At the heart of the Lamdal Capital, Starlight Castle stood tall as a symbol of absolute power.
Inside the grand meeting room that served as the Pioneer Guild's headquarters, twenty-three chairs surrounded a giant ebony round table. Sitting at the far end, in a chair carved more majestically than the rest, was the guild master, Alphonse.
He rested his chin on his hand, staring blankly at the gradually filling seats. Alphonse had pitch-black hair with a slightly messy cut, yet he somehow maintained an elegant air.
Contrasting his dark hair, a pair of piercing golden eyes stared out from behind a gold monocle, connected by a thin chain to his collar. Those eyes radiated a sharp, analytical intellect mixed with a dense magical aura.
He wore a pitch-black outer cloak with intricate gold embroidery along the edges. Whenever he moved, the deep maroon inner lining peeked out, giving him the aura of a mysterious nobleman.
White wolf fur at the collar accentuated his imposing silhouette. Beneath the cloak, a gold-buttoned black vest wrapped around a crisp white shirt with a classic ascot tie.
Floating quietly to his right was Stella Obscura—a black crystal the size of a fist. Inside the crystal, a miniature nebula spun slowly, emitting the glow of trapped stars.
While waiting for the meeting to begin, Alphonse let his mind wander, reminiscing about his five-year journey in Orion Online.
The game used to be an obscure title. But as time went on, Orion Online exploded into a global phenomenon. The level of freedom it offered was second to none.
Players could choose from four main races: Humans with perfectly balanced attributes, Elves blessed with high mana capacity and magical affinity, Dwarves serving as impenetrable fortresses with their defensive resistances, and Beastmen relying on wild instincts and sheer physical prowess.
Now, the game was no longer just entertainment; it was a second world.
Multinational corporations injected massive funds, establishing corporate factions within the game to fight over resources. Through the RMT (Real Money Trading) system, a simple chunk of iron ore in the game could change someone's real-life fate.
The competition was ruthless. Millions of casual players crawled at the bottom of the food chain, acting as the cogs of the economy. Mid-tier guilds slaughtered each other just to claim a tiny patch of territory.
Through schemes, strategy, and bloodshed, Alphonse and his friends had led Pioneer to the very top. They were recognized as one of the Ten "Kings" of Orion Online.
But the sky above them wasn't clear just yet. Three "Emperors" still loomed over them—greedy giants who monopolized the continent.
While waiting for the clock on the castle wall to strike the meeting hour, the atmosphere in the round table room was far from tense. To them, this was still a game, and the daily routine in Orion Online always brought its own stories.
Sylas, the Beastman, broke the silence with a soft snort. He flipped a gold coin into the air and caught it nimbly.
"Did you guys know? The price of Leviathan Meat tanked again this week," Sylas said. "The casuals found an exploit bug on the southern coast and have been farming there non-stop. The food market is a total mess."
"Just let the newbies have their fun, Sylas," Garrom replied with his raspy voice. His muscular hands were busy polishing the small forging hammer he always carried.
"What gives me a headache are the mid-tier players coming into my workshop," the Dwarf continued. "Yesterday, a party brought in a rusty sword dropped from a low-level dungeon and asked me to forge it into a relic weapon. Do they think I'm some miracle god who can turn scrap metal into gold?!"
Valerius, sitting across from him, chuckled softly. The sound of his laughter was heavy behind his half-open helmet.
He raised his dull-looking gauntlet and muttered a quick spell.
[Tier E - Cleanse]
Instantly, the invisible layer of dust clinging to his armor vanished, restoring the gleaming shine of the tungsten steel.
"At least you just stay in the workshop, Garrom," Valerius said, leaning back against his chair, which creaked under the weight of his heavy armor. "I spent three hours this morning escorting the new kids from the infantry division through the Swamp of Death."
"Half of them got stuck in toxic mud just because they forgot to bring antidotes. Babysitting their panic attacks is way more exhausting than tanking a dragon's breath."
"That's because you don't inspire them, Valerius!"
Arcus's voice cut in with his signature dramatic flair. He brushed his blonde hair back.
"If you lead them with the aura of a conqueror, even toxic mud would step aside! Last night, I single-handedly cleared an Ogre nest in the Western Forest. When I unleashed my starlight arrows, those monsters didn't even dare to look me in the eye!"
