I like them big, do you?

"I like hero's bonuses! I can feel the higher stamina's effects as we go," Steel Melody chatted with Reylin. Still, at one point, he suddenly became silent.

She shifted her eyes behind and noticed Reylin holding an unknown paper.

For a second, Steel Melody believed those were the plans for the guild competition. However, Reylin's contorted face said otherwise, and she didn't ask him.

Those were Layla's Fire Mana notes.

Since Reylin had completed her quest, he talked with her about it, and those notes fell into his inventory. The notes were S Ranked, and Reylin hadn't been successful with them... That was relatively high-quality stuff, but it opened eyes for Reylin.

Mana.

Everyone had the same mana, but only the ascended had turned their mana into something else.

Reylin naturally wanted Fire Mana, and he was amazed that Layla had touched a little of its boundary.

In his case, he utterly failed each time he tried to strengthen either his skills or body.

At last, Reylin entered the carriage and drove toward the aquarium.

In the carriage, no one bothered Reylin, and he was together with the guild leader and her party.

They all understood the pyromaniac much better than others. Seeing him pondering about the notes, no one dared to speak outside the voice chat.

Steel Melody didn't fail to form a friendship with others as she was quite a likable person. Her air-head side was a high part of that.

While Reylin pondered, Steel Melody asked the important question, "So will you all give the whole loot to the kingdom?"

"Yes," The Hero replied. "Have you spent some time in the beginner city? I am not speaking about the quests, but just strolling around and talking with people."

Maya was a good listener and speaker, mainly because she was always surrounded by various people. She knew how to talk!

Steel Melody shook her head, "I have been mostly fighting and traveling around the world! I don't go to the city unless I need to repair my equipment or fight here."

The Hero faintly smiled, "You should spend some time then. There are many great people, and you can meet old veterans who would help you with your class. I know that players will wage many wars in the future, so I want my first very kingdom to suffer the least casualties."

"Old veterans? Would they fight with me?" Steel Melody asked.

"If you appear worthy of their time, they will exercise," Maya chuckled.

After the guild competition, a particular masochist lady would go around the beginner city searching for the old veterans. That day, Steel Melody would be chased by many guards! All due to the certain hero's words.

They both weren't aware of the future and laughed innocently.

At last, the carriage stopped.

[The Hero Party's Guild Announcement.]

[I have split players into groups of ten with at least one tank and healer. If you don't feel capable of going against the ants with your group alone, team up with others! Don't refuse your guild members and work together - Ferocious Bear!]

Maya sent the message to everyone.

Her friend nicknamed, Titiana, had been the one to assort all groups.

She talked with many players, asked who they were friends with, and made groups mostly with friends.

Solo players were packed with other lone players.

Everyone knew about those groups beforehand, and they had spent some time before the competition.

Maya made the announcement to see whether her friend had omitted others, and she also stressed out the teamwork.

"Thanks, Titiana!" Maya used her friend's nickname to thank her, then the hero's party left the carriage first.

The guild leaders also stood on the helm, and they faced the NPCs from the Blue Kingdom.

Those NPCs wore neat and noble officer-like clothes. The blue and golden colors prevailed in their ranks, and they all stood straight with their status, boasting their high strength and status.

It was the first time for Reylin to see the royalty.

He scrutinized them and their weapons. Mainly rapiers and swords hanging on their sides, but a few noble mages also appeared in the row. They held short staves like conductors and reciprocated the curiosity.

Behind their curious masks, a different emotion lay within each noble.

"The Guild Competition will now begin. Your goal is to erase as many ants as possible and bring back their resources alongside the equipment to the Blue Rose Kingdom's treasury. The Guild that brings the most resources will receive a part of the territory in one of our provinces." The noble with the direct bloodline said.

His words shocked the guild leaders and all players!

No one knew about that reward, and it was really a bomb out of nowhere for all players, including Brand.

Without further ado, the nobles made way for the players to step into the aquarium. All players rushed through the transparent barrier as if their chains had dropped.

The nobles looked at them with smiles, then the royal one whispered, "Let's take our seats."

-

"Hmm... Is this really the guild competition?" Steel Melody asked on her way toward the ant colony!

Reylin replied, "It is. We will gather resources from ants, but also the players."

"I thought it was just us against the monsters! That's true! There are six more guilds, right? They are from different kingdoms, and they are our opponents too!" Steel Melody nodded, banging on her heavy armor.

Reylin rolled his eyes, "Our enemy is The Royal Lineage Guild. They have the most disciplined guild, and their players will give their drop wholeheartedly. The same cannot be said about our players."

"Why?" Steel Melody asked.

"The enemies already got more than they should have... And our players will keep the unique items to themselves, at least the majority of them. Due to Ferocious Bear's hero bonuses, they are here, but the unique item will give them their 'own' bonuses. Get the point?"

"I get it! So, how will the hero deal with it?"

"That's not my problem." Reylin cut the talk.

He and Steel Melody were the two weirdos who worked solely alone. And due to the sudden influx of players going into the aquarium, the ants promptly left the underground to face them.

Their numbers were big, but that was expected.

After all, so many players stomping at once would have caused no little turmoil.

Reylin and Steel Melody used those to distance themselves and prepare for the first wave of the ants.

He took out his black staff and said, "Stay still."

Reylin put that staff on Steel Melody's back, then fished out a rope from his inventory. He wrapped it around his tank's waist and then tightly tied the weapon to her back!

Steel Melody felt a little weird, and she said, "Do I look stupid?"

"If something is stupid but works, then it is not stupid."

"But what about my appearance?"

"Quite amusing, I would say. Are you the type to be so worried about your looks?"

"All women worry about their appearance!"

"We will spread flames around for infinity mana, so you don't have to worry much about it." Reylin sighed.

He didn't expect her to be so suddenly worried about it. Wasn't she looking quite dirty after getting a few water blasts from the high mage? The blood and sweat didn't make her prettier, after all.

Reylin didn't share it and just prepared the tank to be self-sufficient.

"Let's blast some ants," Reylin sneered, and the weirdest duo exploded with the flames!