pancakeswitch

Demigod Class Ascension Chapter 5: The Truth

Added 2025-03-30 23:24:44 +0000 UTC

Listen While Reading: KINGDOM -軍
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[Exit from Dome Number #403 locked until conditions have been met.]

[Number of Invaders Defeated: 63/300]

[Time until Territory falls to the {Green Skins Barbarians Faction}: 5 Days, 15 Hours.]

What Will saw in that red wall shook him to his very core, his eyes widening. And yet, he finally realized something. The reason they seemed so isolated, the reason no military was coming to help them, why there were fewer people than he had thought, and perhaps even why there weren’t any police around—or anything resembling order.

The entire world had been divided into hundreds, perhaps thousands, or even millions of domes, separating and isolating people from one another. Each dome was a “territory” that the people either had to seize on their own or end up being conquered by an enemy faction, likely originating from the Great Beyond.

And the very reason there were so many goblins everywhere was because this entire dome was under attack from said faction—the Green Skins Barbarians.

What’s worse, the timing of their invasion was synchronized with the end of phase 1 of the tutorial, meaning that if people simply sat still and did nothing, they would be conquered by these invaders. They might either die or, worse, become their slaves or livestock.

“The System offers people the strength to fight back and grow, master, but it doesn’t hand over things for free. Even less will it babysit humanity,” Cube said in that moment. “This is the truth of the Cosmos, of the Great Beyond. You must rise and fight. Sitting and waiting—stagnation—is not recommended; it will only lead to your demise. I know your society was built upon such ideals, but right now, master, you all have to fight for what you care about. This world… it will only be saved by your own hands. Prayers will not work; no gods will hear you. Three hundred monsters is an easy task, if you ask me. The System is very benevolent and merciful to humanity.”

“…” Will remained silent, gripping his fists tightly. His mind was a mess, thinking so many things, considering so many others. He was finally beginning to figure out the rules of this new, wild world… and yet, he couldn’t just sit there.

As Cube said, stagnation meant death.

You had to move, and quickly.

“Gryaaak!”

The roars of goblins from afar reverberated through the streets. Will rapidly glanced toward the origin of the sound, noticing a group of seven goblins led by three Tier 2 Goblins with classes—and also… beasts.

“Roooaaarrr!”

Gigantic beasts, over three meters tall, resembling lions with bat-like wings and serpentine tails. Two of these goblins were riding them; they seemed to be a special new class. Meanwhile, another Tier 2 led them all, wearing heavy metallic armor and carrying a huge hammer. It was perhaps even more muscular than the Goblin Warrior.

Will wasted no time getting ready for battle, analyzing them.

[Goblin Beast Tamer (Tier 2: Level 7)]

[Lion-type Chimera (Tier 3: Level 1)]

[Goblin Commander (Tier 2: Level 10)]

[Goblin Soldier (Tier 1: Level 10)]

“Two Tier 3 monsters and a Goblin Commander. This isn’t looking good.”

What’s more, the Tier 1 goblins weren’t the usual “City Goblins” from before. These were advanced versions—Goblin Soldiers. They wore bone armor and carried long spears. Some were covered with scars, showcasing their battle experience.

“Will! Those monsters are both Tier 3!” Vivian cried from behind him. “What do we do? T-The people here—most of them are unconscious!”

“We have to run away. That’s what we have to do—leave them behind! We’re not in any position to save them!” Evelyn said pragmatically.

“Will! I-I can heal them, but…!” Ralph muttered, his hands trembling as he sweated profusely. “C-Can you really handle them all?”

“I can,” Will smiled back at them. “Evelyn, Vivian, protect Ralph’s back. Some goblins might sneak past me.”

“Are you crazy?! You can’t fight two Tier 3s! Just fighting one almost got you killed!” Evelyn complained. “We have to run, Will!”

“If you want to run, then go on your own!” Vivian said angrily. “We’re staying! Will saved our lives; we’ll do the same for these people! T-They seemed strong too. They aren’t normal—probably all of them are Awakened! In the long run, we could benefit from their help!”

“Y-You’re all crazy!” Evelyn screamed, running away.

“Hey, Evelyn!” Vivian cried, glaring at the woman fleeing for her life.

“Leave her,” Will said. “She made her own decision. She isn’t wrong—survival is important. I’m simply doing this because I know I can handle it. There’s no shame in running away.”

