"Wait… You're already Level 25?"
Jade Walker couldn't help but widen her eyes in disbelief as she stared at Lucas. "I remember when you first started school, you were only at Level 20! You actually gained five levels in just one month?"
That kind of progress was very unusual.
Then again, she remembered the scene from the Canglan Secret Realm—how Lucas effortlessly slaughtered monsters like slicing melons. His strength back then had already shown signs of being way beyond the norm. So maybe this shocking improvement wasn't so surprising after all.
Still… there was something off about him.
She couldn't say exactly what it was—but she felt it in her gut. Lucas had a quality no one else had. And that made her both curious and suspicious.
Lucas, however, acted like it was normal.
"Yeah," he nodded casually, "after the last assessment, I spent a full week training nonstop. With that and the grind this past month, I finally hit Level 25 just before the freshman tournament."
Jade blinked, impressed. "So you've been working that hard without even resting?"
Lucas just smiled. "It didn't feel like hard work to me. I actually enjoyed it."
She looked at him thoughtfully. Lucas wasn't the kind to boast. If he said he enjoyed the grind, he really meant it. That was probably the scariest part.
Jade lifted her cup and took a sip of her overly bitter coffee. Her face immediately wrinkled, and she set it down quickly, frowning. It was a rare moment where she showed a bit of childlike cuteness, a contrast to her usual cool and commanding presence. Her shoulder-length hair framed her face perfectly, and in that moment, Lucas thought she looked more like an ordinary girl her age—charming and real.
Lucas couldn't help but notice. There was something about her eyes, something strong and determined. A kind of stubborn willpower that others wouldn't dare challenge. But right now, she seemed... softer. More approachable.
And much more beautiful.
"I just really like fighting and leveling up," Lucas said, still smiling. "It's not boring for me—it's like a game, and I get to live inside it."
Jade tilted her head. "That sounds... kind of amazing. I'm actually a bit jealous."
She subtly wiped her lips with a tissue and then tossed it—and what looked like a mouthful of that horrible coffee—into the trash. Her lips were glossy now, slightly wet from the drink, and Lucas found it hard to look away.
He quickly turned his eyes to the side and asked, "President Walker, do you find the grind boring?"
Jade paused, then admitted honestly, "At first, it was super exciting. But later... when it gets repetitive, yeah, it becomes tiring. Especially when you're stuck doing the same kind of missions again and again."
Lucas nodded in agreement. "That's normal. But if you shake up the routine, try out new places, change your methods—it can help. You just need to keep the excitement fresh."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think trying out different strategies and angles can make anything feel new again."
"Hmm, I never thought about it like that," Jade said, her eyes lighting up. "Maybe I'll try doing something different next time. I've been feeling stuck lately anyway."
Lucas smiled. "Exactly. Sometimes, happiness is just about changing perspective."
Just then, Emily Frost, who had been silent for a while, suddenly cut in with a skeptical tone.
"Um, can I interrupt for a second? Are you two still talking about serious topics here?"
Her voice broke the atmosphere like a splash of cold water.
She glanced from Lucas to her president, her eyes full of suspicion.
"Huh?" Jade blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about, Emily—"
But then she stopped.
Oh.
She got it.
If someone overheard only part of the conversation—especially the part where they were praising each other and talking about "feeling excited" and "enjoying it"—it could be very easily misunderstood.
And Emily had clearly heard the whole conversation. So how had she still misunderstood it?
This girl's imagination is too wild…
Jade gave Emily a subtle glare that clearly said, I'll deal with you later.
She cleared her throat and quickly changed the topic. "Ahem. Okay then, let's get back to the actual reason we're here."
Lucas immediately sat upright, his expression turning serious. "Yes, President Walker. Please go ahead."
Jade composed herself and looked at him, voice steady and formal. "Mr. Lucas, our guild has been watching your progress, and we're very impressed. We'd like to formally invite you to join us."
Lucas nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"Of course," Jade said with a small smile, "we're not blind. We know you're a hot topic right now, and many top guilds are surely reaching out to you. Compared to them, we're just a modest mid-sized team. But I still want to fight for the chance to bring you in."
Her tone was confident but respectful—exactly the tone of someone used to leading. There was no desperation, no arrogance. Just sincere admiration and bold sincerity.
It showed that Jade wasn't someone you could underestimate. She may be young—only twenty-two—but she had clearly been trained in leadership and diplomacy.
If anyone treated her like just another pretty face, they'd probably end up regretting it.
Lucas nodded again. "I'm honored. Please continue."
Jade took a deep breath.
"Then I'll get straight to the point. We would like to invite you to join us as the vice president of our guild."
She looked him straight in the eye, her gaze steady and intense.
"Moreover," she added, "I promise that after my term ends, you will be the next president."
Lucas froze.
Vice president?! President after that?!
That was… an insane offer.
Even if her guild—the "Tower Demolition Team"—wasn't a giant name like some of the national guilds, they were still Level 6, which meant they qualified as a medium-sized guild. That was no small deal.
For context, guilds were ranked by strength and influence:
Levels 1–5: Small guilds
Levels 6–8: Medium guilds
Levels 9–10: Large guilds
Level 10+: Super guilds, often with political and economic power
The higher the guild's level, the more privileges it had in the world of career changers. They got easier access to dungeons, better rewards, and even political influence. But with those privileges also came greater responsibilities—like defending cities, participating in national events, or supporting the government during crises.
And now… Jade was offering one of the top two seats of her guild to Lucas. No climbing the ranks, no waiting for seniority.
Just bam—straight to the top.
Lucas stared at her in shock.
Even Logan Barrett, the president of the powerhouse Shengshi Guild, had only said that Lucas might be nominated to run for president someday after graduation. He would still have to start as a low-level officer and work his way up, proving himself step by step over many years.
Other major guilds offered similar paths—good positions, yes, but not top-tier ones.
But Jade?
She just handed it all to him.
No barriers. No waiting.
Just total trust.
Did she really believe in him that much?
Because no matter how talented he was—even with an S-Level skill—there was no guarantee he could advance to Level 4.
Many S-Level players got stuck at Level 80, never crossing into the final tier.
Only SS-Level transcendents had a real shot at breaking that limit.
Was she betting everything on the hope that Lucas would become one of them?
If so… that was a very bold move.
And one that changed everything.
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