Vol. 1 - Chapter 49 - Guild Wars

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With the sun arriving in Titan, he was in the kitchen cooking breakfast for himself and Fayrene, and with himself eating his meal, he went to Fayrene holding the plates of food, placing them on a chair, and taking it to her bed.

*Sniff* *Sniff* "Mmmm, something smells nice. I might've been dreaming too much lately." said Fayrene before she turned around and opened her eyes a bit, only to see Mathias smile gently at her and teasingly asking her.

"Ohh, really? It is really unfathomable for food to be served freshly cooked at the side of the bed? Should I eat it by myself?"

"Good morning, dear. This is an unexpected surprise."

Getting a sit on the bed while placing the chair on a safe spot, where it couldn't be turned over, he leaned to give Fayrene a morning kiss.

"Wait, my breath is smelly since it is morning." said Fayrene trying to avoid kissing Mathias for what seemed to be a childish reason.

"You don't have such a thing. Come here, don't run from the first hour." chuckled Mathias while pinning Fayrene down and kissing her.

"Jerk. If you whine about that in the future, I will teach you a lesson. Thank you for breakfast."

Receiving her thanks with a wide smile, he walked, leaving her room, returning to the front part of the shop where he took the materials for the new project and also the measurements, starting lining the cuts on the fabrics.

When Fayrene went to the bathroom to wash, she noticed Mathias doing some work on the dress, but she didn't check on him. Only when she finished washing and changing her clothes did she appear beside him.

"What are you doing?"

"Arrange in order the fabrics and tools required. Also, did the marks after the measurements you have taken. We can start cutting and sewing the first part of the dress."

"Ahh, are you sure a beginner? No way you could do those things so fast without guidance."

"I am a cheater."

"Hmmm?" pondered Fayrene, confused by the statement, only when she noticed the small third eye on his forehead made of arcane lights that she figured out.

"I never tried using my spells when I do tailoring or menial things in general. Maybe I should also start doing this, easing up my job."

Closing her eyes and taking some seconds, a white-purple eye appeared on her forehead, saying with a serene voice to Mathias.

"It feels so refreshing. Wouldn't we get addicted to this feeling if we constantly use the spell for insignificant tasks?"

"Good question, dear. To be honest with you, it might be a problem if this spell turns us addicted, but I checked the magic tome last night, and the Archmage didn't specify about any side effects of the spell."

"I understand, but you know that the old master from how he wrote the book, he is a bit crazy in the head. I don't trust crazy people."

"It is what it is. We can't do anything about it until we feel our body get strange, out of the ordinary. If you feel something, Fay, tell me."

"I will don't worry. Now let's see how fast can we get this project done if we cheat together. Good job, assistant, for planning out and taking the first measurements." said Fayrene as she tied her raven long hair in a ponytail, later patting Mathias head with a pleased toned.

Cracking a small laugh at her gesture, nodding afterward, the couple began tailoring the dress for the mature lady. Their hands were moving about in synchrony, helping each other without even needing to speak. It felt as if they were on the same frequency, connected to some invisible link, reading each other's thoughts.

Hours passed, and Mathias had to log out to eat something and stretch his body, respecting the recommendation of the developers of not over exaggerating with playing so much that it might affect one's user body.

"Don't forget about Jeanne, okay? I know you feel uncomfortable bringing that up, so as a tolerant wife, I will tell you to also take care of your remaining business."

"Ahem, I didn't forget it. I just waited for the best moment for both of you since I don't want to hurt both of your feelings."

"You are worrying over nothing. Silly boy. Can't you see I am getting alone when you are not here? Bring me a sister so I can spend time since I got corrupted by your presence. I wasn't like this in the past, getting accustomed to being alone." said Fayrene, pinching his cheeks, and after that giving him a goodnight kiss, even though for her it was still day.

She started to understand the weird program Mathias was working under and planned in her mind the moments he would be with her and when he would be off from her.

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Outside of the capsule, Mathias exited from there as if he was in a cryogenic box all his life, and the moment he did that, his bones started cracking at the first moment of stretching.

After finishing his stretching, he went toward the kitchen, grabbing a glass jar filled with cooked food which he later reheated a portion, placing back the glass jar on his fridge. Eating his food sparingly, he returned to his laptop, watching the new threads on the forum and also checking the comments on his novel.

"It seems the video taken of me is no longer on the front page. The ones made by people with showcases and tutorials for beginners took the front spot, which I guess is good for me. Less notoriety and trouble for me."

After spending some time on the laptop, he moved his attention to his body, doing a 30 minutes workout, and only after showering he returned back to the capsule, welcomed back by the SciFi logging sequence.

