Elton Grayrock

The next day...

"I think I should be good to go." Jay said to himself and summoned Nuggets using the 'Call Nuggets' skill he had.

Bawk!!! ("Good morning Jay!")

When Jay saw Nuggets in a happy mood, he chuckled and stroked her back.

"Hey, want to go with me on a trip?"

Bawk!!! ("Sure.")

After that, Jay let Nuggets perch on his right shoulder and teleported himself at the guild's entrance.

...

--- Golden Bird Trading Center

Meanwhile, in this trading center that was owned by Golden Phoenix...

The place just looked like a marketplace. Booths and stalls scattered around, selling different kinds of stuff, which are mostly items the guild produces.

In the center of the place lies a large wooden house. This place serves as the command center of the trading center.

Inside the wooden house...

"Don't worry mom. I promise to get home as soon as I can. Yeah, I know. I will leave this guild as soon as I can."

Elton Grayrock, the 12-year old kid who was in charge of the trading center was currently having a headache over thinking about some matters. While thinking of these matters, he held the Golden Phoenix guild emblem in his hands, looking at it as if it was some kind of treasure.

"Just what should I do... should I leave the guild and go back to my family? Or should I abandon my family for now since our guild master said that he is turning the guild into a kingdom?"

Then suddenly, Jay entered the place with Nuggets.

"Hey, sorry for the trouble. But I need you to come with me."

...

The reason why Jay came here was because the place he was going to was the Grayrock Mountains. He knew that no outsiders are usually allowed within that place owned by the dwarfs and the halfbloods unless he forces his way through.

But due to some kind of luck, someone from the Grayrock family is part of his guild. Elton.

"Guild master!" Elton was surprised with Jay's visit and stood up, saluting Jay by balling his right hand into a fist and placing it over his chest.

"I am going on a trip and my destination is the Grayrock Mountains. To be more precise, I am going to pay a visit to the dwarf king, Floki. I need you to come with me since I do not want to force my way inside the mountains."

When Elton heard this, he was surprised and he started sweating. The reason why was because just a while ago, his mother told him to go back home since the Grayrock family and the dwarven kingdom are having a lot of problems and a civil war might break out soon.

The reason why he is being called back home is because Elton was one of the greatest warriors the Grayrock family had.

"Guild master... sure." Elton just decided to agree to Jay's request and just tell him on the road about the upcoming conflict within the mountains.

...

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the guild hall...

--- Courtyard (Training Grounds setting)

~Bang, bang, bang...

Boras was currently shooting up some target practice. Due to him having only one of his arms left since he blew the other one off during the demon incident at Glimmertree City, he was only using a single pistol.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Boras raged out loudly. No matter how hard he tries, he just keeps on missing the bullseye. It felt as if he became a total noob again.

"Why! Why am I so useless!??" He shouted as he kept firing the pistol in his left arm. Even though it was out of bullets, he still kept pulling the trigger, like a crazy person.

"Boras! Chill the f*ck out dude!" Hot Buns shouted the moment he saw Boras acting this way.

"How the hell am I supposed to chill the f*ck out! I'm so useless. I cannot even do anything right..." Boras said as he threw his pistol at the target practice.

"Unlike you guys, I haven't even reached the 5th tier of my gunner class. Unlike you guys who can do things easily, I always have to rely on hiring adventurers. Even back on the class academy Jay brought us, no matter how much that Elder trained me, I always screwed up..."

Boras started telling stories, stories about how he kept failing over and over again. While doing so, he slowly slumped down to the ground and lied down, looking at the bright sky above him.

"Boras..." Hot Buns was not sure how he can help Boras out and just decided to sit beside him and listen to him rant about his failures.

After Boras was done speaking, Hot Buns spoke up.

"If that's all you can think about, then your the only one who can help yourself. Look, I don't know what's going on with you right now, but I have a piece of advise for you." Hot Buns stood up before he continued.

"This world we are in right now is just a game. Don't feel too sad about something. Just keep doing what you do, and if it gets tedious or you feel as if you are not progressing much, change your way of life."

After saying this, Hot Buns left the guild hall since he was planning to visit Yellowleaf City, to think of a way to recruit some new people for their kingdom.

"A new way huh..." Boras just lied down and kept thinking about what Hot Buns said to him.

