"How did you–" I turned to Tommy, who shrugged.

"You're using my building, how could I not take notice?" Tessa's eyes flashed with a mischievous glimmer. "But seriously, you should've told me. I'd have invited these representatives of the top guilds to watch your performance."

Representative of top guilds? Wait, that meant–

I nervously smiled, checking the stats of the people behind Tessa. There were four of them, three men, and a woman.

[Name: Ludwig Garrison | Level: 3187]

[Name: Maulk Booth | Level: 3456]

[Name: Rhys Canter | Level: 2997]

[Name: Vella Thorne | Level: 3184]

Damn, they seemed strong. I warily sized them up, noting that they were at least a bit stronger than my sister. Even with their other stats Shrouded, I could tell I was a bit short matching up to them.

Ludwig was a tall man, towering over Tommy and I. He had short-cropped, dark hair that was beginning to gray, and vivid green eyes that seemed to hold a wealth of wisdom and experience. His face was weathered, with deep creases at the corners of his mouth and eyes, suggesting a lifetime spent outdoors. He wore a simple brown robe over a pair of roughspun pants and boots, giving me the impression of both a farmer and a scholar.

Maulk, the highest leveled of the four, regarded me with a bored expression, his eyes a piercing shade of violet. He had long, flowing hair that was the color of polished ebony, and his features were sharp and angular. He wore an ornate gold crown, intricately engraved with runes and symbols. It didn't match with the slim, black kevlar armor he wore.

Rhys, the lowest leveled, seemed the youngest. The same height as I was, he had an almost girlish face with sharp features and soft brown eyes. His short hair was a dark shade of red and styled in a messy yet elegant way. His body was lean and athletic, giving off an aura of agility and speed. His outfit was simple, consisting of a long-sleeved white shirt and black pants tucked into black boots. Around his neck, he wore a silver chain with a small key pendant.

Finally, Vella was a strikingly beautiful woman with golden eyes, long silver hair, and pale skin. Her appearance was enhanced by the regal attire she wore, including a flowing silver gown adorned with intricate embroidery and precious jewels. She stood tall and proud, exuding an air of grace and wisdom that commanded respect. As she stepped forward, I had to fight the urge to kneel, despite the fact I never did it before.

"I'll cut to the chase. Luquier Vaunt, after watching you tirelessly slay monsters to no end, I'd like to personally invite you to the Fable guild," Vella stated, her tone filled with genuine admiration.

"What the– I thought we were all going to introduce ourselves before giving him our offers!" Rhys protested, waving his hands in the air. "This is hardly fair!"

"Then, following Vella's initiative, I'd also like to invite you to join the Indomitable guild," Ludwig rumbled, glancing over at Vella. "We can always use more strong, capable fighters, and I believe your dedication and skills would be an asset to our group."

Maulk didn't say anything, silently staring at me. Finally, he folded his arms.

"You seem capable enough for floor-clearing and dungeon breaks. Have you ever participated in the PvP arenas?"

"Er," I hesitated. Judging by his question, I had a feeling he was part of a PvP-based guild. "No, not really."

"Ah, well," he replied, not seeming to mind. "I'm in Heavy Boss. Currently, we're taking the lead in PvP rankings, but you could be of great help to us."

"Wait a minute!" Rhys finally got a chance to butt in. "I'm from Primal! I hope you'd come join us, but if anything, don't join Heavy Boss. Fable and Indomitable are cool since they're not heavy on PvP."

Faced with the four representatives of the top ten guilds, I was finding it hard to process everything. Tessa, taking pity on me, got in between them and I.

"How about we all sort this out in my office?" The chairman smiled, easing the tension. "I'm sure Luquier would like to rest after breaking the world record for most monsters slain in a single simulation."

I silently shot Tessa a grateful look before Tommy clapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey bro, I got something to take care of real quick," he whispered quietly in my ear. "Good luck with this. We'll catch up later, just text me when you're done." Tommy flashed a smile at the others. "I'll leave him with you guys, then!"

I grunted in response, watching as he left. I wasn't oblivious enough to not guess that he was having problems with Sarah. Well, he was a handsome and successful dude. He'd figure something out.

----------------------------------------

In Tessa's office, I sat on the couch opposite from the four representatives, a coffee table dividing us. Tessa herself leaned against her desk, sipping her cup with what I assumed was filled with alcohol as she wordlessly observed us.

"So," Ludwig began. "After witnessing your performance within the simulation room, the four of us from the top ten guilds in the world have each offered you a place within our ranks. We understand that you may have some questions about each of our guilds, and we are more than willing to answer them."

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I didn't have the courage to tell them I was only interested in the Helianthus guild.

"Uh," I cleared my throat, trying to think of something else to say. "So, uh, why exactly do each of you want me in your respective guilds?"

"Well, if you're interested in PvP, Heavy Boss would be the best choice," Maulk began. "We've been working hard to maintain our position as the top guild, and with someone of your skills, we could only grow stronger."

"Hey, Primal isn't too far behind!" Rhys butted in, clearly feeling left out. "I'm sure you'd be a great addition to our roster. We're just as dedicated to PvP as Heavy Boss, and it's speculated that our guild is going to win the upcoming tournament against them!"

"Primal? Winning against Heavy Boss?" Maulk scoffed. "Yeah, sure, in your dreams. But that's not what matters. What matters is being the best, and right now, that's us. I mean, if you've seen our ranking. We've been there for months. And with you, we could just cement that position."

