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Chapter 325: The Company As A Nation

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In the middle of Siva’s explanation, the big black ball that he’s been holding on his one hand above his head wreathed and the form started to vanish as he felt mentally fatigued.

“It’s reached the limit of the Overdrive.” He said.

When the black ball retreated to the gaps of his armor suit, what was revealed to everyone else is a large bloody-red transparent ball of blood that’s so disgusting and so disturbingly alarming, it made the women cringed at the sight of it.

And to add more creepiness to the sight of it is a slanting lump of flesh full of blue-colored veins and a smooth muscled contour —a heart.

It was 45m large heart.

“Dragon Heart…”

It was unclear who actually said it but all of them heard what item it was in front of them.

A dragon’s heart, an organ that can pump the two most precious resources known to all gamers in the real world; Dragon Mana and Dragon’s Blood.

In novels, stories, animes, movies, manga, and to folklores and fairytales, Dragon Blood is known to always improve any ‘warrior body’ who bathe in it.

It was precious beyond any shadow of a doubt.

And then there’s Dragon Mana; the most resilient and most aggressive kind of Mana in existence, outside of, perhaps, Mana created by Gods and those Devils —stuffs of legends that has no kinds nor any forms of tangible proofs of existence.

Dragon Mana, however, have records in the Book of Legends and they can only gathered as actual monster resource from the last beat of a Dragon’s Heart.

Yet now, here it is, a real Dragon’s Heart and…

DUB…………………. DUB~!!

Just as they were about to ask the main issue of obtaining a Dragon’s Heart, they heard that sound that indicated otherwise.

“Alive… that heart is alive!”

“It’s a fresh heart…”

“My god, Siva, you’re a genius!”

One pump to prove and destroy all claims; there were tubes connected to the main arteries of the organ and inside the large spherical ‘casing’ of the freshly preserved heart, were chambers that had large amounts of stored dragon blood.

Liters upon liters of fresh dragon blood were in front of them and just like how those unfortunate players who had died by the last burst of attack the dragon had made, they, too, salivated upon a glance of it.

“This transparent sphere…” Coralline was curious and she wanted to know what manner of sorcery is this device in front of her.

“I call it the NCP: [Nano Cryo-Preserver]. It can be used not only on this thing but to almost any other ‘thing’ that can be described as a heart. For now, I decided to use it as a preserver but in the future, I’m also planning to improve this design to be a bit more conventional and practical for field usage.”

“For?” Agatha asked. Since she was a nurse just like Amanda in real life, she was also curiously aware of the practicality of such technology.

Siva answered her, “For emergencies. Like when someone in a party got heavily injured and there is no Healer available. This device can prolong life and by more time until the party is in a safe zone.”

He smiled and added, “Its best feature is that it can be stored to the Inventory.”

“If it can be stored to the Inventory, then you’d have to become the richest man alive.”

“Like a mobile first aide center.”

“Exactly.”

They all agreed that the patent for this invention is going to be a hit for adventuring groups and parties. There are so many parties who always get into Game Over troubles because their healers are not able to cast the [Regeneration] spell in time because it has a very high Tier requirement.

In fact, in the game, only those specialized NPCs stationed permanently in the cities by the Church of their respective Godly Religions have the ability to conveniently cast that spell… for a great price.

Players call them with the slang [Healers] and that is also how the Healer “profession” like Agatha’s had come into being; with the difference being the Spell Tiers in their arsenal.

Agatha’s were nothing more than copycats.

*****

The heart was 45 meters large but the entire NCP is 95m in size. Inside it were not only the dragon’s bloods but also a few metallic-looking sensitive tubes that were connected to the main arteries.

It was a complete cycle, as viewed from outside.

After a few moments more Siva flipped his hand and the NCP disappeared from midair.

“Where did it go?”

Everyone blinked as they were freed from being entranced by the disturbing yet eye-catchingly curiosity-inducing sight of it.

There’re only the core members of The Company in the castle wall right now while the rest were all inside the castle grounds, promptly waiting for them to receive further orders.

“I just stored it back to my inventory.” Siva said but this statement alone invoked wilder reactions.

“You what?!!”

“Your Inventory can support it?”

“How many Inventory Slots do you have?”

