"Monster!" Annika screamed, her voice a mix of astonishment and disbelief.
"Annika, grow up," Martha sighed, though her repressed smile betrayed her amusement.
"How?" Idris asked, utterly stumped.
"This is… strong," Josh added, his eyes glued to Moyo's stat table.
Ayo simply stared, her mouth opening and closing without producing a sound.
"Monster!" Annika repeated, louder this time, as Moyo rolled his eyes.
"This is indeed impressive," Martha admitted, shaking her head at Annika's antics.
"Let's just say I was stuck in a position you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy," Moyo said, his tone shifting to something darker. The room fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them.
"Imagine a single ascender, stuck in a dungeon with no way out, starting as a fledgling, having to grind his way through, killing every single aberrant from the lowest lackeys to the prime aberrant itself," he explained. The gravity of his words hit them all at once.
"That explains the tier 2 dungeon core," Martha said, Moyo nodding in confirmation.
"Wait, doesn't tier 2 start at level 51?" Annika asked, her astonishment wiping away her earlier playfulness.
"Indeed," Moyo replied.
"And as a fledgling?" Idris asked, ensuring he heard right.
Moyo nodded silently, the truth dawning on them.
"But it makes no sense," Ayo argued. "A tier 2 dungeon couldn't possibly spawn on a tier 1 world."
Moyo shrugged, deflecting the conversation away from dangerous territory.
"I've been speaking with Aje," Martha interjected, thankfully steering their attention away from Moyo.
"The order of trials and the timeline of events for newly integrated worlds seems… skewed for Earth. Something has changed, hastening the process—unfortunately, to our detriment," she explained.
"So you're saying that instead of playing on beginner mode, we're stuck on master difficulty?" Josh asked, to which Moyo nodded.
"And it doesn't get easier with the presence of the necromancer," Moyo added gravely.
"While it's suspicious that the necromancer somehow sneaked in under the gaze of the Vanguards, the taint, as Aje calls it, could doom our world," Martha began, her voice steady. "If the necromancer is indeed an advocate, then I believe Moyo is the system's answer to giving us a fighting chance."
Her words gave Moyo pause. Could her theory be right? He knew things they didn't—like the fact that he had a sponsor. Could his sponsor also be the necromancer's? Was this all some elaborate sport, with backwater ascenders being used as pawns in a proxy war?
"Then we're damn lucky to have him on our side," Idris noted, exchanging a look of mutual respect with Moyo.
"And what's a Lesser Draconic body?" Ayo asked, her curiosity breaking the tension as she continued to study Moyo's stats.
"The dungeon boss was a Wyrm," Moyo replied simply. "Killed it and got gifted the body."
Half the truth, but it would suffice.
"Every word out of your mouth just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Annika muttered, though a smile tugged at her lips.
"We appreciate all your efforts, Moyo," Martha said, clasping his hand in hers. "We might not say it enough, but none of this would've been possible without you. Bastion owes you a debt it cannot repay."
Moyo gave her a small smile. "We do it for those we've lost and for those we can still save," he murmured.
Josh slammed his fists on the table, breaking the solemn moment.
"Refugees are still streaming in, though in smaller numbers now," Martha noted.
"The gates remain open until we can keep them open no longer," Moyo said firmly.
"Agreed," Martha replied.
Before they could move on, the atmosphere shifted as Aje materialized beside them. A system notification popped up:
[Bastion Notice: War has been declared on Bastion by a Necromancer of the Tainted, Ushotan the Summoner. An event has begun!]
"My lords, bad news," Aje said, her expression grim.
"Well, it seems the necromancer has grown tired of waiting," Moyo remarked, the map appearing before them. A red line stretched from the necromancer's fortress straight toward Bastion, which glowed gold.
"Aje, is the item ready?" Martha asked urgently.
"Indeed, Lady Steward. I have purchased the upgradable settlement barrier. While its price was steep, it comes highly recommended by the Forge Covenant," Aje replied.
"A barrier?" Moyo asked, curious.
A cube manifested on the table, pulsing faintly with energy.
"We were given a discounted price of 500,000 credits," Aje said as Moyo's eyebrows shot up.
"We had that much in the settlement's vaults?" he asked, surprised.
"Your helpful donation, coupled with the taxes we've been collecting, bolstered our coffers. But I'm afraid this will be the last expensive item we can afford for now," Martha said, her tone measured.
"If I may, Lord Titan Blade must infuse his aether path into the cube. Once done, I can integrate it into Bastion, bringing it online," Aje explained, hurrying the discussion.
"You called me Titan Blade. Why?" Moyo asked, catching the term.
"It is your name—at least, how the system recognizes you," Aje replied matter-of-factly.
Another mystery to unravel later. Without further delay, Moyo allowed his aura and intent to fuse, flowing his aether into the cube. The artifact hummed to life, spinning faster and faster before being absorbed by the dungeon orb now melded with the table.
[Notice: Bastion has acquired and integrated a settlement barrier across its territories.]
[+5% healing for those within the barrier.]
[-5% to invading forces within the barrier.]
[Dungeons cannot manifest within the barrier.]
"That should be helpful. What's next?" Josh asked, his voice eager.
