The King's First Virtue, Influence
***
PoV - Lyunil
The day passed and I managed to sleep and rest well, I'm even surprised that this happened after so many complicated events. At the end of the day, our guild decided to meet to discuss tomorrow's challenge, which will be the first challenge of level 2 and this time it will be definitive, if we lose in the challenges from now on we will be disqualified from the competition.
- The first challenge, following the order that ADM showed at the opening, has the keyword "influence". They are evaluating us according to some aspect of us, will they analyze our charism this time? (Raild)
- I understand that it is important for a king to have charisma to achieve great influence over his kingdom and improve his morals with the people. But I have no idea how they will go about evaluating this aspect of us… (Kaule)
- If we just need to look cool, then this challenge is too easy! (Adrick)
- I don't know "for whom" you mean it's too easy… (Raild)
- Poor boring boar, I understand that it's hard for you to be nice, but you can count on me to help you! (Adrick)
- They evaluate both as a group and as an individual, so it shouldn't be something like getting the most allies or convincing people to elect themselves, otherwise guilds with more people would have more advantage. (Lahri)
- Lahri is right, but I don't think it will simply be a contest of who has more etiquette or who is more "cool".
- Too bad… (Adrick) ( _ _ )
- I think we need to prepare for the worst, wait for tomorrow and then decide what we will really do.
- What do you mean worse? (Kaule)
- Fight again!
- And will we have chances this time? (Lahri)
- I don't know… but we can't just give up, right?
Everyone agreed no, but the expressions on their faces are one of uncertainty...
We are all afraid of the possibility that the same thing that happened in the opening challenge could happen, but that must not stop us from being able to continue on our path.
- I managed to buy the level 1 guild pass for us and took a look at the performance of other players in the collar challenge and we will only have more difficulties with those at the top of the rankings. (Lahri)
- Did you see the ranking of players in the challenge?
- Yes, there were two tables, one that ranked guilds and one that ranked players. But the Top 3 on both charts are from the top three guilds and their respective leaders: Royal Knights in first, White Roses in second and Leaf Breath in third. Since I entered this level until today, these three continue to occupy the top with a lot of fervor. (Lahri)
- It wouldn't be good if we had to face them… (Kaule)
- And the other positions? (Raild)
- From fourth place onwards changes the ranking from one table to another. On the guild table the score from the fourth onwards had a big difference in points compared to the top three, but the solo leaderboard showed the most powerful lone players occupying big positions, and fourth place almost reached third on that table… ( Lahri)
- Who came fourth? (Adrick)
- Hmm… I wonder who it is…
- ...Brody. (Lahri)
- This is another problem that we must avoid in tomorrow's challenge. (Kaule)
- I understand that we still have to improve a lot to be able to overcome these guys, but we can't keep avoiding all these problems, after all Lyunil only attracts this kind of people! (Raild)
- Hey! I don't do it because I want to!
- I think we can take advantage of challenges like the one tomorrow, precisely to remove this type of opponent, like Brody, from the competition! (Raild)
- It makes sense… (Lahri)
- As I said before, let's wait tomorrow to decide what we'll do!
- But you also said to prepare for the worst. (Raild)
- But in this case, if you consider these enemies as well, the worst scenario is all of us dead… (Kaule)
- What? What do you mean by that? (Raild)
- Calm down!... I understand that we are all nervous because of what happened yesterday and what might happen tomorrow. Let's stop the conversation here for now and tomorrow we'll think more calmly!
And everyone got up and left the room, only Adrick came to me to tell me something before leaving.
- Leader, I met a friend of yours today and he was really nice to me… (Adrick)
- A friend?
-He is a very smart boy too. He asked me to let you know that you should be on your guard! (Adrick)
- Attentive? A boy? Do you remember his name?
- Hmmm… what was it like?… I think it was Zack! (Adrick)
- WHAT?... I mean, what? What did he want with you?
- He helped me look for my new weapon and asked me to help him find something… what was it? I think I forgot to ask ""^^)>… (Adrick)
- Got it… thanks for letting me know, Adrick! And what new weapon did you get?
- He he, be amazed by my new weapon! (Adrick)
Suddenly, the strange marks that were on Adrick's arm changed shape and brought out a battle hammer that is not only beautiful but also looks quite strong!
- Wooww, this is amazing! Where did you get that gun?
- In a secret hiding place under the sewer! (Adrick)
- Under the sewer? Apparently it was well hidden.
- But I, the great and smart Adrick, with the help of the smart boy, managed to find this powerful weapon! HAHA HA! (Adrick)
- Ha ha, very good. I'm counting on your help in the next difficult battles to come!
- He he, you can count on me!... I also wanted to get the other weapons for all my friends, but there were a few problems and I couldn't do it anymore...
I couldn't help but smile as I saw Adrick sad that he hadn't gotten us any more weapons. He really has a kind, gentle heart that should teach us all.
- Thank you so much, Adrick, for worrying about us all! But having you to help us is more than enough! By the way, aren't you scared of what might happen in the future?
- Scared?... Hmmm, I couldn't lie saying I'm not scared. But there is something that moves my heart much stronger than fear and so I cannot be worried and afraid. (Adrick)
- And what would be stronger than your fear?
- My desire to see my family again… (Adrick)
Is the desire to see his family what allows him to continue like this?
