Chương 691: The Storm Valkyrie

The next morning, Charlie was still asleep beside Luke. When he tried to get up, she tightened her arms around him.

"Just... a little longer," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"We're on a schedule."

"Please..." Luke stayed still for a few seconds. Then he sighed, gave in, and wrapped his arms around her. Sometimes, fighting monsters was easier than resisting Charlie half-asleep. After a while, she finally let him go, and the two of them got moving. Luke's Tracking Thread was still active. Jonathan was in the city, though far away. Luke considered going after him right away, but for now, there were more urgent things to handle.

"I finally picked my new class," Angie said. She had reached level 100 in the Valkyrie Class, and Lightning Valkyrie had unlocked three evolution options. Luke had left the choice to her. Now, he simply watched the result of her decision. [Storm Valkyrie]: The Storm Valkyrie is one who has embraced the Path of Lightning and, through it, reached the peak of the Valkyries within her current level of power.

Not merely a warrior, but the living herald of war, someone who has awakened her Einherjar and proven capable of fighting as more than one. With fully formed wings and the ability to take to the skies, this Valkyrie steps onto a rare path, reserved only for those who have fulfilled the requirements to awaken the Path of the Storm. From this path, not only lightning may empower her, but also water, air, and the stormborn combinations between them, perhaps one day even reaching ice.

The Einherjar, an avatar of lightning shaped from the Valkyrie herself, is only the first sign of what this path may become. In time, other calls may answer her will, until her strength is no longer that of a single warrior, but the march of an army. A Valkyrie who walks this path does not merely carry the storm within her body. One day, she will bring it down upon her enemies.

(Attribute Bonus per level: +24 Lethality, +24 Willpower, +20 Strength, +20 Perception, +18 Wisdom, +18 Intelligence, +16 Endurance, +35 Free Points.)"Yeah. Good choice," Luke said.

"Are you sure? You don't want to check the other ones in the notification history?"

"I trust you. I trust your judgment." He held her gaze for a moment.

"And I promise, before this is over, I'll reach Rank D." He couldn't talk about that too openly. Not there. But Angie understood. Angie evolved from Stone-Angel to Angel at Rank E. What'll happen at Rank D? Later, as he boarded Captain Thomas's ship, Luke saw Erza with her maids, ordering and coordinating the final preparations. She looked like she'd made the deck part of her domain.

"Your boss is pretty pissed, Sparrow," Thomas said, appearing beside him with a crooked smile.

"Good luck with that one."

"Boss?"

"I'm a great pirate, Sparrow. A woman's heart is a magnificent treasure, and I know a lovestruck one when I see it." Thomas placed a hand over his chest, dramatic as ever.

"No matter how hard it is to find, no matter how deadly the journey, the reward will be worth it. But good luck taming that stormy sea she calls a personality."

"Erza isn't my boss..."

"Erza? The scary lady who hired us?" Thomas frowned.

"No. I'm not talking about her."

"Then who are you talking about?"

"What the hell are you all staring at?!" Layla snapped from a few yards away. Thomas only smiled and walked off. Layla looked at Luke.

"What was he talking about?"

"No idea. That pirate's an idiot. Something about treasure and storms. You think I listen to side characters?" After that, he went to Erza and Anne, who were waiting near the side of the ship.

"Good luck out there," he said.

"This is probably the last time we'll see each other, Erza, so... thank you."

"And I'll uphold my end of the bargain," Erza replied. Her tone was still cold, but there was weight behind the promise.

"As soon as we return, I'll use my influence to gather every piece of information I can on Elizabeth Moon. But keep my sister safe in Stage 3."

"I'll be... in your care again... in a few weeks, Lord Luke," Anne said, lowering her head slightly.

"See you in a few days." Luke left the ship beside Layla. The harbor was packed, overrun with people rushing back and forth, hauling supplies, arguing over routes, or saying goodbye like it might be the last time. When he climbed aboard his own ship, Eleanor was waiting for him.

"There's still time to give up and come back to land with us," she said.

"I can't..."

"I know. I was joking." She hugged him. Luke accepted it.

"This is probably the last time we'll get to talk during the event," Eleanor continued.

"Good luck on your journey, Luke. And let's hope this Stage ends quickly." Evangeline stood just behind her.

"Don't worry," she said.

"I'll look after the Baummans. Mostly because... I've got nowhere else to go."

