Evolution Online: My 10,000× Reward System Multiplies Everything

"Are you sure about that?" Kaelen asked.

He clearly heard the gossip of the players around him, and though he hadn’t caught up on the latest news, he was quick to catch on.

"Yes, of course," Cindra said as she waved him in, not minding the other players.

Kaelen didn’t refute it and climbed onto the wagon, taking a seat beside Cindra and opposite a hooded figure he immediately recognized.

"What are they talking about?" he asked Cindra out of curiosity.

"Oh, everyone thinks you’re Black Rose’s secret side piece now, after you swooped in and saved her like a knight in shining armor saving a damsel in distress," Cindra said amusedly, with a mischievous smile as she exchanged glances between the two.

Kaelen nodded once and looked at Black Rose to see her reaction to the rumor, but her expression was obscured by the shadow of her hood, and she hadn’t said a single word since.

"I actually think you two would look good together," Cindra suddenly said as she tugged Kaelen’s arm with a teasing smile. "Don’t you think so?"

"Cindra, this is not the time for this," Black Rose said immediately.

"I mean, she’s pretty. But I’m not into nonchalant women," Kaelen replied plainly.

"Right~?" Cindra said in concurrence. "I’ve told her several times that her poker face chases away many potential suitors."

"Cindra," Black Rose called out in an icy tone.

"The two of you would’ve been a perfect match. It’s just sad," Cindra said and made a pouting face like she hadn’t heard Black Rose.

Seeing this interaction, Kaelen came to understand how the two polar-opposite women came to be best friends. Every other person would be frightened of Black Rose, but not Cindra. She simply didn’t care, and Kaelen had experienced that firsthand.

"By the way, what is it you said you came to do in the city?" Cindra asked.

"I came to apply for guild membership."

"Really? What guild are you applying for?"

"I was thinking the White Vanguard Guild, since they’re currently at the top of the chart, even after your guild leader was exposed. That says a lot about the guild’s foundation, I guess," Kaelen said bluntly.

He couldn’t see Black Rose’s reaction, but he could tell her lips were twitching beneath that hood.

"Oh wow. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could’ve assisted you through the process."

"Cindra, giving special treatment to prospective members is against our policy," Black Rose spoke up immediately. "I hope you haven’t been doing that."

"Of course not..." Cindra said with an awkward laugh and waved her hand dismissively. "Except if the player is an outstanding candidate, of course," she said and turned to Kaelen. "What’s your Tier? And are you a Talent user?" she asked.

Kaelen didn’t reply immediately. He thought he’d prepared enough, but facing the questions directly from a guild superior made him hesitate.

He hadn’t selected a specific "Talent" from his list of copied skills to lock in on. Also...

"What’s the average Tier of an ’outstanding’ candidate?" he asked sharply.

Cindra looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Tier 5," Black Rose suddenly spoke up. "You can only be considered an outstanding candidate if you’re at least a Tier 5."

"Huh? That’s not..." Cindra trailed off as soon as Black Rose shot her a glare.

"If you have anything lower than that, you’ll have to go through the same process and training as every other candidate before—"

"That’s perfect. I’m a Tier 5," Kaelen said as his lips tugged up in a smile.

The women were taken aback by his reply.

"Tier 5?" they asked simultaneously.

"How did you get to Tier 5 alone?" Black Rose quickly asked.

"I was in a mercenary corps."

"What’s its name?"

"We disbanded a while ago," Kaelen replied smoothly. "Which is why I want to join a guild now."

"..."

"Hopefully you guys don’t disband too," he added.

"Don’t worry. You came to the right place. Right, Rose?" Cindra said as she patted his shoulder with a proud smile.

"What’s your Talent?" Black Rose asked instead, her gaze locked onto Kaelen like a hawk.

Kaelen simply turned to Cindra. "What’s the average Talent grade for an outstanding candidate?"

"Cindra, don’t—"

"I think that should be B-rank... huh?"

"That’s perfect. I’m an A-rank awakener."

"..."

"You seem very confident in yourself."

"What can I say? I make a name for myself everywhere I go."

"We’ll see about that."

"Both of you, hold on for a second," Cindra quickly interrupted. "Rose, why do you care so much about what Tier or Talent Idris has?"

"A good leader is supposed to know the strength of her team."

"I know. But it’s not like you’re the one recruiting new candidates. It’s almost like..." Cindra said softly, like she was genuinely concerned about her friend’s reaction.

Black Rose didn’t interrupt her and seemed calm, until she heard the next word that came out of her lips.

"It’s almost like you’re trying to get back at Idris for rejecting you."

"W-What?" Black Rose threw her hood back as she scoffed in cold disbelief. "What nonsense are you spouting?" She stared daggers at her friend.

Kaelen, on the other hand, paused when the young guild leader threw her hood back. Not because of her looks, but because this was the first time he was actually taking a moment to see what she actually looked like in-game, and her race was unlike anything he’d seen before.

At first glance, she looked human, just like him. But on closer inspection, Kaelen noticed the intricate runic symbols running from her neck down. They were bluish in color and glowed lightly, almost invisible if you didn’t look closely enough.

Kaelen didn’t know why they had caught his attention, but for some reason, every time the runic symbols pulsed slightly, he could feel something buried inside him resonate with them, the beat getting louder each time, that Kaelen barely realized he was entering a trance when the connection was abruptly disrupted as Black Rose crossed her arms across her chest and stared intently at him.

"W-What are you looking at?"

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