Explorers' Guild - prologue part 1

March 23, 3022, 16:00

Silo Station

At an advanced, high-tech train station that seamlessly integrates futuristic design with smart systems to provide a smooth and secure travel experience. The station features an innovative architectural structure made of sustainable materials, with transparent glass ceilings allowing natural light to enter, reducing energy consumption.

Upon entering, travelers encounter smart gates equipped with facial recognition and electronic ticketing technology, speeding up entry and exit processes. The station also features augmented reality digital screens that provide real-time information about trips.

The trains operate on Claudio energy, like all machines across the Royal Empire, making them both fast and environmentally friendly. The platforms are equipped with smart security systems, such as automatic glass doors that only open when the train arrives, ensuring passenger safety.

The station also includes comfortable waiting areas with smart seating, as well as designated spaces for rest and work.

In terms of security, the station is equipped with AI-powered surveillance cameras and a central control system that monitors passenger movement and quickly detects any emergencies. Predictive platforms use big data to analyze passenger flow and anticipate peak hours, helping regulate traffic and reduce congestion.

With these advanced technologies, the station ensures a fast, safe, and sustainable travel experience, reflecting the future of smart transportation—this is the power of progress brought by GR Technologies.

---

At one of the platforms, a man who appeared to be in his twenties sat among the waiting passengers. He had black eyes, white hair, and wore a golden-yellow ring shaped like an arrow. He waited quietly for the train to arrive.

Once the train arrived, a few people disembarked before the man and those around him boarded. The train's doors then closed automatically.

The man sat on one of the empty smart seats, where no one else was present, and gazed indifferently at the sky through the window.

After a few moments, another person sat beside the white-haired man. He paid no attention to him—until he heard the person say a particular sentence.

"...Are you a member of the Explorers' Guild?" asked Odd Verity, his eyes showing slight nervousness.

"...Are you looking to join... or do you seek something else?"

The man turned to Odd with cold eyes, sending a chill down Odd's spine for a moment. However, he quickly tried to regain his composure.

"I want to join the Explorers' Guild," Odd said quickly.

Two days earlier…

Odd had been struggling to find a way to locate the Explorers' Guild when an idea struck him.

If what he needed was to find them, he could simply wish for it.

At first, he wished to find a guild member, but all he got in return was a painful cough of blood—making him realize that this was beyond his capabilities.

There are two types of information: public knowledge and classified information.

At the moment, Odd could only wish for public knowledge—and barely at that. The information had to be something so well-known that even six-year-old children might be aware of it. As for classified information, it was completely impossible for him right now.

So instead, he wished for a hint that could lead him to them.

Although he felt slightly dizzy, he managed to grasp a simple yet utterly cryptic piece of information—two letters and two numbers: "SWS16"—that imprinted themselves in his mind for a brief moment.

At first, he didn't understand what they meant, but he assumed they might be an abbreviation for something. After some thought, he considered that it could be the name of a specific location. Searching the Synchro Network for all public places in Silo, he found one particular match:

Silo Waiting Station.

Then, he started searching for the meaning of 16, and the only logical conclusion he could reach was that it referred to a specific time. If that was the case, then he needed to be at the station at 16:00 to find a guild member.

He arrived at the station an hour early, searching for any signs that might indicate the presence of an Explorers' Guild member. However, he found nothing—until the clock struck 16:00. That's when he spotted a person sitting in the waiting area, wearing a ring with a golden arrow emblem.

"You must have noticed the ring, right?" The white-haired man spoke with a faint smile. The golden arrow was the official symbol of the Explorers' Guild.

Realizing this, Odd quickly boarded the train with the white-haired man, hoping that he was indeed the person he was looking for.

"Yeah," Odd responded in relief. There was no way an Explorers' Guild member would allow others to see his ring unless he intended for potential recruits to notice it.

"...A small question—what would you have done if I had a different motive besides joining?" Odd asked, sweat forming on his forehead.

"I would've killed you, of course," the white-haired man chuckled lightly. Odd swallowed hard.

He had heard before about how dangerous the senior members of the Explorers' Guild could be. Unlike the subordinates of the Nine Emperors, they had far more freedom—and were extremely powerful.

The white-haired man stopped laughing and spoke again. "Give me your Synchro Network, and I'll tell you where to take the test."

"..."

"What? Are you afraid I'll steal your data or something?" The man laughed. "Relax, I'm not that interested in you. Besides, I could find out your identity and track you down even without your Synchro Network."

Odd instinctively took a step back but quickly calmed himself down. He then pulled out his Synchro Network device and handed it to the man.

The white-haired man pressed something on the device, then returned it to Odd.

"In one week, go to the location I marked for you. You can bring anything you want. The competitors will range from ordinary people to Beginner-Level warriors. There, the test will begin with multiple participants." The white-haired man then narrowed his eyes at Odd.

"But before you go, let me give you some advice—there's a real chance you could die during this test. And an ordinary guy like you won't stand a chance against the Beginners."

"So he already figured out my level... That's not surprising," Odd thought. "I've heard that stronger Synchro warriors can instantly gauge someone's level just by looking at the amount of Synchro energy in their body."

Odd had rushed into this without a second thought. Now, he realized that the test might be far more dangerous than he expected.

"Either way, the choice is yours," the white-haired man said as the train stopped. The doors opened at the current station, and people began stepping out—including the man.

Odd remained seated, thinking deeply about what he had just heard.