“Will…” Vivian muttered, glancing at him. “No! I’ll stay! I don’t give a damn! Ralph! Let’s heal these people!”

“T-Thanks…” Ralph used the wand, and a bright light encompassed the people. Meanwhile, the only person who wasn’t unconscious—the little girl—looked at the scene with both confusion and fear.

“Don’t worry, everything is going to be okay!” Vivian said, hugging the girl and caressing her hair.

“Gryakuha! Kehehehehe!”

The Goblin Commander glared at Will with a cocky smile, his powerful blue aura surging from his body. He raised his hammer, and his aura suddenly shared its strength with the rest of the goblins, empowering them.

“So that’s what a Goblin Commander does…” Will gritted his teeth, unleashing his Divine Aura.

Utilizing the power of his Pseudo Divine Weapon Creation, he shaped this shapeless divine energy and covered most of his body with it, manifesting a formless divine armor. As it merged with his blood, flesh, and even bones, he felt stronger—temporarily. It was draining his Mana like crazy, though.

This was his “Divine Armor” technique, something he had figured out just a few hours ago through various battles. It was an incomplete technique at that… but it would have to do for now.

“Master, you’re a very brave person. Let me guide you through this battle! I might not be able to fight, but I can see everything. I will tell you how to move, where to dodge, and more!”

“Thank you, Cube.”

“It’s beginning! Dodge—move down!”

As Cube instructed, the goblins charged. Will ducked, narrowly evading a giant fireball fired by one of the Chimeras—faster than he had anticipated. It seemed the beast had accumulated the fire in its throat beforehand for a sneak attack.

BOOM!

An explosion of flames erupted behind Will. He desperately looked back, realizing a barrier of light had protected them—Ralph’s magic had manifested.

“Miracle Barrier… that’s the other spell I learned. Don’t worry! I-I got this!”

“Alright.”

Will remembered that in the healer description, it mentioned they could create barriers, heal, and even boost allies with buffing spells. It seemed Ralph’s utility was rapidly increasing with each battle.

“Master! Both are coming at the same time! Use ice magic to stop them or something!”

Cube’s words echoed through Will’s mind. His eyes shone bright blue as he stood on his ground while both Chimeras roared, swinging their giant claws at him.

“HAAAH!”

With a ferocious roar, Will unleashed a shockwave from his body, destroying half of his “Divine Armor” as the energy itself was weaponized into a powerful blast. It shocked both Chimeras, making them fall onto their backs and crush the goblins riding them.

As that happened, Will wasted no time. He manipulated a portion of the Divine Armor covering his body, turning it into a sharp trident in his left hand. He pierced the Chimera’s chest with it and left it embedded there.

BOOOM!

An explosion of frost erupted, freezing the Chimera’s chest and its wound, leaving the beast in agony and incapable of moving. But Will didn’t escape unscathed—the snake tail managed to bite his left thigh, purple poison dripping from the wound.

“Huryaaah!”

The Goblin Commander attacked from behind, swinging its giant hammer and striking Will with immense force. A shockwave of blue energy erupted, sending Will flying into a car, crashing against it. Will quickly noticed something, the Commander’s Aura was connected with the other Goblins, not only was he strengthening them, but part of their power was being shared with him, making him unusually strong for a Tier 2 monster.

“Master! Stand up! Heal your wound!”

Will nodded, leaping off the car and grabbing it with one hand. He lifted it and hurled it at the approaching goblins, crushing two of them on the spot. The others managed to dodge the massive piece of metal, but its engine suddenly exploded, the flames reaching the second Chimera coming after him.

“The Commander is sneaking behind you!”

Will quickly turned, barely avoiding a sharp blade aimed at his back. He grabbed the Goblin Commander’s arm and broke it with all his strength, then swung his axe against the goblin’s body. The impact released a loud metallic clang. The Goblin Commander gritted his sharp teeth, his aura transforming into a giant fist that punched Will away.

“Gryakuha!”

The furious goblin commanded the rest of his army. The Chimera caught Will as he fell, opening its jaws to release an inferno of flames against him. Cube had warned him beforehand, and Will rapidly covered his body with water, avoiding terrible burns before using his own weight to crush the Chimera’s body.

BAAAM!

