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Jake’s warning before any attack arrived had allowed her to gather people in time. Hank, his children, Neil and his party, Lillian, and Phillip, had arrived in her underground ritual chamber. When Miranda saw Jake and the alien invader fight, she moved right away to have Neil prepare their escape path in case anything went wrong. She only vaguely remembered Jake mentioning this Grand Mangrove River and how he had passed through and met some friendly C-grades, but he seemed adamant that going there would be the wisest.

“I will need more time,” Neil said as he worked at high speed to set up the teleportation circle within the chamber. It was the same kind he had used all the way back in E-grade to reach Haven in the first place.

“Alright,” Miranda said as she sat down with crossed legs in the middle of her own ritual circle. The altars all around her flared to life as she began to work her magic, first creating a massive green barrier that protected the main city of Haven. Her eyes began to glow green as she took out several orbs and tossed them onto each of the altars and prepared to show the invaders why attacking a witch’s lair was considered a bad idea.

Casper frowned deeply as he looked at the approaching army. Priscilla joined him in the city spire with a worried look on her face. “Most of the Ghastpillars are already destroyed, and we won’t be able to get the defensive array up and running in anything less than a week.”

“I know,” Casper said as he kept staring. He had known this day would come. They both had. It was something that repeated itself time and time again. An event that every new universe seemed to go through, a tribulation the Risen always had to overcome.

They were hated by default. As undead, pre-conceived notions about their existence were always present, and they were viewed as evil simply for existing. So for the natives of a planet to seek their destruction should not come as a surprise, even if Casper, Priscilla, and all the leaders of the Risen on Earth hoped they could finally have a peaceful integration. With Jake and others having so much influence and no negative feelings towards the Risen, they had hope… but alas, the cycle repeated.

“The Holy Church joined them too, huh,” Casper said with disappointment as he saw some of the people approaching. A large group. He counted at least ten thousand D-grades from the Holy Church alone, backed up by even more from the United Cities Alliance. Even if Jacob had warned him during the last World Congress the Holy Church was planning something against the Risen… he did not expect this.

“Did you hear more from the Augur? I thought he would stop an attack, or at the very least warn us,” Priscilla asked.

“Nothing from him at all. I can’t even contact him anymore,” Casper shook his head. By now, they had an okay understanding of the unfolding situation, and for whatever reason, it seemed like the Holy Church had made some kind of pact with the United Cities Alliance to wipe out the Risen. This did not mean they had allied with the United Cities Alliance… just that they were willing to help an enemy to crush an even more hated enemy.

It should not be surprising. It was simply history repeating itself.

Casper closed his eyes as dark energy revolved around him. He looked behind and saw their own fighters begin to gather, preparing for battle. They were outnumbered significantly and were not truly an army like the Holy Church or United Cities Alliance. Especially not after many internal issues had popped up due to plants from the damn Alliance, including the destruction of many defensive buildings.

“We just need to buy time,” Priscilla assured him.

“I know,” Casper nodded. But he couldn’t help but wonder… what the fuck was Jacob doing? What was he planning?

“This time is crucial for you to ensure your C-grade evolution is as successful as possible,” the Bishop said as he guided Jacob through the grand hall. “As an Augur of Hope, you may be able to feel when people walk astray or need guidance, but to also know of what options they then have is entirely different.”

Jacob nodded in recognition as he followed the old man. Despite looking like just an average priest, he was a B-grade Bishop of the Holy Church and the leader of the Chapter that Jacob found himself in. Bertram was also off with some of the local templars to train, making them both busy men.

For a long time, the Holy Church had worked on a solution for people to potentially leave the ninety-third universe, and only a week or so ago, the first gate was successfully made. It was still limited to D-grades and could only send through a few people every day, but it was something. There was also the issue of it being one-way, but that was only a temporary challenge that mages both on Earth and in the wider universe were working on overcoming.

“The students you will meet are all struggling and performing below expectations. Some are veterans of many years, while others are new blood who showed great promise but suddenly began to squander. These were carefully curated, and we believe in your ability to set their fates right and lead them to the best Paths possible for them,” the Bishop said with a smile. “We expect much of you, Augur of Hope.”

Jacob once more nodded. “I shall do my utmost.”

“Good. It is also time you begin to look outwards. To not only focus on the small planet from which you originate. The Holy Church can be found in every universe, and there will always be places that need hope,” the man followed up.

Jacob agreed, but he would want to return to Earth anyway as there was lots of unfinished business there and many people he cared about.

