[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-black-online":3,"chapter-black-online-black-online-chapter-55":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Black Online",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1462548,1913,"Chapter 55: Teaming Up","black-online-chapter-55",55,"\u003Cp>Clang! Clang! Clang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With sweat falling down his face, the master blacksmith, with a hammer in hand, banged on the red-hot piece of metal until it took the shape he desired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him the furnace roared with flames, and the room was becoming increasingly hotter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His apprentices were sweating buckets, and the air was thick with the smell of burning metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This should be done now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blacksmith wiped the sweat off his brow, looked at the repaired sword in his hand, and handed it to his apprentice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentice took the sword to the shop area, where customers were looking at weapons on the walls, and walked over to the young man sitting by the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, it’s done?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, it’s fully repaired now. You’ve already paid for the repair, so here you go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The apprentice handed him the sword and headed straight back to the hellishly warm blacksmith forge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary checked the stats on the sword, saw that it was fully repaired, and smiled with satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sword got quite banged up during the training exercise, so he had to get it repaired or it wouldn’t have lasted much longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have received a friend request from Player Fang Raon!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, a notification appeared in front of him, and Machary looked at it with a surprised look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Fang Raon? Why the hell did he send me a friend request? What does he want?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary accepted the friend request out of curiosity, stepped out of the blacksmith shop, and then received an message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Fang Raon: Hi, I have a proposition for you, so can we meet somewhere?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’...Proposition?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary frowned, replied with a simple, \"Sure,\" and decided with Fang Raon to meet up over in the Sun Park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Park was one of the most popular dating locations in all of tower. It made him slightly weird going there with another guy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He arrived there shortly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sun Park wasn’t on the street level. It looked like it was sunk to the ground. It was filled with cottonwood trees, small ponds, and walking trails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was surrounded by rock walls that were on slanted angles, and there were about four to five entrances leading into the park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entrances were just stone steps going down the rock walls, and currently, there were many couples roaming about the park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary sat down on a bench atop the rock wall, a spiky iron fence behind him, and he didn’t enter Sun Park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They promised to meet outside Sun Park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was slightly cursing Fang Raon inside his mind as he hated coming here and seeing all these couples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made him burn with jealousy!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, you arrived before I did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, Fang Raon walked over in his sandals, and he didn’t sit on the same bench, but instead leaned against the fence, and looked down at the Sun Park.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is it called Sun Park because the sun hovers right above it? What an interesting place, and why do I see so many... couples here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon asked with a frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You didn’t know? What a fool you are. This is famous dating location, so it will probably look weird that we—two dudes—are here together. It will give wrong impression!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary said angrily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? Then walk with me. We can talk elsewhere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon said, and started walking away while Machary jogged after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were making their way down a Cat Street—it was called that because the many stray cats that wandered here—there were players trying to pet them while locals avoided them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you want to talk about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am planning to head to the 7th floor, but I need a party for that. I don’t want to join others because that would make me a follower, so I want to make my own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I am in the same boat. I am no follower. I plan on also creating my own party, reach 15th floor, and also become Party Leader of Rose Records.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? I was planning to invite you to be my first member. Is that an automatic no, then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hah, me following you? You must’ve banged your head too hard. You are the last person I would take orders from!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, at least I tried.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon shrugged his shoulders with a smile, and started walking in another direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary’s expression looked like, \"That’s it?\" as if he expected Fang Raon to try little harder to recruit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are already leaving? You called me all the way here for this bullshit, and you leave after a single no?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I mean, you are pretty adamant in saying no, so I thought I would save some time by just accepting the no.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon stopped walking and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me at least why you want me to join you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You are strong, and I need strong people on my side. I thought the floors would be pretty easy with the two of us, and we could reach the 15th floor together in no time at all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary stayed silent, then he approached him, and looked at Fang Raon straight into his bright blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll join you, but... I am not your subordinate. We will both be leaders, do you understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Two leaders? How would that work?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not all that uncommon. We would both make decisions together and share responsibilities equally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Hmm, I don’t really like that because if we disagree with something, neither will be willing to back down, and it would be just massive headache to deal with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’However, if he puts his ego aside, he is really good leader, so I could also learn something from him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Raon thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then nodded, shook hands with Machary, and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Mmh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Machary nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If any members of Blue Team or Red Team found out that Machary and Fang Raon were working together, they would pass out in a shock.\u003C\u002Fp>",1023,"2026-06-06T02:35:08.158Z",1,"novelbin.me","36ed5692913f824a370602ad5da08e236c05f1d5a115e06bb2c94c1923f63551","black-online-chapter-56","black-online-chapter-54",270,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fblack-online-cover.jpg"]