Chapter 40 "Arwen The Betrayed"

In that sacred moment, as the Goddess's mournful voice whispered in his ears, Ioki felt an indescribable connection with a higher power. Could a Goddess truly feel sorrow? He pondered this profound question as his heart swelled with empathy.

"No! I have no obligation to entertain any of your requests, especially after what one of your followers, Sister Elia in particular, had done to me! Can you even imagine that? A Sister harmed me on the holy grounds of your Church!" Ioki exclaimed, his expression souring as he recalled the painful memory of Sister Elia's actions.

"What? That Sister? She is probably the kindest NPC in Ruina." Amogus typed.

"I agree with that! Even if your honor has dropped under -200, she would still pray for you and even pardon your sins!" DarkFlame typed.

"Did you actually flirted with her, you brat? ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ" Ms. Maria typed.

Ioki looked toward the sphere with a hint of frustration as he explained, "Flirting didn't even cross my mind when I entered the Church! It's a sacred place; why would I have dirty thoughts? I was just trying to get my Identification done, and I even donated quite a lot of Gold to Priest Albert..." He trailed off, clearly recalling the unpleasant experience.

A smug expression slowly formed on Ioki's face. "You see, because you're Goddess Fortuna's best friend, I'd love to help you," he said, raising his index finger in the air. "But, I have one condition! What can you offer me? I believe this deserves more than just a minor blessing."

The chat buzzed with reaction upon seeing Ioki negotiating with the Goddess of Light.

"There it is, the smug." SweetLily typed.

"How dare you treat Goddess Lumiere that way!" Saintess Rina typed.

"AHAHAHA! ONCE AGAIN HE HAD THEM UNDER HIS FEET!" DarkFlame typed.

"God of Destruction joyfully laughs on your terms." A blue window popped up.

Soon after, Ioki's body was enveloped in an illustrious light, reminiscent of the divine radiance that pierced the heavens during the duel against Ragthar.

"Goddess of Light has blessed you with Blessings of Light (Major)

Goddess of Light has granted you a skill with God of Destruction's help, Fist of Light (Active)."

Seeing the blue windows popped up before Ioki, the chat went wild again.

"I'VE DEDICATED MY LIFE TO HER. WHY AM I ONLY BLESSED WITH INTERMEDIATE BLESSING?" Saintess Rina typed.

"2 consecutive skills from the Gods, not to count the other blessings from the others... Not even the top rankers have achieved such things." Absusbsj typed.

Ioki smiled upon seeing the results of his negotiation, "Now that's how you get a new follower. Light my way, Lumiere!"

The ambiance around him seemed to hush as if awaiting the Goddess's response.

A soft, ethereal voice whispered once more, "Thank you, Ioki. The darkness that plagues this land is a corruption that must be cleansed. Arwen was a beacon of hope in this realm, and his spirit deserves peace. Seek the truth, for the key to his salvation lies within this tomb."

The golden writings on the tomb shifted, rearranging themselves into a new message as the Goddess faintly whispered, "I have used much of my divinity, I don't have much left. Listen closely and follow what I'll say: The Light shall show mercy to the one who embraces its warmth. As the gates of Heaven open for the damned, rest O' weary soul..."

Ioki followed the Goddess's whispered words precisely, mimicking her intonation and tone. Slowly, a ball of light appeared from the writings, floating in the air and circling Ioki.

It moved to the front of the tomb, dispersed, and created a tear in reality, revealing a portal glowing with a hypnotic shade of purple.

The Goddess's voice faded, leaving Ioki in awe of the monumental task ahead.

"Leader! I don't know what you're going to do, but you've got this!" Joki cheered, raising both arms in support.

"You'll follow me!" Ioki declared as he dragged Joki to the portal.

"Please! I don't want to die!" Joki cried while he tried to hold himself with his spear stabbed to the ground.

The chatroom erupted with encouragement, with messages of faith and hope flooding in.

"Truly, you are indeed the Wonderboy! While we are resting after the raid, we will watch your LIVE!" Nagao typed.

"You've got this, Ioki!" IokiFanNo.2

"We're with you all the way!" Ripple Seer typed.

"Let's save Arwen together!" Ruina_Gov

Ioki couldn't help but smile beneath his mask, touched by the outpouring of support.

He embarked on the sacred quest with Joki as the chats sent him written supports.

With the Goddess's plea echoing in his heart, Ioki took his first step into the portal while dragging Joki behind him, determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

The air grew colder and moist as the reality shifted after he stepped into the portal.

Glowing fungi cast eerie, shifting shadows on the crumbling stone walls, creating an atmosphere that sent shivers down his spine. The walls bore inscriptions of a forgotten time, telling stories of heroes long past.

A giant dark obelisk rose into the gloomy red sky, a red Gargoyle statue decorated the top of it. Signs of sacrifices lay at the obelisk's base, with blood, bones, and even fresh corpses of strange creatures emitting a nauseating scent of death.

