Chương 78: (B2) Chapter 5 - Guild Row

The sound of the bustling city opened up to Ethan as he walked out the front door of the guild, having just finished going over everything with Tomas. Their deal seemed all but set, even if Leah wasn't comfortable going with Marcus and his group, Tomas had promised he would set up another team for her. Not that Ethan really thought she needed it. Despite the initial introduction to the group, they didn't seem like too bad a bunch. It also helped that Marcus seemed at least competent when it came to combat.

And Tomas had reassured him the others were equally as powerful, if not more. Ethan had accepted his word for it, though he didn't really understand what the man was actually getting out of the deal. He was essentially handing Ethan everything, while wanting nothing in return. However, Ethan wasn't thick enough to accept that. He knew the idea Tomas had was building a good relationship with him, something that he was definitely achieving.

But there would come a time where he asked something of Ethan, of that he was sure. Ethan just needed to make sure he didn't owe the man too much, or else he would feel honour-bound to do as Tomas asked. He needed to keep the scales even, so to speak. Of course, this was all speculation. Tomas hadn't actually asked anything of him, nor did he seem like he would anytime soon. And to be honest, Ethan wasn't worried. He also wanted to build a good relationship with the Broken Dawns.

He felt he had already started that by helping out on level one. So he had already gained the trust of the up-and-coming Broken Dawns, now he just needed to build on it further. It was worth it as far as he was concerned. Both Mia and Tomas had massive potential to be powerhouses. And he also respected the creator of Broken Dawns, who should currently be challenging the third level, along with the other members of the first batch that arrived in the trials.

All that was to say, Ethan was happy with the current setup and saw no issue with him using the Broken Dawns and vice versa. Ethan closed the door behind him, turned, and looked at the busy street ahead. With Leah away, sorting gear with Tilly, he had some free time. So, it was time to do some snooping. Ethan hadn't forgotten about the necromancer and his hidden group. Now, he was ready to find out more, and hopefully uncover whatever he could.

Even though he had a pretty solid grasp on who was behind everything, he still needed to confirm it. And then formulate a plan to take down one of the most powerful people on this level. Which, if he played his cards right and gathered enough information, he could potentially use the aid of both the Valkyries and the Broken Dawns. But until then he would keep it to himself. So, it was time to do some recon, which in all honesty was where Ethan's skills lacked the most.

His first step had been to get out of this armor and put on something a bit less conspicuous. Luckily, Tomas already had information on him, thanks to Alex and the others ratting him out, so the man knew he was young and was more than happy to keep it a secret. Which allowed him to get changed at the guild and walk out of the building with no one the wiser. He had come to like the idea of keeping his identity hidden, especially as he grew more powerful and pushed his advantages to the limits.

So he was grateful for Tomas helping him out on that front. The man had actually got quite animated about it when Ethan brought it up and even started creating aliases for when he had his armor off. At first Ethan had dismissed the idea, finding it a bit too far. But now, as he walked the streets, it was beginning to grow on him. He was beginning to feel like Batman or something. Now he just needed to get rich. Ethan walked along the pathway.

It was reasonably busy, with people coming and going from all the different guild halls, making him glad the only form of transportation in the city was frequent train rides, so he never had to worry about looking out for cars or anything of the sort. He kept moving—feeling a little naked without his greatsword strapped to his back—and fell into the flow of traffic, breathing in the fresh air as the day truly began. Luckily for him, he didn't have to walk far.

All the main guilds were stationed in the same vicinity. Though Broken Dawns was a bit out of the way, with it being a smaller guild and all. Instead he headed to the centre of Guild Row, where the five supreme guild halls stood, towering far higher than any other building. They were the spearheads of humanity, each founder being among the first to enter the trials. They also all had a somewhat good relationship. Each guild happy to hold all the power in the trials.

Ethan passed The Wild Hunt guild building, looking up at it as it climbed high into the sky. As one of the founder guilds, a lot of people would end up wanting to join them, especially with their initiative of individual strength above all. Hell, even Ethan could get behind that. And if he were to ever join a guild, they would have been the number one pick. Though that might change with the Broken Dawns sticking around and not getting wiped out too early.

