Iron Fang HQ – Virtual Guild Conference Room (Eclipse Online)
The Virtual Guild Conference room was an option for guilds that had yet to pay the gold, buy the land, etc in the game for them to conduct some meetings with their executives, elders, and members. This alone made newer guilds without any land or money in real life play on fair ground with top guilds and have their special conference room.
A massive obsidian table stretched across a dimly lit virtual space as real-time data flashed past it with unimaginable speed. At the head of the massive table, sat Dreven, Guild Master of Iron Fang.
In a corner of the room, Serina stood silently with her arms crossed and lips pursed.
A video replay of the fountain stall incident played on a loop above the table: her restrained, beaten, and mocked by everyone watching as Requiem walked away with their gear in hand, without even scratching his body.
The final scene froze on Yone's smug face while selling the loot he stole from Serina and the other two, making Dreven clench his fists tightly.
Dreven's voice was low, breaking the silence and eerie feeling in the conference room.
"You let a solo player humiliate us. In public. In front of hundreds of players. Serina, do you have an answer for your recent actions?"
One of the vice captains grunted as he interjected without hesitation.
"Sir, that's not the full story. The guards are also..."
"I watched it. We all watched it," Dreven snapped. "I don't care if it was divine intervention and some guards randomly found out about the fight and came over running at full speed. It happened under our name and that's what matters to me."
He turned to Serina, his cold eyes indifferent as he questioned.
"You didn't report this. Why?"
Serina remained silent, but finally spoke after a bit of time, "Because I'm handling it, guild master, you are getting angry for no reason."
"Handling it?" Dreven scoffed. "The entire forum's laughing at Iron Fang, and you're handling it and not want me to be angry? Or did you think your father's influence can make you do as you please and ruin our reputation as you please?"
"Serina, don't force me to do things you yourself don't want to see happening, and you know fully well what I can do girl."
Dreven raised a hand to silence all of the murmurings as he continued speaking, while everybody couldn't help but feel great pressure from his words.
Their reputation had indeed taken a great hit and dozens of players are leaving the guild and joining other's and even higher ranking guilds than them on End World are mocking them outright and even going on their bad side for going against the rule that each will try to invite the player Requiem one by one.
"Find out who Requiem is. I want his IP. His login patterns. Every recorded action. And for now, do not retaliate. No message. We do not give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to us. Understood!?"
Hiss!
Some of the newer executives who joined on Eclipse Online launch couldn't help but feel goosebumps rise all over their bodies, they never experienced such a scene and such authority from a single man.
'He even thinks about ten steps ahead and waiting for the perfect time to retaliate, no wonder he got a spot at the top 100 seats on End World,' One of the new executives couldn't help but feel that he hit the jackpot by choosing to join Iron Fang, his hands shaking from excitement.
Someone else added on Dreven's words, "He may not be solo guild leader. His leveling speed is terrifying and I think he has a group helping doing it at such a fast pace. That's dangerous if we go in blindly at one point of our retaliation."
Dreven's tone cooled as he listened to his second vice guild leader's words.
"You are right. Then take it easy for now, do not pursue him, let's investigate him thoroughly, follow his tracks, and find out if someone is backing him. If not then we can move when the time is right, if yes, then we approach from a different angle."
***
Real World, Marros Industries, Private Office:
The Marros Industries has suffered a huge blow not to its stocks, but instead to its reputation and influence. It reached a point where the Legends guilds several billionaire shareholders are asking for Marro's explanation on what his daughter is doing by humiliating herself in front of so many people.
This wasn't a mere game and money was at stake here, if Marro's reputation keeps getting a hit, his stocks will eventually start dropping down on value and people will connect it to Legends given his shares in there and a lot of people will get a headache and might even decide to buy off Marro's shares.
Behind a black desk, Victor Marros, CEO of Marros International and father of Serina sat in silence.
A wall-sized screen played the fountain hall recording again. This time, from Serina's personal view.
"Rot in jail," Requiem's voice echoed from the speakers.
Victor said nothing.
His assistant cleared his throat hesitantly.
"Sir, the footage has gone viral. Iron Fang's reputation is taking a massive hit and dozens of members are constantly leaving to join other guilds. We fear that..."
"Not my concern," Victor said in a sharp tone.
He leaned forward, resting his fingers against his temple as he thought about this situation for some time before speaking.
"Requiem… I want his data pulled. Everything. If he's just a brat, we'll bury him so that he is never seen again. If he's more than that… we buy him."
He reached for a sealed folder on his desk, stamped with the Eclipse Online logo and the word "GAIA Clearance".
"Inform the board. We may be adjusting our investment trajectory. Things are going faster than we expected, the trillionaire's cooperations might soon notice the existence of the big pie called Eclipse Online, it's time to make our move."
***
Speeding between several trees and bushes, Yone looked back several times in succession as he glanced at the cooldown of his stealth ability still five seconds away, his heart filled with excitement.
'Took them long enough.'