Chapter 43 - A New Bond Forming 

Marco Flare, the CEO of the Golden Age company, hurried through the hallway of the building. His long strides echoed against the floor, reverberating off the walls. As he approached the two thick glass doors, they opened automatically, sensing his presence. It was late at night, and once again, his assistant had come to present him with yet another important discovery. He quickly strode towards a large screen that dominated the room, eager to learn what new information had been uncovered.

"What did you find this time?" Marco asked, his eyes immediately locking onto the video playing on the big screen.

"It seems the new ancient element may be discovered soon, Mr. Marco," his assistant replied, her tone professional yet tinged with excitement.

Marco instantly recognized the video playing in front of him. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the figure of a player he never anticipated seeing in such a context, the same person who had created an uproar sometime ago.

"Broken? How could he be in a situation like this?"

"Apparently, he managed to break through the barrage of requirements through luck and the blessing skill given by the goddess Akidia, the Quest Advancement skill," she explained. "But he's not one to waste time, that's for sure. He has a knack for working tirelessly."

Marco slowly shook his head and muttered, "I heard he was mining non-stop all night before."

He added, "Immortal Legacy is a game, but the effort required to succeed in it isn't so different from the effort one has to put in to achieve something in the real world. You need to do all of the mundane tasks diligently and consistently in order to reach a high rank."

His assistant replied. "And this player really is an irony as the Champion of Sloth. I can't imagine how big he will become in the future with his diligent mentality."

Marco fell silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. The weight of the situation pressed on him, making him consider the broader implications of this discovery.

Finally, he spoke again. "Moonstone," he said quietly, his voice tinged with worry. The significance of the element was not lost on him.

"I fear this quest may be too hard for him to finish," Marco admitted. "I don't mean to doubt his determination and commitment, but I can't help but wonder if he'll be able to make it to the end. The task of mining for Moonstone minerals is incredibly demanding and requires a great amount of patience. Will he be able to stick it out?"

"What should we do, Mr. Marco?"

"Ancient Element is an immense source of power, and I had not anticipated that the game would be so quickly presented with such a situation," Marco replied. "If Broken manages to obtain the Ancient Element, combined with his Divine Champion status, the spirits, and everything else, this could cause a huge sensation in the game."

The discovery of the ancient elements, particularly the Moonstone, could change the dynamics of the game significantly. Marco knew they had to be prepared for the unexpected, and Broken's progress was a testament to the game's evolving complexity.

"Keep an eye on him," Marco finally said, breaking the silence. "We need to monitor his progress closely. If he succeeds, it will open up new possibilities for the game. But if he fails, we need to be ready to support other players who might take up the challenge."

"Understood, Mr. Marco. I'll ensure that we keep track of his advancements and prepare for any contingencies," his assistant replied

Marco looked at the screen one last time. "Let's see how far he can go. The future of Immortal Legacy might just depend on it."

After discussing it for some time, Marco finally felt that he should pay more attention to the amazing things Broken would be doing in the game. Turning to his assistant, Marco said, "Have you assigned someone to assist the person behind the player named Broken? We need to treat him like the other Divine Champions. Make sure to choose someone who matches his personality."

His assistant lifted her gaze to meet Marco's. "Mr. Marco," she began, "we've been digging around for information, and we'll try to communicate directly with Leon soon. Do you have any special requests for this?"

Marco smiled and nodded. "I was certain he would become a global sensation, and we needed to ensure he wasn't caught in a tough spot."

The Golden Age company and the government had worked in close cooperation, especially concerning players with great potential or those at the highest rankings. They might be ordinary people in the real world, but they were renowned in Immortal Legacy. The influence of the game was such that top-ranking players became new celebrities, their names known to everyone on Earth. Substantial amounts of resources and money were invested in this extraordinary game, making it a pivotal part of that era.

***

After much deliberation, Leon logged back into Immortal Legacy, finally deciding to skip his class.

He grinned as he stepped back onto Yunatea. "I'm still fascinated by this Moonstone quest, so I don't think skipping classes is a bad thing. After all, I'm the champion of sloth! It's only natural that I'm a bit lazy."

Without a moment's hesitation, Broken marched swiftly towards The Adventurers' Guild. His mission was to find an individual or group to join him on his quest to mine some moonstones. He knew this was the perfect place to look, as The Adventurers' Guild was renowned for being the hub of adventurers, with its plentiful NPCs, quests, and items for purchase.

"If anyone found out I'm a Divine Champion, they'd probably think I'm delusional, yet here I am, struggling to strategize even against level 80 monsters," he mused wearily.

As he trudged along, deep in thought, he abruptly stumbled to a halt when three figures stepped into his path and blocked his way.

"Broken..." RememberMe shouted, taking a step back in order to address him better. He then dramatically dropped to his knees, pressing his right hand against his left chest in a theatrical gesture.

"Please, Broken. I know you'll be a great figure in the future. And I want to join you on your journey. I know you may not need us in the near future, but I'm sure we'll be of use to you now. Allow me to be part of the legendary history you will create, the path to becoming the Legendary Broken Player."

Broken's expression hardened as he glanced at the two figures standing behind RememberMe.

PussyCat, the blonde-haired mage, let out a chuckle and said, "There's something wrong with this guy's brain, isn't there?"

"Is he always like this?" Broken inquired, his eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"I think, almost every time," Forev, the woman archer, replied. "He seems to think the world is his alone, and how many times have we been in trouble because of his foolishness and lack of intelligence?" She then pointed at RememberMe's head, shaking her own in disbelief.

Broken paused for a moment, considering the offer that had been presented to him. "What do you need from me?" he asked. "I assume our business is concluded?"

"Would you not like us to accompany you on your adventures, Broken?" PussyCat asked with an inviting expression.

"I'm content with whatever you decide," Forev chimed in. "But I'm also intrigued if you plan to invite us on any of your adventures."

"Yes, Master," RememberMe interjected in a loud voice, still on his knees.

Broken then shared his virtual map, which was visible to those in front of him. RememberMe jumped to his feet to get a better look at what he was doing.