...
Holy City, Heavenly Resto-Bar
Lawless and his team are currently having a meeting regarding something.
"Are you sure that you are going to invite that guy in our group?" said Ravier in high tone.
"What is wrong with that? He is strong enough to become part of our group." said by Lawless.
"Strong? Didn't he still in Tier 1 Class?" rebutted Ravier.
"You don't have to worry about that. He is already Level-76, so he is going to become promoted to Tier 2 in no time." replied Lawless nonchalantly.
"Tsk, that was the point, his Level is still too low. And didn't he is always making trouble anywhere he go? He even have the guts to butt heads with Powerhouse Guilds." said by Ravier.
Lawless raise one of his brows while saying in provoking tone. "So What? Are you that afraid of trouble? What a coward."
Then the two of them started bickering with each other.
Morgan looked at the two with confused expression before asking Ember. "Hey, What are they talking about?"
Ember turn her head at Morgan and. "Just ignore them. They are always like that. And as for the guy they are talking about... Hmm... He is a new friend."
Stephanie suddenly become interested on the topic and whispered to them. "New friend? Then did Faker approved him?"
Then the three of them simultaneously turn their heads at Faker who is currently immerse on his own world. Faker ignored the the three while continue playing with his throwing daggers.
Then Ember extend her head towards the two before whispering something to them. Then they started laughing with themselves.
Then the door of the room was suddenly swung open, followed by Shin's entrance. He give the people inside a slight nod and said. "Hi, guys. Sorry about that, the door is quite hard to open earlier."
The room turned silent for a moment before Lawless open his mouth. "Haha... Don't worry about that. Come in, we are going to discuss about something."
Shin nodded his head a little before closing the door and taking off the hood of his cloak. Then he take a seat beside Ravier.
Morgan on the other hand is staring Shin with widened eyes. Stephanie who is sitting beside him is the first one to notice his strange behavior and whispered. "Hey, did you know him?"
Morgan smiled bitterly before replying at her with a soft voice. "Now I believe Ravier, that this guy is always making trouble everywhere."
"So you really knew him?" asked Stephanie once again.
"There are also new faces here. Are they old friend of yours?" That was the time when Shin turn his head at the two.
And Shin's eyes suddenly turned wide when he saw Morgan's face. Seconds later, Shin yell at him. "You! You are also playing this game!?"
Morgan smiled stiffly, raise his right hand and wave it slightly at Shin while saying. "Hi, Young Master Shin."
Then the entire room suddenly become silent once again, before the other people shout simultaneously. Even Faker who doesn't have any interest earlier suddenly turned his head and look at Shin.
"YOUNG MASTER SHIN!!!???"
Morgan smiled embarrassedly before explaining himself while scratching the back of his head. "Hehe... Didn't I already told you guys that my Family is servicing a certain Martial-Art and Military Family?"
"And he happens to be one of my Young Masters there. And why are you making this a big deal?" added Morgan while pointing at Shin.
The others took some time to adjust their minds, and Lawless was the first person to recover himself. He laugh loudly and stand up from his seat to pat Shin's shoulder who is currently sitting across him. "Hahaha.... I knew that you are not a simple individual, but I didn't expect that you are a Young Master of a Martial-Art/ Military Family."
Shin glared at Morgan, or more precisely John Evans in Real World, while saying through eye-signal that is unique to special forces. "What the heck? Why did you spill my identity?"
Morgan raise both of his arms indicating that he didn't do it on purpose, and that was only an accident.
Shin slap his forehead before releasing a helpless sigh. Then he turn his head to attention to Lawles and said. "Alright, alright. Move on, can you? How about we proceed to the thing that you want to discuss."
"Yeah, Yeah." Lawless nodded his head repeatedly before clearing his throat and about to say something.
But before he managed to open his mouth, Shin already beat him at it. "Wait! If you are going to invite me to join this group, then let me say 'No'."
"I prefer doing things alone for the time being, to explore the game more. And if I'm going to join one, then I'm going to wait until my brother get back in the game at the very least."
'I knew it! If those team up even in this game, then it is going to become a mess. A natural magnet of troubles and the troublemaker himself, that is going to become a huge headache.' thought Morgan to him while shaking his head and smiling bitterly.
Meanwhile, Lawless chokes with the words that he want to say before saying to Shin. "Hey, I didn't even say anything, yet you already refusing to join us?"
Shin pointed at Morgan and replied at Lawless. "Because I can already read what you want to say through that guy's facial expression."
Then he added after. "And your team is too strong for me to become a member. I don't like being on a bus. I might always complaining at everything, but I prefer getting things through my hard work. But we can still collaborate together when I'm strong enough."
Lawless shrugged his shoulders before, changing the topic. "Then let us discuss your main problem then."
At this time, Ravier suddenly interrupt Lawless. "Hey! are you still going to help him even though he refused to join our group?"
Lawless look at Ravier and reply casually. "Yes. He is still my friend after all. And I also want to exchange blows with the other guys."
Ravier sigh helplessly before leaning on his seat. Then Lawless turn his attention back to Shin and continue what he were saying. "Anyway, you are in deep trouble now, Brother Sickarius."
'It is fine. I'm best friends with trouble since I was young after all.' Thought Shin in his mind before nodding his head slightly and letting Lawless to continue.
"You.... No. To be exact, your other persona, the 'Nameless Swordsman' is currently being haunted by a bunch of Official Rankers and some High Rankers. So I suggest that you don't use that other identity of yours for the time being. Not until you become Ranker yourself." said Lawless.
