RETURN OF THE SHADOW - Chapter 152

With Ellie being late, he continued to talk about the further investments that they might need for their project. Elias quickly explained that though it would be considered his project, he was bound by agreement to work only for the Blyth family and he couldn’t have done this if he wasn’t a Blyth. As he was one of the Blyths, once Robert was an elder, he would have enough authority to provide more funds and it wouldn’t be much of an issue. He had just wanted to get a better hold of the project by starting it early and registering it in their name rather than the elder council.

“It is just a power play. I would have been able to set up the entire thing, even if I don’t receive any funds from you. The elder council also believes it to be a very good venture. Just a few morons delaying it,” said Elias reiterating his words.

Balthazar decided to create a corporate account for their venture at the place and transferred the funds right there. He called for Robert who also joined them in the room.

As they were filling up the forms online, Ellie and Leon joined the room. A couple of minutes later, they managed to setup the venture. With the main process done, Elias offered to handle all requirements and other processes which both Robert and Balthazar left to him as they didn’t know much of it and also Ellie was waiting for them with Leon.

“Congrats, on your project,” she greeted both Robert and Balthazar. “But keep an eye on my uncle, he tends to go through funds quite fast,” she whispered into their ears. Though she whispered it, it was clear that she didn’t mean it and was just teasing her uncle. Everything they talked was quite audible to the others in the room and Elias being the administrator could always replay the scenes. So, if she meant it seriously, she would have told it.

“If your planning to get something done, you should get a proper virtual workshop by paying for the service. I hope that you don’t have plans to work here and be a nuisance,” grumbled Elias in return.

“Let us make this quick, Ellie. I don’t have much time,” said Balthazar. He was in no mood for Ellie Edgerton’s antics.

“Fine. I believe that you need a proper training environment to develop quickly and stably in the game. It is a good source of money and you wouldn’t be just half-heartedly working on that workshop, right?” asked Ellie.

“Yes. I agree. We need something of that sort, but apart from money we need different kinds of personnel. You are definitely going to be the designer who codes and supervises its functionality. But we need other kind of personnel too, right?” asked Balthazar.

“Of course, I need someone who could actually train those people and come up with a decent training regimen. I have played games before too. It needs someone who understands the mechanics of games, very well. With vita-nova, we don’t even need this person to understand the game mechanics, he just needs to be a good trainer at physical arts. I brought the best person for this,” said Ellie confidently pointing at Leon.

“Ahhhr, hrr, hrr,” coughed Leon as he heard her causing her to turn towards him. “You wanted me to teach some gamer to improve in that game,” said Leon looking at Ellie like she told the biggest joke he ever heard of.

“Yes. Why not?” asked Ellie.

“Because they are not Blyths or affiliated families. I wont teach or help provide any training facilities or techniques for anyone who isn’t,” said Leon. “I thought you wanted to create some training environment for the members and personnel of the family and wanted my help for it.”

“This I cannot help you with, Balthazar,” he continued looking at Balthazar this time.

“I understand,” said Balthazar immediately. He understood Leon’s concerns. He was the weapons master of the family and couldn’t simply impart his skills to anyone. Even if he decided to teach someone only a little, he would find the experience extremely unsavory. Moreover, for experts of his capabilities, especially teachers, it would be a matter of pride. He couldn’t accept any layman as a student nor could he accept it if anyone who received his guidance was no good fighter. So, training a large organization as a guild was definitely out of question for him.

“This has got to be among the top ten,” said Elias face palming himself as he heard Ellie’s question. It was clear that he considered the ask to be one of the stupidest ones, he ever heard.

“Master Leon, please wait a minute,” continued Balthazar. He had agreed that it would not be possible to ask him to participate in the guild directly, but he was sure that he could provide other kind of help.

“Though I accept that you cannot train my employees, I am sure that you can introduce us to someone who can,” said Balthazar. He had already sent a mail to Rodrigo about this but hadn’t given any definitive answer. He wanted to try his luck with Leon.

