MTLNOVEL Chapter 174: Recruitment by Combat
By late March and early April, in just a single month, the vast majority of Yan's players had converged near the path of the mobile city Lungmen. On top of that, countless players from abroad left their home countries, all heading toward Lungmen. Many professional teams who had previously crossed paths with the Pioneer also began their expeditions.
The CIS Navi team set out from Ursus, rushing toward Lungmen. The Yanyu Pavilion team sped down highways in trucks, desperate to shave off every second. Dynasty and Warrior teams bid farewell to Commander Ulšulah; when she pressed them for answers, Huangtian Houtu revealed what the Pioneer was currently building. The revelation left Ulšulah unsettled for a long time.
Beyond the major domestic and international powerhouses, even newly founded squads like Blue Rain—joined by Dandao Dantart—were moving as a whole toward Lungmen. Lao silais also led the entire Liquid roster across mountains and seas, leaving Kazimierz behind.
The unprecedented mass gathering of professional teams sent shockwaves through the player base. When was the last time anyone had seen so many pros in one place? Aside from the Spring/Autumn Championships and the All-Star event, never. Normally, teams avoided overlapping territories, both out of rivalry and due to the scarcity of resources in starter towns.
But now, the force Pioneer had created offered them a reason to gather.
Coaches quickly pressed Magic ZX for screenshots of Tomorrow's Development's faction shop. The moment they saw them, their jaws dropped. Any player who could get their hands on this gear—even without unlocking its special buffs—would outperform their old selves on the battlefield.
With only a few months of Terra-time left before 1.0 ended and the upcoming World Championship looming, alarm bells rang for every squad. Whatever the cost, they had to join Tomorrow's Development.
The result was chaos outside Lungmen. The starter town overflowed with people, and those who had arrived early now watched new IDs pop up every day—first with excitement, later with numb resignation.
"Eh? Isn't that Yan's OG team, Lao gandie? They're quick."
"And that's Yanyu Pavilion—full of beauties as always. Makes sense, since they're the closest to Lungmen. They're dead set on joining Tomorrow's Development."
"Even Dynasty and Warrior have shown up. Still glaring at each other, huh? …Though having Sarkaz walking around here is kinda sketchy. Look, that NPC girl's crying."
Huangtian Houtu noticed the wary stares from NPCs and sighed helplessly. He was just an ordinary Sarkaz player—he hadn't harmed anyone, hadn't stolen, hadn't scammed—so why did their eyes cut him like this? Only now did he truly understand the lesson behind from history class: damn it, I didn't kill or rob anyone, I didn't zero-dollar purchase anything, so why is the starting favorability this low?
"So it's true. This world really doesn't welcome Sarkaz."
His vice-captain, Cheng, coughed twice. "Good thing we followed the plan and didn't get tagged as Infected. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be allowed into these villages."
"Yeah, props to the coach for steering us away from those high-risk quests," another teammate agreed.
Huangtian Houtu glanced toward Cabus, chatting with his own squad in the distance, and snorted. "Didn't expect them to follow too."
"No surprise. Same thing happened back when the Pioneer first founded his camp."
Dynasty and Warrior had long been rivals. Old grudges carried over from their previous game, and in Ark, their conflict only deepened: one sided with Theresis, the other with Theresa. Later, both joined the Pioneer's faction, but clashing questlines often reignited their quarrels.
A truck rolled into the starter town, its body wrapped in steel plates, the logo of Tomorrow's Development emblazoned boldly on the side. To everyone watching, it wasn't just a vehicle—it was the symbol of a rising star, carrying with it people's faith, devotion, and the endless road of exploration.
"What's that…?"
The players lounging nearby snapped awake the moment they saw it. Some scrambled to ping their teammates through chat apps, urging them to hurry back from quests, while most rushed straight to the truck, eyes blazing with anticipation.
Three players and two NPCs stepped down. The players were instantly recognizable: Magic ZX, whose video had shot to the top of the streaming charts in under three hours, and the two radiant girls whose in-game faces were scanned from real life—Qiu Muyu and Xiao Xuegao.
