Chapter 26 – The Gathering of Crowns
The night inside Vanaheim Base was quiet, almost serene.
Bioluminescent vines hung from the ceiling of the guild's upper garden, their glow rippling through the air like green auroras.
I stood on the terrace that overlooked the central chamber—below me, the silver data streams flowed like rivers, feeding into the crystal core that HIME managed.
It had been two days since my raid in Phlegethon's Hollow.
Two days since I had acquired the Infernal Crown.
Now, the time had come to update the guild records.
---
The terminal in front of me shimmered to life.
Lines of data rolled across the holographic interface—each entry a catalog of dungeons the Three Burning Eyes had mapped, analyzed, and archived.
"Phlegethon's Hollow," I murmured, typing quickly.
Status: Cleared. Raid Type: Solo.
For the name of the raider, I left the field blank.
It wasn't false humility—it was strategy.
If the others knew I'd done it alone, it would shift the guild's balance, and I didn't want that.
Our network worked best when information was shared, not when one person cast too large a shadow.
> "Update completed," HIME said softly from beside me, her voice calm as always. "Would you like to synchronize this with external data repositories?"
I shook my head. "Not yet. Let it stay internal for now."
> "Understood."
Her holographic avatar flickered for a moment—a tall woman in a crystalline suit, light blue hair floating like silk in zero gravity.
She studied me with that ever-neutral expression that somehow managed to feel kind.
> "You appear contemplative, Ren-sama. Are you unsatisfied with the results?"
I smiled faintly. "No. Just… thinking ahead."
And as if summoned by those words, a notification blinked across my interface.
---
[PRIVATE MESSAGE – From: Touch_Me]
> "Hey Trave, long time. You got a minute? The other champions are gathering. The one from Midgard's hosting something special in Asgard. You coming?"
I chuckled softly. Typical Touch Me—direct, polite, but with a tone that always carried warmth.
He had been one of the few I respected deeply since the world tournament. A genuine warrior in every sense.
I typed back.
> "Sure. Send me the coordinates."
> "Already did. Bring your hat."
I laughed at that and closed the chat window.
"Guess it's time for another meeting of the 'world's strongest,' huh?"
> "Coordinates confirmed," HIME said. "Shall I prepare transit through the Asgard relay portal?"
"Please. Keep the guild base locked once I'm gone."
> "Understood. As always, I will ensure Aeternum Sanctum remains secure."
---
The teleportation stream lifted me into the light.
When it faded, I was standing beneath the shining spires of Asgard.
Golden architecture stretched endlessly upward—massive structures of mirrored glass and floating rings of light. The sky here wasn't blue, but radiant white, like living sunlight.
A message appeared:
[Instance: Hall of Victory – Reserved Access – World Champion Channel]
Inside, a round table awaited—literally a circle of light suspended above a platform.
Nine seats. Nine champions.
As I approached, familiar names blinked on the floating panels:
Touch_Me – Alfheim
Traveler_R – Jotunheim (me)
Flame_Sovereign – Muspelheim
Snow_Angel – Niflheim
Runebreaker – Nidavellir
Aetherion – Vanaheim
Eidolon – Helheim
Lucent_Cross – Midgard (the host)
Tempest_Blade – Asgard
Each one carried an aura that spoke of mastery.
These weren't just high-level players; they were legends.
Lucent_Cross, the host from Midgard, stood first.
His armor gleamed like molten silver, and the insignia of a crowned sun shimmered on his chest.
> "Welcome, Champions," he said with a confident grin. "I appreciate you all making time. We have much to discuss."
---
He raised a hand, and a holographic map of Yggdrasil unfolded above the table—nine realms interconnected by endless data branches.
> "You all know what we are," Lucent began. "Each of us represents a world—its pinnacle, its guardian. But separated, we're vulnerable. We fight alone, gather fame alone, and fade alone."
He let the words sink in.
> "So I propose this: a Unified Guild. A single organization made up of us nine champions. Imagine it—a guild that spans all realms, that no one could ever hope to oppose."
Flame_Sovereign leaned forward, fiery red armor catching the light.
> "I like it. Efficient. We'd dominate every battlefield. No need for petty rivalries."
