Alex stood outside the towering stone walls of the **Guild Hall**, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the building that represented power, politics, and the control of everything on **Floor 1**. The Hall was massive, its stone walls carved with intricate symbols representing the different guilds that held sway in **Starter City**. Players in sleek armor and gleaming robes moved in and out of the hall's grand entrance, their guild insignias proudly displayed on their chests.

"Well," Drax said, clapping Alex on the back with his usual enthusiasm. "Ready to officially become part of the system?"

Alex glanced at Drax, who was grinning like he hadn't almost died in the fight with the PKs just a day ago. **Betsy**, standing nearby with her arms crossed, rolled her eyes at Drax's attitude but gave Alex a nod of encouragement.

"Don't let Drax fool you," Betsy said. "Joining a guild is a big deal. It opens doors—quests, alliances, protection. You need this."

Alex swallowed. He knew Betsy was right. Without a guild, he was nothing more than a rogue player in the eyes of the city. To survive and gain influence in this brutal world, he needed to align himself with the right people. But a part of him bristled at the idea of submitting to a system he didn't fully understand. And then there was the glitch…

The glitch that had turned his stats into unreadable messes and granted him a mysterious **Shade Master** class. That same glitch could interfere with this too.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Alex said, taking a deep breath.

The inside of the Guild Hall was even more impressive. The ceiling soared high above, supported by stone pillars carved with the symbols of countless guilds, both large and small. Players gathered around booths, talking to **Guild Registrars** about quests, contracts, and registrations. **NPC clerks** worked behind desks, their faces emotionless as they filed paperwork and processed guild requests.

"I'll wait here," Betsy said, leaning against one of the pillars. "You've got this, Alex. It's just paperwork."

"Paperwork in a game world. Gotta love it," Alex muttered, shaking his head.

He approached one of the registration desks, where an NPC clerk—an older man with thinning hair and a stern expression—sat behind a stack of papers.

"Name?" the clerk asked in a monotone voice, not looking up.

"Alex," he said, trying to sound confident. "I'm here to register for a guild."

The clerk finally looked up, his eyes scanning Alex from head to toe. "Which guild are you looking to join? Or are you starting your own?"

"I'm... joining one."

The clerk nodded and began tapping away at a glowing, floating keyboard in front of him. "Please place your hand on the panel to confirm your details."

Alex stepped forward and placed his hand on the glowing panel. A faint hum resonated from it as the system began reading his player profile. His heart raced as he hoped that his glitch wouldn't cause any problems.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

For a moment, everything seemed fine. The panel flashed green, and Alex breathed a sigh of relief. But then, without warning, the entire screen **flickered**. The green light turned red, and the hum of the system grew louder, more erratic.

**"ERROR."**

The word flashed across the screen in bold, red letters.

Alex felt his stomach drop.

"Uh… is that normal?" Drax asked from behind him, craning his neck to see.

"No," the clerk said, his brow furrowing as he tapped the panel again. The screen flickered, showing lines of garbled code and symbols Alex couldn't understand. "This... this is unusual."

The error message remained, flashing across the screen repeatedly.

Alex's mind raced. **The glitch.** It had affected his stats, his class—now it was affecting the guild registration process.

The clerk tapped a few more times, growing more frustrated by the second. "I can't seem to process your registration. The system isn't recognizing your class or stats."

Before Alex could respond, a figure emerged from the back of the hall, his presence commanding immediate attention. He was tall, with short dark hair and piercing blue eyes. His armor, while simple, had an air of authority about it, and the **Guild Master insignia** gleamed on his chest.

**Galen**, the Guild Master of Starter City.

"What's going on here?" Galen's voice was calm but firm as he approached the desk. His gaze flicked to the flickering screen and then to Alex, studying him intently.

The clerk stood and bowed slightly. "Guild Master Galen, there seems to be an issue with this player's registration. The system is throwing an error and not allowing him to join a guild."

Galen raised an eyebrow, looking at Alex. "You're the one causing all this trouble?"

Alex shifted uncomfortably under Galen's gaze. "It's not intentional. I think... I have a glitch in my stats. It's been affecting everything since I entered ALBEKO."

"A glitch?" Galen's eyes narrowed slightly. "That's rare. But it's not unheard of. The system sometimes experiences anomalies, but they usually work themselves out."

"This one hasn't," Alex muttered.

Galen glanced at the error-ridden screen, then back at Alex. "Interesting." He folded his arms across his chest, his expression thoughtful. "And what class are you trying to register with?"

"Shade Master."

The name seemed to catch Galen's attention. He tilted his head, curiosity sparking in his eyes. "Shade Master? That's not a common class. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen anyone with that title. How did you unlock it?"

Alex hesitated. He wasn't sure how much to reveal. "It was... part of the glitch. When I defeated a dungeon boss, the system gave me a choice of classes, but the screen was garbled. I clicked one at random, and this is what I ended up with."

Galen's lips curled into a small, intrigued smile. "Fascinating. A glitch that grants you a unique class. I wonder what other surprises it holds."

Betsy, who had been watching from a distance, stepped closer, her arms crossed. "So, can he join or not?"

The clerk shook his head. "Not with the system in its current state. The glitch is preventing any kind of registration."

"Then how about this?" Galen said, his voice low and calculated. "Instead of joining an existing guild, why not create your own?"

Alex blinked in surprise. "Create my own guild?"

Galen nodded. "It's the simplest solution. If the system won't let you join an established guild, starting your own might bypass the error. You'd have full control over how it operates, and with your unique class, you could attract others who are... unconventional. ALBEKO thrives on new alliances and power shifts."

"Wait, wait, wait," Drax interrupted, stepping forward with a grin. "Are you saying we could be the bosses for once? Like, we don't have to follow anyone else's rules?"

Galen smirked. "In a manner of speaking, yes. You would answer to no one but yourselves. Of course, there are responsibilities—guilds need to grow, establish themselves, and maintain their influence. It's not a decision to take lightly."

Betsy glanced at Alex, her expression serious. "It's a big step, Alex. You'll be putting a target on your back. Other guilds won't take kindly to a new player rising too quickly, especially one with a glitch."

Alex's mind raced. The idea of forming his own guild was daunting, but at the same time, it was appealing. He'd have control over his own destiny, and he wouldn't be forced to fit into someone else's mold. With Drax, Betsy, and Luke by his side, they could carve out their own place in this world.

And yet, there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. **The glitch.** What if it caused more problems? What if it became uncontrollable?

Galen, as if sensing Alex's hesitation, leaned in slightly. "Think about it. This world is filled with people trying to fit into predefined roles. But with your unique abilities, you could create something entirely new. A guild that challenges the status quo."

Alex met Galen's gaze, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on him. Could he do it? Could he lead his own guild in a world as brutal as ALBEKO?

Before he could fully decide, Drax clapped him on the back again, nearly knocking him over. "Come on, Alex! Let's do it! We'll be the best guild this city's ever seen. CODE! Yeah, let's call it CODE, after your glitch! How cool is that?"

Alex blinked, the name rolling through his mind. **CODE**. It

felt right. It represented the glitch that had made him different, the code that had set him apart from every other player.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Alright. Let's do it."

Galen's smile widened as he stepped back, clearly satisfied. "Excellent choice. I'll have the system register your guild. And remember, the moment you create a guild, the world starts paying attention."

Alex nodded, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. This was it. His own guild. His own path.

**CODE** was born.