Overgeared: Saharan Successor

Chapter 20: Dream Giver

Varian, the leader of Vengeance, stood frozen, his usual composed demeanor shattered by the shocking display of power they had just witnessed. His sharp green eyes were wide with disbelief as they scanned the charred remains of the hundreds of Wild Beasts and Dire Beasts that had been incinerated by Eve's Flamestrike.

"Did… did that just happen?" Lyria, Vengeance's healer, stammered, her voice trembling slightly. Her staff, usually held with confidence, now hung loosely in her grasp as she tried to process the scene before her.

"It wasn't just me, right? You all saw that?" Alaric, the rogue of the group, muttered, his voice filled with awe. He was usually the first to joke or make light of a situation, but now he was silent, his eyes fixated on the ground where the monsters had been obliterated.

Varian slowly shook his head, his hand running through his hair as if trying to grasp the reality of what had just transpired. "That… that was beyond anything I've ever seen, maybe online I've seen some crazy Boss Raids, but it's something to watch online than live." he finally said, his voice low and filled with disbelief. "They wiped those monsters as if it was nothing… It should be a High-Ranker power leveling them."

Around them, other members of Vengeance and even players from different guilds who had been contesting the hunting ground were equally stunned. 

Some had their eyes glued to their system interface, rewatching recordings of the event they had captured, playing it back in slow motion to make sure they hadn't imagined it. 

"Did anyone get that on video?" Lyria asked, her voice breaking through the stunned silence.

A few players nodded, their faces still pale. "Yeah," one of them said, glad that he had the habit of recording the hunts of the Guild, having 150TB of space on his capsule drive for recordings was plenty for content. "I got the whole thing. From the chase with the baits to that monster of a Flamestrike… I've never seen anything like it."

Varian's eyes narrowed as he glanced over at Odin and Eve who descended to the ground.

Lyria, still processing what they had seen, broke the silence created by Eve descending from the sky. "Who are these people? That lady is for sure a High-Ranker, can anyone check her features or if she has her name on display?"

"That Flamestrike... I've seen something like that on SkyNet, it was an Ultimate Spell for Fire Mages. It's said you have to clear out a series of grueling Quests from the Archmage of the Magic Tower you align with."

"There aren't many players in Satisfy who have completed the Archmage's Quests, and for the Fire Mages… I only know one individual who got far into her class." Alaric, a big nerd when it came to Satisfy's World news, couldn't help but trail off. 

Lyria caught on quickly. "You mean… Eve? The one from Leviathan?"

Alaric nodded, his gaze turning serious. "It has to be her. That kind of fire magic fits her profile as the 'Fire Witch' perfectly. And if that was Eve, then the one leading them, the guy who tanked all those monsters without breaking a sweat, that has to be…"

His words were caught in his throat when he saw the couple making out after some banter they couldn't hear from a distance, placing most in an awkward state.

"It's them," Alaric blurted out, his excitement barely contained. "The King and Queen of Aesir! That's Odin and Eve! I can't believe it… I'm going to get their autograph! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Odin in person!"

Varian grabbed Alaric's arm, holding him back. "Alaric, wait. We don't know what their stance is on us… They might not appreciate being swarmed."

Alaric, practically vibrating with excitement, shook his head. "Man, what are you worrying about? We're talking about Odin, one of the best players in the world. Whoa, so the news about him gaining a Legendary Class and also getting his level reset to 1 was true. This is huge!"

The realization spread like wildfire among the crowd. Odin, the Guildmaster of Leviathan, and Eve, the infamous Fire Witch, had been right in front of them the whole time. 

The players who had been recording the event quickly shared the news across various channels, causing a ripple of excitement and debate across all channels of the gaming community and even in the media that were focused on Satisfy World News.

Without Odin being aware of the commotion going on in the online sphere, articles sprung akin to mushrooms after a good nourishing rain.

~〘 The Power of the Legendary Class 〙 

~〘 Odin and Eve, the Power Couple of Satisfy 〙

~〘Highlight of Eve's Flamestrike 〙

~〘An In-Depth Analysis of Odin's Legendary Class. What can we expect in the future for the Top 5 Global Ranker?〙

It was clear that most outlets were adding a lot of clickbait by inserting the hot words of the hour 'Legendary Class', 'Leviathan', 'Aesir', and 'Odin'. Heck, on the lower trends were people searching him by his IRL name, and checking on his Social Media which had millions of followers.