“No, more importantly, you were lifting that thing earlier. So how high is your Weight Limits stat?”

[Weight Limits] determine how heavy the items a player can ‘lift’ outside of their inventory.

How many equipment items one can wear on their bodies directly, and how heavy a weapon they can use depended on it. For instance, since players can’t put points on their Battle Stats, they can only increase their basic stats (Weight Limits, Inventory Slots, Hunger Rate, and many others) through the bonus stats they get on certain missions.

Attack power and exertion limit is determined by their STR/POW stats.

Battle Stats —or the body— cannot be “upgraded” thru conventional gaming IQ aside from two ways:

1) Training

2) Tempering

Training needs time and patience, with a repeated routine of the same activity... over and over... until the stats pile up.

Tempering… needed mediums, such as Dragon’s Blood (or any other special items) which is in front of them right now, to use in their bodies and be tempered with or using it until its limits, or the limit of improvement that the “medium” can give had its set boundaries reached.

What happened to Siva was the latter; and what he had just showed them all, the reason why all of them, including Eleanor but excluding the clueless Scion, salivated, is a “medium” that could temper their bodies.

The physical body is not affected by the increase of the stats, rather, the stats are there as a means to “represent” the body’s condition in numbers.

When a [stat] says 100, it means, whatever default physical capabilities the player has, it will be 100% of it… not that it’s actually +100 or any number.

Any other increase in increment means a %, like, a stats with 101 units only has +1% —and a stats with 160 units has +60% increment, as a stats with 600 points like Siva’s now has +500% increase. It means he can exert a (basic) bodily performance on his normal state with five times the normal “limits” compared to other normal players.

(AN: I’m just repeating what’s already explained in Vol.1 and Vol.2)

STR: physical exertion

AGI: prompt reaction

VIT: received damage, additional point increases damage that can be received

DEX: versatility of hand movements

MNA: (default is 100 units) additional increment is +% of maximum Mana Pool

STA: physical activities exhaustion

CHRM (charm): mostly only useful to Apollo Race, but it’s just to measure appearance

INT: (default 10% per 1min) refer to the ability to recover MNA, additional 10 stat points decreases the interval by 1sec.[1]

Converting all these stats into their advanced form gives any player +50% on these listed effects.

And again, the numbers are there to measure the current condition of the body and not actually add more strength or value to the person.

The reason why it is set in a default value of 100 is because that’s how the NLD had recorded the player’s [state] and is thus set by the system as a benchmark for when the player improves their stats in the future.

So with Siva’s stat points being in 600… in other words, it tells him that his “limit” is five more times greater than the average starting player.

“That’s not what’s important.” He said, “The very reason why I showed it to you guys is because I will be making you all stronger… or better yet…”

When he spoke at this part, he looked at Thorn and to the TOS Guild members.

“Now that we completed the initial reason why you guys have come with me, we can now part ways here as I will be leading The Company on a path that may perhaps be on a different direction that your guild is heading to.”

The words weren’t meant to cause confusion to the other members of The Company.

In fact, Thorn and Volt —who was yet to go online at the moment— were merely guests on his quest to head to Alexandria and save Baron.

Scion’s circumstances were birthed by chances and wasn’t actually part of Siva’s original goal for heading to The North.

Now that they had cleared their agreement, Siva is now going to go all out into searching the entire planet and he will be leading The Company on a direction that might make him clash on allies that the two groups had made.

That’s why he was making this declaration right at this very moment.

“My path may lead me to clash directly to powers that’re in the level of The Legion or perhaps even by The Empire. I may, and will, go to war if it is necessary to my goal… and in fact, I may even become an international fugitive because of it. But I will not back down because I need to do this so as you see me as friend and helped me, then as your friend, I am giving you a chance now to be as clear as to what I am planning for the future.”

When he finished, he glanced over Loni. She had a look different from usual and her serious face is somewhat making Siva alarmed.

“I’ll stay.” Loni said and Thorn blinked.

“The Tower Of Sol cannot operate without you or me, Loni… I am planning to stay because part of it is the main reason why I formed this guild.”

Loni looked at him. Aside from her and Fuma, it was Hanna and Cramer, with the former already in retirement as a Player of this game, who are aware of who he is in the real world.

