Novice Sanctuary

Vincent's vision cleared, and he found himself standing in the center of a majestic circular field. Towering white walls of intricate architecture surrounded him, with a massive clock tower looming in the middle. The setting was a mesmerizing blend of futuristic and medieval styles.

Countless white lights appeared around him as other Origin Warriors materialized in rapid succession.

[Welcome to No.3 Novice Sanctuary!]

A holographic interface flashed before his eyes.

In the Origin World, Tier 0 to Tier 3 Origin Warriors, classified as Novice rank, were automatically spawned in one of four Novice Sanctuaries. These sanctuaries were situated on designated vast continents according to one's rank.

Vincent had appeared in No.3 Novice Sanctuary, located in the western part of the Novice Continent. The other sanctuaries were positioned at the cardinal points:

No.1 Novice Sanctuary in the North

No.2 Novice Sanctuary in the East

No.4 Novice Sanctuary in the South

"Of all places to spawn… my luck truly is abysmal," Vincent muttered under his breath.

According to the hub information, No.3 Novice Sanctuary was the worst possible starting location for humans. With a scarce human population, this sanctuary was dominated by other races.

As Vincent surveyed his surroundings, he noticed one of the materializing figures nearby. It had a humanoid shape but sported green and black spotted skin, sharp fangs, and pointed ears – a Vyrmin. These creatures were known for their smaller stature compared to humans.

While Vincent was taking in the sights, a gruff voice cut through his thoughts.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Another human insect dares to show its face in our sanctuary?"

The voice dripped with malice. Vincent turned to face its owner and found himself staring up at an imposing figure. Standing nearly three meters tall, the being before him was clad in heavy chest plate armor with a giant axe strapped to his back. His appearance was vicious – purple skin, short thorny spikes adorning his bald head and the sides of his face, all accentuating his bodybuilder-like physique.

It was a Thrygian, one of the races most hostile towards humans.

The Thrygian was flanked by two companions, both a head shorter than him but no less intimidating.

The Thrygian's booming voice caught the attention of the other spawning races in the area. Whispers began to circulate among the onlookers.

"Isn't that Grarik? The young master of the Blackthorn clan?"

"You're right. I heard he's already at the peak of Tier 2."

"What's all this commotion about?"

"Not sure, but it looks like Grarik's set his sights on that human…"

"Which human?"

"That one there. Looks like a newbie…"

"Poor soul. I've heard their clan is ruthless towards humans. A fight's bound to break out if they cross paths."

"But would they dare to fight inside the sanctuary?"

Vincent frowned as he caught snippets of the whispered conversations around him. He was well aware of the strict rules governing the sanctuary, one of which explicitly forbade killing within its confines. However, the rules said nothing about fighting…

Realizing the precariousness of his situation, Vincent felt a headache coming on. He had just arrived, and all he wanted was to explore the sanctuary in peace. Was that too much to ask?

With a furrowed brow, he addressed the Thrygian. 

"What do you want?"

Grarik scoffed, his eyes narrowing. 

"What do I want? I want you to kneel, kowtow, and beg forgiveness from my ancestors, you miserable insect!"

Vincent's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. 

"And why, pray tell, would I do that? Do I owe you something?"

"Owe me?" Grarik growled, his purple face darkening with rage. 

"You humans owe my entire family! Your kind dared to pillage our resources and slaughter my people! Of course you owe me!"

Vincent's patience was wearing thin. 

"You're spouting nonsense. If you want a fight, just say so. No need for these fairytales!"

Although he knew he was at a disadvantage, Vincent wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He believed in fighting for his dignity – a man could die fighting, but should never suffer humiliation. 

Of course, if circumstances required him to swallow his pride for the sake of loved ones, he would. But this… this was not one of those situations.

Moreover, Vincent was confident that Grarik wouldn't dare kill him inside the sanctuary. That knowledge emboldened him.

"You, a mere human insect, dare to challenge me?" Grarik's voice turned cold, disbelief evident in his tone.

"Why not? Are you afraid?" Vincent retorted, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

He might be weak, but Vincent had never shied away from a fight. Even back on Earth, where he had grown up alone on the streets, he had faced death multiple times. He had always had to fight for himself.

"Afraid? Haha!" 

Grarik suddenly burst into laughter as if he'd heard the funniest joke of his life.

Without warning, a heavy pressure erupted from Grarik, crashing down on Vincent like a tidal wave. 

Although Vincent had braced himself for battle, this was his first encounter with the raw power of a Tier 2 Origin Warrior.

