When I appeared in the exit room, from what I could see in the area beyond the threshold, they hadn’t had enough time yet to process the fact that a new challenger had indeed appeared in the room for those who cleared Extreme difficulty, but they were getting there.

I’d like to say I immediately seized the chance to take control of the situation, but it wasn’t as though, even with how much stronger, faster, smarter, etc., I was from my ordeals in the Tower, an entire week of a freaking kill-fest wouldn’t take its toll on me. The Floors weren’t like the virtual environment where I never got tired, after all. In fact, I had been pretty much running on adrenaline for the bulk of it, and only riding high from my rewards had enabled me to do the reading up on factions I had.

Right now, I could barely stand. I had to at least take a moment. Or maybe a few minutes...no, I could only afford to show so much weakness here, a moment would have to do.

The moment I crossed out of the exit room toward them, I gained a great deal of insight on how Britney Spears must have felt many days. The recruiters were regular paparazzi! All talking over one another, making offers, insulting the others’ offers...

I finally lost it. “Oh my GOSH can you people please let me freaking BREATHE?! Gaaaah!”

Well, that got their attention. And, as the mob was led to back off by a few of them, I indeed got some breathing room. After calming myself, I held up my hand to speak. “Let me assure you all, I have every intention of joining a faction today. However, I do have a few requirements that I’d like to lay out now. If you’re still confident that your faction can fulfill them once I’ve said my piece, then go ahead and approach me for detailed negotiations.”

“Young man,” said a woman who was one of the better dressed there—and that was saying something— “no matter what you require, I am confident that the Shumba faction can provide it.”

The rest of the crowd muttered resentfully. They were right to, Mewi’s research indicated the Shumba faction monopolized as many elite challengers as they could. But as a result, they had such strict requirements for membership that we’d actually disqualified them in advance.

“The Shumba faction, I’ve heard of you,” I began, “but unfortunately, you’re mistaken. The thing is, my first condition, well...there’s a...certain person, another challenger. And my first condition is that me and them are a package deal. Any faction that signs me on MUST accept them as well. He’s not what you’d call weak, but he’s only cleared the Tutorial on Medium difficulty so far, so I’m afraid he fails to meet your minimum requirements.”

The woman inclined her head a fraction. “I see. I am sorry that we are indeed not suited for you.”

Most of the rest of the crowd perked up at this. Some even said things like “Ha, not this time Shumba,” and “their elitism came back to bite them for once.”

“Settle down,” I said, “now, the second condition. It’s basically more standard stuff—supplies, knowledge, equipment; I expect to be well provided for. And especially spells. I’m severely lacking in spells in my Fire element right now, so if you don’t have a lot of those, you may as well forget it.”

A lot more of them seemed to give up or at least hesitate at that. That was nothing less than I expected. Why shouldn’t I ask for less than the best, having cleared the highest difficulty level here? Organizations that had the most stuff would carry a lot of respect—and being associated with a faction with the most respect would protect Mewi better.

“My final condition is very simple, but it might be something you’d have objections to. In short, I need it stipulated in the official Tower contract that I will never be obligated to reveal my status for any reason.”

Fortunately, that didn’t seem to dissuade them. Still, they were silent for a moment, as if they were waiting to see who would make the first move. Then someone did, a rather old looking person at the front of the crowd who was only slightly taller than I was. “Well young man, I respect a skilled challenger who knows what he wants. I believe my Grosstin Guild can accommodate your wishes and then some.”

Grosstin...oho, this was a result. After looking into Shumba, at my advice Mewi found as many factions as he could that were comparable to them in status, and there were not many. That was one of the easier names to remember among what I’d studied in the Neutral Zone too, on account of being rather ridiculous.

But what was in a name, if they’d take me on? “Then I believe we absolutely should move on to those detailed negotiations.”

The old man extended his hand to shake. As I took it, he said, “I am the head of Grosstin, Edwin. I’m sure you could use a pick-me-up after clearing Extreme difficulty, so how about we begin working out the details over a meal?”

“Oof, now that you mention it, the cheapest rations in the first floor really were terrible. Worse than the food in the Tutorial. That sounds great.”

Back in my former life, the only genuinely high-class restaurant I’d ever been to was a place called Bern’s Steakhouse. Well, this place, “Dille’s Garden,” made it look like a Chuck E. Cheese.

“Is this standard treatment for Extreme recruits by your faction, Edwin?” I sat at the table he led me to, one that had quite a few other people seated at it. They seemed to be notables from other factions...probably an alliance of some kind.

“Well, no,” Edwin admitted, sitting himself, “but these are not typical times. I’m going to be frank with you...Lheticus, was it? War is coming to this Area. A war that will, we believe, threaten the Federation itself. I and my colleagues here are among the factions who believe the Federation, and its rule of law and order in Area 1 of the Tower, should be preserved. Not only that, but we have obtained information of late that the enemy in this war will make their first move soon. Within a few months, if not sooner.”

“I can’t disagree that law and order is better than the alternative,” I said, “so you don’t have to worry about that with me. But are you going somewhere with this?”

“Indeed I am, young man. It doesn’t appear that you have been in the Tower for very long, correct?”

“Just under three months, I think. Though I did spend roughly two years under time-dilated training.”

Edwin nodded. “You have incredible latent potential, going from the Tutorial to not only clearing the first floor, but doing it on Extreme difficulty, in such time. I brought you here because I’d like to offer you something a little better than only joining the Grosstin Guild.”

He backpedaled a bit when he saw the look on my face at that. “Of course, you would still be considered a member, with all the benefits and privileges that entails. What I mean is, this would be something extra.”

“Now Edwin,” said one of the other guests, “how can you be so sure Lheticus is a good fit for that? We don’t even know his class yet.”

“That’s a fair point,” said someone else, “but he did insist on hiding his status...”

“Actually,” I broke in, “it’s not the entire status that I care about. I didn’t want to mention the real condition directly in front of all those people because I’m sure it’d cause no end of rumors.”

Edwin smiled. “Indeed, I thought that might be the case myself. So, what is it that you must keep hidden even from your allies?”

“Specifically, just my innate trait. The only thing is, I’m not sure how to reveal my status without revealing that.”

“That’s trivial to solve. We can provide you with an item that can hide an aspect of your status that you choose even from advanced identification techniques. For now, though, we can take your word on things like your class and stats—ah, perhaps after the appetizers,” he finished as said appetizers arrived.

“Actually,” and here the guest next to Edwin, who wore the insignia of Shumba, “my representative at the time let me know what happened, and when she told me about your third condition I thought this might happen too, so I had just enough time to prepare this.”

He took a small object out of his pocket that looked like a glass lens or monocle. “This is known as an Ogilvy’s Obscurer,” he said, “it will hide a single portion of your status permanently once used, so that only you will be able to view it. You can dispel the obscuration yourself, but you won’t be able to put it back again unless you have another one of these.”

“Oh, this can’t be a common item, thank you.”

He smiled and passed it to me. “I am Clatenis, the leader of Shumba, by the way.”

“Oh, wow. Pleasure to meet you.”

“I’d like to say the pleasure is mine,” he said, “but I think it’s more Edwin’s. He finally got one up on me this time, thanks to you.”

“Oh, now those are rare words from you,” said Edwin in the tone of a good-natured ribbing. As they continued to bicker, I invoked Ogilvy’s Obscurer, and my status appeared before me, with the words [Designate status subsection.] at the top. I tapped the Power of Imagination.

[Really conceal your Innate Trait?]

Yes.