Before, it didn’t bother her and actually joined but now, it worried her because she had already a side to support in the mess that centered with Siva… and she had chosen her family over the bonds she had with her online friends in the TOS.

“I will stay captain.” She said coldly.

For some reason, this demeanor reminded Thorn of their first meeting. Wasn’t she aloof back then?

“Me too, Captain.”

“Count me in.”

“Sorry Cap’n, it seems the TOS will have to lay off the radar for the time being.”

“I won’t be missing this chance to fight to my heart’s content, Captain… don’t deny me this opportunity. Hehehe…”

“You guys… (sigh) you do realize that we might have to face the UNICORN in the future, right?”

“What?”

“The UNICORN?”

“Face the World Government? Why?”

“How’s the two connected, Captain?”

Faced with their confusion, Thorn glanced over Siva who’s only visible part was his eyes behind the blue of his armor.

It was already afternoon in Aarun and the sky was slowly becoming purple from being red.

His blue armor had a tinge of orange and it just so happen that Siva was facing south and he north that Thorn could see the glint in his eyes.

Don’t tell them.

That’s what he read with it.

It was only for a moment but for some reason, he was feeling that it his real intention. Something had changed in Siva during the time before he had logged back in today.

He faced his guildmates and declared, “Our guild, the Tower of Sol, was built for the purpose of this world… this beautiful world’s peace… to protect its resources and its beauty… to stop terrorists of the real world from stealing the players’ Blueprints by giving warning to them through our advocacy. I have told you this before inviting you to join my selfish vision but you still joined nonetheless…”

Thorn made a pause and the guildmates either scratched their faces or looked somewhere else with blushing cheeks.

Who wouldn’t be embarrassed?

Thorn had just uttered some ridiculously poetic and un-characterized speech regarding his own ideals and aspirations.

It was his tone! His tone, for goodness sake!

What are we, novel characters?! Just who would clench their fists and pump it to say that they were touched, that’s why they joined the TOS party?

…or worse, teary eyed give a thumbs up, declare that the reason they joined was because he or she was touched by the selfless passion Thorn had with his mission?

“(sniff) Capta~~~in…!!! (sniff)”

—ah, they forgot. There is indeed one person who joined TOS because he was touched by the selfless passion Thorn had with his vision.

Thorn, with a serious expression, patted Fuma’s shoulder and strongly nodded at him.

“Are you ready to uphold that mission?” Thorn waved his hand to the rest of his members then he clenched his fist after. “All of you (minna)! The TOS Guild, from today onwards… will have to put our utmost efforts to help the very people we had sworn to protect when we built the foundations of our guild. One of our friends is in need of trust-worthy companions, are you one of them?”

Samara, FlowerLord, Kathleen Brew, Hawkeye, Loni, Coralline, Heller, and the main forces that belonged to the group that came from Warjillis, all felt like their very hearts were aching at the sight of this sheer amount of passion. (–.–)

In fact, it was so much that it was blinding.

Scion’s onee-chan heart felt like crying. Her eyes were laden with tears, beading and threatening to fall, while she nodded and approved. (T^T)

Eleanor cross-armed, calmly, agreed to the amount of shining passion.

Cassiopeia was yelling “Sugoi!”

Agatha was already crying and clapping hands.

Cramer beamed, unclear whether he was in their world or in Terroa…

Niobe… was squirming for some reason.

And then the rest of them were, well, watching with their defenses raised high so as not to burn from overexposure to their passionateness.

Thorn faced Siva, “That settles it. We’re coming with you.”

Siva chuckled, “Alright. Just remember that you guys are now honorary members of The Company since I am but a Regional Lord of it.”

After that, he faced Samara, “What about you guys?”

Samara didn’t even think, “Do you have to ask?”

“It’s because you are my friends that I have to ask you guys.”

“Heh. If you really think that, then don’t ask twice since Matt wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if we turn our backs to you now.”

“Speaking of which, where is he?”

It was at that moment that the guy in question just came in with a flash of light.

“Aaaaaahh… you guys…… why didn’t you wait for me?” Volt, the guy in question, lazily spoke while scratching his head.

He then looked at Siva. Thinking of that happened outside the game, and with a complicated look on his face, he cocked his head at him, “You alright?”

Siva was confused, but answered “Somehow. We just got out of a pinch. Too bad you’re out of the action.”