Mathias appeared back in the shop's main room to see Fayrene copying the content of his book for her own use since almost 4 hours passed inside the game from the moment he exited.

After spending some time with her, Mathias exited the shop, walking toward the center of Titan, with the intent of visiting Jeanne. Tying his long hair down in a man bun and also bringing some clean clothes, he could see on his way to Light's Cathedral an increased number of players with many other people gathering around that place.

Inside that central part of the city, two groups of players numbering in teams of 5 people stared at each other with hateful gazes, as if they were readying themselves for a war.

Arriving at the scene, he stumbled upon the guy called Red, who was seated on a box watching the show put on display by the group of players with interest, led by a guy calling himself 'Vas' and another one 'Ries'. Red noticed Mathias approaching and signaled him to join him in fun, to which Mathias walked casually to him, asking pointing at the group of players?

"What are those guys planning to do?"

"Guild Wars. There's been an event organized by a guy called Karl on the forums, and the winners of the event can get their hands on an epic rated item."

"An event made by a player? Interesting. Don't you have a guild to participate?"

"I am a solo player, only teaming up with random people on hard leveling grounds. What about you, interested in the event?"

"Meh, I am indifferent to those events made by others, especially when the reward doesn't entice me. Sorry if you want to team up with me to take on the challenge, but I am not interested."

"Haha, no problem. I understand that it is annoying taking part in such events, drawing the attention of people, having them target you because of their jealousy and other stupid things." commented Red casually, not caring much about participating in the event, similar to Mathias.

Nevertheless, both were curious, and soon a guy with blonde hair walked out from the gathered players to the center of them, speaking with a calm tone to the players.

"I am thankful you accepted my invitation and organized for this small event I did on the forums. Unfortunately, the other players from the rest of the locations couldn't arrive here, so only us players of the Saharan Empire will be able to enjoy this event.

First, let me introduce myself. I am Karl, the organizer and also the one who would reward the victorious guild that formed in this stage of the game. I will not take more of your time and call out the first teams to fight in the first rounds. Should we do a shoutout to all teams signed for this event?" asked the guy, looking around the players, who agreed to his intent.

Soon he took a written list and began to shout some names, from funny to normal, belonging to the respective guilds joining this event.

"Ahem, 'Wake n' Bacon'?" to which someone with the name tag [Bacon] raised his hand from the ground surrounded by 5 people, saying just 'Here.'

"Good, one candidate is checked. Next, 'O Nova Aeon'? … They are here too. 'The Chosen Ones'?"

To which the guy called Ries confirmed his guild presence with a confident voice, making Karl nod his head, moving to call out the next guild.

"Smurfs?"

"Aye, we are here too." said a guy called Lucas, who was surrounded by two girls and two guys who were holding confident expressions.

Checking them too, Karl checked another three teams who were present for the event, from the guild 'Blazing Bros' , 'Muchos Tacos' , 'Sofa Kings' from which the player called Vas belonged and with only a name on the list, he double-checked the name, calling with a professional voice.

"2Stoned2Care? Are they present?"

"Boss, he called our guild name." said a player who was shaking a player who was lying on the ground.

"Ahhh, what time is it? Did I get wasted again from all that booze?"

"Boss, we are at the event you signed for last night."

"That is right. RIGHT HERE, WE ARE PRESENT." called out a player having the name Cain, with the appearance of an early twenty guy whose hair was in bad shape.

"I see, then everyone is present who joined on the forum. Are there any other participants from the people gathered, or can we start the event with the ones who joined in advance?"

The gathered players didn't answer to this invitation, to which Karl took a jar from his inventory and wrote the names of the guilds, and placed them there. He pointed at a beautiful girl from the crowd, having her shake the jar with names and also pick the names of the first participants saying with a sweet voice.

"Bacon vs. Tacos"

"Hahaha, what are the chances for this to happen? Beauty, your hand really has some magic in turning a situation comical." said Cain, who began getting sober with each moment he was awake.

The girl blushed, embarrassed, while Karl encouraged her to continue picking up the rest of the fights.

"Stoned vs. Chosens"

"OHHH, finally. I can try my new class in action while pvping humans without killing anyone." commented Cain, who looked casually at Ries and his group, turning to look at his guild members who had various expressions from worry to excitement.

"Leave it to me guys, I just need to drink a bit more before the fight starts."

"Sofa Kings vs Smurfs"

"O Nova Aeon vs Blazing Bros"

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Mathias and Red discussed the players who walked in the settled space for their fights, telling the normal citizens to avoid this place for a while. Soon before the first started, a young man with black hair, who seemed to be 16-18 years old, walked toward the two who had a good view of the fights.

"Can I also sit next to you guys?"