The Chimera vomited blood as one of its ribs broke, piercing its own lungs. The beast was noticeably smaller and less muscular than a Hobgoblin. It also seemed malnourished, its bones visible under its skin and fur. The goblins likely didn’t take good care of their beasts, starving them to keep them aggressive.

After Will landed on the Chimera, he swiftly kicked its head, stopping it from biting his shoulder. He wrestled with its claws, grasping them with his huge hands. The goblin on its back charged at him with the Commander’s support—three sharp spears and the hammer aimed to impale his back.

“Master, they’re coming from behind!”

“I know, I just have to—Ugh?!”

However, Will was quickly bitten on his other leg by the Chimera’s tail. The goblin riding it stood atop the Chimera’s head, raising a sharp blade and aiming to stab Will’s eyes. Will considered freezing everything around him, but that would deplete his Mana entirely. He was running out of time, and indecision could mean his doom!

And yet…

CRAAASH!

“What?!”

His eyes widened as a car barreled into the goblins, sending them flying and stopping them from impaling his back. He noticed Evelyn inside the car, screaming angrily while crying.

“Yeah, take that, you fucking bitches!”

“Heh.”

Will smiled, evading the blade aimed at his eyes. He imbued his Divine Armor into his forehead and slammed it into the Chimera’s head with all his strength until he heard its skull shatter. The beast let out a loud roar, growing dizzy and loosening its grip. Will followed with a punch to its chest, piercing it with his fingers and freezing the monster’s interior.

“HAAAAH!”

With a loud roar, the entire beast froze solid. The Goblin Beast Tamer was too slow to escape, freezing alongside its mount before the whole thing dropped to the ground, dead.

“Haah… Ugh, cough…”

Will felt strangely dizzy. He’d been bitten twice by both Chimeras, and the poison was already coursing through his veins. He gritted his teeth, using the last of his Mana to heal himself, feeling a wave of relief.

“Grukiaaagh!”

The furious Goblin Commander, the only one left alive, groaned angrily as he struck the car with his hammer, stopping Evelyn from running him over again. His aura erupted, forming a giant fist that flattened the car. Evelyn managed to leap out of the window just a second earlier, rolling across the ground.

“F-Fuck off!!!”

With a scream filled with nothing but fear, Evelyn pointed her bow at the Goblin Commander and fired an arrow directly into its left eye.

“Gaaack!”

The Goblin Commander groaned in pain, but the arrow didn’t dig deep enough into its brain. It charged at her, kicking her face and knocking several teeth out.

“Evelyn!”

Will’s eyes widened. He rushed toward the Goblin Commander and leapt onto it with his full body weight, crushing it. He grabbed its arms as the goblin furiously kicked his face, but Will endured, slamming his forehead into the goblin’s head the same way he had with the Chimera.

“RAAAAHHH!!!”

CRASH!

Three blows were all it took for Will to flatten the goblin’s head—and its metallic helmet—into the ground, leaving a mess of shattered skull pieces, brain matter, and blood everywhere.

“Haah… Haaah… Haaah…”

Will gasped for air, staring at the sky, utterly exhausted. However, he quickly started eating the goblin’s brains, swallowing them while nearly gagging. His Mana forcibly recovered as he stumbled toward Evelyn, who was at death’s door.

“Hang in there!”

He touched her face, his healing magic barely emerging, but it healed her wounds and stabilized her. A few seconds later, and she might have died right there.

[You have slain [Lion-Type Chimera (Tier 3: Level 1)] x2. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 600 Tutorial Points.]

[You have slain [Goblin Beast Tamer (Tier 2: Level 7)] x2. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 240 Tutorial Points.]

[You have slain [Goblin Commander (Tier 2: Level 10)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 150 Tutorial Points.]

[You have slain [Goblin Soldier (Tier 1): Lv 10] x3. You earned EXP. You earned 45 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod} has reached Level 13. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 2 Free Stat Points.]

He felt stronger. Killing all those powerful foes had earned him two more levels. Though the fight was fast, it might have been tougher than his battle with the Hobgoblin Fighter.

“Evelyn, hey… Are you there?”

Will called to her as the young woman slowly opened her eyes, looking sleepy and disoriented.

“W-Will? I didn’t die?”

“Almost. You had my back, so I got yours.”

“Hm… S-Sorry for running away… I don’t know what got into me. You were the one who saved me back then. I’m just stupid…”

“It’s understandable—you panicked. It’s awkward for me to say this, but… thanks for coming back.”