The reason why he had left Earth was to ensure a successful evolution to C-grade. Earth was limited in many ways, and Jacob was implored to go after the gate was established. While he did have some reservations, he also knew he would only be gone for a few months at most, and considering the peaceful state of Earth, it was limited how much the council could mess up in that time, right?

Two flickering wisps observed the movement across the vast mountain range. Monsters of all sorts had assembled but not to fight. To observe. An army had arrived, teleported by what had to be a powerful C-grade. They had appeared extremely close to the Fallen King’s territory and not hesitated to attack. A few Pylons were stolen before the King made his move and tore the pathetic cretins to shreds.

But they kept coming, all led by another powerful leader. The monsters of Earth were no monolith. There was no dominant faction, no agreed-upon alliances or customs for how they would operate and interact. Unlike humans, they had no rules. There was only power. Power would get you followers as other monsters would seek to be under your wing. Be it for Records, treasures, or simply safety. This was why they gathered around powerful leaders.

The Fallen King was one such powerful leader with many beasts, elementals, and other monsters loyal to him.

Loyal until another monster presented itself capable of challenging his position. The Fallen King had never truly viewed this as a threat. C-grades would not come to challenge him as while there were no set rules, there was simply nothing in it for them to hunt down a D-grade. Even if that D-grade was strong enough to challenge a C-grade. There was also the fear of failing to kill him and the Fallen King returning for revenge. With the enhanced intelligence all C-grades experienced, it was no surprise none had been foolish enough to challenge him yet.

Until that day.

The army that had dared invade his domain was led by a creature, unlike anything the Fallen King had met before. Shifting ash, a living storm of half-burning embers, and a form that remained ever-changing. The Fallen King recognized this foe as the creature assembled itself into a form floating in between two mountains.

A Unique Lifeform. Like he.

[Ashen Phantom Devourer – lvl 199]

At the same level as him too. Both standing at the precipice, refining themselves and reaching for perfection. Proving their Paths.

“A Devourer by choice. Your Path is apparent to all. Laughable, as it is a foolish one,” the Fallen King spoke, his voice spreading throughout the mountain range for tens of thousands of monsters to hear.

“A King who has already Fallen once dares speak of foolishness. Be honored, and become sustenance for my Path,” the Ashen Phantom Devourer spoke as the sky trembled as it released its power.

“Fallen… and having learned from his fall,” the King answered back as his own power manifested, and the trembling sky was pushed back, space itself cracking from the clashing power of two Unique Lifeforms at the peak of D-grade.

They had no true reason to fight. They had never met, knew nothing of each other. And yet there was no doubt or hesitation in either of them. It was not a question of why or intent – neither needed any reason or justification. All there was left was the fight to discover who of them was supreme.

Jake felt like shit and just wanted to charge into the horizon to get back, but before doing anything else, he had to heal. Arcane Awakening had ravaged his body quite a bit, and the entire flung-across-the-planet thing had certainly not helped. He felt lucky he had landed in sand and not rock or maybe smashed into a mountain, but a part of him also doubted it was luck. The words Ell’Hakan had spoken made him believe the plan was never to kill him.

He quickly chugged a healing potion and entered meditation as Jake considered what kind of bullshit skill had been used on him. It did not seem like something a D-grade should be capable of at all. Was it due to that orb? The ritual circle? Or was it just a skill of an insanely high rarity? It had Yore in the name, so what if that was the skill granted by Yip of Yore from his True Blessing? Jake had gotten a divine rarity skill, and even if Ell’Hakan did not get that, it had to be at least mythical or something, right? Maybe above mythical but below divine, assuming there were rarities in between.

There were so many doubts in his mind, but one thing was clear as day: Jake had been countered. From the very moment he appeared, he had been playing along with whatever Ell’Hakan had planned. He hated the thought, but chances are killing Chris was done only with the intent to piss him off. If he had not done that, Jake would have just appeared confused about why the orange guy was there. But with the death of Chris, Jake had blown his fuse immediately and attacked like an absolute idiot. He had not acted according to anything he had practiced at all but just been tunnel-visioning from start to end. It was an utter failure on his part.

What made it even worse was that Jake had no fucking idea what it was all about. If the plan had always been to fight him, only to toss him away, why fight in the first place? To buy time? Did they even need to buy time with fighting? If Ell’Hakan had just talked, Jake would have been delayed plenty. And what did he hope to accomplish by sending Jake away? To take over Haven? Hurt those who lived there? If that was what he wanted, he could have just broken the monument before Jake could return to Earth. He clearly had time.

