Ch. 161..170
Chapter 161 I’ll Take Care Of These Pests For You
"Run, children!" Grandma Annie desperately shouted to the fleeing Dwarves, wanting them to run faster towards the shelters.
She was already feeling faint after casting spell after spell without a single break. She hurriedly ate some of her candies to replenish her health and mana as she scanned her surroundings.
Not far from her, Randolph was fighting against two Draugr's with his hammer. The Blacksmith had been a warrior in the past, and even now, he would train his body as long as he had extra time, which was whenever he wasn't busy forging weapons or armor for the foreigners who would visit his shop.
"Die!" Randolph shouted as he smashed one of the Draugrs' head like a watermelon. He then rolled to his side, evading the attack of the Draugr behind him.
,m "Do you need help?" Grandma Annie asked as three Fire Bolts floated around her.
Randolph shook his head as he faced off against the Draugr in front of him.
"Save your strength, there are stronger monsters prowling about," Randolph said as he parried the slash of his opponent. "I'll kill this bastard first then we'll go help the guards take control of the situation."
"Got it!" Grandma Annie replied.
It was at this moment that they heard a loud explosion from the distance, followed by something falling from the sky.
"Cedwyn!" Grandma Annie shouted as she ran towards the Village Head who was seriously injured. "What happened to you? Who did this?!"
Blood seeped out of the corner of Cedwyn's lips as she gripped Grandma Annie's hand firmly.
"A-Annie, it's no use," Cedwyn said through gritted teeth. "The Village is done for. We can't win."
"Stop talking," Grandma Annie replied as she poured healing potion on Cedwyn's body and allowed him to drink a full bottle to help with his injuries. "We just need to hold on for an hour like always and the Riders of Norria will arrive. Captain Boreas is still here in the village, so he should be able to buy us time until the rest of his comrades arrive."
"No! It's no use!" Cedwyn stated as he stared at Grandma Annie with blood-shot eyes. "Run Annie! We can't win! No matter what we do, even if the Riders of Norria arrive, we can't win!"
"J-Just what are you talking about?" Grandma Annie stuttered.
She hadn't seen Cedwyn so desperate and helpless in the past, even if they were facing untold hardships.
"It's too late…," Cedwyn said, almost sobbing as he pointed behind Grandma Annie. "He is here."
The old candy maker of Leaf Village turned her head around and her entire body stiffened after seeing the Monster that was standing on top of a house and looking at her as if she was a mere insect.
"M-Mutated Thunder Wolf King!" Grandma Annie gasped in shock. "No! This is impossible! It can't be here! It just can't!"
Cedwyn could only smile bitterly as he watched Grandma Annie's reaction. At first, he had also thought that he might just seeing things, but this was the reality that they were facing.
Earlier, he was forced to use a teleportation spell to forcefully send the Dwarf children outside the village. He didn't know where he had sent them because he didn't have enough time to properly set a coordinate.
All he knew was that any place would be safer than the village at the moment, so he sent them away before the Thunder Wolf King blasted them with its lightning bolt and turned them into ashes.
A moment later, another figure crashed into the house beside Cedwyn and Grandma Annie.
"Randolph!" Grandma Annie shouted as he looked at the Blacksmith who was not moving in the distance.
A moment later, a Red-Eyed Terror Mantis descended from the sky and landed near the fallen blacksmith. It then raised its bladed claw with the intention of ending Randolph's life, while the latter laid on the ground, heavily injured.
"Randooooooooooooolph!" Grandma Annie shouted with all of her might as the bladed claw slashed at the fallen Dwarf.
Flames swirled around her hand as she tried to cast her strongest spell in order to prevent the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis from taking her friend's life. She knew that her spell wouldn't make it in time, but there was nothing else that she could do at the moment.
The two of them had just been bickering with each other, and now, she could only watch helplessly as her friend lost his life in front of her.
Suddenly, the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis was blown away from where it stood and slammed into the wall of the nearby house, completely destroying it.
Grandma Annie and Cedwyn could only look at the figure standing beside the fallen Randolph with surprised expressions on their faces.
"Have no fear!" the fat, Demonic Defender cried out with arrogance. "Pazuzu is here!"
"P-Pazuzu," Grandma Annie stuttered. "If he's here then that could only mean…"
Just as Grandma Annie was about to finish her sentence, a Black Warg leapt above her head and landed several meters in front of her.
Riding on the Warg's back was a red-headed teenager, with a baby slime perched on top of his head.
"Lux…," Grandma Annie said, almost sobbing as she looked at the Half-Elf that she hadn't seen for several months. "Child, run away! Leave us here and save yourself!"
Lux turned around to look at the kind Grandma who would always invite him to eat some sweets in her tea shop whenever she saw him walking past her store. Seeing her in a disheveled state already made his heart ache, but seeing his Master, Randolph, lying unconscious on the ground, made his heart ache more to the point that he felt suffocated.
"Thank you for doing your best to protect everyone, Grandma Annie," Lux said as he shifted his attention to the two Alpha Monsters in front of him. "I'll take care of these pests for you."
The Half-Elf loved everyone in Leaf Village. Seeing it in such a state filled him with rage.
Grandma Annie wanted to dissuade the Half-Elf by letting him know that what he was about to do was suicide. However, her words stopped at the back of her throat as he looked at Lux's figure who was standing between them and the monsters who wanted them killed.
It had been a while since the last time she was protected by someone. She had always been the one doing her best to protect everyone in Leaf Village to the best of her abilities. Seeing Lux's straight and steady form, she started to believe that a miracle might just happen.
A miracle that would be fondly remembered by the residents of Leaf Village for many years to come.
Chapter 162 If We Survive This, I’m Taking You Out For A Drink
The Red-Eyed Terror Mantis emerged from the destroyed house and angrily shrieked at Lux.
It was at this moment that Boreas, the Captain of the Riders of Norria, arrived at the scene along with over twenty Riders, who were all Grade C Apostles (Rank 2 Monsters).
After seeing the opponents, Boreas face paled. With just a glance, he could tell that the five-meter-tall mutated wolf was bad news.
"Captain Boreas, can you hold them back for five minutes?" Lux asked with a smile. "I need to do something first."
"No," Boreas replied. "It's impossible."
"Awww. Isn't this the part where you will say, 'Leave everything to me!' and act like a hero?"
"Don't ask for the impossible. That wolf is bad news. Even if our reinforcements arrive, it will still be difficult to deal with."
The red-headed teeanger dismounted from his warg and summoned his skeletons to carry Randolph, Grandma Annie, and Cedwyn and mount them on Jed's back. He knew that all three of them had reached their limits and could no longer fight against the enemies.
"Has everyone been evacuated?" Lux asked Boreas, who was firmly holding his War Hammer while riding on top of his Mountain Goat.
Boreas nodded. "Only the Adults, the Guards of the Village, and the Riders of Norria remain. We have already suffered over a hundred casualties, and there will be more names added on that list until we defeat that thing."
Lux stared at the Thunder Wolf King who was eyeing them with great interest.
'If only I had my gold token with me, things would be different,' Lux thought.
The Half-Elf didn't want to rely on the power of an Argonaut Ranked Crystal Dragon when he fought because it would only give him a false sense of security. In order to prevent himself from relying on the artifact, he left it in his Grandma Vera's hands for safekeeping back in Solais.
He wanted to train himself to become stronger by his own strength, not by using the strength of others.
The Half-Elf took a deep breath as he summoned his Soul Book. It was now time for him to fight seriously, and this time, he would no longer hold back his strength.
In truth, aside from the Mythical Quest of the different villages in the Territory of Norria, his main reason for staying was to help Leaf Village fight off another Monster Outbreak as a means to redeem himself from what happened in the past.
Now that the time had finally arrived, he would fight with everything he had and put his life on the line for the sake of the village that accepted him even though he was not a Dwarf.
"Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, come!" Lux ordered and his three named creatures stood by his side. "I order the three of you to hold them back for five minutes. Do I make myself clear?!"
"""Yes!"""
All three named creatures spoke in unison as they took a step forward to face the two Alpha Monsters in front of them.
"Captain Boreas, if you want to have a chance of winning, please, accept my invitation!" Lux said as he sent the Rider Captain an invite to join his party.
For some reason, Boreas felt that Lux's words held a trace of confidence, so he nodded his head and accepted his invite. Soon, all of the Riders of Norria were added to Lux's party.
It was not only the Riders who had joined Lux's party, but also the Village Guards led by Aron, who was currently fighting against the Beast Ghoul in the Western side of the village.
