Chapter 53: The Silver Palace
"From what I’m seeing, I have several options to pick from, and depending on the class, I have to spend more or less evolution points." Winston exclaimed thoughtfully.
"Do you know what you’re going to pick?" Leonard asked.
"Of course! I have known from the moment I awakened my Bloodline!" Winston declared proudly.
"There is nothing that fits me better than the role of a Tank!"
His lips curled into a grin as he selected the class.
"The starting skill I have obtained is Taunt. It allows me to pull the aggro of monsters toward me. The higher the skill’s level, the longer the effect lasts and the more effective it is against intelligent enemies."
At long last, Winston was going to properly play his role as a Tank by covering for his allies!
"Congratulations." Leonard nodded, redistributing his own points.
Name: Leonard
Level: 9 [Experience: 125/1,200]
Bloodline: Primordial
Vitality: 18 → 21
Strength: 20
Agility: 18
Endurance: 24
Magic: 28 → 30
Mana: 280 → 300
Skills: Lightning Strike, Dimensional Storage
Attribute Points: 5 → 0
Evolution Points: 400 → 410
Traits: Accelerated Manaflow, Hardened Physique, Devoted Summons
Titles: Lumberjack, Inquisitor, One Man Army, Lone Diver
’I wonder what class options I will get?’ He wondered.
Considering that the rank of his Bloodline was going to play a major part, he could only imagine what classes were available for someone bearing a Primordial Bloodline like him.
His thoughts drifted to Ragnar, the spirit residing within the Titanic Oath.
Ever since the pact between them had been formed, Ragnar hadn’t initiated a conversation. If Leonard had to guess, the warrior probably didn’t see a point in doing so.
’Would he share his advice when I have to choose a class, or will he leave me on my own? Only time will tell.’
The party of four moved steadily north. Subtly, the environment grew colder. Snow started to fall and pile up against the ground.
"Great, if things weren’t bad enough, now we have to worry about frostbite too." Harley remarked bitterly and glanced at Elizabeth.
"Let me guess. You don’t find the cold unbearable."
"No." Elizabeth answered calmly, her demeanor unchanged.
"Look on the bright side! Thanks to the piled-up snow, the tiger has left imprints of its paws, marking a clear path. It’s only a matter of time until we find the orc shaman!" Winston said in a cheerful tone.
"I know you just gained a class, but how can you be so happy all the time? Aren’t you at least a bit cold?" Harley responded.
Winston tilted his head to the side and laughed out loud. "Not even a little! All this fat keeps me warm, even in the coldest blizzards!"
Leonard nodded in agreement. Hardened Physique negated the dropping temperature to a certain extent.
"Why am I always surrounded by weirdos?" Harley let out a defeated sigh and fixed her gaze forward, trying to ignore the bitter cold.
Although the shaman had a head start and was riding a saber-toothed tiger, they couldn’t have traveled far. After all, Leonard had struck them both in the rear by throwing his axe, seriously wounding them.
Slowly, they started to make out the top of a structure on the far horizon.
A large palace stood out amidst the falling snow like a beacon. Its shiny material reflected the light, catching their attention.
[You have entered the territory of the Silver Palace!]
[All gained experience and Evolution Points would be doubled from now on.]
[Your Level has been deemed too low. It is highly advised to turn back.]
"The heck?" Leonard halted instantly, his quickened heartbeat ranging in his ears.
He had faced all kinds of unreasonable challenges until now, yet this was the first time the system explicitly warned him that his destination was dangerous and should reconsider.
Harley and Winston were similarly startled, stopping on the spot. Their eyes scanned the system notification several times to make sure they weren’t imagining things.
Elizabeth was the only one who wasn’t surprised.
"At least we know where we are now."
The three looked at her, lost for words.
"Mind filling us in?" Leonard asked at last. It was clear she knew more than them.
Elizabeth met their gazes.
"All this time, I wondered where the Void Believers had teleported us. After all, they couldn’t have simply put us in some random location without a reason. Now everything makes sense... The Silver Palace was once a Bastion governed by humanity long ago, before it succumbed to corruption."
She paused briefly, letting the words settle.
"Not much is known about it, other than that it is a potential hideout for Void Believers and a place so dangerous that even Gradeless Response Units are reluctant to enter without a good reason."
Harley blinked slowly.
"How come this is the first time I’m hearing about this?"
"This is a highly guarded secret kept even among those in the Upper Sector." Elizabeth replied.
"Revealing such information to awakeners yet to attend the academy is too risky. Besides the Silver Palace, there are many other similar places that are said to serve as experimental grounds for the Void Believers, where they dwelled with forbidden powers."
"Does that mean you have grasped their true goal?" Leonard arched an eyebrow.
"I believe so." Elizabeth nodded.
"They have teleported the participants of the entrance exam around the Silver Palace and ordered the nearby monsters to capture them and bring them for whatever reason. Our encounter with the orc tribe is surely not unique."
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Winston’s eyes went wide. "So you’re telling us that following the Orc Shaman is straight up walking into their trap?! Then it’s a no-brainer! We have to get out of here!"
He turned around, ready to leave, only to realize nobody followed him.
[Corruption 72%]
"I’m afraid we don’t have any other choice." Leonard shook his head. "We are almost out of time, and the shaman still has the only means of calling for help."
"But what if the amulet turns out to be a dud?" Winston reasoned, searching for a way out.
"Joker had it for a while. He would have known if it was a counterfeit."
"..."
"I hate to admit it, but you are right..." With no other ideas coming to mind, Winston’s head dropped in defeat. "It’s just not fair how we always have to go toward the scarier-looking path!"
The party grew even more vigilant as they threaded forward.
’The silver lining is that at least we know our exact location, which will come in handy after we retrieve the amulet.’ Leonard thought.
Before they were able to enter the Silver Palace, a monster blocked their path.
Its appearance was similar to that of a bald human. Its skin resembled burned charcoal, while its jaws protruded over half its head. Drool fell from the edge of its mouth as if it were suffering from endless hunger and had sharp claws.
[Level 7 Hollow.]
"What kind of monster is this? I have never seen anything similar to it." Leonard admitted, his fingers tightening around his axe.
"This is the end result of what happens when a human gets overwhelmed by corruption." Elizabeth explained.
"They turn into a Hollow."