'Huh…' Marcus mused, scanning the names on the leaderboard.
'Didn't expect to see some familiar faces here.'
SoulSync was the first to catch his eye, the same player he had helped take down the Corrupted Hedgehog King. Marcus still remembered that fight. The guy knew what he was doing, and after scoring the Golden Blackstone Staff from that boss drop, it was no surprise to see him in the Top Ten.
Then there were InfernoRider001 and InfernoFiend001 on the Wealth Leaderboard. The matching suffixes were a dead giveaway, they were probably related to that Firewind Squad, the clowns who'd tried to steal his Boss and got themselves PK'd for the effort. If they were all part of the same crew, it meant he'd just made a few enemies he was bound to run into again.
Two other names stood out: ThreeleafAxe69 and ThreeleafDad. Those two, he had history with.
"Threeleaf" wasn't just a username; it was one of the country's top hundred corporations, a massive fashion brand pushing for global recognition. The players behind those handles were the company's heirs, born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
By all rights, Marcus shouldn't have ever crossed paths with them. But in the last two online worlds, his guild, IronWing, and their Threeleaf Clan had been at each other's throats. Guild wars, duels, boss raids, random open-world skirmishes, you name it, they'd fought over it.
Honestly, that rivalry was half the fun. Each new game was just another round in their ongoing feud.
Now it looked like the Threeleaf crew had come to Dominion in full force. With their deep pockets, ambition, and the game's real-money exchange, they could easily turn cash into power.
But this time, things might not be so simple. Dominion's insane player count and single-server continent meant there were too many skilled players for money to be the only thing that mattered.
As the saying goes, there's always a bigger fish. And looking at the current rankings, Marcus could tell players like SoulSync and InfernoRider001 weren't flying solo. Appearing on both the Experts and Wealth lists screamed "established guild." They were probably veteran leaders from other games, backed by loyal teams.
Most of the names weren't hidden, either. That told him everything he needed to know: these players were already building their brands, staking their claim in Dominion's reputation race from day one.
Hexium and GimmeABlade also looked like the real deal. Ranking on both the strength and wealth lists meant they weren't just good; they knew how to work the game's economy.
Then you had names like CarterPrime and PantherTech, both tied to IRL megacorps. If those were sponsored accounts, it meant Dominion was already a corporate advertising battleground. With over a hundred million players on day one, that kind of exposure was insane. Once the gold exchange fully opened, the in-game economy would go wild, and the competition would get even nastier.
The world of Dominion was changing fast. Heroes were popping up everywhere, and empires were being built in the shadows.
But Marcus didn't let it get to him.
He wasn't in it for fame or a throne. All he wanted was to carve out his own space, make some decent cash, and have a good time. The rest would sort itself out.
He wondered how his old crew, the IronWing boys, were doing, and if they'd even jumped into Dominion.
There was never any doubt about the 'Boss'. The guy was a monster, both in real life and in every game they'd ever played, a natural-born powerhouse who steamrolled everything in his path.
Their Second was the trust fund baby of the group, playing purely for kicks. If he saw a piece of gear he liked, he'd drop stupid money on it without blinking. And let's be real, how could someone decked out in full best-in-slot gear not be a problem?
Their Fourth was the brains of the operation, the quiet strategist. He wasn't much in a straight-up fight, but his mind was a tactical supercomputer. When he was making plans in a guild war, nothing ever went sideways.
Then there was Vance, their Fifth. Impatient, a little reckless, the kind of guy who hated the grind. But he was also stupidly lucky. He'd just trip over a rare drop, stumble into a secret quest, or find some hidden treasure. His skill was solid, too, which just made the rest of them even more jealous.
Together, those four bros, with Marcus as the Third, had formed a crew so tight that even the mighty Threeleaf Clan had to take them seriously.
But now, Marcus was flying solo. The days of having their backs and them having his were over, and the thought hit him with a dull, familiar ache.
---
While Marcus was quietly studying the three leaderboards, the entire Dominion player base exploded. The world chat turned into chaos.
