Infinite Realm

A team of three players were running across a hallway. They were geared in equipment of

"Stop. Let's search here for any valuables." The only female in the group who seemed to be the leader spoke up. The team then went into a room and started searching around but after they didn't discover anything, they left the room.

"Permit me to speak captain." Griffin suddenly asked.

Yukino knitted her brows.

"Go on."

"Why did you try to invite him? I know that his skills are okay but they are just that, okay. There are a lot more pro players out there that are far stronger than him and even more in the guild."

"True."

Seeing that she didn't continue, Griffin pressed on.

"Then why?"

"I felt he was familiar plus that skill he used during the raid...it looked like the 1st form of the Lotus Sword art." Yukino recalled when they were trying to break Sygrart's barrier alongside Chesces.[2]

"The sword art of the Noguchi clan?!" Kylian and Griffin both exclaimed.

Yukino nodded. Even though she uses the sword art itself, she had actually comprehended parts of it after seeing it in play. So far Yukino only knew one of them; the 2nd form: 3 leaf block. However, that was enough to solidify her status as a genius as she had learnt these two skills from seeing them in action. But of course, the power she could draw out from them was less than 2/3 of the original.

"Then that means that he might be a big figure." Kylian stated with a hint of disbelief.

The Noguchi clan. A huge clan dedicated to Martial arts and techniques. A lot of modern day martial arts skills and techniques have been created by the descendants and members of this clan. Apart from martial arts, they also possessed political clout and had big enterprises under their name. Some of their members even have high ranks in the army. Though they weren't the number one family in Independent State of Japan, they were still part of the top 5. Their influence was said to have spread wide and far that they were dreaded by the other Top 4 families.

Of course as a big clan with wings spread wide and far, the Noguchi clan even had a super guild under them. Though the super guild isn't strictly controlled by them, they have at least 40% of it's shares, thereby becoming a major shareholder. They also had a 1st tier guild that comprised mostly of their family members and close friends. The name of the guild was derived from their name and hence given the title "The Gatekeepers".

"I doubt that. The Noguchis care a lot about their face and blood so unless he was completely abandoned by them, there's no way that he would be here on his own without more aid. Plus the information I have suggests that none of their forces are stationed in Fallen Heart Kingdom much less Riverdale Town."

As a few hours had already gone by since the game launched, coupled with the break time as a result of the update, most guilds had used that period to launch investigations on their rivals. As a result, the locations and status of pretty much every super power was known to each other. A behemoth like the Noguchi clan's Gatekeepers or the super guild under them, would of course be monitored by others.

"As I had said before, I'm not sure whether it was actually the sword art he had used. It might be it or it might have been something similar. If it were really it then he might have learnt it somewhere, I don't know. I just wanted to bring him to outside to be sure."

'So you just wanted to make a gamble?!' Griffin helplessly cried inwardly.

"Kylian, do you know the name of that player?" Yukino asked while moving forward.

"No. He didn't tell us his name so I'm not aware." Kylian shook his head. He indeed didn't know Sato's name since Sato wore a black cloak but he still hid the fact that Sato had told Drunken Hog his name.

Kylian didn't see this happen but simply guessed that since Drunken Hog had shared the data on Sygrart's stats to everyone, he must have gotten Sato's name and sent it to him too.

The reason why he didn't tell Yukino this detail was to protect him. Kylian was pretty sure that Yukino was currently incensed by Sato's rejection and would try to get back at him. He was very aware of the strength wielded by super guilds and if Yukino was dead set on getting Sato's head, it wouldn't much difficult. Since Sato had saved their lives earlier from the trolls, Kylian decided to repay him back with this little action.

'I have done my best for you guys. As for whether she will still pursue this, I leave that to your luck.' Kylian bitterly smiled.

. . . . .

"Sato, do you think that guy will let us off so easily? He seems like one of those prideful experts plus I think he has a thing for Yukino." Fudo suddenly spoke up as they were moving underground in search of an exit. Being a sanguine in nature, Fudo could hardly keep quiet even for awhile so he decided to strike up a conversation but of course, it had to be a meaningful one otherwise Sato would simply ignore him.

