A cathedral of modern power, a sprawling architectural marvel of obsidian glass and white marble that served as the heartbeat of the world's player-based economy.
That was what the Walker's Organization was like.
It was filled with flashing lights, hovering drones, and a crowd so dense it felt like a single, breathing organism.
Kang Min stepped out of the White Stars transport van.
He adjusted his gloves and firmly lowered the baseball cap he was wearing.
Beside him, Kim Yechan was practically vibrating with nerves.
'Why is he sweating so much?'
Kang Min wondered.
Park Woonhee moved with a stiff, professional gait, her eyes darting between the security checkpoints.
"Stay close..."
Woonhee whispered.
"The lobby is a neutral zone, but 'neutral' just means the guilds won't kill each other in front of the cameras.
It doesn't necessarily mean they won't try to trample you."
As they moved through the specialized Logistics Gate, the sheer scale of the expedition became apparent.
This wasn't just a Korean affair anymore.
The lobby was vast, a circular atrium with high-vaulted ceilings where holographic banners of the participating guilds flickered.
'I just noticed this is a different section than when I was here to get a player's id.'
To the left stood the Iron Aegis contingent.
Their rankers were clad in grey suits.
Standing at their head was a man whose presence felt like a mountain.
「Guild Master Iron-Wall 」
A man whose defense was so legendary it was rumored he could survive a direct hit from a tactical nuke.
To the right was the Blue Dragon members.
'They look so professional...how did their last expedition go wrong?'
Their Guild Master, a woman with a serpent-like elegance, was currently engaged in a heated whispered conversation with a European diplomat.
"Look at them..."
Yechan muttered, his voice trembling.
"That's the 'Silver Chevalier' from the EU coalition.
And those guys in the heavy furs are the Siberian Fist guild from Russia."
Min's eyes scanned the room, filtering through the noise and the blinding flashbulbs of reporters.
His gaze stopped on a figure sitting alone on a velvet bench near the central fountain.
She was decked in all black.
A katana, its hilt wrapped in dark silk, rested against her shoulder.
Her hair was jet black, but two sharp strands at the front were dyed a striking, platinum blonde.
Her attention wasn't on the cameras or the many people around her but at a small, holographic map, her expression one of utter boredom.
As if sensing a gaze her eyes flicked up.
For a split second, Kang Min's eyes met hers.
They both looked at each neither willing to look away.
Woonhee stepped into Kang Min's line of sight, her hand gripping his sleeve.
"Don't!
"You really should stop staring down at people...don't look at her."
"Who is she?"
Min asked, his voice low.
"Nobody knows her name for sure..."
Woonhee whispered, leading him toward the elevator.
"She's an independent Korean ranker.
She's only here because the coalition paid a king's ransom for her blade.
They say she doesn't use a Constellation's blessing and just cuts through everything."
They moved past another group, and this time, the mana density was even higher.
Standing in the center of a group of Russian giants was a woman.
She had vibrant orange hair...a deep, fiery ginger that fell in waves over a long, pristine white trench coat.
Underneath, she wore a white shirt and white pants.
A monochromatic outfit that should have looked ridiculous in a combat zone but instead made her look like royalty.
Her hands were encased in sharp, black leather gloves as she spoke in rapid-fire to a high-ranking government official.
"That..."
Woonhee said, her voice filled with a mix of awe and trepidation.
"...is Aleksandra Sasha Kim.
She's the 4th-ranked player in Russia, but she's actually half-Korean.
She moved to St. Petersburg the moment she awakened because she hated the Korean guild system."
'Then why would she return to help...doesn't that contradict her character?'
"Her Constellation..."
"...is [The Sovereign of the Grand Embassy].
Based on the historical legend of Peter the Great.
He's a 'Great Fable' grade Being."
Sasha Kim laughed at something the official said, but the sound was sharp, like ice cracking.
She turned her head, her green eyes scanning the lobby.
"The meeting is starting."