The doors to the great hall swung open, revealing Boyle marching in with a group of men carrying weapons that seemed to radiate power. The weapons' sheer presence made the air in the room feel heavy, and the bearers visibly struggled under their weight.
"Now, I arm my family," Boyle said with a grin.
Moyo leaned back in his seat, folding his arms with a smile.
Ushotan stood atop the walls of his stronghold, watching as his legion of undead began their march toward the town known as Bastion. His staff rested in his hand, its darkened runes glowing faintly, while his tattered robes flapped in the wind. Below, the monstrous tide of his army stretched endlessly: from the low-level undead aberrants, ranks 1-50, to the mid-tiered horrors of levels 51-100, and even the towering giants of the yellow zone—the unseen terrors that should not have been unleashed upon a nascent world, at least not yet.
It frustrated him that his forces could not pierce deeper into the yellow zone. The oppressive weight of its aether alone was a barrier, suffocating his attempts to command his legions within it. Worse still, the creatures dwelling there radiated a presence so overwhelming that even as a pure mage of undeath, he could scarcely bear it.
Moments like these made him regret not taking an intent path, combining it with his mastery of necromancy to become one of the feared undeath warrior mages. But Ushotan loved the unshackled freedom and raw power of a pure mage. His mind was unclouded, his connection to the runes of undeath pristine—something warrior mages could only envy.
His army numbered in the thousands: a seemingly endless wave of aberrants that would crash against Bastion's defenders, grinding them into dust. He had learned of this so-called Titan, the being who had overcome a personal trial of the system itself. The revelation had shaken him—though he had only heard whispers of the mythical Titans, this was his first time encountering one directly.
Still, the cosmos was vast, too immense to be distracted by legends. If this Titan was indeed a manifestation of the system's wrath, then Ushotan vowed to bring it low. To crush this Titan would surely draw the gaze of his long-absent masters once again.
Below, his undead wyvern roared, its guttural screech sending waves of unease rippling through even his hardened forces. Ushotan grinned—a dark, hollow expression that stretched over blackened veins and pallid, bone-white skin. Sparse white hair clung to his scalp, his hood pulled down to expose his ghastly visage.
"Soon, my lovely," he murmured, placing a hand on the wyvern's fiery skull to calm it. "Soon, we will march and burn Bastion to ash."
The wyvern snarled, its glowing, corrupted form towering over the battlefield. Through his own painstaking efforts, Ushotan had imbued the beast with the Flames of Undeath, a potent and nearly catastrophic spell. Casting it had drained him to near exhaustion, depleting the last of his tainted aether shards—priceless items he had labored to obtain. But it had been worth it.
[Undeath Wyvern, Level 250]
The beast, now a twisted amalgam of flame and bone, rivaled the legendary monsters of House Dracon—though Ushotan had never encountered one of them himself. He had heard the tales of their fearsome might, of their unbreakable scales and ancient strength. He would not challenge such beings—not yet.
For now, his focus remained on Bastion. He would watch. He would observe the strength of this so-called Titan. He would let his horde swarm their walls, reducing them to rubble. And when the defenders were beaten and their defenses broken, Ushotan the Necromancer, the Tainted, the Blessed of Abyssal Powers, would march on Bastion's remains and deliver the final blow.
"This world will belong to the abyssal powers," Ushotan whispered, his voice a low hiss that resonated with his wyvern's growls. "And nothing will stop it."
As Boyle's assistants carefully placed the crafted items on the table, the entire room fell into stunned silence, each drawn toward their respective weapons. Moyo noted the absence of Ida and realized the weapon's sheer weight must have been too much for them to handle. Deciding to test Aje's earlier claim, he willed the blade to his hand.
With a faint pop of displaced air, Ida appeared in his grip. The blade felt as familiar as ever. He eyed it closely, searching for any changes but finding none.
"I apologize, my lord," Boyle began, noticing the weapon. "Your blade is... willful. It refused to bend to my hammer."
Moyo nodded in understanding and sheathed the weapon again.
"Boyle, these are beautiful," Annika said, her voice filled with awe as she reached for the spear crafted for her. Its dark metal frame shimmered, and the sharp head glowed with a deep blue light, crackling with arcs of electricity. As her hands closed around it, a pulse of lightning surged through her entire body, leaving her visibly breathless.
"I feel... complete," she murmured, astonished. "Like a part of me I didn't know was missing has returned."
"I know how you feel," Moyo said, patting the hilt of Ida.
"With Lord Moyo's generous contributions, I was able to craft imbued-grade weapons," Boyle announced, his voice steady and proud. "As I continue to grow, I believe I can improve on them further."
Faces turned toward Boyle in gratitude, but Moyo winced, chuckling nervously.
"That part wasn't necessary," he said.
"It absolutely is!" Martha countered, clutching her new equipment—a set of shimmering, reflective wires paired with light metal gloves. She stared at them in amazement.
"Once again, you've gone above and beyond for us. How could we ever hope to repay you?" Martha asked, her voice soft with emotion.
Moyo shrugged. "Just keep doing what you're doing. Grow. Protect. We have a long way to go."
