At the top floor of the Alchemy Department hall in Artmage Academy, the dome was inlaid with thousands of Magic Crystals, emitting a soft blue-white light that illuminated the entire space like an inverted sea of stars.
Albert, the third prince of the Noxar Kingdom, stood before a floor-to-ceiling arched window, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the layered spires outside.
Opposite him sat an elderly man with graying hair, draped in a deep purple robe.
On the ring finger of the old man's left hand was a gold ring engraved with a gear emblem: the insignia of a third-stage "Citrinitas" Alchemist.
Alchemists progressed through four stages: Nigredo, Albedo, Citrinitas, and Rubedo; Citrinitas was already rare on the continent, while Rubedo existed only in history.
Eldlich, one of the top ten Alchemists on the continent, a lifetime professor at Artmage Academy, and also Albert's mentor.
"Three villages on the southern border of the Noxar Kingdom were slaughtered within half a month, and the stationed troops didn't even have time to send a single distress letter."
Eldlich took a sip from his teacup, his tone as calm as if he were reading a shopping list.
"At least three of the seventy-two Demon Generals have left the Darkreach, their specific whereabouts unknown."
Albert turned around, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Teacher, do you think a war will break out?"
"It's not a matter of if," Eldlich set down his teacup, "but when."
Albert fell silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding.
Though only nineteen years old, as the third prince of the Noxar Kingdom, he had been brought by his father to observe military meetings since childhood and was no stranger to the scent of war.
The Demon Race's movements were no minor disturbance; three Demon Generals leaving simultaneously had never happened in the past fifty years.
"Speaking of which, the Holy Federation plans to conduct a Hero Summoning Ritual." Eldlich suddenly changed the subject, tapping the table with his finger.
Albert was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.
"I know about this news. Father received a notification letter from the Federation last month."
He tilted his head, looking at his teacher.
"But why are you suddenly bringing this up, Teacher? You've never been very interested in the church's rituals."
Eldlich didn't answer immediately. Instead, he traced a small circle in the air with his finger, and a Barrier enveloped the area where the two stood.
"Do you know exactly when the Hero Summoning Ritual will begin?" Albert shook his head.
"The notification letter only said 'soon' and didn't provide a specific date. The secrecy level is very high; even Father didn't get the exact time."
At this point, he suddenly stopped, an idea flashing through his mind like lightning.
His teacher suddenly brought this up, specifically cast a Barrier, and asked if he knew the exact time.
"Teacher, could it be... today?"
Eldlich picked up his teacup and raised it slightly toward him. "You are my student; your reaction speed has always satisfied me."
Albert's eyes widened.
"Today? Right now?"
"To be precise, in another two hours," Eldlich stood up, brushing off nonexistent dust from his robe. "And you, Albert, have been selected for the Hero's Party."
These words struck Albert, leaving him frozen in place.
Hero's Party.
I've been selected for the Hero's Party…?
He opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.
The Hero's Party: a position beyond the reach of most people in their entire lifetimes.
Throughout history, the members of the Hero's Party have always been the product of repeated negotiations and compromises among various factions.
It typically consists of five seats: the Hero themselves, a representative of the Elves, a representative of the Dwarves, a representative of the Demi-humans, and the Saintess of a certain church.
Behind each seat lies the will of an entire Race or faction. Even a military powerhouse like the Noxar Kingdom would find it nearly impossible to intervene.
"Teacher, I don't quite understand."
Albert took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "According to convention, these five positions should have long been divided among the various factions. How could it possibly be my turn?"
Eldlich walked to the window, his gaze fixed on the distance.
"The Elves have encountered a situation."
"What situation?"
"The Elven Forest has been fully sealed off." Eldlich's voice was calm, but Albert sensed the gravity in his tone.
"It's not the usual semi-closed state. It's a complete lockdown; all external pathways have been shut down, trade routes severed, and even the Elves traveling outside can no longer return."
Albert gasped sharply.
The complete sealing of the Elven Forest meant the Elves had abandoned their seat in the Hero's Party.
At this critical juncture, with the Human-Demon War on the verge of breaking out, the Elves had chosen to shut themselves away… the reasons behind this were likely even more unsettling than the Demon Race's unusual movements.
"So, the Elves' seat is now vacant." Albert quickly pieced together the logic. "Who ended up taking this vacant position?"