“Yeah… Ugh… My entire body’s aching… Can we call it quits for today?”

“Alright.”

Will helped Evelyn stand and walk; she was still struggling to move. Once back with the rest of the group, they found that most of the people had woken up, thanks to Ralph’s quick action.

“Thanks for helping us… We kind of… panicked a lot and ran away. We didn’t know what we were doing,” apologized one of them, a man in his thirties with a stocky build and a bald head. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept in a week. “Well, not like we knew there was… a wall out there.”

“None of us did. That thing popped up out of nowhere,” Will said, cracking his knuckles. “Looks like this entire area is enclosed inside a dome. We can’t leave unless we kill three hundred monsters.”

“T-Three hundred?”

“Is that for real?”

“No way… How can we even do something like that?!”

“We barely managed to kill one goblin each and got a Class… but this is too much.”

“And we have to do it in five days, at that…” Ralph said. “It’s just completely unrealistic…”

“And apparently, if we don’t, the goblins win, and they conquer this whole area. God knows what’ll happen to us then,” Vivian rolled her eyes. “I don’t want to find out either way.”

“We’ll have to kill three hundred, then,” Will said, his eyes gleaming with determination. “No other way out of this than through battle.”

“A-Are you crazy?”

“How could we ever do that?”

“And even if we tried, where can we find so many of them?”

“They always wander around in small groups…”

“I know where their nest is. There’s probably hundreds of them in there,” Will said. “If we could find a bomb or something and blow up their entire place, we could kill a bunch quickly.”

“A bomb?!” Evelyn asked, glaring at Will. “And where the hell are we getting one of those? Or one big enough?”

“We could use… car batteries, maybe,” the bald man said. “Ahh, but not now… We can’t even begin to think about doing such a thing right now. We should first find some safe place—maybe underground—and rest.”

“We know of a safe place. Monsters can’t enter. It’s in the Elderbridge Mall,” Ralph said.

“Really?!”

“A safe place with no monsters?”

“No way!”

“Yeah,” Will nodded. “I guess we’re going there for now… Though I’d prefer to keep hunting.”

“Seriously? You almost died, like… twice or thrice today!” Evelyn said. “You need to rest. No matter how strong you are, you’ll collapse!”

“I’m fine, seriously,” Will said. “I don’t know why, but my body is just like that. If I eat enough, I can go on for days without needing to rest or sleep… You guys should go back to the shelter. I’ll get there by night.”

“Will, no!” Vivian said. “You’re coming with us! You need to take a break!”

“Yeah…” Ralph nodded.

“But we only have five days…” Will said. “And if I don’t do it, who else can?”

As Will said that everyone fell silent, looking at one another.

Except the little girl, with long brown hair and bright green eyes.

Her size and appearance made her look like a child around five or six years old.

“Mister, you’re strong… C-Can you bring us there, please? I’m scared…”

“…”

Will walked away, grabbing both Chimeras with his arms and storing the rest of the loot he could gather from the goblins—their armor, weapons, and cores—leaving the corpses behind.

The Chimeras were more valuable, but his bag was nearly full of the food they’d looted, so he decided to carry them instead.

“Let’s go.”

At his response, everyone smiled, walking by his side toward the Elderbridge Mall. None of these people could have guessed that, even in this apocalypse, they could feel safe just by being close to a single person. Despite how awkward he could be sometimes, Will’s presence always soothed people’s hearts—though he’d prefer it wasn’t the case.

“We’re here.”

Will entered the mall with the rest of the new refugees. People inside greeted them; there were camps set up, with folks cooking, talking, and resting. Some looked miserable, but a few seemed to be making the best of the situation.

“V-Vivian, welcome back…” an old lady greeted them. “Ah, you brought so many people…”

“We were worried you wouldn’t return. It’s already quite late…” said an old man by her side. “How was your trip outside?”

“We were able to secure some food, and we awakened successfully,” Vivian said. “It would’ve been impossible without Will’s help, though.”

“Don’t count on me to help you with everything,” Will said coldly. “I’m no babysitter.”

He said that while walking away with a girl on his shoulder, which made people smile and giggle a little.

“Alright, you, step down. I’m not your ride or something.”

