The Portal between the buildings was made of an unsteady flow, making one unable to choose their ending destination. Murai realized that, looking at the unclear picture of the waves and threads of space. They didn't make sense to him, so he turned to Lorry, who didn't care about the Portal.
“Left building and right building are the Treasure Vaults of Gate 1. All challengers end up here, as long as they accomplish certain criteria, or reach this place by foot. Killing a Guardian is part of it too. Vaults have rewards that aren't the least bit worse than what Murai has so far. In fact, the little nasty things Murai got out of those undead were just toys. Nothing worth mentioning.
“Is that so?” Murai said coldly.
“Lorry must say that they lack certain appeal for sure. But for a lot of Challengers, they are like treasures. Loot so far into here was more for the low-level adventures. Most advanced ones wouldn't be as interested in such measly rewards.”
“How so? Am I not a beginner, and wasn't there a balancing aspect to fight and the loot? I need every little thing that matters.” Murai argued after having his interest piqued. He already guessed the general rules of this place. Whatever he found had been up the general direction of his level, but because he was fairly low in progression and a duck, hardly anything was for him.
It was exactly the opposite of the most Challengers. Just the mere addition of a spatial pouch ensured that his travel would be much easier. His loot will get infinitely richer because he was no longer constrained to carry a sword.
Lisa was handling it herself, using her hand in rough physicality so she could hold it. It strained her to no end, but it was better than holding him as she did in Acaman Tower.
It was the same everywhere. Everything was subject to one's worth and advantages. Essences and loot were a balancing reward that he needed. They were clear to him so far, and their balancing factors carried some rules and interests of this temple.
The interest in the low-grade rewards held obvious answers. No Challengers should be interested in something useless. It was a normal procedure. No one should obviously lower themselves to care for useless things, so the temple adjusted these problems.
Every Challenger was prone to balance by Mindarch, who was making sure it was working for anyone. Enemies will always range around their power, or slightly above them. That meant their equipment and loot shouldn't be that far from the Challanger's reach.
That was a balancing factor that wasn't always that useful. Those who came here weren't some simpletons. Their Path, equipment, and abilities should be greater than average.
In Murai's case, he had nothing but his body. He was nobody, so any advantage he held was nonexistent. He required anything he could get. The rewards, be it around level 20 or 30, he will take them all from those Vaults, or any Gates.
“Anyway, how do those Vaults of the temple work? Can I take whatever? Are there limits? Can I just walk in and grab whatever?” Murai asked since Lisa wasn't talking. She let Lorry do his and her job.
“Obviously not.” Lorry shook his head. “Reward stems from the performance up to this point. Lorry as a Guide has a purpose to say. Lorry hasn't said it, but there is a rewards system set by the Mindarch. Lorry calculated it. Murai defeated around 160 opponents throughout the Undead Gate of Suffering. Enemies ranged from level 15 to 36. Most were one-shots, but some battles weren't as easy, as Lorry had seen, but Murai wasn't suffering the usual suffering. Interesting...”
“Get to the point,” Murai growled.
“Point? Lorry is saying a very important piece of advantage that will help Murai advance further and crush some Breaches.” Lorry argued, appearing important like some arrogant teacher. “Murai showed utmost care in tactics and power. My Lady likes this approach very much. Mindarch likewise. Of the 160 opponents, they have certain tiers of rewards. Each kill proves some points, while the level of the kill determines the points of the rewards. 160 is a lot, but because Murai fought against levels 15 to 36, the number isn't important. Kills, strategies, and how it went was.”
“And? What is the number?” Murai asked, disinterested in this lengthy explanation. He wasn't particularly happy to hear another source of points, but he will take it since it's easy to understand. It's the same thing that happened in the Acaman Tower, so he wasn't that upset about it.
In fact, he may as well welcome it, since the source of better understanding was always welcomed.
“3400,” Lorry said after calculating the numbers in his head. Most of it was done by Mindarch, but he wouldn't admit that.
While he did so, the top of its skull, sides, and eyes glowed in the light and fog, making him rather funny-looking. If there would be an addition to mirrors around his head, Lorry would make a good disco ball.
