Chapter 46: Trial of Hanox (2)

"I see, then please give it to me. I’m ready," Kai, having prepared himself mentally, stretched out his arms wide and boldly requested.

—...Give you what?

"Aren't you here to pass on your power to the fourth Solaris Cleric?"

—Sorry, but you are mistaken. Although I am conversing with you with a semblance of self-awareness, I am essentially a fragment of thought. I have neither the ability nor the reason to pass on such power.

"Then... why are you here?"

—Feeding someone cooked fish is not the duty of an ancestor.

"Are you going to teach me how to fish then?"

—You catch on quickly. That’s right. I created this trial to teach you how to become stronger. As you know, a Solaris Cleric is powerful in itself. However...

Patrick spread his hands wide. At the same time, an amazing light radiated from his entire body, and Holy Power swirled around like a storm.

After a series of processes, three items floated in front of him. There was a ring, a set of clothes, and an object resembling the sword Patrick was wearing. Even just looking at them provided an indescribable feeling, capturing the viewer's attention.

—The truly frightening aspect of a Solaris Cleric is the power passed down from one generation to the next.

Stunned, Kai's eyes widened.

Power is passed down... from one generation to the next?

Did that mean he would have not only Patrick's, who was called the strongest Paladin in the history of the Church of Solaris, but also the first and second generations' power?

Excitement caused Kai's palms to sweat. "What exactly is... a Solaris Cleric?"

—That's a good question. The Solaris Cleric is a symbol of salvation. It's not a being that appears during absolute peace. Our appearance signals that darkness is coming. It's no coincidence that you became an apostle in such a time. However....

Patrick slightly shook his head.

—Your current power is far too weak. You must hurry and grow stronger to be able to stand against the darkness.

"I will keep that in mind," Kai nodded, his eyes sparkling.

Patrick wouldn't have shown such items without reason. Sure enough, the three items floated up in turn.

—The Holy Ring Petra, the Holy Sword Prius, and the Holy Pauldron Nike.

Are they Rare items? Or Unique? No, they're beyond that.

Despite being mere illusions of Holy Power, the items boasted a presence that seemed to capture the soul of anyone who saw them. Therefore, their value couldn't possibly be so trivial.

They must be at least Legendary-grade items.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The scale beyond his imagination made Kai take a big swallow.

I-is one of those a reward for passing the Trial of Hanox?

Kai, who let his thoughts get ahead of himself, licked his lips as he calmed his pounding heart.

—It seems you've noticed, so I'll explain it simply. From now on, you must search for these items to inherit the power left by us, your predecessors."

"Wait a minute. Isn't one of them here with you?"

When Kai asked with a disappointed expression, Patrick let out a low laugh.

—You're quite greedy, aren't you? Even just one of these items falling into the hands of the forces of darkness could bring about a terrible nightmare. They are sacred objects of the church, entrusted only to those who have been thoroughly vetted.

"If they're entrusted to someone you can fully trust... are they kept with the main church of the Church of Solaris?"

—Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Patrick replied in a sad voice.

—I also had a burning desire to trust my brothers who serve the same god... but I judged it too careless to trust the wavering hearts of humans.

"...Then where are they?" Kai asked with a slightly anxious voice.

Hundreds of years had passed and there was no guarantee that the items were still in that place.

Then Patrick noticed Kai's anxiety and reassured him.

—Oh, of course, the relics are safely kept. You don't have to worry about that.

"Ten years can change rivers and mountains... and it's already been hundreds of years though."

—It doesn't matter. I entrusted them to beings that wouldn’t change even after hundreds of years."

“Who are...?"

—The sacred objects have been entrusted to the Wardens of the Forest, the Bastions of the Sea, and the Guardian of the Land.

"...Oh my." A sigh mixed with despair flowed from Kai's mouth.

This damn game, it's so twisted.

Kai, feeling dizzy, pressed the middle of his furrowed brows. His face seemed to have aged about three weeks in an instant!

The reason for his stress was not unfounded.

But as far as I know, there's only one Warden of the Forest.

They were a staple protagonist that never failed to appear in fantasy stories. They were undoubtedly the elves, and this fact drove Kai to despair.

What was the level restriction where the Elven Forest was again...?

If his memory served him correctly, the monsters appearing near the Elven Forest were at least level 200. Naturally, given that the game had only been released for about five months, not a single player had gone near the Elven Forest, let alone inside it.

"Phew. Well, okay. Elves aside... What about the other two species?"

—They are mermaids and dwarves. All three species have a basic lifespan of at least a thousand years.

"Oh."

The elves were enough to cause a headache, but now there were even dwarves and mermaids.

Of course, he had heard rumors that some dwarves worked in the empire's workshops.

But they wouldn’t possess the sacred objects.

Ultimately, he would have to visit their kingdoms, and naturally, no one knew where those kingdoms were located. However, Kai wasn't overly concerned about that.

Patrick will let me know, won't he?

