Kyren was helping Lydel up when he heard the familiar ding in his head.
Mission Complete.
The boys walked in silence down the same path they had taken into town. No words needed to be said. Behind them, the towering church burned, casting flickering shadows against the darkened sky. They passed through the large iron gates—hopefully, for the last time.
"How many people have I killed now? And how many more will this path force me to take?"
Kyren pushed the thoughts away, focusing instead on his rewards and how long the journey back would take. The sun had set, and the pale moonlight illuminated the daunting forest stretching endlessly on either side of the road.
Eventually, exhaustion took hold.
"I'm gonna summon the tent in the woods," Kyren said, his voice thick with fatigue. "You take the first sleep."
Lydel barely acknowledged him, too drained to argue. As soon as Kyren conjured the tent, Lydel collapsed inside, asleep before his head even hit the ground.
Kyren sat down with a sigh, opening up the system. His eyes immediately went to the Stim Stopper mission.
Rewards:
100 stat points
1 armor
1 skill
1 sidekick skill
1 enchanter stone
Kyren selected yes without hesitation, watching as his stat points total shot up to 100. Before he could check the rest of his rewards, a new prompt appeared:
Skill Fusion: The new skill has a 100% success rate of fusing with an existing skill. Would you like to fuse Silent Step and Flash Step to create Soundless Step?
Kyren hesitated for only a moment. If the fusion combined both effects without increasing mana consumption, it was the
better choice.
Yes.
A timer appeared, indicating the fusion would take 5 hours. Shrugging, Kyren turned his attention to his stat screen.
Kyren Warhammer
Stats:
Physical Constitution: B- (1/100)
Strength: B- (1/100)
Speed: B (50/100)
Stamina: B- (1/100)
Mana Pool: B- (1/100)
Hero Rank: 900
Level: 6 (90/600)
Level Up Rewards:
25 stat points
Wayfinder Mode
1 accessory
Kyren accepted the level-up rewards, surprised at how quickly he had reached Level 6. Then again, he had killed three converted and fought more battles than he could count.
Curious, he checked Lydel's stats next.
Sidekick: Lydel Sinclair
Stats:
Physical Constitution: C (25/50)
Strength: C+ (40/50)
Speed: B- (1/100)
Stamina: C+ (45/50)
Mana Pool: C- (15/50)
Hero Rank: 901
Level: 5 (250/500)
Skills:
Fast-Forward: After choosing an action, see the next three seconds in fast-forward, allowing for real-time adjustments.
System Skills:
Valiant Shield: The shield stood tall, waiting for another to pick it up.
Effects (Passive): While dodging, take reduced damage. The more damage taken, the stronger the reduction.
Kyren chuckled. That's a solid skill for him.
He turned to his inventory. A few new items caught his attention.
First, a headband.
Armor: Lion's Pride
Effect: When injured in battle, boosts mana circulation, increasing speed and attack power.
Kyren summoned the headband, using it to pull his unruly curls back. After days of travel and fighting, he hadn't had time to clean up properly, and his hair had become a mess.
Next, he noticed a ring.
Accessory: Ring of Illusion
Effect: Control one afterimage. All afterimages can now deal real damage.
Kyren smirked. This'll be perfect for Lydel. He slipped it into his pocket, saving it for when they got back to the outskirts.
Finally, he examined the Enchanter Stone.
Enchanter Stone
Effect: Grants an additional enchantment related to an object's existing abilities.
He considered using it but decided against it. He was too tired to make the right call. Better to wait until he had a clearer mind.
Yawning, Kyren crawled into the tent and shook Lydel awake.
"Your turn to keep watch," he muttered. "I gotta sleep, man."
Lydel groggily sat up. "I got you, bro. Get some rest—I'll wake you when it's time to walk."
That was all Kyren needed to hear. Within moments, he was out.
The Dream
Kyren stood behind Leon.
A man faced them—old and wise, his long white beard reaching his chest. The top of his head was bald, but a ring of white hair circled the sides. His presence alone carried weight, a mix of power and conviction.
"I have found a way to make the weak strong," the man said, voice calm but firm. "And yet you still persecute us for it."
"What you do isn't helping the weak," Leon snapped back. "You turn them into mindless monsters. And I won't stand for it in my country."
The man's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "You think you make the decisions here, Leon, but soon this country will be in the palm of my hand."
Leon didn't flinch. "No, it won't. I'll have you and all your followers banished."
The old man chuckled. "No need for that. We are already leaving—starting anew, without Epsilon's help. But trust me, I'll be back… to reap what you've sown with this land and your obsession with the strong."
He turned to leave but paused at the doorway. Without looking back, he spoke again.
"Leon… I know firsthand how strong you are. But even you can't destroy an entire village of converted."
Then he was gone, the door slamming shut behind him.
Kyren jolted awake, drenched in sweat. His heart pounded as he sat up, gripping his chest.
The Allfather… the one they still worship today?
How does this tie back to my ancestors?
A voice cut through his racing thoughts.
"Put the tent up," Lydel called. "Let's see Grandma Windy tonight for dinner."
Kyren exhaled, shaking off the lingering unease. He packed up the tent, and they hit the road.
The journey home stretched from sunrise to sundown. They stopped only to drink from nearby streams and wash away the dried blood caked onto their skin.
At one of these stops, Kyren finally checked his new skill.
Skill: Soundless Step
Effects: The faster, the deadlier. Move so fast your enemies can't see you. Step so softly your movements can't be heard.
A grin tugged at Kyren's lips. This was a straight upgrade.
He decided to distribute his points, putting 50 into Speed and 50 into Strength.
Speed: A-
Strength: B
By the time night fell, they reached a familiar clearing.
Near a lone tree sat the same stash of drugs that had been dropped off all those nights ago.
They had come full circle.