Chương 45: Top One

As we stood there basking in the glow of our new recruitment, the air next to Fiona's head shimmered with that familiar, clinical blue light. The system's voice piped up, sounding like a very bored librarian reading out the fine print of a magical insurance policy. [The Druid is an exceptionally versatile class devoid of singular specialization, possessing a toolkit designed for a wide variety of combat scenarios. They are equipped with the Class Unique Skill: Guardian Bear. While maintaining human form, their restoration potency is increased by one hundred percent. Conversely, while in ursine form, their total health pool is doubled and their basic attacks inflict damage equivalent to twenty-five percent of their maximum health.] I looked at Fiona, then back at the text. So, our gentle little forest flower could apparently turn into a grizzly tank if things got hairy. The system, however, wasn't done with the technicalities.

[Skill manifestations vary based on the user's current physical form. Basic attacks provide a hybrid output of both physical and magical damage. In most tactical scenarios, Druids serve as a composite of a primary healer and a secondary vanguard, performing both roles competently though without the refined efficiency of a dedicated specialist.] Dimitri beamed at the notification, his face radiating enough pure joy to make the sun feel redundant.

He clapped his massive, iron cuffed hands together with a sound like a small explosion.

"My brothers and sisters in arms, the tapestry of our fate is nearly woven!" he boomed, his thick Russian accent turning the city plaza into his personal stage.

"We have reached the strength of four souls. Now, we require only a final companion to complete our circle and ignite the fires of our legendary journey! One more spirit, and the heavens themselves shall tremble at our approach!" We were just about to start the inevitable round of "So, do either of you have any more weird friends lurking in alleys?" when the vibe of the plaza shifted.

The peaceful, acoustic guitar atmosphere was suddenly punctured by a wave of shouting and the rhythmic thumping of dozens of boots hitting the cobblestones at once. A massive commotion was brewing near the Player Center. It wasn't the sound of a monster attack or a fight; it was the sound of a bored mob that had just found something hilarious to stare at. Players started abandoning their lunch and their loitering, rushing toward the building like there was a clearance sale on legendary loot.

Something highly amusing was clearly going down, and apparently, everyone in Inizio wanted a front-row seat to the circus. We high-tailed it toward the Player Center, which loomed over the plaza like a massive, ivory-walled monument to everyone's obsession with stats and shopping.

This place was the absolute beating heart of Inizio, a sprawling hub where players congregated to either empty their pockets at the Marketplace or bruise their egos by staring at the Leaderboard—the two most significant features Eteria had to offer. The sheer scale of the building was enough to make you feel tiny, but once we pushed through the doors, the inside was even more overwhelming. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

It was a literal hive of activity, packed to the rafters with adventurers of every shape and size, all buzzing with the kind of frantic energy you only find in a room full of people trying to get ahead. We shoved our way through the press of bodies, following the stampede toward the back of the main hall where the Leaderboard interface was located. Calling it a "screen" would be like calling the ocean a puddle.

It was a colossal, shimmering wall of light that dominated the entire section of the building, projecting data with such luminous intensity that I didn't even need to get close to see the names and numbers etched into it. It was a massive, glowing pillars of light that served as the digital high ground for the elite, and right now, every pair of eyes in the room was locked onto it.

I stood there, blinking up at the luminous wall of data, watching the Top 100 names scroll past in a blur of legendary titles and suspiciously high level counts. It was a glittering shrine to everyone's overachieving ego, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why everyone was losing their collective minds. The list was impressive, sure, but it wasn't exactly a comedy special or a dragon attack.

Fiona was standing next to me, her green eyes wide and sparkling with a look of pure, unadulterated amazement, as if she were witnessing the birth of a new galaxy instead of a glorified scoreboard. Beside her, Dimitri let out a warm, rumbling chuckle, his face splitting into a grin of genuine, fatherly pride as he looked at the names of the elite. June, however, wasn't smiling.

She was eying the list with a sharp, calculating intensity, her gaze darting between the names like she was already measuring them for a casket or planning to evict them from their spots. I shifted my weight, my gunner trinkets giving a confused little jingle in the silence.

"Okay, I'll be the one to ask the stupid question," I said, gesturing vaguely at the massive, glowing interface.

"What exactly is the big deal? Why is everyone acting like the king just rode into town on a unicycle?" June slowly turned her head toward me, her icy blue eyes filled with a level of condescension that I felt in my very soul. She looked at me like I had just asked her how to breathe.

"You truly are a fountain of ignorance, aren't you?" she remarked, her posh British accent dripping with regal disbelief.

"Do you honestly mean to tell me you are unaware of the significance of this event? Good heavens, Arthur, did you literally just tumble into Eteria yesterday or something equally preposterous?" I didn't blink. I didn't look away. I just stared her dead in the eyes, giving her my most honest, "I-have-no-idea-what's-happening" face.

"Yes," I replied, my voice flat and completely devoid of shame.

"That is exactly what happened. I literally arrived yesterday. My 'New Player' smell hasn't even worn off yet." June let out a long, suffering exhale, looking at me with the kind of pity usually reserved for someone who tried to eat soup with a fork. She gestured toward the top of the shimmering display with a sharp, regal flourish of her hand.

"The name currently commanding the attention of the masses is Hinata Yamamoto," she explained, her posh British accent making the announcement sound like she was reading from a royal decree.

"The undisputed sovereign of the leaderboard has just successfully neutralized the boss of the three hundredth floor. It is merely another glittering achievement added to her already exhaustive collection of accolades." I looked up at the list and wasn't even surprised. Of course the top player in this whole digital nightmare was Japanese. They just seem to have a genetic predisposition for being better at everything involving a controller or a katana.

I squinted at the very top spot on the massive interface, which was glowing with a gold light so bright it was practically showing off. [Interface Data: Rank 1 Entry. Subject: Hinata Yamamoto. Current Progression: Level 301. Combat Specialization: Samurai. Organizational Affiliation: Ace of the Guild, The Aetherion Sovereign. Achievement Log: Floor 300 Guardian neutralized.] Dimitri stepped up beside me, his iron cuffed boots clunking against the floor with a rhythmic, confident sound.

He looked up at the name with a smile so genuinely kind it made me feel slightly guilty for being so cynical.

"A true marvel of our age," he rumbled, his thick Russian accent turning the description into a piece of epic poetry.

"She is a prodigy who descended upon this realm only two years ago, yet her spirit has soared higher than any other. They call her the Sakura Blossom Samurai. She stands as the peerless ace of The Aetherion Sovereign, which is, without question, the most formidable and magnificent guild in all of Eteria."