The Adventurer's Guild was bustling with activity as Sora, Kara, and Areva met near the quest board to finalize the reward for their previous mission. Thierry, Amélie, and Céline had already left, saying they had other plans for the day. Sora noticed how different they seemed after their last dungeon. There was a fire in their eyes, a sense of purpose and determination that hadn't been there before. It made him proud, though he didn't show it.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Areva turned her attention to Kara. "Now that you've grown stronger, Kara, it's time to discuss something serious. There's a war raging in the north, and I believe you're ready to take part."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "A war?"

Before the World Update, chaos reigned on Earth, with invading races attacking Humans all over the World, relying on Dungeons to access this world, and portals to steadily send troops. Some high level beasts even destroyed hundreds of villages before being stopped. Wars were bloody, and chaotic. But everything had changed after the World Update.

Wars were now something else, having sets of rules and could not be waged randomly. Sora was not yet aware of the rules, but he had heard that wars only lasted for a month, and a territory could be won or lost after that period.'Some people even refer to wars as 'PvP Events...'

Areva nodded solemnly. "Yes. The Dark Elf Kingdom is expanding rapidly. They've been pushing into Finland, Norway, and Sweden, and the situation is getting worse. The New Europe Union (NEU) is trying to stop them, but... things aren't looking good. We're losing too many battles, and we're running out of time to turn the tide."

Kara looked concerned. "How bad is it?"

"Bad enough that France has no choice but to send reinforcements. Guilds from all over the country are preparing to send their best players, and the government is mobilizing elite troops to aid the NEU," Areva explained. "But the Dark Elf Kingdom is relentless. They've mastered strategies to defeat us in fight after fight, and even our strongest players are losing. If we don't contribute soon"

Sora's interest piqued. "What happens if France doesn't send help?"

Areva's face darkened. "If France doesn't help, we won't receive support in the future. If a high-tier dungeon or something worse appears in France, the other Regions won't assist us. We'd be on our own, and you know how that ends." She sighed. "This war isn't just about land. It's about maintaining the balance of power on Earth. If the NEU collapses, there's no telling what might happen next. Humanity might lose one of its footholds."

Kara clenched her fists. "I see. The situation must be dire for you to mention this to us"

Areva nodded. "Exactly. The NEU has been trying to hold the line, but we're getting overwhelmed. The Dark Elves are stronger than anyone anticipated, and they're backed by some of the most powerful players we've ever seen. Our first fights were all disastrous"

Sora folded his arms, absorbing the information. "So, what can we do?"

Areva gave him a knowing look. "You've grown stronger than most, Ralph. With your power, you could make a real difference on the battlefield. The question is, do you want to participate?"

Sora frowned, confused by her words. "Why do you say I'm stronger than most?" he asked, his tone laced with genuine curiosity. 'According to newspapers there were people who hit level 100 even before... Rachel killed me. And that was almost three months ago. Shouldn't the New Europe Union (NEU) have fighters far stronger than me ?' he thought to himself

Areva nodded thoughtfully, understanding the source of his confusion. "It's a common misunderstanding, especially among those who haven't participated in the wars yet. The rules of this new world are... different from what you might expect. "

"I have heard that there were rules, but i don't know much about these rules" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"It's not really common knowledge," Areva continued. "To invade a kingdom, another kingdom must declare war following a set process. The invaders can't just start anywhere—they have to begin by attacking Tier 4 territories, which are the outermost regions. After all the Tier 4 territories fall, they can then move on to Tier 3, then Tier 2, and finally, the last bastion of a kingdom, the Tier 1 territory. Once that falls, the kingdom is lost."

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Sora's eyes widened. "So, the war happening in the northern countries right now is only over Tier 4 territories?"

Areva nodded. "Yes, and there's an important restriction. These lower-tier wars are meant for lower-tier players. Only players below level 80 can take part. However, the system allows some higher-level players to participate too, but there's a catch: their stats are reduced to the level 80 ceiling, and there can't be too many of them. It's designed to ensure that war remains competitive at all levels while still allowing the stronger fighters to participate if they want."

