Warm, golden sunlight pierced through the floating clouds, blanketing the brand-new player town. The pristine white stone tiles of Temple Square gleamed with a gentle radiance, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass, flowers, and wild mountain woods—so vividly real that one could hardly tell virtuality from reality.
A clamor of voices suddenly erupted as five thousand rookie open-beta players descended one after another, scattering across Temple Square, the town streets, and the surrounding meadows.
In just a few minutes, the once-empty player town became packed to the brim. Overlapping waves of exclamations, gasps, and cheers echoed through the air, completely shattering the silence.
“Holy shit! Are you sure we didn't actually get transported to another world?”
“Feel this! The temperature of these stones! Even the clouds in the sky are moving!”
“This blue sky, white clouds, distant mountains, and sea of trees look insane! I really thought I traveled to a fantasy world! One hundred percent immersion wasn't a gimmick after all!”
“Compared to those cheap, knock-off MMOs, this is a total dimensional crush! This is the true pinnacle of virtual gaming!”
“How can I even smell the air? I can literally smell flowers!”
“I declare that from today on, my true body lives in this game! I'm abandoning my real-life account!”
“Bro, wake up. You still have unfinished homework in real life.”
“Homework? What homework? What's that? Never heard of it.”
Countless rookies stopped to look around, their eyes filled with shock and wonder. Everyone was immersed in this intensely realistic game world, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the crowd stood a red-haired youth.
He crossed his arms, slightly lifting his chin as his eyes swept over Temple Square, lingering on the distant sky, the rooftops of the town, and the tall Goddess Statue in the center of the square.
His expression was one of deliberately suppressed calm, but the gleam in his eyes could not be hidden.
—Very good.
—I approve of this world's style.
Just as he was mentally building up the grand arrival of the "King of the World," a persuasive voice suddenly called out near his ear:
“Hey there, young man! Want to join our guild? We offer free room and board! Plus, the perks are amazing, and we definitely won't lead newbies astray during initial progression!”
A closed-beta player had stepped over, smoothly switching into recruitment mode with an extraordinarily "friendly" tone.
Hearing this, the red-haired youth lowered his eyelids and slowly flexed his fingers, clenching and unclenching his knuckles as he felt the realistic sensation of air touching his skin.
The sunlight cast a light golden halo over his red hair, highlighting his sharp jawline. Only after a long silence did he slowly look up, glancing sideways with golden-red eyes, his tone laced with casual surprise:
“Oh? Are you trying to flatter This King?”
The closed-beta player: “???”
What on earth?
“Intriguing.” The red-haired youth chuckled, tossing back the bangs on his forehead. He somehow managed to wear the beginner's coarse cloth robe as if it were a grand royal cape.
“Unfortunately for you—”
He paused, his gaze drifting into the distance, his eyes filled with the mysterious depth of "I am a solitary king."
“The strong... always walk alone.”
The closed-beta player: “...”
His lips twitched wildly as he raged internally:
Is this guy some top-tier clown who just got connected to the internet? Can't he talk like a normal human being instead of acting like a total chuunibyou poser?
Despite being utterly speechless, he upheld his principle of not losing his temper while recruiting, biting the bullet to continue persuading:
“Don't be so quick to reject us! Our guild perks are top-tier—progression resources, high-level players leading teams, we've got it all. Are you sure you won't reconsider?”
The red-haired youth raised an eyebrow and replied in an "are you kidding me?" tone:
“Only the weak need perks.”
The smile on the closed-beta player's face finally collapsed completely.
Fuck! Stop posing, you lunatic!
Taking a deep breath, he tried his best to maintain his professional composure, turned around, and walked away, repeating "this guy is definitely a lunatic" eight hundred times in his head.
The red-haired youth didn't care about his departure at all, even feeling that his previous words were incomparably cool.
He stepped forward again, glancing at the surrounding scenery out of the corner of his eye as his inner theater began its drama:
The NPCs of this world will soon learn that the true king has arrived.
What I need to do now is find that beginner guide NPC, accept the quest, complete my Class Advancement, and step by step climb to the summit of this world—when that time comes, everyone will remember my name.
“The World Envies This King,” he muttered his game ID under his breath and nodded with satisfaction.
“Mm, a domineering name. Worthy of me.”
With that, he flipped the hem of his non-existent cloak and strode toward the beginner quest point with grand steps, drawing glances from players along the way.
...
At the same time, the square was bustling with closed-beta veterans recruiting new players everywhere.
Bruce stood on a patch of high ground near the front of Temple Square, hands on his hips, scanning the crowd with a gleam in his eyes.
“Quick, quick, quick! Execute the plan!” he turned to say to several Dawn Covenant members behind him. “The newbies are here! Recruit as many as you can, especially those who look like hard grinders! Ideally, players who can pull all-nighters grinding in other games!”
“Don't worry, Vice Guild Master! Leave it to us!”
“Oh, right,” Bruce added, “remember to clearly explain our guild perks! Housing included, party priority, resource sharing—sounds super enticing, right?”
Several guild members nodded like chickens pecking rice, then scattered into the crowd.
However, just as Bruce finished speaking, a jarring voice came from the side:
“Give me a break—who'd care about those tiny perks your guild offers?”
Bruce turned his head and saw a familiar face standing there with arms crossed, wearing a punchable smirk.
Game ID: Knight King's Sword.
A member of the Rose Heart guild. He was the one who handed over the construction work for Dawn Covenant's guild headquarters last time.
“Better to join Rose Heart,” Knight King's Sword said unhurriedly. “Free houses at the start, covered EXP for the early game, power-leveling straight to Class Advancement, enjoy it the moment you join—”
Bruce sneered immediately.