But the real shock came from the two NPCs. Everyone knew their names:
[Pioneer] Felix and [Black Knight] Degenbrecher.
The three players had been assigned a recruitment mission by their faction. Knowing from the forums that a massive crowd of adventurers had gathered around Lungmen, Magic ZX reported it to Felix—who unexpectedly declared that he would meet the players himself.
And so, he had come.
"Adventurers. For some of you, it's our first time meeting. For others—it's been a while."
Felix smiled, his gaze drifting toward familiar faces: Dynasty, Warrior, Yanyu Pavilion. Cabus grinned smugly, Huangtian Houtu beamed with pride, and Yan Fei boldly met Felix's eyes, her heart racing.
"And a few old companions, too."
His glance shifted toward Yang Yan XF, Dandao Dantart, and others who had once traveled with him. Dandao Dantart trembled—this was the Pioneer's weight, the kind of presence that carved its place in your heart no matter what happened.
Is this what Terra's succubi feel like?
"I've heard from Magic ZX that a great number of adventurers have gathered here. Is there anything you need help with?"
He didn't leap straight into recruitment. Subtlety mattered. Even emperors had to be invited three times before taking the throne; too much directness ruined the allure.
Besides, the crowd was overwhelming. For Felix, the ideal number of recruits in version 1.0 was under two hundred—just enough for a mysterious aura to linger. The more players who watched others boast about joining, the more eager they'd become to secure a spot themselves. Then, when 2.0 came, they would rush in without hesitation.
"Greetings, Pioneer."
The one to speak first was Huangtian Houtu, captain of Dynasty—a long-standing professional club with real influence in Yan's competitive scene. "I've heard from friends that you've founded a faction. We've fought alongside you before, and we admire your ambition and ideals. Please, let us join you and lend our strength."
The words were half-truth, half-performance. Professional players didn't care much for ideals; they chased strength above all. But their desire to join was real.
Yan Fei said nothing, but she and her Yanyu Pavilion sisters had watched Magic ZX's video from start to finish. The Pioneer's ideals struck a chord deep within them.
"I see."
Felix nodded lightly. "I welcome all friends who share the same path."
At that moment, a mission prompt popped up for every player:
[You have triggered B-Rank Quest: Recruitment into Tomorrow's Development. Accept / Decline?]
Quest Details:
The Pioneer's faction, Tomorrow's Development, is newly founded. He seeks powerful adventurers to walk beside him as true comrades. Those who succeed will earn a place in Tomorrow's Development.
Quest Requirement:
Form a party of five. Endure thirty seconds against the attacks of the Pioneer / Degenbrecher.
Reward:
1 EXP, entry into Tomorrow's Development.
After bowing slightly to Felix, Degenbrecher stepped forward to address the crowd. "I am Instructor Degenbrecher. Any team of five that withstands thirty seconds under my assault will earn the right to join Tomorrow's Development."
The declaration electrified the crowd. Every player present considered themselves strong, and at least five to six hundred were gathered. But at the same time, many froze up. They had fought the Zero-Night Rain Knight before; they knew how terrifying the golden-haired warrior before them was. The thought of challenging her drained their courage.
This was essentially the end of version 1.0. By the time 2.0 rolled out and the faction system fully opened, it would only be a few months in Terra-time. Some players who gave up now didn't mind—they would just wait.
"Damn, you need to be max level to even accept this quest. I'm two levels short—no chance."
"Joining Tomorrow's Development means early access to the mobile city… I'm so jealous!"
"Heh, does this count as sneaking into 2.0 ahead of schedule?"
Felix never outright said he wanted elite players. Instead, he let the quest speak for him—a subtle way to draw the pros to his side. He needed a reason, after all, without being too blatant.
And he knew this test wasn't unreasonable. Every faction required entry trials; only those who proved their strength could join.
Of course, bending the rules wasn't hard either. Degenbrecher wore a headset—if the boss wanted a certain team to pass, she could always hold back.
