Chapter 484: Guild Tournament
Compared to the individual matches, the major guilds and clubs were far more focused on the guild tournament.
Unlike the individual matches, which were more about honor, the guild battles had much more tangible rewards.
The victorious guild would not only earn the prestigious title of [Champion Guild] but also gain priority access to special missions—and even receive direct imperial benefits.
Due to the participation requirements, smaller guilds didn't even qualify for the competition.
As a result, the guild tournament had been brutal from the preliminaries onward, with only ten teams advancing to the final showdown.
Among all the participants, the most eye-catching contenders were undoubtedly the powerhouse guilds—Royal Authority, Mechanist Cult, Magic Coin, and Sword Pavilion.
Players on the forums referred to them collectively as the "Four Great Guilds."
The first three had already been established during the closed beta, each backed by real-world financial and organizational power.
Meanwhile, Sword Pavilion had risen to prominence after the open beta, attracting a massive following of Chinese players with its distinct "Wuxia style," making a significant impact during the Northern Wars.
Its guild leader, [Tian Xingjian], had even been knighted as an earl due to his battlefield exploits.
Any guild unfortunate enough to face these giants was bound to suffer.
By this point in the tournament, the Four Great Guilds maintained a flawless 100% win rate, crushing every opponent in their path.
The earlier a guild was established, the more advantages it had in resource acquisition, securing a lead in the competition—an undeniable reality. However, dark horse guilds still emerged in the tournament.
One such example was [Roman Era], a newly formed guild led by the player [Augustus]. Boasting a thousand members, the guild consisted almost entirely of hardcore Roman history enthusiasts.
Initially, they had named their guild "Roman Empire," but after an official warning from the in-game empire, they had to change it to its current name.
The ongoing guild battle featured [Roman Era] as the red team.
The commentator's voice rang out:
"On the red team, we have the well-known guild—Roman Era! As you can see, they have perfectly recreated the image of a Roman legion..."
On the battlefield, [Roman Era] players donned steel helmets adorned with red horsehair crests, red or white tunics, and segmented chest armor.
They wielded short swords, spears, and rectangular shields emblazoned with eagle insignias, while their feet were clad in military sandals.
A golden laurel-wreathed eagle banner fluttered over the battlefield.
"Long live Rome! Long live Caesar!"
"Liberty, Equality, Law! Glory to Rome!"
At the forefront of the formation, [Augustus], acting as centurion, raised the eagle standard and shouted his battle cry.
Behind him, the legionnaires held their shields in tight formation, gripping heavy javelins, short swords, and spears, standing in disciplined three-line ranks.
They had flawlessly replicated the Roman phalanx, applying it to real combat—perhaps the highest level of cosplay.
After introducing [Roman Era], the commentator moved on to the opposing team:
"And on the blue team, we have Shu Mountain Immortal Sect! Their motto: 'A hall filled with flowers, three thousand guests; a single sword of frost, spanning fourteen states.'
"They are equally determined to seize victory."
Just from the name, it was clear what kind of guild [Shu Mountain Immortal Sect] was.
Much like [Roman Era], it was a cosplay-focused guild emphasizing an Eastern cultivation theme.
It was another dark horse that had risen after the open beta.
However, an interesting twist was that since "Erezaghe" didn't have a cultivation class, most of its members were sorcerers or mages.
They used spells like Tansen Floating Disc, Greater Magic Weapon, and Light Magic on their "immortal swords" to simulate the appearance of cultivators.
Their guild leader, [Taiqing Zhenren], stood in his white daoist robes and flowing white hair, smirking at the Roman phalanx. He pinched his fingers together and sneered, "Hmph, mere western barbarians, not worth fearing."
"We shall vanquish them with our immortal swords!"
"Guild Leader is mighty!"
"What guild leader? Taiqing Zhenren is our sect master! Say it properly—Sect Master is mighty!"
"Sect Master is mighty!"
"Shu Mountain Immortal Sect will surely claim victory and seize the championship!"
"A hall filled with flowers, three thousand guests; a single sword of frost, spanning fourteen states!"
[Shu Mountain Immortal Sect] members stood atop their "flying swords," hovering in midair, gazing down at the Roman phalanx below.
