The ascension to Rank E felt like a massive wall had crumbled in Archelius's mind. The exhaustion was still present, but the power was palpable. He spent a few minutes resting on the cooling carcass of the Obsidian Raptor, letting his natural regeneration raise his HP slowly.
He immediately engaged the new features of the System.
[Map Function: Active.]
A three-dimensional topographical map materialized in his vision. It displayed Aethelgard as a vast, circular hellscape surrounding the central storm. Crucially, it showed his current location—a remote, high peak—and the location of major magical nexuses, marked by pulsating energy signatures.
The closest stable, high-level nexus was located about a day's travel away, situated within a deep valley near the ruined temples—a place labeled 'The Citadel of Whispers.'
"The Citadel," Archelius murmured. "It sounds like a place to find information, or at least a stable population of higher-level targets."
He also checked his inventory. The Obsidian Raptor, being Level 22, dropped a significant cache of materials.
[Obsidian Raptor Materials Acquired:]
Raptor Talon (High Grade) x 2
Obsidian Scale Plate (Excellent) x 5
Divine Blood Shard (Minor) x 1 - NEW!
Divine Blood Shard. The discovery sent a jolt of excitement through him. This must be the key to crafting the most powerful Rank E weapons.
He quickly spent his available Skill Point, investing it into the new, continuous combat skill he relied upon.
[War God's Strike (Rank F+) Upgraded to Rank E. Cost: 1 Skill Point.]
[Damage increased by 20%. Now channels Rank E system energy. Core Power cost remains 1 per second.]
The change was instantaneous. The silver-violet energy radiating from the Divine Edge deepened, humming with a new, powerful resonance. His Rank F skills were now being fueled by Rank E power—a dangerous but powerful imbalance.
The Descent and the Ambush
Archelius began the long, careful descent from the peak. The journey was a constant grind against remaining Level 18 Obsidian Warriors, which he now dispatched with terrifying speed, barely needing the War God's Fist. He reached Level 7 rapidly, gaining another Skill Point, which he immediately sank into defense.
[Iron Skin (Rank F) Upgraded to Rank E. Cost: 1 Skill Point.]
[Physical Resistance +25%. Defense +10.]
He now possessed the defensive strength of a high-level Rank E fighter, coupled with the offensive power of a Rank E weapon, while still only Level 7. He was punching far above his weight class.
As he reached the mid-mountain slopes, the Map function alerted him to a cluster of signatures below—not enemy signatures, but an anomaly.
[Anomaly Detected: Primitive Shelter. Level 1 (F) Humanoids Detected. Caution: High Risk of Intervention.]
Humanoids?
He paused, hiding behind a massive, fractured column. He used his enhanced Sprint Burst to reach a vantage point overlooking a small, concealed cave entrance.
Inside the cave, huddled around a meager fire, were three figures. They were young, terrified, and dressed in tattered remnants of clothing that looked vaguely familiar.
One was a bulky young man with a nasty, unhealed gash on his arm. Another was a slender, fiery-haired girl clutching a broken stick. The third was a quiet, nervous boy huddled by the wall.
He recognized them instantly, despite the grime and fear distorting their features.
"Theodore. Raji. Lisa."
They were his former Academy classmates. They had been transported to Aethelgard just like him.
They were all Level 1 or Level 2 at best, completely unprepared for this world. They were desperately trying to survive with the knowledge of Core Zero training.
Unseen Authority
Archelius watched them for a moment, a wave of familiar frustration and newfound responsibility washing over him. They were hopelessly weak, and their presence put his immediate mission at risk.
Suddenly, Raji, the fiery girl, shrieked, pointing at the cave entrance.
"Watch out! Something's coming!"
A group of enemies materialized silently outside the cave—six Void Lurkers (Level 5) and two Razor Hounds (Level 8). They had scented the weak human presence.
Theodore, despite his fear, tried to rally. He was attempting to channel Mana, something Archelius knew was impossible without a core.
"Focus your energy! We can hold them off!" Theodore yelled, raising his hands, his knuckles white with strain. No magic responded.
The Lurkers hissed and charged the cave.