"Eiko, summon Blackie and Whitey, as well as your Skeletons!" Lux ordered. "Also, don't join the battle for now. Wait for me to give you the signal!"
"Pa!" Eiko nodded as she summoned Blackie, Whitey, and her Skeleton Soldiers to fight by their side. Although she was raring to join them in battle, she prioritized obeying her Papa's orders because she trusted him completely.
Lux did the same and raised his hand to shout a Battle Cry to enhance everyone's physical and magical damage. He knew that even the smallest increment in strength could potentially tilt the battle in their favor, so he no longer planned to only use it for himself and his Summons.
The Riders of Norria and the Village Guards immediately felt an additional strength surge in their bodies. However, before they could express their amazement, Diablo shouted his Warlord's Warcry, further boosting their strength.
"Jade Body!" Lux shouted and all his Skeletons Summons, as well as his other allies were enveloped with brilliance, coating their bodies with another layer of protection.
"W-We might just win this," Boreas muttered as he felt the power that was flowing inside his body.
Because of the buffs, all of the Riders of Norria's strength had been given an upgrade and their strength were now similar to a Grade B Apostle (Rank 3 Monsters). Boreas' strength even reached the initial stages of a Grade A Apostle (Rank 4 Monsters).
"Now, Captain, can you hold them back for five minutes?" Lux asked as he gazed at Boreas with a serious expression on his face.
This time, Boreas nodded his head.
"If it is only five minutes, I can do that," Boreas replied. "However, will we win if I give you five minutes?"
"Perhaps," Lux answered. "I will not know until we try."
Boreas grinned as he urged his mount to face the Monsters alongside his men.
"Boy, if we survive this, I'm taking you out for a drink," Boreas stated. "I'll give you the best Dwarf Wine you will ever taste in your life."
Lux smiled as he nodded his head. "I look forward to it."
The Half-Elf then summoned his Soul Book and started distributing his free stat points to his attributes, so that he could fight with full strength.
Slowly but surely, Lux's Rank broke through the Grade D Disciple Rank, but it didn't stop there, continuously rising at a rapid pace.
He had now broken past the limit of what was acceptable inside the Beginner's Zone, but he didn't care.
Several rows of text appeared in front of him, presenting him with the new set of abilities that had been unlocked after upgrading to his current rank.
As the Half-Elf raced against time, his Named Creatures and Skeleton Summons fought with everything they had to buy him the time he needed.
They knew that once their Master had finished allocating his points to his Stats and Skills, his true strength, that he had been suppressing for the past few months, would finally be unleashed in full.
Chapter 163 Lux’s Battle Regalia [Part 1]
After Lux's arrival, the defenders suddenly found a second wind, which allowed them to gain more strength to repel the invaders.
Due to the powerful buffs that had been granted when the Half-Elf completed the Hidden Quest in the Stronghold of Norria, all the defenders gained a 20% increase to their attack and defense.
Coupled with Lux's stacking buffs, they were able to deal with the rampaging monsters that were destroying the houses that were bereft of their owners.
"Push them back!" Boreas ordered. "Riders, rally to me!"
Boreas led the charge against the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, who was pushed back by the Riders of Norria's powerful charge.
Over twenty Riders smashed their hammers against the three-meter tall Mantis at about the same time, making it shriek out of pain and fury.
'The only tough problem left is the Thunder Wolf King,' Boreas thought as he glanced at the Peak Rank 5 Alpha Monster that was being distracted by Lux's Undead Army.
Every few seconds, one of Lux's and Eiko's Skeleton Summons would shatter after getting hit by the Giant Wolf's ferocious swipes.
The Baby Slime would immediately resummon the Skeletons that belonged to her every time they get destroyed in order to buy her Papa some time to fix his stats.
Several panels appeared in front of Lux, as he multitasked to allocate all of his stats and skill points.
A few minutes passed before the panels in front of Lux disappeared. He then closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths before opening his eyes again. He then looked at the carnage in front of him before shifting his attention to the Thunder Wolf King, whose strength even surpassed the Draconic Kobold, Cadmus.
The Half-Elf used the Elysium Compendium to appraise the greatest threat among the Monsters attacking Leaf Village.
—----
< Mutated Thunder Wolf King >
– Thunder Wolf King
– Rank 5 Field Boss Monster
Health: 783,210 / 800,000
Mana: 246,956 / 250,000
Strength: 800
Intelligence: 500
Vitality: 800
Agility: 800
Dexterity: 800
Active Skills: Chain Lightning, Call Lightning, Thunder Fang, Lightning Body, Leap, Lightning Step, Lightning Tempest.
Passive Skills: Ability Focus, Dodge, Quick Footed.
Title: Blessed by Thunder and Lightning
—---
Lux fearlessly gazed at the Monster as he prepared himself for battle.
"Eiko, it's time to fight seriously," Lux said as he raised his hand to summon more Skeletons to fight for his side.
"Pa!" Eiko replied, as she, too, summoned the new and improved Skeletons she gained thanks to Lux's upgrade.
Twenty five Skeletal Fighters and twenty Skeleton Grand Archers rose to fight the enemy in front of him. Both of their summoning skills now had a Rating of A, which made them more powerful.
However, Lux wasn't finished yet.
"Doppelganger," Lux said as two, near-perfect, clones appeared on his side.
"Pa!" Eiko also used her Doppelganger skill, creating two baby Slimes that jumped onto the heads of the clones that her Papa created.
"""Arise!"""
After a few seconds, the two new baby Slimes shouted in unison as they summoned their own Skeleton Fighters. Lux's two clones did the same and a hundred and eighty skeletons appeared around them.
But he was not done yet. Lux then raised his sword as he shouted his Battle Cry to increase everyone's attack damage.
As if waiting for that cue, Diablo also raised Oathbreaker towards the sky and activated his Warlord's Warcry, boosting everyone's attack further.
Now, Lux's Undead Army, as well as his allies, now had a +300 increase in their physical and magical attack damage.
But thanks to Diablo's passive ability, Warlord's Presence, which granted a 10% increase to physical and magical attack to the Warlord and his allies, their attacks were once again raised to the next level.
"Kill!" Lux ordered as his forces charged at the Thunder Wolf King with vengeance.
Lightning snaked around the Giant Wolf as the horns on its head glowed brightly. It was preparing to unleash its skill, Chain Lightning, which could decimate the majority of Lux's forces in one blow.
Fortunately, before the Alpha Monster could unleash its attack, Pazuzu used his Duel [EX] to force the monster to cancel its attack and exchange a blow with him.
Rains of arrows pelted the Giant Wolf's body as Pazuzu used his Shield Bash to smash the Alpha Monster's head, causing it to howl in pain.
When the Giant Wolf regained its balance, it leapt towards one of the houses and attempted to use its AOE skill once again. But before it could unleash its deadly strike, Diablo used his Duel [EX] to force the latter to lunge at him in frustration.
"My God, he is actually able to hold his ground against that thing!" Boreas exclaimed after smashing the head of the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, sending it crashing towards a house.
The Thunder Wolf King then angrily roared towards the sky, creating storm clouds that covered the entire village. Lightning flashed in the heavens and thunder roared in fury. It had had enough of the pesky insects that were getting on its nerves, so it decided to get serious.
"Did we rub you the wrong way?" Lux sneered at the arrogant Alpha Monster's beastly face, who treated all of them like insects.
The Giant Wolf roared in anger as lightning bolts hit its body, infusing it with some sort of lightning armor that crackled across its body.
Lux was unfazed as he raised his hand to give his Undead Summons an offensive buff.
"Barbed Bones!"
The Skeletons grew barbed spikes on their bodies made up of bones. These bones dealt additional 10 Piercing True Damage to anyone that attacked them.
Although 10 points of damage seemed like an insignificant number, it would still stack up every time Diablo, Ishtar, the Skeleton Fighters and the Skeleton Grand Archers were attacked.
Currently, there were over a hundred and eighty Skeletons present on the battlefield. If the Thunder Wolf King attacked all of them, a significant amount of damage would be dealt before all of them died.
Aron, the Guard Captain of Leaf VIllage, arrived at the scene and assessed the situation. Seeing that Lux was fighting against the Thunder Wolf King, he ordered his men to attack the beasts that were getting in the way of the Half-Elf's assault against the Field Boss Monster.
"Deal with those small fries first!" Aron ordered. "We will reinforce Lux after we clear them all up! Get them!"
"Charge!"
"Kill these bastards!"
"I'll turn them into barbecued meat later!"
The Dwarf Defenders rushed towards the Berserked Horned Rabbits, as well as the Carbunble that was assisting the Mutated Thunder Wolf King in battle. They had just defeated the Ghoul Beast and demolished its Undead Army, reducing the pressure on the Eastern Side of Leaf Village.