“Is it a lot?” Murai asked, unclear if the number made sense or not. He figured this number was just a copy of what the Will of the Battleworld used in the dungeons.
“It's a decent number, Murai Hisagi,” Lisa said at last, floating beside Lorry, glancing around the perimeter in remembrance. Mostly, she supervised Murai's rewards, his current possibilities, and what went in his Soul Space a while ago. She also glances around her, noting the Vault Cave as an important piece of her hope.
An entrance to Gate 2 was basically the start of a whole lot of difficulties this place had to offer. Gate 1 was always known as a first nudge. A poke at what the Challenger can offer.
She came here twice, so her views and thoughts should be useful and strong. The kind that Murai couldn't guess, but it was more than apparent that something had been on her mind for a long time.
Should he question that? Sure he should, but he didn't really care about her lack of words, since the answers will present itself very soon.
“Oh, so it is decent? What about the rewards then? ” Murai nodded to her. “What was your first time here? How much did you get?” He expected a good answer.
“I don't rememb...”
“Bit... Lisa had accomplished 4840 points.” Lorry jumped between their conversation, uncaring whether Lisa remembered or had chosen not to talk about it. It backfired nonetheless.
“You shouldn't talk about unnecessary stuff, Lorry. Read the atmosphere.” Lisa barked at him in fury, making Lorry giggle in unhinged pleasure to see her angry.
“So I am quite weak in comparison to the usual Challengers?” Murai asked, not one bit angry that he accomplished less than Lisa. He wasn't really competitive about the differences between them or others. His stakes were different from them.
When his body and power were slacking, his potential to accomplish greater results in this place were the same.
He shouldn't be here. Thar spoke of it clearly, causing Murai to understand the problem he was carrying. He lacked the gradual growth most Challengers would had before even coming to this place. His power was not only up to this place's standards, it lacked proper steps. His less than a year of age was the most notable problem.
There were proper reasons for these numbers. They were sensible like the ones in Acaman Tower. Everything was gradual, following the rules like his body and road to power. This place was no different, and it even had rules that Lorry didn't tell out loud.
Once more, the words that Thar said echoed in Murai's mind. He was weak in his eyes, which wasn't surprising, but his wisdom and words were steadier than Lisa's.
And there was still plenty of consequence to remember. After all, what was his recent time in this temple anyway? Murai was already going through this temple, killing foes left and right without having that terrible of time. Sure, it was rather long, difficult, and tedious, since he traveled and fought alone. Lisa shouldn't intervene with anything, and she didn't, leaving Murai alone on his path.
It was a solo challenge unless a team would come to Thar. Then, it was either a Hell Party or a Teamplay. Sometimes, adventure parties assembled, calling the temple their sole challenge. They would have team-based rewards and much more enemies to kill.
This wasn't what Murai had, obviously. He ended up traveling through the long corridors, which wasn't that quick. His steps were short, so it took some time to travel forth, figuring out his Shaping, body and his strategies.
He wasn't losing anything but time. And each win wasn't worse than his time in the Welcoming Party. It further helped his body and familiarity, while each dough was one step closer to helping his Cores.
Even though he accomplished quite good results because of his skill and strategy, the lack of age and familiarity was making his time flawed. The terms of points were according to the number of enemies killed, how quickly, and how the journey through the whole Gate went.
Murai, by sheer lack of choices, went through a rather rudimentary road without meeting any weird and unique enemies, settings, or choices. The corridors remained stagnant throughout his journey, but the opponents were changing. Just those fights against the Necromancers lasted for 10 whole minutes since they kept summoning additional spirits. Their undead familiars were also annoying.
To add insult to injury, the points went according to Mindarch's interest, so not even Lorry knew the right representations of these numbers. He just knew the truth from the lie and could point to the past to reach some conclusions. Murai's hadn't got that many, or too few of those points.
He was just above average, or the Mindarch gave him some slack attributed to his age, thus increasing them a little. That would make sense according to Lorry's assumption. He didn't know the truth.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Any first-time challenger should be happy to go above 2000.
