The odd glimmer surrounding the chain blades didn't have anything to do with its grading like other drops explained thus far. Instead, the eccentric glow symbolized its relation to a quest! In other words, these chain blades were a quest item.
Given that Zelliolx was a Variant and somehow related to the Orc Tribes, Kieran presumed this weapon should result in a worthwhile quest. Once he picked it up, Kieran was shocked by the prompt he was given.
〈System: Find the Zelliolx's exiled Elder to receive a quest. The holder of this quest will have decreased reputation with the Orc Tribes of the Wildes.〉
'An exiled elder? Oh? No wonder Zelliolx seemed unusual for a goblin leader. His true origins seem to come from within the Wildes. Still… how can such a character devolve to this low-level state? Unless… it was a predecessor that carried the power, and that power somehow diminished over time,' Kieran guessed.
After careful consideration, Kieran decided to stow the chained blades in his inventory. It wasn't like he was seeking goodwill from the Orcs anyhow. If his reputation with them decreased, then so be it. Some enemies would be inevitable on his road to the top.
Setting aside the matters of the quest item, Kieran picked up the note and skimmed through it. Based on what he gleaned from the letter, it seemed to belong to said Elder, and it expressed remorse, sorrow, and disconsolate emotions spurred by their professed innocence.
'Ah, what a tragic story. I feel for you, whoever you are. Betrayal and treachery are something I'm all too familiar with. Should I collect the clues, I'll be sure to find you and accept your quest,' Kieran thought.
Finally, he picked up the vial of blood that dropped from Zelliolx. Despite the unusual color of Goblin and Orc blood, the blood inside the vial was surprisingly a ravishing crimson color, free from any noticeable impurities. It seemed the title "Refined" wasn't just for show.
「 Refined Blood Essence (Quest Item)
Item Rank: Unique
Item Grade: Superior (79)
Description: The rich condensed essence of a boss monster. It can be used in multiple ways, but alchemy and forging are the most common. Potions or elixirs concocted from this particular essence will showcase increased volatility but reward generous ability increases in exchange. 」
Kieran's eyes widened as he read through the description. Superior! This was the material rank needed to produce equipment of the Unique-Grade or concoct Unique-Grade consumables.
At this point in the game, the number of people who had come across such a valuable resource was undoubtedly less than ten. Sadly, in Kieran's case, it was strictly a quest item. He wouldn't be able to take advantage of the item to gain a unique edge, nor did he understand how to extract Blood Essence since it differed from simple blood.
Blood Essence carried its host's inherent properties, which required a particular retrieval tactic.
Once he stowed the vial of Refined Blood Essence, a bout of powerlessness washed over Kieran. The defenseless aftereffects of the Ancient Crimson Aegis surfaced but more than that, Kieran's vitality was utterly exhausted. It would take some time for him to recover to a state suitable for battle.
'I wonder at what level Agrianos intended for me to use this technique? It's not something I can bring out often, especially since it seems to be absorbing something important. I can't afford to interfere with this class's progression by making idiotic moves. Aiming high is preferred, but if I don't do it intelligently, then I'd be fucking myself over,' Kieran thought while slowly rubbing his chin in thought.
If not for the Tempest Strikes and the Ancient Crimson Aegis, emerging victorious would have been impossible. This fact made Kieran frown slightly. He was by no means complacent, but the sensation of prevalent weakness wasn't too pleasing.
However, the completed quest sitting in his quest log gave Kieran some solace. As per Scar's instructions, Kieran bit his finger and dripped a few droplets of blood upon the insignia hidden on the back of his palm.
A burst of crimson light flashed, turning into an orb of sanguine energy as some information flowed into Kieran's mind.
〈System: Activation of the «Bloody Hero's Symbol» will transport you to the Hero's Sanctuary. Do you wish to continue? [ Yes? No? ]〉
"Yes," Kieran answered.
As a result, the sanguine orb filled with rigid and rippling energy bombarded the space before Kieran, forming a crimson doorway similar to the one Scar used to disappear from within Gena Village. The only difference was the one produced by this symbol seemed more stable.
After all, it was a symbol created by an incredibly skilled individual. Scar wasn't its creator; he was simply the holder it was tailored for. As long as an individual fulfilled the requirements to activate the symbol, such as the holder's recognition, it could be utilized to travel to a place everyday adventurers could only dream of visiting.
Once Kieran stepped inside the portal, it closed shortly thereafter.
Kieran felt as if some inexplicable force was pulling his body after stepping through the portal's threshold. By the time the feeling subsided, Kieran was ejected from the portal's other side.
Surprisingly, what he fell upon wasn't hard at all. Instead, it was lush greenery graced by a pleasant scent and faint dew.
