Following the boy to a secluded corner of the campus, Lohan tried his hardest to remember his name.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember it at all.
"He’s even better than I am at hiding his very existence in class." Lohan thought, surprised.
The boy didn’t even answer roll call, so Lohan didn’t know which of those names was his.
But he didn’t let it bother him. Remembering the boy’s name was just a matter of basic courtesy; considering the boy was excited to talk to him, as long as Lohan didn’t get embarrassed and acted naturally, there was nothing to worry about.
After a few minutes’ walk, they finally reached a secluded spot not only far from anyone else, but also far enough from the campus cameras and recorders so that their words wouldn’t be recorded.
The boy stopped with his back to Lohan, breathing in the less polluted air of that corner of campus before turning around with a serious look, yet one filled with a camaraderie that Lohan had never seen anyone else look at him with in person in this world.
"My name is Devon Baker," he began, extending his hand firmly. "I know we haven’t spoken this semester, but after what you did to Julian’s projector and the way you reacted to that gas... man, I was sure. You’re playing too, aren’t you?"
Lohan kept a neutral expression as he looked at the boy, but his [Instinctive Perception] picked up the vibration of Devon’s Mana.
Now with much more experience in this and higher levels in this Evolution, Lohan’s sensitivity was not only stronger, but he could analyze the boy with far greater precision beyond simply calculating the increase in passive biomass gain from the Mana the boy expelled.
His energy was stable and dense, confirming that he possessed a Rare Base and a level of bodily synchronization far above the average of the other students.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about, Baker," Lohan replied cautiously, still feigning disinterest.
Devon let out a short laugh, but it was mocking. "No need to hide it from me. I’ve been playing Elysium since day one, and I know a Player when I see one. I was lucky enough to get a Rare race and an Uncommon Class with extremely high magical affinity, which greatly improved my perception in the real world, and I can feel the Mana flowing through you, Hayes. And this feeling that you... you exude an incredible mix of different types of Mana that I’ve never felt in anyone... not even in the many students from the Upper Zone I’ve gotten close to."
Lohan raised an eyebrow, surprised by the boy’s accuracy.
Devon continued, excitedly: "I spawned in Novata Village 1,512. The grind there was insane, but a small group of us Low Zone players managed to reach the Open World yesterday. I have a group of people from the Lower Zone like us who share the Elysium Helmet; we’re planning to start our own guild in the game, something just for us, so we won’t get trampled by corporations like the Hogue Group or Vance and to show the power of the Lower Zone."
He took a step forward, his eyes shining. "Which village do you spawn from? What’s your class? With the reflexes you showed, you must be a Rogue or an elite Assassin. Dude, players from the Lower Zone are super rare; I’m sure that if I told my buddies about you, not only could we meet up and help each other in Elysium, but in real life too!"
Lohan was touched by the offer. He saw Devon’s potential. He was a Rare-tier player from the Lower Zone, an asset that Astralis Requiem would desperately need when its new members arrived. However, he couldn’t simply reveal that he was Halon, the name currently on every player’s lips for being the first to supposedly appear in three global announcements.
"I appreciate the invitation, Baker, but... my situation in the game is a little different from yours. I don’t spawn in an ordinary village," Lohan said, choosing his words carefully. "Actually, I’m already involved in a guild project. A project that aims for exactly what you want: total independence."
Devon furrowed his brow, his excitement giving way to doubt. "Involved? With whom? Hayes, if it’s with the Upper Zone folks, they’ll betray you at the first chance. The group I’m putting together is entirely made up of trustworthy people from the Lower Zone..."
As he said this, Devon paused hesitantly, looking around to make sure no one was nearby, and only then approached Lohan, covering his mouth with his hands so that even lip-reading wouldn’t work, and whispered. "Besides me with a Rare Base, our group has another Player with an Uncommon Class, two girls with Rare Bases, and our Leader with an Epic Race... You won’t be missing out on anything by joining a group like ours."
Hearing that, Lohan was surprised that their group was so advanced in terms of the rarity of their members’ Bases, to the point where he was certain that if it weren’t for Lisa, he would definitely join this group.
Lohan then looked out at the gray horizon before replying. "I’m not dealing exclusively with people from the Upper Zone. I’ve already looked into our group’s funding sources, and the people there are different. Even though I’m from the Lower Zone, people don’t care, or treat me differently even though I’m the Guild Vice President."
Devon was surprised by that, staring at Lohan more intently and trying to discern if it was true.
Lohan continued. "Our group has more than enough resources for any need outside of Elysium, and even in Elysium it will only be a matter of time before we reach the level of Guilds that are receiving full investment from Major Corporations. Instead of you inviting me, why don’t you and your group consider joining my guild? I can guarantee you won’t be treated unfairly, regardless of where you’re from."
Devon took a step back, crossing his arms, torn between interest in Lohan’s proposal and the uncomfortable feeling of being underestimated. "You want me to abandon my plans to join the Deputy Leader of someone whose level I don’t even know? I’m Level 9, Hayes. Almost no one in our zone has gotten this far without sponsorship. Who is your leader? What’s the name of that guild?"
"I can’t say the name yet for real-world security reasons," Lohan lied partially, trying to protect his identity from Halon. "But I’ve been in the Open World for a few days now with our Guild President, paving the way for the members to come, while I continue to strengthen myself and farm silver coins."
A silent standoff formed between the two.
Devon didn’t want to give up his leadership and autonomy for a vague promise, and Lohan couldn’t risk revealing that he was one of the owners of Elysium’s most famous guild before being absolutely certain of the truth of what Devon was saying.
Hearing about how rare it was for the core members of Devon’s group to be together, Lohan was really tempted to bring them into Astralis Requiem, but he didn’t know how to broach the subject and convince them without revealing more than necessary.