[Roman Era] players were equally defiant, gripping their shields and spears, glaring up at their airborne foes with intense battle spirit.
Tension filled the air, though this "sword immortal vs. Roman legion" matchup looked utterly bizarre.
It felt like a crossover episode of "Guan Yu vs. Aliens."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Begin!"
At the referee's call, the battle commenced.
"For Rome!"
"Pierce these glass cannons!"
[Roman Era]'s front ranks surged forward, shields raised, launching volleys of heavy javelins.
[Shu Mountain Immortal Sect] players swiftly cast defensive spells, summoning shimmering barriers of spiritual energy to intercept the barrage.
No, not spells—according to their terminology, it was "Daoist magic."
"Petty tricks!"
[Taiqing Zhenren] scoffed, dramatically chanting incantations as he cast Tansen Floating Disc, Haste, and Greater Magic Weapon.
No, in their terms, it was "Sword Control Technique."
Gleaming swords shot forth from the sky, transforming into streaks of light that slashed toward the Roman players.
"Shing—"
Shields were cleaved apart, and heads rolled.
"Shing! Shing! Shing!"
Swords danced through the air, weaving a deadly web that reaped numerous Roman players.
But the second and third ranks retaliated with javelins, striking several unseasoned "sword immortals."
Those struck fell from the sky, only to be executed by Roman short sword infantry.
The fierce battle raged on.
However, [Shu Mountain Immortal Sect] was ultimately not a true cultivator sect—they were just cosplaying sorcerers and mages.
Many couldn't maintain their floating spells for long and tumbled from the sky.
Meanwhile, [Roman Era] executed a disciplined rotation strategy, alternating charges and retreats to maintain momentum.
With a steady battle rhythm, they began overwhelming their opponents.
One by one, the "sword immortals" fell, and [Shu Mountain Immortal Sect] crumbled.
"The heavens forsake us—not our fault!"
As [Taiqing Zhenren] let out a final wail, the Roman victory cry rang out.
"The winner is—[Roman Era]!"
"Long live Rome!"
"Glory to Rome!"
"Ohhhhhhh!"
In the stands, Mantou watched the fierce battle below and couldn't help but sigh, "Weird, this is seriously weird!"
"These two guilds have the strangest styles. Watching them fight gives me the feeling that I've stepped into some kind of hybrid monster game."
Born Battle Maniac, just returning from the contestant area, wiped his bald head and chuckled, "This is "Erezaghe", the game with the highest degree of freedom. Nothing these guys do should be surprising."
"True."
Mantou nodded in agreement.
These madmen even managed to create a loli fire dwarf—what couldn't they do?
But the ones most devoted to their craft had to be the Mechanist Cult. They took cosplay to a spiritual level, truly embodying the doctrine of "Pursuit of Omniscience."
Even their guild leader [Iron Frenzy] had no idea how deep the internal guild tech tree had grown.
Rumors circulated that blueprints for tanks, fighter jets, and even intercontinental missiles had been spotted in their armory. It was beyond absurd.
Thinking of this, Mantou curiously asked, "Who do you think will win the championship?"
"The Mechanist Cult."
Singo and Born Battle Maniac answered in unison.
Mantou was surprised, "You're that certain? Not even Royal Authority, one of the old giants, has a shot?"
"Not a chance."
Singo waved his hand, speaking decisively.
"Why? Royal Authority doesn't seem weak. Their rich guild leader offers real-world cash rewards."
Singo smirked mysteriously, "Do you know who backs the Mechanist Cult?"
Before Mantou could answer, Singo continued, "It's the Empire. Or rather, the Emperor himself."
"From what I know, the Mechanist Cult has access to the Empire's highest-level technology and secrets. They hold vast privileges, and many of their top members have official positions in the Empire's technology and military divisions."
"With such resources, they naturally attract the best talent. Many top real-world figures have already joined them."
Singo spoke in a calm tone, "Put it this way—this guild tournament doesn't even require the Mechanist Cult to go all out."
"They can just pull random items from their arsenal and still crush every so-called 'top guild' with ease."
"Damn, that's insane."
Mantou was shocked. On the forums, the "Four Great Guilds" were always depicted as evenly matched.
He never expected such a huge disparity in Singo's eyes. Professional players really did have different insights from the average player.
