Joshua went to join the spire, seeing the group of people clad in full armor. The Venerators that were attempting were full in gear.

"Oh! So you must be Joshua right?" Joshua turned to the Resource Workers, they had pickaxes, axes, ice pickaxes and bags of gear.

"That's me." Joshua could see that some of them weren't Venerators. Some of them were rank Es. The leading voice was a woman who had dirt all over her face and hands.

"Name's Carla. I'm the Resource Worker Chief." She offered a handshake, which Joshua was going to shake her hand.

"Hey Chief, your hands are dirty!" A girl ran over to wipe her hands with a wet tissue.

"Thanks, Julie." Carla thanked the girl, she was most likely just 10 years old or maybe 12? Why is she here? Then she went to join the other Resource Workers. Where Joshua noticed a few of them being younger than he ws when he was in Mulligan's Spire.

"I know.. I know, you must be thinking I have them as child labour but truth is. They all come from an orphanage, and they are here to support the orphanage." Carla explained, that helped ease Joshua a bit. Joshua was concerned but hearing that they are from an orphanage, it made him a bit more uneasy and more willing to protect them. This had left Joshua with a thought, was the world always this cruel? To the point where kids of an orphanage would go do dangerous things like this?

"Since you're a Venerator. You just have to carry the gearbag. The other stuff can be your equipment." Joshua nodded to Carla, putting the bag over his shoulders and proceeding to move on ahead. Joining the other Venerators who were armed to the teeth, they had Support Riflemen whose jobs were to provide suppressing fire over the enemies and provide buffs. Dark Knights that used darkness and swordsmanship. Multiple interesting classes, Herald of Healing. Some of these were unique but Joshua did not have much knowledge to how most of these classes would work. Stepping into the Spire Door.

Joshua found himself in a fortress like area. The fortress definitely has seen better days, it definitely deserves better days. The structures were in bad shape, half of the fortress's west side was missing. The chains that held the gates were all rusty. It was bright, the sky was blue like on earth's but there were other creatures flying about. Wyverns and smaller dragons,giant dragonflies and other insects moving about. One of the larger butterflies reminded Joshua of Barakas. Joshua glanced over at the words on his screen, now this was interesting.

Wave 1 starts in 5 hours.

Enemy types : Orcs, High Orcs, Goblins, Hob Goblins. (Inclusive of many other classes)

Preparation time starts now.

"Alright! Let's start working!" Carla shouted as the Resource Workers divided themselves. Mixing Venerators and Non-Venerators together, dividing them into roles. A search team, a mining team, a collection team and a building team. Joshua joined the collection team, where the main goal is to collect resources from within the Spire. Focusing on chopping down trees, collecting fruits and vegetables.

"First let's collect the fruits. These fruits can be identified by Assistant Chief Marlow, so take as much as you can." The Collection Advisor, Erden said as he picked out a fruit that seemed to be a blue apple. Unique in its colour and the texture. Joshua plucked an apple from the branch, these apples were kind of a bit on the darker side. They were cold to touch. Then when striking the tree bark, Joshua was careful not to vaporize the tree with one hit. Light gentle taps of the bark to see a bluish sap. Taking out the sap collecting device, which was essentially a fancy way of putting liquids into flasks. Collecting enough sap, then chopping the tree down revealed a few things. These were not normal trees, and Joshua glanced to the right. Seeing the many people struggling to chop them down.

It had high durability and some of them were struggling to even break through the bark. Erden looked to the others.

"Hey, Joshua! Can you just break into the barks so we can get the saps first?"

"Sure." Joshua said as he vanished from their sight, the barks of all the trees that were in the viccinity had been struck. The saps were coming out.

"Holy shit. That was.. Fast!" Joshua then took a moment to sharpen the axe they had given him. it was heavily damaged and its edge. It did have advanced sharpness. Once they were all done with the sap, Joshua would chop the trees down. The others continued to do fish while giving Joshua a break. They had a good haul, this place was literally out of a fantasy novel. It was just beautiful to look at. Even the creatures flying above them were a sight to behold.