Volt didn’t know what to think of it and just gave him a warm smile. “I’m sure I would have been just a mere observer even if I was here earlier. So, what just happened?”

He looked at Samara and then to Agatha, then to Thorn, then to the rest of the crowd whose eyes were all focused on him.

The amount of attention was suffocating.

“Is it that serious of a pinch?” he looked at Siva, “I don’t really have an idea. What actually happened in here while I was out?”

Thorn inclined his head, “You didn’t see the news of it?”

Volt was surprised. Any event that had to be sent to the outside world as a ‘news’ should be a world level event. He looked at Siva then asked, “No, I really have no idea what happened here. Tell me then, will ya?”

Thorn was the one who answered, “We’ve just trashed a True Dragon.”

“…”

“Siva killed it.”

“…”

“He also obtained its still beating heart.”

“Ah, I think I’m in the wrong game. I’m logging out now, see ya in reality.”

When he swiped the air, Samara launched a head lock from behind him and yelled, “We almost got our asses burnt, you know! If you log out now, you would have wasted my speech earlier!”

Volt really wanted to log out. “Let go of me! You all are insane! How can you live after meeting a freaking dragon! Even if it’s Siva, no, even if you all banned together, you wouldn’t be able to live after seeing a True Dragon! Do you have any idea how we almost died the last time we saw a baby Black Dragon? And you, Rio, you were knocked unconscious!”

“Shut up!” the headlock tightened. “Siva had just made a decision to launch a full-scale search for Baron in Terroa and he is gathering those who will stand with him until the end. I just agreed to your behalf, are you really going to log out now?”

Volt was startled and he looked at Siva, “Really?”

Siva dropped his stiff shoulders, “It’s going to be a bumpy ride… are you in?”

Volt was freed and he lightly punched Siva’s left shoulder, “Do you need to ask?”

“See?” Samara chuckled.

“We might actually face the World Government.”

“Even if it’s those men in black, I don’t care.”

Siva paused, he was faltering. “Even if you have to… even if you actually have to risk being branded a criminal because of me…”

Whether it was planned or not, Siva was at the edge of the wall and everyone else was looking at him… the sol on his right side, illuminating his blue-themed armor with the tinge of orange.

He slowly, but actually just smoothly, lifted his hands and removed his helmet, revealing a black smoke skin cursed face.

Although deep in the darkness of that skin is a very faint facial feature, in one glance, it was just black skin curse and nothing more.

The bizarre appearance of his face and the wavy hair being caressed by the cool wind made his entire being rather uniquely… different.

Right now, he doesn’t look like some abominable creature right off a fairytale book.

His facial expressions were being highlighted by the light of the afternoon orange sol and this made everyone feel that he indeed not any kind of monster in human form… he was just cursed.

The pair of clear eyes that looked at them was full of gratitude; Siva was really thankful from the very bottom of his heart.

After inhaling deep, the solemn expression on his face vanished. He faced them as he lifted his chin and declared with a powerful voice:

“Hear my command. The goal of The Company is this world’s domination. The threat to my brother will forever exist as long as the people of the world do not know how to fear me. I have yet to announce to the world my goals or my plans, but I have belief that given the time, with the influence we are going to build, The Company’s impact to Terroa will be as clear as day. From this day forth, we will become the biggest and the largest Guild Organization in the planet.”

Samara stepped forward, “How are we going to do that?”

With a flip of hand, Siva summoned back the large sphere of blood with the still beating heart and perhaps no matter how much time they look at it, getting used to it would have to take them many years.

“By getting stronger yourselves first.” After that, Siva turned sideways and his gaze landed on the cloudy sea, far beyond the borders of his Asgard.

True strength isn’t gained by superior equipment items or a stronger party component it starts from your very selves…

“How?” Thorn asked.

“We have almost unlimited supply of Dragon Blood with us and a very large training ground full of high-ranked monsters. We have a secure base location, and we have facilities that could help us function as a small city-state. The Company is not going to be just any ordinary organization. It will also become a nation feared by all.”

By now, everyone understood why he had taken all those islands with facilities from Alexandria.

He was planning to build a safe nation to keep Baron safe.

.

.

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The dragon’s trouble subsided…

Now comes the aftershock of the quake!!!

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