“Shadow Wolves?” Broken repeated the name of the guild the mage had mentioned.
It was a guild currently on the opposing side of the Ass Guild. They had two Gluttony champions and were intent on summoning a named demon to seize the crown from the rightful heir, Princess Alora.
“What do you want from me?” he asked quietly.
“Sorry, sorry for the sudden approach,” Subaru said, lowering his head with a light laugh. “I assure you, I come with good intentions.” He raised his head again, smiling brightly. “Please, I’m doing my best to show you there’s no ill will.” He then grinned wider. “Can’t you tell how friendly I am?”
Broken gave Subaru a more serious look. “Tell me what you want, or I’ll leave.”
“Ah, haha,” Subaru laughed nervously. “Okay, okay.”
He continued, “Alright… I apologize if my presence is too abrupt, but I would like to extend an invitation on behalf of our Guild Master, Paul. He wants to discuss something with you. I understand if you have some doubts, but I can guarantee with my life that you’re in no danger. Even though Shadow Wolves and the Ass Guild are on opposing sides, you’re not part of that guild, so we really have no serious problem with you.”
“What does he want from me? What kind of topic does he want to discuss?” Broken asked, his curiosity piqued.
Subaru tried to hold back his laughter and responded in a calmer tone. “He mentioned that he has a really good offer for you, something big, and it won’t take much of your time—just about 30 minutes, no! Only 10 minutes. Are you interested?”
“An offer?”
Sensing Broken’s hesitation, Subaru quickly reassured him. He then pulled out a magic staff from his inventory and handed it to Broken.
“This is my level 200 magic staff, my main weapon as a mage. You can hold this as a guarantee that I’m serious about this discussion. Does this convince you? But please, return it once the discussion is over, okay?” he said with a hesitant smile.
Broken examined the Epic-grade magic staff carefully. He weighed the invitation in his mind, wondering if meeting with the Shadow Wolves would be considered a breach of agreement with the Ass Guild. But after all, it was just an invitation, and he had no idea what they might be offering him. There was no harm in at least hearing them out, and it could be a good opportunity to get to know the potential enemy better.
Plus, this would be his first encounter with another Divine Champions, especially one from the Gluttony faction.
“Alright,” he finally said, looking up at Subaru. “I’ll hear what your Guild Master has to say. But I’m keeping this magic staff until the meeting is over.” freewebnoveℓ.com
Subaru’s face lit up. “Great! Follow me. It won’t take long,” he said eagerly, leading the way.
Subaru chatted away several times with his peculiar, fidgety style. “I saw you in the competition with the Legendary-grade spear… hehe,” he said awkwardly.
But Broken didn’t respond.
“It’s a shame the Ass Guild didn’t invite you to their guild, right? I guess they’re too haughty to do that,” Subaru continued.
Still, Broken remained silent.
“I think you’re an interesting person,” Subaru went on. “I want to know you more, maybe become friends… Please consider Paul’s offer carefully. He’s very kind, and I’m sure you’ll like him.”
Broken still didn’t answer.
Were they planning to invite him to join the Shadow Wolves, a guild with two Gluttony Champions? Subaru wasn’t wrong, though-the Ass Guild hadn’t officially invited him to join yet, even though the thought of joining a guild was still unsettled in his mind.
Broken followed Subaru to a tavern in a quieter part of town. Subaru opened the wooden door and stepped inside, with Broken right behind him. Inside, a few patrons were scattered around, lounging in their chairs. What immediately caught his attention were two huge wolves, each twice the size of a normal wolf, lying on the ground.
Sitting with one leg crossed over the other was a woman dressed in tight black leather that accentuated her curves and strained to cover her ample chest. From what Broken knew, she was Marlene, one of the Gluttony Champions.
“That’s Marlene,” Subaru explained. “Paul will be here soon. You can chat with her in the meantime.”
Marlene looked up and smirked, her eyes gleaming with interest. She stood up and strode towards Broken.
“Welcome, Broken. Nice to meet you. I’m Marlene, second in command of the Shadow Wolves,” she said, her lips curling into a cold smile. “I’m so glad you accepted our invitation. Please, have a seat.”
“Thanks for the invitation,” Broken replied, doing his best to divert his eyes from the temptation of her body. His instincts as a man were truly tested by the sight before him—a woman dressed in tight leather with an incredibly alluring figure.
More likely, she knew she had a good body and was deliberately exposing it, whatever her reason might be.
Broken then sat down across from Marlene in a large, comfortable armchair, in front of which stood a low wooden table. Marlene crossed her right leg over her left, making her thigh even more visible.
“I truly admire your great accomplishments,” she said with a neutral expression. “It’s an achievement that deserves much recognition, and I believe the kingdom has given you the credit you deserve.”
“Thank you,” he responded. “May I ask what kind of discussion you intend to have with me?” He was eager to get to the main topic, not wanting to waste any time.
Marlene smiled at his question and responded quietly, “I’m sure Paul, the Shadow Wolves’ Guild Master, will be arriving shortly. I apologize for making you wait, but I’ll ensure he gets here soon so no more of your time is wasted.”
“Thank you,” Broken said.
Marlene cautiously asked, “Would you mind if I ask you some questions until Paul arrives?”
“Yeah, but I can’t promise I’ll answer all of them,” Broken replied.
Marlene smiled and nodded slowly. “I’m sure you’re a remarkable person, given the recognition and achievements you’ve accumulated in such a short time. Could you tell me
what you hope to gain from playing this game?”
Broken paused for a moment, considering the seemingly casual question. What kind of question is that? He thought it was too random, but he tried to figure out where Marlene was heading with this conversation.
He replied, “I thought playing Immortal Legacy was a way to escape from reality,” he said
slowly.
He continued, “But, over time, I’ve realized it has become my second world—one that has enriched and improved my life in the real world. This game has become my life, and I am looking to gain pleasure and achieve great heights-something I will strive for with all my effort and determination.”
Marlene smiled warmly. “You must be very determined and hardworking,” she said. “It seems like we have a lot in common-we both want to make the most out of this game and
strive for greatness.”
“That’s good to hear,” he replied. “I think there are many people out there who have made Immortal Legacy their second world.”
Marlene spoke slowly, her tone measured. “Am I right to assume that you will do whatever it takes to make yourself happy and to feel a sense of accomplishment?”
Broken began to feel wary, sensing that Marlene was trying to steer him toward a specific line of thinking or had an agenda she wanted to push.
“Your statement is quite absurd. I want to be happy… No, not happy-more like content. But I don’t think of doing anything without considering the freedom of others around me, except if they come first and try to disturb my peace. I believe those are two different things.”
Broken lifted his head, now meeting her gaze directly. “But,” he continued, “care to enlighten me on where you’re headed with this, Marlene? I know you’re trying to lead me to a topic of discussion, and I prefer straightforward conversations.” Marlene chuckled softly and looked into his eyes with a relaxed yet intense expression. “I’d
like to hear what you think about Princess Alora as the crowned princess who will soon become the ruler of the Dissidia Kingdom. I assume you’ve interacted with her directly,
right?”
“What kind of answer are you looking for?” he asked, pressing further. “Please be specific.”