The guild hall was still celebrating yesterday's victory over Iron Legion when the tournament organizers dropped the next bomb.
**[Continental Championship - Round 2 Schedule]**
The holographic display materialized in the center of our hall, showing a complex bracket system. But unlike typical tournaments, this wasn't about who beat who—it was about *matchmaking*.
"Alright everyone, listen up!" I called out, and the celebration noise died down. "Tournament's doing style-based matchmaking for Round 2. They want competitive fights, not stomps."
IronFist scratched his head. "What's that mean?"
BlackViper pulled up the explanation. "Means they analyze fighting styles, guild compositions, win conditions. Then they match guilds that would make interesting fights. A heavy tank guild doesn't fight another tank guild—that'd be boring. They fight a mobility guild instead."
"So it's not just about rankings?" CrimsonWitch asked.
"Rankings matter for seeding," I explained, "but style matchups matter more. Makes for better viewer experience."
**[Round 2 - Day 1 Matches]**
**Match 1: Celestial Dominion (#2) vs. Abyssal Reapers (#19)**
**Location: Void Server-33**
**Style Notes: Precision Coordination vs. Chaos Swarm**
**Match 2: Dragon's Maw (#5) vs. Northern Berserkers (#23)**
**Location: Volcanic Server-89**
**Style Notes: Tactical Dragons vs. Rage Warriors**
**Match 3: Oceanic Titans (#8) vs. Storm Chasers (#26)**
**Location: Atlantis Server-7**
**Style Notes: Water Pressure vs. Lightning Speed**
**[Round 2 - Day 2 Matches]**
**Match 4: Phantom Raiders (#3) vs. Iron Citadel (#14)**
**Location: Cyberpunk Server-45**
**Style Notes: Guerrilla Tactics vs. Fortress Defense**
SilentStorm studied the bracket. "Day 2. Cyberpunk server. Against a defensive guild."
"Perfect," I grinned. "They'll try to turtle, we'll dance circles around them."
"But first," CrimsonWitch pointed at the Day 1 schedule, "we get to watch some god-tier matches. Celestial Dominion is fighting tomorrow."
The guild erupted in excited chatter. Watching Top 2 fight was like watching legends in action.
"How many of us are going?" IronFist asked.
I looked around. "Anyone who wants to go, can go. But remember—portal fees to Void Server are expensive. Fifty thousand credits one way."
About twenty hands went up, including all of us core members.
"Alright, twenty it is. We leave tomorrow morning, 8 AM server time."
---
That evening, I was in my private quarters—a small room off the main guild hall that I'd customized over two years. Weapon racks on the walls displaying my legendary drops. A desk covered in strategy notes. A bed I never actually used because, you know, *virtual*.
I was reviewing footage of our Iron Legion match, analyzing what went right and what could've gone wrong.
A knock on my door—well, the virtual equivalent.
"Come in."
BlackViper entered, closing the door behind him. His expression was serious.
"We need to talk," he said.
I paused the replay. "What's up?"
He sat down across from me. "How long have we been doing this together?"
"Two years. Since the beginning."
"Yeah." He leaned back. "Two years of grinding, dying, learning. We built this guild from nothing. Just you, me, and a dream of making Top 100."
"And we did it," I said, not sure where this was going.
"We did." He was quiet for a moment. "Phantom, you ever think about what happens when we can't climb anymore?"
This was the second time someone had asked me that. First CrimsonWitch, now Viper.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"Because we're moving fast. Really fast. Top 100 in two years is insane. But the higher we climb, the harder it gets. And I'm starting to wonder if we're ready for what comes next."
I studied his face—or rather, his avatar's face. In Nexus, you could read expressions almost like real life. Right now, Viper looked... worried.
"You think we're gonna fail?" I asked carefully.
"I think we're talented," he said. "But talent only takes you so far. The guilds above us? They've got resources we don't. Admin sponsors, legendary equipment, years of coordination training. We're scrappy underdogs, and that's great for inspiration, but at some point, scrappy isn't enough."
"So what are you saying?"
He met my eyes. "I'm saying maybe we need to start thinking bigger. Admin sponsors. Better equipment. More structured training. We can't just keep winging it and hoping skill carries us."
I understood what he meant. We'd gotten this far on pure talent and improvisation. But Top 10? Top 5? Those guilds were *machines*. Professional in every sense.
"You want to take sponsor offers?" I asked.
"I want us to consider them. We've had three offers this month alone. All from high-tier admins who see potential in us."
I'd ignored those messages. Sponsors meant obligations, contracts, performing for someone else's benefit. I'd gotten to Top 100 on my own terms.
But was that pride, or stupidity?
"Let me think about it," I said finally.
"That's all I'm asking." He stood to leave, then paused at the door. "Tomorrow, when we watch Celestial Dominion fight? Pay attention to how they operate. That's what a fully sponsored, fully optimized guild looks like. That's what we're competing against."