Vrischil, who had been busy organizing digital parchment scrolls in front of her, paused her activity. She stared at Arcus with a deadly, deadpan expression.
"Yes, you did clear it, Arcus," Vrischil said coldly. "And you also accidentally burned down half the pine forest in the area with your explosions."
She continued, "The game system automatically deducted three thousand gold coins from our guild treasury as an environmental damage fine to the city territory."
Several guild members around the table couldn't hold back their laughter. Sylas even covered his mouth with a fan to hide his mischievous grin. Arcus immediately coughed, his face turning slightly red.
"T-that was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of art," Arcus defended, though his voice had lost its theatrical edge. "Besides, three thousand gold is nothing for Pioneer!"
Alphonse, sitting at the head of the table, simply offered a faint smile as he watched their interaction. He rested his chin, enjoying the warmth of the moment.
It was trivial banter like this that made all his exhaustion from managing a giant guild worth it.
They weren't just a bunch of players with maxed-out stats; they were friends who had logged thousands of hours together, laughing at stupid things amidst the cutthroat competition.
But Alphonse's smile slowly faded as his eyes glanced at the clock in the corner of his system interface.
Playtime was over. The server update was arriving soon, and his instincts told him that whatever was coming next couldn't be solved with laughter.
He knocked on the ebony table twice with his knuckles. The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to instantly silence the chatter.
Twenty-three pairs of eyes turned to him. The atmosphere in the room shifted a full 180 degrees; from a casual hangout spot to a war general's command center.
"We don't have much time," Alphonse said, his tone calm yet demanding full attention. "Vrischil, start the report."
To Alphonse's right, Vrischil stood up. The Elf, who acted as Pioneer's brain, kept her emotions tightly sealed behind a rigid, ice-cold expression.
Her long silver hair cascaded down to her waist, swaying gently with her movements. A turquoise gradient was visible at the tips—a visual phenomenon caused by the dense mana flowing through her body.
She smoothed out the folds of her asymmetrical, body-fit combat attire. It was styled in black and dark gray, with bright blue accent lines and gold details catching the glow of the room's crystals.
Her sharp shoulder and arm guards brushed together lightly, producing a faint clinking sound that broke the silence. At her waist, Fractal Ruin, a one-handed sword, sat firmly in its scabbard.
Without wasting time, her slender yet deadly fingers raised into the air.
[Tier C - Holographic Display]
Particles of blue light glowed in the center of the table, forming a detailed, three-dimensional data projection.
"This month's asset report," Vrischil's voice was calm and efficient as numbers swirled in the air. "Our current guild treasury has reached hundreds of millions of gold coins."
"We've stockpiled millions of mana stones, ranging from low to high tier, as well as thousands of mana crystals. This liquidity is enough to power the capital's magical defense formations at maximum output for two consecutive months without a break."
Several members nodded in satisfaction, but Vrischil quickly swiped to the next page of her projection. A red graph appeared.
"However, even though we hold the most wealth among the Ten Kings, our total asset value still falls thirty-two percent behind Emperor Leon, who is the poorest guild among the Three Emperors."
Vrischil looked around the table. "Their monopoly over the mana stone mines in the northern territory means their passive growth cannot be caught up to if we only use conventional methods."
"Then let's destroy those conventional methods!"
A theatrical voice interrupted the presentation. Arcus stood up with a dramatic pose, fluttering his long maroon coat so the intricate gold embroidery on the collar and sleeves gleamed under the dim light.
As a narcissistic prince suffering from severe chunibyo, his movements always demanded the attention of every eye in the room. The striking contrast of his white vest and neat shirt underneath the coat added an elegant flair to his arrogance.
His slightly messy blonde hair framed a highly confident smirk on his face.
"Why do we always make the Three Emperors the benchmark of our destiny?" Arcus raised his chin high, pointing into the air as if challenging the gods.
As he moved, the majestic wooden bow carved with constellations on his back, Sirius Piercer, emitted a faint glow, as if responding to its master's fighting spirit.
"In the upcoming server update, let me be the arrow that pierces the darkness! I will lead the vanguard, crush the arrogant Emperor's armies, and we will monopolize all the mana stone mines on the new continent!"
Arcus's words drew cheers from several members of the combat faction. He puffed out his chest, smiling proudly, soaking in the appreciation.
Vrischil glared at him, the corner of her eyes narrowing. A soft sigh escaped her lips.
