360 Chapter359-The Invitation
John regarded Loving_Lollipop coolly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Strength is not determined by class and skills alone, but by mindset and experience. What you've shown today is but a glimmer, a mere scratching of the surface. The Dragon Slayer Warrior class may have given you a higher starting point, but it does not directly make you a true warrior."
"In the game of Godslayer, level is always the most crucial factor in measuring one's strength, followed by a firm mindset and a wealth of combat experience..."
"And so far, you have neither!"
Loving_Lollipop looked up in astonishment, his voice breaking as he asked, "How did you know my true class?"
John chuckled in response, "Why are you surprised? Did you think others can't investigate your hidden class?"
The young man bowed his head.
Today's battle had dealt him an unprecedented blow, leaving him listless and dejected.
With a gentle flick of his right hand, John's pale blue Divine Blade silently vanished.
Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his casual tone carried an air of unattainable dominance: "No warrior achieves strength overnight. You'll never comprehend the agony I've endured to reach the power I possess today!"
"You are still young; if you can adjust your mentality, your potential achievements are limitless."
Loving_Lollipop suddenly lifted his head, his gaze fixed intently on John.
"If I keep striving, could I one day reach your current level?"
John was rendered speechless for a moment.
To be honest, he didn't quite know how to answer the youth's question.
Reaching his current level of strength was not merely a matter of effort and talent.
Although even John wasn't entirely sure of the extent of his own powers, one thing was clear to him
—he had recently transcended beyond the mere level of a player.
If one were to exclude Azazel, whose divine essence had dissipated within the Godslayer Temple, the three mightiest opponents John had encountered so far were all god-level bosses: Leviathan from the Bone Cave, the Soul-Devouring Devil Ghana, and the Desire Devil Mammon.
These three were formidable enough; not just among players, but even across the vast expanses of the Godslayer Continent, it would be a challenge to find beings that could contend with them.
Yet, these deities seemed to have little chance of fighting back in John's presence.
Perhaps one day, when faced with an even mightier deity, John could truly ascertain the level of his own strength...
Seeing John's prolonged silence, Loving_Lollipop's face contorted with a mix of sadness and anger. "I knew it, you're deceiving me. No matter how hard I try, I can probably never be your equal, can I?"
John cocked his head slightly, asking with a light smile, "Why would you think that? Our PvP match lasted quite a while, didn't it? It wasn't a complete steamroll..."
Loving_Lollipop slowly shook his head, his tone serious, "I don't know why, but I always feel that during our fight, you never showed your true strength... It was like an eagle toying with a chick!"
John fell into a silent contemplation.
He had to admit, the youngster's sixth sense was strong, to have perceived that much during their combat.
After a moment's serious thought, John suddenly chuckled and asked, "Let's set aside whether you can surpass me for now. Are you interested in joining a guild? With your talent and character, it's a shame to be a solo player. If you had the support of a guild's resources, you could go much further..."
Loving_Lollipop immediately became guarded, "Wait a minute, you're not trying to recruit me as your subordinate, are you?"
John rolled his eyes in exasperation, saying with no small amount of irritation, "Didn't you notice that I'm also a solo player? I don't have a guild. What do I need a subordinate for?"
Loving_Lollipop asked earnestly in return, "If you, a solo player, are stronger than the guild leaders of the top ten global guilds, then why should I become a guild player?"
John's head filled with metaphorical question marks at the youngster's peculiar train of thought. Despite all he had said, Loving_Lollipop had latched onto the most trivial point.
"Why do you keep comparing yourself to me? I've already told you that you still need to grow, whereas I do not... Inviting you to join a guild isn't about becoming someone's subordinate. It's about hoping you can grow faster with the support of the guild's resources."
Loving_Lollipop replied earnestly, "But my goal is to become a strong player like you, of course I have to measure up to you!"
Listening to the undertone of the young man's words, John seemed to be dealing with a fan of his own.
With an expression of resignation, John shook his head, asking in amazement, "So, is this really why you've refused all guild invitations up to now?"
Loving_Lollipop nodded solemnly, his face serious, "Exactly, that's my thinking! Besides, I'm just a middle school student; I don't have much time to play games daily. Guild members are always extraordinarily busy; I don't have that much spare time to complete guild quests..."
"By the way, how do you know I've been recruited by many guilds?"
John gave a dismissive snort, "Obviously, a player with your skills is a hot commodity in the eyes of many guilds, and given your youth, you're essentially seen as having boundless potential. How could those major guilds not extend an olive branch to you..."
Upon hearing John's praise, Loving_Lollipop's demeanor immediately lifted, his face brightening with pride.
"Indeed, just as you said, ever since I broke into the top 10 of the Arena Leaderboard, I've been receiving lots of invitations from guilds daily, including several from the top ten global ones, but I've turned them all down!"
John scratched his chin and asked with a light chuckle, "You refused, and that's that; after all, back then you knew nothing... Now that I've told you the benefits of joining a guild, what do you think?"
The young man said without hesitation, "Since you say joining a guild can make me stronger faster, I'll take your advice! I wonder if those guilds would still agree to take me now if I went back to them."
John strode forward and, with a mix of frustration and fondness, clapped Loving_Lollipop on the back of his head, grumbling, "You really are thick-headed. If you throw yourself at them, they won't value you. Since I'm suggesting you join a guild, naturally, I'll have recommendations for you. Just wait."
Loving_Lollipop nearly toppled to the ground from John's smack, looking up at the sky with an aggrieved expression.
John chuckled inwardly at the boy's youthful temperament.
After a moment of thought, he said lightly, "I'm going to a large auction tonight at Silverglow. If you're free, you could come along..."
The anger on Loving_Lollipop's face immediately turned into excitement. "You mean the Dawn Breeze Auction House?"
John nodded with a light laugh.
Loving_Lollipop jumped up, ecstatic. "Wow, I heard that auction is going to be huge. All the top players have been invited, and it's a gathering of the rich and powerful. No one can enter without an invitation, and you can bring someone just like that?"
John replied in surprise, "Is it that strict? Well, it doesn't matter. If you want to come, just follow me. It'll be a good chance to introduce you to a few friends."
"Great, I'll head to Silverglow now via the teleportation point. Remember to wait for me at the entrance of the auction!"
Without a second thought, Loving_Lollipop chose to forfeit and hurriedly vanished from the virtual arena.
[System Notification: You have successfully defended your position in the Arena Leaderboard. Your rank remains unchanged. Please keep it up and maintain your position!]
The system's prompt echoed in John's ears, his face a picture of resignation.
The youth's impetuous nature really did mirror his own from younger days.
It was rare for John to extend such effort to help a stranger in the game.
His kindness towards Loving_Lollipop was not solely because the boy was extraordinarily gifted; a significant part of it was seeing a reflection of his younger self in him.
The same spirited pride, the same youthful impetuosity.
Moreover, John indeed recognized the potential of Loving_Lollipop's Dragon Slayer Warrior hidden class, a promising seedling of strength.
With the merging of the two worlds drawing ever closer, and the calamity for humanity looming unpredictable, there needed to be an endless emergence of powerful players who could grow quickly.
They would be essential in facing the impending invasion from the parallel world.
Therefore, John chose to give Loving_Lollipop a chance to become strong, considering it an act of cultivating a capable guardian for mankind...
Exiting the virtual arena, John slipped away from the arena hall as quietly as a whisper in the corner.
He had no desire for his movements to be detected again by the players in the hall.
The fervent gazes and the excited chatter about his recent hunt in battle made his skin crawl.
Leaving the arena hall without a trace, he then made his way towards the direction of the Dawn Breeze Auction House.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
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