Archie walked through the entrance of the temple and felt an instantaneous difference; the air within the temple felt different, Fresher? Archie thought with a confused expression on his face.
Shafts of weak sunlight cut through the cracks in the walls and ceiling, revealing patches of moss creeping along the stone. The floor was uneven, littered with fragments of broken statues and fallen tiles.
Looking at both the right and left wall, he saw the doorways were caved in by rubble and many of the columns had fallen and or were badly cracked. The only path available for Archie to tread was the large mahogany wooden door with metal studs, in front of him, slightly ajar.
Crouching, Archie approached the slightly ajar door, trying not to reveal his current location to the invaders possibly hidden behind the door.
Peeking through the gap in the door, Archie saw the remaining invaders; Similar composition to the previous group, Archie analyzed.
Two humans in the group looked to be mages, both wore robes and carried different color-tipped wands. The one wearing a white robe carried a similar-looking wand as the female healer from before, white. While the other wearing a red robe carried a red-tipped slightly larger wand. Both stood in the middle of the group.
Two Tharki, Lizard people, Archie noted. They wore leather torso armor, leather metal studded skirts, metallic bracers, and hoods. Both held daggers and had a bow and quiver on their backs staying in the back of the group.
Two Orcs stood in front of the group wearing a similar colored loincloth as the previous orc, and wielded axes.
Identifying them, Archie read:
[Human Lv 35]
[Human Lv 32]
[Tharki Lv 33]
[Tharki Lv 32]
[Orc Lv 35]
[Orc Lv 34]
Slightly stronger than the previous group. Is this the normal level to be in the multiverse, at my age? Archie thought, I’ve barely been inside the multiverse for twenty days and I’ve surpassed all of them…Maybe it's harder to gain levels as a kid.
They were currently speaking to each other in an unfamiliar tongue to Archie while pointing around the temple room. Refusing to separate from each other, in fear of randomly setting off another trap. Especially considering how they were in the treasure room.
The room within the temple looked more furnished than the entrance room, atop the stone floor was a royal green colored carpet, many stone statues scattered across the room, and various stained-glass murals framing the walls and ceiling.
In the middle of the room lay a white marble altar. Atop the altar was a cube of frosted glass, hiding an object from view.
The group of six looked at the frosted glass cube pointing and prodding at it.
From where Archie hid, he took out an Effigy of Wrath and activated it while placing it in his pouch. Then, he took out his dagger and threw it at the back of the healer’s head. The healer jerked forward and fell to the ground dead, causing the rest of the group to stop discussing with each other and look around trying to figure out who or what killed their teammate.
Archie lunged forward and activated Savage Charge and Adrenaline Rush causing him to appear in front of the level 33 Tharki with steam rising from his body, smashing his fist into its skull.
The remaining Tharki swung his dagger at Archie, aiming in between his ribcage. Archie, seeing the fastest way to kill the Tharki, took the dagger to the ribs and channeled stamina through his fists, activating Unstable Consecutive Strikes, shattering its jaw and breaking the bones in its face.
Archie dodged the swipes from the axes of the orcs and saw the red-robed mage chanting a spell for a large fireball, he quickly used Shatter Spirit and aimed his palm at the human mage. The hex had no color and produced no shape, rather the mage’s spell that was chanting stopped and exploded in his face.
The mage fell on his back screaming in pain, facing the backlash of failing his spell; frying the mana that flowed through his body, and causing the incomplete fireball to explode in his face, melting the skin on his face and bits of bone.
Archie ripped the dagger in his rib cage and threw it into the eye of the level 34 orc. The level 35 orc took advantage of Archie’s various openings after throwing the dagger and sliced Archie across the chest, digging deeply.
Archie quickly activated Retaliation and Savage Charge, charging at the orc, the pain he delft from the axe digging deeper into his chest. Archie channeled stamina into his fists and released a flurry of blows onto the level 35 orc.
With a final punch, the level 35 orc crumbled onto the ground, its previously green torso now a bruised purple color. With a grunt, Archie ripped out his axe that dug into his chest and tossed it onto the ground.