Murai heard it right and thought of them as simple points that carried his strategies and fights.
160 opponents was a large number. Those were 160 essences! The majority was in the Grade 9s, but dozens of 8s weren't bad at all. He got only 2 Low-Grade 7s, however. Because of them, he was feeling some greed over the reward of this temple. The loot was absolutely horrendous. He wanted more loot!
And there was much more to be desired.
Murai no longer cared whether he did well or badly in Gate 1. It posed him no interest since it was already behind him. The rewards shouldn't be as groundbreaking to his current limits anyway. Regardless of Lorry's exaggerations, he will see them and decide on their worth himself.
The Acaman Tower under the Somalis Dugoen had what it had, but then, what it had again? Where were those rewards now?! Safe and sorry in the City of Chaos, resting before the chin of Zendurion himself.
Memories of those rewards—that he lost because of that damned Razmund—cracked his nerves and angered his mind. Murai stomped the ground, hoping this temple better have some good stuff, otherwise... He had nothing to lose. He just never wanted to lose his blood-soaked and hard-earned loot.
“Oh, that may be right. Right! Murai is right, but Murai is also strong!”Lorry tried to cheer him up after he watched his angry stomp. “Temple isn't necessarily a bad place to form some greed and power progression. Murai's case may be temporarily bad, but the temple accepts all Challengers in balance and Mindarch's care. How has Murai thought it worked so far, hm? Mindarch is taking care of it all. There are also unwritten rules befitting the ages. Balancing through the limits is also up to the Mindarch. Certain things are more fitting because of them. Some Challengers and beings in the Hell Haven call it Min-Max.”
“Min-Max?” Murai fell into silence. “What a term...” he sighed and kept listening to his explanations.
“Min-Max is a term that carries maximum potential with the least issues. It can be reproduced by past Challengers to be optimal, but all Challengers want to seek validation for their accomplishments. Challengers want rewards! Badly, even. Because of the limits of the 3-years, it is necessary to come to the temple again for many of them. There are many waves and limits to be had.”
“Makes sense if you are asking me.”
“It does. The Welcoming Party is part of it, so any Challenger that will come towards the temple after 3 years will have many changes on all fronts. In their power and Mindrach's care, the Welcoming Party is a start. Mindarch is the major caretaker of all sides to ensure that everything can form a steady flow. That is the sole reason that not many Challengers go more than twice. 3rd timers are rare, while 4th-timers are... It has been a long time since anyone of that sort came here. Poor. Sad it is.” Lorry sighed, dejected over this idea.
Murai nodded. “It's all about finding the optimal source of power without dying. Getting stronger as much as possible for the sake of easier time and rewards is simple. Isn't it all normal everywhere? Temple is optimal to enter anyway. Not mandatory, so when one is confident in their power, it makes sense to take advantage of that. I did not have this sort of luxury, but that doesn't mean the temple can't adjust to me, even though it is accomplished with some or limited care. Right?”
“Precisely. Murai is completely right.” Lorry nodded with his skull, which amounted to nothing much but turning it up and down.“People are greedy, and the temple of my Lady is an opportunity for them all. Everyone should take it as a threat to their lives, but no! Humans and Blessed of all kinds seek this place as farmlands, growth, and nothing else. It is different for us, the beings of the Hell Haven! Temple is part of our home! Invaders can fuck off!” He cheered.
“Calm your horses, Lorry,” Lisa argued behind him. “You will crack your skull if you keep talking like this.”
“Bah!” he sneered back at her and didn't care for her remark. “Anyway, Murai is a taker of the proper rewards. So far, Murai has done well. A win-win for all sides. Such difficulty isn't always easy to manage regardless of the preparations. Lorry supposes Murai knows what Lorry means.”
“That the rules may be steady, yet complicated. Nothing is worth being worried about. One is your idea and the other is mine. I can't give a crap for 99% of things around here. One should also be more predisposed to this world, as it is a breathing and helping entity. Mindarch dos so as well. Challenges may vary from the opponents. It is to go against this place. That is what Challengers are. Just bunch of opportunists.”