On the other hand, Boreas, the Rider Captain, was still busy dealing with the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis in addition to the Insect Outbreak that had come from the North.
Although Lux was currently dealing with the Thunder Wolf King and the Dire Wolves that came from the Heartwood Forest, they still didn't have enough manpower to deal with everything.
As if sensing his worries, he heard Lux's confident voice as he dealt with the Thunder Wolf King as well as the Dire Wolves that had come to help their leader.
"Don't worry, Captain Boreas," Lux answered. "I'll keep the Thunder Wolf company until you're done with the cleanup."
Boreas nodded and turned back to face the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis that had activated its Berserk Skill.
"Don't die before we exterminate these bugs, Lux," Boreas said as he charged at the Berserked Mantis whose strength had drastically increased.
Lux no longer had time to reply to the Rider Captain as he slashed at a Dire Wolf that had lunged at him.
Jed, his Black Warg, stood by his side and defended him from sneak attacks. The Black Warg was a Rank 3 Monster, so it was more than enough to deal with the Rank 2 Dire Wolves that were currently targeting its Master.
Suddenly, Lux's sixth sense kicked up so he hastily turned around, just in time to see the Thunder Wolf King shoot a lightning bolt in his direction.
A loud explosion rang out as the Giant Wolf's attack connected. It caused an eruption of dust clouds in Lux's location, blocking everyone's view.
Boreas' and Aron's voices rang out as they called for the Half-Elf who just got hit by the Monster's powerful attack.
The Mutated Thunder Wolf King was a very smart monster. It knew that if it killed the Summoner, all of the annoying Skeletons would disappear. Once they were gone, nothing would stand in its way of completely obliterating the village that it had set its eyes on.
"That was a close call. For a brief moment I thought I was a goner."
A teasing voice came from within the dust cloud, which made Aron and Boreas, who thought that Lux had been turned into charcoal, feel relieved.
A few moments later, the dust cloud dispersed and the Half-Elf reappeared. Only this time, he was covered in a blue-colored full body armor that gleamed faintly in the sunlight.
Chapter 164 Lux’s Battle Regalia [Part 2]
"I-Is that the Faunus Battle Regalia?" Aron gasped as he looked at the blue armor that covered Lux's entire body. "No. The Faunus Battle Regalia is green. This one is blue, but the design is almost the same."
What Aron didn't know was that he guessed correctly. Lux had indeed equipped the Faunus Battle Regalia, but it had been modified in accordance to the Half-Elf's request, which had given Randolph a headache when he was crafting it for him.
Even so, after nearly a month of experiments, Lux's Personal Battle Regalia was born and it was called "Lux's Dragon Regalia".
—--
< Lux's Dragon Regalia >
(Lightning Awakened Form)
Rating: Pseudo-Legendary
Requirements: Apostle Grade D
– An armor that was forged for the sake of protecting someone who is important to him.
+50 to all Stats
+500 to Defense
– 50% Resistance to the element of Lightning
– Has a moderate chance to nullify any lightning based damage that the wearer of this armor will receive.
– This armor can absorb lightning damage and use it to coat its entirety with lightning that deals damage to anyone within two meters of its wearer.
– This Armor is bound to Lux Von Kaizer
Active Skills: Lightning Flash, Lightning Strider, Lightning Body
Passive Skills: Improved Lightning Reflexes, Improved Concentration, Beast Bane, Improved Elemental Resistance, Absorb Lightning, Indestructible, Auto Fit
< Lightning Flash >
– Create a dazzling radiance that has a high chance of temporarily blinding your enemies.
—--
< Lightning Strider >
– Teleport anywhere within a twenty meter square radius.
—-
< Lightning Body >
– Coat your body with the power of lightning that deals damage to anyone within two meters of you.
—--
< Improved Concentration >
– Raises all of your stats by 10 points each.
—
< Improved Lightning Reflexes >
– Your awareness is raised to a higher level, giving you the ability to dodge blows, as well as execute maneuvers that require fast movement.
—-
< Beast Bane >
– When fighting against Beast Type Monsters, increase physical and magical damage by 20%
—-
< Improved Elemental Resistance >
– Decrease all Elemental Damage by 20%
—----
Lux's Dragon Regalia was an armor that was specifically crafted to counter any skill that was related to lightning. Lux had asked his Master, Randolph, to craft this armor with the intention of wanting to beat the crap out of Nero at the Tournament at Barbatos Academy.
It just so happened that the Mutated Thunder Wolf King was a Lightning Type Monster, which gave Lux the perfect opportunity to try out the power of his armor.
However, this armor was still not complete. After hearing Lux's request, Randolph came up with an ingenious idea of creating an armor that could change its elemental affinity. He wanted to make an armor that was capable of resisting as well as nullifying all elemental damage.
Lux's Armor was still a prototype for his grand design, so it was still incomplete. Even so, the red-headed teenager was already more than happy with the armor that his Master had especially crafted for him.
"Lightning Body!" Lux roared towards the sky, and the heavens answered his call. Several lightning bolts descended from the sky, repeatedly striking the Half-Elf who was currently wearing his personalized battle regalia.
After the armor was bathed in lightning bolts, its color changed to a whitish blue, as lightning cracked around its body.
"Okay, let's go for round two, shall we?" Lux said before consecutively teleporting three times until he was right below the Giant Wolf.
"Dragon War Art Second Form!" Lux shouted as his hands turned into Dragon Claws. "Dragon Uppercut!"
The head of the Giant Wolf was pushed back after Lux unleashed one of the Dragon War Arts that he had mastered while he was finishing the mythical quests of the other villages in the Territory of Norria.
The Mutated Thunder Wolf quickly recovered and immediately used its own claws to swipe at the arrogant Half-Elf that dared to attack it.
A metallic sound resonated in the battlefield as a tower shield met with the Giant Wolf's attack, preventing it from hitting Lux, who was now standing behind his Demonic Defender.
"Shield Bash!" Pazuzu smashed his shield against the Wolf's face, pushing it away from its Master.
"Eiko, let's do it!"
"Pa!"
Before Lux teleported towards the Mutated Thunder Wolf King, he had told Eiko to jump off his head, so she could go near their opponent without being noticed.
Lux's and the baby Slime's clones had surrounded the Thunder Wolf King with the intention of crippling their opponent by draining away its mana reserves.
"""Mana Drain!"""
"""Pa!"""
Tendrils of magical energy were siphoned from the Thunder Wolf King's body at a rapid pace, which alarmed the Field Boss.
—---
Mana Drain [EX]: Absorbs the Mana of your target for five seconds. Mana absorbed is equivalent to 5% of Target's Maximum Mana.
Range: 10 meters
Duration: 5 seconds
Cooldown: 20 seconds
—--
Although 5% might seem small, Mana Drain was still a skill capable of exhausting the opponent's mana reserve, limiting their usage of active skills. Right now, Lux's, as well as Eiko's clones were also using this skill at the same time, which drastically increased the amount of mana drained from the Thunder Wolf King.
The skill only had a twenty seconds cooldown, and in the limited period of time, Lux was able to absorb 30% of the Monster's Mana within the span of a few seconds.
If Lux could do this three to four more times, the Field Boss would run out of juice, and would have no choice but to fight them with just physical attacks.
As if considering this possibility, the Thunder Wolf King decided to unleash a strong AOE attack to repel everyone that was attacking it. Right now, only Diablo, Ishtar, Pazuzu, and the Skeleton Grand Archers were actively fighting the Boss Monster.
The Skeleton Fighters were busy keeping the Dire Wolves that were trying to help their leader away from the battle.
As the Thunder Wolf King gathered magical energy in its body, it eyed Lux with hatred.
Unfortunately, the boss was unable to cast its powerful skill because one of Eiko's Clones had copied Diablo's Duel [EX] skill, forcing the Giant Wolf to face her.
The baby Slime clone only opened its mouth as a magic circle appeared in front of it.
Lux, Eiko, and the rest of their clones did the same as they prepared to unleash one of the strongest attacks that they could muster at the same time.
This was one of Lux's ultimate Trump Cards.
He and Eiko had already used this move several times when they were clearing the difficult missions that accompanied the Mythical Quests in the Territory of Norria.
It was an attack that even Cadmus, who was a Rank 5 Alpha Monster, didn't want to face head-on.
"""Dragon's Breath!"""
"""Eyah!"""
Six dragon breaths engulfed the Thunder Wolf King, resulting in an explosion that blew away all nearby Skeletons and Dire Wolves that were fighting near the Boss Monster.