So is it true that people's desires are what drive their own determinations?!
- So wanting to see your family is what gives you strength?
- Uhmm! A person very important to me once said: "We fight to protect what we love and that makes us stronger, those who don't love anything don't fight for anything and that's why they don't become strong". And I love my family and my friends from my village a lot, so I'm going to be very strong! (Adrick)
…
The moment I heard those words I couldn't think of anything else! Those words touched me somewhere deeper than I could have realized on my own.
We become stronger… for what we love…
Who doesn't love anything… doesn't fight for anything… and doesn't become strong…
Now I understand why I understood these words so well!
Because they remind me of who I am!
In the beginning I didn't love anything and not myself. And I was weak and stupid. I was just looking for an excuse to die… but little by little I realized who I really am and what I used to think about myself was disappearing from my mind!
I do fight for something! I fight for my family who sacrificed for me! I fight for my friends who trusted me! I fight for myself that I want to fulfill everyone's wishes! And I love it all more than I could even realize… and that's why I became and I'm going to get even stronger! Because I really love it all and I want to fight through it all…
- Leader? Are you okay? Your eye is leaking water! (Adrick)
- Huh? What?... Ah! I apologize, even I didn't realize it!
I wiped my tear away quickly and went back to the real world.
- That's it! I've already given the message and now I've fulfilled my mission that the smart boy asked!
And Adrick was walking towards his room.
- Adrick!... Thank you very much!
- Hey he! (Adrick)
And he withdrew from the room.
I think I will also go to the bedroom, think a little more about tomorrow, plan some strategy and reflect a little more about today. And rest a little longer maybe...
***
The next day, before sunrise, we prepared our equipment and costumes. Lahri and Kaule still haven't allowed me to take off the bandages and that I shouldn't try too hard for some time, but I'm prepared if I need to act.
We wait for the expected moment in the main room that we use to talk and eat together. And as expected from ADM, in the first ray of sunlight that came out, my skylet vibrated and made a little noise, I got a message saying:
[You received a video message about the next challenge. Do you want to broadcast to everyone at your guild headquarters?]
After looking at everyone once more I confirmed aloud for the message to be transmitted. Then, to the side of the room, a large luminous panel appeared for everyone, just like the panels we found in the master guild, and on the panel appeared the image of someone familiar to me.
["Good morning to all participants! It is with great joy that we start the definitive competition for the royal crown! My name is Eldon Krustie and I am responsible for land administration and treasurer of the kingdom of Trinity, it is a great pleasure to be presenting the first challenge of the competition to you!"]
So is Lord Eldon also treasurer of the realm? This is really amazing, I can't believe I had the opportunity to meet him in person.
The panel continued showing the image of Eldon who began to explain about the challenge.
["As everyone has seen in the opening presentation, the challenges correspond to the 5 virtues of the king, and the first virtue is: Influence!"]
[Level 2 - Floor 01]
["The challenge is this: you will have to seek and bring back in three days what is most precious to you, so this floor is a floor of conquest following the standards of the Tower. The "treasure" you should bring can be anything as long as it has the greatest possible value of treasure. We from the Royal Assembly will evaluate and score the preciousness of each "treasure" that is brought and the scoring table will also be released after the challenge. All who bring a "treasure" above the defined minimum average will have passed the challenge and will continue in the competition! All those who fail to reach the minimum average will be disqualified from the competition…"]
…
It's possible to feel the tension in the air, although we're relieved that it's a stage of conquest and doesn't need to go into combat, this challenge doesn't seem as simple as it sounds.
["How the score works and what is the minimum average score to pass the challenge, these are two pieces of information that will not be disclosed, so strive to get the best "treasure" you can!"]
- WHAT?! This is ridiculous! (Raild)
- Why don't they want to explain things? (Lahri)
What does he mean by that? Why not say that? They have nothing to lose by telling this kind of information!
["Remembering that the deadline is three days from now. The place of delivery is at the entrance to the royal palace! And as you know, every "trophy" that is delivered on a conquest floor gets the Tower, in which case it was allowed to keep the kingdom. Therefore, every "treasure" delivered in this challenge will be part of the kingdom's treasure. That's all that needs to be said about the challenge, any questions can be found in the instructions on your skylets. I wish everyone good luck!"]
- Looks like we have a lot of work ahead of us! (Kaule)
- I'm not handing my treasure to this guy! I found my hammer first! (Adrick)
- Wait, it looks like he's going to say something else...
["Before I close, I'll just introduce the rule about disqualification from the competition to everyone! From now on, this rule will be used in all challenges: any participant who, having participated in the competition, is disqualified from the competition, by decision of the Royal Assembly or by the definition of the rules, will be punished with two conditions, the the first that he will no longer be able to compete and be elected as heir to the crown under any circumstances, thus preventing him from continuing as a participant in the competition, and the second... that the disqualified participant must and will be exiled from the kingdom of Trinity!"]
- WHAT?!... (x5)
The atmosphere from before seems to have become even more tense than before… the situation was even worse than we imagined!...
["That is all! We look forward to the great deeds of those who prove themselves worthy."]
[Transmission ended. You have received instructions on "The King's First Virtue, Influence." The option to activate the guild pass is available]
And everyone was silent for a while, with no words or reactions to describe the current situation… just remembering the words we just heard.