“Your guild and Fighting Lambs. They’ll merge as one.”
“Not happening!” Tor immediately said with an edge to his tone. “Roaring Tigers will not dissolve and merge to some guilds.”
Ren laughed a little. “I think you misunderstood me. Let me explain further. The merging I’m talking about is only temporary.”
“What do you mean?” both Leonel and Tor asked at the same time.
“You do know that you can change the name of your guild one time, right? For free?”
Tor nodded while a flower sprouted over at Leonel’s head.
Ren explained further, “If you merge with Fighting Lamb, the issue of numbers can be resolved, and we can enter the guild war while the name can be changed to Roaring Tigers and Fighting Lamb. So both of your guilds are advertised without compromising the other.”
Tor was seriously thinking of the idea when Ren said those words. “But . . . what would happen to our Guild if we join Fighting Lamb and vice versa?”
“No worries. As long as there is one member who remains in your guild, it won’t be dissolved until the one-month timer is up. And after the guild war, you can always buy a guild name-changing card in the guild app. It’s a bit expensive, but the prize money for winning the war would cover that much.”
Tor and everyone’s eyes went to Bucky, and the latter frowned at everyone.
“What?”
Everyone agreed that Bucky was the one who’d remain in the guild. He was lazy and like to boss people around while scolding their guild leader. He was a coward who ran first but he had the most sense in the guild. It’s only right that he was the one who remained standing watch.
“Are you sure this is gonna work?” Tor was really considering the idea since he was pressed on the edge. He had to get more members within a month, or his guild was doomed.
Though he had another option to re-establish his guild in the future, a second guild re-installment would have stricter rules like ten players on the get-go. And even if he reinstated his guild, if no one was going to enter, like what was happening now, then it was still the same –– doomed to failure.
Ren didn’t know that Roaring Tiger had this kind of problem in the past, but it was to his advantage.
“Well . . . what do you say?” he asked.
“I think it’s a good plan providing that we will win. But if not . . .”
“The Guild Wars are your only bet at getting hundreds of players,” Ren said seriously and added with confidence, “And we will win.”
“. . .” Tor stared at Ren’s eyes. At his age, he already came across a lot of people, and he knew confidence from empty arrogance. And only one thought was instilled in his mind at the sight of Ren’s silvery poles –– absolute certainty. There was no shred of doubt on his face or his words, which got Tor to laugh out loud.
“Buwhahahaha! I like you, kid!” Tor slapped Ren on the back, and the latter gasped while whizzing out.
“So we got a deal?”
“As long as the other guild is alright with it, then we’re in. Right boys?!”
The other players roared in agreement with their leader, and somehow the depressive air in the place was replaced by a joyful mood.
“Wait. Wait. Wait. Hold up.” Leonel went between Tor and Ren. “Is that going to work?”
“It will. We’ll also save so much time that way. Instead of wasting time searching for players, we’ll use those remaining days to practice our strategy and coordination.” Ren knew that searching for players to enter the guild would take so much time and effort. And in the end, they might not stay even before the Guild Wars. With so little time, it wasn’t ideal.
But now that their numbers were solved mostly by Roaring Tigers, they could focus on a much pressing matter . . . and that was their battle coordination.
No one could say what the developers had in mind about the first war. Even Ren didn’t know since he wasn’t in the game at the time when the Guild Wars first started.
Rather, there was another way, but Ren didn’t want to use it. They could always attract members by getting firstbloods and dungeon clears. However, call him stingy, but he didn’t want to sacrifice that precious knowledge for something he was doing for free.
If there were another alternative, then he would definitely go in that route. He would save those firstbloods and dungeon clears to some rich client who was willing to pay him millions.
Besides, that strategy was risky. The two guilds were small and lacked players at the moment. Getting firstblood here and there might do more harm than good. They’d be targeted by powerful guilds left and right.
“Haa . . . but is Roxy going to agree, though?” asked Leonel.
“She will,” Ren said confidently. “She has no choice.”
Eventually, Roaring Tigers went to Fighting Lamb, and Ren and the others explained their plan of merging the two guilds upon arriving inside Fighting Lamb’s door.
Just like Ren predicted, Roxy and Rox agreed with the plan. It solved their number problems real quick, and Roaring Tigers was a guild of good reputation, so the siblings didn’t have any complaints.
But more importantly, they didn’t have much of a choice. As Ren said, publicity was the only way to attract hundreds of members. And since they were only poor guilds with not enough players and ATP to even clear a dungeon, their best bet was through the Guild Wars.
A worldwide event would surely attract thousands of players if ever they won. Or just even the top twenty, and they would be set for life.
Fighting Lamb and Roaring Tigers was excited at the prospect, but of course, they kept their expectation low since they were only a weak guild.
And the following days, the two guilds did nothing but get familiar with each other by grinding with beasts and monsters.
Until Ren’s parents said their goodbyes and promised to return and live with him once they got everything sorted in Zone C.
Almost a week passed without anyone knowing, and time flew when everyone was busy with their guild.
Ren sometimes practiced with the others, while most of the days, he was practicing his Life Skills so by the time he became an Alchemist, he wouldn’t have a hard time acquiring ingredients.
Ragnar didn’t join the team though, saying that he avoided anything that was broadcasted worldwide.
Though against all odds, Sumeri and Nikolai decided to join Ren’s team. Sumeri accepter Ren’s original offer since it was better than nothing at all.
“Isolde said that she regretted she couldn’t join us and that her guild was sorry that they couldn’t employ us,” Leonel said while resting after practicing with the others.
“It’s fine. Isolde isn’t the leader of her guild. And all the guilds right now don’t want to spend on an unpopular group called a mercenary. They don’t know the importance of hiring one yet. But they soon will . . .” Ren wasn’t bothered. Isolde could join them in other mercenary jobs except in the Guild Wars if she likes. There was no pressure in their group. That was how Ren wanted it to be. A no commitment kind of thing.
“You think we can win?” Leonel looked at the others who were fighting against monsters. “Sumeri and Nikolai are often busy somewhere and doesn’t come often.”
“Don’t worry about them. You three are on my team. As long as our group is alive, that’s all that matters.”
Leonel suddenly had a bad feeling. “Ren . . . don’t tell me that . . . you plan to sacrifice all of them?”
Ren didn’t say anything and only beamed. But all Leonel felt was unease.
And another days passed like that.
The Word of Arcadia was consumed with nothing but grinding and preparing for the upcoming Guild Wars. It was all everybody could think about. Dungeon raids were postponed, Boss fights were canceled, and even PvP happened rarely.
There was electricity crawling in everyone’s skin. A pulse of excitement racked their veins at the impending war.
And then it happened.
[WELCOME TO THE EVER FIRST GUILD WARS!]