"What level did you reach while we were apart?" asked Boran.
"I'm level 17. We went straight to the next dungeon after the Boss. Then their behavior got on my nerves, so I left."
"Should we go to the dungeon tomorrow morning, if that works for you?"
"Of course, let's go. Aren't you going to ask what I can do?"
"I don't understand?"
"Aren't you going to ask about my spells and such?"
"Ah! Of course, sorry. I figured the three of us could easily clear any creature, so I didn't think to ask. Tell me though, I'm curious."
"Magic Blast is my ability that doesn't consume mana. I can throw a magic orb with it - the damage is quite good for a non-mana attack. With my Magic Missile ability, I can create six Missiles around me and send each one to any target I want. Though a single Missile's damage is low, sending all six hits harder than a normal Magic Blast."
Boran opened the Goblin Beer sitting on the table. The bottle was still ice cold. He gestured to the glass in front of Noemi, asking "Would you like some?" with his body language. When Noemi nodded, he poured a glass for her and one for himself.
"Concentrate Magic Missile is like a normal Magic Missile spell, but the only difference is all the Missiles gather at a single point and become even stronger. The damage is nearly double, but so is the mana cost."
"That's what you killed Mur-Azar with."
"Exactly. For area attacks, I have the Fireball ability. I can throw a large fireball at a point and detonate it. Normally its damage is lower than Concentrate Magic Missile, but thanks to my improvements, it can deal very good damage to single targets too. Right now its damage is higher than Concentrate Magic Missile."
"Shouldn't Concentrate Magic Missile's damage be higher against single targets?"
"It would be, but since my team was quite capable against single targets, I thought it appropriate to develop my only area damage ability to cover their weaknesses."
"Smart."
"I put all my other skill points into passive abilities. They make mana control easier. Without them, my mana would be completely depleted after four Fireballs. Also, besides those, I got another ability after our encounter. An ability called Shield - it creates a shield around me as strong as my mana. At least I'm not as defenseless as before."
"Your abilities are really impressive. I believe we'll easily clear all the dungeons."
"What are your abilities?" asked Noemi.
"Almost entirely defensive. I can greatly increase my physical resistance by sacrificing my speed. It only works for my front side, but that's why I'm very good at holding narrow areas. With my taunt ability, I can draw all enemies to me. I have a new ability that I haven't had the chance to use yet: I can transfer my physical resistance to someone for five seconds. Besides that, I have a shield attack that can stun even Bosses for a second. Its damage isn't good at all, but I manage. The rest are my passive abilities - returning a portion of damage taken, not taking arrow damage once every minute, things like that."
"You really are a Tank through and through."
"Hey! That's my class after all."
Boran took a sip from his glass. As the sharp taste of Goblin Beer danced on his tongue, a question crossed his mind. "So why did you set out on an adventure? I mean, everyone has a story..."
Noemi turned her glass in her hand, looking at the golden liquid inside. "My family has a bookstore in Italy. A small but cozy place. I spent my childhood there, among the books. Especially fantasy novels... I loved reading heroes' stories."
"Going from bookstore girl to adventurer makes sense," said Boran with a smile.
"Yes, that's how it happened. The stories I constantly read influenced me. One day I didn't want to just read anymore. I wanted to write my own story."
"What about you?" asked Noemi. "How did you start this?"
Boran took a big sip of his beer, his eyes drifting into the distance. "I... I'm actually from Turkey. My father was a soldier." He paused, as if carefully choosing his words. "I took military training for two years to be able to enter the Gate."
"Why did you choose the Tank class then?"
"It seemed logical at the time."
Noemi noticed the change in Boran's voice. There was something there, but she didn't want to ask. "What does your family say? Do you keep in touch?"
A shadow crossed Boran's face. "Not... not really anymore. For a while now." He looked at his glass, watching the liquid inside. "Sometimes in life, you experience things that..." He didn't finish his sentence.
There was silence for a while. Noemi could see the deep sorrow in Boran's eyes. She decided to change the subject. "So this guild idea... How did it come about?"