Aron, and Boreas, who had just finished dealing with the Carbuncle and the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, could only stare in shock at the powerful explosion that shook the entirety of Leaf Village.
Although they didn't want to admit it, the Half-Elf who had almost died during the Undead Outbreak when he first arrived, was now stronger than them.
Chapter 165 The Revenger
The Mutated Thunder Wolf King was in the center of a smoldering crater after it had tanked six Dragon Breaths at the same time. It was badly shaken by the surprise attack, and had received serious injuries, but the Half-Elf was certain that it could still fight.
If it was an ordinary Alpha Beast, like the Red-Eyed Terror Mantis, it might have been killed by this point.
Smoke oozed out from the corner of Lux's and Eiko's lips as the effect of the Dragon's Breath faded.
'I knew it, it would not go down that easily,' Lux thought. 'As expected of a Rank Five Field Boss Monster.'
After checking the Elysium Compendium, Lux was quite surprised when he saw that they managed to take out a third of the Mutated Thunder Wolf King's health.
"Eiko!"
"Pa!"
"""Mana Drain!"""
"""Drain!"""
Lux took this opportunity to siphon the Monster's mana reserves, while it was still down for the count.
Diablo rushed towards the Monster, wielding a Dark Spear that Lux had acquired when doing the Mythical Quest in Millwood Village. Although it wasn't a Mythical Weapon, it was still a Unique Weapon that boasted significant strength.
The Skeletal Rider's Heroic Charge connected with the Thunder Wolf King's body, sending it skidding several meters away. However, just before Diablo could hit it with a follow up attack, the monster leapt away to safety.
"Lux! We're here!" Boreas shouted.
"Let's take this monster down together!" Aron declared.
Seeing that it was outnumbered, the Mutated Wolf King planned to escape, but before doing that, it still wanted to kill the Half-Elf who had made its life miserable.
Lightning enveloped the Giant Wolf's feet before it disappeared from where it originally stood. A second later, it reappeared behind Lux, and opened its fangs to bite him to pieces.
However, just as its fangs were about to reach its target, a rocky hand jutted out of the ground and gave the Thunder Wolf King an uppercut that sent it flying.
"I knew you'd do that, so I prepared a surprise for you beforehand," Lux turned around to look at the Giant Wolf whose jaws were bleeding from the blow it received. "Say hello to my little friend."
The ground trembled and a four-meter-tall rock golem stood in front of Lux. After Lux had upgraded all of his stats and skill points, he had unlocked his skill Summon Golem, and pooled his remaining Skill Points to strengthen it as much as possible.
—-
< Orion >
"Where there is no Struggle, there is no Strength."
– Named Golem
– Rock Golem
– Rating: B
– Mana 100
– Progress ( 0 / 10,000)
Health: 60,000 / 60,000
Mana: 2,500 / 2,500
Attack: 950 - 1000
Attack Type: Earth Elemental Damage
Strength: 300
Intelligence: 50
Vitality: 300
Agility: 50
Dexterity: 100
Defense: 600
Active Skill: Earthshaker, Rock Throw, Rampage, Duel [EX], Jackhammer, Stomp, Gaia Smash
Passive Skill: Equip Item, Guts, Enhanced Fortitude, Stone Skin, Earth Walker
Title: Revenger
– Orion is your fourth Named Creature and has been bestowed the title of Revenger.
– This Named Creature has gained the ability to evolve.
< Revenger >
– Regardless of what happens in the future, this Named Creature will be forever loyal to you.
– All attacks made by Orion will deal extra damage as his health decreases.
100% Health = Normal Damage
80% Health = Increase damage by 25%
60% Health = Increase Damage by 50%
40% Health = Increase Damage by 75%
20% Health - Increase Damage by 200%
– When Orion is killed by an enemy, he will add the name of that creature to his Revenge List. The next time he faces the same enemy, all of his stats will increase by 200%
– The Revenger ability will apply to similar kinds of monsters in his Revenge List. For example, if he was killed by a Red Dragon, the next time he faced a Red Dragon, his overall stats would increase by 200% upon meeting the creature on his revenge list.
– If Orion is killed by the same creature again, he would gain an additional 10% stacking bonus to the overall increase of his Stat Points, whenever he faces the same enemy.
Note: Vengeance is always an option!
(A/N: Orion gains a 210% increase in all of his stats if he is killed by the same enemy twice, and 220% if he was killed thrice. This effect stacks and so on, and so forth.)
—----------
"Go get him, Orion!" Lux ordered and the Rock Golem roared before running towards the direction of the Mutated Thunder Wolf King that lunged at the Golem in front of it.
Just as the two were about to collide, the Giant Wolf King vanished once again. It was dead set on killing the Half-Elf, but did not want to bother with his Summons.
The Mutated Thunder Wolf King reappeared beside its armored opponent and crushed him with all of his might.
The sound of armor creaking was heard, and soon, the body it had bitten was torn in half.
"No! Lux!" Boreas shouted when he saw what happened to the Half-Elf that had the upper hand in the battle. He didn't expect that the monster would be stubborn enough to only aim at Lux in order to end his life.
After killing its prey, the Mutated Thunder Wolf King howled in triumph before eyeing the summoned monsters that would soon disappear in front of it. But, after nearly half a minute, the Skeletons were still there and were rushing towards the Boss Monsters as if they were on steroids.
Diablo's bone spears, as well as Airon's flame lances, flew through the air, hitting the side of the Giant Wolf's body.
Ishtar's rain of arrows pummeled her target and made its movements slow down.
Pazuzu smashed its mace into the Giant Wolf's forehead, making it howl in pain.
"T-They're still moving?" Aron muttered as he looked at Lux's summons who were duking it out with the Boss Monster, who was also fighting them with everything it had.
Boreas immediately noticed something and urged his subordinates to attack. Since the summoned creatures didn't disappear when Lux died it only meant one thing.
The Half-Elf wasn't dead.
Soon, the wrath of the Riders of Norria was seen as their weapons smashed against the Mutated Thunder Wolf King's body repeatedly, while their goats rammed their horns into its body.
Aron also snapped out of his daze and ordered his men to join the fray.
Each and every time the Thunder Wolf King tried to use its AOE lightning attacks, one of Lux's minions would cancel it by forcing it into a duel.
Little by little, the health of the Rank 5 Monster dropped, until only a third of it remained.
The clones had repeatedly used the Mana Drain ability until the boss monster could no longer sustain its special moves. It had no choice but to resort to just using its physical attacks to deal with the horde of Skeletons, Dwarves, Slimes, and the Rock Golem who punched the Giant Wolf's head left and right.
After feeling that its death was imminent, the Thunder Wolf King forcefully shook off its attackers and used its Lightning Step one last time to distance itself from its enemies before making a run for it.
"Just where do you think you're going?"
A teasing tone asked from the sky.
Lux, whom everyone had thought was dead, descended from the heavens like a comet.
"Dragon War Art Ninth Form!" Lux roared as an image of a Red Dragon appeared above him. "Draco-Meteor!"
The mighty roar of a Dragon spread across the surroundings as Lux descended in blazing fury.
His fist smashed into the Mutated Thunder Wolf King's head, causing the ground under its feet to shatter due the force of the impact.
"Die!" Lux shouted as he smashed the Giant Wolf's head towards the ground again, creating a powerful explosion, which sent dirt and rocks flying in every direction.
Lux clicked his tongue because his blow was still not enough to kill the monster. However, he was completely exhausted from the all out attack he had just done.
The Half-Elf then used his Lightning Strider skill to distance himself from the monster who was near-death and ordered his new companion to finish it.
"Orion! Finish him!" Lux ordered as he pointed at the Monster which had forcefully propped itself up from the ground.
The ground shook as the four-meter tall Rock Golem ran towards his opponent. When the wolf came within its range, it used its Leap Attack to lunge at his opponent with his arms pulled back to deliver its strongest attack.
"Gaia Smash!" Orion roared as it descended towards his enemy with his fist radiating a golden light.
The moment the Rock Golem's attack connected, a loud cracking sound was heard as the Mutated Thunder Wolf King's skull broke under Orion's finishing strike.
A powerful shockwave blasted everyone in the surroundings away as the Boss Monster howled its dying cry.
The greatest threat that appeared in Leaf Village had finally breathed its last and turned into particles of light.
This left everyone, especially the dwarves, feeling like they had just witnessed the birth of a legend, whose tale would soon spread across the entire Dwarven Kingdom of Gweliven.
