The third and current Idil Emperor, Noah Idil, is not a prominent warrior or mage like the previous monarchs. Idil's bloodline is prestigious and powerful, on par with those with vampiric and elven lineage. This is due to the First Emperor's race being an ascended High Human, providing his predecessors with talents beyond comprehension. The third Emperor's talents manifested in his cunning mind and tactical acumen. From a young age, he has demonstrated a thorough understanding of all aspects related to governing that surpassed veterans in their field. Many would say that he wasn't the most powerful emperor but he is the one responsible for Idil's flourishing economy and dominant status. In just a few decades the kingdom went from average to a top-tier powerhouse that could contend with the best of the best. Noah Idil's ability also manifests in his ability to persuade and spot talents to come and work under him. there are many instances of peasants and foreigners being promoted and replacing those who become far too complacent resulting in Idil's persistent growth.

~ Idil's Stronghold on the Continent, by Lester Surtsey

"Chester! I can get my class now!"

"That's great!" The man shouted, wrapping up the large Scrap Bot's arm and preventing it from pounding Christopher into the ground. Fighting through the lethargy that comes with the Greater Haste spell, his feet dragged along the ground in the contest of strength against the bulky automaton. "But can you FUCKING help us out here?!"

Process complete. Please select your class.

Normal

Scholar

Scribe

Butcher

Rare

Knight

Shadow Knight

Berserker

Shadow Mage

Dark Swordsman

Unique

Inquisitor

Alchemist

Damien was immediately met with a large array of classes to choose from. He didn't think that he'd be forced to select his class in such a life-threatening situation. Although his original plan was to go down the route of a mage, the vampire needed to think about what he needed right NOW.

Watching as his adventuring party became more and more overwhelmed by the strong and fast robots, Damien realized what he had to do.

Chester was slapped across the face with a mithril claw. The blunt force staggered him, blurring his vision. He let out a Mana Blast in front of him checking to see that his health had gone down by almost fifty points just from that hit. He was thankful for the fact that his body was naturally resistant to all sorts of attacks. Something like that would've turned a regular human's head into paste.

Mana Blast has reached level 3

"Holy Shield!"

A rotating shield negated the incoming blow from the spiky Scrap Bot, which possessed more speed than anything they'd seen prior. It looked as though these variants weren't elementally inclined but specialized in physical combat instead. Chester cast Darkness once more, giving himself some time to breathe and recover. The illusionist kept his orichalcum shield up to prevent any surprise attacks while in the shadows.

The Darkness spell soon dissipated, and he readied himself for another round of fighting. He noticed that the larger robot was pursuing Christopher, and he cut it off with a swing of his hammer. The Scrap Bot blocked it perfectly but sustained some damage along its forearm. Chester cursed as he saw the speedy automaton coming to join in.

"Shadow Smite!"

A wave of black consumed the incoming Scrap Bot, taking massive damage from that singular blow. Chester's eyes widened as soon as he saw the attack, taking a look at the vampire boy.

He didn't look much different, although he had reactivated his infusion spells again. The marble-like surface of his shield was covered in a mix of blue and black energy, more prominent than anything Chester had ever seen from the boy. Damien seemed to be looking at something, not completely focused on the battle. It looked as if he was reading something judging by the slight squint of his eyes.

"Shadow...Servant?"

As he said the spell's name, the illusionist saw something begin to transform and shift into existence right before his very eyes. In less than a second, a dog made entirely out of dark energy was growling at the two Scrap Bots. Even Damien looked surprised at this development but quickly sprung into action once more.

The dog looked towards him, about a meter and a half in length. Its eyes were white and its fur moved like flames dancing to an imaginary wind. With a long, slender head and triangular ears, it looked similar to a wolf. The only reason he knew it was a dog was due to its smaller, stockier build.

Chester transformed his Attainium back into a flail, swinging it around the bulky machine and pulling. He was losing in a contest of strength, but the sheer pressure he exerted along its neck was enough to damage the plating. The illusionist thought that he could win by preventing it from breathing but quickly remembered he was dealing with a robot.