Shin shrugged his shoulders as if he is saying that it is no big deal. Lawless release a helpless sigh when he saw Shin's reaction. Then he added after. "And that is not the worst thing on it. Because there are also some Big Shots eyeing you in the dark."
When the other guys in the room heard that, they simultaneously turn their heads at Lawless with skeptical look on their faces as if they are saying. 'We are the real targets of those Big Shots.'
Lawless ignored their looks and said to Shin. "But you don't have to worry about that since we are not weaklings either. We can battle them on equal grounds at the very least."
"Then we don't have much problem I guess." said Shin in a nonchalant manner, making Ravier to almost burst with anger, but Morgan managed to stopped him in time.
Lawless on the other hand burst out laughing. "Hahaha..... As expected of you. You doesn't fear anything. Then follow my instructions if that is the case....." Then they started designing some plans to lure out the Big Shots that are eyeing him the dark.
And some moment later, Shin suddenly remembered something. He look at Lawless and said. "Hey, Brother Lawless. Did you know something about the 'Shadow Ranking Cup'?"
Lawless turn his head at Shin before thinking for a moment. Then he replied after. "Hmm... From what I know, that cup is specifically held for the Potential Rankers and Potential Titled Rankers that just passed their Tier 2 Class Promotion Quest or respective Class."
"And who ever win a place on the top ten spots are going to become promoted as Official Rankers directly. And that is despite them having a Level that is lower than the older Official Rankers. The top three are going to have the right to challenge some real Titled Rankers."
Shin knitted his brows while asking. "Right to challenge some Titled Rankers? What's so good about that?"
This time, Ravier is the one that reply at Shin's question. "What's good, you say? Well, before you become a Titled Ranker, you need to beat some real Titled Rankers first in an official match set by the system. And It is a three round battle. If you win against five Titled Rankers, then congratulations! You suddenly become a Titled Ranker yourself."
Shin is still confused. "But I can just challenge some Titled Rankers on my own, right?"
"Then you are going to become a Maverick Ranker." said Ravier.
"And what was that?" asked Shin, still confused.
"Maverick Rankers are players that are as strong as Titled Rankers, but they didn't participate on any kind of official matches, so they become some private one instead." said Lawless.
"Oh~♪ Then I prefer being a Maverick Ranker." said Shin.
Then Lawless added after. "And remember, there are still a three stage hierarchy for Rankers. Official Rankers are the lowest, they are the most average players on the ranks of all of the Rankers in the game. Next are High Rankers, and they are the rankers that are about the reach the peak. They are not only stong, but they also have some achievements aside from PvP battles."
"And the last but not the least are the Titled Rankers. They are the players that are standing at the pinnacle of the Rankers. Some of them are able hold themselves against a Godlike Player. So if you encounter a Real Titled Ranker, you better know his/her strength first, before provoking them blindly. But if you are confident enough that you can to handle them, then feel free to do whatever you want. It is your life after all."
Shin digest all the informations that he got before asking curiously. "Then where do you guys belong? I'm sure that you guys are strong enough to rank yourselves there, right?"
Cough! Cough!
Lawless cough softly before replying at Shin. "You will know about that in the furture."
Then he carefully dodge the bullet and skillfully change topic. "Anyway, why are you asking about the 'Shadow Ranking Cup'?"
"Ah!? About that? I got invited to join on that 'Shadow Ranking Cup' thing." said Shin nonchalantly.
"Oh~♪ you got invited." said Lawless. Then he suddenly realized something, followed by the sudden silence inside the room.
Then the others inside the room simultaneously turn their heads at Shin while saying with high tone.
"What!?"
"You become invited!"
"How come?"
"Didn't you are only Tier 1?"
"How many shocking things do you have on your sleeves?"
It took some time for the other guys to recover themselves. And Lawless is the one that calm himself first once again. "Hahaha.... You are really a man that is full of surprises. Being invited on the 'Shadow Ranking Cup' while still being in Tier 1 Class? Your talent is really not simple."
"But I still suggest that you take your Class Promotion Quest before joining the 'Cup'. That is because there are some 'dragons among men' that are going to join this upcoming 'Shadow Ranking Cup'."
"When will be the next 'Shadow Ranking Cup' will held once again?" asked Ravier.
"Next week, Real World's Time. Next Monday to be exact." replied Faker almost immediately.
"It is only Wednesday, right? Then you still have a lot of time to prepare." said Lawless.
Shin thought for a moment before asking. "Are equipments allowed on taking the Class Promotion Quest?"
"It depends. If your Class is an ordinary one, then yes it is allowed. But if you have a Special Class, then your equipments are going to become disabled, especially if you are a higher ranking race. But there are always some exceptions. If you have some items and equipments specialized for your Race and Class, then you can still use them." said Faker in a nonchalant manner.
Morgan and Stephanie is looking at Faker with astounded gaze. 'Since when did this guy become so kind at giving off some advice?'
Ravier and Ember on the other hand are treating it as a normal occurrence. The last time Shin met them, Faker even offered a Sub-Class quest scroll and a bunch of Echanment Stones in exchange for the special bloodline that Shin have given to Lawless. He even invited Shin to level-up faster, so that he can join them.
Shin thought for a moment before standing up and said. "If that is the case, then I'm going to take my Class Promotion now."
Then Shin thank them for their advice and help, before bidding his farewell, and walking out the the room to tackle his Class Promotion Quest.
....