"And among the major guilds, Royal Authority is already on the decline—it's unlikely to maintain its current position much longer."
Born Battle Maniac chuckled, adding his own insight.
"How so?"
Mantou was even more puzzled. On the forums, Royal Authority was considered a strong contender for the title, with a huge following.
Born Battle Maniac explained, "In the early game, when there weren't many players, their pay-to-win model—where the whole guild served the rich—still worked."
"But now that "Erezaghe" has over 400,000 players and top guilds each have thousands of members..."
"At this scale, Royal Authority's inefficient, individualistic, and unevenly distributed system is starting to show its flaws."
"No matter how much their wealthy guild leader spends, by the time the funds are spread across thousands of members, the impact is negligible. Royal Authority is just a paper tiger propped up by money, and its downfall is inevitable."
"I see."
"Damn, so this is the world of pro players?"
Mantou nodded thoughtfully.
Singo suddenly turned his head and grinned, "The preliminaries are almost over, with only a few guilds remaining—including the Mechanist Cult. Looks like we're in for a good show."
"Huh? The next match is starting already?"
"Red Team: Rome Era."
As they spoke, the next match was about to begin, with [Rome Era] once again as the Red Team.
Fresh from their previous victory, they were brimming with confidence and enthusiasm.
Their guild leader, [Augustus], had even applied to skip the intermission.
He wanted to ride the momentum of their victory straight into the next battle, securing a place in the elimination rounds.
Additionally, the members of [Rome Era] had consumed special potions that heightened their combat fervor, and they didn't want to waste the effect.
"Long live Rome!"
"Glory to Rome!"
Augustus waved the eagle banner, standing proudly at the front of the formation.
"Blue Team: Mechanist Cult."
The referee's calm announcement echoed across the battlefield.
Mechanist Cult?
Augustus's confident smile faltered, but he forced himself to remain composed, rallying his troops:
"Roman warriors! Do not fear these seemingly powerful foes. Remember your oath before me: 'Victory or death—we do not leave the battlefield otherwise!'"
As devoted Roman enthusiasts, even in death, their cosplay must continue!
"Boom!"
"Boom! Boom!"
Several towering mechs emerged, advancing like an ironclad fortress.
Behind them, players pushed massive cannons, their dark muzzles sending chills down the spine.
Further back were the light infantry—Mechanist Cult players clad in heavy protective gear, wielding machine guns and flamethrowers. Their faces, obscured behind glass visors, bore relaxed expressions.
The contrast between the two sides was like a thousand-year technological gap.
"Holy..."
"Guild leader, maybe we should surrender? Losing to the Mechanist Cult doesn't seem too shameful."
Augustus clenched his teeth, planting the eagle standard firmly into the ground.
"No! Romans never surrender! If we must lose, we shall die in battle!"
"Match start!"
The referee's words had barely left his mouth before the Mechanist Cult players loaded their cannons and fired.
"Boom!"
The deafening explosion shook the battlefield.
A massive blast erupted over the Roman formation, sending shrapnel and flames cascading through their ranks, instantly killing over a dozen [Rome Era] players.
Their reinforced shields could block arrows but were useless against bullets.
At the same time, the front line of mechanized armor surged forward, a tide of steel crashing down upon them.
"Boom!"
"Flesh is weak, machinery ascends!"
"Ring the great bell once! Move the levers, start the pistons and pumps… Ring it twice! Press the buttons, ignite the engines, fuel the turbines… Ring it thrice! Sing together, praise the God of Machines!"
The battle had barely begun, and under the relentless firepower of the Mechanist Cult, [Rome Era] was already half wiped out.
There was no fighting back.
It was a complete technological stomp—like modern soldiers vs. cavemen, or Trisolarans vs. Earthlings.
"Referee!"
"I—I surrender!"
Amidst the roar of artillery fire, Augustus suddenly shouted.
Someone in the audience deliberately asked, "Aren't Romans supposed to never surrender?"
"Yeah, why did they give in so quickly?"
Augustus retorted, "This is merely a strategic retreat."
"Members of the Roman Era, do not be discouraged! We shall return like lightning!"
He then muttered under his breath, "Isn't Italy also Rome? Surrendering is perfectly normal..."
It seems that this [Augustus] was not a staunch fundamentalist after all.