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Chapter 411: As Guardians

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“Then let’s not delay and harvest this Colossus’s core as soon as possible.”

“Yes Milord.”

“Don’t pull out its core. If you do, it will detonate, and the resulting damage will destroy at least half of the entire Asgard. I will handle the extraction.”

“But My Lord, what about that package you brought with you?”

Siva looked back at the ‘package’ and said, “It can’t even talk right now, let alone escape.”

With that said Siva didn’t waste time and went to the suppressed Colossus.

Unlike the overheating atmosphere of the giant ship that invaded Jeremiah, this thing’s central area wasn’t as hard to breach as the former.

Even the AI of the Colossus Warship were jailed in an isolated ‘storage device’ for debriefing… which Siva impolitely harvested as well.

From its plasma core, to its plasma coil cannons, to the life-support facility, and to its arsenals… none of its harvestable ‘goods’ weren’t taken.

It was even apt to say that Siva pillaged everything that this Colossus Warship had to offer inside it.

The Demons that holed themselves inside the ship were nothing to be scared for as well. With Siva’s blades, without a Supreme Commander, they didn’t even stand a chance against him.

After an hour and a half, the struggling Colossus Warship was now an immobile object. With all its passengers and useful components gone and also harvested, Siva put it on his inventory.

“Now, repair your body.”

“Yes Milord.”

After bowing, Butler Akhenaton disappeared from behind him and the towering golden idol came back to its crown above Apus Epirus restarting repairs all over again.

For the next two hours more, Siva reorganized the ranks of Asgard’s remaining 5000+ personnel, with the survivors given their rewards and promises.

After paying a visit to the Warehouse and checking on the progress of the Dragon Resource Harvest, a slight smile beamed on Siva’s lips.

Next, he visited the barns and saw the voraciously eating monsters. There are still no effects on their overall physic and he’s not even hopeful that those lower than S-Rank will evolve… but with a sleeping Little Blacky, Siva has a 70% feeling that this big guy will evolve into a True Dragon someday.

“Let’s hope you make use of these resources.”

After leaving instructions for Butler Akhenaton, he visited the castle and saw the assembled members of the core of the defense team. After the attack in Jeremiah, while the rest of the allied and visitors still salvaging about the remains of the warship, he recalled the other members of the defense force to go back to the Asgard.

Only a few of the core members like Thorn and Volt are left in the Grad Mansion in Jeremiah.

Coralline was pouting, “I need bonus! I worked real hard this time!”

Behind her was a mustached D’Catch trying to put the fires in the little devil’s eyes out.

Siva spoke to Fuma, “We’ve lost a few units this time but the survivors gained wealth and became a lot stronger, if I’m not mistaken…”

Fuma fixed his glasses and spoke solemnly, “This event is really weird… after the battle we received a few points to our stats. We aren’t in a mission but the victory over the battle still gave us mission-only rewards like stats and such.”

Coralline cross-armed ‘hmp’, “It’s all because our boss is on a long-term quest where the future of Terroa hangs in a thread.”

Everyone was already aware that Siva was in a sort of unclear “mission” and this attack was one of the many more events that will come because of this so called X-Class Mission.

No one knew what class and rank the mission was so they could only helplessly follow him.

This was work and Siva’s rewards were nothing short of bountiful, if anything.

Siva ignored her and looked at Red Metal, “Are you ready? Now that I’ve openly made public my goals and the world even thought that I was in a Grand Quest or something, problems will only arise in the future… so I will need your help. Can I trust you to be able to play this role for me? Of course, I will not make you toil for free. The reward I’ll be giving you is something to look forward to.”

Red Metal, the ‘gangster’ with a red mohawk-hair, scratched his face, “I more or less am ready anytime you give the signal, boss.”

Fuma fixed his glasses with a smile of confidence hidden on its glint, “Fufufu… you will be surprised by the effect of my plan succeeding. Fufufu…”

The rest of the people in the conference room in the castle had differing expression and Siva could not help but feel that it was something to actually look forward to.

“If that’s the case, then I will have to rely on you to pull this stunt off then.”

Fuma gave him a nod. “Leave it to me.”

Siva then sighed, “We got casualties this time. Like I’ve promised, once you select Asgard as a starting city; use the password to be admitted. By then, you will be reborn as official citizens of the Asgard.”

The Asgard is the first player-owned city and there are options for its owner to set up whether to be a private city for his own organization to use, or just like any normal Walled City… an open city where a password as a staring city wasn’t needed.

Siva chose the former.

“The passwords are specific to your subordinates so I will know if an outsider had gained them from an Asgardian or not. This is to prevent spies from entering our ranks… I understand that by dragging you all in this mission is selfish so right now, I am giving you the chance to back away to protect your personal lives.”

Siva looked over his ‘comrades’ expectantly under the still damaged edgy mask of the BMA.

