"Come outside the tower now, You don't wanna miss this…", Ali read the message sent to him by Jacob.
Ali sighed and looked up at the sunny sky before disappearing from his spot…
Outside the Tower – Second Level of Paradise
A massive crowd had gathered, their voices mixing into a chaotic hum that filled the streets of Paradise's second level. It was reminiscent of the day Ali first arrived, when the sheer volume of players in one place had left an unshakable impression on him.
But today, the energy was different.
It wasn't just curiosity driving the masses—it was anticipation.
The air buzzed with unspoken tension as thousands of players—some from established guilds, others independent—focused their attention on the four figures walking out of the tower.
At the front of the group was a young man with an average face, his build lean but toned, dressed in a simple black tunic that barely concealed the raw confidence radiating off him. His short black hair was neatly styled, and his brown eyes scanned the crowd with a look of amusement rather than intimidation.
His hand was firmly intertwined with that of a striking woman beside him.
She had lush purple hair that cascaded down her back, her violet eyes practically glowing under the light. She wore an elegant yet seductive dress, the slit along her thigh revealing smooth, toned skin with each step she took.
Behind them, two figures followed closely.
Both were well-known supervisors in Paradise—Lorien and Kaya.
Their presence alone made the already tense atmosphere feel even heavier.
The significance wasn't lost on the crowd. It was rare—unheard of, even—for two supervisors to personally escort a newly ascended player.
Something big was happening.
As the group walked forward, a man with a deep scar running from his nose to his cheek stepped out from the ranks of the Water Guild, his stance rigid with authority. The insignia on his uniform made it clear—he wasn't just some average player.
This was a high-ranking member of one of Paradise's most influential guilds.
"Player Zain, welcome to the Second Level," the man greeted, his voice carrying through the murmuring crowd.
Zain paused, turning slightly to face him, an easy smile forming on his lips.
"Thank you," he responded, his tone light, almost dismissive, before he turned back and continued walking, his focus still on the path ahead.
The crowd murmured, many exchanging glances at the casual disregard in Zain's tone.
The scarred man's expression darkened, his jaw tightening.
"I was expecting an answer," he said, his voice now noticeably colder.
But he wasn't the only one waiting.
Other high-ranking officials from various guilds were present, their expectant gazes locked onto Zain, silently demanding a response.
Zain stopped again.
He turned slowly, facing the gathered officials with an air of complete confidence.
Then, with a smirk, he said,
"I'm not joining any of your guilds."
The reaction was instantaneous.
A ripple of shock and disbelief swept through the crowd.
"What the fuck did you just say?!" a woman from the Fire Guild shouted, her fiery temper flaring.
Others muttered amongst themselves, some visibly enraged.
"You promised to join once you ascended," the Water Guild officer reminded him, his tone sharp. "You even took the coins."
Zain's smirk only widened.
"And I thank you for being so generous," he replied, his tone dripping with mock sincerity. "Your faith in my talents is truly heartwarming. Rest assured—the money will be spent wisely."
WOOOOOOSH.
A sudden surge of water materialized around Zain, forming into razor-sharp blades that shot forward with lethal precision.
But Zain didn't flinch.
The moment the water blades reached him, they froze midair.
A chilling blue frost spread across them, their liquid forms solidifying into crystalline spikes.
Then, without warning, they turned on their creator.
The scarred man's face paled as his own attack reversed course, the frozen blades shooting toward him at a speed too fast to react to.
"P-please—"
SPLURCH.
The ice spikes tore through him, piercing clean through his body.
His corpse hit the ground instantly.
Dead.
A high-ranking Water Guild officer—killed on the spot.
The crowd fell silent.
Even those who had been enraged moments ago now hesitated, realizing that this situation was far more complicated than they had initially thought.
Zain exhaled calmly, then turned back toward the crowd with an unbothered expression.
"I understand your frustration," he said, his voice carrying perfectly over the silence. "But please, respect my decision. Ashley and I have given this a lot of thought, and we've decided this is what's best for us."
To emphasise his words, he wrapped an arm around Ashley's waist, pulling her closer.
The guild officials looked on, frustration boiling beneath the surface, but with two supervisors acting as bodyguards, their hands were tied.
"As I already have everyone's attention," Zain continued, raising his voice slightly, "I have something very important to announce—something that will interest every single player in Paradise."
The murmurs started again—this time filled with intrigue.
Whatever he was about to say, it was big.
At the edge of the intersection, perched atop a three-story building that housed a well-known weapons shop, Ali stood in complete silence, his arms crossed over his chest, surveying the massive gathering below.
Beside him, Jacob, the ever-calm yet sharp player, didn't shift his gaze for even a second, his attention locked onto Zain as he navigated through the dense crowd with Ashley by his side.
A metallic sphere floated lazily beside Ali. The tension in the air was palpable, and the sheer magnitude of the crowd hinted that whatever was about to be said would shake the very foundation of Paradise.
Jacob finally spoke, his voice carrying an edge of uncertainty that was rare for him.
"Ali, what do you think?"