"The human royal authority and the Artmage Academy argued over it for a long time."
Eldlich turned around, looking at his student.
"In the end, it was decided that my disciple would fill this position. Representing both the bloodline of the Noxar royal authority and the academic background of the Artmage Academy, it satisfies both sides."
Albert stared blankly at his teacher, his chest churning with indescribable emotions: joy, nervousness, excitement, and a vague, unspoken pressure.
"Teacher, why was I only told about this today?"
"Because the Hero Summoning Ritual has the highest level of secrecy," Eldlich raised a finger. "Participants are only notified on the day of the ritual. This is an ironclad rule, with no exceptions."
Albert nodded, quite understanding of this point.
The Hero Summoning Ritual concerned the fate of the whole continent; any premature leak could invite sabotage from the Demons.
However, what truly surprised him was something else.
"Teacher, you told me before the ritual, not after the Hero was successfully summoned." Albert looked into Eldlich's eyes.
"This means I can witness the summoning process with my own eyes."
Eldlich smiled, a rare occurrence. "You are my student. Some things are different when seen firsthand compared to hearing about them afterward."
He raised his hand, his fingertips tracing complex runic patterns in the air.
Blue-white light burst from the runes, and a Teleportation Magic Circle, two meters in diameter, slowly took shape on the ground.
"Let's go. We shouldn't keep the others waiting."
Albert took a deep breath, straightened his collar, and stepped into the Magic Circle. The light engulfed his vision.
When the light faded, Albert found himself standing in a massive cavern hall.
The cavern hall's dome was extremely high, at least thirty meters, densely covered with glowing runes across the entire ceiling, like an inverted starry sky.
At the center of the ground was carved a giant magic circle over ten meters in diameter, its circle patterns so intricate that it made one's scalp tingle, each line pulsing with light.
There were already people waiting inside the hall.
The first to catch the eye was a group of church members dressed in white-gold ceremonial robes, standing in a circle around the magic circle, softly chanting something.
Albert's gaze swept past the church members and landed on several figures standing at the periphery of the magic circle.
A Dwarf, less than one point four meters tall, yet with shoulders as broad as a door panel, his thick reddish-brown beard braided into three strands hanging down to his chest, carrying a warhammer on his back larger than his own body.
The Dwarf stood with arms crossed, expression serious, clearly a tough character sent by the Forging Council.
Beside the Dwarf stood a pink-haired girl who made Albert look twice.
Cat ears.
On the girl's head stood a pair of furry and pointed ears, her cheeks round, with a slender tail trailing behind her, its tip swaying lazily from side to side.
She wore a pair of goggles, dressed in black-copper adventure attire, with various strange metal accessories hanging from her waist and shoulder armor.
Seeing Albert appear, the cat-eared girl tilted her head, a confident smirk curling at the corner of her mouth, her gaze through the goggles full of cleverness.
This demeanor reminded Albert of those lone wolf hunters in the Adventurers' Guild.
A representative of the Demi-humans, Catfolk? Albert quickly searched through the information in his mind.
Seats for the Demi-humans were usually elected by various Demi-human tribes, and whoever could stand here representing the entire Demi-human race was certainly no ordinary figure.
And the most representative Demi-human faction was the "Ironbeast Legion," rumored to have also participated in the resistance against the Dogmatika Nation.
His gaze continued to move, landing on the last person.
A girl with snow-white hair, wearing a purple-black gown, a veil of the same color on her head, her face cold and pure, exuding a sacred aura that made one dare not approach.
Albert stared at her attire for a few seconds, feeling he had seen it somewhere before.
Purple-black veil, white hair, a cold and sacred aura–a Saintess.
Wait.
A certain image from memory suddenly surfaced.
Yes, still the Dogmatika Nation.
The military empire that once ruled the entire Ashhal continent was destroyed by the combined forces of adventurer Albaz and Ecclesia, along with multiple factions.
In that war of annihilation, it was said the Dogmatika Nation exposed a mad act; they had fused all the successive Saintesses of the Dogmatika Nation into a single person.
Fortunately, with the power of those two legendary adventurers, the Saintesses were ultimately freed, but the First Saintess was resurrected in the new era, walking upon the earth.
The church's First Saintess.
Albert's heart jolted.
"Everyone is here." Eldlich's voice came from behind, pulling Albert back from his thoughts.
