Chapter 54: Uninvited Guests

Lying on his bed, Niko’s eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest as an eerie sensation washed over him. His instincts screamed that something was wrong.

“Someone has entered my territory,” he murmured under his breath, the words barely audible in the stillness of the room.

Without wasting a second, Niko leaped off his bed, his body moving on pure adrenaline. He darted out of the room, his feet thudding lightly against the cold stone floor as he made his way downstairs. As he descended, he spotted Ivanic sitting on the old wooden sofa, casually engrossed in a book. The scene was so calm, so out of place, that for a moment, Niko’s mind stuttered in confusion. He hadn't expected such tranquility.

Before Niko could even ask where Ivanic had found the book, the older man looked up with a smile, “Niko, I've found a small library at the back of the—”

“No time,” Niko cut him off abruptly, his voice tight with urgency. “Someone’s entered the territory.”

Ivanic’s expression shifted in an instant, his face falling as he closed the book with a soft thud. His body tensed as he processed Niko’s words. “Who?”

Niko shook his head, still trying to grasp the situation. “I’m not sure. My skill doesn’t let me see their features, just their presence. The ratmen alerted me. There are two of them, and they’re making their way up the mountain.”

Ivanic wasted no time. Standing quickly, he placed the book on the table, his usual casual demeanor replaced with sharp focus. “If it’s someone from Tera, we need to be prepared for the worst.”

Niko nodded, already summoning his spirits in his mind, positioning them near the main entrance, hidden from sight but ready to strike at his command. They were on their home ground, and he knew the spirits would be far stronger here. Still, that didn’t ease the gnawing tension in his gut.

Suddenly, a loud, rude bang came from the front door, as though someone had kicked it with force, demanding attention rather than politely requesting it.

Both Niko and Ivanic exchanged a glance. It was a sound that carried no respect, only arrogance.

“Bang!”

Another slam rattled the heavy wooden door.

Outside, two armored men stood waiting, their posture rigid with entitlement. There was an air of superiority about them, a haughtiness that dripped from their expressions. Their armor gleamed under the dull sky, the familiar insignia of Tera emblazoned on their chest plates—a mark that once might’ve meant protection but now only represented authority through brute force.

The larger of the two men, built like a hulking beast, took a step forward with a cocky grin plastered across his face. He looked every bit the brute, towering over his companion. A massive greatsword rested across his back, nearly as tall as he was. Behind him, the shorter man seemed far less imposing, though his sharp eyes darted around, calculating. He fidgeted with the oversized helmet on his head, adjusting it every few seconds.

The tall man raised his boot once more and kicked the door again with a loud bang, laughing. “Hehe, hopefully, these punks open up. Wouldn’t want to waste my time.”

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The smaller man glanced up, his voice more measured. “We need to be cautious, remember? They conquered a dungeon. There’s a good chance they’ve got some serious skill.”

The big man huffed dismissively. “Pfft. I bet it was just dumb luck. We've seen it before.”

Another few seconds passed before the door slowly creaked open. Niko stepped into view, his black robes flowing lightly around him, a staff gripped in one hand. His face was calm, unreadable. His spirits lurked nearby, unseen but ready.

The two protectors sneered at him, their faces twisting with disdain at the sight of someone so young standing before them.

“May I help you?” Niko’s voice was steady, but there was a cold edge beneath the politeness. He already knew what they were here for, and he wasn’t interested in playing their games.

The taller man puffed out his chest, stepping forward to loom over Niko. “Yeah, you can help us. Fetch the owner of this castle. We’ve got a proposition from Tera. Something he’ll want to hear.”

Niko raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “You’re speaking to him.”

Both men blinked, taken aback. Their smug expressions faltered slightly. They hadn’t expected the owner of the castle to be the very man standing in front of them.

The shorter man recovered quickly, sneering. “Isn’t it rude to leave guests standing outside? Invite us in.”

Niko’s gaze hardened. “You weren’t invited here. And I don’t remember calling you guests.”

The taller man bristled at the lack of respect. “Hah! Smart mouth, huh? Listen up!” He stepped even closer, towering over Niko. “We come from Tera, a mighty force in this world, created by the founding humans. We’re giving you a chance, kid. Join us, hand over your territory, and we’ll give you a leading position in our clan. It’s an offer you shouldn’t refuse.”

Behind him, the shorter man nodded, clearly satisfied with the speech.

Silence hung in the air. Both protectors stared at Niko, waiting for him to respond, expecting gratitude or at least some semblance of fear.

Instead, Niko remained calm, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Is this really what you came here for?”

The taller man’s patience was wearing thin, his jaw tightening. The shorter man, though, leaned in, trying a different tactic. “You should consider it. It’s for the best of humanity. It’s what we do—protect humanity from threats in this world.”

For a brief moment, Niko’s face twitched in disgust. “The best for humanity?” His thoughts flashed to the horrors he had witnessed, the deaths caused by those who claimed to be protectors. People slaughtered for power, for territory. These weren’t heroes—they were vultures in armor, preying on the weak.

Niko’s voice dropped, colder now. “I think you should leave.”

Before either protector could react, Niko calmly closed the door in their faces.

Stunned silence followed.

The taller man’s face turned a deep shade of red, fury boiling just beneath the surface. He reached for the greatsword on his back, yanking it free with a loud scrape of metal. “That little bastard!” he snarled. “I bet he’s alone in there. Just some lucky survivor who stumbled into this place.”

“Wait!” the smaller man hissed, his voice sharp with caution. “What if he’s a freak, like that monster up in the other mountain? He did seem awfully confident…”

The bigger man paused, his sword still in hand. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple. His instincts had been screaming at him the moment he began to ascend the mountain telling him that something wasn’t right. His [Keen Sense] skill was flaring with warnings, which had always kept him alive in difficult situations. Danger was everywhere, surrounding them, almost suffocating him the longer he stood there..

His breath came in short, anxious gasps as he slowly re-sheathed the sword. “You’re right… we should report back. Get more men. If we take this territory, we’ll have a foothold to take down those damned pigmen and expand Tera’s reach.”

Reluctantly, the two protectors turned and began the long walk back down the mountain, their cocky attitudes replaced with a growing sense of unease. Niko watched them from the shadows, his spirits keeping silent vigil as the two men were unaware that spirits had completely surrounded them.

“Tera will be back,” Niko murmured to himself. His eyes gleamed with cold resolve. “And I’ll be ready to make an example out of these fools.”