Yuto logged in the next day to find his inbox flooded with in-game mail. Almost every message was from Nugget or Corn, both apparently convinced that now was the perfect time to teach him about guild etiquette, which—according to them—ranged from “How to Flawlessly Deliver Spud Puns” to “When It’s Acceptable to Blame Miki for Everything.”  

[RookieKing]: You people have way too much time on your hands.  

Lilya greeted him the second he appeared in the guild hall, her rogue bouncing in place with eagerness.  

[Lilya]: Ready for today’s event? 🥧  

[RookieKing]: I’m scared to ask.  

[Lilya]: It’s the Great Potato Pie Raid!  

---

Yuto stared at the quest prompt.  

Objective: Steal the Great Pie from the rival guild, SweetCrust.  

A timer sat ominously at the top of the quest window. Apparently, this wasn’t just a simple fetch quest—it was a PvP raid where guilds battled for bragging rights and pie-themed trophies.  

[Miki]: SweetCrust’s been hogging that pie all week. It’s time to teach them a lesson.  

[Kaze]: No mercy. Only carbs.  

Yuto was beginning to suspect this entire MMO was just an elaborate excuse for nonsense.  

[RookieKing]: So... we’re fighting over a pie?  

[Nugget]: A PIE OF LEGEND.  

[Lilya]: You’ll understand when you see it. Trust me.  

[Corn]: The key is strategy, not brute force. And maybe a little bit of brute force.  

---

As they teleported to the contested area—a large bakery-like arena surrounded by rolling green fields—Yuto’s nerves kicked in. He wasn’t exactly a seasoned PvP player. Fighting against real people was a whole different beast from slaying goblins or dodging potato-themed traps.  

[Lilya]: Stay close to me, Rookie. I’ll cover you.  

He wasn’t used to being the one needing cover, but he typed a quick [RookieKing]: Got it.  

The raid began in chaos. Members of SweetCrust ambushed them the moment they stepped into the bakery, lobbing flour bombs and rolling giant pies across the floor to knock people over.  

Yuto swung his sword wildly, taking down a SweetCrust mage who’d been hurling cream pies at Nugget.  

[Nugget]: Nice one, Rookie! You’ve got potential.  

[Corn]: Now we strike at the heart—THE PIE.  

---

The final room was guarded by SweetCrust’s leader, a towering knight in golden armour named PastryQueen. She stood in front of the legendary pie—a glimmering, golden-crusted creation resting atop a ceremonial table.  

The battle was fierce, with spells flying and swords clashing. Lilya’s rogue danced between enemies, taking out healers and disabling traps with precision. Meanwhile, Yuto kept his focus on surviving—blocking hits, dodging rolls, and occasionally landing a lucky blow.  

PastryQueen was relentless, but just as it seemed they were losing ground, Miki and Kaze launched a surprise attack from the side, distracting the enemy long enough for Lilya to dash toward the pie.  

[Lilya]: Cover me! I’ve got the pie!  

Yuto followed her without hesitation, his sword deflecting attacks as she hoisted the oversized pastry.  

---

The guild chat was filled with frantic messages as they fought their way out of the bakery:  

[Nugget]: PROTECT THE PIE AT ALL COSTS.  

[Corn]: For glory! For starch!  

[Kaze]: No pie left behind.  

They stumbled out of the arena, battered but victorious. The raid timer hit zero just as Lilya delivered the final prize to their base, locking it in their trophy room.  

A system message blared:  

“Congratulations! The Potato Brigade has claimed the Great Pie!”  

---

Back in the guild hall, the chat exploded with celebrations.  

[Nugget]: YES! Sweet victory!  

[Corn]: Our carbohydrate dominance remains unmatched.  

Yuto chuckled, half-exhausted from the fight. He hadn’t expected to enjoy PvP this much—or to feel this connected to a group of strangers over something so ridiculous.  

Lilya sent him a private message:  

[Lilya]: You did really good out there, Rookie. 😊 I’m glad you’re sticking around.  

Yuto hesitated for a moment before replying:  

[RookieKing]: Me too. I think.  

It was strange how natural it felt, chatting with her like this. She was just a name on a screen, yet somehow... it mattered.  

[Lilya]: You’re one of us now. Spud life forever. 🥔  

---

The guild wrapped up their celebrations, and one by one, the members logged off. Before leaving, Lilya sent one last message to Yuto:  

[Lilya]: Same time tomorrow? We’ll find more trouble to get into. 😉  

Yuto smiled. [RookieKing]: Yeah. Same time.