Damien empowered by his new class took into consideration all the new skills he had just gained. It was the most optimal class by analyzing the situation and his equipment. With an additional 10 points to his endurance, he had become a walking tank.

Shadow Knight (Rare)

- A class empowered by the darkness, utilizing it to slay and dominate their opponents. 1.4x boost to END and STR, 1.3x boost to INT.

You have gained new skills!

Shadow Smite Level 1 - Imbue your next attack with dark power. 80% of INT multiplied by the tier of your Dark Mastery level determines your damage dealt. Maximum range: 1 meter. Cost: -150MP. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Shadow Servant Level 1 - Summon a loyal companion made from the darkness. Its form is dictated by your spirit, and will grow stronger in proportion to the level of your Dark Mastery. Cost: -200MP. Cooldown: 24 hours.

Taunt Level 1 - Focus the brunt of attacks towards you. Targets with higher mental fortitude (END+INT/2) will have reduced chances of Taunt working on target. Cost: -75 MP. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Your skills can now be elevated to the second stage! All previously capped out and eligible skills are now evolved!

The vampire could only take in information so quickly. He quickly cast Taunt and watched as the canine servant lunged after the robots. They both immediately turned towards Damien, visibly emanating an aura that antagonized his opponents. He blocked the first strike and watched as the shadow servant tackled the other's legs, preventing the slimmer Scrap Bot from approaching. He smashed his shield into the large one's face but got hit on the head by the same pincer that dazed Chester.

To everyone's surprise, Damien barely budged. He craned his neck to look at the robot with some indifference. A scuff mark was barely visible along his cheek but rapidly began to heal. The new passive skill, while vague, had a powerful effect. The vampire knew that all classes in the same tier weren't equal, and this held true for his Shadow Knight class. It had raised his combat ability by a magnitude.

Bulwark of Darkness Level MAX - When a shield is equipped, all damage under a certain amount is reduced significantly. The effect of heavy armor is enhanced, and resistance to all status conditions is increased.

"Huh. I can see why they expected me to be a melee class."

The robot couldn't say anything before a glowing, white hammer smacked it on the head. It maintained its posture albeit with great difficulty, and Chester immediately wrapped his chain around its neck once more. Combined with the vampire's shield strikes, the robot's neck was forcefully being wrenched-off with mild success. Even with the thick, orichalcum plating that dominated its exterior, it wasn't able to hold up well against their combined attacks.

"Superior Mana Infusion." the machine intoned, quickly covering itself in powerful blue energy. Chester knew they were in deep shit when all their attacks seemed to do nothing to the massive Scrap Bot.

It grabbed Damien and ran itself into the wall, crushing Chester between the dirt and its plated exterior. The sheer momentum and weight made the man feel like being hit by a car was a safer alternative. He immediately knew his ribs were fractured, and his head was beginning to spin after being smashed into the solid wall.

You are dazed for 3 seconds.

"Gotta rip his-"

His mobility was diminished and Chester could only deliver a few weak punches to its head, dazed and unsure of what year he was in.

The Scrap Bot's strength had shot up and made short work of the vampire and human. Even with the added boost to his STR, Damien could only get his shield arm out while trying to escape. He dented its mighty armor but it wasn't enough to free himself. It was on a whole other level in comparison to what they've faced so far.

The Scrap Bot bent its torso forward, swinging itself back into the wall and Chester's grip along its neck began to slacken as he was pulverized into the solid surface, leaving a clear imprint of his back. The Attainium chain held its form, wrapped loosely around his hands as the illusionist fell to the floor. Where the iridescent weapon had been wrapped, the Scrap Bot's frame was damaged.

"Gah!"

The speedy one had recovered, Damien's Shadow Servant was nowhere to be seen. It had attacked Christopher, stabbing him in the gut and restraining the healer forcefully. He was unable to put up a proper fight against the faster, metal opponent. It still showed signs of damage across its torso from Damien's Dark Smite while speaking to its comrade.

