World Online

[You have been suppressed to level 30. All stats have been adjusted.]

That was the first message that Jake saw when he entered. But it did not concern him too much. After all, he was the one person that wasn't affected too much from this change.

[You have entered sealed realm: Holy Grounds of Saint Ester]

[You will not be allowed to access the outside world until you clear the sealed realm]

Jake shook his head as he looked around. This was the most important point.

They were in a place that seemed like a forest, and yet wasn't. It was like an orchid. Trees neatly placed in rows and arrays. This was probably a place of peace until disaster struck.

"Everyone, be careful. While we must be mindful of what might come from the portal outside, we must also be careful of what lies inside. There are beasts within who were stuck here for decades." Father Joseph shouted.

Jake looked up at the sky. It was still dark. The same problem that came from the Evil Lands. So if there were any beasts here, they would only be the Evil Beasts that survived off of evil energy, which was abundant here.

This place seemed nothing like a Holy Ground. It felt like the exact opposite.

And the direction that they were walking toward only increased this sensation.

Jake stretched his arms as he took out his sword. He had to get ready now.

"Oh! Your sword changed boy. Are you finally using a good sword?" someone from the side commented.

Jake looked at the one who just spoke and smiled at him.

"Yes. I decided to use this sword, but last time, it did not feel right to use it just yet." He said.

"Careful everyone. There is a horde that is coming toward us. Remember. Your stats have decreased! You are no longer in the level that you used to be. Your power has been suppressed, as has the opponent's strength. Now, this is going to be a battle of numbers." Ganshin shouted.

And just as he said this, they could hear the sound of what the man was talking about.

But the sound didn't come from the apple trees that were next to them. Instead they came from the sky.

Everyone looked up as the entire sky suddenly became so much darker. The gray sky was covered by a giant black shadow.

Looking closely, one would notice that the black sky was not actually a black sky. It was a culmination of so many monsters that had gathered together.

They were birds. Birds that had red eyes, and these red eyes were like polka dots on this giant shadow that they had formed together.

"Mages! Priests! Now is your time! Everyone else, make sure that no one is disturbed at they cast their spells!" Ganshin shouted.

The swordsmen, tanks, and the three paladins grunted in agreement.

The mages raised their staffs. The priests and priestesses their books. As they started chanting, the shadow in the sky didn't move. Instead, it seemed to be peering down with curiosity, looking at what the people down there were doing.

With no attack coming, slowly, spells were ready.

"Fire Inferno!"

A blast of fire started from one of the rune circles on the ground, and spread forward like a hand trying to grab the giant shadow.

Seeing the spell that was cast against them, the giant shadow screeched. All of those birds screeching at the same time was a sound unbearable almost. Many of the mages stopped casting, and their spells gone to waste.

But the inferno was already cast, and when it reached the birds, the birds started screeching. Many started falling to the ground.

The shadow started to have holes.

But with someone attacking, which monster wouldn't retaliate? The shadow started moving. The birds flew down, trying to swoop down and focus on the ones that the bird knew could attack them.

But the swordsmen existed for this exact moment.

As the birds swooped in, they were met with weapons of all types. The swords, one or two spears, and shields, met the birds that came swooping down.

Every mage had his or her own guard to make sure that they wouldn't have to lose their concentration.

Birds started falling because of the attacks of the swordsmen. At close distances, these birds didn't stand a chance.

And their health bars weren't that long either, so they fell very swiftly.

The shadow no longer remained in the sky, retreating. The birds were gone as quickly as they appeared.

But the scattering birds were not left alone.

Pellets of magic started shooting toward them, and other spells started manifesting.

Soon, the entire sky was filled with colors. More birds than not were falling on the ground, and the entire horde was taken care of soon enough.

"Perfect." Jake thought to himself as he looked to the side.

Annie was the one he was protecting. The only one that he knew here, in a way. She nodded at him. Jake was able to protect her, and she knew that he was not the same weak person in this realm. He was as strong as everyone else.

"Thank you, Baron." She nodded at him.

"This is my responsibility. I dare not accept your gratitude. Maybe after this whole thing has passed, I shall treat you like a smaller brother." Jake smiled.

"Do not rest yet, everyone! What we have done is merely take care of a horde of beasts. They were not strong in any way! Let us keep moving first!" Ganshin shouted as he started moving forward.

"This man is an expert in controlling the crowd." Jake thought to himself.

"But how the hell does a sealed realm have so many beasts. Did these evil beasts reproduce? If they reproduced without any bounds, then exactly how many of them are in here?"

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