Lord Of The Lost

The announcement created an uproar. Players flooded the thread, signing up eagerly and singing the Forum Master's praises. Many wished they could bow to him in person, so fervent was their respect and enthusiasm.

But there was a practical problem for many high-level players who had joined the game later than others: they were weaponless. Every tool and weapon in the villages had already been snatched up, even basic white-board items like steel axes and iron spears. The small villages near Border Town simply couldn't supply weapons quickly enough to meet the demand, nor did they have the resources or the funds to do so. The region was essentially an agricultural zone with little military capability, a fragile economy where players could barely find enough to be self-sufficient.

The Gambler, always quick to question, turned to the Forum Master. "Are you really planning on keeping everyone in this guild you're putting together?"

The Forum Master shook his head. "Not at all. This is just the first step, a preliminary screening. After we deal with the thieves, I'll disband the group and then pick out the best players to bring into my guild."

In the private discussion group, the Forum Master laid out his strategy with no reservations. He saw the fight against the thieves as a short-term mission; an opportunity to assess who had potential and who didn't. After a few battles, he'd have a clear picture of who was elite and who was dead weight.

"I'm not interested in recruiting everyone. I only want the best, the players who have both skill and loyalty," he continued. "Simple but effective."

The Gambler grinned. "And how many do you think you'll need for this big anti-thief mission?"

"To make a real impact against the thieves, I estimate we'll need at least 200 players. I've already got 70 or 80 blank weapons on hand. If that's not enough, I'll see if the mayor can loan us some. He's likely to help if it means clearing out the thieves. After the guild is disbanded, I'll pick the top 20 performers to form a permanent team."

By "top performers," the Forum Master meant players with high overall quality, those who showed a mix of combat skill, resilience, and dependability. He needed relative loyalty from his core group, the kind of players he could count on when the going got tough.

Rallying 200 players was no small feat; it would represent about a fifth of the active player base. And his standards were clear: only high-level players would be allowed to join. Those below level 5 wouldn't get a shot, as they simply wouldn't stand a chance in battle against thieves.

It was a harsh reality; at level 5, the abilities of thieves truly came into play. They had skills like [Exploiting Misfortune], which allowed them to capitalize on their opponents' vulnerabilities, as well as [Evade], which let them escape in the face of danger. Some even had a shadowy skill called [Harm], which made them particularly lethal.

The Forum Master explained further, "These thieves get a decent boost in battle. It might not seem huge, but a thief's 5-point strength could easily reach 6 with characteristic bonuses. That's why I want high-level players with talent on our side. At level 5, the player's true power starts to emerge, setting them apart from ordinary combatants."

The Gambler chuckled, "So it's like a gambler rolling a 1, but with a talent to tip the odds in his favor?"

"Exactly," Forum Master replied. "And as these players level up, their talent becomes more prominent. We need that edge if we're going to take on a force like this."

The call was clear: the Forum Master was building an elite alliance, not just for a battle against the thieves but for a future where only the best would survive. This wasn't just a response to Windmill Village; it was the beginning of a new order among the players. Those with the talent and grit to join him were in for the fight of their lives and perhaps a place in his guild if they could prove themselves worthy.

William chuckled, shaking his head in mild amusement. "Two hundred players, just to whittle it down to an elite ten percent," he thought. The Forum Master's vision for his guild clearly aimed for excellence and precision.

But that was something to tackle once the guild was established. For now, organizing such a large-scale operation was already stretching the Forum Master's limits. Managing 200 players in a battle against the thieves wasn't going to be easy.

Thankfully, the Forum Master had the background to pull it off. His real-world success and experience with leadership were undeniable assets, and if he succeeded in routing the thieves, his reputation among players would skyrocket.

The Forum Master let out a sigh, "It's too bad none of you are willing to join me on this one."

Of the four companions, only Alex had tentatively agreed to join, and even that was more out of a desire to practice his skills than any long-term commitment to the guild. William and the others saw through the Forum Master's intentions; it was clear he wanted to recruit them permanently. They declined with tact, maintaining the friendship but keeping things professional.

"Good as allies, but we're not interested in being anyone's underlings," William mused, knowing there'd be plenty of opportunities for collaboration down the line.

Turning back to the forum, William started searching for posts of interest. As more players joined the game, activity on the forum was buzzing. People posted about everything from rumors to skill tips, and it was clear the Forum Master had invested well in maintaining the forum's security.

Among the sea of posts, one caught William's eye. His post, titled "Looking for Werewolf," had an intriguing new comment.

Someone had written: "Ran into a dying hunter today. He'd been in a brutal fight with a werewolf, left badly wounded and bleeding. I met him out in the wilds. He barely had time to catch his breath, gave me something, and then disappeared."

William's focus sharpened. He'd been tracking werewolf sightings around Border Town, hoping for a lead. Werewolves and hunters had been clashing in the remote wilderness, well beyond player access, but the intensity of their battles had apparently escalated. It seemed they were now so embroiled in conflict that they couldn't conceal their presence any longer.

A player running into a mortally wounded hunter was a sign. William knew this meant more hunters and likely werewolves; were dying in places unseen by others. But what he didn't know was how heavy the werewolf casualties were.

He touched his chest, thinking about the small fraction of werewolf characteristics he carried within him. He had absorbed one-fifth of the werewolf traits, a part of his character that felt dormant yet potent. But it raised a question that had nagged at him: if he chose a different path, would those lingering werewolf traits be purged from his body, or would they cause some kind of "characteristic contamination"?

This uncertainty left him restless. He'd delved into dark and demonic traits before, but he hadn't yet unlocked the full spectrum of the werewolf characteristics.

Snapping back to focus, William formed his fingers into a makeshift gun and practiced his [Piercing Attack]. With a swift, powerful movement, he drove his fingers into a thick dictionary, piercing it straight through. The precision, the impact, it was as if he were striking directly at a werewolf's heart.

He allowed himself a grim smile. "Werewolf… I'm coming for you."