Meanwhile, the videos that were published online by the 'Vengeance' players and other players belonging to different factions acted like logs to an already burning fire. This new highlight of Odin's powers along with Eve's Destruction-Class powers held the adoration and hatred of the common players.

 ⤷ Never seen Odin wearing that mask? Is that some Head socket of the Gear? Anyway, he's looking hella hot. 

⤷ Might seem like a dumb question… but isn't Odin wearing the Lycanthrope Set that is for Rogues? 

--⤷ You brought up a good point, how come Odin can wear the Lycanthrope Set? Wasn't he a Black Knight? Damn, is the Legendary Class a Rogue Type?

--⤷ Crazy, he's using 'LaunchBox' Legendary Lycanthrope Set? I mean, he's probably just borrowing.

--⤷ The Legendary Class is most certainly a Rogue-type. I bet my 2-cents on this theory.

⤷ For the folks who didn't bother to search Odin's name in the Global Rankings, his class is called 'Saharan Successor'. There are a couple of threads talking about the Lore of the game, that have discussed in depth the implications and role of the Saharan Successor in the storyline based on the World Messages sent by the System.

⤷ Meh, I don't need no nerd to tell me that Odin is the Best!

⤷ Best, my ass, Kraugel has an easy W against that dumb whale. You Leviathan fangirls are just coping hard. Odin with or without his Legendary is mid at best, I've seen his Duels with Chris and Zibal, and he struggled to win against them. 

⤷ Preach brother, teach those Leviathan bitches that reality doesn't revolve around that arrogant bastard, Odin, or whatever he likes to call himself. That asshole! Fuck him, if he is in Korea, tell me, I'll chase him to beat his ass.

⤷ Pff, you beat Odin? Get lost you dumb incel, have you ever seen Odin IRL or checked his Insta? He'll break weak men like you like twigs.

[ You have been flagged by Moderator 'CandyCrush'. Comments have been disabled for 24 hours.]

Behind all of that toxicity of the user 'OdinIsADog' was an East Asian man in his mid-20s who almost succeeded in spilling the Soju he was drinking while watching the videos related to Odin and Eve, akin to a stalker pervert.

"Damned bitchy moderator! Is that CandyCrush some bitch sucking onto his dick like that cow from Gangnam?" he snarled, slamming his fist on the cheap plastic desk, causing the monitor to wobble dangerously. "Screw you all! Can't I just speak my mind on that bastard?"

His voice echoed through the empty apartment, but it brought no comfort. Jun-gyu's eyes blazed with anger that stemmed from his deeper insecurities. 

The forum post he had spent the last ten minutes writing, a venomous tirade against Odin had been swiftly deleted, and now he was banned from commenting for an entire day.

"Licking his butt, that's all you're doing!" he continued to rant, his voice rising in pitch. "You don't know what he's really like! But I do… I know exactly what that bastard is like! He's a snake using his venom to crush others."

His mind raced back to the incident that had sparked his hatred. It had been two months ago, in a trendy coffee shop in Seoul which later ended with a visit to the hospital when he almost got killed by Odin's bodyguards, two Italian mafioso that scared the living shit out of him and his friends. 

The memory of that day was still vivid, replaying in his head like a bad movie he couldn't turn off. 

He had been publicly humiliated, not just in front of strangers, but by one of the most famous players in Satisfy, Odin, and yet he thought that since he was a stinky foreigner, he could use the help of his friends to gang on him after the coffee stop for the couple.

The ones who sent him to ER didn't even suffer consequences to their action, just a night stay in jail until their bail got paid.

"Arrogant foreign bastard," Jun-gyu muttered under his breath, his hands trembling as he reached for the half-empty can of energy drink beside his keyboard. He took a swig, the bitter liquid doing nothing to calm his nerves. "He thinks he can just walk around like he owns the place… well, not if I have anything to say about it."

His fingers itched to type out another post, another rant, but the ban prevented him. Frustration bubbled up inside him, mixing with his seething anger. He needed to vent, to lash out at someone, anyone, who dared to idolize the man who had humiliated him so thoroughly.

He opened a new browser tab and began scrolling through social media, searching for anything related to Odin. His eyes narrowed as he saw post after post praising the Guildmaster of Leviathan, celebrating his recent achievements in Satisfy.

⤷ "Odin's Legendary Class is insane! Did you see him tank all those beasts like it was nothing? He's an absolute beast!" one post read.

