Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player

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After confirming that there was still some time before he needed to log off, Kieran entered the Adventurers' Guild. Upon entering, Kieran was immediately struck with a wave of nostalgia. Not only were there players present inside who tried to complete their registration as an official adventurer, but there were also NPCs lounging around the ample sitting booths and benches.

Some laughed and drank amongst their comrades while others stood at receptionist desks, preparing to accept new assignments. After all, the Adventurers' Guild not only paid a salary to their hired adventurers, but they also paid and increased adventurer ranks based on commission.

Thus, the fastest way for an NPC Adventurer to climb through the ranks in the guild was to complete commissions. Of course, some people were satisfied with their current position and only accepted enough missions to maintain their current grades.

If they went too long without completing a mandatory mission, the adventurer would be immediately demoted and be required to pay a small fee.

Kieran patiently stood in a line that moved at a moderate pace thanks to the multiple desks available. After roughly ten minutes of waiting, Kieran reached the desk available at the time. His receptionist was female with a petite frame. She had wide, adorable eyes complimented by tiny freckles and pinkish hair as she looked up at Kieran.

She flinched briefly before clearing her throat. "How may I help you? Are you registering or applying for a commission?"

Before answering, Kieran was first taken aback by the young lady's response. "Are you new?"

"H-how did you know?" the lady answered while stuttering nervously. Kieran briefly glanced down and read the nameplate clipped over her chest.

"Sammy, is it? Well, you flinched, and I'm guessing it's because of my appearance. But, if you were a seasoned receptionist, then you'd be used to the appearance of adventurers since they tend to be on the rougher side. Heh, but I'm not complaining," Kieran chuckled.

He found this girl to be amusing. While he had never experienced it personally, something was unnerving about starting a new career that usually made a person giddy with excitement and laden with anxiousness all at the same time.

"Aw shucks. Please don't mention this to the managers! I promise to get you situated as quickly as possible," Sammy exclaimed while frightened by the idea Kieran might voice his dissatisfaction to her higher-ups.

"No worries, just carry on," Kieran smiled amicably.

Afterward, Sammy pulled out a slip and steadily collected Kieran's information, such as his name, class, and tier. She would then compile the data, and he would be given the Trainee status. However, Kieran didn't want that complimentary status. He aimed above and beyond.

Therefore, before Sammy could finalize his registration, Kieran asked a question that made her pause her stamping motion. "Is it possible to register as a Gold Adventurer?"

"Gold Adventurer? Um, you'd be skipping over Bronze and Silver, though. I'm not sure if that is allowed, nor do I have the authority to authenticate your request, sir," Sammy said while smiling helplessly. She truly wished to help, but it was beyond her.

The Adventurers' Guild's procedure was ironclad and required merits to ascend the rank hierarchy. From the lowest, there was Trainee followed by Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Epic, etc. He couldn't just ask for a specific rank and receive it.

"Well, can you do me a favor and bring someone who can authenticate the request? I promise I have the credentials to back this request." As he spoke, Kieran retrieved the Blood Summoning Stone and placed it on the desk before him. The stone itself didn't seem all that impressive; however, the crimson emblem engraved upon the stone made Sammy's eyes rattled.

All members of the Adventurers' Guild were briefed on honorary, exemplary and customary emblems. And the one engraved on Kieran's stone closely matched one of the exemplary ones! Sammy immediately scampered to her feet. "W-wait here; I will bring someone that can help you."

Sammy disappeared into the doorway behind her and knocked on one of the six large doors present in a secluded hallway. Rattling sounded on the other side of the door before finally opening to receive a stalwart figure who towered over Sammy's tiny figure.

"What is it, Sammy? Are you overwhelmed already?" the person asked.

"That's not it, Vice-Guild Leader Hugo. I came for another reason. A newcomer has completed their initial registry, but they are requesting to become a Gold Rank Adventurer," Sammy explained.

Hugo, the man with short black hair and a scar down the right side of his face, crossed his arms with a tinge of amusement present in his eyes. "And? Did you reject his offer?"

"Initially, yes! But, he bears one of the exemplary emblems. That's why I came to get you. What do I do?" Sammy asked in a tone that resembled a whimper.

Halfway through her question, Hugo stopped listening altogether as his eyes widened. 'Exemplary emblem!? Is he related to one of our Heroes? If that's the case, I should at least hear out his request.'