The crushing weight seemed to bear down on every fiber of his being.

"Why would I fear an ant like you?" 

Grarik's voice was deep and cold, devoid of any humor now.

'Damn it! I had no idea the gap between Tier 1 and Tier 2 was this vast…' Vincent thought, his body trembling under the immense pressure.

In that moment, a sobering realization dawned on him. Just because he possessed an SSS-rank talent and had managed to break through to Tier 1 in a single night, he had allowed himself to become overconfident. He had naively expected his journey to be smooth sailing thanks to his innate abilities.

As the pressure threatened to force him to his knees, Vincent gritted his teeth in defiance.

"What's the matter? Why has the little insect stopped buzzing? Cat got your tongue?" 

Grarik taunted, clearly reveling in Vincent's struggle.

Just as the situation seemed bleakest, a deep, calm voice cut through the tense atmosphere.

"I believe you've had your fun, Giant Fool!"

Suddenly, a similar pressure crashed down, colliding with Grarik's mental assault. Vincent gasped in relief as the oppressive force lifted, feeling as though he'd just survived the most intense minute of his life.

"Who dares?!" Grarik roared, his eyes scanning the area for the source of the interruption.

Vincent turned to see his unexpected savior – a man with flowing golden hair, dressed in elegant clothes and armor. An exquisite longsword hung at his waist, its sheath gleaming in the light.

"Caelius!" 

Grarik spat the name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.

The newcomer, Caelius, casually picked at his ear as if Grarik's shout had actually hurt it. 

"You really do have a habit of shouting, don't you?"

"You actually have the audacity to show your face before me?!" Grarik growled, his massive frame quivering with barely contained rage.

Caelius let out a hearty laugh. 

"I even dared to kill your younger brother. Why wouldn't I dare to show myself to a clown like you?"

At the mention of his brother, Grarik's eyes blazed with murderous intent, his expression contorting into one of pure hatred.

"You bastard!!!" he roared, reaching for the massive axe on his back. In that moment, all he wanted was to hack the arrogant human before him into bloody pieces.

However, before he could make a move, one of his companions grabbed his arm. 

"Wait, young master! The elders ordered us not to cause any major disturbances for the time being."

"Did you not hear what this insect just said? He killed my younger brother!" Grarik snarled, struggling against his companion's grip.

"I understand your anger, young master. But please, calm yourself. I'm certain the elders have a plan, and we will have our revenge soon enough."

Though still seething with rage, Grarik managed to regain some semblance of control. He fixed Caelius with a deadly glare.

"Count yourself lucky we're inside the sanctuary. If I catch you outside these walls, it'll be your funeral!"

He then turned his venomous gaze on Vincent before storming off with his men in tow.

"Bye-bye, Giant Idiot!" 

Caelius called out cheerfully, waving as he watched Grarik's retreating form disappear into the distance.

As the crowd began to disperse, Vincent turned to face Caelius, his unexpected ally in this strange new world.

"Thank you for stepping in," Vincent said, genuine gratitude in his voice.

Caelius waved his hand dismissively. 

"Don't mention it. I didn't do it for you – I just can't stand that guy. Besides, it was hilarious watching his face turn black with anger. Did you see that?" He broke into laughter once more.

Vincent could only manage a wry smile. It seemed he had encountered quite the character.

"I'm Caelius, by the way. And you are?" the golden-haired man asked, extending his hand.

"Vincent," he replied, shaking Caelius' hand firmly.

"You're new here, aren't you?" Caelius asked, his eyes twinkling with curiosity.

"Is it that obvious?" Vincent asked, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

Caelius shrugged. 

"If you'd spawned in any other sanctuary, maybe not. But here? A human walking around without a mask or robe? That speaks volumes."

Vincent wanted to point out that Caelius himself wasn't exactly hiding, but he bit his tongue, the memory of his recent encounter still fresh in his mind.

"You seem to know that Thrygian well," Vincent observed. "Am I going to be in trouble after what just happened?"

Caelius stroked his chin thoughtfully. 

"Well, I do know Grarik, unfortunately. As for trouble… try not to dwell on it too much. We humans might be scarce here, but we're not without our own foundations. They won't openly attack you, especially not within the sanctuary. Unless…"

"Unless I'm outside," Vincent finished, understanding dawning on him.

Caelius nodded solemnly. 

"Come on," he said, his mood lightening. 

"I'll give you a tour of the sanctuary. You'll need to familiarize yourself with this place if you want to survive."