After he left, I sat alone in the quiet.
My comm buzzed.
**[From: CelestialFlame]**
**"Hey Phantom, you watching tomorrow's match?"**
I smiled despite myself.
**[To: CelestialFlame]**
**"Wouldn't miss it. Got twenty guild members coming to watch you destroy people."**
**[From: CelestialFlame]**
**"No pressure then. 😅 Abyssal Reapers are tough though. Chaos comp, hard to predict."**
**[To: CelestialFlame]**
**"You're Top 2. You'll figure it out."**
**[From: CelestialFlame]**
**"Top 2 because I don't underestimate anyone. That's the difference between good and great."**
She had a point.
**[To: CelestialFlame]**
**"Noted. Any other wisdom for a scrappy Top 47 trying to climb?"**
**[From: CelestialFlame]**
**"Yeah. Don't try to be me. Be the best version of you. That's what got you to Top 100 in two years—you fight differently than everyone else. Don't lose that trying to copy what works for others."**
I stared at that message for a long time.
**[To: CelestialFlame]**
**"Thanks. That actually helps."**
**[From: CelestialFlame]**
**"Anytime. See you tomorrow! 👋"**
I logged out for the night, my mind spinning with thoughts about sponsors, strategies, and what it actually meant to climb higher.
---
**[Day 1 - Match Day]**
The portal chamber was packed. Not just our twenty—hundreds of players from various guilds, all heading to Void Server-33 to watch the spectacle.
"Fifty thousand credits for portal transit," the NPC attendant announced cheerfully.
IronFist winced as he paid. "This better be worth it."
"It will be," DarkEdge assured him. "Celestial Dominion doesn't disappoint."
We stepped through together.
The transition was always disorienting—reality folding, colors bleeding together, that brief moment of weightlessness. Then solid ground again.
**[Welcome to Server: Void-33]**
**[Current Population: 4.1 Million Players]**
**[Server Type: Cosmic Void]**
**[Warning: No Natural Gravity - Activate Flight Skills]**
The server was *insane*.
We materialized on a floating platform—one of thousands scattered across an endless void filled with stars, nebulas, and cosmic phenomena. No ground, no sky, just infinite space in all directions.
"HOLY SHIT WE'RE IN SPACE!" IronFist yelled, immediately activating his flight skill to stop himself from drifting.
The arena itself was a marvel—a massive circular platform constructed from some kind of crystalline material that reflected the surrounding cosmos. No walls, no ceiling. Just the void.
"How do they even build these things?" CrimsonWitch wondered aloud.
"Server admins," BlackViper answered. "They have tools we can't even imagine."
We weren't alone. The spectator area was packed with players from across Nexus—I recognized emblems from at least thirty different guilds. Everyone wanted to see this match.
"Tickets are five thousand credits," another NPC announced.
"FIVE THOUSAND?!" one of our members protested.
"High demand, high prices," the NPC replied without sympathy.
We paid and found seats—or rather, floating positions—with a clear view of the arena floor.
Giant holographic displays showed both teams in their preparation rooms.
**[Celestial Dominion]** - 75 players, average level 93, every single one Top 250 or better. Their gear glowed with high-tier enchantments. Formation was precise, almost military-like. And at the center, standing calm and focused: **CelestialFlame**.
Her avatar was stunning in a non-romantic way—purely in terms of game design. White and gold robes that seemed to generate their own light. A staff that looked like crystallized starlight. An aura that made her stand out even among other Top players.
"That's her?" one of our guild members whispered, awed.
"That's her," I confirmed, trying to keep my voice neutral.
**[Abyssal Reapers]** - 130 players, average level 88. Their composition was chaotic—no clear formation, random mix of classes and builds. Their leader, **VoidLord**, wore dark armor that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
"They've got numbers," DarkEdge observed. "Almost double Celestial's count."
"Quality over quantity," I replied. "Watch."
The countdown began.
**[60 seconds to match start]**
The crowd's energy was electric. Players were shouting, placing bets, streaming to millions of viewers.
"Twenty thousand credits on Celestial Dominion!" someone yelled.
"Thirty thousand on Abyssal Reapers! Chaos comp is unpredictable!"
The arena floor transformed—obstacles materialized out of nowhere. Asteroid fragments, energy barriers, gravitational anomalies that would pull players off course.
**[30 seconds]**
Both teams took their positions. Celestial Dominion moved with practiced efficiency—every player knew exactly where to stand. Abyssal Reapers spread out randomly, no clear pattern.
**[15 seconds]**
I noticed CelestialFlame wasn't giving orders yet. She was *watching*. Studying Abyssal Reapers' positioning, looking for patterns in their chaos.
**[10 seconds]**
"She's analyzing them," SilentStorm said quietly beside me.
He was right. Even before the match started, she was three steps ahead.
**[5... 4... 3... 2... 1...]**
**[FIGHT!]**