Annika, overcome with gratitude, suddenly hugged him. For a moment, Moyo froze, his mind blanking as her form pressed against his. The faint smell of rain enveloped him—a soothing, yet electrifying scent. The moment lingered until Martha cleared her throat meaningfully, and the pair sprang apart, Annika hastily wiping a tear from her cheek.
Moyo felt his face heat up, and in an effort to deflect the attention, he turned back to Boyle. "Lord Artificer Boyle, you were saying?"
Idris chuckled, a knowing smirk exchanged with Ayo, while Annika looked mortified.
Boyle continued without missing a beat. "Lady Annika, your weapon is Stormpiercer. Crafted to channel your wrath and amplify your lightning. It will serve you well."
Annika nodded, running her fingers along the glowing blue lines that coursed through the spear.
"Lady Martha," Boyle said, turning toward the steward. "Your weapon is Anansi's Threads. These wires are soaked in some of the deadliest venoms known, but as their owner, they will never harm you. To your enemies, however, they'll be a nightmare."
Martha bowed slightly. "My thanks, Artificer."
"Lady Ayo," Boyle said, gesturing to the blazing staff. "Your weapon is the Ember Scepter. It houses a gem of unquantifiable value, a gift from a higher power. At your command, it will unleash devastation, leaving nothing but ash and cinders in its wake."
Ayo gripped the staff tightly, its fiery gem pulsing in harmony with her glowing eyes. A faint, pleased smile spread across her lips.
"Lord Commander Josh," Boyle said, addressing the young man. "Your hammer, Gravemaw, gave me no small amount of trouble during its forging. But it will bring unmatched destruction to your foes."
Josh lifted the massive, dark-metal hammer with ease, the mithril veins coursing through it glowing faintly. "I will use it well," he promised, admiration clear in his voice.
"And finally," Boyle said, turning to Idris, "Lord General Idris, your axe is Root Cleaver. Deadly in its simplicity and brutal in its purpose. It will cleave through the strongest of enemies."
Idris gripped the weapon firmly, discarding his old, cracked axe without hesitation. "My thanks, Lord Artificer."
Boyle wasn't done. "As if these weren't enough, Lord Moyo commissioned armor for you all, forged from the flexible yet immensely strong shells of Razorback Spiders. How he managed to get past their defenses, I can only imagine."
Moyo chuckled, showing Boyle his stats. The artificer's eyes widened in disbelief.
"That explains it," Boyle muttered.
"These are imbued-grade armors," Martha gasped as they donned their new gear.
"They are also fused with remnants from the materials used to forge your weapons," Boyle said. "They should serve you well."
The armor melded seamlessly with their bodies, and Annika whispered in awe, "Negates 50% of attacks up to level 50 creatures. Moyo, this is overkill."
"Not for what's coming," Moyo replied, his tone serious.
Boyle turned to him next. "And for you, Lord Titan, I present the Crimson Aegis."
The armor, a single breastplate, bore the core of Urguth embedded in its center. Red, pulsing veins stretched across its surface. As Moyo donned it, the armor locked into place, fitting him perfectly. Notifications scrolled in his vision:
Crimson Aegis
Buffs and Effects:
Bloodthirst Aura: Gain strength and vitality with each kill, stacking temporarily.Ravenous Regeneration: Absorbs a portion of damage dealt, converting it to health.Urguth's Legacy: If health drops below 30%, enter a berserk state for 15 seconds.Crimson Veil (Passive): Intimidates enemies, lowering morale and accuracy, while bolstering allies.
Moyo nodded in appreciation. "Overkill, perhaps, but better safe than sorry."
Boyle gestured to another set of armor. "We've also prepared twenty lesser-grade sets for your strongest ascenders."
At that moment, the map on the table flared to life. A messenger burst into the room, panting and bowing low.
"My lords! The skies!" he gasped.
Moyo was already in motion. Two Void Steps later, he stood atop Bastion's walls, staring at the rolling green clouds and dense fog pressing against the edges of the barrier.
[World Notice: The first town, Bastion, is under attack by the forces of the Tainted. This is a broadcasted event!]
[Rewards for defenders will be tripled. The fate of C-102 is about to be decided!]
Moyo sensed the presence of his commanders behind him. Idris stepped forward, his voice steady.
"My lord, by your permission?"
Moyo nodded. "Ayo, light them up. Let's see if we can deter them."
Ayo raised her staff, flames gathering at its tip. She unleashed Inferno Surge, a swirling vortex of burning red and orange that descended into the fog. Screams of agony echoed as Moyo folded his arms.
[The Battle of Bastion has begun!]
"Bastion calls its defenders! Come, fellow ascenders!" Idris roared, activating his Battle Cry skill.
The ascenders roared back, their voices shaking the walls. Thunder boomed as Annika raised her spear, lightning gathering to her in a crescendo of crackling power.
"Let loose," Moyo commanded with a grin.
Annika did, unleashing a storm of lightning that shattered the first wave of undead.
[First wave of undead defeated!]
Moyo raised Ida, and another roar erupted from Bastion's defenders. Let the necromancer send his legions—they would be met by Bastion's might, and they would be crushed.