The church's leader, an elderly bishop wearing a tall crown, nodded toward Eldlich.
"The time has come. The ritual shall begin immediately."
Eldlich waved his hand, signaling Albert to step back to the periphery of the magic circle.
Albert quickly walked over and stood beside the Dwarf and the cat-eared girl, his gaze fixed intently on the central magic circle.
The chanting of the church members suddenly rose in pitch, their low and solemn ancient tongue echoing through the cavern hall, each syllable striking like a bell upon the soul.
The Magic Circle began to glow intensely, the light within its Circle Patterns shifting from blue-white to a dazzling gold, illuminating the entire cavern hall as bright as day.
Albert felt the Mana Density in the air skyrocketing, growing so thick it was almost visible to the naked eye.
He instinctively clenched his fists, his heart racing.
The Hero… is really coming.
The Cat Ears girl's tail stood straight up, her eyes behind her goggles fixed unwaveringly on the center of the Magic Circle.
The Dwarf's hand had already reached for the handle of the warhammer on his back–not out of hostility, but pure instinct.
The white-haired Saintess remained motionless in place, her expression unchanged.
The golden light grew increasingly brilliant.
At the center of the Magic Circle, distortions began to appear, as if space itself were being crumpled by an invisible hand. Amidst the interplay of light and shadow, a blurred humanoid silhouette gradually solidified.
Just then, Eldlich abruptly turned his head.
"Who's there?"
Eldlich's furious shout exploded through the cavern hall. Before the echoes had even faded, everyone's gaze shot in the same direction.
At the edge of the Magic Circle, a figure had appeared unnoticed.
Clad in white robes trimmed with gold, wearing a pointed hood and a silver mask adorned with golden patterns that completely concealed their features.
They stood there as if having sprouted directly from the void, with no signs of magical energy fluctuation or spatial rift.
Albert's pupils constricted sharply.
When did they get here?
He had been watching the Magic Circle the entire time, yet his vision had captured no anomaly.
It was as if this person had always been standing there, only everyone's perception had automatically overlooked their presence.
The Dwarf was the first to react, pulling his warhammer from his back. Its heavy head struck the ground with a dull thud as he planted his feet in a wide stance, leaning slightly forward.
The Cat Ears girl's tail puffed up into a ball of fur, but her movements were faster than anyone's–her right hand was already pressed against a metal attachment at her waist.
The church members ceased their chanting. Several Templar Knights drew their swords, swiftly forming a defensive line in front of the bishop presiding over the ritual.
"Lopt! It's you!"
Eldlich's voice was squeezed through gritted teeth, as if he were biting out the name.
Albert saw his teacher's expression change instantly–like a hunter spotting prey he had tracked for years, or a scholar confronting the heresy he despised most.
Lopt?
Albert frantically searched his memory for the name.
He had seen it in the palace's confidential archives: identity unknown, strength unknown, whereabouts unknown.
The only certainty was that this person had disrupted at least three major magical rituals over the past twenty years, each time escaping unscathed.
Eldlich raised both hands, his ten fingers swiftly sketching in the air. Golden Alchemy Runes erupted around him, transforming into dozens of Light Chains that shot toward the masked man.
"Stop him! Protect the ritual!"
Eldlich's roar snapped everyone back to attention.
The masked man sidestepped, his figure slipping unnaturally through the gaps between the Light Chains, his movements fluid and effortless.
The cat-eared girl's fingers pressed rapidly on the metal fittings at her waist and shoulder armor, a series of mechanical clicks echoing around her.
What he had assumed were decorative metal fittings were unfolding, combining, and assembling at an incredible speed, blue Electricity surging wildly within them.
In less than three seconds, three small, black-copper-colored turrets were mounted on the cat-eared girl's shoulders and right arm, the barrels glowing with a blinding orange-red light.
"Take this!"
The cat-eared girl shouted as all three turrets fired simultaneously.
Orange-red energy projectiles blasted toward the masked man at speeds difficult to track with the naked eye, the air warping from the heat of their passage.
The masked man's figure flickered continuously under the barrage, each movement perfectly avoiding the lethal trajectories.
But the cat-eared girl's firing rate was astonishingly fast, the three turrets alternating shots, steadily compressing the masked man's space to evade.
'This cat-eared girl's strength...'
Albert clenched his fists.
