"[Congratulations! You have successfully fulfilled the Copy Condition, 'Help the 'Dokryong' clan win the war and regain their glory'!]"
"[Notice: You have successfully copied the Exclusive Skill, 'First Son of the Sea' and the A-Rank Skill 'Close Friends'!]"
"[Notice: The Copied skills are being successfully added to the 'Memories of the World'!]"
Sweet. Fulfilling Thorvek's 'Copy Condition' was a massive win, especially since his 'Exclusive Skill' provided a suite of aquatic advantages I'd need for future underwater tiers. However, it was the A-Rank Skill [Close Friends] that I was most excited about. This Skill acted as a universal translator, allowing me to understand and communicate with any species recognized by the 'Tower of Trials'. In a world where not every monster or beast is inherently 'Evil', being able to talk my way out of a confrontation with a non-human entity was an invaluable asset.
"[Notice: The 5th Floor of the 'Tower of Trials' will open after 70 days.]"
"[Notice: The Hints for the 5th Floor will be available after 5 days.]"
"[Total Time Remaining: 69 days 59 hours 59 minutes 49 seconds.]"
With those words, humanity had officially bought another seventy days of survival. Shimmering exit portals began to manifest near every 'Ranker' on the Floor, offering a direct path back to the integrated world.
I had been slightly concerned about the third clan, the 'Uraga', but the fact that the 'Clear Condition' had triggered meant they weren't a threat to the current peace. Wilong had recently returned from a scouting mission with Grienfield's men, reporting that the 'Uraga' were completely unaffected by the war. It seemed they had simply sat this one out.
Before preparing to depart, I spoke with the King and Giaya Nymera one last time. I urged them to focus on thriving and rebuilding a healthy relationship between their clans, essentially returning to the status quo they enjoyed before the {Demons} interfered.
"[Notice: You have formed the Guild 'Nexus'.]"
"[Congratulations! You are now the Guild Master of 'Nexus'!]"
Using my Skill [Brand of Tribulation], I had finally reached the minimum threshold of 'Stigmatized' individuals to officially register a Guild. I established 'Nexus' on the spot, adding King Grienfield, Thorvek, and Giaya Nymera to the roster alongside Leo, Wilong, and Melchior. Melchior had been predictably reluctant to accept; despite our 'Contract' stating we were equals, the idea of me being a 'Master' and him being a 'Member' clearly bruised his pride as a 'NoblePurebloodPatriarch'. I smoothed things over by appointing him 'Vice-Master'.
As for the rest of the 'Naga' warriors, once the 'RoyalFamilies' were branded and added, the 'System' naturally counted their subordinates as part of the Guild's influence. I even sent a tentative invitation to {Gunthafer}, though he hadn't accepted yet. He was likely still busy with his work.
We shared a final, grand farewell feast. Even the 'RoyalFamily' of the 'UragaClan' made an appearance to pay their respects to the new 'Master of the Sea'. They explained their inactivity by claiming they believed the conflict was merely a 'Political War' between the other two clans. As 'Researchers' with a strict non-intervention policy, they had simply closed their borders to wait it out. They looked genuinely horrified to learn about the {Demons}, bowing so low their foreheads touched the ground in front of Grienfield and Giaya.
The 'Naga Clans' eventually made peace with one another, though they politely declined to be official members of 'Nexus', preferring to remain as loyal 'Vassals'. That was fine by me. After a few more drinks and a final goodbye, it was time to leave.
As I stepped through the shimmering exit portal, I expected to find the familiar comfort of my bedroom. Instead, the moment my feet touched the floor, I was greeted by a sea of stern faces. RMB Officials and high-ranking Rankers stood in a tight perimeter around my arrival point.
Luckily, Melchior, Leo, and Wilong had already retreated into the 'Sub-space', so they weren't caught in the dragnet. I had spent so much time inside the 'Flooded Catacombs' that I had forgotten one very important detail: to the outside world, I was still a 'Rogue Ranker' and a 'Criminal'. The 'System's' announcement of the Floor's clearing had made it easy for them to track me down.