⤷ "Eve and Odin together? Sign me up! They're unstoppable! Best couple in Satisfy, hands down!" another gushed.

"Screw him," Jun-gyu muttered to himself, though the bitterness in his voice couldn't hide the underlying shame. 

He clicked on one of the posts, his eyes scanning the comments section. Most were filled with adoration and awe, but a few, like him, harbored resentment. He found a small comfort in those, but it wasn't enough. His anger demanded more.

"You see that crap on SkyNet? They're all worshiping that asshole Odin again. Makes me sick! Can't believe they're all falling for his act."

A reply came almost instantly.

"Yeah, saw it. Can't stand him either. But what can we do? The guy's untouchable in Satisfy. You tried getting back at him IRL, and look how that turned out."

Jun-gyu's jaw clenched. His friend's words stung because they were true. He had tried to assert himself, to make Odin feel even a fraction of the humiliation he had felt, but it had backfired spectacularly.

"There's got to be a way… something we can do to take him down a peg. He's not invincible. Everyone has a weakness."

"One day, I'll get my revenge."

--

So many people wanted to take their so-called revenge on Odin, most cases were related to just Satisfy World, they wanted to challenge the pinnacle, but some delusional and entitled people even took matters to IRL which was insane. 

Yet, the man in question didn't bother with the barking dogs, he knew how to defend himself when push came to shove, and wasn't stingy when it came to spending money for his protection. This is why he had two of his bodyguards residing with him, but as fate would have it, they got quickly hooked up by this Fantasy Reality that took over the World.

As it would have it, his bodyguards got wind of the commotion their boss was making in Madelaire along with Eve, the newbies, and RP folks.

The two Sicilian brothers, Enzo and Luca sat in the shade of a towering oak tree within the world of Satisfy. They were taking a well-deserved break from their usual routine of hunting monsters and completing high-level quests since they were also Top-Rankers in their own right.

Their levels reached a comfortable 165, which allowed them to contend against most players in the World, apart from the upper echelon that only the Aesir of Leviathan was touching, but they weren't far from having the chance of getting inducted in their Core Team.

And for this, they neglected their security job and just focused on Satisfy.

Enzo leaned back against the tree, a relaxed smile playing on his lips as he watched the notifications in his interface scroll by. His muscular frame, clad in black leather armor with silver accents, spoke of the countless hours he dedicated to this journey and neglected his boss who knew better than pay an Euro cent on those cheap bastards. 

He casually flicked through messages, most of them updates from the guild or banter from other members.

Luca, sitting cross-legged beside him, was idly sharpening one of his many daggers. He had the same broad shoulders and strong build as his twin, though his eyes were sharper, more calculating. 

"You're doing that voodoo crap 'Box' taught you, Luca? Regardless of how much you're sharpening the blade, it will not increase its critical strike chance."

"Shhh, it's not superstition," Luca shot back, a smirk playing on his lips. "Every time I do this, my crit rate goes up. Just watch."

Enzo rolled his eyes but grinned. "Right, right. You keep telling yourself that."

"Meh, give me a break… Say, have you seen the news? Boss is getting some heat online again," Luca remarked, his voice casual as he ran the whetstone along the blade. The sound of metal scraping against stone was rhythmic, almost soothing.

Enzo chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "When isn't he? Our grandparents had Ronaldo, and now we have Mathias. And just like Ronaldo had his haters, Mathias has his too. Let them rant."

" Tsk, tsk, some of those losers can't handle it, so they take to the net to vent. Just noise."

Luca nodded, but there was a glint in his eye. "This one, though… the guy's persistent 'OdinIsADog'... Should I have Judy hack his account again and have him flagged?"

"Hehehe, sure, give her a thumbs-up for me," Enzo replied, his grin turning mischievous. "Also, remind her she owes me 1k Euros for those enhancement stones she wasted on her crappy dagger."

Luca laughed, the sound was genuine and relaxed. "Will do. But seriously, these guys online, they're all the same. They think they can get to him, but they have no idea who they're dealing with. They can't even get in the gated area, harder said for them to get inside the building, and then the penthouse."

They remained like this, casually chatting about things, waiting for their Stamina to recover.

Enzo, who was checking the forums, and saw the rants of that 'OiAD' guy, couldn't help but think deeper into this loser. He had one of his galls hack into that idiot and discovered his IRL identity easily.

Soon his expression darkened slightly, his thoughts drifting back to some of the threats their boss had received in the past. Most of it was just hot air, but every now and then, someone got it into their head to take things a step further. And that's when the Ricci brothers stepped in.