Chapter 166 Aftermath Of The Grand Monster Outbreak
"Hurry up everyone!" Thoram, the Commander of the Stronghold of Norria, led the charge towards Leaf Village.
Behind him, over five hundred Riders of Norria rode their trusty Goats. Leaf Village had rung the highest level of alarm possible, which meant that they weren't dealing with just an ordinary Monster Outbreak.
Boreas, one of his most trusted Captains, had been stationed to look after the village. With him there, no ordinary Monster Outbreak could possibly get past him. Still, the Calamity Bell of Leaf Village had been rung, which meant that the problem they were facing could potentially wipe out the entire village from the face of the world.
From afar, he could see dark clouds covering the entirety of the village. All of the Riders of Norria watched as lightning bolts fell from the sky, followed by a booming thunder that spread across the entire territory of Norria.
As the strongest Dwarf Commander, he had also felt the powerful fluctuations that were happening in the distance.
'It will still take us about thirty minutes before we can arrive.' Thoram gritted his teeth. 'If Leaf Village falls, I will be demoted from my position and possibly be replaced by the King for my inability to secure this territory. No matter what happens, I must get there in time!'
When the almost non-existent protective walls of Leaf Village finally came into view, all that Thoram saw was smoke rising up in the air. His heart sank, thinking that the village had been destroyed completely and that no one had survived.
"Sound the battle horns!" Thoram ordered. "Make them know that reinforcements have arrived!"
Immediately, the sound of horns reverberated in the surroundings as the Riders of Norria entered Leaf Village with their weapons raised high. Their eyes were bloodshot and they were ready to kill the first Monster that crossed their path.
The first thing that Thoram saw when he and his troops entered the village were the countless bodies of Monsters lying on the ground. There were also several Dwarfs that had fallen in battle, but all of them were adults, who had done their best to fight for those that were important to them.
It was obvious that they prioritized the evacuation of the children and the Foreigners, who would often help the Village resist Monster Outbreaks.
When the Riders of Norria arrived near the center of the village, they saw over a hundred Skeletons loitering about. There was even a Rock Golem, who was carrying a few Dwarves in his hands, which made Thoram roar in anger.
"Kill these filthy Monsters!" Thoram roared. "Avenge Leaf Village!"
""Kill!""
The Skeletons looked towards the direction of the approaching Riders, some even waving at them from afar. Thoram thought that the monsters were mocking them so he raised his warhammer and lunged at the nearest Skeleton and smashed his hammer on its face.
The poor Skeleton was then gangbanged until its entire body shattered into pieces. Seeing this scene, all the other Skeletons made a run for it, and headed to the very center of the village.
"Don't let them escape!" Thoram ordered. "Kill them all!"
Just as the Riders were about to follow their Commander's orders, Boreas and his subordinates ran towards their Commander while waving their hands in an attempt to stop the massacre of friendly forces.
"Commander! They are allies!" Boreas shouted. "Don't kill them!"
Aron, the Head of the Village Guards, also appeared from the distance, running in their direction and shouting to not kill the Skeletons.
Thoram raised his hand to stop the Riders' advance and looked at his Rider Captain, as well as the Guard Captain with a serious expression on his face.
"Explain the situation," Thoram ordered. "Where are the monsters? Is everyone dead? Where is Cedwyn?"
Boreas cleared his throat before he answered his Commander's barrage of questions.
"The Monsters are still being dealt with, but most of them have been slain. We are currently in the middle of clean up operations, Commander," Boreas answered. "As for the villagers, we had over a hundred casualties, and hundreds of wounded who are now receiving treatment."
"Village Head, Cedwyn, was injured, but there is no danger to his life. He is currently at the rear of the village, looking after the wounded."
Thoram sighed after hearing Boreas' explanation. He then looked at the devastated village in front of him with a serious expression on his face.
"Just what on Earth attacked this place?" Thoram asked. "This is too much destruction for a Monster Outbreak."
Boreas nodded. "It was no ordinary Monster Outbreak, Commander. It was a Grand Monster Outbreak. The Beasts from the Aspiration plains, the Undead from the Cemetery, the Insect Monsters from the Figaro Gardens, as well as the Dire Wolves from the Heartwood Forest, all attacked at the same time."
"However, that is not the main reason for this much destruction. A Rank 5 Mutated Thunder Wolf King also appeared and destroyed any attempt of resistance from the villagers and us. I'm not gonna lie, Commander. I thought that I wouldn't be able to survive unless all of you arrived."
Thoram's expression became grim when he heard the name of the Monster that attacked Leaf Village. There had been several cases in the past where the Thunder Wolf King had been sighted, especially near the territory of the Intermediate Towns.
Everytime it happened, the Adventurer's Guild would issue an emergency order to slay it as soon as possible in order to prevent widespread casualties that usually followed the appearance of such Beasts.
The Dwarf Commander knew that Boreas, as well as Aron, couldn't possibly defeat the Field Boss Monster, which was nearing the Pseudo-Deimos Rank.
"Where is it now?" Thoram asked. "Did it leave after destroying more than half of the village?"
Boreas shook his head. "No, sir. The Mutated Thunder Wolf King is now dead. We are just cleaning up the remaining Beasts that are still loitering within the village."
Thoram blinked once then twice as he stared at his Rider Captain with an incredulous look on his face.
"Killed?" Thoram asked. "What do you mean killed? Who killed it?"
Boreas didn't answer, and simply pointed towards the center of the village. There, a red-headed teenager, seated on top of a Black Warg, could be seen.
Thoram looked at the Half-Elf, who was holding his Soul Book in his hands and seemed to be pondering something very important. After looking at Lux, he then shifted his attention to Boreas and gave him the "You must be kidding me?" glare, which made the latter scratch his head in helplessness.
"It is true, Commander," Aron said as he walked towards the Commander of the Riders of Norria. "It was indeed Lux who slew the Mutated Thunder Wolf King. If I didn't witness it myself, I'd have the same expression you have on your face right now."
Thoram shifted his attention back to the Half-Elf, who was still seated on top of his Black Warg. Right now, he was still half in doubt whether Boreas and Aron were telling him the truth.
However, things were clear, the Grand Monster Outbreak was now over and the villagers were safe. He wouldn't have to be demoted and kicked out of his position as the Commander of Norria.
'I guess I owe this kid a favor,' Thoram thought as he urged his mount to head towards the savior of Leaf Village. He still had so many questions, but decided to hold onto them until he could get a detailed report from the Elders of Leaf Village.
Boreas and Aron watched as the Commander of Norria headed towards the Half-Elf, who was still busy looking at his Soul Book. A moment later, the two exchanged a knowing glance with each other because Lux's performance had far exceeded those of the previous foreigners that had stayed in Leaf Village.
They had a feeling that if the officials in the Capital were to hear about his latest feat, the King might confer another Honorary Rank on him, which would raise Lux's rank to that of an Honorary Baronet.
Chapter 167 Birth Of A Legend
Lux, who was seated on top of his Mount, Jed, had a serious expression on his face as he looked at the spoils of war he obtained from defeating the Mutated Thunder Wolf King.
—--
< Leaf Village's Tragedy >
– Emergency Quest
– Difficulty Rating: S
– An extremely rare monster that has never been seen in the Territory of Norria has spawned inside Heartwood Forest.
– The Thunderwolf King can be considered an Overlord of an area and has the ability to control all beasts, including Alpha Monsters, within its surrounding territories.
– Due to its aggressive and terrorizing nature, the Thunder Wolf King will seek the nearest settlement and kill everything in sight without leaving any survivors behind.
Quest Objective: Defeat the Thunder Wolf King and save Leaf Village from complete destruction.
Quest Failure: When Leaf Village is completely destroyed and only 20% of the overall population (including Solaians) remains.
—--
< Rewards >
5,000 Gold Coins
10,000 Leaf Village Reputation Points.
5,000 Stronghold of Norria reputation Points.
200 Kingdom of Gweliven Reputation Points
1 Beast Core of Mutated Thunder Wolf King
1 Beast Core of Carbuncle
1 Beast Core of Red-Eyed Terror Mantis
1 Beast Core of Ghoul Beast
+1,000 Points to Immortal Dragon Conqueror's Legacy
+1,000 Skill Points
+5 to Summon Skeleton Skills
+1 to Summon Golem Skills
+1 Thunder Wolf King Mutated Blood
—----
< Bonus Rewards >
– Guardian Crystal (Mythical Rank)
—-
< Guardian Crystal >
– The Guardian Crystal has the power to ward off any kind of Monster Attack below the Dreadnaught Rank.
– Once the Guardian Crystal has been assigned to a location, it cannot be transferred anywhere else.
