"Wave attack!"
The knight's frantic cry echoed through the room, silencing the chatter and clinking of mugs. In an instant, the cheerful atmosphere flipped.
Cling—Clang—
Weapons were drawn in unison, and from the back, Rollo's booming voice rang out, "Valkeries Knights! Tonight we feast!"
The knights roared in response, downing their drinks before charging out of the inn, led by their Knight Commander.
As soon as Rollo stepped outside, he was greeted by an eerie darkness. The once clear sky had dimmed unnaturally, casting a heavy gloom over the town. The shadows seemed alive, unnaturally long and twisting as if they were writhing with intent.
Hum!
"Stay sharp! Monsters are hiding within the shadows," Rollo warned, slowly drawing his sword, his eyes scanning the shifting darkness.
The knights behind him advanced cautiously, their gazes flicking toward every movement in the gloom.
Though they would have preferred to shield their commander, Rollo was never one to hide behind his men—he always led from the front.
He pressed on until the inn faded from sight. With each step, the blackness deepened, enveloping him in an eerie void.
Soon, he could barely see three meters ahead, the world around him swallowed by the gloom. The only sounds breaking the smothering silence were the faint clinks of his men's armor—and that strange, ever-present hum that seemed to pulse through the air.
Twitch—
A shadow suddenly twisted ahead, but before it could fully emerge, Rollo's sword gleamed brightly—it severed the creature's head with a swift strike.
Roll—Tap!
He saw the head as it rolled into his boot. Grimly, he thought, 'Abyssal Striders. Then this means…'
Hum!
He spun without hesitation, hand gripping at thin air. A dark figure formed within his own shadow, manifesting just as his fingers closed around its throat.
Before he could crush it, the creature twisted grotesquely, dissolving and reforming a short distance away. Before Rollo could pursue, it vanished back into the dark.
"Tsk. How annoying."
"Knight Commander, are you alright?!" One of the knights rushed to his side.
"I'm fine. We're dealing with Abyssal Striders and Nightmare Wraiths—creatures from beyond the 31st floor. Watch your backs and be careful of the shadows!"
"There's no need for that."
[Heavenly Light!]
A voice rang out from the rear, followed by a bright light that illuminated the area—burning several monsters in its path and forcing others to retreat to the edges of the shadows.
Rollo turned and grinned. "Nice to see you out of that counter for once."
The innkeeper, Marcus, smiled wryly as he approached, the knights parting respectfully as he passed. "Sir Marcus," they murmured, bowing their heads.
Marcus finally stopped in front of Rollo and removed his hood, revealing his pointy ears, "Don't waste your strength on these weaklings. You're needed elsewhere."
He raised his staff, pointing it toward the distance.
[Stormrage Behemoth Lv. 321]
[Voidclaw Ravager Lv. 224]
[Dark Siren Enchantress Lv. 218]
"Tsk. How troublesome," Rollo muttered. "We need to head there immediately."
"Indeed," Marcus nodded.
"As for the church?"
"I've already cast several protection spells over it. The townsfolk will be safe once they're inside."
Rollo nodded sharply and turned to his men. There were at least thirty knights standing at attention. "Escort the townsfolk to the church. Once they're secure, rejoin the battle."
"But sir, what about you?" one of the knights asked hesitantly.
"Worry about yourselves!" Rollo snapped, his eyes narrowing. "If any of you dies here for nothing, I'll finish you off myself!"
"Y-Yes, sir!" the knight stammered—only to get smacked on the back of the head by the one behind him, annoyed by his foolish question.
Marcus chuckled softly, waving his staff in the air. "Wait. Take these buffs before you go."
[Advanced Holy Enchantment!]
[Holy Light: Pixies!]
Magical orbs of light drifted from Marcus's staff, bobbing up and down like fireflies. They surrounded the knights, casting a bright glow over the darkness.
"This will protect you against the monsters."
"Thank you, Sir Marcus!"
"Now go!" Rollo ordered.
With their weapons gleaming and the pixies illuminating their path, the knights answered with a unified cry, then marched toward the town center to guide the people to safety.
Rollo watched their backs for a while and then turned around.
"Don't worry, they will be alright."
"Huh! Who said I'm worried!"
Marcus smiled, but he couldn't help but look behind himself, "Still, I am worried about the kids."
"They will be alright, they need such experience to grow stronger."
"Yes, but the hero..."
"As long as he lays low and doesn't attract attention, things should be alright."
"Yes, but..."
"I know—but Erza won't forget to tell him."
"Should we wait for her?"
"No, we need to move. She'll catch up."
"Alright then."
[Holy Light: Mid-Day Sun!]
With a swift motion of his staff, Marcus summoned a radiant orb of light that hovered above them, flooding the area with radiance.
"You never cease to amaze me," Rollo whispered, shielding his eyes with his hand as he squinted up at the glowing orb.
"Wait, someone's coming!" Marcus suddenly spotted a dark figure approaching from behind.
"I thought I heard your two," came a familiar voice. "Were you planning to leave me behind, darling?"
Erza strode forward, her red hair billowing like flames and her armor gleaming under the bright light. She shot a sharp glance at her husband.
"It was Sir Rollo who insisted on hurrying," Marcus quickly chimed in, throwing Rollo under the bus without hesitation.
"Oh, really?" Erza turned her piercing gaze to her young brother, who stood slack-jawed, staring at Marcus in disbelief.
Marcus smirked. "Sorry, Sir Rollo, but a wise man knows when to avoid danger."
"You're saying I'm dangerous?" Erza retorted, her eyes narrowing.
"N-No way, honey!" Marcus stammered, startled by her glare.
Rollo let out a wicked laugh. "That's what you get for betraying me!"
