Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Arthur folded his arms, standing at ease as he waited. The other guards didn't move a muscle, their stern faces unflinching as they remained at attention.

He glanced around casually, noting the players wandering nearby. A few of them cast curious glances his way, their whispers just barely audible over the faint hum of village activity. Arthur's sharp eyes flicked to them briefly before returning to the closed door of the office.

'They're already watching,' he thought.

Arthur could've ended the wait instantly. All it would've taken was revealing the Village Protector Insignia—the ultimate proof of his authority. With it, the guards would've stepped aside without hesitation, no questions asked. But this wasn't the time.

"No need to make a spectacle," he muttered under his breath. Keeping a low profile was better for now. There were too many eyes, too many rumors already swirling around his name.

The guard returned moments later, stepping back outside with a slight bow. "The village chief will see you now, Hero Fateless."

Arthur nodded in acknowledgement, his faint smile returning as he stepped past the guards and into the building.

...

As Arthur stepped into the village chief's building, the door closing quietly behind him, the murmurs outside grew louder, an excited ripple spreading through the gathered players.

One of them, a tall man in leather armor, leaned toward his friend, his voice low but filled with urgency. "Did you see that? Fateless just walked into the chief's building like it was nothing! I've been trying to get a meeting for weeks, and I can't even get past the guards!"

His friend, a woman with a bow slung across her back, snorted. "Forget that. Did you hear what the guard called him? Hero Fateless! That settles it—he's the one who killed all the monsters during the horde. I knew it." Continue your journey with empire

A third player chimed in, adjusting his helmet nervously. "You really think so? That would explain everything, wouldn't it? The missing monsters, the contribution points. He wiped out the first wave before we even saw them!"

The woman crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "Exactly. And the second wave? Not a single monster made it to the village. If that doesn't prove it was him, I don't know what does. I think the contribution points made him get a good reward that allowed him to get such preferential treatments from the guards."

A younger, timid player standing nearby glanced around nervously, his voice a whisper. "Are you guys crazy? What if he hears you? You'll be next! He'll kill you without a second thought!"

The first player scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Relax. He's inside. He can't hear us."

But the woman wasn't listening. She jabbed a finger toward the closed door, her voice rising slightly. "Think about it! If he really did it, Fateless would have been the strongest player in the entire village. The rest of us? We struggled to take down one monster in a fair fight. If he killed hundreds—just with his summons—there's no one who can touch him."

The timid player's shoulders hunched further, his voice trembling. "That's exactly why you should keep your voice down! If he's that strong, what's stopping him from wiping out anyone who annoys him?"

The woman's expression wavered slightly, but she recovered quickly, her voice defiant. "Strength or not, he's not going to attack people inside the village. Otherwise, he would be punished. It doesn't matter who he is, rules are for everyone, even the strong!"

The group fell into a tense silence after that, their eyes darting between each other and the village chief's building Arthur had entered.

...

Inside the village chief's building, Arthur stepped into a modest yet well-kept medieval office. The room was lined with wooden shelves filled with books, maps, and neatly organized scrolls. A large desk sat in the center, and behind it, a man with a dark, neatly trimmed beard rose to greet him.

The man looked to be in his late forties, though his posture and sharp eyes radiated an air of vitality. His beard and hair were immaculate—without a single streak of gray—adding to his dignified presence.

Charles, the village chief, extended a hand toward Arthur. "Hero Fateless, it's an honor to finally meet you. Your reputation speaks for itself."

Arthur took his hand, shaking it firmly, his lips curling into a polite smile.

Charles continued his voice warm but tinged with formality. "I must apologize on behalf of the guards outside. They're only following protocol, as strict as it may seem. I trust you don't take it personally?"

Arthur nodded, his expression calm. "There's no problem. They're just doing their job."

Charles gestured to a pair of chairs in front of his desk, and Arthur took a seat as the chief returned to his. Charles clasped his hands together on the polished wood, leaning forward slightly.

"So," he began, his tone shifting to one of focus, "I hear you wish to discuss the village and its security. I'm all ears."

Arthur leaned back slightly in his chair, his demeanor calm but carrying an unmistakable weight. "Indeed," he said smoothly. "I wanted to discuss implementing a few rules and regulations. Ones that I believe will improve the village's economy and allow for the construction of more buildings."

Charles frowned, just barely. It wasn't overt, but the subtle shift in his expression betrayed his unease. Arthur's tone wasn't that of someone offering suggestions—it was the tone of someone giving orders. Still, the chief held his tongue, deciding to chalk it up to the hero's confidence rather than outright arrogance.

"I see," Charles said carefully, leaning forward. "Hero Fateless, if you could provide these suggestions in writing, I'll review them. After consulting with a few other key figures, we'll decide if they can be implemented."

Arthur shook his head, his smirk deepening. "No, it seems there's a misunderstanding."

Charles's frown deepened slightly, but he kept his composure. Arthur's voice was steady, polite even, but there was an edge to it that made it impossible to dismiss.

"What do you mean by 'misunderstanding', Hero Fateless." Charles said, his tone slightly less friendly.

Arthur leaned forward, resting his forearms on the desk as his piercing gaze met Charles's. "Let me make it clearer for you."

Before the village chief could respond, Arthur reached into his inventory.

The motion was slow, and as his hand stretched forward, something shined in his grip.