatsoever way. He had earnestly tried his best to show off his skills to Yukino in hopes of getting picked up by Emperor's Might but he never expected a solo player, who cowardly hid behind a cloak, to be the one to get her attention. Saying that he really wanted Sato die right now isn't an understatement.

With a prideful expression, Yukino stared waiting for his reply. She had full confidence that he would agree to her proposal after all Emperor's Might wasn't a weak super guild as it was in the top 10 rankings. Also, a lot of players had always tried to please her and get closer to her and Yukino believed that Sato was the same as he would try anything to get closer to her. Though she really hated people for this since they usually had lecherous thoughts behind them, Yukino still used this vile traits of theirs to tie them to the ship known as Emperor's Might.

Sato scrutinized her a bit before replying,

"Sorry but my answer is no."

"...excuse me?" Yukino stared incredulously at him.

"Didn't you hear me? NO." Sato felt a bit annoyed as he strongly conveyed his thoughts.

The Snow Goddess Yukino was bewildered. Never had she expected a player, even more so a man, to reject her invitation to join a super guild. One has to know that an opportunity to be invited into a super guild was like an opportunity for a carp to leap through the dragon gate; a window of opportunity that would lead to a qualitative change for them but Sato had outrightly denied it. If some die-hard fans of hers and gamers were to see this scene, they would earnestly pound Sato to death with their fist. Even if he was vexed about the fact that his and Fudo's rewards were less valuable than the rest, it was still dumb of him to refuse this opportunity.

The Snow Goddess! A true 'Queen' ranked 178th in the 'Gaming Experts List'[3] had earnestly invited a stranger to her guild but yet he refused. Even more so with an annoyed tone as if she were pestering him.

Yukino knitted her brows before replying, "If you are worried about your friend, you need not worry as I can also help him skip the first test and as long as he passes the practical trials then he would join up with you."

"No. It's not that. I just don't wish to be in the same guild as the likes of yourself." Sato grinned.

"Are you stupid?! Do you know what you have just missed?!" Dream Tiger shouted at Sato with anger in his eyes. There was even a bit of killing intent but he rolled it back in. He knew that Sato had said that just to irritate Yukino but he couldn't keep watching him do so.

Before he could even comment on it, Fudo retorted at Dream Tiger.

"Who the hell are you huh? Did you see the lady or her teammates complain? But hell, you decided to stick your nose where it shouldn't be. Why don't you mind your business little kid."

'Little kid?!' Dream Tiger was slowly losing it but he didn't retort after all, Fudo was right. What right did he have to criticize Sato for his decision or behaviour? None.

Dream Tiger had been dissatisfied with Sato continuously. First with his amazing performance in handling the one-horned trolls, creating a crack in Dream Tiger's pride as an expert. Secondly with his battle against Devis and Rock, the experts of Sinland, where Sato not only defeated them both but managed to kill one of them. The last nail that shattered his pride wasn't the invitation to join a super guild but the fact that Sato had rejected it.

Dream Tiger had a crush on Yukino, but it wasn't your average crush. He always felt that Yukino was suited for him and they both deserved each other. Dream Tiger believed that if he had been part of a super guild, with the resources and training they give, he would have been on par with Yukino. He believed that his talent was similar with hers and as such, they deserved to be together. That is why Emperor's Might had been his dream super guild. But now, a stranger he neither knows nor heard about suddenly appeared and like a pie falling from the sky, he was granted the chance to be a part of the guild Dream Tiger had always hoped for. Rather than accepting however, the stranger rejected, going so far as to do so with a frustrated tone, making light of Dream Tiger's dream guild. If that wasn't enough, the unknown player decided to irk his crush and 'destined partner'. Why wouldn't he be annoyed?

"I see." Yukino expressed after ruminating a bit. "Hmph ! Don't expect to ever get into my guild as long as I'm still around." Ending at that, she left in with rapid footsteps, thoroughly ignoring the fact that she came with other players.

"I sincerely apologize for that." Kylian awkwardly laughed. The reason he did so was because, although Sato rejected the invitation, he still saved their lives earlier on.

After that Kylian and Griffin, who had taken the loot from Chesces remains, chased after her and exited the chamber. Sato and Fudp decided to stop waiting and also did the same but Dream Tiger stared at Sato with red eyes as if he wanted to tear him apart.

'This feud will be settled later on with your head.'

Swift Blade had obviously seen Dream Tiger's behaviour but he only shook his head. Despite having a higher rank in the guild than him, Dream Tiger was stronger than him and strength speaks best as such, he couldn't reprimand Dream Tiger for his attitude just now. He could only hope that that player never encounters him elsewhere.

'Sky Blade was it? I wish you the best of luck.'

AN :

By part timers, they actually have real life jobs but still make a few bucks from gaming. However, they aren't as dedicated as the professionals neither do they have sponsors. They earn from selling what they make in-game. It can be information, in-game money, materials or equipment and weapons.

Adapted from the saying 'Behind every great man is a great woman' or 'Behind every successful man is a strong woman'.

Changed from Gamer Experts List to Gaming Expert List.. I believe the second should be correct.