He wasn't impressive.
Mid-twenties. Auburn hair. Dark eyes.
He carried a low-grade spear, the kind of weapon practically handed out in bulk to academy dropouts and street fighters. His mana rank barely scraped Mid Yellow-rank—which ant he was far weaker than even the lowest-ranked first-year at Mythos Academy.
Objectively speaking?
A complete nobody.
But I wasn't here for strength.
"Codena LazyPanda at your service," he greeted with a small bow, his tone sowhere between polite and utterly uninterested.
I gestured for him to follow. "We're talking sowhere else."
He didn't argue. Didn't hesitate.
Smart.
I led him out of the underworld, stepping back into the pulsing lights and clean streets of Avalon. The contrast was almost jarring—from dim neon corridors and whispered deals to towering skyscrapers and perfectly regulated hover traffic.
The sa city.
Two different worlds.
We entered the sa bar I had used as an entry point. This ti, I took a seat.
LazyPanda sat across from .
"So," he said, leaning back lazily, fingers drumming on the table. "What exactly do you need for?"
I smiled.
The question should have been why ?
But he didn't ask that.
Because he already knew the answer was interesting. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire
And that ant he was already thinking.
Good.
Elias Vance, twenty-seven years old. Currently, a low-ranking rcenary known for his lacking combat ability. However, he was once in the Slatemark Empire's intelligence division due to his sharp mind. Unfortunately, he was dropped since he failed to reach the desired mana rank.
I smiled thinly, letting the silence stretch just a mont before I replied. "Let introduce myself first. I am Arthur Nightingale, Rank 1 of the first years of Mythos Academy."
His eyes widened before he controlled them, not saying anything.
"Elias, you're not here to be another anonymous cog in a machine. You see the chaos of Avalon—a ss of wasted potential and half-baked sches—and you know that it's ripe for a mind like yours," I said.
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."
I leaned in, lowering my voice as if about to reveal a grand cosmic secret. "You're a strategist, a mind that calculates the unpredictable. While others scramble in the dark, you see the chessboard. I'm building Ouroboros Guild—a guild that isn't content to rely survive, but to reshape the very ga."
Elias drumd his fingers again, skepticism flickering in his eyes. "And why would I want to play your ga?"
"Because," I said, tilting my head with a conspiratorial glint, "you deserve more than the scraps they throw at you in this rat race. Imagine having the power to call the shots—being the unseen hand that moves the pieces. With us, your intelligence won't just be an asset; it will be the backbone of an empire."
He leaned forward, interest pricking through his lazy facade. "Sounds like a lot of responsibility. And what's in it for ?"
I let out a soft chuckle. "For starters, think of it as your ultimate chess match—one where you're the grandmaster. I'm offering you a seat at the table, a chance to steer the future, not just watch it unfold. I'm talking about influence, resources, and the freedom to execute your own ideas without the usual bureaucracy."
Elias's gaze hardened, and I saw his mind shift gears. "Influence, resources... freedom. You know those aren't exactly free, Arthur. What's your angle?"
"Simple," I said, tapping the table lightly. "You join Ouroboros, and your intellect will be rewarded not just with coin, but with real power—power that'll let you shape outcos, rewrite rules, and finally get the recognition you deserve. I'm not asking you to be a pawn; I'm inviting you to be the mastermind behind it all."
A slow smile crept across Elias's face, half-amused, half-intrigued. "So, you're saying you're building an empire, and you want to be its brains?"
"Exactly," I replied, eting his gaze steadily. "In a world where everyone is content with diocrity, you're the anomaly—the one who can see what lies beneath. With you on board, Ouroboros won't just survive—it'll flourish, and you'll finally get to be the one who calls the shots."
For a long mont, Elias was silent, his eyes appraising as if weighing the cost of such a gamble. Finally, he nodded slowly.
"Alright, Arthur," he said, his voice low and asured, "I'll play your ga."
I grinned, knowing the match had begun.
"Excellent," I said, sliding a docunt across the counter. "This is our guild's contract. Not binding in the old-fashioned sense, but it marks your entry into Ouroboros."
Elias picked up the docunt, his eyes lingering on it. "And if I decide to back out?" he asked, his tone cautious yet amused.
"Then you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you helped build an empire—a guild that's set to redefine power in the world. But let's be honest: no one else will offer you the freedom and influence I'm offering. Other groups treat your talents like trinkets. With us, you'll be the mastermind behind every move we make."
He tapped his fingers against the counter, his eyes narrowing into that calculating gaze I knew all too well. "Alright. I'm in. But I want full control over my strategic domain. No half-asures."
I grinned, a spark of triumph lighting my eyes. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Welco aboard, Elias. Our first order of business is to overhaul our recruitnt strategy—and you'll have your hands in every major decision."
We shook on it—a firm, silent agreent that echoed like a promise in the low hum of neon and machine chatter. In that mont, the underbelly of Avalon seed to fade, replaced by the potent idea of change.
"To Ouroboros Guild," I toasted quietly, lifting a glass of deep red synthetic liquor. "May our minds be as sharp as our blades and our plans as endless as the snake that devours its tail."
Elias raised his glass, a glimr of unspoken challenge in his eyes. "To reshaping the world," he declared.
And so it was. Two brilliant minds, bound by ambition and a shared desire for freedom, sealed their fates with a handshake and a promise. In that dim, subterranean world of clandestine deals and flickering holograms, our alliance was born—a spark of hope in a realm too often dimd by diocrity.
The future of Ouroboros Guild had just taken its first, decisive step.
"Anyway," I said, leaning back and stretching my arms, "you need to get a three-star license. Once you have it, sign the contract, bring it to the guild, and we'll handle the paperwork. That's your official entry into Ouroboros."
Elias tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "And my role?"
"Guild secretary, officially," I replied. "Unofficially? The mind that keeps the entire machine running."
His lips twitched in amusent. "Flattering, but I'll reserve my judgnt until I see what kind of machine you're actually building."
"You'll see soon enough," I assured him. "But before that, I need your help with sothing else—hiring three more people."
Elias's brow lifted. "Only three?"
"Three very specific individuals," I corrected. "Like you, they're unique. Talents that exist in their own category, still unclaid by the major organizations that would kill to have them. They'll be the foundation of Ouroboros."
He exhaled through his nose, thoughtful. "And you won't tell who they are?"
I gave him a lazy shrug. "I'm not that trusting."
"Figures." He smirked, shaking his head. "Guess I'll find out when I get there."
"Exactly," I said, rising to my feet. "Sort out your business with Grey Crows, get that license, and then we'll talk."
Elias extended his hand, and I shook it—a firm grip, the kind that sealed deals without another word.
"Alright," he said. "I'll see you at the guild."
I turned and walked away, weaving back into the flow of Avalon's underbelly, the neon lights and scattered voices washing over .
One down.
The other three? They weren't going to be as easy.
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