Snow_Angel folded her arms, voice cool as her name.
> "Domination isn't the point of the game. Yggdrasil thrives because of chaos and discovery. If we unite, we kill both."
Touch Me nodded immediately.
> "Exactly. Power for its own sake makes the world dull. The reason Yggdrasil is fun is because it's unpredictable. Balance is what keeps the game alive."
Lucent smiled faintly. "Balance is a human ideal. Efficiency is reality."
> "You sound like one of the devs," I muttered under my breath.
Lucent's gaze flicked toward me, amused. "And yet, Traveler_R, you of all people should appreciate efficiency. You won the Jotunheim circuit with surgical precision."
"I did," I admitted, resting a hand on my chin. "But even I know that control without challenge is meaningless."
Aetherion, from Vanaheim, interjected softly.
> "Perhaps the issue isn't unification itself, but intention. If we form a guild to protect balance rather than destroy it, perhaps it could work."
Runebreaker snorted. "Idealists. Every time you gather too much power, someone calls it 'protection.'"
Eidolon's hollow voice echoed from his shadowed helmet.
> "And every time someone calls it 'freedom,' it ends in anarchy."
---
The debate spiraled.
Arguments crossed the table like sword strikes—philosophy disguised as strategy.
Touch Me stood, his tone calm but firm.
> "I'll say this once: I won't join something that undermines the player experience. We didn't climb this far to turn the game into a machine."
Lucent met his gaze, unflinching.
> "And I won't let chaos waste what we've built. A thousand guilds fight and die every day. Why not build something that lasts?"
Snow_Angel sighed. "Because lasting isn't the same as living."
The tension in the air could have sliced stone.
Finally, all eyes turned toward me.
I hadn't spoken since my last remark.
Lucent asked, "Traveler_R. You've always been analytical. Where do you stand?"
I paused, weighing my words.
"I stand…" I exhaled, "…in the middle."
Lucent raised a brow. "Meaning?"
"I abstain," I said simply. "I see merit in both sides. A unified guild could preserve knowledge, share resources, build something greater. But it could also become a cage. Information thrives when it's free, not owned."
Touch Me's faint smile told me he understood.
Lucent's gaze lingered for a moment, then he nodded.
"Very well. It seems we are divided."
He turned to the group.
"By majority, the proposal fails. Four against, three for, two abstain."
Flame_Sovereign crossed his arms with a growl. "A waste of potential."
Snow_Angel simply closed her eyes. "A necessary restraint."
---
The meeting began to dissolve—avatars fading one by one.
But before he left, Touch Me stepped closer, resting a virtual hand on my shoulder.
> "You made the right call, Trave. Sometimes, balance is harder than choosing sides."
I smiled faintly. "Maybe. But it's also lonelier."
> "That's what makes it noble," he said with a grin before fading into light.
---
When I returned to Vanaheim Base, the stars outside the dome were already shifting.
The system clock read 03:17.
HIME awaited me at the entrance to the core chamber, her eyes glowing faintly.
> "Back so soon, Ren-sama?"
"Meeting's over," I said, removing my red hat. "No new alliances today."
> "Outcome?"
"Four against. Three for. Two abstain."
> "And you?"
I smiled. "Predictable as always."
> "Neutrality can be both shield and sword," HIME said softly. "Perhaps it is the only stance that allows you to observe everything."
I looked out across the glowing data streams of the guild base.
The world outside was still burning with ambition—guilds rising, falling, devs updating, players chasing power.
But here, within the dome of Three Burning Eyes, it was quiet. Controlled.
I lifted my hand, the faint shimmer of the Infernal Crown glowing around my neck.
In its reflection, I saw the person I had become—not just a player, but a curator of balance.
> "Ren-sama," HIME said softly, "what will you do next?"
I smiled faintly. "Observe. Wait. And maybe… break the balance again when it needs fixing."
> "As expected of Traveler_R."
I laughed softly. "You make that sound like a compliment."
> "It is."
The stars flickered beyond the dome as I turned back to the console.
The world of Yggdrasil spun endlessly—a tapestry of power, curiosity, and chaos.
And somewhere within it, the balance still held.
For now.
---
End of Chapter 26 – The Gathering of Crowns