"True. His character is quite difficult to deal with. I kinda feel like it won't end here but I hope it does. I honestly don't want to get in any guild confrontation for now." Sato sighed before smiling bitterly.

"Oh? So you have finally decided to start a guild?"

"How many times must I remind you, we are starting with a club." Sato refuted.

A gaming club is a smaller organization when compared to a guild as their number count is at about 12-30 or there about. This might seem big but when compared to a guild that usually has at least 50 members but with an average of 120 members and above, a club is indeed smaller. The advantage of a club was that it was far more easier to manage when compared to a guild but it's disadvantage was the obvious lack of manpower.

"Alright alright." Fudo grinned shamelessly. "So where are we heading next? If I'm correct, the battle above should be wrapping up now so we would be going back to town soon right? Our original intention before all this was to level up but with this battle that we've gone through, we have pretty much completed our original goal."

"True but that doesn't mean we should just sit down. We gained two level ups from the battle back there but we are still quite some distance away from the level 10 mark." Sato replied while looking forward.

"So we're still going to fight again?" Fudo's face scrunched.

"Yeah. Don't forget the reason why we are playing this game. We aren't leisure players Fudo." Sato lectured him. Suddenly, Sato's face steeled as he put on a serious expression.

"Stop. Someone's following us."

"Could it be that guy? Can't he just mind his business. He really is too impatient to meet his death." Fudo sneered.

There was a saying that the more you try to avoid something, the closer it gets to you. A few seconds later, Fudo's guess turned out correct as the one who appeared was Dream Tiger accompanied by the swordsman Swift Blade.

When he saw them standing still and staring at him, Dream Tiger stopped running and faced the duo with a distance of at least 4 metres separating the two parties.

"Hmph. What are you doing here?" Dream Tiger said with clear contempt in his voice.

"I should be asking you the same thing." Sato frowned at him.

"What else would I be doing? I'm looking for a way out." Dream Tiger plainly stated. However Sato didn't buy his excuse.

After they had defeated the boss, two major entrances had shown up. While Yukino and her team took one of them, Sato and Fudo took the other. This meant that Swift Blade and Dream Tiger could pick any of the two. Even if he were still to follow Sato and Fudo's choice, the hallway they passed through had many different passages that led elsewhere. Logically, Dream Tiger and Swift Blade should be interested in searching around for more treasures. Even if they were in a hurry to escape, there were other pathways to go through but they happened to tag along with Sato and Fudo right behind them. If anything, rather than a coincidence this seemed more like they were purposely tracking them.

Recalling that they both had a heated argument earlier together with the behaviour he had shown to them, Sato was pretty sure that Dream Tiger wasn't here to apologise neither did he arrive by coincidence.

'I gave you an inch but you decided to take a mile. Whether you are guild member or not, I will still kill you if you offend me, even if you are from super guild.'

"Let's go." Sato said before turning around. In actuality however, he was talking to Fudo.

"Hold up." Dream Tiger abruptly yelled. "Don't you think you ought to apologise?"

"Apologise for what?" Fudo, who was about to walk away turned around and asked Dream Tiger. He had been incensed with Dream Tiger's behavior especially how he looks down on others as if they are nothing more than puny ants. Dream Tiger's behaviour even made Fudo hate him more than Hideki.

"For what you ask? For the disrespect you had shown me."

Disrespect? You sh***y **s think that was disrespect?! What the hell do you feel like?!" Fudo was annoyed greatly and was even about to cast a spell at him. But he stopped upon noticing Sato's motion.

Sato turned back and stared at Dream Tiger in the eyes. He slightly reduced the effect of the black cloak making it such that his eyes would show as he glared at Dream Tiger. Sato's aura suddenly soared as his eyes were filled with indifference and arrogance.

"Let me ask you something. Who do you think you are?"