In fact, he hasn’t even tried to repair them.

His exposed left eye darted over Heller’s direction, then to Cramer, to Kathleen Brew, to Fuma, to the rest of the core people of his group… none of the people he’d known the longest stepped back. Not even the cowardly Red Metal.

“Red Metal, you ca always back off you know. I can find other people to play your role and I won’t even make it personal. After all, it is I who’s making this a request out of you and even exposing you to the dangers I am facing.”

They haven’t shred their real world identities, aside from the neighbors Samar and the rest. Red Metal looked at him, then to the rest, then to Siva again, before scratching his head.

“You know, boss, I may be a timorous guy, but I am not a coward. I chose to join your group because I applaud and sincerely admire your strength… I am here in Terroa to find that strength you have, you know, and when you showed me a strength that can flip Warjillis upside down… aye… I’ve already decided that I am going to be your follower. My and my guys are at your beck and call. Besides, I’m only role playing in front of a camera… what’s so hard about it?”

Siva laughed, “I’m really thankful. Is that your true face right now?”

The gangster blinked, blushed, and then scratched his right cheek with a finger… “I admit I ain’t in the slightest bit a member of the handsome bunch, but I will do my best to play my role in the plan, boss.”

“I trust you.”

Siva looked at the rest of the team then, “Again, I’m sincerely thanking you for joining me on this quest of mine… and like I promised, I will not make it a free labor to all of you. For now, you can all rest.”

He stood up and was the first to leave the scene as Fuma went to grab Red Metal, proceeding to polish what they still needed to polish.

Where Siva appeared to next was the designated area for the humans to settle in.

He spent a few minutes exchanging words with the Android Maki before eyeing Galatea, giving them both a nod and assurance.

The matte about the Misty Peaks must be settled first before they can go back and continue their lives before this invasion.

Many children and old men and women were still scared by the recent attacks and Siva also saw how desperate the battle here in Asgard was based only at the fact that Maki and Galatea both lost one of their Metal (Android) Bodies.

Also, before Siva left, Maki told him that because the humans are now not part of the Alliance, they are going to be singled out by the Terrans and that it’s only going to be a matter of time before they all demand under the pretense that a Terran Legacy is in their hands that they surrender the rest of the [Item Making Machines] in their security.

In fact, it wasn’t even a farfetched idea that some of them might even use this invasion to justify their claim to those machines.

Knowing this, Siva gave him a nod and understood what Maki was meaning.

“Let’s talk about it after you reorganize your people and prepare to return to Misty Peaks.”

After giving Maki his assurance, Siva made a sigh and vanished from the district.

*****

It was a long day, really. The world-wide event this time was really scary and over a million players had all lost their avatars as their careers ended.

65% of that number belonged to the players in the Castle City of Jeremiah where the invasion’s main forces were concentrated.

As such, the ‘Asgardians’ resigned to either their own quarters or completely logged out of the game to take a real world rest.

The event only lasted for a few hours but it was a really exhausting defense of their territory.

Why did they actually stay behind despite the real-world danger they were facing when staying within Siva’s company?

Outside of their pity and sense of shame in backing out of their ‘word’ to help Siva on his personal mission to save Baron, there was a smaller reason here connected to the fact that they were called ‘Asgardians’ —an identity that they can use to recognize their citizenship.

Asgard was the first Player-owned city in the game but according to Siva’s words, it also functions as a nation… a country!

It’s only a matter of time before the world makes it public that player-cities can be regarded as nations and countries on their own.

Being pioneers of this new era, it brought them no small amount of pride and honor to be the first ever citizens of this player-owned country.

Why did they stay?

—because they are Asgardians!

In Terroa, this was their home.

*****

Jeremiah was safe, but the turmoil and aftereffects of the invasion still lingered.

The evacuated citizens were freed and allowed to go back to their homes, the shops reopened, while those parts of the city that were destroyed by the battles that occurred from the sneak attacks of the Supreme Commanders and the battles of the large warships, were reported so the city’s public order bureau dispatched their people to start the repairs.

It became noisy again but it was a different noise to those despairing explosions in the air earlier.

But not only that, in few places as well, the chase for the ‘marks’ continued on as the once still and hidden ‘marks’ showed themselves so the battle to be king once again resumed.

A ‘White Knight’ appeared from the southeastern side of the city outskirt square, looking around him as if he was lost, familiarizing himself on the scene of the re-animating city.

It was Siva on disguise.

Without warning, he deployed three Liberty Drones that went on three different directions that went in stealth mode almost immediately, and then did a dashing step forwards, proceeding towards the center of the Capital. The Grand Mansion was his destination.

His ‘dash’ wasn’t slow in the slightest as it was as fast as 25m per second.