Beside them, in equally fancy and large buildings, were the other four supremes. The Pioneers Guild, Northstar Guild, Ascenders and The Seven Pillars. Unfortunately for Ethan, the place he needed to go to was also one of the supreme guilds. The Northstar Guild was the only one amongst the four others that wasn't founded by someone in the first batch of arrivals. Instead they had worked their way up and had amassed a massive following on the second level, with guild halls in every major city.

Though the reason Ethan had chosen Nexus was both because it was one of the largest cities on level two, with multiple dungeons nearby, and also because it was the residence of the Northstar Guild Leader. The Father. From what Ethan knew of the man, he was more of an actual leader than a fighter. Having arrived in the trials for the better part of three years now, he had quickly discovered the best way to gain power was to surround himself with powerful people.

He had done this by donning the moniker 'The Father' and investing in promising people early on. If Ethan could remember correctly, the man had some kind of skill that boosted other people's powers, which in turn caused thousands of people to clamour to get into his guild. And he accepted them all. Making him one of the largest and most powerful guilds, all at a rapid pace.

Ethan almost hoped he was wrong and had the wrong person, but seeing Katara and realising it was her poison that killed Mia in his previous timeline all but confirmed it. Ethan stood across the street from the building, his senses spreading outward as he studied the flow of people entering and leaving. The Northstar Guild hall was easily the busiest structure along Guild Row.

Adventuring parties moved through the front doors constantly, some returning battered and exhausted while others looked fresh and eager to head back out. Unlike the other guilds Ethan had passed on the way here, Northstar didn't feel closed off or territorial. Large glass windows revealed the enormous lobby inside, where people moved in organized lines between counters and reception desks. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Originally Ethan hadn't been too sure on how to handle this, so eventually, after a lot of debate, he decided to just go ask directly. So after another moment, he finally crossed the street and stepped inside. The entire guild hall was something Ethan imagined a company back on Earth would have operated like. Requests were handled at the front counters while workers moved through the building carrying stacks of papers and other large items that no doubt contained any number of important things.

A massive notice board dominated the centre of the room, covered in dungeon schedules, resource requests, escort postings and recruitment offers, all neatly categorized. Armed adventurers came and went without causing problems, and despite the sheer number of people present, nothing felt disorganized. Ethan was reminded of The Father's philosophy. Strong individuals mattered, but organisation mattered more.

"First time in Nexus?" Ethan turned toward the voice. A woman in dark blue guild colours stood nearby, watching him with the kind of practiced professionalism Ethan immediately distrusted. She looked to be in her late twenties, her dark hair falling down to the star emblem on her uniform, which looked extremely similar to a suit from back on Earth.

"Yeah," Ethan answered.

"Just arrived actually."

"Oh nice, congratulations on passing the first level. Are you looking to apply?"

"Thanks," Ethan replied, before continuing.

"Possibly. Figured I'd see what Northstar actually offers first."

"Fair enough. Most people end up here eventually anyway." She gestured further into the building.

"Come on. We can talk somewhere quieter." Ethan followed her deeper into the guild hall, his awareness continuing to stretch outward through [Keen Sense]. He noticed guards stationed throughout the halls, deliberately placed where they could respond quickly if needed. It was almost impressive how uniform they all looked. And their power level wasn't anything to scoff at either. Eventually the woman led him into a smaller office and motioned for him to sit.

"I'm Clara," she introduced herself as she took the seat opposite him.

"So, what's your name and situation? Solo climber?"

"Jack," he replied.

"Yeah, I've been a solo climber so far. But I kept hearing about Guild Row and the benefits offered if I were to join someone."

"That must mean you're quite confident, though I've also met a few people who were just stupid, thinking this is just a game. I'm sure that's not you though." Ethan let out a quiet snort.

"Hopefully it's just confidence."

"That's what I like to hear." She leaned back slightly, studying him for another moment before continuing.

"So what exactly are you looking for?" Ethan pretended to think about it before answering.

"Stability and somewhere to grow."