"Still. Thanks." Walking through the ship, Luke found Eddie.

"Mr. Luke," the man said, stepping closer, his expression sincere.

"I want to thank you for taking care of my daughter. I know I've said it before, but truly, thank you."

"I thought about throwing her to the sharks a few times."

"Always joking, Mr. Luke."

"I think he means it, Dad," Layla said. Luke crouched in front of the chair where Katarina sat. That little plant had been through way too much since the tutorial, and somehow, absurdly, she was still there with him.

"See you soon, Katarina," he said, stroking the plant's head. Then he looked at Layla.

"Take care of our daughter."

"O-our daughter? What do you mean?"

"Didn't you start treating the plant like your daughter just like your father did? Katarina is everyone's problem now." Luke stood.

"By the way, one day before Phase 6 ends, give Katarina that Sea Guardian egg to eat." Layla grimaced.

"What? That disgusting thing?"

"Just do it." Down in the cabins, Luke went to Jack's room. He found Stephen holding a bottle, his eyes wet.

"Mr. Harper, I came to say goodbye."

"Good luck on your journey, kid." Stephen sniffed, clearly drunk.

"I wish I'd had a son like you."

"Dad, I'm standing right next to you," Jack said.

"You're like a son to me too, Jack."

"Of course I am. I'm your son, Dad. Are you drunk?" Stephen took another drink from the bottle.

"I should go back to your mother, Jack. I think these months at sea knocked some sense into me."

"Gods, Dad..." Jack rubbed his face.

"You're wasted. I'm detoxing you. Weren't you the one who said she was a demon and the worst thing that ever happened to you?"

"She is, Jack. She's every terrible thing and then some." Stephen looked at the bottle.

"Your mother is alcohol, Jack. I know she'll destroy me, and I still want one more sip." Jack pointed his wand at him. The tip glowed. Stephen blinked, suddenly much too sober.

"What did you do, Jack? I was depressed. You took that away from me." He set the bottle on the table and gripped Luke's shoulder.

"Luke. Come find me in Los Angeles. We'll go to Vegas together, assuming Vegas still exists when we get back to Earth." The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I can't promise the Vegas part, but I'll find you again someday, Mr. Harper."

"And you, Jack, stay home and protect your mother from the apocalypse."

"We still have three weeks together before we return to Earth, Dad. Why are you talking like this is goodbye?"

"I know. But I plan to spend that time drinking. After that, I'll have to stay sober until I figure out what the hell happened to our world."

"I wasn't in Pennsylvania on Earth, Dad."

"You weren't? Where were you?"

"Maine. At Luke's house." Stephen sighed.

"You left that devil alone in Pennsylvania?"

"I know. I'll figure out how to get back to Mom. Even if I have to walk there."

"I'll be in Los Angeles when we're teleported back. Crossing the country to get to you two will take time, and I don't know how safe it'll be. Planes probably won't be an option. But I'll manage." Stephen drew a deep breath.

"I'm going to fix what I did, and I'm going to rebuild my family."

"You're really going back to Mom?"

"Of course. Imagine that demon with System powers. Until I know I'm safe, I can't let my guard down."

"I don't know if that's a good reason, Dad. But I'm glad you came to your senses. A little, anyway." Then Stephen looked at Luke with unusual seriousness.

"Kid, I don't know if you're close to reaching Rank D. But when it happens, accept the process somewhere safe. Understand?" Then Stephen told him why. That afternoon, Luke helped with whatever still needed doing. The ship was about to depart when Ulric, Roland, Hugo, and Isolde appeared at the harbor.

"I hope you didn't forget about us," Hugo said.

"We didn't forget you," Luke replied.

"Really? Because it sure looked like you were about to set sail without us."

"Ten more minutes and you might've been left behind." Erza's ship had already sailed. Luke remained on deck, watching Eleanor's ship pull away from the docks.

"I'll see you in a few days, Master Luke!" Charlie shouted, waving. He raised a hand in response. Then he vanished and appeared behind her.

"You know I can teleport, right?" he asked. Charlie jumped.

"Y-you scared me!"

"I'm sticking with you a little longer."

Later, Luke climbed out of the water and sat on the shore near the edge of the city. He ran a hand through his hair, squeezing out the excess water. He'd stayed on Charlie's ship long enough to make sure no one was following them. After that, he'd swum back with the kraken.

