Chapter 405 405-The Confidence of a Top Guild
At the teleportation point of Karen Port, John was surveying his surroundings with a mixture of curiosity and surprise.
He had arrived here with a set of expectations, primarily based on the briefings he had received prior.
The current state of Karen Port differed somewhat from what John had anticipated.
According to the information he had studied before embarking on his journey, Karen Port was supposed to be a rather desolate and uninviting place, scarcely populated and minimally developed.
However, the reality that greeted him was markedly different.
There were numerous shops bustling with activity around the teleportation point of Karen Port.
The area was alive with vibrant colors and the air was filled with the sounds of merchants advertising their goods and shoppers negotiating deals.
This stark contrast piqued John's interest, as he wondered what other surprises Karen Port held in store for him.
Most of these shops were run by NPCs. Apart from the common stores selling medicinal ingredients and supplies, there were even shops offering weapons and fishing gear.
The teleportation point of Karen Port was situated amidst these shops, with the largest road in Karen Port stretching from the teleportation point to the harbor. This road was bustling with NPCs, and even a few players were present.
"Why does this differ so much from the intelligence we had received? Should not Karen Port be quite desolate?
And since there are so many players here, why has not there been an update on Karen Port in the player forums?"
John pondered these questions while browsing the player forums, subconsciously directing his query to Blue Sea, who stood beside him.
Blue Sea did not offer any response; instead, he communicated through his own channel with members of his guild.
After a brief exchange, Blue Sea turned off the channel and turned back to John.
"Our Blue Sea Guild members found a player living in Karen Port through the game forums. He's already trying to contact that player, who should be arriving soon."
Having said this, Blue Sea finally took a moment to look around. "Our understanding of Karen Port is too limited. It does not seem to be as desolate a port as the information suggested."
Blue Sea's remarks made it clear that he had not really been listening to John's earlier comments.
However, John did not seem to mind too much at the moment, especially since a local player from Karen Port was on their way.
While waiting for the arrival of this local Karen Port player, John could not help but ponder whether he should establish his own guild.
The ability of the Blue Sea Guild to find a resident player of Karen Port clearly stemmed from their status as one of the top ten guilds. They had numerous members who could offer mutual assistance.
Perhaps this was the confidence that leaders of top guilds possessed. Even though these leaders might not be as powerful as John in terms of personal strength.
In their dealings with John, neither Adam, the leader of the Genesis Guild, nor Blue Sea of the Blue Sea Guild, displayed any semblance of fear.
Their interactions with John were marked by a mutual respect, a partnership of equals rather than any hint of subservience.
This equilibrium in their dynamics spoke volumes about the stature and confidence inherent within the leaders of these top guilds, a confidence that, intriguingly, did not stem from superior strength, as neither possessed the formidable prowess that John did.
Amidst these contemplations, the Karen Port player located by the Blue Sea Guild finally made his arrival. The resident of Karen Port, known in-game as "I'm Setting Sail Today," was a warrior by class.
A cursory glance at his attire was enough to reveal that his equipment, though serviceable, was far from top-tier.
Upon encountering John and Blue Sea, "I'm Setting Sail Today" could not hide his excitement, his face breaking into a broad smile.
"Guild Leader Blue Sea, it is an immense honor to meet you here. I've long aspired to be part of the Blue Sea Guild. Yet, my level and gaming skills have always fallen short, keeping this dream just out of reach."
His enthusiasm for Blue Sea was palpable, echoing his earlier admission of his longstanding desire to join their ranks.
Blue Sea responded with a nod, his smile courteous yet calculating. "If you can provide significant assistance in our current endeavor and help us achieve our goal, I would certainly consider offering you a place in our guild."
This assurance from Blue Sea sent a wave of excitement through "I'm Setting Sail Today," his nod vigorous, his voice brimming with determination.
His eagerness to prove himself, to seize this unexpected opportunity to elevate his status in the game, was clear in his demeanor, a reflection of the hopes and aspirations that drive players in the virtual world of gaming.
"Rest assured, guild leader, you can count on my absolute obedience," declared "I'm Setting Sail Today" with a fervent tone, his eyes shining with unfeigned loyalty and eagerness.
"Whatever task you set before me, I will undertake; any information you seek, I will unfailingly provide."
Blue Sea, sensing the genuine excitement and readiness in the warrior's demeanor, nodded approvingly and turned to introduce his companion.
"Allow me to introduce the person beside me. You can call him Galewind. His abilities are no less than mine, and in this mission, we will all be following his lead."
Upon this introduction, "I'm Setting Sail Today" shifted his attention to John. Initially, John's unassuming attire had led him to believe that he was merely an aide or a regular member of the Blue Sea Guild. However, as Blue Sea's words sank in, a look of mild surprise flashed across his face, quickly giving way to a respectful smile directed towards John.
"I will certainly heed your command in this endeavor," he said earnestly to John.
"What plan of action should we take next? Are you interested in exploring Karen Port? I can guide you around. The port itself is not very large, so touring it wo not take up much time. Also, the area around Karen Port does not house any high-level monsters, which is why most players do not prefer to linger here for long."
"I'm Setting Sail Today" was clearly not used to encountering high-level players, so he was more than willing to share everything he knew with John and Blue Sea.
John nodded. Although he was not very familiar with "I'm Setting Sail Today", he believed that the player must have a good understanding of Karen Port.
"Then, for now, lead us around Karen Port. We need to get acquainted with the area," John said, following up on "I'm Setting Sail Today"'s offer.
Without any hesitation, "I'm Setting Sail Today" began to show John and Blue Sea around Karen Port.
Under his guidance, it took less than an hour for John and Blue Sea to familiarize themselves with the area.
As John had initially observed upon his arrival, the noteworthy aspect of Karen Port was only the shops surrounding the teleportation point.
The items sold in these shops were quite ordinary, lacking any distinctive local specialties.
When the game had just launched, some players stumbled upon Karen Port, thinking they had discovered a hidden map.
However, after touring around, they all left, finding nothing of significant interest.
The reason "I'm Setting Sail Today" had not left Karen Port was due to a long-term quest he had undertaken there.
This quest required him to continually fish for various sea products in Karen Port. After gathering these sea products, he was to deliver them to a secluded valley not far from Karen Port.
In that deserted valley, a mysterious merchant was responsible for transporting these sea products out of Karen Port.
When "I'm Setting Sail Today" mentioned this long-term quest, both John and Blue Sea's expressions changed significantly.
This quest could very well be connected to Adam and Enigmatic Saint. Consequently, John immediately began to inquire in detail about the specifics of "I'm Setting Sail Today"'s long-term quest.
"I do not think there is anything odd about this long-term quest," "I'm Setting Sail Today" explained with a sense of pragmatism. "An ordinary quest typically yields around 1,000 experience points and about 10 silver coins each day.
However, this quest I've taken on provides only 500 experience points and three silver coins daily.
The reason I persist with it is that I ca not seem to get my hands on other quests. Besides, my level and equipment are somewhat subpar.
Competing with other players for quests that offer richer rewards is, frankly, unfeasible for me."
This rationale was quite convincing, especially given the modest level and equipment of "I'm Setting Sail Today," which were evident to both John and Blue Sea.
Despite his plausible explanation, John and Blue Sea were not inclined to simply dismiss this lead.
John, with his characteristic forthrightness, asked "I'm Setting Sail Today," "You mentioned that after fishing, you deliver the catch to a valley near Karen Port, right?
Could you lead us to this valley? I am interested in seeing for myself this mysterious merchant who offers a long-term quest.
Up until now, I've never come across such a quest in the Godslayer game."
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