"Remember that punk in Seoul?" Luca asked, his tone casual, but there was an edge to it.

"Which one? There are too many. Hmm, are you referring to the one who tried to hit on Eve?" Enzo replied, his voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"Yeah, that one," Luca confirmed, his smirk returning. "He is the guy sending his rants online, cause we roughened him up and sent him to ER along with his friends after they pulled that 'Yakuza stunt' on us and Mathias."

Enzo laughed, the memory of that incident still fresh. "I don't regret spending the night in custody for busting those motherfuckers."

As their stamina bar filled up, Enzo stood up and stretched. "Alright, break's over. Let's get back to it. We've got to finish the Troll Quest before the Naga Palace Raid, I need the Epic Two-handed Sword from the reward."

Luca sheathed his dagger, his smile returning to that of a man ready for action. "Always ready for a hunt."

--

Unaware of the commotion in the online sphere, Odin surveyed the battlefield, his sight fixated on Varian and the rest of the players who didn't know if they should approach or disappear. Since it was only 7 PM in Bucharest, his gaming would take a pause around 7:35-7:45 PM for his dinner, and from there on, he would only game until 10:30 PM, since 11:40 PM to 12 AM was the period he would go to bed. 

This schedule would abate only in the cases when he was doing a Dungeon that couldn't be paused or a Dungeon Boss, anything else was not worth messing with his cycle since he established 8-10 hours of work inside Satisfy.

With his Elven Mask removed, he turned toward the panting Leviathan players, some were holding themselves up with their weapons, while others were dropped like maggots to the ground, struggling to get on their feet.

'What? Are they already out of their Stamina? I'm still at (48/100), and I think I've done all of their load combined?'

He could sense the fatigue in his party, each of them had pushed their limits, and it showed.

"Nice work, team," Odin said calmly, trying to mimic the way a billionaire from the past, his voice reassuring, as if they hadn't just wiped out a massive horde of Elite monsters

He was looking jovial, not showing the signs of fatigue, and a dreadful thought spread around the team. "Let's regroup and move forward to the next phase of this Event."

His words were met with weary sighs and concerned looks from his newbie comrades.

Purphoros, who had the fight of his life not too long ago, was squeezed dry like a lemon, dropped to the ground on his knees, leaning heavily on his large shield, sweet dripping down his brow. "Boss, I can't… I'm out of Stamina Energy. If I start handling monsters once more, I'll drop dead like a log." 

Elyse, the red-haired newbie magician who played her own role in luring the monsters successfully, struggled to stay upright, using her staff for balance. When she heard that Odin still planned to continue with his high-paced tempo, couldn't help but turn pale, voicing out her corners.

 "Guildmaster, my mana is barely recovering, it will take 30 minutes to be full MP without drinking any Potions, and honestly, my Stamina is also down (28/100). If we continue at the same rate of progression, I'll die of exhaustion. 

 "Odin, I'm in the red zone, too, close to dropping to the floor. Tsk, I wish leveling up would recharge Stamina Energy too, but no luck in that department." Alysha was also rendered to a pathetic state when she realized that Odin wasn't joking.

Even Noah had his own struggles, but playing a supporting role behind the frontlines, he had some leeway in acting cowardly. "I think I can still pull my weight around, not fight but just buff from the back rows."

Among the many players in the group who spoke their divergences, Malfurion was the last to speak. His tone was both humble and apologetic when he asked a favor out of Odin. 

"Mmm, excuse me, but I have a request if possible. I would like to have some time available to touch on my Hidden Quest. This will take a while since I don't know which locations around Madelaire need healing, if not the entire zone requires my power."

'Maybe I'm a bit too harsh with the newbies? Ahh, shit, that old man really gave me PTSD. Heh, I wonder how he is doing? He should be planting his cabbage by now. I'll visit him after the Behen Archipelago and the Media Kingdom.'

Odin listened carefully to each of them, his mind calculating and reassessing their situation. 

He wanted to push forward with the next phase of the Quests, they had momentum, and he didn't want to lose it, but he was aware of the difference between a beginner and a veteran. 

For a veteran, it became second nature to micromanage their Stamina Energy with each movement they were making inside Satisfy World, meanwhile, a beginner couldn't be bothered with such a deep subject.

It was true that dragging his newly formed team further when they were on the brink of collapse would be reckless, he needed to respect their willingness to fight and continue their adventure. 