Mathias looked at the tag name, which sounded familiar 'Maple Mist', and it didn't take long for him to remember it was the person who filmed and posted him online.

"Sure, come here." said Mathias, inviting the young man who was shocked when he checked his name.

"It is you…."

"Do you guys know each other?" asked Red curiously, seeing how the young man reacted when getting closer to Mathias.

"Well, let's say we are acquaintances, correct, Maple?" said Mathias with a smile on his face, to which the young boy cheerfully nodded his head.

Nevertheless, the young boy was in a state of confusion, asking himself what Mathias wanted because he acted too kind to him, especially when meeting him face to face. Maple, or how his real name was Louis, was used to being bullied a lot in his young life. Since he knew himself, he struggled to make friends and integrate himself into a community.

The only safe space for him was in the online world, where he made a shield protecting himself from the insults of others and their behavior.

'Does he want something from me? Why would he look at me with that expression?'

"Calm down, kid. Haven't I told you I don't care about that video? Let's enjoy this show those guys will put on." said Mathias seeing how nervous was Maple, having his feet trembling, he placed his hand on his shoulder as he was saying that.

"Right, don't tell me you are that spearman guy who got to the top of the forums last weeks?"

"Indeed, that is me, but this little guy didn't manage to do a good job on editing the video, blurring my face. Hey, it's fine, don't worry about it." added Mathias as he tapped Maple on his shoulder before Red casually told Maple.

"Maple, if you are curious about editing, I have a professional friend who might give you some teaching materials. Just add me to your friend's list and remind me whenever you can."

"Thanks for the offer." said Maple with a quiet voice, seeing a friend invitation from Red, which he accepted, not long after getting one from Mathias too.

"Since we know each other by now, let's keep in touch. Hmm, you are level 16 and have the warrior class."

"Heh, what about you? How have you got max level when you are still a beginner at core?"

"Killing monsters?" inquired Mathias, holding his laughter at this question.

The three talked with each other, soon getting quiet when the first Guild War started, the war between food cultures, the americans with their bacon and latin americans with their tacos, yet apart from jokes, the fight between these two guilds was balanced.

With the guild leaders engaging one another and the rest of the players grouping up fighting one another, Mathias could estimate each player's health by the amount of damage each was suffering.

The average of their health was 1900-2450, with Bacon and El Grande having the most stats from this group of players, being at 2970 and 3200 HP, even bypassing his own health, which was at 3062 HP.

'Bacon' was a Knight, while 'El Grande' was an Axe Warrior welding two axes keeping Bacon constantly in check. From the initial exchange, 'El Grande' was having the advantage, pressuring Bacon into submission.

"Amigo, you aren't that bad, but you can't beat my class with just the basic knight one. This victory is mine." said El Grande, who unleashed another skill, spinning his body and swinging the axes like a whirlwind, causing some damage on Bacon, who was in a defensive sword stance.

"[Double Twist]" called 'El Grande' his skills, activating the spinning attack again, while Bacon, who was wielding a two-handed sword from his defensive stance, released a war cry.

"[Zeratul Spirit]"

Buffing himself using the war cry, he slashed his sword at the dual-ax-wielding warrior, clashing weapons, making everyone in the audience, even the simple NPC's to stop and watch the event.

"Not bad, he managed to stop his momentum. If he has more under his sleeve, he could put an end to the axe wielder." commented Mathias, soon being asked by Maple why he would say this.

"Two-handed weapons deal more damage compared to single-handed weapons. Also, the knight gained some mastery in synchronizing his body with his slashes, not blindly using his skills. Simply put, the Bacon guy has more patience and a better fighting IQ than that Grande guy."

"Indeed, soon the PVP will end." commented Red watching with interest the PVP of the guild leaders and taking a peek at the other guild members.

The fight went in the direction Mathias and Red foresaw, with Bacon pushing Grande, until his guild members, who were only 2 in number, arrived next to him, fighting back.

"Don't worry Bacon, we'll take care of those guys."

"Aye, let's go all out and end those guys since my war cry only lasts 5 minutes."

Saying that with only 3 members remaining alive from the 4, he pushed past the enemy, arriving at Grande, and after intercepting him, soon he restricted his moments with his fast swings of the sword.

"Nice fight. Let's fight again when the live version kicks in. No need for events or anyone else, just the two of us."

"Sure thing. I might have lost this duel, but I can't say you will win the second duel." completed Grande, who was visibly aware he lost and was outclassed.

"[Mad Stomp], [Triple Swing]"

With a leg kick, dropping Grande down, he followed by swinging his sword with some basic attacks before finishing him off with his last skill. His guild members also ended the enemy in relative time.

"We have a winner! Wake n' Bacon has advanced the groups."