The world beyond that portal was terrifyingly powerful.
The Federation's first expeditions encountered forces and entities far beyond their understanding. Even their most advanced combat units and mechs couldn't last long there. The strength of that world was on a completely different scale, and it sent a chill through everyone who learned of it.
Out of fear and caution, the Federation immediately abandoned all exploration. They destroyed every trace of their research and made sure not to leave behind any clue that could be discovered later. To their relief, the portal turned out to be one-way nothing from the other side could cross into their world.
Even so, the situation left them deeply frustrated.
They had found what could only be described as a treasure trove, a gateway to unimaginable knowledge and resources but they couldn't own or control it. That fact alone was enough to drive the Federation's leadership into irritation and obsession.
When the Federation's top scientists later analyzed the little data they had gathered, they came to one conclusion: the key to understanding everything was hidden inside Glory itself.
From that moment, the Federation shifted its entire focus.
They began to popularize Glory on a massive scale, encouraging participation across every region under their influence. At the same time, they secretly dispatched many of their best operatives, researchers, and soldiers into the game.
Of course, they did all this carefully, making sure it didn't draw suspicion from the other major powers. But beneath the surface, almost every move the Federation made was driven by one goal
to uncover the truth about Glory and the mysterious world connected to it.
And so, let alone the players even the officials didn't fully understand the true nature of the game.
And now, standing before this enormous Nine-Floor Mage Tower, those doubts only grew stronger.
The players could all sense it the difference between a town and a city was something beyond just size or population. It was the difference between two worlds.
Previously, when most of them were still in the beginner towns, many players had entertained wild ideas. Some had thought that once they leveled up enough, they might be able to challenge or even overthrow a city lord, taking control of a city themselves just like in other VRMMORPGs they had played before.
But now, as they stood before the towering structure that pierced the sky, all those dreams were instantly shattered.
The sheer power radiating from the Nine-Floor Mage Tower which symbolized the presence of a Tier 6 mage, made it clear that the beings who ruled the cities were on an entirely different level. The massive tower was surrounded by an invisible yet overwhelming pressure, a faint aura of mana that caused the air to hum softly. Just feeling it from a distance was enough to make weaker players' bodies tense up.
Any thought of rebellion, any illusion of equality between players and the city's rulers, disappeared instantly.
The players who had once believed they could "dominate the game world" now realized just how small they were in comparison to the powers that truly existed here.
Especially the mage players.
As soon as they recovered from their initial shock, many of them immediately ran toward the central mage tower. The area quickly became crowded with robed figures, their faces filled with excitement and determination.
There was a reason for their reaction.
Even though the official records didn't contain much detail, there was still some superficial information available particularly about class advancement. Among all the players, this was common knowledge. After all, once a player reached a city, the most important goal was to advance their class as quickly as possible. Everyone made it a priority to learn how the system worked.
According to the information released by the officials, unlike other games where class advancements were handled automatically or at fixed locations, Glory worked differently.
Here, players needed to find and get a master or a teacher.
That master had to be at least two tiers higher than the player's current class and only after formally becoming that person's disciple could a player receive their class advancement quest from them.
And this rule applied to every class in Glory.
As for why the tier of their masters mattered so much, although this information was never officially explained, some players had managed to piece together a theory after analyzing various bits of information and patterns found in the game.
They had concluded that the reason might be because a player's advancement potential was directly tied to the tier rank of their chosen master.
For example, if a player accepted a Tier 3 master which was the lowest tier rank allowed for mentorship then that player's own advancement would be limited to Tier 3. They would be unable to progress further unless they either helped their master break through to a higher tier or found a stronger master to replace them.
However, even replacing a master wasn't a simple matter. Players couldn't just abandon their current mentor at will. They first had to obtain permission or acknowledgment from their existing master before they could formally accept a new one.
This restriction was something most players had only discovered through personal experience or word of mouth. There were no official confirmations from the game's developers or administrators, yet it had become an accepted truth within the player community.
Still, even though many details remained uncertain, one thing all players agreed on was this: choosing a high-tier master was absolutely essential.
A weak master meant a limited future.
That understanding was why, the moment the players realized that the massive Nine-Floor Mage Tower at the city's center belonged to a Tier 6 Mage, chaos broke out among the mage players.
Without hesitation, they abandoned everything else their curiosity, their sightseeing, even their conversations and sprinted straight toward the central region where the tower stood.
Their reasoning was simple.
If they could somehow get the attention of a Tier 6 mage and be accepted as disciples, their future paths as mages would be guaranteed. With such a high-tier master, their advancement would not only be faster but far safer compared to those who followed lower-tier mentors.
The opportunity to apprentice under a Tier 6 was something players couldn't even dream of back in the towns.
As a result, the streets quickly became crowded with players wearing mage robes, all rushing in the same direction. Their excitement was palpable, and even from afar, it was easy to tell that a major event was unfolding around the central tower.
Meanwhile, the players from other professions warriors, rangers, priests, and assassins also noticed the commotion. Although they had their own advancement quests to worry about, many of them couldn't resist the urge to follow and see what was happening.
Some simply didn't want to miss such a spectacular sight, while others hoped to find potential mentors from their own professions somewhere near the central region. After all, where a Tier 6 mage resided, it wasn't strange for other powerful figures to gather as well.
And so, the flow of players turned into a flood.
Dozens became hundreds, and hundreds became thousands, all converging toward the same place the Nine-Floor Mage Tower that stood tall and gleaming in the center of Astralis City.
As for the NPCs who witnessed the sudden commotion, they were completely taken by surprise.
At first, they were confused by the sight before them. A large crowd of people was rushing through the streets toward the Central Mage Tower, and most of them were wearing mage robes. The citizens quickly realized that these people must all be mages.
That alone was astonishing.
In Astralis City, seeing even one mage walking through the streets was considered rare. Mages were powerful, respected, and usually secluded within their towers or research halls. Ordinary people rarely had the chance to see one up close, let alone dozens no, hundreds of them all at once.
To see such a sight was shocking enough, but to see all of these mages running together toward the Central Mage Tower was even more unbelievable.
The NPCs exchanged curious glances.
"What's going on?" some whispered. "Why are so many mages heading to the central tower?"
Although they knew that the Central Mage Tower occasionally recruited new mage disciples, it had always been done in a calm and systematic manner. The selection process was strict, and it usually happened behind closed doors. Never before had there been a situation where so many mages gathered all at once, rushing openly through the streets.