Armipotent

"Are you sure this is the right decision, Leader?" Ah Che Eun questioned her Guild Leader's decision. She felt like they were into something weird, Emperor and Empire. She did not have a good impression of that old system. The thing she was most afraid of was what if this Emperor was authoritarian, they were not going to have time with the Empire if that was the case, and she felt it did not matter whether of joining the World Government or the Empire.

"I don't know," Park Nam Hoon shook his head as he kept up his pace. "However, I feel like joining the Tang Empire is the right choice. It's an instinct, I think. And I like Your Majesty's words, we should build our relationship based on trust."

Ah Cha Eun's jaw dropped as she looked at her leader with disbelief. The answer was too casual for something serious like this. "How can you use your instinct? What if they f*ck us up as soon as we join them?"

"How? How are they going to f*ck us up? Sending us to fight the zombies?" Park Nam Hoon glanced at Ah Che Eun and smiled. "Do you think they need to mess up with us? What for? You have watched the Group Stage, right? We have even experienced ourselves. Do you think they need weaklings like us to fight the zombies?"

"I agree with our Guild Leader, but I don't like your reasons." Yu Jin Sang interjected in the middle conversation and looked at Ah Cha Eun. "From my observation, the Tang Empire will not treat their vassals as the World Government does to their small faction. You can argue that, because we are the third vassal, we don't know what they will do to us. But you can see what he did to the Tachibana Clan and the Taukai Family. While he cruelly murdered his enemies, he treated his allies much better than the World Government."

"But Guild Leader, I disagree with what Your Majesty Tang Shaoyang. If our relationship is built based on trust, then he should not force us to sign the System Contract or take the Oath Ceremony. He tricked you, Nam Hoon." Yu Jin Sang reminded his Guild Leader not to trust the Empire too much.

"Really? I think Your Majesty is right. You can't trust someone you just met, Jin Sang. Trust is something we build up over time. What if we switch our position? The Tang Empire seeks our protection. Will you say yes, we will help them, and they don't need to sign an agreement or anything? There's no way you will do that if we are in their position, right?" Park Nam Hoon turned toward the stairs, walking up to the second floor. "They need an assurance that after they help us, we will never betray them. That's something logical and makes sense. You should be suspicious about what they want to do with us if there's no clear agreement instead. In the end, it's just a simple exchange. They will protect us, and we will become one of them without disbanding our guild. It's just the same that the Tang Empire is our mother company, and we are the branch company. I like this system more than the World Government. We don't need to worry about internal conflict too, since we only follow one lead. Anyway, everything has its drawbacks, but I think I made the right decision."

The three returned to the Legion Guild's booth and told them that they had become the Tang Empire's vassal. "You can leave the guild if you don't agree with my decision because the Emperor will visit our base after the tournament, and all of you must sign the System Contract by then. So, if you don't like the Tang Empire, you can quit the guild right now." Park Nam Hoon announced.

"What? How could you make the decision without consulting us?" Song Shi Eun immediately stood up right after hearing the announcement from Park Nam Hoon. "Can you imagine what that murderer will do to us if we join them? He may put us in the front line to fight the World Government! Did he promise you three something we don't know?" Song Shi Eun was the fourth strongest in the Legion Guild, and her voice carried weight in the guild.

"Hah," Park Nam Hoon let out a sigh as he looked at Yu Jin Sang. "See, even our friend does not fully trust her friend. She should ask me why I made that decision before accusing us instead. Even sometimes fails to build trust."

After saying that, Park Nam Hoon looked toward Song Shi Eun. "Then what? Do you want us to join the World Government? We don't know yet if the Tang Empire will put us in the front line to fight the World Government, but I am pretty sure that the World Government will put us in the front when the war between them breaks out. Second, the Tang Empire will protect us from the World Government."

Park Nam Hoon noticed that Song Shi Eun was about to interrupt him, but he spoke first. "Silent, let me finish what I want to say first. How will they protect us from the World Government? I don't know, but he said he would show me in his next fight. We just need to wait until tomorrow. What did he give me aside from the protection? Nothing. Murderer, are you naive or what, Song Shi Eun? If someone wants to kill you, will you just let them kill you? If he is a mindless murderer, do you think Ah Che Eun will stand next to me by now? Please think twice, or even thrice, before saying something. You may jeopardize our guild if those words are heard by the Tang Empire."

"Why the Tang Empire instead of the Revolution Kingdom, the First Order Guild, or even the Polar Guild? You should know the basic geography, right? Which region is closest to ours? Do you think those three major factions could come and help us when the three factions in our region unite and attack us? The Tang Empire is the closest region to our region. They are our only choice unless you want us to join the World Government, Song Shi Eun?"

"I hate to say this, but I will never join the World Government. I will never join them after seeing what they do to the small faction, especially what happened to the Taukai Family. They did not even help their ally, but I had witnessed the Tang Empire help the Tachibana Clan and the Taukai Family when they were in dire need. I can see the Tang Empire treat their allies with importance, not just a disposable pawn." Park Nam Hoon closed his eyes after saying that and took a deep breath for a moment. He then opened his eyes and looked at the fifteen fighters in his booth and also the fifty people who came to the arena to watch the tournament. "If you don't like the Tang Empire, then you can quit the guild. We can't go back with our choice because I have signed the System Contract."

"It seems we have no choice indeed but to join the Tang Empire." Yoo Kwang Sung, the second Vice Guild Leader of the Legion Guild, voiced his thoughts. "I don't like the World Government either, and I don't want to be the Tang Empire's enemy, not after what he showed us just now. He killed three Epic Ranks as if they were mobs."

"What about you, Yu Jin Sung?" Cha Hyuk, the fifth strongest within the guild, asked the first Vice Guild Leader.

Yu Jin Sung shrugged. "I will follow this guy until he does not want me anymore. I have signed the System Contract too, and there's not much within the contract, but ask us to be loyal to the Empire. There were not many requirements."

"If the most rational guy in our guild says so, then I don't mind joining the Tang Empire. I am curious what he wants to show us tomorrow too." Cha Hyuk nodded his head. "Moreover, I don't have to sign anything until he visits us, so if the Tang Empire does not visit our base, I can just quit the guild later."

"Just like Cha Hyuk said, Shi Eun. You still have time to consider if you want to stay or quit the guild until then, but I hope you stay.." Park Nam Hoon smiled.