Kapitel 100: A Guild’s Ambition
Akiol manipulated his body to look like an ordinary individual, he didn't want Reverence spying on him.
Akiol walked over to a carving in the stone. It was a rune inside a circle, he noticed the rune was similar to the ones the sorcerers use. He wasn't too familiar on what the runes mean, so he took a screenshot and posted it in the group chat.
Akiol: [Image]
Akiol: Kan'na are you on? I need you to tell me what this means.
Kan'na: Yes I am here, the rune doesn't mean much by itself. Give me a closer picture to the ring around it.
Akiol sent several pictures of the ring close up.
Kan'na: That's strange. . .
Akiol: What's with the dots? Trying to create suspension?
Kan'na: Shush, give me a moment.
He closed the chat and walked over to another carving. He noticed the rune was different. Taking several pictures he moved on to the next, doing the same. After collecting the pictures of the eight runes that were visible he walked back. Kan'na replied shortly later.
Kan'na: This is quite the strange thing, it could roughly be explained as 'collection'. However, what and why it is collecting is something I am not sure about.
Akiol: There is seven more if you don't mind me sending you them.
Kan'na: Please do! I am quite intrigued on what this is.
Akiol sent all the pictures. Kan'na replied saying she would need some time before an answer was to be given. Having completed his task he returned to the seating room, making sure to change his appearance back to normal.
The guild battles continued as normal, occasionally Wrock or Akiol would be sent up. Of course they won the battles, but every victory left a sense of danger.
. . .
Zealous walked over to one of their subordinates, "How's the plan going."
"Sir! It's Ninety-eight percent complete! Within five rounds it will be completed!"
Zealous nodded, "Good, monitor the others closely. It's almost time. . ."
Zealous walked away, their guild Infinity Base have forever been considered the worst of the top ten Guilds. While being the tenth was a high position, it was always contradicted with 'they're not better than the others though'. As Vice-leader this was especially insulting.
Today would be different, today Infinity Base will rise above the rest.
. . .
The semifinals arrived, since the contenders were less than before the arenas followed suit.
The chosen contenders was surprisingly not Akiol or Wrock. Akiol was more so surprised since he was convinced Reverence was plotting something. However a glance at Reverence seemed to prove otherwise.
Reverence's face had signs of shock, while it wouldn't be completely apparent Akiol noticed easily. This caused him to furrow his brow, whatever Reverence wanted to happen. . . didn't. Meaning there was something more.
The contenders were sent to the arena, the countdown started and they fought. Akiol watched some of the battles, hoping to grab a clue on what was going on. Yet he gained nothing. This continued until Kan'na came back with her conclusion.
Kan'na: This was quite interesting, if you translated the runes individually you would only receive intentions or one clear idea. The eight I got out of it are, collection, channeling, projection, measuring, protecting, returning, creating, and summoning.
Akiol: I assume they mean something else when combined?
Kan'na: Correct, when combined they make an interesting spell. It seems to create small realms for battle, returning the victory back to their original status.
Akiol: I know that much, it was for the competition. The realms are arenas for battle, the victor was sent back fully recovered.
Kan'na: Ah, that's where your wrong. The victor isn't sent back 'recovered'. They are 'returned'.
Akiol: Mind explaining?
Kan'na: When you fight you aren't sent into the realm completely. It instead projects you into it. Meaning you and the one you fight aren't real. Instead it's a projection similar to this VR game. You aren't fighting these people for real.
Akiol: Odd.
Kan'na: Exactly, yet that isn't the strangest part. It's what happens after the battle is finished. To put it simply, the chosen fighters are killed.
Akiol: Wouldn't players lose things like EXP or items?
Kan'na: No, you only lose things if your killed by three different things. Players, monsters or NPC's, also yourself but that's still a player. This area might be considered some sort of outside effect. Like how a rock crushing a player will kill them but they won't lose anything.
Akiol: This seems overly complicated, why bother killing them off?
Kan'na: That's where I am worried. Those killed have their lingering life force collected before reconstructing. . . or actually respawning in this case. This life force is being turned into something. That something is being given to something else. The runes only tell what they are doing, not what their target it is.
