‘Hmph. So, they are considered Masters?’ Raul clicked his tongue with a regretful expression.
He had hoped that his attack might cause some damage while the enemy was off guard, but the level of a Master is not something to be underestimated.
“Y-you can’t be… Raul, can you?”
It was then that a trembling voice came from behind him.
‘Damn….’
Raul turned his head slightly, pondering what expression to wear, and spoke.
“Yes, big brother Lawrence. It’s been a while.”
The moment their eyes met, memories of their past together flashed through Raul’s mind. Though these memories were from before his reincarnation, his heart swelled with emotions.
“You… you brat! Do you realize where we are?”
Lawrence, with an inexplicable expression, suddenly hugged Raul tightly. The Raul from his memories, not even reaching 170 cm, had grown into a young man over 190 cm tall.
And Lawrence, having embraced the power of the Naga warrior, had gained two ‘temporary arms’ and grown about 10 cm, altering his physique.
But no matter how their appearances had changed, the bond of brotherhood couldn’t be deceived. Unconsciously hugging Lawrence back, Raul found that his brother didn’t feel alien to him at all.
‘Even after growing so much, I’m still the little kid in our family.’
Raul was filled with a sudden sense of relief that almost seemed out of place. Thinking about what might have happened if he had arrived after Lawrence had faced something dire chilled his heart.
“You bastards! I’ll kill you all!”
But Ezekiel, oblivious to such brotherly reunions, charged at the barrier, his aura radiating ferociously.
“Raul, watch out!”
Lawrence tried to shield Raul, moving forward quickly, but others moved even faster.
“How dare you!”
“You’ll play with us now!”
Clang! Boom!
Kane and Jake intercepted Ezekiel’s sword. Kane wielded hunting knives in both hands, emitting green ‘aura blades’, while Jake’s greatsword blazed with a yellow ‘aura blade’.
“Damn. Who are these guys now?”
Ezekiel cursed irritably as two more people capable of blocking his sword joined the fray. From where had these Master-level combatants suddenly appeared?
The dark red of Ezekiel’s aura blade mingled with the green and yellow blades, creating a chaotic melee within the barrier. Even though Kane and Jake fought together, they were certainly below Ezekiel’s level.
The power, speed, and quality of Ezekiel’s aura surpassed theirs. Yet, they didn’t back down easily, as the combination of Kane’s close-combat specialization and Jake’s powerful strikes was surprisingly effective.
“Who are they…? How come there are two Masters?”
Lawrence seemed quite shocked at the sight of Kane and Jake. Masters, of whom there were few even in the kingdom, appearing together, and with Raul at that.
‘…Well, it’s easy to be mistaken.’
Raul, having already released the hug, opened the system messages he had set aside while watching the battle.
It seemed that his intervention in this significant place and scenario had caused an enormous pile-up of messages.
-『Caution』 This area is undergoing a forced scenario.
The warning message for the forced scenario appeared.
『Main Quest : Protect the Third Stage Ancient Seal』
Grade: EX
Objective: Defend the Seal
Detailed Objectives:
1) Protect the final seal from breaking for the designated time (Remaining time – 36 hours 27 minutes)
2) Repel the intruders
3) Re-seal the summoned Dark Gates
Description: The third-stage ancient seal suppressing the dimensional gates is under attack.
Three sealing stones have already been destroyed, weakening the barrier and its restraining power. However, the final sealing stone still remains.
Protect the sealing stone to thwart the descent of the high-ranking demons.
Special Note: Accepting this quest grants you the status of “Temporary Guardian” of the Sealing Stone. As a guardian, you can exhibit power beyond your limits within the influence of the sealing stone.
Caution: The blessing of the sealing stone only applies within the barrier. If the sealing stone is destroyed, you may suffer critical internal injuries and permanent mana loss.
Reward: Varies depending on the achievement of objectives.
『Warning』 There are enemies that are excessively powerful for players to handle. It is highly recommended to retreat, as it may become a reckless endeavor.
The main scenario quest had appeared. Despite the text kindly suggesting that the quest be abandoned, Raul had accepted it the moment he discovered his brother Lawrence.
Ordinary players wouldn’t be able to escape the scenario’s compulsion. According to records from his previous life, this sealing ground was thoroughly destroyed. The players who accepted this quest would likely perish heroically along with the seal.
‘I am not an ordinary player.’
After experimenting multiple times, Raul knew that neither forced scenarios nor main quests had any bearing on him. This was because Raul was a resident of Connect who could rewrite the scenario.
As soon as he accepted the quest, additional system messages popped up.
You have become the “Temporary Guardian” of the sealing stone.
The blessing of the sealing stone has been granted to player Raul’s body.
Player Raul’s rank has been temporarily adjusted.
Expert High → Master Low.
Psychokinetic Master Intermediate Level 9 → Psychokinetic Master Advanced Level 1.
Protect the sealing stone until the arrival of the 『Unknown Helper(?)』.
(Remaining Time: 36 hours 20 minutes)
Kane and Jake could hold their ground against Master Ezekiel thanks to the blessing of the sealing stone. Like Raul, both of them, who had reached the pinnacle of Expert High, were temporarily pushed to the threshold of Master.
Boom! Bam!
“Hahaha. How about trying a bit harder? A Master is not such a big deal after all!”
“Shut up!”
“Come on! Does an Imperial dog who resorts to sneaky tactics actually know how to fight? You’re not even worth the dirt on our Master’s feet, you old geezer!”
Jake’s provoking taunts vexed Ezekiel, preventing him from breaking through the combined defense of Kane and Jake. The presence of Lawrence, standing behind them, also couldn’t be underestimated.
‘Now then.’
Shing.