Siva wanted to fly but because the white knight had already gained its fame, he didn’t want to pull more of the world’s attention so he chose to ‘go on foot’ as he dashed away, leaving only a trail of an after image as well as the muffled gusts of wind as he passed by.

“The King Test is still continuing? That Altair really is an eccentric, isn’t he? It’s only been a few hours after the chaos of the invasion but now, he’s still in the mood to continue his antics.”

Because of the span of the ‘scans’ from the three Liberty Drones, he could see continuing scuffles of scattered forces chasing after ‘marks’ that were running away from their pursuers.

It took him 15minutes dashing over the roofs of the houses and buildings before entering the far offed perimeters of the Grand Mansion.

He’s already been informed by Lily about the level of damage the Grand Mansion received from the attacks of the Delta Supreme and the Commander that attacked them earlier, but seeing it with his own eyes still made him scowl so he dashed faster and went inside, ignoring the deployed defenses.

Lily was already made aware of his arrival so when he came in front of the damaged Grand Mansion, there was a group of people there with Pistareen, Gaia, and Scion at the forefront, waiting for him.

“You’re okay!” Scion cried after launching herself on his embrace. “I was worried that you’ve exerted yourself too much…”

“I’m okay. How was the experience of your first fight in Terroa?” Siva lifted her head and patted it.

Scion seemed to find this embarrassing as she bid him a pout but still answered, “Scary.” then her face blushed and she took her place beside him.

Gaia approached, “The Maleficent Commander that I’ve recovered is inside. His body lives but his spirit had been killed, somewhat…”

Even Gaia was lost for words on how to explain the current situation of that ‘vampire’ she defeated.

“Is that a Supreme?”

“Yes.” At least she was sure of this.

Siva nodded at her, “Take me to him.”

It was a basement room with Tier-10 Barrier Spells placed on every corner in four layers. Although the Supreme Demon Commander lay there like a piece of brainless vegetable, the Mana emissions from it were still enough to cause hallucinations to weaker people. Thus, Gaia decided to seal it in this room.

“You deprived him of his spirit?” Siva looked at the large breasted blonde elf floating there like a spirit.

“I don’t know what happened. What I do know is that I was close to being corrupted but there was something in me that corroded its spirit, resulting to its body becoming like that.”

Although it was an alarming news to have someone that powerful in the Grand Mansion, it was still one of those rare ‘specimens’ that Siva was desperately in need of for the sake of his experiment(s).

In fact, deep in his heart, he was really happy.

“Gaia, would you mind if I take this thing away with me to the Asgard?”

“Of course I won’t. Actually, the sooner you get rid of that thing in this Temple the better. I feel a slight sense of fear whenever I remember that close call earlier… I never really would have thought that I was that close to being corrupted. I really don’t want to die.”

The last line was spoken with a sneak glance at Siva’s direction. She knew very well how much he loathed the demons and remembering how back at the Ragnarok Era, Siva personally struck down his own corrupted friends and allies, it wasn’t worth a question that Siva wouldn’t hesitate to strike her down if she became corrupted.

As such, Gaia felt shivers remembering just how close she was to becoming Siva’s enemy.

One could only wonder just how much dread the name “Siva” carried to the ears of the Gods and Devil Gods of that long forgotten era.

Siva nodded and then entered the sealed room. He stretched out a hand to ‘test’ the ‘corpse’ but even though he knew what was going to happen, he still felt a slight disappointment.

“As I thought, without unlocking the other secrets of the Inventory Plus Ultra, I could only isolate the space and carry non-living items in it.”

Siva wasn’t able to store the ‘corpse’ of the Demon Commander into his inventory so what he did was to assemble another prison from BMA to carry it.

Then, Siva turned to Pistareen, “How was the task I gave you?”

Pistareen was startled and then he bowed, “I’ve already sent instructions to the rest of the Temples that hasn’t given their reports. So far, we only have a few locations in the Eastern Continent of Espada; the Walled City of Paneme in Northern Tiara; the temples in Isoroku Archipelago in Heartilia; and the Enchantment Temples in the Temple City of Kora in the capital of Flowerion Empire.”

Pistareen was now very clear that Gaia, esteemed ‘Matriarch’ of their Enchantment Temples, had an unclear ‘subordinate’ position when compared to Siva. Thus, as soon as the invasion of Jeremiah is averted, he immediately sent messages to those Enchantment Temples that was yet to give any sort of report to his given task.

Why would he bring trouble to himself by dawdling at this matter further? He had just ‘seen’ how Siva killed two Generals of the Demon Armada. If Siva was to snap from anger at him, even Gaia wouldn’t be able to help lift the calamity.

Hearing that Pistareen was quick to act and that the places that were yet to give their reports were now limited to his fingers, Siva controlled his temper as he asked, “How long should I wait?”

Pistareen swallowed, “Thee days, at most. That’s all we need. Three days. I will personally contact all those branches and relay the urgency of the task.”

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