"Only a fool charges onto the battlefield without thinking about supply lines. War isn't just a clash of muscles and flashy magic, Arcus. It's a battle of economic foundations."
"You want to pierce through their lines? The combined Emperor forces outnumber our total military three to one," Vrischil rebuked sharply.
Arcus opened his mouth to retort, preparing an argument about 'unbreakable spirit,' but Alphonse's warm laughter immediately halted the childhood friends' routine bickering.
"Enough, you two," Alphonse said. His voice wasn't loud, but it immediately brought silence back to the room. He looked at the members of Pioneer not as pawns, but as his brothers-in-arms.
"Arcus is right about one thing. We're targeting the new continent. But Vrischil is also right; we won't fight them in a war of attrition."
Alphonse smirked. "We're going to use a more... elegant method."
His golden eyes glinted. He raised his left hand.
[Tier C - Holographic Display]
A giant holographic map now covered the entire table. Mountains, valleys, and rivers of an unseen landmass were laid out clearly.
"Before this meeting started, I managed to extract the new continent's topography using my ultimate skill," Alphonse explained, his tone shifting to complete seriousness.
"Pay close attention. This new continent was born from massive spatial turbulence. The side effect? All spatial movement skills, including the game's built-in portal and teleportation systems, are completely disabled there."
Shocked murmurs rippled around the table.
"This means any player who wants to explore must travel on foot or use flying mounts," Alphonse continued.
His index finger tapped the air, highlighting three specific points on the map that instantly glowed red. "Obsidian Canyon, Silvery Gulf, and Shattered Plains. These three areas are the only land routes connecting the safe landing zones to the resource-rich interior of the continent."
Alphonse leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together in front of his face.
"Vrischil, liquidate all our treasury funds. Buy and hoard every single mana stone currently circulating on the public auction house right now, regardless of the price."
"Meanwhile, the moment the update is complete, Pioneer's core forces will not hunt monsters or search for mines. You will immediately occupy and fortify these three routes."
Silence washed over the meeting room as the minds of the twenty-two elite players processed their leader's plan.
"The glory-hungry Three Emperors will definitely deploy their main forces straight to the center of the continent to secure the first World Boss," Alphonse explained casually.
"While the other Kings will be busy fighting over mining territories. They will completely ignore these three chokepoints. Conquering a World Boss takes days, and the territorial wars between Kings will burn through thousands of mana stones for magic cannons and recovery."
A faint smile formed on Alphonse's lips. "When their logistics run thin in the middle of battle, they will go to the market to buy more and realize... the market has been emptied. There are no mana stones left."
Vrischil's eyes widened as she grasped the logical conclusion of the strategy. "They will be forced to buy from us, who hold a monopoly on the secondary market, at astronomically inflated prices."
"Exactly," Alphonse nodded. "And when their logistics teams have to deliver those over-priced mana stones from the safe zone to the interior... they will have to pass through the territories we already control."
Arcus grinned widely, looking at his childhood friend with a mix of awe and horror.
"You're a complete devil. We sell them the goods, and then we extort them when they try to ship the goods themselves. Double extortion."
"Let's just call it a 'route security fee'," Alphonse corrected lightly.
Instantly, the room erupted in cheers and laughter from the Pioneer members. The tension of welcoming a new continent was replaced by burning anticipation.
Before their laughter could fully subside, the resounding chime of a grand bell echoed from the castle ceiling. In every player's field of vision, a semi-transparent red UI interface forcibly appeared.
[SERVER ANNOUNCEMENT: THE NEW ERA UPDATE WILL COMMENCE]
[TIME REMAINING: 00:03:00]
Three minutes.
Alphonse stood up from his chair, his aura turning razor-sharp. "Meeting adjourned! Equip all your primary gear!"
The casual atmosphere vanished. The loud clanking of metal rang out as every member of Pioneer stood up in unison.
Vrischil quickly checked her Fractal Ruin scabbard, while Arcus gripped his bow tightly, his laughing face replaced by the sharp focus of a predator.
[00:00:10]
[00:00:09]
"See you on the other side, Pioneer," Alphonse said firmly.
As the string of numbers hit zero on the UI screen, a blinding flash of white light swept through the entire room.
The stone walls of Starlight Castle, the grand pillars, and the bodies of the 23 players faded, shattering into millions of glowing pixels that were forcefully pulled into the sky before the server fully disconnected into darkness.