On a certain level, the Adventurers' Guild could be viewed as a subsidiary of the Hero's Sanctuary. The only difference was the capacity of their higher-ups. The higher-ups of the Adventurers' Guild were strong characters who didn't qualify for the role of a Hero. Regardless, they held a lofty status since the Adventurers' Guild doubled as a world power.

As long as an adventurer with remarkable aptitude in the proper categories displayed the means to become a Hero, then they held a chance at visiting the Hero's Sanctuary. However, obtaining that opportunity was incredibly difficult.

Since the creation of the Adventurers' Guild, the number of adventurers who went on to become Heroes numbered less than 100. This low number was a testament to the action's difficulty because the Hero's Sanctuary and Adventurers' Guild's history spanned more than a few hundred millennia.

"Come with me, girl, so you can point me in the correct direction," Hugo directed without sparing the matter another thought. There was no need to reconsider. Any affair related to a potential Hero warranted the utmost respect.

…

Not even a few moments later, Hugo appeared from within the doorway. His appearance caused murmurs because he rarely appeared on this floor after becoming a Vice-Guild leader. Instead, the Vice-Guild Leaders usually convened on the second floor of the enormous edifice.

After a few steps, Hugo arrived before Kieran and studied his appearance. Afterward, his eyes dropped to the stone on the counter. Even Hugo's eyes widened in shock. 'That's not an exemplary emblem! It's a fabled one! That would mean…'

"What's your relation to the Bloody Hero since you openly carry their personal item?" Hugo questioned.

"More or less, I'm their inheritor," Kieran replied.

This answer made Hugo smile. 'Inheritor? How long has it been since those fabled characters accepted successors? Too long. But, why now?'

"Although your background is enough to bend the rules, it wouldn't be exactly fair to bend them too greatly. Then again, life isn't fair. Some struggle while others get by effortlessly. With that being said, I can personally reward the rank you ask if you complete a single task of matching difficulty. Fair?"

"That's fair," Kieran agreed. The current scenario was much better than the alternative. It reduced the number of assignments required from many to one.

"What's the assignment?"

"It's no small task because it involves a distant issue. We've have received several reports of many harvesters and miners unable to make a living due to the rampant roaming of violent ogres. I'd like for you to deal with them and their source. If you complete this task, we'll gladly honor your request."

〈System: You have accepted the Special Quest «Adventurer's Guild Gold Task»!〉

'The Barren Mountain Range? If these ogres are registered as Goblin-type monsters, then I suppose I have the means to clear this quest easily,' Kieran thought before realizing Hugo's extended hand. Kieran clasped hands with a firm handshake before letting go.

Afterward, Kieran left the building, leaving Sammy a bit confused. "Do you… think he will succeed Vice-Leader Hugo?"

"Eh, probably. That kid's handshake is rather sturdy, so he should be a grade above his peers. But, as far as accomplishing it alone, the answer is no. I believe the source of the issue is a dungeon, and those generally require a team to subjugate. By the way, what is that boy's name?" Hugo asked.

"Aatrox," Sammy said.

A few moments later, Hugo patted Sammy's shoulder before taking his leave. "Aatrox, huh? Good. Anyhow, you may continue; you're doing very well."

Hugo's comment made Sammy beam as she immediately took the next person waiting to register.

Meanwhile, Kieran didn't focus on the quest he accepted because of his limited time. Instead, he headed towards the Merchant Association since it played a pivotal role in a player's ability to generate funds.

The atmosphere inside the Merchant Association differed significantly from the Adventurers' Guild. It was a composed environment with an overly transactional atmosphere. Unless they were tending to customers or guests, the association's employees rarely mingled with the audience.

Refreshments could be acquired from the respective areas, but people came and went after having their items appraised for the most part.

Unlike the rest, which required service from the Merchant Association, Kieran only wanted to open up UCETS. Provided that the player fulfilled all of the necessities, they could activate a system similar to how Kieran initialized the streaming function.

〈System: You have fulfilled the qualifications to initiate the «Universal Currency Exchange Trading System» digital link! Do you wish to launch the protocols? [ Y | N ]?〉

Needless to say, Kieran continued with his actions. As a result, a notification spread throughout the entire player base despite their current location. Whether they inhabited the North, South, West, or East Continent, they all received the same message.

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Zenith Online World Announcement-

Due to a player's actions, the Universal Currency Exchange Trading System that allows the inclusion of real-world currency has gone online. Further information will be sent to your individual mailboxes.

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