Archelius knew he couldn't leave them. His history with them was painful, but they were humans—and they were hopelessly outmatched.
He leaped from his vantage point, descending onto the backs of the two Razor Hounds like a Rank E thunderbolt. He didn't use the War God's Fist; he used the Divine Edge and the precise, deadly power of War God's Strike.
SHINK! SLICE!
The Rank E blade, channeled by his Core Power, sliced through the necks of the two Level 8 Hounds before they could even bark. They collapsed, dead before they hit the ground.
[Razor Hound (Level 8) Defeated. XP Gained: 80.]
[Razor Hound (Level 8) Defeated. XP Gained: 80.]
The Void Lurkers stopped instantly, their three red eyes focused on the sudden, powerful figure standing over the corpses of the Hounds.
Archelius didn't give them a chance to react. He activated Sprint Burst and became a silver-violet blur, moving with impossible speed among the Lurkers, dispatching them with surgical, terrifying precision.
CRACK! CRACK!
Six Level 5 Lurkers fell in less than three seconds, dispatched by clean cuts and precise thrusts to their heads.
[Total XP Gained: 540. Total XP: 140/3200.]
Archelius stood in the cave entrance, the Divine Edge deactivated but still smoking faintly, his breathing steady. His black jacket was lightly dusted with the monsters' ash, but he was otherwise untouched.
The interior of the cave was silent. Theodore, Raji, and Lisa stared at the terrifying figure standing in the gore of the defeated monsters. They didn't recognize the power, the speed, or the raw, cold authority.
The Revelation of Power
Raji was the first to speak, her voice trembling but sharp. "Who are you? What kind of magic is that?"
Theodore squinted at the figure, recognizing the tall, thin build, but unable to reconcile it with the godlike display of power. "Your uniform… wait... Archelius?"
Archelius deactivated his Iron Skin and let the violet glow of the Divine Edge recede entirely. He sheathed the sword and stepped fully into the light of the meager fire, the blood on his clothes showing clearly.
He looked exactly like the pathetic Core Zero they had known—except for the cold, lethal resolve in his eyes, the subtle strength in his posture, and the Rank E Arm Guard on his forearm.
"It's me," Archelius said simply, his voice low and firm. He didn't offer comfort; he offered command. "What happened to the others?"
Raji was speechless. Lisa was openly weeping. Theodore, recovering from the shock, struggled to explain.
"We... we were translocated into groups," Theodore stammered. "Everyone was separated. We lost Klaus and Bethany near the arrival point. We've been here for maybe three days. We can't fight anything. We tried to cycle our mana, but nothing works, just like back home!"
"Mana Cores are useless here," Archelius confirmed, ignoring the renewed surge of awe and shock on their faces. "This world operates on a different system. Now listen. You are Level 1s. You can't survive out here for another hour."
Raji, regaining some of her fiery spirit, challenged him. "And you can? You were the weakest link! What are you now, a Rank B mage?"
Archelius didn't bother explaining the complexities of the War God System or his Rank E weapon fueled by Rank F+ skills. He simply activated the War God's Strike on his Divine Edge.
The blade flared to life, humming with resonant violet energy that cast stark shadows across the cave walls. The sheer power radiating from the blade was overwhelming, making the Level 1 students physically recoil.
"I am the key to your survival," Archelius stated, his voice resonating with an authority they had never heard from him. "I am Level 7, Rank E weapon. I defeated a Level 22 Obsidian Raptor on the peak. You will do exactly what I tell you, without question, or you will die."
His statement, cold, calculated, and terrifyingly true, instantly crushed any resistance. Theodore, a boy who once sneered at Archelius, now looked at him with profound, desperate respect.
"We will follow you, Archelius," Theodore said, speaking for the group. "What is your command?"
Archelius looked at the terrified students. He had gained more than just power; he had gained immediate, absolute authority. He was the strongest force they had ever encountered.
"First," Archelius said, sheathing the deadly sword. "We need to craft basic supplies from those Lurker remnants. Then, you will act as bait. I need to level up rapidly, and you will draw the targets."
The game had changed. Archelius was no longer a solo survivor; he was a warlord, and he had acquired his first three, utterly reliant subordinates.