Leo found the Silver Guide's shift in demeanor quite striking. D5 had abandoned his earlier coldness for something more hospitable, though the underlying mystery remained. A lavish spread of tables, high-backed chairs, and aromatic teas materialized throughout the cathedral, offering the Lords a brief respite.
"You have exactly 120 minutes to finalize your purchases,'' D5 announced, his navy suit sharp against the glowing backdrop. ''Any points remaining after the limit will be forfeited. Spend wisely.'' With a flick of his wrist, the guide vanished.
The cathedral became a hum of activity. Despite the lingering bitterness over the rankings, the allure of the shop was too strong to ignore. Noel was already whistling at the sight of the Top 3 rewards, while Luna clung to Hye-na, her eyes sparkling with greed.
Leo steered his team toward an empty table. As Noel prepared to take the chair beside Leo, a melodic voice cut through the air.
"Would you mind if I took this seat?'' Rose asked, her smile radiant and disarming. Before Noel could formulate a response, his body moved of its own accord, stepping aside to make room. 'What the hell?' Noel thought, his brow furrowing as he realized he'd been subtly manipulated.
Leo gave Rose a brief, knowing glance before refocusing on his holographic interface. Luna sat nearby, wearing a smug grin. 'Being carried to the 7th rank is a talent in itself,' she thought, watching Rose try to play her games.
The inventory was staggering. It contained everything from Epic-grade artifacts to rare mount eggs and blueprints. Most Lords were fixated on the High-grade artifacts—items that cost upwards of 35,000 points—but Leo's priorities were different. He had his own methods for obtaining gear; what he lacked were the foundations for his territory.
He navigated to the resource tab and searched for Crimson Obsidian and Nightsteel Ingots. They were rare, even here. A single unit of obsidian was 150 points, while the Nightsteel cost 80. Leo did the math: 500 obsidian and 120 ingots would set him back 84,600 points.
''Dammit,'' Leo hissed, tapping the table in frustration. He held 70,300 points—a fortune to most, but insufficient for his ambitions. 'I should have been more thorough with the massacre before the trial,' he thought darkly.
He cast a hopeful look toward Luna, but she was deep in a shopping trance, her fingers flying across her screen to avoid eye contact. Finally, he turned to the top ranker.
Hye-na felt his gaze and stopped her browsing. ''How much do you need?'' she asked, her voice flat and professional.
''14,300,'' Leo stated.
Luna's frantic tapping intensified at the mention of the sum, her panic rising as she tried to spend her points before Leo could pivot back to her.
"140,000 gold coins. Installments are acceptable,'' Hye-na countered.
Leo's eye twitched at the exorbitant interest rate. 'She is as cold as always,' he mused. ''Deal.''
With the agreement reached, Noel and Luna both exhaled in relief. Since direct point transfers were not possible, Leo coordinated with Hye-na to have her purchase the excess materials.
By the time the transactions were finished, Leo's balance was null, but the sense of anticipation was overwhelming. He was finally going to establish an Epic-grade Barracks.
Leo poured the tea, his heightened perception analyzing the subtle notes of the brew. It was remarkably soothing; the mere aroma seemed to untangle the knots of fatigue in his chest. He exhaled, leaning back into the conjured chair, savoring the stillness of the cathedral.
The cathedral was a theater of desperation. While the shop offered a glimpse of godhood, the price tags were a brutal reality check. Nevertheless, the Lords clung to this opportunity, buying whatever sliver of survival they could afford, dreaming of the day they would return to the Origin as Prime Lords.
Rose finalized her transactions, her spoils vanishing into her spatial storage. She offered a faint smile and poured a cup of her own. Before the rim could touch her lips, Leo broke the silence.
''So, what is it that you truly require?''
She didn't answer immediately, letting the warmth of the tea settle her mind. ''What are your long-term prospects, Crimson Lord?'' she asked, her gaze fixed on the shimmering horizon of the shop interface. ''You've made a name for yourself here, but after the trial, the power dynamic shifts. The sheep will return to their folds and emerge as wolves, backed by the infinite wealth of the Great Families and guilds. There will be no rules to protect an outsider. Surely you realize this.''
