Level up Inquisitor

Level Up Heresy Judge – Episode 158 (158/227)

Episode 158: Master of the North (2)

The snow-covered peaks of the Northern region.

After navigating a treacherous slope, a city nestled halfway up the mountain came into view.

“I never would’ve guessed there’d be a city this big in the north…”

Ail, stepping inside, couldn’t hide his surprise.

Havenna, the fortress city of the Iron Cross guild.

Most buildings were constructed from stone, giving the entire city a unique appearance reminiscent of a single massive fortress.

But what amazed Ail most was the city’s sheer scale.

This enormous city, occupying part of the snowy mountain, buzzed with activity as NPC citizens hurried about their daily lives.

At first glance, it was clearly a substantial population.

No one had expected to find such a major hub in the north, rumored to be an uninhabitable environment.

“Reused old ruins. It may look drab, but at least you won’t freeze to death here.”

Shir, the guildmaster of Iron Cross, spoke casually while leading Ail here after their chance encounter in the ruins.

In her white cloak, long sword, ash-gray hair, and fur-trimmed shoulders characteristic of Iron Cross attire, she exuded an icy demeanor matching the rumors.

Yet something about her reminded Ail of someone else, making him tilt his head in thought.

“I knew her face from before, but seeing her in person… there’s something strangely familiar about her.”

Scratching his head, Ail felt an irritating sense of recognition that hovered just out of reach.

While he was lost in thought, they slipped away from the bustling streets.

Stopping on a bridge at the city outskirts, Shir dismissed her fellow guild members.

WHOOSH!

A cold wind swept across the bridge as Shir leaned against the railing without a word.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

Following her lead, Ail approached.

Below the railing stretched a breathtaking yet daunting view of a vast snowy plain battered by fierce blizzards.

Though impressive, considering the dangers lurking within made it seem even more forbidding.

Considering the distance, hidden monsters, and supply issues…

Surveying the scene, Ail realized they still faced many challenges ahead.

Breaking the brief silence, Shir spoke first.

“You said you came looking for relics, right? Think you’ll find anything useful down there?”

“You’re implying there’s something specific you want?”

“To make things easier for both of us.”

Turning her gaze toward Ail, Shir made a straightforward proposal.

“Sorry, but I’ve already got a solid lead. Don’t think I’ll need any help.”

Location data obtained from the Waystone.

Ail instinctively knew it pointed to where the hidden relic lay.

With this coordinate alone, he didn’t see much point in dealing with Iron Cross.

But Shir just smirked knowingly.

“A ‘solid’ lead, huh? Are you really that sure?”

“What do you mean?”

“That ‘solid’ lead of yours – you’re talking about the Waystone you found in the ruins, right?”

“How did you…”

“There’s nothing we don’t know about goings-on in the north. And by the way, those Waystones? They aren’t the only ones around.”

Turns out the Waystones weren’t singular.

More of them were scattered throughout the north, each pointing to different coordinates.

Iron Cross had chased these leads multiple times, only to come up empty-handed.

“Crap, so there wasn’t just one…”

Ail’s expression turned troubled at this unexpected revelation.

But it wasn’t all bad news.

“The strange stones appeared in the north not too long ago – right around when word of the relics surfaced. They’re definitely connected somehow.”

“Our positions have reversed, it seems. So what exactly are you after?”

“Glad you understand. We’ve heard about the relics too. The problem is, no one knows much about them beyond their existence. I assume Light Church executors might have some insights?”

Smiling faintly, Shir continued.

“Hmm, this isn’t quite what I expected…”

She seemed different from what Ail had heard.

Rumored to be cold and aloof, but in person, she didn’t quite match that description.

“But why are you interested in the relics? You’re not affiliated with any church, nor does it concern one of the six great guilds.”

“Normally, no. But we’ve been having some unwanted guests lately.”

“Unwanted guests?”

