"What?"
Everyone was shocked. How could a guardian offer herself as a reward?
"Aren't you a guardian of this place? How can you be my reward?"
"I am not the formal guardian of this treasure hunt. I just lived here and was assigned to a task."
"Who assigned you to this task?"
"The world. Or this continent to be precise. It's not the first time I was asked to be a guardian."
"But you're definitely above Gold Rank. How can you follow me in this treasure hunt?"
"I am Gold Rank."
"Impossible. How could you be this strong."
Aldred checked her status.
[Stella Altum]
Level: 89
Power: Call Upon The Stars, Teleportation.
History: Said to be the Daughter of Stars, Stella Altum had existed before kingdoms and empires. Living many lives as bandits and nuns. Yet, her old age did not let her come to wisdom, instead, she was crazed of boredom. Isolating herself in the highest peaks to stare at the stars.
Aldred frowned. With that history, how could she only at level 89. She literally existed before human society of this world.
Stella noticed his gaze and smiled. "Did you check out my stats?"
"How did you know?"
She giggled. "I have been watching you. I know you have an out-of-this-world power. Tell me. Why do you want to be stronger? Is it just because, or is there something else?"
"Well, I just want to have fun to be honest. But I think my dad is in trouble, so I have to be stronger to help him."
"Your family is having a problem. I see. I will help you in your journey. In return, you will help me find the main continent."
"Main continent? I never heard of something like that."
"That's for later. It's no use to think about it now. You are too weak. First, let's get you the treasure first, and then we will go on a journey to find it."
Aldred shrugged. "I'm up for any adventure. I want my path to power to be fun and exciting."
Stella giggled. If not for his mother, the boy would be dead by now. In a week, she detected a lot of powerful spells headed towards the boy, but all of them were deflected and blocked by powerful magic. And all the sources of that attack just vanished without a trace.
She did not know what was the boy's mother thinking. She was so powerful and yet she let her son go on this dangerous journey?
'Can I ask his mother to help me find the continent? Considering her hands-off involvement all this time, that doesn't seem to be possible. I have to rely on the boy then.'
She glanced at the boy who wore a handsome innocent face. He seemed cute, so she didn't mind spending time with him.
Unbeknownst to her, behind that innocent face was countless dirty imaginations with her as the subject.
'Damn, she's hot.'
He couldn't help it. Stella's clothes literally almost revealed her private parts. Her whole appearance was akin to a goddess.
"So what now?" Bartrem asked.
"That astrolabe will help you find your next path," Stella said. "But before that I will help you climb down the mountain."
"Wait," Aldred said. "Let me have some moments with the beast first." He approached the large creature and raised his hand.
"Arise."
The dark mist engulfed the creature whole, and then it stepped out in a menacing undead form. Purple mist shone all over its body, bringing in fear to those who set their eyes upon it.
The creature bowed. "Master,"
"What is your name?"
"My name is Xer Xai, master."
"I am too lazy to change your name, so I will keep calling you that. Tell me about your race."
"My race is is called by my name, Xer Xai."
"Why is that?"
"I am the first of my kind. I am the queen. The mother of all Xer Xai."
"You're the queen? But you're smaller than what Maverick told me."
"My power is shackled and my size has been reduced before I was captured into this mountain."
"Who did that to you?"
"The world."
Aldred frowned. This wasn't the first time the world did something. Was the planet really alive?
"Is it possible to unlock your power?"
"I have been told that it is possible, but it will take time."
"Good. From now on you will be my servant. Should I need an entire town to be devoured, you will be up to the task."
"This Xer Xai shall serve."
"Now be gone."
The large creature vanished into purple mist.
Aldred glanced at Stella and nodded.
She raised her staff, and the star core shined on them with lights before they appeared at the bottom.
Aldred saw numerous people preparing their tools before climbing up the mountain, and when they saw him, they swarmed him before asking some questions.
"Hey, did you reach the top?"
"Tell me what challenges you face on the mountain. I will give you treasures in exchange."
"Listen, my master is the son of a baron. You better tell me what you know."
"You guys misunderstand. I failed reaching the top and all of us were all killed by a big monster. We thought we were dead, but suddenly we are here."
"Oh, so we cannot die?"
"Very much," Aldred said.
"That's a relief to hear."
Aldred glanced at Mira who was staring at him. He sighed with a smile. "Alright, I am lying. 90% of you will die after entering the first challenge. Prepare yourself some warm clothes, because it gets really cold, and also bring a lot of magic treasures. Don't be shy spending all the gold coins you brought. You won't need gold coins up there."
"Now get the fuck out of my way before I call my new pet to eat all of you."
"How dare you speak to me that way. You deserve a slap for that."
Suddenly, the earth trembled, and Xer Xai in her undead form burst out of the ground. She roared at them, making them fall to their ass and piss their pants.
"This is my pet. Do you want to talk to her?"
They stared and trembled in fear. Never had they seen a creature so large and hideous in their life.
"Answer when I talk to you guys."
They trembled and forced out a reply: "N—No. We are in the wrong."
Aldred grinned. "Having a pet sure is nice."
Aldred walked away with his friends. Xer Xai followed him from behind like an obedient dog.
They all looked at the creature from behind.
"He failed even though he has that creature as a pet. Maybe we shouldn't climb the mountain."
"You fool. He must be lying. That thing is at least 300 meters tall. What kind of creature would survive fighting against that? He must have reached the peak already."