Finally, Odin relented, and his decision was made. "Alright, we'll take a break. No point in risking more than we need to. Rest up, recover your energy. Malfurion, go ahead and work on your Hidden Quest. It might be more important than quickly advancing with the other quests anyway."

A collective sigh of relief went through the party as Odin gave the order. Even though they were all skilled and driven players, it was clear they needed this time to recover.

With the immediate threat gone, Odin turned his attention to something less strenuous but still important. He gave the players some freedom to explore Madelaire but with the specific mission of rescuing stranded villagers if they encounter any.

When all was said and done, he made his way inside the destroyed village-town and he could spot all over the group of NPC soldiers helping villagers who got trapped in the ruins of their houses for days. 

Corporal Austen had been overseeing the rescue operations, trying to gather as many survivors as possible from the devastated village-town, but got freaked out by the Flamestrike and it had been a debacle trying to calm down the villagers who thought the End of the World was approaching.

"Austen," Odin greeted, his voice steady. "How are things on your end?"

[Austen - LV. 95](Blue)

Corporal Austen looked up from his work, nodding in acknowledgment. "We've managed to pull out a good number of survivors. The villagers were scattered, but we were rounding them up. It's been rough, though. We lost some good men today."

[❗️]

[The Villagers rescued by NPC 'Corporal Austen' and his Soldiers have counted as your own action based on the influence you have carried over their actions.]

[Quest has been completed (The Forgotten Villages(B): 24/15)]

'That's it. Great, this strategy never lets me down when it matters the most. I'm not sharing this secret online, not even for millions of dollars as a price.'

'Who had to get his ass handed by a grumpy old monster each day? Moi. So, I should just enjoy the fruits of my labor as long as I can without the interference of other hyenas.'

Odin placed a hand on Austen's shoulder. "You've done well. Every life saved is a victory."

"It's all thanks to you, sir Odin. If not for your valiant efforts in defeating the beasts, we wouldn't had the chance to come to their rescue. If I'm fair with myself, me and my boys would've also lost our lives defending the border from the beasts."

"Corporal, don't look down on yourself. Your eyes still have the light of a warrior in them. I'm sure you and the rest of the lads would have been just fine. The same for the villagers." 

Saying that, his attention was drawn to a child who came rushing toward him with an apple in his hand, his clothes all rugged and dusted from whatever hole he crawled out in his attempt to find shelter from the monstrous beasts.

"Big brother, here, this is for you!"

This innocence, and emotions, strengthened the already established perception that each NPC in this game could as well be a real human in the eyes of a Celestial God. 

The saying of popular theologians of the era that 'Satisfy World' was a gift from God brought by Lim Cheolho wasn't far from reality.

'Baby boy, what is up with you. Keep that apple for yourself.'

As Odin crouched down, the weight he was carrying himself as a Black Knight lifted from his shoulders, becoming the approachable kind neighbor that would make the housewives melt under their panties. 

He tousled the hair of the curious child who had rushed toward him, the boy's wide eyes full of admiration. This child couldn't have been more than six or seven, his face smudged with dirt but still bright with innocence.

Odin smiled warmly at the boy, the harsh lines of his expression softening. "Hey there, baby boy," he said, his voice gentle and inviting. "What's your name?"

The boy grinned up at him, his cheeks dimpling. "My name's Jaren, big brother!" he chirped, his voice high and enthusiastic.

"Jaren, huh? That's a strong name," Odin replied, his crimson eyes twinkling, while the Red Energy around him which regenerated started enveloping the young child with him. "Tell me, Jaren, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

Jaren's expression turned serious, his small fists clenching at his sides as if to emphasize the importance of his words. "I want to be a Knight!" he declared, his voice full of conviction. "Just like you, big brother! I want to protect my mom, my dad, and my little sister from the bad monsters. I'll be strong and brave, and I won't let anything happen to them."

'Hahh, I'm really weak to children. This is why I'm reticent from meeting Mi-Jung's daughter, since I don't know if our relationship will last for that long, and I know I would get attached to that little girl.'

Odin felt a swell of emotion in his chest. The boy's was a well of innocence that was lacking in this desolate hellscape. 