"Looks like it'll just be you and me for a while, Cadmus."

"Me too," Artemis said. Luke closed his eyes for a second.

"Ah... right. You're always here."

"I'm your other half, Luke. I'll always be with you."

"And here come the metaphors..."

"How about the peanut butter to your jelly?"

"Let's stop there..."

"The milk to your cookies?"

"Artemis." She kept going anyway. As he walked through the harbor, Cadmus floated beside him and talked about routes.

"There's a halo nearby that could get us closer to the objective."

"I still have business here." Luke opened his interface and stared at the special quest he had received in the Beacon. Quest Discovered: Tomb of the King Objective: Enter the hidden chamber of the Tomb of the King. The Sunken Kings were the Rulers of the Volcanic Regions of the Sunken Realms. In each Region, there is a Tomb belonging to one of those arrogant and greedy kings. Within these Tombs, the bodies of the kings lie exposed before their treasures, for not even death freed them from their greed.

By finding the chamber and sacrificing your Key Item, you may claim a single treasure from that place. Remember, do not be greedy and attempt to claim more than one treasure... or you will suffer a fate you'll regret. (Warning: Available only in Stage 3)"Anything useful about this tomb, Cadmus?"

"No. Forget it." His voice turned sharper.

"Don't let that treasure bait you. It's cursed."

"And how do you know that?"

"Trust me. Ignore this quest." Cadmus always avoided the subject whenever Luke asked. Must be the event rules. He can't give me hints. When night fell, Luke finally found his target. He had tracked Jonathan during the day, but after the Tracking Thread deactivated, locating him again took time. Jonathan was a vampire, and he'd picked up a few useful abilities for covering his tracks. Luke was careful.

He used a special mud to mask his scent, took advantage of the city's movement to disappear among the people, and activated the enchantment on his assassin's outfit. It had been a long time since he had used it. [Acolyte Assassin's Garb (Epic) Description: Crafted by the most skilled artisans of the Assassin Order and finished by the hands of Lakarion himself, the God of Assassination, this garb is a rare and special gift, granted only to those in whom the god sees true potential. It is more than clothing; it is a symbol of recognition, a mark that you have been chosen to walk a path beyond ordinary shadow. A step toward the true art of assassination." My invitation still stands, Luke, ever since I gave you the mission to kill the Orc Lord. My hand remains extended. This item would have been your reward. Come to me, child... and I will make you what you were born to be. I will give you power." - Lakarion. Enchantments: [Basic Shadow Camouflage (Rare)]: While the user remains still in low-light areas, the garb adapts to the surroundings, distorting their silhouette and dimming their presence. [Crowd Shadow (Ultra-Rare)]: When near a crowd, the garb can alter its pattern and texture to create the illusion of different clothing, allowing the wearer to blend seamlessly with others and disappear even under watchful eyes. [Iron Shadow Fabric (Ultra-Rare)]: Though extremely lightweight, this enchanted fabric offers protection comparable to iron armor. It preserves full mobility and flexibility without sacrificing defense. The name "Iron Shadow" reflects its nature: it is not solid iron but magically reinforced fabric that shields silently like an invisible iron shadow, blending strength and stealth in perfect harmony. [Shadow of Ignorance (Epic)]: As long as the assassin is not directly seen, their presence remains hidden from perception fields or magical detection. While not absolute against beings of great power or extreme sensitivity, it is a powerful tool for silent assassinations and deadly infiltrations. Requirement: Soulbound.] Atop a building, Luke also wore the camouflage cloak he had earned in the Beacon he'd completed with Charlie, letting his body blend into the wall and the scenery around him.

From there, he watched the place where Jonathan was supposed to meet someone. It was a busy district. People used that spot as a temporary base, a trading post, even a makeshift tavern. One thing's certain. For some reason, Jonathan isn't using that face-changing power anymore.

After running into us again, he could've already taken on a different appearance to hide. Luke spent the next hour trying to figure out why. There weren't many possibilities. Either Jonathan had lost the ability, or using it caused debuffs he didn't want to risk right now. Over the next hour, strange figures began entering the place. Men wearing animal masks. Luke saw pigs, crows, and other shapes. One weird-ass meeting. Killing Jonathan was no longer the main goal.

