“Pick up the pace,” Noah reminded the trailing princess.
She had healed her own wound, but her knights were still suffering injuries. Maera wanted to hold back for a moment to make sure they were properly cared for, but Noah had no time.
If he wasn’t moving in tip-top condition, then the others should be able to as well.
Noah moved at his own pace, the elves dragged behind–especially the princess because of her low physical Stats. But it seemed elves were incredibly stubborn, or was it pride? They grit their teeth and got on with it, there was no complaining, nor was there any foul words, or looks of discontent.
Soon, Noah made it back to where he was originally. He made sure to check the time he had left.
Time left for reward gain: 31:41:42s
Thanks to that pride, Noah was ahead of schedule.
He ignored the looks of awe and wonder as the elves looked out onto the expanse.
Noah gazed down into the distance.
It was difficult to gauge how long it would take to travel there, if it was a full on sprint with no obstacle then perhaps thirty-minutes?
Of course, he wasn’t so naive to think that the rest of the way was going to be a walk in the park. No, just by the birds being startled in different areas told Noah all he needed to know. It told him where to avoid.
“This is where you join me at your own risk.” Noah looked behind his shoulder to the princess. “I can’t afford to defend you down there. I don’t even know if I can make it myself. No hard feelings.”
“I understand. We will join you.”
“Why?” Noah fully turned around.
It was one thing he was confused about. Noah greeded for strength to have his freedom in a world unknown. To adventure, fight, explore. He wanted to have fun, but what reason did Maera have to risk her life, and those of her knights? By all accounts, she could just wait near the beach, and grind Levels until they had the strength to enter the hub themselves.
From what Noah understood of them so far, they had no desire to dominate with power. But, they were clearly fighting for something. He was curious.
“Why wouldn’t I fight for my country and its people?” Maera tilted her head as if he had just asked a stupid question.
“How are you fighting for them? By entertaining them by fighting with your life on the line?”
“You are selfish,” Maera said as a matter of fact. “Aren’t you, Noah?”
“Selfish? Yes, definitely, but why?”
“Wait, you don’t know—do you?”
“Well out with it then.” Noah tapped his foot on the ground.
“A month ago the Goddess bestowed us guidance. She made us aware that the multiversal broadcast would undergo a great change. No longer would it be locked to the human races, but it would go through a great change. It would well–and truly–become multiversal. I thought others would have received word.”
Like with the other races being introduced? Noah thought, but he already knew that. And not everyone has real damned gods or goddesses in their home world. We were blessed with the power of the internet, not superpowers.
Maera placed her bloodied, muddy hands together as if in prayer. “The Goddess told us that we had to strive to not only survive, but to carve out a path for those to come.”
“Those to come?” Noah asked. “Like the Otherworlder selection each month?”
“No, nothing of the kind Noah,” Maera said, her eyes were serious. “The Goddess told us that the multiversal worlds will change. A mass selection of untold proportions. This world–Ruaturn–will become the centre of the multiverse. It will be the tree, and the other worlds will be its branches. So of course it is my duty to create a safe kingdom for my people.”
“What the hell.” Noah scratched his head. But it was already a mass selection, maybe there were more people brought here than he thought?
Of course, the multiverse held incredibly powerful people. Not like their God–if he even existed. But real gods and goddesses that are capable of grand powers, and interacting with the world.
The extra information swirled within his head, but he shook it away.
It wasn’t his problem. He wasn’t a saviour, he knew that much. The most he would do was carve out a path of blood and bones. If that helped them, then so be it. He didn’t have the time.
“Well, it’s a grand reason you have.” Noah turned around and mounted Krall. “Just don’t die then, reach the end for your people.”
“We will reach the end. Thank you.” Maera’s eyes glowed a golden light.
Noah blinked, only for it to disappear. Was it an illusion?
Ignoring it, Noah sprinted down the gentle hill slope, and entered into the vast bowl. He wasn’t going directly straight, he was moving ever so slightly to the left.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
He wasn’t staring off into the distance for no reason; he was charting a course to travel in. Maera and the others stuck to the original plan. They kept their distance, but made sure to follow the path Noah set as if the goddess was guiding them herself.
As Noah charged, he made sure to keep his eyes on the surroundings. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that Maera was hiding information from him. He wasn’t sure what it was, or if it was even important.
I’ll need to ask her later. Noah made a mental note and continued through the jungle.
He hated people holding information from him.
----------------------------------------
It had already been an hour since he had entered the bowl. Noah should have already made it to the hub area by now, but he was forced to duck behind cover, wait, then find another route to avoid the surrounding monsters. He didn’t dare get stuck in a brawl with no way to escape.
Although maybe I could use it to my advantage– Noah smirked at the thought.
He couldn’t see the monsters, but he could hear them. But a good thing about all the sneaking was that he was making steady progress with Levelling up [Sneaking]. It was a small victory, but the feeling of progress no matter how little was addicting.
Noticing that the monsters had lessened considerably, Noah gazed around as he was rapidly approaching the hub area.
Almost there. Noah’s hands trembled as the sight of the blue hub wall shone against his pupils.
Taking a deep breath, he quelled the excitement as soon as he heard the null sounds of the jungle. Something had entered the surrounding area. What exactly, he didn’t know–all he could do was put up his guard in preparation.