Since news of the relics spread, treasure hunters, bounty hunters, criminal guilds, mid-sized guilds, and top-tier rankers had all flocked to remote areas like the north.

Even those seemingly unrelated to the churches coveted the immense value the relics represented.

Ail had heard rumors of increased activity, but learning the full extent surprised him.

“Guess I’ll have to be careful moving forward…”

This relic hunt would require keeping an eye on other players as much as monsters.

“Alright, I’ll share everything I know.”

Nodding, Ail divulged all relevant information.

He chose the north first partly because he anticipated needing assistance from Iron Cross if things went awry.

While technically a transaction requiring compensation, any advantage was preferable to aimless wandering across this vast region.

“So what happens when all fifteen relic fragments are gathered?”

“No one knows. There’s no records or stories left behind.”

“Not even the Light Church?”

The conversation hit a snag at the most crucial question.

Pausing thoughtfully, Shir offered a theory.

“Relics of the ancient deity… Perhaps whoever gathers all fragments becomes the true One God. Anything else?”

This was the most plausible hypothesis to Ail as well.

But there was one issue.

If one became the One God, the others would naturally become false gods or vanish entirely.

However, Warode’s deities were fundamentally immortal.

Even if their influence waned temporarily, they wouldn’t lose their divine status or cease to exist.

Most importantly, Warode’s seven churches were massive factions wielding significant world influence.

Should a deity disappear, their church would inevitably follow.

“But there’s never been a case where a faction granting exclusive jobs disappeared.”

Ail stated firmly.

Factions bestowing unique professions on players.

Should such a faction vanish, affiliated players would instantly lose their jobs – something that had never occurred.

While caution was warranted regarding Warode’s developments, whether this event could cause such drastic changes remained questionable.

Churches and apostles were tied to long-term world events.

Should a One God emerge, various complications would undoubtedly arise.

“Definitely some issues with that direction… Anyway, I’ve heard enough for now.”

Shir handed Ail a neatly folded note.

A sheet filled with numbers.

It contained coordinates Iron Cross had obtained from various northern Waystones.

[Your Northern Map Information has been updated!]

Additionally, he gained access to northern terrain data.

Though most areas were previously obscured due to lack of exploration, this update revealed enough to navigate toward the Waystone coordinates.

“This feels a bit excessive compared to the info I provided…”

“Consider it preemptive debt repayment. Better than letting unknown parties acquire suspicious items.”

She remained cautious about the relics.

Though primarily a church matter, guilds could still be affected, necessitating monitoring any significant movements.

“And here.”

Shir tossed over an item.

THUNK!

A blue stone landed in Ail’s hand.

Cobaltite, reportedly mined only from deep underground in the north.

Infused with a peculiar fiery energy glowing faintly blue, simply carrying it helped maintain body temperature.

While not a complete solution, it was far better than going unprotected.

“The north gets harsher the deeper you go. Best to stay vigilant. What you’ve faced so far is nothing.”

Running her fingers through her long hair, Shir smiled confidently.

Deeper regions held stronger enemies and harsher conditions – characteristics common to all uncharted borderlands beyond national boundaries.

And every Waystone coordinate pointed further inward.

“Thanks, I owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it. Consider it repayment for warning us about the prince’s antics. Now hurry up and get going before other players beat you to it. Oh, and one more thing… try not to spread your weird religion around, alright?”

[‘Light Judge Lu’ glares at the impious unbeliever!]

An irate message from Lu upon hearing the “weird religion” remark.

But given Shir controlled the northern territories, her perspective made sense.

Fortunately, demonstrating remarkable patience, Lu refrained from branding her a heretic.

Already dealing with World Rank 2, this was a relief for Ail.

“At least I won’t be doing that within Iron Cross territory.”

Sighing inwardly, Ail quickly took his leave lest the goddess change her mind.

Her expression darkened slightly contemplating his parting words.

“That last comment… it’s bothering me…”

---