Level Up Legacy

Whisker had initially believed that Seika had made a mistake by choosing to protect the town, especially after witnessing everyone else fleeing. However, Roderick and the group of challengers he had rallied managed to change Whisker’s perspective. Once these men realized that Seika was already fighting alone, their eyes filled with a newfound determination. They were too honorable to abandon their benefactor.

“You are too quick to judge others, Whisky boy,” Sarohan remarked, shaking his head. “These lads may be honest, but they are lost. The world has constantly abandoned them, and they have learned only to survive.”

“I’m the one who stopped you from beating them to a pulp,” Whisker retorted with a scoff. “Though I doubt they would be of any use against the frost giant.”

“A frost giant is never alone,” Sarohan frowned. “While powerful, these creatures never go out of their way to harm others. Someone must be behind this attack, and we can expect more monsters.”

“That will be our responsibility to uncover,” Whisker declared, stepping forward amidst the cheering crowd. “I hate to dampen your enthusiasm, but we need a plan. There are thirty capable challengers here, including myself and the Waiga.”

“I have a name, Whisky boy!”

“Thirty challengers may not be enough against a frost giant,” Whisker poured cold water over the youngsters, metaphorically dousing their excitement. “However, Seika will handle that. Our job is to take care of the smaller adversaries who might hinder him and find the mastermind behind this attack.”

“A mastermind?” Roderick muttered, his confusion mirroring the doubts shared by everyone present. “I thought this attack was a natural event caused by the tower. It’s not uncommon to face such challenges.”

“Has anyone received a notification from the tower?” Whisker posed the question, further confusing the crowd as no one had. “In the case of a forced event, people wouldn’t be able to return to their rooms. This is not the tower we are fighting against; it’s something else entirely.”

“I’ve never heard of a frost giant appearing on the first floor before,” Roderick confirmed the suspicions shared by all. “Since the tower is quiet, this must be the work of an outsider. But for what purpose would they attack Sith Town?”

“That remains for us to uncover,” Sarohan unsheathed his sword and took a step forward. “I followed Seika not only because of his terrifying strength, but also because of his kindness despite that strength. When Vesper tried to kill me, Seika saved me without even knowing my name. I implore all of you to fight for him, even if it means facing death a thousand times!”

The crowd erupted in cheers, raising their swords in unison, Sarohan among them. Whisker frowned at the Waiga’s infectious enthusiasm, but ultimately decided to tag along. There was little else he could do.

The thirty challengers rushed out of the inn, followed by Roderick. The inn owner nodded in gratitude to Whisker for his intervention before being grabbed by Sarohan, who threw an arm around him. The tall Waiga was unusually friendly, even with strangers.

“I like what you did there!” the tall creature laughed, slapping Roderick’s chest. “You reined them in like a horse master!”

“There’s no such thing as a horse master,” Whisker sighed as he walked past them. “How can you be so jolly when the man you follow is facing a giant?”

“Because he is the man I chose to follow,” Sarohan grinned, releasing Roderick. “You don’t look too worried either, Whisky boy

. You know that even against a giant, Seika won’t lose.”

Before Whisker could reply, a low growl reverberated in the distance, shaking the very foundations of the city. The noise shattered the windows of Sith Town, and the world itself trembled, making it difficult to see straight.

The three, accompanied by the thirty challengers, hurried toward the city walls. The sight that greeted them upon reaching the walls was something none of them would ever forget.

Sith Town had stood fortified by those walls for as long as they could remember, but now, they were being torn down like sheets of paper. Yet, it wasn’t the destruction itself that took their breath away. It was the reason behind it.

The frost giant descended upon their city, its massive body demolishing the walls that had separated them. It was inconceivable for such a gigantic creature to fall forward, leaving the crowd puzzled. However, the resounding shout that followed provided the answer they sought.

“TIM!” The word echoed throughout Sith Town, drowning out the noise of the falling giant. The crowd didn’t understand who Tim was until they heard the second syllable. “BER!”

It was then that they realized someone was on top of the giant’s head, its blue hair protruding. The figure, dressed in black and golden robes, clung to the giant’s hair as they fell together. In that moment, Whisker’s realization struck—it was Seika.

The crowd stood dumbfounded, mouths agape with shock. Their eyes widened to the point of disbelief, rendering them incapable of running away. Eventually, the giant crashed to the ground, sending powerful gusts of wind that knocked the group off their feet.

After what seemed like an eternity, the dust settled, and the group rose from the ground, helping one another up. Whisker, filled with curiosity, was the first to bolt out of Sith Town to inspect the fallen giant, followed by the others. As they reached the scene, they found a lone man seated atop the defeated giant.

“Who is that…?” a bewildered youngster among the crowd muttered, staring at the man with a mix of awe and fear. At the sound of the voice, the man turned to face them, his golden eyes locking onto their gazes before breaking into a wide grin.

“That is… our Seika,” Whisker answered, unable to hide his astonishment.

***

Arthur leaped high into the air and forcefully planted his foot on the walls. His foot sank into the surface, propelling him forward along the top of the walls. Seraphine found it hard to believe that he could defy gravity in such a manner, but she realized that his incredible speed allowed him to achieve such feats.

The demon knew that Arthur had accumulated a substantial number of reward points since his battles against Vesper and Bartholomew. Even after his encounter with Watchman, he continued to hunt in the forest daily, tirelessly increasing his stats. The results of his efforts were becoming apparent now.

Seraphine, on the other hand, did not rely on displays of sheer strength. Instead, she leaped high into the air and landed gracefully on her blood mist, which lifted her into the sky. She followed closely behind Arthur, observing his robes fluttering in the wind. Despite the walls trembling beneath them, it took him only a minute to reach the top.

Arthur skillfully evaded falling debris several times, but it hardly hindered his progress. His perception seemed to have evolved as well, leaving the demon trailing behind him in awe.

Simultaneously, they reached the summit, their feet landing on the desolate, ice-covered ground. A frigid breeze brushed against the edges of their clothing, causing frost to form. Below them, the frost giant stretched its massive arm toward the top of the walls.

“Imagine using this giant as a refrigerator,” Arthur remarked, peering down from the precipice. His gaze shifted to the creature soaring behind the frost giant. After a few moments, he averted his eyes and a dangerous glint flashed across his gaze.

Curiosity piqued, Seraphine joined him at the edge and directed her gaze downward. Beneath the giant and just at the forest’s edge, a cluster of monsters huddled together, led by a prominent figure. Her eyes narrowed upon spotting a human among them.

“Do you recognize him?” Seraphine inquired, noticing the sense of familiarity in Arthur’s stare. He studied the individual for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the giant.

Someone I encountered long ago. He’s a tamer,” Arthur responded, his voice laced with a mix of intrigue and uncertainty. “I didn’t think he would appear here, of all places.”

Seraphine observed the human, who met her gaze with an unsettling look. There was something about him that rubbed her the wrong way. She inquired, “Is he a friend or a foe?”

“I once fought him after he injured my friend, but I ended up taking the lives of his companions. I suppose you could say we’re even now,” Arthur replied, a grin spreading across his face. “You still want to fight him, don’t you?”

A determined glint sparkled in Seraphine’s eyes as she nodded. “Indeed, I do. But let’s focus on the task at hand first. Dealing with the frost giant should be our priority.”

Arthur’s grin widened, his eagerness apparent. “I can take it down on my own.”