Chương 396: Chapter 385 - Setting the Board

"Something happened?" Leonie asked.

"Not much, really," Lukas said.

"In a sense, the setup wasn't much different from what you'd expect in a European church. We sat down, sent out EM waves toward a statue of this faceless god they believe in, which is basically their practical version of prayer, and then we were contacted through pulses by the priest." He paused.

"Like a private confession, except the booth is your mind."

"So what's the scary part?" Ayu asked. Lukas exhaled slowly.

"Faith is dangerous. Always has been. It makes people act, and they believe the desire comes from themselves. Most of Earth's great civilisations were built on religion as the highest authority." He looked around at them.

"Now imagine that faith becomes real. What happens when a god can grant miracles on the spot? When priests aren't just scholars, but top-tier minds walking a path that gives them ridiculous mental power? What happens when they don't just persuade people with words, but can influence minds directly with waves?" Silence settled in the room.

"When we entered, we felt it," Lukas continued.

"The priest wasn't malicious, but he emitted EM frequencies tuned to calm the mind. Make it more open. More… receptive. Even for me, it was hard to notice. If not for Chiara, I wouldn't have caught it." He rubbed his neck.

"And this was just a priest in a remote town…"

"Alright, that's… a problem," Alonso said.

"But do you think they're the bad guys of this stage? From what I read in the Guild's data, the Church is the leading Pillar-path organisation, or Mind's Way, as they call it. Wouldn't that make them like the Azcoyatl in the last stage?"

"Could be," Lukas said with a small shrug.

"The Tower might well consider the Church a valid path for Pillar growth. But Chiara and I think we should wait before getting involved with them in any way."

"Well… more than wait… I'd say never, at least for me," Chiara said.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Alonso, but your manifestation of Will came from who you are and what you truly believe in, right?"

"Yes," Alonso nodded.

"Then that's it. I'd never believe in some random god, and that will never be my path. I don't care what others choose, but from my understanding, as much quick power as it might grant, it feels like a flawed path to Will."

"Like a trap?"

"Maybe," Chiara replied.

"It wouldn't be unusual for the Tower to try to screw us over now and then."

"Let's not forget the Standard Pillar paths," Lukas added with a dry smile, dark memories surfacing.

"I understand your perspective," Leonie continued, "but we shouldn't ignore what the world offers either. Standing on the shoulders of giants is how progress happens. We don't have to follow their path exactly, but we should study it and use what we learn to build our own. It's also clear every stage runs on a timer. 49 days in the boss-raid world. 98 in the last one. I don't know if we'll get 147 here… but I'm certain we're against the clock, and idling means death.

So I suggest we take this world's knowledge and resources to speed up our progress… and we do it fast." After a moment, they all nodded.

"So what's the plan?" Ayu asked after a brief silence.

"The Baron is starting a recruitment campaign," Leonie said.

"For those of us above the Second Mark, or well, 28% SP, and in the Third State, we can earn solid income, and with the final reward we could even buy a full set of untempered Grade 2 gear. It's a good starting point. We learn more about this world, how they fight, and build a relationship with the local power."

"How much are they offering?" Alonso asked.

"One Silvermark per day and 25 on completion," she said.

"We can also bring those who haven't reached that point as part of our squads, for lesser pay."

"Hm," Alonso rubbed his chin.

"It's a good opportunity, but I'll pass. Gregor suggested I check the other two special-event Dungeons in the West. Each can give us a Grade 4 item worth around 100 Silvermarks, plus six orbs that grant a flat 3% SP up to a 38% limit. Coins aside, nothing improves us more right now than raising SP. Training, States, skills, all scale off it."

"That… is a better plan," Leonie admitted.

"Where are these Dungeons?"

"Well… that's the issue," Alonso exhaled, coordinating with Houston as a 3D holographic map formed in the centre of the room, light bending into clear shapes.

"We're here, in Riviera." A point lit up.

"These are all the low-tier Dungeons in the West." More than a dozen zones glowed with names.

"The two with special events like Jack are here." Two flared red. One far north, one south-west.

"And while it doesn't look far, here's the scale," he added with a dry chuckle, numbers appearing along the edge.

"What the… more than 12, 000 km to the nearest one!" Ayu blinked.