– Gives a permanent 10% increase to production success of Crafting, Alchemy, Smithing, and any form of crafts made in Leaf Village.
– Everyone inside Leaf Village will gain a 100% Health and Mana Regeneration Buff that will last for an hour after they leave the village.
—----
Lux was paying close attention to the Guardian Crystal that he had acquired as a Bonus Reward after defeating the Thunder Wolf King.
'If the information of the Guardian Crystal is true then this is certainly a good thing,' Lux thought. 'With this, Leaf Village will no longer have to worry about Monster Outbreaks ever again."
Lux had already decided to give the Guardian Crystal to Cedwyn, to increase the defense of the Village that had played an important role in his life in Elysium.
The Half-Elf's main reason for not leaving the Village when he could have was to help them fight against the next Monster Outbreak that would happen within a year. He could still remember the horror of the first Monster Outbreak he had experienced that had almost taken his life.
This was the final goal that he had set for himself, before he could leave without any regrets and continue his journey in Elysium. Acquiring the Guardian Crystal was a pleasant surprise because it would ensure the safety of Leaf Village for hundreds of years.
But, the one thing that surprised Lux the most was that after defeating the Thunder Wolf King, he received its mutated blood, which allowed any wolf type monster to gain its abilities.
—---
< Thunder Wolf King's Mutated Blood >
– Allows Wolf Type Monsters to mutate and gain the powers of the Thunder Wolf King.
– Creatures bestowed with this blood will gain the ability to evolve.
—---
'This Thunder Wolf King Mutated Blood will be useful to upgrade Jed's race and rank,' Lux mused as he looked at the vial of blood which he already decided to give Jed at a later time. In Elysium, the type and race of a monster played an important role in its strength.
Even if creatures had the same Rank, that didn't mean that their strengths were equal. The perfect example of this was Keoza, the Crystal Dragon, who now resided inside Lux's Golden Dragon Token.
If the Thunder Wolf King reached the Argonaut Rank, it would still lose to Keoza, hands down, if the two of them were to battle. This was the difference in race.
In Elysium, there were very few monsters that had the strength to contend with Dragons. Phoenixes, Qilins, and the other Mythical Races were also in this category.
Lower-ranked monsters like the Thunder Wolf King were simply not enough to threaten a pure-blooded Dragon of the same rank.
After Lux finished checking the rewards he had received from the emergency quest, he noticed another notification in his Soul Book, which gave him a very pleasant surprise.
'I didn't expect that I would be able to complete this mission in this manner,' Lux thought as he looked at the rewards from the Hidden Mythical Quest of Leaf Village that no one had ever cleared in the past.
—----
< Mythical Quest >
(Birth of a Legend)
– Defeat the Alpha Monster of the Aspiration Plains.
Carbuncle (1/1)
– Defeat the Alpha Monster of the Leaf Village Cemetery
Ghoul Beast (1/1)
– Defeat the Alpha Monster of Figaro Garden
Red-Eyed Terror Mantis (1/1)
– Defeat the Field Boss of Heartwood Forest
Forest Wolf King (1/1)
—--
< Rewards >
– 500 Skill Points
– 50 Body Constitution Points
– 50 Stats Points
– Leaf Village Equipment Set (Mythical)
[Favonius Legacy, The Heirloom of the West]
– One random Mythical Item exclusive to the Leaf Village
[Misery's End - Destroyer of Lost Hope]
< Bonus Rewards >
Title: Eternal Guardian
5,000 Leaf Village Reputation Points
—--
< Eternal Guardian >
– Increases Physical and Magical attacks by 10%
– Increases Defense by 10%
– Increases Magical Resistance by 10%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase all Stats by 100%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Physical and Magical Attacks by 100%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Physical and Magical Defense by 100%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Health and Mana Regeneration by 200%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Health Points by 200%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, you will be able to use the Skill, Guardian's Call.
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, you will be able to command its Guardian Beast if it exists.
– You will be able to instantly teleport to Leaf Village anytime you want, regardless of your current Rank.
—--
< Guardian's Call >
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase the stats of all your guild members by 100%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Physical and Magical Attack of all your guild members by 100%
– When defending a village, town, stronghold, or city, increase Physical and Magical Defense of all your guild members by 100%
– This Skill also applies to all Creatures under your command.
—--
Lux almost fell off Jed's back after seeing the information of the Title he received from clearing Leaf Village's Mythical Quest.
"Oh… My… God," Lux muttered after rereading the information of the Eternal Guardian Title for the second time just to make sure that his eyes weren't deceiving him.
'It's real,' Lux thought as he rubbed his face with both of his hands. 'What an OP ability.'
Aside from the bonuses that the Eternal Guardian Title bestowed, it also gave a groundbreaking ability that would bypass the established rules of Elysium.
What was that rule? It was the ability to return to a Beginner Village regardless of Rank. This was simply an ability that was unheard of. Although Elysians could go anywhere in their world, the same couldn't be said for Solaians.
Once they stepped into the Apostle Grade, they would be forced to leave the Beginner's Village after ten days, whether they liked it or not.
While Lux was still recovering from his shock, Thoram, the Commander of the Stronghold of Norria, arrived next to him.
"Lux, my boy, just what have you been eating as of late?" Thoram asked in a teasing tone. "I haven't seen you for a while and the next thing I know, you're fighting against a Thunder Wolf King by yourself. Tell me, Lad, what kind of mead have you been drinking? I want some of that as well."
Lux chuckled nervously, unable to come up with any answer to give to the Commander of Norria, who was looking at him as if he was planning on dissecting him to see what made him tick.
Chapter 168 Tales Of Hardship And Friendship
< 231 Hours, 23 minutes, 20 seconds. >
The countdown indicating when Lux had to leave Leaf Village had started to move. However, the Half-Elf was currently being jostled around the center of the Plaza by his Master, Randolph, who had a merry face, while he held a mug of mead in his hands.
"Hahaha! My Disciple is so awesome!"
"Um. Do you know that this boy is my Disciple? You don't? Well, now you know! I taught this brat everything he knows!"
"Yes. the moment I saw him, I knew he was the one. Because of this, I made sure to teach him the basics, and look at him now, he's so… tall, right?"
"Hahaha! Of course, I was the one that raised this boy since he was a weeee lad. What? You don't believe me? Tsk, can't you see the resemblance of our faces? Both of us are handsome!"
Lux was doing his best to keep the smile on his face from stiffening as his Master paraded him around, bragging to everyone that they met on how he raised him to be a strong adventurer.
Only when Grandma Annie whacked him repeatedly with her walking stick out of irritation, did the old Dwarf stop bragging and leave Lux alone.
The Half-Elf looked at a quiet place as he raised the mug of mead in his lips to take a sip. If his Grandma Vera was there, she would give Lux a disapproving look because he was still not of drinking age.
Even so, since the occasion was special, Lux allowed himself to enjoy this moment, even though the drink he was drinking was quite bitter.
A large bonfire was set up at the center of the plaza, while several smaller ones could be seen everywhere. Half of Leaf Village had been destroyed, and there were many things that needed to be done when morning came.
Giving those who died their last rites, and giving them a proper burial.
Sending the orphaned children to the Stronghold of Norria to be kept safe until the orphanage that Cedwyn had proposed was built.
Rebuilding the houses that were destroyed.
There were so many things that had to be done, but for tonight, everyone was just thankful to be alive.
As the one who played a big role in saving the village, Lux was treated as a hero by everyone. The Dwarves from Elysium and Solais would look at Lux in admiration and respect, which made the Half-Elf feel bashful.
In the past, Lux had hungered for recognition.
He wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn't useless.
He wanted his Grandma to be proud of his achievements as a way to repay her for raising him with love and care.
More than anything else, he wanted to go to Elysium, so that his goals could be achieved.
But, no one knew how hard he worked in order to achieve what he had today.
How many times he risked his life in order to gain the power to protect those that were important to him.
All everyone saw was his greatness, and no one knew about his failures and hardships. Even so, Lux felt that his suffering and hardships had just started.
"Eiko, we'll stay in Leaf Village for a while to help repair the houses that were destroyed," Lux said as he lightly patted the baby Slime that sat on his lap. "After that, we'll go to the Intermediate Town to look for Colette and the others. I don't know if they went straight to Whitebridge City where her sister was, but just in case she didn't, we will meet with them first before we head back to Solais to register for the upcoming tournament in Barbatos Academy."
"Pa!" Eiko nodded her head in agreement. After that she jumped on Lux's arms and moved toward the mug of mead in his hand.
