War Lords

Charvet exhaled, his heart still pounding from the intense battle. The Butcher's massive corpse lay motionless on the ruined floor, blood pooling beneath it.

He walked closer, his eyes scanning the grotesque form. Something glimmered faintly near the monster's torn-open stomach.

Frowning, Charvet reached in and pulled out a smooth, black stone. It felt cool to the touch, pulsing with a faint energy.

Ding!

[System Notification]

You have obtained [Guild Creation Stone].

Use: An item necessary for creating a guild.

Charvet's lips curled into a satisfied smile.

A Guild Creation Stone.

He had expected this. Killing a level 20 boss monster guaranteed the drop of this rare item. The system allowed players to form groups, but an actual guild required this stone—an essential key to establishing true dominance.

This meant he could finally create an official guild, solidifying his power and uniting survivors under a single banner.

"Interesting," he muttered, slipping the stone into his storage ring.

For now, he had other things to check.

***

In the middle of the room, a rare chest sat, glowing with faint golden light.

Joanne, Joseph, and Lyka—still recovering from their wounds—watched intently as Charvet approached it.

"Let's see what this boss was hiding," he said, placing a hand on the chest.

Ding!

You have opened [Rare Chest]!

You obtained:

200 God coins

[Obsidian Dreadplate] (Rare-Grade Armor - Chest Piece)

A sleek black armor reinforced with a mysterious dark metal, offering high defense and slight resistance to slashing attacks.

[Stormfang Greaves] (Rare-Grade Armor - Leg Guards)

Lightweight yet durable, these greaves enhance movement speed and provide minor shock absorption.

[Shadowfang Daggers] (Rare-Grade Weapon - Dual Daggers)

Twin daggers forged in darkness, increasing critical hit chance and attack speed. Perfect for an assassin's swift and deadly strikes.

[Crimson Fang] (Rare-Grade Weapon - One-Handed Sword)

A blood-red blade that thirsts for battle, slightly increasing attack power with each consecutive strike.

Charvet smirked, satisfied with the rewards. These weapons and armor would be a great boost to their strength.

Charvet's eyes locked onto the skill book.

Skill Book: Undying Fury

The moment he picked it up, the system interface displayed its details:

[Undying Fury] (Passive Skill)

Effect: When HP drops below 30%, all stats double for 60 seconds.

Restrictions: Can only be learned by warriors, berserkers, knights, and combat-focused classes.

Charvet's lips curled into a smirk.

A skill that turned near-death into overwhelming power. This could be game-changing in critical battles.

He turned to his team, who were still catching their breath.

Charvet nodded, stepping forward and handing out the equipment to his team.

"Joseph, these daggers suit you," he said, tossing the Shadowfang Daggers to him. Joseph caught them midair, spinning the blades in his hands with admiration.

"They feel perfect," Joseph grinned. "Thanks, boss."

Next, he turned to Lyka. "Take these greaves, they'll help with your speed and footwork." He handed her the Stormfang Greaves, and she accepted them with a firm nod.

"Much appreciated," she said, strapping them on immediately.

Then, he held out the Obsidian Dreadplate to Joanne. "This should give you better defense."

Joanne looked at the armor before accepting it with a small smile. "I'll make good use of it."

Finally, Charvet pulled out the Crimson Fang, examining the blood-red blade before offering it to Joanne as well. "You should take this too."

Joanne shook her head. "No, you should keep it. You're the strongest among us, and this sword will be more effective in your hands. We need you at your best."

Joseph and Lyka nodded in agreement. "She's right," Joseph said. "Besides, you carried that fight. You should take the strongest weapon."

Charvet exhaled, looking at them before finally nodding. "Alright, I'll take it." He secured Crimson Fang at his waist, its weight feeling just right.

Then, he pulled out the Skill Book: Rage Berserker and flipped through the glowing pages.

"You should learn it," Joanne said firmly. "You're the one who deserves it the most."

"Yeah, it suits you," Lyka added.

Charvet hesitated for a moment but then smirked. "Fine. I'll take it."

With a thought, he activated the skill book. The pages dissolved into streams of light that surged into his body. A rush of power flooded through him as the system notification appeared.

[You have learned the skill: Undying Fury (Passive)]

A slow grin spread across Charvet's face. With this skill, his strength would reach new heights.

He exhaled, steadying his excitement, then turned to his team. Raising the Guild Creation Stone for them to see, he watched as their eyes lit up with anticipation.

Without hesitation, he spoke in a calm, commanding tone. "System, use Guild Creation Stone."

Ding! Guild Creation Stone used. You can now create a guild. Please choose a guild name.

Charvet didn't hesitate. "War Lords."

Ding! Guild created. You can now invite members to your guild.

DING!

[Nation Announcement!] 

The first guild has been created! 

Congratulations to player [Stormbringer] for establishing the first guild: [Warlords]! 

You have been rewarded with a new title: [The First Guild Leader]!

Effect: +20 to all stats

Lead your guild to dominance and shape the future of the nation! 

A translucent interface appeared before him, displaying the guild's initial details:

Guild: War Lords

Guild Master: Stormbringer

Vice Guild Master: Vacant

Guild Officers: Vacant

Members: Vacant

Guild Buffs: STR +10, DEX +10, INT +10, END +10 (applies to all members)

Guild Territory: None

Additional Functions: Locked (Upgrade required)

Charvet scanned the interface, a small smirk forming on his lips. This was only the beginning.

As the system message faded, Charvet's team stared at the newly formed guild interface in awe.

"A guild, huh?" Joseph smirked. "Looks like the Warlords are back."