"Yeah… this world's big," Alonso said.

"That's an understatement," Lukas muttered.

"Even at your current speed, that's quite the trip."

"It is," Alonso nodded.

"But my plan is to make a circuit around the West, hitting both Dungeons before looping back. A week to ten days, depending on how smooth it goes."

"That is…" Leonie hesitated, but couldn't find anything to say.

"So you can enter Dungeons alone?" Lukas asked.

"Yes. For low-tier ones, you need either signed permission from someone like the Guild Master or Mayor, or proper credentials. Iron-rank Adventurer is enough."

"I see," Lukas nodded.

"Then the rest of us can handle nearby Dungeons in small groups or solo to speed things up."

"If we consider that…" Leonie began, and they moved into the finer details: funds, registration, fees, party setups. As they spoke, Alonso felt a pulse from Ayu." Want me to go with you?"" It's okay," he sent back." You said Primal Flow is your bottleneck right now. Focus on your runs, take a short break after. I'll be back before you know it, and then we'll tackle the big one together." Ayu held his gaze, then nodded. Minutes passed. Routes, numbers, and timings filled the holographic display.

"Well… I guess we have a plan," Alonso said at last.

"Do you think we'll be ready for a mid-tier Dungeon in 7-10 days?" Pablo asked.

"I think we can," Leonie said.

"If we push SP to 38% and get proper gear, we'll be solidly in Silver-rank territory. The only thing holding us back will be Will. But that is something we each have to solve." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Will. The word pressed on them all. Alonso exhaled.

"I know it sounds vague. There's no manual for manifesting Will. I barely understand it myself. Maybe it's tied to the soul, maybe it's a fundamental force we never accessed before. But don't treat it like a skill. Think of it as understanding yourself." He looked at Ayu.

"When Ayu manifested Primal Flow, it wasn't about nodes or lattices. It was about what mattered to her, the weight she carried. She understood herself, and the world responded." His gaze swept the room.

"For me, it was the same. Under pressure, I made a belief about who I am, and it turned into power. Everything I'd done led there, but that moment wasn't just the next step on a path. It was… me." He held their eyes.

"So don't chase what the Tower wants. Don't chase what the world expects. Be who you are. If fighting shapes you, fight. If research drives you, dive into it. The steps others take aren't yours. You have to walk your own. Only then does belief turn into power that's truly yours." Silence lingered.

"That was deep," Lukas said with a small smile.

"Thanks," Leonie said, her tone serious as she looked at him. Alonso nodded.

"Alright, let's head to the Guild first and get the funding sorted," he said.

"Hopefully Gregor won't mind lending me some coins for a while."

"Fingers crossed," Lukas chuckled.

"You want to refer nine people as Iron-rank?" Gregor raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. They're all in the Third State, so it shouldn't be an issue, right?" Alonso said.

"No, it's fine. I'll cover it. Just make sure you pay it back sooner rather than later," he said.

"Now, the important part. You're travelling the West. You sure? There's a mid-tier Dungeon just a day's journey from here."

"I'll consider it after I get back."

"Fair enough, young man," the Guild Master said.

"Just beware of daemons along the way. Best stick to the roads and not stray." Alonso blinked, caught off guard.

"Sorry… the what?"

"Daemons, lad. Don't expect strong ones in these parts, but you never know." Alonso hesitated. He hadn't read anything about that. Was Gregor joking?

"What, you worried?" Gregor chuckled.

"Relax. If daemons were active here, the Church would've sent their holy knights already. Just a traveller's tip. Anyway," he waved it off and produced a circular crystal, handing it over. Alonso blinked as a prompt appeared. Grade 01 — Escape Crystal Shattering this crystal warps you out of low-tier Dungeons. Ineffective in certain zones.

"Take it, just in case," Gregor said.

"Good habit to carry one at all times." But Alonso's mind was still on the daemons. Were those the true enemies of this stage? The new Xok'al? Gregor was playing it off… but Alonso really wished he wasn't. This was a huge deal. Still, it sounded like common knowledge in this world. Asking too much might seem odd. Maybe Pablo had seen something in the library?

"Alright. Thanks, Gregor," he said, pocketing the crystal.

"Don't thank me yet, lad," Gregor grinned.