Akiol: Hold on, that makes a lot more sense.
Wrock: I have been reading silently and I think I came to the same conclusion.
Kan'na: Please explain.
Akiol: This place is meant to summon something.
Wrock: It's summoning something strong.
Kan'na: Well yeah, that's what the runes mean.
Akiol: The thing is, this was an event hosted by the top Guilds. Regardless on how friendly they seem, there is no way they are trying to help each other. That means this is a plan by one of the Guilds.
Kan'na: I suggest you stop whatever it is, the amount of life force being collected is an extremely large amount. If whatever is being awakened needs this much it is far stronger than we may be able to handle.
Akiol: Any suggestions?
Kan'na: Break the collection rune, cutting the ring around it should suffice.
Akiol: That's all that needs to happen?
Kan'na: If it's no longer collecting then yeah.
Akiol disguised himself again and headed over to the rune. Once he arrived he pulled out his sword and swung at the ring. To his surprise the sword bounced off the stone without leaving a scratch. He swung multiple times in the same spot but failed to make even a small dent.
Clicking his tongue he swung again, this time using [Dimension Pierce]. His sword cut through the stone like it was cheese, easily cutting the carving in half.
Having done his job he returned to the seating room and continued to watch the fights.
. . .
"Sir! The collection rune has been cut off!"
Zealous turned sharply, "What?! I told you to watch the Guilds' movements!"
The subordinate wiped away their nervous sweat, "W-we did, none of the Guilds have made any move!"
Zealous cursed, "As if you fools! If they haven't made any moves why is the collection rune broken?!"
The subordinate had no answer, they instead stood nervously.
Zealous rubbed his temples, he still had a way to fix this. Pointing to a few nearby players he ordered, "Come with me."
Having no choice the players followed their leader down a tunnel. Once they reached the end Zealous stopped. The room was dark with no visibility.
Zealous turned and said, "You will be compensated for this."
With that he snapped his fingers and a five red lines appeared out of nowhere. Each one touched a player and they dropped to the floor, dead.
The red lines retracted and the whole room began to turn red. With the light anyone could see the walls were covered in crazed drawings and runes.
Wong~
Zealous opened their arms into an embracing gesture, "I have fulfilled my duty! Now it is your turn."
An old raspy voice responded, "Yes yes, you have done very good. I will reward you now. Some of my power like promised."
Woosh~
The same red lines reappeared and stabbed themselves into Zealous, he doubled over and kneeled from the excruciating pain. His veins could be seen pulsing from his skin, his eyes bloodshot.
After a few minutes the lines retracted and Zealous stood up. He clenched his fist excitedly, what he had obtained was something great.
He had obtained the hidden class Death Lord Commander. His stats skyrocketed, nearly 60% greater than before. While the power was great, it was the skills he obtained that was far greater.
The first was [Life Force Exchange] an incredibly powerful Berserk Skill.
[Life Force Exchange:
By exchanging your life force you gain strength unseen.
Cost:
1%HP per 5 seconds.
Time Limit:
None, effect ends the moment user's HP drops below 10%
Effects:
x2.5 to all stats.
Extra Skills:
{Life Force Leach: For every attack the user deals gain 10% the damage value in HP. For every kill the user does gain 10% the opponents max HP.}]
Aftereffects:
When user's health drops below 10% suffer a reduction of 40% to all stats for 24 hours (in-game).
This was indeed a very strong Berserk Skill, but that wasn't Zealous' true goal. It was the second skill he wanted. A skill called [Commander's Gift].
[Commander's Gift
Give all the allies underneath you the skill of {Lesser Life Force Exchange}.]
[Lesser Life Force Exchange] was a weaker form of Zealous' own Berserk Skill. Yet he could grant this to anyone underneath him. Giving all of his Guild members a Berserk Skill would skyrocket his Guild's total strength.
This is what he needed, it was time to confront the Guilds. . .
AUTORENGEDANKEN 
UnableToOpenDoor
UnableToOpenDoor Chapter 100!!
This is only the start! I am incredibly glad that you've come this far in my book. Any form of support helps me going, and that includes just reading!
I am far from finished, and I hope to see you at the end!
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein