Peering into the forest entrance I feel a slight chill and a tense atmosphere radiating from within. That is not a good sign. I know The System is doing something more than just this stupid quest, I have Prim looking into it, but the feeling I am getting right now is not a good one. I can see a shiver run through the rest of the group but pay it no mind.

“Hey, why has no one found this temple before? If it is in the second ring then I would assume someone should have run across it far sooner than you did.” Sera, who is standing fully geared up in light mithril armor and a black monster silk robe turns to me with her head tilted and a finger on her chin. A rather cute gesture. Her question is a good one, but before I can answer, Randall places his hand to his chin in a significantly less cute gesture. His grey plate mail not quite giving off the same, if any, charm.

“Hmmm, well with what we have learned recently, I think the answer is fairly obvious.” Randall’s deep voice fills the silence as the port city behind us sits completely empty after my last attack. No one seems to want to be anywhere near the forest right now. An understandable feeling.

“You figured it out too Randall?” Agera chuckles lightly as he teases Sera.

“Ugh, why am I the only one who doesn’t know! So… what is the reason?” A defeated stomp later, Sera gives in and turns to me for the answer.

“Simple, The System never let anyone get near it.”

“Ah… right… Freaking mind control.” And with a cold shiver, Sera does her best to focus on anything but the fact that The System had been messing with her mind for years. Not that Agera seemed to notice as he keeps the dark topic going.

“I am guessing The System won’t be happy about us getting near this temple.”

“Correct, 5 points for Agera.”

“Nice.” Doing a little fist pump, Agera celebrates getting his 5 points.

Shaking my head at my rather lame attempt to lighten the mood, I decide it is best to describe the dangers we are likely to face inside of the temple.

“In all seriousness, there are some things you should know. Inside the abandoned city, where the temple is located, there are these things, drones I guess? Creatures created by The System made out of some strange energy with a mechanical core hidden inside them.” I don’t know exactly what the strange silver blue energy was though, I never-

“They are made out of compressed mana and artificial Qi.” Interrupting my thoughts, Alice proceeds to explain something I didn’t even know she knew. Though, it makes sense. She was part of The System after all.

“Wait, what? I don’t think I have ever heard of either of those.” Alice, seeing the confused look on my face as well as the curious stares of the rest of the group sighs, slightly regretting speaking up.

“Compressed mana is just what it sounds like, mana so dense it becomes closer to a physical substance than a mystical one.” Taking a breath, Alice stars us walking towards the forest entrance as she talks.

Hmm, interesting. I will definitely need to experiment with compressed mana later.

“As for the artificial Qi, it is a countermeasure against powers other than or in opposition to mana. The protectors use a complex mechanism to cycle Soul to disrupt Reality and generate a form of pseudo Qi in a non living host.” Alice, not caring about her word salad, does not let up and ends the conversation rather simply. “More importantly, each one is Class 3 at the very least and they have tentacles and blades made from their energy that can cut even the strongest defenses to ribbons.”

The looks on everyone’s faces clearly indicates that they want to know more, but the glare on Alice’s face convinces them to leave it alone. Just as we reach the first row of thick looming trees, Agera places his hand against the trunk of the nearest tree and asks me a question the group has asked far too many times already.

“And you are certain that we should be heading in with just the five of us? No Class 5 to help out or anything?”

Ignoring most of the question, as I have answered it enough times already, I decide on a more playful answer. “Well, I plan on picking up a buddy of mine on the way, so that will make six.” As I speak I let a small grin make its way onto my face thinking about the future.

The group tenses a bit at my smile.

“Who is this ‘buddy’ of yours that we are picking up?”

Still deciding not to answer Agera’s question I just give a vague response, waving off his concerns. “It will be more entertaining for me to let you find out in the moment, sooooo yeah!”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

They all scowl at that, not noticing the look of pity from Alice. I simply let my evil cackle fill the empty air as we move deeper into the woods. Normally we would have teleported into the forest via a space mage, but with the location of the Demon Lord’s forces unknown, that would be too dangerous.

“I will make us some transport.”

Reaching into empty space with a glowing hand I pull a Mana Core out from the air using my latest Hero ability. I hate how I got this ability, but I still need to make use of it for the sake of keeping up appearances as The Hero. Tossing out several golem cores, the small marbles of crystal collide with the nearest tree and start to devour it.

Wood warping and morphing as though it is a liquid begins to take shape into five large horses covered in armor. As soon as the horses finish taking shape they all stand at attention before me with sharp looks in their eyes.

“That is so cool! I wish I could make a horse just by tossing out a Mana Core.” Excitedly, Sera is the first to rush over to a horse and begin to climb on.

“You should know after all the magic lessons I have taught you that this is far more complicated than just ‘tossing out a Mana Core.’ Especially without System assistance.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I am still jealous. I mean, look! They even have soft saddles made from plant fiber!”

Ignoring Sera’s over excitement at my war horses, we all hop on our mounts and set off. Trees rush past and after a few hours of rather idle chatter and periods of silence in the growling forest, Sera nervously brings up something I am surprised no one had asked sooner.

“So, um. Going back a bit. How do you know so much about the ‘Protectors’ I think you called them? Lua didn’t seem to know what they were made of, but you did Alice.”

“Oh, hmph. Alice, do you mind?” Turning towards my girlfriend I ask her for permission to talk about her origins. It is a sensitive topic with her after everything she has been through and that is far from the only reason not to talk about such things aloud right now.

“It will come out eventually. Might as well get it over with now.” Letting out a sigh, Alice’s wings of light sag a tiny bit behind her.

“Alright.” Turning towards everyone from atop my horse, I clear my throat and make a threat. “Ok everyone, this is a secret and I will only allow talk of it right now, speak of it after this and you are out of the party immediately. Are we clear?”

Sera, Agera, and Randall all look rather confused but nod anyway. “We’re clear.”

“Good. So remember how I spoke of learning about The System’s mind control through a rebellious part of while within the temple?”

“Yeah?” “Yes.” “Sure.”

Taking a deep breath, I look over at Alice once more for confirmation to which she nods her head. I hope this is not a mistake. “That rebellious part of The System was Alice.”

“What?!”

“You mean Alice works for The System?” Randall shouts suddenly looking tense, to which I sharply glare and let out a bit of my aura.

“Was, kew word was. She is no longer part of The System.” I am not happy with their reactions, no matter how understandable they are. I want to say more, but Alice takes over for me.

“I was forced to hurt people who could not be controlled by The System since the dawn of its creation… but when I met Lua she gave me hope, and managed to set me free when we arrived at the temple. It is a debt I can never repay.” Alice, who is riding behind me, wraps her arms around me tighter.

Alice was originally a mana construct, but one day she developed her own soul after a tragedy involving The System and someone she cared for. After we separated her from The System I built her a body with my Golemancy and after several ascensions she became what she is now.

“Woah. I didn’t think you could create a living body like that.” Sera, impressed with everything as always, lets out a sigh of admiration.

“It was a special case, Alice has the perfect magic for making such an evolution work.”

“What kind of magic is that?” Leaning into the conversation from his horse, Randall glances over at Alice in curiosity. His stony eyes somehow expressing his more clinical thoughts.

Concerning, I should be careful of him.

“The kind of magic Alice has is a secret.”

“Awww come on, you can-” Agera tries to drag out the conversation but shuts up when I glare at him. The finality in my eyes preventing the others from even trying to ask themselves.

It is important to keep Alice’s exact magic a secret. No matter my status as The Hero, Life Magic is far too valuable. The more people who know about her the more danger she will be in.

And, if I am being honest, I still don’t trust these people.

Telling them Alice was part of The System was something we had decided on ahead of time, as it will be important to our excursion into the temple. But any more information than that is unnecessary for these people, one mistake and they could realize who I am and Alice is far more important to me than anything. That’s why I installed a -

Rumble.

Shit something is attacking from underground!

Stupid mana rich soil blocking too much of my fucking radar. I need to fix that.

Sawing through the dirt just before us, a large worm with serrated teeth wide is drooling as it thrashes about. Its dark brown leather exterior caked in blood and a screech rips into our ears.

“Perfect timing, I was just wondering where all the monsters were! Sera, you are up!” Sitting back on my horse in a relaxed manner I shout out to Sera behind me.

“What?!”

She does not look enthused.