Finding out more about his lasiurus vampire side, and what that group was planning, had become far more interesting. That vampire lord knows Charlie is a vampire. Jonathan knows too. Is that lich going to show up here? Luke used [Soul Infiltration] and watched the group begin to gather. Then, in the corner of the room, he saw a man in a suit. He wore a mask that covered his entire head, made of something like a mirror.

"We're being watched," said the man with the mirror mask.

"Watched? What do you mean?" Did he notice me? The masked man began looking in every direction, too slowly for it to be random. He knows. Then he looked straight at the spot where Luke's soul cat was hidden inside one of the people there. After that, his head tilted toward the wall where Luke's real body was concealed far away on the street. Luke deactivated the skill immediately. He looked right where I am. Without waiting to find out how much that man could perceive, Luke pulled back.

Jonathan was not chasing Anne or following her trail for now. That was what mattered. He would have liked to stay longer and observe the meeting, but he had other business to handle, and he needed to move fast. As he made his way through the city, he opened the system interface and stared at the five witch skills that had become available at level 95. He had been putting off the choice until now.

[Cloak of the Arcane Witch (Legendary)]: The cloak of an Arcane Witch is not a simple ornament, but the mantle of those who have learned to bend mana through sheer will. This ability wraps the user in a cloak charged with arcane and telekinetic energy, creating a thin mana barrier capable of softening physical attacks and weakening incoming magical damage.

While active, the cloak reduces the Witch's weight and removes part of the resistance around her, allowing abnormal jumps and controlled falls through telekinetic impulses, as if the air itself made room for her passage. Her presence also becomes hazy and difficult to fix on, confusing ordinary senses, magical tracking, and perception abilities. Beneath the arcane mantle, her spells become 25% more powerful, reaching their targets with greater precision, range, and stability.

Enemies killed by her spells grant 20% more experience points. When she takes magical damage, the mantle absorbs that energy, adapting to its nature and increasing the Witch's resistance to similar effects while the cloak remains active. For where other casters wear cloth and empty symbols, the Witch wears her own sovereignty. This skill receives a small power increase based on Wisdom, Intelligence, and Willpower. [Witch's Curse Thread (Epic)]: The Witch throws a knife attached to an enchanted thread.

If the blade strikes the target, a web of cursed threads rapidly spreads around them, burning, binding, and hindering their movements. The threads remain connected to the Witch, allowing her to pull the victim or manipulate the web for better battlefield control. [Stasis Pentagram (Epic)]: The Witch uses the power of [Telekinetic Stasis] to create a Pentagram within a radius of up to 10 meters.

Any enemy who steps into its area will be affected by telekinetic stasis, having their movements severely reduced for a short time, even after leaving the Pentagram. A perfect trap to slow pursuers, create an opportunity to escape, or open the gap needed to finish off an opponent.

[Spell Grimoire Page (Rare)]: [Spell Grimoire] is a skill the Witch already possesses, allowing her to absorb the spell contained within a magical scroll and claim it for herself, a demonstration of her insatiable hunger for knowledge and exceptional affinity with mana. However, the Grimoire had room for only one scroll. [Spell Grimoire Page] adds a new page to the Grimoire, granting an additional slot to store a second absorbed spell.

A power that proves the Witch does not think only of the present, but also of everything she still intends to steal from the world. [Arcane Witch Golem (Legendary)]: The Witch, using the power of [Advanced Magic Conjuration] and the alchemical powers of [Transmutation], creates from mana a golem identical to herself. The creature is controlled as an extension of her own body, copying her appearance and allowing for infiltration, distractions, or even battle.

While controlling the golem, the Witch's perception of the environment around her main body is considerably reduced, and she cannot activate other Witch skills. The golem can use some of her powers, but only those belonging to the Witch class and subject to certain power restrictions. Even so, few tools are as valuable to a manipulator as a second version of herself walking through the world. They're all so useful, and I'm still stuck on this choice.

When Luke reached the place he was looking for, he knocked on the door. He was about to meet two people he had only seen a handful of times throughout the event's phases. The door opened, revealing a man with a calm posture and sharp eyes. An archer.

"You came, Luke Moon," Ivor said.

"Hello again, Ivor." Luke greeted him with a nod.

"And how is your partner and best friend doing?"

"I'm fine. No thanks to you. Or maybe thanks to you. I'm still deciding," Yut Saeten said.