"General. Remember. Elric tasked us. To. Bring. Them. Alive." The voice had a hint of warning, and it nodded its head while the vampire was stuck in its grip. Even with his stat bonuses, Damien couldn't wrestle himself out of its crushing grip. He began to hyperventilate, remembering what happened the last time he was caught. The boy watched as Chester rapidly lost consciousness, succumbing to the damage of the extended fight. He struggled helplessly as the slim robot with sharp limbs approached the illusionist in a slow, deliberate manner.

'This is how it ends? No...I don't want to...I dragged them into this. If I never...'

The boy's life began to flash in his eyes, watching as the bulkier robot emotionlessly pummeled him to the brink of death. Guilt, despair, and hopelessness took hold. Unlike the tournament, there was nobody that could save him. Trapped deep underground surrounded by golems and ankhegs, Damien yelled in pain. Tears began to form along the corners of his eyes as the pain became too much. In such a hopeless situation his mind could only shut down to free itself from the mental anguish.

In his last moments, Damien wished that his party found a way out of this alive.

Chester woke up to near-complete darkness. He could see the ever-so-familiar orbs of light that signified the lesser robots they fought in the caves. Summoning an illusion, he quickly illuminated the area and revealed himself to be in some sort of room composed of metal debris and other sorts of junk. It smelled like iron and rust, and the illusionist wanted to pinch his nose in disgust.

Unfortunately, his hands were tied. Literally. He turned his head and could see his arms and legs were wrapped in chains, strapped to a pole. Damien and Christopher were both clearly unconscious but relatively unharmed. He tried to break out of the chains, expecting them to snap but the ones tying him down were far too thick. Chester looked at the two robots staring at him and cast Change Self.

"As your superior. Let me go. Please."

They turned to him wordlessly, before opening a door and leaving.

'Assholes. This new perk doesn't work at all.'

Without a word, he transformed the illusion into a bright, reflective surface. He put it to the left so he could see what he was doing, focusing on breaking the chains layer by layer. Chester shifted carefully, trying to have the chains arranged in a way so that he could use leverage and brute force to break them.

'Man, I haven't used this since I got arrested as a kid. I think it went like this-'

Neck vein bulging through sheer effort, he heard the chain snap and clatter onto his feet. Chester kept working on the next layer of chains before the door creaked open. Within an instant he dispelled the illusion and pretended to be doing absolutely nothing, whistling a tune.

A robot came in and the fixtures hanging overhead turned on, illuminating the room without the need for his illusions. At a height of about 175 centimeters, the robot wasn't physically imposing. However, the head was slightly larger in proportion compared to the rest of its body and had much more detail than any of the machines he'd ever encountered. In shape, it almost looked like a samurai helmet. The eye-holes were distinct, half-circles that glowed a menacing blue. The rest of their body was encased in plated armor, with a subtle sheen of purple that looked like adamantium. Chester looked apprehensively at the mysterious item in their hand, and the episode of South Park where one of the characters received an anal probe flashed in his mind. The phallic shape and extended antenna didn't help to soothe his worries.

Elric's Adamantium Helmet

Made from adamantium and crafted by a talented artisan, it boasts absurd hardiness and durability along with a natural resistance to magic

- Reduces all damage greatly and nullifies damage below a certain level.

- Favored Target (Ankheg): All damage received from the ankheg species is reduced.

- Weight: 4kg

'Enchanted adamantium armor? I thought that was impossible to make?'

It stared at him, before flicking some sort of button on the object they held. He immediately panicked upon seeing it vibrate and screamed for help.

"DAMIEN! CHRISTOPHER! SAVE ME!"

His struggles went unnoticed, but the robot didn't stick it up his rear-end like he initially assumed. It opened its jaw and revealed a very human face hidden by the plated helm. The features of a nose and mouth could be seen through the gaping maw that moved with every word.

"Galjeva tho vortzandan mikk?"

Chester tilted his head upon hearing the foreign language. Even the robot seemed confused, before muttering to itself and giving the device a few smacks. It tried again, only to repeat the same phrase. The illusionist quickly figured it was likely trying to communicate. He hesitantly spoke in his first language.

"Can you understand me?" The olive-skinned man said in fluent English. The robot man snapped his neck to look at the captive, responding in the same language.

