Chapter 320: The Vault [MAGIC CASTLE BONUS]

Alex briefly glanced at the notifications before dismissing them. There were still several important things he needed to explain, and opening the reward could wait until later.

"There’s something else everyone should know. We’re planning to connect the portal above our school to another portal in Hell Difficulty. Doing that will allow us to send more Ascenders there, giving us a better chance of completing the next Assessment," Alex announced.

The cheering gradually subsided, and Alex noticed several worried expressions appearing throughout the crowd. He understood their concerns, especially after the monsters that had emerged from the portal earlier that morning.

"I know what you’re worried about, but I promise you that we won’t allow dangerous monsters to enter through that connection. I’m putting my name behind that promise, and I’ll personally make sure we have the necessary defenses," Alex said.

His words seemed to reassure many of the survivors, particularly those who had already witnessed his strength. Once the crowd settled down, Alex decided to introduce the more controversial part of his announcement.

"There’s another important development. To strengthen our defenses and improve our chances of surviving, we’re going to establish an alliance with certain Beasts," Alex explained. "Beasts are ordinary animals that have gained intelligence and abilities through the System, just like how humans have become Ascenders."

Confused murmurs immediately spread through the crowd, growing considerably louder when Pipi and Hoot flew toward Alex and stopped beside him.

"Greetings, humans. I am Hoot, and this is King Pipi," Hoot announced, his voice appearing directly inside the minds of the gathered survivors.

The reaction was immediate. Several people screamed, while others began backing away or reaching for their weapons, apparently convinced that two monsters had somehow infiltrated their Base.

"Everyone, calm down. They’re not monsters," Alex said, quickly raising his voice before the situation could escalate. "They’re pigeons that received powers and intelligence from the System. They haven’t attacked anyone, and they’ve approached us because they want to cooperate."

However, many people continued shouting, and Alex noticed several survivors picking up stones and other objects from the ground. As he scanned the crowd, his gaze suddenly landed on Kevin, who was standing beside his sister Bella and their parents.

’Good, Kevin’s parents are safe,’ Alex thought, feeling relieved. He hadn’t seen them since returning to Earth, and knowing that they had survived was one less thing to worry about.

He then returned his attention to the increasingly restless crowd, confirming that simply telling people the pigeons were harmless wouldn’t be enough.

"Let me ask you something. How many of you had pets before all this happened?" Alex asked, causing some of the shouting to quiet down. "If your dog or cat suddenly gained a Class and became intelligent enough to speak, would you immediately call it a monster and try to kill it?"

Several people stopped moving, and those who had been preparing to throw something gradually lowered their hands. Alex could tell that his question had made at least some of them reconsider their assumptions.

"I’ve already lost a lot because of this apocalypse," Alex continued, looking at the people gathered below him. "I lost my home, my friends, and... my mother. I cannot bring them back no matter how strong I become. That’s why I don’t want to lose anyone else, and I’ll do everything I can to protect those important to me, even if one of them happens to become a Beast."

The crowd gradually fell silent, and Alex noticed that several people had lowered their heads. He understood that many of them had experienced similar losses, which was why he wanted them to understand what he was trying to say.

"So let me ask you again. If your precious partner that grew with you suddenly gained intelligence and became an Ascender, would you kill it simply because it wasn’t human?" Alex asked. "If you wouldn’t hurt an animal you care about, why should you discriminate against these Beasts without even giving them a chance?"

Several people exchanged glances, while those who had picked up stones gradually lowered their hands. Although some still appeared uncomfortable with the idea, the hostility in the crowd had noticeably decreased.

"Don’t forget who our enemies are," Alex continued, his reinforced voice carrying throughout the Base. "We shouldn’t be pointing our weapons at one another or creating enemies out of those who are willing to help us. It’s the monsters threatening our survival that we need to fight, not every living creature that happens to be different from us."

The people had calmed down a lot.

With that, Alex gradually descended toward the ground, satisfied that he had at least managed to make everyone reconsider their assumptions. However, just as he was about to land, another notification appeared before his eyes.

[Constitution: 6 → 7]

’Oh? My Stats are finally increasing,’ Alex thought, smiling faintly. He had repeatedly injured himself and recovered through Minor Heal Spell, hoping that the process would eventually strengthen his body.

It seemed his efforts were finally producing results, confirming his theory that he could train his physical Stats through methods similar to those used by Warriors who tempered their bodies. The improvement was big, especially because he did it without depending on the Stat Points to increase his attributes.

...

Matthew was sitting in front of a screen, watching Alex’s speech through a livestream. Someone from the group that had accompanied Alex earlier was broadcasting the gathering, allowing those elsewhere to follow what was happening at the Base.

"That was quite a speech," John, the CIA agent sitting beside him, commented. "This guy is impressive. Are you sure he’s really just an ordinary college student?"

"That’s what his files say, at least. Although sometimes I wonder whether he’s actually some kind of secret special service agent," Matthew replied, keeping his eyes on the screen.

"Like you?" John asked, glancing toward him with an amused expression.

Matthew didn’t answer. He watched Alex addressing the survivors, and a faint trace of yearning appeared in his eyes.

...

Samuel stood in a secluded area, speaking with someone over the phone. He had deliberately moved away from Matthew and the others, making sure nobody could overhear his conversation.

"Are you absolutely certain Alex isn’t from a Descender’s lineage?" Samuel asked, listening carefully to the response. After several moments, he frowned before asking another question.

"Then is it possible that he’s a Descender himself?" Samuel waited for the answer, but whatever he heard made his expression turn considerably more serious.

He remained silent for a while before sighing and shaking his head. Apparently deciding there was no point pursuing the matter further, he changed the subject.

"There’s something else I should report. We found a Dungeon in Hell Difficulty, and from what I’ve seen, it might actually be a portion of the [Vault]. The Dungeon is called Sunken Vault, although we haven’t explored it properly yet," Samuel explained.

A long silence followed, during which Samuel simply listened to the person on the other end. His expression gradually became more attentive, and he nodded several times before finally responding.

"Yes, I understand. I’ll search the Dungeon carefully and let you know if I discover anything important."

Samuel ended the call and remained in the secluded area for another moment, considering what he had just learned. He then put away his phone and headed back toward the others, acting as though nothing unusual had happened.

..

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