30 minutes left on the clock, so they all headed back first. The fortress now was looking more like a fortress, it was armed and geared up properly. There were cannons at the side, traps to be made and set up. Joshua noticed Carla not being back with Julie. The wave was going to start soon.

"Somebody help!" Joshua turned to see Carla holding Julie in her arms but the wave was starting. A barrier was being set up around them.

"Hey Carla and Julie are outside!" Joshua shouted turning to the other Venerators who were making the shields.

"We can't do anything about them! They'll just have to survive until the First Wave ends! If we let this barrier fall then everyone else will die!" The leading Venerator shouted at him.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Joshua was dissappointed but that is to be expected. He did hear that most Venerators did not see the Resource Workers as much. Joshua stepped out of the gate.

"Hey Joshua!" Erden tried to stop him but the leader grabbed the Venerator's shoulder.

"Just let him be. He's got a deathwish." The leading Venerator said as the barrier formed.

"Joshua, why?!" Carla spoke to him, Julie was bleeding in her arms, she had taken an arrow and was being poisoned. He took out some potions and antidotes from his pocket.

"Drink this both of you. I can handle them." Joshua said, turning to the high orcs that were charging to his path. Drawing out Cass's Regret and loading shells into it. Then pulling the charging handle as the high orcs closed in.

"Help me out here, sis." Joshua said seeing the shotgun's red highlights glow. Taking an aim, firing a single shell. It tore through a group of them. Joshua's Mask of Thorns reacted. He looked at the high orcs. Mostly level 60s, they were nothing more than cannon fodder when compared to him.

Joshua fired another shot, tearing through groups of them. He fired until the shotgun ran dry,tilting the shotgun to the left and he executed the quad reload technique. Quickly getting back on target. Buckshots were tearing through the flesh of the high orcs. Joshua was now keeping the shotgun on target while his left hand grab more buckshot shells to reload. Taking four at a time, pushing them into the breech as he kept an eye on the oncoming high orcs.

Julie screamed and Carla cowered down to cover Julie from seeing anything. Joshua was ready.

They were coming fast, Joshua was firing shells of buckshot into their path and then eventually seeing how the shotgun shells were stopped by magic. Seeing high orc mages at the back that had cast Projectile Protection over the allies. Joshua put the shotgun away, and readied the Sheena's Love and Todd's Tears. The two sabers in hand, he swung straight through the high orcs. Breaking their formation then drawing out Rayland's Unforgiven.

'Ancient of Summer Firearm Skill : Barrier Break.' Joshua pulled the trigger, shatters the entirety of the Projectile Protection that they had. Joshua pulled back the hammer of the revolver, priming for another attack. Fire and ice spiraling to the barrel of the revolver.

'Firearm Skill : Blast Shot.' Joshua fired another shot near the high orc mages, it hit the ground instead. Where they laughed at him, Joshua continued firing the remaining shots at the others. They did not explode, they laughed.

'"It tickles, hooman!" Joshua flipped the revolver and the high orcs exploded to pieces, their limbs and body parts fly around. Joshua swung the chamber to the left, then using his left hand to smack the ejector rod. A moon clip of 6 bullets to load it back in. Swinging the chamber back in and pulling the hammer back.

There were no more high orcs in their viccinity, Joshua turned to the other sides, seems like they were still going at it. Joshua turned to Carla and Julie, who were both safe but shaken up by the incident. Joshua swapped to his other weapon, Cass's Regret, loading shotgun shells into it properly.

Wave 2 will start in 12 hours.

Enemy types : Orcs, High Orcs, Goblins, Hob Goblins. (Inclusive of many other classes)

Named Enemies are spawning into the battlefield.

"You both okay?" Joshua asked them where Julie was crying in Carla's arms.

