One raised his hand and asked the question they were all considering. "What happens if we refuse this offer?"
The elephant in the room.
Arthur's expression remained pleasant, but the temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
"Then this is where we part ways. You will no longer be part of our party, as for the items that you have, you can keep."
It was a reasonable response. In fact, a generous one, to leave with rare items that beta players would kill to have, without paying anything, was something that nobody would do.
Clearly, Arthur had done it because they were Gate's subordinates.
"However, you will not have the chance to join our guild after that." He gestured at the chaos visible through the tinted windows. "Exclusive resources often mean the difference between survival and extinction."
Arthur was placing implicit pressure on them. Naturally, he wanted them to stay.
He left with them with the choice of joining or facing an uncertain future alone.
The fifteen processed this information in their minds before voicing out their answer. This was no longer just loyalty, but it also involved life and death. The stakes were higher than they were minutes ago.
Despite that, the choice was obvious: unprecedented benefits versus remaining outside, arguably an organisation that was about to become the most powerful in the new world order.
In the end, there was no real choice at all.
Sarah spoke for the group, her voice carrying the collective decision. "Sir, we accept your terms."
The others nodded in unison, their minds recognising opportunity when it presented itself.
"Excellent. Sarah, Jennifer, David—you've all proven yourselves capable of independent command, you also have the power to back it up." Arthur's satisfaction was evident on his face as a smile broke out.
"Sarah, your tactical coordination during the portal operations shows your natural command ability."
Recognition where recognition was due. These weren't random selections—each person had demonstrated skills that transcended their civilian backgrounds.
It was an investment in allies.
Arthur continued cataloguing each person's strengths, having analysed their actions throughout the demon harvesting operations.
Arthur knew that to be a competent leader, he had to understand his people. Without that understanding, he wouldn't be able to utilise their strengths in the ways they were meant to be.
He had come to realise this during his journey in Armageddon with his summons. Though the journey had been short, it had taught him a great deal.
He had learned from the mistakes of his enemies, from his own missteps, from the actions of his summons, and from those around him. He was constantly learning.
"Very well, since you've already agreed on the terms, then let's head to Power Guild."
The fifteen exchanged confused glances. Jennifer voiced their collective concern.
"How are we going to arrive in Armageddon? We don't have rings that allow us to teleport to Armageddon."
"Don't worry about that," Arthur replied, glancing at Aether, who was perched on his shoulder happily.
"Everyone hold hands, including Gates." He gestured for them to form a circle.
Physical connection was required for group dimensional travel.
The business mogul joined the circle without question, his trust in Arthur absolute after witnessing repeated impossibilities made routine.
Faith through experience.
"Aether, let's go," Arthur called to his shoulder companion.
The void dragon perked up with enthusiasm. "Ooh! We are going on a trip! This is exciting! Everyone hold tight—I'm really good at this!"
Reality folded around them like silk curtains being drawn. The familiar sensation of dimensional travel engulfed the group as Aetherion's spatial manipulation activated on a massive scale.
Power Guild Headquarters - Arkhalon
The marble floors and crystal architecture of Power Guild's main hall materialised around them. Soaring ceilings supported by large, beautiful pillars created an atmosphere of grandeur that left the newcomers speechless.
This was their first contact with Armageddon, and it was in the Power base.
"This is... incredible."
"The engineering of this place really does suit its magical stature."
"Welcome to Power Guild, your membership begins now," he announced formally.
The crystal responded immediately, scanning each new member with beams of golden light. Information flowed through magical networks, updating databases across dimensional space.
Immediate benefits. Measurable advancement.
Gates watched the process with obvious satisfaction. His investment in Arthur since arriving in Armageddon continued yielding impossible returns.
Despite earning billions throughout his time as the richest man in the world, investing in Arthur was by far the best investment he had ever made. And the investment wasn't a monetary one, but a partnership one
Arthur's spatial storage opened like flower petals, revealing equipment that would stock entire armouries. Hundreds of rare and uncommon items materialised on the floor.
"Distribute these among yourselves," he commanded. "You have unlimited storage space now. These aren't for personal use—they're for the new awakeners who will join you soon. Whether it's the ones that are currently with us, or ones that you will find along the way,"
"Award rare items to those with high talents and the potential to join the guild. Uncommon items for those with decent potential."
To many, this might have seemed like a simple reward system—one that favoured the strong and invested only in those who would serve under Arthur directly. But the logic behind it was far more deliberate.
Arthur's distribution of resources was merit-based, yes, but it was also strategic. Rare items were reserved for individuals whose talents and temperaments aligned with the ideals of his guild—those who could become allies, leaders, or trusted pillars within his growing force. These gifts were not merely recognition—they were investments into the future of the guild itself.
But the uncommon items served a different purpose.
These were given to those who showed decent potential, but who Arthur knew, realistically, would likely never join him. Whether because of differing ideologies, loyalties, or simple circumstance, some people would walk their own paths. And yet, in a world now plunged into war, it would be foolish to hoard strength solely among his own ranks.