***

The next day.

[Portable teleport receiver has been activated.]

[Ready to receive player teleport transmission.]

Ethan put away the teleport device that would link him to the receiver. The way it worked was simple. Ethan only needed to press the button, and his body would turn into magic particles and be sent to the receiving device.

"According to the manual, the teleportation process takes about one to two minutes," Sherly explained.

"That's more than enough."

Not only Sherly, but Hanss and Darcy were also there. Since an attack from Silver Star was certain to happen, Ethan gave his orders before leaving.

"Scout every gate, stay alert, and maintain communication flow," Ethan commanded.

"Hanss, gather the guilds inside the city, only the guild leaders. Tell them we need a city security team."

"Make sure you don't tell them about Silver Star's plan yet. The first invasion wave will be the most decisive," Ethan added.

"I understand."

"Darcy. You focus on city stability. Do not let chaos spread in the city center."

"I understand."

Ethan felt that his instructions were sufficient. He stepped away after knowing that Ashley was already waiting for him outside.

Ashley turned her head, watching Ethan walk forward with steady steps in his LionArk uniform and cloak. In her heart, she was still worried about whether the attack would really happen or not.

However, Ethan had prepared his plans carefully. She believed Mavelard would be fine under Ethan's strategy.

The two of them left the LionArk headquarters on foot. Their destination was the northern gate of the city, where a teleport crystal could take them directly to Asgard City.

"What happened last night really surprised me. Silver Star really hasn't given up," Ashley said.

"The crushing defeat I gave them back then made it clear that Silver Star still holds a grudge. They won't let Mavelard go so easily," Ethan replied.

"But Hanss and everyone in the city are already prepared. Everything will be fine."

Ashley nodded, trusting Ethan's plan. They continued walking along the city's main road, greeting several people who smiled at them. Some of them greeted Ethan and Ashley warmly.

They arrived at the northern district, where the city gate was clearly visible. There stood a teleport crystal that could connect to certain cities.

However, because city authority was in Ethan's hands, he had restricted travel to and from the central continent.

This time, he activated the travel route to Asgard City. That way, the journey would be efficient and fast.

They were not the only ones there. Many players were using the teleport crystal to travel, either to other cities or to Raid Towers.

Ethan and Ashley got their turn.

[Select city destination: Asgard]

[Cost: 20,000 gold]

Previously, the cost to travel from Seacrest to Mavelard was 10,000 gold. That was because Seacrest City was still part of the eastern continent.

Since Asgard City was located on the central continent, the cost increased to 20,000 gold. Ethan and Ashley did not mind.

Their bodies vanished into magic particles and were absorbed into the teleport crystal.

Within seconds, Ethan opened his eyes and a barren landscape typical of the central region spread out before him.

He turned his head and saw a magnificent city with thick, towering walls. Players in red and black uniforms stood guard atop the walls and in front of the gate. They were clearly members of Redemption Sword.

"It's been a long time since I visited this place," Ashley said, still admiring the city's beauty.

"Let's go inside."

Ashley turned her head, then nodded. The two walked side by side, lining up for the entry inspection. When it was Ethan and Ashley's turn, the guards immediately greeted them politely.

"Jack! Escort them to the Palace. They're from LionArk."

"Yes."

Hearing that Ashley and Ethan were from LionArk drew a lot of attention from the people around them. However, neither of them cared.

"It's an honor to meet you, Sir Ethan."

"Thank you," Ethan replied.

As they walked, Ethan occasionally observed the city's buildings. Even though the city management system offered various architectural styles, Arthur had chosen a desert city design.

The buildings were made of earth, wood, and stone, and NPC clothing was also adjusted to match the city's conditions.

Everything felt traditional and conservative, different from Mavelard, which used a medieval architectural theme.

Ahead of them, Ethan saw a massive building, even larger than LionArk's headquarters. Jack turned around and explained that it was the Redemption Sword Palace.

"Please," Jack said. Ethan and Ashley nodded.

They entered the palace's front courtyard. Unlike the city streets, there were not many people in the palace complex.

If Ethan met anyone at all, they were either servants or members of Redemption Sword.

The massive palace doors opened, revealing a vast hall with a high ceiling. The inside of the palace was far more luxurious than its outer appearance, showing just how powerful the Redemption Sword Guild was.

As they walked inside, one of the guild officers approached and greeted Ethan and Ashley. He was clearly not Gordon, nor was he Rick.

"Welcome to Asgard City. You are the first to arrive. We truly appreciate that."

Ethan and Ashley acknowledged him. The officer introduced himself as Felix, tasked with escorting important guests of Leader Arthur.

"Where is Leader Arthur?" Ashley asked.

"Leader Arthur is currently receiving envoys from city guilds. You can meet him after their meeting is finished," Felix explained.

Felix led them to the front of a large room with a three-meter-tall wooden door plated with gold.

The man explained that the room was the guild hall, where Chairman Arthur was currently located.

Ethan was truly curious about Arthur. In the past, they had fiercely competed in tournaments and had also met during tournament reward ceremonies.

Now, both of them were trapped in the same game, but under different circumstances.

Redemption Sword continued to rise, while LionArk was still in the process of growing.

Before long, the doors opened and the guild envoys left the room. Felix stepped inside and announced the arrival of LionArk's envoys.

"LionArk? Ethan?" Arthur asked.

Ethan and Ashley stepped in, seeing stone pillars supporting the hall and giving it a grand, open feeling. Many officers lined up on both the right and left sides, totaling twenty-five officers.

What surprised Ethan even more was the presence of Rick and Gordon. Ethan had already met Gordon and even interacted with him through chat. However, this was the first time he had met Rick again.

"Ethan?!" Rick exclaimed, stepping forward.

"Rick."

"Are you still being reckless? Don't embarrass me in front of Arthur," Ethan joked.

"HAHA!" Arthur laughed. He was a twenty-eight-year-old man with an authoritative presence.

"I don't know what has happened, but I'm glad to meet the strongest opponent I faced during the tournaments in the past," Arthur said firmly.

"Welcome to my palace, the Palace of the Desert King!"

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