"Thanks Joshua... I'm sorry." Carla said looking at Joshua's mask, seeing the flower patterns fade away. The barrier was down and they headed into the fortress. Carla and Julie went to sit with the other Resource Workers. Erden was raising his voice at the Venerators.

"Your job is to protect us too! How could you just leave them there!"

"What difference does it make!? We don't set up the barrier in time, then we die!" Joshua walked over to Erden and placed his hand over Erden's shoulder.

"Don't waste your time arguing with them. It's a waste of energy. Venerators don't view Resource Workers in a good light anyway." Joshua said, with a bit of a snarl by the end of his sentence. The Venerators glared at him.

"You're just a Rank-G! You think you're good just because you managed to handle this!?" The leading Venerator raised his voice.

"You think you can handle them! Besides she should have left the kid alone and ran here by herself! The kid's a waste of space!" Joshua turned to the Venerators, they were Rank Cs with the level of being around 80s to 90s. None of them were at 100.

Joshua took a step forward, clapping his hands twice and a snap of his fingers. It sent all the Venerators to the ground, they were being pummeled. Unable to move or to speak.

'Lord of Thorns Skill : Supreme Rule' Joshua then walked to the Venerator who called Julie a waste of space.

"Watch your words... I don't like to use violence when children are around but... I am not against it." Joshua whispered to the Venerator's ear. To the Venerator she felt thorns cover her body and sucking her into an abyss. She puked out blood from her nose and mouth. Joshua clapped once.

The Venerators could stand but they could not meet with Joshua's eyes. They looked away, keeping their eyes away from meeting with him.

"I'm only here with the Resource Workers. So don't bother them." Joshua warned the Venerators who nodded profusely. Their heads might fly off if they continued nodding that hard and maybe having neck aches from all of that nodding. Joshua then walked back to the others.

"Joshua... Why did you do that? Aren't you afraid that they'll try and get back at you?" Carla asked, widening her eyes seeing a Venerator Ranger readying the bow at Joshua's direction.

"They can try." Joshua said as the arrows and gunshots struck his back. Yet Joshua was not bothered, he turned to the Venerators who looked at him in horror. He had arrows, he had been shot. Bleeding but Joshua did not seem to be bothered. He pulled out the arrows from his back, walking to the Rangers. Putting the arrows on the ground. Taking off his coat and shirt, Joshua then passed a knife to Erden.

"Just dig the bullets out." Joshua said as Erden just put the knife in Joshua's back. One of the children walked on over to Joshua, holding a red wolf doll.

"Will this make you feel better?" The child asked, passing the wolf doll to Joshua.

"Thank you, then what about I call my friend." Lugasa appeared in front of Joshua, kneeling before him. Lugasa looked around, then he let out a howl to the sky. Lugasa was stretching his neck. The Venerators had to be careful with Joshua since Lugasa was a named Crimson Werewolf.

"Hey Lugasa. Why don't you stay here for a bit?" Joshua asked where Lugasa nodded, as the children looked at him with beaming eyes. Lugasa lowered his head and offered his paw to them.

"Whoa! It's a werewolf!"

"Yes, child. I am a werewolf. Lugasa the Crimson Werewolf. Would you like me to protect them, master?" Joshua was more shocked to hear Lugasa speak.

"You talk?" Joshua asked, he was more surprised at Lugasa speaking while Lugasa was clearly judging Joshua for having Erden dig the bullets out of his back with the knife.

"Yes, I do. Though it takes a while for Familiars to learn the language of our masters. I do not mind staying close to the children as they work. Besides, if those people wish to make trouble. I can always just... Handle it my way." Lugasa grinned to the Venerators who were careful.

"Thanks." Joshua said.

"I was told of your circumstance, master. Normally I'd be more reserved but the fact that you were willing to show your power to protect the people you work with. You've given me enough reason to follow you." Lugasa explained as he showed his fangs. Maybe this was Lugasa's way of smiling?