Player1: "Holy crap, the #1 dude's already miles ahead! Game's been out what, half a day? Absolute machine."
Player2: "No way that's legit. Must be a glitch or a dev account or something."
Player3: "Glitch? In Dominion? Bro, it's running on Skynet's servers. If it bugged, we'd all be on fire right now. Face it, someone's just better than you."
Player4: "Whoever that top guy is, he's a monster. But don't worry, I'm comin' for that spot soon."
Player5: "Lmao what level are you, big man?"
Player4: "Uh… two."
Player5: "💀💀💀"
Player2: "Anyone know who the #1 player actually is? I swear, I'd follow that guy like a disciple."
Player6: "Wait, his name's hidden? What kind of coward hides their IGN when they're number one? If I was at the top, I'd…"
Player6 then went off on a full-on monologue about how he'd bask in the glory, open a fan club, and sell his own merch.
Player7: "Hold up, is that a girl in the Top Ten? Respect. VioletNova's killing it!"
Player8: "Yo, VioletNova, if you're reading this babe, give me like… two days to catch up. We'll be Dominion's power couple. Promise."
Player9: "Ignore that clown, Nova! You're an inspiration to every female player here. Show these guys how it's done!"
…
Amid all the noise and chatter, the Top Ten Experts themselves were quiet. Each of them stared at the rankings, comparing their progress, taking mental notes.
RogueTheory, ranked second, couldn't take his eyes off the hidden name above his.
He had been the second player in Dominion to kill a boss, the second to complete his class advancement. Always one step behind that mysterious #1. It pissed him off.
Someone was actually better. Genuinely, undeniably better, advancing faster, accomplishing more, standing just out of reach.
His knuckles went white around the shaft of his spear, gripping it so hard he felt he could punch through the screen and reveal the name himself.
Just you wait, he thought, as his jaw tightened. I'm coming for you. A higher level doesn't mean you're the stronger player.
He was dead certain that if they fought right now, one-on-one, the odds were in his favor.
Still, a part of him was glad for the challenge. It gave him a real target, something to make the grind mean something. He just hoped that when they finally met, the so-called number one wouldn't go down too easy. That would be a massive letdown.
—
SoulSync, ranked third on the Top Ten Experts Leaderboard, was also quietly studying the name at the very top.
"Well, look at you," SoulfireBlade said with a grin in his voice. "Beating out both the Inferno boys and the whole Threeleaf crew. The Inferno guys are probably having a meltdown in their Discord right now."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," SoulSync replied, pulling his thoughts back to the moment. He hefted the gleaming golden staff in his hand. "This is the only reason we're here. The Blackstone Staff is carrying me, hard. You need to catch up, man. I can't hold this spot by myself."
The staff was powerful enough to carry him well past Level 20.
Blackstone Staff:
Type: Golden Equipment
Requirement: Level 5+ Mage-type Class
Hands: One-Handed
Stats:
Attack +80
Spell Speed +1
Bonus:
Intelligence +10
Constitution +10
Attacks apply a freezing effect, slowing enemy movement speed.
As he looked at it, SoulSync's mind drifted back to Stonehaven, the player who had helped him take down the Corrupted Hedgehog King. The memory brought a quiet sense of respect.
He scanned the leaderboard once more. Stonehaven's name was nowhere to be seen.
He knew how skilled that guy was. Stonehaven had tanked the Hedgehog King like it was nothing, barely trying, and he hadn't even stuck around for the loot. His brother, SoulfireBlade, was a solid Knight, but next to Stonehaven? The gap was obvious.
'The number one is a Knight,' SoulSync thought. 'Could it be him? Is Stonehaven really #1?'
"Hey, you zoning out on me?" SoulfireBlade asked, nudging his arm. "Let's move. We're burning daylight. You're on carry duty today. No way we're letting the Inferno or Threeleaf clowns get ahead of us."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about it. Let's go grind."
He pushed the thought aside. It was just a hunch. And even if the top-ranked Knight was Stonehaven, he had his reasons for staying anonymous. It wasn't SoulSync's secret to tell.