Lorry nodded, chuckling at Murai's rightful comments that eased his mind.
“Right. I guess I will look through the rewards now. I wonder what 3400 points will do.” Murai turned toward the left building, which looked like a small depiction of the temple. There were many pillars around the rectangular-looking building. It had a triangular wide roof that looked kind of out of touch.
“Not so fast!” Lorry stormed before him, almost bumping into his beak. “Left one or right one? Murai can only choose one of them to be the choice of the rewards!”
“Choice? Are you kidding me? What the fuck is wrong with choosing both?”
“Choice is what choice is, and what Chaos rules, and Order cherishes. Rules.” Lorry insisted, making Murai all the more annoyed, so he glanced to the left and right. Both buildings were the same. T the portal was between them, swirling and glowing.
“Fine... Fine! If that is so, then what is it then? Which one is worthy for me, Lisa?” He turned his neck sideways, glaring towards her figure. She was taking her time in her melancholy, memories, and current reality. Murai also heard the cluttering teeth of Lorry, who wanted to say something, but he didn't speak for some reason.
“Clever try. You know that asking me about the rewards isn't against anything. It is to your advantage, Murai Hisagi.” Lisa smiled as she said it, turning and flowing towards Murai in self-interest. She loomed behind Lorry, who was curious what she would say.
However, her next words weren't that good. “I went to the right temple twice, though. I don't know what is in the left one.”
“How so? Sounds like an excuse. Won't some adventures share such information with the other Challengers? it sounds worthy to do that from economics and power. You went here twice! Considering the source, and how greed rules the paths, it makes sense. This is a constant room. Information about rewards should be valuable to force future challenges into the temple. Doesn't that make sense to know what is in both of them?”
Lisa frowned, and Lorry seemed to do that too. In his bony face, it appeared weird.
“I meant what I said. Sorry if you think of it worse. I didn't care for this gate much anyway. The right one is already good enough.”
Murai was a bit disappointed, and Lorry remained silent. “Fine. What is in the right one then?”
“Bunch of things. Points are the currency to purchase them. Just like in the Acaman Tower. All kinds of mana treasures are there. Anything that a mage could need. From dust, crystals, runes, books, and even tomes. It has all kinds of stuff, essences included.”
“Hmmm....” Murai hummed, looking towards the right building. “Should I take it?”
“Be my guess.” Lisa shuffled her arms around her chest, hugging the pouch without telling what was on the left one at all. It made Lorry kind of suspicious of her intentions, but he wasn't sure if he had the motive to speak of it. He didn't know whether Lisa knew the left one or not, but if anything, the rewards in this Gate should be known outside fairly well. Murai was correct.
The sources of the Challengers were always steady, albeit it was recently turning dimmer and dimmer because the Centralis Kingdom was in possession of the Seventh Death Forest. There was a suspicious reason for that. They didn't want to touch the Hell Haven, and only worthy ones were allowed into Death Valley to try their luck. It was usually up to the Centralis Kingdom, but it wasn't always the truth.
There were 5409 Challengers for a reason. That number wasn't large at all, considering the tens of thousands of years of history of this current temple. Those, however, varied in prose since Mindarch was changing it according to the Will of Levandis.
The vision of the 10 Gates was unveiled relatively recently, skyrocketing the status of this place by a massive margin. Then, the Challengers flocked to this place like hungry dogs.
Temple went heavy in reward, and difficulty was like that of the Origin Dungeons. But unlike those, this one stemmed from the Hell Haven. That by itself was a dangerous prose.
Many Gods from the Skies were against the existence of this place, but because Levandis made some sort of agreement with Lordis, things worked up in the end. But that didn't mean that the mortals couldn't cause trouble for the Gods. They did. A lot.
Not only did the Centralis Kingdom limit the entrance to Death Valley for many years, but they essentially locked the source to their benefit.
Blessed weren't always up to the temple's tastes because of complex policies. Sky went against the Depths. Order shared, cherished, and went against the Chaos, but neither can live without the other. Gods were like that too, no matter the stance or their origin.