Sora leaned back, processing what he had just heard. The way Earth now functioned was startling.It was even closer to a game than he initially thought... With rules and systems dictating every aspect of life, from dungeons to war, he couldn't help but shake his head. The thought intrigued him but also left him concerned.

He glanced at Kara, then back to Areva. "But aren't we too weak to join a war like this? "

Kara shot him a look, her eyes flashing with understanding. She could tell that, despite his tact, Sora was implying that she might be the one unprepared for such a fight.

Areva smiled slightly. "Don't worry too much about that. We still have time before the battle starts. You should both spend a period training in Stockholm. Besides, you shouldn't underestimate Kara's new class. War is a perfect environment for her to thrive in as a healer. She'll gain plenty of experience and, more importantly, merit. She can earn a reputation as a great healer, and that alone will bring immense growth."

Sora nodded slowly. He could see the logic. Kara would gain a lot from being in such a high-pressure environment. The experience alone would push her far beyond where she currently stood. And Sora wasn't against it. He'd fought in dangerous situations before, but war was something else entirely.

"You," Areva continued, her eyes sharp as she studied him, "you're different. You can still fight across levels, can't you?"

Sora didn't respond immediately, but his silence was enough of an answer.

"Then, my advice to you is to reach the next level if you want a better starting position in the war. The higher your level, the more influence you'll have, and you'll gain a better postion. But... I have an idea of how powerful you are now, even if you don't flaunt it. It might be hard to hit level 70 before the war begins, even with your strength. There's not much time left so hurry up."

Sora considered her words carefully. The idea of reaching level 70 intrigued him, especially since he had been wondering what his innate ability might unlock at that stage. But time was the problem. He wasn't sure if there was enough of it to hit that milestone before the conflict ended.

Still, he couldn't deny the appeal of war. It was a chance to grow, to test his abilities in a way he hadn't done before. He looked over at Kara, who seemed resolute, her determination clear in her eyes. She was ready, and maybe, this would be the moment they both needed to take the next step in their journeys.

"Alright," Sora said finally. "Let's go. If we can level up in time, we'll push for it. Otherwise, we'll make do with what we've got."

Areva smiled, her expression approving. "Good. Us from the adventurer's guild can not join you to defend the Union, but we are rooting for you!"

Sora understood that maybe it was her way of saying NPC couldn't leave their position to help in PVP Events?

Sora pushed the heavy wooden doors of the Adventurer's Guild open, stepping into the bright sunlight that bathed the busy streets of Paris. Kara followed closely behind.

Kara glanced at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips, though there was a shadow of nervousness in her eyes. "So... Stockholm, right? Are we heading straight there?"

Sora shook his head, hands slipping into his pockets as they walked side by side. "Not yet. We need to prepare a few things now"

Kara frowned, her steps slowing. "But the war—"

"We've got time," Sora interrupted gently. "We need to become stronger, especially you. We will not participate in the war if were too weak. Use the next 3 days to prepare your gear and items, we'll meet at Gare du Nord at 8 am."

There was a brief pause, and Sora glanced at her, catching the flicker of doubt in her expression.

"I understand" Kara said quietly, her voice almost lost in the noise of the bustling street. She crossed her arms, as if trying to shield herself from the weight of the realization. "But I'm worried I'll slow you down."

Sora stopped walking, turning to face her. "You don't need to worry about that for now"

Kara stared at him, her eyes wide, her lips parting as if she wanted to protest. But she knew better. She didn't know why but she wanted to believe him. With a deep breath, she nodded. "Let's meet in three days then !"

Sora smirked, his eyes flicking ahead toward the Auction House in the distance. "I need to gear up first. See you !"

'If you're gonna keep up with me, you'll need more than just that new class of yours.' He thought to himself, as he started walking again, this time with a more determined stride.

As they parted ways streets, Sora's mind whirled with possibilities. The war would be intense, and every advantage would count. Kara needed better gear, better tools. And he had an idea—something that would push her beyond her limits. But first, he needed to know if he could trust her. He needed to make sure of it.