However, before the curious baby Slime could even drink the mead, Lux grabbed her and told Eiko that she was still too young to drink mead. Eiko protested, but after Lux told her that Iris would get mad if he allowed her to drink his mead, the baby Slime stopped being stubborn and crawled back onto Lux's lap, so that her Papa could continue to pat her head.
While the Half-Elf and Baby Slime were having a bonding moment, Cedwyn, the Village Head of Leaf Village, approached Lux with a smile.
"Lux, are you sure you want to give us this Guardian Crystal?" Cedwyn asked as he showed Lux a golden crystal that was a foot tall. "This could fetch a high price, you know?"
"Village head, the lives of the people here in Leaf Village are priceless," Lux replied. "No amount of gold can match Grandma Annie's life, as well as my Master Randolph's life. Knowing that both of them will be safe even after I leave will give me some peace of mind. So, please, take the Guardian Crystal and ensure that Leaf Village will prosper for many years to come."
Cedwyn looked at Lux fondly and nodded his head. For villages located at the edge of the Kingdom of Gweliven, a Guardian Crystal was like a protective charm that ensured that no Monster Outbreaks, or Beast Tides, would dare come their way.
"By the way, Lux, when will you leave Leaf Village?" Cedwyn asked. "Oh, don't misunderstand. I am not forcing you to leave, in fact, I wish that you can stay with us longer. I just want to know so that we can prepare to give you a grand send off before you head to the Intermediate Towns."
Lux smiled as he contemplated a date. In the end, he told Cedwyn that he would be leaving in nine days.
After getting the Half-Elf's promise to attend their grand farewell party, Cedwyn left him alone so that he could have time to himself to think.
After Cedwyn left, several Dwarf children approached Lux in order to have a chat with him.
"It's you guys," Lux said as he looked at the Dwarves who had suddenly appeared near him while he was on his way back to Leaf Village after finishing his last Mythical Quest.
They were the Dwarves that Cedwyn had forcefully teleported away from the village, in order to save them from the monsters that were about to kill them.
These were the same Dwarves that told Lux about the current situation in Leaf Village, which made the Half-Elf use his Boots of Teleportation to arrive at the spawn point of foreigners within the village as fast as he could.
If not for them, he might not have arrived in time to save his Master, Randolph, as well as Grandma Annie and Cedwyn, from the Alpha Monsters' merciless assault.
"Thank you for saving Leaf Village," the Dwarf boy said with admiration.
Lux shook his head. "No. It is me who should be thanking you. If not for you guys, I might not have known that the village was under attack. Thank you very much. Because of you guys, the people important to me are still alive."
The Dwarves then took a log and placed it in front of Lux, where they all sat and asked him to tell them the stories of his travels.
Perhaps due to his good mood, or the effect of the mead he drank, the Half-Elf accepted their request and told them tales about his travels.
Tales of Kobolds, Powerful Orcs, Giant Worms, and Dragons. Tales of hardships and overcoming difficulties, and trusting the bonds between friends.
Soon, the Half-Elf was surrounded by many children, both Elysians and Solains. There were even some adults, namely Grandma Annie, Randolph, Aron, and Boreas, who had come over to hear Lux exploits during his time in the Territory of Norria.
The Dwarf children, as well as the adults, were awed by Lux's fairy-tale-like storytelling. Even Eiko kept on giggling whenever her Papa mentioned her exploits, and the Dwarf children would look at the Blue Slime as if she was a Mythical Beast.
"I'll also get a Slime as my beast companion!"
"Me, too!"
"I'll get one as well."
Lux didn't know if he should laugh or cry at the Dwarf children's desire to have a baby Slime as their first Beast Companion. He and the other adults did their best to convince the children that Eiko was different from the other Slimes that they were familiar with, and they shouldn't take having one as a beast companion lightly.
The children were pacified but only on the surface. Lux didn't know that his casual story telling would bring a trend to the Dwarves of Leaf Village to always have a Slime with them whenever they went on adventures.
In a few years, these same Slimes—that were reared in Leaf Village—and their owners, would do incredible feats which would shake the entirety of the Kingdom of Gweliven in the unforeseeable future.
But, that was a story that will be told another time.
Chapter 169 A Heart That Is Bigger Than A Dwarf
The next day, hundreds of Skeletons and three Rock Golems could be seen moving around Leaf Village.
They busied themselves with helping the villagers rebuild their homes by carrying logs, cutting wood, hammering nails, as well as applying a waterproof coating on the roofs of the newly built houses.
Lux, Eiko, their Skeletons, the Dwarf children, as well as the adults, were working on a giant structure near the Eastern part of the village. This was the orphanage that Cedwyn had proposed a day ago, and the Half-Elf thought that it was a great idea.
Although he didn't know much about carpentry, he was a fast learner. After a few hours, the orphanage's basic foundation was already starting to take shape, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Skeletons that didn't need to rest and the Golems that did the heavy lifting.
When Grandma Annie, Randolph, and Cedwyn saw three Luxs and three Eikos working side by side, they initially thought that they were just seeing things. However, after confirming that their eyes were not deceiving them, they finally understood why there were so many Skeletons that were helping the villagers reconstruct their homes.
"Such a convenient ability," Randolph said as he rubbed his chin. "If I could create two copies of myself then my work will be a whole lot faster."
Granda Annie nodded her head in agreement. As an alchemist, she would be able to produce pills and potions faster than she did in the past.
As for Cedwyn, he admired the clones because if he ever had them, then he would be able to take a nap, while the other two did his work for him.
This earned him a glare from Grandma Annie and Randolph, who started nagging him to do his job as Village Head properly.
"Lux, can you come here for a minute?" Cedwyn asked after escaping from his friends' nagging. His purpose for coming to see Lux was to let him know about the rewards that the village planned to give him in return for what the Half-Elf did for them.
The Half-Elf stopped his work and followed the Village Chief, who had a mischievous smile on his face.
"What's wrong, Village Head?" Lux asked. "Did something happen?"
Cedwyn shook his head. "Nothing happened. It's just, we came here to give you some rewards for helping us overcome this calamity. Also, you are not allowed to reject these gifts. Rejecting them is the same as rejecting our gratitude for you. We won't take no for an answer."
The wise Village Head had cut off any forms of retreat for Lux, forcing the red-headed teenager to accept the gifts that they had prepared for him, without even knowing what they were.
The two then joined Grandma Annie and Randolph, who were initially bickering at the side, and the four of them went to Cedwyn's house to present Lux the gratitude of the Elders of Leaf Village.
As soon as Lux entered the conference room, the first thing Lux saw was a dark-green armor, which he initially thought was the Faunus Battle Regalia. However, after closer inspection, he realized that the design was different.
There was gold plating on the edges of the armor, and it gave off a faint refreshing breeze. Beside the armor, a black halberd with an intimidating presence could be seen.
A single glance was enough to tell him that these two pieces of equipment were the rewards that he gained from clearing the Mythical Quest of Leaf Village, which was called "The Birth of a Legend".
"The name of the armor over there is the Favonius Legacy," Cedwyn explained. "It's the armor which the Faunus Armor Set was inspired from. It is also the armor of the first founder of Leaf Village, who decided to retire here after exploring the world. This was the legacy he left behind."
"The Halberd beside it is called, Misery's End, the Destroyer of Last Hope. This was the weapon that the founder of Leaf Village used when he was still on active duty. It is our wish that you carry out his legacy as you travel the world."
Lux looked at the two pieces of equipment before shifting his gaze towards Cedwyn who was looking up to him with a smile.
"But, these two items are too precious," Lux said. "I can't take them. These are like the final mementos of the Leaf Village's founder, right? It can also be considered a Family Heirloom. I greatly appreciate the gesture, but I can't take these with me."
Grandma Annie sighed before holding Lux's hand. The Half-Elf could feel the roughness of the old Dwarf lady's hand, who had encountered many hardships over the passing of many years.
"Lux, I'm sure that our founder would be very happy if you carry his legacy with you," Grandma Annie commented. "If not for you, this village would no longer be standing, and its people would all be dead. Although the village could be rebuilt again, once the people are gone, it wouldn't be the same.
"That is why, as long as you carry these with you, Leaf Village will always remain in your heart. Please, take them. This is our wish as the Elders of Leaf Village."
After seeing all the Elders look at him with tender gazes, Lux had no choice but to nod his head and accept the Founder of Leaf's Village Legacy.
"Thank you very much," Lux replied. "I will use these gifts to the best of my abilities."
"Good. That is all that we ask of you." Cedwyn smiled. "Now, go on. Take them."
