To get into a team, several procedures had to be followed, and most of them began at the administration block of the city where all official registrations were handled. Teams, no matter how small or insignificant, were required to be recorded there, otherwise they did not officially exist within the system.
"I need a team that will not restrict my movement or pry into my privacy," Reever thought as he rose from his seat and started heading toward the administration block. "Definitely not a strong one either. A team led by a Master ranked player should be enough for now. Anything higher would come with too many eyes watching my every move."
Access to the list of available teams was tightly controlled, and the only place where one could obtain it was the mayor's office itself.
"Yoo, bot 067!"
The familiar shout made Reever stop in his tracks, and he already knew who it was before he even turned around.
"Elderwood, my guy. What's up?" he greeted casually as the man caught up to him. They exchanged a fist bump, the contact brief but friendly.
"I've been good, just busy ranking up," Elderwood replied with an easy grin. "I'm about to break through to Elite rank, actually. I was heading to the mayor's office to get the team list."
"You mean your ex," Reever said with a smirk.
Elderwood rolled his eyes and chose to ignore the comment.
"I can see you're heading there too," Elderwood continued, patting Reever lightly on the back. "Who knows, maybe we end up joining the same team."
"I'd rather join the worst team in the city than team up with you," Reever thought silently, though outwardly he simply raised a thumb in agreement. "Same here. You're still the only player I actually know."
"Does your ex, I mean the mayor, have her own team?" Reever asked, clearly enjoying himself.
"Seriously, man, why do you keep bringing her up?" Elderwood sighed. "If you're trying to make me mad, you're failing. I left her, and that was my decision. And yes, she has a team. She's not the owner, but she's a core member and leads her own squad."
There was a faint edge of pride in his voice.
Not long after, the two arrived in front of the mayor's building. The same guards they had seen previously were still stationed outside, though this time they wore full-body armor, their weapons heavier and far more intimidating than before.
"You cannot enter without the mayor's summoning," one of them said coldly.
"We're here to register for a team," Elderwood replied, producing his entry pass and nudging Reever to do the same.
After inspecting the passes, the guards summoned black wristwatches from the system and fastened them onto both men before stepping aside to allow entry.
"What rank are those guards?" Reever asked quietly once they were inside.
"Same as big brother Crimson, Elite I," Elderwood replied. "Though Crimson could take them out like trash if he wanted to."
They took seats in the waiting bay, the atmosphere inside heavy with authority.
"By the way," Elderwood added, leaning closer, "Crimson was asking about you. He said the crew can't wait to meet you. I'll be joining his team, actually. He's a squad leader in the Unknown Club."
Reever's attention sharpened.
"The Unknown Club?" he asked.
"Top ten team," Elderwood explained. "The leader's rank is unknown, but most people think he's either Legendary or maybe even Mythical. The team itself is pretty low-key and has fewer restrictions than the others. Honestly, the only reason it's top ten is because the leader is insanely strong. Otherwise, it wouldn't stand out much."
"How is the team overall?" Reever asked.
"Decent, flexible, and not suffocating," Elderwood replied before standing up and heading to the counter. He soon returned with two lists and handed one to Reever.
"Why didn't you join a team all this time?" Reever asked as he accepted the list.
"I liked playing solo," Elderwood said, his expression dimming slightly. "Turns out that was stupid. I joined this game before my ex did, yet she's two ranks ahead of me now. That's the advantage of being backed by a team."
Reever nodded but did not comment.
"Alright," Elderwood said, shaking his head, "enough sad stories. Time to read."
Reever skimmed through the list, quickly realizing just how massive it was. Hundreds of thousands of teams were registered, stretching across countless regions. Fortunately, the list was advanced, allowing players to input specific conditions and filter results instantly.
He entered his requirements, and the system narrowed the options down to twenty teams.
The Unknown Club appeared on the list, but the requirements were brutal. Only Elite ranked players were allowed.
With a slight frown, he added another filter, specifying teams that accepted players below Elite rank. This time, only two options appeared.
What he wanted was clear: minimal restrictions, maximum freedom, a Master ranked leader, fewer than a hundred members, and no Elite rank requirement.
Out of more than a million teams, only two matched his conditions.
"I guess most teams like to suffocate their members," Reever muttered under his breath as he began reviewing the details of the two remaining teams.