"The Great Hall is open."
「Great Hall of Oratory」
The porters were funneled into the upper balconies, while the rankers and officials descended into a circular pit that resembled an ancient Greek parliament.
The seats descended in tiers, placing the Guild Masters and the foreign delegates at the very center, under a massive crystal chandelier that served as a mana-broadcasting array.
Reporters lined the perimeter, their drones hovering like a cloud of mechanical gnats.
The air was thick with the scent of ozone and expensive cologne.
Kang Min sat in the dark upper tier, his porter pack between his feet.
From here, the players looked like chess pieces.
He watched as the Guild Masters took their seats, the tension between Iron Aegis and White Stars so thick it was a wonder the floor didn't crack.
'Damn Singularity...what did you do.'
Kang Min said smiling.
---
[ONLINE COMMUNITY: REDZONE – "EXPEDITION HUB"]
THREAD: [MEGATHREAD] THE 11TH FLOOR COALITION MEETING – LIVE UPDATES & SALT
[OP: TowerNews_Official]
The meeting has officially commenced at the Walker's Org. The Big Three of Korea (White Stars, Iron Aegis, Blue Dragon) have been joined by the EU 'Silver Chevalier' and Russia's 'Siberian Fist.'
Confirmed: 33 Rankers (11 from each major faction) and 9 Porters (3 from each).
Start Date: 3 Days from now.
[User: BuffTheTanks]
11 rankers from each? That's overkill for a Floor 11. Is Korea really this weak now? Blue Dragon wiped on their solo attempt and now we're calling in the cavalry? Embarrassing.
[User: KimchiWarrior88]
@BuffTheTanks You clearly haven't seen the mana-readings from the Ruins. It's a spatial distortion. It's like a Floor 40 difficulty spike. If we don't clear it, the mana-leak will collapse Seoul.
[User: USA_First_Climber]
Lmao, look at these 'Top Rankers.' Sasha Kim had to come back to save her home country? Typical. If this was US-West, we'd have cleared this with 5 guys and a crate of beer. Why is the 'Iron Tsar's' brat even there?
[User: VodkaViking]
@USA_First_Climber Careful, Yankee. Sasha Kim has a higher 'Narrative Kill' count than your top 10 combined. She's there because the Korean guilds are too busy fighting over stream-revenue to actually build a balanced team.
[User: 3lixir_Stark]
Did anyone see the girl in black with the katana? The one with the blonde streaks? She's not on the official roster. She's listed as 'Contracted Variable X.' Chills, bro. Literally chills.
---
[3LIXIR: TRENDING #FLOOR11COALITION]
@Hunter_Stan (5.2M Followers):
GUYS. Sasha Kim is wearing the Winter Palace Trench Coat. That's a Grade-S Artifact. She isn't here to 'help.' She's here to colonize the ruins. Most of the Korean rankers look like children standing next to her.
#SashaKim #WhiteStars #Floor11
@DailyTowerBites:
BREAKING: Guild Master Iron-Wall just proposed a 'Frontline Buffer' strategy. Blue Dragon's Master laughed in his face. The meeting is turning into a shouting match about who gets the 'Final Blow' narrative. The Constellations must be loving this drama. #GuildWars #TowerDrama
@Pro_Analyst_SU:
The formation is set.
Vanguard: Iron Aegis (6) + Siberian Fist (5).
DPS: Blue Dragon (8) + Sasha Kim & Variable X.
Support/Logic: White Stars (11).
Logistics: 9 Porters.
This is the most top-heavy team in history. If the Porters trip, the whole thing collapses.
[BNET: GLOBAL PLAYER FORUM – INTERNATIONAL SECTION]
[Thread: Why is the Floor 11 Ruins attracting Global Rankers?]
[User: Euro_Snob]
It's simple. The Ruins are a 'Remnant of the Old World.' The fables buried there are worth more than the floor clear itself. My take is that the Russian and European guilds are here to scavenge the Lost Fables. If Korea can't handle their own trash, don't complain when the neighbors take the gold.