Lux nodded and reached out to touch the ancient armor that had been kept in a hidden treasure house that only the Village Head of Leaf Village could open.
As soon as his hands touched the armor, the entire world suddenly turned white. A moment later, Lux found himself on a mountain, overlooking a small village in the distance. Although it wasn't exactly the same as the one he remembered, there was no mistake that the village he was looking at was the old Leaf Village.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
A calm, steady voice spoke from behind Lux.
The Half-Elf turned around to see an old Dwarf, with white hair and weathered features. However, his presence was strong enough to let Lux feel that the person in front of him was very strong.
So strong that Lux was feeling doubtful whether he had properly assessed the old dwarf's strength or not.
'His strength is the same as my step-father's,' Lux thought as he felt his heart clenched in his chest. Although he was still half in doubt, he had aspired so much to become that person in the past, so he was mostly sure of his hunch about how strong the old Dwarf was. 'This person before me is a Saint.'
The old Dwarf smiled at Lux as he walked towards him. He then stopped a meter away from the Half-Elf and looked up at him as if he was looking at something very amusing.
Lux felt his heart tremble when the old Dwarf stared straight to his eyes. Although the Dwarf was smaller than him, he felt that he was looking up at a mountain, whose peak was hidden by the clouds in the sky.
"You are certainly not a Dwarf," the old Dwarf said after some time. "But your heart is bigger than one."
The old Dwarf chuckled as he gave Lux a brief nod of acknowledgement. "My name is Favonius, and I am very happy to see that my village has raised such an outstanding individual. What is your name, young man?"
"My name is Lux, Sir Favonious," Lux replied. "Lux Von Kaizer."
Favonius lightly patted Lux's arms as he spoke in a friendly manner.
"My friend, Lux, would you like to hear the ramblings of a lingering will that an old, decrepit, Dwarf left behind?" Favonius asked.
"It will be my honor, Sir Favonius."
"Good. As expected of the savior of my village."
Favonius happily chuckled as he looked at the person whom he had been waiting for hundreds of years to arrive. There were things that he wanted to impart to his successor and it was his wish that the legacy he left behind would be put to good use.
Lux took a deep breath as he forcefully tried to calm his wildly beating heart. He didn't know why he was able to talk to an old Saint after touching the armor, but he knew with every fiber of his being, that this meeting across space and time was something that he wouldn't forget in his lifetime.
Chapter 170 Against The Unknown, All Races Must Stand As One
"Tell me, Lux, when you look at that small village over there, what do you see?" Favonius asked as he looked fondly at the village that he had built on the outskirts of the Kingdom of Gweliven.
"A seed," Lux replied because that is truly what he felt after looking at the small village in the distance.
Favonius laughed heartily before nodding his head in satisfaction.
"You can also put it that way," Favonius commented. "It is a seed that will grow into a sturdy tree. This tree will then foster and care for the new batch of seeds, which will also grow into trees and usher in a new era of prosperity and peace."
Lux smiled, but he knew that this was not the answer Favonius was looking for. Because of this, he decided to ask what that village represented to the Dwarf Saint who decided to retire in a place far from the Capital of the Dwarven Kingdom.
"Hope," Favonius said as he gazed at the small village with tender eyes. "When I look at the village from here, I see hope."
The old Dwarf then shifted his attention to Lux and gave him a warm smile that made the Old Saint's weathered face look like it was ten years younger.
"When I look at you, Lux, I also see hope," Favonius commented. "Just like the seeds of a dandelion that fly freely with the help of a passing breeze, you are now about to set off on a new journey towards the unknown."
"A journey where you will face countless dangers and hardships, but I am hopeful that you will be able to grow into a sturdy tree. A tree that will shelter the new generation and nourish them before they embark on their own journeys."
The dwarf sighed as he once again looked at the small village in the distance.
"With hope, people can move mountains," Favonius softly muttered. "With courage, we can cross the seas. At age two-hundred and seventy, I had seen and conquered many vast domains, and yet, there were still places I have yet to see."
"As the years pass by and my age increases. Many times I've felt that I should have gone farther, and been more adventurous than what I was in the past."
"This world is so vast, and sometimes you'll feel like you are just a tiny insignificant speck in the grand order of things. Even a Saint can sometimes feel weak and, in the merciless face of the world, it is very normal for us to feel fear."
Lux listened quietly on the side as he allowed Favonius to say whatever he had to say. He had already figured out that the person who was standing in front of him was not the real Favonius, but a Will that he had left behind the Favonius Armor that had accompanied him on his adventures.
The Dwarf appreciated Lux's silence, so he continued to narrate his life experiences as his final parting words to the person who would now inherit his legacy.
"My adventuring days may be over, but my ambition exceeds this lifetime of mine," Favonius said with a determined voice. "People create weapons and armors in order to fight monsters, and when monsters triumph over them, they create better tools."
"Where my legs cannot take me, maybe yours can. And when yours fails you, perhaps those around you will carry you instead. My dear friend, I leave you my legacy. Against the unknown, all races must stand as one. To be alive is to live, to set foot in every place that our eyes can see."
Favonius held Lux's hands into his own, and through the roughness of the old Dwarf's hands, the Half-Elf felt as if he was being enveloped in a warm embrace.
"I have little time remaining, and my soul has long been gone from this world. But, between us, your children, future guildmates and friends, I believe that your dying world will be saved, at last."
The old man gave Lux a playful wink before disappearing into particles of light. The Half-Elf was surprised at Favonius' last words, because he didn't mention Elysium in the end, but his own dying world, Solais.
"Such an interesting old man," Lux said softly as he gazed at the small village in the distance. "Understood, Sir Favonius. I will take you along on my journey to see the sights and heights that you haven't seen before. Perhaps, someday, both of us will be able to reach that place at last."
As if touched by his solemn promise, the last traces of Favonius' Will, that still lingered within that Domain, said its heartfelt words before finally disappearing from the world.
"Thank you, my friend."
Soon, the Half-Elf was bathed by a warm and radiant light as he bid goodbye to the scenery of the old Leaf Village, which he was about to leave behind.
—--
"Lux, my boy. Are you alright?" Randolph asked as he shook the red-headed teenager, who seemed to have gone into a trance the moment he touched the Favonius Legacy Armor that was left behind by the founder of Leaf Village.
"Stop shaking him," Grandma Annie said as she observed the Half-Elf who was staring blankly in space. "Maybe he is talking to the founder right now."
"Talking to the founder? Have you grown senile, you old hag?" Randolph asked. "Careful now. Maybe next time, you will even forget your name because of old age."
Instead of answering Randolph with words, Grandma Annie's wooden staff smacked his face, sending him flying a few meters away from the Half-Elf who seemed to be frozen in time.
None of the Dwarf Elders of Leaf Village batted an eye when they saw this scene. They had already grown used to it long ago. Even if Grandma Annie whacked the old blacksmith until his face looked like a pig, they would still not be surprised at the outcome.
A minute later, Lux's body shook as he woke up from his trance.
"Child, what did you see?" Grandma Annie asked with great curiosity. "Did the Founder leave some instructions behind?"
The Elders of Leaf Village, including the Village Head, Cedwyn, perked their ears up as they waited in anticipation for Lux's answer. They had carefully handled the Favonius Armor, and studied it for years, which had led to the creation of the Faunus Battle Regalia.
For them, the legacy that their founder had left behind held an important place in their hearts. So if Favonius had indeed left some instructions for the next generation, they would be more than happy to carry out his will with the best of their abilities.
"Yes. Sir Favonius had indeed left something behind," Lux replied with a smile. "He left behind Hope."
"Hope?" Cedwyn inquired. "Can you please elaborate?"
Lux nodded his head and told the Dwarves about his meeting with the founder of Leaf Village, Favonius. Of course, he left out the part about his dying world. Although most Solains had a hunch that their world might be dying, this was only a conjecture on their part.
After hearing his tale, the Dwarves sighed and looked at the Half-Elf with admiration and respect.
All of them wished that they were the one to hear the last words of the Legendary Saint of the Gweliven Kingdom instead of Lux.
"Lux, please, take our Founder's hope and will with you," Cedwyn said as he held the Half-Elf's hand. "It is not only his will that you carry with you, but our collective wills as well. You are our pride, and even though you are not a Dwarf, our founder is right. Your heart is bigger than a Dwarf's."
Lux nodded his head as he gratefully, and respectfully, equipped the Favonius Legacy as his equipment set. He still hadn't seen all of its stats because he felt that it was inappropriate to do so at this time.
However, he promised himself that regardless of the stats the armor had, he would always carry it with him as a memento of the Beginner Village that had played an important role in his life.