It looked like flowers would pop over everyone's head while Isolde smacked her hands in glee.

She made up her mind!

She would consume it whole and savor the burst of flavors!

Augustus couldn't contain his grin when he saw that Isolde agreed with what he said. She seemed very excited about this. She surely wanted a guild to back her when she's shooting everyone to her heart's content.

Don't worry, sweetheart. Daddy would make this new world would be yours.

Augustus's sharp eyes looked over at Axel, and the latter nudged his glasses on the bridge of his nose and nodded, eyes twinkling with understanding.

"Now, as you all know, my daughter here," Augustus flexed his hand over at Isolde, whose mouth was full of sushi," she already entered the game at the very opening and had a huge lead over the others. What's more, she had the highest scores in terms of combat ability in her age group. I believe she's a great candidate to lead our guild in this virtual world.

"She's good with guns and had the skills to fight her way to the top."

Isolde didn't have time to savor the flavors of her sushi when all eyes went on her. She forced everything down and slammed a fist against her chest when it lodged in her throat before drinking a glass of water to dislodge her food to her stomach.

She then tapped a napkin on her lips and pretended that she didn't just choke with a mouthful of sushi in her mouth. She then faced everyone and said with a serious voice and face.

"That's right."

Augustus's eyes shone with expectation.

"But I got wiped out when I attempted Thunder Cave, and I was back to square one," continued Isolde.

". . ."

". . ."

Augustus's smile fell right off his face.

Axel's glasses skewed on his nose, but his poker expression remained stiff and unperturbed.

Xian was stunned before he guffawed. "Everyone, I think it's best if we decide the guild's leadership position to the one who has the highest ATP at the time when the GUILD feature is established in the game. What say you?"

Augustus's lips were pressed in a thin line when everyone agreed. He had already forced them to sell half their fortune. Pushing her daughter for the guild's leader position might trigger animosity towards them.

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Augustus couldn't push his luck this time.

Could his daughter lie and be dishonest for once? Augustus lamented.

And please stop nodding your head in agreement with the others. Augustus clicked his tongue when Isolde agreed with everyone with a flower sprouting over her head.

"Very well," Augustus conceded, "we have ten pods available and pre-ordered hundreds more. The highest stat of your avatar will deice the role of the guild leader by the time the GUILD is established in the game.

"Of course, anyone could enter and assume the guild leader's position.

"However, it's best to leave it to the younger generation."

Everyone agreed. They were too old to play childish games anyway. They would leave it to their sons and daughters.

When everyone didn't have any more questions, the meeting was adjourned. While the youngsters all dispersed to their own gigs, the elders were left behind to discuss other concerns.

Isolde went out of their private room with her cousins when they were done eating. Her stomach was satisfied, and her mind was in a peaceful state.

It was time to head back home and grind!

Not for the leader's position. Isolde didn't care about that as long as she could play and shoot to her heart's content without being penalized for misbehavior.

Her cousins could have that position. She wasn't interested in politics and dealings with the many complicated inner workings of a guild.

Rather, she felt that a guild would just constrict her. She very much rather explore the new world on her own.

Free and unburdened!

She didn't want to be restricted by a guild and its many rules and obligations.

Isolde happily walked out from the guarded door and went into the restaurant's open space, where the majority of the public take their meals.

She was about to go home when something caught her sight.

Four tables away from where she stood, there was chaos ensued in the clich form of diners who wanted to dine in the prestigious restaurant but didn't have any available table, which didn't happen since the restaurant was by reservation.

There was never a walk-in.

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However, because of the commotion, Isolde caught sight of a man who was casually sitting at the adjacent table where the commotion was happening.

Isolde's big eyes widened.

Ren?

After Leonel and Ren finished their free food, Leonel sat back in his seat with a bulging tummy.

Leonel sighed in bless as he rubbed his stomach. "Ah . . . this is the good life. Having to eat delicious food without paying a single scent."

Ren tapped a napkin on his lips. "I agree. The food tastes best when it's free."

"Couldn't agree with you more, buddy." Leonel picked the stuck morsel of food on his teeth before spitting it on his plate.

"Anyway, I guess that pod hopping is a no-go, huh?"

"Give it some time. I'm sure they'll call us later once those two cleared their heads," Ren said without a care. He wasn't expecting it. He was just saying it so that Leonel wouldn't think of Mike and Saya anymore.

"Hey, Ren. Look. Look." Leonel tapped Ren's shoulder and pointed at the entrance of the restaurant.

Ren looked over to where Leonel was jabbing his pointed finger, but he couldn't see anything that was attention-grabbing.

"Do you see it?!"

Ren squinted his eyes, but he couldn't fathom what Leonel was so excited about. "What?"

"That! That!" Leonel kept jabbing his finger in the direction of the entrance of the restaurant. "That girl! Her! It's Your Gaming Girl . . . LIRA!"

Ren raised a brow. ". . . Who?"

Leonel gaped at Ren before he grabbed his shoulder length golden hair in frustration. "How could you not know her?! She's a very popular game streamer in Zone A District 2! She have millions of followers, you know! That girl! It's your gaming girl, Lira!"

Ren eyed the only eye-catching girl near the entrance. She was sporting an oversize Burberry jacket over a tank top and shorts. Her wavy pinkish hair with streaks of blue was attention-grabbing, as well as the camera crew behind her back.

Are they filming? Ren wondered while Leonel was all excited. His eyes were emitting smoke from how heated he was staring at Lira.

"I can't believe it! It's really your gaming girl Lira in the flesh! The rumors are indeed true that Zone A is the nesting spot for all famous people!" Leonel brought out his phone and wanted to take a video when Ren stopped him.

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"Taking pictures and video in this place is prohibited," Ren said seriously.

Leonel released a disappointed sigh before he hid his phone. "Bummer. And here I thought I could brag about this to the other fans. I'm a top fan of hers, you know."

No wonder his allowance was always gone. Ren thought. So it was where Leonel was spending it.

Ren just shook his head and finished his drinks before calling the waiter for the bill. He didn't have time to waste around in the real world. He still had so many things left undone in COVENANT.

"Leo, finish your food, and let's enter COVENANT together." Since their school was kilometers apart, Ren didn't have to worry about Leonel prying for his pod. Once money starts rolling in, he'd tell him that he bought one so he wouldn't suspect a thing.

But Leonel wasn't paying any attention to Ren as he said with a panicky voice. "Oh my god, Ren! She's going in our direction! Did she know that it was me who was spamming hearts in the chatbox when she went on live? Was she here because of me?"

He then looked at Ren and repeatedly tapped Ren's shoulder. "Quick, pinch me and tell me that I'm not dreaming. She's really going to me, right?"

Ren rolled his eyes. There was no way in hell that a popular streamer with millions of followers would notice nobodies like the

Ren blinked.

He was speechless because Lira was indeed going in their direction.

Huh?

What?

How?

Did Leonel's stalker-like behavior finally bore fruit?

Leonel was sweating buckets, and he turned to stone when his eyes and Lira's met while Ren was turned into a statue for a different reason entirely.

Would his best friend finally advance into adulthood?

A/N

I'm feeling better now that I'm fully rested

Thank you everyone for your well wishes!

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It's time to pick up the pace

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