“That’s true. You have been an expert for quite some time. I am sure you know a few who could help us with this,” said Ellie agreeing with him.

“I am sure that you would have been acquainted with quite a number of people in your life. As a weapons master, you would have come in contact with many experts. I don’t even need anyone in good physical condition. Such men would be hardly willing to help me. I just need someone who at the very least has a high-level military training and can teach the methods of a ranger,” said Balthazar.

“Ranger? You are quite specific. Why do you need your employees to have exploratory and survival skills?” asked Leon.

“Oh boy! These games usually need those skills more than anything. They all are essentially moving through new areas and killing monsters. It is true that a military ranger would be very effective for this position,” said Ellie.

“Well in that case, I do have some that would be a good fit. But I have no way of making him agree. Only Robert has a decent chance,” said Leon pointing to his cousin.

“You know an old ranger that could help us?” asked Balthazar. It was true that there is a good chance that Robert might know someone as he was Walter’s grandson. He somehow failed to realize this in spite of spending a lot of time with his cousin.

“I don’t know no one,” replied Robert with a shake of his head. He was as surprised as Balthazar when he heard Leon.

“You know the old pervert Lewis in the wheelchair in your permanent resident ward?” asked Leon.

“Yes, he had been there before I even joined the branch,” answered Robert and a couple of seconds later realized what Leon’s words meant. “You mean old man Lewis could help us? He was that strong?” asked Robert in shock.

The others had no clue of what Leon was talking of, but Robert had a very clear understanding of it. The man that Leon was talking of was well known to a number of medical professionals at his place of work.

Most patients would have a natural tendency to respect the doctors, especially at a place like the city hospital of Asklepian which was considered a temple of medicine. Here, the medical professionals were even revered. The only few who didn’t have such a behavior were ones with a strong background. Old man Lewis was known to be a lecher in wheelchair that hit on any female he laid his eyes on.

“Yerman Lewis is someone that I once considered a rival. He was one of the strongest personnel on side of the alliance at the end of the unification era. He comes from a strong military background and spearheaded a most famous ranger unit,” said Leon. “He is one of the best rangers I knew but suffered an unexpected betrayal and barely remained alive. Haven’t met him for a long time. Why don’t I introduce you guys? He would enjoy doing something again.”

It was clear from his tone that Leon felt sad that Yerman was in such a state. They had the rivalry that inspired one another and as an expert, he found it hard that someone who could have been the same as him fell to a state, where he would be known as a crazy lecherous man.

“I know him pretty well. It makes sense. He tells the wildest stories about his expeditions but most of his descriptions though far fetched seem to be quite plausible. We always thought he was someone like us who lost the use of his limbs in a research accident or something,” said Robert as he recollected his talks with the old guy.

“No. Poison and burn damage. It reduced him to his state. Quite a decent amount of money was expended to try and recover him, but now no one finds a use for him. Even his family let him be,” said Leon. Ever since that incident, Leon had a lingering fear at the bottom of his heart that the same could happen to him and he trained much worse due to that fear. It was the reason that he always involved himself in knowing of other’s research in medicine and surveillance tech as he feared betrayal at the bottom of his heart anything.

“I can talk and suggest it to him if you are interested,” said Robert looking at Balthazar.

“Sure. Why don’t we all go and meet him once we return,” said Balthazar. “Apart from him, we can still have more people join us. Hopefully, I will get a reply from some of my contacts in the military,” continued Balthazar looking at Ellie.

“Ya. It is always better to have more minds. If I have ever learned anything, it is that there is no fixed correct path for anything. It all depends on person and we need multiple view to provide an environment that would benefit a number of people,” said Ellie.

“That leaves us with you. What do you need for creating this?” asked Balthazar.

