Enoch collided with the wall behind him with enough force to kill an average person; only his high status kept him alive. The trio that had been watching the entire commotion decided to hang back and spectate our little match.
But I didn't allow that. With one swift strike, I killed the banker-looking man using my force. He died instantly as his head hit the hard stone ground, sending the other two into a panic.
The cloaked man began chanting some magic, but I didn't let him finish. I pulled out my dagger, a gift from Svarog, and fired it at him using my force.
The dagger pierced the cloaked man's head, and when his lifeless body fell to the floor, his hood revealed blond hair. His face didn't remind me of anyone in particular, so I left it at that. Meanwhile, the god Aeshma remained unnervingly calm amidst the chaos, confident that I wouldn't harm him.
No mere mortal had ever dared to harm a god. It was said that if a mortal tried, their soul would be tortured after death until the god decided it was enough.
The thought was terrifying, and I wondered what kept malicious gods from harming innocent souls. Likely some sort of divine rules that everyone had to follow—there was no other way the evil gods would leave normal souls alone.
"As I say, that's enough. Tell me, how did you get in here, and who are you? What do you want from us? Money, fame, women? Take it, it's all yours."
I knew that when mortals die, their gods feel the loss of the falna they bestowed upon their followers. But I was confused—why hadn't Aeshma realized that many of his followers were already dead?
"You do realize that I've killed your entire familia upstairs? How are you keeping so calm? Surely you would care a little bit," I said, my question clearly confusing him. He grimaced and tilted his head.
"As I say, you speak the truth... but I haven't felt any loss of falna. Eh, that's not important. This basement will be your grave..." That's when Enoch jumped at me at high speed.
He pushed the rubble away as his hand crushed the stone off him, a radiant glow signaling that he had just used his magic. I knew he had three magic slots, and all three of his spells were useful.
A strange magic attack came at me, but my cloak blocked it easily. His attacks were like a sponge to me, dealing no damage, which only made him more furious.
I noticed the redness in his face from his anger. Seeing your opponent remain unharmed by your attacks must be frustrating. Emma had felt helpless when the injunction was brought upon them, so this was payback.
Enoch's magic allowed him to heal from any wounds—similar to my regeneration ability but much less powerful. Once his mind reaches its limit, he will be unable to heal or use magic.
Getting your mind depleted in the middle of a fight is a death sentence. I didn't know Enoch's mental reserves, but I guessed he had used half of them by now. The fight continued for ten more minutes—if you could even call it a fight, as I was merely tanking his attacks.
"Tell... tell me, what kind of monster are you? Did Player pay a fortune for a high-leveled merc just to save his precious captain?" Enoch hissed with hatred, probably fighting someone significantly stronger than him for the first time.
My silence only pissed him off more, but before he could muster the strength to attack again, the god Aeshma stepped in front of his child.
Aeshma was undeniably handsome, his long red hair luring many female adventurers into a trap. He was topless, as always, wearing only brown pants with pale covers over his skin. His yellow eyes stared into my soul. "What is your name, mortal?" he asked.
"Niall," I replied, saying nothing more. I could see through his motives—he wanted to make me change my mind. I knew his type well, the kind who would try to convince me to join him, only to backstab me later.
"As I say, Niall, your looks outshine even mine, but your power is an even greater thing to be proud of. Why don't you join us and stop this fighting? You could help me reach the goal of breeding a new generation of strong adventurers."
Aeshma brushed his red hair aside for a moment before continuing. Enoch, meanwhile, stared daggers at me, but despite his arrogance, he obeyed his god properly.
"As I say, by selective breeding, we could create a new generation of powerful adventurers that would outshine the current one. Enoch is the result of one such selective breeding. Just imagine how powerful your child would become if you found a good enough wife."
He extended his hand toward me, the atmosphere heavy with anticipation. Aeshma and Enoch were both desperate for my answer, knowing it could change the future of their familia, and possibly all of Orario.
Enoch grew impatient with my silence, his feet stomping quietly but swiftly on the ground. Aeshma, on the other hand, remained patient, giving me time to think about his offer.
The long silence was finally broken when I backed away and charged an Eldritch Blast in my right hand. Aeshma was shoved aside by Enoch, who tried to protect his god from potential harm.
"Don't do something you'll regret, Niall. You may kill these worthless rats, but you cannot lay a hand on a god," Enoch scolded me. I responded with an eye roll, ignoring him completely.
Enoch then proceeded to strengthen his body with one final magical cast. I could sense his power was greater than before. With both hands ready, Enoch charged at me like a bullet train.
BOOM
THUD
I stopped him from releasing a primal roar, and my Eldritch Blast went right through his heart, killing him instantly. A loud thud echoed around the room as Enoch's lifeless body hit the bloody floor.
A massive hole through his chest offered a glimpse of the other side—his heart was practically non-existent, a testament to the power of my attack. Now, he, the banker, and the cloaked man all lay lifeless.
Aeshma's once seductive eyes turned dark, his glare filled with a rage that could kill. I expected him to report me to the other gods, but what happened next surprised me.
"You killed my finest specimen. You butchered every last one of my children, destroyed my home, killed my trusted advisor, and even eliminated a powerful noble who came here to strike a deal with us..."
His dark look shifted to his feet for a moment. Clenching his fists, Aeshma gritted his teeth in anger.
"As I say, you shall not leave this basement alive. This basement will be your grave!" he shouted, a fiery force beginning to swirl around him as he cast some kind of fire magic.
I knew gods couldn't have magic or skills, but they possessed something far more powerful—arcanum.
When a god uses their arcanum in the lower world, it means they've accepted the punishment of being sent back to heaven, just to get their revenge. My cloak was protecting me, but I wasn't sure how well it would hold up against a god.
My only option was to run away until Aeshma was sent back to heaven.
"AS I SAY, YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE HERE IN ONE PIECE!!!" Aeshma screamed, firing a powerful wave of flames at me.
The fire tore through my cloak like paper, and divine flames began to scorch my skin. I couldn't feel the pain, but I could feel my life in danger—I couldn't regenerate fast enough.
'It looks like I underestimated the god. My regeneration can't keep up with divine flames...' Those were my last thoughts before something happened. The world around me and Aeshma went dark for a moment, leaving Aeshma surprised.
"What the?!" Aeshma screamed in confusion, but it was futile. Only the sound of water drops echoed in the end.
---
--- STATUS ---
Name: Niall
Race: *REDACTED*
Level: 2
Power: 932 S --> ???
Survivability: 701 B --> ???
Durability: 613 C --> ???
POWERS
(Force of Authority)
- Gravity Manipulation
The user can increase, or decrease gravitational force in a specific area, pinning enemies to the ground or crushing objects with immense pressure.
- Planetary Devastation (LOCKED)
- Almighty Push (LOCKED)
- Universal Pull (LOCKED)
(Hastur's Cloak) Current level protection: 0-3
It grants the user the ability to summon a golden transparent cloak around their body, completely protecting them from any harm that is level below or above their own.
QUESTS
Gather 100 Kills
- Progress: 100/100
*COMPLETED!!*
Reach the 30th floor in the dungeon
- Progress: Uncompleted
Defeat Goliath
- Progress: Uncompleted
Unseal the Underwater Dungeon
- Progress: Uncompleted
--- --- ---