Nawa looked at the business card left behind by Noppadon, his mind filled with unease.
The name printed on it was Kraisorn, a core member of the Earth Tiger Guild—one of the three largest guilds in the nation. Not only that, he also held the title of Managing Director of Play for Clash, a finance company that provided loans for players venturing into The Oneness to hunt monsters.
In this era, players grouped themselves into organizations called guilds to survive within The Oneness. Most of the time, it meant monster hunting.
Yet with large numbers of members gathered, guilds became entities of power and wealth, spreading their influence into both business and politics. For over five years, countless guilds had sprung up in Thailand, but only three stood unrivaled:
Blue Dragon Guild, The Future Guild, and Earth Tiger Guild. These three giants had the strength to shake the entire nation and even dictate its direction.
Core members of such guilds lived lives of wealth and prestige, akin to leading businessmen or politicians.On the other hand, low-rank players lived worlds apart—forced to risk their lives hunting monsters without much support.
Monster hunting was not just about strength; it required potions, artifacts, intelligence, and services from the Oneness Association. All of this required money.
Monster meat did fetch a high price, but after expenses, most players had little left to improve themselves. Advancement required capital. Traditional banks refused to lend to low-rank players due to the risk.
That was where companies like Play4Clash, backed by Earth Tiger Guild, stepped in. Of course, high risk meant sky-high interest.
Nawa felt something suspicious. He doubted that Noppadon had genuinely wanted to help him—after all, the man had once shoved him so hard that an ordinary person would have been gravely injured.
Still, Nawa decided to visit the address on the card. He needed a way to help his struggling family, and becoming a player was his only path.
The next morning, Nawa set out. He no longer had a job—the restaurant manager had fired him after yesterday's incident. Though it wasn't his fault, he understood. If the restaurant offended a core member of the Blue Dragon Guild, it would be forced to close.
Had he owned a modern holo-map device like everyone else, finding the place would have been easy. But even the cheapest model was far beyond his means.
His family's finances had collapsed ever since his disappearance five years ago, when his father fell ill.
His mother bore the medical costs alone, selling off their possessions, until a new government came into power and offered welfare for those afflicted by the side effects of The Oneness. Thanks to that, his father still received treatment.
Nawa knew how much hardship his mother and younger brother had endured. Their suffering far surpassed even his own time in the perilous Himmaphan Forest—though he had at least shared those days with Rain, whose smile had been both his light and his salvation.
After asking for directions for some time, he finally arrived at the towering office building. Inside, it looked much like a bank, except no one came to deposit money—only to borrow or repay loans.
"Hello, how may I help you?" the beautiful receptionist greeted him.
Nawa handed her the business card.
"You'd like to see the manager? Do you have an appointment?" she asked politely.
"No, but Mr. Noppadon recommended I come."
"Oh, I see. Please wait a moment." She made a call, and soon after directed him to the top floor.
When the elevator doors opened, Nawa was surprised. Instead of a corporate office, the floor resembled a luxurious clubhouse—decorated in industrial loft style, with sofas, a bar, even a pool table and gym equipment.
One man trained against a punching machine. Every strike echoed like thunder, shaking the room even from afar. The numbers on the machine flashed: 3,567.
Even without knowing what it meant, Nawa could tell such power was inhuman.
Nearby, groups of men and women chatted, drank, and lounged. The atmosphere was more nightclub than office.
"I'm here to see Kraisorn," Nawa told the bartender.
But before the bartender could reply, a lean man in a T-shirt and jeans spoke from the sofa. His name was Wan, a subordinate of Kraisorn—and a player, as Nawa noticed the device on his ear.
"Noppadon from Blue Dragon told me to come," Nawa explained.
"I didn't ask who sent you. I asked why you're here," Wan cut him off sharply, trying to show off before the women nearby.
Nawa met his gaze without flinching. Though weaker than in the Himmaphan Forest, he had once stared down gods themselves. This thug was nothing.
"I came for a loan," Nawa stated flatly.
Wan smirked, though slightly less arrogantly now. "How much?"
"One million."
"What? One million? Hahaha! You? Even ten thousand would be too much for a runt like you!" Wan laughed loudly, joined by the others who mocked Nawa with disdain.
"If you don't have the money, just say so. I'll take my business elsewhere." Nawa's voice was cold, his words sharp.
The room went tense. Wan leapt up, hand reaching into his back pocket, when—
"Enough!"
The man at the punching machine roared. The entire room fell silent. Even Wan paled instantly.
"I'm Kraisorn," the man said, still striking the machine.
"Since Noppadon sent you, I'll consider it. But this is business. Tell me—why do you need such a sum?"
"To enter The Oneness," Nawa answered.
Kraisorn paused briefly, then sneered.
"So you want to be a player. Kids like you think it's easy? I've seen dozens like you—no training, no guild backing, running in to try their luck. Most die. The lucky few crawl back out, too terrified to return."
"I'm not like them. Give me this chance, and you'll gain far more than your money back," Nawa said with unwavering conviction.
Kraisorn chuckled darkly.
"Confident, aren't you? Fine. I'll give you one chance." He pointed at the machine.
"Score more than 1,000 and I'll loan you the million interest-free. Fail, and get out of my sight—or I'll crush your skull for wasting my time."
He punched again—8,000 flashed on the screen.
The room erupted with laughter at the challenge. Even Rank D players could barely score 1,000.
Nawa ignored them. He wanted to test his current strength anyway. He stepped forward, inhaled deeply, focused, and struck with all his might.
BANG!
The machine displayed: 77.
Laughter exploded. Only Kraisorn remained silent, his eyes narrowing.
"You dare mock me? With strength like this, you're not even fit for laborer rank! Leave, before I end you myself!" Kraisorn's aura flared with killing intent.
But Nawa calmly extended his hand. A glass on the distant bar floated into his palm, as if drawn by an invisible hand. He offered it to Kraisorn.
The room froze in shock.Then, the liquor glass on the bar, dozens of feet away, floated toward his hand as if an invisible hand had picked it up
Telekinesis? Such psychic power required immense talent and years of cultivation.
Kraisorn took the glass, drank, then grinned.
"Interesting. A natural telekinetic… no wonder Noppadon recommended you. Very well—we'll talk contracts."
Soon after, Wan brought the papers. The terms: one million loan, with interest at 5,000 baht per day. Though steep, Nawa signed without hesitation. If he succeeded in The Oneness, such debt would be nothing.
Yet he noticed the collateral clause: his body. Should he die, Play for Clash would claim all belongings on his corpse.
Nawa signed anyway. After receiving the cash, he turned to leave—when Kraisorn suddenly appeared before him. With a swift motion, strands of Nawa's hair were sliced clean and held in Kraisorn's hand.
"Relax. Just a DNA sample, in case your body needs identification later," Kraisorn said coolly.
After Nawa left, Wan frowned.
"Boss, why loan him the money? With power like that, he's barely Rank E. He'll never repay us."
Kraisorn smirked.
"You fool. Telekinetics may be weak in combat, but their bodies… harvested as organs, they sell for fortunes. Imagine the price of his entire corpse. That's profit too good to pass up."