He tapped the option.

[MESSAGE REQUEST SENT]

The interface confirmed the action, then closed.

King lowered his hand, exhaling slowly.

Now all he could do was wait.

_____________________________________

The notification arrived faster than King expected.

[DING]

[MESSAGE REQUEST ACCEPTED]

The private message window blossomed across his field of vision, all sharp lines and empty white space. Then, a single notification pulsed into existence.

[Pantheon]: Hello King

King stared at the greeting, the cursor blinking like a taunt. He wasn’t here for pleasantries. And as was his nature, he went straight to the point.

[King]: You said you had a proposal for me?

[Pantheon]: Yes, I do.

[King]: Let’s hear it.

[Pantheon]: But first, I have to ask..

King paused, raising an eyebrow. Beneath Pantheon’s name, the typing indicator still blinked. He waited patiently.

[Pantheon]: You do know about the Alignment Selection that comes immediately after the First Woe, right?

[Pantheon]: I assume, as Rank 1, you’re no amateur.

King’s fingers hovered over the keyboard.

Alignment Selection.

Of course he knew.

It was one of the most crucial mechanics in the game. A choice forced on players during their most vulnerable moment, right after they’d barely survived the First Woe. Exhausted, possibly injured and emotionally drained.

The game didn’t give you time to recover. It threw the decision at you while your logic was at its lowest and your survival instincts were screaming.

They were about ten alignments in total, and each one locked you into specific quest chains, faction relationships, NPC relationships and PvP dynamics. And once chosen, it couldn’t be changed.

King had tested all alignments during different playthroughs.

None of them were perfect.

[King]: Why’s that important?

[Pantheon]: Well, you’re not surprised, meaning you do know...

The typing indicator appeared again.

[Pantheon]: My proposal comes in regards to it. And the Second Woe, which, if it follows the game, will also be in line with the Alignments.

King leaned back slightly, his eyes sharpening.

Pantheon was already thinking ahead, way ahead.

While most of the players were still scrambling to survive the next nine days. Panicking over the First Woe, clutching their resources and forming fragile, panicked alliances that the alignments could utterly shatter if they were ignorant.

Pantheon wasn’t focused on the First Woe at all.

He was already planning for the Second. And King in his experience figured what he was driving at.

[King]: Let me guess...

[King]: You want to avoid a direct confrontation?

[Pantheon]: Bingo

King exhaled slowly.

This guy was sharp.

The fact that Pantheon sat at Rank 2 in the Power Rankings but didn’t exist in the Popular Rankings wasn’t by accident. He was playing carefully. Deliberately staying out of the spotlight while consolidating his strength.

And now he was reaching out to the only person above him.

Not to challenge.

But to negotiate.

King’s mind raced through the implications.

If the game followed its original structure, the Second Woe would be the Pruning Games. A massive PvP event where players were sorted by alignment and forced to compete in restricted zones.

The Alignments formed a complex web of players you could face, avoid, and hunt.

It was chaotic, Brutal, and if you were faced against someone in your own power bracket, the fight could go either way.

Pantheon had clearly done the math.

If he and King ended up on opposing alignments, they’d be forced into direct combat eventually. And neither of them could afford that risk.

A slight smile tugged at the corner of King’s mouth.

He was Impressed.

He started typing.

[King]: So, what do you propose?

[Pantheon]: Well, if our reality follows the game to the letter, which it has so far. I’m guessing the Second Woe will be the Pruning Games. And the best way to avoid direct confrontation is if we have the same alignment.

[Pantheon]: I don’t know where you stand, but my proposal is the Null Alignment. With that, we can shape our own path and avoid any chances of combat.

King stared at the message.

Null Alignment.

He’d run that route before. Multiple times, actually.

It was the wildcard option. No inherent favors, faction support, or predetermined quest chains.

You were basically, on your own.

Which meant you could ally with anyone or backstab anyone without major consequence, it also meant anyone could make you an enemy.

It was the alignment for lone wolves and opportunists.

And in King’s case, it made sense.

He’d already acted with an Arcbearer. Secured Barlan’s medallion. And gained the favor of the Almighty.

Two forces that didn’t always see eye to eye.

Choosing one or the other this early would lock him into political games he didn’t have time for. But the NULL Alignment kept his options open.

And if Pantheon was telling the truth, it also kept them out of each other’s way.

That was the problem, though.

If Pantheon was telling the truth.

[King]: How do I know this isn’t a trap?

[Pantheon]: Well, if it is, I see no way it benefits me. I just prefer survival and maturation over needless risks. Right now I don’t know your strengths, and with you above me I’d like to make sure we don’t have to battle each other.

King read the message twice.

Logically, it was sound.

Pantheon had nothing to gain from lying. If King chose a different alignment, they’d end up fighting eventually. And with their power scores so close, there was no guarantee who’d win.

Neither of them wanted that.

Still, something nagged at him.

[King]: Before I give my yes or no, I have one question.

[Pantheon]: I’m all ears.

[King]: When you sent a text offering a proposal on the World Chat, Cain replied with "LOL." What was that about?

There was a pause. Longer than the previous ones.

[Pantheon]: You noticed. Impressive.

[Pantheon]: Let’s just say I had the same proposal for him, and he wasn’t interested.

King’s face relaxed with a sarcastic smile.

Of course, Pantheon had approached that rascal.

Cain had always operated alone. The guy was Rank 3 in the Power Rankings and before the game had overlayed reality, Cain had a reputation for solo clearing content no one else could touch. He didn’t do teams. Didn’t do alliances.

And if he ever did take a partner, it would only be a matter of time before he betrayed them.

That was just who Cain was.

But the fact that Pantheon had approached him meant he’d been making rounds. Testing the waters. Reaching out to the top players one by one.

King didn’t know how many had said yes.

And that was the problem.

Pantheon couldn’t be trusted.

Still, his proposal was logical, for the now.

King typed slowly.

[King]: Fine. I accept.

[Pantheon]: Very well then. Thank you.

King stared at the last message.

Thank you.

It felt oddly formal. Almost polite.

He closed the chat without giving a reply.

The interface disappeared, leaving him alone in the dining room.

King sat there for a moment, crossing his arms and staring at nothing in particular.

The First Woe was close, and after that, the Alignment Selection would trigger.

And if everything followed the game’s script, there was a short window, then the Second Woe would follow.

Pantheon had planned ahead.

King would do the same.