After the Trial Domain incident with Maylock, he disappeared from Slumdon Town for four days of Yunatea Time. It wasn’t just that he vanished; he didn’t log in at all. This absence made Broken feel a twinge of guilt, leading him to ask the others if they knew what was going
on.
Elincia and Goldrich visited him in his study that day.
“He tends to do that when he’s having a mental breakdown,” Elincia answered with a knowing smile. “Didn’t you say he completed the Trial Domain?”
Broken nodded slowly.
“Khi khi khi…” Goldrich chuckled. “I wonder what could have made Maylock so desperate.” “Will he come back?” Broken asked.
“Sure, don’t worry about it. He doesn’t give up that easily; sometimes he just needs time alone to think,” Elincia reassured him.
“And to brood over his failures. Khi khi khi,” Goldrich added with apparent glee.
Their relaxed responses indicated that they were familiar with this side of Maylock. It turned out that the person who often seemed like a genius and a deep thinker could also shut himself away when suffering from a mental breakdown.
However, after a brief hiatus, Maylock returned to the game and immediately resumed his activities—leveling up and training the knights, especially the newly recruited ones. He didn’t reach out to Broken, so Broken decided not to approach him either. He deliberately waited for a few days, hoping Maylock would eventually forget about the incident.
In the meantime, Broken refocused on his crafting, tirelessly working on the new sword, greatsword, and pickaxe. He spent several days in the blacksmith workshop, undisturbed by anyone.
Two weeks later, Maylock finally invited Broken to the training ground. He mentioned that he needed to show something regarding the progress of the knights.
Early in the morning, in Slumdon Town, Broken and Maylock walked through the city streets, heading to the outskirts to observe the knights’ training. Broken didn’t bring up the Trial Domain, and it seemed both had either truly forgotten about it or were pretending to have moved past it.
“So, over the past several days, I’ve chosen 12 individuals from the ones you suggested. These are the ones who truly have the potential to become knights,” Maylock said with excitement. “And it’s all thanks to your excellent selection of candidates, Broken!”
“Okay, I think 12 is a pretty satisfactory number,” Broken replied.
As they walked down Main Street, Broken noticed that the residents were already setting up for market day, filling the cobblestone road with stands and barrels of goods.
When they arrived at the training ground, Broken asked, “So, how is their progress so far?”
Maylock smiled faintly and began to explain with great enthusiasm. “It won’t be an easy feat; it takes a lot of time and effort to train them into skilled knights. But I’m certain that we can make it happen!
“One day, you’ll have a strong army of knights, your personal force to protect your realm, ready to fight in large-scale wars. And then, we will make history!” His voice was full of passion and energy.
“Oh, that sounds very ambitious,” Broken remarked.
“You should be ambitious. We should be,” Maylock said with enthusiasm.
Maylock gestured towards the bustling training grounds. “See!” he declared proudly, “Igor is a fiercely talented Knight Commander. He truly has the makings of a fine leader. We can definitely rely on him to lead these knights and keep the town safe while we’re on missions outside.”
Broken nodded slowly. Though he was excited about the upcoming expeditions, he couldn’t help feeling a bit anxious about leaving the safety of the city walls for an extended period. Maylock chuckled, “You don’t need to worry!” he exclaimed. “We’ll work together to protect this town. Most members of the Ass Guild also invest their money here, so everyone’s aligned to achieve the same mission.”
“You sure have far-reaching vision, huh, Maylock?”
“Why not?” Maylock replied. “You’re going to attract a lot of trouble and opponents in the future, so you have to be prepared to strengthen your defenses. You do know you’re a magnet for trouble, right?” he added with a half-joking tone.
“That stings a bit.”
“It’s your fate, tied to you. Even your friends can be a little disappointed with you sometimes. Heck, I’m disappointed too,” Maylock said, half-serious.
“The Trial Domain…” Broken began.
“I’ve already forgotten about it,” Maylock said, diverting the conversation.
Broken’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Then I guess we need to quickly build our strength, right?”
“You’re right,” Maylock agreed. “You need to start taking the necessary steps to form your own guild. Now is the perfect moment for you to do this. Your allies and companions deserve an opportunity to have a greater say in their own destiny.”
Broken nodded slowly. “What do you think Elincia and everyone from the Ass Guild will do if I create my own guild?”
“They are driven by ambition and seek challenges that will allow them to push themselves to their limits.” Maylock said.
He continued, “If you can provide them with such opportunities, I’m sure they would be happy to join forces with you to create something amazing-something beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.”
“You give me too much credit.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Maylock reassured him. “Leave the task of building the best army -the most elite army-to me. I will make you proud. You can focus on other things- besides, I do enjoy challenges like this.”
Broken nodded gently, fully aware he couldn’t handle everything on his own. “You’re really itching for a fight, aren’t you?”
Maylock responded with a confident smirk. “Oh, absolutely. Why else would I be playing this game? I’ve always been ready for an epic clash. Bring it on-I’ll use every chance to showcase my best tactics and strategies.
“If you offer me the opportunity to dive into a massive war, I’m all in! There’s no way I’d pass up on that kind of action.
“So yes, I know you’re going to stir up a lot of trouble in the future. Whether it’s war, something entirely new, demons, or a colossal battle, I’m eagerly looking forward to it.” Maylock’s voice took on a deeper, more commanding tone. “You and I, we have grand ambitions. If I’m right, you dream of ruling the Dissidia Kingdom-maybe even more than
that, huh?
“If I may be so bold, I’ll support your endeavor wholeheartedly! With the right dedication and preparation, such a conquest is within reach. Dream bigger, strive for greatness!
“We should always brace ourselves for the worst, but let’s not overlook the possibility of our victories either.”
Broken remained silent for a few seconds, then slowly lifted his chin in agreement. “The journey ahead is going to be arduous, but I’m determined to make the most of it.”
“Count me in,” Maylock declared firmly. “But I won’t ever enter the same Trial Domain with
you again.” With that, the two fell into a silence.
After an impassioned and ambitious discussion with Maylock, Broken quickly readied himself for another engagement that day. He found himself outside the city walls, preparing to
venture a bit further from Slumdon Town.
That day, he had arranged a meeting with Marlene, the demon beast master from the Shadow Wolves. His goal was to discuss the techniques for hatching a Demon Egg.