〈System: You have entered the «Hero's Sanctuary»!〉
〈System: As the first player to enter the Hero's Sanctuary, you have been rewarded 200 World Fame.〉
〈System: Your World Fame has reached the first minor milestone. In light of these accomplishments, you will be held in the same regard as Knights in all human civilizations.〉
'Oh? I've amassed enough World Fame already?' Kieran thought in slight astonishment.
While it wasn't challenging to gather World Fame, it was somewhat demanding to accomplish it with quests alone. Some didn't even reward fame. For one to receive World Fame, they'd need to complete a quest of great significance. In other words, the main quests.
The quest's ranking wasn't entirely important since the rewarded fame relied upon two factors: the issuer's world standing and how vital the quest's completion was for the fate of Xenith. The more severe the consequences, the greater the reward.
In Kieran's case, most of his World Fame came from being the first to visit places and accepting quests from Scar, who also doubled as a world-renowned figure. As for the standard Kieran had reached, it was the 3rd accessible reputation level, right above Commoner and Citizen.
Shortly after recovering from his fall, Kieran stood up and shifted his gaze throughout his surrounding. Buildings resembling small citadels were scattered throughout the surroundings as far as he could see. What's more, he noticed clouds along the lower horizon.
Generally, clouds were found up above a city, not below it, which welcomed the question―where was this sanctuary located?
Simply put, Kieran was currently atop a floating entity. A sort of treasured oasis for adventurers who transcended the normal scope of the adventurer's guild.
Kieran barely managed to take a few steps along the polished marble-like stone walkway before two long and exquisitely-made spears intersected, barring Kieran's entry.
Two guards dressed in shimmering silver armor stood before Kieran with stoic expressions. There wasn't a flicker of emotion other than their steadfast devotion to their duties.
"Why is an Unawakened up here? Better yet, how exactly did you manage to make it to the humble abode of the Heroes?" the first guard questioned. Aside from asking this question, they didn't move a single other muscle. It was as if they had remarkable control over their bodies to the point they didn't so much as twitch!
"I've come at the behest of the Bloody Hero," Kieran answered in a tone that was neither servile nor unfriendly. It was as if he mimicked their stoic way of speaking.
"The Bloody Hero?" the guard on the right muttered.
"Hmm… it could be true. After all, he had recently returned to the sanctuary. However… he didn't leave any instructions regarding a guest. It'd take a while f-..."
"Let him in; he's with me," a loud and deep voice echoed throughout the Hero's Sanctuary. Despite how disruptive such an act could be, the bustling streets of the Hero's Sanctuary remained unaffected, as if they were accustomed to this type of outburst.
As per the voice's instructions, the two guards retracted their weapons and stepped aside in an orderly manner. "Seeing as you are an Unawakened, I presume you're attempting to become a successor to a Hero's Legacy. Well… best of luck to you."
"Indeed, best of luck to you, young one," the second guard added.
Once Kieran crossed through the sanctuary's pristine gates, the symbol on the back of his hand pulsated and turned into a beacon that guided him toward Scar's location. As it so happens, the site turned out to be one of the nine grandest buildings inside the Hero's Sanctuary.
Naturally, seven of those buildings belonged to the seven Mythical Heroes. The final two held a special significance that equaled or even surpassed the importance of a singular Mythical Hero.
Soon enough, Kieran came across Scar, who seemed to be unusually troubled. He paced around a spacious room fitted with the most luxurious furnishings one could ask for while grumbling incoherently.
"Damned woman! She makes no sense―zero sense. Absolutely no sense! Why can't she honor my favor?! Bah… damned minx," Scar cursed while starting to gnash his teeth.
After watching this display, Kieran could only clear his throat to announce his arrival.
Scar immediately snapped his head towards Kieran. His frustration disappeared in the blink of an eye as he perused Kieran's presence with an analytical gaze. A pleased smile completely contrasting his former expression appeared.
"You've completed my task!"
"Correct. I haven't let you down. But err, what was that about a woman? Are you having woman troubles? Tsk tsk, to think someone of your renown would be plagued with an otherwise easy-to-solve issue," Kieran teased.
"Wait a minute, twerp. I didn't ask for your input. Secondly, you speak without knowing the topic. Your mind is simple and thus can't comprehend the crux of my woes."
"Sheesh, calling the one who completed your quest a dummy. Such a low blow," Kieran said while feigning a sigh.
"Yeah, yeah! Speaking of which, now that you're here, you can truly complete the quest," Scar grinned cryptically.
〈System: You have completed the Hidden Class Promotion Quest «True Berserker's Emergence I»!〉