Walking over to the last orc with a dagger in its eye, currently trying to get up from the ground. Archie lifted his foot into the air, channeled stamina through it, and activated Unstable Consecutive Strikes causing a green tint to shine over his foot, and crushed the orc’s head with his foot.
A system prompt and various notifications appeared, causing Archie to glance over.
Gauntlet Challenge Dungeon
Objective 1: Protect the jungle temple from the invaders 12/12✔
Reward: Mask of the Jungle (Epic)
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
*[Human Lv 32//Healer Lv 30//Tailor Lv 27] has been slain – XP has been given. 128 Tutorial Points given*
*[Tharki Lv 33//Rouge Lv 24//Cook Lv 25] has been slain – XP has been given. 132 Tutorial Points given*
*[Tharki Lv 32//Rouge Lv 29//Tailor Lv 27] has been slain – XP has been given. 128 Tutorial Points given*
*[Human Lv 35//Mage Lv 32//Farmer Lv 22] has been slain – XP has been given. 140 Tutorial Points given*
*[Orc Lv 35//Warrior Lv 32//Porter Lv 26] has been slain – XP has been given. 140 Tutorial Points given*
*[Orc Lv 34//Warrior Lv 30//Smith Lv 23] has been slain – XP has been given. 136 Tutorial Points given*
*Your Profession has reached Lv 39 – Points allocated, +1 Free Point*
Hearing the sound of glass cracking, Archie looked at the altar and saw frosted glass shards fall to the ground and reveal what he assumed to be the ‘Mask of the Jungle’.
The mask depicts a face with a mischievous expression, glowing green eyes, and a wide grin, and surrounding the mask are large jungle leaves. Intricate swirls and patterns are decorated across the mask, giving it an ancient, ritualistic feel, or so Archie felt.
Identifying the mask, Archie read:
Mask of the Jungle (Epic):
A mask carved with both precision and skill, capturing the playful spirit of the jungle, its sly grin, and glowing green eyes within the mana-infused Mahogany Ent core. The edges of the mask are decorated with large jungle leaves, hinting at its origins deep within the untamed jungle. The mask grants a 5% increase in mana regeneration and enhances nature-attuned skills and abilities while worn. Effects: Soul-Bound, Self-Repair, High Mana Regeneration & Enhanced Nature-Attuned Skills and Abilities. Status: Perfect. Requirements: Nature Affinity & Lv 40+ & Humanoid Race.
Wide-eyed at the effects of the mask, Archie grabbed the mask and placed it on his face, invisible mana strings attaching around his head. Keeping the mask firmly attached to his face.
Opening his status page, he saw:
Archie Gracefield
Race: Human F-Grade Lv 45
Class: Warrior Lv 46
Profession: Shaman Lv 39
Health: 1457/1995
Mana: 548/640
Stamina: 986/1150
Stats:
Vitality: 190(199)
Strength: 190(199)
Endurance: 116
Agility: 153
Intelligence: 156
Wisdom: 64
Willpower: 64(67)
Perception: 139
Free Points: 11
Skills:
Basic One-Handed Weapon Mastery (Uncommon)
Basic Light-Shield Mastery (Common)
Identify (Initiate)
Savage Charge (Rare)
Adrenaline Rush (Epic)
Warrior's Resilience (Rare)
Nature's Meditation (Epic)
Mana Manipulation (Uncommon)
Spirit Link (Epic)
Effigy-Carving (Common)
Material Insight (Uncommon)
Retaliation (Uncommon)
Hex of Enfeeblement (Uncommon)
Unstable Consecutive Strikes (Rare)
Taunt (Uncommon)
Shatter Spirit (Common)
Basic Martial Combat Mastery (Initiate)
Bloodline:
Adrenaline Junkie (Unique) [+5% to Strength and +5% to Willpower]
Affinity:
Greater Nature Affinity (Epic)
Titles Collected:
Bloodline Progenitor [+10 Vitality and +5% Vitality]
Tutorial Points:
10,002
Taking out an Effigy of Healing, Archie activated it, causing the Effigy of Wrath to turn into dust, and placed it in his pouch.
