Chapter 188 Baggage

Dilan didn’t take long to leave Rian. Despite his worries, he didn’t rush it and sorted the jumbled mess of thoughts in his mind instead of doing something stupid.

‘I should be back in half an hour as long as the situation does not spiral out of control.’

He was certain that Priestess Brashta would find something odd about him to not let him avail the benefit of even a single Sacred point they had accumulated during the last five days.

Even someone naive would notice that it would be quite weird because it made no sense to use up every single Sacred Point. At least, it made no sense, as long as one wanted to continue accumulating more Sacred Points.

That was also the reason why Dilan was ready to confront the Ligrav and Rasnian race if that was necessary.

Dilan had read more than enough reports about the behavior of everyone within the Sun temple.

These reports were provided by none other than his own people, the members of the Porter Unit during the last few days. Thus, Dilan was pretty sure that Priestess Brashta had made her own assumptions about the human race’s strength.

There were quite a few facts both sides had learned about each other. Simultaneously, both Dilan and the Priestess had concealed specific information that the opposite party was not ought to get to know.-.

‘Even if I were to be forced to fight the Eternal Guards, I should be able to pose a threat to them. As long as I can retreat to the frozen Shikan plains there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.’

Dilan had already come up with several plans to survive, and one of it involved the new chestplate he had obtained from exchanging Essence crystals at the large gate inside the Krendel’s Underground Valley.

[Ilran Chestplate] <Silver Tier-1> treasure.

[+10 Health]

Powerful Chestplate inscribed with mythical runes.

Enhances the effect of protective abilities by 15%

Other than the Ilran Chestplate, Dilan’s equipment was pretty much the same. However, the number of monsters he had killed during the last four days had been quite high.

Contrary to the others, whose level had already surpassed level 10, slowing their progress drastically owing to the lower level of their defeated opponents, Dilan was still at Level 5.

After fighting for four days, Dilan’s level had increased by one and he sensed that his Essence Pool was about to be filled once again.

He didn’t need much Essence to reach Level 7. But Dilan’s level was far less interesting than the progression of his stats. The monsters he killed were always the leader of the groups the others hunted.

Thus their strength and level was the highest. Dilan had also received quite a few status points, despite the restriction of the Cursed Blessing [Will of the Primordial].

But even then, Dilan couldn’t be certain to emerge victorious against existences, whose strength was on par with the peak of Tier-1, at least not without playing around with his abilities.

“There is no need for you to hide. Why did you follow me, instead of helping the others pack up?”

All of a sudden, Dilan’s voice rang through the large and empty street. Nobody could be seen in his immediate surroundings, but Dilan had halted in his tracks before looking in a specific direction behind him.

Seconds turned into two entire minutes, yet, not a single leaf fluttered anywhere around Dilan. It was as if the entire area had turned into a statue.

Dilan’s eyes turned cold, his gaze fixated on a single spot as he ordered

“Come out and reveal yourself!”

His volume was low but his tone was stern. Dilan was not in a good mood, to begin with. Migrating with their entire group was certainly not easy, even less if everyone thought that Dilan was either being overly cautious or simply trying to show off that he was the one who had all the power in the group.

The trouble that awaited him was also not something Dilan looked forward to because it was not a mindless fight of life and death but more related to politics.

He couldn’t simply bash everyone in the Sun temple, eradicate believers of the Sun God’s temple, and offend two foreign races of unknown strength and the Sun God Valgard.

This was not what Dilan was out for, thus, his head began to ache while he thought about what to do to prevent the situation from escalating the moment he reached the Sun temple.

“I-I-I’m sorry Sir…I-I just wanted to…to follow you…to help you…” A stuttering and somewhat familiar voice could be heard from behind the corner of the building Dilan’s gaze had been fixated upon.

In an instant, he knew who had followed him but it didn’t lighten his mood. On the contrary, Dilan knitted his brows, feeling as if the entire situation was slowly turning for the worse.

“Mason, go back and help the others. I’m going to the Sun temple. It’s too dangerous for you to be there!”

Right now, they were already at the outskirts of Rian. After crossing another 300 meters they would reach the Shikan plains. Mason might not be as weak as a week or two ago but he had barely advanced to Tier-1.

His stats were quite high already but the Sun temple was still too dangerous for Mason to be at, right now, at least.

“N-No sir. Please, you might need my help. I will help you in any way, just let me follow you right now. You don’t even need to protect me, but I want to help…”

Dilan clearly remembered that Mason had been working hard during the last few weeks. He was one of the few young men, who trained daily with the spear. Mason’s ability [Thrust] was the most compatible with the spear, which was also why he was one of the few Ascenders, who had received a Bronze Tier-1 weapon.

‘He won’t be able to help me well… He might be able to fight well but he is quite naive and hyperactive…well usually, at least.’

Dilan sighed deeply before staring deep into Mason’s eyes. They were crystal clear and filled with the determination to help Dilan. Mason wanted to be useful, he was eager to learn from Dilan by observing his fights and he wanted to become stronger…stronger than everyone to achieve one thing.

He was not overly ambitious but there was one thing he wanted to achieve, and it looked like Dilan was the only one who could help him in achieving this.

Thus, the determination in his expression intensified the longer Dilan looked at him.

A minute passed but Dilan had yet to move. His ice-cold eyes stared deep in Mason’s clear greenish eyes. Only when Dilan seemed to be satisfied with what he saw did his expression soften.

“Let me make one thing clear. Both of us might die if we make a mistake, so act properly and don’t do anything stupid. I’m not confident of protecting you in the Sun temple…if you cannot protect yourself, go back and help the others, otherwise, I can only consider you as an unnecessary baggage!”

Dilan’s words might sound cruel to some but they were his honest words. If the situation in the Sun temple escalated, Dilan was not even sure whether he would manage to save himself or not.

That was why he didn’t make any empty promises to Mason but he told him the truth about the given circumstances.

“I understand…please let me come with you, Boss!!”

Dilan sighed after hearing the excited voice of Mason. He shook his head and turned back to the direction of the Shikan plains before he broke into a light jog.

“Follow me then…”