Was it a leaping tiger, or a swinging ape with horns. Maybe it was a dinosaur like the other two times? Whatever it was, Noah’s heart was palpitating.
The hub was just a few hundred metres ahead. He could see the visible walls shimmer as they pulsated with some sort of magic capabilities. A System created shield couldn’t be ordinary.
Head on a swivel, Noah’s eyes twitched in every direction. Two-hundred metres. He could practically smell the hub area. He caught a whiff of the World's First Title. It was a smell he could never forget. It was his.
Barreling forward at high speed, Krall sent a warning signal within his mind as his beastly eyes snapped to a location just behind a shadowed cluster of trees.
Noah didn’t sense anything, but feeling the urgence within Krall’s mind–it was telling him to be careful.
Raising his guard, something flashed from the corner of his eye. It was so fast he didn’t have time to react at all. He felt a harsh impact against his shield-arm that continued to his back. A hot feeling raked across, and if not for the [Unbreakable Reins] Skill, he would have been blasted off of Krall’s back.
A shooting pain surged up his arm, something had cracked, but not completely. Hot liquid dripped from his back, but he couldn’t feel a thing. Adrenaline was coursing, he could hear his own heartbeat.
Noah flexed the arm, and instantly drank his Rare health potion. He could feel the wound on his back instantly repair. Since he was so close to the hub, this was the last fight. He spared no expense.
He used one of the Common Pet Stimulant he had received from Ekralo. Right as the needle pierced his flesh, a beastly roar grumbled from his throat. Although Noah felt nothing from the adrenaline, Krall could feel all his pain.
Getting a clear view of the monster, it had long, crooked legs just like a cricket. But not only that, it did in fact resemble a humanoid cricket. Two antennas, and a strong carapace-like armour. Despite having strong legs, its arms looked weak, and slender.
Level ?? - Femora.
The monster leapt onto a tree, then slowly entered a squatting position. As if its feet were glued to the bark, it stood horizontally. Noah instinctively knew he couldn’t let the monster finish its squat.
He grabbed the bow from his back, and an arrow from the pocket, then used [Power Shot]. The arrow streaked forward and thudded against the monster's carapace. Liquid trickled out as the arrow-tip disappeared.
Its mouth opened up in four different parts and screeched in pain.
It has low Constitution, but the carapace makes up for it. Noah noted and fired another arrow.
This time, the monster didn’t sit still, its half cocked legs sprang its body forward to another tree. It was about to load up the springs in its legs once more, but Noah fired his bow again, only for the femora to change trees again. But he was running out of arrows. The monster seemed to realise that.
[Charge]. With the command, Noah blasted toward the hub. While sprinting at high speed, he tried to fire another arrow at the monster behind him, but with moving so fast, he missed.
All Noah could hear was a resounding thud as the femora’s legs smashed against the tree, leaving two small indents into the metallic palm tree. It sped toward him at a crazy speed, in only a second its sharp claws were aimed for his throat.
Feeling the intent from Noah, Krall turned around as he swung his mace in a savage arc.
[Kill Command]
The femora, unable to dodge in mid-air, could only bring up its flimsy arms in preparation for the hit. The hit struck.
Snap.
The monster’s arms cracked in half, yet the swing didn’t stop. It flew past its arms and impacted against the humanoid-cricket’s shoulder–sending it crashing to the ground.
Noah detached from the reins and leapt toward the stumbling monster. [Thrust], his spear shot out. He aimed for the heart, but the monster was slippery. It dipped its shoulder and tanked the hit with the hardened carapace from the shoulder area, but Noah’s Strength was too high to rely on its natural armour.
The spear cracked the carapace, then slammed straight through its body, and exited on the other side.
Success should have filled his mind, but the fine hairs on his nape raised as he looked at the monster’s face for a second.
It was grinning.
Noah’s eyes widened as he noticed the femora had already prepared its spring-like legs. Tanking Noah’s hit, it used the impact to near a tree, then it sprung at him like a fired cannonball.
He was too close to dodge, Noah simply raised his shield to protect himself. The impact was lessened from his shield Skill, but the monstrous impact from the femora’s shoulder struck him back. It wasn’t its usual attacking method as Noah heard a sharp crack from its shoulder.
Scarlet red splattered against him as his body was launched through the air. He struck the metal palm tree and multiple cracks resounded throughout his rib area. Coughing out blood, Noah latched his hand around its throat. He grabbed his knife at his waist, but his compromised shoulder popped out at that moment, loosening his grip, the blade thudded against the jungle floor.
Opening its mouth, the femora displayed its razor sharp teeth, and sunk them down onto Noah’s neck. Bone pierced flesh, but they couldn’t go any further.
Noah revealed a wry smile as Krall’s huge basketball player hands had gripped around its skull.
With a strength filled pull, there was a crack that followed. Krall threw the un-moving beast to the ground without care as he gazed at Noah with worry.
“I’m alright.” Noah groaned and stood up onto his shaky legs.
Thankfully the femora had botched its ambush. If not for Krall’s warning, it would have been a different fight altogether.
“Now let’s get our reward.” Noah stumbled toward the light, supported by his tamed companion. It was right in front of him, but he spotted something in the corner of his eye.
In the distance, there was a flutter of some sort of cloak, and the movement of legs. Noah’s eyes snapped onto the hub–someone was trying to steal his reward.