Ioki walked toward the obelisk, realizing that there might be no turning back after stepping into the portal.

Each step closer left an indelible mark on his psyche, with distant otherworldly noises gradually giving way to a haunting silence. Maddening whispers entered his ears as the shadows danced malevolently.

"L---leader..." Joki's trembling hand touched Ioki's shoulder. "W---we should go back... The voices are telling me to bite my tongue!"

Ioki reached Joki's paw with his hand and grasped it tight while looking at him with a bright smile, "Don't worry, the Gods and Goddesses have planned a banquet over our triumph!"

Feeling reassured by hearing his Pack Leader's words, Joki smiled as he grasped his spear tighter.

As they took another step forward, the ground trembled violently. A wave of dark energy tore apart the path between them and the obelisk, and a black spear emerged from the obelisk, followed by a hand.

Slowly, the owner behind the hand appeared, a towering figure clad in dark armor. As he took another step, they could see him fully.

Glossy black armor, stained with traces of blood, bore a crest that had been scratched and defiled on his chest.

His right arm wielded the black spear, while the other hand held a helmet adorned with a remnant of a red feather, most of which had been burnt.

The visor of the helmet slowly opened, and a heavy, distorted voice pierced the deafening silence. "Asvale!"

Yes... The helmet just talked on its own... What stood before them was an otherworldly horror, a Knight without a head.

The ground trembled again as the hooves and voices of daunting neighs approached.

A decaying white horse rushed into the Dark Knight's side, its body bearing wounds from sharp objects, bones poking through its skin. Strangest of all was its skull-like head, adorned with three horns.

The Dark Knight mounted the undead horse, and the visor of his helmet moved again. "Jezetein, the seal has been broken. A visitor from another realm has intruded on this sacred ground!"

Slowly, the sound of cracks came from above the obelisk. The Gargoyle on top of the obelisk shed its stone skin, its once rigid wings have come to life. It slowly descends as it circles the obelisk before floating above the Dark Knight.

Slowly, the oppressive silence was broken as the Gargoyle opened its mouth, "Ahh! How many years has it been since the last massacre?" its eerie voice reverberated on the otherworldly realm.

 The Betrayed, Arwen

 Lv: 150 | Dark Knight

 Old Empire

 Str: 171

 Dex: 90

 Con: 180

 Int: 158

 Wis: 120

 Cha: 185

 Jezetein

 Lv: 100 | Blazing Gargoyle

 Efreet's Witness

 Str: 44

 Dex: 63

 Con: 66

 Int: 142

 Wis: 148

 Cha: 78

"WARNING! STRONG OPPONENTS DETECTED! YOU SHOULD RETURN TO YOUR DESIGNATED LEVEL AREA!"

Ioki's face went pale as he saw these ghastly figures before him. Joki clutched his spear tighter as he pointed it toward them while trembling.

Jezetein grinned widely, revealing sharp teeth behind his sinister grin, "Tell me, have the Humans finally come to their senses? Will they finally accept their fated demise?"

Hearing the unpleasant voice of Jezetein is enough to drive Ioki insane as if the battle between them has already started with Jezetein making its first move...

*Plap*

Joki put his hand on Ioki's shoulder, this time with a firm grip, as if telling him "You got this, Leader!"

"Please! Spare me! This one is the foolish one who broke the seal and intruded on your realm!" Joki cried, pushing Ioki away.

Apparently, Joki's touch on his shoulder was not one of reassurance, but a touch of betrayal...

Strange whispers filled Ioki's ears again, frustration replacing the fear. He clenched his fist so hard that blood began to seep from it.

"Shut your trap, you puny creature!" Jezetein shouted, a fiery ball forming in his mouth.

*WOOSH*

The ball of flame shot past Ioki.

*BOOM*

"KIEEEK!"

The explosion resounded, accompanied by a Kobold's cry. Joki was blasted away, his body motionless. One commendable thing about him was his tenacity to not relinquish his spear till the very end.

Seeing Joki lying lifelessly before his eyes stirred emotions in Ioki that he couldn't put into words...

"I didn't even use 10% of my Master's power. A puny creature like you should just let your Master do the talking!" Jezetein taunted.

On one side, Joki was his new companion, and they had shared laughter and playful banter just hours ago. But now, this companion had betrayed him...

Ioki couldn't bring himself to be angry with Joki; he knew that survival in this world required making difficult choices. Dwelling on it would only give him a headache. Instead, he raised his fists and charged forward.

"DIE!" Ioki shouted as he rushed toward Arwen and his horse.

"Wall of Flame!" Jezetein casted a spell.

Suddenly, a line of flames appeared, separating Ioki and Arwen. However, Ioki pressed forward, charging fist first into the curtain of flames.