Will grabbed the girl and placed her on the floor as gently as he could. She was fascinated by the mall—empty of monsters, clean as if no disaster had struck, and even lit up with working lights.

“Wooow! There’s no monsters here, mister!”

“Yeah, now… uh, are those people your parents?”

“No… My mom and my dad… they stayed behind. They said they’d come back to me later…”

“…Stayed behind?”

“Yeah, in the bus…”

“…”

Will gripped his fists tightly, sighing. He quickly opened his bag, handing the girl a juice bottle, two chocolate bars, and a bag of chips.

“Here, don’t share it with anybody, okay?”

“Waow! Thanks, mister!”

The girl sat on the floor and started eating and drinking the juice. She was starving, though she didn’t seem to feel it.

Will walked toward the other people, who were chatting with the refugees. Turns out, them all being Awakened was a big deal—people were excited to have more strong allies.

He didn’t like how dependent they might become on others, though. These people could all be dead weight. They needed to awaken—and quickly—if they wanted to be of any use or survive at all.

But none of that was his responsibility. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. If nobody else stepped up, he’d be forced to babysit every single person into awakening because they were so helpless.

“Hey, what about that girl? She’s not from any of you?” he asked, interrupting their conversation. His loud voice silenced everyone immediately.

“N-No, she was just sticking with us…” the bald man said. “Ah, my name’s Clark. You’re Will, right? You’re a celebrity here, eh?”

“Hm,” Will crossed his arms, looking rather grumpy. “So who’s even going to take care of her?”

When he asked that, none of the people they’d rescued responded. In times like these, nobody wanted to take responsibility for a child.

“If nobody can do it, I will. Don’t worry,” Vivian said with a gentle smile. “Thanks for worrying about her, Will.”

“I wasn’t worrying. I just didn’t want the brat sticking with me all the time. I’ll be busy,” Will said.

“Busy? Don’t tell me you’re going outside again?!” Evelyn asked.

“No, but maybe later at night. I want to see if there’s more goblin activity at night than during the day,” Will said. “I’ll rest and do a few other things… I’ve got enough Tutorial Points now, and I completed some objectives too.”

Will walked away as the girl glanced at him carrying the two Chimeras. People stared in disbelief, stepping back from the towering man.

“Mister!”

The girl stood up and began following him, making Evelyn, Ralph, and Vivian panic that she might strike a nerve and anger him.

“W-Wait, girl! Don’t bother him!”

Vivian sighed, running after her.

“But where is he going? Can’t I go with him?”

“No… Will is… um, he wants to be alone for now.”

“Oh… okay.”

“What’s your name, dear?”

“Maria! I’ll be seven in a month!”

“I see… You must have gone through a lot.”

“Hmm… But this place is safe, right? And mister gave me all this food… So I’ll wait here for Mom and Dad. I-I’m sure… they’ll come back, right?”

“…Yeah. You’re a brave girl, Maria. Uh, you’re Awakened too?”

“Hm? Yeah!”

“H-How did you even…?”

“I… uh, pushed a goblin off a bridge when we were running here from the highway…”

“Oh… so that worked?”

“I think so?”

“What’s your Class?”

“Class?”

“It’s the power you were given. Did you choose it?”

“No? I… um, ah, right! I can do this.”

Maria opened her little hands, showing Vivian something incredible.

Plants sprouted from her palms, producing tiny fruits, leaves, and even hard bark.

“Huh?! You’re a Magician?”

“No? I think it’s called Duid.”

“Druid? Oh… but how?! I thought the other classes… unless there are… exceptions?”

“Hm?”

Maria tilted her head, not really understanding what Vivian was talking about.

“What’s the extent of your abilities?”

“I don’t know… but I’ve been feeding people with my fruits. They’re tiny, though.”

“So that’s why they kept you around… Hmm.”

Vivian got a bit angry but didn’t blame them either way. Someone capable of producing food was incredibly special.

Will overheard most of it, even from a distance—his enhanced hearing had improved with all his leveling.

“Master, it seems that girl has an incredible ability! We should help her train her powers; she could be of great help.”

“…Leave her be. She’s just a child, Cube.”

“B-But…”

“I’ve got other things to do. I have enough Tutorial Points now, right? I should probably buy one of those forges or the alchemy cauldron. Let’s check.”