Boran sighed. "People now see each other only as stepping stones. Everyone's trying to squeeze money out of others. High-level players exploit newcomers. Even in low-level dungeons, people deceive each other."
"I understand what you mean," said Noemi, slowly turning her glass on the table. "I experienced similar things too. Especially when I first started..."
"I see that newcomers rush blindly into dungeons. Without any preparation, without developing tactics... Then they get disappointed. Some give up, some turn to bad ways. This really bothers me."
"So what solution do you propose?" asked Noemi, fixing her eyes on Boran.
"I want to create a guild where everyone can learn from each other, benefit from each other. High-level players will guide lower levels, show them the way. In return, they'll be able to benefit from the guild's general resources. Low-level players will also level up over time and help newcomers."
Noemi nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting idea. But how can you be sure people will be genuinely helpful and share this vision?"
"I'll have one-on-one interviews with every applicant. Not just level or equipment, I'll look at their character. How do they communicate? Are they inclined to teamwork? What are their past experiences? All these are important. Power level doesn't matter to me. Anyone with good character who believes in team spirit can join. Experience is gained over time anyway."
"Will there be a trial period?" asked Noemi.
"Yes, definitely. I'm thinking of a two-week trial period. During this time, both we'll get to know them, and they'll see how the guild works. We'll part ways with those who can't adapt."
"What about guild hierarchy? What kind of structure are you thinking of?"
Boran leaned forward, excitement in his voice. "It'll be different from classic guild structures. Yes, there will be a leadership team, but decisions will be made collectively as much as possible. We'll evaluate members not by their levels, but by their contributions to the guild. For example, a member might be low level but could be great at guiding new members. Or someone might not be very good in dungeons but could be successful at managing the guild's economy."
"There will be guild training too, I assume?"
"Definitely. We'll organize weekly training programs. Dungeon, creature, Boss tactics, character development, equipment selection, economy management... Regular workshops on every topic. Experienced members will share their knowledge."
"What about resources? How will the guild's financing be handled?"
"There will be membership fees but we'll keep them very low. Our main source of income will be joint dungeon expeditions and trade. A portion of the earnings will go to the guild, which will be used for training new members and guild development. We'll have a transparent economic policy, all income-expense tables will be open to members."
"What about discipline? If there are those who don't follow the rules?"
"I'm thinking of a three-stage warning system. First warning will be verbal, second written with temporary suspension, third permanent removal from the guild. However, these decisions won't be at one person's initiative either, they'll be evaluated by a council."
Noemi was silent for a while, then smiled. "You've really thought of everything."
"I had a lot of free time to think."
"You know, I was a bit skeptical at first but now... This could really work. People need this. We're not just talking about a guild, we're talking about a community."
"Exactly," said Boran. "Our aim isn't just to clear dungeons or level up. I want to create a real community. A place where people trust each other, learn from each other, grow together..."
Noemi put her glass down on the table. "So what will be the guild's name?"
"Actually, I was thinking about that... I think it's too early for a name. First I need to collect the gold required for establishment."
"How much gold is needed?"
"10,000 gold is needed. I only have 900."
"I only have 100 gold left. We need to farm gold. We need to go to Wyvern Valley tomorrow," said Noemi.
"Where's that?"
"It's a level 10-50 area. We need to grind there."
Boran smiled. "Okay, then we'll go there first thing tomorrow morning. For now, let me add you to my friends list."
Noemi nodded and accepted the friendship request that appeared on her screen. A team invitation came at the same time. "I accepted. See you tomorrow then," she said. She stood up and disappeared into the crowd of the Infinite Tavern.
Boran also stood up and headed towards the tavern's corridors. It was time to meet William. The corridors were lit by lanterns hanging from the ceiling. A flame of a different color danced inside each lantern.
When he reached the end of the corridor, he saw William. He was waiting leaning against the wall in his black cloak. Half of his face was in the shadow of his cloak, but the sharp look in his eyes was as usual.