The energy output of each shot from the three turrets was no less than a full-force strike from a Silver-rank Mage, and her continuous firing showed no signs of exhaustion.
Who was she?
Eldlich's attacks didn't cease either, his hands constantly drawing runes in the air. Golden chains shot out simultaneously from the ground, walls, and ceiling, as if trying to turn the entire space into a giant net.
Caught between the artillery fire and the chains, the masked man could no longer evade with ease. A golden chain grazed the hem of his robe, tearing a gash in the white fabric.
But the masked man made no sound, not even a change in his breathing rhythm. He merely tilted his head slightly, the golden patterns on his silver mask flickering.
Albert noticed that the masked man had not fought back from start to finish.
He was dodging and maneuvering, but had not launched a single attack.
He's not here to fight.
As this thought surfaced, Albert's heart sank sharply, his gaze sweeping toward the center of the Magic Circle.
The golden light had condensed to its peak, the blurred humanoid outline growing clearer and clearer–a figure enveloped in light was taking shape.
The Hero was about to appear.
"Teacher! His target is the Hero!"
Albert shouted hoarsely.
Eldlich had seen it too. The old Alchemist's face turned ashen, his hands abruptly clapping together as all the golden chains tightened simultaneously, closing in to crush the masked man.
The cat-eared girl adjusted her firing angle as well, concentrating all three barrels' firepower on the path between the masked man and the Magic Circle, attempting to block his approach with a curtain of bullets.
The Dwarf charged forward with his warhammer, heavy footsteps shaking the ground as he swung the hammer toward the masked man's waist.
The masked man's body bent backward unnaturally, dodging the Dwarf's heavy blow, the gust of wind from the hammer lifting the edge of his hood.
Just as everyone thought the encirclement had been formed, the masked man vanished.
In the next instant, the masked man's figure appeared right at the center of the Magic Circle.
He stood beside the solidifying figure of light, the golden patterns on his silver mask flashing wildly.
"No!"
Eldlich roared, swinging both hands as all the Alchemy Runes detonated simultaneously, a golden wave of light surging toward the center of the Magic Circle.
The cat-eared girl's turrets fired at the same moment, orange-red energy bullets trailing long tails of flame as they blasted toward the masked man.
The Saintess watched all this but did not move, her gaze indifferent. Having been resurrected from death and betrayed by the faith she was taught, her heart seemed to find no meaning in anything in this world.
The masked man reached out and touched the figure within the light.
Upon contact, an indescribable force erupted from the center of the Magic Circle, deflecting all their attacks.
The golden wave of light was torn apart, the energy bullets were diverted, and the alchemical chains shattered into countless fragments.
Albert was pushed back several steps by the shockwave, and by the time he steadied himself and looked again, the center of the Magic Circle was empty.
Both the masked man and the Hero had vanished.
The cavern hall fell into an eerie silence. The church members stood frozen in shock, the bishop's tall crown tilted to one side, his lips trembling wordlessly.
The Dwarf's warhammer stood planted on the ground, his thick arms trembling slightly–not from fear, but from anger.
The cat-eared girl's shoulder and arm turrets still emitted wisps of heat, the orange-red residual warmth flickering at their muzzles.
She adjusted her sunglasses, sweeping her gaze over the expressions of everyone present. The atmosphere was so heavy it felt suffocating.
"Uh, actually, I could replace the Hero, too."
The cat-eared girl grinned, her tail swaying a couple of times.
No one laughed. Eldlich's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot. He slowly lowered his hands, the lingering glow of golden runes still flickering at his fingertips.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
Without the Hero, killing the Demon King would require another plan… one likely a hundred times more difficult than summoning the Hero.
...
Deep within an unknown cave, water droplets fell from the tips of stalactites, striking the accumulated water on the ground with crisp echoes.
A girl lay on the cold rock, her short blonde hair scattered messily on both sides of her cheeks. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, then snapped open.
A pair of azure-blue eyes stared blankly at the pitch-black rock ceiling above.
The girl sat up, her movements somewhat sluggish, like a machine that had just started up and hadn't fully loaded yet.
She looked around, her gaze sweeping over the damp cave walls, the water on the ground, and the faint fluorescent moss in the distance. Her expression remained unchanged–not from calmness, but from not having fully processed the situation yet.
"Where am I?"