<Tutorial Shop: Rank 1>

{Tutorial Points: 2,095}

[Minor Healing Potion (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 70 TP]

[Minor Mana Potion (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 150 TP]

[Minor Antidote (F Grade)] [5/5] [Price: 100 TP]

[Small Bag of Holding (D Grade)] [0/1] [Price: 500 TP]

[+1 Weapon Enhancement Stone (D Grade)] [3/3] [Price: 400 TP]

[+1 Armor Enhancement Stone (D Grade)] [3/3] [Price: 400 TP]

[Rusty Alchemy Cauldron (D Grade)] [1/1] [Price: 800 TP]

[Rusty Portable Forge (D Grade)] [1/1] [Price: 1,000 TP]

Will glanced at the Tutorial Shop. Indeed, all these intense battles had paid off; he could now purchase both the Cauldron and the Forge and still have points to spare!

“Yes, master, you can purchase both now!” Cube said.

“Can I use them right away, or do I need something special?” Will asked.

“You’d usually need at least some basic knowledge about Alchemy and Forging. You’re strong, so I’m sure you can manage forging after some trial and error. But alchemy… well, I can teach you,” Cube said.

“Thanks. I suppose that’s how we’ll do things,” Will nodded. “For now, let me see another thing, though… this.”

[Congratulations, you have completed Phase 1 Tutorial Objective 6: Slay 10 Tier 2 or above Lifeforms: 10/10]!]

[Please choose your Reward.]

[+4 Strength.]

[+4 Agility.]

[+4 Magic Power.]

[+New Trait.]

“I can choose these now… Hmm, more strength or magic power would be great, but… Trait? Is that not a Skill?”

“Oh! No, Traits are special—much more special than Skills! They’re innate powers that remain active at all times, like passive effects. They can be amazing and help you grow even stronger, make you immune to certain elements or ailments, or even grant you affinity with other elements, and much more.”

“Interesting… Okay, I guess that’s my choice.”

Will chose the Trait Card, grabbing it with his hand. It quickly turned into particles of blue light, encompassing his hand and then the rest of his body.

“Ah…!”

His eyes widened as he felt something deep within him loosen. One of the five chains sealing his divine power weakened further, trembling and cracking.

[You have acquired the Trait: [Herculean Body (B)]!]

“Herculean Body? And it’s… B? What does that mean?”

“Traits come in Ranks instead of Tiers. A B Rank Trait is amazing, master! It’s really strong! I suppose this is because of your Demigod Class.”

“Hmm.”

Will quickly analyzed the Trait’s details.

[Herculean Body (B)]

A Trait only obtainable by those who possess a truly powerful, enduring body touched by divinity.

Increases Natural Wound Regeneration Speed and Efficiency by 100%.

Boosts Resistance to Physical Damage and Trauma by 50%.

When fighting a foe larger than you, increases Strength by 25%.

Grants natural insight on how to wield any weapon you grab with your hands.

Negates damage taken beneath a certain threshold.

1% of the Damage you take regenerates your Mana.

Calories burn x2.5 as quickly.

“Oh? This is… amazing. Just what I needed! The calorie burning is a bit annoying—I’ll need to eat even more… but I can’t eat all the food we looted; it’s too precious. I’ll have to make up for it by eating monsters.”

“No other way around it then, master! Remember that Traits can’t grow the same way Skills do—they remain the same forever, unless you get far enough to combine them. Well, there’s also a special item that can help you evolve them, but you won’t be able to get anything like that until very late in the tutorial’s final phase.”

“Interesting… Alright, then. This Trait might be what I need to more confidently confront the Goblin Nest… Though I’ll also need equipment and perhaps some spare Mana Potions. We’ll be busy today, Cube.”

“I can tell! Fear not, I’ll do my best to guide you through Alchemy and Forging, master.”

As Will prepared everything, Maria stared at him from afar, slowly walking toward him, trying to be stealthy.

“Why are you here? They told you to leave me alone.”

“Um, mister, are you mad at me?”

“…No.”

“Oh, okay… here!”

The girl smiled cutely, offering him three little red berries and one blue berry.

Will looked confused, grabbing them with his hands. They smelled sweet and fragrant, like very fresh fruit.

“Thanks… Where did you get these?”

“They’re my fruits. I can make them with magic.”

“Magic? Right… I did overhear something like that.”

As Will held the berries, he ate the blue one and…