Valerius, still holding the [Charter of Formation (Guild Creation Token)], grinned at Drake's pragmatic terms for joining. "Regular member with a penchant for saving our hides it is, then! Iron Resolve is lucky to have you, Drake, no matter the rank."
He then turned to the whole group, his voice resonating with leadership. "Alright, Iron Resolve! We have our Charter. We have our server first. It's time to make it official!" Valerius accessed his main interface, selected the [Charter of Formation], and initiated its use. A series of system prompts appeared, likely asking for the guild name, insignia choice (the iron gauntlet gripping a sword they'd already informally adopted), and confirmation. He completed the steps with decisive clicks.
The moment he finalized the creation, a brilliant flash of light emanated from the Charter before it dissolved into motes of energy. Simultaneously, a << GLOBAL SYSTEM ALERT >> blazed across the vision of every player online in Legacy of Alvari, accompanied by a celebratory fanfare that echoed even within the depths of the Sunken Reliquary.
<< GLOBAL SYSTEM ALERT: A new power rises! The Guild [Iron Resolve] has been officially founded by Guild Master [Valerius]! May their bonds be strong and their deeds echo through Xylos! >>
Immediately following the global announcement, Drake and the other party members received a direct system notification: << You have been invited to join the newly formed Guild: [Iron Resolve] by Guild Master Valerius. Accept? [Y/N] >> Drake, Finn, Elara, and Lyra all confirmed their acceptance. << Welcome to [Iron Resolve]! >> A new guild tag [Iron Resolve] appeared beside their names in party chat and, presumably, above their heads if toggled for public display.
Further system messages detailed the initial perks of guild formation:
<< Guild Perk Unlocked: [Guild Bank - Tier 1] - Access to a shared storage vault. >>
<< Guild Perk Unlocked: [Guild Chat Channel] - Private communication for all members. >>
<< Guild Perk Unlocked: [Guild Roster] - View online status and basic info of members. >>
And then, the one that particularly caught Drake's attention:
<< Guild Perk Unlocked: [Guild Hall Access - Basic Quarters] - A phased instanced headquarters is now available to all members of [Iron Resolve] via the Guild Interface. Initial facilities include: Common Room, Basic Vault Access, and **Specialized Training Dummies (Type: SCR Enhancement)**. >>
"Specialized Training Dummies... SCR Enhancement? Now that is interesting. The standard Training Hall dummies are fine for basic practice, but if these guild ones offer better feedback, unique routines, or even temporary buffs to SCR gain during practice... that could be incredibly valuable for pushing my Bladesworn skills from the 80s towards the 90s, especially that stubborn Left Hand basic attack." He made an immediate mental note to investigate the Guild Hall and these dummies as soon as they returned to Silverhaven.
While the newly minted members of Iron Resolve were congratulating each other and exploring their new guild interface, the Legacy of Alvari forums and major community Discord servers erupted. The Global Announcement of a new guild being formed immediately after a Server First Hard Mode clear of a notoriously difficult dungeon by a group led by the same [Valerius] (whose name was public as the Guild Master) sent waves of speculation and envy through the player base.
Threads like: "Iron Resolve?? Who are these guys? How'd they clear Reliquary Hard?" "Valerius's group got the Charter! Must have been insane loot!" "Anyone know the Iron Resolve roster? Are they recruiting?" "Bet they used an exploit for the Reliquary clear. No way a new guild pulls that off legit." "Heard that the player from the Unbeatable Tutorial was with them. That explains it!" (This rumor, while unconfirmed, was gaining traction).
The intense scrutiny was immediate. Stronger, more established guilds, many of which had been attempting the Sunken Reliquary Hard Mode for days or weeks without success, were particularly vocal, some hinting at unfair advantages or demanding proof of the clear.
Drake, observing the forum chatter through his interface while the party prepared to exit the dungeon, felt a familiar unease. He had meticulously anonymized his Unbeatable Guardian kill video. But now, his association with Iron Resolve, combined with their server-first achievement, was drawing exactly the kind of attention he preferred to avoid.
"The forums are a firestorm. Accusations of exploits already. If this keeps up, people will dig, try to find out who was in the clear party. My 'low profile' is already taking a hit just by being associated with this."
He considered the high-quality recording Legacy of Alvari had automatically captured of their entire Sunken Reliquary Hard Mode clear, including the True Final Boss fight. He could edit it, blur names (especially his own), highlight key strategies (like his rune sequence execution, though without explaining how he did it), and upload it under his "Discoverer_LoA" alias. It would prove the legitimacy of their clear, showcase the dungeon's difficulty, and silence many of the exploit accusations. It would also, incidentally, generate more views and revenue for his channel.
But it would also further link "Discoverer_LoA" (and by extension, his main anonymous character if anyone made the connection) to Iron Resolve and this high-profile server first. He decided to consult Valerius. He sent a private whisper.
<< Whisper to Valerius: The forums are going crazy about our clear. Lots of salt and exploit accusations. I have a full recording of the run. Could edit it to prove it was legit, show the mechanics. But it might draw even more attention to us. Your call if you want me to release it, or if we should maintain an air of mystery. >>
Valerius's reply was almost instantaneous.
<< Whisper from Valerius: Good thinking, Drake. Read some of those threads myself. You know what? Let them wonder. Let them speculate. The mystery is an advantage for now. Makes Iron Resolve sound more formidable if they can't figure out *how* we did it. Hold onto that video. Don't release anything yet. We'll play this smart. >>
Drake felt a sense of relief. "Agreed. Secrecy is better. My methods, especially with Perfect Recall for the rune sequence, are too unique. No need to give other guilds a roadmap or draw more personal scrutiny."
<< Reply to Valerius: Understood. Video stays private. >>
He was pleased. The guild leader's strategic thinking aligned perfectly with his own desire for anonymity regarding his core talents.
"Alright, Iron Resolve!" Valerius announced to the party, his voice filled with newfound authority. "We've made our mark! Let's head back to Silverhaven, check out our new Guild Hall, and then maybe… plan our next conquest?"
The party cheered, looted the last few material nodes in the sanctum, and then, following Valerius, activated their [Scrolls of Town Portal] or used the instance exit, teleporting back to Silverhaven.
Drake reappeared in the familiar teleportarium of the city, now officially a member of [Iron Resolve]. His mind was already on those specialized training dummies in their new Guild Hall. The journey to the Echoing Forge was still his primary long-term goal, but the prospect of potentially accelerating his SCR grind for his Bladesworn skills, especially that stubborn Left Hand, was an immediate and compelling draw. The secret to Iron Resolve's success would remain hidden, fueling server-wide discussion and perhaps a touch of fear, while Drake quietly planned his next steps on his personal grind to perfection.