Sending that message was a big sign of faith from me, one that revealed far more than i had ever shared. Pharmacist clearly understood the weight behind it, because it didn't even take a full minute for a reply to appear.
[Pharmacist: I look forward to working with you.]
For a moment, I just stared at the message. Then, as if a dam had broken, all the tension I hadn't realized was building finally released. My shoulders relaxed, and I let out a long, breath before a grin spread across my face. I had done it, I'd found my Vice Leader. And not just anyone; I'd found someone capable, rational, and trustworthy. Someone who would question me when needed but still push forward when it mattered.
[Nexus: Likewise. I'm glad to have you on board.]
The excitement bubbling inside me threatened to overflow. I didn't want to give him a single second to change his mind or reconsider his decision. Quickly, I opened the guild interface and navigated to the leadership settings.
[Vice Leader: None]
[Please enter the name of your Vice Leader. An invitation will be sent to that person.]
[Name: .....]
The blank text field blinked back at me. Without hesitation, I typed:
[Name: Pharmacist]
A small chime echoed through my system.
[Invitation sent.]
My heartbeat picked up. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath until another notification appeared less than twenty seconds later.
[Invitation accepted.]
[Vice Leader: Pharmacist]
[Congratulations on completing the quest "Find a Vice Leader." 10 Guild Points have been rewarded.]
A satisfied smile crept across my face. It was official, Pharmacist was now the Vice Leader of Infinite Evolution. Just seeing that name beside the title made it feel real.
I reopened our chat and sent a message.
[Nexus: Welcome to Infinite Evolution.]
There was a brief pause before a reply appeared.
[Pharmacist: Thank you.]
[Pharmacist: By the way, a door appeared in the void behind me. Is this what you were talking about before?]
I blinked in surprise, then laughed quietly to myself. So the system had already connected the guild hall to his space. It moved faster than I'd expected.
[Nexus: Yeah, that's probably it. Step through it, I'll meet you in the guild hall.]
[Pharmacist: Understood.]
When the chat closed, I leaned back in the chair at the round table where I'd been sitting. The faint glow of the guild system's interface hovered in the air before fading away, leaving only the dim, ambient light of the hall.
For a while, I just sat there, letting the reality of it all sink in. It hadn't been that long since the competition ended, yet so much had changed. I'd gone from fighting for recognition to establishing something tangible, something bigger then just me.
The guild, Infinite Evolution, wasn't just a name. It was a promise. A foundation for strength, unity, and progress. And with Pharmacist beside me, that dream finally felt achievable.
I couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Let's see where this takes us," I murmured to myself, glancing toward the closed door leading to the corridor where the doors to the gods spaces were held.
Standing up, I walked over to the bar, my boots echoing softly against the polished wood floor. Rows of bottles lined the shelves, each filled with liquids of varying colors, some faintly glowing, others swirling with faint mist. My attention was drawn to one in particular: a sleek, crystalline bottle containing a blue liquid that pulsed like liquid light. Curious, I grabbed it and poured the shimmering contents into two glasses.
The scent was faintly sweet, with a cool tang that reminded me of mint and ozone. I set one glass down beside me and leaned casually against the counter, waiting.
A few minutes later, the door to the hall slowly opened and a familiar figure stepped through. The young man wore the same spotless white lab coat as before, his hair slightly disheveled, his sharp eyes flicking about the room with analytical precision. First, he examined the large round table at the center, then the quest board, which now held only a single fluttering piece of parchment ,and finally his gaze landed on the bar and on me.
Our eyes met, and recognition sparked instantly. He gave a short nod before making his way over. Without hesitation, he sat down beside me, picked up the glass I had poured for him, and took a measured sip. The blue glow of the drink reflected faintly in his eyes.
"It's a pleasure to meet you again," he said, his voice steady but warmer than before. "And I hope we can achieve great things together in the future."
His tone carried a sincerity that hadn't been there during the competition, back when we were opponents.
"Likewise," I replied with a faint smile, raising my glass in a silent toast. "But for that to happen, we'll need to expand, more members, more strength. Do you have anyone in mind?"
The moment the drink touched my lips, my senses lit up. A cool rush spread down my throat, sharp but refreshing, carrying a flavor that felt impossibly pure, a mix of fruit and frost. My mind cleared, my body felt lighter. It was easily the best drink I'd ever tasted, divine in every sense.
Pharmacist swirled his own glass thoughtfully before answering. "Hmm… let me think." He paused, eyes narrowing slightly as he tapped his fingers on the counter. "I've had brief interactions with the fourth and seventh place gods from the last competition. They're capable, ambitious, but not arrogant. I might be able to convince them to join our side, though…" He trailed off, the corner of his mouth twitching faintly. "We'll likely need to offer them something of value."
That caught my interest immediately. Recruitment was crucial, but so was leverage. "What do you have in mind to offer them?" I asked, turning to face him fully.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached into the air and pulled out a small, glowing object from his inventory, a ring that radiated faint blue light. "I ranked tenth on the second day's leaderboard," he explained. "Earned a D-rank artifact as a reward. I'm willing to put this up as an incentive to bring one of them over. But," he added, glancing at me, "it'll probably only be enough to secure one."
The ring pulsed softly in his hand, arcs of faint energy dancing across its surface. It looked magical in every sense of the word. It was a tempting offer, and a significant sacrifice.
I looked down at my own hand, remembering the D-rank artifact I had earned myself. If we wanted to build a true guild, we needed strong, reliable people. That meant proving our worth.
"I also have a D-rank artifact I can offer," I said finally. "It's a risk, but one worth taking. Just remember, if they want to join, we'll need their talent information. No exceptions."
Pharmacist nodded firmly. "Of course. Information like that is the foundation of trust."
"Additionally i believe that we should only except people with talents at A grade or above, what do you think."
Hearing my words Pharmacist didn't even hesitate. "I agree, we definitely want quality over quantity."
Without another word, he swiped the air before him, the faint shimmer of the system interface flickering to life. His fingers moved with practiced precision. A moment later, a translucent notification appeared before my eyes.
[You have been invited to a group chat by the god Pharmacist.]
[Do you accept? Y/N]
I didn't hesitate. "Accept."
The system pulsed once, and the notification expanded into a new interface window. Four names appeared across the top in glowing text:
[Group Chat: Pharmacist, Stardust, Cosmos, Nexus]
Let the negotiations begin.
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Author :
Sorry if the conversations feel clunky or unrefined I'm not very good at writing interactions between characters.
Feel free to leave any advice on how to improve on this.