After waiting for a couple of minutes, a reply finally came through.
[Nexus: Do you have a moment to talk?]
[Pharmacist: What is it?]
Seeing the response appear so quickly, I couldn't help but feel a small wave of relief. I was worried he might have been doing something with his planet or talking to another of the gods with a guild token.
[Nexus: Do you know about the guild system?]
There was a brief pause before the next message appeared.
[Pharmacist: Not really. I only know that the top three in this recent ranking got a guild token, and based off some messages in the chat, this token allows for you to create a guild.]
[Pharmacist: As for what these guilds are or do I have no idea]
So, the in-depth information surrounding the guild system had yet to be spread even though it had been nearly an hour since the rewards were distributed. Interesting.
[Nexus: That's right. The guild token allows you to form a guild, access a guild hall, and recruit up to ten members. There's even a store, quests, and other systems tied to it.]
I decided to give him a concise breakdown of what I'd discovered: the quests pinned on the board, the shop items, and even how guild points worked. I kept my tone neutral but informative. I wanted him to understand the potential.
A few seconds later, his reply came.
[Pharmacist: Interesting. With the advantages of guilds, gods not in one will be at a significant disadvantage.]
That made me smile slightly. He saw it too. It was refreshing talking to someone who understood things without needing them spelled out.
[Pharmacist: I assume this is why you messaged me. From the rankings, I know you got a guild token, so are you trying to recruit me?]
I could almost imagine him saying that aloud, sharp, direct, and just a little wary. He didn't waste words.
Reading Pharmacist's analysis and final message, I knew that I had made the right decision contacting him. He wasn't just another god; he was tactical, level-headed, and he thought before acting. That was exactly the type of person I needed beside me.
[Nexus: You're correct, but I don't just want to recruit you as a member. Instead, I want to make you my Vice Leader, meaning you'll have significant influence over the guild's development.]
[Nexus: So, what do you say?]
Once the message was sent, I sat in silence, staring at the glowing interface. The seconds dragged on, each one feeling heavier than it should. Recruiting someone like Pharmacist wasn't as simple as sending a few flattering words. He was cautious, and for good reason.
Finally, a reply came through.
[Pharmacist: Why should I join your guild over another person's?]
[Pharmacist: Sure, the position of Vice Leader is tempting, but I'd rather be a normal member in a strong, thriving guild than a Vice Leader in a weak one.]
[Pharmacist: Its to my understanding that the guild token that Nova obtained was of a higher rank, this probably means that his guild will have higher potential, so why shouldn't I just join his.]
I leaned back slightly, reading the words over a few times. It wasn't arrogance, it was logic. Pharmacist didn't care for titles; he cared for stability and results. That made sense. From what I'd seen during the competition, he wasn't the type to make emotional decisions.
Still, this meant I needed to convince him not through power, but through reason.
I took a few seconds to think before typing my next message.
[Nexus: What would it take to bring you to my side?]
The reply came almost instantly.
[Pharmacist: Hmm. I don't know. Why don't you tell me what your talent is first?]
That made me laugh softly. Even here, people were trying to pry into each other's secrets. It was smart of him to ask, but I wasn't that careless.
[Nexus: That's not going to happen.]
I paused before sending the next part, considering my words carefully. I needed to offer him something that was both meaningful and rare enough to make him hesitate.
[Nexus: But what I can do is allow you to choose what common blessing is applied by the statue after it's bought from the shop.]
It was a tempting offer. Control over a guild-wide blessing wasn't just symbolic, it was power. He could choose a specific blessing that would best fit the needs of his world.
Thinking it might not be enough I decided to sweeten the deal further.
[Nexus: Additionally, I plan to make people who join my guild tell me what their talent is, but I'm willing to make an exception for you.]
[Nexus: Not only that, but I'll even share the talents of the other members with you, so you'll know exactly what resources you're working with.]
When I sent the final message, I sat still, eyes locked on the screen, watching for his reply. The chat box remained empty, the blinking cursor taunting me.
For the first time in a while, I actually felt nervous. It wasn't because I feared rejection, it was because I knew how valuable his presence could be. With someone like Pharmacist managing the guild alongside me, we could accelerate growth exponentially.
He wasn't just another god; he was a strategist, someone who when even offered a high position didn't out right except, instead he followed reason to try and get as many benefits as possible.
If anyone could help lay the foundation of something lasting, it was him.
Still, he didn't reply right away. Minutes passed, the silence stretching thin.
It was clear that he was thinking carefully, weighing every word I'd sent.
These messages seemed to make Pharmacist think, because he didn't respond for a while.
[Pharmacist: To be honest I've received a similar offer from Nova, he offered my the position of Vice guild leader.]
Reading this message i began to lose hope after all one of the reasons I wanted him so much is because he's logical, and any logical person would join the guild with the higher rank.
[Pharmacist: But to be honest I feel that someone like Nova can't run a guild effectively.
[Pharmacist: So ill join your guild as the Vice leader on one condition. You have to tell me the rank of your initial talent.]
Reading his last sentence i could infer what he was trying to figure out. He was trying to calculate how much potential I had. After all for any organisation to thrive the leader had to be strong.
Coming to a decision I began to type 2 simple letters.
[Nexus: SS]