A few days before the declaration of war…
In the free city of Mira, a grand ceremony was being held amidst a gathering of many people.
(Congratulations) First Knight Order Academy 1st Graduation Ceremony (Celebration) –
A banner hung overhead as 600 graduates in ceremonial attire lined up in the vast plaza. It had been five months since the start of the open beta service.
The graduates, who had undergone three months of intensive training at the academy, were unrecognizable from their initial state.
While typical players spent their time hunting, these cadets attended classes and underwent training with instructors instead of wandering through dungeons.
Logically, they should have lagged in levels and equipment, but…
“Today is our last chance! We must recruit them.”
“Once the graduates disperse, who knows when we’ll see them again. Grab them at all costs!”
Scouts from various player guilds crowded the stands on one side of the graduation ceremony, practically drooling at the prospects. The academy strictly prohibited joining external guilds.
However, cadets were allowed to establish their own guilds, resulting in several guilds formed by top-ranking players. Yet many graduates were still undecided about their future guild affiliations.
Scouts had gathered to recruit these skilled players, driven by the obvious goal of securing strong members.
“If we don’t recruit them by tomorrow, the balance of power could shift dramatically! Recruit as many as possible!”
“The top priority is those within the top 100 rankings. Offer whatever it takes, but at least get their contact information!”
The revised player rankings were updated daily at midnight. Unlike the previous system, which only accounted for levels, the new ranking included factors like main skill proficiency, quest accomplishments, fame, and reputation.
All cadets from First Knight Order Academy were ranked within the top 1,000.
Notably, 90 out of the top 100 rankers were academy graduates, highlighting their prestige. Despite being on the brink of a promising future, most graduates seemed more wistful than joyful.
The primary reason for this sentiment was the ‘Purple Guild’.
A new guild led by Master Bae Dohyun, with Kim Ilwoo and Dalton (dispatched from the First Knight Order) as deputy guild masters.
Backed fully by the First Knight Order, the Purple Guild was different from typical player guilds from the very start.
Guild ranks were categorized from small (1~Lv. 10) to medium (1~Lv. 10). Typically, registering a guild started at small Lv.1, requiring at least 10 gold (approximately $1,000) and corresponding guild merit points to level up.
The highest-ranked player guild at the time was small 5LV.
Rumors had it that the Purple Guild had already reached medium Lv. 10.
As the guild rank increased, so did the guild buffs and additional features, offering significant benefits to guild members. Some rankers, initially reluctant to join any guild, signed up on the spot upon witnessing these benefits.
Besides the perks of the guild itself, the continued support from the First Knight Order was a major draw. Guild members received official equipment, salaries according to rank, and opportunities for advanced training based on their professions.
However, not just any cadet could join the Purple Guild simply because they were from the academy. Among the cadets, only the top-ranked and select few were offered invitations to join the guild.
Ultimately, only 15 cadets were accepted into the Purple Guild, all of whom were within the top 30 rankings.
“So, what are you going to do? I heard you got a good offer from an external guild. Are you thinking of joining?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure. It’s a good offer, but honestly, it doesn’t seem appealing enough.”
Having experienced top-tier accommodations, equipment, and meals at the academy, even the best external guilds couldn’t easily satisfy the cadets. Many opted for alternative paths instead.
“I’m planning to stay with the First Knight Order.”
“Really? But it’s not a player guild. Are you okay with that?”
“Honestly, joining a half-baked guild would be less optimal than being affiliated with the First Knight Order and playing solo.”
“Well, that’s true. And technically, it’s not solo play.”
The First Knight Order offered another proposition to the academy graduates. They could join as contract guild members, assisting with First Knight Order tasks. Although contractual, the treatment was leagues above ordinary guilds.
Though not as lavish as the Purple Guild, the First Knight Order provided equipment, lodging, meals, convenience facilities, and training grounds, along with a certain salary.
In return, they had to fulfill designated tasks and accumulate merit points.
“Hmm. Should I also stay with the First Knight Order? Anyway, if I plan to apply for the Purple Guild’s open recruitment in the second half of the year, I shouldn’t join another guild.”
“That, and there’s no rush to join any guild right now. The First Knight Order and the Count Ashton’s house are pretty influential in Connect, so building a career here wouldn’t be a bad choice.”
Players had different approaches to playing the game. Some aimed to establish the best guild, others preferred solo play, and some wanted to integrate into the world and live like NPCs.
For those who wished to live as residents of Connect, the First Knight Order was an attractive starting point. While graduates deliberated their future paths, the graduation ceremony proceeded smoothly.
Unsurprisingly, Bae Dohyun became the top graduate. No one was shocked by the outcome. More noteworthy was the second place. Due to an unusual tie in scores, two cadets shared the title of second place.
Kim Ilwoo and Wang Tianming, both having excelled in various contests, ended up with the same score. The key difference lay in their personality traits.