Professionals were necessary. But strong casuals and skilled solo players were just as important.
The pros couldn't hide their excitement. With bright grins, they slammed the confirm button, accepted the quest without hesitation, and began checking their gear for the trial ahead.
Nearly a thousand players accepted. Degenbrecher strode forward at an unhurried pace, pulling her twin iron Sword from her back. As the long Sword left its sheath, a cold air swept across the square. Her sharp golden eyes sent a chill crawling over everyone's skin.
All of them—whether pro or casual—had been crushed by her before in the Zero-Night Knight dungeon. Only plot armor and assassin allies made that fight even remotely survivable.
No one wanted to be first. Players glanced at one another nervously, waiting to see how strong these two NPCs truly were.
"You. Step up."
Degenbrecher frowned at the hesitant crowd, her gaze locking on a five-man squad. They weren't well-known—just a second-tier pro team. But once singled out, they had no choice. Gritting their teeth, they drew their weapons and advanced, tossing a scouting skill at Degenbrecher.
[Degenbrecher Lv ?]
(Green)
[Description: ?]
[Danger Level: WARNING! No chance of survival.] (Red)
The panel froze the crowd. Not only did the Pioneer register as a red danger-level NPC—so did Degenbrecher, the Black Knight who had only appeared in Zero-series raids.
Speculation rippled. Some argued her power must be capped at 1.0 levels, since she appeared in that storyline. But players from Kazimierz scoffed: "She's a triple-crown champion who fought legendary knights. You think she's only level 30? Don't joke."
Truth was, no one had seen Degenbrecher truly fight outside scripted content. For pros, facing her now was a rare chance to measure themselves.
The five pros exchanged tense glances, then tightened their formation, weapons raised, surrounding Degenbrecher in a standard outnumbering tactic.
"Too slow!"
Her voice cracked like a whip. The long sword slashed forward, her figure vanishing in a blur.
A blazing arc of golden energy ripped across their bodies. They activated multiple melee skills in panic, their armor flashing brightly—but it didn't matter. Their arms felt leaden, their blades limp in their hands, as though disarmed by sheer force.
The five players' health bars plummeted straight to critical. Degenbrecher's stormlike assault halted abruptly, dissolving into silence.
"You did not pass the test."
She still held the finishing stance of her strike, her tone calm and unshaken.
The crowd gaped, jaws slack in disbelief. Barely four seconds had passed—maybe less—and those five were already on the ground. They weren't top-tier, true, but they were still pro players. Against casuals or high-ranked amateurs, they were considered elites. And yet, in just a handful of seconds, if Degenbrecher hadn't pulled back, they would've been wiped out instantly.
They hadn't even managed to unleash a single skill. It was a complete one-sided thrashing.
What stunned them most wasn't just her strength—it was her speed. No one had actually seen how she moved. All they caught was a flood of golden strikes, like a downpour that swallowed the five whole.
"Holy crap, the Black Knight's insane… even 2.0 players wouldn't stand a chance."
"2.0? Try 5.0! She's a triple crown champion—you think this is a joke?"
"I wonder about the Pioneer's strength… To fight side by side with the Black Knight, and command the mechanical army that once saved her—he's probably not far behind her."
"If this were a real battle and not a quest instance… how many people would it take to bring Degenbrecher down? Fifty? Would that even be enough?"
"With Degenbrecher being this strong, the smart move is probably to angle for the Pioneer instead. He can't be stronger than her, right?"
What the crowd didn't know was that Degenbrecher was wearing a set of custom mech-armor crafted by Felix himself—boosting both her speed and power. Gear like that wouldn't even be manufacturable until the late stages of 2.0. And even without it, as a three-time champion, Degenbrecher could have crushed these players without effort.
Felix couldn't help but think of Saria, who trained under this exact barrage of attacks every single day. A chill ran down his spine. He was doomed—Saria was going to turn into a walking Gundam. Maybe, just maybe, the energy and power Ferdinand had always dreamed of seeing in powered armor and mechs… would end up manifesting in Saria alone.