CHAPTER 34: SYSTEM MISSION [I]

They were on the road for several hours.

The rhythmic clatter of the carriage wheels over dirt had become almost soothing, blending with the distant hum of the wilds.

During this time, Azel and Gerome had conversed freely with Lorraine pitching in at times, they had become comfortable with him.

The older man was far more talkative than Azel initially expected, and their discussion spanned everything from trade routes to hunting practices in the western continent.

Despite being a player of the game, Azel realized just how limited his knowledge of the world actually was.

The game never truly delved into the politics or culture of the other empires — it had only ever shown enough to create settings for battles and tragedy.

But now, hearing Gerome speak with such vivid detail, Azel realized how shallow his prior understanding had been.

All he’d ever known for certain was the end result: calamities forcing humanity to its knees. Entire cities crumbling, empires collapsing. By the time the game reached its conclusion, there were barely enough humans left to fill one empire.

Monsters prowled the ruins freely, and whatever semblance of rulership had once existed was long gone.

He remembered vividly, Reinhardt — supposedly the main protagonist and humanity’s "savior" lacked any form of leadership.

His raw strength had been undeniable, but in the vacuum left by crumbled thrones and broken armies, it was useless.

Even though the game ended with a win, Azel was totally sure that Humanity ended afterwards.

But he was here now.

And he wasn’t going to let it happen again.

Learning about the empires was a necessity if he was going to act differently.

According to Gerome, the Aegis Empire — the western continent was a land where livestock thrived in abundance. Despite the political tensions between the empires, trade was surprisingly common.

Starbloom, his current homeland, specialized in mineral wealth. They mined ores and refined metals that were exported for weapons and tools.

In return, Aegis supplied livestock — cattle, poultry, even monster-bred meat.

It was the only place in the world where domesticated livestock like chickens, goats, and fish existed in large numbers thanks to their vast plains and controlled ranching practices.

Then there was the Teron Empire. It was industrial in focus, home to craftspeople and artisans.

They exported rare fabrics, exotic spices, engineered tools, and alchemical concoctions.

But they had a notorious rivalry with Starbloom — old wars, ancient blood debts. Teron was the same empire that had sought Naelia’s bloodline for twisted experimentation, cementing them as one of Starbloom’s greatest enemies in the game.

Finally, there was the Celestia Empire, nestled at the very center of the world.

Celestia didn’t trade, but they welcomed travelers — if one could pass their stringent requirements.

It was an elven kingdom, pristine and untarnished. Humans were tolerated there, but elves still regarded them with thinly veiled disdain.

"It’s said the World Tree grows there," Gerome had said reverently. "They say being near it clears your mind, purifies your spirit. Like standing before the gods themselves."

Azel had stiffened at those words.

He remembered the World Tree arc vividly — a pivotal side mission in the game. In that arc, calamity struck once more, endangering the tree and devastating the elves.

He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus.

He rested his chin against his hand, deep in thought, anger quietly simmering at the edges of his mind as the bitter memories of the game’s story surfaced.

So many wasted lives.

So much loss.

The developers had designed a dead end from the very beginning.

It was annoying.

Suddenly, Gerome’s voice broke through his thoughts.

"It’s strange," the older man murmured, his tone shifting. His calloused hands tightened around the reins as his eyes scanned the horizon. "We should have run into bandits by now."

Azel blinked.

He knew that part.

Bandits were notorious along this stretch of road — their base was tucked deep in the woods nearby.

Even from his knowledge of the game, this was the most dangerous leg of travel between Deymoor and Starbloom City.

Gerome glanced over his shoulder, brows furrowing.

"We were ambushed the first time we traveled this road," he said lowly. "And other travelers always warn about them. This silence doesn’t sit right."

"Father!" Lorraine suddenly shouted, her voice sharp and alert. "It’s cloaking magic!"

Azel’s head snapped up.

The air shimmered ahead of them, the faintest distortion like heat waves bending light. His sharp eyes narrowed.

Then, in an instant, the illusion shattered.

A brilliant flare lit the path ahead, and multiple searing fireballs materialized out of thin air, hurtling toward the carriage in rapid succession.

Lorraine reacted instantly. Her crimson eyes glowed, shifting into an ethereal shade of azure as her hands whipped through an intricate sigil mid-air.

A radiant blue barrier surged outward, slamming into place just as the fireballs struck.

BOOM!

The force rattled the entire carriage, cracks spider-webbing across the glowing shield.

Lorraine’s jaw clenched, sweat beading her brow from the sheer force of the spell she was holding at bay.

A familiar chime rang in Azel’s ears.

[Urgent Quest Detected]

[Protect the Sub-Heroine and Her Father]

[Rewards]

[System Shop Feature]

[100 Fate Points]

[5x Fate Tickets]

[Number of Enemies: 20/20]

Azel exhaled slowly, his silver hair fluttering faintly in the stirred air.

He stood. "I’ll deal with it."

Gerome twisted around, eyes wide. "What? No — sir, you paid for protection. It’s our job to—"

Azel cut him off with a sharp look and a faint smirk. "We’re friends, aren’t we? I’m not about to sit here while I’ve got more than enough strength to handle this."

His words left no room for argument.

He stepped down from the carriage, his boots crunching against the dirt.

Lorraine’s voice stuttered behind him. "W-Wait! Sir Azel!"

He glanced back over his shoulder.

She was already moving her hands, weaving a quick spell.

"Let me cast a strengthening charm!"

Her palms came together, glowing brilliantly.

A warm wave of mana surged outward, washing over him. Power bloomed in his limbs, he could feel his body growing stronger even without any aura.

Azel flexed his fingers around the hilt of his sword, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks."

He turned back to the road.

The bandits emerged from the treeline on horseback, twenty in all. Their mages lingered in the rear while the front line charged forward, steel flashing.

The ground trembled faintly beneath the oncoming stampede.

"Twenty for three travelers?" Azel muttered, scoffing. "Bit much, isn’t it?"

His fingers tightened around his blade.

"Thanks for the birthday gift."

And then —

Azel vanished.