Temporal Pearls

Chapter 120: The Harsh Truth

Ding!

[You and Redop Irik have killed dragon spawn]

[1000 Exp]

[You are maxed level without a class. You can't have EXP]

"What?" The energy that came from the beast just shifted to Redop and he levelled up.

Seth didn't have time to complain more when they were attacked by people with the ability to morph into a red monster at will. However, no Seth nor Redop gave them a chance and they were cut down.

It was then that Seth recognised that despite the nature of the game that comes off as classes isn't a big deal, the truth was the opposite of the matter.

The more they fight, the more Seth's Exertion Point goes down but no matter how much Redop was tired the moment he revives exp, he will recover. He too realized if he was able to receive EXP then he would have recovered, right?

Not only that, if not because some of his attributes have increased due to his attire enhancement and his cloak he will have fallen already.

By the time they reach the cult hideout, Seth has only 10 exertion points. And the only reason he was able to keep up was two things that he obtained that day.

Red cloak and Aura Blood. They enhance his physique. But even that wasn't enough.

'I'm not built for a prolonged fight!' Seth complained but he outwardly appeared confident due to his armour and flapping red cloak.

Seth and Redop reached an underground village, three people stood in blood-red clothes with staff in their hands. Behind them were many shabby people with vertical pupils.

"Welcome Back Lord!"

All the people in the village bowed to the duo. Seth turned expecting someone behind them, but there was no one. And that only means one thing, Redop Irik is...

Red shadow enveloped him from below and his exertion point dropped to zero.

His body became weak and almost fell but then as if possessed by something, he strengthened and looked at Redop. The man's face was calm, with no arrogant smile or shame.

He just looked Seth, up and down.

"That's strange. How come your resistance was very weak." Redop asked in surprise. He had planned extensively to bring seth here and then subdue him but he had never thought it will be so easy.

"You took a lot of my red sword energy but now you just collapse. Was it a fake front?" Seth couldn't speak let alone answered him.

"It doesn't matter my lord. The bride is ready!" Someone said.

'What bride?' Seth cursed in his head.

He just remembered the book he didn't read completely before. Among the methods to become a resident was by marrying Redop's daughter. And that time, he didn't even consider that option but now he just heard the word Bride.

Redop's shoulders broadened and his steps moved with dignity and air of nobility.

"My name is Redop Irik, and I'm Red Valley's second Chief. Compared to others, I'm very weak but that was only when it came to physical and magical abilities. I have something that not even First Chief has, and that was the ability to speak with Red Valley itself."

Redop casually explained as they pushed inside the town. People were bowing respectfully to them and children were cheering. Seth's walk was smooth as if he was following them on his own.

When they reached the town centre, Seth was mortified, on a large red tree with blood-red flowers were players crucified around the trunk. There were more than 40 of them. Some of them had dried almost to the bones, but their fingers moved from time to time which showed that they were still alive.

At that moment, three of them just breathed their last, their body dried further and became only bones. Caretakers around came and gently put them down. They carefully wrapped them in a red blanket and then buried them in the ground beneath the tree.

One in particular, who seemed to be still vigorous, opened her eyes and looked at Seth's azure uniform. She forced a smile and said, "A player. I'm Zezna Redone!"

[Zezna Redone is seeking your help]

"What's your name?" Zezna said.

"Sacsile Redone!" Seth said without consent.

She smiled and closed her eyes, tired of the little conversation. Another one opened his eyes, a small boy with a pale face and green eyes.

"I'm a prince. Sacsile Redone please save me. I couldn't log out!"

This time there wasn't a notification. Seth understood it was Zazna's ability to convert a meaning while speaking something else.

Seth couldn't talk as his body was like a puppet with string. So he only stared at them, his heart throbbing with pity.

Suddenly, there was a drum sound. Before Seth understood anything, some kind of tribal music was being played.

His heart beat strongly and his blood ran fast in his veins and red veins bulged in his face. Not only him, almost everyone has that. Even the players dying on the ancient tree.

"It's cruel right?" Redop stood beside seth as people began to dance around the tree. Their sanity waned as they just danced strange moves that made Seth's head spin as he looked at them.

"If you asked me, it was quite a work of art. For generations we have been trying to replicate a grand magic of continental level to microscopic level but failed until you otherwolders came." Radop said with a sweet smile as relief washed over his face.

He looked at Seth and said, "You are an unexpected variable that jumped in our lab and made things easier for us. I have a question, how did you pinpoint the red ghost in my daughter? Is it that you can see the unseen or what?"

Seth found his mouth capable of moving and then he blurted out, "Do your worst!"

"Impressive." Redop wasn't upset, but he was glad.

"Now that my shadow possesses you, I realize your body is very weak. Weaker than the weakest human. It's as if you are sick or handicapped." He said with a frown.

"We stood here to sacrifice you. You see, in the span of a few minutes I made three different decisions. I lure you and Fratile here to make you marry my daughter. That was the first decision. Then after the possession, I found you were super weak, then I lamented and decided to sacrifice you. But the possession should have taken control of your mind, however, you are perfectly fine.

That meant your head is your power. And then I decided again to marry you to my daughter and more?"

Seth's eyes veered to him.

Redop Irik continued, "I have nurtured two otherworlder that I sent to search for another sanctuary. All they had to do was bring that place's iconic item and then I will use them for my project. But just a week after they left, you came. And after some time and what you did yesterday made me push back my project. Now or never!"

And an hour later, Redop casually explained. "You are a treasure you know. This whole singing was to amplify my powers and to take over your mind and by the look of it, the defence was great to the point that you aren't even feeling a thing. Good. You are a true treasure!"

Redop dismissed the dance and then a decoration began.

"You are free to ask questions. No insult, please."

"So you are the shaman?"

"No. There was a shaman that work with me. But he didn't approve of me changing the schedule. And no, I'm not the leader of the cult that terrorized the town. I'm… just a man that created other personas to disguise my goal and attitude. Cult, shaman and other forces were funded by me but they serve their goal and protect me if need be!"

"You are the big boss behind all the other so-called evil factions?"

Redop looked at Seth calmly, "Hmm, your tone is a bit harsh but yes. The cult was another person with a strange ability that needed chaos and war for him to grow strong. Using my ability, I hid his location and true ability in exchange, he took the blame for me.

Shamna put curses and brainwashed people for a cult but he also has an ability that allows him to speak with valley forest but he needs my guidance!"

"Why them? Why torture them?" Seth looked at the pitiful players.

"There is a big chasm from one continent to another. Any traveller that was able to jump to another is strong and exceptional. But then, how about people that came from another world completely? You, otherwolders were summoned by Amma to support us against our fight with invaders. So, using you as a fuel or means for our greater goal is valid and not evil!"