“Though I admit your guild's construction is pretty good—”
He paused, his tone contemptuous.
“—it's a pity Brother Cheng laid out his grand plan long ago! The influence of Dawn Covenant speaks for itself, got it? We're on a whole different stratosphere!”
“Stratosphere?” Knight King's Sword scoffed. “Keep dreaming.”
The two glared at each other, then turned away simultaneously and rushed into the crowd—recruiting was a battle of wits and silver tongues, after all, no place for friendship.
After taking a few steps, Bruce's gaze suddenly locked onto a target.
It was a soft, adorable female player, standing in place while excitedly taking in the surrounding views, her little face filled with curiosity and delight.
Bruce's eyes lit up, and he immediately plastered on a friendly "trustworthy veteran player" smile, quickly closing the distance in a few quick steps.
“Ahem—beautiful young lady!” He cleared his throat, sounding as enthusiastic as an insurance salesman. “Welcome to 《Glorious Era》! How about joining our guild? We have tons of perks~”
Startled by this sudden enthusiasm, the soft female player pointed at herself. “Are... are you talking to me?”
“That's right! Join our guild!” Bruce puffed out his chest. “Free food and housing! I can personally guide your Class Advancement to the Knight class! Follow me from now on, and I guarantee you'll walk tall in this world!”
“And—” he lowered his voice mysteriously, “do you know who our guild master is?”
The girl looked utterly clueless. “Uh... who?”
“Nan Cheng!” Bruce slapped his chest, declaring the name with pride. “A top-tier big shot of the first progression wave in 《Glorious Era》! The pinned post on the forum was written by him! You've surely heard of him, right?”
The girl blinked her big eyes, thought about it seriously, and then shook her head honestly:
“Never heard of him.”
The smile on Bruce's face froze instantly.
The air fell dead silent for two whole seconds.
Nearby, Knight King's Sword had slipped over at some point, witnessing the entire scene, and burst into unrestrained laughter:
“Hahaha! A top-tier big shot? The girl hasn't even heard of him! You're killing me! Stratosphere? Looks like you're down in the basement!”
“Tsk tsk tsk—seems like your guild master Brother Cheng's influence isn't all that great after all~”
Dark lines immediately covered Bruce's face.
Seeing Bruce's reaction, Knight King's Sword felt thoroughly satisfied. Once he laughed his fill, he adjusted his glittering Purple Epic-grade armor. After glancing at the girl's ID, he walked over to her, suddenly wiping away his cheeky smirk. Dropping solemnly to one knee, he looked up at her with sincere eyes, his voice tender enough to melt butter:
“Beautiful Miss Mu Mu Hu Wan, on behalf of the Rose Heart guild, I sincerely invite you to join us.”
This dramatic grand gesture completely stunned the cute female player—Mu Mu Hu Wan. Her face flushed bright red, and she shuffled back half a step in flustered embarrassment:
“P-Please get up... There's no need for this...”
Passing players turned to stare, and someone even let out a wolf whistle.
Bruce, standing on the side, was utterly dumbfounded.
What the holy hell?! Are you serious?! You're recruiting a player! Why are you kneeling?! Are you filming a romance drama or proposing marriage here?!
Having recovered her composure, Mu Mu Hu Wan asked in a soft, clear voice, “What... what kind of perks does your guild have?”
It's working!
Overjoyed, Knight King's Sword jumped up immediately and rapidly explained, “In Rose Heart, you get a free house right at the start! We cover your EXP for the first ten levels! Weekly and monthly dividends! You'll drown in Merit Points—becoming a wealthy game lady won't be a problem at all!”
Mu Mu Hu Wan hesitated, murmuring, “But... I'm just a casual player, I'm not good at fighting...”
In the bag! Totally in the bag!
Knight King's Sword almost burst out laughing in victory. He hurriedly put on a reassuring expression:
“Most of our guild members are casual players! Usually, we just build houses, farm crops, and relax. While there are combat quests, participation is purely voluntary, and male players usually handle them. If you want to go, someone will carry you; if not, you can just farm at home. It's totally fine—”
At this point, he cast a meaningful side-glance at Bruce and added:
“Besides, our guild has tons of female players, so you don't have to worry about feeling uncomfortable at all.”
“Unlike certain guilds—” He intentionally dragged out his tone, “—which are basically sausage fests, yet still claim they have huge influence.”
Bruce: “...”
Standing nearby, Bruce nearly ground his teeth to dust.
Holding back his rage, he turned around and immediately searched for his next target.
It just so happened that a tall, steady-looking male player walked past. His posture was disciplined and orderly—at a glance, a seasoned MMO veteran.
Bruce instantly perked up, stepping forward to intercept him:
“Hold up, brother! Interested in joining Dawn Covenant? We have the most comprehensive guides from closed beta, and our progression speed is number one on the server...”
Before he could finish, a gust of wind blew past his back. Knight King's Sword swooped in, winking at the male player with a sly tone:
“Bro, come to Rose Heart! We've got tons of girls, and every single one of them has a sweet voice and is super easy to get along with.”
The male player, who was listening intently to Bruce, instantly had his eyes light up at the phrase "tons of girls." He cupped his hands to Bruce with an apologetic face:
“Sorry, bro. I suddenly feel like Rose Heart is a better fit for me.”
With that, he happily trotted off behind him, even turning back to ask, “Are there really that many girls?”
Bruce stood frozen in place, his fists clenching so hard they creaked, veins bulging on his forehead.
Watching Knight King's Sword's triumphant back, he spat out a few words through gritted teeth:
“You bastard! Just you wait... So what if you have a lot of girls?! I'm going to the forum to post right now—we'll recruit female players too!”
Rate on N.U.