Lyka crossed her arms, her sharp eyes scanning the interface. "The buffs alone are already insane. A straight boost to all major stats… this will make us even stronger."

Joanne nodded, a hint of pride in her expression. "And once we level up the guild, more functions will open. We'll need to figure out how to do that."

Charvet closed the interface for now and looked at his team. "Before anything else, I want you all to be the first members."

He quickly accessed the Guild Management tab and sent invitations to Joanne, Joseph, and Lyka.

Ding! You have been invited to join the guild: War Lords. Do you accept?

Without hesitation, all three of them confirmed.

Ding! Joanne, Joseph, and Lyka have joined War Lords.

Joanne turned to Charvet. "You should assign a Vice Guild Master."

Charvet thought for a moment before glancing at her. "Joanne, you take the position."

Joanne blinked in surprise. "Me?"

"You're the most suited for it. You're a leader, and people trust you."

Lyka smirked. "It's a good choice. She already had authority before this. Makes sense to make it official."

Joseph nodded. "I agree."

Joanne hesitated for a moment but then sighed and smiled. "Alright, I'll do it."

Charvet accessed the settings and assigned her as Vice Guild Master.

Ding!

Player [Joanne] has been assigned as Vice Guild Master of War Lords.

Ding!

Player [Joseph] has been promoted to Guild Officer of [Warlords].

Player [Lyka] has been promoted to Guild Officer of [Warlords].

"Now that we've taken this step, there's no turning back," Charvet said. "This guild will become the strongest in this apocalypse."

Joseph cracked his knuckles. "Then we better start recruiting. We have 931 players back at the university, right?"

Joanne nodded. "Not all will want to join, but many will. Especially when they see the benefits."

Lyka smirked. "And if they don't, they'll regret it later."

Charvet looked at them, determination burning in his brown eyes. "Let's return to the university. We have a guild to build."

With that, they left the Central Grand Hotel, stepping out into the sunlight—one step closer to dominating the new world.

***

Meanwhile, at Different Corners of the Country…

Standing atop a pile of corpses, Bloodfang licked the blood from his fingers as the system announcement flashed before his eyes

DING!

[Nation Announcement!] 

Congratulations to Player [Stormbringer] for establishing the first guild: [Warlords]!

His golden eyes narrowed. "Stormbringer again?"

First, he saw that name appear in the rankings. Now, the same guy had already formed a guild? Bloodfang clicked his tongue, cracking his knuckles.

"Tch… I don't like people getting ahead of me." His lips curled into a predatory grin. "Guess it's time to speed things up."

With a swift movement, he disappeared into the darkness, his hunt beginning anew.

***

Perched on a ruined rooftop, Nightshade scanned the system message, his expression unreadable beneath his hood.

This guy was moving fast. Too fast. Nightshade tapped her dagger against the stone ledge, deep in thought.

"First, he gets on the rankings. Now, the first guild?" His fingers twitched. "If he keeps this up, he'll shape the entire battlefield before we even make a move."

She exhaled slowly, then disappeared into the shadows. "Time to start making preparations."

***

TitanSlayer swung his massive war hammer, sending a mutated beast crashing through a wall. Just as he was about to finish it off, the notification appeared.

He glanced at the message. "Stormbringer again? Hah!"

A deep laugh rumbled from his chest. "This guy just doesn't stop, does he?"

He cracked his neck, a grin forming on his lips. "I like him. He's got guts. But let's see if he's got the strength to back it up."

With a mighty swing, he crushed the monster's skull and marched forward. "Maybe I should pay him a visit."

***

A sharp gust of cold wind swept through the abandoned district as FrostReaper leaned against a frozen corpse, eyes fixed on the notification.

His grip on his blade tightened. First, this guy appeared on the rankings, and now he was the first to create a guild?

"Too fast… Either he's ridiculously strong, or he's got connections." His breath misted in the air. "Either way, this makes things complicated."

He let out a slow sigh. "Looks like I'll need to start gathering allies after all."

***

Inside an abandoned underground casino, ShadowDancer twirled a dagger between her fingers, smirking as she read the system message.

She flicked the blade at a target across the room, striking it dead center. 

Her violet eyes gleamed with amusement. "Well, aren't you ambitious?"

Leaning back on the table, she chuckled. "This just got a lot more entertaining."

***

Perched on a rusted water tower, WraithHunter reloaded his sniper rifle, his sharp eyes locked on the glowing system message.

The first guild meant organized power. It also meant a bigger, more predictable target.

"He's gathering strength way too fast." A smirk formed on his lips. "But that just makes the hunt more fun."

He adjusted his scope. "Let's see how long you last, Stormbringer."

***

IronFist cracked his knuckles, standing amidst the ruins of a gym, his latest opponent groaning at his feet. He barely glanced at the system message before snorting.

He let out a short laugh, rolling his shoulders. "First in the rankings, first guild… what's next? First to challenge me?"

He clenched his fists, the reinforced steel on his gloves glinting. "Doesn't matter. I'll crush anyone in my way."

***

EmberFox leaned against a broken-down sports car, flipping a lighter open and closed. The flames reflected in her mischievous eyes as she scanned the notification.

She chuckled, tossing the lighter onto the hood. "Man, this guy is just speedrunning the apocalypse, huh?"

She stretched lazily. "First guilds always attract attention. That means drama." Her grin widened. "And I do love a good show."

***

Standing amidst a battlefield of impaled zombies, DoomLancer read the system message with a blank expression.

No emotion. No surprise. Just quiet acknowledgment.

He tapped his lance against the ground, the blood dripping from its tip forming a small pool.

"War is coming."

With a final glance at the darkening sky, he turned and walked away, his next target already in mind.