Raul activated his Power Armor and Regnator.
‘Time to start.’
Woosh!
Golden wings unfurled from Raul’s back, shooting up a pillar of light.
“Gah! What is this?”
“Skreee!”
“Gwooo.”
The Radiant Aura activated, and waves of divine power swept through the temple. Master Ezekiel, suddenly exposed to the divine power, recoiled in shock, and the demonic creatures and undead near the barrier screamed.
Fssh.
Some of the lower-ranked undead couldn’t withstand the aura and turned to ash, vanishing, while the demonic creatures foamed at the mouth, writhing in agony.
“Let’s reduce their numbers first. 『Field of Weapon』 activated.”
Swoosh!
Behind Raul, brilliant silver weapons surged up powerfully. The number exceeded a thousand, forming an iron curtain above the barrier from the legion of weapons.
‘Ha.’
Raul let out a sigh of pleasure as an exhilarating sensation surged through his body. The spiritual power that had always felt insufficient now erupted like an inexhaustible spring, circulating through his entire being, and the purer energy now made his mind incredibly clear.
Although temporary, he had finally reclaimed the ultimate state he had achieved in his previous life. Raul focused his power with a smile.
Rumble.
As enormous energy crossed the void and infused into each weapon, the atmosphere roared, unable to withstand the magnitude.
Flash.
The weapons were enveloped with golden ‘aura’, lighting up the previously dark sky above the temple as if it were midday.
“What is going on? What the hell is happening?”
Ezekiel, with a strained look in his eyes, stared up at the sky before charging towards the barrier—no, towards Raul.
He had identified the source of the overwhelming display. But it was already too late to stop Raul. Reaching Raul meant getting past Kane and Jake first.
‘Time to show why I was called the “Master of the Battlefield” in my previous life.’
A slight gesture was enough.
Shwiiing!
Boom!
Almost all undead, demonic creatures, and dark knights within a 150-meter radius were obliterated. Half of the thousands of enemies that filled the temple were wiped out in the blink of an eye.
“…I-impossible!”
Ezekiel, who was blasted back over 150 meters by the barrage of weapons, could only gape in disbelief at the scene. Aside from him and a few Empire Armor Users, there were truly no survivors.
Astonishment was not limited to the Empire’s side.
‘My God. What on earth has happened to Raul in the meantime?’
Lawrence stood with his mouth agape at the unbelievable sight his once-frail brother had displayed.
“He’s a emissary of the gods! God has truly sent a savior!”
The surviving members of the Special Exploration Team invoked their deity in disbelief at what they had seen. And one more group watched.
The Grand Chief of the Naga Clan, Laknesha, had his eyes sparkling.
‘Has a new guardian of the human race appeared?’
“Shah. Now is the time! Reorganize the formation. Secure the passage to the sanctuary.”
“Shah!”
Shooosh.
The army of weapons that had completed their task reassembled above the barrier. Although the energy they had been infused with was exhausted, they reverted to their original silver forms.
‘Wow, all that stress just melted away! Though it was slightly taxing, it’s manageable.’
Having emptied the vessel that brimmed with all kinds of energy (mana, spiritual power, divine power, etc.) in one go, Raul felt a wave of fatigue, but the assistance from the sealing stone and the attained power quickly replenished his reserves.
‘If the blessing of the sealing stone only works within the barrier’s interior? That’s hardly a penalty.’
If Raul were simply a knight wielding a sword, like Lawrence, he would have had to endure constant battering within the barrier. However, as an advanced psychokinetic, he had no such issue.
As long as his main body remained within the barrier, his psychokinetic power was unaffected.
“Alright, we’ve bought some time. Let’s prepare for a proper fight. Kane, Jake, establish the defenses.”
“Yes, Master!”
Raul’s single strike had brought the battle in the temple to a complete standstill.
As the situation abruptly shifted, the elite forces of the Empire took a moment to assess the situation, while the Naga clan, who had finally set foot in the temple, formed their ranks and prepared for the next battle. Raul and his group used this lull to construct a small makeshift fortress within the barrier.
Utilizing the sealing stone as the focal point, they built a temporary fortress with stone blocks, which housed quarters, a medical center, and a dining hall.
This was made possible through Raul’s subspace, inventory, and the spatial expansion pouches supplied by the magic tower. Although the battle had momentarily entered a lull, the overall situation had not changed much.
‘Defending the barrier is no longer a major issue, but driving out the Empire is an entirely different matter.’
Despite having swept through the enemies once, demonic creatures were still pouring out of the dark gates.
Necromancer McClanahan had started summoning high-level undead instead of the lower ones, and Master Ezekiel was still formidable.
The Naga clan seemed to have taken a passive stance since stepping into the sanctuary, merely observing.
‘So, they think the immediate threat is extinguished? Or perhaps they intend to handle only those coming out of the temple.’
For Raul, having them stay out of the fray felt more convenient. An increase in casualties would only benefit the necromancer.
Regardless, Raul felt no urgency anymore. The primary objective of the quest was to protect the sealing stone for the designated time. There was no need to venture out and eliminate the Empire’s forces recklessly.
‘For now, anyway.’
In a way, the current scenario was an excellent opportunity for Raul. This was a forced scenario area and the stage for a main quest.
With the enemies strengthened by the forced scenario buff, the experience points and rewards were also significantly increased.
Judging by the context of the quest, the Empire’s forces would not give up the sealing stone and would keep attacking.
So, what did it mean?
The sealing stone’s buff had pushed him beyond his usual limits, and his energy recovery speed was enhanced. The resulting conclusion was.
‘A delightful experience point event time!’
Raul’s lips twitched as he struggled to contain a growing grin.
(To be continued…)