There were people, gods, or anyone, and then, there was greed and all sorts of Path, or pathless troublemakers. This place was special because of its location and origin. Few adventures went inside in recent years.
In this case, it was a kind of rare occasion when the Blessed Encounter formed a challenge toward the temple. It will make it rather interesting, or dangerous. Most likely both.
Either way, Lorry was part of this temple. He guided the Challengers out of his free will. If the higher-ups of the temple had an issue, Lorry would act according to their Will. That's just how things went. Subjects acted according to the master's demands.
And Lorry was a splendid subject.
“I assume you won't tell me what is in the left one?” Murai turned to the Lorry, who already seemed he wouldn't tell a thing.
“Well, Lorry can, but it will cost something.” Lorry giggled as he said it, sounding like a good haggler he wished he was.
“Cost? Seriously?”
“Yeah... I would expect nothing else from this damned skull.” Lisa also agreed with Murai's obvious surprise and bit of anger.
“Uh... How much?” Murai asked just in case.
“Half of your points.”
“HALF? Don't you want to kick me in the nuts as well? This is preposterous! What a laughable thief you are!” Murai almost snapped at Lorry, but he managed to hold his anger away.
Lorry backed away a little, fearing the repercussion of angering an Anatidae, which, according to his memories, wasn't one bit sensible. He was forgetting the fact that Murai wouldn't be able to do a thing to him; that he wasn't a threat.
Lorry awkwardly laughed and said what he should. “Murai shouldn't be surprised. Worth and inflation have a regular procedure.”
“Screw your procedure. What if I didn't have Lisa? I would have to force the knowledge of the buildings, but I would have no points left. Is this how it's supposed to go? What a complete and utter joke.” Murai snapped, picking his anger at the ground which he slapped with his beak. it cracked a little, but not much.
“C-calm down, Murai Hisagi.” Lisa flowed toward him and stopped his beak from another slam. “This isn't as bad as it sounds. How about having the right one I know very well. I can help with your choices, and you can come here again in the far future if you are feeling so adventurous. Isn't it better? There are some things inside that could be a treat even for you, but they may no longer be there. It has been a long time since I've seen them.” Her grasp over his beak was gentle and powerful at the same time. Her hand changed its physicality and clasped him well. It was calming him down too.
By this point, Lisa was no longer that small fairy she seemed like when they first met. Now, she was as big as Murai at the moment, but thanks to her wings and flexible sona, she appeared bigger than she was. She can change it on a whim, so that helped a lot.
“Oh, so you thought of something, yet you didn't tell a thing? As expected of you. You are really annoying me to the bitter end.” Murai forced himself free by opening his beak; quaking loudly at her face.
“R-right? I get it. So?” Lisa shrugged her shoulders, ignoring his anger in the grand margins of her care.
“I will take what I can get. Let's go.” As if no longer angry, Murai stomped towards the right building. It was 1 story tall rectangular temple, with clear tiles, walls made of crisp-looking bricks, and a wide and large gate. It was at least 10 meters tall, making it rather nice looking.
As for its materials, the walls and pillars were made of some kind of tough wood that looked like polished stone. As for the backyard itself, it was wide and would manage at least a dozen additional buildings. Above, there was no opening for windows or ventilation.
One large cave was the backyard's appearance, which used to be a place of Sungod's interest, or it was created by Levandis? Murai wasn't sure, but far above, he noticed many engravings, statues, and a plethora of symbols spread around the tall sides of this cave. It seemed to be a divine place for sure, and old, old time. It used to be Sungod's place of rest, a place for subjects of faith.
Now, it was nothing like that. Ancient Artifacts may litter this place, but it was now a place under the demonic domain. The challenge for the sake of the Battleworld will never cease, Mindarch's interest will prevail even after more chaos cycles go missing, and whatever Levandis wanted didn't even matter.
In the middle of the building, beside the portal, there was a door to the right temple.
Murai went straight to it, followed by Lisa and Lorry behind.