...

Meanwhile, at the capital city of Holtheim, Vitales...

-- Crimsonvale Fortress, Dragon's Head (Throne Room) --

"It looks like we have a new enemy to take care off..." Queen Aery said as she bit her lips and looked as if she was about to burst in anger.

"Who is it love?" King Arturus asked while he was currently doing some stretches in his sleeping garments.

"They call themselves the Golden Phoenix guild. One of my hidden spies told me that someone with that guild's emblem and was wearing a blue-colored armor set was roaming around the different places around Yellowleaf City, slaughtering our men."

"Who cares. Their guild hall is just at the eastern border of Wildergreene right? If our army crosses the Nix River, we will immediately crush them. Simple as that. Don't think about it too much for now." King Arturus said and laughed it off.

...

At the same time...

--- Greengarden, the Graycastle ---

"How annoying..." Queen Auburn said as she clenched the armrest of her throne.

"A powerful army of demons. Holtheim making its move. And that f*cking bastard, Alfred." Queen Auburn thought to herself, not sure which of these three should she focus on.

"King Balor, find a place to stay in here at Greengarden together with your men. I still have a lot of problems to deal with." Queen Auburn said as she dismissed King Balor, who was kneeling in front of her.

Then suddenly, Princess Auriel ran inside the throne room.

"Mother. Someone from the Golden Phoenix wants to talk with us." Princess Auriel said as she approached Queen Auburn and gave her the guild emblem she had on her.

"My queen, it's me, Roasted Boar. Are you busy at the moment?"

"Yes. But I can always find time if your guild needs something from me." Queen Auburn said as she held the guild emblem and left the throne room.

"I suppose you know about the demons and Holtheim soldiers camping around the different cities of Wildergreene, so I will just get straight to the point. I am currently going on a trip towards the capital city of Holtheim to ask the same thing with them."

When Queen Auburn heard this, she frowned, not sure what Roasted Boar was thinking.

"Please set aside whatever grudges you have with each other and make peace for now, until we take care of the demons."

The moment Queen Auburn heard this, she sighed and thought, "If it was really that simple... I am guessing that barbarian king Arturus won't back down either..."

But the next thing she heard Roasted Boar said made her reconsider if she should reject this peace treaty or not.

"If making both of your kingdoms make peace does not sound feasible, then I am afraid I have to take action. Sorry for everything if it leads down to that."

Queen Auburn got a bit angry and shouted at the guild emblem, "You threatening me brat? Does Jay even know of this?"

"Not at the moment. Jay is really busy dealing with the demons and he cannot be bothered with this upcoming war. In truth is, I pity him. He keeps burdening himself trying to help everyone, but problems kept on appearing from all sides. As his friend, I will do what I can to take care of these problems for him."

...

Meanwhile, somewhere else...

"Jay, I have to tell you something." Elton said while he and Jay were heading towards the Grayrock Mountains, which was towards the north of the guild hall. And the reason why he called Jay by his name and not as guild master was because Jay told him to do so.

Jay nodded at him.

Elton started to tell Jay about the upcoming conflict within the Grayrock Mountains and also told Jay that he was having a hard time to choose between his family or the guild.

"Hey, do you have a way to contact someone from your family?" Jay asked, since he had a hunch on what might have caused the conflict at Grayrock Mountains.

"Yeah. But the only one you can talk to at the moment is my mom since everyone else is dealing with something else." Elton said as he handed over a small crystal orb to Jay.

"Mom, a friend of mine wants to talk with you."

When Jay held the small crystal orb, someone spoke to him.

"You want to ask me something kid?"

"Did any players come near the Grayrock Mountains recently?" Jay asked.

"I don't see how this is important. But there was indeed some players who called themselves people from the 'Flaming Spears' and 'Crimson Valkyrie.' Not sure what they were saying though."

When Jay heard this, he confirmed his hunch.

"It looks like the curse of players Hellson talked about. For these two guilds to go to the Grayrock Mountains, I am guessing they discovered something about the 'Four Great Treasures' of the dwarves. Looks like I have to meddle in this upcoming conflict if I want to rally these two guilds and the entire faction of the Grayrock family..." Jay thought to himself as he and Elton continued their journey.