Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 222: New Zodiacs (I)

Leo was feeling a bit awkward as Luna handled the whole Greg situation pretty well. He personally had done nothing and it made him feel a bit useless as the guild leader.

Leo shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It wasn’t like he wanted to take control just for the sake of it, but seeing someone else step up so naturally stung more than he expected.

He tried to shake it off. This wasn’t about pride. It was about making sure the guild worked as a unit. But still, the nagging feeling remained. Maybe he was too passive. Maybe he wasn’t stepping up when it counted.

Luna caught his eye briefly and gave him a reassuring nod. It helped, a little. But he knew he’d have to figure this out on his own.

Next time, he promised himself, he wouldn’t just stand there.

However there was two things that he could do that the others couldn’t.

Greg and Penny looked surprised a blue notification screen appeared in front of them.

[The Guild Chaos Pantheon has invited you to join their Guild]

[Do you accept the invitation?]

[Y/N]

Greg raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Penny, of course, did.

"Okay but like... why me? I haven’t done anything except not fall on my face today. And I almost did. Twice."

From the ground near to her, Adam scoffed "In a fight between a wet paper bag and you, my money would be on the paper bag...but I trust in your aesthetic and ability to use your hands."

Penny turned slowly, glaring. "Did you just call me useless and fashionable in the same sentence?"

Adam smirked. "Multitasking. Get used to it."

Penny opened her mouth, closed it, then pointed a finger at him. "One day you’re gonna need me to fix something and I’m going to ’accidentally’ glue your sleeve to your ear."

"Wouldn’t be the weirdest thing you’ve made me wear," Adam said, deadpan.

Greg, watching this unfold, shook his head. "You guys recruit based on chaos potential?"

Rachel chimed in with a grin on her face

"No~! Though it does look like that. Otherwise I would have been a 1st pick Draft~!"

Leo shot Rachel a dirty look for a moment but when he finally spoke, his voice calm and certain. "No. I just... felt it. Like something clicked. I can’t explain it. I just know you’re supposed to be here."

Greg studied him a moment, then tapped Y without hesitation.

Penny hesitated a second longer. "So this is it, huh? Guild initiation via emotional intuition and insults." She sighed, then tapped Y. "Fine. But I want creative freedom in the guild banner design."

The notifications faded. Leo didn’t fully understand why this felt so right. He just knew it did.

After a brief silence, Penny opened her mouth to ask the question that was bugging her.

"So...what now?"

Leo had a smile on his face as he replied with five words.

"This. Bonds of the Zodiac!"

Multiple screens began to float in front of Leo and his companions.

"What’s this?" Luna asked with a tilted head as she stared at the screen in front of her.

[Zodiac Bond: Rabbit]

[Element: Beast]

[Current Bond: 19%]

[Skills: Rabbit Legs]

Relationship: [Sibling].

"That is the current state of our bond. From what I have gathered so far, I and the holder of the Zodiac will get a skill for every 10 % bond that is made."

"What about our new members~? Any of your Zodiacs suit them~?"

Lily asked with a grin as she held up Moku to her chest.

Leo’s eyes flicked across the floating screens, his expression calm but focused. Each one displayed a name, an animal, a bond level. The light from the glyphs reflected faintly in his eyes. Then he noticed a small notification that had almost been drowned in the sea of information.

-3 Individuals have been detected to have High Affinity with a Zodiac Bond

-Up to (3) Zodiac signs can be given out in total.

-Maximum number of Zodiac Signs players can have outside of Skill User is 1.

-Displaying Current Affinities

-Player: Empress

-Level: 10

-Highest Affinity: Dragon

-Element: Water

-Bond: Childhood Friend (High)

-Player: Rose

-Level: 9

-Highest Affinity: Pig

-Element: Blood

-Bond: Friend’s Sister (Low)

-Player: Titan

-Level: 9

-Highest Affinity: Goat

-Element: Metal

-Bond: Coach (Medium)

As the radiant screens faded from view, the air settled, though a lingering energy clung to the group like morning mist. The screens still hovered, their soft glow casting light across their faces.

Greg tilted his head, looking from his to Penny’s, then back to Leo. "Wait a minute. Goat. Pig. Dragon. Rabbit. That’s not random, is it?"

Luna frowned slightly as she reread her own. "Rabbit. Pig. Dragon. Goat. These are Lunar Zodiac signs."