He placed a hand on Jaren's shoulder, looking into the boy's eyes with a sincerity that transcended the boundaries of what was real or virtual, in those moments when he looked at this child and other villagers, he could only see humans with raw emotions just like his own 

"That's a noble dream, Jaren. And I have no doubt that one day, you'll be a Knight who can protect his family and everyone you care about. But remember, being strong doesn't just mean fighting monsters. You need to also focus on your studies, to learn how to write, how to calculate, to learn the history of the Empire, and never forget to face the world with a brave face, even when you're scared."

Jaren nodded eagerly, his eyes shining, almost spellbound by this crimson-eyed 'Knight' and his majestic appearance. "I'll do that, big brother! I'll be the best Knight ever! When I grow older, I'll make sure to find you and show you what I've become."

Odin chuckled, ruffling Jaren's hair one last time. "I believe you will, Jaren. And when that day comes, I'll be proud to fight alongside you. If you still remember my name when you grow up, I'm called Odin, Odin of the Leviathan."

Jaren beamed up at him, his youthful face filled with hope and determination. "Thank you, big brother! I'll train hard, just like you!" As Jaren ran back to his parents, who were watching the exchange with tearful smiles, Odin stood up, a thoughtful expression on his face. 'By the time you grow up, baby boy, I might become a Duke or King. However, it will be fun to see if the seeds I plant flourish or wither.'

Corporal Austen, who had been silently observing the interaction, stepped forward, his eyes filled with respect. "You've given that boy a dream to hold onto, sir. He'll never forget this day." (A/N: I bet my 2 cents that Jaren is the Final Villain-Boss of the Story, jk.)

Odin glanced at Austen and then back at Jaren, who was now animatedly talking to his parents, mimicking the motions of a Knight wielding a sword. "It's the least I can do," Odin said softly. "If he believes in himself, if he has something to fight for, then he'll grow up to be strong, just like he wants. And the world could always use more Guardians."

"The world is better for having people like you, sir. I still doubt if you're an arrogant and snobbish 'Chosen One'."

"That's insulting, Corporal. Who knows, maybe I identify more with your people than mine?"

Austen sighed, he could tell that Odin was joking, yet the weight of the day was evident in his expression, and couldn't help but give him a report, as if he switched to become his superior. 

"There are still pockets of resistance from the monsters in Ording but they're scattered and disorganized. Our main concern now is securing the area and making sure no more villagers are trapped or hidden, and sending them to the refugee camp in Fullbaz City" 

Odin nodded. "We'll help with the cleanup. My team needs to recover, but I can assist in securing the perimeter and checking for any more threats."

As they spoke, the Knights of Fullbaz with the Commander of the Garrison Aldric Valens approached, their armor gleaming in the dimming light. 

They had been drawn by the massive spell Eve had unleashed, mainly her Flamestrike which had been powerful enough to be felt across the region.

Aldric Valens was surprised when he saw Odin having a 'friendly' stance with Corporal Austen, but again, he didn't find it strange since from the first impression he had a pleasant feeling about this outlander. 

Under the presence of the Knights under the Magrave, Corporal Austen, couldn't help but stand tall despite the exhaustion etched into his features, more so under Aldric's presence. 

"Corporal Austen," Aldric greeted, his voice steady but carrying a weight of authority that demanded respect. "Report on the situation."

Austen saluted crisply, his posture straightening even more under the Knight Commander's gaze. "Sir, the situation has been brought under control without human casualties. We've successfully rescued a significant number of villagers trapped in the ruins, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sir Odin and his companions which made it easier to focus on the rescue mission."

Aldric's eyebrows rose slightly at the mention of Odin, his interest piqued. "Odin, you say? Go on."

Austen continued his story, his tone unwavering as he detailed everything that he saw with his two eyes regarding the subjugation of the wild beasts. By the end of his recounting, he grew wary since he reached the subject of Eve casting her Flamestrike, which the soldiers noticed since they were in closer proximity than Aldric and his knights.

Aldric listened intently to this old comrade of his, not growing pissed at the large amounts of praises Austen hurled at Odin for his strength, wisdom, dignity, and his commanding skills that lead to a flawless victory against the large hordes of monsters.

The Knight Commander's gaze turned toward Odin, who was now sharing food supplies with the weary villagers. 

Aldric turned back to Austen, his voice tinged with admiration. "You've done well, Austen. Good job in surviving this Hell. You and your men have performed admirably under the most trying of circumstances. And it seems we can't let Sir Odin go with his hands empty."

"Thank you, sir."

With the report concluded, Aldric made his way toward Odin, who had just finished distributing the last of the food supplies to a grateful family. As the middle-aged knight approached, Odin stood up, showing respect back to the veteran knight. 