The cave's echoes repeated the question several times, each repetition sounding increasingly hollow.
"You are in a safe place." A voice came from her right.
The girl turned her head and saw a figure standing in the shadows, dressed in a white robe with golden trim, a pointed hood, and a silver mask adorned with gold patterns.
The masked figure snapped their fingers, the crisp sound echoing through the cave. The girl felt as if something had gently brushed against her mind, and the previously incomprehensible language suddenly became clear.
"Can you understand now?"
The girl tilted her head and blinked.
"Yes."
Her reply was so brief it was almost devoid of emotion. Her blue eyes stared directly at the masked figure; not afraid, not curious, just watching.
The masked figure didn't seem surprised by her reaction. "Then I'll proceed with the formalities."
With hands clasped behind their back, the masked figure began to pace.
"You have been summoned to another world. This place is called Elgaria.
"Currently, this world faces a great threat; an entity known as the Demon King endangers the survival of all."
The girl listened without interrupting, her expression still half-dazed, half-blank.
"And you have been chosen to be the Hero who will oppose the Demon King."
The masked figure stopped and turned toward the girl. "Simply put, your task is to defeat the Demon King."
The girl remained silent for a few seconds.
"Why me?"
"Because the summoning ritual chose you," the masked figure replied flatly. "As for why it chose you and not someone else, I can't answer that. It might be fate, probability, or just bad luck."
The girl fell silent again for a few seconds. "What happens after I defeat the Demon King?"
"You can choose to stay in this world or return."
The girl lowered her head and looked at her hands–pale, slender fingers with neatly trimmed nails. They didn't look like hands capable of defeating any Demon King.
"I have no power."
"That's what I'm about to explain." The masked figure extended their hands, palms facing upward.
A crystal hovered above their palms.
About the size of a fist, the crystal was transparent, with blue-white Electricity flickering inside. Its surface was engraved with intricate Rune Scripts, each one pulsing faintly.
The blue-white light reflected on the girl's face, making her sapphire-blue eyes appear even brighter.
"This is called a Divine Tablet."
The masked figure offered the crystal to the girl.
"You can think of it as... how should I put it? In terms you might understand..."
They paused, as if carefully choosing their words. "Have you ever played RPG games?"
The girl's eyes finally showed a hint of change–her pupils contracted slightly, as if a keyword had triggered a circuit in her mind.
"Yes."
"That makes it easier to explain," the masked figure's tone relaxed a little. "The Divine Tablet is your system panel. It will grant you the ability to fight and grow in this world."
"Leveling up, learning Skills, completing quests, obtaining equipment; everything you've done in games is real here."
The girl stared at the crystal for a long while, then reached out and touched its surface with her fingertips.
The moment she made contact, blue-white electricity spread along her fingers, like countless tiny lightning bolts dancing across her skin.
It didn't hurt; just a slight tingling sensation.
The crystal suddenly flashed brightly, followed by a translucent light screen that sprang from the runes and hovered before her.
The interface of the light screen was clean and tidy. On the left was a humanoid silhouette, while the right side displayed densely packed data.
[Name: Not Logged In]
[Class: Not Selected]
[Level: 1]
[Health: 100/100]
[Mana: 50/50]
[Strength: 5]
[Agility: 7]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Constitution: 4]
[Spirit: 6]
At the bottom of the light screen were three tabs labeled "Attribute Panel," "Skill Tree," and "Quest Log."
The girl tapped the "Skill Tree" tab with her finger.
The screen switched to a tree diagram interface, with a glowing dot at the center. Dozens of branches extended outward from the dot, each adorned with dimmed icons. Hovering over them would display the skill names and unlock conditions.
She then tapped the "Quest Log" tab.
The screen switched again, with a line of golden text prominently displayed at the top.
[Main Quest: Defeat the Demon King]
╰ Description: Travel to the Demon King's Castle and defeat the Demon King who rules over Darkreach.
╰ Reward: Key of Return
Below were several grayed-out side quests, all marked with the words "Locked."
The girl stared at the main quest for a long time, while the masked figure stood beside her, waiting in quiet.
After about half a minute, the girl closed the light screen and looked up at the masked figure.
"You can think of this world as an RPG game," the masked figure tilted his head slightly, the golden patterns on his silver mask shimmering in the dimly lit cave.
"Come, Hero."
...
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