Wang Tianming excelled in combat, recording high scores in battle courses, whereas Kim Ilwoo was proficient in combat but stood out more as a party leader and in theoretical aspects.
Both had joined the Purple Guild, with Kim Ilwoo becoming a deputy guild master, reflecting their respective strengths.
“…Thus concludes the First Knight Order Academy’s inaugural graduation ceremony. May the blessings and glory of the gods follow you in your future endeavors!”
“Waaah!”
As chapter head Palmer of Mira declared the closing, the graduates threw their caps into the air, cheering, while the spectators applauded enthusiastically.
But strangely, no one left their seats. This was due to the large magic screen on stage and the notice displayed:
There will be an important announcement from the First Knight Order following the graduation ceremony.
Even those uninterested in the graduation filled the seats because of this announcement.
“What do you think the major announcement will be? Perhaps…?”
“It’s probably the notice for the recruitment of the second academy class.”
“I hope they open an academy in places other than the Ruben Kingdom this time…”
“Maybe they’re announcing that they won’t be recruiting anymore… Honestly, running the academy must be incredibly costly.”
“No way! I’ve been preparing for the second round of recruitment for so long.”
The audience murmured, mostly speculating that the announcement would be about the recruitment of the second academy class.
Thud.
Finally, the video began playing on the screen. It wasn’t just being shown here.
“Hey, it looks like it’s being broadcasted on the Connect main channel too!”
“It’s on the community main page as well!”
“What’s going on? Isn’t this the academy announcement?”
As curiosity peaked, the prepared video gradually revealed its contents.
*
“My goodness! Contact the guild leader immediately!”
“This is headline news!”
“Where is it? Where do I apply?”
“First Knight Order did it again! I knew they’d come up with something big!”
Players who had watched the video were in an uproar. Some were contacting their acquaintances, while others ran towards the guild receptionists.
Meanwhile, the graduates, as if anticipating this, casually chatted with their colleagues.
Connect’s First! We invite players to a large-scale territorial war event! –
The closing message easily conveyed the essence of the video. The video briefly recapped events following the Gate incident.
The monster invasion through the Gate.
Lords abandoning their territories and fleeing.
First Knight Order’s magnificent battle scenes, subduing monsters and saving territories. The restored state of the territories. And even the conniving allied baron lords scheming through backdoor deals.
With Raebell’s narration, the video clearly presented the background leading to the upcoming territorial war.
“The event participation guidelines are up!”
“You can watch additional videos on the First Knight Order broadcasting channel!”
“My goodness! I absolutely have to participate in this!”
Player excitement was natural. Comparing a brawl with a handful of monsters to a “real” war involving thousands of soldiers, there was no contest which was more thrilling.
Furthermore, not everyone could participate. First Knight Order had allocated a total of 5,000 spots.
Among those, 500 spots (excluding 100 non-combat roles) were reserved for academy graduates, leaving only about 4,500 slots available for open recruitment.
With nearly 100,000 concurrent players approaching the six-month mark since the game’s launch, 4,500 was not an ample number.
“Damn… I should have boosted my ranking a bit more!”
“Priority is given to members of allied guilds? How do I join an allied guild?”
“Thank goodness. They’re opening portals to Mira during the event period? Should I move to Mira?”
The first large-scale territorial war event, garnering immense interest both in and out of the game, concluded with over ten-to-one competition, finally selecting 5,000 players for participation.
A few days later.
The southern plains of the free city of Mira. Fifteen members of the Purple Guild, clad in ornate armor embroidered with purple, stood on horseback with their backs to a platform.
In front of them, graduates wearing cloaks emblazoned with the golden hawk of the First Knight Order stood in formation, surrounded by thousands of orderly general players.
At the forefront, standing tall on the large platform in white armor, was Raul.
“Warriors of the otherworld! I thank you for your courage and resolve in standing up against injustice. This war is not just to protect the lands of the First Knight Order and my territories, but it is also a crucial opportunity to make your presence known in this world of Connect. Show the world that you can change this world with your strength! Fight! Conquer! And prove your existence! Advance!!”
As Raul’s brief but powerful speech ended, the plains erupted with cheers.
The players, divided into four battalions, began moving toward the large teleport gates prepared on each side.
“Calix territory, this way!”
“Francois territory, here!”
“Louisin, over here….”
“Tern, this way….”
At the rear of the plains, numerous players watched enviously as others passed through the gates, while their progress was broadcast live to the entire world.
Raul watched their march with a calm expression. Though his words were strong, he knew the players’ roles might not be that significant. He didn’t expect much from ordinary people inexperienced in large-scale battles.
However, for those participating in this territorial war, it would be an unforgettable and thrilling experience.
‘This is how you slowly color the canvas.’
The concept of camaraderie wasn’t born without reason. With this, the preparations for the territorial war were complete. All that remained was to deliver judgment to the treacherous ones.
‘Now, let’s see what expressions they’ll make.’
With a light step, Raul approached the gate.
(To be continued)