"You can speak English?!" It asked. The voice was slightly nasally, and a tinge of hope and disbelief colored it as they talked.

"Yeah, I'm guessing you're Elric? The name's Chester. We're a group of adventurers sent to investigate the whole robot problem going on down here. Mind letting me go?"

Like he was in a daze, the man numbly complied. He went behind Chester and broke the chains off. The illusionist resisted his first instinct to ditch everything and make a run for it for two reasons. One was because his party was still unconscious. The second was he wanted to know more about the man who could speak fluent English and wanted answers to his questions.

'Not to mention I don't know how strong this guy is. If he's the creator of all these robots, he's got to be strong right?'

"So, uh, any reason why you captured us? Or why your robots are stealing from the mines?"

Elric promptly ignored him, using the object in his hand and speaking aloud once more. "Testing, test-ing, Okay. Well, you guys really made a mess out of my robots. I'm used to collateral but the past day or two has been pretty ridiculous. And now, you've screwed up with their programming. All of them are talking about mandated breaks? Even the Scrap Bots are asking for a union."

Chester began to sweat. The man's eyes were covered by the helm, but he could feel Elric stare into his soul. "Me and my party were just talking about the harsh working conditions of slaves up above on the surface. Must've been a nasty coincidence for the robots to overhear, ahaha."

The robot looked unconvinced but shook his head. "Usually when I deal with intruders I just boot 'em and take their stuff as compensation and tell them to stay away from here. But since you're from Earth, I'll let you off easier than before."

The illusionist looked up with hope in his eyes. "Really? You'll let us go?" He thanked the omnipotent being above that his connection to the other world net him some benefits.

"No." He deflated immediately. "You guys seriously took out a bunch of my Scrap Bots and expect a slap on the wrist? You'll need to compensate for the loss in military power. I'll also be taking that Attainium of yours, that thing is on another level."

Looking down he noticed that everything he had was gone aside from his clothes. The amulets and rings that gave him some decent buffs were gone. Even his Attainium was gone but he could instinctually sense that it was somewhere in the vicinity. It was odd, and he remembered having the sensation when he had separated a portion of the iridescent metal and hid it in Damien's armor. It was like having a limb you could move while it was separate from the body. Either way, the illusionist knew he wouldn't be able to do much with how far it is.

"I'd love to but the Attainium's non-negotiable. You can't have it."

Elric looked at him and lowered his head, showing off his pupils that looked bloodshot. "You really think you're in a position to negotiate? Come in here, make a mess, and tell me what I can't do?" He whispered dangerously.

Chester had two decisions. He could either be cowed by the man who began to exude a dangerous aura. Even with his subpar mana-sensing abilities, it was clear the man possessed some serious power. The other was to respond with just as much intensity and hoped that his bluff would be enough to work.

"I'd like to see you try. Attainium's life-bonded with me, so as soon as I die it goes as well. But don't think I'll go down without a fight." He matched the man's stare, and there was a brief pause. Elric seemed mollified as the man's act was convincing. The illusionist inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, I don't really want to kill you. I'll think more about it. Anyway, I'll need you all to shore up the barricades at the northwest exits."

"Hey man, I'm not that strong. I know a guy who can help-"

Elric snorted. "Cut the bullshit. I analyzed all your stats. Illusionist, good physical abilities, and a glitched-out title. I can also see you're the reason why my foot soldiers are malfunctioning. Viva la Resistance ring a bell to you?"

Chester decided to shut his mouth. It was clear that the man had was adamant about making them slave away to replace the bots they killed. Although he wondered why the man didn't realize he came from Earth even after analyzing his status. The illusionist thought that his race was pretty clear when it said (Otherworld Variant). He decided to retreat and gather up his party to formulate a plan to escape. The man supposed that Christopher and Damien would have some input regarding their next move.

"Alright, alright, can we wake up my friends or something? I'll just use my, uh, Dream spell to go in and wake them up. Sound good?"

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion but relented. "Fine, but make it quick. If you don't wake up in five minutes I'm kicking your ass."

With that, Chester laid beside his vampire companion and linked their minds together in the hopes of finding a way to escape from the scary robot man.