"Your courage is commendable, but if that's all you have, even an idiot could do the same," Arwen taunted from behind the flames.

As Ioki emerged from the flames, his body was sent back by a black spear swung by Arwen.

"Show me the power of the current Empire!" Arwen shouted as he swung his spear in the air.

"URGENT QUEST!

Lumiaris, Answer My Prayer! | Grade: World

Defeat the fallen hero of the Old Empire and find the truth behind his corrupted soul.

Reward: Chain Quest 'Are You Fighting For The Right Cause?', EXP, Golds, Goddess of Light's favorability, Holy Empire favorability, Honors, other rewards vary on the result.

Penalty: The advancement of "Hell Realm" content, Devils and Demons would occasionally spawn affecting the world, Excommunication from major cities, Honor -100000, The Holy Empire will hunt you down, Curse of Light."

The chats went wild upon seeing the rumored World Grade quest pop up before Ioki as they watched his LIVE.

Ioki struggled to stand back up as his health was almost drained by a third of it with Arwen's swing. Every breath he takes is constrained by the excruciating pain on his left side.

"Don't tell me this is how much the Empire amounts to, pathetic!" Arwen shouted as he charged forward.

The galloping sound and Asvale's screech filled the silence, accompanied by Ioki's ragged breathing.

As Arwen approached Ioki, he raised his spear and jousted Ioki.

Waiting for the right momentum, Ioki parried the spear tip with his right hook. After the hook disrupted Arwen's balance, Ioki weaved to the right and stepped forward as he turned his vision to the left.

He jabbed and followed it with a straight punch on Asvale's passing body. Another jab followed, and he shouted as his fist reached Asvale's back, "Air Punch!" A ball of energy shot from his fist, brushing against Asvale's tail.

Ioki's misjudgement on his side wasted a golden opportunity that might damage Asvale. Seeing that Arwen's health remained unscathed despite a few hits, Ioki assumed that Arwen and Asvale had separate HP.

After a sudden halt, Asvale turned and rushed at Ioki again. "You can't work miracles twice!" Arwen shouted.

Slowly, four balls of purple flames were conjured behind Arwen's body. "Will O' Wisp!" He shouted as the ball of fire slowly floated toward Ioki.

Ioki dodged the first by leaping up, nearly making a fatal mistake... The second followed from behind, and he narrowly avoided it by shifting his body weight.

The third approached as he touched the ground and performed a flip to evade it, while the fourth missed the mark entirely.

Annoyed by the succession of dodge Ioki had shown. Jezetein shouted angrily, "You little rat! Scorch!"

Ioki's surroundings were marked with red circles before a pillar of flame erupted, engulfing him.

"AGHH! IT BURNS!" Ioki screamed as he dropped and rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire.

Seeing Ioki writhing on the ground, Jezetein laughed maniacally, "AHAHAHAHA! DESERVED!"

Slowly, Ioki's HP bar dropped till it passed the half bar. After the flame was finally gone from his body, he opened his inventory and took a Health Potion. Ioki's burnt body is slowly recovering as his HP is filled again.

Ioki glared at the laughing Jezetein.

*WOOSH*

*BOOM*

A black object entered Ioki's vision; he barely dodged it and shifted his attention to Arwen with nothing in his right hand.

The black spear grazed Ioki's cheek, blood trickling down his leather mask. "Do not divert your attention, boy! If this is what the Empire has to offer, I will gladly raze the Capital after I send you to that fucking Goddess myself."

After his laughter subsided, Jezetein chimed in. "Perhaps even the Goddess herself will laugh upon seeing her former Saint turned sinner! HAHAHAHA! THE IRONY!"

A flicker of movement entered Ioki's vision before he slowly smiled, "You dogshit of a companion!" He mumbled.

"Agh! WHAT?!" Jezetein's laugh was cut short before he finally turned around and looked behind.

A spear barely made its way through his wings. The thing that proudly carried him in the air is pierced with an ordinary makeshift spear.

"Grrrrr! No one messes with Joki and lives to tell the tale!" Joki growled, locking eyes with Jezetein and baring his fangs.

Wasting no chance, Ioki screamed. "Laugh It Off!" As he pointed toward Arwen.

Arwen's distorted voice slowly tried its hardest to mimic laughter, "HaHaHahAHahA!"

As Arwen laughs, he loses control of his body, and Asvale goes wild upon hearing the distorted laughter of his rider.

Ioki, although laughing himself, rushed toward Jezetein while opening his inventory.

*FWEEEET!*

The sound of a whistle with the occasional chuckles filled the somber air.

Five Kobolds appeared out of thin air, wearing equipment in their hands, fully equipped with iron armor from head to toe.

o Dog's Whistle

o Grade: Unique

o Summon Kobolds with boosted stats. (The number and power of the Kobolds summoned scales with Charisma and Level)

o Description: Ultrasonic tone to command Canines alike and garner their supports.