[User: Seoul_Survivor]
@Euro_Snob Screw you. We lost 400 players in the first breach. It's easy to talk trash from the 20th floor in Paris. We need the clear. If Sasha Kim wants the fables, let her have them, as long as the Gate closes.
[User: Freedom_Fighter_USA]
I still don't get the 9 porters thing. Why not just use high-capacity inventory rings?
> Reply [User: Tech_Nerd]: Because the Ruins have a 'Weight-Limit' ...Spatial storage is suppressed by 90%. You need physical bodies to carry the mana-stabilizers and the anchor-stones. Porters are literally the most important part of this run, and yet everyone is talking about Sasha's coat.
---
[CHIRP: HOT TAKE BY @G-DRAGONFLY]
@G-Dragonfly:
I've been watching the livestream of the meeting. The tension is palpable. Kim Jin who is ranked 10 in Korea hasn't said a single word. He's just staring at Sasha Kim like he wants to duel her right there in the hall.
The 3-day countdown starts now. If you're a player in Seoul, I'd suggest buying some insurance.
This is either going to be the greatest clear in history or the biggest disaster .
---
[ARTICLE: THE SEOUL TIMES – PLAYER DIVISION]
"THE PRICE OF INCOMPETENCE: WHY THE BIG THREE ARE SHARING THE STAGE"
By Reporter Choi Ji-hoon
The Great Hall of the Walker's Organization was a sea of ego yesterday. As the Guild Masters of the Big Three sat across from foreign powerhouses, the message was clear: Korea's dominance over its own lower floors is over. The "Ruins" represent a new type of threat...one that doesn't care about your stream ratings or your sponsorship deals.
Sasha Kim's arrival marks a shift in the "Constellation Stream." Historically, the Russian circuit has been more brutal, less focused on "The Show" and more on "The Conquest." When she spoke at the podium, she didn't address the Korean people. She addressed the Constellations, promising them a "feast of fire and ash."
The formation of a 33-ranker strike force is a logistical nightmare. While the public swoons over the celebrity rankers, experts are worried. Nine porters, divided by three guilds that hate each other, carrying the very lifeblood of the expedition.
The meeting ended with a chilling statement from the 'Variable X' hunter. When asked for her input, she simply stood up, tapped her katana, and said: "Don't get in my way."
Three days. That is all the time we have left before the Gate is forced open.
---
[BNET: COMMENT SECTION – TOP LIKED]
[User: Tower_Addict_99]
I'm calling it now: White Stars will try to sabotage the Blue Dragons. The rivalry is too deep.
> Reply [User: Shield_Bro]: Whit Stars is too professional for that. It's Iron Aegus I'm worried about. They're all about the 'Dramatic Twist.'
[User: Fangirl_Sasha_Simp]
SASHA STEP ON ME! HER GLOVES. HER EYES. I'VE ALREADY DONATED 10,000 COINS TO HER PRE-STREAM. RUSSIA WINS.
[User: Realist_Climber]
Everyone is talking about the rankers. Has anyone looked at the 'Anchor Point' locations? They're deep in the 'Dead Zone' of the ruins. The rankers will be busy fighting. Who is going to protect the logistics team? Those porters are basically walking sacrifices. I hope they got paid upfront.
[User: Anti_Guild_Alliance]
The Big Three are a joke. Look at them bowing to the foreign rankers. We need a new hero. Someone who doesn't care about the Big Three or the Russian Tzarina.
> Reply [User: Bot_Account_04]: Like who? Nobody is strong enough to solo Floor 11 ruins. Not even Kim Jin. Keep dreaming.
---
[REDZONE: POLL – WHO WILL GET THE FINAL BLOW?]
* Kim Jin (White Stars): 18%
* Sasha Kim (Siberian Fist): 42%
* Iron-Wall (Iron Aegis): 5%
* Other: 35%