He didn't even to look at Ali, his silver eyes still locked onto Zain.
Ali, on the other hand, didn't immediately respond. His gaze drifted lazily across the assembled masses, taking in the sea of players, guild leaders, independent captains, and power-hungry opportunists who had all gathered in anticipation of Zain's words. The energy of the crowd was a strange mixture of curiosity, expectation, and hidden tension.
Then, in his usual indifferent tone, Ali finally replied, "Just wait and see what he has to say."
Jacob let out a slow breath through his nose, his fingers tapping lightly against the handle of the handgun strapped to his hip.
"Two supervisors personally escorting him and him rejecting every major guild? I have a bad feeling about this."
Ali turned his head slightly, his dark eyes scanning Jacob's usually unreadable face.
For the first time since they met, Jacob looked genuinely unsettled.
Ali found it amusing.
The white-haired man who always played the role of the calm fool—the one who cracked jokes and made it seem like he had everything under control—was now showing signs of discomfort.
'Is this messing up his plans?' Ali wondered as he shifted his focus back to the crowd.
His eyes landed on Lorien and Kaya, the two supervisors standing protectively beside Zain and Ashley, their presence alone ensuring that no one made a move against the new arrivals.
Then, his attention flickered over to a pair of familiar faces standing among the sea of players—a striking elven woman with flowing silver hair and piercing green eyes, and beside her, a woman with translucent crystal-like skin that shimmered under the sun.
They stood together, both watching Zain intently.
As the tension continued to build, players sent messages to their teammates, their friends, and anyone they could reach, urging them to come to the city centre as quickly as possible.
This was no longer just an announcement.
It was becoming a monumental event.
Even guild leaders began to make their way through the growing mass, arriving with their entourages in tow. Some stood confidently with their arms crossed, while others whispered among themselves, trying to predict what was about to unfold.
Ali noticed captains of independent teams as well—players who weren't aligned with any of the guilds but still held significant influence within the second level.
All of them had gathered for Zain.
Zain, meanwhile, continued forward until he reached the very centre of the intersection, the crowd instinctively parting to make space for him.
As if on cue, Lorien's hands began to glow, a warm brown hue radiating from her palms as the ground beneath them trembled.
A sudden quake rippled through the city centre, sending a brief wave of panic through the crowd as the stone beneath them cracked and shifted.
Then—
BOOOOM.
A large platform suddenly erupted from the street, rising five meters into the air, its surface smooth and sturdy.
The crowd stilled, watching as Zain, Ashley, Lorien, and Kaya now stood elevated above them all, giving them a vantage point over the countless players who had gathered.
Lorien raised her hand again, and a thin brown line of energy materialised around Zain's throat.
He turned his head toward her, confusion evident in his expression.
"What the hell is this?" he asked.
She merely smirked and gestured for him to proceed.
"Just say something."
Zain turned back to face the thousands of waiting players.
For the first time, he truly felt the weight of their attention.
Over a hundred and fifty thousand eyes were on him.
Not long ago, he was just an ordinary antisocial guy, alone in his room, too anxious to hold a conversation that lasted longer than two minutes.
Now, he was about to make a declaration that would shake all of Paradise.
Back on the rooftop…
Ali's instincts alerted him.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but his instincts flared sharply, an internal alarm going off inside him.
There were two pairs of eyes on him.
Ali's expression didn't change, but his mind immediately sharpened, tracking the sources of those gazes.
His dark eyes slowly moved to the left, scanning the sea of people until they landed on a shadowed figure standing near a wall.
They were cloaked in a black hood, their entire body hidden beneath thick fabric.
But that wasn't what caught Ali's attention.
It was the killing intent.
And more than that…
It was the hatred.
It wasn't cold, calculated, or sharp like that of a seasoned warrior.
It was raw.
'Ugly. Weak. Emotional.'
Ali's sharp eyes caught the smallest detail.
A strand of pink hair peeked out from beneath the hood.
His lips curled ever so slightly.
'Pathetic.'
Then, as if sensing him watching, the hooded figure froze.
Ali let them be.
For now.
Instead, his gaze shifted to the right, toward the other presence he had felt.
The moment he turned, they averted their eyes.
'You think I can't find you just because you stopped looking?'
His instincts and Force sense guided his gaze downward, toward a small group of players.
The crowd parted slightly around them—not out of fear, but out of respect.
They wore matching insignias.
The Lightning Guild.
But out of all of them, Ali's eyes focused on only one.
She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman in all of the second level.
Her reputation for being the number one one beauty was well-known.
With long, flowing platinum hair, flawless porcelain skin, and piercing eyes that held an air of untouchable confidence, she stood out among her elite guild-mates.
Ali's smirk widened slightly.
'Is it her? Maybe I should make a move…'
Unlike the rest of the crowd, who were hanging onto Zain's every word, eagerly waiting for his announcement, Ali's thoughts were… elsewhere.
Because while they were all waiting for history to be made…
Ali was wondering whether or not he should pursue the most sought-after woman in Paradise.
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