Kai waited quietly for Patrick's explanation to continue. However, no one spoke.

An awkward silence flowed between the two men as they stared at each other.

Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, Kai said, "Um... Aren't you going to explain further?"

—Hm? I've already explained everything... Is there something you didn't understand?

It wasn't that there was something he didn't understand, there was nothing to understand!

"Well, I mean... Of course, the elves would be in the Elven Forest, but where do the mermaids and dwarves live?"

—The mermaids live in the underwater kingdom of Aquavera, and the dwarves in the underground city of Ingart. However, the mermaid's kingdom moves twenty-four hours a day so it is impossible to pinpoint a specific location.

"And what about Ingart?"

—The dwarves are extremely cautious beings. As such, it's known they rebuild their kingdom elsewhere every five hundred years.

"...So you're saying you don't know where the dwarves and mermaids currently are, right?"

—Exactly.

"Seriously?"

—Seriously.

Kai was left speechless, his expression one of utter disbelief. And slowly, a volcano-like anger began to rise within him!

After calming himself with a deep breath, Kai asked again, "Still, there must be some way to find them, right?"

—Hmm. While these species generally exclude humans, they do engage in active exchange with each other. Why not go and ask around in the Elven Forest?

Patrick answered evasively just like a corrupt government official!

According to Patrick’s words, becoming stronger right now was out of the question.

I got my hopes up for nothing.

While he was disappointed, it wasn't incomprehensible. Surely giving away such items early on would disrupt the game's balance.

"Alright. Anyway, regardless of how long it takes, I’ll gather all three sacred objects."

—That’s the right attitude.

"By the way, what happens once I gather all three sacred objects?"

—That, you will naturally come to know.

"Okay."

After the conversation ended, Kai simply stared at Patrick.

—Why are you looking at me like that?

"...So, you've finished what you had to say now, right?"

—Yes.

"Are you sure you haven't forgotten to give me something?"

—Nothing.

"Think about it again, please."

—Give me a moment then.

Patrick, stroking his chin thoughtfully for a moment, then shook his head.

—Hmm. No, nothing.

"...Then, I'll be on my way."

—I pray for there to be light on the path you walk.

After saying a prayer with a majestic voice, Patrick's body slowly began to dissipate. Although it was a brief encounter, Patrick left a strong impression.

Kai slightly bowed his head toward him.

"I also pray that you relieve all your unfinished duties and go to a better place, sunbae."

—Thank you.

The room, once filled with radiance, returned to its original state, and Kai looked inside the opened box.

"...It's really just empty."

The splendid box was excessively packaged like a bag of snacks!

Moreover, Kai's quest was still incomplete. The reason was that he had not cleared the Trial of Hanox properly. This meant that eventually, he would have to defeat all the knights in the previous rooms.

"That means I have to come here again."

After going through much trouble and getting nothing out of it, Kai left the dungeon with a gloomy stride.

***

When he returned to Glendale, the recruitment for the expedition was in full swing. Word of mouth had spread about the expedition, and the square was bustling with players wanting to participate.

Of course, Kai had no need to apply for the expedition in the square.

"Oh, welcome!" As he headed to Baron Arsen's mansion, he was greeted much more warmly than before. "Hahaha. It's an honor to have the Saint of Glendale to visit in person."

"I-it’s embarrassing to be called that...."

"I was just teasing, you know?" Baron Arsen, laughing heartily, treated Kai like a VIP.

Baron Arsen’s eyes conveyed an unbearable affection for Kai. After all, Kai had not only brought back the missing citizens of his governed city but also eliminated a dangerous boss monster that had been lurking nearby.

"I would have wanted to introduce you to my daughter if I could, but unfortunately, I don't have one. Haha."

"That really is unfortunate. If she resembled you, who is so handsome, she would’ve surely been beautiful!"

"Ahem! Right. Speaking of which, I was quite popular back in my younger days."

Praise on looks, capability, and family were three things no one could ever dislike.

Kai, having lightened the mood appropriately, casually brought up the topic, "I saw the city was quite lively on my way here."

"Well, we are recruiting for the expedition. We need many adventurers like you to sign up."

"It'll be hard to find someone like me."

"What? Hahaha! This guy, you sure know how to make a joke!"

[Affinity with Barson Arsen increased by 3.]

Kai smiled broadly.

When dealing with NPCs, not only was it essential to respond promptly, but throwing in a joke with flattery from time to time was well-liked!

Heh. It feels like dealing with the elders at the nursing home.

Kai had participated in various volunteer activities since he was young! Perhaps because of this, he not only naturally learned to have a silver tongue but also how to score points with people.

"Oh, by the way, I have a gift for you."

"...A gift?" Kai blinked in surprise.

He reacted this way because he hadn't expected it at all.

However, Baron Arsen looked as though it was only natural. "Son, you are so interested in others' affairs, yet you know too little of your own. You're already considered a saint by the people. I'd be criticized if I treated such a person poorly."

With a warm smile, the baron took out a book from the drawer.