The weight of her words settled heavily on the table. Luna stole a glance at Leo. She was one of the few who knew the truth—that the Crimson Lord was a man standing entirely on his own. He lacked the centuries of heritage that backed people like Elias or Baron. She wondered if grit alone could survive the coming storm.
Leo took a slow, methodical sip. He had no lineage, only a talent that spat in the face of the heavens. But the world didn't need to see his cards.
''And what makes you think I am standing alone?'' he countered, meeting her eyes.
Rose's expression sharpened. She had been dissecting his every move. An heir to a great power wouldn't be this loud; a guild member wouldn't be this independent. 'Is he truly this confident in a lie?' she wondered, setting her cup down with a sharp click. ''Conversations are wasted on those who refuse to be honest.''
Leo let out a short, dry laugh. ''Fine. Forget my background. What about her?'' He gestured toward Hye-na, whose emerald eyes were still scanning her rewards with clinical focus.
''Impossible,'' Rose whispered. ''A daughter of the Baek Clan doesn't align herself with a rogue element.'' She searched Leo's face for a hint of a joke, but found only a smirk.
''Hye-na is a cornerstone of our alliance,'' Luna added, her voice cutting through Rose's skepticism. ''We have nothing to prove to you.''
Rose fell into a stunned silence. Coming from a merchant background, she understood the terrifying implications of an heiress like Hye-na breaking tradition. Her mental calculations were interrupted by Leo's next move—a bold, reckless gambit.
''Join us, Rose. Our doors are open.''
Luna's eye twitched. 'Is he really ignorant or just completely insane?' she mused.
''Do you have any idea of the magnitude of such an invitation?'' Rose asked, her curiosity finally piqued.
'She's acting like I just asked for her hand in marriage,' Leo thought. He leaned forward, his presence suddenly suffocating. ''You possess a very specific type of talent, don't you?''
''What brings you to that conclusion?''
Leo's smile was like a blade. ''It's simple math. Your team is the only one that emerged without a single casualty. Even a narcissist like Steven Lockwood follows you with the obedience of a dog. I don't need to know the nature of your talent to know I want it in my alliance. Take your time. I'm not in a hurry.''
It was a calculated bluff, fueled by what he had overheard. His senses had picked up the frantic, terrified whispers of Steven's squad—men who felt like they were being operated by an invisible hand. A Lord who could puppet other Lords was a weapon Leo wouldn't leave on the table.
Rose found herself off-balance. She was used to being the hunter, the charmer, the manipulator. Yet, Leo had seen through her mask and offered her a seat at his table without blinking. Recognizing she needed to re-evaluate her strategy, she stood up.
''We will cross paths again, Crimson Lord,'' she said, her brown hair catching the light as she walked away, leaving a lingering scent of expensive tea and unanswered questions behind.
''Leader, you truly are a visionary,'' Noel remarked, offering a hearty thumbs up. His expression was one of profound respect, as if he had finally decoded Leo's master plan.
''What on earth are you talking about?'' Leo questioned, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion.
The group went still. ''You have to be joking,'' Luna said, her eyes dancing with mischief as a smile broke across her face. ''You honestly didn't know her identity?''
''Is it a requirement to know every person I meet?'' Leo asked, feeling increasingly stumped by their reaction.
Noel's palm met his forehead with a resounding crack. He leaned over the table, his voice a frantic whisper. ''That was Rose Sterling. The Sterlings. Back on Earth, their family conglomerate held a monopoly on nearly fifty percent of all Origin resources. Rose is the youngest daughter of the patriarch. We assumed your invitation was a calculated move to secure our future supply chains!''
Leo felt a literal thunderclap of regret in his chest. 'You idiots... You should have led with that information. I would have treated her with the utmost hospitality,' he thought, sinking into a stunned silence. The weight of the missed opportunity felt heavier than the giantess's hand.
The 120-minute countdown flickered one last time before hitting zero. The atmospheric hum of the cathedral reached a crescendo, and the light of the system swallowed them whole. In an instant, the Lords were torn from the hall and teleported back to the rugged borders of their own territories.