"Then you're probably in the right place," Clara said smoothly.

"Most guilds focus too heavily on individual strength. Elite teams. Strong personalities. Heroes." She shook her head faintly.

"That works right up until those people die." Her fingers tapped lightly against the desk as she continued.

"Northstar survives because we focus on structure first. We control the largest dungeon network on the second level. We organize trade routes between cities, maintain residential districts, regulate dungeon access and provide protection where it's needed." Her expression sharpened slightly.

"Strength matters. But strength without organization just creates chaos, and we have all seen far too much chaos these last few years." Ethan stayed quiet, letting her continue naturally. Though he did already have a solid understanding of how Northstar worked.

"People need leadership," she said.

"Real leadership. Not just powerful individuals pretending they know what's best." There it was. She had just shown Ethan exactly how The Father had built Northstar into such a dominant force. It wasn't fear or brute strength. It was dependency. Northstar positioned itself so deeply into the functioning of the level that eventually people stopped seeing them as a guild and started seeing them as necessary, almost as a governing force. They catered to the masses.

"You seem pretty invested in all this," Ethan observed.

"I am," Clara answered immediately.

"The Father prevented this level from collapsing into guild wars years ago. Without Northstar, humanity would already be tearing itself apart, each guild fighting for any scraps of power they can get." Ethan wanted to snort, but held it back. If only she knew.

"And how's your level one influence? Is it anything like the Broken Dawns?" Clara frowned slightly.

"We tend to keep on the second level, though I assure you, we are a much better guild than the Broken Dawns." Ethan nodded along.

"Ha, interesting. I'm sure I heard your guild name down there. Something about an attack of some sort." Clara narrowed her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but if you've come here looking for revenge or answers, you've come to the wrong place. Am I going to need to call the guards?" Ethan shook his head and cleared his throat.

"No. No. I was just making sure your the right fit for me. Didn't mean any harm."

"Good. But I'm telling you now, we don't operate on the first level. We wait for people to clear the mirage first."

"I understand." Ethan replied, not sure if she was lying or just unaware.

"That's all the time I have," Clara said after a moment, "I'll see you out." Ethan leaned back slightly, realizing this was a dead end. God he really did suck at intel.

"No problem. So where do I go to sign up?"

"Are you interested?"

"I'll think about it. I want to look around Nexus a little more first. Get a feel for things. But I do want to get into a dungeon soon and it seems the guilds have a markup on them."

"Okay. If you've want to join, you just need to head to the front desk and fill out a form. After that someone will be in touch." She stood smoothly.

"If you decide to join, there'll always be a place for capable people and as many dungeon runs as you want." Ethan nodded and followed her back out into the main lobby. However, as they stepped into the main hall, the usual organized conversation and planning had disappeared. Instead it was quiet. So quiet you could hear a pin drop. Ethan's senses expanded instantly as multiple powerful presences entered his awareness. A group had just walked through the front doors.

Four heavily armed figures moved first, surrounding a man at the centre of their formation. Ethan immediately understood none of them were weak. Their mana alone carried enough pressure to make his instincts flare warily. High level. Very high level. Each guard felt like they were tier two cultivators. And at the centre of them walked a man dressed in simple black clothing. He looked painfully ordinary at first glance. Average height. Dark hair lightly touched with grey. A calm expression.

Nothing about him screamed power. Yet the entire room reacted to his presence. All eyes turned, glued to him. The Father moved calmly through the guild hall while quietly speaking to one of the guards beside him. Then his gaze shifted as he looked at all his guild members watching him with abated breath. He waved in the general direction of everyone and continued being escorted forward. Briefly, as he lowered his hand, his eyes fell upon Ethan. The movement lasted barely a second.

But for that second, they held eye contact. Ethan not breaking it. The Father gave a small nod toward him. Ethan returned it evenly, trying to keep his composure and calm his racing heart. Then the man continued deeper into the guild hall alongside the monsters escorting him, disappearing from sight without another word. Ethan watched him go silently for a few moments longer before finally turning away and leaving the building. As he stepped back out onto Guild Row and let out a breath.

"Fucking hell."