"Don't laugh! You'll pay later!" Erza shot back before turning serious. "Now, what's the situation?"
"They're approaching the north gate," Rollo replied, regaining his composure. "My men are holding the walls, and I've sent some troops to escort the townsfolk to the church."
"The church is secured?"
"Yes." Marcus nodded.
"Good. I've ordered the children to go there—they should be safe."
"Then let's move," Rollo said, his tone firm.
"Yes, we will make them regret coming here," Erza replied.
With that, the three of them headed toward the northern gate, ready to face whatever lay beyond.
***
"So, do you get it?" Maria asked, keeping pace beside Jan as the three now changed their goal, heading straight for the church.
Upon arriving at the city center, where the holy statue stood tall, they realized they had missed the assembly.
Not wasting any more time, they headed directly to the church in the northeast. It was the appointed shelter for the townsfolk during emergencies.
To their surprise, they didn't encounter many monsters along the way. It seemed the knights had successfully cleared the area, holding their ground against the swarming creatures.
With the immediate threat at bay, they had time to chat, and Maria took the chance to explain more about leveling up, stats, and skills to Jan.
"So let me get this straight—when you level up, your stats increase?" Jan asked, still trying to wrap his head around it.
"Yes."
"But that's not the only way; you can also improve your stats by training your body and mastering your weapons."
Sophia, running slightly ahead, nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Then it's all about stats!"
"Aha! See? Even he gets it!" Sophia teased, shooting a triumphant glance at her sister.
"No, you're forgetting something important," Maria countered. "Skills! Having a variety of advanced skills can make up for lower stats and can be a real game-changer in battle."
"But doesn't training and learning new skills also improve your stats?" Jan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, yes..." Maria admitted reluctantly.
"I hate to say it... but she's right, Maria," Jan said.
Sophia grinned. "Give it up, Maria! I win, you lose! Hahaha—wait, hold on, what do you mean 'hate to say it'?" She spun around, poking Jan's shoulder twice.
[-1] [-1]
"Ow! That's because you're such a sore winner!" Jan shot back this time around.
Sophia stopped for a second, genuinely surprised by his retort, then narrowed her eyes and jabbed him a few more times. "You think saying that would hurt me? Try this!"
[-1] [-1] [-1] [-1]
"Ow! Ow!"
Watching the playful banter, Maria couldn't help but smile. "Look at you two—getting along so well."
"With him? No way!" Sophia scoffed, quickly making some distance from the group.
"Don't mind her, she's always like that," Maria said looking at Sophia running ahead.
"I get it," Jan replied, smiling at Maria, which caught her off guard for a moment. Her eyes widened slightly.
"I think you're right, though—stats are important too," She admitted.
"Well, I think it's more like a circle, everything is connected."
"Yeah, and it also depends on what class you choose."
"What do you mean by that—"
"Guys…" Sophia's urgent whisper cut him off as she extended her arm, stopping Maria and Jan in their tracks.
The three quickly ducked behind a nearby haybale. Jan cautiously peeked over, eyes widening in shock.
"What the hell—" He was cut off by both sisters, gripping his shoulders to bring him back down.
"Shhh!" Sophia hissed.
"No, seriously, what is that?" Jan whispered, taking another peek.
[Dreadmire Brute LV???]
Ahead of them, lumbering through the wreckage of shattered buildings, was a hulking mass of dark swamp sludge, twisted roots, and decayed earth. It moved slowly but with relentless purpose, trailing foul, corrosive sludge with every step as it moved toward the next structure.
Its grotesque face had hollow, sunken eyes and a wide, jagged mouth filled with broken, moss-covered teeth. Its limbs were thick and gnarled, ending in sharp claws made of hardened swamp wood. The monster's entire body dripped with thick, black ooze that absorbed the light around it, turning the creature into a hulking shadow against the night.
Maria's light illuminated the creature clearly, but unlike the Wraiths and Striders, the light didn't seem to bother it.
"What should we do?" Sophia whispered.
"It hasn't noticed us yet, and I don't sense anyone else nearby," Maria said calmly. "I think we should go around it and head to the church to check on the townsfolk."
"But it's heading the same way we are," Sophia said, glancing again at the brute's path.
Jan and Maria looked back at the monster, watching its slow, destructive progress.
"Yeah, but we could just—"
"Wait! I know this place!"
Jan suddenly interrupted her. He peered again, narrowing his eyes to focus beyond the monster's massive form; he could see it, at the end of that road… was the Library!
"We have to stop it," Jan said, his voice firm.
"No, we don't—" Maria started.
"That's what I like to hear!" Sophia said, standing up and cracking her knuckles, ready for action.
"I said no!" Maria snapped, her voice sharp. "We don't have a clear strategy for taking it down, and that's not what we've been tasked to do. We're supposed to protect the townsfolk and escort them to safety, and right now, we're failing at that."
"But—"
"No buts, Sophia, the Guild Master appointed me as the party leader, and you will follow orders."
Sophia clenched her fists, her head dropping in frustration, but then she was surprised by the sight of Jan standing up.
"What are you about to do?" She asked, feeling a bit puzzled.
"Fight," Jan replied, his tone unwavering.
Ring—Ring—
********* Exclusive Side Mission: Protect the History *********
Monsters are attempting to destroy the Valkeries Library, which holds the ancient history of this world.
Difficulty Level: C
Requirement:
1. Protect the Library
2. Protect the Librarian
Time Limit: None
Warning: Failure will result in the permanent loss of part of the world's history.
[Accept (Selected)] [Refuse]
****************************************
'You don't need to tell me twice.'
Without hesitation, Jan unsheathed his sword.