No, he had wanted Jake to return, and he had wanted to send him away to where he was now. But for the life of him, Jake could not figure out why the fuck he would want that. Just to try and spread rumors and ruin Jake’s reputation? Why the fuck would he think Jake would care about that?

Jake was annoyed beyond belief as he tried to focus on something more positive. Like the fact he at least got in a nice blow at the end. He had killed two of them, and he knew from their level of power they were not weak, and to cultivate people of that power this early on in the integration meant a significant investment. No matter what, it had to have been a loss that stung.

Checking his notifications, he saw he also gained a level.

*You have slain [Nahoom - lvl 191 / Sworn Celestial Mender - lvl 183 / Servant of the Celestial Child – lvl 199] – Bonus experience earned for killing an enemy above your level.

*You have slain [Nahoom - lvl 187 / Royal Shield Guard - lvl 175 / Servant of the Celestial Child – lvl 199] – Bonus experience earned for killing an enemy above your level.

*’DING!’ Class: [Avaricious Arcane Hunter] has reached level 173 - Stat points allocated, +10 Free Points*

*’DING!’ Race: [Human (D)] has reached level 178 - Stat points allocated, +15 Free Points*

He was a bit confused at seeing them both have the same profession, and both have it maxed out. Jake had heard from Miranda that she had gotten skills related to Jake, so was this the same thing? It had to be, right? Or was Celestial Child just some title Ell’Hakan stole from someone else? More questions he had no answers to.

As for how he had killed the two of them…. well, let’s just say he had gotten some good stuff out of his long alchemy sessions and his extreme spending.

Jake had made a little extra something shortly before returning from the Order. He only had a few bottles so far and had just used one, but the effect had been more than satisfactory.

[Sleeping Night Toxin (Rare)] – Sometimes, the most potent poison is that which is never felt or seen before it is too late. Mixing eth, hemo- and necrotic toxins, a potent yet harmless poison has been made. Will be in a hidden sleeping state by default, making it near-undetectable. If injected into a foe, it will simply linger within the Soulshape, slowly dispersing harmlessly. However, if awakened, the toxins will all spring to life, seeking to kill their target with necrotic and hemotoxin properties. Will cause direct damage to both the Soulshape and physical body of those infected once awakened. Has an increased effect if the target is unaware of the infection upon activation.

It was Jake’s magnum opus so far when it came to poisons. It had combined everything he had learned and was far more challenging to make than anything else he had. Jake’s own success chance when concocting it was in the single digits percentage-wise, and each concoction only gave him one or two bottles. Not to mention the cost. The toxin was far more complex than anything he had made prior too. Shit, he had even somehow mixed in a bit of that stealth attack concept.

As with other creations, the poison’s weaknesses and limitations translated to more overall power once these aspects were circumvented. Rather than slowly infect someone with poison and damage them little by little, this poison was instant. It would spread throughout harmlessly until Jake activated it using his newly upgraded Touch of the Malefic Viper. He had considered making a poison like this for a long time but had only truly begun after upgrading the skill.

He continued his meditation for a while longer and felt in pretty good shape again. He had only really expended stamina and mana during the fight, and his health was fixed quickly with the earlier potion. Opening his eyes, Jake stood up and stretched a bit. Rustling his cloak, he also got out all of the damn sand as he finally got a good look around and just saw desert all around for what had to be thousands of kilometers in each direction.

Jake knew there was nothing else to do but get moving.

Yet as he stood there and considered what direction to move in, he felt faint tremors below. He wondered if it was coming for him but felt the movements go elsewhere. Looking out into the desert, he saw some stones spread around but nothing else.

Suddenly the ground rumbled as three yellow pillars that seemed to meld into the background shot up from the ground as if coming up for air. Large wriggling forms more than a hundred meters long, all three of which Jake quickly Identified.

[Veilskin Sand Worm – lvl 197]

[Veilskin Sand Worm – lvl 196]

[Veilskin Sand Worm – lvl 192]

Jake stared at them a bit in awe as he saw something else out of the corner of his eye. Hundreds of kilometers away, it looked as if a tower was suddenly erected as a massive form emerged. Its length had to be measured in kilometers.

[Behemoth Sand Worm – lvl ???]

Similar scenes played out around him as Jake realized he had found himself smack in the middle of Sand Worm territory… which made him realize that sometimes you have to find the good in the bad. Jake had a lot of pent-up frustration and a long journey ahead of him.

The worms wouldn’t help with the distance, but they sure as hell would help with the frustration as he took out his bow. He knew he needed to figure out how to not get fucked over again by Ell’Hakan… but no matter what, more power would help whatever anti-fuckery method he found.