"You guys want to join the same guild as me?"
Lucas blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Danny Quinn, Chris Morgan, and Zhao to be so upfront. They had joked and followed his lead many times before, but this... this felt serious.
He scratched his head, thinking deeply. "But I'm already at Level 25. My leveling speed is a lot faster than most people. If we join the same guild and try to form a team, it might not work out. The level gap will make it hard for you to gain experience when we team up."
He looked at them seriously. "Honestly, I'll probably just keep leveling solo."
Lucas wasn't being arrogant. His progress was just way ahead of others. His gear, reflexes, and experience gain were unmatched. It was unlikely anyone else could catch up.
Danny Quinn smiled, glancing over at Chris and Zhao. "We figured that much, Boss. Don't worry—we don't expect to team up for dungeons or leech your XP."
Chris nodded. "We just want to be in the same guild as you. That way, even if we don't always fight together, we'll still be connected. And... when the time comes, we hope you can look out for us a little."
"Yeah," Zhao added softly. "It's not about slowing you down. We just trust you."
Lucas was taken aback. He hadn't thought about it from that angle. These guys weren't trying to drag him down—they just wanted to walk a similar path.
"Boss Lucas, we've made up our minds," Chris said, his loud voice echoing across the dorm. "We're following you!"
Zhao stepped forward, his usually timid eyes shining with conviction. "You won't turn us away... will you?"
Lucas sighed, feeling both flattered and a little overwhelmed. "No, of course not. I'd never do that."
He looked at all three of them, who were now standing side-by-side, like soldiers awaiting their captain's orders.
"It's just... this makes me feel a bit of pressure. What if I make a bad decision? What if I pick the wrong guild and it ends up holding you guys back?"
Before he could say more, the three of them shouted in unison:
"We trust you, Boss Lucas!"
Their voices were so in sync, it was like they had rehearsed it.
Lucas froze for a moment. Then he smiled. Their belief in him was absolute. After spending over a month as roommates—fighting together, eating together, surviving together—they had built a bond that ran deeper than just classmates.
"All right," Lucas finally said, nodding solemnly. "If you trust me that much, then I won't let you down."
"YES! Let's go!" Danny shouted, pumping his fist.
Chris and Zhao grinned wide, the room now buzzing with celebration. They were one step closer to building a team they could count on—not just for battle, but for life.
"Come on, we've got to celebrate this properly," Danny said, slapping Lucas on the back. "Tonight, dinner's on me. We're going to the best restaurant in the entire city!"
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute. You're not the only one who wants to treat Boss Lucas! I've been saving up, and I've got enough for a few drinks too!"
Zhao spoke up, not wanting to be left behind. "I've got some money too! I got 60,000 yuan from ranking ninth in the Freshman Tournament!"
Danny gave them both a look and huffed. "Please. You think that's enough? Sit down, rookies. Let the rich man handle it."
Chris crossed his arms. "Rich or not, I'm paying something tonight!"
"Me too," Zhao added, puffing up his chest.
Lucas burst out laughing. "Guys, calm down. How about this? Let me treat you all instead. You helped me in the Secret Realm battle—I owe you."
But the three of them responded immediately: "NO!"
Lucas froze. "What the heck? I'm the boss here, right? Don't I get a say?"
Without warning, the three of them grabbed him and dragged him out of the dorm.
"Let's go eat!" Danny shouted.
"No backing out now!" Chris added.
Lucas could only sigh in defeat. He had just been kidnapped by his own teammates.
They made their way to a luxurious five-star restaurant in the heart of Kyoto's main city. The atmosphere was warm, elegant, and filled with the delicious aroma of gourmet dishes. It was the kind of place Lucas never imagined himself entering so casually.
And then... the feast began.
Steaming platters of food arrived nonstop. Rare meats, magical delicacies, glowing drinks—everything was top-tier. Not only was the food delicious, but it also granted temporary status boosts. That meant a professional S-rank chef had prepared it!
Lucas could feel the power flowing through his body as he devoured dish after dish: attack strength increased, defense improved, stamina and mana regenerated faster, and even cooldown times were reduced.
It was the kind of meal warriors ate before a final boss battle.
But Lucas wasn't battling anything tonight.
He looked at the glowing buff timer on his screen and sighed. "What a waste. I'm stuffed with buffs and nowhere to use them. At least throw a boss at me!"
Still, the flavor alone made the trip worth it. Everything he had heard about this place was true. It was the best meal he'd ever had.
…
The next morning came quickly.
Lucas had barely stepped out of bed when his phone rang. He yawned and glanced at the caller ID. His eyebrows lifted—it was Jade Walker.
She had given him her number a few days ago when she invited him to consider joining her guild, but Lucas didn't expect her to call so soon. Based on her cool and confident personality, he figured she'd wait patiently for his response.
So why was she calling now?
Had she somehow found out that Lucas had met with Logan Barrett from the Shengshi Guild?
Was she worried that she might lose him?
"Hello?" Lucas answered, still half-asleep. "This is Lucas. Who's calling?"
A familiar voice responded. "Hi, Mr. Lucas. It's Jade Walker. Sorry if I'm disturbing you this early."
Lucas straightened up. "Not at all. What's up?"
"I was hoping we could meet," she said. "I'd like to talk to you—face-to-face."
Lucas rubbed his eyes. "Sure. I've got time today. Pick a place."
There was a pause on the other end. Then Jade said, "How about that teahouse near the south gate? I'll send you the location."
Lucas smiled. "Tea, huh? Not a fan of coffee?"
He didn't get a direct answer, but he remembered how awkward their last meeting at a coffee shop had been. Clearly, Jade preferred something more traditional.
"No problem," he said. "See you there."
As he ended the call, Danny, Chris, and Zhao peeked out from their room.
"Boss?" Danny asked, curiosity plain on his face. "Who was that?"
Lucas shrugged. "It's Jade Walker—the guild leader from one of the two groups I'm still considering. Seems like she couldn't wait any longer."
"Oooooh!" the three of them cheered.
Lucas chuckled. "I'm going to meet her now, but I'll ask if her guild still has spots open. If she says yes..."
"Then long live Boss Lucas!" Danny cheered, throwing both arms into the air.
Chris clapped excitedly. Zhao nodded with a big smile.
This was the beginning of something big.
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