Gauntlet Challenge Dungeon
Would you like to proceed to stage 2?
Time Remaining: 23:58:34
Archie rested for a bit before mentally accepting, his vision blurred as his surroundings twisted around him – one moment, he was in the temple room, next he was in the heart of pure chaos.
Looking around, his breath was caught in his throat. Carnage was everywhere, clashing with weapons forged from steel, magic being fired from all around covering the skies. The air came alive with shouts of fury, metal clanging, the hum of spells being cast, and boots squelching in the mud below.
The battlefield stretched far and wide, an open plain shattered by the fury of war. Deep trenches and jagged scars tore through the ground, craters filled with smoldering embers and broken weapons. The mud—was thick with blood, shattered armor pieces, alongside fallen banners stained with mud and blood.
Makeshift barricades of wood and stone spread out like broken bones across the battleground, offering fleeting cover from arrows and spells that rained down like deadly storms. Nearby, fragments of siege engines lay in ruin—catapults split in half, their wheels still spinning in place, and shattered trebuchets resting in tangled webs of rope and wood.
Many different scents filled Archie's nose, the crackling fire releasing a thick, choking smoke that mingled with the coppery scent of spilled blood and scorched flesh.
Looking around the battlefield, two swordsmen danced in deadly combat to his left, their blades sparking with every strike. Just beyond them, a mage wrapped in tattered robes chanted in an unknown language to him, hands glowing with arcane light. A swirling orb of green energy grew between his palms, then shot forward, slamming into a nearby soldier’s chest and sending him flying. The soldier’s armor sizzled, and he writhed momentarily before going still.
Looking to his side he saw a new system prompt:
Gauntlet Challenge Dungeon
Objective 2: Kill the Juggernaut 0/1
Reward: ?
Archie looked around the battlefield to find the juggernaut in question. Scanning around he mumbled, “Mages, soldiers, knights, more soldiers, an assassin, oh…. That’s a big boy.”
The big boy in question was a bulky, 3-meter-tall humanoid creature with thick, scarred grey flesh with long wild ashen hair. Its imposing, muscular frame showcased its broad shoulders and powerful limbs.
The humanoid creature wore minimal armor—dark, jagged plates covering its chest, shoulders, and legs—while its massive arms remained exposed, highlighting its strength. Its right hand held a greatsword, nearly the same height as the creature, marked with scratches that tell of long use. It stood confidently with a solid posture atop a fallen soldier, with its greatsword firmly embedded in the fallen soldier’s body as though it were a pedestal.
Identifying the creature, Archie took in a deep breath.
[Gorath Lv ??]
“I did say I wanted a better challenge,” Archie said while activating another Effigy of Wrath and placing it in his back satchel. Taking notice of his now full health reserves.
Activating Savage Charge towards the Gorath, seventy meters away from where Archie stood.
Mid charge, Archie activated Adrenaline Rush and Unstable Consecutive Strikes causing a dark red hue to surround his body and a tint of green around his fists.
Just as Archie was ten meters away from the Gorath, the Gorath twisted its head in Archie’s direction as it sensed incoming danger. It quickly raised its arms in an X form trying to hastily defend itself against the surprise attack from Archie.
Archie crashed into the Gorath and started to wail on it with a flurry of blows, but the Gorath quickly adjusted, and spartan kicked Archie’s midsection, creating distance.
Archie skidded back a couple of meters from the obscenely strong kick from the Gorath, looking down at his midsection he saw a dark purple footprint-sized bruise forming.
Looking up he saw the Gorath, covered in light purple bruises across its torso, quickly dashing to where its greatsword was embedded in the fallen soldier.
Both Archie and the Gorath stared at each other, sizing each other up, the Gorath knew Archie was weaker himself but still gave him his full attention.
The Gorath tensed his throat, ready to shout. Archie, sensing what the Gorath was about to do, also let out a shout.
Both Taunts from Archie and the Gorath filled the battlefield, causing everyone on the battlefield to become stunned; silence filled the battlefield, warning others of the second coming battle of David vs Goliath.