As Maulk and Rhys began to argue amongst themselves, Vella leaned forward. "PvP aside, Fable is a guild that also focuses on the community while clearing the tower. We have a very tight-knit group of people who look out for one another. If you join us, you'll never be alone. And we have a lot of fun too! We're not the most competitive guild, but we're definitely one of the most active and social."

"Ah, but Indomitable can also fill that need," Ludwig interjected. "While we may not be as focused on community as Fable, we have a very strong core group of players who have been with us since the beginning. We're not as large as some of the other guilds, but we make up for it in camaraderie and dedication. And with someone like you on our roster, I have no doubt that we could make a serious push for the top ten."

I smiled weakly at them. To be honest, just the fact that four of the ten best guilds in the world were wanting me to join was a situation I knew other Players could only dream of. However, with my mind set on trying to join Helianthus, I couldn't accept their offers.

"Well, thank you all for your kind offers," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I really appreciate it. But...I've already got my heart set on joining a different guild. I hope you all understand."

There was a moment of silence as they exchanged glances, then Rhys let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I figured. It's just, we're all so used to everyone wanting to join us. You know, being the cool kids and all that." He winked, trying to put me at ease. Maulk didn't seem so easily placated by my rejection, creasing his face with an offended frown.

"Well, I'm glad you've made your decision," Vella said, her voice gentle. "But if you ever change your mind, you know where to find us." Her smile was genuine, and I couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret for not being able to join them.

"If I may, could I inquire about your reasons for wanting to join a different guild?" Ludwig asked. "And which guild that might be?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal. "It's not that I don't think you're all amazing," I began. "But I've got my heart set on joining Helianthus."

There was another moment of silence as the name seemed to hang in the air between us. "Of course," Rhys said finally, nodding. "They're an excellent guild. Very strong in both PvP and clearing the tower."

"But not quite as strong in community events and socializing," Vella added gently. "And that's what we really pride ourselves on."

"Well, Helianthus isn't in the top three guilds for PvP rankings," Maulk pointed out, a sour expression on his face. "So they can't really be compared to Heavy Boss."

"PvP isn't everything, Maulk," Ludwig countered with a shrug. "And it's not like they're weak in that department either. Besides, they have a very strong presence in the community as well. If you ask me, they're a well-rounded guild that's only going to get stronger."

"Why not Inanis?" Tessa suddenly spoke up. "I mean, you could probably get in if you... you know..."

"F- Hell no," I caught myself. "I've met a couple of members from Inanis, and I don't exactly mesh well with them."

[The only member you know is your sister.]

Tessa shrugged, sipping her cup again.

"Well, both Helianthus and Inanis don't accept applications... how are you planning to join them? Do you already have an invitation?" Rhys asked, his expression curious.

"Er, no, not yet, but I'm working on it," I replied evasively.

"Oh, well, if you ever change your mind, just let us know," Rhys offered with a wink. "We've all been in your shoes before, trying to make connections and find our place in the world. And who knows? Maybe one day we'll be able to team up and take down some bosses together."

Aside from Maulk, it seemed like the other three representatives were surprisingly accepting of my rejection. "Well, we're sorry to lose you, but we understand," Vella said with a smile. "Thank you for your time."

Just as quickly as I met them, all four of them left, leaving me alone with Tessa.

"I know you're more or less focused on Helianthus, but I didn't expect you to flat-out reject them so fast," she remarked, plopping down on the couch across from me. "I mean, I knew they weren't your first choice, but still."

"Well, I wasn't expecting them to be so compliant. I thought they'd push for me to join a little harder."

"I'm sure you've seen their stats. While you have shown impressive feats, such as clearing a few floors alone, dungeon breaks, and even joining Enigma, that's not really something that stands out to them. Hell, doubling the world record for most monsters slain isn't enough for them to sacrifice everything for you. Those people have more or less become accustomed to that sort of thing. In a world full of Players with limitless potential, you blend in with everyone else."

That... that dealt a blow to my pride. Sure, I knew that I was a lot stronger than normal for Players my level, but I'd have thought that my unique abilities and accomplishments would have been more impressive to them. I guess not.

As if sensing my mood, Tessa gave me a reassuring smile. "If anything, breaking the world record certainly caused you to become a hot topic in the news. I'm sure Helianthus or Inanis have taken notice of you. Maybe you'll just have to do something really incredible again to get them to want to recruit you."

"Like what?" I replied dejectedly.

[Show off your incredible masochism! :D]

"You could clear a floor if the world takes too long again," Tessa suggested. "Maybe go on a winstreak in the PvP arenas. Boost your stats to godlike levels, challenge some of the big names, and beat them with your bare hands. If you can make a name for yourself like that, then even the strongest guilds would be foolish not to recruit you."

I felt a stirring in my body. I was never one to engage in fights, preferring to duke it out online. But Tessa's words reminded me that I was in a living game now, and I could properly show off the abilities I had gained so far.

"Hmm, maybe I'll go try PvP-"

[System alert: Dungeon break has occurred in the Lambda Sector.]

"-after we clear this dungeon, I guess," I finished, standing up. I glanced at Tessa, who wasn't moving. "Are you not coming?"

"Nah, the representatives from the top guilds should still be around," She shook her head. "Not to mention you’re practically worth a couple of Players yourself. I'll stay here and monitor things. You go ahead. And remember, I'm rooting for you."