“Need a workspace, something like this. Then, personnel for the same. I can get that,” she said cheerfully. “Once we have some concrete plans to start, we would need to buy another space to create the environment. It would not be like the trials space offered by samsara technology. You would need to rent a decent amount of virtual space or set up a large server room for it.”

“I expected the space requirements and have already been looking into it. I needed to know what you and your team would need,” said Balthazar waving his hand. Though the Crimson Realm guild never had its own training space for its members, it did manage to borrow a few facilities from a quasi-super guild for a limited period of time. He had a good idea of what would be required and if he planned to make his own guild, a super guild, he would also need plans to expand this much further.

“I am actually not sure of what the requirements would be. I need to get a decent idea of it before I can even decide on the number of personnel that I would require in my team,” said Ellie.

Balthazar also realized that it was true. It was always data that had limited people. Any creation would require a large amount of data for it. He couldn’t borrow the training systems of his family and was sure that he would be refused that data. Even if he or his sister ended up the Patriarch, he was sure that he would be suppressed if he suggested anything that would enable people out of the family would get a hold of their knowledge.

He had no option but to recruit trainers for his guild before he manages to make anything out of it. “I still have a decent amount of time, it is still the third day,” thought Balthazar as he calmed down. His main concern was that he didn’t ever know how much time a super guild would take to set up their own training system.

“Where in the game are you two located, right now?” asked Balthazar.

“Yes,” said Ellie. “Lizzie Bizzie at gray sword city. Trade profession player, engineering and forging.”

Balthazar had completely expected that to be what she is doing at the game. She had a thing for developing weapons and he was sure that there is a good chance she might follow the same path in the game.

“I am actually in White Heart City, but still at level 10. Didn’t really play for long time,” said Robert.

“I’ll be leaving now. It is not like I understand what you kids are talking about,” said Leon interrupting them as he turned to leave.

“Wait, Master Leon,” said both Ellie and Balthazar.

“You best try it with Yerman. The others I know would probably not want to work for a game,” said Leon thinking that they were hoping he could provide any more information. He knew that experts would look down on such a game and consider it a waste of time.

“No, it isn’t that. Why don’t you play the game? It is fun and relaxing,” said Balthazar. “Moreover, the time dilation lets you have a lot more free time. You could just try it out during your sleep hours.”

Balthazar didn’t really care much about Leon’s entertainment, but he wanted to increase his rapport with him and also hoped that he would be of some help in the game. He knew that the star players of the gaming industry would soon see a shift. Many new players would come and the guilds would be forced to accept them to maintain their standing.

Apart from that, he understood that Leon was a very strong person and a good teacher. Being the weapons master, he also held quite a number of resources and prestige in the family. It would be a lot easier if he wanted any technology or weapons from the family, if he had a better relationship with him.

“It is just…. I don’t think it is worth my time,” said Leon.

“He did say that you can only try it when you sleep, right?” said Ellie sarcastically rolling her eyes.

“When do you think I work with your uncle and the team?” asked Leon back and left.

“Just suggesting giving it a try sometime,” said Ellie as he left. “You might actually enjoy it.”

“Ok. Forget him. Can you meet Crimson Power? I will inform him and you both can meet to discuss. You don’t even need to consider fighting techniques with humanoid, but even most people fall down to monsters in the game. If you can create a room based on the monsters also. We can start up right now,” said Balthazar.

He had used training rooms which allow you to battle with humanoids, but most monsters in the game were not so. They usually overwhelm the players with numbers. So, the basic training always involved fighting these monsters. Unlike the monsters in the game, dying while fighting in training room would not make players lose experience. So, they soon try new stuff and tend to be more daring and inclined towards learning to fight than keeping themselves safe in such an environment.

This would help most players to start on the path of improving their techniques. Apart from techniques, it was always important for a fighter to have ample ability to observe their enemies to discern their movement and attacks. It would enable them to react better and counterattack. Fighting a number of monsters in such an environment would soon or later cultivate this skill too. This was the most basic of the training that they required. It was essential for a guild.