"Got a bigger surprise waiting for you, but I'll save that for when you're ready for the mid-tier Dungeon." Crafty old man.

"I'll look forward to it," Alonso nodded, then excused himself and left the office.

"Daemons? Well, I read a thing or two about them, but… I think it's more like folklore to scare kids… right?" Pablo said.

"So you think the Guild Master was pulling my leg? Didn't seem like it," Alonso said. Pablo frowned.

"I'll dig more into it. To be honest, I didn't focus much on that part."

"But what did you read? Correct me if I'm wrong, but daemon's the old word for demon, right?"

"It is," Pablo said.

"I came across a couple of tales. Pretty grim stuff. People disappearing, haunted areas, witches… that sort of thing."

"Okay… that doesn't sound great," Alonso said.

"Still, it'd be good if you can find more about it. Maybe talk it through with the others while I'm gone."

"Well, if you're not in a rush, we could check the library right now," Pablo offered.

"Nah, it's fine," Alonso said.

"From what you've just told me, it'll probably confuse me more than help. Sounds like something that needs proper research to separate truth from nonsense."

"Alright," Pablo said.

"So you're leaving soon?"

"When my swords are ready," Alonso replied.

"Still a few hours, so I'll use that to clear a small Dungeon north-east with Ayu. What about you? Plans for the next few days?"

"I'll rotate through the five nearby Dungeons, just like the others," Pablo said.

"After that… not sure. Reading, mostly. Trying to learn more about this world. Especially those daemons you mentioned." He smiled faintly.

"And, well… trying to find myself, like some wise man told me." Alonso smiled and shook his head.

"Alright then. Take care, Pablo. Try to get some cool summons for next time, yeah."

"I'll see what I can do."

Boom! Stone exploded outward as the giant ratman's cleaver tore through the underground wall, rubble blasting across the chamber. Ayu was already gone. She slipped through the dust cloud, low and fast, boots skimming slick stone. A tiger's silhouette flared behind her, fangs bared, matching the white arc of her bone daggers as she closed the gap in a blink. The ratman barely turned. Twin flashes. A wet sound. Its throat opened in a red spray that painted the broken wall behind it.

The body hit the ground with a heavy thud. Orbs rolled across the stone. Gear clattered. Tempering shards chimed as they scattered through the debris.

"That was quick," Alonso called from the rear.

"Well… with the smell of this place, the quicker the better," Ayu muttered, nose wrinkling at the sewer stench.

"Fair." They gathered the loot and warped out moments later, reappearing at the outpost for clearance. Soon they were walking across the open plains, an old oak leaning over the path. Ayu looked up. The sky burned orange as the sun sank low.

"Days here are long, huh."

"35 hours."

"Feels longer," she said, then looked at him.

"So you're leaving now."

"Yeah. Swords should be ready by the time I get back to Riviera." She nodded.

"I'll head to the next Dungeon from here. So I guess we split here." Silence settled between them as the wind moved through the grass.

"Do you think Primal Flow is my path?" Alonso blinked.

"I… yeah. It suits you."

"But is it enough?" She didn't look at him.

"You said we shouldn't chase what The Tower expects. What the world wants. Wouldn't this path be what Makoh wanted me to be?" He had no quick answer.

"My Primal Flow's near 21% in Progress," she went on.

"And it's still weaker than your Will Manifest was at 7%. If I stay on this path… won't I always be behind?" The words landed heavy. Ayu kept her eyes on the horizon.

"I want you to promise me something, Alonso. No matter what happens, never slow down for anyone. Not for them. Not for me. We all carry our weight. Your strength doesn't mean you carry ours too. If we fall, we fall. But your path doesn't stop." Her voice was steady.

"Promise me you'll chase strength for what you believe in. That you'll rise with everything you have. That you'll break The Tower and every trial it throws… no matter what." Alonso felt the weight in her words, the shape of her Will inside them.

"And I'm not saying this because I'll stay behind," she said, finally turning to him.

"I won't. I'll forge my own path. I'll stand where you stand, not because of you… but because it's who I am. We're partners. But we're warriors first. We were before we met, and we will be until we die." She met his eyes.

"So promise me. Promise me you'll reach the peak… because I will." The world felt still for a long moment. Alonso stepped closer, holding her gaze.

"Then we promise it together."