"Sir Odin," Aldric began, his voice filled with genuine respect. "I've just received a report from Corporal Austen about your actions here. I wanted to personally thank you for your participation in the monster subjugation. Without your intervention, the outcome could have been far grimmer."

Odin inclined his head slightly, accepting the thanks with humility. "I did what needed to be done, Sir Valens. These people deserved protection, and it just happened that I was vying for this location to hunt down monsters."

Aldric watched the man with his seasoned eyes and could tell from the aura exuded by Odin that his growth was beyond what he first saw a couple of hours ago. Yet, again he reminded himself that he was dealing with a Chosen One and a Black Knight at that. 

Surprisingly as time passed, there were no longer Wild Beasts or Dire Beasts respawning around Madelaire, maybe because he managed to complete the quests related to them, thus triggering a transition in the Monster Wave Event. 

While he walked with Aldric Valens talking about the progress of the campaign, he sent a message to the party members to start looking for villagers around Madelaire, they needed to be grouped up before they could be transported to the safety of the refugee camp close to the walls of Fullbaz City.

Aldric's expression turned thoughtful as he considered the implications of the monster wave's cause. "Speaking of threats, have you had any encounters with the Goblins?"

"Not yet, but I don't intend to wait for them to knock on my door. Once I settle down the villagers, since it was a request of the City Guard Captain, and have my men fully rested, we'll eliminate those vermin. We have a moment of calm, before the storm hits us, for that you and your men need to be fully prepared."

"I know that. From my informants, this Monster Wave has been caused by the movements of a Gryphon King. We plan to kill it in two or three weeks depending on the supplies sent by the Margrave."

"I see, this could be a cause for this monster wave, but have you ever considered that there might be a darker, evil hand orchestrating this incident? The monsters I have faced have the mark of demons imprinted on them, which is unnatural to begin with."

Aldric's eyes widened slightly, a mix of concern and curiosity. "Are you suggesting that this could be a terrorist act by the Yatan Church aimed at weakening the Empire?"

"I'm only speculating," Odin admitted with a serious expression. "If you don't know how demon beast blood looks, it is just like those monsters, putrid green. It would be a no-brainer that there is a deeper hand involved."

"Oh no, this is bad, Sir Odin. We need to send a letter to the Church of Light for divine support. Only the most divine can neutralize the dark magic of those Demon Servants."

Odin raised a hand to forestall any hasty actions. "Sir Valens, you need to calm down. There's no need to involve the Church and drag the reputation of the Magrave into the mud. I will handle the Yatan Church if they are actually involved in this incident."

Aldric's expression softened slightly, but his face was still of some apprehension. "Do you believe you can manage the dark magic of these Demon Servants?"

Odin's confidence was unwavering. "Uh-huh, my resistance to magic is decent. You have to keep the appearances, don't make sudden moves that would give hints to the culprit. It will only add to additional variables we need to take into account."

"Alright, Sir Odin. I will place my trust in you and your judgment. Hahh, I've grown old, no longer as bold as I used to be in my youth. I will not act recklessly and pause my attack on the Gryphons and Harpies."

"Sir Valens, you can just make good use of the Chosen Ones."

"I'll pass, they are a bunch of leeches, without a backbone, cowering behind our backs and trying to exploit our weakness in defending the farmlands."

"... I guess you have a point. However, the Harpies and Gryphons require stronger warriors. Unlike the parasites and worms that have annoyed you with the subjugation of the Beasts, the stronger Chosen Ones have some common sense and wouldn't backstab you once they accepted your request."

"If you say so, I'll contemplate it. I still need to raise this problem with my Knights and also with Marquis Charles."

Odin turned to face Aldric with a serene expression, his gaze steady. 

He took a deep breath and then, with a thoughtful look, began to form a symbol with his hands. His movements were deliberate as he traced an intricate pattern in the air, for the natives of Nihilaine this was the symbol of the Goddess of Creation and Light, Rebecca.

"May the Goddess watch you, sir Valens."

"Likewise, sir Odin."

As Aldric disappeared into the distance, Odin turned back to the village, shifting his attention to his team who managed to rescue another addition to the villagers.

'I might as well, go to Ording and Wesmar, slay all the remaining Beasts there, rescue the villagers from there, and take them to Fullbaz for the Quest.'

'It would be in time for a retreat at the Inn for my Stamina Recovery.'

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